An fMRI study of the neural basis hand postures specific to tool use. Presidential award proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohgami, Yuko; Uchida, Nobuko; Matsuo, Kayako; Nakai, Toshiharu

2007-01-01

Patients with apraxia are often unable to mimic the use of a tool, even when it is presented visually. Such mimicking involves various cognitive and motor processes, including the visual perception of a tool and the manipulation of imagined tools. Although previous studies reported the involvement of several brain areas, including the left inferior parietal lobule, in such tool-use action, the details of each process have not been well understood. To clarify the neural basis of the process involved in forming hand postures for using tools, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in normal volunteers to investigate brain activation while they formed hand postures for tool manipulation. Three conditions were evaluated in separate block-designed fMRI series, formation of hand posture (A) using a tool, (B) imitating such a hand posture, and (C) to imitate the shape of a tool. Subjects formed their right hand in a manner specified according to the task conditions. Hand posturing for condition (A) induced activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 45), left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), and the premotor area compared with the imitative posturing of condition (B). Activation in these areas might be related to processes shared by tool-use pantomime. On the other hand, comparison between conditions (A) and (C) demonstrated activation in the right superior parietal lobule (BA 7). This activation may reflect spatial regulation, in which the subject was prepared to hold and manipulate the tool. Formation of static hand postures to prepare for tool use may employ a neural network shared by various tool-use actions, such as pantomime. In addition, forming hand postures may require close coordination between the tool and hand. (author)

Left occipitotemporal cortex contributes to the discrimination of tool-associated hand actions: fMRI and TMS evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca ePerini

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Functional neuroimaging studies have implicated the left lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC in both tool and hand perception but the functional role of this region is not fully known. Here, by using a task manipulation, we tested whether tool-/hand-selective LOTC contributes to the discrimination of tool-associated hand actions. Participants viewed briefly presented pictures of kitchen and garage tools while they performed one of two tasks: in the action task, they judged whether the tool is associated with a hand rotation action (e.g., screwdriver or a hand squeeze action (e.g., garlic press, while in the location task they judged whether the tool is typically found in the kitchen (e.g., garlic press or in the garage (e.g., screwdriver. Both tasks were performed on the same stimulus set and were matched for difficulty. Contrasting fMRI responses between these tasks showed stronger activity during the action task than the location task in both tool- and hand-selective LOTC regions, which closely overlapped. No differences were found in nearby object- and motion-selective control regions. Importantly, these findings were confirmed by a TMS study, which showed that effective TMS over the tool-/hand-selective LOTC region significantly slowed responses for tool action discriminations relative to tool location discriminations, with no such difference during sham TMS. We conclude that left LOTC contributes to the discrimination of tool-associated hand actions.

A hand-powered, portable, low-cost centrifuge for diagnosing anemia in low-resource settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jocelyn; Theis, Lauren; Kerr, Lila; Zakhidova, Nazima; O'Connor, Kelly; Uthman, Margaret; Oden, Z Maria; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca

2011-08-01

This report describes the development of a hand-powered centrifuge to determine hematocrit values in low-resource settings. A hand-powered centrifuge was constructed by using a salad spinner. Hematocrit values were measured by using the hand-powered device, and results were compared with those of a benchtop centrifuge. The packed cell volume (PCV) measured with the hand-powered device correlated linearly with results obtained with a benchtop centrifuge (r = 0.986, P centrifuge were consistently 1.14 times higher than those measured with the benchtop system. The 14% increase in PCV measured with the hand-powered centrifuge is caused by increased plasma trapped in the cell column. The reader card was adjusted to compensate for trapped plasma. A hand-powered centrifuge and calibrated reader card can be constructed for U.S. $35 and can accurately determine hematocrit values. It is suitable for use in low-resource settings because it is mechanically-powered, inexpensive, and accurate.

Distinct contribution of the parietal and temporal cortex to hand configuration and contextual judgements about tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Andres, Michael; Pelgrims, Barbara; Olivier, Etienne

2013-09-01

Neuropsychological studies showed that manipulatory and semantic knowledge can be independently impaired in patients with upper-limb apraxia, leading to different tool use disorders. The present study aimed to dissociate the brain regions involved in judging the hand configuration or the context associated to tool use. We focussed on the left supramarginalis gyrus (SMG) and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG), whose activation, as evidenced by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, suggests that they may play a critical role in tool use. The distinctive location of SMG in the dorsal visual stream led us to postulate that this parietal region could play a role in processing incoming information about tools to shape hand posture. In contrast, we hypothesized that MTG, because of its interconnections with several cortical areas involved in semantic memory, could contribute to retrieving semantic information necessary to create a contextual representation of tool use. To test these hypotheses, we used neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to interfere transiently with the function of either left SMG or left MTG in healthy participants performing judgement tasks about either hand configuration or context of tool use. We found that SMG virtual lesions impaired hand configuration but not contextual judgements, whereas MTG lesions selectively interfered with judgements about the context of tool use while leaving hand configuration judgements unaffected. This double dissociation demonstrates that the ability to infer a context of use or a hand posture from tool perception relies on distinct processes, performed in the temporal and parietal regions. The present findings suggest that tool use disorders caused by SMG lesions will be characterized by difficulties in selecting the appropriate hand posture for tool use, whereas MTG lesions will yield difficulties in using tools in the appropriate context. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Agricultural Farm-Related Injuries in Bangladesh and Convenient Design of Working Hand Tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Parvez, M S; Shahriar, M M

2018-01-01

Injuries during cultivation of land are the significant causes of recession for an agricultural country like Bangladesh. Thousands of tools are used in agricultural farm having much probability of getting injury at their workplaces. For the injury prevention, proper hand tool designs need to be recommended with ergonomic evaluations. This paper represents the main causes of agricultural injuries among the Bangladeshi farmers. Effective interventions had been discussed in this paper to reduce the rate of injury. This study was carried out in the Panchagarh district of Bangladesh. Data on 434 agricultural injuries were collected and recorded. About 67% injuries of all incidents were due to hand tools, and the remaining 33% were due to machinery or other sources. Though most of the injuries were not serious, about 22% injuries were greater than or equal to AIS 2 (Abbreviated Injury Scale). The practical implication of this study is to design ergonomically fit agricultural hand tools for Bangladeshi farmers in order to avoid their injuries.

Agricultural Farm-Related Injuries in Bangladesh and Convenient Design of Working Hand Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Parvez

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Injuries during cultivation of land are the significant causes of recession for an agricultural country like Bangladesh. Thousands of tools are used in agricultural farm having much probability of getting injury at their workplaces. For the injury prevention, proper hand tool designs need to be recommended with ergonomic evaluations. This paper represents the main causes of agricultural injuries among the Bangladeshi farmers. Effective interventions had been discussed in this paper to reduce the rate of injury. This study was carried out in the Panchagarh district of Bangladesh. Data on 434 agricultural injuries were collected and recorded. About 67% injuries of all incidents were due to hand tools, and the remaining 33% were due to machinery or other sources. Though most of the injuries were not serious, about 22% injuries were greater than or equal to AIS 2 (Abbreviated Injury Scale. The practical implication of this study is to design ergonomically fit agricultural hand tools for Bangladeshi farmers in order to avoid their injuries.

Electric drive for portable power tools with maximum power supply form the 230 Volt mains; Antriebskonzept fuer Elektrowerkzeuge und den Bezug maximaler Leistung aus dem einphasigen 230-Volt-Netz

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolff, J. [Karlsruhe Univ. (Germany). Elektrotechnisches Inst.

2007-07-01

A new electric drive for hand-held tools and other portable power tools is described in this article. The novel drive concept is designed for the advantageous connection to common 230 V sockets. Based on its special power supply unit and a high drive efficiency a maximum power output about 2700 W can be achieved in continuous operation. Motor speed and gear ratio are adjustable. The drive concept is already used successfully in serial production of core drill machines. (orig.)

Compact and low-cost humanoid hand powered by nylon artificial muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Lianjun; Jung de Andrade, Monica; Saharan, Lokesh Kumar; Rome, Richard Steven; Baughman, Ray H; Tadesse, Yonas

2017-02-03

This paper focuses on design, fabrication and characterization of a biomimetic, compact, low-cost and lightweight 3D printed humanoid hand (TCP Hand) that is actuated by twisted and coiled polymeric (TCP) artificial muscles. The TCP muscles were recently introduced and provided unprecedented strain, mechanical work, and lifecycle (Haines et al 2014 Science 343 868-72). The five-fingered humanoid hand is under-actuated and has 16 degrees of freedom (DOF) in total (15 for fingers and 1 at the palm). In the under-actuated hand designs, a single actuator provides coupled motions at the phalanges of each finger. Two different designs are presented along with the essential elements consisting of actuators, springs, tendons and guide systems. Experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of the TCP muscles in response to the power input (power magnitude, type of wave form such as pulsed or square wave, and pulse duration) and the resulting actuation stroke and force generation. A kinematic model of the flexor tendons was developed to simulate the flexion motion and compare with experimental results. For fast finger movements, short high-power pulses were employed. Finally, we demonstrated the grasping of various objects using the humanoid TCP hand showing an array of functions similar to a natural hand.

Three Software Tools for Viewing Sectional Planes, Volume Models, and Surface Models of a Cadaver Hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Beom Sun; Chung, Min Suk; Shin, Byeong Seok; Kwon, Koojoo

2018-02-19

The hand anatomy, including the complicated hand muscles, can be grasped by using computer-assisted learning tools with high quality two-dimensional images and three-dimensional models. The purpose of this study was to present up-to-date software tools that promote learning of stereoscopic morphology of the hand. On the basis of horizontal sectioned images and outlined images of a male cadaver, vertical planes, volume models, and surface models were elaborated. Software to browse pairs of the sectioned and outlined images in orthogonal planes and software to peel and rotate the volume models, as well as a portable document format (PDF) file to select and rotate the surface models, were produced. All of the software tools were downloadable free of charge and usable off-line. The three types of tools for viewing multiple aspects of the hand could be adequately employed according to individual needs. These new tools involving the realistic images of a cadaver and the diverse functions are expected to improve comprehensive knowledge of the hand shape. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Java Power Tools

CERN Document Server

Smart, John

2008-01-01

All true craftsmen need the best tools to do their finest work, and programmers are no different. Java Power Tools delivers 30 open source tools designed to improve the development practices of Java developers in any size team or organization. Each chapter includes a series of short articles about one particular tool -- whether it's for build systems, version control, or other aspects of the development process -- giving you the equivalent of 30 short reference books in one package. No matter which development method your team chooses, whether it's Agile, RUP, XP, SCRUM, or one of many other

Diagnostics of hand-arm system disorders in workers who use vibrating tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Gemne, G

1997-02-01

A hand-arm vibration syndrome occurs in some workers who use hand held vibrating tools. It is recognised to consist of white fingers, diffusely distributed finger neuropathy, pain in the arm and hand, and a small excess risk of osteoarthrosis from percussion to the wrist and elbow. Carpal tunnel syndrome is mainly due to ergonomic factors other than vibration, but certain factors related to vibration may contribute to its development. A decrease in muscle power induced by vibration, and excessive hearing deficit have been postulated. The assessment of a disorder suspected of being induced by vibration includes deciding whether there is a disorder and, if so, whether the symptoms can be caused by vibration. To decide whether the symptoms can be caused by vibration epidemiological documentation and pathogenically reasonable theories must exist. A causal diagnosis finally requires and epidemiological decision whether or not the factual exposure has elicited the patient's symptoms. Epidemiological data on the quantitative association between vibration and excessive risks of white fingers and diffusely distributed neuropathy are incomplete. The symptomatic diagnosis of white fingers is still mainly based on anamnestic information. Available laboratory tests are incapable of grading the severity of individual cases. Recording the finger systolic blood pressure during cold provocation is a method of symptomatic diagnosis with reasonable levels of specificity, sensitivity, and predictive value. For diffusely distributed neuropathy these levels are lower than desired. Electrodiagnostic tests for carpal tunnel syndrome have sufficient validity. Proper exposure evaluation must be based on an appreciation of the character of the vibration as well as effective duration and intermittency. If this is not taken into account, the number of hours of exposure and intensity of vibration are likely to be non-commensurable variables, and the simple product of them is a questionable dose

Magnified Bacteria Powerful Motivator for Hand Hygiene Compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregory, Ashley

2016-08-01

Infection prevention specialists at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit have found that showing healthcare workers magnified pictures of bacteria found ontheir hands and in their surrounding units can be a powerful motivator for improved hand hygiene compliance. When tested in four units during a one-month period, the intervention boosted hand hygiene compliance by an average of 24%. Investigators note that to be successful, the intervention must be paired with an effective compliance monitoring program. For the study, investigators visited each unit twice per week, during which they would swab various items as well as employees' hands using and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter, a hand-held device that measures living organisms. During each unit visit, infection prevention specialists would show unit personnel pictures from a compilation of 12 magnified images of bacteria that had been lifted from the unit. This was to demonstrate what the bacteria would look like under a microscope. The unsavory pictures produced immediate increases in had hygiene compliance, and prompted healthcare workers to see who could produce the best ATP meter readings on subsequent infection prevention specialist visits.

Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry as an accurate tool for analyzing lymphedema of the hand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inge A. Hoevenaren

2016-12-01

Conclusions: This pilot study shows that 3D photography is a reproducible and useful tool in volume measurements of edematous hands. Changes in hand volume can be easily detected, thus creating an opportunity for the timely initiation of treatment options and simplifying the follow-up process.

76 FR 52313 - Heavy Forged Hand Tools (i.e., Axes & Adzes, Bars & Wedges, Hammers & Sledges, and Picks...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-22

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-803] Heavy Forged Hand Tools (i.e... Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce... on heavy forged hand tools (i.e., [[Page 52314

Hand-actuated spring clip insertion tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuba, G.W.

1993-01-01

A hand-actuated insertion tool includes a handle assembly, an elongated hollow tubular outer support tube, an elongated inner pull rod, and a coupling arrangement. The handle assembly has a first handle member and a second handle member pivoted to a member for movement between unactuated and actuated positions. The tube is attached in a fixed relation to a handle member. The rod is mounted within the tube for sliding movement relative thereto between home and retracted positions. The coupling arrangement pivotally connects the rod to the second handle member such that the rod will undergo sliding movement from the home position to the retracted positions relative to the tube as the second handle member is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position adjacent to the first handle member. (author)

1950-nm diode laser-assisted microanastomoses (LAMA): an innovative surgical tool for hand surgery emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Leclère, Franck Marie; Schoofs, Michel; Vogt, Peter; Casoli, Vincent; Mordon, Serge

2015-05-01

Based on previous observations, the 1950-nm diode laser seems to be an ideal wavelength for laser microvascular anastomoses. The data presented here, part of a larger ongoing study, assess its use in emergency hand surgery. Between 2011 and 2014, 11 patients were operated on for hand trauma with laser-assisted microanastomoses (LAMA) and prospectively analysed. LAMA was performed with a 1950-nm diode laser after placement of equidistant stitches. For vessel size laser parameters were used: spot size 400 μm, five spots for each wall, power 125 mW, and arterial/venous fluence 100/90 J/cm(2) (spot duration 1/0.9 s). Mean operating time for arterial and venous microanastomoses was 7.3 ± 1.4 and 8.7 ± 1.0 min, respectively. Three anastomoses required a secondary laser application. Arterial and venous patency rates were 100 % at the time of surgery. The success rate for the 11 procedures assessed clinically and with the Doppler was 100 %. The technique is compared to the current literature. The 1950-nm LAMA is a reliable tool with excellent results in emergency hand surgery. The system is very compact and transportable for utilization in the emergency operating room.

Integrated Wind Power Planning Tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosgaard, M. H.; Hahmann, Andrea N.; Nielsen, T. S.

This poster describes the status as of April 2012 of the Public Service Obligation (PSO) funded project PSO 10464 \\Integrated Wind Power Planning Tool". The project goal is to integrate a meso scale numerical weather prediction (NWP) model with a statistical tool in order to better predict short...... term power variation from off shore wind farms, as well as to conduct forecast error assessment studies in preparation for later implementation of such a feature in an existing simulation model. The addition of a forecast error estimation feature will further increase the value of this tool, as it...

77 FR 39997 - Heavy Forged Hand Tools, Finished or Unfinished, With or Without Handles From the People's...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-06

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-803] Heavy Forged Hand Tools...) (Diamond Sawblades), the Department is notifying the public that the final judgment in this case is not in... review on heavy forged hand tools, finished or unfinished, with or without handles from the People's...

iGrab: hand orthosis powered by twisted and coiled polymer muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Saharan, Lokesh; de Andrade, Monica Jung; Saleem, Wahaj; Baughman, Ray H.; Tadesse, Yonas

2017-10-01

Several works have been reported in powered hand orthosis in the last ten years for assistive or rehabilitative purposes. However, most of these approaches uses conventional actuators such as servo motors to power orthosis. In this work, we demonstrate the recently reported twisted and coiled polymeric (TCP) muscles to drive a compact, light, inexpensive and wearable upper extremity device, iGrab. A 3D printed orthotic hand module was designed, developed and tested for the performance. The device has six 2-ply muscles of diameter 1.35 mm with a length of 380 mm. We used a single 2-ply muscle for each finger and two 2-ply muscles for the thumb. Pulsed actuation of the muscles at 1.8 A current for 25 s with 7% duty cycle under natural cooling showed full flexion of the fingers within 2 s. Modeling and simulation were performed on the device using standard Euler-Lagrangian equations. Our artificial muscles powered hand orthosis demonstrated the capability of pinching and picking objects of different shapes, weights, and sizes.

Comparison of shoulder load during power-assisted and purely hand-rim wheelchair propulsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Kloosterman, Marieke G M; Eising, Hilde; Schaake, Leendert; Buurke, Jaap H; Rietman, Johan S

2012-06-01

Repetitive forces and moments are among the work requirements of hand-rim wheelchair propulsion that are related to shoulder injuries. No previous research has been published about the influence of power-assisted wheelchair propulsion on these work requirements. The purpose of our study was therefore to determine the influence of power-assisted propulsion on shoulder biomechanics and muscle activation patterns. We also explored the theoretical framework for the effectiveness of power-assisted propulsion in preventing shoulder injuries by decreasing the work requirements of hand-rim wheelchair propulsion. Nine non-wheelchair users propelled a hand-rim wheelchair on a treadmill at 0.9 m/s. Shoulder biomechanics, and muscle activation patterns, were compared between propulsion with and without power-assist. Propulsion frequency did not differ significantly between the two conditions (Wilcoxon Signed Rank test/significance level/effect size:4/.314/-.34). During power-assisted propulsion we found significantly decreased maximum shoulder flexion and internal rotation angles (1/.015/-.81 and 0/.008/-.89) and decreased peak force on the rim (0/.008/-.89). This resulted in decreased shoulder flexion, adduction and internal rotation moments (2/.021/-.77; 0/.008/-.89 and 1/.011/-.85) and decreased forces at the shoulder in the posterior, superior and lateral directions (2/.021/-.77; 2/.008/-.89 and 2/.024/-.75). Muscle activation in the pectoralis major, posterior deltoid and triceps brachii was also decreased (2/.038/-.69; 1/.015/-.81 and 1/.021/-.77). Power-assist influenced the work requirements of hand-rim wheelchair propulsion by healthy subjects. It was primarily the kinetics at rim and shoulder which were influenced by power-assisted propulsion. Additional research with actual hand-rim wheelchair users is required before extrapolation to routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EnergiTools(R) - a power plant performance monitoring and diagnosis tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ancion, P.V.; Bastien, R.; Ringdahl, K.

2000-01-01

Westinghouse EnergiTools(R) is a performance diagnostic tool for power generation plants that combines the power of on-line process data acquisition with advanced diagnostics methodologies. The system uses analytical models based on thermodynamic principles combined with knowledge of component diagnostic experts. An issue in modeling expert knowledge is to have a framework that can represent and process uncertainty in complex systems. In such experiments, it is nearly impossible to build deterministic models for the effects of faults on symptoms. A methodology based on causal probabilistic graphs, more specifically on Bayesian belief networks, has been implemented in EnergiTools(R) to capture the fault-symptom relationships. The methodology estimates the likelihood of the various component failures using the fault-symptom relationships. The system also has the ability to use neural networks for processes that are difficult to model analytically. An application is the estimation of the reactor power in nuclear power plant by interpreting several plant indicators. EnergiTools(R) is used for the on-line performance monitoring and diagnostics at Vattenfall Ringhals nuclear power plants in Sweden. It has led to the diagnosis of various performance issues with plant components. Two case studies are presented. In the first case, an overestimate of the thermal power due to a faulty instrument was found, which led to a plant operation below its optimal power. The paper shows how the problem was discovered, using the analytical thermodynamic calculations. The second case shows an application of EnergiTools(R) for the diagnostic of a condenser failure using causal probabilistic graphs

Development of an observational measure of healthcare worker hand-hygiene behaviour: the hand-hygiene observation tool (HHOT).

Science.gov (United States)

McAteer, J; Stone, S; Fuller, C; Charlett, A; Cookson, B; Slade, R; Michie, S

2008-03-01

Previous observational measures of healthcare worker (HCW) hand-hygiene behaviour (HHB) fail to provide adequate standard operating procedures (SOPs), accounts of inter-rater agreement testing or evidence of sensitivity to change. This study reports the development of an observational tool in a way that addresses these deficiencies. Observational categories were developed systematically, guided by a clinical guideline, previous measures and pilot hand-hygiene behaviour observations (HHOs). The measure, a simpler version of the Geneva tool, consists of HHOs (before and after low-risk, high-risk or unobserved contact), HHBs (soap, alcohol hand rub, no action, unknown), and type of HCW. Inter-observer agreement for each category was assessed by observation of 298 HHOs and HHBs by two independent observers on acute elderly and intensive care units. Raw agreement (%) and Kappa were 77% and 0.68 for HHB; 83% and 0.77 for HHO; and 90% and 0.77 for HCW. Inter-observer agreement for overall compliance of a group of HCWs was assessed by observation of 1191 HHOs and HHBs by two pairs of independent observers. Overall agreement was good (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79). Sensitivity to change was examined by autoregressive time-series modelling of longitudinal observations for 8 months on the intensive therapy unit during an Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak and subsequent strengthening of infection control measures. Sensitivity to change was demonstrated by a rise in compliance from 80 to 98% with an odds ratio of increased compliance of 7.00 (95% confidence interval: 4.02-12.2) P < 0.001.

Use of a patient empowerment tool for hand hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Lastinger, Allison; Gomez, Kayeromi; Manegold, Ellen; Khakoo, Rashida

2017-08-01

Patient empowerment is recognized as an important component of a multimodal strategy to improve hand hygiene adherence. We examined the attitudes of adult patients and parents of pediatric patients toward a new patient empowerment tool (PET) at our hospital. We also surveyed physicians to determine their perceptions about the PET. A cross-sectional survey was performed of hospitalized children's parents and adult patients in a 531-bed tertiary care teaching hospital in West Virginia. Surveys were anonymous and self-administered. A separate survey was administered via e-mail to resident and attending physicians from the departments of internal medicine, pediatrics, and family medicine. Most parents and adult patients felt it was their role to speak up if a provider did not perform hand hygiene, but a smaller number actually felt comfortable using the PET. Only 54.9% of physicians felt that patients should be involved in reminding providers to perform hand hygiene. Overall, physicians indicated that they would prefer a patient to use words rather than the PET to remind them to perform hand hygiene. In our study, parents and adult patients supported use of the PET, but physicians were less supportive. As the patient empowerment movement grows, we should work to improve physician acceptance of patient involvement if it is to be successful. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Takei Handheld Dynamometer: An Effective Clinical Outcome Measure Tool for Hand and Wrist Function in Boxing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gatt, Ian; Smith-Moore, Sophie; Steggles, Charlie; Loosemore, Mike

2018-05-01

The aim of this article was to explore retrospectively the Takei dynamometer as a valid and reliable outcome measure tool for hand and wrist pathology in the Great Britain amateur boxing squad between 2010 and 2014. Longitudinal retrospective injury surveillance of the Great Britain boxing squad was performed from 2010 to 2014. The location, region affected, description, and duration of each injury were recorded by the team doctor and team physiotherapists. For each significant injury, we recorded hand grip scores using the Takei handheld dynamometer and compared the scores with baseline measures. At the hand, fractures and dislocations were highly detected with an average difference of 40.2% ( P 20% should be highly considered for significant pathology. The Takei dynamometer is a valid and reliable outcome measure tool for hand and wrist pathologies in boxing. Our study highlights the importance of appropriate clinical tools to guide injury management in this sport.

Eating tools in hand activate the brain systems for eating action: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Kaori; Nakamura, Kimihiro; Oga, Tatsuhide; Nakajima, Yasoichi

2014-07-01

There is increasing neuroimaging evidence suggesting that visually presented tools automatically activate the human sensorimotor system coding learned motor actions relevant to the visual stimuli. Such crossmodal activation may reflect a general functional property of the human motor memory and thus can be operating in other, non-limb effector organs, such as the orofacial system involved in eating. In the present study, we predicted that somatosensory signals produced by eating tools in hand covertly activate the neuromuscular systems involved in eating action. In Experiments 1 and 2, we measured motor evoked response (MEP) of the masseter muscle in normal humans to examine the possible impact of tools in hand (chopsticks and scissors) on the neuromuscular systems during the observation of food stimuli. We found that eating tools (chopsticks) enhanced the masseter MEPs more greatly than other tools (scissors) during the visual recognition of food, although this covert change in motor excitability was not detectable at the behavioral level. In Experiment 3, we further observed that chopsticks overall increased MEPs more greatly than scissors and this tool-driven increase of MEPs was greater when participants viewed food stimuli than when they viewed non-food stimuli. A joint analysis of the three experiments confirmed a significant impact of eating tools on the masseter MEPs during food recognition. Taken together, these results suggest that eating tools in hand exert a category-specific impact on the neuromuscular system for eating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mathematical modelling of a hand crank generator for powering lower-limb exoskeletons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashish Singla

2016-09-01

Full Text Available With advances in technology and ageing societal concerns growing, personal care devices are gaining importance globally. One such area is lower-limb exoskeletons, used to assist persons to move around for normal daily living. Most of the commercially available assistive exoskeletons use rechargeable Li-ion batteries, which require frequent charging to meet the operational needs. Charging becomes a problem when a person relying on a mobility exoskeleton has to go outdoors for shopping or a leisure walk. Experimental data from on-going research to develop assistive mobility exoskeletons for elderly persons indicates that, the power required for exoskeletons is around 45–60 W which falls in the output range of hand-crank generators. So use of hand-crank generators as a charging source is discussed. In this work, we develop a mathematical model to investigate the potential of hand-crank devices in charging mobility exoskeletons and to give relation between input cranking speed and output charging power, and estimate the cranking time.

Tools and their uses

CERN Document Server

1973-01-01

Teaches names, general uses, and correct operation of all basic hand and power tools, fasteners, and measuring devices you are likely to need. Also, grinding, metal cutting, soldering, and more. 329 illustrations.

A novel gripper design for multi hand tools grasping under tight clearance constraints and external torque effect

KAUST Repository

Shaqura, Mohammad; Shamma, Jeff S.

2017-01-01

A robotic multi tool gripper design and implementation is presented in this paper. The proposed design targets applications where an actuation task is performed using a wide selection of standard hand tools. The manipulation motion is assumed

PROMOTION OF PRODUCTS AND ANALYSIS OF MARKET OF POWER TOOLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey S. Rakhmanov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the general situation of power tools on the market, both in Russia and in the world. A comparative analysis of competitors, market structure analysis of power tools, as well as assessment of competitiveness of some major product lines. Also the analysis methods of promotion used by companies selling tools, competitive analysis range Bosch, the leader in its segment, power tools available on the market in Russia.

Powered mobility intervention: understanding the position of tool use learning as part of implementing the ALP tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsson, Lisbeth; Durkin, Josephine

2017-10-01

To explore the knowledge necessary for adoption and implementation of the Assessment of Learning Powered mobility use (ALP) tool in different practice settings for both adults and children. To consult with a diverse population of professionals working with adults and children, in different countries and various settings; who were learning about or using the ALP tool, as part of exploring and implementing research findings. Classical grounded theory with a rigorous comparative analysis of data from informants together with reflections on our own rich experiences of powered mobility practice and comparisons with the literature. A core category learning tool use and a new theory of cognizing tool use, with its interdependent properties: motivation, confidence, permissiveness, attentiveness and co-construction has emerged which explains in greater depth what enables the application of the ALP tool. The scientific knowledge base on tool use learning and the new theory conveys the information necessary for practitioner's cognizing how to apply the learning approach of the ALP tool in order to enable tool use learning through powered mobility practice as a therapeutic intervention in its own right. This opens up the possibility for more children and adults to have access to learning through powered mobility practice. Implications for rehabilitation Tool use learning through powered mobility practice is a therapeutic intervention in its own right. Powered mobility practice can be used as a rehabilitation tool with individuals who may not need to become powered wheelchair users. Motivation, confidence, permissiveness, attentiveness and co-construction are key properties for enabling the application of the learning approach of the ALP tool. Labelling and the use of language, together with honing observational skills through viewing video footage, are key to developing successful learning partnerships.

Basic Hand Tools for Bricklaying and Cement Masonry [and] Basic Hand Tools of the Carpenter.

Science.gov (United States)

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Vocational Instructional Services.

Intended for student use, this unit discusses and illustrates the tools used in brick and masonry and carpentry. Contents of the brick and masonry section include informative materials on bricklaying tools (brick trowels, joint tools, levels, squares, line and accessories, rules, hammers and chisels, tool kits) and cement masonry tools (tampers,…

Optics assembly for high power laser tools

Science.gov (United States)

Fraze, Jason D.; Faircloth, Brian O.; Zediker, Mark S.

2016-06-07

There is provided a high power laser rotational optical assembly for use with, or in high power laser tools for performing high power laser operations. In particular, the optical assembly finds applications in performing high power laser operations on, and in, remote and difficult to access locations. The optical assembly has rotational seals and bearing configurations to avoid contamination of the laser beam path and optics.

Pneumatic tool torque reaction: reaction forces, displacement, muscle activity and discomfort in the hand-arm system.

Science.gov (United States)

Kihlberg, S; Kjellberg, A; Lindbeck, L

1993-06-01

Reaction forces, hand-arm displacement, muscle activity and discomfort ratings were studied during the securing of threaded fasteners with three angle nutrunners with different shut-off mechanisms, but with the same spindle torque (72-74 Nm). The three tools were tested according to the method specified in ISO 6544. One of the tools had an almost instantaneous shut-off. Another had a more slowly declining torque curve. For the third tool the maximum torque was maintained for a while before shut-off. Twelve male subjects participated in the study. A force platform measured the reaction force between the subject and the floor. The option of the hand-arm system and the shoulder was measured with an optoelectronic measuring system. The muscle activity (EMG) in six muscles in the arm and shoulder was measured with surface electrodes. Significant differences in the arm movements and ground reaction forces were found between the three tools. The smallest values were found with the fast shut-off tool while the delayed shut-off tool caused the largest values. The EMG measures gave inconsistent response patterns. Discomfort ratings were highly correlated with the time for which the tool torque exceeded 90% of peak preset torque, but the time for which the tool torque exceeded 90% of peak calculated by the method specified in ISO 6544. Nutrunners with a shut-off mechanism that causes a slowly decreasing torque or a torque that is maintained for a while before shut-off should be avoided. If no substitutes are available, then a torque reaction bar should be mounted on the tool.

Spacecraft Electrical Power System (EPS) generic analysis tools and techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Gladys M.; Sheppard, Mark A.

1992-01-01

An overview is provided of the analysis tools and techiques used in modeling the Space Station Freedom electrical power system, as well as future space vehicle power systems. The analysis capabilities of the Electrical Power System (EPS) are described and the EPS analysis tools are surveyed.

Computer-aided design in power engineering. Application of software tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stojkovic, Zlatan

2012-01-01

Demonstrates the use software tools in the practice of design in the field of power systems. Presents many applications in the design in the field of power systems. Useful for educative purposes and practical work. This textbooks demonstrates the application of software tools in solving a series of problems from the field of designing power system structures and systems. It contains four chapters: The first chapter leads the reader through all the phases necessary in the procedures of computer aided modeling and simulation. It guides through the complex problems presenting on the basis of eleven original examples. The second chapter presents application of software tools in power system calculations of power systems equipment design. Several design example calculations are carried out using engineering standards like MATLAB, EMTP/ATP, Excel and Access, AutoCAD and Simulink. The third chapters focuses on the graphical documentation using a collection of software tools (AutoCAD, EPLAN, SIMARIS SIVACON, SIMARIS DESIGN) which enable the complete automation of the development of graphical documentation of a power systems. In the fourth chapter, the application of software tools in the project management in power systems is discussed. Here, the emphasis is put on the standard software MS Excel and MS Project.

Computer-aided design in power engineering. Application of software tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stojkovic, Zlatan

2012-07-01

Demonstrates the use software tools in the practice of design in the field of power systems. Presents many applications in the design in the field of power systems. Useful for educative purposes and practical work. This textbooks demonstrates the application of software tools in solving a series of problems from the field of designing power system structures and systems. It contains four chapters: The first chapter leads the reader through all the phases necessary in the procedures of computer aided modeling and simulation. It guides through the complex problems presenting on the basis of eleven original examples. The second chapter presents application of software tools in power system calculations of power systems equipment design. Several design example calculations are carried out using engineering standards like MATLAB, EMTP/ATP, Excel and Access, AutoCAD and Simulink. The third chapters focuses on the graphical documentation using a collection of software tools (AutoCAD, EPLAN, SIMARIS SIVACON, SIMARIS DESIGN) which enable the complete automation of the development of graphical documentation of a power systems. In the fourth chapter, the application of software tools in the project management in power systems is discussed. Here, the emphasis is put on the standard software MS Excel and MS Project.

Integrated Wind Power Planning Tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosgaard, M. H.; Giebel, Gregor; Nielsen, T. S.

2012-01-01

model to be developed in collaboration with ENFOR A/S; a danish company that specialises in forecasting and optimisation for the energy sector. This integrated prediction model will allow for the description of the expected variability in wind power production in the coming hours to days, accounting......This poster presents the current state of the public service obligation (PSO) funded project PSO 10464, with the working title "Integrated Wind Power Planning Tool". The project commenced October 1, 2011, and the goal is to integrate a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model with purely...

Hand Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

... from conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow , as well as from chronic problems such as ... Tools Advice from a Certified Hand Therapist on Tennis Elbow Advice from a Certified Hand Therapist: Living with( ...

Engineering of Impulse Mechanism for Mechanical Hander Power Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaevich Drozdov, Anatoliy

2018-03-01

The solution to the problem of human security in cities should be considered on the basis of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, including issues of security and ecology in the application of technical means used to ensure the viability and development of technocracy. In this regard, an important task is the creation of a safe technique with improved environmental properties with high technological characteristics. This primarily relates to mechanised tool — the division of technological machines with built in engines is that their weight is fully or partially perceived by the operator’s hands, making the flow and control of the car. For this subclass of machines is characterized by certain features: a built-in motor, perception of at least part of their weight by the operator during the work, the implementation of feeding and management at the expense of the muscular power of the operator. Therefore, among the commonly accepted technical and economic characteristics, machines in this case, important ergonomic (ergonomics), regulation of levels which ensures the safety of the operator. To ergonomics include vibration, noise characteristics, mass, and force feeding machine operator. Vibration is a consequence of the dynamism of the system operator machine - processed object (environment) in which the engine energy is redistributed among all the structures, causing their instability. In the machine vibration caused by technological and constructive (transformative mechanisms) unbalance of individual parts of the drive, the presence of technological and design (impact mechanisms) clearances and other reasons. This article describes a new design of impulse mechanism for hander power tools (wrenches, screwdrivers) with enhanced torque. The article substantiates a simulation model of dynamic compression process in an operating chamber during impact, provides simulation results and outlines further lines of research.

Computer- Aided Design in Power Engineering Application of Software Tools

CERN Document Server

Stojkovic, Zlatan

2012-01-01

This textbooks demonstrates the application of software tools in solving a series of problems from the field of designing power system structures and systems. It contains four chapters: The first chapter leads the reader through all the phases necessary in the procedures of computer aided modeling and simulation. It guides through the complex problems presenting on the basis of eleven original examples. The second chapter presents  application of software tools in power system calculations of power systems equipment design. Several design example calculations are carried out using engineering standards like MATLAB, EMTP/ATP, Excel & Access, AutoCAD and Simulink. The third chapters focuses on the graphical documentation using a collection of software tools (AutoCAD, EPLAN, SIMARIS SIVACON, SIMARIS DESIGN) which enable the complete automation of the development of graphical documentation of a power systems. In the fourth chapter, the application of software tools in the project management in power systems ...

Validity and inter-observer reliability of subjective hand-arm vibration assessments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coenen, P.; Formanoy, M.; Douwes, M.; Bosch, T.; Kraker, H. de

2014-01-01

Exposure to mechanical vibrations at work (e.g., due to handling powered tools) is a potential occupational risk as it may cause upper extremity complaints. However, reliable and valid assessment methods for vibration exposure at work are lacking. Measuring hand-arm vibration objectively is often

Computational tool for simulation of power and refrigeration cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Córdoba Tuta, E.; Reyes Orozco, M.

2016-07-01

Small improvement in thermal efficiency of power cycles brings huge cost savings in the production of electricity, for that reason have a tool for simulation of power cycles allows modeling the optimal changes for a best performance. There is also a big boom in research Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), which aims to get electricity at low power through cogeneration, in which the working fluid is usually a refrigerant. A tool to design the elements of an ORC cycle and the selection of the working fluid would be helpful, because sources of heat from cogeneration are very different and in each case would be a custom design. In this work the development of a multiplatform software for the simulation of power cycles and refrigeration, which was implemented in the C ++ language and includes a graphical interface which was developed using multiplatform environment Qt and runs on operating systems Windows and Linux. The tool allows the design of custom power cycles, selection the type of fluid (thermodynamic properties are calculated through CoolProp library), calculate the plant efficiency, identify the fractions of flow in each branch and finally generates a report very educational in pdf format via the LaTeX tool.

Die Sprache der Hande zu den Handen sprechen (Talking the Language of the Hands to the Hands). DB-LINK.

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Barbara

This paper examines the importance of hands for the person who is deafblind, reviews hand development, and identifies specific teaching skills that facilitate hand development and expressiveness in persons who are deafblind. It notes that the hands of a deafblind individual serve not only as tools but also as sense organs (to compensate for their…

Radiation Mitigation and Power Optimization Design Tools for Reconfigurable Hardware in Orbit

Science.gov (United States)

French, Matthew; Graham, Paul; Wirthlin, Michael; Wang, Li; Larchev, Gregory

2005-01-01

The Reconfigurable Hardware in Orbit (RHinO)project is focused on creating a set of design tools that facilitate and automate design techniques for reconfigurable computing in space, using SRAM-based field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) technology. In the second year of the project, design tools that leverage an established FPGA design environment have been created to visualize and analyze an FPGA circuit for radiation weaknesses and power inefficiencies. For radiation, a single event Upset (SEU) emulator, persistence analysis tool, and a half-latch removal tool for Xilinx/Virtex-II devices have been created. Research is underway on a persistence mitigation tool and multiple bit upsets (MBU) studies. For power, synthesis level dynamic power visualization and analysis tools have been completed. Power optimization tools are under development and preliminary test results are positive.

Hubble Space Telescope EVA Power Ratchet Tool redesign

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Paul W.; Park, Chan; Brown, Lee

The Power Ratchet Tool (PRT) is a self contained, power-driven, 3/8 inch drive ratchet wrench which will be used by astronauts during Extravehicular Activities (EVA). This battery-powered tool is controlled by a dedicated electonic controller. The PRT was flown during the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Deployment Mission STS-31 to deploy the solar arrays if the automatic mechanisms failed. The PRT is currently intended for use during the first HST Servicing Mission STS-61 as a general purpose power tool. The PRT consists of three major components; the wrench, the controller, and the battery module. Fourteen discrete combinations of torque, turns, and speed may be programmed into the controller before the EVA. The crewmember selects the desired parameter profile by a switch mounted on the controller. The tool may also be used in the manual mode as a non-powered ratchet wrench. The power is provided by a silver-zinc battery module, which fits into the controller and is replaceable during an EVA. The original PRT did not meet the design specification of torque output and hours of operation. To increase efficiency and reliability the PRT underwent a redesign effort. The majority of this effort focused on the wrench. The original PRT drive train consisted of a low torque, high speed brushless DC motor, a face gear set, and a planocentric gear assembly. The total gear reduction was 300:1. The new PRT wrench consists of a low speed, high torque brushless DC motor, two planetary gear sets and a bevel gear set. The total gear reduction is now 75:1. A spline clutch has also been added to disengage the drive train in the manual mode. The design changes to the controller will consist of only those modifications necessary to accomodate the redesigned wrench.

Tools. Unit 9: A Core Curriculum of Related Instruction for Apprentices.

Science.gov (United States)

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational and Career Curriculum Development.

The tool handling unit is presented to assist apprentices to acquire a general knowledge on the use of various basic tools. The unit consists of seven modules: (1) introduction to hand tools and small power tools; (2) measuring tools: layout and measuring tools for woodworking; (3) measuring tools: feeler gauge, micrometer, and torque wrench; (4)…

New tool for integration of wind power forecasting into power system operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gubina, Andrej F.; Keane, Andrew; Meibom, Peter

2009-01-01

The paper describes the methodology that has been developed for transmission system operators (TSOs) of Republic of Ireland, Eirgrid, and Northern Ireland, SONI the TSO in Northern Ireland, to study the effects of advanced wind power forecasting on optimal short-term power system scheduling....... The resulting schedules take into account the electricity market conditions and feature optimal reserve scheduling. The short-term wind power prediction is provided by the Anemos tool, and the scheduling function, including the reserve optimisation, by the Wilmar tool. The proposed methodology allows...... for evaluation of the impacts that different types of wind energy forecasts (stochastic vs. deterministic vs. perfect) have on the schedules, and how the new incoming information via in-day scheduling impacts the quality of the schedules. Within the methodology, metrics to assess the quality of the schedules...

Net energy analysis - powerful tool for selecting elective power options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baron, S. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)

1995-12-01

A number of net energy analysis studies have been conducted in recent years for electric power production from coal, oil and uranium fuels; synthetic fuels from coal and oil shale; and heat and electric power from solar energy. This technique is an excellent indicator of investment costs, environmental impact and potential economic competitiveness of alternative electric power systems for energy planners from the Eastern European countries considering future options. Energy conservation is also important to energy planners and the net energy analysis technique is an excellent accounting system on the extent of energy resource conservation. The author proposes to discuss the technique and to present the results of his studies and others in the field. The information supplied to the attendees will serve as a powerful tool to the energy planners considering their electric power options in the future.

Digital Portfolios: Powerful Marketing Tool for Communications Students

Science.gov (United States)

Nikirk, Martin

2008-01-01

A digital portfolio is a powerful marketing tool for young people searching for employment in the communication or interactive media fields. With a digital portfolio, students can demonstrate their skills at working with software tools, demonstrate appropriate use of materials, explain technical procedures, show an understanding of processes and…

Artificial intelligence tool development and applications to nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naser, J.A.

1987-01-01

Two parallel efforts are being performed at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to help the electric utility industry take advantage of the expert system technology. The first effort is the development of expert system building tools, which are tailored to electric utility industry applications. The second effort is the development of expert system applications. These two efforts complement each other. The application development tests the tools and identifies additional tool capabilities that are required. The tool development helps define the applications that can be successfully developed. Artificial intelligence, as demonstrated by the developments described is being established as a credible technological tool for the electric utility industry. The challenge to transferring artificial intelligence technology and an understanding of its potential to the electric utility industry is to gain an understanding of the problems that reduce power plant performance and identify which can be successfully addressed using artificial intelligence

Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) Version 3

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Eric G.; Chang, George W.; Chen, Fannie C.

2012-01-01

The Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool (MMPAT) simulates a spacecraft power subsystem including the power source (solar array and/or radioisotope thermoelectric generator), bus-voltage control, secondary battery (lithium-ion or nickel-hydrogen), thermostatic heaters, and power-consuming equipment. It handles multiple mission types including heliocentric orbiters, planetary orbiters, and surface operations. Being parametrically driven along with its user-programmable features can reduce or even eliminate any need for software modifications when configuring it for a particular spacecraft. It provides multiple levels of fidelity, thereby fulfilling the vast majority of a project s power simulation needs throughout the lifecycle. It can operate in a stand-alone mode with a graphical user interface, in batch mode, or as a library linked with other tools. This software can simulate all major aspects of a spacecraft power subsystem. It is parametrically driven to reduce or eliminate the need for a programmer. Added flexibility is provided through user-designed state models and table-driven parameters. MMPAT is designed to be used by a variety of users, such as power subsystem engineers for sizing power subsystem components; mission planners for adjusting mission scenarios using power profiles generated by the model; system engineers for performing system- level trade studies using the results of the model during the early design phases of a spacecraft; and operations personnel for high-fidelity modeling of the essential power aspect of the planning picture.

New Conceptual Design Tools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pugnale, Alberto; Holst, Malene Kirstine; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning

2010-01-01

hand, the main software houses are trying to introduce powerful and effective user-friendly applications in the world of building designers, that are more and more able to fit their specific requirements; on the other hand, some groups of expert users with a basic programming knowledge seem to deal......This paper aims to discuss recent approaches in using more and more frequently computer tools as supports for the conceptual design phase of the architectural project. The present state-of-the-art about software as conceptual design tool could be summarized in two parallel tendencies. On the one...... with the problem of software as conceptual design tool by means of 'scripting', in other words by self-developing codes able to solve specific and well defined design problems. Starting with a brief historical recall and the discussion of relevant researches and practical experiences, this paper investigates...

