Formulation of Higher Education Institutional Strategy Using Operational Research Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Labib, Ashraf; Read, Martin; Gladstone-Millar, Charlotte; Tonge, Richard; Smith, David

2014-01-01

In this paper a framework is proposed for the formulation of a higher education institutional (HEI) strategy. This work provides a practical example, through a case study, to demonstrate how the proposed framework can be applied to the issue of formulation of HEI strategy. The proposed hybrid model is based on two operational research…

Higher dimensional operator corrections to the goldstino Goldberger-Treiman vertices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, T.

2000-01-01

The goldstino-matter interactions given by the Goldberger-Treiman relations can receive higher dimensional operator corrections of O(q 2 /M 2 ), where M denotes the mass of the mediators through which SUSY breaking is transmitted. These corrections in the gauge mediated SUSY breaking models arise from loop diagrams, and an explicit calculation of such corrections is presented. It is emphasized that the Goldberger-Treiman vertices are valid only below the mediator scale, and at higher energies goldstinos decouple from the MSSM fields. The implication of this fact for gravitino cosmology in GMSB models is mentioned. (orig.)

Multilinear operators for higher-order decompositions.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolda, Tamara Gibson

2006-04-01

We propose two new multilinear operators for expressing the matrix compositions that are needed in the Tucker and PARAFAC (CANDECOMP) decompositions. The first operator, which we call the Tucker operator, is shorthand for performing an n-mode matrix multiplication for every mode of a given tensor and can be employed to concisely express the Tucker decomposition. The second operator, which we call the Kruskal operator, is shorthand for the sum of the outer-products of the columns of N matrices and allows a divorce from a matricized representation and a very concise expression of the PARAFAC decomposition. We explore the properties of the Tucker and Kruskal operators independently of the related decompositions. Additionally, we provide a review of the matrix and tensor operations that are frequently used in the context of tensor decompositions.

The Operation Mechanisms of External Quality Assurance Frameworks of Foreign Higher Education and Implications for Graduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Mengquan; Chang, Kai; Gong, Le

2016-01-01

The higher education quality evaluation and assurance frameworks and their operating mechanisms of countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and the United States show that higher education systems, traditional culture, and social background all impact quality assurance operating mechanisms. A model analysis of these higher education quality…

Higher derivative operators from Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking on Τ2/Z2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghilencea, D.M.

2005-09-01

In orbifold compactifications on Τ 2 /Z 2 with Scherk-Schwarz supersymmetry breaking, it is shown that (brane-localised) superpotential interactions and (bulk) gauge interactions generate at one-loop higher derivative counterterms to the mass of the brane (or zero-mode of the bulk) scalar field. These brane-localised operators are generated by integrating out the bulk modes of the initial theory which, although supersymmetric, is nevertheless non-renormalisable. It is argued that such operators, of non-perturbative origin and not protected by non-renormalisation theorems, are generic in orbifold compactifications and play a crucial role in the UV behaviour of the two-point Green function of the scalar field self-energy. Their presence in the action with unknown coefficients prevents one from making predictions about physics at (momentum) scales close to/above the compactification scale(s). Our results extend to the case of two dimensional orbifolds, previous findings for S 1 /Z 2 and S 1 /(Z 2 x Z 2 ') compactifications where brane-localised higher derivative operators are also dynamically generated at loop level, regardless of the details of the supersymmetry breaking mechanism. We stress the importance of these operators for the hierarchy and the cosmological constant problems in compactified theories. (orig.)

Higgs-Yukawa model with higher dimension operators via extended mean field theory

CERN Document Server

Akerlund, Oscar

2016-01-01

Using Extended Mean Field Theory (EMFT) on the lattice, we study properties of the Higgs-Yukawa model as an approximation of the Standard Model Higgs sector, and the effect of higher dimension operators. We note that the discussion of vacuum stability is completely modified in the presence of a $\\phi^6$ term, and that the Higgs mass no longer appears fine tuned. We also study the finite temperature transition. Without higher dimension operators the transition is found to be second order (crossover with gauge fields) for the experimental value of the Higgs mass $M_h=125$ GeV. By taking a $\\phi^6$ interaction in the Higgs potential as a proxy for a UV completion of the Standard Model, the transition becomes stronger and turns first order if the scale of new physics, i.e. the mass of the lightest mediator particle, is around $1.5$ TeV. This implies that electroweak baryogenesis may be viable in models which introduce new particles around that scale.

Toeplitz operators on higher Cauchy-Riemann spaces

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Engliš, Miroslav; Zhang, G.

2017-01-01

Roč. 22, č. 22 (2017), s. 1081-1116 ISSN 1431-0643 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : Toeplitz operator * Hankel operator * Cauchy-Riemann operators Subject RIV: BA - General Math ematics OBOR OECD: Pure math ematics Impact factor: 0.800, year: 2016 https://www. math .uni-bielefeld.de/documenta/vol-22/32.html

Generalized wave operators, weighted Killing fields, and perturbations of higher dimensional spacetimes

Science.gov (United States)

Araneda, Bernardo

2018-04-01

We present weighted covariant derivatives and wave operators for perturbations of certain algebraically special Einstein spacetimes in arbitrary dimensions, under which the Teukolsky and related equations become weighted wave equations. We show that the higher dimensional generalization of the principal null directions are weighted conformal Killing vectors with respect to the modified covariant derivative. We also introduce a modified Laplace–de Rham-like operator acting on tensor-valued differential forms, and show that the wave-like equations are, at the linear level, appropriate projections off shell of this operator acting on the curvature tensor; the projection tensors being made out of weighted conformal Killing–Yano tensors. We give off shell operator identities that map the Einstein and Maxwell equations into weighted scalar equations, and using adjoint operators we construct solutions of the original field equations in a compact form from solutions of the wave-like equations. We study the extreme and zero boost weight cases; extreme boost corresponding to perturbations of Kundt spacetimes (which includes near horizon geometries of extreme black holes), and zero boost to static black holes in arbitrary dimensions. In 4D our results apply to Einstein spacetimes of Petrov type D and make use of weighted Killing spinors.

Direct approach to operator conformal constructions: from fermions to primary fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1989-01-01

I discuss the direct solution of Sugawara and coset constructions, including a path to construction of the primary fields. The basic tools are (1) a construction of affine-conformal highest-weight states, pretensors and tensors form quantum-irreducible representations of the currents of affine g, and (2) construction of primary fields by factorization and boosting of the pretensors. Large classes of pretensors are easily obtained in fermionic constructions, and guesswork is minimized with factorization of bosonized fermionic pretensors: The simplest case constructs conformal-weights h g =mN(n--N)/2n of SU m (n) and h K =mN(n--N)/n of SU m (n)direct-product SU m (n)/SU 2m (n) and extension to simply-laced g is clear. More general cases are left for future study. copyright Academic Prss, Inc. 1989

Effects on fatigue life of gate valves due to higher torque switch settings during operability testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richins, W.D.; Snow, S.D.; Miller, G.K.; Russell, M.J.; Ware, A.G.

1995-12-01

Some motor operated valves now have higher torque switch settings due to regulatory requirements to ensure valve operability with appropriate margins at design basis conditions. Verifying operability with these settings imposes higher stem loads during periodic inservice testing. These higher test loads increase stresses in the various valve internal parts which may in turn increase the fatigue usage factors. This increased fatigue is judged to be a concern primarily in the valve disks, seats, yokes, stems, and stem nuts. Although the motor operators may also have significantly increased loading, they are being evaluated by the manufacturers and are beyond the scope of this study. Two gate valves representative of both relatively weak and strong valves commonly used in commercial nuclear applications were selected for fatigue analyses. Detailed dimensional and test data were available for both valves from previous studies at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Finite element models were developed to estimate maximum stresses in the internal parts of the valves and to identity the critical areas within the valves where fatigue may be a concern. Loads were estimated using industry standard equations for calculating torque switch settings prior and subsequent to the testing requirements of USNRC Generic Letter 89--10. Test data were used to determine both; (1) the overshoot load between torque switch trip and final seating of the disk during valve closing and (2) the stem thrust required to open the valves. The ranges of peak stresses thus determined were then used to estimate the increase in the fatigue usage factors due to the higher stem thrust loads. The usages that would be accumulated by 100 base cycles plus one or eight test cycles per year over 40 and 60 years of operation were calculated

Eigenstates of the higher power of the annihilation operator of two-parameter deformed harmonic oscillator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jisuo; Sun Changyong; He Jinyu

1996-01-01

The eigenstates of the higher power of the annihilation operator a qs k (k≥3) of the two-parameter deformed harmonic oscillator are constructed. Their completeness is demonstrated in terms of the qs-integration

Teager-Kaiser Energy and Higher-Order Operators in White-Light Interference Microscopy for Surface Shape Measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdel-Ouahab Boudraa

2005-10-01

Full Text Available In white-light interference microscopy, measurement of surface shape generally requires peak extraction of the fringe function envelope. In this paper the Teager-Kaiser energy and higher-order energy operators are proposed for efficient extraction of the fringe envelope. These energy operators are compared in terms of precision, robustness to noise, and subsampling. Flexible energy operators, depending on order and lag parameters, can be obtained. Results show that smoothing and interpolation of envelope approximation using spline model performs better than Gaussian-based approach.

Operational overhead of moving to higher energies

CERN Document Server

Lamont, M

2011-01-01

The operational overheads of moving above 3.5 TeV are examined. The costs of performing such a move at the start, or during, the 2011 run are evaluated. The impact of operation with beams above 3.5 TeV on machine protection systems is briefly reviewed, and any potential limitations are enumerated. Finally the possible benefits of increasing the beam energy on the luminosity are discussed.

On higher-dimensional loop algebras, pseudodifferential operators and Fock space realizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westerberg, A.

1997-01-01

We discuss a previously discovered extension of the infinite-dimensional Lie algebra map(M,g) which generalizes the Kac-Moody algebras in 1+1 dimensions and the Mickelsson-Faddeev algebras in 3+1 dimensions to manifolds M of general dimensions. Furthermore, we review the method of regularizing current algebras in higher dimensions using pseudodifferential operator (PSDO) symbol calculus. In particular, we discuss the issue of Lie algebra cohomology of PSDOs and its relation to the Schwinger terms arising in the quantization process. Finally, we apply this regularization method to the algebra with partial success, and discuss the remaining obstacles to the construction of a Fock space representation. (orig.)

The Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), Higher Volume Operations (HVO) Concept and Research

Science.gov (United States)

Baxley, B.; Williams, D.; Consiglio, M.; Adams, C.; Abbott, T.

2005-01-01

The ability to conduct concurrent, multiple aircraft operations in poor weather at virtually any airport offers an important opportunity for a significant increase in the rate of flight operations, a major improvement in passenger convenience, and the potential to foster growth of operations at small airports. The Small Aircraft Transportation System, (SATS) Higher Volume Operations (HVO) concept is designed to increase capacity at the 3400 non-radar, non-towered airports in the United States where operations are currently restricted to one-in/one-out procedural separation during low visibility or ceilings. The concept s key feature is that pilots maintain their own separation from other aircraft using air-to-air datalink and on-board software within the Self-Controlled Area (SCA), an area of flight operations established during poor visibility and low ceilings around an airport without Air Traffic Control (ATC) services. While pilots self-separate within the SCA, an Airport Management Module (AMM) located at the airport assigns arriving pilots their sequence based on aircraft performance, position, winds, missed approach requirements, and ATC intent. The HVO design uses distributed decision-making, safe procedures, attempts to minimize pilot and controller workload, and integrates with today's ATC environment. The HVO procedures have pilots make their own flight path decisions when flying in Instrument Metrological Conditions (IMC) while meeting these requirements. This paper summarizes the HVO concept and procedures, presents a summary of the research conducted and results, and outlines areas where future HVO research is required. More information about SATS HVO can be found at http://ntrs.nasa.gov.

Gamow-Jordan vectors and non-reducible density operators from higher-order S-matrix poles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohm, A.; Loewe, M.; Maxson, S.; Patuleanu, P.; Puentmann, C.; Gadella, M.

1997-01-01

In analogy to Gamow vectors that are obtained from first-order resonance poles of the S-matrix, one can also define higher-order Gamow vectors which are derived from higher-order poles of the S-matrix. An S-matrix pole of r-th order at z R =E R -iΓ/2 leads to r generalized eigenvectors of order k=0,1,hor-ellipsis,r-1, which are also Jordan vectors of degree (k+1) with generalized eigenvalue (E R -iΓ/2). The Gamow-Jordan vectors are elements of a generalized complex eigenvector expansion, whose form suggests the definition of a state operator (density matrix) for the microphysical decaying state of this higher-order pole. This microphysical state is a mixture of non-reducible components. In spite of the fact that the k-th order Gamow-Jordan vectors has the polynomial time-dependence which one always associates with higher-order poles, the microphysical state obeys a purely exponential decay law. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

Extension of the TCV Operating Space Towards Higher Elongation and Higher Normalized Current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, F.; Coda, S.; Lavanchy, P.; Llobet, X.; Marmillod, Ph.; Martin, Y.; Martynov, A.; Mlynar, J.; Moret, J.-M.; Pochelon, A.; Sauter, O.

2002-01-01

Recently, an experimental campaign has been launched on TCV with the aim of exploring and extending the limits of the operating space. The vertical position control system has been optimized, with the help of extensive model calculations, in order to allow operation at the lowest possible stability margin. In addition, the growth rate of the axisymmetric instability has been minimized by choosing optimum values for the plasma triangularity and squareness and by operating close to the current limit imposed by the n= 1 external kink mode. These measures have allowed us to reach record values of elongation, κ=2.8, and normalized current, I N =3.6, in a tokamak with standard aspect ratio, R/a=3.5. (author)

Safeguarding subcriticality during loading and shuffling operations in the higher density of the RSG-GAS's silicide core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sembiring, T.M.; Kuntoro, I.

2003-01-01

The core conversion program of the RSG-GAS reactor is to convert the all-oxide to all-silicide core. The silicide equilibrium core with fuel meat density of 3.55 gU cm -3 is an optimal core for RSG-GAS reactor and it can significantly increase the operation cycle length from 25 to 32 full power days. Nevertheless, the subcriticality of the shutdown core and the shutdown margin are lower than of the oxide core. Therefore, the deviation of subcriticality condition in the higher silicide core caused by the fuel loading and shuffling error should be reanalysed. The objective of this work is to analyse the sufficiency of the subcriticality condition of the shutdown core to face the worst condition caused by an error during loading and shuffling operations. The calculations were carried out using the 2-dimensional multigroup neutron diffusion code of Batan-FUEL. In the fuel handling error, the calculated results showed that the subcriticality condition of the shutdown higher density silicide equilibrium core of RSG-GAS can be maintained. Therefore, all fuel management steps are fixed in the present reactor operation manual can be applied in the higher silicide equilibrium core of RSG-GAS reactor. (author)

Flight Technical Error Analysis of the SATS Higher Volume Operations Simulation and Flight Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Daniel M.; Consiglio, Maria C.; Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Adams, Catherine H.

2005-01-01

This paper provides an analysis of Flight Technical Error (FTE) from recent SATS experiments, called the Higher Volume Operations (HVO) Simulation and Flight experiments, which NASA conducted to determine pilot acceptability of the HVO concept for normal operating conditions. Reported are FTE results from simulation and flight experiment data indicating the SATS HVO concept is viable and acceptable to low-time instrument rated pilots when compared with today s system (baseline). Described is the comparative FTE analysis of lateral, vertical, and airspeed deviations from the baseline and SATS HVO experimental flight procedures. Based on FTE analysis, all evaluation subjects, low-time instrument-rated pilots, flew the HVO procedures safely and proficiently in comparison to today s system. In all cases, the results of the flight experiment validated the results of the simulation experiment and confirm the utility of the simulation platform for comparative Human in the Loop (HITL) studies of SATS HVO and Baseline operations.

Higher operational safety of nuclear power plants by evaluating the behaviour of operating personnel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mertins, M.; Glasner, P.

1990-01-01

In the GDR power reactors have been operated since 1966. Since that time operational experiences of 73 cumulative reactor years have been collected. The behaviour of operating personnel is an essential factor to guarantee the safety of operation of the nuclear power plant. Therefore a continuous analysis of the behaviour of operating personnel has been introduced at the GDR nuclear power plants. In the paper the overall system of the selection, preparation and control of the behaviour of nuclear power plant operating personnel is presented. The methods concerned are based on recording all errors of operating personnel and on analyzing them in order to find out the reasons. The aim of the analysis of reasons is to reduce the number of errors. By a feedback of experiences the nuclear safety of the nuclear power plant can be increased. All data necessary for the evaluation of errors are recorded and evaluated by a computer program. This method is explained thoroughly in the paper. Selected results of error analysis are presented. It is explained how the activities of the personnel are made safer by means of this analysis. Comparisons with other methods are made. (author). 3 refs, 4 figs

Preliminary Validation of the Small Aircraft Transportation System Higher Volume Operations (SATS HVO) Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Daniel; Consiglio, Maria; Murdoch, Jennifer; Adams, Catherine

2004-01-01

This document provides a preliminary validation of the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) Higher Volume Operations (HVO) concept for normal conditions. Initial results reveal that the concept provides reduced air traffic delays when compared to current operations without increasing pilot workload. Characteristic to the SATS HVO concept is the establishment of a newly defined area of flight operations called a Self-Controlled Area (SCA) which would be activated by air traffic control (ATC) around designated non-towered, non-radar airports. During periods of poor visibility, SATS pilots would take responsibility for separation assurance between their aircraft and other similarly equipped aircraft in the SCA. Using onboard equipment and simple instrument flight procedures, they would then be better able to approach and land at the airport or depart from it. This concept would also require a new, ground-based automation system, typically located at the airport that would provide appropriate sequencing information to the arriving aircraft. Further validation of the SATS HVO concept is required and is the subject of ongoing research and subsequent publications.

CERN stop-over for KEK and Fermilab Directors

CERN Multimedia

2001-01-01

En route for a meeting of the International Committee for Future Accelerators, ICFA, held at Germany's DESY laboratory, the Directors of Japan's KEK laboratory and Fermilab in the United States had a stop-over at CERN last Wednesday 7 February. Dr Hirotaka Sugawara, Director General of Japan's high energy physics laboratory, KEK, visited the Antiproton Decelerator, AD. From left to right, Masaki Hori, member of the ASACUSA collaboration, John Eades, contact person for ASACUSA, Dr Hirotaka Sugawara, Werner Pirkl, the PS Division engineer responsible for the Radio Frequency Quadrupole decelerator in the foreground, and Kurt Hübner, CERN's Director of Accelerators. Dr Michael S. Witherell, Director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Fermilab, visited construction sites for the LHC, ATLAS, and CMS. He is seen here with a module of the CMS hadronic calorimeter in building 186.

Non-abelian bosonization without Wess-Zumino terms. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajeev, S.G.

1989-01-01

It is conjectured that the non-linear sigma-model without Wess-Zumino terms is equivalent as a quantum theory to the non-abelian massless Thirring model. However, the standard (Sugawara) current algebra of the non-linear model is not isomorphic to that of the fermionic theory. A new current algebra formalism is proposed, which depends on a parameter k. As k → ∞ it reduces to the Sugawara formalism. The new current algebra is isomorphic to the fermionic one, being the direct sum of two Kac-Moody algebras with opposite central terms. In the quantum theory, k (which is the level number) has to be an integer. The new formalism is shown to preserve Poincare and conformal invariance classically. The new current algebra is derived canonically and a new action principle for the non-linear model is proposed. (orig.)

The Integrity of ACSR Full Tension Single-Stage Splice Connector at Higher Operation Temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jy-An John [ORNL; Lara-Curzio, Edgar [ORNL; King Jr, Thomas J [ORNL

2008-10-01

Due to increases in power demand and limited investment in new infrastructure, existing overhead power transmission lines often need to operate at temperatures higher than those used for the original design criteria. This has led to the accelerated aging and degradation of splice connectors. It is manifested by the formation of hot-spots that have been revealed by infrared imaging during inspection. The implications of connector aging is two-fold: (1) significant increases in resistivity of the splice connector (i.e., less efficient transmission of electricity) and (2) significant reductions in the connector clamping strength, which could ultimately result in separation of the power transmission line at the joint. Therefore, the splice connector appears to be the weakest link in electric power transmission lines. This report presents a protocol for integrating analytical and experimental approaches to evaluate the integrity of full tension single-stage splice connector assemblies and the associated effective lifetime at high operating temperature.

Groups of integral transforms generated by Lie algebras of second-and higher-order differential operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinberg, S.; Wolf, K.B.

1979-01-01

The authors study the construction and action of certain Lie algebras of second- and higher-order differential operators on spaces of solutions of well-known parabolic, hyperbolic and elliptic linear differential equations. The latter include the N-dimensional quadratic quantum Hamiltonian Schroedinger equations, the one-dimensional heat and wave equations and the two-dimensional Helmholtz equation. In one approach, the usual similarity first-order differential operator algebra of the equation is embedded in the larger one, which appears as a quantum-mechanical dynamic algebra. In a second approach, the new algebra is built as the time evolution of a finite-transformation algebra on the initial conditions. In a third approach, the algebra to inhomogeneous similarity algebra is deformed to a noncompact classical one. In every case, we can integrate the algebra to a Lie group of integral transforms acting effectively on the solution space of the differential equation. (author)

Higher order Riesz transforms associated with Bessel operators

Science.gov (United States)

Betancor, Jorge J.; Fariña, Juan C.; Martinez, Teresa; Rodríguez-Mesa, Lourdes

2008-10-01

In this paper we investigate Riesz transforms R μ ( k) of order k≥1 related to the Bessel operator Δμ f( x)=- f”( x)-((2μ+1)/ x) f’( x) and extend the results of Muckenhoupt and Stein for the conjugate Hankel transform (a Riesz transform of order one). We obtain that for every k≥1, R μ ( k) is a principal value operator of strong type ( p, p), p∈(1,∞), and weak type (1,1) with respect to the measure dλ( x)= x 2μ+1 dx in (0,∞). We also characterize the class of weights ω on (0,∞) for which R μ ( k) maps L p (ω) into itself and L 1(ω) into L 1,∞(ω) boundedly. This class of weights is wider than the Muckenhoupt class mathcal{A}p^μ of weights for the doubling measure dλ. These weighted results extend the ones obtained by Andersen and Kerman.

Key processes shaping the current role and operation of higher education institutions in society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piróg Danuta

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The concurrent processes of globalisation, computerisation, and integration shape and constantly modify developmental factors and generate multidirectional social changes. Among social life fields, one of them has been particularly sensitive to the impact of those processes and has remained in clear feedback relationship with them is education, including university-level education. This article aims to present some reflections on the key processes which influence the environment of higher education institutions’ activity and on what their impact specifically is. The factors taken into account include: the transformation of the political and economic system, integration with the European higher education area, the market shift of education, evolving social demands towards higher education institutions and society’s attitude towards work. As knowledge has become an asset largely affecting the quality of life of people and society, universities have changed their focus from searching for and exploring truth, good and beauty in the world towards becoming innovation centres, transferring knowledge as offering their educational services. In this article, those trends have been exemplified in relation to geography degree programmes, and shown through an evolution of the model of the university. Based on a review of the literature, it seems that the processes discussed also concern geography degree programmes, and the future operation of these programmes closely depends on whether they can maintain their care for high quality education coupled with genuine efforts to ensure the smooth transition of graduates into the labour market.

Higher-level fusion for military operations based on abductive inference: proof of principle

Science.gov (United States)

Pantaleev, Aleksandar V.; Josephson, John

2006-04-01

The ability of contemporary military commanders to estimate and understand complicated situations already suffers from information overload, and the situation can only grow worse. We describe a prototype application that uses abductive inferencing to fuse information from multiple sensors to evaluate the evidence for higher-level hypotheses that are close to the levels of abstraction needed for decision making (approximately JDL levels 2 and 3). Abductive inference (abduction, inference to the best explanation) is a pattern of reasoning that occurs naturally in diverse settings such as medical diagnosis, criminal investigations, scientific theory formation, and military intelligence analysis. Because abduction is part of common-sense reasoning, implementations of it can produce reasoning traces that are very human understandable. Automated abductive inferencing can be deployed to augment human reasoning, taking advantage of computation to process large amounts of information, and to bypass limits to human attention and short-term memory. We illustrate the workings of the prototype system by describing an example of its use for small-unit military operations in an urban setting. Knowledge was encoded as it might be captured prior to engagement from a standard military decision making process (MDMP) and analysis of commander's priority intelligence requirements (PIR). The system is able to reasonably estimate the evidence for higher-level hypotheses based on information from multiple sensors. Its inference processes can be examined closely to verify correctness. Decision makers can override conclusions at any level and changes will propagate appropriately.

Renormalization of supersymmetric gauge theories on orbifolds: Brane gauge couplings and higher derivative operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groot Nibbelink, Stefan; Hillenbach, Mark

2005-01-01

We consider supersymmetric gauge theories coupled to hypermultiplets on five- and six-dimensional orbifolds and determine the bulk and local fixed point renormalizations of the gauge couplings. We infer from a component analysis that the hypermultiplet does not induce renormalization of the brane gauge couplings on the five-dimensional orbifold S 1 /Z 2 . This is not due to supersymmetry, since the bosonic and fermionic contributions cancel separately. We extend this investigation to T 2 /Z N orbifolds using supergraph techniques in six dimensions. On general Z N orbifolds the gauge couplings do renormalize at the fixed points, except for the Z 2 fixed points of even ordered orbifolds. To cancel the bulk one-loop divergences a dimension six higher derivative operator is needed, in addition to the standard bulk gauge kinetic term.

Point-to-Point! Validation of the Small Aircraft Transportation System Higher Volume Operations Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Daniel M.