Visual and visuomotor processing of hands and tools as a case study of cross talk between the dorsal and ventral streams.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Jorge; Amaral, Lénia; Garcea, Frank E; Aguiar de Sousa, Diana; Xu, Shan; Mahon, Bradford Z; Martins, Isabel Pavão

2018-05-24

A major principle of organization of the visual system is between a dorsal stream that processes visuomotor information and a ventral stream that supports object recognition. Most research has focused on dissociating processing across these two streams. Here we focus on how the two streams interact. We tested neurologically-intact and impaired participants in an object categorization task over two classes of objects that depend on processing within both streams-hands and tools. We measured how unconscious processing of images from one of these categories (e.g., tools) affects the recognition of images from the other category (i.e., hands). Our findings with neurologically-intact participants demonstrated that processing an image of a hand hampers the subsequent processing of an image of a tool, and vice versa. These results were not present in apraxic patients (N = 3). These findings suggest local and global inhibitory processes working in tandem to co-register information across the two streams.

User-friendly tool for power flow analysis and distributed generation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The intent of power distribution companies (DISCOs) is to deliver electric power to their ... One major way to minimise power loss on a given power system is to install ... The accuracy and reliability of the developed tool was validated using ...

An automated tool for solar power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natsheh, E.M.; Natsheh, A.R.; Albarbar, AH

2014-01-01

In this paper a novel model of smart grid-connected solar power system is developed. The model is implemented using MatLab/SIMULINK software package. Artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm is used for maximizing the generated power based on maximum power point tracker (MPPT) implementation. The dynamic behavior of the proposed model is examined under different operating conditions. Solar irradiance, and temperature data are gathered from a grid connected, 28.8 kW solar power system located in central Manchester. The developed system and its control strategy exhibit excellent performance with tracking efficiency exceed 94.5%. The proposed model and its control strategy offer a proper tool for smart grid performance optimization. (author)

76 FR 24856 - Heavy Forged Hand Tools (i.e., Axes & Adzes, Bars & Wedges, Hammers & Sledges, and Picks...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-03

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-803] Heavy Forged Hand Tools (i.e... Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: On January 3, 2011, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') initiated a sunset review of the antidumping duty orders on heavy...

Test-retest reliability of Antonovsky's 13-item sense of coherence scale in patients with hand-related disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Alice Ørts; Kristensen, Hanne Kaae; Cederlund, Ragnhild

2017-01-01

to be a powerful tool to measure the ICF component personal factors, which could have an impact on patients' rehabilitation outcomes. Implications for rehabilitation Antonovsky's SOC-13 scale showed test-retest reliability for patients with hand-related disorders. The SOC-13 scale could be a suitable tool to help...... measure personal factors....

Development and content validation of the power mobility training tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenyon, Lisa K; Farris, John P; Cain, Brett; King, Emily; VandenBerg, Ashley

2018-01-01

This paper outlines the development and content validation of the power mobility training tool (PMTT), an observational tool designed to assist therapists in developing power mobility training programs for children who have multiple, severe impairments. Initial items on the PMTT were developed based on a literature review and in consultation with therapists experienced in the use of power mobility. Items were trialled in clinical settings, reviewed, and refined. Items were then operationalized and an administration manual detailing scoring for each item was created. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to establish content validity via a 15 member, international expert panel. The content validity ratio (CVR) was determined for each possible item. Of the 19 original items, 10 achieved minimum required CVR values and were included in the final version of the PMTT. Items related to manoeuvring a power mobility device were merged and an item related to the number of switches used concurrently to operate a power mobility device were added to the PMTT. The PMTT may assist therapists in developing training programs that facilitate the acquisition of beginning power mobility skills in children who have multiple, severe impairments. Implications for Rehabilitation The Power Mobility Training Tool (PMTT) was developed to help guide the development of power mobility intervention programs for children who have multiple, severe impairments. The PMTT can be used with children who access a power mobility device using either a joystick or a switch. Therapists who have limited experience with power mobility may find the PMTT to be helpful in setting up and conducting power mobility training interventions as a feasible aspect of a plan of care for children who have multiple, severe impairments.

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, A.; Jauch, Clemens; Soerensen, P.

The present report describes the dynamic wind turbine models implemented in the power system simulation tool DIgSILENT. The developed models are a part of the results of a national research project, whose overall objective is to create a model database in different simulation tools. The report...

PC Software graphics tool for conceptual design of space/planetary electrical power systems

Science.gov (United States)

Truong, Long V.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the Decision Support System (DSS), a personal computer software graphics tool for designing conceptual space and/or planetary electrical power systems. By using the DSS, users can obtain desirable system design and operating parameters, such as system weight, electrical distribution efficiency, and bus power. With this tool, a large-scale specific power system was designed in a matter of days. It is an excellent tool to help designers make tradeoffs between system components, hardware architectures, and operation parameters in the early stages of the design cycle. The DSS is a user-friendly, menu-driven tool with online help and a custom graphical user interface. An example design and results are illustrated for a typical space power system with multiple types of power sources, frequencies, energy storage systems, and loads.

Interesting tools for the cybersecurity plan of a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pareja, I.; Carrasco, J. A.; Cerro, F. J. del

2012-01-01

The use of digital technologies in monitoring and control systems of nuclear power plants and their connectivity requirements, originate cybersecurity difficulties that should be addressed in a cybersecurity plan. This plan should guide the policies and procedures followed during the design maintenance and operation of the systems inside a nuclear power plant. It also should refer to adequate tools able to reach the established cybersecurity requirements. The combination of Datadiodes and tools for publishing video(like tVGA2web), permit an isolation and remote maintenance in a 100% safety way and their use should be disseminated. In the paper other type of tools useful for nuclear power plants are also mentioned.

More than Solfège and Hand Signs: Philosophy, Tools, and Lesson Planning in the Authentic Kodály Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Bowyer, James

2015-01-01

Four components of the Kodály concept are delineated here: philosophy, objectives, essential tools, and lesson planning process. After outlining the tenets of the Kodály philosophy and objectives, the article presents the Kodály concept's essential tools, including singing, movable "do" solfège, rhythm syllables, hand signs, singing on…

[Hand fine motor skills and use of both hand and arm in subjects after a stroke: a systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Ostolaza, M; Abudarham, J; Dilascio, S; Drault-Boedo, E; Gallo, S; Garcete, A; Kramer, M; Maiaru, M; Mendelevich, A; Modica, M; Peralta, F; Sanchez-Correa, C

2017-04-01

In clinical practice it is important to be able to assess the function of the upper limb of the patient who has suffered a stroke. There is currently no systemic review that could identify assessment tools for the 'fine use of the hand' and 'use of both hand and arm'. Primary, to identify observational tools which can assess the fine use of the hand and the use of both hand and arm in patients with stroke sequels. Secondary, to analyze the bias risk in the included articles, describing and categorizing the clinical utility, validity and reliability. A search was carried in Medline, LILACS, SciELO and Open Grey, which included articles published until October 2015. Studies that validate assessing tools of the upper limb in subjects with a stroke sequel which evaluate the fine use of the hand and the use of both hand and arm were included. Eleven tools in evaluate observational haven been selected, which assess the fine use of the hand and the use of hand and arm. In every case both validity and reliability have been reported, but clinical utility has been less considered for assessment. The studies that researched these tools showed a high risk of bias in their development. ARAT-19 showed a lower bias risk, but when it has to do with applicability and the reference trial is taken into account, the level of concern is high.

Harmonic and power balance tools for tapping-mode atomic force microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebastian, A.; Salapaka, M. V.; Chen, D. J.; Cleveland, J. P.

2001-01-01

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool for investigating surfaces at atomic scales. Harmonic balance and power balance techniques are introduced to analyze the tapping-mode dynamics of the atomic force microscope. The harmonic balance perspective explains observations hitherto unexplained in the AFM literature. A nonconservative model for the cantilever - sample interaction is developed. The energy dissipation in the sample is studied and the resulting power balance equations combined with the harmonic balance equations are used to estimate the model parameters. Experimental results confirm that the harmonic and power balance tools can be used effectively to predict the behavior of the tapping cantilever. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

A Learning Aid Tool for Power Electronics Converters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Bouketir

2005-06-01

Full Text Available It is known that power electronics and its related subjects are not easy to understand for students taking them for first time. This is due to nature of the subjects which involve many areas and disciplines. The introduction of general purpose simulation package has helped the student a step further in understanding this subject. However, because of the generality of these tools and their drag-and drop and ad-hoc features, the students still face problems in designing a converter circuit. In this paper, the problem above is addressed by introducing a learning aid tool that guides the student over prescribed steps to design a power electronics circuit. The tool is knowledge-based system where its knowledge base encompasses two types of knowledge; topologies and switching devices. The first step in the design procedure is the selection of the application of the desired circuit. Then few steps are to be followed to come out with the appropriate topology with the optimum switching devices and parameters. System structure, its different modules and the detailed design procedure are explained in this paper

Effect of power-assisted hand-rim wheelchair propulsion on shoulder load in experienced wheelchair users: A pilot study with an instrumented wheelchair.

Science.gov (United States)

Kloosterman, Marieke G M; Buurke, Jaap H; de Vries, Wiebe; Van der Woude, Lucas H V; Rietman, Johan S

2015-10-01

This study aims to compare hand-rim and power-assisted hand-rim propulsion on potential risk factors for shoulder overuse injuries: intensity and repetition of shoulder loading and force generation in the extremes of shoulder motion. Eleven experienced hand-rim wheelchair users propelled an instrumented wheelchair on a treadmill while upper-extremity kinematic, kinetic and surface electromyographical data was collected during propulsion with and without power-assist. As a result during power-assisted propulsion the peak resultant force exerted at the hand-rim decreased and was performed with significantly less abduction and internal rotation at the shoulder. At shoulder level the anterior directed force and internal rotation and flexion moments decreased significantly. In addition, posterior and the minimal inferior directed forces and the external rotation moment significantly increased. The stroke angle decreased significantly, as did maximum shoulder flexion, extension, abduction and internal rotation. Stroke-frequency significantly increased. Muscle activation in the anterior deltoid and pectoralis major also decreased significantly. In conclusion, compared to hand-rim propulsion power-assisted propulsion seems effective in reducing potential risk factors of overuse injuries with the highest gain on decreased range of motion of the shoulder joint, lower peak propulsion force on the rim and reduced muscle activity. Copyright © 2015 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods and tools for analysis and optimization of power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assadi, Mohsen

2000-09-01

The most noticeable advantage of the introduction of the computer-aided tools in the field of power generation, has been the ability to study the plant's performance prior to the construction phase. The results of these studies have made it possible to change and adjust the plant layout to match the pre-defined requirements. Further development of computers in recent years has opened up for implementation of new features in the existing tools and also for the development of new tools for specific applications, like thermodynamic and economic optimization, prediction of the remaining component life time, and fault diagnostics, resulting in improvement of the plant's performance, availability and reliability. The most common tools for pre-design studies are heat and mass balance programs. Further thermodynamic and economic optimization of plant layouts, generated by the heat and mass balance programs, can be accomplished by using pinch programs, exergy analysis and thermoeconomics. Surveillance and fault diagnostics of existing systems can be performed by using tools like condition monitoring systems and artificial neural networks. The increased number of tools and their various construction and application areas make the choice of the most adequate tool for a certain application difficult. In this thesis the development of different categories of tools and techniques, and their application area are reviewed and presented. Case studies on both existing and theoretical power plant layouts have been performed using different commercially available tools to illuminate their advantages and shortcomings. The development of power plant technology and the requirements for new tools and measurement systems have been briefly reviewed. This thesis contains also programming techniques and calculation methods concerning part-load calculations using local linearization, which has been implemented in an inhouse heat and mass balance program developed by the author

Effect of power-assisted hand-rim wheelchair propulsion on shoulder load in experienced wheelchair users : A pilot study with an instrumented wheelchair

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kloosterman, Marieke G. M.; Buurke, Jaap H.; de Vries, Wiebe; Van der Woude, Lucas H. V.; Rietman, Johan S.

2015-01-01

This study aims to compare hand-rim and power-assisted hand-rim propulsion on potential risk factors for shoulder overuse injuries: intensity and repetition of shoulder loading and force generation in the extremes of shoulder motion. Eleven experienced hand-rim wheelchair users propelled an

Effect of power-assisted hand-rim wheelchair propulsion on shoulder load in experienced wheelchair users: A pilot study with an instrumented wheelchair

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kloosterman, Marieke; Buurke, Jaap; de Vries, W.; de Vries, W.; van der Woude, L.H.V.; Rietman, Johan Swanik

2015-01-01

This study aims to compare hand-rim and power-assisted hand-rim propulsion on potential risk factors for shoulder overuse injuries: intensity and repetition of shoulder loading and force generation in the extremes of shoulder motion. Eleven experienced hand-rim wheelchair users propelled an

Hand in Hand: A Journey toward Readiness for Profoundly At-Risk Preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Parke, Beverly N.; Agness, Phyllis

2002-01-01

Discusses the seven principles of the Hand in Hand early childhood program for at-risk preschoolers designed to furnish the children with the tools they need to lessen their risk for failure on entry to kindergarten. Notes risk factors under which the students live, including violence, abandonment, homelessness, starvation, and abuse. (Author/SD)

49 CFR 176.54 - Repairs involving welding, burning, and power-actuated tools and appliances.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-actuated tools and appliances. 176.54 Section 176.54 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to..., burning, and power-actuated tools and appliances. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, repairs or work involving welding or burning, or the use of power-actuated tools or appliances which may...

Effects of glovebox gloves on grip and key pinch strength and contact forces for simulated manual operations with three commonly used hand tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Peng-Cheng

2014-01-01

This study examined the effects of glovebox gloves for 11 females on maximum grip and key pinch strength and on contact forces generated from simulated tasks of a roller, a pair of tweezers and a crescent wrench. The independent variables were gloves fabricated of butyl, CSM/hypalon and neoprene materials; two glove thicknesses; and layers of gloves worn including single, double and triple gloving. CSM/hypalon and butyl gloves produced greater grip strength than the neoprene gloves. CSM/hypalon gloves also lowered contact forces for roller and wrench tasks. Single gloving and thin gloves improved hand strength performances. However, triple layers lowered contact forces for all tasks. Based on the evaluating results, selection and design recommendations of gloves for three hand tools were provided to minimise the effects on hand strength and optimise protection of the palmar hand in glovebox environments. To improve safety and health in the glovebox environments where gloves usage is a necessity, this study provides recommendations for selection and design of glovebox gloves for three hand tools including a roller, a pair of tweezers and a crescent wrench based on the results discovered in the experiments.

Simulation Tools for Power Electronics Courses Based on Java Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Canesin, Carlos A.; Goncalves, Flavio A. S.; Sampaio, Leonardo P.

2010-01-01

This paper presents interactive power electronics educational tools. These interactive tools make use of the benefits of Java language to provide a dynamic and interactive approach to simulating steady-state ideal rectifiers (uncontrolled and controlled; single-phase and three-phase). Additionally, this paper discusses the development and use of…

A Design Tool for Matching UAV Propeller and Power Plant Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Mangio, Arion L.

A large body of knowledge is available for matching propellers to engines for large propeller driven aircraft. Small UAV's and model airplanes operate at much lower Reynolds numbers and use fixed pitch propellers so the information for large aircraft is not directly applicable. A design tool is needed that takes into account Reynolds number effects, allows for gear reduction, and the selection of a propeller optimized for the airframe. The tool developed in this thesis does this using propeller performance data generated from vortex theory or wind tunnel experiments and combines that data with an engine power curve. The thrust, steady state power, RPM, and tip Mach number vs. velocity curves are generated. The Reynolds number vs. non dimensional radial station at an operating point is also found. The tool is then used to design a geared power plant for the SAE Aero Design competition. To measure the power plant performance, a purpose built engine test stand was built. The characteristics of the engine test stand are also presented. The engine test stand was then used to characterize the geared power plant. The power plant uses a 26x16 propeller, 100/13 gear ratio, and an LRP 0.30 cubic inch engine turning at 28,000 RPM and producing 2.2 HP. Lastly, the measured power plant performance is presented. An important result is that 17 lbf of static thrust is produced.

User-friendly Tool for Power Flow Analysis and Distributed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Akorede

AKOREDE et al: TOOL FOR POWER FLOW ANALYSIS AND DISTRIBUTED GENERATION OPTIMISATION. 23 ... greenhouse gas emissions and the current deregulation of electric energy ..... Visual composition and temporal behaviour of GUI.

Human Hand Motion Analysis and Synthesis of Optimal Power Grasps for a Robotic Hand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Cordella

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Biologically inspired robotic systems can find important applications in biomedical robotics, since studying and replicating human behaviour can provide new insights into motor recovery, functional substitution and human-robot interaction. The analysis of human hand motion is essential for collecting information about human hand movements useful for generalizing reaching and grasping actions on a robotic system. This paper focuses on the definition and extraction of quantitative indicators for describing optimal hand grasping postures and replicating them on an anthropomorphic robotic hand. A motion analysis has been carried out on six healthy human subjects performing a transverse volar grasp. The extracted indicators point to invariant grasping behaviours between the involved subjects, thus providing some constraints for identifying the optimal grasping configuration. Hence, an optimization algorithm based on the Nelder-Mead simplex method has been developed for determining the optimal grasp configuration of a robotic hand, grounded on the aforementioned constraints. It is characterized by a reduced computational cost. The grasp stability has been tested by introducing a quality index that satisfies the form-closure property. The grasping strategy has been validated by means of simulation tests and experimental trials on an arm-hand robotic system. The obtained results have shown the effectiveness of the extracted indicators to reduce the non-linear optimization problem complexity and lead to the synthesis of a grasping posture able to replicate the human behaviour while ensuring grasp stability. The experimental results have also highlighted the limitations of the adopted robotic platform (mainly due to the mechanical structure to achieve the optimal grasp configuration.

WPPT, a tool for on-line wind power prediction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skov Nielsen, T. [Dept. of Mathematical Modelling (IMM-DTU), Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Madsen, H. [Dept. of Mathematical Modelling (IMM-DTU) Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Toefting, J. [Elsam, Fredericia (Denmark)

2004-07-01

This paper dsecribes VPPT (Wind Power Prediction Tool), an application for assessing the future available wind power up to 36 hours ahead in time. WPPT has been installed in the Eltra/Elsam central dispatch center since October 1997. The paper describes the prediction model used, the actual implementation of WPPT as well as the experience gained by the operators in the dispatch center (au)

Valid screening questions useful to diagnose hand and forearm eczema are available in the Spanish language, a new tool for global research.

Science.gov (United States)

Martí-Margarit, Anna; Manresa, Josep M; Herdman, Mike; Pujol, Ramon; Serra, Consol; Flyvholm, Mary-Ann; Giménez-Arnau, Ana M

2015-04-01

Hand eczema is an impacting cutaneous disease. Globally valid tools that help to diagnose hand and forearm eczema are required. To validate the questions to detect hand and/or forearm eczema included in the "Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire" (NOSQ-2002) in the Spanish language. A prospective pilot study was conducted with 80 employees of a cleaning company and a retrospective one involving 2,546 individuals. The responses were analysed for sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values. The final diagnosis according to the patients' hospital records, the specialty care records and the physical examination was taken as gold standard. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) was also evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity, in a worst case scenario (WC) combining both questions, were 96.5% and 66.7%, respectively, and in a per protocol (PP) analysis, were 96.5% and 75.2%. The questions validated detected eczema effectively, making this tool suitable for use e.g. in multicentre epidemiological studies or clinical trials.

Robotic Hand

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

The Omni-Hand was developed by Ross-Hime Designs, Inc. for Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. The multiple digit hand has an opposable thumb and a flexible wrist. Electric muscles called Minnacs power wrist joints and the interchangeable digits. Two hands have been delivered to NASA for evaluation for potential use on space missions and the unit is commercially available for applications like hazardous materials handling and manufacturing automation. Previous SBIR contracts resulted in the Omni-Wrist and Omni-Wrist II robotic systems, which are commercially available for spray painting, sealing, ultrasonic testing, as well as other uses.

Development of High-Speed Switched Reluctance Motor for Electric Power Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Kenji; Kumasaka, Yuya; Ichinokura, Osamu

2017-10-01

This paper presents design and experimental evaluation of a switched reluctance (SR) motor used for electric power tools. First, characteristics of a previous designed 6/4-pole SR motor is shown and compared to a permanent magnet (PM) motor used in present electric power tools. Next, to further improve characteristics, a 12/8-pole SR motor is designed and evaluated in experiment. It is proved that the performance of the prototype 12/8-pole SR motor is almost comparable or superior to the present PM motor.

Security constrained optimal power flow by modern optimization tools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Security constrained optimal power flow by modern optimization tools. ... International Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology ... If you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with PDFs, Highwire Press ...

A demonstration of the transition from ready-to-hand to unready-to-hand.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dobromir G Dotov

Full Text Available The ideas of continental philosopher Martin Heidegger have been influential in cognitive science and artificial intelligence, despite the fact that there has been no effort to analyze these ideas empirically. The experiments reported here are designed to lend empirical support to Heidegger's phenomenology and more specifically his description of the transition between ready-to-hand and unready-to-hand modes in interactions with tools. In experiment 1, we found that a smoothly coping cognitive system exhibits type positively correlated noise and that its correlated character is reduced when the system is perturbed. This indicates that the participant and tool constitute a self-assembled, extended device during smooth coping and this device is disrupted by the perturbation. In experiment 2, we examine the re-organization of awareness that occurs when a smoothly coping, self-assembled, extended cognitive system is perturbed. We found that the disruption is accompanied by a change in attention which interferes with participants' performance on a simultaneous cognitive task. Together these experiments show that a smoothly coping participant-tool system can be temporarily disrupted and that this disruption causes a change in the participant's awareness. Since these two events follow as predictions from Heidegger's work, our study offers evidence for the hypothesized transition from readiness-to-hand to unreadiness-to-hand.

Getting nowhere fast: trade-off between speed and precision in training to execute image-guided hand-tool movements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anil Ufuk Batmaz

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The speed and precision with which objects are moved by hand or hand-tool interaction under image guidance depend on a specific type of visual and spatial sensorimotor learning. Novices have to learn to optimally control what their hands are doing in a real-world environment while looking at an image representation of the scene on a video monitor. Previous research has shown slower task execution times and lower performance scores under image-guidance compared with situations of direct action viewing. The cognitive processes for overcoming this drawback by training are not yet understood. Methods We investigated the effects of training on the time and precision of direct view versus image guided object positioning on targets of a Real-world Action Field (RAF. Two men and two women had to learn to perform the task as swiftly and as precisely as possible with their dominant hand, using a tool or not and wearing a glove or not. Individuals were trained in sessions of mixed trial blocks with no feed-back. Results As predicted, image-guidance produced significantly slower times and lesser precision in all trainees and sessions compared with direct viewing. With training, all trainees get faster in all conditions, but only one of them gets reliably more precise in the image-guided conditions. Speed-accuracy trade-offs in the individual performance data show that the highest precision scores and steepest learning curve, for time and precision, were produced by the slowest starter. Fast starters produced consistently poorer precision scores in all sessions. The fastest starter showed no sign of stable precision learning, even after extended training. Conclusions Performance evolution towards optimal precision is compromised when novices start by going as fast as they can. The findings have direct implications for individual skill monitoring in training programmes for image-guided technology applications with human operators.

Introducing AC Inductive Reactance with a Power Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Wesley; Baker, Blane

2016-01-01

The concept of reactance in AC electrical circuits is often non-intuitive and difficult for students to grasp. In order to address this lack of conceptual understanding, classroom exercises compare the predicted resistance of a power tool, based on electrical specifications, to measured resistance. Once students discover that measured resistance…

Windows Developer Power Tools Turbocharge Windows development with more than 170 free and open source tools

CERN Document Server

Avery, James

2007-01-01

Software developers need to work harder and harder to bring value to their development process in order to build high quality applications and remain competitive. Developers can accomplish this by improving their productivity, quickly solving problems, and writing better code. A wealth of open source and free software tools are available for developers who want to improve the way they create, build, deploy, and use software. Tools, components, and frameworks exist to help developers at every point in the development process. Windows Developer Power Tools offers an encyclopedic guide to m

Development of five-finger robotic hand using master-slave control for hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Koki; Yamada, Hiroshi; Kato, Ryu; Seki, Tatsuya; Yokoi, Hiroshi; Mukai, Masaya

2016-08-01

This study aims to develop a robotic hand as a substitute for a surgeon's hand in hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS). We determined the requirements for the proposed hand from a surgeon's motions in HALS. We identified four basic behaviors: "power grasp," "precision grasp," "open hand for exclusion," and "peace sign for extending peritoneum." The proposed hand had the minimum necessary DOFs for performing these behaviors, five fingers as in a human's hand, a palm that can be folded when a surgeon inserts the hand into the abdomen, and an arm for adjusting the hand's position. We evaluated the proposed hand based on a performance test and a physician's opinions, and we confirmed that it can grasp organs.

DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING – EFFICIENT TOOL FOR POWER SYSTEM EXPANSION PLANNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SIMO A.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The paper isfocusing on dynamic programming use for power system expansion planning (EP – transmission network (TNEP and distribution network (DNEP. The EP problem has been approached from the retrospective and prospective point of view. To achieve this goal, the authors are developing two software-tools in Matlab environment. Two techniques have been tackled: particle swarm optimization (PSO and genetic algorithms (GA. The case study refers to Test 25 buses test power system developed within the Power Systems Department.

Establishment of one-axis vibration test system for measurement of biodynamic response of human hand-arm system.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Nobuyuki; Hosoya, Naoki; Maeda, Setsuo

2008-12-01

Prolonged exposure to hand-arm vibration (HAV) due to use of hand-held power tools leads to an increased occurrence of symptoms of disorders in the vascular, neurological, and osteo-articular systems of the upper limbs called hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Biodynamic responses of the hand-arm system to vibration can be suggestive parameters that give us better assessment of exposure to HAV and fundamental data for design of low-vibration-exposure power tools. Recently, a single axis hand-arm vibration system has been installed in the Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The aims of this study were to obtain the fundamental dynamic characteristics of an instrumented handle and to validate the performance and measurement accuracy of the system applied to dynamic response measurement. A pseudo-random vibration signal with a frequency range of 5-1,250 Hz and a power spectrum density of 1.0 (m/s2)2/Hz was used in this study. First the dynamic response of the instrumented handle without any weight was measured. After this measurement, the dynamic response measurement of the handle with weights mounted on the handle was performed. The apparent mass of a weight itself was obtained by using the mass cancellation method. The mass of the measuring cap on the instrumented handle was well compensated by using the mass cancellation method. Based on the 10% error tolerance, this handle can reliably measure the dynamic response represented by an apparent mass with a minimum weight of 2.0 g in a frequency range of 10.0 to 1,000 Hz. A marked increase in the AM magnitude of the weights of 15 g and 20 g in frequency ranges greater than 800 Hz is attributed not to the fundamental resonance frequency of the handle with weights, but to the fixation of the weight to the measuring cap. In this aspect, the peak of the AM magnitude can be reduced and hence should not be an obstacle to the biodynamic response measurement of the human hand-arm system. On the

Hand hygiene in reducing transient flora on the hands of healthcare workers: an educational intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapil, R; Bhavsar, H K; Madan, M

2015-01-01

Hand hygiene has now been recognised as one of the most effective intervention to control the transmission of infections in a hospital and education is an important tool to ensure its implementation. In order to convince the users and as a part of education, it is important to generate evidence on the role of hand hygiene in reducing the bacterial flora on their hands. The present study was undertaken in a tertiary care hospital to demonstrate the presence of bacterial flora on the hands of healthcare workers (HCW) in different categories, to teach them proper hand hygiene technique using alcohol-based hand rub and determine the outcome for reduction of bacteria. A total sample size of 60 subjects including resident doctors, medical students, nurses and hospital attendants were included in the study after obtaining informed consent. Each person was educated on the technique of hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub and hand impressions were cultured before and after hand hygiene. All the subjects were also given a questionnaire to assess their perception on hand hygiene. The WHO posters on proper hand hygiene were displayed in the appropriate areas of the hospital in addition, as an educational tool. Majority (42 out of 60) of the HCWs had bacterial count up to 100 colonies or more on both hands before the application of hand rub while working in the hospital. After use of alcohol hand rub with a proper hand hygiene technique, it was found that the percentage reduction was 95-99% among doctors and nurses, 70% among hospital attendants and 50% among sanitary attendants. Staphylococcus aureus was present on the hands of eight persons of which three were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The study demonstrates that transient bacteria are present on the hands of HCWs but majority could be removed by proper hand hygiene, which needs continuous education to be effective. It also shows that active education by demonstrating the proper hand hygiene technique

Clinical history in management of suspected syncope: A powerful diagnostic tool

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sutton, Richard; van Dijk, Nynke; Wieling, Wouter

2014-01-01

In this paper, the role of history taking as a diagnostic tool in patients with transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) is addressed. From a literature review it can be demonstrated that, if properly performed, the history is a powerful diagnostic tool, which in the majority of cases proves to be the

Experimental Evaluation of Electric Power Grid Visualization Tools in the EIOC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greitzer, Frank L.; Dauenhauer, Peter M.; Wierks, Tamara G.; Podmore, Robin; Dalton, Angela C.

2009-12-01

The present study follows an initial human factors evaluation of four electric power grid visualization tools and reports on an empirical evaluation of two of the four tools: Graphical Contingency Analysis, and Phasor State Estimator. The evaluation was conducted within specific experimental studies designed to measure the impact on decision making performance.

Clean Hands Count

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... reminding healthcare providers to clean their hands. See: https://www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/campa... . Comments on this ... are allowed in accordance with our comment policy: http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/... This video can ...

Advanced Design Tools for the Lifetime of Power Electronics – Study Case on Motor Drive Application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Ke; Vernica, Ionut; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

assessment of reliability performance for the power electronics is a crucial and emerging need, because it is the essential information for the reliability improvements, and thus reduction of the cost-of-energy. Unfortunately, there is still lack of suitable tools for the reliability assessment in power...... electronics. In this paper, an advanced design tool structure, which can acquire various reliability metrics of the power electronics, is proposed. The proposed design tool is based on the failure mechanisms in the critical components of the power electronics, and the mission profiles in the converter...

Hablar el Lenguaje de las Manos Hacia las Manos (Talking the Language of the Hands to the Hands). DB-LINK.

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Barbara

This paper examines the importance of hands for the person who is deafblind, reviews hand development, and identifies specific teaching skills that facilitate hand development and expressiveness in persons who are deafblind. It notes that the hands of a deafblind individual serve not only as tools but also as sense organs (to compensate for their…

Your School's Web Site-A Powerful Tool for Marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Say, Michael W.; Collier, Karen J.; Hoya, Charlotte, G.

2001-01-01

A successful marketing plan requires a conceptual framework, the ability to target an audience effectively, and the strategy for positioning the school organization appropriately. A website can be a powerful marketing tool if it focuses on what users want and provides it in an organized, accessible fashion. (MLH)

Wave Propagation From Electrons to Photonic Crystals and Left-Handed Materials

CERN Document Server

Markos, Peter

2010-01-01

This textbook offers the first unified treatment of wave propagation in electronic and electromagnetic systems and introduces readers to the essentials of the transfer matrix method, a powerful analytical tool that can be used to model and study an array of problems pertaining to wave propagation in electrons and photons. It is aimed at graduate and advanced undergraduate students in physics, materials science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematics, and is ideal for researchers in photonic crystals, negative index materials, left-handed materials, plasmonics, nonlinear effects,

Use of a machine learning algorithm to classify expertise: analysis of hand motion patterns during a simulated surgical task.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Robert A

2014-08-01

To test the hypothesis that machine learning algorithms increase the predictive power to classify surgical expertise using surgeons' hand motion patterns. In 2012 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 14 surgical attendings and 10 first- and second-year surgical residents each performed two bench model venous anastomoses. During the simulated tasks, the participants wore an inertial measurement unit on the dorsum of their dominant (right) hand to capture their hand motion patterns. The pattern from each bench model task performed was preprocessed into a symbolic time series and labeled as expert (attending) or novice (resident). The labeled hand motion patterns were processed and used to train a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification algorithm. The trained algorithm was then tested for discriminative/predictive power against unlabeled (blinded) hand motion patterns from tasks not used in the training. The Lempel-Ziv (LZ) complexity metric was also measured from each hand motion pattern, with an optimal threshold calculated to separately classify the patterns. The LZ metric classified unlabeled (blinded) hand motion patterns into expert and novice groups with an accuracy of 70% (sensitivity 64%, specificity 80%). The SVM algorithm had an accuracy of 83% (sensitivity 86%, specificity 80%). The results confirmed the hypothesis. The SVM algorithm increased the predictive power to classify blinded surgical hand motion patterns into expert versus novice groups. With further development, the system used in this study could become a viable tool for low-cost, objective assessment of procedural proficiency in a competency-based curriculum.

Bildung as a Powerful Tool in Modern University Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Olesen, Mogens Noergaard

2009-01-01

In this paper we will demonstrate how powerful "Bildung" is as a tool in modern university teaching. The concept of "Bildung" was originally introduced by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (Kant 1787, 1798, 1804) and the Prussian lawyer and politician Wilhelm von Humboldt (Humboldt 1792, Bohlin 2008). From 1810…

Efficiency of voluntary closing hand and hook prostheses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, G.; Plettenburg, D.H.

2010-01-01

The Delft Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics has started a research program to develop an improved voluntary closing, body-powered hand prosthesis. Five commercially available voluntary closing terminal devices were mechanically tested: three hands [Hosmer APRL VC hand, Hosmer Soft VC Male hand,

Contribution of Leg Muscle Explosive Power and Eye-Hand Coordination to The Accuracy Smash of Athletes in Volleyball Club of Universitas Islam Riau

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mimi Yulianti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of leg muscle explosive power and eye-hand coordination. The type of research was correlational. The population in this study was all athletes who actively follow the training as many as 20 people and using total sampling technique. Thus the sample in this study amounted to 20 men athletes. The data were collected using the measurement test on the three variables: the leg muscle explosive power data was using vertical jump test, eyehand coordination was using ballwerfen und fangen test and smash accuracy was using smash accuracy test. The data were analyzed by product moment correlation and double correlation and then continued with contribution of the determinant formula. Based on data analysis found that there was contribution of leg muscle explosive power equal to 35,52%, eye-hand coordination equal to 20,79%, and both equal to 40,70% regarding to the accuracy smash of volleyball atletes of Universitas Islam Riau. It was concluded that there was contribution of leg muscle explosive power and eye-hand coordination to the smash accuracy of volleyball athlete of Universitas Islam Riau.

Development of a Computational Tool for Measuring Organizational Competitiveness in the Photovoltaic Power Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen B. Rosa

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Photovoltaic (PV power generation is embedded in a globally competitive environment. This characteristic forces PV power plants to perform most processes relevant for their competitiveness with maximum efficiency. From managers’ point of view, the evaluation of solar energy performance from installed plants is justified to indicate their level of organizational competitiveness, which supports the decision-making process. This manuscript purposes a computational tool that graphically presents the level of competitiveness of PV power plants units based on performance indicators. This tool was developed by using the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs concept, which represents a set of measures focusing on the most critical aspects for the success of the organizations. The KPIs encompass four Fundamental Viewpoints (FV: Strategic Alliances, Solar Energy Monitoring, Management and Strategic Processes, and Power Generation Innovations. These four FVs were deployed on 26 Critical Success Factors (CSFs and 39 KPIs. Sequentially, the tool was applied in four solar generation plants, where three presented an organizational competitiveness global level “potentially competitive”. The proposed computational tool allows managers to assess the degree of organization competitiveness as well as aid in prospecting of future scenarios and decision-making.

Evaluation of protective gloves and working techniques for reducing hand-arm vibration exposure in the workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Milosevic, Matija; McConville, Kristiina M Valter

2012-01-01

Operation of handheld power tools results in exposure to hand-arm vibrations, which over time lead to numerous health complications. The objective of this study was to evaluate protective equipment and working techniques for the reduction of vibration exposure. Vibration transmissions were recorded during different work techniques: with one- and two-handed grip, while wearing protective gloves (standard, air and anti-vibration gloves) and while holding a foam-covered tool handle. The effect was examined by analyzing the reduction of transmitted vibrations at the wrist. The vibration transmission was recorded with a portable device using a triaxial accelerometer. The results suggest large and significant reductions of vibration with appropriate safety equipment. Reductions of 85.6% were achieved when anti-vibration gloves were used. Our results indicated that transmitted vibrations were affected by several factors and could be measured and significantly reduced.

Optimization Tool for Direct Water Cooling System of High Power IGBT Modules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahman, Amir Sajjad; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-01-01

important issue for thermal design engineers. This paper aims to present a user friendly optimization tool for direct water cooling system of a high power module which enables the cooling system designer to identify the optimized solution depending on customer load profiles and available pump power. CFD...

Intelligent, self-contained robotic hand

Science.gov (United States)

Krutik, Vitaliy; Doo, Burt; Townsend, William T.; Hauptman, Traveler; Crowell, Adam; Zenowich, Brian; Lawson, John

2007-01-30

A robotic device has a base and at least one finger having at least two links that are connected in series on rotary joints with at least two degrees of freedom. A brushless motor and an associated controller are located at each joint to produce a rotational movement of a link. Wires for electrical power and communication serially connect the controllers in a distributed control network. A network operating controller coordinates the operation of the network, including power distribution. At least one, but more typically two to five, wires interconnect all the controllers through one or more joints. Motor sensors and external world sensors monitor operating parameters of the robotic hand. The electrical signal output of the sensors can be input anywhere on the distributed control network. V-grooves on the robotic hand locate objects precisely and assist in gripping. The hand is sealed, immersible and has electrical connections through the rotary joints for anodizing in a single dunk without masking. In various forms, this intelligent, self-contained, dexterous hand, or combinations of such hands, can perform a wide variety of object gripping and manipulating tasks, as well as locomotion and combinations of locomotion and gripping.

BARC-risk monitor- a tool for operational safety assessment in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinod, Gopika; Saraf, R.K.; Babar, A.K.; Hadap, Nikhil

2000-12-01

Probabilistic safety assessment has become a key tool as on today to identify and understand nuclear power plant vulnerabilities. As a result of the availability of these PSA studies, there is a desire to use them to enhance plant safety and to operate the nuclear stations in the most efficient manner. Risk monitor is a PC based tool, which computes the real time safety level and assists plant personnel to manage day-to-day activities. Risk monitor is a PC based user friendly software tool used for modification and re-analysis of a nuclear power plant. Operation of risk monitor is based on PSA methods for assisting in day to day applications. Risk monitoring programs can assess the risk profile and are used to optimise the operation of nuclear power plants with respect to a minimum risk level over the operating time. This report presents the background activities of risk monitor, its application areas and also gives the status of such tools in international scenarios. The software is based on the PSA model of Kaiga generating station and would be applicable to similar design configuration. (author)

Randomized Controlled Trials: The Most Powerful Tool In Modern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Randomized controlled trial (RCT) can be said to be one of the simplest but most powerful tool of research. It is the most rigorous way of determining whether a cause-effect relation exists between treatment and outcome and for assessing the cost effectiveness of a treatment. Through the randomization, bias will be avoided ...

Development of a Methodology to Conduct Usability Evaluation for Hand Tools that May Reduce the Amount of Small Parts that are Dropped During Installation while Processing Space Flight Hardware

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Darcy

2000-01-01

Foreign object debris (FOD) is an important concern while processing space flight hardware. FOD can be defined as "The debris that is left in or around flight hardware, where it could cause damage to that flight hardware," (United Space Alliance, 2000). Just one small screw left unintentionally in the wrong place could delay a launch schedule while it is retrieved, increase the cost of processing, or cause a potentially fatal accident. At this time, there is not a single solution to help reduce the number of dropped parts such as screws, bolts, nuts, and washers during installation. Most of the effort is currently focused on training employees and on capturing the parts once they are dropped. Advances in ergonomics and hand tool design suggest that a solution may be possible, in the form of specialty hand tools, which secure the small parts while they are being handled. To assist in the development of these new advances, a test methodology was developed to conduct a usability evaluation of hand tools, while performing tasks with risk of creating FOD. The methodology also includes hardware in the form of a testing board and the small parts that can be installed onto the board during a test. The usability of new hand tools was determined based on efficiency and the number of dropped parts. To validate the methodology, participants were tested while performing a task that is representative of the type of work that may be done when processing space flight hardware. Test participants installed small parts using their hands and two commercially available tools. The participants were from three groups: (1) students, (2) engineers / managers and (3) technicians. The test was conducted to evaluate the differences in performance when using the three installation methods, as well as the difference in performance of the three participant groups.

Effects of viscosity on power and hand injection of iso-osmolar iodinated contrast media through thin catheters.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, James J; Hogstrom, Barry; Malinak, Jiri; Ikei, Nobuhiro

2016-05-01

It can be challenging to achieve adequate vessel opacification during percutaneous coronary interventions when using thin catheters, hand injection, and iso-osmolar contrast media (CM) such as iodixanol (Visipaque™). To explore these limitations and the possibility to overcome them with iosimenol, a novel CM. Three X-ray contrast media with different concentrations were used in this study. A series of in vitro experiments established the relationship between injection pressure and flow rate in angiography catheters under various conditions. The experiments were conducted with power and hand injections and included a double-blind evaluation of user perception. By using hand injection, it was generally not possible to reach a maximum injection pressure exceeding 50 psi. The time within which volunteers were able to complete the injections, the area under the pressure-time curve (AUC), and assessment of ease of injection all were in favor of iosimenol compared with iodixanol, especially when using the 4F thin catheter. Within the pressure ranges tested, the power injections demonstrated that the amount of iodine delivered at a fixed pressure was strongly related to viscosity but unrelated to iodine concentration. There are substantial limitations to the amount of iodine that can be delivered through thin catheters by hand injection when iso-osmolar CM with high viscosity is used. The only viable solution, besides increasing the injection pressure, is to use a CM with lower viscosity, since the cost of increasing the concentration, in terms of increased viscosity and consequent reduction in flow, is too high. Iosimenol, an iso-osmolar CM with lower viscosity than iodixanol might therefore be a better alternative when thinner catheters are preferred, especially when the radial artery is used as the access site. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

Implement of Shape Memory Alloy Actuators in a Robotic Hand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Amariei

2006-10-01

Full Text Available This paper was conceived to present the ideology of utilizing advanced actuators to design and develop innovative, lightweight, powerful, compact, and as much as possible dexterous robotic hands. The key to satisfying these objectives is the use of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs to power the joints of the robotic hand. The mechanical design of a dexterous robotic hand, which utilizes non-classical types of actuation and information obtained from the study of biological systems, is presented in this paper. The type of robotic hand described in this paper will be utilized for applications requiring low weight, power, compactness, and dexterity.

Risk management: A tool for improving nuclear power plant performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-04-01

This technical document on risk management as a tool for improving nuclear power plant (NPP) operations is part of an ongoing project on management of NPP operations in a competitive environment. The overall objective of this project is to assist the management of operating organizations and NPPs in identifying and implementing appropriate measures to remain competitive in a rapidly changing business environment. Other reports developed through this project have identified overall strategies and techniques that NPP operating organization managers can use to succeed in more competitive energy markets. For example, in IAEA-TECDOC-1123, Strategies for Competitive Nuclear Power Plants, one of the most important strategies identified was integrated risk management. This publication provides a recommended structure for risk management along with examples of how NPP operating organizations are using this tool to help them integrate safety, operational and economic related risks in a changing business environment

Compressed-air power tools in orthopaedic surgery: exhaust air is a potential source of contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Sagi, H C; DiPasquale, Thomas; Sanders, Roy; Herscovici, Dolfi

2002-01-01

To determine if the exhaust from surgical compressed-air power tools contains bacteria and if the exhaust leads to contamination of sterile surfaces. Bacteriologic study of orthopaedic power tools. Level I trauma center operative theater. None. Part I. Exhaust from two sterile compact air drills was sampled directly at the exhaust port. Part II. Exhaust from the drills was directed at sterile agar plates from varying distances. The agar plates represented sterile surfaces within the operative field. Part III. Control cultures. A battery-powered drill was operated over open agar plates in similar fashion as the compressed-air drills. Agar plates left open in the operative theater served as controls to rule out atmospheric contamination. Random cultures were taken from agar plates, gloves, drills, and hoses. Incidence of positive cultures. In Part I, all filters from both compressed-air drill exhausts were culture negative ( = 0.008). In Part II, the incidence of positive cultures for air drills number one and number two was 73% and 82%, respectively. The most commonly encountered organisms were, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and Micrococcus species. All control cultures from agar plates, battery-powered drill, gloves, and hoses were negative ( compressed-air power tools in orthopaedic surgery may contribute to the dissemination of bacteria onto the surgical field. We do not recommend the use of compressed-air power tools that do not have a contained exhaust.

29 CFR 780.312 - “Hand harvest laborer” defined.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... tools, soil grown crops such as cotton, tobacco, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The term would not... (drying shed). (2) The picking up of tomatoes by hand after hand pulling from the vines is “hand...) Employees who hand pick small undesirable fruit prior to harvesting in order to insure a better crop would...

Mojo Hand, a TALEN design tool for genome editing applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Neff, Kevin L; Argue, David P; Ma, Alvin C; Lee, Han B; Clark, Karl J; Ekker, Stephen C

2013-01-16

Recent studies of transcription activator-like (TAL) effector domains fused to nucleases (TALENs) demonstrate enormous potential for genome editing. Effective design of TALENs requires a combination of selecting appropriate genetic features, finding pairs of binding sites based on a consensus sequence, and, in some cases, identifying endogenous restriction sites for downstream molecular genetic applications. We present the web-based program Mojo Hand for designing TAL and TALEN constructs for genome editing applications (http://www.talendesign.org). We describe the algorithm and its implementation. The features of Mojo Hand include (1) automatic download of genomic data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, (2) analysis of any DNA sequence to reveal pairs of binding sites based on a user-defined template, (3) selection of restriction-enzyme recognition sites in the spacer between the TAL monomer binding sites including options for the selection of restriction enzyme suppliers, and (4) output files designed for subsequent TALEN construction using the Golden Gate assembly method. Mojo Hand enables the rapid identification of TAL binding sites for use in TALEN design. The assembly of TALEN constructs, is also simplified by using the TAL-site prediction program in conjunction with a spreadsheet management aid of reagent concentrations and TALEN formulation. Mojo Hand enables scientists to more rapidly deploy TALENs for genome editing applications.

Mojo Hand, a TALEN design tool for genome editing applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neff Kevin L

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies of transcription activator-like (TAL effector domains fused to nucleases (TALENs demonstrate enormous potential for genome editing. Effective design of TALENs requires a combination of selecting appropriate genetic features, finding pairs of binding sites based on a consensus sequence, and, in some cases, identifying endogenous restriction sites for downstream molecular genetic applications. Results We present the web-based program Mojo Hand for designing TAL and TALEN constructs for genome editing applications (http://www.talendesign.org. We describe the algorithm and its implementation. The features of Mojo Hand include (1 automatic download of genomic data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, (2 analysis of any DNA sequence to reveal pairs of binding sites based on a user-defined template, (3 selection of restriction-enzyme recognition sites in the spacer between the TAL monomer binding sites including options for the selection of restriction enzyme suppliers, and (4 output files designed for subsequent TALEN construction using the Golden Gate assembly method. Conclusions Mojo Hand enables the rapid identification of TAL binding sites for use in TALEN design. The assembly of TALEN constructs, is also simplified by using the TAL-site prediction program in conjunction with a spreadsheet management aid of reagent concentrations and TALEN formulation. Mojo Hand enables scientists to more rapidly deploy TALENs for genome editing applications.

Physics Analysis Tools Workshop 2007

CERN Multimedia

Elizabeth Gallas,

The ATLAS PAT (Physics Analysis Tools) group evaluates, develops and tests software tools for the analysis of physics data, consistent with the ATLAS analysis and event data models. Following on from earlier PAT workshops in London (2004), Tucson (2005) and Tokyo (2006), this year's workshop was hosted by the University of Bergen in Norway on April 23-28 with more than 60 participants. The workshop brought together PAT developers and users to discuss the available tools with an emphasis on preparing for data taking. At the start of the week, workshop participants, laptops and power converters in-hand, jumped headfirst into tutorials, learning how to become trigger-aware and how to use grid computing resources via the distributed analysis tools Panda and Ganga. The well organised tutorials were well attended and soon the network was humming, providing rapid results to the users and ample feedback to the developers. A mid-week break was provided by a relaxing and enjoyable cruise through the majestic Norwegia...

29 CFR 1926.307 - Mechanical power-transmission apparatus.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... fastened with metal in any case, nor with any other fastening which by construction or wear will constitute..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Tools-Hand and Power § 1926... belt and pulley guard. (3) For the Textile Industry, because of the presence of excessive deposits of...

Quantification of hand function by power grip and pinch strength force measurements in ulnar nerve lesion simulated by ulnar nerve block.

Science.gov (United States)

Wachter, Nikolaus Johannes; Mentzel, Martin; Krischak, Gert D; Gülke, Joachim

2017-06-24

In the assessment of hand and upper limb function, grip strength is of the major importance. The measurement by dynamometers has been established. In this study, the effect of a simulated ulnar nerve lesion on different grip force measurements was evaluated. In 25 healthy volunteers, grip force measurement was done by the JAMAR dynamometer (Fabrication Enterprises Inc, Irvington, NY) for power grip and by a pinch strength dynamometer for tip pinch strength, tripod grip, and key pinch strength. A within-subject research design was used in this prospective study. Each subject served as the control by preinjection measurements of grip and pinch strength. Subsequent measurements after ulnar nerve block were used to examine within-subject change. In power grip, there was a significant reduction of maximum grip force of 26.9% with ulnar nerve block compared with grip force without block (P force could be confirmed. However, the assessment of other dimensions of hand strength as tip pinch, tripod pinch and key pinch had more relevance in demonstrating hand strength changes resulting from an distal ulnar nerve lesion. The measurement of tip pinch, tripod grip and key pinch can improve the follow-up in hand rehabilitation. II. Copyright © 2017 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

iHand: an interactive bare-hand-based augmented reality interface on commercial mobile phones

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Junyeong; Park, Jungsik; Park, Hanhoon; Park, Jong-Il

2013-02-01

The performance of mobile phones has rapidly improved, and they are emerging as a powerful platform. In many vision-based applications, human hands play a key role in natural interaction. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the interaction between human hands and the mobile phone. Thus, we propose a vision- and hand gesture-based interface in which the user holds a mobile phone in one hand but sees the other hand's palm through a built-in camera. The virtual contents are faithfully rendered on the user's palm through palm pose estimation, and reaction with hand and finger movements is achieved that is recognized by hand shape recognition. Since the proposed interface is based on hand gestures familiar to humans and does not require any additional sensors or markers, the user can freely interact with virtual contents anytime and anywhere without any training. We demonstrate that the proposed interface works at over 15 fps on a commercial mobile phone with a 1.2-GHz dual core processor and 1 GB RAM.

TNO-ADVANCE: a modular power train simulation and design tool

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Venne, J.W.C. van de; Hendriksen, P.; Smokers, R.T.M.; Verkiel, M.

1998-01-01

To support its activities in the field of conventional and hybrid vehicles, TNO has developed ADVANCE, a modular simulation tool for the design and evaluation of advanced power trains. In this paper the various features and the potential of ADVANCE are described and illustrated by means of two case

A Fast Tool for Assessing the Power Performance of Large WEC arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ruiz, Pau Mercadé

In the present work, a tool for computing wave energy converter array hydrodynamic forces and power performance is developed. The tool leads to a significant reduction on computation time compared with standard boundary element method based codes while keeping similar levels of accuracy. This mak...... it suitable for array layout optimization, where large numbers of simulations are required. Furthermore, the tool is developed within an open-source environment such as Python 2.7 so that it is fully accessible to anyone willing to make use of it....

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool DIgSILENT

OpenAIRE

Hansen, A.D.; Jauch, C.; Sørensen, Poul Ejnar; Iov, F.; Blaabjerg, F.

2004-01-01

The present report describes the dynamic wind turbine models implemented in the power system simulation tool DIgSILENT (Version 12.0). The developed models are a part of the results of a national research project, whose overall objective is to create amodel database in different simulation tools. This model database should be able to support the analysis of the interaction between the mechanical structure of the wind turbine and the electrical grid during different operational modes. The repo...

Application of the QFD as a design approach to ensure comfort in using hand tools: can the design team complete the House of Quality appropriately?

Science.gov (United States)

Kuijt-Evers, L F M; Morel, K P N; Eikelenberg, N L W; Vink, P

2009-05-01

Quality Function Deployment is proposed as an effective design method to integrate ergonomics needs and comfort into hand tool design because it explicitly addresses the translation of customer needs into engineering characteristics. A crucial step during QFD concerns the linking of engineering characteristics to customer needs in the House of Quality by the design team. It is generally assumed (looking at all the QFD success stories) that design teams can accurately predict the correlations between customer needs and engineering characteristics (also referred to as "Whats"/"Hows" correlations). This paper explicitly tests this assumption by comparing the "Whats"/"Hows" correlations estimated by a design team with those observed in a systematic user evaluation study, which has not been done before. Testing the assumption is important, because inaccurate estimates may lead to ergonomically ineffective (re)design of hand tools and a waste of company resources. Results revealed that the design team's correlation estimates were not as accurate as is generally assumed. Twenty-five percent of the estimates differed significantly with those observed in the user evaluation study. Thus, QFD is a useful method to assist design teams in designing ergonomically more comfortable hand tools, but only on the condition that the correlations between customer needs and engineering characteristics are validated, preferably by means of a systematic user evaluation study.

Design for Reliability and Robustness Tool Platform for Power Electronic Systems – Study Case on Motor Drive Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vernica, Ionut; Wang, Huai; Blaabjerg, Frede

2018-01-01

conventional approach, mainly based on failure statistics from the field, the reliability evaluation of the power devices is still a challenging task. In order to address the given problem, a MATLAB based reliability assessment tool has been developed. The Design for Reliability and Robustness (DfR2) tool...... allows the user to easily investigate the reliability performance of the power electronic components (or sub-systems) under given input mission profiles and operating conditions. The main concept of the tool and its framework are introduced, highlighting the reliability assessment procedure for power...... semiconductor devices. Finally, a motor drive application is implemented and the reliability performance of the power devices is investigated with the help of the DfR2 tool, and the resulting reliability metrics are presented....

3D Printed Robotic Hand

Science.gov (United States)

Pizarro, Yaritzmar Rosario; Schuler, Jason M.; Lippitt, Thomas C.

2013-01-01

Dexterous robotic hands are changing the way robots and humans interact and use common tools. Unfortunately, the complexity of the joints and actuations drive up the manufacturing cost. Some cutting edge and commercially available rapid prototyping machines now have the ability to print multiple materials and even combine these materials in the same job. A 3D model of a robotic hand was designed using Creo Parametric 2.0. Combining "hard" and "soft" materials, the model was printed on the Object Connex350 3D printer with the purpose of resembling as much as possible the human appearance and mobility of a real hand while needing no assembly. After printing the prototype, strings where installed as actuators to test mobility. Based on printing materials, the manufacturing cost of the hand was $167, significantly lower than other robotic hands without the actuators since they have more complex assembly processes.

A review on the young history of the wind power short-term prediction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Costa, A.; Crespo, A.; Navarro, J.

2008-01-01

This paper makes a brief review on 30 years of history of the wind power short-term prediction, since the first ideas and sketches on the theme to the actual state of the art oil models and tools, giving emphasis to the most significant proposals and developments. The two principal lines of thought...... on short-term prediction (mathematical and physical) are indistinctly treated here and comparisons between models and tools are avoided, mainly because, on the one hand, a standard for a measure of performance is still not adopted and, on the other hand, it is very important that the data are exactly...

Computer Assisted Fluid Power Instruction: A Comparison of Hands-On and Computer-Simulated Laboratory Experiences for Post-Secondary Students

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Scott B.

2005-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of utilizing a combination of lecture and computer resources to train personnel to assume roles as hydraulic system technicians and specialists in the fluid power industry. This study compared computer simulated laboratory instruction to traditional hands-on laboratory instruction,…

Electrical hand tools and techniques: A compilation. [utilization of space technology for tools and adapters

Science.gov (United States)

1974-01-01

Space technology utilization for developing tools, adapters, and fixtures and procedures for assembling, installing, and servicing electrical components and equipment are discussed. Some of the items considered are: (1) pivotal screwdriver, (2) termination locator tool for shielded cables, (3) solder application tools, (4) insulation and shield removing tool, and (5) torque wrench adapter for cable connector engaging ring. Diagrams of the various tools and devices are provided.

Smartphones - a powerful Tool for Tourism. Romanian Travel Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergiu Rusu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Smartphones are an integral part of everyday life, and more people buy the latest technology, including tourists. Technology evolves at an exponential pace, smartphones are increasingly becoming an indispensable accessory and less a luxury item, like it might have been considered before. The smartphones are now a powerful tool for tourists and travelers, thanks to the mobile applications that help so much the independent travelers.

Theoretical And Experimental Investigations On The Plasma Of A CO2 High Power Laser

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, W.; Wallter, B.

1984-03-01

The CO2 high power laser is increasingly used in material processing. This application of the laser has to meet some requirements: at one hand the laser is a tool free of wastage, but at the other hand is to guarantee that the properties of that tool are constant in time. Therefore power, geometry and mode of the beam have to be stable over long intervalls, even if the laser is used in rough industrial environment. Otherwise laser material processing would not be competitive. The beam quality is affected by all components of the laser - by the CO2 plasma and its IR - amplification, by the resonator which at last generates the beam by optical feedback, and also by the electric power supply whose effects on the plasma may be measured at the laser beam. A transversal flow laser has been developed at the Technical University of Vienna in cooperation with VOest-Alpine AG, Linz (Austria). This laser produces 1 kW of beam power with unfolded resonator. It was subject to investigations presented in this paper.

Design of Contactlessly Powered and Piezoelectrically Actuated Tools for Non-Resonant Vibration Assisted Milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Silge

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This contribution presents a novel design approach for vibration assisted machining (VAM. A lot of research has already been done regarding the influence of superimposed vibrations during a milling process, but there is almost no information about how to design a VAM tool where the tool is actually rotating. The proposed system consists of a piezoelectric actuator for vibration excitation, an inductive contactless energy transfer system and an electronic circuit for powering the actuated tool. The main benefit of transferring the required power without mechanical contact is that the maximum spindle speed is no longer restricted by friction of slip rings. A detailed model is shown that enables for preliminary estimation of the system’s response to different excitation signals. Experimental data are provided to validate the model. Finally, some parts are shown that have been manufactured using the contactlessly actuated milling tool.

Sex Differences in Performance with the Hand and Arm in near and Far Space: A Possible Effect of Tool Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geoff Sanders

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Using novel tasks, we tested two predictions from the hunter-gatherer hypothesis concerning sex differences in the motor control of hand and arm and in the visual processing of near and far space. In Study 1 we replicated earlier findings by demonstrating that women scored higher with the hand while men scored higher with the arm. Study 2 tested the motor and visual predictions concurrently and showed that the Muscle*Sex interaction, seen in Study 1, occurs in far as well as near space. However, we failed to confirm that women perform better with visual information from near and men from far space. Instead the relative performance of women and men was the same in far as it was in near space. Drawing on evidence from studies of selective visual neglect we suggest that this outcome arose because tool use causes far space to be re-mapped as near space. Finally, the selective visual neglect literature indicates that the processing of far and near space is located in the ventral and dorsal cortical streams, previously described as two “what”/“where” visual systems. We draw attention to their additional “there”/“here” functions that are sex dimorphic and, as we have shown, modulated by tool use.

Introducing PCTRAN as an evaluation tool for nuclear power plant emergency responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Yi-Hsiang; Shih, Chunkuan; Chiang, Show-Chyuan; Weng, Tung-Li

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► PCTRAN is integrated with an atmospheric dispersion algorithm. ► The improved PCTRAN acts as an accident/incident simulator and a data exchange system. ► The software helps the responsible organizations decide the rescue and protective actions. ► The evaluation results show the nuclear power plant accident and its off-site dose consequences. ► The software can be used for nuclear power plant emergency responses. - Abstract: Protecting the public from radiation exposure is important if a nuclear power plant (NPP) accident occurs. Deciding appropriate protective actions in a timely and effective manner can be fulfilled by using an effective accident evaluation tool. In our earlier work, we have integrated PCTRAN (Personal Computer Transient Analyzer) with the off-site dose calculation model. In this study, we introduce PCTRAN as an evaluation tool for nuclear power plant emergency responses. If abnormal conditions in the plant are monitored or observed, the plant staffs can distinguish accident/incident initiation events. Thus, the responsible personnel can immediately operate PCTRAN and set up those accident/incident initiation events to simulate the nuclear power plant transient or accident in conjunction with off-site dose distributions. The evaluation results consequently help the responsible organizations decide the rescue and protective actions. In this study, we explain and demonstrate the capabilities of PCTRAN for nuclear emergency responses, through applying it to simulate the postulated nuclear power plant accident scenarios.

Tool for a configurable integrated circuit that uses determination of dynamic power consumption

Science.gov (United States)

French, Matthew C. (Inventor); Wang, Li (Inventor); Agarwal, Deepak (Inventor); Davoodi, Azadeh (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A configurable logic tool that allows minimization of dynamic power within an FPGA design without changing user-entered specifications. The minimization of power may use minimized clock nets as a first order operation, and a second order operation that minimizes other factors, such as area of placement, area of clocks and/or slack.

A person-oriented approach to hand hygiene behaviour: Emotional empathy fosters hand hygiene practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassenrath, Claudia; Diefenbacher, Svenja; Siegel, André; Keller, Johannes

2016-01-01

Adopting a social-psychological approach, this research examines whether emotional empathy, an affective reaction regarding another's well-being, fosters hand hygiene as this affects other's health-related well-being extensively. Three studies tested this notion: (a) a cross-sectional study involving a sample of health care workers at a German hospital, (b) an experiment testing the causal effect of empathy on hand hygiene behaviour and (c) an 11-week prospective study testing whether an empathy induction affected disinfectant usage frequency in two different wards of a hospital. Self-reported hand hygiene behaviour based on day reconstruction method was measured in Study 1, actual hand sanitation behaviour was observed in Study 2 and disinfectant usage frequency in two different hospital wards was assessed in Study 3. Study 1 reveals an association of empathy with hand hygiene cross-sectionally, Study 2 documents the causal effect of empathy on increased hand sanitation. Study 3 shows an empathy induction increases hand sanitiser usage in the hospital. Increasing emotional empathy promotes hand hygiene behaviour, also in hospitals. Besides providing new impulses for the design of effective interventions, these findings bear theoretical significance as they document the explanatory power of empathy regarding a distal explanandum (hand hygiene).

[Hand hygiene technique assessment using electronic equipment in 26 Hungarian healthcare institutions].

Science.gov (United States)

Lehotsky, Ákos; Morvai, Júlia; Szilágyi, László; Bánsághi, Száva; Benkó, Alíz; Haidegger, Tamás

2017-07-01

Hand hygiene is probably the most effective tool of nosocomial infection prevention, however, proper feedback and control is needed to develop the individual hand hygiene practice. Assessing the efficiency of modern education tools, and digital demonstration and verification equipment during their wide-range deployment. 1269 healthcare workers took part in a training organized by our team. The training included the assessment of the participants' hand hygiene technique to identify the most often missed areas. The hand hygiene technique was examined by a digital device. 33% of the participants disinfected their hands incorrectly. The most often missed sites are the fingertips (33% on the left hand, 37% on the right hand) and the thumbs (42% on the left hand, 32% on the right hand). The feedback has a fundamental role in the development of the hand hygiene technique. With the usage of electronic devices feedback can be provided efficiently and simply. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(29): 1143-1148.

Periodic table as a powerful tool for radiation education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aratani, Michi; Osanai, Yuko; Uchiumi, Fumiko; Tsushima, Kazuko; Kamayachi, Tei; Kudo, Michiko

2005-01-01

The periodic tables ordinarily start with an element of atomic number 1, hydrogen. Hydrogen atoms, however, are derived from neutrons by way of β decay. Consequently, neutron should be located at a zero position of atomic number, which corresponds to the left side and above helium. A periodic table, especially with the zero position for neutron, is essential from present view of matter and serves as a powerful tool for radiation education. (author)

Convergence of human brain mapping tools: neuronavigated TMS parameters and fMRI activity in the hand motor area.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarfeld, Anna-Sophia; Diekhoff, Svenja; Wang, Ling E; Liuzzi, Gianpiero; Uludağ, Kamil; Eickhoff, Simon B; Fink, Gereon R; Grefkes, Christian

2012-05-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are well-established tools for investigating the human motor system in-vivo. We here studied the relationship between movement-related fMRI signal changes in the primary motor cortex (M1) and electrophysiological properties of the hand motor area assessed with neuronavigated TMS in 17 healthy subjects. The voxel showing the highest task-related BOLD response in the left hand motor area during right hand movements was identified for each individual subject. This fMRI peak voxel in M1 served as spatial target for coil positioning during neuronavigated TMS. We performed correlation analyses between TMS parameters, BOLD signal estimates and effective connectivity parameters of M1 assessed with dynamic causal modeling (DCM). The results showed a negative correlation between the movement-related BOLD signal in left M1 and resting as well as active motor threshold (MT) obtained for left M1. The DCM analysis revealed that higher excitability of left M1 was associated with a stronger coupling between left supplementary motor area (SMA) and M1. Furthermore, BOLD activity in left M1 correlated with ipsilateral silent period (ISP), i.e. the stronger the task-related BOLD response in left M1, the higher interhemispheric inhibition effects targeting right M1. DCM analyses revealed a positive correlation between the coupling of left SMA with left M1 and the duration of ISP. The data show that TMS parameters assessed for the hand area of M1 do not only reflect the intrinsic properties at the stimulation site but also interactions with remote areas in the human motor system. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Math in Action. Hands-On, Minds-On Math.

Science.gov (United States)

Waite-Stupiansky, Sandra; Stupiansky, Nicholas G.

1998-01-01

Hands-on math must also involve students' minds in creative thinking. Math manipulatives must be used for uncovering, not just discovering. This paper presents guidelines for planning hands-on, minds-on math for elementary students. Suggestions include dialoging, questioning, integrating manipulatives and other tools, writing, and evaluating. (SM)

Development of maintenance tools based on tribology for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwai, Yoshiro; Honda, Tomomi; Yoshinaga, Shigeki

2007-01-01

Many tribological problems occur in the maintenance of nuclear power plants. In this paper, we introduced our developed maintenance tools based on tribology such as a particle counter and wear sensors. Their principals were shown briefly and their usefulness was clarified by the experiments on monitoring of wear. (author)

Vibration-reducing gloves: transmissibility at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions.

Science.gov (United States)

McDowell, Thomas W; Dong, Ren G; Welcome, Daniel E; Xu, Xueyan S; Warren, Christopher

2013-01-01

Vibration-reducing (VR) gloves are commonly used as a means to help control exposures to hand-transmitted vibrations generated by powered hand tools. The objective of this study was to characterise the vibration transmissibility spectra and frequency-weighted vibration transmissibility of VR gloves at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions. Seven adult males participated in the evaluation of seven glove models using a three-dimensional hand-arm vibration test system. Three levels of hand coupling force were applied in the experiment. This study found that, in general, VR gloves are most effective at reducing vibrations transmitted to the palm along the forearm direction. Gloves that are found to be superior at reducing vibrations in the forearm direction may not be more effective in the other directions when compared with other VR gloves. This casts doubts on the validity of the standardised glove screening test. Practitioner Summary: This study used human subjects to measure three-dimensional vibration transmissibility of vibration-reducing gloves at the palm and identified their vibration attenuation characteristics. This study found the gloves to be most effective at reducing vibrations along the forearm direction. These gloves did not effectively attenuate vibration along the handle axial direction.

Application of the QFD as a design approach to ensure comfort in using hand tools : Can the design team complete the House of Quality appropriately?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijt-Evers, L.F.M.; Morel, K.P.N.; Eikelenberg, N.L.W.; Vink, P.

2009-01-01

Quality Function Deployment is proposed as an effective design method to integrate ergonomics needs and comfort into hand tool design because it explicitly addresses the translation of customer needs into engineering characteristics. A crucial step during QFD concerns the linking of engineering

CRISP. Requirements Specifications of Intelligent ICT Simulation Tools for Power Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warmer, C.J.; Kester, J.C.P.; Kamphuis, I.G. [ECN Energy in the Built Environment and Networks, Petten (Netherlands); Carlsson, P [EnerSearch, Malmoe (Sweden); Fontela, M. [Laboratory of Electrical Engineering LEG, Grenoble (France); Gustavsson, R. [Blekinge Institute of Technology BTH, Karlskrona (Sweden)

2003-10-15

This report, deliverable D2.1 in the CRISP project, serves as a preparation report for the development of simulation tools and prototype software which will be developed in forthcoming stages of the CRISP project. Application areas for these simulations are: fault detection and diagnosis, supply and demand matching and intelligent load shedding. The context in which these applications function is the power network with a high degree of distributed generation, including renewables. In order to control a so called distributed grid we can benefit from a high level of distributed control and intelligence. This requires, on top of the power system network, an information and communication network.. We argue that such a network should be seen as an enabler of distributed control and intelligence. The applications, through which control and intelligence is implemented, then form a third network layer, the service oriented network. Building upon this three-layered network model we derive in this report the requirements for a simulation tool and experiments which study new techniques for fault detection and diagnostics and for simulation tools and experiments implementing intelligent load shedding and supply and demand matching scenarios. We also look at future implementation of these services within the three-layered network model and the requirements that follow for the core information and communication network and for the service oriented network. These requirements, supported by the studies performed in the CRISP Workpackage 1, serve as a basis for development of the simulation tools in the tasks 2.2 to 2.4.

CRISP. Requirements Specifications of Intelligent ICT Simulation Tools for Power Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warmer, C.J.; Kester, J.C.P.; Kamphuis, I.G.; Carlsson, P; Fontela, M.; Gustavsson, R.

2003-10-01

This report, deliverable D2.1 in the CRISP project, serves as a preparation report for the development of simulation tools and prototype software which will be developed in forthcoming stages of the CRISP project. Application areas for these simulations are: fault detection and diagnosis, supply and demand matching and intelligent load shedding. The context in which these applications function is the power network with a high degree of distributed generation, including renewables. In order to control a so called distributed grid we can benefit from a high level of distributed control and intelligence. This requires, on top of the power system network, an information and communication network.. We argue that such a network should be seen as an enabler of distributed control and intelligence. The applications, through which control and intelligence is implemented, then form a third network layer, the service oriented network. Building upon this three-layered network model we derive in this report the requirements for a simulation tool and experiments which study new techniques for fault detection and diagnostics and for simulation tools and experiments implementing intelligent load shedding and supply and demand matching scenarios. We also look at future implementation of these services within the three-layered network model and the requirements that follow for the core information and communication network and for the service oriented network. These requirements, supported by the studies performed in the CRISP Workpackage 1, serve as a basis for development of the simulation tools in the tasks 2.2 to 2.4

An automated hand hygiene compliance system is associated with improved monitoring of hand hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

McCalla, Saungi; Reilly, Maggie; Thomas, Rowena; McSpedon-Rai, Dawn

2017-05-01

Consistent hand hygiene is key to reducing health care-associated infections (HAIs) and assessing compliance with hand hygiene protocols is vital for hospital infection control staff. A new automated hand hygiene compliance system (HHCS) was trialed as an alternative to human observers in an intensive care unit and an intensive care stepdown unit at a hospital facility in the northeastern United States. Using a retrospective cohort design, researchers investigated whether implementation of the HHCS resulted in improved hand hygiene compliance and a reduction in common HAI rates. Pearson χ 2 tests were used to assess changes in compliance, and incidence rate ratios were used to test for significant differences in infection rates. During the study period, the HHCS collected many more hand hygiene events compared with human observers (632,404 vs 480) and ensured that the hospital met its compliance goals (95%+). Although decreases in multidrug-resistant organisms, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates were observed, they represented nonsignificant differences. Human hand hygiene observers may not report accurate measures of compliance. The HHCS is a promising new tool for fine-grained assessment of hand hygiene compliance. Further study is needed to examine the association between the HHCS and HAI rate reduction. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The application of human error prevention tool in Tianwan nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiao Zhiguo

2013-01-01

This paper mainly discusses the application and popularization of human error prevention tool in Tianwan nuclear power station, including the study on project implementation background, main contents and innovation, performance management, innovation practice and development, and performance of innovation application. (authors)

Modeling and control of an anthropomorphic robotic hand

OpenAIRE

Bensalah, Choukri

2016-01-01

Mención Europea en el título de doctor This thesis presents methods and tools for enabling the successful use of robotic hands. For highly dexterous and/or anthropomorphic robotic hands, these methods have to share some common goals, such as overcoming the potential complexity of the mechanical design and the ability of performing accurate tasks with low and efficient computational cost. A prerequisite for dexterity is to increase the workspace of the robotic hand. For th...

Can hand laterality be identified through lithic technology?

Science.gov (United States)

Bargalló, Amèlia; Mosquera, Marina

2014-01-01

In this paper we present a new method for inferring handedness from lithic evidence. The study was conducted by means of an experimental programme in stone-knapping, after which the resulting lithic products (tools) were analysed. These lithic tools were produced by 15 inexpert knappers (8 right-handed and 7 left-handed), because we were not able to find a statistically significant number of left-handed expert knappers. We considered inexpert knappers to include individuals who had never struck two pebbles together, as well as individuals who were quite familiar with prehistoric tools and had had some degree of practice. The Mann-Whitney U test proved that all of them produced flakes with the same technical features, so within this sample expertise was not a factor that affected the presence or absence of the technical features analysed to determine hand laterality. The results of the experiment indicate that no single variable can be used to determine the laterality of the knapper, but rather the evidence of handedness lies in the combination of several variables. Furthermore, not all the flakes display the entire set of significant features. Therefore this study concludes that it is not possible to determine the handedness of a knapper through a single variable present on his or her flakes, but it may be possible to determine laterality by examining a combination of technical variables on a number of his or her pieces. Archaeologically, only well-preserved knapping events with numerous refitting products can be assigned to a left- or a right-handed knapper.

Development Concept of Guaranteed Verification Electric Power System Simulation Tools and Its Realization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gusev Alexander

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The analysis of existing problem reliability and verification of widespread electric power systems (EPS simulation tools is presented in this article. Everything simulation tools are based on the using of numerical methods for ordinary differential equations. Described the concept of guaranteed verification EPS simulation tools and the structure of its realization are based using the Simulator having properties of continuous , without decomposition three-phase EPS simulation in real time and on an unlimited range with guaranteed accuracy. The information from the Simulator can be verified by using data only quasi-steady-state regime received from the SCADA and such Simulator can be applied as the standard model for verification any EPS simulation tools.

A Prosthetic Hand Body Area Controller Based on Efficient Pattern Recognition Control Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Benatti, Simone; Milosevic, Bojan; Farella, Elisabetta; Gruppioni, Emanuele; Benini, Luca

2017-04-15

Poliarticulated prosthetic hands represent a powerful tool to restore functionality and improve quality of life for upper limb amputees. Such devices offer, on the same wearable node, sensing and actuation capabilities, which are not equally supported by natural interaction and control strategies. The control in state-of-the-art solutions is still performed mainly through complex encoding of gestures in bursts of contractions of the residual forearm muscles, resulting in a non-intuitive Human-Machine Interface (HMI). Recent research efforts explore the use of myoelectric gesture recognition for innovative interaction solutions, however there persists a considerable gap between research evaluation and implementation into successful complete systems. In this paper, we present the design of a wearable prosthetic hand controller, based on intuitive gesture recognition and a custom control strategy. The wearable node directly actuates a poliarticulated hand and wirelessly interacts with a personal gateway (i.e., a smartphone) for the training and personalization of the recognition algorithm. Through the whole system development, we address the challenge of integrating an efficient embedded gesture classifier with a control strategy tailored for an intuitive interaction between the user and the prosthesis. We demonstrate that this combined approach outperforms systems based on mere pattern recognition, since they target the accuracy of a classification algorithm rather than the control of a gesture. The system was fully implemented, tested on healthy and amputee subjects and compared against benchmark repositories. The proposed approach achieves an error rate of 1.6% in the end-to-end real time control of commonly used hand gestures, while complying with the power and performance budget of a low-cost microcontroller.

Design of a Power Tool Attachment for Sawing Operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayur Appaiah

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The Design of a Power Tool Attachment for Sawing Operation is discussed. First, the Target Specifications are established. The Design work is carried out, especially that of the Main Shaft and Support Tube. Calculations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA are also done. The Prototype is fabricated and assembled. The Testing of the prototype is done, by Sawing commercial plywood of maximum thickness 25mm. Weight of the Attachment is 1.3 kg, and the Machine is easy to use, benefitting unskilled users.

Adherence to hand hygiene guidelines - significance of measuring fidelity.

Science.gov (United States)

Korhonen, Anne; Ojanperä, Helena; Puhto, Teija; Järvinen, Raija; Kejonen, Pirjo; Holopainen, Arja

2015-11-01

The aim was to evaluate the usability of fidelity measures in compliance evaluation of hand hygiene. Adherence to hand hygiene guidelines is important in terms of patient safety. Compliance measures seldom describe how exactly the guidelines are followed. A cross-sectional observation study in a university hospital setting was conducted. Direct observation by trained staff was performed using a standardised observation form supplemented by fidelity criteria. A total of 830 occasions were observed in 13 units. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, percentages and range) were used as well as compliance rate by using a standard web-based tool. In addition, the binomial standard normal deviate test was conducted for comparing different methods used in evaluation of hand hygiene and in comparison between professional groups. Measuring fidelity to guidelines was revealed to be useful in uncovering gaps in hand hygiene practices. The main gap related to too short duration of hand rubbing. Thus, although compliance with hand hygiene guidelines measured using a standard web-based tool was satisfactory, the degree of how exactly the guidelines were followed seemed to be critical. Combining the measurement of fidelity to guidelines with the compliance rate is beneficial in revealing inconsistency between optimal and actual hand hygiene behaviour. Evaluating fidelity measures is useful in terms of revealing the gaps between optimal and actual performance in hand hygiene. Fidelity measures are suitable in different healthcare contexts and easy to measure according to the relevant indicators of fidelity, such as the length of hand rubbing. Knowing the gap facilitates improvements in clinical practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of Surface Roughness and Power Consumption in Machining FCD 450 Cast Iron using Coated and Uncoated Irregular Milling Tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yusoff, Ahmad Razlan; Arsyad, Fitriyanti

2016-01-01

In this project, the effects of different cutting parameters on surface roughness and power consumption when machining FCD450 cast iron were studied using coated and uncoated irregular milling tool geometry of variable helix and pitch. Their responses on roughness and power consumption were evaluated based on the spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut, machining length and machining time. Results showed that except spindle speed and machining length, other parameters such as feed rate, axial and radial depth of cut and also machining time proportionate with surface roughness. The power consumption proportionately increase for all cutting parameters except feedrate. It is showed that the average decrement 27.92 percent for surface roughness and average decrement 9.32 percent for power consumption by using coated compared to uncoated tool. Optimum cutting parameters for both minimum surface roughness and power consumption can be determined. The coated tools performed better than uncoated milling tools for responses of surface roughness and power consumption to increase machining productivity and profit. (paper)

Compliance with hand hygiene: reference data from the national hand hygiene campaign in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Wetzker, W; Bunte-Schönberger, K; Walter, J; Pilarski, G; Gastmeier, P; Reichardt, Ch

2016-04-01

Hand hygiene is a key measure to prevent healthcare-associated infection. To promote hand hygiene nationally the German campaign 'Aktion Saubere Hände' was launched in January 2008, based on the World Health Organization's 'Clean Care is Safer Care' initiative. We report the first results from a full year of data collection on hand hygiene compliance recorded with the help of a renewed observation tool. Data were based on submissions from 109 participating hospitals collected from 576 wards between January 1st and December 31st, 2014. The overall median compliance was 73%, ranging from 55% (10th percentile) to 89% (90th percentile). The results demonstrated only small differences between adult and non-adult intensive care units (ICUs) with neonatal ICUs and paediatric non-ICUs maintaining higher compliance than adult care units. Performance among nurses was better than physicians, and overall rates of hand hygiene performance were significantly higher after patient contact than before. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thomson Parabola Spectrometer: a powerful tool to get on-line plasma information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Altana, C.; Schillaci, F.; Anzalone, A.; Cirrone, G.A.P; Tudisco, S.; Lanzalone, G.; Muoio, A.

2015-01-01

In this contribution we report the results of an experimental measurement performed with a TPS developed at INFN-LNS within the ELIMED project, by means of a powerful and self-consistent technique as a diagnostic tool for the ionic acceleration study in laser-generated-plasmas. (authors)

Thomson Parabola Spectrometer: a powerful tool to get on-line plasma information

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Altana, C. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud - INFN - Catania (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Catania - Dip.to di Fisica e Astronomia - Catania (Italy); Schillaci, F.; Anzalone, A.; Cirrone, G.A.P; Tudisco, S. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud - INFN - Catania (Italy); Lanzalone, G. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud - INFN - Catania (Italy); Univerita Kore di Enna - Enna (Italy); Muoio, A. [Laboratori Nazionali del Sud - INFN - Catania (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Messina - Dip.to di Fisica e di Scienze della Terra - Messina (Italy)

2015-07-01

In this contribution we report the results of an experimental measurement performed with a TPS developed at INFN-LNS within the ELIMED project, by means of a powerful and self-consistent technique as a diagnostic tool for the ionic acceleration study in laser-generated-plasmas. (authors)

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca D.; Iov, Florin; Sørensen, Poul

, connection of the wind turbine at different types of grid and storage systems. Different control strategies have been developed and implemented for these wind turbine concepts, their performance in normal or fault operation being assessed and discussed by means of simulations. The described control......This report presents a collection of models and control strategies developed and implemented in the power system simulation tool PowerFactory DIgSILENT for different wind turbine concepts. It is the second edition of Risø-R-1400(EN) and it gathers and describes a whole wind turbine model database...... of the interaction between the mechanical structure of the wind turbine and the electrical grid during different operational modes. The report provides thus a description of the wind turbines modelling, both at a component level and at a system level. The report contains both the description of DIgSILENT built...

DP-THOT - a calculational tool for bundle-specific decay power based on actual irradiation history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnston, S.; Morrison, C.A.; Albasha, H.; Arguner, D.

2005-01-01

A tool has been created for calculating the decay power of an individual fuel bundle to take account of its actual irradiation history, as tracked by the fuel management code SORO. The DP-THOT tool was developed in two phases: first as a standalone executable code for decay power calculation, which could accept as input an entirely arbitrary irradiation history; then as a module integrated with SORO auxiliary codes, which directly accesses SORO history files to retrieve the operating power history of the bundle since it first entered the core. The methodology implemented in the standalone code is based on the ANSI/ANS-5.1-1994 formulation, which has been specifically adapted for calculating decay power in irradiated CANDU reactor fuel, by making use of fuel type specific parameters derived from WIMS lattice cell simulations for both 37 element and 28 element CANDU fuel bundle types. The approach also yields estimates of uncertainty in the calculated decay power quantities, based on the evaluated error in the decay heat correlations built-in for each fissile isotope, in combination with the estimated uncertainty in user-supplied inputs. The method was first implemented in the form of a spreadsheet, and following successful testing against decay powers estimated using the code ORIGEN-S, the algorithm was coded in FORTRAN to create an executable program. The resulting standalone code, DP-THOT, accepts an arbitrary irradiation history and provides the calculated decay power and estimated uncertainty over any user-specified range of cooling times, for either 37 element or 28 element fuel bundles. The overall objective was to produce an integrated tool which could be used to find the decay power associated with any identified fuel bundle or channel in the core, taking into account the actual operating history of the bundles involved. The benefit is that the tool would allow a more realistic calculation of bundle and channel decay powers for outage heat sink planning

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool DIgSILENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansen, A.C.; Jauch, C.; Soerensen, P.; Iov, F.; Blaabjerg, F.

2003-12-01

The present report describes the dynamic wind turbine models implemented in the power system simulation tool DIgSILENT (Version 12.0). The developed models are a part of the results of a national research project, whose overall objective is to create a model database in different simulation tools. This model database should be able to support the analysis of the interaction between the mechanical structure of the wind turbine and the electrical grid during different operational modes. The report provides a description of the wind turbines modelling, both at a component level and at a system level. The report contains both the description of DIgSILENT built-in models for the electrical components of a grid connected wind turbine (e.g. induction generators, power converters, transformers) and the models developed by the user, in the dynamic simulation language DSL of DIgSILENT, for the non-electrical components of the wind turbine (wind model, aerodynamic model, mechanical model). The initialisation issues on the wind turbine models into the power system simulation are also presented. However, the main attention in this report is drawn to the modelling at the system level of two wind turbine concepts: 1. Active stall wind turbine with induction generator 2. Variable speed, variable pitch wind turbine with doubly fed induction generator. These wind turbine concept models can be used and even extended for the study of different aspects, e.g. the assessment of power quality, control strategies, connection of the wind turbine at different types of grid and storage systems. For both these two concepts, control strategies are developed and implemented, their performance assessed and discussed by means of simulations. (au)

Tool for optimal design and operation of hydrogen storage based autonomous energy systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oberschachtsiek, B.; Lemken, D. [ZBT - Duisburg (Germany); Stark, M.; Krost, G. [Duisburg-Essen Univ. (Germany)

2010-07-01

Decentralized small scale electricity generation based on renewable energy sources usually necessitates decoupling of volatile power generation and consumption by means of energy storage. Hydrogen has proven as an eligible storage medium for mid- and long-term range, which - when indicated - can be reasonably complemented by accumulator short term storage. The selection of appropriate system components - sources, storage devices and the appertaining peripherals - is a demanding task which affords a high degree of freedom but, on the other hand, has to account for various operational dependencies and restrictions of system components, as well as for conduct of load and generation. An innovative tool facilitates the configuration and dimensioning of renewable energy based power supply systems with hydrogen storage paths, and allows for applying appropriate operation strategies. This tool accounts for the characteristics and performances of relevant power sources, loads, and types of energy storage, and also regards safety rules the energy system has to comply with. In particular, the tool is addressing small, detached and autonomous supply systems. (orig.)

The use of ultrasound for decontamination of tools and equipment in nuclear power plant Krshko

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erman, R.

1987-01-01

This paper describes the main principles of the ultrasonic generator functioning and the use of ultrasound for decontamination of tools and equipment in nuclear power plant Krshko. The paper gives the operating procedure and presents decontamination results of tools and equipment fabricated from various materials. (author) 3 refs.; 1 tab

Benefits for wind energy in electricity markets from using short term wind power prediction tools: a simulation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usaola, J.; Ravelo, O.; Gonzalez, G.; Soto, F.; Davila, M.C.; Diaz-Guerra, B.

2004-01-01

One of the characteristics of wind energy, from the grid point of view, is its non-dispatchability, i.e. generation cannot be ordered, hence integration in electrical networks may be difficult. Short-term wind power prediction-tools could make this integration easier, either by their use by the grid System Operator, or by promoting the participation of wind farms in the electricity markets and using prediction tools to make their bids in the market. In this paper, the importance of a short-term wind power-prediction tool for the participation of wind energy systems in electricity markets is studied. Simulations, according to the current Spanish market rules, have been performed to the production of different wind farms, with different degrees of accuracy in the prediction tool. It may be concluded that income from participation in electricity markets is increased using a short-term wind power prediction-tool of average accuracy. This both marginally increases income and also reduces the impact on system operation with the improved forecasts. (author)

Fuel defect detection, localization and removal in Bruce Power units 3 through 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, R.; Armstrong, J.; Iglesias, F.; Oduntan, R.; Lewis, B.

2005-01-01

Fuel element defects are occurring in Bruce 'A' and Bruce 'B' Units. A root-cause investigation is ongoing, however, a solution is not yet in-hand. Fuel defect management efforts have been undertaken, therefore, in the interim. Fuel defect management tools are in-place for all Bruce Units. These tools can be categorized as analysis-based or operations-based. Analysis-based tools include computer codes used primarily for fuel defect characterization, while operations-based tools include Unit-specific delayed-neutron ('DN') monitoring systems and gaseous fission product ('GFP') monitoring systems. Operations-based tools are used for fuel defect detection, localization and removal activities. Fuel and Physics staff use defect detection, localization and removal methodologies and guidelines to disposition fuel defects. Methodologies are 'standardized' or 'routine' procedures for implementing analysis-based and operations-based tools to disposition fuel defects during Unit start-up operation and during operation at high steady-state power levels. Guidelines at present serve to supplement fuel defect management methodologies during Unit power raise. (author)

Your hands are precious, look after them!

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

With their 27 bones, 33 muscles and 22 joints, hands are the most complicated and at the same time the most useful parts of the body. Without them, we would not be able to grip things between our fingers, pick them up, turn them, lift them, hold them or handle them. Due to this very usefulness, however, they are more prone to injury than any other part of the body. This year, over 30% of CERN's industrial accidents involved hand injuries. Many of these accidents could have been avoided if the people concerned had worn suitable gloves or, quite simply, made proper use of tools adapted to the work they were doing. 1. Mechanically sustained injuries Most hand injuries are mechanically sustained. - Cuts and pricks often occur during the use or handling of sharp objects and tools. The Medical Service has treated many patients with cuts received when handling iron plates or when using cutters without taking adequate precautions. Such injuries range from superficial cuts to deep wounds with severed tendons or bl...

Simulation tools

CERN Document Server

Jenni, F

2006-01-01

In the last two decades, simulation tools made a significant contribution to the great progress in development of power electronics. Time to market was shortened and development costs were reduced drastically. Falling costs, as well as improved speed and precision, opened new fields of application. Today, continuous and switched circuits can be mixed. A comfortable number of powerful simulation tools is available. The users have to choose the best suitable for their application. Here a simple rule applies: The best available simulation tool is the tool the user is already used to (provided, it can solve the task). Abilities, speed, user friendliness and other features are continuously being improved—even though they are already powerful and comfortable. This paper aims at giving the reader an insight into the simulation of power electronics. Starting with a short description of the fundamentals of a simulation tool as well as properties of tools, several tools are presented. Starting with simplified models ...

A Hands-Free Interface for Controlling Virtual Electric-Powered Wheelchairs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tauseef Gulrez

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on how to provide mobility to people with motor impairments with the integration of robotics and wearable computing systems. The burden of learning to control powered mobility devices should not fall entirely on the people with disabilities. Instead, the system should be able to learn the user's movements. This requires learning the degrees of freedom of user movement, and mapping these degrees of freedom onto electric-powered wheelchair (EPW controls. Such mapping cannot be static because in some cases users will eventually improve with practice. Our goal in this paper is to present a hands-free interface (HFI that can be customized to the varying needs of EPW users with appropriate mapping between the users' degrees of freedom and EPW controls. EPW users with different impairment types must learn how to operate a wheelchair with their residual body motions. EPW interfaces are often customized to fit their needs. An HFI utilizes the signals generated by the user's voluntary shoulder and elbow movements and translates them into an EPW control scheme. We examine the correlation of kinematics that occur during moderately paced repetitive elbow and shoulder movements for a range of motion. The output of upper-limb movements (shoulder and elbows was tested on six participants, and compared with an output of a precision position tracking (PPT optical system for validation. We find strong correlations between the HFI signal counts and PPT optical system during different upper-limb movements (ranged from r = 0.86 to 0.94. We also tested the HFI performance in driving the EPW in a virtual reality environment on a spinal-cord-injured (SCI patient. The results showed that the HFI was able to adapt and translate the residual mobility of the SCI patient into efficient control commands within a week's training. The results are encouraging for the development of more efficient HFIs, especially for wheelchair users.