2006-01-01

Described is the research process that NASA researchers used to validate the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) Higher Volume Operations (HVO) concept. The four phase building-block validation and verification process included multiple elements ranging from formal analysis of HVO procedures to flight test, to full-system architecture prototype that was successfully shown to the public at the June 2005 SATS Technical Demonstration in Danville, VA. Presented are significant results of each of the four research phases that extend early results presented at ICAS 2004. HVO study results have been incorporated into the development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) vision and offer a validated concept to provide a significant portion of the 3X capacity improvement sought after in the United States National Airspace System (NAS).

Generation of higher derivatives operators and electromagnetic wave propagation in a Lorentz-violation scenario

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borges, L.H.C., E-mail: luizhenriqueunifei@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Santo André, SP, 09210-580 (Brazil); Dias, A.G., E-mail: alex.dias@ufabc.edu.br [Universidade Federal do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Santo André, SP, 09210-580 (Brazil); Ferrari, A.F., E-mail: alysson.ferrari@ufabc.edu.br [Universidade Federal do ABC, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Av. dos Estados, 5001, Santo André, SP, 09210-580 (Brazil); Nascimento, J.R., E-mail: jroberto@fisica.ufpb.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Caixa Postal 5008, João Pessoa, Paraíba, 58051-970 (Brazil); Petrov, A.Yu., E-mail: petrov@fisica.ufpb.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Caixa Postal 5008, João Pessoa, Paraíba, 58051-970 (Brazil)

2016-05-10

We study the perturbative generation of higher-derivative Lorentz violating operators as quantum corrections to the photon effective action, originated from a specific Lorentz violation background, which has already been studied in connection with the physics of light pseudoscalars. We calculate the complete one loop effective action of the photon field through the proper-time method, using the zeta function regularization. This result can be used as a starting point to study possible effects of the Lorentz violating background we are considering in photon physics. As an example, we focus on the lowest order corrections and investigate whether they could influence the propagation of electromagnetic waves through the vacuum. We show, however, that no effects of the kind of Lorentz violation we consider can be detected in such a context, so that other aspects of photon physics have to be studied.

On the energy-momentum tensor in non-linear σ-models with torsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorn, H.; Otto, H.J.

1987-10-01

We study the renormalization properties of the energy-momentum tensor in a σ-model with torsion. Our normal product version contains besides the classical expression and the trace anomaly an off diagonal term proportional to the squared torsion. Specialized to a group manifold this term is crucial to reproduce the correct perturbative expansion of the energy-momentum tensor in Sugawara form. (orig.)

Higher-order Jordan Osserman pseudo-Riemannian manifolds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilkey, Peter B; Ivanova, Raina; Zhang Tan

2002-01-01

We study the higher-order Jacobi operator in pseudo-Riemannian geometry. We exhibit a family of manifolds so that this operator has constant Jordan normal form on the Grassmannian of subspaces of signature (r, s) for certain values of (r, s). These pseudo-Riemannian manifolds are new and non-trivial examples of higher-order Osserman manifolds

Higher-order Jordan Osserman pseudo-Riemannian manifolds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilkey, Peter B [Mathematics Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 (United States); Ivanova, Raina [Mathematics Department, University of Hawaii - Hilo, 200 W Kawili St, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Zhang Tan [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071 (United States)

2002-09-07

We study the higher-order Jacobi operator in pseudo-Riemannian geometry. We exhibit a family of manifolds so that this operator has constant Jordan normal form on the Grassmannian of subspaces of signature (r, s) for certain values of (r, s). These pseudo-Riemannian manifolds are new and non-trivial examples of higher-order Osserman manifolds.

Some operational tools for solving fractional and higher integer order differential equations: A survey on their mutual relations

Science.gov (United States)

Kiryakova, Virginia S.

2012-11-01

The Laplace Transform (LT) serves as a basis of the Operational Calculus (OC), widely explored by engineers and applied scientists in solving mathematical models for their practical needs. This transform is closely related to the exponential and trigonometric functions (exp, cos, sin) and to the classical differentiation and integration operators, reducing them to simple algebraic operations. Thus, the classical LT and the OC give useful tool to handle differential equations and systems with constant coefficients. Several generalizations of the LT have been introduced to allow solving, in a similar way, of differential equations with variable coefficients and of higher integer orders, as well as of fractional (arbitrary non-integer) orders. Note that fractional order mathematical models are recently widely used to describe better various systems and phenomena of the real world. This paper surveys briefly some of our results on classes of such integral transforms, that can be obtained from the LT by means of "transmutations" which are operators of the generalized fractional calculus (GFC). On the list of these Laplace-type integral transforms, we consider the Borel-Dzrbashjan, Meijer, Krätzel, Obrechkoff, generalized Obrechkoff (multi-index Borel-Dzrbashjan) transforms, etc. All of them are G- and H-integral transforms of convolutional type, having as kernels Meijer's G- or Fox's H-functions. Besides, some special functions (also being G- and H-functions), among them - the generalized Bessel-type and Mittag-Leffler (M-L) type functions, are generating Gel'fond-Leontiev (G-L) operators of generalized differentiation and integration, which happen to be also operators of GFC. Our integral transforms have operational properties analogous to those of the LT - they do algebrize the G-L generalized integrations and differentiations, and thus can serve for solving wide classes of differential equations with variable coefficients of arbitrary, including non-integer order

Metric versus observable operator representation, higher spin models

Science.gov (United States)

Fring, Andreas; Frith, Thomas

2018-02-01

We elaborate further on the metric representation that is obtained by transferring the time-dependence from a Hermitian Hamiltonian to the metric operator in a related non-Hermitian system. We provide further insight into the procedure on how to employ the time-dependent Dyson relation and the quasi-Hermiticity relation to solve time-dependent Hermitian Hamiltonian systems. By solving both equations separately we argue here that it is in general easier to solve the former. We solve the mutually related time-dependent Schrödinger equation for a Hermitian and non-Hermitian spin 1/2, 1 and 3/2 model with time-independent and time-dependent metric, respectively. In all models the overdetermined coupled system of equations for the Dyson map can be decoupled algebraic manipulations and reduces to simple linear differential equations and an equation that can be converted into the non-linear Ermakov-Pinney equation.

Competitiveness - higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Labas Istvan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Involvement of European Union plays an important role in the areas of education and training equally. The member states are responsible for organizing and operating their education and training systems themselves. And, EU policy is aimed at supporting the efforts of member states and trying to find solutions for the common challenges which appear. In order to make our future sustainable maximally; the key to it lies in education. The highly qualified workforce is the key to development, advancement and innovation of the world. Nowadays, the competitiveness of higher education institutions has become more and more appreciated in the national economy. In recent years, the frameworks of operation of higher education systems have gone through a total transformation. The number of applying students is continuously decreasing in some European countries therefore only those institutions can “survive” this shortfall, which are able to minimize the loss of the number of students. In this process, the factors forming the competitiveness of these budgetary institutions play an important role from the point of view of survival. The more competitive a higher education institution is, the greater the chance is that the students would like to continue their studies there and thus this institution will have a greater chance for the survival in the future, compared to ones lagging behind in the competition. Aim of our treatise prepared is to present the current situation and main data of the EU higher education and we examine the performance of higher education: to what extent it fulfils the strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth which is worded in the framework of Europe 2020 programme. The treatise is based on analysis of statistical data.

Competitive Intelligence: Significance in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Susan E.

2010-01-01

Historically noncompetitive, the higher education sector is now having to adjust dramatically to new and increasing demands on numerous levels. To remain successfully operational within the higher educational market universities today must consider all relevant forces which can impact present and future planning. Those institutions that were…

A Distributed Leadership Change Process Model for Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sandra; Harvey, Marina

2017-01-01

The higher education sector operates in an increasingly complex global environment that is placing it under considerable stress and resulting in widespread change to the operating context and leadership of higher education institutions. The outcome has been the increased likelihood of conflict between academics and senior leaders, presaging the…

A research technique for the effect of higher harmonic voltages on the operating parameters of a permanent magnet synchronous generator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasanova L. H.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays permanent magnet synchronous machines those frequency-controlled from stator side with frequency inverters made on the basis of power transistors or fully controlled thyristors, are widely used as motors and generators. In future they are also promising a good application in transport, including marine. Modern frequency inverters are equipped with a control system based on sine-shaped pulse width modulation. While shaping the voltage in the output of the inverter, in addition to the fundamental harmonic, higher harmonic components are also included in the voltage shape, which certainly affect the operating parameters of the generator (electromagnetic torque, power, currents. To determine this effect the modeling and investigation technique of higher harmonic voltages in the "electric network – frequency converter – synchronous machine with permanent magnets" system has been developed. The proposed equations of a frequency-controlled permanent magnet synchronous machine allow relatively simply reproduce the harmonic composition of the voltage in the output of a frequency inverter equipped with the control system based on a sinusoidal pulse width modulation. The developed research technique can be used for inverters with any number and composition of voltage harmonic components feeding a stator winding of a permanent magnet synchronous machine. On a particular case, the efficiency of the research technique of the higher harmonics influence on the operating parameters of the generator has been demonstrated. At the same time, the study has been carried out taking into account the shape of the voltage curve feeding the windings of the synchronous machine containing in addition to the fundamental harmonic the 8, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 16-th harmonic components, and the rated active power of the synchronous machine has been equal to 1 500 kW.

Enhanced efficiency in the excitation of higher modes for atomic force microscopy and mechanical sensors operated in liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penedo, M., E-mail: mapenedo@imm.cnm.csic.es; Hormeño, S.; Fernández-Martínez, I.; Luna, M.; Briones, F. [IMM-Instituto de Microelectrónica de Madrid (CNM-CSIC), Isaac Newton 8, PTM, E-28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid (Spain); Raman, A. [Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47904 (United States)

2014-10-27

Recent developments in dynamic Atomic Force Microscopy where several eigenmodes are simultaneously excited in liquid media are proving to be an excellent tool in biological studies. Despite its relevance, the search for a reliable, efficient, and strong cantilever excitation method is still in progress. Herein, we present a theoretical modeling and experimental results of different actuation methods compatible with the operation of Atomic Force Microscopy in liquid environments: ideal acoustic, homogeneously distributed force, distributed applied torque (MAC Mode™), photothermal and magnetostrictive excitation. From the analysis of the results, it can be concluded that magnetostriction is the strongest and most efficient technique for higher eigenmode excitation when using soft cantilevers in liquid media.

Relationship between balance and physical activity measured by an activity monitor in elderly COPD patients

OpenAIRE

Iwakura, Masahiro; Okura, Kazuki; Shibata, Kazuyuki; Kawagoshi, Atsuyoshi; Sugawara, Keiyu; Takahashi, Hitomi; Shioya, Takanobu

2016-01-01

Masahiro Iwakura,1,2 Kazuki Okura,2 Kazuyuki Shibata,1,2 Atsuyoshi Kawagoshi,2 Keiyu Sugawara,2 Hitomi Takahashi,2 Takanobu Shioya1 1Department of Rehabilitation, Akita City Hospital, 2Department of Physical Therapy, Akita University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Akita, Japan Background: Little is known regarding the relationship between balance impairments and physical activity in COPD. There has been no study investigating the relationship between balance and objectively measured ph...

An introduction to Kac-Moody algebras and their physical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goddard, P.; Olive, D.

1986-01-01

Kac-Moody algebras, the physical applications and results on their representation theory are surveyed. The Sugawara construction of the Virasoro algebra associated with a Kac-Moody algebra is described and it is used to produce the full discrete series of representations of the Virasoro algebra. The quark model construction of representations of Kac-Moody algebras is also described. Conditions necessary for the equivalence of two-dimensional σ-models to free fermion theories are derived

High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) Archives Office

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimoto, Michiko

2011-01-01

At KEK, there is a section named Archives Office since 2004. The mission of the Office is for collecting and preserving, as research materials and official documents which are understood to be important from historical point of view. The Office was originally proposed by the former Director General, Hirotaka Sugawara based on his experiences as the manager of the KEK laboratory. In this article, we sketch the activity of the Office. (author)

Kneading determinants and spectra of transfer operators in higher dimensions, the isotropic case

CERN Document Server

Baillif, M

2003-01-01

Transfer operators M_k acting on k-forms in R^n are associated to smooth transversal local diffeomorphisms and compactly supported weight functions. A formal trace is defined by summing the product of the weight and the Lefschetz sign over all fixed points of all the diffeos. This yields a formal Ruelle-Lefschetz determinant Det^#(1-zM). We use the Milnor-Ruelle-Kitaev equality (recently proved by Baillif), which expressed Det^#(1-zM) as an alternated product of determinants of kneading operators, Det(1+D_k(z)), to relate zeroes and poles of the Ruelle-Lefschetz determinant to the spectra of the transfer operators M_k. As an application, we get a new proof of a theorem of Ruelle on smooth expanding dynamics.

Construction of vertex operators using operator formalism techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gato, B.; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge

1989-01-01

We derive vertex operators in oscillator form as an application of the conserved charges method developed by Vafa for the operator formalism in higher genus Riemann surfaces. This construction proves to be clear, direct and valid for the bosonic and fermionic strings as wells as for twisted strings on orbifolds. We discuss the method and construct vertex operators for the bosonic string moving on Z N orbifolds and for the fermionic string in the NSR formulation. (orig.)

Physical States and BRST Operators for Higher-spin $W$ Strings

OpenAIRE

Liu, Yu-Xiao; Wei, Shao-Wen; Zhang, Li-Jie; Ren, Ji-Rong

2008-01-01

In this paper, we mainly investigate the $W_{2,s}^{M}\\otimes W_{2,s}^{L}$ system, in which the matter and the Liouville subsystems generate $W_{2,s}^{M}$ and $W_{2,s}^L$ algebras respectively. We first give a brief discussion of the physical states for corresponding $W$ stings. The lower states are given by freezing the spin-2 and spin-$s$ currents. Then, introducing two pairs of ghost-like fields, we give the realizations of $W_{1,2,s}$ algebras. Based on these linear realizations, BRST oper...

Utilization of Plutonium and Higher Actinides in the HTGR as Possibility to Maintain Long-Term Operation on One Fuel Loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsvetkova, Galina V.; Peddicord, Kenneth L.

2002-01-01

Promising existing nuclear reactor concepts together with new ideas are being discussed worldwide. Many new studies are underway in order to identify prototypes that will be analyzed and developed further as systems for Generation IV. The focus is on designs demonstrating full inherent safety, competitive economics and proliferation resistance. The work discussed here is centered on a modularized small-size High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) concept. This paper discusses the possibility of maintaining long-term operation on one fuel loading through utilization of plutonium and higher actinides in the small-size pebble-bed reactor (PBR). Acknowledging the well-known flexibility of the PBR design with respect to fuel composition, the principal limitations of the long-term burning of plutonium and higher actinides are considered. The technological challenges and further research are outlined. The results allow the identification of physical features of the PBR that significantly influence flexibility of the design and its applications. (authors)

The Dot.xxx Challenge to Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, William H.

2000-01-01

Describes some of the dimensions of the "e-cology" of Internet-based "e-Learning" in higher education. Discusses e-Learning service and operating dimensions; higher education's challenge to balance virtual and traditional educational delivery; instructor-led and instructor-less learning; the roles of content and instructor in instructor-led…

Ultra Wideband Wireless Body Area Network for Medical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

Medical Applications RTO-MP-HFM-182 42 - 11 z x y Tumour Fat Skin Chest Figure 8: A Simple Hemispherical Brest Model. Table 2...x y Tumour Fat Skin Chest wall  Glands Nipple Figure 9: A Comprehensive Hemispherical Brest Model. The base diameter of the breast is...34 in Proc. 2nd European Radar Conference (EuRAD), Paris , France, October 6–7, 2005, pp. 97–100. [38] M. Sugawara, K. Niki, H. Furuhata, S. Ohnishi

Operator-assisted planning and execution of proximity operations subject to operational constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Grunwald, Arthur J.; Ellis, Stephen R.

1991-01-01

Future multi-vehicle operations will involve multiple scenarios that will require a planning tool for the rapid, interactive creation of fuel-efficient trajectories. The planning process must deal with higher-order, non-linear processes involving dynamics that are often counter-intuitive. The optimization of resulting trajectories can be difficult to envision. An interaction proximity operations planning system is being developed to provide the operator with easily interpreted visual feedback of trajectories and constraints. This system is hosted on an IRIS 4D graphics platform and utilizes the Clohessy-Wiltshire equations. An inverse dynamics algorithm is used to remove non-linearities while the trajectory maneuvers are decoupled and separated in a geometric spreadsheet. The operator has direct control of the position and time of trajectory waypoints to achieve the desired end conditions. Graphics provide the operator with visualization of satisfying operational constraints such as structural clearance, plume impingement, approach velocity limits, and arrival or departure corridors. Primer vector theory is combined with graphical presentation to improve operator understanding of suggested automated system solutions and to allow the operator to review, edit, or provide corrective action to the trajectory plan.

Redesigning Higher Education: Embracing a New Paradigm

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, William R.; Watson, Sunnie Lee

2014-01-01

Higher education is under enormous pressure to transform itself and embrace a new paradigm. Operating under an outdated model that no longer aligns with the realities of modern society, institutions of higher education are recognizing the need to drastically remake themselves or possibly cease to exist. This article explores the current landscape…

The Effective Lifetime of ACSR Full Tension Splice Connector Operated at Higher Temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jy-An John; Lara-Curzio, Edgar; King Jr, Thomas J.; Graziano, Joe; Chan, John; Goodwin, Tip

2009-01-01

This paper is to address the issues related to integrity of ACSR full tension splice connectors operated at high temperatures. A protocol of integrating analytical and experimental approaches to evaluate the integrity of a full tension single-stage splice connector (SSC) assembly during service at high operating temperature was developed. Based on the developed protocol the effective lifetime evaluation was demonstrated with ACSR Drake conductor SSC systems. The investigation indicates that thermal cycling temperature and frequency, conductor cable tension loading, and the compressive residual stress field within a SSC system have significant impact on the SSC integrity and the associated effective lifetime

ISACC in Operations

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

19th floor of a Hotel to overlook the entire event. Page 12 of 17 Figure 6: The SPF Operations Centre overlooking the Event Lessons...have a cheap system to help them solve their immediate operational needs. b. Medium enterprises, that need to have quick customization of the...Optimize” tools to help them advance their current operations to a higher service satisfaction level seen by the public. 32. Common across all

Nonreductive WZW models and their CFTs, 2: N = 1 and N = 2 cosets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figueroa-O'Farrill, J.

1996-09-01

We started a programme devoted to the systematic study of the conformal field theories derived from WZW models based on nonreductive Lie groups. In this, the second part, we continue this programme with a look at the N = 1 and N = 2 superconformal field theories which arise from both gauged and ungauged supersymmetric WZW models. We extend the supersymmetric (affine) Sugawara and coset constructions, as well as the Kazama-Suzuki construction to general self-dual Lie algebras. (author). 29 refs

Eileen Gray: a child of Japonism?

OpenAIRE

Starr, Ruth

2008-01-01

Exhibited at the Glucksman Memorial Symposium on June 12th 2008 My interest is in Gray's lacquer work and the influences on that work in the context of nineteenth-century fashion of Japonisme. Gray (1878-1976) had an appreciation of the Japanese characteristics of lacquer - perhaps absorbed from private and public Irish collections of Japanese art. Gray also had a twenty-year working collaboration with Seizo Sugawara (1884-1937) from Jahoji, Japan - a town famous for its lacquer work. Suga...

Thermal Operating Modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechtel SAIC Company

2002-01-01

Higher and lower temperature operating modes (e.g., above and below the boiling point of water) are alternative approaches to managing the heat produced by the radioactive decay of spent nuclear fuel. Current analyses indicate that a repository at the Yucca Mountain site is likely to comply with applicable safety standards regardless of the particular thermal operating mode. Both modes have potential advantages and disadvantages. With a higher temperature operating mode (HTOM), waste packages (WPs) can be placed closer together. This reduces the number of drifts, the required emplacement area, construction costs, and occupational risks to construction workers. In addition, the HTOM would minimize the amount of water that might contact the waste for hundreds of years after closure. On the other hand, higher temperatures introduce uncertainties in the understanding of the long-term performance of the repository because of uncertainties in the thermal effects on WP lifetime and the near-field environment around the drifts. A lower temperature operating mode (LTOM) has the potential to reduce uncertainties in long-term performance of the repository by limiting the effects of temperature on WP lifetime and on the near-field environment around the drifts. Depending on the combination of operating parameters, a LTOM could require construction of additional drifts, a larger emplacement area, increased construction costs, increased occupational risks to construction works, and a longer period of ventilation than a HTOM. The repository design for the potential Yucca Mountain site is flexible and can be constructed and operated in various operating modes to achieve specific technical objectives, accommodate future policy decisions, and use of new information. For example, the flexible design can be operated across a range of temperatures and can be tailored to achieve specific thermal requirements in the future. To accommodate future policy decisions, the repository can be

The Cauchy problem for higher order abstract differential equations

CERN Document Server

Xiao, Ti-Jun

1998-01-01

This monograph is the first systematic exposition of the theory of the Cauchy problem for higher order abstract linear differential equations, which covers all the main aspects of the developed theory. The main results are complete with detailed proofs and established recently, containing the corresponding theorems for first and incomplete second order cases and therefore for operator semigroups and cosine functions. They will find applications in many fields. The special power of treating the higher order problems directly is demonstrated, as well as that of the vector-valued Laplace transforms in dealing with operator differential equations and operator families. The reader is expected to have a knowledge of complex and functional analysis.

Irrational free field resolutions for W(sl(n)) and extended Sugawara construction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niedermaier, M.

1991-03-01

The existence of Miura-type free field realizations is established for the extended conformal algebras W(sl(n)) at irrational values of the screening parameter. The problem of the 'closure' of the algebra is reduced to a finite dimensional quantum group problem. The structure of the Fock space resolution and the character formulae are obtained for the irreducible modules. They are shown to be isomorphic to the space of sl(n) singlets in sl(n) affine affine level 1 modules. The isomorphism is given by the Φβγ free field realization of sl(n). (orig.)

Nonlocal higher order evolution equations

KAUST Repository

Rossi, Julio D.; Schö nlieb, Carola-Bibiane

2010-01-01

In this article, we study the asymptotic behaviour of solutions to the nonlocal operator ut(x, t)1/4(-1)n-1 (J*Id -1)n (u(x, t)), x ∈ ℝN, which is the nonlocal analogous to the higher order local evolution equation vt(-1)n-1(Δ)nv. We prove

On the expressiveness and decidability of higher-order process calculi

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lanese, Ivan; Perez, Jorge A.; Sangiorgi, Davide; Schmitt, Alan

In higher-order process calculi, the values exchanged in communications may contain processes. A core calculus of higher-order concurrency is studied; it has only the operators necessary to express higher-order communications: input prefix, process output, and parallel composition. By exhibiting a

Difference equations in massive higher order calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bierenbaum, I.; Bluemlein, J.; Klein, S.; Schneider, C.

2007-07-01

The calculation of massive 2-loop operator matrix elements, required for the higher order Wilson coefficients for heavy flavor production in deeply inelastic scattering, leads to new types of multiple infinite sums over harmonic sums and related functions, which depend on the Mellin parameter N. We report on the solution of these sums through higher order difference equations using the summation package Sigma. (orig.)

The Opening of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Matkin, Gary W.

2012-01-01

In a 1974 report presented to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Martin Trow laid out a framework for understanding large-scale, worldwide changes in higher education. Trow's essay also pointed to the problems that "arise out of the transition from one phase to another in a broad pattern of development of higher…

Irreversibility and higher-spin conformal field theory

Science.gov (United States)

Anselmi, Damiano

2000-08-01

I discuss the properties of the central charges c and a for higher-derivative and higher-spin theories (spin 2 included). Ordinary gravity does not admit a straightforward identification of c and a in the trace anomaly, because it is not conformal. On the other hand, higher-derivative theories can be conformal, but have negative c and a. A third possibility is to consider higher-spin conformal field theories. They are not unitary, but have a variety of interesting properties. Bosonic conformal tensors have a positive-definite action, equal to the square of a field strength, and a higher-derivative gauge invariance. There exists a conserved spin-2 current (not the canonical stress tensor) defining positive central charges c and a. I calculate the values of c and a and study the operator-product structure. Higher-spin conformal spinors have no gauge invariance, admit a standard definition of c and a and can be coupled to Abelian and non-Abelian gauge fields in a renormalizable way. At the quantum level, they contribute to the one-loop beta function with the same sign as ordinary matter, admit a conformal window and non-trivial interacting fixed points. There are composite operators of high spin and low dimension, which violate the Ferrara-Gatto-Grillo theorem. Finally, other theories, such as conformal antisymmetric tensors, exhibit more severe internal problems. This research is motivated by the idea that fundamental quantum field theories should be renormalization-group (RG) interpolations between ultraviolet and infrared conformal fixed points, and quantum irreversibility should be a general principle of nature.

Private vs. Public Higher Education Budgeting

Science.gov (United States)

Beamer, Sarah A.

2011-01-01

Private higher education institutions are those entities owned and operated by the private sector, while public institutions are those established, supported, and controlled by a governmental agency, most often a state. Key differences exist between private and public institutions that affect budgeting in critical ways. Such differences include…

Futures for Higher Education: Analysing Trends. Higher Education: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century

Science.gov (United States)

Universities UK, 2012

2012-01-01

Higher education in the United Kingdom is undergoing a period of significant change. This is being driven by a number of factors: political, cultural, economic, and technological. The trends are global in their scope, and far reaching in their impact. They affect every aspect of university provision, the environment in which universities operate,…

Strengthening the Management of the Higher Education System in Africa: The Role of a Regional Higher Education Management Information Network System (RHEMINS)

Science.gov (United States)

Emetarom, Uche G.; Enyi, Dan

2008-01-01

Contemporary higher education managers, in Africa, seem to have found themselves in a changed environment, with increased and increasing challenges, to operate and achieve success. Although, there is the existence of diversity in the label and typology as well as in the priorities and emphasis among the higher education systems in Africa, there is…

Observables and Microcospic Entropy of Higher Spin Black Holes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Compère, G.; Jottar, J.I.; Song, W.

2013-01-01

In the context of recently proposed holographic dualities between higher spin theories in AdS3 and (1 + 1)-dimensional CFTs with W symmetry algebras, we revisit the definition of higher spin black hole thermodynamics and the dictionary between bulk fields and dual CFT operators. We build a canonical

Physical states and BRST operators for higher-spin W strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yu-Xiao; Wei, Shao-Wen; Ren, Ji-Rong; Zhang, Li-Jie

2009-01-01

In this paper, we mainly investigate the W 2,s M x W 2,s L system, in which the matter and the Liouville subsystems generate the W 2,s M and W 2,s L algebras, respectively. We first give a brief discussion of the physical states for the corresponding W strings. The lower states are given by freezing the spin-2 and spin-s currents. Then, introducing two pairs of ghost-like fields, we give the realizations of the W 1,2,s algebras. Based on these linear realizations, the BRST operators for the W 2,s algebras are obtained. Finally, we construct new BRST charges of the Liouville system for the W 2,s L strings at the specific values of the central charges c: c=-(22)/(5) for the W 2,3 L algebra, c=-24 for the W 2,4 L algebra and c=-2,-(286)/(3) for the W 2,6 L algebra, at which the corresponding W 2,s L algebras are singular. (orig.)

Duffin-Kemmer formulation of gauge theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okubo, S.; Tosa, Y.

1979-01-01

Gauge theories, including the Yang-Mills theory as well as Einstein's general relativity, are reformulated in first-order differential forms. In this generalized Duffin-Kemmer formalism, gauge theories take very simple forms with only cubic interactions. Moreover, every local gauge transformation, e.g., that of Yang and Mills or Einstein, etc., has an essentially similar form. Other examples comprise a gauge theory akin to the Sugawara theory of currents and the nonlinear realization of chiral symmetry. The octonion algebra is found possibly relevant to the discussion of the Yang-Mills theory

General construction of the Virasoro algebra from superalgebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frappat, L.; Ragoucy, E.; Thuillier, F.

1991-02-01

The Master equations leading to a generalization of the Sugawara construction for superalgebras are given. The OSp(1|2) k case is worked out in detail. In particular, a new continuous one parameter solution is found at level k=4, which is related by K-conjugation to the continuous solution of SU(2) 4 . This new solution for OSp(1|2) 4 corresponds to the sum of a theory of a free boson (c=1) and of a model of a non-unitary minimal series with c=-14/11. (author) 13 refs., 2 tabs

Nonlocal higher order evolution equations

KAUST Repository

Rossi, Julio D.

2010-06-01

In this article, we study the asymptotic behaviour of solutions to the nonlocal operator ut(x, t)1/4(-1)n-1 (J*Id -1)n (u(x, t)), x ∈ ℝN, which is the nonlocal analogous to the higher order local evolution equation vt(-1)n-1(Δ)nv. We prove that the solutions of the nonlocal problem converge to the solution of the higher order problem with the right-hand side given by powers of the Laplacian when the kernel J is rescaled in an appropriate way. Moreover, we prove that solutions to both equations have the same asymptotic decay rate as t goes to infinity. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

Dairy operation management practices and herd milk production.

Science.gov (United States)

Losinger, W C; Heinrichs, A J

1996-03-01

A national US survey collected data on herd milk production and management of Holstein herds. Step-wise selection identified management practices that were related to herd milk production using only operations that calculated herd milk production as well as using data from all operations. Results were similar. Milk production was highest in the West. Operations with 25% registered cattle had higher production than operations with no registered cattle. Dairy operations that reported a mean BW > 545 kg at first calving had higher mean milk production than operations with a mean BW or = 27 mo at first calving. In addition, use of the following management practices was associated with higher rolling herd average milk production: calves born in individual areas in buildings, calves hand-fed first colostrum, starter grain fed to preweaned calves, ionophores fed to heifers from birth to first calving, DHIA record-keeping system used, computerized records, and no new cattle introduced in the previous 12 mo.

Operator performance in non-destructive testing: A study of operator performance in a performance test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enkvist, J.; Edland, A.; Svenson, Ola [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Psychology

2000-05-15

In the process industries there is a need of inspecting the integrity of critical components without disrupting the process. Such in-service inspections are typically performed with non-destructive testing (NDT). In NDT the task of the operator is to (based on diagnostic information) decide if the component can remain in service or not. The present study looks at the performance in NDT. The aim is to improve performance, in the long run, by exploring the operators' decision strategies and other underlying factors and to this way find out what makes some operators more successful than others. Sixteen operators performed manual ultrasonic inspections of four test pieces with the aim to detect (implanted) cracks. In addition to these performance demonstration tests (PDT), the operators performed independent ability tests and filled out questionnaires. The results show that operators who trust their gut feeling more than the procedure (when the two come to different results) and that at the same time have a positive attitude towards the procedure have a higher PDT performance. These results indicate the need for operators to be motivated and confident when performing NDT. It was also found that the operators who performed better rated more decision criteria higher in the detection phase than the operators who performed worse. For characterizing it was the other way around. Also, the operators who performed better used more time, both detecting and characterizing, than the operators who performed worse.

Operator performance in non-destructive testing: A study of operator performance in a performance test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enkvist, J.; Edland, A.; Svenson, Ola

2000-05-01

In the process industries there is a need of inspecting the integrity of critical components without disrupting the process. Such in-service inspections are typically performed with non-destructive testing (NDT). In NDT the task of the operator is to (based on diagnostic information) decide if the component can remain in service or not. The present study looks at the performance in NDT. The aim is to improve performance, in the long run, by exploring the operators' decision strategies and other underlying factors and to this way find out what makes some operators more successful than others. Sixteen operators performed manual ultrasonic inspections of four test pieces with the aim to detect (implanted) cracks. In addition to these performance demonstration tests (PDT), the operators performed independent ability tests and filled out questionnaires. The results show that operators who trust their gut feeling more than the procedure (when the two come to different results) and that at the same time have a positive attitude towards the procedure have a higher PDT performance. These results indicate the need for operators to be motivated and confident when performing NDT. It was also found that the operators who performed better rated more decision criteria higher in the detection phase than the operators who performed worse. For characterizing it was the other way around. Also, the operators who performed better used more time, both detecting and characterizing, than the operators who performed worse

Higher Order and Fractional Diffusive Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Assante

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We discuss the solution of various generalized forms of the Heat Equation, by means of different tools ranging from the use of Hermite-Kampé de Fériet polynomials of higher and fractional order to operational techniques. We show that these methods are useful to obtain either numerical or analytical solutions.

Entanglement branching operator

Science.gov (United States)

Harada, Kenji

2018-01-01

We introduce an entanglement branching operator to split a composite entanglement flow in a tensor network which is a promising theoretical tool for many-body systems. We can optimize an entanglement branching operator by solving a minimization problem based on squeezing operators. The entanglement branching is a new useful operation to manipulate a tensor network. For example, finding a particular entanglement structure by an entanglement branching operator, we can improve a higher-order tensor renormalization group method to catch a proper renormalization flow in a tensor network space. This new method yields a new type of tensor network states. The second example is a many-body decomposition of a tensor by using an entanglement branching operator. We can use it for a perfect disentangling among tensors. Applying a many-body decomposition recursively, we conceptually derive projected entangled pair states from quantum states that satisfy the area law of entanglement entropy.

Drug addiction, love, and the higher power.

Science.gov (United States)

Sussman, Steve; Reynaud, Michel; Aubin, Henri-Jean; Leventhal, Adam M

2011-09-01

This discussion piece suggests that reliance on a Higher Power in drug abuse recovery programs is entertained among some addicts for its psychobiological effects. Prayer, meditation, early romantic love, and drug abuse may have in common activation of mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways of the brain and the generation of intense emotional states. In this sense, reliance on a Higher Power may operate as a substitute addiction, which replaces the psychobiological functions formerly served by drug use. Implications of this perspective are discussed.

Federal Policies and Higher Education in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Prisco, Anne; Hurley, Alicia D.; Carton, Thomas C; Richardson, Richard C., Jr.

The purpose of this report is to describe U.S. federal policies that have helped to shape the context within which state systems of higher education operated during the past decade. It also presents descriptive statistics about the higher education enterprise in the United States, including available performance data. The report is based on the…

Higher Education: New Models, New Rules

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Louis; Eaton, Judith S.; Smith, Burck

2013-01-01

The Internet enables new models. In the commercial world, for example, we have eBay, Amazon.com, and Netflix. These new models operate with a different set of rules than do traditional models. New models are emerging in higher education as well--for example, competency-based programs. In addition, courses that are being provided from outside the…

Higher spin fields and the Gelfand-Dickey algebra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakas, I.

1989-01-01

We show that in 2-dimensional field theory, higher spin algebras are contained in the algebra of formal pseudodifferential operators introduced by Gelfand and Dickey to describe integrable nonlinear differential equations in Lax form. The spin 2 and 3 algebras are discussed in detail and the generalization to all higher spins is outlined. This provides a conformal field theory approach to the representation theory of Gelfand-Dickey algebras. (orig.)

Big Data and Analytics in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel, Ben

2015-01-01

Institutions of higher education are operating in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. This paper identifies contemporary challenges facing institutions of higher education worldwide and explores the potential of Big Data in addressing these challenges. The paper then outlines a number of opportunities and challenges associated…

Two-loop finiteness of self-energies in higher-derivative SQED3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.A. Gallegos

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In the N=1 superfield formalism, two higher-derivative kinetic operators (Lee–Wick operators are implemented into the standard three dimensional supersymmetric quantum electrodynamics (SQED3 for improving its ultraviolet behavior. It is shown in particular that the ghosts associated with these Lee–Wick operators allow to remove all ultraviolet divergences in the scalar and gauge self-energies at two-loop level.

A Higher-Order Colon Translation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danvy, Olivier; Nielsen, Lasse Reichstein

2001-01-01

A lambda-encoding such as the CPS transformation gives rise to administrative redexes. In his seminal article ``Call-by-name, call-by-value and the lambda-calculus'', 25 years ago, Plotkin tackled administrative reductions using a so-called ``colon translation.'' 10 years ago, Danvy and Filinski...... integrated administrative reductions in the CPS transformation, making it operate in one pass. The technique applies to other lambda-encodings (e.g., variants of CPS), but we do not see it used in practice--instead, Plotkin's colon translation appears to be favored. Therefore, in an attempt to link both...... techniques, we recast Plotkin's proof of Indifference and Simulation to the higher-order specification of the one-pass CPS transformation. To this end, we extend his colon translation from first order to higher order...

Development of a web based instrument on higher education structures of industrial engineering

OpenAIRE

Tarba Ioan-Cristian

2017-01-01

The research and development of assisted operational instruments on higher education structures of industrial engineering represent a continuous and complex process. The present paper contributes to the building up of support elements and an assisted operational instrument on higher education structures of industrial engineering, with focus on the specific curricula. The use of tested and validated constructive solutions from other projects, as base for the new design, reduces the design time.

Commodification of Higher Education: Students, Study Loan Systems and State Aid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogenboom, Alexander

2015-01-01

The main argument presented in this paper is that the application of economic principles in the higher education sector, turning higher education institutes into undertakings operating on markets, leads to the application of rules on State aid. This has consequences for the financial support systems

Operating Room Utilization at Frederick Memorial Hospital

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Edwards, Jonathan A

2007-01-01

.... A logistical regression analysis was used to identify the impact of variables on operating room utilization rates and therefore help explain how or why some operating rooms incurred higher utilization rates than others...

Recent progress in irrational conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halpern, M.B.

1993-09-01

In this talk, I will review the foundations of irrational conformal field theory (ICFT), which includes rational conformal field theory as a small subspace. Highlights of the review include the Virasoro master equation, the Ward identities for the correlators of ICFT and solutions of the Ward identities. In particular, I will discuss the solutions for the correlators of the g/h coset construction and the correlators of the affine-Sugawara nests on g contains h 1 contains hor-ellipsis contains h n . Finally, I will discuss the recent global solution for the correlators of all the ICFT's in the master equation

Generalizing the bms3 and 2D-conformal algebras by expanding the Virasoro algebra

Science.gov (United States)

Caroca, Ricardo; Concha, Patrick; Rodríguez, Evelyn; Salgado-Rebolledo, Patricio

2018-03-01

By means of the Lie algebra expansion method, the centrally extended conformal algebra in two dimensions and the bms3 algebra are obtained from the Virasoro algebra. We extend this result to construct new families of expanded Virasoro algebras that turn out to be infinite-dimensional lifts of the so-called Bk, Ck and Dk algebras recently introduced in the literature in the context of (super)gravity. We also show how some of these new infinite-dimensional symmetries can be obtained from expanded Kač-Moody algebras using modified Sugawara constructions. Applications in the context of three-dimensional gravity are briefly discussed.

Corporate real estate alignment strategies in dutch higher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theo van der Voordt; Ronald Beckers

2014-01-01

This paper aims to explore the management approaches concerned with the process of aligning Corporate Real Estate (CRE) with organizational goals on a strategic level and regarding day-to-day operating activities in higher education institutes.

Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Office of Safe and Healthy Students, US Department of Education, 2013

2013-01-01

Our nation's postsecondary institutions are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for students, faculty, and staff who live, work, and study on campus. Many of these emergencies occur with little to no warning; therefore, it is critical for institutions of higher education (IHEs) to plan ahead to help ensure the safety and…

Supplantation of Mental Operations on Graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Markus; Girwidz, Raimund; Engel, Joachim

2007-01-01

Research findings show the difficulties younger students have in working with graphs. Higher mental operations are necessary for a skilled interpretation of abstract representations. We suggest connecting a concrete representation of the modeled problem with the related graph. The idea is to illustrate essential mental operations externally. This…

ITER-FEAT operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimomura, Y.; Huget, M.; Mizoguchi, T.; Murakami, Y.; Polevoi, A.; Shimada, M.; Aymar, R.; Chuyanov, V.; Matsumoto, H.

2001-01-01

ITER is planned to be the first fusion experimental reactor in the world operating for research in physics and engineering. The first 10 years' operation will be devoted primarily to physics issues at low neutron fluence and the following 10 years' operation to engineering testing at higher fluence. ITER can accommodate various plasma configurations and plasma operation modes such as inductive high Q modes, long pulse hybrid modes, non-inductive steady-state modes, with large ranges of plasma current, density, beta and fusion power, and with various heating and current drive methods. This flexibility will provide an advantage for coping with uncertainties in the physics database, in studying burning plasmas, in introducing advanced features and in optimizing the plasma performance for the different programme objectives. Remote sites will be able to participate in the ITER experiment. This concept will provide an advantage not only in operating ITER for 24 hours per day but also in involving the world-wide fusion communities and in promoting scientific competition among the Parties. (author)

ITER-FEAT operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimomura, Y.; Huguet, M.; Mizoguchi, T.; Murakami, Y.; Polevoi, A.R.; Shimada, M.; Aymar, R.; Chuyanov, V.A.; Matsumoto, H.

2001-01-01

ITER is planned to be the first fusion experimental reactor in the world operating for research in physics and engineering. The first ten years of operation will be devoted primarily to physics issues at low neutron fluence and the following ten years of operation to engineering testing at higher fluence. ITER can accommodate various plasma configurations and plasma operation modes, such as inductive high Q modes, long pulse hybrid modes and non-inductive steady state modes, with large ranges of plasma current, density, beta and fusion power, and with various heating and current drive methods. This flexibility will provide an advantage for coping with uncertainties in the physics database, in studying burning plasmas, in introducing advanced features and in optimizing the plasma performance for the different programme objectives. Remote sites will be able to participate in the ITER experiment. This concept will provide an advantage not only in operating ITER for 24 hours a day but also in involving the worldwide fusion community and in promoting scientific competition among the ITER Parties. (author)

Upgraded operator training by using advanced simulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwashita, Akira; Toeda, Susumu; Fujita, Eimitsu; Moriguchi, Iwao; Wada, Kouji

1991-01-01

BWR Operator Training Center Corporation (BTC) has been conducting the operator training for all BWR utilities in Japan using fullscope simulators. Corresponding to increasing quantitative demands and higher qualitative needs of operator training, BTC put advanced simulators in operation (BTC-2 simulator in 1983 and BTC-3 simulator in 1989). This paper describes the methods and the effects of upgraded training contents by using these advanced simulators. These training methods are applied to the 'Advanced Operator Training course,' the 'Operator Retraining Course' and also the 'Family (crew) Training Course.' (author)

On mod 2 and higher elliptic genera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Kefeng

1992-01-01

In the first part of this paper, we construct mod 2 elliptic genera on manifolds of dimensions 8k+1, 8k+2 by mod 2 index formulas of Dirac operators. They are given by mod 2 modular forms or mod 2 automorphic functions. We also obtain an integral formula for the mod 2 index of the Dirac operator. As a by-product we find topological obstructions to group actions. In the second part, we construct higher elliptic genera and prove some of their rigidity properties under group actions. In the third part we write down characteristic series for all Witten genera by Jacobi theta-functions. The modular property and transformation formulas of elliptic genera then follow easily. We shall also prove that Krichever's genera, which come from integrable systems, can be written as indices of twisted Dirac operators for SU-manifolds. Some general discussions about elliptic genera are given. (orig.)

Changes of serum contents of cortisol and ACTH in patients after operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Lianghong; Zhang Xinlu; Chen Guanghua

2007-01-01

Objective: To study the changes of serum contents of cortisol and ACTH after operation. Methods: Serum cortisol and ACTH levels were measured with RIA both before and ld, 3d post-operatively in 30 patients after Grade III operation and 15 patients after Grade IV operation. Results: On the first post-operative day, the serum cortisol and ACTH levels in both groups of patients were significantly higher than their respective pre-operative levels. Levels in Grade IV group were significantly higher than those in Grade III group. On the third post-operative day, the serum cortisol levels dropped markedly and were lower than their respective pre-operative levels. However, the serum ACTH levels continued to rise in both groups and were significantly higher than the respective levels pre-operatively as well as those on dl. The ACTH levels in the two groups were not significantly different on d3. Conclusion: Serum cortisol and ACTH levels increased in the early post-operative phase and the degree of increase of cortisol was correlated with the magnitude of the operation. (authors)

Operative Start Time Does Not Affect Post-Operative Infection Risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidry, Christopher A; Davies, Stephen W; Willis, Rhett N; Dietch, Zachary C; Shah, Puja M; Sawyer, Robert G

2016-10-01

Surgical care is delivered 24 h a day at most institutions. Alarmingly, some authors have found that certain operative start times are associated with greater morbidity and mortality rates. This effect has been noted in both the public and private sector. Although some of these differences may be related to process, they may also be caused by the human circadian rhythm and corresponding changes in host defenses. We hypothesized that the time of day of an operation would impact the frequency of certain post-operative outcomes significantly. Cases at a single tertiary-care center reported to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program over a 10-year period were identified. Operative start times were divided into six-hour blocks, with 6 am to noon serving as the reference. Standard univariable techniques were applied. Multivariable logistic regression with mixed effects modeling then was used to determine the relation between operative start times and infectious outcomes, controlling for surgeon clustering. Statistical significance was set at p operative infectious complication. Seventy percent of these infections (n = 1,506) were surgical site infections. On univariable analysis considering all cases, nighttime and evening operations had higher rates of post-operative infections than those in performed during the day (9.1% from 6 am to noon; 9.7% from noon to 6 pm; 14.8% from 6 pm to midnight; and 14.4% from midnight to 6 am; p operative start time was not associated with the risk of post-operative infection, even when emergency cases were considered independently. Our data suggest that operative start times have no correlation with post-operative infectious complications. Further work is required to identify the source of the time-dependent outcome variability observed in previous studies.

The Lifetime Estimate for ACSR Single-Stage Splice Connector Operating at Higher Temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jy-An John; Graziano, Joe; Chan, John

2011-01-01

This paper is the continuation of Part I effort to develop a protocol of integrating analytical and experimental approaches to evaluate the integrity of a full tension single-stage splice connector (SSC) assembly during service at high operating temperature.1The Part II efforts are mainly focused on the thermal mechanical testing, thermal-cycling simulation and its impact on the effective lifetime of the SSC system. The investigation indicates that thermal cycling temperature and frequency, conductor cable tension loading, and the compressive residual stress field within a SSC system have significant impact on the SSC integrity and the associated effective lifetime.

Compiler-Directed Transformation for Higher-Order Stencils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basu, Protonu [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Hall, Mary [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Williams, Samuel [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Straalen, Brian Van [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Oliker, Leonid [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Colella, Phillip [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-07-20

As the cost of data movement increasingly dominates performance, developers of finite-volume and finite-difference solutions for partial differential equations (PDEs) are exploring novel higher-order stencils that increase numerical accuracy and computational intensity. This paper describes a new compiler reordering transformation applied to stencil operators that performs partial sums in buffers, and reuses the partial sums in computing multiple results. This optimization has multiple effect son improving stencil performance that are particularly important to higher-order stencils: exploits data reuse, reduces floating-point operations, and exposes efficient SIMD parallelism to backend compilers. We study the benefit of this optimization in the context of Geometric Multigrid (GMG), a widely used method to solvePDEs, using four different Jacobi smoothers built from 7-, 13-, 27-and 125-point stencils. We quantify performance, speedup, andnumerical accuracy, and use the Roofline model to qualify our results. Ultimately, we obtain over 4× speedup on the smoothers themselves and up to a 3× speedup on the multigrid solver. Finally, we demonstrate that high-order multigrid solvers have the potential of reducing total data movement and energy by several orders of magnitude.

Overview of Commercial Building Partnerships in Higher Education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schatz, Glenn [Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Washington, DC (United States)

2013-03-01

Higher education uses less energy per square foot than most commercial building sectors. However, higher education campuses house energy-intensive laboratories and data centers that may spend more than this average; laboratories, in particular, are disproportionately represented in the higher education sector. The Commercial Building Partnership (CBP), a public/private, cost-shared program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), paired selected commercial building owners and operators with representatives of DOE, its national laboratories, and private-sector technical experts. These teams explored energy-saving measures across building systems–including some considered too costly or technologically challenging–and used advanced energy modeling to achieve peak whole-building performance. Modeling results were then included in new construction or retrofit designs to achieve significant energy reductions.

Intelligent systems supporting the control room operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, E.

1997-01-01

The operational experience obtained with the various applications of the systems discussed in this paper shows that more consequent use of the systems will make detection and management of disturbances still more efficient and faster. This holds true both for a low level of process automation and for power plants with a high level of automation. As for conventional power plants, the trend clearly is towards higher degrees of automation and consequent application of supporting systems. Thus, higher availability and rapid failure management are achieved, at low effects on normal operation. These systems are monitoring and process control systems, expert systems, and systems for optimal use of the equipment, or systems for post-incident analyses and computer-assisted on-shift protocols, or operating manuals. (orig./CB) [de

Application of holomorphic functions in two and higher dimensions

CERN Document Server

Gürlebeck, Klaus; Sprößig, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

This book presents applications of hypercomplex analysis to boundary value and initial-boundary value problems from various areas of mathematical physics. Given that quaternion and Clifford analysis offer natural and intelligent ways to enter into higher dimensions, it starts with quaternion and Clifford versions of complex function theory including series expansions with Appell polynomials, as well as Taylor and Laurent series. Several necessary function spaces are introduced, and an operator calculus based on modifications of the Dirac, Cauchy-Fueter, and Teodorescu operators and different decompositions of quaternion Hilbert spaces are proved. Finally, hypercomplex Fourier transforms are studied in detail. All this is then applied to first-order partial differential equations such as the Maxwell equations, the Carleman-Bers-Vekua system, the Schrödinger equation, and the Beltrami equation. The higher-order equations start with Riccati-type equations. Further topics include spatial fluid flow problems, ima...

Analysing Information Systems Security In Higher Learning Institutions Of Uganda

OpenAIRE

Mugyenyi Raymond

2017-01-01

Information communication technology has increased globalisation in higher learning institution all over the world. This has been achieved through introduction of systems that ease operations related to information handling in the institutions. The paper assessed and analysed the information systems security performance status in higher learning institutions of Uganda. The existing policies that govern the information security have also been analysed together with the current status of inform...

Corporate real estate management stratgies in Dutch higher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theo van der Voordt; Ronald Beckers

2014-01-01

Purpose This paper aims to explore the management approaches concerned with the process of aligning Corporate Real Estate (CRE) with organizational goals on a strategic level and regarding day-to-day operating activities in higher education institutes. Methodology/approach – The paper first outlines

Corporate real estate alignment strategies in Dutch higher education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theo van der Voordt; Ronald Beckers

2014-01-01

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the management approaches concerned with the process of aligning Corporate Real Estate (CRE) with organizational goals on a strategic level and regarding day-to-day operating activities in higher education institutes. Methodology/approach – The paper first

Control of water chemistry in operating reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riess, R.