Hands-On Nuclear Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Whittaker, Jeff

2013-01-01

Nuclear science is an important topic in terms of its application to power generation, medical diagnostics and treatment, and national defense. Unfortunately, the subatomic domain is far removed from daily experience, and few learning aids are available to teachers. What follows describes a low-tech, hands-on method to teach important concepts in…

Characterization of wood dust emission from hand-held woodworking machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, F-X; Chata, F

2018-01-01

This article focuses on the prevention of exposure to wood dust when operating electrical hand-held sawing and sanding machines. A laboratory methodology was developed to measure the dust concentration around machines during operating processes. The main objective was to characterize circular saws and sanders, with the aim of classifying the different power tools tested in terms of dust emission (high dust emitter vs. low dust emitter). A test set-up was developed and is described and a measurement methodology was determined for each of the two operations studied. The robustness of the experimental results is discussed and shows good tendencies. The impact of air-flow extraction rate was assessed and the pressure loss of the system for each machine established. For the circular saws, three machines over the nine tested could be classified in the low dust emitter group. Their mean concentration values measured are between 0.64 and 0.98 mg/m 3 for the low dust emitter group and from 2.55 and 4.37 mg/m 3 for the high dust emitter group. From concentration measurements, a machine classification is possible-one for sanding machines and one for sawing machines-and a ratio from 1-7 is obtained when comparing the results. This classification will be helpful when a choice of high performance power tools, in terms of dust emission, must be made by professionals.

More than two HANDs to tango.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolson, Dennis; Buch, Shilpa

2013-12-01

Developing a validated tool for the rapid and efficient assessment of cognitive functioning in HIV-infected patients in a typical outpatient clinical setting has been an unmet goal of HIV research since the recognition of the syndrome of HIV-associated dementia (HAD) nearly 20 years ago. In this issue of JNIP Cross et al. report the application of the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) in a U.S.-based urban outpatient clinic to evaluate its utility as a substitute for the more time- and effort-demanding formalized testing criteria known as the Frascati criteria that was developed in 2007 to define the syndrome of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). In this study an unselected cohort of 507 individuals (68 % African American) that were assessed using the IHDS in a cross-sectional study revealed a 41 % prevalence of cognitive impairment (labeled ‘symptomatic HAND’) that was associated with African American race, older age, unemployment, education level, and depression. While the associations between cognitive impairment and older age, education, unemployment status and depression in HIV-infected patients are not surprising, the association with African American ancestry and cognitive impairment in the setting of HIV infection is a novel finding of this study. This commentary discusses several important issues raised by the study, including the pitfalls of assessing cognitive functioning with rapid screening tools, cognitive testing criteria, normative testing control groups, accounting for HAND co-morbidity factors, considerations for clinical trials assessing HAND, and selective population vulnerability to HAND.

Effects of hand grip exercise on shoulder joint internal rotation and external rotation peak torque.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dong-Rour; Jong-Soon Kim, Laurentius

2016-08-10

The goal of this study is to analyze the effects of hand grip training on shoulder joint internal rotation (IR)/external rotation (ER) peak torque for healthy people. The research was conducted on 23 healthy adults in their 20 s-30 s who volunteered to participate in the experiment. Hand grip power test was performed on both hands of the research subjects before/after the test to study changes in hand grip power. Isokinetic machine was used to measure the concentric IRPT (internal rotation peak torque) and concentric ERPT (external rotation peak torque) at the velocity of 60°/sec, 90°/sec, and 180°/sec before/after the test. Hand grip training was performed daily on the subject's right hand only for four weeks according to exercise program. Finally, hand grip power of both hands and the maximum torque values of shoulder joint IR/ER were measured before/after the test and analyzed. There was a statistically significant difference in the hand grip power of the right hand, which was subject to hand grip training, after the experiment. Also, statistically significant difference for shoulder ERPT was found at 60°/sec. Hand grip training has a positive effect on shoulder joint IRPT/ERPT and therefore can help strengthen muscles around the shoulder without using weight on the shoulder. Consequently, hand grip training would help maintain strengthen the muscles around the shoulder in the early phase of rehabilitation process after shoulder surgery.

Assessment of Lower Limb Muscle Strength and Power Using Hand-Held and Fixed Dynamometry: A Reliability and Validity Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perraton, Luke G.; Bower, Kelly J.; Adair, Brooke; Pua, Yong-Hao; Williams, Gavin P.; McGaw, Rebekah

2015-01-01

Introduction Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) has never previously been used to examine isometric muscle power. Rate of force development (RFD) is often used for muscle power assessment, however no consensus currently exists on the most appropriate method of calculation. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability of different algorithms for RFD calculation and to examine the intra-rater, inter-rater, and inter-device reliability of HHD as well as the concurrent validity of HHD for the assessment of isometric lower limb muscle strength and power. Methods 30 healthy young adults (age: 23±5yrs, male: 15) were assessed on two sessions. Isometric muscle strength and power were measured using peak force and RFD respectively using two HHDs (Lafayette Model-01165 and Hoggan microFET2) and a criterion-reference KinCom dynamometer. Statistical analysis of reliability and validity comprised intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Pearson correlations, concordance correlations, standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable change. Results Comparison of RFD methods revealed that a peak 200ms moving window algorithm provided optimal reliability results. Intra-rater, inter-rater, and inter-device reliability analysis of peak force and RFD revealed mostly good to excellent reliability (coefficients ≥ 0.70) for all muscle groups. Concurrent validity analysis showed moderate to excellent relationships between HHD and fixed dynamometry for the hip and knee (ICCs ≥ 0.70) for both peak force and RFD, with mostly poor to good results shown for the ankle muscles (ICCs = 0.31–0.79). Conclusions Hand-held dynamometry has good to excellent reliability and validity for most measures of isometric lower limb strength and power in a healthy population, particularly for proximal muscle groups. To aid implementation we have created freely available software to extract these variables from data stored on the Lafayette device. Future research should examine the reliability

Hand hygiene for the prevention of nosocomial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampf, Günter; Löffler, Harald; Gastmeier, Petra

2009-10-01

The WHO regards hand hygiene as an essential tool for the prevention of nosocomial infection, but compliance in clinical practice is often low. The relevant scientific literature and national and international evidence-based recommendations (Robert Koch Institute [Germany], WHO) were evaluated. Hygienic hand disinfection has better antimicrobial efficacy than hand-washing and is the procedure of choice to be performed before and after manual contact with patients. The hands should be washed, rather than disinfected, only when they are visibly soiled. Skin irritation is quite common among healthcare workers and is mainly caused by water, soap, and prolonged wearing of gloves. Compliance can be improved by training, by placing hand-rub dispensers at the sites where they are needed, and by physicians setting a good example for others. Improved compliance in hand hygiene, with proper use of alcohol-based hand rubs, can reduce the nosocomial infection rate by as much as 40%.

Experimental Study of Real-Time Classification of 17 Voluntary Movements for Multi-Degree Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trongmun Jiralerspong

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The myoelectric prosthetic hand is a powerful tool developed to help people with upper limb loss restore the functions of a biological hand. Recognizing multiple hand motions from only a few electromyography (EMG sensors is one of the requirements for the development of prosthetic hands with high level of usability. This task is highly challenging because both classification rate and misclassification rate worsen with additional hand motions. This paper presents a signal processing technique that uses spectral features and an artificial neural network to classify 17 voluntary movements from EMG signals. The main highlight will be on the use of a small set of low-cost EMG sensor for classification of a reasonably large number of hand movements. The aim of this work is to extend the capabilities to recognize and produce multiple movements beyond what is currently feasible. This work will also show and discuss about how tailoring the number of hand motions for a specific task can help develop a more reliable prosthetic hand system. Online classification experiments have been conducted on seven male and five female participants to evaluate the validity of the proposed method. The proposed algorithm achieves an overall correct classification rate of up to 83%, thus, demonstrating the potential to classify 17 movements from 6 EMG sensors. Furthermore, classifying 9 motions using this method could achieve an accuracy of up to 92%. These results show that if the prosthetic hand is intended for a specific task, limiting the number of motions can significantly increase the performance and usability.

Evaluation of a hand hygiene campaign in outpatient health care clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kukanich, Kate Stenske; Kaur, Ramandeep; Freeman, Lisa C; Powell, Douglas A

2013-03-01

To improve hand hygiene in two outpatient health care clinics through the introduction of a gel sanitizer and an informational poster. In this interventional study, health care workers at two outpatient clinics were observed for frequency of hand hygiene (attempts versus opportunities). Gel sanitizer and informational posters were introduced together as an intervention. Direct observation of the frequency of hand hygiene was performed during baseline, intervention, and follow-up. A poststudy survey of health care workers was also distributed and collected. In both clinics, the frequency of hand hygiene was poor at baseline (11% and 21%) but improved significantly after intervention (36% and 54%) and was maintained through the follow-up period (32% and 51%). Throughout the study, postcontact hand hygiene was observed significantly more often than precontact hand hygiene. In both clinics, health care workers reported a preference for soap and water; yet observations showed that when the intervention made gel sanitizer available, sanitizer use predominated. Fifty percent of the surveyed health care workers considered the introduction of gel sanitizer to be an effective motivating tool for improving hand hygiene. Hand hygiene performance by health care workers in outpatient clinics may be improved through promoting the use of gel sanitizer and using informational posters. Compared with surveys, direct observation by trained observers may provide more accurate information about worker preferences for hand hygiene tools.

Improving Power System Modeling. A Tool to Link Capacity Expansion and Production Cost Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diakov, Victor [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Cole, Wesley [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sullivan, Patrick [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brinkman, Gregory [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, Robert [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-11-01

Capacity expansion models (CEM) provide a high-level long-term view at the prospects of the evolving power system. In simulating the possibilities of long-term capacity expansion, it is important to maintain the viability of power system operation in the short-term (daily, hourly and sub-hourly) scales. Production-cost models (PCM) simulate routine power system operation on these shorter time scales using detailed load, transmission and generation fleet data by minimizing production costs and following reliability requirements. When based on CEM 'predictions' about generating unit retirements and buildup, PCM provide more detailed simulation for the short-term system operation and, consequently, may confirm the validity of capacity expansion predictions. Further, production cost model simulations of a system that is based on capacity expansion model solution are 'evolutionary' sound: the generator mix is the result of logical sequence of unit retirement and buildup resulting from policy and incentives. The above has motivated us to bridge CEM with PCM by building a capacity expansion - to - production cost model Linking Tool (CEPCoLT). The Linking Tool is built to onset capacity expansion model prescriptions onto production cost model inputs. NREL's ReEDS and Energy Examplar's PLEXOS are the capacity expansion and the production cost models, respectively. Via the Linking Tool, PLEXOS provides details of operation for the regionally-defined ReEDS scenarios.

Evaluating the transmitted vibration to operator′s hands hand and effect of protective gloves in real condition, based on International Standard Organization 5349 standard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhad Forouharmajd

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The objective of this research was an evaluation of hand-held tools vibration acceleration such as circular saw and drill transmitted to operator′s and also to determine the role of glove in vibration reduction of those tools. Materials and Methods: In this study, Bruel and Kjaer Vibration meter with a model of 2231 and its analyzer, 2522, along three types of gloves have been used. Accelerometer transducer installed according to International Standard Organization (ISO 5349:1-2 standards in the case of the operator handles the hand-held tool. In next step, the transducer was placed inside the glove. Results: The results show the most accelerated vibration in axis Y for circular saw while working on Plexiglas. All of the used gloves show a reduction of vibration transmission from tools to hands. Glove of C grouped had a reduction of vibration less than two other groups. Conclusion: Based on ISO 5349-1, 10% of workers who are working with circular saw and drill without using glove will be affiliated to white finger after about 7-12 years. As a whole, the results showed that the anti-vibration gloves should be tested in real conditions before using them.

Technical tools and of information for the quality administration of the water resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar Martinez, John Fernando; Sierra Ramirez, Carlos; Molina Perez, Francisco

2000-01-01

Given the complexity of an aquatic ecosystem and the impossibility of making experiments on a real scale, the water quality engineer represents the different reactions and interactions that happen in these ecosystems using mathematical models. This constitutes a powerful tool that allows prospective studies and helps in the decision-making. On the other hand, the huge volumes of information produced by the geographical space analysis and the large amount of variables involved, make the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) a powerful tool to develop analysis, modeling and simulation tasks on a defined area and the processes related to it. This article presents an integration proposal that permits to associate both, the spatial analysis and the visual representation capabilities of a GIS application with the water quality results obtained from a mathematical model, in such a way that, the interaction of the users of the information get increased, and the development of new tools helps in the decisions making and administrative process in the management of the water resources

Development of real-time voltage stability monitoring tool for power system transmission network using Synchrophasor data

Science.gov (United States)

Pulok, Md Kamrul Hasan

Intelligent and effective monitoring of power system stability in control centers is one of the key issues in smart grid technology to prevent unwanted power system blackouts. Voltage stability analysis is one of the most important requirements for control center operation in smart grid era. With the advent of Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) or Synchrophasor technology, real time monitoring of voltage stability of power system is now a reality. This work utilizes real-time PMU data to derive a voltage stability index to monitor the voltage stability related contingency situation in power systems. The developed tool uses PMU data to calculate voltage stability index that indicates relative closeness of the instability by producing numerical indices. The IEEE 39 bus, New England power system was modeled and run on a Real-time Digital Simulator that stream PMU data over the Internet using IEEE C37.118 protocol. A Phasor data concentrator (PDC) is setup that receives streaming PMU data and stores them in Microsoft SQL database server. Then the developed voltage stability monitoring (VSM) tool retrieves phasor measurement data from SQL server, performs real-time state estimation of the whole network, calculate voltage stability index, perform real-time ranking of most vulnerable transmission lines, and finally shows all the results in a graphical user interface. All these actions are done in near real-time. Control centers can easily monitor the systems condition by using this tool and can take precautionary actions if needed.

DNA Microarrays: a Powerful Genomic Tool for Biomedical and Clinical Research

OpenAIRE

Trevino, Victor; Falciani, Francesco; Barrera-Saldaña, Hugo A

2007-01-01

Among the many benefits of the Human Genome Project are new and powerful tools such as the genome-wide hybridization devices referred to as microarrays. Initially designed to measure gene transcriptional levels, microarray technologies are now used for comparing other genome features among individuals and their tissues and cells. Results provide valuable information on disease subcategories, disease prognosis, and treatment outcome. Likewise, they reveal differences in genetic makeup, regulat...

The Evaluation and Application Plan Report for the Development of Nuclear Power Plant DCS Using CASE Tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, B.Y.; Moon, H.J.; Yoon, M.H.; Lee, Y.K. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea)

2000-06-01

This report contains the evaluation and application plan report for the development of nuclear power plant DCS using CASE tools. In this report, the necessity of using CASE tools is considered and a available CASE environment is suggested. And, also according to the IEEE Std 1209 Recommended Practice for Evaluation and Selection of CASE Tools, their functional and economical evaluation about available commercial CASE tools is performed and described. (author). 6 figs., 3 tabs.

User-friendly Tool for Power Flow Analysis and Distributed Generation Optimisation in Radial Distribution Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. F. Akorede

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The intent of power distribution companies (DISCOs is to deliver electric power to their customers in an efficient and reliable manner – with minimal energy loss cost. One major way to minimise power loss on a given power system is to install distributed generation (DG units on the distribution networks. However, to maximise benefits, it is highly crucial for a DISCO to ensure that these DG units are of optimal size and sited in the best locations on the network. This paper gives an overview of a software package developed in this study, called Power System Analysis and DG Optimisation Tool (PFADOT. The main purpose of the graphical user interface-based package is to guide a DISCO in finding the optimal size and location for DG placement in radial distribution networks. The package, which is also suitable for load flow analysis, employs the GUI feature of MATLAB. Three objective functions are formulated into a single optimisation problem and solved with fuzzy genetic algorithm to simultaneously obtain DG optimal size and location. The accuracy and reliability of the developed tool was validated using several radial test systems, and the results obtained are evaluated against the existing similar package cited in the literature, which are impressive and computationally efficient.

Small disturbance voltage stability assessment of power systems by modal analysis and dynamic simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amjady, Nima; Ansari, Mohammad Reza

2008-01-01

The introduction of liberalized electricity markets in many countries has resulted in more highly stressed power systems. On the other hand, operating points of a power system are acceptable in the feasible region, which is surrounded by the borders of different stabilities. Power system instability is critical for all participants of the electricity market. Determination of different stability margins can result in the optimum utilization of power system with minimum risk. This paper focuses on the small disturbance voltage stability, which is an important subset of the power system global stability. This kind of voltage stability is usually evaluated by static analysis tools such as continuation power flow, while it essentially has dynamic nature. Besides, a combination of linear and nonlinear analysis tools is required to correctly analyze it. In this paper, a hybrid evaluation method composed of static, dynamic, linear, and nonlinear analysis tools is proposed for this purpose. Effect of load scenario, generation pattern, branch and generator contingency on the small disturbance voltage stability are evaluated by the hybrid method. The test results are given for New England and IEEE68 bus test systems. (author)

The influence of cooling forearm/hand and gender on estimation of handgrip strength.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Chih-Chan; Shih, Yuh-Chuan; Tsai, Yue-Jin; Chi, Chia-Fen

2014-01-01

Handgrip strength is essential in manual operations and activities of daily life, but the influence of forearm/hand skin temperature on estimation of handgrip strength is not well documented. Therefore, the present study intended to investigate the effect of local cooling of the forearm/hand on estimation of handgrip strength at various target force levels (TFLs, in percentage of MVC) for both genders. A cold pressor test was used to lower and maintain the hand skin temperature at 14°C for comparison with the uncooled condition. A total of 10 male and 10 female participants were recruited. The results indicated that females had greater absolute estimation deviations. In addition, both genders had greater absolute deviations in the middle range of TFLs. Cooling caused an underestimation of grip strength. Furthermore, a power function is recommended for establishing the relationship between actual and estimated handgrip force. Statement of relevance: Manipulation with grip strength is essential in daily life and the workplace, so it is important to understand the influence of lowering the forearm/hand skin temperature on grip-strength estimation. Females and the middle range of TFL had greater deviations. Cooling the forearm/hand tended to cause underestimation, and a power function is recommended for establishing the relationship between actual and estimated handgrip force. Practitioner Summary: It is important to understand the effect of lowering the forearm/hand skin temperature on grip-strength estimation. A cold pressor was used to cool the hand. The cooling caused underestimation, and a power function is recommended for establishing the relationship between actual and estimated handgrip force. Manipulation with grip strength is essential in daily life and the workplace, so it is important to understand the influence of lowering the forearm/hand skin temperature on grip-strength estimation. Females and the middle range of TFL had greater deviations. Cooling the

Financial tools to induce cooperation in power asymmetrical water systems

Science.gov (United States)

Denaro, Simona; Castelletti, Andrea; Giuliani, Matteo; Characklis, Gregory W.

2017-04-01

In multi-purpose water systems, power asymmetry is often responsible of inefficient and inequitable water allocations. Climate Change and anthropogenic pressure are expected to exacerbate such disparities at the expense of already disadvantaged groups. The intervention of a third party, charged with redefining water sharing policies to give greater consideration to equity and social justice, may be desirable. Nevertheless, to be accepted by private actors, this interposition should be coupled with some form of compensation. For a public agency, compensation measures may be burdensome, especially when the allowance is triggered by natural events whose timing and magnitude are subject to uncertainty. In this context, index based insurance contracts may represent a viable alternative option and reduce the cost of achieving socially desirable outcomes. In this study we explore soft measures to achieve global change mitigation by designing a hybrid coordination mechanism composed of i) a direct normative constraint and ii) an indirect financial compensatory tool. The performance of an index-based insurance (i.e. hedging) contract to be used as a compensation tool is evaluated relative to more traditional alternatives. First, the performance of the status quo system, or baseline (BL), is contrasted to an idealized scenario in which a central planner (CP) maximizes global efficiency. Then, the CP management is analyzed in order to identify an efficient water rights redistribution to be legally imposed on the advantaged stakeholders in the BL scenario. Finally, a hedging contract is designed to compensate those stakeholders more negatively affected by the legal constraint. The approach is demonstrated on a multi-purpose water system in Italy, where different decision makers individually manage the same resource. The system is characterized by a manifest power asymmetry: the upstream users, i.e., hydropower companies, are free to release their stored water in time

VARIABLE STIFFNESS HAND PROSTHESIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Cecilia Tapia-Siles

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Prosthetics is an important field in engineering due to the large number of amputees worldwide and the associated problems such as limited functionality of the state of the art. An important functionality of the human hand is its capability of adjusting the stiffness of the joints depending on the currently performed task. For the development of new technology it is important to understand the limitations of existing resources. As part of our efforts to develop a variable stiffness grasper for developing countries a systematic review was performed covering technology of body powered and myoelectric hand prosthesis. Focus of the review is readiness of prosthetic hands regarding their capability of controlling the stiffness of the end effector. Publications sourced through three different digital libraries were systematically reviewed on the basis of the PRISMA standard. We present a search strategy as well as the PRISMA assessment of the resulting records which covered 321 publications. The records were assessed and the results are presented for the ability of devices to control their joint stiffness. The review indicates that body powered prosthesis are preferred to myoelectric hands due to the reduced cost, the simplicity of use and because of their inherent ability to provide feedback to the user. Stiffness control was identified but has not been fully covered in the current state of the art. In addition we summarise the identified requirements on prosthetic hands as well as related information which can support the development of new prosthetics.

Survey on the use of configuration risk and safety management tools at nuclear power plants. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, K.N.; Read, J.W.; Dagan, W.J.; Bidwell, D.A.

1998-09-01

In order to provide input to Electricite de France's (EDF) evaluation of the use of configuration safety and risk management tools in the French plants and to collect information to guide the EPRI efforts to provide useful tools for the EPRI member utilities and international partners, a joint effort to survey US and selected non-US nuclear power stations was conducted. This survey examined the use of various approaches, techniques, and software tools that are being used to evaluate the safety and risk aspects of plant configuration changes and configuration changes during plant outages as well as during power operation. The use of these tools has increased in recent years as a result of efforts to optimize plant maintenance programs, improve plant safety, and increase plant reliability and availability. This report provides the results of the survey of 37 organizations covering 54 nuclear plant sites and 97 reactor units

Design for a three-fingered hand. [robotic and prosthetic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Crossley, F. R. E.

1977-01-01

This paper describes the construction of a prototype mechanical hand or 'end effector' for use on a remotely controlled robot, but with possible application as a prosthetic device. An analysis of hand motions is reported, from which it is concluded that the two most important manipulations (apart from grasps) are to be able to pick up a tool and draw it into a nested grip against the palm, and to be able to hold a pistol-grip tool such as an electric drill and pull the trigger. One of our models was tested and found capable of both these operations.

Robot hand tackles jobs in hazardous areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simms, Mark; Crowder, Richard.

1989-01-01

A robot hand and arm designed to mimic the operation of its human counterpart, developed at the University of Southampton for use in a standard industrial glovebox, is described. It was specifically designed for use in a radioactive environment moving high dosage components around. As dosage limits go down, there is a legal requirement to remove people from that environment. The nine-axis arm is for use in a glove designed for a human hand. Drive for the motors used to power the hand is from three-phase MOSFET inventor cards, the switching pattern controlled by the Hall effect communication sensors integral to each motor. The computer software for the arm allows the hand to be positioned using a joystick on a control box, with three levels of command for grip, pinch and touch. (author)

Powered exoskeleton with palm degrees of freedom for hand rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Daniel S; Georgilas, Ioannis; Dagnino, Giulio; Dogramadzi, Sanja

2015-08-01

Robotic rehabilitation is a currently underutilised field with the potential to allow huge cost savings within healthcare. Existing rehabilitation exoskeletons oversimplify the importance of movement of the hand while undertaking everyday tasks. Within this study, an investigation was undertaken to establish the extent to which the degrees of freedom within the palm affect ability to undertake everyday tasks. Using a 5DT data glove, bend sensing resistors and restrictors of palm movement, 20 participants were recruited to complete tasks that required various hand shapes. Collected data was processed and palm arching trends were identified for each grasping task. It was found that the extent of utilizing arches in the palm varied with each exercise, but was extensively employed throughout. An exoskeleton was subsequently designed with consideration of the identified palm shapes. This design included a number of key features that accommodated for a variety of hand sizes, a novel thumb joint and a series of dorsally mounted servos. Initial exoskeleton testing was undertaken by having a participant complete the same exercises while wearing the exoskeleton. The angles formed by the user during this process were then compared to those recorded by 2 other participants who had completed the same tasks without exoskeleton. It was found that the exoskeleton was capable of forming the required arches for completing the tasks, with differences between participants attributed to individual ergonomic differences.

Big Data is a powerful tool for environmental improvements in the construction business

Science.gov (United States)

Konikov, Aleksandr; Konikov, Gregory

2017-10-01

The work investigates the possibility of applying the Big Data method as a tool to implement environmental improvements in the construction business. The method is recognized as effective in analyzing big volumes of heterogeneous data. It is noted that all preconditions exist for this method to be successfully used for resolution of environmental issues in the construction business. It is proven that the principal Big Data techniques (cluster analysis, crowd sourcing, data mixing and integration) can be applied in the sphere in question. It is concluded that Big Data is a truly powerful tool to implement environmental improvements in the construction business.

A Visualization Tool to Analyse Usage of Web-Based Interventions: The Example of Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR)

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Emily; Bradbury, Katherine; Morrison, Leanne; Dennison, Laura; Michaelides, Danius; Yardley, Lucy

2015-01-01

Background Attrition is a significant problem in Web-based interventions. Consequently, this research aims to identify the relation between Web usage and benefit from such interventions. A visualization tool has been developed that enables researchers to more easily examine large datasets on intervention usage that can be difficult to make sense of using traditional descriptive or statistical techniques alone. Objective This paper demonstrates how the visualization tool was used to explore patterns in participants’ use of a Web-based weight management intervention, termed "positive online weight reduction (POWeR)." We also demonstrate how the visualization tool can be used to perform subsequent statistical analyses of the association between usage patterns, participant characteristics, and intervention outcome. Methods The visualization tool was used to analyze data from 132 participants who had accessed at least one session of the POWeR intervention. Results There was a drop in usage of optional sessions after participants had accessed the initial, core POWeR sessions, but many users nevertheless continued to complete goal and weight reviews. The POWeR tools relating to the food diary and steps diary were reused most often. Differences in participant characteristics and usage of other intervention components were identified between participants who did and did not choose to access optional POWeR sessions (in addition to the initial core sessions) or reuse the food and steps diaries. Reuse of the steps diary and the getting support tools was associated with greater weight loss. Conclusions The visualization tool provided a quick and efficient method for exploring patterns of Web usage, which enabled further analyses of whether different usage patterns were associated with participant characteristics or differences in intervention outcome. Further usage of visualization techniques is recommended to (1) make sense of large datasets more quickly and efficiently; (2

Evaluation of static analysis tools used to assess software important to nuclear power plant safety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ourghanlian, Alain [EDF Lab CHATOU, Simulation and Information Technologies for Power Generation Systems Department, EDF R and D, Cedex (France)

2015-03-15

We describe a comparative analysis of different tools used to assess safety-critical software used in nuclear power plants. To enhance the credibility of safety assessments and to optimize safety justification costs, Electricit e de France (EDF) investigates the use of methods and tools for source code semantic analysis, to obtain indisputable evidence and help assessors focus on the most critical issues. EDF has been using the PolySpace tool for more than 10 years. Currently, new industrial tools based on the same formal approach, Abstract Interpretation, are available. Practical experimentation with these new tools shows that the precision obtained on one of our shutdown systems software packages is substantially improved. In the first part of this article, we present the analysis principles of the tools used in our experimentation. In the second part, we present the main characteristics of protection-system software, and why these characteristics are well adapted for the new analysis tools.

Plato (power load analysis tool) - a module of west wall monitoring system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranjan, Sutapa; Travere, Jean-marcel; Moreau, P.

2015-01-01

The mandate of the WEST (W Environment for Steady-state Tokamak) project, is to upgrade the medium- sized superconducting Tokamak, Tore Supra in a major scale. One of it's objectives, is to also act as a test-bed for ITER divertor components, to be procured and used in ITER. WEST would be installing actively cooled Tungsten divertor elements, like the ones to be used in ITER. These components would be tested under two experimental scenarios: high power (Ip = 0.8MA, lasting 30s with 15MW injected power) and high fluence (Ip = 0.6 MA, lasting 1000s with 12 MW injected power). Heat load on the divertor target will range from a few MW/m 2 up to 20 MW/m 2 depending on the X point location and the heat flux decay length. The tungsten Plasma Facing Components (PFCs) are less tolerant to overheating than their Carbon counterparts and prevention of their burnout is a major concern. It is in this context that the Wall Monitoring System (WMS) - a software framework aimed at monitoring the health of the Wall components, was conceived. WMS has been divided into three parts: a) a pre-discharge power load analysis tool to check compatibility between plasma scenario and PFC's operational limits in terms of heat flux b) a real-time system during discharge, to take into account all necessary measurements involved in the PFCs protection c) a set of analysis tools that would be used post-discharge, that would access WEST database and compare predicted and experimental results. This paper presents an overview of PLATo - the pre-pulse module of WMS that has been recently developed under IPR-IRFM research collaboration. PLAto has two major components - one that produces heat flux information of the PFCS and the other that produces energy graphs depending on shot profile defined by time variant magnetic equilibrium and injected power profiles. Preliminary results will be presented based on foreseen WEST plasma reference scenarios. (author)

On the Analysis and Fault-Diagnosis Tools for Small-Scale Heat and Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arriagada, Jaime

2003-12-01

The deregulation of the electricity market drives utilities and independent power producers to operate heat and power plants as profit centers. In order to keep the economic margins on the credit side, the preferred measures have been to improve the electrical efficiency through changes in the hardware and boost the overall efficiency through e.g. combined heat and power (CHP) generation. The better understanding of global environmental issues is also pushing the development toward more advanced power plant technology that at the introduction stage may represent a risky option for the plant owner. Recently, there is a growing interest in improving the plant operation instead, and therefore the focus has been put on aspects related to the RAM (reliability-availability-maintenance) of the plants. Small- and mid-scale CHP plants, especially natural gas- and biomass-fueled, have been identified to be important to satisfy the needs of the energy market and help to mitigate the environmental factors in the short- and middle-term. One of the major challenges that these types of plants will face is attaining good RAM at the same time that they cannot support big O and M costs and a lot of personnel. Therefore the implementation of cheap and reliable IT-based tools that help to achieve this goal is essential. Most power plants today are equipped with modern distributed control systems that through a considerable number of sensors deliver large amounts of data to the control room. This paves the way to the introduction of intelligent tools - derived from the artificial intelligence technology - such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) and genetic algorithms (GA). ANNs have a learning ability that makes them useful for the construction of powerful non-physical models based on data from the process, while GA has shown to be a robust optimization method based on the principle of the 'survival-of-the-fittest'. Principally ANNs, but also to a lesser extent GA, have

The Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire: An Assessment Tool for Oncology

OpenAIRE

Anderson, Roger T.; Keating, Karen N.; Doll, Helen A.; Camacho, Fabian

2015-01-01

This study describes the development and validation of a brief, patient self-reported questionnaire (the hand-foot skin reaction and quality of life questionnaire) supporting its suitability for use in clinical research to aid in early recognition of symptoms, to evaluate the effectiveness of agents for hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR) or hand-foot syndrome (HFS) treatment within clinical trials, and to evaluate the impact of these treatments on HFS/R-associated patients’ health-related quality...

Beyond Jeopardy and Lectures: Using "Microsoft PowerPoint" as a Game Design Tool to Teach Science

Science.gov (United States)

Siko, Jason; Barbour, Michael; Toker, Sacip

2011-01-01

To date, research involving homemade PowerPoint games as an instructional tool has not shown statistically significant gains in student performance. This paper examines the results of a study comparing the performance of students in a high school chemistry course who created homemade PowerPoint games as a test review with the students who used a…

Googling your hand hygiene data: Using Google Forms, Google Sheets, and R to collect and automate analysis of hand hygiene compliance monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiemken, Timothy L; Furmanek, Stephen P; Mattingly, William A; Haas, Janet; Ramirez, Julio A; Carrico, Ruth M

2018-06-01

Hand hygiene is one of the most important interventions in the quest to eliminate healthcare-associated infections, and rates in healthcare facilities are markedly low. Since hand hygiene observation and feedback are critical to improve adherence, we created an easy-to-use, platform-independent hand hygiene data collection process and an automated, on-demand reporting engine. A 3-step approach was used for this project: 1) creation of a data collection form using Google Forms, 2) transfer of data from the form to a spreadsheet using Google Spreadsheets, and 3) creation of an automated, cloud-based analytics platform for report generation using R and RStudio Shiny software. A video tutorial of all steps in the creation and use of this free tool can be found on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFatMR1rXqU&t. The on-demand reporting tool can be accessed at: https://crsp.louisville.edu/shiny/handhygiene. This data collection and automated analytics engine provides an easy-to-use environment for evaluating hand hygiene data; it also provides rapid feedback to healthcare workers. By reducing some of the data management workload required of the infection preventionist, more focused interventions may be instituted to increase global hand hygiene rates and reduce infection. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and verification of a software tool for the acoustic location of partial discharge in a power transformer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polužanski Vladimir

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the development and verification of software tool for determining the location of partial discharge in a power transformer with the acoustic method. Classification and systematization of physical principles and detection methods and tests of partial discharge in power transformers are shown at the beginning of this paper. The most important mathematical models, features, algorithms, and real problems that affect measurement accuracy are highlighted. This paper describes the development and implementation of a software tool for determining the location of partial discharge in a power transformer based on a no iterative mathematical algorithm. Verification and accuracy of measurement are proved both by computer simulation and experimental results available in the literature.

In pursuit of our ancestors' hand laterality.

Science.gov (United States)

Bargalló, Amèlia; Mosquera, Marina; Lozano, Sergi

2017-10-01

The aim of this paper is to apply a previously published method (Bargalló and Mosquera, 2014) to the archaeological record, allowing us to identify the hand laterality of our ancestors and determine when and how this feature, which is exhibited most strongly in humans, appeared in our evolutionary history. The method focuses on identifying handedness by looking at the technical features of the flakes produced by a single knapper, and discovering how many flakes are required to ascertain their hand preference. This method can potentially be applied to the majority of archaeological sites, since flakes are the most abundant stone tools, and stone tools are the most widespread and widely-preserved remains from prehistory. For our study, we selected two Spanish sites: Gran Dolina-TD10.1 (Atapuerca) and Abric Romaní (Barcelona), which were occupied by pre-Neanderthal and Neanderthal populations, respectively. Our analyses indicate that a minimum number of eight flakes produced by the same knapper is required to ascertain their hand preference. Even though this figure is relatively low, it is quite difficult to obtain from many archaeological sites. In addition, there is no single technical feature that provides information about handedness, instead there is a combination of eight technical features, localised on the striking platforms and ventral surfaces. The raw material is not relevant where good quality rocks are used, in this case quartzite and flint, since most of them retain the technical features required for the analysis. Expertise is not an issue either, since the technical features analysed here only correlate with handedness (Bargalló and Mosquera, 2014). Our results allow us to tentatively identify one right-handed knapper among the pre-Neanderthals of level TD10.1 at Gran Dolina (Atapuerca), while four of the five Neanderthals analysed from Abric Romaní were right-handed. The hand preference of the fifth knapper from that location (AR5) remains unclear

Scaling forecast models for wind turbulence and wind turbine power intermittency

Science.gov (United States)

Duran Medina, Olmo; Schmitt, Francois G.; Calif, Rudy

2017-04-01

The intermittency of the wind turbine power remains an important issue for the massive development of this renewable energy. The energy peaks injected in the electric grid produce difficulties in the energy distribution management. Hence, a correct forecast of the wind power in the short and middle term is needed due to the high unpredictability of the intermittency phenomenon. We consider a statistical approach through the analysis and characterization of stochastic fluctuations. The theoretical framework is the multifractal modelisation of wind velocity fluctuations. Here, we consider three wind turbine data where two possess a direct drive technology. Those turbines are producing energy in real exploitation conditions and allow to test our forecast models of power production at a different time horizons. Two forecast models were developed based on two physical principles observed in the wind and the power time series: the scaling properties on the one hand and the intermittency in the wind power increments on the other. The first tool is related to the intermittency through a multifractal lognormal fit of the power fluctuations. The second tool is based on an analogy of the power scaling properties with a fractional brownian motion. Indeed, an inner long-term memory is found in both time series. Both models show encouraging results since a correct tendency of the signal is respected over different time scales. Those tools are first steps to a search of efficient forecasting approaches for grid adaptation facing the wind energy fluctuations.

Easy Ergonomics: A Guide to Selecting Non-Powered Hand Tools

Science.gov (United States)

... Fits the job you are doing • Fits the work space available • Reduces the force you need to apply • ... your job (pg. 4). B. Look at your work space (pg. 6). C. Improve your work posture (pg. ...

ADVANCED POWER SYSTEMS ANALYSIS TOOLS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert R. Jensen; Steven A. Benson; Jason D. Laumb

2001-08-31

The use of Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) modeling tools and improved analytical methods has provided key information in optimizing advanced power system design and operating conditions for efficiency, producing minimal air pollutant emissions and utilizing a wide range of fossil fuel properties. This project was divided into four tasks: the demonstration of the ash transformation model, upgrading spreadsheet tools, enhancements to analytical capabilities using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and improvements to the slag viscosity model. The ash transformation model, Atran, was used to predict the size and composition of ash particles, which has a major impact on the fate of the combustion system. To optimize Atran key factors such as mineral fragmentation and coalescence, the heterogeneous and homogeneous interaction of the organically associated elements must be considered as they are applied to the operating conditions. The resulting model's ash composition compares favorably to measured results. Enhancements to existing EERC spreadsheet application included upgrading interactive spreadsheets to calculate the thermodynamic properties for fuels, reactants, products, and steam with Newton Raphson algorithms to perform calculations on mass, energy, and elemental balances, isentropic expansion of steam, and gasifier equilibrium conditions. Derivative calculations can be performed to estimate fuel heating values, adiabatic flame temperatures, emission factors, comparative fuel costs, and per-unit carbon taxes from fuel analyses. Using state-of-the-art computer-controlled scanning electron microscopes and associated microanalysis systems, a method to determine viscosity using the incorporation of grey-scale binning acquired by the SEM image was developed. The image analysis capabilities of a backscattered electron image can be subdivided into various grey-scale ranges that can be analyzed separately. Since the grey scale's intensity

A new approach to hand-based authentication

Science.gov (United States)

Amayeh, G.; Bebis, G.; Erol, A.; Nicolescu, M.

2007-04-01

Hand-based authentication is a key biometric technology with a wide range of potential applications both in industry and government. Traditionally, hand-based authentication is performed by extracting information from the whole hand. To account for hand and finger motion, guidance pegs are employed to fix the position and orientation of the hand. In this paper, we consider a component-based approach to hand-based verification. Our objective is to investigate the discrimination power of different parts of the hand in order to develop a simpler, faster, and possibly more accurate and robust verification system. Specifically, we propose a new approach which decomposes the hand in different regions, corresponding to the fingers and the back of the palm, and performs verification using information from certain parts of the hand only. Our approach operates on 2D images acquired by placing the hand on a flat lighting table. Using a part-based representation of the hand allows the system to compensate for hand and finger motion without using any guidance pegs. To decompose the hand in different regions, we use a robust methodology based on morphological operators which does not require detecting any landmark points on the hand. To capture the geometry of the back of the palm and the fingers in suffcient detail, we employ high-order Zernike moments which are computed using an effcient methodology. The proposed approach has been evaluated on a database of 100 subjects with 10 images per subject, illustrating promising performance. Comparisons with related approaches using the whole hand for verification illustrate the superiority of the proposed approach. Moreover, qualitative comparisons with state-of-the-art approaches indicate that the proposed approach has comparable or better performance.

Computational engineering applied to the concentrating solar power technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giannuzzi, Giuseppe Mauro; Miliozzi, Adio

2006-01-01

Solar power plants based on parabolic-trough collectors present innumerable thermo-structural problems related on the one hand to the high temperatures of the heat transfer fluid, and on the other to the need og highly precise aiming and structural resistance. Devising an engineering response to these problems implies analysing generally unconventional solutions. At present, computational engineering is the principal investigating tool; it speeds the design of prototype installations and significantly reduces the necessary but costly experimental programmes [it

Complex tasks force hand laterality and technological behaviour in naturalistically housed chimpanzees: inferences in hominin evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosquera, M; Geribàs, N; Bargalló, A; Llorente, M; Riba, D

2012-01-01

Clear hand laterality patterns in humans are widely accepted. However, humans only elicit a significant hand laterality pattern when performing complementary role differentiation (CRD) tasks. Meanwhile, hand laterality in chimpanzees is weaker and controversial. Here we have reevaluated our results on hand laterality in chimpanzees housed in naturalistic environments at Fundació Mona (Spain) and Chimfunshi Wild Orphanage (Zambia). Our results show that the difference between hand laterality in humans and chimpanzees is not as great as once thought. Furthermore, we found a link between hand laterality and task complexity and also an even more interesting connection: CRD tasks elicited not only the hand laterality but also the use of tools. This paper aims to turn attention to the importance of this threefold connection in human evolution: the link between CRD tasks, hand laterality, and tool use, which has important evolutionary implications that may explain the development of complex behaviour in early hominins.

Infant Hand Preference and the Development of Cognitive Abilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Frederick Michel

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Hand preference develops in the first two postnatal years with nearly half of infants exhibiting a consistent early preference for acquiring objects. Others exhibit a more variable developmental trajectory but by the end of their second postnatal year, most exhibit a consistent hand preference for role-differentiated bimanual manipulation. According to some forms of embodiment theory, these differences in hand use patterns should influence the way children interact with their environments, which, in turn, should affect the structure and function of brain development. Such early differences in brain development should result in different trajectories of psychological development. We present evidence that children with consistent early hand preferences exhibit advanced patterns of cognitive development as compared to children who develop a hand preference later. Differences in the developmental trajectory of hand preference are predictive of developmental differences in language, object management skills, and tool-use skills. As predicted by Cassasanto’s body-specificity hypothesis, infants with different hand preferences proceed along different developmental pathways of cognitive functioning.

Effective use of pre-job briefing as tool for the prevention of human error

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlump, Ansgar

2015-01-01

There is a fundamental demand to minimise the risks for workers and facilities while executing maintenance work. To ensure that facilities are secure and reliable, any deviation from normal operation behaviour has to be avoided. Accurate planning is the basis for minimising mistakes and making work more secure. All workers involved should understand how the work should be done and what is expected to avoid human errors. Especially in nuclear power plants, the human performance tools (HPT) have proved to be an effective instrument to minimise human errors. These human performance tools consist of numerous different tools that complement each other (e.g. pre-job briefing). The safety culture of the plants is also characterised by these tools. The choice of using the right HP-Tool is often a difficult task for the work planer. On the one hand, he wants to avoid mistakes during the execution of work but on the other hand he does not want to irritate the workers with unnecessary requirements. The proposed concept uses a simple risk analysis to take into account the complexity of the task, the experience of the past and the consequences of failure in to account. One main result of this risk analysis is a recommendation of the detailing of the pre-job briefing, to reduce the risks for the involved staff to a minimum.

Shape Memory Polymers: A Joint Chemical and Materials Engineering Hands-On Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Seif, Mujan; Beck, Matthew

2018-01-01

Hands-on experiences are excellent tools for increasing retention of first year engineering students. They also encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, a critical skill for modern engineers. In this paper, we describe and evaluate a joint Chemical and Materials Engineering hands-on lab that explores cross-linking and glass transition in…

Tools and tool application for the dismantling of the nuclear power plant Brennilis in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bienia, Harald; Welbers, Philipp; Krueger, Peter; Noll, Thomas

2012-01-01

The EL-4 reactor in the NPP Brennilis in France is a CO2 cooled heavy water moderated test reactor with net power of 70 MW, the reactor started operation in 1967 and was decommissioned in 1985. Due to the construction features it was not necessary to enter the reactor area during operation, therefore the reactor pressure vessel and the surrounding piping systems are built in a very compact way. The dismantling procedures are therefore different from German BWR or PWR systems, the remote cutting and handling tools have to be adapted to the different features. Because of the high local dosage rate in the reactor hall it is also necessary to perform the erection of the dismantling equipment by robot systems. For cutting of the piping system a new plasma cutting technique, the hot wire method will be used. Other mechanical cutting techniques have to be used for instance for zircaloy containing components due to fire prevention purposes. The required time for tool and manipulator changes, including wearing part replacements constitute a significant part of the dismantling schedule. The suction/exhaust system for radioactive dust removal allowed a reduction of the total personal dose by one third of the allowed dose.

Human left ventral premotor cortex mediates matching of hand posture to object use.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guy Vingerhoets

Full Text Available Visuomotor transformations for grasping have been associated with a fronto-parietal network in the monkey brain. The human homologue of the parietal monkey region (AIP has been identified as the anterior part of the intraparietal sulcus (aIPS, whereas the putative human equivalent of the monkey frontal region (F5 is located in the ventral part of the premotor cortex (vPMC. Results from animal studies suggest that monkey F5 is involved in the selection of appropriate hand postures relative to the constraints of the task. In humans, the functional roles of aIPS and vPMC appear to be more complex and the relative contribution of each region to grasp selection remains uncertain. The present study aimed to identify modulation in brain areas sensitive to the difficulty level of tool object - hand posture matching. Seventeen healthy right handed participants underwent fMRI while observing pictures of familiar tool objects followed by pictures of hand postures. The task was to decide whether the hand posture matched the functional use of the previously shown object. Conditions were manipulated for level of difficulty. Compared to a picture matching control task, the tool object - hand posture matching conditions conjointly showed increased modulation in several left hemispheric regions of the superior and inferior parietal lobules (including aIPS, the middle occipital gyrus, and the inferior temporal gyrus. Comparison of hard versus easy conditions selectively modulated the left inferior frontal gyrus with peak activity located in its opercular part (Brodmann area (BA 44. We suggest that in the human brain, vPMC/BA44 is involved in the matching of hand posture configurations in accordance with visual and functional demands.