1997-01-01

Water chemistry plays a major role in fuel cladding corrosion and hydriding. Although a full understanding of all mechanisms involved in cladding corrosion does not exist, controlling the water chemistry has achieved quite some progress in recent years. As an example, in PWRs the activity transport is controlled by operating the coolant under higher pH-values (i.e. the ''modified'' B/Li-Chemistry). On the other hand, the lithium concentration is limited to a maximum value of 2 ppm in order to avoid an acceleration of the fuel cladding corrosion. In BWR plants, for example, the industry has learned on how to limit the copper concentration in the feedwater in order to limit CILC (Copper Induced Localized Corrosion) on the fuel cladding. However, economic pressures are leading to more rigorous operating conditions in power reactors. Fuel burnups are to be increased, higher efficiencies are to be achieved, by running at higher temperatures, plant lifetimes are to be extended. In summary, this paper will describe the state of the art in controlling water chemistry in operating reactors and it will give an outlook on potential problems that will arise when going to more severe operating conditions. (author). 3 figs, 6 tabs

Control of water chemistry in operating reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riess, R [Siemens AG Unternehmensbereich KWU, Erlangen (Germany)

1997-02-01

Water chemistry plays a major role in fuel cladding corrosion and hydriding. Although a full understanding of all mechanisms involved in cladding corrosion does not exist, controlling the water chemistry has achieved quite some progress in recent years. As an example, in PWRs the activity transport is controlled by operating the coolant under higher pH-values (i.e. the ``modified`` B/Li-Chemistry). On the other hand, the lithium concentration is limited to a maximum value of 2 ppm in order to avoid an acceleration of the fuel cladding corrosion. In BWR plants, for example, the industry has learned on how to limit the copper concentration in the feedwater in order to limit CILC (Copper Induced Localized Corrosion) on the fuel cladding. However, economic pressures are leading to more rigorous operating conditions in power reactors. Fuel burnups are to be increased, higher efficiencies are to be achieved, by running at higher temperatures, plant lifetimes are to be extended. In summary, this paper will describe the state of the art in controlling water chemistry in operating reactors and it will give an outlook on potential problems that will arise when going to more severe operating conditions. (author). 3 figs, 6 tabs.

Development of hot water utilizing power plant in fiscal 1998. Development of a binary cycle power generation plant (development of a 10-MW class plant); 1998 nendo nessui riyo hatsuden plant nado kaihatsu. Binary cycle hatsuden plant no kaihatsu (10MW kyu plant no kaihatsu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

This paper summarizes the achievements in fiscal 1998 on developing a 10-MW geothermal power plant in the Hohi-Sugawara area being a representative area of middle-to-high temperature hot water resources. In designing the plant, domestic and overseas surveys were carried out on media suitable for binary cycle power plants, thermal cycle characteristics, construction cost, environmental effects, safety, operation, maintenance and control. Latest technologies were also surveyed and analyzed. The plant construction performed development construction around the testing devices, new construction of a plant control room building, constructions for installing electrical machines including the hot water system testing devices, river water intake facility construction, and cooling water intake facility installing construction. The environmental effect investigation included investigations on rain falls, river flow rates, hot springs, spring water, monitoring during the construction, and the state of transplantation of precious plants, and observation on groundwater variation. In verifying the geothermal water pumping system, factory tests were carried out on DHP3 demonstration machine which couples the pump section of a down-hole pump with the motor section, whose performance and functions were verified. (NEDO)

Galilean contractions of W-algebras

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jørgen Rasmussen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Infinite-dimensional Galilean conformal algebras can be constructed by contracting pairs of symmetry algebras in conformal field theory, such as W-algebras. Known examples include contractions of pairs of the Virasoro algebra, its N=1 superconformal extension, or the W3 algebra. Here, we introduce a contraction prescription of the corresponding operator-product algebras, or equivalently, a prescription for contracting tensor products of vertex algebras. With this, we work out the Galilean conformal algebras arising from contractions of N=2 and N=4 superconformal algebras as well as of the W-algebras W(2,4, W(2,6, W4, and W5. The latter results provide evidence for the existence of a whole new class of W-algebras which we call Galilean W-algebras. We also apply the contraction prescription to affine Lie algebras and find that the ensuing Galilean affine algebras admit a Sugawara construction. The corresponding central charge is level-independent and given by twice the dimension of the underlying finite-dimensional Lie algebra. Finally, applications of our results to the characterisation of structure constants in W-algebras are proposed.

Optical MSD symbolic substitution system based on a higher ordered rule

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, A. K.; Mallikarjun, Tatipamula; Raina, J. P.

1992-12-01

The advantages provided by Photonic Computing has been well documented. An Optical arithmetic processor has to take full advantage of the massive parallelism in optical signals. Such a processor, using the Modified - Signed - Digit (MSD) number . (i) representation, has been presented here based (2) on the symbolic substitution 1ogi. The higher order symbolic substitution rules are formulated for the addition operation, which is carried out in just two steps. Based on the addition operation, the other arithmetic operations - subtraction, multiplication and division - are implemented. Finally, the usefulness of this MSD system is studied.

Twisted Diff S sup 1 -action on loop groups and representations of the Virasoro algebra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harnad, J [Montreal Univ., Quebec (Canada). Centre de Recherches Mathematiques (CRM); Kupershmidt, B A [Tennessee Univ., Tullahoma (USA). Space Inst.

1990-05-01

A modified Hamiltonian action of Diff S{sup 1} on the phase space LG{sup C}/G{sup C}, where LG is a loop group, is defined by twisting the usual action by a left translation in LG. This twisted action is shown to be generated by a nonequivariant moment map, thereby defining a classical Poisson bracket realization of a central extension of the Lie algebra diff{sub C} S{sup 1}. The resulting formula expresses the Diff S{sup 1} generators in terms of the left LG translation generators, giving a shifted modification of both the classical and quantum versions of the Sugawara formula. (orig.).

Operator use of procedures during simulated emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, E.M.; Mumaw, R.J.; Lewis, P.M.

1995-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of an empirical study of nuclear power plant operator performance in cognitively demanding simulated emergencies. During emergencies operators follow highly prescriptive written procedures. The objectives of the study were to understand and document what role higher-level cognitive activities such as diagnosis, or more generally ' situation assessment,' play in guiding operator performance, given that operators utilize procedures in responding to the events. The study examined crew performance in variants of two simulated emergencies: (1) an Interfacing System Loss of Coolant Accident and (2) a Loss of Heat Sink scenario. Data on operator performance were collected using training simulators at two plant sites. Up to 11 crews from each plant participated in each of two simulated emergencies for a total of 38 cases analyzed. Crew performance was videotaped and partial transcripts were produced and analyzed. The results revealed a number of instances where higher-level cognitive activities such as situation assessment and response planning enabled operators to handle aspects of the situation that were not fully addressed by the procedures. The paper summarizes these cases and their implications for the development and evaluation of training and control room aids, as well as for human reliability analyses. The full report of the study is published as NUREG/CR-6208

Higher-order nonclassical effects generated by multiple-photon annihilation-then-creation and creation-then-annihilation coherent states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Hong-Chun; Xiao Jin; Xiong Chao; Zhu Xi-Fang; Xu Xue-Xiang

2016-01-01

We explore two observable nonclassical properties of quantum states generated by repeatedly operating annihilation-then-creation (AC) and creation-then-annihilation (CA) on the coherent state, respectively, such as higher-order sub-Poissonian statistics and higher-order squeezing-enhanced effect. The corresponding analytical expressions are derived in detail depending on m . By numerically comparing those quantum properties, it is found that these states above have very different nonclassical properties and nonclassicality is exhibited more strongly after AC operation than after CA operation. (paper)

The Patient Safety Attitudes among the Operating Room Personnel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cherdsak Iramaneerat

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The first step in cultivating the culture of safety in the operating room is the assessment of safety culture among operating room personnel. Objective: To assess the patient safety culture of operating room personnel at the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, and compare attitudes among different groups of personnel, and compare them with the international standards. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of safety attitudes among 396 operating room personnel, using a short form of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ. The SAQ employed 30 items to assess safety culture in six dimensions: teamwork climate, safety climate, stress recognition, perception of hospital management, working conditions, and job satisfaction. The subscore of each dimension was calculated and converted to a scale score with a full score of 100, where higher scores indicated better safety attitudes. Results: The response rate was 66.4%. The overall safety culture score of the operating room personnel was 65.02, higher than an international average (61.80. Operating room personnel at Siriraj Hospital had safety attitudes in teamwork climate, safety climate, and stress recognition lower than the international average, but had safety attitudes in the perception of hospital management, working conditions, and job satisfaction higher than the international average. Conclusion: The safety culture attitudes of operating room personnel at the Department of Surgery, Siriraj Hospital were comparable to international standards. The safety dimensions that Siriraj Hospital operating room should try to improve were teamwork climate, safety climate, and stress recognition.

Dioxins from medical waste incineration: Normal operation and transient conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tong; Zhan, Ming-xiu; Yan, Mi; Fu, Jian-ying; Lu, Sheng-yong; Li, Xiao-dong; Yan, Jian-hua; Buekens, Alfons

2015-07-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are key pollutants in waste incineration. At present, incinerator managers and official supervisors focus only on emissions evolving during steady-state operation. Yet, these emissions may considerably be raised during periods of poor combustion, plant shutdown, and especially when starting-up from cold. Until now there were no data on transient emissions from medical (or hospital) waste incineration (MWI). However, MWI is reputed to engender higher emissions than those from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). The emission levels in this study recorded for shutdown and start-up, however, were significantly higher: 483 ± 184 ng Nm(-3) (1.47 ± 0.17 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3)) for shutdown and 735 ng Nm(-3) (7.73 ng I-TEQ Nm(-3)) for start-up conditions, respectively. Thus, the average (I-TEQ) concentration during shutdown is 2.6 (3.8) times higher than the average concentration during normal operation, and the average (I-TEQ) concentration during start-up is 4.0 (almost 20) times higher. So monitoring should cover the entire incineration cycle, including start-up, operation and shutdown, rather than optimised operation only. This suggestion is important for medical waste incinerators, as these facilities frequently start up and shut down, because of their small size, or of lacking waste supply. Forthcoming operation should shift towards much longer operating cycles, i.e., a single weekly start-up and shutdown. © The Author(s) 2015.

Impact of demographic changes on higher education institutions : Llithuania in a global context

OpenAIRE

Grebliauskas, Artūras; Leskauskaitė, Aušra

2012-01-01

The present article raises the following problematic questions: how have higher education institutions prepared themselves for facing challenges coming from the environment modified by demographic changes? What new strategic directions in higher education institutions operation are determined by a steadily-decreasing number of students? This research purposes: firstly, to inquire into the impact of demographic changes on higher education institutions activities, and, secondly, to determine ho...

South African legislation on limiting private and foreign higher ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A number of the amendments were aimed at limiting the operations of private and foreign higher education institutions in South Africa. Good arguments exist for the ... The article introduces a link to the concept of globalisation by indicating how global financial markets impact on developing countries. It then explores the ...

Three weights higher order Hardy type inequalities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aigerim A. Kalybay

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the following three weights higher order Hardy type inequality (0.1 ‖g‖q,u≤  C‖Dρkg‖p,v where Dρi denotes the following weighted differential operator: {dig(tdti,i=0,1,...,m−1,di−mdti−m(p(tdmg(tdtm,i=m,m+1,...,k, for a weight function ρ(⋅. A complete description of the weights u, v and ρ so that (0.1 holds was given in [4] for the case 1operator, which we first state and prove.

Emissions characteristics of higher alcohol/gasoline blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautam, M.; Martin, D.W.; Carder, D.

2000-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the emissions characteristics of higher alcohols and gasoline (UTG96) blends. While lower alcohols (methanol and ethanol) have been used in blends with gasoline, very little work has been done or reported on higher alcohols (propanol, butanol and pentanol). Comparisons of emissions and fuel characteristics between higher alcohol/gasoline blends and neat gasoline were made to determine the advantages and disadvantages of blending higher alcohols with gasoline. All tests were conducted on a single-cylinder Waukesha Cooperative Fuel Research engine operating at steady state conditions and stoichiometric air-fuel (A/F) ratio. Emissions test were conducted at the optimum spark timing-knock limiting compression ratio combination for the particular blend being tested. The cycle emission [mass per unit time (g/h)] of CO, CO 2 and organic matter hydrocarbon equivalent (OMHCE) from the higher alcohol/gasoline blends were very similar to those from neat gasoline. Cycle emissions of NO x from the blends were higher than those from neat gasoline. However, for all the emissions species considered, the brake specific emissions (g/kW h) were significantly lower for the higher alcohol/gasoline blends than for neat gasoline. This was because the blends had greater resistance to knock and allowed higher compression ratios, which increased engine power output. The contribution of alcohols and aldehydes to the overall OMHCE emissions was found to be minimal. Cycle fuel consumption (g/h) of higher alcohol/gasoline blends was slightly higher than with neat gasoline due to the lower stoichiometric A/F ratios required by the blends. However, the brake specific fuel consumption (g/kW h) for the blends was significantly lower than that for neat gasoline. (Author)

Higher operation temperature quadrant photon detectors of 2-11 μm wavelength radiation with large photosensitive areas

Science.gov (United States)

Pawluczyk, J.; Sosna, A.; Wojnowski, D.; Koźniewski, A.; Romanis, M.; Gawron, W.; Piotrowski, J.

2017-10-01

We report on the quadrant photon HgCdTe detectors optimized for 2-11 μm wavelength spectral range and Peltier or no cooling, and photosensitive area of a quad-cell of 1×1 to 4×4 mm. The devices are fabricated as photoconductors or multiple photovoltaic cells connected in series (PVM). The former are characterized by a relatively uniform photosensitive area. The PVM photovoltaic cells are distributed along the wafer surface, comprising a periodical stripe structure with a period of 20 μm. Within each period, there is an insensitive gap/trench spot of size close to the period, but becomes negligible for the optimal spot size comparable to a quadrant-cell area. The photoconductors produce 1/f noise with about 10 kHz knee frequency, due to bias necessary for their operation. The PVM photodiodes are typically operated at 0 V bias, so they generate no 1/f noise and operation from DC is enabled. At 230 K, upper corner frequency of 16 to 100 MHz is obtained for photoconductor and 60 to 80 MHz for PVM, normalized detectivity D* 6×107 cm×Hz1/2/W to >1.4×108 cm×Hz1/2/W for photoconductor and >1.7×108 cm·Hz1/2/W for PVM, allowing for position control of the radiation beam with submicron accuracy at 16 MHz, 10.6 μm wavelength of pulsed radiation spot of 0.8 mm dia at the close-to-maximal input radiation power density in a range of detector linear operation.

Extended KN algebras and extended conformal field theories over higher genus Riemann surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceresole, A.; Huang Chaoshang

1990-01-01

A global operator formalism for extended conformal field theories over higher genus Riemann surfaces is introduced and extended KN algebra are obtained by means of the KN bases. The BBSS construction of the spin-3 operator is carried out for Kac-Moody algebra A 2 over a Riemann surface of arbitrary genus. (orig.)

Lagrangian procedures for higher order field equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bollini, C.G.

1987-01-01

A Lagrangian procedure for a pedagogical way is presented for the treatment of higher order field equations. The energy-momentum tensor and the conserved density current are built. In particular the case in which the derivatives appear only in the invariant D'Alembertian operator is discussed. Some examples are discussed. The fields are quantized and the corresponding Hamilonian which is shown not to be positive defructed. Rules are given to write the causal propagators. (author) [pt

Lagrangian procedures for higher order field equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bollini, C.G.; Giambiagi, J.J.

1986-01-01

We present in a pedagogical way a Lagrangian procedure for the treatment of higher order field equations. We build the energy-momentum tensor and the conserved density current. In particular we discuss the case in which the derivatives appear only in the invariant D'Alembertian operator. We discuss some examples. We quantize the fields and construct the corresponding Hamiltonian which is shown not to be positive definite. We give the rules for the causal propagators. (Author) [pt

Conformally covariant composite operators in quantum chromodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craigie, N.S.; Dobrev, V.K.; Todorov, I.T.

1983-03-01

Conformal covariance is shown to determine renormalization properties of composite operators in QCD and in the C 6 3 -model at the one-loop level. Its relevance to higher order (renormalization group improved) perturbative calculations in the short distance limit is also discussed. Light cone operator product expansions and spectral representations for wave functions in QCD are derived. (author)

A model for managing large-scale change: a higher education ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In recent years the environment in which higher education has had to operate has become increasingly complex, uncertain and turbulent, and has manifested an ever-increasing rate of change. The environmental changes are due to, for example, growing global competition, shifting stakeholder expectations, technological ...

Operator use of procedures during simulated emergencies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roth, E.M.; Mumaw, R.J.; Lewis, P.M.

1995-04-01

This paper summarizes the results of an empirical study of nuclear power plant operator performance in cognitively demanding simulated emergencies. During emergencies operators follow highly prescriptive written procedures. The objectives of the study were to understand and document what role higher-level cognitive activities such as diagnosis, or more generally {open_quotes}situation assessment,{close_quotes} play in guiding operator performance, given that operators utilize procedures in responding to the events. The study examined crew performance in variants of two simulated emergencies: (1) an Interfacing System Loss of Coolant Accident and (2) a Loss of Heat Sink scenario. Data on operator performance were collected using training simulators at two plant sites. Up to 11 crews from each plant participated in each of two simulated emergencies for a total of 38 cases analyzed. Crew performance was videotaped and partial transcripts were produced and analyzed. The results revealed a number of instances where higher-level cognitive activities such as situation assessment and response planning enabled operators to handle aspects of the situation that were not fully addressed by the procedures. The paper summarizes these cases and their implications for the development and evaluation of training and control room aids, as well as for human reliability analyses. The full report of the study is published as NUREG/CR-6208.

Higher Efficiency HVAC Motors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flynn, Charles Joseph [QM Power, Inc., Kansas City, MO (United States)

2018-02-13

failure prone capacitors from the power stage. Q-Sync’s simpler electronics also result in higher efficiency because it eliminates the power required by the PCB to perform the obviated power conversions and PWM processes after line synchronous operating speed is reached in the first 5 seconds of operation, after which the PWM circuits drop out and a much less energy intensive “pass through” circuit takes over, allowing the grid-supplied AC power to sustain the motor’s ongoing operation.

Tunnel Vision: New England Higher Education Ignores Demographic Peril

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgkinson, Harold L.

2004-01-01

This author states that American higher education ignores about 90 percent of the environment in which it operates. Colleges change admissions requirements without even informing high schools in their service areas. Community college graduates are denied access to four-year programs because of policy changes made only after it was too late for the…

Modeling of higher harmonics formation in medical ultrasound systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taylor, Louise Kold; Schlaikjer, Malene; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

2002-01-01

a valuable tool for simulating ultrasound harmonic imaging. An extended version of Field II is obtained by means of operator splitting. The pressure eld is calculated by propagation of the eld from the transducer through a number of planes. Every plane serves as a virtual aperture for the next plane...... of the approach is demonstrated by comparing results from simulations and measurements from a convex array transducer. The new simulation tool is capable of simulating the formation of higher harmonics in water on the acoustical axis. The generation of nonlinear higher harmonic components can be predicted...

Fractional equivalent Lagrangian densities for a fractional higher-order equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujioka, J

2014-01-01

In this communication we show that the equivalent Lagrangian densities (ELDs) of a fractional higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation with stable soliton-like solutions can be related in a hitherto unknown way. This new relationship is described in terms of a new fractional operator that includes both left- and right-sided fractional derivatives. Using this operator it is possible to generate new ELDs that contain different fractional parts, in addition to the already known ELDs, which only differ by a sum of first-order partial derivatives of two arbitrary functions. (fast track communications)

Cognitive ergonomics of operational tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luedeke, A.

2012-01-01

Control systems have become increasingly more powerful over the past decades. The availability of high data throughput and sophisticated graphical interactions has opened a variety of new possibilities. But has this helped to provide intuitive, easy to use applications to simplify the operation of modern large scale accelerator facilities? We will discuss what makes an application useful to operation and what is necessary to make a tool easy to use. We will show that even the implementation of a small number of simple application design rules can help to create ergonomic operational tools. The author is convinced that such tools do indeed help to achieve higher beam availability and better beam performance at all accelerator facilities. (author)

Higher Incision at Upper Part of Lower Segment Caesarean Section

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Shao

2014-06-01

Conclusions: An incision at the upper part of the lower segment reduces blood loss, enhances uterine retraction, predisposes to fewer complications, is easier to repair, precludes bladder adhesion to the suture line and reduces operation time. Keywords: caesarean section; higher incision technique; traditional uterine incision technique.

Dismantling the Curriculum in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Hall

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The higher education curriculum in the global North is increasingly co-opted for the production of measurable outcomes, framed by determinist narratives of employability and enterprise. Such co-option is immanent to processes of financialisation and marketisation, which encourage the production of quantifiable curriculum activities and tradable academic services. Yet the university is also affected by global socio-economic and socio-environmental crises, which can be expressed as a function of a broader crisis of social reproduction or sociability. As the labour of academics and students is increasingly driven by a commodity-valuation rooted in the measurement of performance, the ability for academics and students to respond to crises from inside the university is constrained by the market. This article argues that in understanding the relationship between the university and society, and in responding to a crisis of sociability, revealing the bounded nature of the curriculum is central. One possible way to address this crisis is by re-imagining the university through the co-operative practices of groups like the Dismantling the Masters House community and the Social Science Centre. Such an exploration, rooted in the organising principles of the curriculum, asks educators to consider how their curriculum reproduces an on-going colonisation by Capital. It is argued that such work enables a re-imagination of higher education that is rooted in a co-operative curriculum, and which might enable activist-educators to build an engaged curriculum, through which students and academics no longer simply learn to internalise, monitor and manage their own alienation.

The comprehensive training in Colombian higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo M. Posada Alvarez

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In this article the integral formation fundamental than action Under the new legislation and contemporary predicaments on education, knowledge and research education is analyzed. This training involves not only students but the entire university community, particularly teachers, whose reflective responsibility for their work should bring them to operate the pillars identified in education. Likewise Institutional factors that can ensure and strengthen the comprehensive training in higher education are analyzed: disciplinary integration, flexibility, innovation, leadership, participation, self-evaluation and accreditation.

On butterfly effect in higher derivative gravities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alishahiha, Mohsen [School of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM),P.O. Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Davody, Ali; Naseh, Ali; Taghavi, Seyed Farid [School of Particles and Accelerators, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM),P.O. Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-11-07

We study butterfly effect in D-dimensional gravitational theories containing terms quadratic in Ricci scalar and Ricci tensor. One observes that due to higher order derivatives in the corresponding equations of motion there are two butterfly velocities. The velocities are determined by the dimension of operators whose sources are provided by the metric. The three dimensional TMG model is also studied where we get two butterfly velocities at generic point of the moduli space of parameters. At critical point two velocities coincide.

On butterfly effect in higher derivative gravities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alishahiha, Mohsen; Davody, Ali; Naseh, Ali; Taghavi, Seyed Farid

2016-01-01

We study butterfly effect in D-dimensional gravitational theories containing terms quadratic in Ricci scalar and Ricci tensor. One observes that due to higher order derivatives in the corresponding equations of motion there are two butterfly velocities. The velocities are determined by the dimension of operators whose sources are provided by the metric. The three dimensional TMG model is also studied where we get two butterfly velocities at generic point of the moduli space of parameters. At critical point two velocities coincide.

Effective operators in SUSY, superfield constraints and searches for a UV completion

CERN Document Server

Dudas, E.

2015-01-01

We discuss the role of a class of higher dimensional operators in 4D N=1 supersymmetric effective theories. The Lagrangian in such theories is an expansion in momenta below the scale of "new physics" ($\\Lambda$) and contains the effective operators generated by integrating out the "heavy states" above $\\Lambda$ present in the UV complete theory. We go beyond the "traditional" leading order in this momentum expansion (in $\\partial/\\Lambda$). Keeping manifest supersymmetry and using superfield {\\it constraints} we show that the corresponding higher dimensional (derivative) operators in the sectors of chiral, linear and vector superfields of a Lagrangian can be "unfolded" into second-order operators. The "unfolded" formulation has only polynomial interactions and additional massive superfields, some of which are ghost-like if the effective operators were {\\it quadratic} in fields. Using this formulation, the UV theory emerges naturally and fixes the (otherwise unknown) coefficient and sign of the initial (higher...

Enhancing Environmental Higher Education in Eastern Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Palmisano, E.; Caporali, E.; Valdiserri, J.

2010-12-01

Higher Education plays a central role in the development of both human beings and modern societies as it enhances social, cultural and economic development, active citizenship, ethical values and expertises for a sustainable growth. Different initiatives are taking place at world level to guarantee accessibility and right to higher education. The sustainability of human development has, as relevant key factors, environment protection and natural resources enhancement. Environment is therefore becoming more and more important at global level. The Environmental policy is object of discussions, in different prime minister summits and conferences, and constitutes a priority of policy in an increasing number of countries. The European Higher Education institutions, to achieve the objectives above, and to encourage cooperation between countries, may take part in a wide range of European Commission funded programmes, such as TEMPUS, which supports the modernisation of higher education and creates an area of co-operation in countries surrounding the EU. Some important projects run by the University of Florence are the TEMPUS DEREC-Development of Environmental and Resources Engineering Curriculum (2005-2008) and its spin-off called DEREL-Development of Environment and Resources Engineering Learning (2010-2013), recently recommended for funding by the European Commission. Through the co-operation of all project consortium members (Universities in Austria, Germany, Greece, FYR Macedonia, Albania and Serbia) they are aimed at the development and introduction of first and second level curricula in “Environmental and Resources Engineering” at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (FYR Macedonia). In the DEREC Project the conditions for offering a joint degree title in the field of Environmental Engineering between the University of Florence and the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje were fulfilled and a shared educational programme leading to the mutual

Operators and higher genus mirror curves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Codesido, Santiago [Département de Physique Théorique et section de Mathématiques,Université de Genève,Genève, CH-1211 (Switzerland); Gu, Jie [Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l’École Normale Supérieure,CNRS, PSL Research University,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, 75005 Paris (France); Mariño, Marcos [Département de Physique Théorique et section de Mathématiques,Université de Genève,Genève, CH-1211 (Switzerland)

2017-02-17

We perform further tests of the correspondence between spectral theory and topological strings, focusing on mirror curves of genus greater than one with nontrivial mass parameters. In particular, we analyze the geometry relevant to the SU(3) relativistic Toda lattice, and the resolved ℂ{sup 3}/ℤ{sub 6} orbifold. Furthermore, we give evidence that the correspondence holds for arbitrary values of the mass parameters, where the quantization problem leads to resonant states. We also explore the relation between this correspondence and cluster integrable systems.

New layout concepts in MW-scale IGBT modules for higher robustness during normal and abnormal operations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reigosa, Paula Diaz; Iannuzzo, Francesco; Munk-Nielsen, Stig

2016-01-01

the Finite-Element-Method AnSYS Q3D Extractor, electromagnetic simulations are conducted to extract the self and mutual inductance from the six different layouts. PSpice simulations are used to reveal that the stray parameters inside the module play an important role under normal and abnormal operations...

Intermittent operation of ultra-low pressure ultrafiltration for decentralized drinking water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Peter-Varbanets, Maryna; Gujer, Willi; Pronk, Wouter

2012-06-15

River water was treated by ultrafiltration at a relatively low transmembrane pressure (40 mbar). As observed before, flux stabilization occurred after several days of operation although no back-flushing or cross flow was applied. Interruptions in flux were applied by temporary offset of the transmembrane pressure. After restoration of the transmembrane pressure, the initial flux was higher than the stable flux level, and the flux recovery depended on the standstill time. Furthermore, if a short cross flow was applied after standstill, the flux was restored to an even higher level. In all cases, the flux decreased again during operation to reach finally the same stable level as before standstill. In order to evaluate the influence of intermittent operation as practiced for water treatment on a household level, daily interruptions of flux were applied. An optimum of total daily water production rate was obtained at 21 h of operation and 3 h of standstill per day. A model was developed which can describe the impact of intermittent operation on the flux depending on the duration of the standstill and operating periods. This enables the prediction of production capacity of the system operated intermittently. The flux increase during standstill could be explained by a relaxation and expansion of the biofouling layer, while the higher flux after forward-flushing was caused by this layer being partially sloughed off. Household water treatment with the process presented here will generally be operated on a discontinuous basis. The results show that such operation schemes do not compromise the permeability of the system, but actually lead to higher fluxes after standstill. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time reservoir operation considering non-stationary inflow prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, J.; Xu, W.; Cai, X.; Wang, Z.

2011-12-01

Stationarity of inflow has been a basic assumption for reservoir operation rule design, which is now facing challenges due to climate change and human interferences. This paper proposes a modeling framework to incorporate non-stationary inflow prediction for optimizing the hedging operation rule of large reservoirs with multiple-year flow regulation capacity. A multi-stage optimization model is formulated and a solution algorithm based on the optimality conditions is developed to incorporate non-stationary annual inflow prediction through a rolling, dynamic framework that updates the prediction from period to period and adopt the updated prediction in reservoir operation decision. The prediction model is ARIMA(4,1,0), in which parameter 4 stands for the order of autoregressive, 1 represents a linear trend, and 0 is the order of moving average. The modeling framework and solution algorithm is applied to the Miyun reservoir in China, determining a yearly operating schedule during the period from 1996 to 2009, during which there was a significant declining trend of reservoir inflow. Different operation policy scenarios are modeled, including standard operation policy (SOP, matching the current demand as much as possible), hedging rule (i.e., leaving a certain amount of water for future to avoid large risk of water deficit) with forecast from ARIMA (HR-1), hedging (HR) with perfect forecast (HR-2 ). Compared to the results of these scenarios to that of the actual reservoir operation (AO), the utility of the reservoir operation under HR-1 is 3.0% lower than HR-2, but 3.7% higher than the AO and 14.4% higher than SOP. Note that the utility under AO is 10.3% higher than that under SOP, which shows that a certain level of hedging under some inflow prediction or forecast was used in the real-world operation. Moreover, the impacts of discount rate and forecast uncertainty level on the operation will be discussed.

Partial differential operators of elliptic type

CERN Document Server

Shimakura, Norio

1992-01-01

This book, which originally appeared in Japanese, was written for use in an undergraduate course or first year graduate course in partial differential equations and is likely to be of interest to researchers as well. This book presents a comprehensive study of the theory of elliptic partial differential operators. Beginning with the definitions of ellipticity for higher order operators, Shimakura discusses the Laplacian in Euclidean spaces, elementary solutions, smoothness of solutions, Vishik-Sobolev problems, the Schauder theory, and degenerate elliptic operators. The appendix covers such preliminaries as ordinary differential equations, Sobolev spaces, and maximum principles. Because elliptic operators arise in many areas, readers will appreciate this book for the way it brings together a variety of techniques that have arisen in different branches of mathematics.

Impacts of supersymmetric higher derivative terms on inflation models in supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Shuntaro; Yamada, Yusuke

2015-01-01

We show the effects of supersymmetric higher derivative terms on inflation models in supergravity. The results show that such terms generically modify the effective kinetic coefficient of the inflaton during inflation if the cut off scale of the higher derivative operators is sufficiently small. In such a case, the η-problem in supergravity does not occur, and we find that the effective potential of the inflaton generically becomes a power type potential with a power smaller than two

Pre-operative anxiety. Effect of early or late position on the operating list.

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, N; Bajaj, A; Pershad, D; Yaddanapudi, L N; Chari, P

1996-04-01

The influence of the relative position on the operating list on pre-operative anxiety was studied in 60 adult female ASA 1 patients undergoing major surgery. Thirty patients were placed first on the operating list (group 1) and 30 were given a time 4-5 h later (group 2). Each patient was visited on the evening prior to surgery and again on the morning of surgery. Anxiety was measured at each visit by objective criteria and part 1 of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire. The pulse rate, systolic blood pressure and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire scores were higher on the second visit than on the first (p patients. This increase was greater in group 2 than in group 1 (p < 0.05). The evening anxiety scores were not correlated with those on the morning visit and could not predict them.

Aircraft Ship Operations (Le Couple Aeronef-Navire dan les Operations)

Science.gov (United States)

1991-11-01

The Netherlands Patuxent Riser Ml) 20670-530)4 United States HOST NATION COORDINATOR Prof. 3.1.. Lopez Ruiz SENER. Ingeniera & Sistemas S.A. C Raimundo...transports. The companion unmanned air vehicle for the LAMPS 2030 The CLO will need an air superiority aircraft that will might be the Tipjet concept...desired, the wing may be swept, as in the oblique wing A possible companion UAV for the ASTOVL fighter/attack concept, allowing operation at much higher

Interactions in higher-spin gravity: a holographic perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Sleight, Charlotte

2017-09-01

This review is an elaboration of recent results on the holographic re-construction of metric-like interactions in higher-spin gauge theories on anti-de Sitter space (AdS), employing their conjectured duality with free conformal field theories (CFTs). After reviewing the general approach and establishing the necessary intermediate results, we extract explicit expressions for the complete cubic action on AdSd+1 and the quartic self-interaction of the scalar on AdS4 for the type A minimal bosonic higher-spin theory from the three- and four- point correlation functions of single-trace operators in the free scalar O(N) vector model. For this purpose tools were developed to evaluate tree-level three-point Witten diagrams involving totally symmetric fields of arbitrary integer spin and mass, and the conformal partial wave expansions of their tree-level four-point Witten diagrams. We also discuss the implications of the holographic duality on the locality properties of interactions in higher-spin gauge theories.

A Methodology for Data Structure Assessment in Higher Education Administration. AIR Forum Paper 1978.

Science.gov (United States)

Baltes, Kenneth G.; Hendrix, Vernon L.

Two recent developments in management information system technology and higher education administration have brought about the need for this study, designed to develop a methodology for revealing a relational model of the data base that administrators are operating from currently or would like to be able to operate from in the future.…

1970-1995: An IMHE Perspective on Higher Education in Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

LeVasseur, Paul M.

1996-01-01

An address made to a conference of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program on Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) reviews IMHE's origins and progress over its 25-year history. Evolution of a number of technical issues, substantive issues, and structures of university governance is analyzed, and major…

Higher spin currents in the enhanced N=3 Kazama-Suzuki model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun; Kim, Hyunsu [Department of Physics, Kyungpook National University,Taegu 41566 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

The N=3 Kazama-Suzuki model at the ‘critical’ level has been found by Creutzig, Hikida and Ronne. We construct the lowest higher spin currents of spins ((3/2),2,2,2,(5/2),(5/2),(5/2),3) in terms of various fermions. In order to obtain the operator product expansions (OPEs) between these higher spin currents, we describe three N=2 OPEs between the two N=2 higher spin currents denoted by ((3/2),2,2,(5/2)) and (2,(5/2),(5/2),3) (corresponding 36 OPEs in the component approach). Using the various Jacobi identities, the coefficient functions appearing on the right hand side of these N=2 OPEs are determined in terms of central charge completely. Then we describe them as one single N=3 OPE in the N=3 superspace. The right hand side of this N=3 OPE contains the SO(3)-singlet N=3 higher spin multiplet of spins (2,(5/2),(5/2),(5/2),3,3,3,(7/2)), the SO(3)-singlet N=3 higher spin multiplet of spins ((5/2),3,3,3,(7/2),(7/2),(7/2),4), and the SO(3)-triplet N=3 higher spin multiplets where each multiplet has the spins (3,(7/2),(7/2),(7/2),4,4,4,(9/2)), in addition to N=3 superconformal family of the identity operator. Finally, by factoring out the spin-(1/2) current of N=3 linear superconformal algebra generated by eight currents of spins ((1/2),1,1,1,(3/2),(3/2),(3/2),2), we obtain the extension of so-called SO(3) nonlinear Knizhnik Bershadsky algebra.

Outcomes in nonagenarians after heart valve replacement operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Maria-Benedicta; Taylor, Kenneth M

2003-03-01

Changes in the age profile of the United Kingdom population and improvements in preoperative and postoperative care have resulted in increasing numbers of very elderly patients undergoing heart valve replacement (HVR) operations. Although HVR operations in nonagenarians are relatively uncommon, the demand for cardiac operations in this age group may increase over time. Outcomes after HVR operations in nonagenarians have not been well described yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine outcomes in terms of early mortality and long-term survival in 35 nonagenarians after HVR operation. Data from the United Kingdom Heart Valve Registry were analyzed and nonagenarian patients were identified. Additional analyzed data include gender, valve position, valve type, valve size, operative priority, follow-up time, and date and cause of death. Kaplan-Meier actuarial curves were calculated to determine accurate 30-day mortality and long-term survival. On average five HVR operations are performed annually in the United Kingdom in nonagenarians with equal numbers of males and females. Aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic valve was the most common operation and 86% were elective admissions. Fourteen patients died within the review period; mean time to death was 402 days. Overall 30-day mortality was 17%, which was higher for males compared with females; females also displayed better long-term survival. HVR operations in nonagenarians carry a significantly higher risk of early mortality and reduced long-term survival. Despite increases in the age profile of the population, elective HVR operation with patients aged 90 years or older is likely to remain an infrequent surgical procedure reserved for very carefully selected patients.

The central extensions of Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osipov, E.P.

1989-01-01

The authors introduce a class of infinite-dimensional Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras. The Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras are the generalization of Lie algebras of Kac-Moody type to the Malcev algebras. They demonstrate that the central extensions of Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras are given by the same cocycles as in the case of Lie algebras. It is given a construction of Virasoro algebra in terms of bilinear combinations of currents satisfying the Kac-Moody-Malcev commutation relations. Thus, it is given the generalization of the Sugawara Construction to the case of Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras. Analogues of Kac-Moody-Malcev algebras may be also introduced in the case of arbitrary Riemann surface

The French Fast Reactor Program - Innovations in Support to Higher Standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauché, François

2013-01-01

• From the experience of ASTRID first phase of conceptual design studies (2010-2012), two remarks can be made: → Higher requirements in safety and operability lead to higher costs that cannot be fully recovered by advances in technology. This puts additional pressure on the next phases of the design to optimize the design and to keep the costs to the minimum. → There is a clear link between the level of safety that can be achieved and the maturity of the technology, i.e. the experience accumulated in R&D, design, construction, operation and decommissioning of past reactors. In the field of fast neutron reactors, this gives a strong advantage to the sodium technology, because strengths and weaknesses are well mastered. • Meeting the high requirements set for ASTRID and serving R&D needs of innovative options will require increased industrial and international collaboration

Enhancing wastewater degradation and biogas production by intermittent operation of UASB reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nadais, Helena; Barbosa, Marta; Capela, Isabel; Arroja, Luis; Ramos, Christian G.; Grilo, Andre; Sousa, Silvia A.; Leitao, Jorge H.

2011-01-01

The present work establishes intermittent operation of UASB reactors as a novel form of enhancing the anaerobic degradation of complex wastewaters and its conversion to usable biogas. Results show that the average methane production rate is 25% higher with the intermittent operation than with the continuous mode, meaning that it could produce 25% more electricity or heat. The methanization efficiency obtained in intermittent UASB reactors is around 20% higher than in the continuous systems, confirming a higher biological degradation of the substrates. It has been suggested that intermittent operation causes a forced adaptation of the biomass towards the degradation of complex substrates and results from morphological analyses of the biomass developed in intermittent and continuous UASB reactors showed marked differences between them. In order to gain a deeper knowledge on how microbial populations are affected by these operational parameters, a strategy involving the amplification, cloning, and analysis of the nucleotide sequences of genes encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA was undertaken and is described in this work. This strategy allowed the identification of a total of 49 different sequences. Results from the molecular characterization of the microbial populations are consistent with the higher methanization efficiency of the intermittent mode of operation.

Higher spin currents in the orthogonal coset theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Changhyun [Kyungpook National University, Department of Physics, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

In the coset model (D{sub N}{sup (1)} + D{sub N}{sup (1)}, D{sub N}{sup (1)}) at levels (k{sub 1}, k{sub 2}), the higher spin 4 current that contains the quartic WZW currents contracted with a completely symmetric SO(2N) invariant d tensor of rank 4 is obtained. The three-point functions with two scalars are obtained for any finite N and k{sub 2} with k{sub 1} = 1. They are determined also in the large N 't Hooft limit. When one of the levels is the dual Coxeter number of SO(2N), k{sub 1} = 2N - 2, the higher spin (7)/(2) current, which contains the septic adjoint fermions contracted with the above d tensor and the triple product of structure constants, is obtained from the operator product expansion (OPE) between the spin (3)/(2) current living in the N = 1 superconformal algebra and the above higher spin 4 current. The OPEs between the higher spin (7)/(2), 4 currents are described. For k{sub 1} = k{sub 2} = 2N - 2 where both levels are equal to the dual Coxeter number of SO(2N), the higher spin 3 current of U(1) charge (4)/(3), which contains the six products of spin (1)/(2) (two) adjoint fermions contracted with the product of the d tensor and two structure constants, is obtained. The corresponding N = 2 higher spin multiplet is determined by calculating the remaining higher spin (7)/(2), (7)/(2), 4 currents with the help of two spin (3)/(2) currents in the N = 2 superconformal algebra. The other N = 2 higher spin multiplet, whose U(1) charge is opposite to the one of the above N = 2 higher spin multiplet, is obtained. The OPE between these two N = 2 higher spin multiplets is also discussed. (orig.)

Correlation functions of Sp(2n) invariant higher-spin systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skvortsov, Evgeny [Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich,Theresienstr. 37, D-80333 Munich (Germany); ebedev Institute of Physics,Leninsky ave 53, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sorokin, Dmitri [INFN - Sezione di Padova,via F. Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova (Italy); Tsulaia, Mirian [School of Physics M013, The University of Western Australia,35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Perth, WA 6009 (Australia)

2016-07-26

We study the general structure of correlation functions in an Sp(2n)-invariant formulation of systems of an infinite number of higher-spin fields. For n=4,8 and 16 these systems comprise the conformal higher-spin fields in space-time dimensions D=4,6 and 10, respectively, while when n=2, one deals with conventional D=3 conformal field theories of scalars and spinors. We show that for n>2 the Sp(2n) symmetry and current conservation makes the 3-point correlators of two (rank-one or rank-two) conserved currents with a scalar operator be that of free theory. This situation is analogous to the one in conventional conformal field theories, where conservation of higher-spin currents implies that the theories are free.

Self-assessment: Strategy for higher standards, consistency, and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ide, W.E.

1996-01-01

In late 1994, Palo Verde operations underwent a transformation from a unitized structure to a single functional unit. It was necessary to build consistency in watchstanding practices and create a shared mission. Because there was a lack of focus on actual plant operations and because personnel were deeply involved with administrative tasks, command and control of evolutions were weak. Improvement was needed. Consistent performance standards have been set for all three operating units. These expectation focus on nuclear, radiological, and industrial safety. Straightforward descriptions of watchstanding and monitoring practices have been provided to all department personnel. The desired professional and leadership qualities for employee conduct have been defined and communicated thoroughly. A healthy and competitive atmosphere developed with the successful implementation of these standards. Overall performance improved. The auxiliary operators demonstrated increased pride and ownership in the performance of their work activities. In addition, their morale improved. Crew teamwork improved as well as the quality of shift briefs. There was a decrease in the noise level and the administrative functions in the control room. The use of self-assessment helped to anchor and define higher and more consistent standards. The proof of Palo Verde's success was evident when an Institute of Nuclear Power Operations finding was turned into a strength within 1 yr

Dividing Attention Increases Operational Momentum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koleen McCrink

2017-12-01

Full Text Available When adding or subtracting two quantities, adults often compute an estimated outcome that is larger or smaller, respectively, than the actual outcome, a bias referred to as “operational momentum”. The effects of attention on operational momentum were investigated. Participants viewed a display in which two arrays of objects were added, or one array was subtracted from another array, and judged whether a subsequent outcome (probe array contained the correct or incorrect number of objects. In a baseline condition, only the arrays to be added or subtracted were viewed. In divided attention conditions, participants simultaneously viewed a sequence of colors or shapes, and judged which color (a non-spatial judgment or shape (a spatial judgment was repeated. Operational momentum occurred in all conditions, but was higher in divided attention conditions than in the baseline condition, primarily for addition problems. This pattern suggests that dividing attention, rather than decreasing operational momentum by decreasing attentional shifts, actually increased operational momentum. These results are consistent with a heightened use of arithmetic heuristics under conditions of divided attention.

Some human performance paradoxes of nuclear operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otway, H.J.; Misenta, R.

1980-01-01

Roughly once a year, an abnormal situation with emergency potential may suddenly break the calm monotony of nuclear-power plant operation. The operating crew, perhaps under-stimulated by monitoring largely automatic processes, may then be expected to make correct inferences and decisions about complex phenomena. However, under stress, the operators may resort to using their 'best-learned responses', inappropriate to the real situation. Recent events at Three Mile Island prompted a variety of suggestions intended to improve operator performance, eg higher qualifications, more pay, or enhanced status. The authors stress the paradoxes of nuclear operation, conclude that some 'intuitively obvious' suggestions might have the opposite effect to that intended, and explore the possibility of introducing frequent, realistic emergency drills. Even this approach raises paradoxes - perhaps the role of the operator should be eliminated, or redefined to allow less human intervention in emergencies. (author)

Liquid radwaste processing, operational experience utilizing Duratek Mobile Process System (MPS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunkele, W.; Jensen, C.E.; Duratek Corp., Beltsville, MD)

1985-01-01

The use of Duratek's Mobile Process System (MPS) employing sluiceable pressure vessels and improved operational techniques generates operational efficiencies including volume reduction (VR), reduced personnel labor and exposure and higher flowrates for cleanup of liquid radwaste streams in an operating nuclear power plant (Salem Generating Station). Significant additional VR is achievable based on laboratory and on-site experience utilizing Durasil 70. Under high conductivity, actual waste stream conditions, this proprietary media has demonstrated through-puts of a magnitude 15 times higher than organic cation resin. A long-term problem, cobalt species removal, is mitigated by this media

Operating temperatures for an LMFBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhoje, S.B.; Chellapandi, P.

1993-01-01

The scope of the present paper is limited to structural mechanics aspects that are associated with this technology. However, for the purpose of comprehensive presentation, all the other related issues are also highlighted. For this study, a Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) with 500 MWe capacity is taken as the reference design. Accordingly, some critical high temperature components of PFBR are analysed in- detail for elastic, inelastic and viscoplastic behaviour towards life prediction as per the requirement of design codes (RCC-MR 87) which form basis for justifying the possibility of higher operating temperatures for LMFBRs. Since operation with higher primary sodium outlet temperature in association with higher ΔT across the core is one of the efficient techniques towards making LMFBRs cost effective, operating Temperature limits are determined for a typical pool type FBR of 500 MWe capacity. Analysis indicates that control plug in the hot pool is the most critical component which limits the operating temperature to 820 K with a ΔT across the core of 160 K. By improving the thermal hydraulic design in conjunction with the structural design optimisation at the plate-shell junctions of control plug, possibility exists to go up to 840-850 K for primary outlet sodium with a T of 160 K across the core. This will result in producing steam of about 790-800 K (520 deg. C). Apart from improving the thermal hydraulic design to mitigate the transient thermal stresses, following are also needed to demonstrate higher safety margins in the design. Reduction of thermal transients, for an example, the temperature drop in the primary sodium outlet can be reduced by decreasing the sodium flow rate to the core, during a reactor scram. Welds should be avoided at the plate-shell junctions of control plug. A complete ring with necessary fillet radius may be forged as a single piece. In case of reactor vessel, a pullout option is better for redan-stand pipe junction

Improvement of the public administration system of higher educational establishments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei Vyacheslavovich Romin

2015-10-01

Full Text Available During research found that state regulation of higher education establishments activity is a special branch of the state, during which its authorities with the help of planning, organizing, monitoring is carried out the current regulation of the activities of higher education establishments, provide organization (integrationof the total interaction of students and teachers. Proposed to allocate the financial strategy of higher educational establishments as a major in strategic management of the higher education system. In this regard, it argued that the integration capacity of the university to the regional reproductive system will optimize government funding of higher educational establishments. Also, it helps to determine the main directions of further economic and financial development of the higher education system, prioritizing the development of already existing educational and training facilities in different regions of the state, the provision of appropriate state support for higher education establishments, which training necessary specialists for the state’s economy. The improvement the public administration system of a high school should be carried out through the formation of a coordination mechanism for higher education establishments. The introduction of this mechanism will provide an opportunity to identify the main activities of the higher education establishments adapt to the operating conditions of the region, based on the trends in the development of higher education, and to provide the basic needs of the labor market in the relevant specialists.

Explosion hazards of aluminum finishing operations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Taveau, J.R.; Hochgreb, Simone; Lemkowitz, S.M.; Roekaerts, D.J.E.M.

2018-01-01

Metal dust deflagrations have become increasingly common in recent years. They are also more devastating than deflagrations involving organic materials, owing to metals' higher heat of combustion, rate of pressure rise, explosion pressure and flame temperature. Aluminum finishing operations offer

Explosion hazards of aluminum finishing operations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Taveau, J.; Hochgreb, S.; Lemkowitz, S.M.; Roekaerts, D.J.E.M.

2018-01-01

Metal dust deflagrations have become increasingly common in recent years. They are also more devastating than deflagrations involving organic materials, owing to metals' higher heat of combustion, rate of pressure rise, explosion pressure and flame temperature. Aluminum finishing operations offer a

The operating cost of electrocoagulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donini, J.C.; Kan, J.; Szynkarczuk, J.; Hassan, T.A.; Kar, K.L. (Canadian Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology, Devon, AB (Canada))

1994-12-01

The electrocoagulation of kaolinite and bentonite suspensions was studied in a pilot-scale electrocoagulation system to assess the operating cost and efficiency of the process. Factors affecting the operating cost such as formation of passivation layers on electrode plates, flow velocity, and concentration of NaCl in the suspension were examined. The operating costs investigated were the power cost of the electrocoagulation cell and the material cost due to the consumption of the aluminum electrode. Comparison was based on the settling properties of the treated product: turbidity, settling rate, and cake height. Higher NaCl concentration resulted in greater amounts of Al dissolved chemically and electrochemically into the suspension and thus a better clarity of the supernatant of the treated product. Increased flow velocity could reduce significantly the operating cost while improving both clarity of the supernatant and compactness of the sludge volume. The passivation layers developed quickly with time during the electrocoagulation process and more energy became wasted on the layers. 10 refs., 12 figs.

Cognitive Performance in Operational Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Michael; McGhee, James; Friedler, Edna; Thomas, Maria

2005-01-01

Optimal cognition during complex and sustained operations is a critical component for success in current and future military operations. "Cognitive Performance, Judgment, and Decision-making" (CPJD) is a newly organized U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command research program focused on sustaining operational effectiveness of Future Force Warriors by developing paradigms through which militarily-relevant, higher-order cognitive performance, judgment, and decision-making can be assessed and sustained in individuals, small teams, and leaders of network-centric fighting units. CPJD evaluates the impact of stressors intrinsic to military operational environments (e.g., sleep deprivation, workload, fatigue, temperature extremes, altitude, environmental/physiological disruption) on military performance, evaluates noninvasive automated methods for monitoring and predicting cognitive performance, and investigates pharmaceutical strategies (e.g., stimulant countermeasures, hypnotics) to mitigate performance decrements. This manuscript describes the CPJD program, discusses the metrics utilized to relate militarily applied research findings to academic research, and discusses how the simulated combat capabilities of a synthetic battle laboratory may facilitate future cognitive performance research.

Major General T.J. Jackson's Shenandoah Campaign: An Operational Art Analysis

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hooks, James

1997-01-01

.... Jackson's subsequent operations are replete with practical examples of applied operational art that served his country's higher strategic purpose, and were to have profound implications on the war in the east...