X Power Tools

CERN Document Server

Tyler, Chris

2008-01-01

This book puts you in charge of the most flexible and adaptable graphical interface in the computer industry. The X Window System underlies graphical desktops on Linux and Unix systems, and supports advanced features of modern graphics cards. This unique inside look at X gives you a lot of useful ways to harness the power of this system effectively.

In situ plasma diagnostics study of a commercial high-power hollow cathode magnetron deposition tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng Liang; Raju, Ramasamy; Flauta, Randolph; Shin, Hyungjoo; Ruzic, David N.; Hayden, Douglas B.

2010-01-01

Using a newly designed and built plasma diagnostic system, the plasma parameters were investigated on a commercial 200 mm high-power hollow cathode magnetron (HCM) physical vapor deposition tool using Ta target under argon plasma. A three dimensional (3D) scanning radio frequency (rf)-compensated Langmuir probe was constructed to measure the spatial distribution of the electron temperature (T e ) and electron density (n e ) in the substrate region of the HCM tool at various input powers (2-15 kW) and pressures (10-70 mTorr). The T e was in the range of 1-3 eV, scaling with decreasing power and decreasing pressure. Meanwhile, n e was in the range of 4x10 10 -1x10 12 cm -3 scaling with increasing power and decreasing pressure. As metal deposits on the probe during the probe measurements, a self-cleaning plasma cup was designed and installed in the chamber to clean the tungsten probe tip. However, its effectiveness in recovering the measured plasma parameters was hindered by the metal layer deposited on the insulating probe tube which was accounted for the variation in the plasma measurements. Using a quartz crystal microbalance combined with electrostatic filters, the ionization fraction of the metal flux was measured at various input power of 2-16 kW and pressure of 5-40 mTorr. The metal ionization fraction reduced significantly with the increasing input power and decreasing gas pressure which were attributed to the corresponding variation in the ionization cross section and the residence time of the sputtered atoms in the plasma, respectively. Both the metal neutral and ion flux increased at higher power and lower pressure. The 3D measurements further showed that the ionization fraction decreased when moving up from the substrate to the cathode.

HANDS: a tool for genome-wide discovery of subgenome-specific base-identity in polyploids.

KAUST Repository

Mithani, Aziz; Belfield, Eric J; Brown, Carly; Jiang, Caifu; Leach, Lindsey J; Harberd, Nicholas P

2013-01-01

The analysis of polyploid genomes is problematic because homeologous subgenome sequences are closely related. This relatedness makes it difficult to assign individual sequences to the specific subgenome from which they are derived, and hinders the development of polyploid whole genome assemblies.We here present a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approach for assignment of subgenome-specific base-identity at sites containing homeolog-specific polymorphisms (HSPs): 'HSP base Assignment using NGS data through Diploid Similarity' (HANDS). We show that HANDS correctly predicts subgenome-specific base-identity at >90% of assayed HSPs in the hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) transcriptome, thus providing a substantial increase in accuracy versus previous methods for homeolog-specific base assignment.We conclude that HANDS enables rapid and accurate genome-wide discovery of homeolog-specific base-identity, a capability having multiple applications in polyploid genomics.

HANDS: a tool for genome-wide discovery of subgenome-specific base-identity in polyploids.

KAUST Repository

Mithani, Aziz

2013-09-24

The analysis of polyploid genomes is problematic because homeologous subgenome sequences are closely related. This relatedness makes it difficult to assign individual sequences to the specific subgenome from which they are derived, and hinders the development of polyploid whole genome assemblies.We here present a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based approach for assignment of subgenome-specific base-identity at sites containing homeolog-specific polymorphisms (HSPs): \\'HSP base Assignment using NGS data through Diploid Similarity\\' (HANDS). We show that HANDS correctly predicts subgenome-specific base-identity at >90% of assayed HSPs in the hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) transcriptome, thus providing a substantial increase in accuracy versus previous methods for homeolog-specific base assignment.We conclude that HANDS enables rapid and accurate genome-wide discovery of homeolog-specific base-identity, a capability having multiple applications in polyploid genomics.

CRISP. Simulation tool for fault detection and diagnostics in high-DG power networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontela, M.; Andrieu, C.; Raison, B.

2004-08-01

This document gives a description of a tool proposed for fault detection and diagnostics. The main principles of the functions of fault localization are described and detailed for a given MV network that will be used for the ICT experiment in Grenoble (experiment 3B). The aim of the tool is to create a technical, simple and realistic context for testing ICT dedicated to an electrical application. The tool gives the expected inputs and outputs contents of the various distributed ICT components when a fault occurs in a given MV network. So the requirements for the ICT components are given in term of expected data collected, analysed and transmitted. Several examples are given in order to illustrate the inputs/outputs in case of different faults. The tool includes a topology description which is a main aspect to develop in the future for managing the distribution network. Updating topology in real time will become necessary for fault diagnostic and protection, but also necessary for the various possible added applications (local market balance and local electrical power quality for instance). The tool gives a context and a simple view for the ICT components behaviours assuming an ideal response and transmission from them. The real characteristics and possible limitations for the ICT (information latency, congestion, security) will be established during the experiments from the same context described in the HTFD tool

An intention driven hand functions task training robotic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, K Y; Ho, S K; Pang, P K; Hu, X L; Tam, W K; Fung, K L; Wei, X J; Chen, P N; Chen, M

2010-01-01

A novel design of a hand functions task training robotic system was developed for the stroke rehabilitation. It detects the intention of hand opening or hand closing from the stroke person using the electromyography (EMG) signals measured from the hemiplegic side. This training system consists of an embedded controller and a robotic hand module. Each hand robot has 5 individual finger assemblies capable to drive 2 degrees of freedom (DOFs) of each finger at the same time. Powered by the linear actuator, the finger assembly achieves 55 degree range of motion (ROM) at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint and 65 degree range of motion (ROM) at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. Each finger assembly can also be adjusted to fit for different finger length. With this task training system, stroke subject can open and close their impaired hand using their own intention to carry out some of the daily living tasks.

P2-37: Processing Affordance Information from Invisible Tool Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shinho Cho

2012-10-01

Full Text Available A recent study showed that viewing manipulable objects such as images of tools induces the neural activation of posterior parietal areas. This neural activation is observed even when visual awareness of the image is visually suppressed. (Fang and He, 2005 Nature Neuroscience 10 1380–1385; Almeida et al, 2010 Psychological Science 21 772–778. However, the specific visuomotor information in tool images that drives the activation of dorsal areas is still unclear. We measured priming effect of invisible tool prime (left or right handed orientation. Observers distinguished the orientation of target tools (appropriate for left vs right handed grip briefly presented following visually suppressed primes (Experiment1. Also we measured the suppression time of tool images whose handle direction was presented in a left- or right-handed orientation. A dynamic noise pattern was presented to one of the observer's eyes at full contrast, while images of tools (left or right handed were simultaneously presented to the left or right visual field of the other eye. The subjects were asked to respond to the appearance of any partial or full part of the test image (Experiment 2. Results showed that (1 observers responded faster in the congruent condition (the same orientation between prime and target and (2 tool images shown in the right visual field took less time to gain dominance against the dynamic noise. These results suggest that even without overt recognition of presented tools, an object's affordance can be registered and processed in the brain. A recent study showed that viewing manipulable objects such as images of tools induces the neural activation of posterior parietal areas. This neural activation is observed even when visual awareness of the image is visually suppressed (Almeida et al., 2010 Psychological Science 21 772–778; Fang and He, 2005 Nature Neuroscience 10 1380–1385. However, the specific visuomotor information in tool images that

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool DIgSILENT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Iov, F.; Sørensen, Poul Ejnar

, connection of the wind turbine at different types of grid and storage systems. Different control strategies have been developed and implemented for these wind turbine concepts, their performance in normal or fault operation being assessed and discussed by means of simulations. The described control......This report presents a collection of models and control strategies developed and implemented in the power system simulation tool PowerFactory DIgSILENT for different wind turbine concepts. It is the second edition of Risø-R-1400(EN) and it gathers and describes a whole wind turbine model database...... of the interaction between the mechanical structure of the wind turbine and the electrical grid during different operational modes. The report provides thus a description of the wind turbines modelling, both at a component level and at a system level. The report contains both the description of DIgSILENT built...

Hand cumulative trauma disorders in Nigerian custom tailors: the need for redesign of manual scissors.

Science.gov (United States)

Adeleye, Adedoyin Abiodun; Akanbi, Olusegun Gabriel

2015-01-01

Cutting scissors are important working tools for Nigerian custom tailors (CTs) but its usage apparently does not meet the ergonomics need of these artisans. A survey was carried out amongst CTs using questionnaires to obtain their background social-occupational demographics and observation methods to study their work performance, use of scissors and any cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) in their hands. Thicknesses of various fabrics were measured and comparison between Western world's custom tailoring job and the Nigerian type was done. The results showed some CTD risk factors with finger contusions on the 71 CTs evaluated. The right-hand contusions were traced to the constant usage of unpadded manual scissors with ungloved hands. Disparity between Western and Nigerian tailoring practice may account for the high occurrence of disorders in Nigerian CTs. Since hand dimensions are crucial in the design of hand tools, it is therefore concluded that hand anthropometry of Nigerian CTs and soft padding of manual scissors may mitigate CTD burdens on CTs' hands. Cumulative trauma disorders on the hands of low-income Nigerian CTs needed investigation. This was done via self-assessment and observational methods of the artisans’ work system. Frequent usage of unpadded manual scissors with un-gloved hands cause and exacerbate the problem. Hand anthropometry of users is crucial in scissors manufacturing.

Discover Space Weather and Sun's Superpowers: Using CCMC's innovative tools and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza, A. M. M.; Maddox, M. M.; Kuznetsova, M. M.; Chulaki, A.; Rastaetter, L.; Mullinix, R.; Weigand, C.; Boblitt, J.; Taktakishvili, A.; MacNeice, P. J.; Pulkkinen, A. A.; Pembroke, A. D.; Mays, M. L.; Zheng, Y.; Shim, J. S.

2015-12-01

Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) has developed a comprehensive set of tools and applications that are directly applicable to space weather and space science education. These tools, some of which were developed by our student interns, are capable of serving a wide range of student audiences, from middle school to postgraduate research. They include a web-based point of access to sophisticated space physics models and visualizations, and a powerful space weather information dissemination system, available on the web and as a mobile app. In this demonstration, we will use CCMC's innovative tools to engage the audience in real-time space weather analysis and forecasting and will share some of our interns' hands-on experiences while being trained as junior space weather forecasters. The main portals to CCMC's educational material are ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov and iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov

Human performance tools in nuclear power plants. Introduction, implementation and experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dexheimer, Kai; Bassing, Gerd; Kreuzer, Peter

2015-01-01

The basis of safe nuclear power plant operation (NPP) and a strong safety culture is the professional application of Human Performance Optimisation Tools (HPO). HPO trainings have been carried out by German NPPs for a number of years and recently also by Swiss NPPs. This article describes the origination, the bases, experiences and thereby the special features of the HPO training programme applied by German NPP operators. Moreover, this article provides an outlook on future developments - in particular when considering the requirements of the ongoing phase out of nuclear energy in Germany.

Power spectra as a diagnostic tool in probing statistical/nonstatistical behavior in unimolecular reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Xiaoyen Y.; Sewell, Thomas D.; Raff, Lionel M.; Thompson, Donald L.

1992-11-01

The possibility of utilizing different types of power spectra obtained from classical trajectories as a diagnostic tool to identify the presence of nonstatistical dynamics is explored by using the unimolecular bond-fission reactions of 1,2-difluoroethane and the 2-chloroethyl radical as test cases. In previous studies, the reaction rates for these systems were calculated by using a variational transition-state theory and classical trajectory methods. A comparison of the results showed that 1,2-difluoroethane is a nonstatistical system, while the 2-chloroethyl radical behaves statistically. Power spectra for these two systems have been generated under various conditions. The characteristics of these spectra are as follows: (1) The spectra for the 2-chloroethyl radical are always broader and more coupled to other modes than is the case for 1,2-difluoroethane. This is true even at very low levels of excitation. (2) When an internal energy near or above the dissociation threshold is initially partitioned into a local C-H stretching mode, the power spectra for 1,2-difluoroethane broaden somewhat, but discrete and somewhat isolated bands are still clearly evident. In contrast, the analogous power spectra for the 2-chloroethyl radical exhibit a near complete absence of isolated bands. The general appearance of the spectrum suggests a very high level of mode-to-mode coupling, large intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) rates, and global statistical behavior. (3) The appearance of the power spectrum for the 2-chloroethyl radical is unaltered regardless of whether the initial C-H excitation is in the CH2 or the CH2Cl group. This result also suggests statistical behavior. These results are interpreted to mean that power spectra may be used as a diagnostic tool to assess the statistical character of a system. The presence of a diffuse spectrum exhibiting a nearly complete loss of isolated structures indicates that the dissociation dynamics of the molecule will

Making Research Fly in Schools: "Drosophila" as a Powerful Modern Tool for Teaching Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Harbottle, Jennifer; Strangward, Patrick; Alnuamaani, Catherine; Lawes, Surita; Patel, Sanjai; Prokop, Andreas

2016-01-01

The "droso4schools" project aims to introduce the fruit fly "Drosophila" as a powerful modern teaching tool to convey curriculum-relevant specifications in biology lessons. Flies are easy and cheap to breed and have been at the forefront of biology research for a century, providing unique conceptual understanding of biology and…

Self-Grounded Vision: Hand Ownership Modulates Visual Location through Cortical β and γ Oscillations.

Science.gov (United States)

Faivre, Nathan; Dönz, Jonathan; Scandola, Michele; Dhanis, Herberto; Bello Ruiz, Javier; Bernasconi, Fosco; Salomon, Roy; Blanke, Olaf

2017-01-04

Vision is known to be shaped by context, defined by environmental and bodily signals. In the Taylor illusion, the size of an afterimage projected on one's hand changes according to proprioceptive signals conveying hand position. Here, we assessed whether the Taylor illusion does not just depend on the physical hand position, but also on bodily self-consciousness as quantified through illusory hand ownership. Relying on the somatic rubber hand illusion, we manipulated hand ownership, such that participants embodied a rubber hand placed next to their own hand. We found that an afterimage projected on the participant's hand drifted depending on illusory ownership between the participants' two hands, showing an implication of self-representation during the Taylor illusion. Oscillatory power analysis of electroencephalographic signals showed that illusory hand ownership was stronger in participants with stronger α suppression over left sensorimotor cortex, whereas the Taylor illusion correlated with higher β/γ power over frontotemporal regions. Higher γ connectivity between left sensorimotor and inferior parietal cortex was also found during illusory hand ownership. These data show that afterimage drifts in the Taylor illusion do not only depend on the physical hand position but also on subjective ownership, which itself is based on the synchrony of somatosensory signals from the two hands. The effect of ownership on afterimage drifts is associated with β/γ power and γ connectivity between frontoparietal regions and the visual cortex. Together, our results suggest that visual percepts are not only influenced by bodily context but are self-grounded, mapped on a self-referential frame. Vision is influenced by the body: in the Taylor illusion, the size of an afterimage projected on one's hand changes according to tactile and proprioceptive signals conveying hand position. Here, we report a new phenomenon revealing that the perception of afterimages depends not only

Myoelectric control of prosthetic hands: state-of-the-art review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geethanjali P

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Purushothaman Geethanjali School of Electrical Engineering Department of Control and Automation VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract: Myoelectric signals (MES have been used in various applications, in particular, for identification of user intention to potentially control assistive devices for amputees, orthotic devices, and exoskeleton in order to augment capability of the user. MES are also used to estimate force and, hence, torque to actuate the assistive device. The application of MES is not limited to assistive devices, and they also find potential applications in teleoperation of robots, haptic devices, virtual reality, and so on. The myoelectric control-based prosthetic hand aids to restore activities of daily living of amputees in order to improve the self-esteem of the user. All myoelectric control-based prosthetic hands may not have similar operations and exhibit variation in sensing input, deciphering the signals, and actuating prosthetic hand. Researchers are focusing on improving the functionality of prosthetic hand in order to suit the user requirement with the different operating features. The myoelectric control differs in operation to accommodate various external factors. This article reviews the state of the art of myoelectric prosthetic hand, giving description of each control strategy. Keywords: EMG, assistive device, amputee, myoelectric control, electric powered, body ­powered, bioelectric signal control

The new generation of nuclear power stations. A new trend in atomic power?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hohlefelder, W.

2006-01-01

According to the author, all options for future power supply should be followed, including atomic power provided that it can be made technically safe and treated with a maximum safety culture. On the one hand, power supply is an elementary human need, deciding on public welfare, economic development and technical progress. On the other hand, there is an impending shortage of power owing to depletion of resources and the emergence of new industrialized nations especially in south east Asia. For this reason, all options should be considered, from renewable energy sources to coal and nuclear power. (orig.)

Validation of hand and foot anatomical feature measurements from smartphone images

Science.gov (United States)

Amini, Mohammad; Vasefi, Fartash; MacKinnon, Nicholas

2018-02-01

A smartphone mobile medical application, previously presented as a tool for individuals with hand arthritis to assess and monitor the progress of their disease, has been modified and expanded to include extraction of anatomical features from the hand (joint/finger width, and angulation) and foot (length, width, big toe angle, and arch height index) from smartphone camera images. Image processing algorithms and automated measurements were validated by performing tests on digital hand models, rigid plastic hand models, and real human hands and feet to determine accuracy and reproducibility compared to conventional measurement tools such as calipers, rulers, and goniometers. The mobile application was able to provide finger joint width measurements with accuracy better than 0.34 (+/-0.25) millimeters. Joint angulation measurement accuracy was better than 0.50 (+/-0.45) degrees. The automatically calculated foot length accuracy was 1.20 (+/-1.27) millimeters and the foot width accuracy was 1.93 (+/-1.92) millimeters. Hallux valgus angle (used in assessing bunions) accuracy was 1.30 (+/-1.29) degrees. Arch height index (AHI) measurements had an accuracy of 0.02 (+/-0.01). Combined with in-app documentation of symptoms, treatment, and lifestyle factors, the anatomical feature measurements can be used by both healthcare professionals and manufacturers. Applications include: diagnosing hand osteoarthritis; providing custom finger splint measurements; providing compression glove measurements for burn and lymphedema patients; determining foot dimensions for custom shoe sizing, insoles, orthotics, or foot splints; and assessing arch height index and bunion treatment effectiveness.

An Educational Tool for Interactive Parallel and Distributed Processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pagliarini, Luigi; Lund, Henrik Hautop

2011-01-01

In this paper we try to describe how the Modular Interactive Tiles System (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing programming. This is done by providing an educational hands-on tool that allows a change of representation of the abs......In this paper we try to describe how the Modular Interactive Tiles System (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing programming. This is done by providing an educational hands-on tool that allows a change of representation...... of the abstract problems related to designing interactive parallel and distributed systems. Indeed, MITS seems to bring a series of goals into the education, such as parallel programming, distributedness, communication protocols, master dependency, software behavioral models, adaptive interactivity, feedback......, connectivity, topology, island modeling, user and multiuser interaction, which can hardly be found in other tools. Finally, we introduce the system of modular interactive tiles as a tool for easy, fast, and flexible hands-on exploration of these issues, and through examples show how to implement interactive...

Thermographic Evaluation of the Hands of Pig Slaughterhouse Workers Exposed to Cold Temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tirloni, Adriana Seára; Reis, Diogo Cunha Dos; Ramos, Eliane; Moro, Antônio Renato Pereira

2017-07-26

Brazil was rated the fourth leading producer and exporter of pork meat in the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the temperature of the hands of pig slaughterhouse workers and its relation to the thermal sensation of the hands and the use of a cutting tool. The study included 106 workers in a pig slaughterhouse. An infrared camera FlirThermaCAM E320 (Flir Systems, Wilsonville, OR, USA) was used to collect the images of the dorsal and palmar surfaces of both hands. A numerical scale was used to obtain the thermal sensation. Chi-square test, Pearson correlation and Student's t test or Wilcoxon were used ( p ≤ 0.05). The majority of workers felt cold in the hands (66%) and workers who used the knife felt the coldest. There was an association between the thermal sensation and the use of knife ( p = 0.001). Workers who used the tool showed correlation between the thermal sensation and the temperatures of the left fingers, with a difference between the temperatures of the right and left hands of those who used the knife ( p ≤ 0.05). The hands (left) that manipulated the products presented the lowest temperatures. Findings indicate that employers of pig slaughterhouses should provide gloves with adequate thermal insulation to preserve the health of workers' hands.

Responses of mirror neurons in area F5 to hand and tool grasping observation

Science.gov (United States)

Rochat, Magali J.; Caruana, Fausto; Jezzini, Ahmad; Escola, Ludovic; Intskirveli, Irakli; Grammont, Franck; Gallese, Vittorio; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

2010-01-01

Mirror neurons are a distinct class of neurons that discharge both during the execution of a motor act and during observation of the same or similar motor act performed by another individual. However, the extent to which mirror neurons coding a motor act with a specific goal (e.g., grasping) might also respond to the observation of a motor act having the same goal, but achieved with artificial effectors, is not yet established. In the present study, we addressed this issue by recording mirror neurons from the ventral premotor cortex (area F5) of two monkeys trained to grasp objects with pliers. Neuron activity was recorded during the observation and execution of grasping performed with the hand, with pliers and during observation of an experimenter spearing food with a stick. The results showed that virtually all neurons responding to the observation of hand grasping also responded to the observation of grasping with pliers and, many of them to the observation of spearing with a stick. However, the intensity and pattern of the response differed among conditions. Hand grasping observation determined the earliest and the strongest discharge, while pliers grasping and spearing observation triggered weaker responses at longer latencies. We conclude that F5 grasping mirror neurons respond to the observation of a family of stimuli leading to the same goal. However, the response pattern depends upon the similarity between the observed motor act and the one executed by the hand, the natural motor template. PMID:20577726

Hand grip strength

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Henrik; Gaist, David; Petersen, Hans Christian

2002-01-01

in life is a major problem in terms of prevalence, morbidity, functional limitations, and quality of life. It is therefore of interest to find a phenotype reflecting physical functioning which has a relatively high heritability and which can be measured in large samples. Hand grip strength is known......-55%). A powerful design to detect genes associated with a phenotype is obtained using the extreme discordant and concordant sib pairs, of whom 28 and 77 dizygotic twin pairs, respectively, were found in this study. Hence grip strength is a suitable phenotype for identifying genetic variants of importance to mid...

Intelligent Electric Power Systems with Active-Adaptive Electric Networks: Challenges for Simulation Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ufa Ruslan A.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The motivation of the presented research is based on the needs for development of new methods and tools for adequate simulation of intelligent electric power systems with active-adaptive electric networks (IES including Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS devices. The key requirements for the simulation were formed. The presented analysis of simulation results of IES confirms the need to use a hybrid modelling approach.

Compact Dexterous Robotic Hand

Science.gov (United States)

Lovchik, Christopher Scott (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A compact robotic hand includes a palm housing, a wrist section, and a forearm section. The palm housing supports a plurality of fingers and one or more movable palm members that cooperate with the fingers to grasp and/or release an object. Each flexible finger comprises a plurality of hingedly connected segments, including a proximal segment pivotally connected to the palm housing. The proximal finger segment includes at least one groove defining first and second cam surfaces for engagement with a cable. A plurality of lead screw assemblies each carried by the palm housing are supplied with power from a flexible shaft rotated by an actuator and output linear motion to a cable move a finger. The cable is secured within a respective groove and enables each finger to move between an opened and closed position. A decoupling assembly pivotally connected to a proximal finger segment enables a cable connected thereto to control movement of an intermediate and distal finger segment independent of movement of the proximal finger segment. The dexterous robotic hand closely resembles the function of a human hand yet is light weight and capable of grasping both heavy and light objects with a high degree of precision.

Crowd Sourcing for Conservation: Web 2.0 a Powerful Tool for Biologists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William E. Boyd

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The advent and adoption of Web 2.0 technologies offers a powerful approach to enhancing the capture of information in natural resource ecology, notably community knowledge of species distributions. Such information has previously been collected using, for example, postal surveys; these are typically inefficient, with low response rates, high costs, and requiring respondents to be spatially literate. Here we describe an example, using the Google Maps Application Programming Interface, to discuss the opportunities such tools provide to conservation biology. Toad Tracker was created as a prototype to demonstrate the utility of this technology to document the distribution of an invasive vertebrate pest species, the cane toad, within Australia. While the technological aspects of this tool are satisfactory, manager resistance towards its use raises issues around the public nature of the technology, the collaborative (non-expert role in data collection, and data ownership. We conclude in suggesting that, for such tools to be accepted by non-innovation adopters, work is required on both the technological aspects and, importantly, a cultural change is required to create an environment of acceptance of the shifting relationship between authority, expertise and knowledge.

The Influence of Hand Immersion Duration on Manual Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, Matthew; Sanli, Elizabeth; Brown, Robert; Ennis, Kerri Ann; Carnahan, Heather

2017-08-01

To investigate the effect of hand immersion duration on manipulative ability and tactile sensitivity. Individuals in maritime settings often work with hands that have been immersed in water. Although research has shown that hand immersion duration differentially impacts skin adhesion and tactile sensitivity, the effect of hand immersion on manipulative ability has not been directly tested. Given how critical manipulative ability is for the safety and performance of those working at sea, the effect of hand immersion duration on manual performance was investigated. Tests of manipulative ability (Purdue Pegboard, Grooved Pegboard, reef knot untying) and tactile sensitivity (Touch-Test) were completed following no-exposure, short-exposure, and long-exposure hand immersions in thermoneutral water. Compared to the no immersion condition, the Purdue Pegboard performance was reduced in both immersion conditions (short exposure, -11%; long exposure, -8%). A performance decrement was only observed in the short exposure condition (+15% in time to complete task) for the reef knot untying task. There were no statistical differences in the Grooved Pegboard or Touch-Test scores between exposure conditions. Immersing the hands in water decreases manipulative ability except for when object properties reduce the slipperiness between the hand and object. Manual performance in a wet environment may be conserved by designing tools and objects with edges and textures that can offset the slipperiness of wet hands. To maintain safety, the time requirements for working with wet hands needs to be considered.

Increase of Power System Survivability with the Decision Support Tool CRIPS Based on Network Planning and Simulation Program PSS®SINCAL

Science.gov (United States)

Schwaegerl, Christine; Seifert, Olaf; Buschmann, Robert; Dellwing, Hermann; Geretshuber, Stefan; Leick, Claus

The increased interconnection and automation of critical infrastructures enlarges the complexity of the dependency structures and - as consequence - the danger of cascading effects, e.g. causing area-wide blackouts in power supply networks that are currently after deregulation operated closer to their limits. New tools or an intelligent combination of existing approaches are required to increase the survivability of critical infrastructures. Within the IRRIIS project the expert system CRIPS was developed based on network simulations realised with PSS®SINCAL, an established tool to support the analysis and planning of electrical power, gas, water or heat networks. CRIPS assesses the current situation in power supply networks analysing the simulation results of the physical network behaviour and recommends corresponding decisions.

Performance Comparison Between FEDERICA Hand and LARM Hand

OpenAIRE

Carbone, Giuseppe; Rossi, Cesare; Savino, Sergio

2015-01-01

This paper describes two robotic hands that have been\\ud developed at University Federico II of Naples and at the\\ud University of Cassino. FEDERICA Hand and LARM Hand\\ud are described in terms of design and operational features.\\ud In particular, careful attention is paid to the differences\\ud between the above-mentioned hands in terms of transmission\\ud systems. FEDERICA Hand uses tendons and pulleys\\ud to drive phalanxes, while LARM Hand uses cross four-bar\\ud linkages. Results of experime...

Determinants of success and sustainability of the WHO multimodal hand hygiene promotion campaign, Italy, 2007–2008 and 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Moro, Maria Luisa; Morsillo, Filomena; Nascetti, Simona; Parenti, Mita; Allegranzi, Benedetta; Pompa, Maria Grazia; Pittet, Didier

2017-01-01

A national hand hygiene promotion campaign based on the World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal, Clean Care is Safer Care campaign was launched in Italy in 2007. One hundred seventy-five hospitals from 14 of 20 Italian regions participated. Data were collected using methods and tools provided by the WHO campaign, translated into Italian. Hand hygiene compliance, ward infrastructure, and healthcare workers’ knowledge and perception of healthcare-associated infections and hand hygiene were evaluated before and after campaign implementation. Compliance data from the 65 hospitals returning complete data for all implementation tools were analysed using a multilevel approach. Overall, hand hygiene compliance increased in the 65 hospitals from 40% to 63% (absolute increase: 23%, 95% confidence interval: 22–24%). A wide variation in hand hygiene compliance among wards was observed; inter-ward variability significantly decreased after campaign implementation and the level of perception was the only item associated with this. Long-term sustainability in 48 of these 65 hospitals was assessed in 2014 using the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework tool. Of the 48 hospitals, 44 scored in the advanced/intermediate categories of hand hygiene implementation progress. The median hand hygiene compliance achieved at the end of the 2007–2008 campaign appeared to be sustained in 2014. PMID:28661390

A comparative study of using spindle motor power and eddy current for the detection of tool conditions in milling processes

OpenAIRE

Abbass, JK; Al-Habaibeh, A

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the use of the power of the driving motor of a CNC spindle in comparison to two perpendicular eddy current sensors for the detection of tool wear in milling processes. Monitoring the power through the current profile is a low cost system which has been utilised in this study as an attempt to detect the fluctuation in the motor load as a result of the conditions of the cutting tool. Eddy current sensors are dedicated sensors that are installed on the spindle to measure ...

Determinants of success and sustainability of the WHO multimodal hand hygiene promotion campaign, Italy, 2007-2008 and 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Moro, Maria Luisa; Morsillo, Filomena; Nascetti, Simona; Parenti, Mita; Allegranzi, Benedetta; Pompa, Maria Grazia; Pittet, Didier

2017-06-08

A national hand hygiene promotion campaign based on the World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal, Clean Care is Safer Care campaign was launched in Italy in 2007. One hundred seventy-five hospitals from 14 of 20 Italian regions participated. Data were collected using methods and tools provided by the WHO campaign, translated into Italian. Hand hygiene compliance, ward infrastructure, and healthcare workers' knowledge and perception of healthcare-associated infections and hand hygiene were evaluated before and after campaign implementation. Compliance data from the 65 hospitals returning complete data for all implementation tools were analysed using a multilevel approach. Overall, hand hygiene compliance increased in the 65 hospitals from 40% to 63% (absolute increase: 23%, 95% confidence interval: 22-24%). A wide variation in hand hygiene compliance among wards was observed; inter-ward variability significantly decreased after campaign implementation and the level of perception was the only item associated with this. Long-term sustainability in 48 of these 65 hospitals was assessed in 2014 using the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework tool. Of the 48 hospitals, 44 scored in the advanced/intermediate categories of hand hygiene implementation progress. The median hand hygiene compliance achieved at the end of the 2007-2008 campaign appeared to be sustained in 2014. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

Back to basics: hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Spruce, Lisa

2013-11-01

Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant issue in the United States and throughout the world, but following proper hand hygiene practices is the most effective and least expensive way to prevent HAIs. Hand hygiene is inexpensive and protects patients and health care personnel alike. The four general types of hand hygiene that should be performed in the perioperative environment are washing hands that are visibly soiled, hand hygiene using alcohol-based products, surgical hand scrubs, and surgical hand scrubs using an alcohol-based surgical hand rub product. Barriers to proper hand hygiene may include not thinking about it, forgetting, skin irritation, a lack of role models, or a lack of a safety culture. One strategy for improving hand hygiene practices is monitoring hand hygiene as part of a quality improvement project, but the most important aspect for perioperative team members is to set an example for other team members by following proper hand hygiene practices and reminding each other to perform hand hygiene. Copyright © 2013 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interesting tools for the cybersecurity plan of a nuclear power plant; Herramientas de utilidad para el plan de Ciberseguridad de una Planta Nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pareja, I.; Carrasco, J. A.; Cerro, F. J. del

2012-07-01

The use of digital technologies in monitoring and control systems of nuclear power plants and their connectivity requirements, originate cybersecurity difficulties that should be addressed in a cybersecurity plan. This plan should guide the policies and procedures followed during the design maintenance and operation of the systems inside a nuclear power plant. It also should refer to adequate tools able to reach the established cybersecurity requirements. The combination of Datadiodes and tools for publishing video (like tVGA2web), permit an isolation and remote maintenance in a 100% safety way and their use should be disseminated. In the paper other type of tools useful for nuclear power plants are also mentioned.

Hand-eye coordination of a robot for the automatic inspection of steam-generator tubes in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, D.H.; Song, Y.C.; Kim, J.H.; Kim, J.G.

2004-01-01

The inspection of steam-generator tubes in nuclear power plants needs to collect test signals in a highly radiated region that is not accessible by humans. In general, a robot equipped with a camera and a test probe is used to handle such a dangerous environment. The robot moves the probe to right below a tube to be inspected and then the probe is inserted into the tube. The inspection signals are acquired while the probe is pulling back. Currently, an operator in a control room controls all the process remotely. To make a fully automatic inspection system, first of all, a control mechanism is needed to position the probe to the proper location. This is so called a hand-eye coordination problem. In this paper, a hand-eye coordination method for a robot has been presented. The proposed method consists of the two consecutive control modes: rough positioning and fine-tuning. The rough positioning controller tries to position its probe near a target place using kinematics information and the known environments, and then the fine-tuning controller tries to adjust the probe to the target using the image acquired by the camera attached to the robot. The usefulness of the proposed method has been tested and verified through experiments. (orig.)

Chocolate, Air Pollution and Children's Neuroprotection: What Cognition Tools should be at Hand to Evaluate Interventions?

Science.gov (United States)

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; San Juan Chávez, Vanessa; Vacaseydel-Aceves, Nora B; Calderón-Sánchez, Raymundo; Macías-Escobedo, Edgar; Frías, Carmen; Giacometto, Marcela; Velasquez, Luis; Félix-Villarreal, Renata; Martin, Jessie D; Draheim, Christopher; Engle, Randall W

2016-01-01

Millions of children across the world are exposed to multiple sources of indoor and outdoor air pollutants, including high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). The established link between exposure to PM2.5, brain structural, volumetric and metabolic changes, severe cognitive deficits (1.5-2 SD from average IQ) in APOE 4 heterozygous females with >75 - < 94% BMI percentiles, and the presence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks in urban children and young adults necessitates exploration of ways to protect these individuals from the deleterious neural effects of pollution exposure. Emerging research suggests that cocoa interventions may be a viable option for neuroprotection, with evidence suggesting that early cocoa interventions could limit the risk of cognitive and developmental concerns including: endothelial dysfunction, cerebral hypoperfusion, neuroinflammation, and metabolic detrimental brain effects. Currently, however, it is not clear how early we should implement consumption of cocoa to optimize its neuroprotective effects. Moreover, we have yet to identify suitable instruments for evaluating cognitive responses to these interventions in clinically healthy children, teens, and young adults. An approach to guide the selection of cognitive tools should take into account neuropsychological markers of cognitive declines in patients with Alzheimer's neuropathology, the distinct patterns of memory impairment between early and late onset AD, and the key literature associating white matter integrity and poor memory binding performance in cases of asymptomatic familial AD. We highlight potential systemic and neural benefits of cocoa consumption. We also highlight Working Memory Capacity (WMC) and attention control tasks as opened avenues for exploration in the air pollution scenario. Exposures to air pollutants during brain development have serious brain consequences in the short and long term and reliable cognition tools should be at

Collision-Induced Dissociation Mass Spectrometry: A Powerful Tool for Natural Product Structure Elucidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Andrew R; Carlson, Erin E

2015-11-03

Mass spectrometry is a powerful tool in natural product structure elucidation, but our ability to directly correlate fragmentation spectra to these structures lags far behind similar efforts in peptide sequencing and proteomics. Often, manual data interpretation is required and our knowledge of the expected fragmentation patterns for many scaffolds is limited, further complicating analysis. Here, we summarize advances in natural product structure elucidation based upon the application of collision induced dissociation fragmentation mechanisms.

Stiff Hands

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is a Hand Surgeon? What is a Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Stiff Hands Email to a friend * required fields ...

Hand Infections

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is a Hand Surgeon? What is a Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Hand Infections Email to a friend * required fields ...

All concerned large electricity power enterprises merged into the hand of one owner?: The electricity producers, the government and the national power grid 1936-1946; Samtliga beroerda stora kraftfoeretag sammanfoerda i en aegares hand?: Elproducenterna, staten och det nationella kraftoeverfoeringssystemet 1936-1946

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eriksson, Martin

2011-07-01

In the latter part of the 1930s, the direction of Swedish transport and communications policy changed. The policies which had been formed during the industrialization process, which began in the 1850s, had been characterized by dual regimes. Even if the State-owned public utility enterprises (affaersverken) had the largest market shares within these dual regimes, they coexisted with private enterprises. However, during the 1930s and 40s the segments within the Swedish transport and communication infrastructure which were controlled by the private enterprises were nationalized. Against this background, this paper examines how this relation between the Swedish National Power Board (Vattenfall) and the private electricity enterprises unfolded with regard to the control and ownership of the national power grid. The national power grid is the infrastructure which provides the transmission of power between the power plants and industries and households. During the examined time period, many hydro power plants were constructed in the northern part of Sweden, which was sparsely-populated and agrarian. Consequently, the electricity they produced had to be transmitted to the industrialized and urban parts in the middle and southern parts of Sweden. This situation actualized the need for an expansion of the national power grid. Consequently, new power transmission lines had to be constructed. At first, this situation produced a conflict of interest between the Swedish National Power Board on the one hand and the private electricity enterprises on the other hand as they could not agree upon their respective roles in the process. However, after mediation efforts from the government, the previous cooperation within the dual regime was reestablished. As a result, the Swedish National Power Board and the private electricity enterprises would cooperate regarding the construction of the power transmission lines within the national power grid. Over time, this cooperation was

Bio-inspired grasp control in a robotic hand with massive sensorial input.

Science.gov (United States)

Ascari, Luca; Bertocchi, Ulisse; Corradi, Paolo; Laschi, Cecilia; Dario, Paolo

2009-02-01

The capability of grasping and lifting an object in a suitable, stable and controlled way is an outstanding feature for a robot, and thus far, one of the major problems to be solved in robotics. No robotic tools able to perform an advanced control of the grasp as, for instance, the human hand does, have been demonstrated to date. Due to its capital importance in science and in many applications, namely from biomedics to manufacturing, the issue has been matter of deep scientific investigations in both the field of neurophysiology and robotics. While the former is contributing with a profound understanding of the dynamics of real-time control of the slippage and grasp force in the human hand, the latter tries more and more to reproduce, or take inspiration by, the nature's approach, by means of hardware and software technology. On this regard, one of the major constraints robotics has to overcome is the real-time processing of a large amounts of data generated by the tactile sensors while grasping, which poses serious problems to the available computational power. In this paper a bio-inspired approach to tactile data processing has been followed in order to design and test a hardware-software robotic architecture that works on the parallel processing of a large amount of tactile sensing signals. The working principle of the architecture bases on the cellular nonlinear/neural network (CNN) paradigm, while using both hand shape and spatial-temporal features obtained from an array of microfabricated force sensors, in order to control the sensory-motor coordination of the robotic system. Prototypical grasping tasks were selected to measure the system performances applied to a computer-interfaced robotic hand. Successful grasps of several objects, completely unknown to the robot, e.g. soft and deformable objects like plastic bottles, soft balls, and Japanese tofu, have been demonstrated.

The Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire: An Assessment Tool for Oncology

Science.gov (United States)

Keating, Karen N.; Doll, Helen A.; Camacho, Fabian

2015-01-01

Background. Skin toxicity (hand-foot syndrome/hand-foot skin reaction, HFS/R) related to antineoplastic therapy is a significant issue in oncology practice, with potentially large impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Materials and Methods. A patient-reported questionnaire, the hand-foot skin reaction and quality of life (HF-QoL) questionnaire was developed to measure the HFS/R symptoms associated with cancer therapeutic agents and their effect on daily activities. The validity and reliability of the HF-QoL questionnaire was tested in a randomized trial of capecitabine with sorafenib/placebo in 223 patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer. Other measures completed included patient ratings of condition severity, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast cancer (FACT-B), and the clinician-rated National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE), version 3.0, hand-foot skin reaction grade. The psychometric properties of the HF-QoL tested included structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. Finally, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was estimated. Results. The HF-QoL instrument comprises a 20-item symptom scale and an 18-item daily activity scale. Each scale demonstrated excellent measurement properties and discriminated between NCI-CTCAE grade and patient-rated condition severity with large effect sizes. The daily activity scale had excellent internal consistency and correlated with the FACT-B and HF-QoL symptom scores. Both HF-QoL scale scores increased linearly with increasing patient-rated condition severity. The MCIDs were estimated as 5 units for daily activities and 8 units for symptoms mean scores. Conclusion. The HF-QoL was sensitive to symptoms and HRQL issues associated with HFS/R among participants treated with capecitabine with and without sorafenib. The HF-QoL appears suitable for assessing the HRQL

The Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire: An Assessment Tool for Oncology.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Roger T; Keating, Karen N; Doll, Helen A; Camacho, Fabian

2015-07-01

Skin toxicity (hand-foot syndrome/hand-foot skin reaction, HFS/R) related to antineoplastic therapy is a significant issue in oncology practice, with potentially large impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQL). A patient-reported questionnaire, the hand-foot skin reaction and quality of life (HF-QoL) questionnaire was developed to measure the HFS/R symptoms associated with cancer therapeutic agents and their effect on daily activities. The validity and reliability of the HF-QoL questionnaire was tested in a randomized trial of capecitabine with sorafenib/placebo in 223 patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer. Other measures completed included patient ratings of condition severity, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast cancer (FACT-B), and the clinician-rated National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE), version 3.0, hand-foot skin reaction grade. The psychometric properties of the HF-QoL tested included structural validity, internal consistency, construct validity, discriminant validity, and responsiveness. Finally, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was estimated. The HF-QoL instrument comprises a 20-item symptom scale and an 18-item daily activity scale. Each scale demonstrated excellent measurement properties and discriminated between NCI-CTCAE grade and patient-rated condition severity with large effect sizes. The daily activity scale had excellent internal consistency and correlated with the FACT-B and HF-QoL symptom scores. Both HF-QoL scale scores increased linearly with increasing patient-rated condition severity. The MCIDs were estimated as 5 units for daily activities and 8 units for symptoms mean scores. The HF-QoL was sensitive to symptoms and HRQL issues associated with HFS/R among participants treated with capecitabine with and without sorafenib. The HF-QoL appears suitable for assessing the HRQL impairment associated with HFS/R to cancer therapies. Skin

Interventions to improve patient hand hygiene: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Srigley, J A; Furness, C D; Gardam, M

2016-09-01

Nosocomial pathogens may be acquired by patients via their own unclean hands, but there has been relatively little emphasis on patient hand hygiene as a tool for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of patient hand hygiene interventions in reducing HCAIs and improving patient hand hygiene rates compared to usual care. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched to August 2014. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies were included if they evaluated a patient hand hygiene intervention conducted in an acute or chronic healthcare facility and included HCAI incidence and/or patient hand hygiene rates as an outcome. All steps were performed independently by two investigators. Ten studies were included, most of which were uncontrolled before-after studies (N=8). The majority of interventions (N=7) were multi-modal, with components similar to healthcare worker hand hygiene programmes, including education, reminders, audit and feedback, and provision of hand hygiene products. Six studies reported HCAI outcomes and four studies assessed patient hand hygiene rates; all demonstrated improvements but were at moderate to high risk of bias. In conclusion, interventions to improve patient hand hygiene may reduce the incidence of HCAIs and improve hand hygiene rates, but the quality of evidence is low. Future studies should use stronger designs and be more selective in their choice of outcomes. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confined Tube Crimp Using Portable Hand Tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynolds, Joseph James [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Pereyra, R. A. [LANL Retired; Archuleta, Jeffrey Christopher [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Martinez, Isaac P. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Nelson, A. M. [MST-16 Summer Student (2007); Allen, Ronald Scott [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Page, R. L. [LANL Retired; Freer, Jerry Eugene [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dozhier, Nathan Gus [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2016-04-04

The Lawrence Radiation Laboratory developed handheld tools that crimp a 1/16 inch OD tube, forming a leak tight seal1 (see Figure 1). The leak tight seal forms by confining the 1/16 inch OD tubing inside a die while applying crimp pressure. Under confined pressure, the tube walls weld at the crimp. The purpose of this study was to determine conditions for fabricating a leak tight tube weld. The equipment was used on a trial-and-error basis, changing the conditions after each attempt until successful welds were fabricated. To better confine the tube, the die faces were polished. Polishing removed a few thousandths of an inch from the die face, resulting in a tighter grip on the tubing wall. Using detergent in an ultrasonic bath, the tubing was cleaned. Also, the time under crimp pressure was increased to 30 seconds. With these modifications, acceptable cold welds were fabricated. After setting the conditions for an acceptable cold weld, the tube was TIG welded across the crimped face.