Energy and Exergy Performance of three FPSO Operational Modes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sánchez, Yamid Alberto Carranza; Junior, Silvio de Oliveira; da Silva, Julio Augusto Mendes

2015-01-01

by the FPSO operator. Energy and exergy criteria have been applied to evaluate and compare the performance of components and systems of the three operational modes of the FPSO. The processing and utilities plants have been modeled and simulated by using Aspen HYSYS®. Results indicate that higher oil content...

Adaptive or Transactional Leadership in Current Higher Education: A Brief Comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Natalie

2017-01-01

Higher education institutions operate in a complex environment that includes influence from external factors, new technologies for teaching and learning, globalization, and changing student demographics to name a few. Maneuvering such complexity and change requires a leadership strategy that is flexible and supportive. This paper reviews two…

Cerenkov maser operation at lower-mm wavelengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garate, E.; Cook, R.; Heim, P.; Layman, R.; Walsh, J.

1985-01-01

The basic operating principles of Cerenkov maser oscillators are briefly reviewed and the experimental performance of a 3-mm device is discussed. A power level of approximately 100 kW was achieved at 88 GHz and voltage tuning from 84 to 128 GHz on the fundamental TM 01 mode was observed. Operation on higher-order modes at frequencies up to 300--320 GHz was demonstrated, and a two-stage buncher-amplifier configuration was investigated

Quantum field theory on higher-genus Riemann surfaces, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Reijiro; Ojima, Shuichi.

1990-08-01

Quantum field theory for closed bosonic string systems is formulated on arbitrary higher-genus Riemann surfaces in global operator formalism. Canonical commutation relations between bosonic string field X μ and their conjugate momenta P ν are derived in the framework of conventional quantum field theory. Problems arising in quantizing bosonic systems are considered in detail. Applying the method exploited in the preceding paper we calculate Ward-Takahashi identities. (author)

Irreversibility and higher-spin conformal field theory

CERN Document Server

Anselmi, D

2000-01-01

I discuss the idea that quantum irreversibility is a general principle of nature and a related "conformal hypothesis", stating that all fundamental quantum field theories should be renormalization-group (RG) interpolations between ultraviolet and infrared conformal fixed points. In particular, the Newton constant should be viewed as a low-energy effect of the RG scale. This approach leads naturally to consider higher-spin conformal field theories, which are here classified, as candidate high-energy theories. Bosonic conformal tensors have a positive-definite action, equal to the square of a field strength, and a higher-derivative gauge invariance. The central charges c and a are well defined and positive. I calculate their values and study the operator-product structure. Fermionic theories have no gauge invariance and can be coupled to Abelian and non-Abelian gauge fields in a renormalizable way. At the quantum level, they contribute to the one-loop beta function with the same sign as ordinary matter, admit a...

The Hybridisation of Higher Education in Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas Shale

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Canada's postsecondary institutions are becoming increasingly involved with technology enhanced learning, generally under the rubric of distance education. Growth and activity in distance education stems from rapid developments in communication and information technologies such as videoconferencing and the Internet. This case study focuses on the use of new technologies, primarily within the context of higher education institutions operating in Canada's English speaking provinces. Capitalising on the interactive capabilities of "new" learning technologies, some distance education providers are starting to behave more like conventional educational institutions in terms of forming study groups and student cohorts. Conversely, new telecommunications technologies are having a reverse impact on traditional classroom settings, and as a result conventional universities are beginning to establish administrative structures reflective of those used by distance education providers. When viewed in tandem, these trends reflect growing convergence between conventional and distance learning modes, leading to the hybridisation of higher education in Canada.

Significance of post-operative changes of serum IL-18 levels in patients with renal transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Falian; Xu Jun; Ke Bingshen; Du Xiumin; Yin Qiuxia; Hu Chengjin

2005-01-01

Objective: To study the clinical significance of post-operative changes of serum IL-18 levels in patients after renal transplantation. Methods: Serum IL-18 levels were detected with ELISA in 33 patients with renal transplantation before operation and repeated again on d5, d10 and d20 post-operatively as well as in 35 controls. Results: Pre-operatively, serum IL-18 levels in patients for upcoming renal transplantation were significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.01). After operation, the IL-18 levels on d5 and d10 in patients with acute rejection were not significantly changed from those pre-operatively but were markedly increased on d20 (vs pre-operative, d5, d10; all P<0.01). In the patients without rejection, levels in d5 were significantly higher than those pre-operatively, but dropped to approaching pre-operative values on d10 and d20. On d20, levels of serum IL-18 in patients with rejection were very significantly higher than those in stable patients (P<0.01). Conclusion: Serum IL-18 is a useful marker for identifying acute rejection. (authors)

Cryogenic testing and analysis associated with Tevatron lower temperature operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theilacker, J.C.

1996-09-01

An upgrade of the Tevatron cryogenic system was installed and commissioned in 1993 to allow lower temperature operation. As a result, higher energy operation is possible. Following the installation and initial commissioning, it was decided to continue the current colliding beam physics at the previous energy of 900 GeV. This has allowed us to perform parasitic lower temperature tests in the Tevatron over the last year and a half. This paper presents the results of operational experiences and thermal and hydraulic testing which has taken place. The primary goal of the testing is to better understand the operation of the cold compressor system, associated instrumentation, and the performance of the existing magnet system during lower temperature operation. This will lead to a tentatively scheduled higher energy test run in the fall of 1995. The test results have shown that more elaborate controlling methods are necessary in order to achieve reliable system operation. Fortunately, our new satellite refrigerator controls system is capable of the expansion necessary to reach our goal. New features are being added to the control system which will allow for more intelligent control and better diagnostics for component monitoring and trending

Higher Education Co-operation and Western Dominance of Knowledge Creation and Flows in Third World Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Selvaratnam, Viswanathan

1988-01-01

Third World adoption of the Western university and the accompanying Eurocentric system of information flow is criticized as sometimes being counterproductive and alien to developing nations. The potential for a self-reliant, interdependent higher education system among Third World countries is discussed. (MSE)

The effects of load-sensitive behavior on the operability margins of motor-operated gate valves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steele, R. Jr.; Russell, M.J.; DeWall, K.G.; Watkins, J.C.

1993-01-01

Testing of motor-operated gate valves at various loads has produced a phenomenon we call load-sensitive behavior. This phenomenon has a significant effect on the accuracy of the methods used (and proposed) in the nuclear industry for determining that these valves can perform their design basis function. A valve subjected to tests with low flow and pressure loadings may achieve a stem thrust (at seating) analytically determined to be adequate for design basis flows and pressures, but this is no guarantee that the valve will achieve the same stem thrust when actually subjected to those design basis loads. This is because the friction at the interface between the stem and the stem nut is higher in tests with higher flow and pressure loadings, and this loss to friction is outside the control of the motor-operator's torque switch. This paper identifies a tentative method for determining, a stable, useful value for the stem/stem-nut coefficient of friction, one that can possibly be extrapolated and used in calculations to accurately estimate the design basis thrust requirements of these valves

Higher order capacity statistics of multi-hop transmission systems over Rayleigh fading channels

KAUST Repository

Yilmaz, Ferkan; Tabassum, Hina; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression to evaluate the higher order statistics of the channel capacity for amplify and forward (AF) multihop transmission systems operating over Rayleigh fading channels. Furthermore, we present

Microprocessor based systems for the higher technician

CERN Document Server

Vears, RE

2013-01-01

Microprocessor Based Systems for the Higher Technician provides coverage of the BTEC level 4 unit in Microprocessor Based Systems (syllabus U80/674). This book is composed of 10 chapters and concentrates on the development of 8-bit microcontrollers specifically constructed around the Z80 microprocessor. The design cycle for the development of such a microprocessor based system and the use of a disk-based development system (MDS) as an aid to design are both described in detail. The book deals with the Control Program Monitor (CP/M) operating system and gives background information on file hand

Autonomous vision-based navigation for proximity operations around binary asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Gil-Fernandez, Jesus; Ortega-Hernando, Guillermo

2018-06-01

Future missions to small bodies demand higher level of autonomy in the Guidance, Navigation and Control system for higher scientific return and lower operational costs. Different navigation strategies have been assessed for ESA's asteroid impact mission (AIM). The main objective of AIM is the detailed characterization of binary asteroid Didymos. The trajectories for the proximity operations shall be intrinsically safe, i.e., no collision in presence of failures (e.g., spacecraft entering safe mode), perturbations (e.g., non-spherical gravity field), and errors (e.g., maneuver execution error). Hyperbolic arcs with sufficient hyperbolic excess velocity are designed to fulfil the safety, scientific, and operational requirements. The trajectory relative to the asteroid is determined using visual camera images. The ground-based trajectory prediction error at some points is comparable to the camera Field Of View (FOV). Therefore, some images do not contain the entire asteroid. Autonomous navigation can update the state of the spacecraft relative to the asteroid at higher frequency. The objective of the autonomous navigation is to improve the on-board knowledge compared to the ground prediction. The algorithms shall fit in off-the-shelf, space-qualified avionics. This note presents suitable image processing and relative-state filter algorithms for autonomous navigation in proximity operations around binary asteroids.

Do public nursing home care providers deliver higher quality than private providers? Evidence from Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Winblad, Ulrika; Blomqvist, Paula; Karlsson, Andreas

2017-07-14

Swedish nursing home care has undergone a transformation, where the previous virtual public monopoly on providing such services has been replaced by a system of mixed provision. This has led to a rapidly growing share of private actors, the majority of which are large, for-profit firms. In the wake of this development, concerns have been voiced regarding the implications for care quality. In this article, we investigate the relationship between ownership and care quality in nursing homes for the elderly by comparing quality levels between public, for-profit, and non-profit nursing home care providers. We also look at a special category of for-profit providers; private equity companies. The source of data is a national survey conducted by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare in 2011 at 2710 nursing homes. Data from 14 quality indicators are analyzed, including structure and process measures such as staff levels, staff competence, resident participation, and screening for pressure ulcers, nutrition status, and risk of falling. The main statistical method employed is multiple OLS regression analysis. We differentiate in the analysis between structural and processual quality measures. The results indicate that public nursing homes have higher quality than privately operated homes with regard to two structural quality measures: staffing levels and individual accommodation. Privately operated nursing homes, on the other hand, tend to score higher on process-based quality indicators such as medication review and screening for falls and malnutrition. No significant differences were found between different ownership categories of privately operated nursing homes. Ownership does appear to be related to quality outcomes in Swedish nursing home care, but the results are mixed and inconclusive. That staffing levels, which has been regarded as a key quality indicator in previous research, are higher in publicly operated homes than private is consistent with earlier

Private Higher Education Penetration into a Mature Education Market: The New Zealand Experience. PROPHE Working Paper #6

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Malcolm

2005-01-01

Since 1989, when it became legally possible for private higher education to operate in New Zealand, the sector has grown to become a significant part of the country's higher education system. We explore the private penetration, trace the changes that have occurred in private higher education, and evaluate the sector's position in New Zealand…

Air quality monitoring of the post-operative recovery room and locations surrounding operating theaters in a medical center in Taiwan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Sheng Tang

Full Text Available To prevent surgical site infection (SSI, the airborne microbial concentration in operating theaters must be reduced. The air quality in operating theaters and nearby areas is also important to healthcare workers. Therefore, this study assessed air quality in the post-operative recovery room, locations surrounding the operating theater area, and operating theaters in a medical center. Temperature, relative humidity (RH, and carbon dioxide (CO2, suspended particulate matter (PM, and bacterial concentrations were monitored weekly over one year. Measurement results reveal clear differences in air quality in different operating theater areas. The post-operative recovery room had significantly higher CO2 and bacterial concentrations than other locations. Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. bacteria often existed in the operating theater area. Furthermore, Acinetobacter spp. was the main pathogen in the post-operative recovery room (18% and traumatic surgery room (8%. The mixed effect models reveal a strong correlation between number of people in a space and high CO2 concentration after adjusting for sampling locations. In conclusion, air quality in the post-operative recovery room and operating theaters warrants attention, and merits long-term surveillance to protect both surgical patients and healthcare workers.

Air quality monitoring of the post-operative recovery room and locations surrounding operating theaters in a medical center in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Chin-Sheng; Wan, Gwo-Hwa

2013-01-01

To prevent surgical site infection (SSI), the airborne microbial concentration in operating theaters must be reduced. The air quality in operating theaters and nearby areas is also important to healthcare workers. Therefore, this study assessed air quality in the post-operative recovery room, locations surrounding the operating theater area, and operating theaters in a medical center. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), and carbon dioxide (CO2), suspended particulate matter (PM), and bacterial concentrations were monitored weekly over one year. Measurement results reveal clear differences in air quality in different operating theater areas. The post-operative recovery room had significantly higher CO2 and bacterial concentrations than other locations. Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. bacteria often existed in the operating theater area. Furthermore, Acinetobacter spp. was the main pathogen in the post-operative recovery room (18%) and traumatic surgery room (8%). The mixed effect models reveal a strong correlation between number of people in a space and high CO2 concentration after adjusting for sampling locations. In conclusion, air quality in the post-operative recovery room and operating theaters warrants attention, and merits long-term surveillance to protect both surgical patients and healthcare workers.

Oxygen Toxicity and Special Operations Forces Diving: Hidden and Dangerous

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wingelaar, Thijs T.; van Ooij, Pieter-Jan A. M.; van Hulst, Rob A.

2017-01-01

In Special Operations Forces (SOF) closed-circuit rebreathers with 100% oxygen are commonly utilized for covert diving operations. Exposure to high partial pressures of oxygen (PO2) could cause damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and pulmonary system. Longer exposure time and higher PO2 leads

Pedagogical Conditions of Multilevel Foreign Languages Teaching in Pedagogical Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kadakin, Vasily V.; Shukshina, Tatiana I.; Piskunova, Svetlana I.; Babushkina, Larisa E.; Falileev, Alexander E.

2016-01-01

This article is devoted to pedagogical conditions of multilevel foreign languages teaching in pedagogical higher education. The purpose of the study is to form the students' skills in foreign language mastering, to form the ability to operate independently and autonomously in this activity, both in the specific learning situation, and in the…

Aligning corporate real estate with the corporate strategies of higher education institutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beckers, R; van der Voordt, Theo; Dewulf, G

2015-01-01

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how corporate real estate (CRE) managers of higher education institutions formulate their CRE strategies and CRE operating decisions to align CRE with the corporate strategies of these institutions.

Design/methodology/approach
An

Aligning corporate real estate with the corporate strategies of higher education institutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theo van der Voordt; Geert Dewulf; Ronald Beckers

2015-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how corporate real estate (CRE) managers of higher education institutions formulate their CRE strategies and CRE operating decisions to align CRE with the corporate strategies of these institutions. Design/methodology/approach – An analytical

Three Point Functions in Higher Spin AdS3 Holography with 1/N Corrections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasuaki Hikida

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We examine three point functions with two scalar operators and a higher spin current in 2d W N minimal model to the next non-trivial order in 1 / N expansion. The minimal model was proposed to be dual to a 3d higher spin gauge theory, and 1 / N corrections should be interpreted as quantum effects in the dual gravity theory. We develop a simple and systematic method to obtain three point functions by decomposing four point functions of scalar operators with Virasoro conformal blocks. Applying the method, we reproduce known results at the leading order in 1 / N and obtain new ones at the next leading order. As confirmation, we check that our results satisfy relations among three point functions conjectured before.

CILogon-HA. Higher Assurance Federated Identities for DOE Science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basney, James [Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)

2015-08-01

The CILogon-HA project extended the existing open source CILogon service (initially developed with funding from the National Science Foundation) to provide credentials at multiple levels of assurance to users of DOE facilities for collaborative science. CILogon translates mechanism and policy across higher education and grid trust federations, bridging from the InCommon identity federation (which federates university and DOE lab identities) to the Interoperable Global Trust Federation (which defines standards across the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, the Open Science Grid, and other cyberinfrastructure). The CILogon-HA project expanded the CILogon service to support over 160 identity providers (including 6 DOE facilities) and 3 internationally accredited certification authorities. To provide continuity of operations upon the end of the CILogon-HA project period, project staff transitioned the CILogon service to operation by XSEDE.

Nuclear operating costs are rising exponentially - official

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, S.

1988-01-01

The Energy Information Agency of the United States Department of Energy has collected data on the operations of nuclear power plants in the United States. A statistical regression analysis was made of this data base. This shows that the escalation in annual, real non-fuel operating costs is such that the operating cost savings made by closing down an old nuclear plant would be sufficient to pay the capital and operating costs of replacing it with a brand new coal-fired plant. The main reason for the increasing operating and maintenance costs is the cost of replacement power i.e. the higher the economic penalty of plant breakdown the more the utility has to spend on maintenance. Another reason is time -not the age of the plant - but the year the data was collected. The economic case for nuclear power is seriously challenged. (U.K.)

Experience gained from shifting a PK-19 boiler to operate with increased superheating and with a load higher than its rated value

Science.gov (United States)

Kholshchev, V. V.

2011-08-01

Failures of steam superheater tubes occurred after the boiler was shifted to operate with a steam temperature of 540°C. The operation of the steam superheater became more reliable after it had been subjected to retrofitting. The modernization scheme is described. An estimate is given to the temperature operating conditions of tubes taking into account the thermal-hydraulic nonuniformity of their heating.

Comparison of microbial electrolysis cells operated with added voltage or by setting the anode potential

KAUST Repository

Nam, Joo-Youn; Tokash, Justin C.; Logan, Bruce E.

2011-01-01

= 0.6 V. Gas production was 1.4 times higher with EAn = -0.2 V than with Eap = 0.6 V. Methane production was also reduced at set anode potentials of -0.2 V and higher than the other operating conditions. Continuous flow operation of the MECs

Operational characteristics, strategies and performance of foreign and demestic banks in India

OpenAIRE

Keshari, Pradeep Kumar

2013-01-01

This paper has tried to examine the relative characteristics and performance of foreign and domestic banks operating in India. A comparison of their characteristics undoubtedly suggest that foreign banks as a group differ significantly from domestic banks. It was also found that foreign banks enjoyed higher profitability than the domestic banks. The higher profitability of the former was a reflection of their particular operational characteristics, strategies and the favourable attitude of t...

Higher order capacity statistics of multi-hop transmission systems over Rayleigh fading channels

KAUST Repository

Yilmaz, Ferkan

2012-03-01

In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression to evaluate the higher order statistics of the channel capacity for amplify and forward (AF) multihop transmission systems operating over Rayleigh fading channels. Furthermore, we present simple and efficient closed-form expression to the higher order moments of the channel capacity of dual hop transmission system with Rayleigh fading channels. In order to analyze the behavior of the higher order capacity statistics and investigate the usefulness of the mathematical analysis, some selected numerical and simulation results are presented. Our results are found to be in perfect agreement. © 2012 IEEE.

Higher surgical training opportunities in the general hospital setting; getting the balance right.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, I; Traynor, O; Khan, W; Waldron, R; Barry, K

2013-12-01

The general hospital can play an important role in training of higher surgical trainees (HSTs) in Ireland and abroad. Training opportunities in such a setting have not been closely analysed to date. The aim of this study was to quantify operative exposure for HSTs over a 5-year period in a single institution. Analysis of electronic training logbooks (over a 5-year period, 2007-2012) was performed for general surgery trainees on the higher surgical training programme in Ireland. The most commonly performed adult and paediatric procedures per trainee, per year were analysed. Standard general surgery operations such as herniae (average 58, range 32-86) and cholecystectomy (average 60, range 49-72) ranked highly in each logbook. The most frequently performed emergency operations were appendicectomy (average 45, range 33-53) and laparotomy for acute abdomen (average 48, range 10-79). Paediatric surgical experience included appendicectomy, circumcision, orchidopexy and hernia/hydrocoele repair. Overall, the procedure most commonly performed in the adult setting was endoscopy, with each trainee recording an average of 116 (range 98-132) oesophagogastroduodenoscopies and 284 (range 227-354) colonoscopies. General hospitals continue to play a major role in the training of higher surgical trainees. Analysis of the electronic logbooks over a 5-year period reveals the high volume of procedures available to trainees in a non-specialist centre. Such training opportunities are invaluable in the context of changing work practices and limited resources.

Understanding to requirements for educational level in qualification of reactor operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chi; Yang Di; Zhou Limin

2007-01-01

Requirements for qualification of reactor operators in nuclear safety regulations were discussed in this paper. The new issue was described in the confirmation of education level of reactor operators. The understanding to the requirements for Educational Level in Qualification of Reactor Operators was provided according to Higher Education Law of the People's Republic of China. It was proposed to improve the confirmation of qualification of reactor operators as soon as possible. (authors)

Tevatron lower temperature operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theilacker, J.C.

1994-07-01

This year saw the completion of three accelerator improvement projects (AIP) and two capital equipment projects pertaining to the Tevatron cryogenic system. The projects result in the ability to operate the Tevatron at lower temperature, and thus higher energy. Each project improves a subsystem by expanding capabilities (refrigerator controls), ensuring reliability (valve box, subatmospheric hardware, and compressor D), or enhancing performance (cold compressors and coldbox II). In January of 1994, the Tevatron operated at an energy of 975 GeV for the first time. This was the culmination, of many years of R ampersand D, power testing in a sector (one sixth) of the Tevatron, and final system installation during the summer of 1993. Although this is a modest increase in energy, the discovery potential for the Top quark is considerably improved

Qualitative Case Study Exploring Operational Barriers Impeding Small and Private, Nonprofit Higher Education Institutions from Implementing Information Security Controls

Science.gov (United States)

Liesen, Joseph J.

2017-01-01

The higher education industry uses the very latest technologies to effectively prepare students for their careers, but these technologies often contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited via their connection to the Internet. The complex task of securing information and computing systems is made more difficult at institutions of higher education…

Cryogenic testing and analysis associated with Tevatron lower temperature operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theilacker, J.C.

1996-01-01

An upgrade of the Tevatron cryogenic system was installed and commissioned in 1993 to allow lower temperature operation. As a result, higher energy operation of the Fermilab superconducting Tevatron accelerator is possible. Following the installation and initial commissioning, it was decided to continue the current colliding beam physics run at the previous energy of 900 GeV. This has allowed the author to perform parasitic lower temperature tests in the Tevatron over the last year and a half. This paper presents the results of operational experiences and thermal and hydraulic testing which have taken place. The primary goal of the testing is to better understand the operation of the cold compressor system, associated instrumentation, and the performance of the existing magnet system during lower temperature operation. This will lead to a tentatively scheduled higher energy test run in the fall of 1995. The test results have shown that more elaborate controlling methods are necessary in order to achieve reliable system operation. Fortunately, the new satellite refrigerator controls system is capable of the expansion necessary to reach this goal. New features are being added to the controls systems which will allow for more intelligent control and better diagnostics for component monitoring and trending

Theory of a higher-order Sturm-Liouville equation

CERN Document Server

Kozlov, Vladimir

1997-01-01

This book develops a detailed theory of a generalized Sturm-Liouville Equation, which includes conditions of solvability, classes of uniqueness, positivity properties of solutions and Green's functions, asymptotic properties of solutions at infinity. Of independent interest, the higher-order Sturm-Liouville equation also proved to have important applications to differential equations with operator coefficients and elliptic boundary value problems for domains with non-smooth boundaries. The book addresses graduate students and researchers in ordinary and partial differential equations, and is accessible with a standard undergraduate course in real analysis.

Connected Operators : A review of region-based morphological image processing techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salembier, Philippe; Wilkinson, Michael H. F.

2009-01-01

Connected operators are filtering tools that act by merging elementary regions called flat zones. Connecting operators cannot create new contours nor modify their position. Therefore, they have very good contour preservation properties and are capable of both low-level filtering and higher-level

Connected Operators : A review of region-based morphological image processing techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salembier, Philippe; Wilkinson, Michael H. F.

Connected operators are filtering tools that act by merging elementary regions called flat zones. Connecting operators cannot create new contours nor modify their position. Therefore, they have very good contour preservation properties and are capable of both low-level filtering and higher-level

Facility operations transparency and remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beddingfield, David

2006-01-01

Remote monitoring technologies offer many opportunities, not only to strengthen IAEA safeguards, but also to improve national, industrial and local oversight of various nuclear operations. Remote monitoring benefits in greater timeliness, reduced inspector presence and improved state-of-health awareness are well-known attributes. However, there is also the capability to organize data into a comprehensive knowledge of the 'normal operating envelope' of a facility. In considering future applications of remote monitoring there is also a need to develop a better understanding of the potential cost-savings versus higher up-front costs and potential long-term maintenance or upgrade costs. (author)

Two frequency ICRF operation on TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, J.H.; Majeski, R.; Wilson, J.R.; Hosea, J.C.; Schilling, G.; Stevens, J.; Phillips, C.K.

1993-01-01

Modifications have been made recently to allow two of the ICRF antennas (bays L and M) on TFTR to operate at either of two frequencies, 43 MHz or 64 MHz. This was accomplished by lengthening the resonant loops (2Λ at 43 MHz, 3Λ at 64 MHz) and replacing the conventional quarter wave impedance transformers with a tapered impedance design. The other two antennas (bays K and N) will operate at a fixed frequency, 43 MHz. The two frequency operation will allow a combination of 3 He-minority and H-minority heating at near full field on TFTR. The higher frequency, 64 MHz, may also be useful in direct electron heating and current drive experiments at lower toroidal fields. Models of the antenna, resonant loops and impedance matching system are presented

Functional Determinants for Radially Separable Partial Differential Operators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. V. Dunne

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Functional determinants of differential operators play a prominent role in many fields of theoretical and mathematical physics, ranging from condensed matter physics, to atomic, molecular and particle physics. They are, however, difficult to compute reliably in non-trivial cases. In one dimensional problems (i.e. functional determinants of ordinary differential operators, a classic result of Gel’fand and Yaglom greatly simplifies the computation of functional determinants. Here I report some recent progress in extending this approach to higher dimensions (i.e., functional determinants of partial differential operators, with applications in quantum field theory. 

Method of operation for a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barleon, L.; Dalle Donne, M.; Dorner, S.

1976-01-01

A method for the operation of a nuclear power plant is described whose primary coolant circuit contains liquid metal as coolant, and for whose secondary circuit which is coupled to the first by means of heat exchangers, one or more chemical compositions dissociating at higher temperatures and recombining at lower temperatures or associating into the original types are used as operating medium. N 2 O 4 is suggested as operating medium, and metal halogenides e.g. Al 2 Cl 6 , Al 2 Br 6 are also cited as suitable. Corrosion dangers are regarded as low. (UWI) [de

Raising of Operating a Motor Vehicle Effects on Environment in Winter

Science.gov (United States)

Ertman, S. A.; Ertman, J. A.; Zakharov, D. A.

2016-08-01

Severe low-temperature conditions, in which considerable part of Russian Motor Park is operated, affect vehicles negatively. Cold weather causes higher fuel consumption and C02 emissions always. It is because of temperature profile changing of automobile motors, other systems and materials. For enhancement of car operation efficiency in severe winter environment the dependency of engine warm-up and cooling time on ambient air temperature and wind speed described by multifactorial mathematical models is established. -On the basis of experimental research it was proved that the coolant temperature constitutes the engine representative temperature and may be used as representative temperature of engine at large. The model of generation of integrated index for vehicle adaptability to winter operating conditions by temperature profile of engines was developed. the method for evaluation of vehicle adaptability to winter operating conditions by temperature profile of engines allows to decrease higher fuel consumption in cold climate.

Benefits to blood banks of a sales and operations planning process.

Science.gov (United States)

Keal, Donald A; Hebert, Phil

2010-12-01

A formal sales and operations planning (S&OP) process is a decision making and communication process that balances supply and demand while integrating all business operational components with customer-focused business plans that links high level strategic plans to day-to-day operations. Furthermore, S&OP can assist in managing change across the organization as it provides the opportunity to be proactive in the face of problems and opportunities while establishing a plan for everyone to follow. Some of the key outcomes from a robust S&OP process in blood banking would include: higher customer satisfaction (donors and health care providers), balanced inventory across product lines and customers, more stable production rates and higher productivity, more cooperation across the entire operation, and timely updates to the business plan resulting in better forecasting and fewer surprises that negatively impact the bottom line. © 2010 American Association of Blood Banks.

Academic training for nuclear power plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, D.W.

1982-01-01

In view of the increasing emphasis being placed upon academic training of nuclear power plant operators, it is important that institutions of higher education develop and implement programs which will meet the educational needs of operational personnel in the nuclear industry. Two primary objectives must be satisfied by these programs if they are to be effective in meeting the needs of the industry. One objective is for academic quality. The other primary objective is for programs to address the specialized needs of the nuclear plant operator and to be relevant to the operator's job. The Center for Nuclear Studies at Memphis State University, therefore, has developed a total program for these objectives, which delivers the programs, and/or appropriate parts thereto, at ten nuclear plant sites and with other plants in the planning stage. The Center for Nuclear Studies program leads to a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in nuclear industrial operations, which is offered through the university college of Memphis State University

A Review of the Literature Related to Government Relations in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Brumfield, Randall; Miller, Michael T.

2008-01-01

This review of literature identifies the primary writings and research related to how higher education institutions operate government relations offices. These offices are defined by their mission and role of interfacing between institutional needs and officers and public officials. The review first reports the literature related to public…

Comparison of operating strategies for increased biogas production from thin stillage.

Science.gov (United States)

Moestedt, Jan; Nordell, Erik; Schnürer, Anna

2014-04-10

The effect of increasing organic loading rate (OLR) and simultaneously decreasing hydraulic retention time (HRT) during anaerobic digestion of sulphur- and nitrogen-rich thin stillage was investigated during operation of continuously stirred tank laboratory reactors at two different temperatures. The operating strategies and substrate were set in order to mimic an existing full-scale commercial biogas plant in Sweden. The reactors were operated for 554-570 days with a substrate mixture of thin stillage and milled grain, resulting in high ammonium concentrations (>4.5gL(-1)). Initially, one reactor was operated at 38°C, as in the full-scale plant, while in the experimental reactor the temperature was raised to 44°C. Both reactors were then subjected to increasing OLR (from 3.2 to 6.0gVSL(-1)d(-1)) and simultaneously decreasing HRT (from 45 to 24 days) to evaluate the effects of these operational strategies on process stability, hydrogen sulphide levels and microbial composition. The results showed that operation at 44°C was the most successful strategy, resulting in up to 22% higher methane yield compared with the mesophilic reactor, despite higher free ammonia concentration. Furthermore, kinetic studies revealed higher biogas production rate at 44°C compared with 38°C, while the level of hydrogen sulphide was not affected. Quantitative PCR analysis of the microbiological population showed that methanogenic archaea and syntrophic acetate-oxidising bacteria had responded to the new process temperature while sulphate-reducing bacteria were only marginally affected by the temperature-change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Operational Experience with the ATLAS Pixel Detector

CERN Document Server

Lantzsch, Kerstin; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

Run 2 of the LHC is providing new challenges to track and vertex reconstruction with higher energies, denser jets and higher rates. Therefore the ATLAS experiment has constructed the first 4-layer Pixel detector in HEP, installing a new Pixel layer, also called Insertable B-Layer (IBL). In addition the Pixel detector was refurbished with new service quarter panels to recover about 3% of defective modules lost during run 1 and a new optical readout system to readout the data at higher speed while reducing the occupancy when running with increased luminosity. The commissioning, operation and performance of the 4-layer Pixel Detector will be presented.

Operation of radiation monitoring system in radwaste form test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Young Gerl; Kim, Ki Hong; Lee, Jae Won; Kwac, Koung Kil

1998-08-01

RWFTF (RadWaste Form Test Facility) must have a secure radiation monitoring system (RMS) because of having a hot-cell capable of handling high radioactive materials. And then in controlled radiation zone, which is hot-cell and its maintenance and operation / control room, area dose rate, radioactivities in air-bone particulates and stack, and surface contamination are monitored continuously. For the effective management such as higher utilization, maintenance and repair, the status of this radiation monitoring system, the operation and characteristics of all kinds of detectors and other parts of composing this system, and signal treatment and its evaluation were described in this technical report. And to obtain the accuracy detection results and its higher confidence level, the procedure such as maintenance, functional check and system calibration were established and appended to help the operation of RMS. (author). 6 tabs., 30 figs

SSCL Commissioning and Operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The SSC, with an energy of 20 TeV/Beam, requires a sequence of individual accelerators of increasing energy in the injector chain. These are the Linac, Low Energy Booster, Medium Energy Booster, and High Energy Booster. Each accelerator system must be completed in sequence in order to provide beam to the next higher energy accelerator. The collider itself is comprised of ten sectors, each of which in terms of superconducting magnet bending strength, is equivalent to two HEB injectors. The completion of all injectors and collider sectors is required before stored beams can circulate in preparation for colliding beam operation. Four experimental halls are planned for the detector systems. Each major detector will be assembled in one of the halls by a world-wide collaboration of scientists. In addition, above ground facilities provide shops and test facilities for accelerator technical systems, superconducting magnet and materials research and development, and for detector assembly and operations. The purpose of this report is to present a plan for the sequential commissioning and operation of these individual accelerators and other technical facilities of the SSC. A central objective of this plan is to describe the activities at the SSCL that are not included as part of the construction project TPC, even though they occur during the overall project construction time-frame. Examples of such activities include the operation of general laboratory facilities and services not specifically related to construction, the operating costs for the individual accelerators in the injector chain once these facilities have been commissioned, and the costs of SSCL physics research groups. The Department of Energy has provided the following decision with regard to these operations categories for the SSCL

Constant curvature algebras and higher spin action generating functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallowell, K.; Waldron, A.

2005-01-01

The algebra of differential geometry operations on symmetric tensors over constant curvature manifolds forms a novel deformation of the sl(2,R)-bar R 2 Lie algebra. We present a simple calculus for calculations in its universal enveloping algebra. As an application, we derive generating functions for the actions and gauge invariances of massive, partially massless and massless (for both Bose and Fermi statistics) higher spins on constant curvature backgrounds. These are formulated in terms of a minimal set of covariant, unconstrained, fields rather than towers of auxiliary fields. Partially massless gauge transformations are shown to arise as degeneracies of the flat, massless gauge transformation in one dimension higher. Moreover, our results and calculus offer a considerable simplification over existing techniques for handling higher spins. In particular, we show how theories of arbitrary spin in dimension d can be rewritten in terms of a single scalar field in dimension 2d where the d additional dimensions correspond to coordinate differentials. We also develop an analogous framework for spinor-tensor fields in terms of the corresponding superalgebra

Harnessing the Power of Information Technology: Open Business Models in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sheets, Robert G.; Crawford, Stephen

2012-01-01

Higher education is under enormous pressure to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Information technology can help achieve these goals, but only if it is properly harnessed. This article argues that one key to harnessing information technology is business model innovation that results in more "open" and "unbundled" operations in learning and…

Generation of composite operators in supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalla, E.

1984-07-01

The author discusses the generation of quantum composite operators in two and higher dimensions. In two dimensions the problem is discussed in detail, and the supergravity fields, trivial at the beginning, acquire the status of independent fields, non trivial features being obtained as consequence. In higher dimensions one is led to non compact symmetry groups when dealing with supergravity. The symmetry SU(p,q) is discussed; quantization presents several problems. In one case, p=q, it is possible to obtain a prescription leading to finite results, with a quantization procedure breaking the symmetry to SU(p) X SU(q). (Auth.)

Self operation type reactor control device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Makoto; Gunji, Minoru.

1990-01-01

A boiling-requefication chamber containing transporting materials having somewhat higher boiling point that the usual reactor operation temperature and liquid neutron absorbers having a boiling point sufficiently higher than that of the transporting materials is disposed near the coolant exit of a fuel assembly and connected with a tubular chamber in the reactor core with a moving pipe at the bottom. Since the transporting materials in the boiling-requefication chamber is boiled and expanded by heating, the liquid neutron absorbers are introduced passing through the moving pipe into the cylindrical chamber to control the nuclear reactions. When the temperature is lowered by the control, the transporting materials are liquefied to contract the volume and the liquid neutron absorbers in the cylindrical chamber are returned passing through the moving tube into the boiling-liquefication chamber to make the nuclear reaction vigorous. Thus, self-operation type power conditioning and power stopping are enabled not by way of control rods and not requiring external control, to prevent scram failure or misoperation. (N.H.)

Higher Education: A Time for Triage?

Science.gov (United States)

Lagowski, J. J.

1995-10-01

Higher education faces unprecedented challenges. The confluence of changing economic and demographic tends; new patterns of federal and state spending; more explicit expectations by students and their families for affordable, accessible education; and heightened scrutiny by those who claim a legitimate interest in higher education is inescapably altering the environment in which this system operates. Higher education will never again be as it was before. Further, many believe that tinkering around the margins is no longer an adequate response to the new demands. Fundamental change is deemed necessary to meet the challenge of this melange of pressures. A number of commentators have observed that political and corporate America have responded to their challenges by instituting a fundamental restructuring of those institutions. The medical community is also in the midst of a similar basic restructuring of the health care delivery system in this country. Now its education's turn. People are questioning the historically expressed mission of higher education. They make the claim that we cost too much, spend carelessly, teach poorly, plan myopically, and when questioned, act defensively. Educational administrators, from department chairs up, are confronted with the task of simultaneously reforming and cutting back. They have no choice. They must establish politically sophisticated priority settings and effect a hard-nosed reallocation of resources in a social environment where competing public needs have equivalent--or stronger--emotional pulls. Triage in a medical context involves confronting an emergency in which the demand for attention far outstrips available assistance by establishing a sequence of care in which one key individual orchestrates the application of harsh priorities which have been designed to maximize the number of survivors. In recent years, the decisions that have been made in some centers of higher education bear a striking similarity. The literature

Pre-operative biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yuan; Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Wang, Qin; Davidson, Brian R; Lin, He; Xie, Xiaodong; Wang, Chaohua

2014-01-01

% and 100%. There was no significant difference in mortality (40/265, weighted proportion 14.9%) in the pre-operative biliary drainage group versus the direct surgery group (34/255, 13.3%) (RR 1.12; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.71; P = 0.60). The overall serious morbidity was higher in the pre-operative biliary drainage group (60 per 100 patients in the pre-operative biliary drainage group versus 26 per 100 patients in the direct surgery group) (RaR 1.66; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.16; P = 0.0002). The proportion of patients who developed serious morbidity was significantly higher in the pre-operative biliary drainage group (75/102, 73.5%) in the pre-operative biliary drainage group versus the direct surgery group (37/94, 37.4%) (P jaundice. Pre-operative biliary drainage may increase the rate of serious adverse events. So, the safety of routine pre-operative biliary drainage has not been established. Pre-operative biliary drainage should not be used in patients undergoing surgery for obstructive jaundice outside randomised clinical trials. PMID:22972086

The intellectuals of capital and the mercantilized expansion of brazilian higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alisson Slider do Nascimento de Paula

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The study seeks to understand the interests of the capital intellectuals’ movement for Brazilian higher education. We chose a bibliographical study and document, besides using the method of Marxist dialectical analysis to understand reality as a complex totality, an articulated whole. It was verified that intellectuals play a decisive role in taking action on the direction of Brazilian higher education policy, operating directly in the culture of the state university as well as orchestrating a political-juridical framework for the expansion of private higher education institutions. At the limit, intellectuals are not only manifested as individual subjects; however, as organized collective subjects, for example, international financial capital organizations with their orientations towards peripheral countries express intellectuals of capital in their parasitic phase.

Whole body vibration exposure in heavy earth moving machinery operators of metalliferrous mines.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanerkar, A P; Kulkarni, N P; Zade, P D; Kamavisdar, A S

2008-08-01

As mining operations get mechanized, the rate of profit generation increases and so do the rate of occupational hazards. This study deals with one such hazard - occupational vibration. The present study was carried out to determine the whole body vibration (WBV) exposure of the heavy earth moving machinery (HEMM) operators in two types of metalliferous mines in India, when they were engaged in the mining activity. Cross-comparison was done of the vibration dose value (VDV) for HEMM operators as well as each type of mine. The VDV for the shovel operator in bauxite mine was observed to be 13.53 +/- 5.63 m/s(7/4) with 25% of the readings higher than the prescribed limit whereas in iron ore mine VDV for dumper operator was 10.81 +/- 3.44 m/s(7/4) with 14.62% readings on the higher side. Cross-comparison of the VDV values for bauxite and iron ore mines revealed that it was 9.57 +/- 4.93 and 8.21 +/- 5.12 m/s(7/4) with 21.28 and 14.95% of the readings on the higher side respectively. The Student's t test level was found to be insignificant for both type of mines, indicating that the WBV exposure is not dependent on the type of mine but is dependent on the working condition and type of HEMM in operation.

Predictors of Success in Bariatric Surgery: the Role of BMI and Pre-operative Comorbidities.

Science.gov (United States)

da Cruz, Magda Rosa Ramos; Branco-Filho, Alcides José; Zaparolli, Marília Rizzon; Wagner, Nathalia Farinha; de Paula Pinto, José Simão; Campos, Antônio Carlos Ligocki; Taconeli, Cesar Augusto

2017-11-10

This is a retrospective review of 204 patients who underwent bariatric surgery. The impact of weight regain (WR), pre-operative comorbidities and BMI values on the recurrence of comorbidities was evaluated, and an equation was elaborated to estimate BMI at 5 years of bariatric surgery. Pre-operative data, after 1 year and after 5 years, was collected from the medical records. Descriptive analyses and bivariate hypothesis tests were performed first, and then, a generalised linear regression model with Tweedie distribution was adjusted. The hit rate and the Kendall coefficient of concordance (Kendall's W) of the equation were calculated. At the end, the Mann-Whitney test was performed between the BMI, WR and the presence of comorbidities, after a post-operative period of 5 years. The adjustment of the model resulted in an equation that estimates the mean value of BMI 5 years after surgery. The hit rate was 82.35% and the value of Kendall's W was 0.85 for the equation. It was found that patients with comorbidities presented a higher median WR (10.13%) and a higher mean BMI (30.09 kg/m 2 ) 5 years after the surgery. It is concluded that the equation is useful for estimating the mean BMI at 5 years of surgery and that patients with low pre-operative HDL and folic acid levels, with depression and/or anxiety and a higher BMI, have a higher BMI at 5 years of surgery and higher incidence of comorbid return and dissatisfaction with post-operative results.

49 CFR 213.307 - Class of track: operating speed limits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... requirements for its intended class, it is to be reclassified to the next lower class of track for which it... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Class of track: operating speed limits. 213.307... Higher § 213.307 Class of track: operating speed limits. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

Measuring the Contribution of Higher Education to Innovation Capacity in the EU. Final Report: Revised Version

Science.gov (United States)

European Commission, 2017

2017-01-01

This current study is part of the actions taken aiming to analyse the links between the operations and effects of higher-education institutions on the capacity to innovate in the economies in Europe. Providing insights into the contribution of higher education to the innovative capacity of the EU economies is crucial for policy making and the…

Stress and Fatigue in Operators Under Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation and Shift Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vangelova K.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim was to study the effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR on stress indices, health complaints and fatigue of operators working fast-rotating extended shifts. Working conditions, job content, job control, social support, health complaints and fatigue were followed in 220 operators, 110 exposed to EMR and 110 control operators, matched by age and sex. The EMR was measured and time-weighted average (TWA was calculated. The excretion rates of stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline were followed during the extended shifts in 36 operators, working at different levels of exposure and 24-hour exposure was calculated. The exposed group pointed more problems with the working conditions, including EMR, noise, currents and risk of accidents, more health complaints and higher level of fatigue. The most common health complaints were mental and physical exhaustion after work, pains in the chest, musculoskeletal complaints, headache, and apathy. High level EMR exposure (TWAmean = 3.10 μW/cm2, TWAmax = 137.00 μW/cm2 significantly increased the 24-hour excretion of cortisol and noradrenaline, whereas the increase of adrenaline excretion did not reach significance, as well as hormone excretion rates under low level exposure (TWAmean = 1.89 μW/cm2, TWAmax = 5.24 μW/cm2. In conclusion, higher number of health complaints, higher stress hormone excretion rates and fatigue were found in operators under EMR.

Effects of SMILE and Trans-PRK on corneal higher order aberrations after myopic correction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiao Zhao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available AIM:To observe the effects of small incision lenticule extraction(SMILEand trans-epithelial photorefractive keratectomy(Trans-PRKon corneal horizontal coma, vertical coma, and spherical aberration and total higher order aberrations after refractive correction for myopia. METHODS: This was a prospective non-randomized cohort study. The cohort included 40 patients(80 eyeswith myopia, who received refraction correction surgery from December 2016 to February 2017 in Leshan Ophthalmic Center. Twenty patients(40 eyesreceived SMILE surgery and the other 20 patients(40 eyesreceived Trans-PRK surgery. Corneal aberrations were determined by a high-resolution Pentacam Scheimpflug camera before the surgery and at 1 and 3mo after the operation. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of variance of repeated measures. RESULTS: At 1 and 3mo post-operation, the uncorrected visual acuity in both groups was better than or equal to the preoperative best corrected visual acuity. The preoperative corneal aberrations showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05. Significantly higher aberration was found after the surgery in both groups(PP>0.05. Post-operation, horizontal and vertical coma had no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05, while SMILE group showed lower spherical aberration and lower total higher order aberration than Trans-PRK group(PCONCLUSION: Both SMILE and Trans-PRK increase corneal aberration and their effects on horizontal and vertical coma are similar. However, SMILE has a minor influence on spherical aberration and total high order aberration than Trans-PRK.

Can We Make Operating Systems Reliable and Secure?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanenbaum, A.S.; Herder, J.N.; Bos, H.J.

2006-01-01

Microkernels--long discarded as unacceptable because of their lower performance compared with monolithic kernels--might be making a comeback in operating systems due to their potentially higher reliability, which many researchers now regard as more important than performance.

Initial operation of SSRL wiggler in spear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berndt, M.; Brunk, W.; Cronin, R.; Jensen, D.; Johnson, R.; King, A.; Spencer, J.; Taylor, T.; Winick, H.

1979-03-01

A 3 lambda planar, magnetic wiggler has been designed, built, installed and operated in the SPEAR storage ring. Its primary purpose is to provide tunable synchrotron radiation (SR) with a higher energy and intensity than previously available for a new SR beam line just commissioned at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. Because the magnet operates from 0-18 kG, it should also produce undulator radiation (UR). Since the wiggler influences storage ring operation in both single beam and colliding beam modes, measurements were made of tune changes, emittance changes and energy spreads which are compared to predictions. Significant improvements in luminosity for high energy physics experiments were observed. The ability to do x-ray experiments easily that were not previously feasible at low electron beam energies and currents has also been demonstrated. The basic design, some interesting characteristics of the magnetic measurements and initial operating experience and results are discussed

Hepatobiliary transporter expression and post-operative jaundice in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernhardt, Gerwin A; Zollner, Gernot; Cerwenka, Herwig; Kornprat, Peter; Fickert, Peter; Bacher, Heinz; Werkgartner, Georg; Müller, Gabriele; Zatloukal, Kurt; Mischinger, Hans-Jörg; Trauner, Michael

2012-01-01

Post-operative hyperbilirubinaemia in patients undergoing liver resections is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Apart from different known factors responsible for the development of post-operative jaundice, little is known about the role of hepatobiliary transport systems in the pathogenesis of post-operative jaundice in humans after liver resection. Two liver tissue samples were taken from 14 patients undergoing liver resection before and after Pringle manoeuvre. Patients were retrospectively divided into two groups according to post-operative bilirubin serum levels. The two groups were analysed comparing the results of hepatobiliary transporter [Na-taurocholate cotransporter (NTCP); multidrug resistance gene/phospholipid export pump(MDR3); bile salt export pump (BSEP); canalicular bile salt export pump (MRP2)], heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression as well as the results of routinely taken post-operative liver chemistry tests. Patients with low post-operative bilirubin had lower levels of NTCP, MDR3 and BSEP mRNA compared to those with high bilirubin after Pringle manoeuvre. HSP70 levels were significantly higher after ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in both groups resulting in 4.5-fold median increase. Baseline median mRNA expression of all four transporters prior to Pringle manoeuvre tended to be lower in the low bilirubin group whereas expression of HSP70 was higher in the low bilirubin group compared to the high bilirubin group. Higher mRNA levels of HSP70 in the low bilirubin group could indicate a possible protective effect of high HSP70 levels against IR injury. Although the exact role of hepatobiliary transport systems in the development of post-operative hyper bilirubinemia is not yet completely understood, this study provides new insights into the molecular aspects of post-operative jaundice after liver surgery. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Franck--Hertz experiment with higher excitation level measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, F.H.

1987-01-01

The measurement of the higher levels of 6 3 P 2 and 6 1 P 1 of the mercury atom in the Franck--Hertz experiment has been introduced into the junior and senior laboratory course by using a homemade tetrode Franck--Hertz tube. The main structure of the tube is described. The optimum operating conditions are in the temperature range between 130 and 150 0 C and the collector currents are of the order of 10 -9 A. The additional observations of the famous Franck--Hertz experiment in the laboratory course will give the students more familiarity with the quantum behavior of atoms

A Survey on Operator Monotonicity, Operator Convexity, and Operator Means

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pattrawut Chansangiam

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is an expository devoted to an important class of real-valued functions introduced by Löwner, namely, operator monotone functions. This concept is closely related to operator convex/concave functions. Various characterizations for such functions are given from the viewpoint of differential analysis in terms of matrix of divided differences. From the viewpoint of operator inequalities, various characterizations and the relationship between operator monotonicity and operator convexity are given by Hansen and Pedersen. In the viewpoint of measure theory, operator monotone functions on the nonnegative reals admit meaningful integral representations with respect to Borel measures on the unit interval. Furthermore, Kubo-Ando theory asserts the correspondence between operator monotone functions and operator means.

Flexible Programmes in Higher Professional Education: Expert Validation of a Flexible Educational Model

Science.gov (United States)

Schellekens, Ad; Paas, Fred; Verbraeck, Alexander; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2010-01-01

In a preceding case study, a process-focused demand-driven approach for organising flexible educational programmes in higher professional education (HPE) was developed. Operations management and instructional design contributed to designing a flexible educational model by means of discrete-event simulation. Educational experts validated the model…

Preparation and practice for nuclear power plant operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Xuesong; Lu Tiezhong

2015-01-01

The operational preparation of the nuclear power plant is an important work in nuclear power plant production preparation. Due to the construction period of nuclear power plant from starting construction to production is as long as five years, the professional requirements of nuclear power operation are very strict, and the requirements for nuclear safety are also extremely high. Especially after the Fukushima accident, higher requirements for the safe operation of nuclear power plant are posed by competent authorities of the national level, regulatory authorities and each nuclear power groups. Based on the characteristics of the construction phase of nuclear power plant and in combination with engineering practice, this paper expounds the system established in the field of nuclear power plant operation and generally analyses the related management innovation. (authors)

Seeley-Gilkey coefficients for fourth-order operators on Riemannian manifold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusynin, V.P.

1990-01-01

The covariant pseudodifferential-operator method of Widom is developed for computing the coefficients in the heat kernel expansion. It allows one to calculate Seeley-Gilkey coefficients for both minimal and nonminimal differential operators acting on a vector bundle over a riemannian manifold. The coefficients for the fourth-order minimal operators in arbitrary dimensions of space are calculated. In contrast to the second-order operators the coefficients for the fourth-order (and higher) operators turn out to be essentially dependent on the space dimension. The algorithmic character of the method allows one to calculate the coefficients by computer using an analytical calculation system. The method also permits a simple generalization to manifolds with torsion and supermanifolds. (orig.)