Analysis of Information Remaining on Hand Held Devices Offered for Sale on the Second Hand Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andy Jones

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The ownership and use of mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants and other hand held devices is now ubiquitous both for home and business use. The majority of these devices have a high initial cost, a relatively short period before they become obsolescent and a relatively low second hand value.  As a result of this, when the devices are replaced, there are indications that they tend to be discarded.  As technology has continued to develop, it has led to an increasing diversity in the number and type of devices that are available, and the processing power and the storage capacity of the digital storage in the device. All organisations, whether in the public or private sector increasingly use hand held devices that contain digital media for the storage of information relating to their business, their employees or their customers. Similarly, individual private users increasingly use hand held devices containing digital media for the storage of information relating to their private lives.The research revealed that a significant number of organisations and private users are ignorant or misinformed about the volume and type of information that is stored on the hand held devices and the media on which it is stored.  It is apparent that they have either not considered, or are unaware of, the potential impact of this information becoming available to their competitors or those with criminal intent.This main purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the volume and type of information that may remain on hand held devices that are offered for sale on the second hand market.  A second aim of the research was to determine the level of damage that could, potentially be caused, if the information that remains on the devices fell into the wrong hands.  The study examined a number of hand held devices that had been obtained from sources in the UK and Australia that ranged from internet auction sites, to private sales and commercial

Hand-arm vibration syndrome: A rarely seen diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Rebecca A; Janko, Matthew R; Hacker, Robert I

2017-06-01

Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a collection of sensory, vascular, and musculoskeletal symptoms caused by repetitive trauma from vibration. This case report demonstrates how to diagnose HAVS on the basis of history, physical examination, and vascular imaging and its treatment options. A 41-year-old man who regularly used vibrating tools presented with nonhealing wounds on his right thumb and third digit. Arteriography revealed occlusions of multiple arteries in his hand with formation of collaterals. We diagnosed HAVS, and his wounds healed after several weeks with appropriate treatment. HAVS is a debilitating condition with often irreversible vascular damage, requiring early diagnosis and treatment.

Hand-arm vibration syndrome: A rarely seen diagnosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca A. Campbell, BA

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS is a collection of sensory, vascular, and musculoskeletal symptoms caused by repetitive trauma from vibration. This case report demonstrates how to diagnose HAVS on the basis of history, physical examination, and vascular imaging and its treatment options. A 41-year-old man who regularly used vibrating tools presented with nonhealing wounds on his right thumb and third digit. Arteriography revealed occlusions of multiple arteries in his hand with formation of collaterals. We diagnosed HAVS, and his wounds healed after several weeks with appropriate treatment. HAVS is a debilitating condition with often irreversible vascular damage, requiring early diagnosis and treatment.

Turkish Soft Power: The Phenomenon Of “Soap Power” As A Tool Of Cultural Diplomacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Алёна Игоревна Зубкова

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the phenomenon of Turkish soap operas as a tool of soft power. The author analyzed the character, scope and limits of this phenomenon, primarily regarding the case of the Middle East countries and societies. The article covers the process of dissemination and implementation of the ideas of neo-Ottomanism as the foreign policy concept through applying the soft power strategy. Following the results of the research, the conclusion has been made regarding the negative and positive effects of this phenomenon on various spheres, as well as in the context of Turkish foreign policy.

Tool-specific performance of vibration-reducing gloves for attenuating fingers-transmitted vibration

Science.gov (United States)

Welcome, Daniel E.; Dong, Ren G.; Xu, Xueyan S.; Warren, Christopher; McDowell, Thomas W.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Fingers-transmitted vibration can cause vibration-induced white finger. The effectiveness of vibration-reducing (VR) gloves for reducing hand transmitted vibration to the fingers has not been sufficiently examined. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to examine tool-specific performance of VR gloves for reducing finger-transmitted vibrations in three orthogonal directions (3D) from powered hand tools. METHODS A transfer function method was used to estimate the tool-specific effectiveness of four typical VR gloves. The transfer functions of the VR glove fingers in three directions were either measured in this study or during a previous study using a 3D laser vibrometer. More than seventy vibration spectra of various tools or machines were used in the estimations. RESULTS When assessed based on frequency-weighted acceleration, the gloves provided little vibration reduction. In some cases, the gloves amplified the vibration by more than 10%, especially the neoprene glove. However, the neoprene glove did the best when the assessment was based on unweighted acceleration. The neoprene glove was able to reduce the vibration by 10% or more of the unweighted vibration for 27 out of the 79 tools. If the dominant vibration of a tool handle or workpiece was in the shear direction relative to the fingers, as observed in the operation of needle scalers, hammer chisels, and bucking bars, the gloves did not reduce the vibration but increased it. CONCLUSIONS This study confirmed that the effectiveness for reducing vibration varied with the gloves and the vibration reduction of each glove depended on tool, vibration direction to the fingers, and finger location. VR gloves, including certified anti-vibration gloves do not provide much vibration reduction when judged based on frequency-weighted acceleration. However, some of the VR gloves can provide more than 10% reduction of the unweighted vibration for some tools or workpieces. Tools and gloves can be matched for

Real-time development of data acquisition and analysis software for hands-on physiology education in neuroscience: G-PRIME.

Science.gov (United States)

Lott, Gus K; Johnson, Bruce R; Bonow, Robert H; Land, Bruce R; Hoy, Ronald R

2009-01-01

We report on the real-time creation of an application for hands-on neurophysiology in an advanced undergraduate teaching laboratory. Enabled by the rapid software development tools included in the Matlab technical computing environment (The Mathworks, Natick, MA), a team, consisting of a neurophysiology educator and a biophysicist trained as an electrical engineer, interfaced to a course of approximately 15 students from engineering and biology backgrounds. The result is the powerful freeware data acquisition and analysis environment, "g-PRIME." The software was developed from week to week in response to curriculum demands, and student feedback. The program evolved from a simple software oscilloscope, enabling RC circuit analysis, to a suite of tools supporting analysis of neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission analysis in invertebrate model systems. The program has subsequently expanded in application to university courses, research, and high school projects in the US and abroad as free courseware.

Evaluation of pneumatic cylinder actuators for hand prostheses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peerdeman, B.; Smit, Gerwin; Stramigioli, Stefano; Plettenburg, Dick; Misra, Sarthak

2012-01-01

DC motors are currently the preferred actuation method for externally powered hand prostheses. However, they are often heavy and large, which limits the number of actuators that can be integrated into the prosthesis. Alternative actuation methods are being researched, but have not yet found wide

Comparison of mechanical properties of silicone and PVC (polyvinylchloride) cosmetic gloves for articulating hand prostheses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, G.; Plettenburg, D.H.

2013-01-01

Current articulating electric and body-powered hands have a lower pinch force (15–34 N) than electric hands with stiff fingers (55–100 N). The cosmetic glove, which covers a hand prosthesis, negatively affects the mechanical efficiency of a prosthesis. The goal of this study is to mechanically

The Effect of Hand Dimensions, Hand Shape and Some Anthropometric Characteristics on Handgrip Strength in Male Grip Athletes and Non-Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

Fallahi, Ali Asghar; Jadidian, Ali Akbar

2011-01-01

It has been suggested that athletes with longer fingers and larger hand surfaces enjoy stronger grip power. Therefore, some researchers have examined a number of factors and anthropometric variables that explain this issue. To our knowledge, the data is scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hand dimensions, hand shape and some anthropometric characteristics on handgrip strength in male grip athletes and non-athletes. 80 subjects aged between 19 and 29 participated in this study in two groups including: national and collegian grip athletes (n=40), and non-athletes (n=40). Body height and mass were measured to calculate body mass index. The shape of the dominant hand was drawn on a piece of paper with a thin marker so that finger spans, finger lengths, and perimeters of the hand could be measured. The hand shape was estimated as the ratio of the hand width to hand length. Handgrip strength was measured in the dominant and non-dominant hand using a standard dynamometer. Descriptive statistics were used for each variable and independent t test was used to analyze the differences between the two groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient test was used to evaluate the correlation between studied variables. Also, to predict important variables in handgrip strength, the linear trend was assessed using a linear regression analysis. There was a significant difference between the two groups in absolute handgrip strength (p0.05) were significantly different between the groups (ptalent identification in handgrip-related sports and in clinical settings as well. PMID:23486361

Measurements by A LEAP-Based Virtual Glove for the Hand Rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Placidi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Hand rehabilitation is fundamental after stroke or surgery. Traditional rehabilitation requires a therapist and implies high costs, stress for the patient, and subjective evaluation of the therapy effectiveness. Alternative approaches, based on mechanical and tracking-based gloves, can be really effective when used in virtual reality (VR environments. Mechanical devices are often expensive, cumbersome, patient specific and hand specific, while tracking-based devices are not affected by these limitations but, especially if based on a single tracking sensor, could suffer from occlusions. In this paper, the implementation of a multi-sensors approach, the Virtual Glove (VG, based on the simultaneous use of two orthogonal LEAP motion controllers, is described. The VG is calibrated and static positioning measurements are compared with those collected with an accurate spatial positioning system. The positioning error is lower than 6 mm in a cylindrical region of interest of radius 10 cm and height 21 cm. Real-time hand tracking measurements are also performed, analysed and reported. Hand tracking measurements show that VG operated in real-time (60 fps, reduced occlusions, and managed two LEAP sensors correctly, without any temporal and spatial discontinuity when skipping from one sensor to the other. A video demonstrating the good performance of VG is also collected and presented in the Supplementary Materials. Results are promising but further work must be done to allow the calculation of the forces exerted by each finger when constrained by mechanical tools (e.g., peg-boards and for reducing occlusions when grasping these tools. Although the VG is proposed for rehabilitation purposes, it could also be used for tele-operation of tools and robots, and for other VR applications.

Measurements by A LEAP-Based Virtual Glove for the Hand Rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Placidi, Giuseppe; Cinque, Luigi; Polsinelli, Matteo; Spezialetti, Matteo

2018-03-10

Hand rehabilitation is fundamental after stroke or surgery. Traditional rehabilitation requires a therapist and implies high costs, stress for the patient, and subjective evaluation of the therapy effectiveness. Alternative approaches, based on mechanical and tracking-based gloves, can be really effective when used in virtual reality (VR) environments. Mechanical devices are often expensive, cumbersome, patient specific and hand specific, while tracking-based devices are not affected by these limitations but, especially if based on a single tracking sensor, could suffer from occlusions. In this paper, the implementation of a multi-sensors approach, the Virtual Glove (VG), based on the simultaneous use of two orthogonal LEAP motion controllers, is described. The VG is calibrated and static positioning measurements are compared with those collected with an accurate spatial positioning system. The positioning error is lower than 6 mm in a cylindrical region of interest of radius 10 cm and height 21 cm. Real-time hand tracking measurements are also performed, analysed and reported. Hand tracking measurements show that VG operated in real-time (60 fps), reduced occlusions, and managed two LEAP sensors correctly, without any temporal and spatial discontinuity when skipping from one sensor to the other. A video demonstrating the good performance of VG is also collected and presented in the Supplementary Materials. Results are promising but further work must be done to allow the calculation of the forces exerted by each finger when constrained by mechanical tools (e.g., peg-boards) and for reducing occlusions when grasping these tools. Although the VG is proposed for rehabilitation purposes, it could also be used for tele-operation of tools and robots, and for other VR applications.

Tool and its management for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Rui

2000-01-01

The tool and its management are a necessary part for the operation and maintenance of NPP.And NPP tool management is,in fact.a process of study, allocation, development, procurement, utilization, decontamination and scrap of the tools needed in the operation and outage, and also includes the organization, coordination and control of the whole process. NPP shall strengthen the scientific management of the process from procurement to scrap. According to its scale and characteristics, NPP may, implement unified and centralized management policy, establish necessary tool management organization, define the responsibilities of the management departments, make relevant management regulations and perfect tool quality assurance system to bring the tools into full play.Furthermore, the development and application of special management software provides a quite efficient means for the realization of scientific management of tools in NPP

NUI framework based on real-time head pose estimation and hand gesture recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Hyunduk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The natural user interface (NUI is used for the natural motion interface without using device or tool such as mice, keyboards, pens and markers. In this paper, we develop natural user interface framework based on two recognition module. First module is real-time head pose estimation module using random forests and second module is hand gesture recognition module, named Hand gesture Key Emulation Toolkit (HandGKET. Using the head pose estimation module, we can know where the user is looking and what the user’s focus of attention is. Moreover, using the hand gesture recognition module, we can also control the computer using the user’s hand gesture without mouse and keyboard. In proposed framework, the user’s head direction and hand gesture are mapped into mouse and keyboard event, respectively.

Exploratory study on the effects of a robotic hand rehabilitation device on changes in grip strength and brain activity after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinter, Daniela; Pegritz, Sandra; Pargfrieder, Christa; Reiter, Gudrun; Wurm, Walter; Gattringer, Thomas; Linderl-Madrutter, Regina; Neuper, Claudia; Fazekas, Franz; Grieshofer, Peter; Enzinger, Christian

2013-01-01

The brain mechanisms underlying successful recovery of hand fuenction after stroke are still not fully understood, although functional MRI (fMRI) studies underline the importance of neuronal plasticity. We explored potential changes in brain activity in 7 patients with subacute to chronic stroke (69 ± 8 years) with moderate- to high-grade distal paresis of the upper limb (Motricity Index: 59.4) after standardized robotic finger-hand rehabilitation training, in addition to conventional rehabilitation therapy for 3 weeks. Behavioral and fMRI assessments were carried out before and after training to characterize changes in brain activity and behavior. The Motricity Index (pre: 59.4, post: 67.2, P hand increased significantly after rehabilitation. On fMRI, active movement of the affected (left) hand resulted in contralesional (ie, ipsilateral) activation of the primary sensorimotor cortex prior to rehabilitation. After rehabilitation, activation appeared "normalized," including the ipsilesional primary sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor area (SMA). No changes and no abnormalities of activation maps were seen during movement of the unaffected hand. Subsequent region-of-interest analyses showed no significant ipsilesional activation increases after rehabilitation. Despite behavioral improvements, we failed to identify consistent patterns of functional reorganization in our sample. This warrants caution in the use of fMRI as a tool to explore neural plasticity in heterogeneous samples lacking sufficient statistical power.

Human performance tools in nuclear power plants. Introduction, implementation and experiences; Human Performance Tools in Kernkraftwerken. Einfuehrung, Umsetzung und Erfahrungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dexheimer, Kai; Bassing, Gerd [Dexcon Consulting GmbH, Neuhausen (Switzerland); Kreuzer, Peter [E.ON Kernkraft GmbH, Essenbach (Germany). Kernkraftwerk Isar

2015-06-01

The basis of safe nuclear power plant operation (NPP) and a strong safety culture is the professional application of Human Performance Optimisation Tools (HPO). HPO trainings have been carried out by German NPPs for a number of years and recently also by Swiss NPPs. This article describes the origination, the bases, experiences and thereby the special features of the HPO training programme applied by German NPP operators. Moreover, this article provides an outlook on future developments - in particular when considering the requirements of the ongoing phase out of nuclear energy in Germany.

EthoHand: A dexterous robotic hand with ball-joint thumb enables complex in-hand object manipulation

OpenAIRE

Konnaris, C; Gavriel, C; Thomik, AAC; Aldo Faisal, A

2016-01-01

Our dexterous hand is a fundmanetal human feature that distinguishes us from other animals by enabling us to go beyond grasping to support sophisticated in-hand object manipulation. Our aim was the design of a dexterous anthropomorphic robotic hand that matches the human hand's 24 degrees of freedom, under-actuated by seven motors. With the ability to replicate human hand movements in a naturalistic manner including in-hand object manipulation. Therefore, we focused on the development of a no...

Use of computed tomography slices 3D-reconstruction as a powerful tool to improve manufacturing processes on aeroengine components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castellan, C.; Dastarac, D.

2000-01-01

TURBOMECA has been using computed tomography for several years as an inner-health analysis powerful tool for engine components. From 2D slices of the examined part, detailed information about lacks or inclusions could easily be extracted. But, measurements on internal features were quickly required because no other NDT methods were able to do it. CT has thus logically become a powerful 2D dimensional measuring tool. Recently, with new software and the latest computers able to deal with huge files, CT has become a powerful 3D digitization tool and now, TOMO ADOUR can offer a complete solution for reverse engineering of complex parts. Several months ago, TURBOMECA introduced CT into many development, validation and industrialization processes and has demonstrated how to take corrective actions to process deviation on their aeroengine components by: extracting the nonexisting CAD model of a part, generating CAD compatible data to check dimensional conformity and, eventually correct design misfits or manufacturing drifts, highlighting the metallurgical health of first article parts, making the decision of repairing the defining the appropriate method, generating a file (.STL) to build a rapid prototype or a file to pilot tool parts for machining, calculating physical properties such as behavior or flow analysis on a 'real' model. The image also allows a drawing to be made of a part that was originally produced by a supplier or competitor. This paper will be illustrated with a large number of examples

Hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klokker, Louise; Terwee, Caroline B; Wæhrens, Eva Ejlersen

2016-01-01

as well as those items from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) item bank that are relevant to patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Selection will be based on consensus among reviewers. Content validity of selected items will be established......INTRODUCTION: There is no consensus about what constitutes the most appropriate patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) instrument for measuring physical function in patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Existing instruments lack psychometric testing and vary in feasibility...... and their psychometric qualities. We aim to develop a PROM instrument to assess hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a systematic search to identify existing PROMs to rheumatic hand conditions, and select items relevant for hand-related physical function...

Hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klokker, Louise; Terwee, Caroline; Wæhrens, Eva Elisabet Ejlersen

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: There is no consensus about what constitutes the most appropriate patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) instrument for measuring physical function in patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Existing instruments lack psychometric testing and vary in feasibility...... and their psychometric qualities. We aim to develop a PROM instrument to assess hand-related physical function in rheumatic hand conditions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will perform a systematic search to identify existing PROMs to rheumatic hand conditions, and select items relevant for hand-related physical function...... as well as those items from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) item bank that are relevant to patients with rheumatic hand conditions. Selection will be based on consensus among reviewers. Content validity of selected items will be established...

Report on tool transfer and alignment methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tosello, Guido; Gasparin, Stefania; De Grave, Arnaud

2010-01-01

In the last few years, research work has been carried out regarding the feature miniaturization and tooling performance achievable with specific process chains combining different micro machining processes. On the other hand, technologies, strategies and tool design rules in order to optimize the...... process chain for tooling (i.e. hybrid tooling) based on the combination of micro milling and micro electrical discharge machining (EDM) milling, both at machine tool and at machining technology levels....

Testing Framework for Mobile Device Forensics Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxwell Anobah

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The proliferation of mobile communication and computing devices, in particular smart mobile phones, is almost paralleled with the increasing number of mobile device forensics tools in the market. Each mobile forensics tool vendor, on one hand claims to have a tool that is best in terms of performance, while on the other hand each tool vendor seems to be using different standards for testing their tools and thereby defining what support means differently. To overcome this problem, a testing framework based on a series of tests ranging from basic forensics tasks such as file system reconstruction up to more complex ones countering antiforensic techniques is proposed. The framework, which is an extension of an existing effort done in 2010, prescribes a method to clearly circumscribe the term support into precise levels. It also gives an idea of the standard to be developed and accepted by the forensic community that will make it easier for forensics investigators to quickly select the most appropriate tool for a particular mobile device.

The Locus of Tool-Transformation Costs

Science.gov (United States)

Kunde, Wilfried; Pfister, Roland; Janczyk, Markus

2012-01-01

Transformations of hand movements by tools such as levers or electronic input devices can invoke performance costs compared to untransformed movements. This study investigated by means of the Psychological Refractory Period (PRP) paradigm at which stage of information processing such tool-transformation costs arise. We used an inversion…

Training manual for precision hand deburring, Part 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillespie, L.K.

1981-03-01

This publication is Part 3 of a 4 part training manual to be used by machinist trainees, production workers, and others removing burrs from precision miniature parts. The manuals are written to be self-teaching and are intended to be used with two hours of training each day along with six additional hours of bench work in deburring. This part describes mounted stones, scrapers, hand stones, abrasive filled rubber and cotton tools, abrasive paper products, felt bobs and lapping compounds, mandrels and arbors, miscellaneous tools, personal techniques for assuring quality, cleaning parts, and deburring gears and plastic parts.

The first step in infection control is hand hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Canham, Leslie

2011-01-01

good sense to protect your hands, your most valuable tools.

Scheduling of Power System Cells Integrating Stochastic Power Generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, L.M.

2008-12-01

Energy supply and climate change are nowadays two of the most outstanding problems which societies have to cope with under a context of increasing energy needs. Public awareness of these problems is driving political willingness to take actions for tackling them in a swift and efficient manner. Such actions mainly focus in increasing energy efficiency, in decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, power systems are undergoing important changes in the way they are planned and managed. On the one hand, vertically integrated structures are being replaced by market structures in which power systems are un-bundled. On the other, power systems that once relied on large power generation facilities are witnessing the end of these facilities' life-cycle and, consequently, their decommissioning. The role of distributed energy resources such as wind and solar power generators is becoming increasingly important in this context. However, the large-scale integration of such type of generation presents many challenges due, for instance, to the uncertainty associated to the variability of their production. Nevertheless, advanced forecasting tools may be combined with more controllable elements such as energy storage devices, gas turbines, and controllable loads to form systems that aim to reduce the impacts that may be caused by these uncertainties. This thesis addresses the management under market conditions of these types of systems that act like independent societies and which are herewith named power system cells. From the available literature, a unified view of power system scheduling problems is also proposed as a first step for managing sets of power system cells in a multi-cell management framework. Then, methodologies for performing the optimal day-ahead scheduling of single power system cells are proposed, discussed and evaluated under both a deterministic and a stochastic framework that directly integrates the

A framework for designing hand hygiene educational interventions in schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Appiah-Brempong, Emmanuel; Harris, Muriel J; Newton, Samuel; Gulis, Gabriel

2018-03-01

Hygiene education appears to be the commonest school-based intervention for preventing infectious diseases, especially in the developing world. Nevertheless, there remains a gap in literature regarding a school-specific theory-based framework for designing a hand hygiene educational intervention in schools. We sought to suggest a framework underpinned by psychosocial theories towards bridging this knowledge gap. Furthermore, we sought to propound a more comprehensive definition of hand hygiene which could guide the conceptualisation of hand hygiene interventions in varied settings. Literature search was guided by a standardized tool and literature was retrieved on the basis of a predetermined inclusion criteria. Databases consulted include PubMed, ERIC, and EBSCO host (Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, etc.). Evidence bordering on a theoretical framework to aid the design of school-based hand hygiene educational interventions is summarized narratively. School-based hand hygiene educational interventions seeking to positively influence behavioural outcomes could consider enhancing psychosocial variables including behavioural capacity, attitudes and subjective norms (normative beliefs and motivation to comply). A framework underpinned by formalized psychosocial theories has relevance and could enhance the design of hand hygiene educational interventions, especially in schools.

Remote tooling applications at the FFTF/IEM cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, R.H.

1990-01-01

At the fast flux test facility, a US Government-owned 400-MW(thermal) sodium-cooled fast reactor, the interim examination and maintenance (IEM) cell is used for the remote disassembly of irradiated fuel and material experiments and remote maintenance operations. The IEM cell has been a challenging area both for maintenance and operation of remote equipment. Innovative tooling has been required to provide the reliability, strength and dexterity for performing myriad bolting, cutting, gripping, and other such functions. Over the years, a set of basic components that can be modified and adapted to several applications has been developed. These include torque multipliers, torque limiters, right-angle drives, and many common hand tools with fittings designed to be handled by master-slave manipulators (MSM) or electromechanical manipulator (EMM) hands. An example of such a system is the closed loop ex-vessel machine (CLEM) grapple change tool, which is designed for both hands-on use in a glove box and remote use in the IEM cell

A synergy-driven approach to a myoelectric hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Godfrey, S B; Ajoudani, A; Catalano, M; Grioli, G; Bicchi, A

2013-06-01

In this paper, we present the Pisa/IIT SoftHand with myoelectric control as a synergy-driven approach for a prosthetic hand. Commercially available myoelectric hands are more expensive, heavier, and less robust than their body-powered counterparts; however, they can offer greater freedom of motion and a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The Pisa/IIT SoftHand is built on the motor control principle of synergies through which the immense complexity of the hand is simplified into distinct motor patterns. As the SoftHand grasps, it follows a synergistic path with built-in flexibility to allow grasping of a wide variety of objects with a single motor. Here we test, as a proof-of-concept, 4 myoelectric controllers: a standard controller in which the EMG signal is used only as a position reference, an impedance controller that determines both position and stiffness references from the EMG input, a standard controller with vibrotactile force feedback, and finally a combined vibrotactile-impedance (VI) controller. Four healthy subjects tested the control algorithms by grasping various objects. All controllers were sufficient for basic grasping, however the impedance and vibrotactile controllers reduced the physical and cognitive load on the user, while the combined VI mode was the easiest to use of the four. While these results need to be validated with amputees, they suggest a low-cost, robust hand employing hardware-based synergies is a viable alternative to traditional myoelectric prostheses.

Advantages of using 3D design tools in the nuclear power plants projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roldan, P.; Melendro, J.; Gomez, A.; Hermana, I.

2011-01-01

It there is anything that distinguished Iberdrola Ingeneria y Construccion, as part of the Iberdrola Group, it is its firm commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. This is the philosophy that led the company to its interest in three-dimensional design tools back when they were in an early stage of development : very little international implementation, lack of integration with other applications, absence of previous experiences to understand the best possible configuration for each case, etc. Nevertheless, the company was able to see the tremendous advantage of having a construction program in the early months of a project- a detailed program that could predict, and therefore avoid, the problems that, if not anticipated, would arise in the construction phase when they result in higher costs, longer timeframes and a multitude of complications. This is precisely what 3D design tools offer prediction and this has been proven in the latest combined cycle projects executed with these tools. A project executed without errors not only decreases cost and time overruns, but also necessarily increases the quality of the end result. Efficiency and quality: these are both basic goals of Iberdrola Ingenieria y Construccion. The knowledge of and skill in the use of these tools have grown at the same time that their development has reached increasingly higher levels. As a result, Iberdrola Ingenieria y Conctruccion now has extensive experience in the use of 3D design tools and is prepared for the future challenges posed by these tools, the capabilities of which have attained such heights that it is possible to take on one of the most technically challenging projects that exists a nuclear power plant. And we are ready. (Author)

Asymmetry in Dominant / Non-Dominant Hand Performance Differentiates Novices from Experts on an Arthroscopy Virtual Reality Serious Game.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedowitz, Robert; Nicandri, Gregg; Tuchschmid, Stefan

2016-01-01

Safe and effective arthroscopic surgery requires ambidextrous motor skills. The current study examined dominant versus non-dominant hand performance on a virtual reality serious game in a group of expert arthroscopic surgeons (n=15) compared to a group of orthopedic surgery residents (n=10). A virtual reality Tetris game was performed with the arthroscopic camera and arthroscope in one hand, using an arthroscopic grasping tool in the opposite hand to manipulate the virtual Tetris blocks onto the game grid. A second run was performed after swapping instruments between hands. The order of hand testing was randomized. There was no statistically significant difference in exercise time, grasper path length, or camera path length between the right and left hands of the expert surgeons. In contrast, there were statistically significant differences in all of these parameters between the two hands for the orthopedic surgery residents, with better performance when the grasping tool was used in the dominant hand. The findings of this study suggest that virtual reality games which incorporate progressive cognitive loading could be used to facilitate training, automation, and objective assessment of surgical motor skills.

Role of parents in the promotion of hand hygiene in the paediatric setting: a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellissimo-Rodrigues, F; Pires, D; Zingg, W; Pittet, D

2016-06-01

When a child is hospitalized, parents have to share their role to protect the child with the hospital, and establish a partnership with healthcare workers to deliver safe care to the child, including undertaking good hand hygiene practices. To review the scientific evidence about the participation of parents in the promotion of hand hygiene in paediatric settings. A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and SciELO databases was undertaken using the following terms: ('hand hygiene'[MeSH] OR 'hand hygiene' OR 'hand disinfection'[MeSH] OR hand disinf* OR hand wash* OR handwash* OR hand antisep*) AND (parent OR caregiver OR mother OR father OR family OR families OR relatives). The Integrated Quality Criteria for Review of Multiple Study Designs tool was used for quality assessment. The literature search yielded 1645 articles, and 11 studies met the inclusion criteria for the final analysis. Most studies were observational, and were based on questionnaires or interviews. Most parents had little knowledge about the indications to perform hand hygiene, but recognized hand hygiene as a relevant tool for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Their willingness to remind healthcare workers about a failed opportunity to perform hand hygiene was variable and, overall, rather low. Parents felt more comfortable about reminding healthcare workers about hand hygiene if they had previously been invited to do so. Literature on the subject is scarce. The promotion of hand hygiene by parents should be further explored by research as a potential intervention for enhancing patient safety in paediatric settings. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hand Fractures

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is ... Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy ... DESCRIPTION The bones of the hand serve as a framework. This framework supports the muscles that make the wrist and fingers move. When ...

Multidisciplinary Modelling Tools for Power Electronic Circuits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahman, Amir Sajjad

in reliability assessment of power modules, a three-dimensional lumped thermal network is proposed to be used for fast, accurate and detailed temperature estimation of power module in dynamic operation and different boundary conditions. Since an important issue in the reliability of power electronics...... environment to be used for optimization of cooling system layout with respect to thermal resistance and pressure drop reductions. Finally extraction of electrical parasitics in the multi-chip power modules will be investigated. As the switching frequency of power devices increases, the size of passive...... components are reduced considerably that leads to increase of power density and cost reduction. However, electrical parasitics become more challenging with increasing the switching frequency and paralleled chips in the integrated and denser packages. Therefore, electrical parasitic models are analyzed based...

Chocolate, air pollution and children’s neuroprotection: What cognition tools should be at hand to evaluate interventions?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilian Calderon-Garciduenas

2016-08-01

and reliable cognition tools should be at hand to evaluate interventions.

2D Hand Tracking Based on Flocking with Obstacle Avoidance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zihong Chen

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Hand gesture-based interaction provides a natural and powerful means for human-computer interaction. It is also a good interface for human-robot interaction. However, most of the existing proposals are likely to fail when they meet some skin-coloured objects, especially the face region. In this paper, we present a novel hand tracking method which can track the features of the hand based on the obstacle avoidance flocking behaviour model to overcome skin-coloured distractions. It allows features to be split into two groups under severe distractions and merge later. The experiment results show that our method can track the hand in a cluttered background or when passing the face, while the Flocking of Features (FoF and the Mean Shift Embedded Particle Filter (MSEPF methods may fail. These results suggest that our method has better performance in comparison with the previous methods. It may therefore be helpful to promote the use of the hand gesture-based human-robot interaction method.

Design and preliminary assessment of Vanderbilt hand exoskeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasser, Benjamin W; Bennett, Daniel A; Durrough, Christina M; Goldfarb, Michael

2017-07-01

This paper presents the design of a hand exoskeleton intended to enable or facilitate bimanual activities of daily living (ADLs) for individuals with chronic upper extremity hemiparesis resulting from stroke. The paper describes design of the battery-powered, self-contained exoskeleton and presents the results of initial testing with a single subject with hemiparesis from stroke. Specifically, an experiment was conducted requiring the subject to repeatedly remove the lid from a water bottle both with and without the hand exoskeleton. The relative times required to remove the lid from the bottles was considerably lower when using the exoskeleton. Specifically, the average amount of time required to grasp the bottle with the paretic hand without the exoskeleton was 25.9 s, with a standard deviation of 33.5 s, while the corresponding average amount of time required to grasp the bottle with the exoskeleton was 5.1 s, with a standard deviation of 1.9 s. Thus, the task time involving the paretic hand was reduced by a factor of five, while the standard deviation was reduced by a factor of 16.

GPU accelerated left/right hand-segmentation in first person vision

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Betancourt Arango, A.; Marcenaro, L.; Barakova, E.I.; Rauterberg, M.; Regazzoni, C.S.; Hua, G.; Jegou, H.

2016-01-01

Wearable cameras allow users to record their daily activities from a user-centered (First Person Vision) perspective. Due to their favourable location, they frequently capture the hands of the user, and may thus represent a promising user-machine interaction tool for different applications. Existent

Coach assessment tool

OpenAIRE

Härkönen, Niko; Klicznik, Roman

2014-01-01

The Coach Assessment Tool was created to assist coaches of all sports for their own development. The starting point to develop the tool is the fact that coaching clinics solely focus on the technical and tactial skills of the sport. The education for coaches is lacking to teach the importance of the coach´s behavior towards their athletes. The question is how to teach properly the task in hand to increase the athlete´s performance considering the coach´s behavior. Nevertheless,...

Hand Gesture Recognition Using Ultrasonic Waves

KAUST Repository

AlSharif, Mohammed Hussain

2016-04-01

Gesturing is a natural way of communication between people and is used in our everyday conversations. Hand gesture recognition systems are used in many applications in a wide variety of fields, such as mobile phone applications, smart TVs, video gaming, etc. With the advances in human-computer interaction technology, gesture recognition is becoming an active research area. There are two types of devices to detect gestures; contact based devices and contactless devices. Using ultrasonic waves for determining gestures is one of the ways that is employed in contactless devices. Hand gesture recognition utilizing ultrasonic waves will be the focus of this thesis work. This thesis presents a new method for detecting and classifying a predefined set of hand gestures using a single ultrasonic transmitter and a single ultrasonic receiver. This method uses a linear frequency modulated ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic signal is designed to meet the project requirements such as the update rate, the range of detection, etc. Also, it needs to overcome hardware limitations such as the limited output power, transmitter, and receiver bandwidth, etc. The method can be adapted to other hardware setups. Gestures are identified based on two main features; range estimation of the moving hand and received signal strength (RSS). These two factors are estimated using two simple methods; channel impulse response (CIR) and cross correlation (CC) of the reflected ultrasonic signal from the gesturing hand. A customized simple hardware setup was used to classify a set of hand gestures with high accuracy. The detection and classification were done using methods of low computational cost. This makes the proposed method to have a great potential for the implementation in many devices including laptops and mobile phones. The predefined set of gestures can be used for many control applications.

Water Power Research | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Water Power Research Water Power Research NREL conducts water power research; develops design tools ; and evaluates, validates, and supports the demonstration of innovative water power technologies. Photo of a buoy designed around the oscillating water column principle wherein the turbine captures the

Hand motion segmentation against skin colour background in breast awareness applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuqin; Naguib, Raouf N G; Todman, Alison G; Amin, Saad A; Al-Omishy, Hassanein; Oikonomou, Andreas; Tucker, Nick

2004-01-01

Skin colour modelling and classification play significant roles in face and hand detection, recognition and tracking. A hand is an essential tool used in breast self-examination, which needs to be detected and analysed during the process of breast palpation. However, the background of a woman's moving hand is her breast that has the same or similar colour as the hand. Additionally, colour images recorded by a web camera are strongly affected by the lighting or brightness conditions. Hence, it is a challenging task to segment and track the hand against the breast without utilising any artificial markers, such as coloured nail polish. In this paper, a two-dimensional Gaussian skin colour model is employed in a particular way to identify a breast but not a hand. First, an input image is transformed to YCbCr colour space, which is less sensitive to the lighting conditions and more tolerant of skin tone. The breast, thus detected by the Gaussian skin model, is used as the baseline or framework for the hand motion. Secondly, motion cues are used to segment the hand motion against the detected baseline. Desired segmentation results have been achieved and the robustness of this algorithm is demonstrated in this paper.

Review and Evaluation of Hand-Arm Coordinate Systems for Measuring Vibration Exposure, Biodynamic Responses, and Hand Forces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Ren G; Sinsel, Erik W; Welcome, Daniel E; Warren, Christopher; Xu, Xueyan S; McDowell, Thomas W; Wu, John Z

2015-09-01

The hand coordinate systems for measuring vibration exposures and biodynamic responses have been standardized, but they are not actually used in many studies. This contradicts the purpose of the standardization. The objectives of this study were to identify the major sources of this problem, and to help define or identify better coordinate systems for the standardization. This study systematically reviewed the principles and definition methods, and evaluated typical hand coordinate systems. This study confirms that, as accelerometers remain the major technology for vibration measurement, it is reasonable to standardize two types of coordinate systems: a tool-based basicentric (BC) system and an anatomically based biodynamic (BD) system. However, these coordinate systems are not well defined in the current standard. Definition of the standard BC system is confusing, and it can be interpreted differently; as a result, it has been inconsistently applied in various standards and studies. The standard hand BD system is defined using the orientation of the third metacarpal bone. It is neither convenient nor defined based on important biological or biodynamic features. This explains why it is rarely used in practice. To resolve these inconsistencies and deficiencies, we proposed a revised method for defining the realistic handle BC system and an alternative method for defining the hand BD system. A fingertip-based BD system for measuring the principal grip force is also proposed based on an important feature of the grip force confirmed in this study.

Simulation Tools and Techniques for Analyzing the Impacts of Photovoltaic System Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Hariri, Ali

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy integration in distribution networks is one of the fastest growing sectors of distributed energy integration. The growth in solar PV integration is incentivized by various clean power policies, global interest in solar energy, and reduction in manufacturing and installation costs of solar energy systems. The increase in solar PV integration has raised a number of concerns regarding the potential impacts that might arise as a result of high PV penetration. Some impacts have already been recorded in networks with high PV penetration such as in China, Germany, and USA (Hawaii and California). Therefore, network planning is becoming more intricate as new technologies are integrated into the existing electric grid. The integrated new technologies pose certain compatibility concerns regarding the existing electric grid infrastructure. Therefore, PV integration impact studies are becoming more essential in order to have a better understanding of how to advance the solar PV integration efforts without introducing adverse impacts into the network. PV impact studies are important for understanding the nature of the new introduced phenomena. Understanding the nature of the potential impacts is a key factor for mitigating and accommodating for said impacts. Traditionally, electric power utilities relied on phasor-based power flow simulations for planning their electric networks. However, the conventional, commercially available, phasor-based simulation tools do not provide proper visibility across a wide spectrum of electric phenomena. Moreover, different types of simulation approaches are suitable for specific types of studies. For instance, power flow software cannot be used for studying time varying phenomena. At the same time, it is not practical to use electromagnetic transient (EMT) tools to perform power flow solutions. Therefore, some electric phenomena caused by the variability of PV generation are not visible using the conventional

Hand Matters: Left-Hand Gestures Enhance Metaphor Explanation

Science.gov (United States)

Argyriou, Paraskevi; Mohr, Christine; Kita, Sotaro

2017-01-01

Research suggests that speech-accompanying gestures influence cognitive processes, but it is not clear whether the gestural benefit is specific to the gesturing hand. Two experiments tested the "(right/left) hand-specificity" hypothesis for self-oriented functions of gestures: gestures with a particular hand enhance cognitive processes…

The rubber hand illusion increases heat pain threshold.

Science.gov (United States)

Hegedüs, G; Darnai, G; Szolcsányi, T; Feldmann, Á; Janszky, J; Kállai, J

2014-09-01

Accumulating evidence shows that manipulations of cortical body representation, for example, by simply viewing one's own body, can relieve pain in healthy subjects. Despite the widespread use of the rubber hand illusion (RHI) as an effective experimental tool for the manipulation of bodily awareness, previous studies examining the analgesic effect of the RHI have produced conflicting results. We used noxious heat stimuli to induce finger pain in 29 healthy subjects, and we recorded the participants' pain thresholds and subjective pain ratings during the RHI and during the control conditions. Two control conditions were included in our experiment - a standard one with reduced illusion strength (asynchronous stroking control) and an additional one in which the participants viewed their own hand. Raw data showed that both the RHI and the vision of the own hand resulted in slightly higher pain thresholds than the asynchronous stroking control (illusion: 47.79 °C; own-hand: 47.99 °C; asynchronous: 47.52 °C). After logarithmic transformation to achieve normality, paired t-tests revealed that both increases in pain threshold were significant (illusion/asynchronous: p = 0.036; own-hand/asynchronous: p = 0.007). In contrast, there was no significant difference in pain threshold between the illusion and the own-hand conditions (p = 0.656). Pain rating scores were not log-normal, and Wilcoxon singed-rank tests found no significant differences in pain ratings between the study conditions. The RHI increases heat pain threshold and the analgesic effect of the RHI is comparable with that of seeing one's own hand. The latter finding may have clinical implications. © 2014 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

[Hand osteoarthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Šenolt, Ladislav

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disorder causing pain and limitation of mobility of affected joints. The prevalence of hand OA increases with age and more often affects females. Clinical signs obviously do not correlate with radiographic findings - symptomatic hand OA affects approximately 26 % of adult subjects, but radiographic changes can be found in up to two thirds of females and half of males older than 55 years.Disease course differ among individual patients. Hand OA is a heterogeneous disease. Nodal hand OA is the most common subtype affecting interphalangeal joints, thumb base OA affects first carpometacarpal joint. Erosive OA represents a specific subtype of hand OA, which is associated with joint inflammation, more pain, functional limitation and erosive findings on radiographs.Treatment of OA is limited. Analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the only agents reducing symptoms. New insights into the pathogenesis of disease should contribute to the development of novel effective treatment of hand OA.

Abbreviated psychologic questionnaires are valid in patients with hand conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bot, Arjan G. J.; Becker, Stéphanie J. E.; van Dijk, C. Niek; Ring, David; Vranceanu, Ana-Maria

2013-01-01

The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) can help hand surgeons identify opportunities for psychologic support, but they are time consuming. If easier-to-use tools were available and valid, they might be widely adopted. We tested the validity of shorter versions

Synchrotron radiation imaging is a powerful tool to image brain microvasculature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Mengqi; Sun, Danni; Xie, Yuanyuan; Xia, Jian; Long, Hongyu; Hu, Kai; Xiao, Bo; Peng, Guanyun

2014-01-01

Synchrotron radiation (SR) imaging is a powerful experimental tool for micrometer-scale imaging of microcirculation in vivo. This review discusses recent methodological advances and findings from morphological investigations of cerebral vascular networks during several neurovascular pathologies. In particular, it describes recent developments in SR microangiography for real-time assessment of the brain microvasculature under various pathological conditions in small animal models. It also covers studies that employed SR-based phase-contrast imaging to acquire 3D brain images and provide detailed maps of brain vasculature. In addition, a brief introduction of SR technology and current limitations of SR sources are described in this review. In the near future, SR imaging could transform into a common and informative imaging modality to resolve subtle details of cerebrovascular function

Synchrotron radiation imaging is a powerful tool to image brain microvasculature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Mengqi; Sun, Danni; Xie, Yuanyuan; Xia, Jian; Long, Hongyu; Hu, Kai; Xiao, Bo, E-mail: csuxiaobo123456@163.com [Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008 (China); Peng, Guanyun [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)

2014-03-15

Synchrotron radiation (SR) imaging is a powerful experimental tool for micrometer-scale imaging of microcirculation in vivo. This review discusses recent methodological advances and findings from morphological investigations of cerebral vascular networks during several neurovascular pathologies. In particular, it describes recent developments in SR microangiography for real-time assessment of the brain microvasculature under various pathological conditions in small animal models. It also covers studies that employed SR-based phase-contrast imaging to acquire 3D brain images and provide detailed maps of brain vasculature. In addition, a brief introduction of SR technology and current limitations of SR sources are described in this review. In the near future, SR imaging could transform into a common and informative imaging modality to resolve subtle details of cerebrovascular function.

Imaging of hand injuries. Anatomic and radiodiagnostic considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitt, Rainer

2011-01-01

Imaging recommendations for assessing injuries of the forearm, wrist, metacarpus and the digits are given with respect to anatomic considerations. Furthermore, dedicated algorithms of advanced imaging are introduced with radiography as the primary diagnostic tool. High-resolution CT is used for detecting and staging the complex fractures of the radius and the wrist, whereas contrast-enhanced MRI serves for depicting the injured soft tissues. At the wrist, tears of the intrinsic ligaments and the TFCC are assessed with high accuracy when applying MR arthrography or CT arthrography. Dedicated radiologic tools as well as comprehensive reports are suggested in the management of the various hand injuries. (orig.)

Power-Production Diagnostic Tools for Low-Density Wind Farms with Applications to Wake Steering

Science.gov (United States)

Takle, E. S.; Herzmann, D.; Rajewski, D. A.; Lundquist, J. K.; Rhodes, M. E.

2016-12-01

Hansen (2011) provided guidelines for wind farm wake analysis with applications to "high density" wind farms (where average distance between turbines is less than ten times rotor diameter). For "low-density" (average distance greater than fifteen times rotor diameter) wind farms, or sections of wind farms we demonstrate simpler sorting and visualization tools that reveal wake interactions and opportunities for wind farm power prediction and wake steering. SCADA data from a segment of a large mid-continent wind farm, together with surface flux measurements and lidar data are subjected to analysis and visualization of wake interactions. A time-history animated visualization of a plan view of power level of individual turbines provides a quick analysis of wake interaction dynamics. Yaw-based sectoral histograms of enhancement/decline of wind speed and power from wind farm reference levels reveals angular width of wake interactions and identifies the turbine(s) responsible for the power reduction. Concurrent surface flux measurements within the wind farm allowed us to evaluate stability influence on wake loss. A one-season climatology is used to identify high-priority candidates for wake steering based on estimated power recovery. Typical clearing prices on the day-ahead market are used to estimate the added value of wake steering. Current research is exploring options for identifying candidate locations for wind farm "build-in" in existing low-density wind farms.

Dynamics, control and sensor issues pertinent to robotic hands for the EVA retriever system

Science.gov (United States)

Mclauchlan, Robert A.

1987-01-01

Basic dynamics, sensor, control, and related artificial intelligence issues pertinent to smart robotic hands for the Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Retriever system are summarized and discussed. These smart hands are to be used as end effectors on arms attached to manned maneuvering units (MMU). The Retriever robotic systems comprised of MMU, arm and smart hands, are being developed to aid crewmen in the performance of routine EVA tasks including tool and object retrieval. The ultimate goal is to enhance the effectiveness of EVA crewmen.

A review on the young history of the wind power short-term prediction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Alexandre; Navarro, Jorge [Wind Energy, Division of Renewable Energies, Department of Energy, CIEMAT, Av. Complutense, 22, Ed. 42, 28044 Madrid (Spain); Crespo, Antonio [Laboratorio de Mecanica de Fluidos, Departmento de Ingenieria Energetica y Fluidomecanica, ETSII, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, C/Jose Gutierrez Abascal, 2-28006 Madrid (Spain); Lizcano, Gil [Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY (United Kingdom); Madsen, Henrik [Informatics and Mathematical Modelling - IMM, Technical University of Denmark, Richard Petersens Plads, Building 321, Office 019, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Feitosa, Everaldo [Brazilian Wind Energy Centre - CBEE, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociencias, UFPE-50.740-530 Recife, PE (Brazil)

2008-08-15

This paper makes a brief review on 30 years of history of the wind power short-term prediction, since the first ideas and sketches on the theme to the actual state of the art on models and tools, giving emphasis to the most significant proposals and developments. The two principal lines of thought on short-term prediction (mathematical and physical) are indistinctly treated here and comparisons between models and tools are avoided, mainly because, on the one hand, a standard for a measure of performance is still not adopted and, on the other hand, it is very important that the data are exactly the same in order to compare two models (this fact makes it almost impossible to carry out a quantitative comparison between a huge number of models and methods). In place of a quantitative description, a qualitative approach is preferred for this review, remarking the contribution (and innovative aspect) of each model. On the basis of the review, some topics for future research are pointed out. (author)

Denmark: HAND in HAND Policy Questionnaire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Hilmar Dyrborg; Nielsen, Birgitte Lund

2018-01-01

Som del af det internationale EU finansierede projekt Hand in Hand, der fokuserer på de såkaldte SEI-kompetencer (Social, Emotional, Intercultural), er dansk policy i relation til elevernes sociale, emotionelle og interkulturelle læring kortlagt i denne rapport. Der refereres bl.a. til "elevernes...

Applying psychological frameworks of behaviour change to improve healthcare worker hand hygiene: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Srigley, J A; Corace, K; Hargadon, D P; Yu, D; MacDonald, T; Fabrigar, L; Garber, G

2015-11-01

Despite the importance of hand hygiene in preventing transmission of healthcare-associated infections, compliance rates are suboptimal. Hand hygiene is a complex behaviour and psychological frameworks are promising tools to influence healthcare worker (HCW) behaviour. (i) To review the effectiveness of interventions based on psychological theories of behaviour change to improve HCW hand hygiene compliance; (ii) to determine which frameworks have been used to predict HCW hand hygiene compliance. Multiple databases and reference lists of included studies were searched for studies that applied psychological theories to improve and/or predict HCW hand hygiene. All steps in selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. The search yielded 918 citations; seven met eligibility criteria. Four studies evaluated hand hygiene interventions based on psychological frameworks. Interventions were informed by goal setting, control theory, operant learning, positive reinforcement, change theory, the theory of planned behaviour, and the transtheoretical model. Three predictive studies employed the theory of planned behaviour, the transtheoretical model, and the theoretical domains framework. Interventions to improve hand hygiene adherence demonstrated efficacy but studies were at moderate to high risk of bias. For many studies, it was unclear how theories of behaviour change were used to inform the interventions. Predictive studies had mixed results. Behaviour change theory is a promising tool for improving hand hygiene; however, these theories have not been extensively examined. Our review reveals a significant gap in the literature and indicates possible avenues for novel research. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Dexterity Level and Hand Anthropometric Dimensions on Smartphone Users’ Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Firat Ozkan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The usage of smartphones instead of simple mobile phones increases sharply in our era, especially among young people, because they do multiple tasks with single equipment. This study mainly focuses on smartphone satisfaction by combining hand measurements, smartphone users’ survey results, and hand dexterity levels of corresponding users acquired from Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM is used as a statistical tool to discover the potential direct and indirect relations among user satisfaction, hand dimensions, and dexterity scores. Results indicates that thumb length, hand length, and dexterity level of the users have notable effects on users’ satisfaction with smartphones. Based on the results, a new approach that includes both gross motor skills and physical measurements is suggested to see hidden indirect relations with satisfaction.

PRA: a powerful engineering decision tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, H.G. de.

1988-03-01

The probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) is studied and its historical development is briefly presented. Human factors, sofware and guides, improvement of utility management of nuclear power operations are discussed. The development of a standardized LWR design, optimized for safety, reliability and economy is studied. The impact of risk assessments in public acceptance of nuclear power is discussed. (M.A.C.) [pt

Hand Surgery: Anesthesia

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is a Hand Surgeon? What is a Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Hand Surgery Anesthesia Email to a friend * required ...

Ultra-weak photon emission as a non-invasive tool for monitoring of oxidative processes in the epidermal cells of human skin: comparative study on the dorsal and the palm side of the hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastogi, Anshu; Pospísil, Pavel

2010-08-01

All living organisms emit spontaneous ultra-weak photon emission as a result of cellular metabolic processes. Exposure of living organisms to exogenous factors results in oxidative processes and enhancement in ultra-weak photon emission. Here, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), as a strongly oxidizing molecule, was used to induce oxidative processes and enhance ultra-weak photon emission in human hand skin. The presented work intends to compare both spontaneous and peroxide-induced ultra-weak photon emission from the epidermal cells on the dorsal and the palm side of the hand. A highly sensitive photomultiplier tube and a charge-coupled device camera were used to detect ultra-weak photon emission from human hand skin. Spontaneous ultra-weak photon emission from the epidermal cells on the dorsal side of the hand was 4 counts/s. Topical application of 500 mM H(2)O(2) to the dorsal side of the hand caused enhancement in ultra-weak photon emission to 40 counts/s. Interestingly, both spontaneous and peroxide-induced ultra-weak photon emission from the epidermal cells on the palm side of the hand were observed to increase twice their values, i.e. 8 and 80 counts/s, respectively. Similarly, the two-dimensional image of ultra-weak photon emission observed after topical application of H(2)O(2) to human skin reveals that photon emission from the palm side exceeds the photon emission from the dorsal side of the hand. The results presented indicate that the ultra-weak photon emission originating from the epidermal cells on the dorsal and the palm side of the hand is related to the histological structure of the human hand skin. Ultra-weak photon emission is shown as a non-destructive technique for monitoring of oxidative processes in the epidermal cells of the human hand skin and as a diagnostic tool for skin diseases.

Synchrotron light sources: A powerful tool for science and technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlachter, F.; Robinson, A.

1996-01-01

A new generation of synchrotron light sources is producing extremely bright beams of vacuum-ultraviolet and x-ray radiation, powerful new tools for research in a wide variety of basic and applied sciences. Spectromicroscopy using high spectral and spatial resolution is a new way of seeing, offering many opportunities in the study of matter. Development of a new light source provides the country or region of the world in which the light source is located many new opportunities: a focal point for research in many scientific and technological areas, a means of upgrading the technology infrastructure of the country, a means of training students, and a potential service to industry. A light source for Southeast Asia would thus be a major resource for many years. Scientists and engineers from light sources around the world look forward to providing assistance to make this a reality in Southeast Asia

Hand Anatomy

Science.gov (United States)

... All Topics A-Z Videos Infographics Symptom Picker Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons About Hand Surgery What is ... Hand Therapist? Media Find a Hand Surgeon Home Anatomy Bones Joints Muscles Nerves Vessels Tendons Anatomy The upper extremity is ...

Evaluation of hand-arm and whole-body vibrations in construction and property management.

Science.gov (United States)

Coggins, Marie A; Van Lente, Eric; McCallig, Margaret; Paddan, Gurmail; Moore, Ken

2010-11-01

To identify and measure the magnitude of hand-arm vibration (HAV) and whole-body vibration (WBV) sources (tools, vehicles etc.) in use within a previously unexamined sector: a construction and property management company. To evaluate the effect of factors such as age of tool, materials being worked on, number and location of tool handles, tool weight, and manufacturer brand on HAV magnitude and the effect of factors such as manufacturer machine brand, terrain, and work task on WBV magnitude. This study was carried out in a construction and property management company, employees (n = 469) working in the engineering services and maintenance departments who use vibrating equipment as part of their work were invited to participate. Two hundred and eighty-nine employees working as general operatives, excavator drivers, stone masons, carpenters, labourers, fitters, welders, and gardeners agreed to participate. A total of 20 types of hand tool (n = 264) and 11 types of vehicle (n = 158) in use within the company were selected for inclusion in the study. Five pieces of equipment had never previously been measured. Vibration measurements were carried out in accordance with ISO 5349-1 (Mechanical vibration-measurement and assessment of human exposure to hand transmitted vibration-Part 1: general guidance. 2001) (HAV) and ISO 2631-1 (Mechanical vibration and shock: evaluation of human exposure to WBV in the working environment. Part 1-general requirements. 1997) (WBV). Vibration measurements were made while workers were operating the equipment as part of their normal work activities. A wide range of vibration emission values were recorded for most tool types, e.g. orbital sanders (1.39-10.90 m s⁻²) and angle grinders (0.28-12.25 m s⁻²), and vehicle, e.g. forklifts (0.41-1.00 m s⁻²) and tractors (0.04-0.42 m s⁻²). Vibration magnitudes were largely consistent with those found in previous studies. The highest HAV magnitude was measured on a demolition hammer (13.3 m

Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Draper, J.V. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Handel, S. [Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Psychology

1994-01-01

Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF`s) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition.

Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draper, J.V.; Handel, S.

1994-01-01

Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF's) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25 Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition

Evaluation of content and accessibility of hand fellowship websites.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvestre, Jason; Guzman, Javier Z; Abbatematteo, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin; Levin, L Scott

2015-09-01

Graduates of general, orthopedic, and plastic surgery residencies utilize web-based resources when applying for hand fellowship training. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accessibility and content of hand fellowship websites (HFWs). Websites of accredited hand surgery fellowships were eligible for study inclusion. HFWs were evaluated for comprehensiveness in the domains of education and recruitment. Website content was correlated with program characteristics via Fisher exact tests. Fifteen plastic, 65 orthopedic, and 1 general surgery hand fellowships were analyzed. Seventy-four hand fellowships maintained an HFW (91 %). HFWs were not found for 3 plastic and 4 orthopedic hand programs (20 versus 6 %, p = 0.118). HFWs provided only half of all analyzed content (54 %-education and 49 %-recruitment). Orthopedic programs had more education content than plastic surgery programs (55 versus 44 %, p = 0.030). Programs in the South had more education content than programs in the Northeast (63 versus 47 %, p = 0.001), but not more than programs in the West (54 %) or Midwest (55 %). Larger programs with more fellows had greater education content than those with only one fellow (57 versus 49 %, p = 0.042). Programs affiliated with top-ranked medical schools had less education content than lower-ranked schools (48 versus 56 %, p = 0.045). No differences existed in recruitment content between programs. Most hand surgery fellowships lack readily accessible and comprehensive websites. The paucity of online content suggests HFWs are underutilized as educational resources and future opportunity may exist to optimize these tools.

Circuits and electronics hands-on learning with analog discovery

CERN Document Server

Okyere Attia, John

2018-01-01

The book provides instructions on building circuits on breadboards, connecting the Analog Discovery wires to the circuit under test, and making electrical measurements. Various measurement techniques are described and used in this book, including: impedance measurements, complex power measurements, frequency response measurements, power spectrum measurements, current versus voltage characteristic measurements of diodes, bipolar junction transistors, and Mosfets. The book includes end-of-chapter problems for additional exercises geared towards hands-on learning, experimentation, comparisons between measured results and those obtained from theoretical calculations.

[Intervention to improve hand hygiene compliance in Catalonia, Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Sobrequés, Jordi; Espuñes, Jordi; Bañeres, Joaquim

2014-07-01

Hand hygiene (HM) is the single most important measure and effective in reducing the risk of Healthcare acquired infections (IRAS). Although HM is an effective, simple and cheap measure, it is usual to find results of low compliance among health professionals. The main objective of this strategy has been to give new force to the promotion of HM in hospitals and educate professionals about the importance of this single action. The strategy was planned as a multicenter intervention study to promote HM in health centers of Catalonia in 2009-2010. The intervention is based on 4 main areas: a survey of barriers and facilitators, distribution of graphic material, training at different levels and measure of quality indicators. With this strategy a total of 57% of the number of acute beds in the concerted public and private network of hospitals were reached. The survey revealed that training was perceived as the main facilitator of the HM action. 15,376 professionals registered to the on-line training. The overall compliance with HM indications (based on "five moments for HM") was 56.45% in the acute areas. The campaigns and programs to promote HM carried out in the last four years in Catalonia has helped to achieve an increasing number of hospitals associated to the strategy of the Alliance for Patient Safety in Catalonia. The on-line curse acceptance was very high and seems a powerful tool to improve hand hygiene knowledge and compliance among health professionals. The compliance of HM seems to increase in the hospitals of Catalonia evaluated. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Espana.

Analyse the risks of ad hoc programming in web development and develop a metrics of appropriate tools

OpenAIRE

Gubhaju, Manish; Al-Sherbaz, Ali

2013-01-01

Today the World Wide Web has become one of the most powerful tools for business promotion and social networking. As the use of websites and web applications to promote the businesses has increased drastically over the past few years, the complexity of managing them and protecting them from security threats has become a complicated task for the organizations. On the other hand, most of the web projects are at risk and less secure due to lack of quality programming. Although there are plenty of...

Hand Book of Metal Material Contrast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yeong Hui

1989-06-01

This book first gives descriptions of using of this hand book and contents. It tells of steel such as bar steel, section steel, and steel sheet which are steel for general structure and steel for pressure vessel, a steel pipe, carbon steel for machine structure and alloy steel, steel for special things, stainless steel, heat resisting steel, tool steel, spring steel, forging, steel casting, nonferrous metal such as aluminium and aluminium alloy, casting, list of similar steel per metal, list of steel like ASTM, AISI per number, and list of collecting standard per metal material.

The future of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burtak, F.

1993-01-01

Nuclear power in Germany at present is confronting two challenges: On the one hand, technical innovations are required in order to meet the expectations of nuclear proponents while, on the other hand, a public stand must be taken vis-a-vis the demand to opt out of nuclear power. This means that nuclear engineers not only must perform their technical functions, but increasingly also engage themselves socially. Neglecting just one of these two challenges is likely to impair severely the future of nuclear power in Germany. In the absence of a swing in public opinion it will not be possible to build a new nuclear plant, and nuclear power will be doomed to extinction, at least in a number of countries, within a matter of decades. In the absence of technical innovation, today's LWR technology will cause the fissile uranium available naturally to be consumed, thus killing nuclear power for lack of future fissile material. In responding to the two challenges, nuclear technology must safeguard its future by not retreating into an ivory tower of pure technology; on the other hand, technical innovation is a prerequisite for its continued existence. (orig.) [de

Quantification of Hand Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: A Proof-of-Principle Study Using Inertial and Force Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Noort, Josien C; Verhagen, Rens; van Dijk, Kees J; Veltink, Peter H; Vos, Michelle C P M; de Bie, Rob M A; Bour, Lo J; Heida, Ciska T

2017-10-01

This proof-of-principle study describes the methodology and explores and demonstrates the applicability of a system, existing of miniature inertial sensors on the hand and a separate force sensor, to objectively quantify hand motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a clinical setting (off- and on-medication condition). Four PD patients were measured in off- and on- dopaminergic medication condition. Finger tapping, rapid hand opening/closing, hand pro/supination, tremor during rest, mental task and kinetic task, and wrist rigidity movements were measured with the system (called the PowerGlove). To demonstrate applicability, various outcome parameters of measured hand motor symptoms of the patients in off- vs. on-medication condition are presented. The methodology described and results presented show applicability of the PowerGlove in a clinical research setting, to objectively quantify hand bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity in PD patients, using a single system. The PowerGlove measured a difference in off- vs. on-medication condition in all tasks in the presented patients with most of its outcome parameters. Further study into the validity and reliability of the outcome parameters is required in a larger cohort of patients, to arrive at an optimal set of parameters that can assist in clinical evaluation and decision-making.

A Tool for Creating Regionally Calibrated High-Resolution Land Cover Data Sets for the West African Sahel: Using Machine Learning to Scale Up Hand-Classified Maps in a Data-Sparse Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Van Gordon, M.; Van Gordon, S.; Min, A.; Sullivan, J.; Weiner, Z.; Tappan, G. G.

2017-12-01

Using support vector machine (SVM) learning and high-accuracy hand-classified maps, we have developed a publicly available land cover classification tool for the West African Sahel. Our classifier produces high-resolution and regionally calibrated land cover maps for the Sahel, representing a significant contribution to the data available for this region. Global land cover products are unreliable for the Sahel, and accurate land cover data for the region are sparse. To address this gap, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Regional Center for Agriculture, Hydrology and Meteorology (AGRHYMET) in Niger produced high-quality land cover maps for the region via hand-classification of Landsat images. This method produces highly accurate maps, but the time and labor required constrain the spatial and temporal resolution of the data products. By using these hand-classified maps alongside SVM techniques, we successfully increase the resolution of the land cover maps by 1-2 orders of magnitude, from 2km-decadal resolution to 30m-annual resolution. These high-resolution regionally calibrated land cover datasets, along with the classifier we developed to produce them, lay the foundation for major advances in studies of land surface processes in the region. These datasets will provide more accurate inputs for food security modeling, hydrologic modeling, analyses of land cover change and climate change adaptation efforts. The land cover classification tool we have developed will be publicly available for use in creating additional West Africa land cover datasets with future remote sensing data and can be adapted for use in other parts of the world.

Collaborative tools and videoconferencing at CERN

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

Are you wondering about the intricacies of using videoconferencing and other collaborative tools at CERN? Our two new courses might just be the answer! In April 2008 the venerable VRVS service was shut down and replaced by EVO. EVO is a Java-based, cross-platform collaborative tool which allows you to hold meetings from your office or from a CERN video conference room. Because of ever-increasing usage of EVO at CERN, IT-UDS-AVC is organizing an introductory EVO course entitled "A hands-on overview of EVO", which will cover the basic usage of EVO (hardware recommendations; booking meetings; joining an EVO meeting from a CERN conference room/office/phone; moderating meetings). This course will be held as a hands-on session in the training centre, and mainly targets meeting conveners and users who want to join meetings from their office. We also organize a course entitled "Videoconferencing and collaborative tools at CERN", which is a general introduction to the videoconferenc...

Green Power Partner Resources

Science.gov (United States)

EPA Green Power Partners can access tools and resources to help promote their green power commitments. Partners use these tools to communicate the benefits of their green power use to their customers, stakeholders, and the general public.

Dynamic wind turbine models in power system simulation tool DIgSILENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansen, A.D.; Iov, F.; Soerensen, Poul.; Cutululis, N.; Jauch, C.; Blaabjerg, F.

2007-08-15

This report presents a collection of models and control strategies developed and implemented in the power system simulation tool PowerFactory DIgSILENT for different wind turbine concepts. It is the second edition of Risoe-R-1400(EN) and it gathers and describes a whole wind turbine model database built-op and developed during several national research projects, carried out at Risoe DTU National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy and Aalborg University, in the period 2001-2007. The overall objective of these projects was to create a wind turbine model database able to support the analysis of the interaction between the mechanical structure of the wind turbine and the electrical grid during different operational modes. The report provides thus a description of the wind turbines modelling, both at a component level and at a system level. The report contains both the description of DIgSILENT built-in models for the electrical components of a grid connected wind turbine (e.g. induction generators, power converters, transformers) and the models developed by the user, in the dynamic simulation language DSL of DIgSILENT, for the non-electrical components of the wind turbine (wind model, aerodynamic model, mechanical model). The initialisation issues on the wind turbine models into the power system simulation are also presented. The main attention in the report is drawn to the modelling at the system level of the following wind turbine concepts: (1) Fixed speed active stall wind turbine concept (2) Variable speed doubly-fed induction generator wind turbine concept (3) Variable speed multi-pole permanent magnet synchronous generator wind turbine concept These wind turbine concept models can be used and even extended for the study of different aspects, e.g. the assessment of power quality, control strategies, connection of the wind turbine at different types of grid and storage systems. Different control strategies have been developed and implemented for these wind turbine

Reliability centered maintenance as an optimization tool for electrical power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacquot, J.P.; Bryla, P.; Martin-Mattei, C.; Meuwisse, C.

1997-08-01

Seven years ago, Electricite de France launched a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) pilot project to optimize preventive maintenance for its nuclear power plants. After a feasibility study, a RCM method was standardized. It is now applied on a large scale to the 50 EDF nuclear units. A RCM workstation based on this standardized method has been developed and is now used in each plant. In the next step, it is considered whether a Risk based Approach can be included in this RCM process in order to analyze critical passive components such as pipes and supports. Considering the potential advantages of these optimization techniques, a dedicated process has been also developed for maintenance of future plants, gas turbines, or nuclear units. A survey of these different developments of methods and tools is presented. (author)

Different Frequencies between Power and Efficiency in Wireless Power Transfer

OpenAIRE

Muhammad Afnan, Habibi; Hodaka, Ichijo

2017-01-01

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) has been recognized as a common power transfer method because it transfers electric power without any cable from source to the load. One of the physical principle of WPT is the law of electromagnetic induction, and the WPT system is driven by alternative current power source under specific frequency. The frequency that provides maximum gain between voltages or currents is called resonance frequency. On the other hand, some studies about WPT said that resonance fr...

Morphology of muscle attachment sites in the modern human hand does not reflect muscle architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams-Hatala, E M; Hatala, K G; Hiles, S; Rabey, K N

2016-06-23

Muscle attachment sites (entheses) on dry bones are regularly used by paleontologists to infer soft tissue anatomy and to reconstruct behaviors of extinct organisms. This method is commonly applied to fossil hominin hand bones to assess their abilities to participate in Paleolithic stone tool behaviors. Little is known, however, about how or even whether muscle anatomy and activity regimes influence the morphologies of their entheses, especially in the hand. Using the opponens muscles from a sample of modern humans, we tested the hypothesis that aspects of hand muscle architecture that are known to be influenced by behavior correlate with the size and shape of their associated entheses. Results show no consistent relationships between these behaviorally-influenced aspects of muscle architecture and entheseal morphology. Consequently, it is likely premature to infer patterns of behavior, such as stone tool making in fossil hominins, from these same entheses.

Motor origins of tool use.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahrs, Björn A; Jung, Wendy P; Lockman, Jeffrey J

2013-01-01

The current study examines the developmental trajectory of banging movements and its implications for tool use development. Twenty (6- to 15-month-old) infants wore reflective markers while banging a handled cube; movements were recorded at 240 Hz. Results indicated that through the second half-year, banging movements undergo developmental changes making them ideally suited for instrumental hammering and pounding. Younger infants were inefficient and variable when banging the object: Their hands followed circuitous paths of great lengths at high velocities. By 1 year, infants showed consistent and efficient straight up-down hand trajectories of smaller magnitude and velocity, allowing for precise aiming and delivering dependable levels of force. The findings suggest that tool use develops gradually from infants' existing manual behaviors. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Robotic hand project

OpenAIRE

Karaçizmeli, Cengiz; Çakır, Gökçe; Tükel, Dilek

2014-01-01

In this work, the mechatronic based robotic hand is controlled by the position data taken from the glove which has flex sensors mounted to capture finger bending of the human hand. The angular movement of human hand’s fingers are perceived and processed by a microcontroller, and the robotic hand is controlled by actuating servo motors. It has seen that robotic hand can simulate the movement of the human hand that put on the glove, during tests have done. This robotic hand can be used not only...

Development of a mobile game based on virtual reality tools to sensitize the population about the nuclear power plant's emergency plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, Lucas H.H.; Mol, Antônio C. de A.; Santo, André C. do E.; Legey, Ana Paula [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Centro Universitário Carioca (Unicarioca), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

The Angra dos Reis Nuclear Power Plant's emergency plan, it is the bunch of instructions that every citizen must adopt in case of an emergency situation. It is highly important, that all the people living in the power plant's surroundings truly understand every single step of the plan, because only in this way people will know how to react in case of a necessity. To hit this goals, the Brazil's Electronuclear, made educational booklets, in the shape of comic books, trying to guide the population about the plan. On the other hand, we have an increasingly connected world, making possible that digital games, be very well accepted by the population. So this project has as an objective, developing a digital tool, in form of a mobile game that shows in a playful and interactive way for the user, the emergency plan, complementing the educational process and social actions made by many institutions. With the information taken from the booklets, objects and buildings were modeled in Autodesk 3Ds Max, allied with the Unity 3D Game Engine, to make a city, inspired in Angra do Reis (RJ). The player has to follow all the security protocols giving by the Eletronuclear according with the rules provided by the National Nuclear Energy Commission. Is expected, with this game that will be available for the Eletronuclear that more people have the chance to know and believe in the efficiency of the emergency plan already established. (author)

Development of a mobile game based on virtual reality tools to sensitize the population about the nuclear power plant's emergency plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Lucas H.H.; Mol, Antônio C. de A.; Santo, André C. do E.; Legey, Ana Paula

2017-01-01

The Angra dos Reis Nuclear Power Plant's emergency plan, it is the bunch of instructions that every citizen must adopt in case of an emergency situation. It is highly important, that all the people living in the power plant's surroundings truly understand every single step of the plan, because only in this way people will know how to react in case of a necessity. To hit this goals, the Brazil's Electronuclear, made educational booklets, in the shape of comic books, trying to guide the population about the plan. On the other hand, we have an increasingly connected world, making possible that digital games, be very well accepted by the population. So this project has as an objective, developing a digital tool, in form of a mobile game that shows in a playful and interactive way for the user, the emergency plan, complementing the educational process and social actions made by many institutions. With the information taken from the booklets, objects and buildings were modeled in Autodesk 3Ds Max, allied with the Unity 3D Game Engine, to make a city, inspired in Angra do Reis (RJ). The player has to follow all the security protocols giving by the Eletronuclear according with the rules provided by the National Nuclear Energy Commission. Is expected, with this game that will be available for the Eletronuclear that more people have the chance to know and believe in the efficiency of the emergency plan already established. (author)

Clean Hands Count

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May ... 34 How The Clean Hands - Safe Hands System Works - Duration: 3:38. Clean Hands-Safe Hands 5, ...

REMARKS ON NEUROCONTROL OF THE HAND AND SIGNIFICANCE OF AFFERENT INPUT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nejc Sarabon

2004-12-01

Full Text Available This paper outlines some remarks on our understanding of motor control of the hand. It begins with current knowledge about motor behavior of prehension movements. It further highlights the distributed nature of the control system that integrates sensory information from the periphery, existing motor memory from subcortical centers, and information from diverse primary and secondary motor as well as sensory areas. It further explains the sequential nature of the processes like decision, planning, computing, and execution involved in neurocontrol of a purposeful hand motor task. In the successive part it stresses the importance of sensory input, in particular proprioceptive, for movement setting and guidance. It concludes by pointing out research concepts used to study roles of sensory information for modulating states of neurobiological systems. Finally, a novel method of whole hand electrical stimulation, which seems promising as a tool for studying sensory-motor integration mechanisms in human’s hand, is explained and recent experimental data are provided.

Force-directed design of a voluntary closing hand prosthesis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Visser, H.; Herder, J.L.

2000-01-01

This paper presents the design of a body-powered voluntary closing prosthetic hand. It is argued that the movement of the fingers before establishing a grip is much less relevant for good control of the object held than the distribution of forces once the object has been contacted. Based on this

Maintenance Tools applied to Electric Generators to Improve Energy Efficiency and Power Quality of Thermoelectric Power Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milton Fonseca Junior

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a specific method to improve the reliability of the equipment and the quality of power supplied to the electrical systems with the frequency and voltage control of a thermoelectric plant, to guarantee a more stable system. The method has the novelty of combining Total Productive Maintenance (TPM using only four pillars, with Electrical Predictive Maintenance based in failure analysis and diagnostic. It prevents voltage drops caused by excessive reactive consumption, thus guaranteeing the company a perfect functioning of its equipment and providing a longer life of them. The Maintenance Management Program (MMP seeks to prevent failures from causing the equipment to be shut down from the electrical system, which means large financial losses, either by reducing billing or by paying fines to the regulatory agency, in addition to prejudice the reliability of the system. Using management tools, but applying only four TPM pillars, it was possible to achieve innovation in power plants with internal combustion engines. This study aims to provide maintenance with a more reliable process, through the implantation of measurement, control and diagnostic devices, thus allowing the management to reduce breakdown of plant equipment. Some results have been achieved after the implementation, such as reduction of annual maintenance cost, reduction of corrective maintenance, increase of MTBF (Mean Time between Failures and reduction of MTTR (Mean Time to Repair in all areas. Probabilistic models able to describe real processes in a more realistic way, and facilitate the optimization at maximum reliability or minimum costs are presented. Such results are reflected in more reliable and continual power generation.

Assembling Markets for Wind Power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallesen, Trine

hand, as an economic good, wind power is said to suffer from (techno-economic) ‘disabilities’, such as high costs, fluctuating and unpredictable generation, etc. Therefore, because of its performance as a good, it is argued that the survival of wind power in the market is premised on different......This project studies the making of a market for wind power in France. Markets for wind power are often referred to as ‘political markets: On the one hand, wind power has the potential to reduce CO2-emissions and thus stall the effects of electricity generation on climate change; and on the other...... instruments, some of which I will refer to as ‘prosthetic devices’. This thesis inquires into two such prosthetic devices: The feed-in tariff and the wind power development zones (ZDE) as they are negotiated and practiced in France, and also the ways in which they affect the making of markets for wind power....

Human-scale interaction for virtual model displays: a clear case for real tools

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, George C.; McDowall, Ian E.; Bolas, Mark T.

1998-04-01

We describe a hand-held user interface for interacting with virtual environments displayed on a Virtual Model Display. The tool, constructed entirely of transparent materials, is see-through. We render a graphical counterpart of the tool on the display and map it one-to-one with the real tool. This feature, combined with a capability for touch- sensitive, discrete input, results in a useful spatial input device that is visually versatile. We discuss the tool's design and interaction techniques it supports. Briefly, we look at the human factors issues and engineering challenges presented by this tool and, in general, by the class of hand-held user interfaces that are see-through.

Integrated approach methodology: A handbook for power plant assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roush, M.L.; Modarres, M.; Hunt, R.N.M.; Kreps, D.; Pearce, R.

1987-10-01

This handbook is a practical document that provides the principles and steps of a method to help a utility's decision-making process on matters concerning plant safety and economy. It provides a framework for analyzing the manner in which plant equipment and personnel work together to achieve successful operation; also making possible the quantitative evaluation of individual contributors to success in overall plant operation. The methodology does not purport to instruct utilities on the proper way to run a power plant. Rather, it is an analytical tool to aid a utility in using plant data and other hands-on knowledge of its own personnel to solve practical problems

Computerized versus hand-scored health literacy tools: a comparison of Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and Flesch-Kincaid in printed patient education materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabeel, Kelsey Leonard; Russomanno, Jennifer; Oelschlegel, Sandy; Tester, Emily; Heidel, Robert Eric

2018-01-01

The research compared and contrasted hand-scoring and computerized methods of evaluating the grade level of patient education materials that are distributed at an academic medical center in east Tennessee and sought to determine if these materials adhered to the American Medical Association's (AMA's) recommended reading level of sixth grade. Librarians at an academic medical center located in the heart of Appalachian Tennessee initiated the assessment of 150 of the most used printed patient education materials. Based on the Flesch-Kincaid (F-K) scoring rubric, 2 of the 150 documents were excluded from statistical comparisons due to the absence of text (images only). Researchers assessed the remaining 148 documents using the hand-scored Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) method and the computerized F-K grade level method. For SMOG, 3 independent reviewers hand-scored each of the 150 documents. For F-K, documents were analyzed using Microsoft Word. Reading grade levels scores were entered into a database for statistical analysis. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Paired t -tests were used to compare readability means. Acceptable inter-rater reliability was found for SMOG (ICC=0.95). For the 148 documents assessed, SMOG produced a significantly higher mean reading grade level (M=9.6, SD=1.3) than F-K (M=6.5, SD=1.3; p SMOG method of assessment, 147 of the 148 documents (99.3%) scored above the AMA's recommended reading level of sixth grade. Computerized health literacy assessment tools, used by many national patient education material providers, might not be representative of the actual reading grade levels of patient education materials. This is problematic in regions like Appalachia because materials may not be comprehensible to the area's low-literacy patients. Medical librarians have the potential to advance their role in patient education to better serve their patient populations.

An alternative approach to the determination of scaling law expressions for the L–H transition in Tokamaks utilizing classification tools instead of regression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaudio, P; Gelfusa, M; Lupelli, I; Murari, A; Vega, J

2014-01-01

A new approach to determine the power law expressions for the threshold between the H and L mode of confinement is presented. The method is based on two powerful machine learning tools for classification: neural networks and support vector machines. Using as inputs clear examples of the systems on either side of the transition, the machine learning tools learn the input–output mapping corresponding to the equations of the boundary separating the confinement regimes. Systematic tests with synthetic data show that the machine learning tools provide results competitive with traditional statistical regression and more robust against random noise and systematic errors. The developed tools have then been applied to the multi-machine International Tokamak Physics Activity International Global Threshold Database of validated ITER-like Tokamak discharges. The machine learning tools converge on the same scaling law parameters obtained with non-linear regression. On the other hand, the developed tools allow a reduction of 50% of the uncertainty in the extrapolations to ITER. Therefore the proposed approach can effectively complement traditional regression since its application poses much less stringent requirements on the experimental data, to be used to determine the scaling laws, because they do not require examples exactly at the moment of the transition. (paper)

The fault tree as a tool in safety analysis in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waddington, J.G.; Wild, A.

1981-01-01

Modern safety analysis must be able to identify realistic failure modes based on realistic operation and system malfunction, demonstrate rigorously that adequate independence exists between a malfunctioning system and those other systems required to mitigate the effects of the malfunction, design adequate reliability into systems important to plant safety and to demonstrate rigorously that the design reliability is met in operation, and identify the realistic actions expected of the operator. Fault trees, which have proved to be a powerful tool to achieve these objectives, are inevitably large and must be computerized. However, the computerized system must be simple, must allow merging of branches developed independently, must provide for easy modification and the processing must be economical and easily accessible. A new system for displaying, plotting and analysing fault trees has been developed and implemented on a small computer at AECB to demonstrate the viability of the approach to designers, and to provide a tool to assess licensee's submissions on failure modes of support systems such as electrical, service water and air, and to assess reliability predictions for special safety systems. (author)

Automated and electronically assisted hand hygiene monitoring systems: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Melissa A; Schweizer, Marin L; Polgreen, Philip M; Gupta, Kalpana; Reisinger, Heather S; Perencevich, Eli N

2014-05-01

Hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent transmission of health care-associated infections. Electronic systems and tools are being developed to enhance hand hygiene compliance monitoring. Our systematic review assesses the existing evidence surrounding the adoption and accuracy of automated systems or electronically enhanced direct observations and also reviews the effectiveness of such systems in health care settings. We systematically reviewed PubMed for articles published between January 1, 2000, and March 31, 2013, containing the terms hand AND hygiene or hand AND disinfection or handwashing. Resulting articles were reviewed to determine if an electronic system was used. We identified 42 articles for inclusion. Four types of systems were identified: electronically assisted/enhanced direct observation, video-monitored direct observation systems, electronic dispenser counters, and automated hand hygiene monitoring networks. Fewer than 20% of articles identified included calculations for efficiency or accuracy. Limited data are currently available to recommend adoption of specific automatic or electronically assisted hand hygiene surveillance systems. Future studies should be undertaken that assess the accuracy, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of such systems. Given the restricted clinical and infection prevention budgets of most facilities, cost-effectiveness analysis of specific systems will be required before these systems are widely adopted. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Perceptual attraction in tool use: evidence for a reliability-based weighting mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Debats, Nienke B; Ernst, Marc O; Heuer, Herbert

2017-04-01

Humans are well able to operate tools whereby their hand movement is linked, via a kinematic transformation, to a spatially distant object moving in a separate plane of motion. An everyday example is controlling a cursor on a computer monitor. Despite these separate reference frames, the perceived positions of the hand and the object were found to be biased toward each other. We propose that this perceptual attraction is based on the principles by which the brain integrates redundant sensory information of single objects or events, known as optimal multisensory integration. That is, 1 ) sensory information about the hand and the tool are weighted according to their relative reliability (i.e., inverse variances), and 2 ) the unisensory reliabilities sum up in the integrated estimate. We assessed whether perceptual attraction is consistent with optimal multisensory integration model predictions. We used a cursor-control tool-use task in which we manipulated the relative reliability of the unisensory hand and cursor position estimates. The perceptual biases shifted according to these relative reliabilities, with an additional bias due to contextual factors that were present in experiment 1 but not in experiment 2 The biased position judgments' variances were, however, systematically larger than the predicted optimal variances. Our findings suggest that the perceptual attraction in tool use results from a reliability-based weighting mechanism similar to optimal multisensory integration, but that certain boundary conditions for optimality might not be satisfied. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Kinematic tool use is associated with a perceptual attraction between the spatially separated hand and the effective part of the tool. We provide a formal account for this phenomenon, thereby showing that the process behind it is similar to optimal integration of sensory information relating to single objects. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Data-Mining – A Valuable Managerial Tool for Improving Power Plants Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danubianu Mirela

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Energy and environment are top priorities for the EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy. Both fields imply complex approaches and consistent investment. The paper presents an alternative to large investments to improve the efficiencies of existing (outdated power installations: namely the use of data-mining techniques for analysing existing operational data. Data-mining is based upon exhaustive analysis of operational records, inferring high-value information by simply processing records with advanced mathematical / statistical tools. Results can be: assessment of the consistency of measurements, identification of new hardware needed for improving the quality of data, deducing the most efficient level for operation (internal benchmarking, correlation of consumptions with power/ heat production, of technical parameters with environmental impact, scheduling the optimal maintenance time, fuel stock optimization, simulating scenarios for equipment operation, anticipating periods of maximal stress of equipment, identification of medium and long term trends, planning and decision support for new investment, etc. The paper presents a data mining process carried out at the TERMICA - Suceava power plant. The analysis calls for a multidisciplinary approach, a complex team (experts in power&heat production, mechanics, environmental protection, economists, and last but not least IT experts and can be carried out with lower expenses than an investment in new equipment. Involvement of top management of the company is essential, being the driving force and motivation source for the data-mining team. The approach presented is self learning as once established, the data-mining analytical, modelling and simulation procedures and associated parameter databases can adjust themselves by absorbing and processing new relevant information and can be used on a long term basis for monitoring the performance of the installation, certifying the soundness of managerial measures taken

The Case for Hand Stencils and Prints as Proprio-Performative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Dobrez

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Hand stencils and prints are found globally in rock art, reflecting the sine qua non role of the hand in human evolution. The body itself is the tool, and it affords the registering, in the form of a trace, of what perceptual psychology terms an “ecological self”. More than a “signature”, a hand mark is uniquely “proprio-performative”, combining inscription of individuality with direct address. The first part of this paper looks at what might get in the way of a universally readable primary meaning by methodically addressing issues of technique and cultural specificity. Having cleared the ground, it proceeds to make its argument for hand stencils and prints as constituting a special category of rock art imagery. It does this by having recourse to ideas currently under discussion in cognitive psychology: awareness of self-agency and body-ownership, as well as the notion of perceived looming in pictures. Finally, an appeal is made to the claim for a key mirror neuron role in communication. Because they are traces of actions eliciting mirror-neuronal responses, hand marks are seen as affording a readily accessible external term in an exchange of meaning on which a system of graphic communication might be built.

Development of a tool dedicated to the evaluation of hydrogen term source for technological Wastes: assumptions, physical models, and validation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lamouroux, C. [CEA Saclay, Nuclear Energy Division /DANS, Department of physico-chemistry, 91191 Gif sur yvette (France); Esnouf, S. [CEA Saclay, DSM/IRAMIS/SIS2M/Radiolysis Laboratory , 91191 Gif sur yvette (France); Cochin, F. [Areva NC,recycling BU, DIRP/RDP tour Areva, 92084 Paris La Defense (France)

2013-07-01

In radioactive waste packages hydrogen is generated, in one hand, from the radiolysis of wastes (mainly organic materials) and, in the other hand, from the radiolysis of water content in the cement matrix. In order to assess hydrogen generation 2 tools based on operational models have been developed. One is dedicated to the determination of the hydrogen source term issues from the radiolysis of the wastes: the STORAGE tool (Simulation Tool Of Emission Radiolysis Gas), the other deals with the hydrogen source term gas, produced by radiolysis of the cement matrices (the Damar tool). The approach used by the STORAGE tool for assessing the production rate of radiolysis gases is divided into five steps: 1) Specification of the data packages, in particular, inventories and radiological materials defined for a package medium; 2) Determination of radiochemical yields for the different constituents and the laws of behavior associated, this determination of radiochemical yields is made from the PRELOG database in which radiochemical yields in different irradiation conditions have been compiled; 3) Definition of hypothesis concerning the composition and the distribution of contamination inside the package to allow assessment of the power absorbed by the constituents; 4) Sum-up of all the contributions; And finally, 5) validation calculations by comparison with a reduced sampling of packages. Comparisons with measured values confirm the conservative character of the methodology and give confidence in the safety margins for safety analysis report.

Haptic over visual information in the distribution of visual attention after tool-use in near and far space.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, George D; Reed, Catherine L

2015-10-01

Despite attentional prioritization for grasping space near the hands, tool-use appears to transfer attentional bias to the tool's end/functional part. The contributions of haptic and visual inputs to attentional distribution along a tool were investigated as a function of tool-use in near (Experiment 1) and far (Experiment 2) space. Visual attention was assessed with a 50/50, go/no-go, target discrimination task, while a tool was held next to targets appearing near the tool-occupied hand or tool-end. Target response times (RTs) and sensitivity (d-prime) were measured at target locations, before and after functional tool practice for three conditions: (1) open-tool: tool-end visible (visual + haptic inputs), (2) hidden-tool: tool-end visually obscured (haptic input only), and (3) short-tool: stick missing tool's length/end (control condition: hand occupied but no visual/haptic input). In near space, both open- and hidden-tool groups showed a tool-end, attentional bias (faster RTs toward tool-end) before practice; after practice, RTs near the hand improved. In far space, the open-tool group showed no bias before practice; after practice, target RTs near the tool-end improved. However, the hidden-tool group showed a consistent tool-end bias despite practice. Lack of short-tool group results suggested that hidden-tool group results were specific to haptic inputs. In conclusion, (1) allocation of visual attention along a tool due to tool practice differs in near and far space, and (2) visual attention is drawn toward the tool's end even when visually obscured, suggesting haptic input provides sufficient information for directing attention along the tool.

Hand biometric recognition based on fused hand geometry and vascular patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, GiTae; Kim, Soowon

2013-02-28

A hand biometric authentication method based on measurements of the user's hand geometry and vascular pattern is proposed. To acquire the hand geometry, the thickness of the side view of the hand, the K-curvature with a hand-shaped chain code, the lengths and angles of the finger valleys, and the lengths and profiles of the fingers were used, and for the vascular pattern, the direction-based vascular-pattern extraction method was used, and thus, a new multimodal biometric approach is proposed. The proposed multimodal biometric system uses only one image to extract the feature points. This system can be configured for low-cost devices. Our multimodal biometric-approach hand-geometry (the side view of the hand and the back of hand) and vascular-pattern recognition method performs at the score level. The results of our study showed that the equal error rate of the proposed system was 0.06%.

Hand Hygiene With Alcohol-Based Hand Rub: How Long Is Long Enough?

Science.gov (United States)

Pires, Daniela; Soule, Hervé; Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Fernando; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Pittet, Didier

2017-05-01

BACKGROUND Hand hygiene is the core element of infection prevention and control. The optimal hand-hygiene gesture, however, remains poorly defined. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the influence of hand-rubbing duration on the reduction of bacterial counts on the hands of healthcare personnel (HCP). METHODS We performed an experimental study based on the European Norm 1500. Hand rubbing was performed for 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, or 60 seconds, according to the WHO technique using 3 mL alcohol-based hand rub. Hand contamination with E. coli ATCC 10536 was followed by hand rubbing and sampling. A generalized linear mixed model with a random effect on the subject adjusted for hand size and gender was used to analyze the reduction in bacterial counts after each hand-rubbing action. In addition, hand-rubbing durations of 15 and 30 seconds were compared to assert non-inferiority (0.6 log10). RESULTS In total, 32 HCP performed 123 trials. All durations of hand rubbing led to significant reductions in bacterial counts (Phand rubbing were not significantly different from those obtained after 30 seconds. The mean bacterial reduction after 15 seconds of hand rubbing was 0.11 log10 lower (95% CI, -0.46 to 0.24) than after 30 seconds, demonstrating non-inferiority. CONCLUSIONS Hand rubbing for 15 seconds was not inferior to 30 seconds in reducing bacterial counts on hands under the described experimental conditions. There was no gain in reducing bacterial counts from hand rubbing longer than 30 seconds. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of our findings. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:547-552.

Chapter 04: Bloodless wood specimen preparation for hand lens observation

Science.gov (United States)

Alex Wiedenhoeft

2011-01-01

The single most difficult physical skill involved in wood identification is producing a smoothly prepared surface for observing anatomical features. This skill must be practiced patiently; it takes time to become proficient at this task. Producing a cleanly cut surface is also the only appreciably dangerous aspect of wood identification with a hand lens; the tools used...

The hand hygiene compliance of student nurses during clinical placements.

Science.gov (United States)

Sundal, Jorun Saetre; Aune, Anne Grethe; Storvig, Eline; Aasland, Jenny Kristin; Fjeldsaeter, Kaja Linn; Torjuul, Kirsti

2017-12-01

To observe student nurses' overall and moment-specific hand hygiene compliance during clinical placement. Hand hygiene is the single most important measure to prevent healthcare-associated infections. However, research has shown low compliance among healthcare workers. During clinical placements, student nurses perform various nursing tasks and procedures to a large number of patients, requiring extensive patient contact. It is crucial that they practice correct hand hygiene to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Open, standardised and nonparticipating observations. Twenty-nine student nurses were observed three times for 20 ± 10 min during clinical placement in a Norwegian university hospital. To measure compliance, we used WHO's Hand Hygiene Observation tool, based on the model "My five moments for hand hygiene". Overall hand hygiene compliance in the student group was 83.5%. Highest moment-specific compliance was after touching patient surroundings, after touching patients and after body fluid exposure risk. Lowest moment-specific compliance was recorded before touching patients or patient surroundings, and before clean/aseptic procedures. Nurse education needs to be improved both theoretically and during clinical placements in order to advance and sustain compliance among student nurses. Increasing healthcare workers' compliance with hand hygiene guidelines remains a challenge to the clinical community. In order to reduce healthcare-associated infections, it is important to educate student nurses to comply with the guidelines during clinical placements. Identifying student nurses' hand hygiene performance is the first step towards developing teaching methods to improve and sustain their overall and moment-specific compliance. As a measure to ensure student compliance during clinical placements, mentors should be aware of their influence on students' performance, act as hand hygiene ambassadors, encourage students to comply with established guidelines

Changing the balance of power – Worldwide air force`s capability turbulences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel NEČAS

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In past Century, the air power had undergone a significant journey. In its humble beginnings during WWI an airplane proved itself a perspective and highly capable new weapon. WWII demonstrated the importance of air superiority for waging a global warfare. The Cold War mastered technologies enabling air power to be not only a weapon a mass destruction but also a surgical tool. On one hand, an aircraft has become a state of art technology, yet on the other hand a cost for its development, procurement, and servicing grew into an astronomic levels. Therefore, since mid 1970s there have been trends to shift airpower from quantity into quality, which has gained a new moment with the end of the Cold War. Starting with the first Gulf War, in past two decades demonstrated a growing importance of a multirole fighter aircraft that is able to carry out a full specter of missions for minimal costs. When analyzing five most potent airpowers of the 21st century, we can witness that this is the trend is on and it will surely continue in future.

Improving hand sensibility in vibration induced neuropathy: A case-series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lundborg Göran

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives We report a long-term series of nine workers suffering from vibration-induced neuropathy, after many years of exposure to hand-held vibrating tools at high or low frequency. They were treated with temporary selective cutaneous anaesthesia (EMLA® cream of the forearm repeatedly for a period up to one year (in two cases four years. The aim was to improve their capacity to perceive touch and thereby improve hand function and diminish disability. The treatment principle is based on current concepts of brain plasticity, where a deafferentation of a skin area results in improved sensory function in adjacent skin areas. Methods All participants had sensory hand problems in terms of numbness (median touch thresholds > 70 mg and impaired hand function influencing ADL (mean DASH score 22. After an initial identical self-administered treatment period of 8 weeks (12-15 treatments with increasing intervals they did one treatment every 2-3 month. Results After one year sensibility (touch thresholds and tactile discrimination as well as hand function (mean DASH score 13 were improved in a majority of the cases. Seven of the participants choose to continue the treatment after the first year and two of them have continued at a regular basis for up to four years. A surprising, secondary finding was diminishing nocturnal numbness of the hand and arm in eight of the nine subjects from "frequently" to "hardly ever or never". Conclusions Our observations open new perspectives for treatment of impaired sensibility and hand function in a group of patients with vibration induced hand problems where we have no treatment to offer today.

Hand in Hand - SEI Programmes for School Staff

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Birgitte Lund; Réol, Lise Andersen; Laursen, Hilmar Dyrborg

2017-01-01

This catalogue of research in the field of SEI programmes for the school staff’s and teachers’ SEI competencies is based on a review performed by the main researchers Birgitte Lund Nielsen, Lise Andersen Réol and Hilmar Dyrborg Laursen, VIA University College, Denmark, but discussed by the entire...... team of Hand in Hand partner countries and researchers. The aim was to identify the central aspects and elements concerning successful implementation, and school staff’s development of professional competencies in the specific field of supporting students’ social, emotional and intercultural (SEI......) competencies. Abstract: Framed by the EU-project Hand in Hand focusing on Social, Emotional and Intercultural (SEI) competencies among students and school staff, the paper discusses implementation and professional competencies based on a research review. The following five topics were identified: 1...

Examination of issues related to the development and implementation of real-time operational safety monitoring tools in the nuclear power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puglia, William J.; Atefi, Bahman

1995-01-01

In recent years, risk and reliability techniques have been increasingly used to optimize deterministic requirements and to improve the operational safety of nuclear power stations. This paper discusses the historical development and current status of implementation of real-time operational safety monitoring tools in the nuclear power industry worldwide. A safety monitor is defined as a PC-based risk management tool, based on a plant specific PSA, which can be used to manage plant safety during the day-to-day operation of a nuclear power plant by planning maintenance activities and providing advisory information to plant operational staff in order to avoid high risk plant configurations. As this technique has only been applied in a few plants worldwide, the technology is still evolving and there are several technical and implementation-related issues which still need to be resolved. This paper attempts to summarize all such issues and describe how they have been addressed in several different applications of this technology around the world

Beginning Power BI with Excel 2013 self-service business intelligence using Power Pivot, Power View, Power Query, and Power Map

CERN Document Server

Clark, Dan

2014-01-01

Understanding your company's data has never been easier than with Microsoft's new Power BI package for Excel 2013. Consisting of four powerful tools-Power Pivot, Power View, Power Query and Power Maps-Power BI makes self-service business intelligence a reality for a wide range of users, bridging the traditional gap between Excel users, business analysts and IT experts and making it easier for everyone to work together to build the data models that can give you game-changing insights into your business. Beginning Power BI with Excel 2013 guides you step by step through the process of analyzin

Hand Biometric Recognition Based on Fused Hand Geometry and Vascular Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Park, GiTae; Kim, Soowon

2013-01-01

A hand biometric authentication method based on measurements of the user's hand geometry and vascular pattern is proposed. To acquire the hand geometry, the thickness of the side view of the hand, the K-curvature with a hand-shaped chain code, the lengths and angles of the finger valleys, and the lengths and profiles of the fingers were used, and for the vascular pattern, the direction-based vascular-pattern extraction method was used, and thus, a new multimodal biometric approach is proposed. The proposed multimodal biometric system uses only one image to extract the feature points. This system can be configured for low-cost devices. Our multimodal biometric-approach hand-geometry (the side view of the hand and the back of hand) and vascular-pattern recognition method performs at the score level. The results of our study showed that the equal error rate of the proposed system was 0.06%. PMID:23449119

Pro Tools All-in-One For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Strong, Jeff

2012-01-01

A professional musician guides serious hobbyists through Pro Tool Pro Tools puts professional recording and music production software in the hands of anyone with the appropriate hardware and the knowledge to use it. Musician and recording engineer Jeff Strong guides you through the latest version of this complex program, offering twice the content of the official guide at a lower price. Eight minibooks cover recording basics, getting started with Pro Tools, recording audio, editing audio, managing MIDI, mixing, mastering, and getting your music to the masses.The latest version of Pro Tools off

Heuristic and probabilistic wind power availability estimation procedures: Improved tools for technology and site selection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nigim, K.A. [University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont. (Canada). Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Parker, Paul [University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont. (Canada). Department of Geography, Environmental Studies

2007-04-15

The paper describes two investigative procedures to estimate wind power from measured wind velocities. Wind velocity data are manipulated to visualize the site potential by investigating the probable wind power availability and its capacity to meet a targeted demand. The first procedure is an availability procedure that looks at the wind characteristics and its probable energy capturing profile. This profile of wind enables the probable maximum operating wind velocity profile for a selected wind turbine design to be predicted. The structured procedures allow for a consequent adjustment, sorting and grouping of the measured wind velocity data taken at different time intervals and hub heights. The second procedure is the adequacy procedure that investigates the probable degree of availability and the application consequences. Both procedures are programmed using MathCAD symbolic mathematical software. The math tool is used to generate a visual interpolation of the data as well as numerical results from extensive data sets that exceed the capacity of conventional spreadsheet tools. Two sites located in Southern Ontario, Canada are investigated using the procedures. Successful implementation of the procedures supports informed decision making where a hill site is shown to have much higher wind potential than that measured at the local airport. The process is suitable for a wide spectrum of users who are considering the energy potential for either a grid-tied or off-grid wind energy system. (author)

Tools for language: patterned iconicity in sign language nouns and verbs.

Science.gov (United States)

Padden, Carol; Hwang, So-One; Lepic, Ryan; Seegers, Sharon

2015-01-01

When naming certain hand-held, man-made tools, American Sign Language (ASL) signers exhibit either of two iconic strategies: a handling strategy, where the hands show holding or grasping an imagined object in action, or an instrument strategy, where the hands represent the shape or a dimension of the object in a typical action. The same strategies are also observed in the gestures of hearing nonsigners identifying pictures of the same set of tools. In this paper, we compare spontaneously created gestures from hearing nonsigning participants to commonly used lexical signs in ASL. Signers and gesturers were asked to respond to pictures of tools and to video vignettes of actions involving the same tools. Nonsigning gesturers overwhelmingly prefer the handling strategy for both the Picture and Video conditions. Nevertheless, they use more instrument forms when identifying tools in pictures, and more handling forms when identifying actions with tools. We found that ASL signers generally favor the instrument strategy when naming tools, but when describing tools being used by an actor, they are significantly more likely to use more handling forms. The finding that both gesturers and signers are more likely to alternate strategies when the stimuli are pictures or video suggests a common cognitive basis for differentiating objects from actions. Furthermore, the presence of a systematic handling/instrument iconic pattern in a sign language demonstrates that a conventionalized sign language exploits the distinction for grammatical purpose, to distinguish nouns and verbs related to tool use. Copyright © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Effectiveness of hand hygiene depends on the patient's health condition and care environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Junko; Yamamizu, Yukiko; Fukai, Kiyoko

2016-10-01

The present authors examined how patient hand contamination was associated with underlying disease and treatment environment in order to determine effective hand hygiene methods. Samples were collected from inpatients (45 with hematological malignancies, 48 postoperative), outpatients (48 undergoing hemodialysis, 55 on chemotherapy), and 44 individuals living in nursing homes. All participants provided informed consent for study participation. All subjects performed hand hygiene. Before and after hand hygiene, samples of bacteria were collected from the palm of the hand onto agar media. Bacteria were counted and bacterial strains were identified. The authors then collected smear samples from the contralateral palm and measured adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. Patient hand contamination was the highest in hemodialysis patients, followed by residents of nursing homes, postoperative patients, patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, and patients of hematological malignancies. Regardless of the underlying disease and treatment environment, patients were able to reduce the number of bacterial colonies and ATP by proper hand hygiene. Compared with wet wipes, hand washing seemed to remove bacteria more effectively. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected in 30 subjects, none of whom were patients of hematological malignancies. Of these, 19 tested negative for MRSA after performing proper hand hygiene. Patient hand contamination is affected by underlying disease and care environment, but can be reduced by encouraging proper hand washing. Proper patient hand hygiene can reduce MRSA on patients' hands, and thus may serve as an effective tool for prevention of healthcare-associated infections. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Guideline Implementation: Hand Hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Judith L

2017-02-01

Performing proper hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis is essential to reducing the rates of health care-associated infections, including surgical site infections. The updated AORN "Guideline for hand hygiene" provides guidance on hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis, the wearing of fingernail polish and artificial nails, proper skin care to prevent dermatitis, the wearing of jewelry, hand hygiene product selection, and quality assurance and performance improvement considerations. This article focuses on key points of the guideline to help perioperative personnel make informed decisions about hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis. The key points address the necessity of keeping fingernails and skin healthy, not wearing jewelry on the hands or wrists in the perioperative area, properly performing hand hygiene and surgical hand antisepsis, and involving patients and visitors in hand hygiene initiatives. Perioperative RNs should review the complete guideline for additional information and for guidance when writing and updating policies and procedures. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eye-hand coupling during closed-loop drawing: evidence of shared motor planning?

Science.gov (United States)

Reina, G Anthony; Schwartz, Andrew B

2003-04-01

Previous paradigms have used reaching movements to study coupling of eye-hand kinematics. In the present study, we investigated eye-hand kinematics as curved trajectories were drawn at normal speeds. Eye and hand movements were tracked as a monkey traced ellipses and circles with the hand in free space while viewing the hand's position on a computer monitor. The results demonstrate that the movement of the hand was smooth and obeyed the 2/3 power law. Eye position, however, was restricted to 2-3 clusters along the hand's trajectory and fixed approximately 80% of the time in one of these clusters. The eye remained stationary as the hand moved away from the fixation for up to 200 ms and saccaded ahead of the hand position to the next fixation along the trajectory. The movement from one fixation cluster to another consistently occurred just after the tangential hand velocity had reached a local minimum, but before the next segment of the hand's trajectory began. The next fixation point was close to an area of high curvature along the hand's trajectory even though the hand had not reached that point along the path. A visuo-motor illusion of hand movement demonstrated that the eye movement was influenced by hand movement and not simply by visual input. During the task, neural activity of pre-motor cortex (area F4) was recorded using extracellular electrodes and used to construct a population vector of the hand's trajectory. The results suggest that the saccade onset is correlated in time with maximum curvature in the population vector trajectory for the hand movement. We hypothesize that eye and arm movements may have common, or shared, information in forming their motor plans.

The Power of Digital Storytelling as a Culturally Relevant Health Promotion Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Briant, Katherine J; Halter, Amy; Marchello, Nathan; Escareño, Monica; Thompson, Beti

2016-11-01

Digital storytelling is an emergent method in health promotion. It addresses health inequities by combining technology with the voices of members of vulnerable, often underrepresented populations. The overall goal of this pilot project was to explore if digital storytelling could be a culturally relevant health promotion tool for Hispanics/Latinos to share their experiences with cancer, or other diseases. Promotores participated in a train-the-trainer workshop. Community members worked with trained promotores to create digital stories through community workshops. We conducted one-on-one interviews with digital story creators to elicit perspectives and assess their experience. One overarching theme among storytellers was the power of storytelling. Supporting subthemes that emerged in the interviews were (1) connection and communication, (2) lack of opportunities and barriers to telling stories, and (3) potential for disease prevention awareness and education. This study found digital storytelling to be culturally relevant for Hispanics/Latinos of Mexican origin. For these storytellers it was a uniquely valuable tool for sharing personal stories of overcoming or managing health issues. Participants found the digital story experience to be positive and beneficial. It provided a healing outlet to reflect on a difficult experience and find support within one's own community. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Robotic set-up to quantify hand-eye behavior in motor execution and learning of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Casellato, Claudia; Gandolla, Marta; Crippa, Alessandro; Pedrocchi, Alessandra

2017-07-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a persistence of social and communication impairment, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. However, motor disorders have also been described, but not objectively assessed. Most studies showed inefficient eye-hand coordination and motor learning in children with ASD; in other experiments, mechanisms of acquisition of internal models in self-generated movements appeared to be normal in autism. In this framework, we have developed a robotic protocol, recording gaze and hand data during upper limb tasks, in which a haptic pen-like handle is moved along specific trajectories displayed on the screen. The protocol includes trials of reaching under a perturbing force field and catching moving targets, with or without visual availability of the whole path. We acquired 16 typically-developing scholar-age children and one child with ASD as a case study. Speed-accuracy tradeoff, motor performance, and gaze-hand spatial coordination have been evaluated. Compared to typically developing peers, in the force field sequence, the child with ASD showed an intact but delayed learning, and more variable gazehand patterns. In the catching trials, he showed less efficient movements, but an intact capability of exploiting the available a-priori plan. The proposed protocol represents a powerful tool, easily tunable, for quantitative (longitudinal) assessment, and for subject-tailored training in ASD.

Inspections of Hand Washing Supplies and Hand Sanitizer in Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Mary M.; Blea, Mary; Trujillo, Rebecca; Greenberg, Cynthia

2010-01-01

Hand washing and hand antisepsis are proven infection control measures in the school setting, yet barriers such as lack of soap, paper towels, and hand sanitizer can hinder compliance. This pilot study measured the prevalence of hand cleaning supplies in public schools. Ten school districts (93 schools) participated in school nurse inspections. In…

Improvement of the severe accident practice tool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawasaki, Ikuo; Takahashi, Shunsuke

2016-01-01

We developed the severe accident (SA) practice tool based on lessons learned in the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. We utilized the developed SA practice tool and carried out the SA training for some employees of Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. Afterwards, we examined the opinions given by trainees attending the training lecture and improved the SA practice tool to achieve a better educational effect. The main changes we made were improvement of the practice scenario for EAL judgments and addition of functions to the practice tool such as the EAL explanation document indication. As a result of having carried out the SA education using this practice tool, we determined the tool users could make the right EAL judgment and report the communication vote. Finally, we confirmed that the knowledge necessary for SA correspondence could be given satisfactorily by this practice tool. (author)

Hand hygiene compliance before and after wearing gloves among intensive care unit nurses in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghorbani, Azam; Sadeghi, Leila; Shahrokhi, Akram; Mohammadpour, Asghar; Addo, Mary; Khodadadi, Esmail

2016-11-01

Nosocomial infections are considered a major risk factor in hospital wards, and hand hygiene is the first step in their control. An observational study was conducted in 2015 with 200 nurses working in intensive care units in teaching hospitals of Tabriz, Iran. Data were collected by using the Hand Hygiene Observation Tool questionnaire. The researchers monitored nurses' opportunities for hand hygiene during the 8-week period from February 3-April 4, 2015. A total of 1,067 opportunities occurred for hand hygiene before and after wearing gloves. The results show that hand hygiene compliance before wearing gloves is poor among nurses who work in intensive care units (14.8%). Therefore it is necessary to conduct effective interventions through continuing education programs to improve hand hygiene compliance. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of hand configuration on muscle force coordination, co-contraction and concomitant intermuscular coupling during maximal isometric flexion of the fingers.

Science.gov (United States)

Charissou, Camille; Amarantini, David; Baurès, Robin; Berton, Eric; Vigouroux, Laurent

2017-11-01

The mechanisms governing the control of musculoskeletal redundancy remain to be fully understood. The hand is highly redundant, and shows different functional role of extensors according to its configuration for a same functional task of finger flexion. Through intermuscular coherence analysis combined with hand musculoskeletal modelling during maximal isometric hand contractions, our aim was to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying the control of muscle force coordination and agonist-antagonist co-contraction. Thirteen participants performed maximal isometric flexions of the fingers in two configurations: power grip (Power) and finger-pressing on a surface (Press). Hand kinematics and force/moment measurements were used as inputs in a musculoskeletal model of the hand to determine muscular tensions and co-contraction. EMG-EMG coherence analysis was performed between wrist and finger flexors and extensor muscle pairs in alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands. Concomitantly with tailored muscle force coordination and increased co-contraction between Press and Power (mean difference: 48.08%; p force coordination during hand contractions. Our results highlight the functional importance of intermuscular coupling as a mechanism contributing to the control of muscle force synergies and agonist-antagonist co-contraction.

Effect of hand sanitizer location on hand hygiene compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cure, Laila; Van Enk, Richard

2015-09-01

Hand hygiene is the most important intervention to prevent infection in hospitals. Health care workers should clean their hands at least before and after contact with patients. Hand sanitizer dispensers are important to support hand hygiene because they can be made available throughout hospital units. The aim of this study was to determine whether the usability of sanitizer dispensers correlates with compliance of staff in using the sanitizer in a hospital. This study took place in a Midwest, 404-bed, private, nonprofit community hospital with 15 inpatient care units in addition to several ambulatory units. The usability and standardization of sanitizers in 12 participating inpatient units were evaluated. The hospital measured compliance of staff with hand hygiene as part of their quality improvement program. Data from 2010-2012 were analyzed to measure the relationship between compliance and usability using mixed-effects logistic regression models. The total usability score (P = .0046), visibility (P = .003), and accessibility of the sanitizer on entrance to the patient room (P = .00055) were statistically associated with higher observed compliance rates. Standardization alone showed no significant impact on observed compliance (P = .37). Hand hygiene compliance can be influenced by visibility and accessibility of dispensers. The sanitizer location should be part of multifaceted interventions to improve hand hygiene. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective use of pre-job briefing as tool for the prevention of human error; Effektive Nutzung der Arbeitsvorbesprechung als Werkzeug zur Vermeidung von Fehlhandlungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlump, Ansgar [KLE GmbH, Lingen (Germany). Kernkraftwerk Emsland

2015-06-15

There is a fundamental demand to minimise the risks for workers and facilities while executing maintenance work. To ensure that facilities are secure and reliable, any deviation from normal operation behaviour has to be avoided. Accurate planning is the basis for minimising mistakes and making work more secure. All workers involved should understand how the work should be done and what is expected to avoid human errors. Especially in nuclear power plants, the human performance tools (HPT) have proved to be an effective instrument to minimise human errors. These human performance tools consist of numerous different tools that complement each other (e.g. pre-job briefing). The safety culture of the plants is also characterised by these tools. The choice of using the right HP-Tool is often a difficult task for the work planer. On the one hand, he wants to avoid mistakes during the execution of work but on the other hand he does not want to irritate the workers with unnecessary requirements. The proposed concept uses a simple risk analysis to take into account the complexity of the task, the experience of the past and the consequences of failure in to account. One main result of this risk analysis is a recommendation of the detailing of the pre-job briefing, to reduce the risks for the involved staff to a minimum.

Epidural electrocorticography of phantom hand movement following long-term upper-limb amputation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza eGharabaghi

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Prostheses for upper-limb amputees are currently controlled by either myoelectric or peripheral neural signals. Performance and dexterity of these devices is still limited, particularly when it comes to controlling hand function. Movement-related brain activity might serve as a complementary bio-signal for motor control of hand prosthesis. Methods: We introduced a methodology to implant a cortical interface without direct exposure of the brain surface in an upper-limb amputee. This bi-directional interface enabled us to explore the cortical physiology following long-term transhumeral amputation. In addition, we investigated neurofeedback of electrocorticographic brain activity related to the patient’s motor imagery to open his missing hand, i.e. phantom hand movement, for real-time control of a virtual hand prosthesis.Results: Both event-related brain potentials and cortical stimulation revealed mutually overlapping cortical representations of the phantom hand. Phantom hand movements could be robustly classified and the patient required only three training sessions to gain reliable control of the virtual hand prosthesis in an online closed-loop paradigm that discriminated between hand opening and rest. Conclusion: Epidural implants may constitute a powerful and safe alternative communication pathway between the brain and external devices for upper-limb amputees, thereby facilitating the integrated use of different signal sources for more intuitive and specific control of multi-functional devices in clinical use.

Dosimetry of hands and human factor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harr, R.

2008-12-01

The human factor in facilities where open radioactive sources are managed it can be controlled through the use of the ring dosimetry, however, that these devices only provide qualitative information that is not extrapolated to legislative limits. lt is present the case analysis of hands dosimetry of female person with responsibility for professional standards and a very high profile with ratings that allow her to have a high level of knowledge of the basic standards, and because with an attitude and a culture rooted of radiation protection, among other qualities. Their records reveal a trend in which monthly doses are below the 7 mSv, and only occasionally are between 7 and 12 mSv per month and hand. The other case correspond to a technician, trained in radiological techniques, also with a high profile, with two courses for occupationally exposed personnel more than 10 annual retraining, and work experience of over 10 years as occupationally exposed personnel, in which knowledge of standards and because of the entrenched culture of radiation protection and their interest degree in the care of their exposure is still in a phase half, in this case also shows a trend in the monthly dose where found registers between 7 and 11 mSv per month and hand. The third case is of a second technician with less experience and most basic knowledge, his dose register not show a real trend, sometimes be found reads of irregular values as if the dosimeter is not used and some other times as if misused by exposing to purpose (was observed at least one reading above the monthly 30 mSv). By way of conclusion, it is noted that the hands dosimetry is a useful tool to monitor transactions through the data compilation susceptible to analysis with variations which can be placed in the context of the human factor. (Author)

Hand hygiene strategies

OpenAIRE

Yazaji, Eskandar Alex

2011-01-01

Hand hygiene is one of the major players in preventing healthcare associated infections. However, healthcare workers compliance with hand hygiene continues to be a challenge. This article will address strategies to help improving hand hygiene compliance. Keywords: hand hygiene; healthcare associated infections; multidisciplinary program; system change; accountability; education; feedback(Published: 18 July 2011)Citation: Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2011, 1: 72...

The human hand as an inspiration for robot hand development

CERN Document Server

Santos, Veronica

2014-01-01

“The Human Hand as an Inspiration for Robot Hand Development” presents an edited collection of authoritative contributions in the area of robot hands. The results described in the volume are expected to lead to more robust, dependable, and inexpensive distributed systems such as those endowed with complex and advanced sensing, actuation, computation, and communication capabilities. The twenty-four chapters discuss the field of robotic grasping and manipulation viewed in light of the human hand’s capabilities and push the state-of-the-art in robot hand design and control. Topics discussed include human hand biomechanics, neural control, sensory feedback and perception, and robotic grasp and manipulation. This book will be useful for researchers from diverse areas such as robotics, biomechanics, neuroscience, and anthropologists.

The entropy concept. A powerful tool for multiphase flow analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolev, Nikolay Ivanov

2007-01-01

This work summarizes the system of partial differential equations describing multiphase, multi-component flows in arbitrary geometry including porous structures with arbitrary thermal and mechanical interactions among the fields and between each field and the structure. Each of the fluids is designed as a universal mixture of miscible and immiscible component. The system contains the rigorously derived entropy equations which are used instead of the primitive form of the energy conservation. Based on well established mathematical theorems the equations are local volume and time averaged. The so called volume conservation equation allowing establishing close coupling between pressure and density changes of all of the participating velocity fields is presented. It replaces one of the mass conservation equations. The system is solved within the computer code system IVA together with large number of constitutive relationships for closing it in arbitrary geometry. The extensive validation on many hundreds of simple- and complex experiments, including the many industrial applications, demonstrates the versatility and the power of this analytical tool for designing complex processes in the industry and analyzing complex processes in the nature. (author)

Testing tool for software concerning nuclear power plant safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulc'h, J.; Le Meur, M.; Collart, J.M.; Segalard, J.; Uberschlag, J.

1984-11-01

In the present case, softwares to be analyzed are all written in assembler language. This paper presents the study and the realization of a tool to analyze softwares which have an important role for nuclear reactor protection and sauvegarde: principles of the tool design, working principle, realization and evolution of dynamic analyze tool [fr

The electric power engineering handbook electric power transformer engineering

CERN Document Server

Harlow, James H

2012-01-01

Electric Power Transformer Engineering, Third Edition expounds the latest information and developments to engineers who are familiar with basic principles and applications, perhaps including a hands-on working knowledge of power transformers. Targeting all from the merely curious to seasoned professionals and acknowledged experts, its content is structured to enable readers to easily access essential material in order to appreciate the many facets of an electric power transformer.Topically structured in three parts, the book: * Illustrates for electrical engineers the relevant theories and pri

Development of a new assessment tool for cervical myelopathy using hand-tracking sensor: Part 2: normative values.

Science.gov (United States)

Alagha, M Abdulhadi; Alagha, Mahmoud A; Dunstan, Eleanor; Sperwer, Olaf; Timmins, Kate A; Boszczyk, Bronek M

2017-04-01

To set a baseline measurement of the number of hand flexion-extension cycles and analyse the degree of motion in young healthy individuals, measured by leap motion controller (LMC), besides describing gender and dominant hand differences. Fifty healthy participants were asked to fully grip-and-release their dominant hand as rapidly as possible for a maximum of 3 min or until subjects fatigued, while wearing a non-metal wrist splint. Participants also performed a 15-s grip-and-release test. An assessor blindly counted the frequency of grip-and-release cycles and magnitude of motion from the LMC data. The mean number of the 15-s G-R cycles recorded by LMC was: 47.7 ± 6.5 (test 1, LMC); and 50.2 ± 6.5 (test 2, LMC). In the 3-min test, the total number of hand flexion-extension cycles and the degree of motion decreased as the person fatigued. However, the decline in frequency preceded that of motion's magnitude. The mean frequency of cycles per 10-s interval decreased from 35.4 to 26.6 over the 3 min. Participants reached fatigue from 59.38 s; 43 participants were able to complete the 3-min test. Normative values of the frequency of cycles and extent of motion for young healthy individuals, aged 18-35 years, are provided. Future work is needed to establish values in a wider age range and in a clinical setting.

Constraint Study for a Hand Exoskeleton: Human Hand Kinematics and Dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fai Chen Chen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In the last few years, the number of projects studying the human hand from the robotic point of view has increased rapidly, due to the growing interest in academic and industrial applications. Nevertheless, the complexity of the human hand given its large number of degrees of freedom (DoF within a significantly reduced space requires an exhaustive analysis, before proposing any applications. The aim of this paper is to provide a complete summary of the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the human hand as a preliminary step towards the development of hand devices such as prosthetic/robotic hands and exoskeletons imitating the human hand shape and functionality. A collection of data and constraints relevant to hand movements is presented, and the direct and inverse kinematics are solved for all the fingers as well as the dynamics; anthropometric data and dynamics equations allow performing simulations to understand the behavior of the finger.

Development of effective tool for iterative design of human machine interfaces in nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagawa, Takashi; Matsuo, Satoko; Yoshikawa, Hidekazu; Wu, Wei; Kameda, Akiyuki; Fumizawa, Motoo

2000-01-01

The authors have developed SEAMAID, which is a Simulation-based Evaluation and Analysis support system for MAn-machine Interface Design (SEAMAID) in the domain of nuclear power plants. The SEAMAID simulated the interaction between an operator and human machine interfaces (HMI), and supports to evaluate the HMI by using the simulation results. In this paper, a case study of evaluation for conventional center control room design was conducted. The authors were confirmed that SEAMAID is a useful tool for improvements of HMI design (J.P.N.)

HyPro: A Multi-DoF Hybrid-Powered Transradial Robotic Prosthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Semasinghe

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a multi-DoF hybrid-powered transradial robotic prosthesis, named HyPro. The HyPro consists of two prosthetic units: hand and wrist that can achieve five grasping patterns such as power grasp, tip grasp, lateral grasp, hook grasp, and index point. It is an underactuated device with 15 degrees of freedom. A hybrid powering concept is proposed and implemented on hand unit of HyPro where the key focus is on restoration of grasp functions of biological hand. A novel underactuated mechanism is introduced to achieve the required hand preshaping for a given grasping pattern using electric power in the pregrasp stage and body power is used in grasp stage to execute the final grasping action with the selected fingers. Unlike existing hybrid prostheses where each of the joints is separately controlled by either electric or body power, the proposed prosthesis is capable of delivering grasping power in combination. The wrist unit of HyPro is designed and developed to achieve flexion-extension and supination-pronation using electric power. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the functionality and performance of the proposed hybrid-powered robotic prosthesis. The results verified the potential of HyPro to perform intended grasping patterns effectively and efficiently.

Electronic hand hygiene monitoring as a tool for reducing health care-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, J William; Blackhurst, Dawn; McAtee, Wendy; Steed, Connie

2016-08-01

Electronic monitoring of hand hygiene compliance using the World Health Organization's My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene is a new innovation that has not yet been shown to reduce hospital infections. We analyzed existing data from 23 inpatient units over a 33-month period and found a significant correlation between unit-specific improvements in electronic monitoring compliance and reductions in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection rates (r = -0.37, P < .001). Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational noise exposure in small scale hand tools manufacturing (forging) industry (SSI) in Northern India.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Lakhwinder Pal; Bhardwaj, Arvind; Deepak, K K; Bedi, Raman

2009-08-01

Occupational noise has been recognized as hazardous for the human beings. A high noise level in forging shops is considered to lower the labour productivity and cause illness however occupational noise is being accepted as an integral part of the job. The present study has been carried out in 5 small scale hand tool forging units (SSI) of different sizes in Northern India in Punjab. Noise levels at various sections were measured. OSHA norms for hearing conservation has been incorporated which includes an exchange rate of 5 dB (A), criterion level at 90 dB (A), criterion time of 8 h, threshold level=80 dB (A), upper limit=140 dB (A) and with F/S response rate. Equivalent sound pressure level (L(eq)) has been measured in various sections of these plants. Noise at various sections like hammer section, cutting presses, punching, grinding and barrelling process was found to be >90 dB (A), which is greater than OSHA norms. A cross-sectional study on the basis of questionnaire has been carried out. The results of which revealed that 68% of the workers are not wearing ear protective equipments out of these 50% were not provided with PPE by the company. About 95% of the workers were suffering speech interference though high noise annoyance was reported by only 20%. It has been established that the maximum noise exposure is being taken by the workers as they are working more than 8h a day for six days per week. More than 90% workers are working 12 to 24 h over time per week which lead to very high noise exposure i.e. 50 to 80% per week higher than exposure time/week in USA or European countries(15, 16)).

HandTutor™ enhanced hand rehabilitation after stroke--a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmeli, Eli; Peleg, Sara; Bartur, Gadi; Elbo, Enbal; Vatine, Jean-Jacques

2011-12-01

This study assessed the potential therapeutic benefi t of using HandTutor™ in combination with traditional rehabilitation in a post-stroke sub-acute population. The study compares an experimental group receiving traditional therapy combined with HandTutorTM treatment, against a control group receiving only traditional therapy. An assessor-blinded, randomized controlled pilot trial, was conducted in the Reuth rehabilitation unit in Israel. Thirty-one stroke patients in the sub-acute phase, were randomly assigned to one of the two groups (experimental or control) in sets of three. The experimental group (n = 16) underwent a hand rehabilitation programme using the HandTutorTM combined with traditional therapy. The control group (n = 15) received only traditional therapy. The treatment schedules for both groups were of similar duration and frequency. Improvements were evaluated using three indicators: 1) The Brunnström-Fugl-Meyer (FM) test, 2) the Box and Blocks (B&B) test and 3) improvement parameters as determined by the HandTutorTM software. Following 15 consecutive treatment sessions, a signifi cant improvement was observed within the experimental group (95% confi dence intervals) compared with the control group: B&B p = 0.015; FM p = 0.041, HandTutor™ performance accuracy on x axis and performance accuracy on y axis p stroke hand function rehabilitation.

Safety requirements for a nuclear power plant electric power system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fouad, L F; Shinaishin, M A

1988-06-15

This work aims at identifying the safety requirements for the electric power system in a typical nuclear power plant, in view of the UNSRC and the IAEA. Description of a typical system is provided, followed by a presentation of the scope of the information required for safety evaluation of the system design and performance. The acceptance and design criteria that must be met as being specified by both regulatory systems, are compared. Means of implementation of such criteria as being described in the USNRC regulatory guides and branch technical positions on one hand and in the IAEA safety guides on the other hand are investigated. It is concluded that the IAEA regulations address the problems that may be faced with in countries having varying grid sizes ranging from large stable to small potentially unstable ones; and that they put emphasis on the onsite standby power supply. Also, in this respect the Americans identify the grid as the preferred power supply to the plant auxiliaries, while the IAEA leaves the possibility that the preferred power supply could be either the grid or the unit main generator depending on the reliability of each. Therefore, it is found that it is particularly necessary in this area of electric power supplies to deal with the IAEA and the American sets of regulations as if each complements and not supplements the other. (author)

Spacetime algebra as a powerful tool for electromagnetism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dressel, Justin, E-mail: prof.justin.dressel@gmail.com [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 (United States); Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Bliokh, Konstantin Y. [Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Interdisciplinary Theoretical Science Research Group (iTHES), RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Nori, Franco [Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS), RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Physics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States)

2015-08-08

We present a comprehensive introduction to spacetime algebra that emphasizes its practicality and power as a tool for the study of electromagnetism. We carefully develop this natural (Clifford) algebra of the Minkowski spacetime geometry, with a particular focus on its intrinsic (and often overlooked) complex structure. Notably, the scalar imaginary that appears throughout the electromagnetic theory properly corresponds to the unit 4-volume of spacetime itself, and thus has physical meaning. The electric and magnetic fields are combined into a single complex and frame-independent bivector field, which generalizes the Riemann–Silberstein complex vector that has recently resurfaced in studies of the single photon wavefunction. The complex structure of spacetime also underpins the emergence of electromagnetic waves, circular polarizations, the normal variables for canonical quantization, the distinction between electric and magnetic charge, complex spinor representations of Lorentz transformations, and the dual (electric–magnetic field exchange) symmetry that produces helicity conservation in vacuum fields. This latter symmetry manifests as an arbitrary global phase of the complex field, motivating the use of a complex vector potential, along with an associated transverse and gauge-invariant bivector potential, as well as complex (bivector and scalar) Hertz potentials. Our detailed treatment aims to encourage the use of spacetime algebra as a readily available and mature extension to existing vector calculus and tensor methods that can greatly simplify the analysis of fundamentally relativistic objects like the electromagnetic field.

Spacetime algebra as a powerful tool for electromagnetism

Science.gov (United States)

Dressel, Justin; Bliokh, Konstantin Y.; Nori, Franco

2015-08-01

We present a comprehensive introduction to spacetime algebra that emphasizes its practicality and power as a tool for the study of electromagnetism. We carefully develop this natural (Clifford) algebra of the Minkowski spacetime geometry, with a particular focus on its intrinsic (and often overlooked) complex structure. Notably, the scalar imaginary that appears throughout the electromagnetic theory properly corresponds to the unit 4-volume of spacetime itself, and thus has physical meaning. The electric and magnetic fields are combined into a single complex and frame-independent bivector field, which generalizes the Riemann-Silberstein complex vector that has recently resurfaced in studies of the single photon wavefunction. The complex structure of spacetime also underpins the emergence of electromagnetic waves, circular polarizations, the normal variables for canonical quantization, the distinction between electric and magnetic charge, complex spinor representations of Lorentz transformations, and the dual (electric-magnetic field exchange) symmetry that produces helicity conservation in vacuum fields. This latter symmetry manifests as an arbitrary global phase of the complex field, motivating the use of a complex vector potential, along with an associated transverse and gauge-invariant bivector potential, as well as complex (bivector and scalar) Hertz potentials. Our detailed treatment aims to encourage the use of spacetime algebra as a readily available and mature extension to existing vector calculus and tensor methods that can greatly simplify the analysis of fundamentally relativistic objects like the electromagnetic field.

Some lemma on spectrum of eigen value regarding power method

Science.gov (United States)

Jamali, A. R. M. Jalal Uddin; Alam, Md. Sah

2017-04-01

Eigen value problems arise in almost all science and engineering fields. There exist some smart methods in literature in which most of them are able to find only Eigen values but could not find corresponding Eigen vectors. There exist many engineering as well as scientific fields in which both largest as well as smallest Eigen pairs are required. Power method is very simple but a powerful tool for finding largest Eigen value and corresponding Eigen vector (Eigen-pair). Again Inverse Power method is applied to find out smallest Eigen-pair and/or desire Eigen-pairs. But it is known that Inverse Power method is computationally very costly. On the other hand by using shifting property, Power method can find further Eigen-pairs. But the position of this Eigen value in the set of spectrum of the Eigen values is not identified. In this regard we proposed four lemma associate with Modified Power method. Each Lemma is proved ornately. The Modified Power method is implemented and illustrates an example for the verification of the Lemma. By using lemma the modified power algorithm is able to find out both largest and smallest Eigen-pairs successfully and efficiently in some cases. Moreover by the help of the Lemma, algorithm is able to detect the nature (positive and negative) of the Eigen values.

The Avocado Hand

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Rahmani, G

2017-11-01

Accidental self-inflicted knife injuries to digits are a common cause of tendon and nerve injury requiring hand surgery. There has been an apparent increase in avocado related hand injuries. Classically, the patients hold the avocado in their non-dominant hand while using a knife to cut\\/peel the fruit with their dominant hand. The mechanism of injury is usually a stabbing injury to the non-dominant hand as the knife slips past the stone, through the soft avocado fruit. Despite their apparent increased incidence, we could not find any cases in the literature which describe the “avocado hand”. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman who sustained a significant hand injury while preparing an avocado. She required exploration and repair of a digital nerve under regional anaesthesia and has since made a full recovery.

Going Google: Powerful Tools for 21st Century Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Covili, Jared

2012-01-01

Google is more than a search engine--it offers many tools that give people the opportunity to work virtually from anywhere, with anyone, at any time they choose. And these tools are available to teachers and students for free. This book for K-12 educators explores the wide array of Google tools and shows how to use them in the classroom to foster…

Development of a non-contact diagnostic tool for high power lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Jed A.; Guttman, Jeffrey L.; McCauley, John

2016-03-01

High power lasers in excess of 1 kW generate enough Rayleigh scatter, even in the NIR, to be detected by silicon based sensor arrays. A lens and camera system in an off-axis position can therefore be used as a non-contact diagnostic tool for high power lasers. Despite the simplicity of the concept, technical challenges have been encountered in the development of an instrument referred to as BeamWatch. These technical challenges include reducing background radiation, achieving high signal to noise ratio, reducing saturation events caused by particulates crossing the beam, correcting images to achieve accurate beam width measurements, creating algorithms for the removal of non-uniformities, and creating two simultaneous views of the beam from orthogonal directions. Background radiation in the image was reduced by the proper positioning of the back plane and the placement of absorbing materials on the internal surfaces of BeamWatch. Maximizing signal to noise ratio, important to the real-time monitoring of focus position, was aided by increasing lens throughput. The number of particulates crossing the beam path was reduced by creating a positive pressure inside BeamWatch. Algorithms in the software removed non-uniformities in the data prior to generating waist width, divergence, BPP, and M2 results. A dual axis version of BeamWatch was developed by the use of mirrors. By its nature BeamWatch produced results similar to scanning slit measurements. Scanning slit data was therefore taken and compared favorably with BeamWatch results.

Real-Time Hand Posture Recognition Using a Range Camera

Science.gov (United States)

Lahamy, Herve

The basic goal of human computer interaction is to improve the interaction between users and computers by making computers more usable and receptive to the user's needs. Within this context, the use of hand postures in replacement of traditional devices such as keyboards, mice and joysticks is being explored by many researchers. The goal is to interpret human postures via mathematical algorithms. Hand posture recognition has gained popularity in recent years, and could become the future tool for humans to interact with computers or virtual environments. An exhaustive description of the frequently used methods available in literature for hand posture recognition is provided. It focuses on the different types of sensors and data used, the segmentation and tracking methods, the features used to represent the hand postures as well as the classifiers considered in the recognition process. Those methods are usually presented as highly robust with a recognition rate close to 100%. However, a couple of critical points necessary for a successful real-time hand posture recognition system require major improvement. Those points include the features used to represent the hand segment, the number of postures simultaneously recognizable, the invariance of the features with respect to rotation, translation and scale and also the behavior of the classifiers against non-perfect hand segments for example segments including part of the arm or missing part of the palm. A 3D time-of-flight camera named SR4000 has been chosen to develop a new methodology because of its capability to provide in real-time and at high frame rate 3D information on the scene imaged. This sensor has been described and evaluated for its capability for capturing in real-time a moving hand. A new recognition method that uses the 3D information provided by the range camera to recognize hand postures has been proposed. The different steps of this methodology including the segmentation, the tracking, the hand

Cosmopolitan and Established Resources of Power in the Education Arena

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weenink, D.

2007-01-01

The main question in this article is whether new cosmopolitan forms of power, on the one hand, and established forms of power, on the other hand, may lead households to make different educational choices for their children. Two types of Dutch secondary education are compared: internationalized

Classification of right-hand grasp movement based on EMOTIV Epoc+

Science.gov (United States)

Tobing, T. A. M. L.; Prawito, Wijaya, S. K.

2017-07-01

Combinations of BCT elements for right-hand grasp movement have been obtained, providing the average value of their classification accuracy. The aim of this study is to find a suitable combination for best classification accuracy of right-hand grasp movement based on EEG headset, EMOTIV Epoc+. There are three movement classifications: grasping hand, relax, and opening hand. These classifications take advantage of Event-Related Desynchronization (ERD) phenomenon that makes it possible to differ relaxation, imagery, and movement state from each other. The combinations of elements are the usage of Independent Component Analysis (ICA), spectrum analysis by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), maximum mu and beta power with their frequency as features, and also classifier Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) and Radial Basis Function (RBF). The average values of classification accuracy are ± 83% for training and ± 57% for testing. To have a better understanding of the signal quality recorded by EMOTIV Epoc+, the result of classification accuracy of left or right-hand grasping movement EEG signal (provided by Physionet) also be given, i.e.± 85% for training and ± 70% for testing. The comparison of accuracy value from each combination, experiment condition, and external EEG data are provided for the purpose of value analysis of classification accuracy.

Wireless Power Control for Tactical MANET: Power Rate Bounds

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

J; P. Hande; T. Lan; C. W. Tan [2008] Power Control in Cellular Networks, Now Publishers Inc., Hanover, MA. 12. Chaves, Fabiano de Sousa; F. R. P...Asymptotically Fast Convergence, IEEE Selected Areas in Communications, 18(3). 36. Jian, Tao; Nicholas D. Sidiropoulos; Georgios B. Giannakis [2003] Kalman...Power Control and Its Imperfections in CDMA Cellular Systems, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technologies, 48, pages 1706–1777. 75. Tan , Chee Wei

Ability of Hand Hygiene Interventions Using Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers and Soap To Reduce Microbial Load on Farmworker Hands Soiled during Harvest.

Science.gov (United States)

de Aceituno, Anna Fabiszewski; Bartz, Faith E; Hodge, Domonique Watson; Shumaker, David J; Grubb, James E; Arbogast, James W; Dávila-Aviña, Jorgé; Venegas, Fabiola; Heredia, Norma; García, Santos; Leon, Juan S

2015-11-01

Effective hand hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of pathogens on produce farms and reduce foodborne illness. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act Proposed Rule for Produce Safety recommends the use of soap and running water for hand hygiene of produce handlers. The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer (ABHS) may be an effective alternative hygiene intervention where access to water is limited. There are no published data on the efficacy of either soap or ABHS-based interventions to reduce microbial contamination in agricultural settings. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of two soap-based (traditional or pumice) and two ABHS-based (label-use or two-step) hygiene interventions to reduce microbes (coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus spp.) and soil (absorbance of hand rinsate at 600 nm [A600]) on farmworker hands after harvesting produce, compared with the results for a no-hand-hygiene control. With no hand hygiene, farmworker hands were soiled (median A600, 0.48) and had high concentrations of coliforms (geometric mean, 3.4 log CFU per hand) and Enterococcus spp. (geometric mean, 5.3 log CFU per hand) after 1 to 2 h of harvesting tomatoes. Differences in microbial loads in comparison to the loads in the control group varied by indicator organism and hygiene intervention (0 to 2.3 log CFU per hand). All interventions yielded lower concentrations of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli (P hands (P hand washing with soap at reducing indicator organisms on farmworker hands. Based on these results, ABHS is an efficacious hand hygiene solution for produce handlers, even on soiled hands.

Power flow as a complement to statistical energy analysis and finite element analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Cuschieri, J. M.