Social Development and Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina España-Chavarría

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This essay has as its main objective to reflect on the duty of the Costa Rican public university and its responsibility to educate in order to foster social development, which is understood as one of the multiple challenges that the higher education faces due to the demands imposed on the operation of knowledge in the present and the relation of such demands with independent knowledge development. In addition, a defense is made of some issues that have been approached weakly in previous studies, issues that become part of the essential elements for promoting a meaningful and functional education that has social impact, elements such as the following: a Ethics in the organization, b The university’s self-education, c The effect of curricular policies on the practices being promoted, d The transformation of the teaching culture to improve practice, and e The construction of knowledge on which to base criteria, decision making, problem solving and the development of life projects.

Extrapolating Satellite Winds to Turbine Operating Heights

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Badger, Merete; Pena Diaz, Alfredo; Hahmann, Andrea N.

2016-01-01

Ocean wind retrievals from satellite sensors are typically performed for the standard level of 10 m. This restricts their full exploitation for wind energy planning, which requires wind information at much higher levels where wind turbines operate. A new method is presented for the vertical...... extrapolation of satellitebased wind maps. Winds near the sea surface are obtained from satellite data and used together with an adaptation of the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory to estimate the wind speed at higher levels. The thermal stratification of the atmosphere is taken into account through a long...

One-loop polarization operator of the quantum gauge superfield for 𝒩 = 1 SYM regularized by higher derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Kazantsev, A. E.; Skoptsov, M. B.; Stepanyantz, K. V.

2017-11-01

We consider the general 𝒩 = 1 supersymmetric gauge theory with matter, regularized by higher covariant derivatives without breaking the BRST invariance, in the massless limit. In the ξ-gauge we obtain the (unrenormalized) expression for the two-point Green function of the quantum gauge superfield in the one-loop approximation as a sum of integrals over the loop momentum. The result is presented as a sum of three parts: the first one corresponds to the pure supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in the Feynman gauge, the second one contains all gauge-dependent terms, and the third one is the contribution of diagrams with a matter loop. For the Feynman gauge and a special choice of the higher derivative regulator in the gauge fixing term, we analytically calculate these integrals in the limit k → 0. In particular, in addition to the leading logarithmically divergent terms, which are determined by integrals of double total derivatives, we also find the finite constants.

E6 unification model building. III. Clebsch-Gordan coefficients in E6 tensor products of the 27 with higher dimensional representations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, Gregory W.; Blazek, Tomas

2005-01-01

E 6 is an attractive group for unification model building. However, the complexity of a rank 6 group makes it nontrivial to write down the structure of higher dimensional operators in an E 6 theory in terms of the states labeled by quantum numbers of the standard model gauge group. In this paper, we show the results of our computation of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for the products of the 27 with irreducible representations of higher dimensionality: 78, 351, 351 ' , 351, and 351 ' . Application of these results to E 6 model building involving higher dimensional operators is straightforward

An empirical investigation of operator performance in cognitively demanding simulated emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, E.M.; Mumaw, R.J.; Lewis, P.M.

1994-07-01

This report documents the results of an empirical study of nuclear power plant operator performance in cognitively demanding simulated emergencies. During emergencies operators follow highly prescriptive written procedures. The objectives of the study were to understand and document what role higher-level cognitive activities such as diagnosis, or more generally 'situation assessment', play in guiding operator performance, given that operators utilize procedures in responding to the events. The study examined crew performance in variants of two emergencies: (1) an Interfacing System Loss of Coolant Accident and (2) a Loss of Heat Sink scenario. Data on operator performance were collected using training simulators at two plant sites. Up to 11 crews from each plant participated in each of two simulated emergencies for a total of 38 cases. Crew performance was videotaped and partial transcripts were produced and analyzed. The results revealed a number of instances where higher-level cognitive activities such as situation assessment and response planning enabled crews to handle aspects of the situation that were not fully addressed by the procedures. This report documents these cases and discusses their implications for the development and evaluation of training and control room aids, as well as for human reliability analyses

Operator theory, operator algebras and applications

CERN Document Server

Lebre, Amarino; Samko, Stefan; Spitkovsky, Ilya

2014-01-01

This book consists of research papers that cover the scientific areas of the International Workshop on Operator Theory, Operator Algebras and Applications, held in Lisbon in September 2012. The volume particularly focuses on (i) operator theory and harmonic analysis (singular integral operators with shifts; pseudodifferential operators, factorization of almost periodic matrix functions; inequalities; Cauchy type integrals; maximal and singular operators on generalized Orlicz-Morrey spaces; the Riesz potential operator; modification of Hadamard fractional integro-differentiation), (ii) operator algebras (invertibility in groupoid C*-algebras; inner endomorphisms of some semi group, crossed products; C*-algebras generated by mappings which have finite orbits; Folner sequences in operator algebras; arithmetic aspect of C*_r SL(2); C*-algebras of singular integral operators; algebras of operator sequences) and (iii) mathematical physics (operator approach to diffraction from polygonal-conical screens; Poisson geo...

Development of bushing material with higher corrosion and wear resistance; Taishoku taimamosei dogokin bush zairyo no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kira, T; Yokota, H; Kamiya, S [Taiho Kogyo Co. Ltd., Osaka (Japan)

1997-10-01

Recent diesel engines require a higher performance and a longer life. Due to higher cylinder pressure, the operating load and temperature of piston pin bushings become higher. Therefore, higher load capacity, higher wear resistance and higher corrosion resistance are required for piston pin bushings. For this reason, we have studied the effect of components added to copper alloy upon the corrosion resistance and the effect of hard particles dispersed in copper matrix upon the wear resistance and the influence of hard particles on the machinablity of materials. Based on the experimental results, we have developed a new bushing material improving wear and corrosion resistance. 17 figs., 3 tabs.

Mapping reactor operating regimes for heavy gas oil hydrotreating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munteanu, Mugurel Catalin; Chen, Jinwen [CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada (Canada)

2011-07-01

Hydrotreating (HDT) is used in oil refineries at temperatures of 350-400 degree C and pressure of 50-100 bars in a fixed bed to improve the quality of distillate fraction. HDT operates as a gas-liquid-solid process, trickle bed. Efforts have been made to model it but volatilization of liquid oil is often ignored. The aim of this paper is to predict vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) for a typical heavy distillate feed in pilot plant hydrotreaters. The study was conducted under various operating conditions and a flash calculation program calibrated in-house was used to predict VLE. VLE values were found and results showed that higher pressure, lower gas/oil ratio and temperature should be used to maintain the desired operating regimes when hydrotreating heavy distillate feed. This study determined the operating conditions for maintaining the desired operating regimes and these findings could be useful for operators.

Set–Reset latch logical operation induced by colored noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Nan; Song, Aiguo

2014-01-01

We examine the possibility of obtaining Set–Reset latch logical operation in a symmetric bistable system subjected to OU noise. Three major results are presented. First, we prove the Set–Reset latch logical operation can be obtained driven by OU noise. Second, while increasing the correlation time, the optimal noise band shifts to higher level and becomes wider. Meanwhile, peak performance degrades from 100% accuracy, but the system can still perform reliable logical operation. Third, at fixed noise intensity, the success probability evolves non-monotonically as correlation time increases. The study might provide development of the new paradigm of memory device.

HigherEd 2.0: Using social media in engineering education

OpenAIRE

Berger, Edward

2014-01-01

Social media (blogs, wikis, video, and a digital authoring culture) has emerged in the last decade as a dominant feature of the technology landscape, especially for our current generation of digital-native students. Leveraging these tools for higher education in general, and engineering education in particular, should be of immediate and pressing concern for engineering educators. This discussion summarizes the HigherEd 2.0 project, the creative convergence of higher education and “web 2.0” t...

Scalar potential from higher derivative N=1 superspace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciupke, David

2016-05-01

The supersymmetric completion of higher-derivative operators often requires introducing corrections to the scalar potential. In this paper we study these corrections systematically in the context of theories with N=1 global and local supersymmetry in D=4 focusing on ungauged chiral multiplets. In globally supersymmetric theories the most general off-shell effective scalar potential can be captured by a dependence of the Kaehler potential on additional chiral superfields. For supergravity we find a much richer structure of possible corrections. In this context we classify the leading order and next-to-leading order superspace derivative operators and determine the component forms of a subclass thereof. Moreover, we present an algorithm that simplifies the computation of the respective on-shell action. As particular applications we study the structure of the supersymmetric vacua for these theories and comment on the form of the corrections to shift-symmetric no-scale models. These results are relevant for the computation of effective actions for string compactifications and, in turn, for moduli stabilization and string inflation.

PEP-II RF System Operation and Performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntosh, P.

2005-01-01

The Low Energy Ring (LER) and High Energy Ring (HER) RF systems have operated now on PEP-II since July 1998 and have assisted in breaking all design luminosity records back in June 2001. Luminosity on PEP-II has steadily increased since then as a consequence of larger e+ and e- beam currents being accumulated. This has meant that the RF systems have inevitably been driven harder, not only to achieve these higher stored beam currents, but also to reliably keep the beams circulating whilst at the same time minimizing the number of aborts due to RF system faults. This paper details the current PEP-II RF system configurations for both rings, as well as future upgrade plans spanning the next 3-5 years. Limitations of the current RF system configurations are presented, highlighting improvement projects which will target specific areas within the RF systems to ensure that adequate operating overheads are maintained and reliable operation is assured. The Low Energy Ring (LER) and High Energy Ring (HER) RF systems have operated now on PEP-II since July 1998 and have assisted in breaking all design luminosity records back in June 2001. Luminosity on PEP-II has steadily increased since then as a consequence of larger e+ and e- beam currents being accumulated. This has meant that the RF systems have inevitably been driven harder, not only to achieve these higher stored beam currents, but also to reliably keep the beams circulating whilst at the same time minimizing the number of aborts due to RF system faults. This paper details the current PEP-II RF system configurations for both rings, as well as future upgrade plans spanning the next 3-5 years. Limitations of the current RF system configurations are presented, highlighting improvement projects which will target specific areas within the RF systems to ensure that adequate operating overheads are maintained and reliable operation is assured

Charged particle in higher dimensional weakly charged rotating black hole spacetime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frolov, Valeri P.; Krtous, Pavel

2011-01-01

We study charged particle motion in weakly charged higher dimensional black holes. To describe the electromagnetic field we use a test field approximation and the higher dimensional Kerr-NUT-(A)dS metric as a background geometry. It is shown that for a special configuration of the electromagnetic field, the equations of motion of charged particles are completely integrable. The vector potential of such a field is proportional to one of the Killing vectors (called a primary Killing vector) from the 'Killing tower' of symmetry generating objects which exists in the background geometry. A free constant in the definition of the adopted electromagnetic potential is proportional to the electric charge of the higher dimensional black hole. The full set of independent conserved quantities in involution is found. We demonstrate that Hamilton-Jacobi equations are separable, as is the corresponding Klein-Gordon equation and its symmetry operators.

The role of pre-operative and post-operative glucose control in surgical-site infections and mortality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christie Y Jeon

Full Text Available The impact of glucose control on surgical-site infection (SSI and death remains unclear. We examined how pre- and post-operative glucose levels and their variability are associated with the risk of SSI or in-hospital death.This retrospective cohort study employed data on 13,800 hospitalized patients who underwent a surgical procedure at a large referral hospital in New York between 2006 and 2008. Over 20 different sources of electronic data were used to analyze how thirty-day risk of SSI and in-hospital death varies by glucose levels and variability. Maximum pre- and post-operative glucose levels were determined for 72 hours before and after the operation and glucose variability was defined as the coefficient of variation of the glucose measurements. We employed logistic regression to model the risk of SSI or death against glucose variables and the following potential confounders: age, sex, body mass index, duration of operation, diabetes status, procedure classification, physical status, emergency status, and blood transfusion.While association of pre- and post-operative hyperglycemia with SSI were apparent in the crude analysis, multivariate results showed that SSI risk did not vary significantly with glucose levels. On the other hand, in-hospital deaths were associated with pre-operative hypoglycemia (OR = 5.09, 95% CI (1.80, 14.4 and glucose variability (OR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.03, 1.27 for 10% increase in coefficient of variation.In-hospital deaths occurred more often among those with pre-operative hypoglycemia and higher glucose variability. These findings warrant further investigation to determine whether stabilization of glucose and prevention of hypoglycemia could reduce post-operative deaths.

The role of pre-operative and post-operative glucose control in surgical-site infections and mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Christie Y; Furuya, E Yoko; Berman, Mitchell F; Larson, Elaine L

2012-01-01

The impact of glucose control on surgical-site infection (SSI) and death remains unclear. We examined how pre- and post-operative glucose levels and their variability are associated with the risk of SSI or in-hospital death. This retrospective cohort study employed data on 13,800 hospitalized patients who underwent a surgical procedure at a large referral hospital in New York between 2006 and 2008. Over 20 different sources of electronic data were used to analyze how thirty-day risk of SSI and in-hospital death varies by glucose levels and variability. Maximum pre- and post-operative glucose levels were determined for 72 hours before and after the operation and glucose variability was defined as the coefficient of variation of the glucose measurements. We employed logistic regression to model the risk of SSI or death against glucose variables and the following potential confounders: age, sex, body mass index, duration of operation, diabetes status, procedure classification, physical status, emergency status, and blood transfusion. While association of pre- and post-operative hyperglycemia with SSI were apparent in the crude analysis, multivariate results showed that SSI risk did not vary significantly with glucose levels. On the other hand, in-hospital deaths were associated with pre-operative hypoglycemia (OR = 5.09, 95% CI (1.80, 14.4)) and glucose variability (OR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.03, 1.27) for 10% increase in coefficient of variation). In-hospital deaths occurred more often among those with pre-operative hypoglycemia and higher glucose variability. These findings warrant further investigation to determine whether stabilization of glucose and prevention of hypoglycemia could reduce post-operative deaths.

Evaluation of thermal overload in boiler operators.

Science.gov (United States)

Braga, Camila Soares; Rodrigues, Valéria Antônia Justino; Campos, Julio César Costa; de Souza, Amaury Paulo; Minette, Luciano José; de Moraes, Angêlo Casali; Sensato, Guilherme Luciano

2012-01-01

The Brazilians educational institutions need a large energy demand for the operation of laundries, restaurants and accommodation of students. Much of that energy comes from steam generated in boilers with wood fuel. The laboral activity in boiler may present problems for the operator's health due to exposure to excessive heat, and its operation has a high degree of risk. This paper describes an analysis made the conditions of thermal environment in the operation of a B category boiler, located at a Higher Education Institution, located in the Zona da Mata Mineira The equipments used to collect data were Meter WBGT of the Heat Index; Meter of Wet Bulb Index and Globe Thermometer (WBGT); Politeste Instruments, an anemometer and an Infrared Thermometer. By the application of questionnaires, the second phase consisted of collecting data on environmental factors (temperature natural environment, globe temperature, relative humidity and air velocity). The study concluded that during the period evaluated, the activity had thermal overload.

How Much Is Too Much? Controlling Administrative Costs through Effective Oversight. A Guide for Higher Education Trustees

Science.gov (United States)

Alacbay, Armand; Barden, Danielle

2017-01-01

With recent research from the Institute for Higher Education Policy showing that college is unaffordable for as many as 70% of working- and middle-class students, concerns about college costs are mounting. The cost of operating an institution of higher education, with very few exceptions, is reflected in the price of attendance that students,…

Dirac operators on coset spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balachandran, A.P.; Immirzi, Giorgio; Lee, Joohan; Presnajder, Peter

2003-01-01

The Dirac operator for a manifold Q, and its chirality operator when Q is even dimensional, have a central role in noncommutative geometry. We systematically develop the theory of this operator when Q=G/H, where G and H are compact connected Lie groups and G is simple. An elementary discussion of the differential geometric and bundle theoretic aspects of G/H, including its projective modules and complex, Kaehler and Riemannian structures, is presented for this purpose. An attractive feature of our approach is that it transparently shows obstructions to spin- and spin c -structures. When a manifold is spin c and not spin, U(1) gauge fields have to be introduced in a particular way to define spinors, as shown by Avis, Isham, Cahen, and Gutt. Likewise, for manifolds like SU(3)/SO(3), which are not even spin c , we show that SU(2) and higher rank gauge fields have to be introduced to define spinors. This result has potential consequences for string theories if such manifolds occur as D-branes. The spectra and eigenstates of the Dirac operator on spheres S n =SO(n+1)/SO(n), invariant under SO(n+1), are explicitly found. Aspects of our work overlap with the earlier research of Cahen et al

Beyond behaviorism: on the automaticity of higher mental processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bargh, J A; Ferguson, M J

2000-11-01

The first 100 years of experimental psychology were dominated by 2 major schools of thought: behaviorism and cognitive science. Here the authors consider the common philosophical commitment to determinism by both schools, and how the radical behaviorists' thesis of the determined nature of higher mental processes is being pursued today in social cognition research on automaticity. In harmony with "dual process" models in contemporary cognitive science, which equate determined processes with those that are automatic and which require no intervening conscious choice or guidance, as opposed to "controlled" processes which do, the social cognition research on the automaticity of higher mental processes provides compelling evidence for the determinism of those processes. This research has revealed that social interaction, evaluation and judgment, and the operation of internal goal structures can all proceed without the intervention of conscious acts of will and guidance of the process.

Observables and microscopic entropy of higher spin black holes

Science.gov (United States)

Compère, Geoffrey; Jottar, Juan I.; Song, Wei

2013-11-01

In the context of recently proposed holographic dualities between higher spin theories in AdS3 and (1 + 1)-dimensional CFTs with symmetry algebras, we revisit the definition of higher spin black hole thermodynamics and the dictionary between bulk fields and dual CFT operators. We build a canonical formalism based on three ingredients: a gauge-invariant definition of conserved charges and chemical potentials in the presence of higher spin black holes, a canonical definition of entropy in the bulk, and a bulk-to-boundary dictionary aligned with the asymptotic symmetry algebra. We show that our canonical formalism shares the same formal structure as the so-called holomorphic formalism, but differs in the definition of charges and chemical potentials and in the bulk-to-boundary dictionary. Most importantly, we show that it admits a consistent CFT interpretation. We discuss the spin-2 and spin-3 cases in detail and generalize our construction to theories based on the hs[ λ] algebra, and on the sl( N,[InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]) algebra for any choice of sl(2 ,[InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]) embedding.

Stabilized operation of the Spallation Neutron Source radio-frequency quadrupole

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sang-ho Kim

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ had resonance control instabilities at duty factors higher than approximately 4%. Systematic investigations have been carried out to understand the cause of the instability and to ensure the operational stability of the RFQ. The most critical source of the instability is revealed to be an interaction between hydrogen released by beam bombardments and the RFQ rf field resulting in a discharge, which consumes additional rf power and could cause the RFQ to operate in an unstable region. This paper reports improvement of the SNS RFQ operational stability based on the findings during the SNS operation.

Contemporary and prospective fuel cycles for WWER-440 based on new assemblies with higher uranium capacity and higher average fuel enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagarinskiy, A.A.; Saprykin, V.V.

2009-01-01

RRC 'Kurchatov Institute' has performed an extensive cycle of calculations intended to validate the opportunities of improving different fuel cycles for WWER-440 reactors. Works were performed to upgrade and improve WWER-440 fuel cycles on the basis of second-generation fuel assemblies allowing core thermal power to be uprated to 107 108 % of its nominal value (1375 MW), while maintaining the same fuel operation lifetime. Currently intensive work is underway to develop fuel cycles based on second-generation assemblies with higher fuel capacity and average fuel enrichment per assembly increased up to 4.87 % of U-235. Fuel capacity of second-generation assemblies was increased by means of eliminated central apertures of fuel pellets, and pellet diameter extended due to reduced fuel cladding thickness. This paper intends to summarize the results of works performed in the field of WWER-440 fuel cycle modernization, and to present yet unemployed opportunities and prospects of further improvement of WWER-440 neutronic and operating parameters by means of additional optimization of fuel assembly designs and fuel element arrangements applied. (Authors)

Permanent cessation of Tokai power plant's operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satoh, T.

1998-01-01

Tokai power plant (166MWe, Magnox type: GCR) is the first commercial reactor in Japan and has been kept operating stable since its commissioning in July 1996. During this period it has produced electricity of approximately 27.7 billion KWh (as of March 1997) and its stable operation has contributed greatly to the stable supply of electricity in Japan. Furthermore, technologies in various fields have been developed, demonstrated and accumulated through the construction and operation of Tokai power plant. It also contributes to training for many nuclear engineers, and constructions and operations of nuclear power stations by other Japanese power companies. As a pioneer, it has been achieved to develop and popularize Japanese nuclear power generation. On the other hand, Tokai power plant has small capacity in its electric power output, even though the size of the reactor and heat exchangers are rather bigger than those of LWR due to the characteristics of GCR. Therefore, the generation cost is higher than the LWR. Since there is no plant whose reactor type is the same as that of Tokai power plant, the costs for maintenance and fuel cycle are relatively higher than that of LWR. Finally we concluded that the longer we operate it, the less we can take advantage of it economically. As a result of the evaluation for the future operation of Tokai power plant including the current status for supply of electricity by the Japanese utilities and study of decommissioning by Japanese government, we decided to have a plan of stopping its commercial operation of Tokai power plant in the end of March, 1998, when we completely consume its fuel that we possess. From now on, we set about performing necessary studies and researches on the field of plant characterization, remote-cutting, waste disposal for carrying out the decommissioning of Tokai power plant safely and economically. We are going to prepare the decommissioning planning for Tokai power plant in a few years based on the

Experimental RA reactor operation with 80% enriched fuel - Program of experimental operation: a) Program of experimental operation with 80% enriched fuel at low power, b) contents of the experimental operation with 80% enriched fuel at higher power levels; Program probnog rada: a) Program probnog rada reaktora sa 80% obogacenim gorivom na malim snagama, b) sadrzaj programa probnog rada reaktora RA sa 80% obogacenim gorivom na vecim snagama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinc, R; Sotic, O; Skoric, M; Cupac, S; Bulovic, V; Maric, I; Marinkov, L [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1980-10-15

Highly enriched (80%) uranium oxide fuel was regularly used in the mixed reactor core with the 2% enriched fuel since 1976. The most important changes related to reactor operation, in comparison with the original design project were related to reactor core fuelling schemes. At the end of 1979 reactor was shutdown due to the corrosion coating noticed on some fuel elements and due to decrease quality of the heavy water. Subsequently the Sanitary inspector of Serbia has prohibited further reactor operation. Restart of the reactor will not be a simple continuation of operation. It is indispensable to perform complete experimental program including measurements of critical parameters at different power levels for the core with fresh 80% enriched fuel. The aim of this document is to obtain working permission and its contents are in agreement with the procedure demanded by the Safety Committee of the Institute. It includes results of optimization and safety analysis for the initial reactor core. Since the permission for restart is not obtained, a separate RA reactor safety report is prepared in addition to the program for experimental operation. This report includes: detailed program for reactor experimental operation with 80% enriched fuel in the core at low power levels, and contents of the experimental operation with 80% enriched fuel in the core at higher power levels. [Serbo-Croat] Od decembra 1976. godine redovno je korisceno 80% obogaceno gorivo u mesanoj resetki reaktorskog jezgra sa 2% obogacenim gorivom. Najvece izmene na reaktoru u odnosu na originalni projekat izvrsene su u nacinu rukovanja gorivom. Krajem marta 1979. godine obustavljen je rad reaktora usled naslaga na gorivnim elementima i loseg stanja teske vode. Naknadno je izdata zabrana za rad reaktora od strane Sanitarnog inspektora SR Srbije. Ponovno pustanje reaktora u rad nece biti jednostavan nastavak rada. Neophodno je da se izvede kompletan program merenja kriticnih parametara i drugih

Dimension-6 operator analysis of the CLIC sensitivity to new physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, John; Roloff, Philipp; Sanz, Verónica; You, Tevong

2017-01-01

We estimate the possible accuracies of measurements at the proposed CLIC e + e − collider of Higgs and W + W − production at centre-of-mass energies up to 3 TeV, incorporating also Higgsstrahlung projections at higher energies that had not been considered previously, and use them to explore the prospective CLIC sensitivities to decoupled new physics. We present the resulting constraints on the Wilson coefficients of dimension-6 operators in a model-independent approach based on the Standard Model effective field theory (SM EFT). The higher centre-of-mass energy of CLIC, compared to other projects such as the ILC and CEPC, gives it greater sensitivity to the coefficients of some of the operators we study. We find that CLIC Higgs measurements may be sensitive to new physics scales Λ=O(10) TeV for individual operators, reduced to O(1) TeV sensitivity for a global fit marginalising over the coefficients of all contributing operators. We give some examples of the corresponding prospective constraints on specific scenarios for physics beyond the SM, including stop quarks and the dilaton/radion.

Quality Challenges in Transnational Higher Education under Profit-Driven Motives: The Vietnamese Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Nhan, Thi Thuy; Nguyen, Huu Cuong

2018-01-01

Among educational practices in the era of globalisation, developing countries are emerging with diverse representations of transnational collaboration. This paper investigates the operation and regulation of joint programs in Vietnam as a case study of higher education under the impact of profit-driven motives. It first reviews the trends,…

Prediction of software operational reliability using testing environment factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hoan Sung; Seong, Poong Hyun

1995-01-01

For many years, many researches have focused on the quantification of software reliability and there are many models developed to quantify software reliability. Most software reliability models estimate the reliability with the failure data collected during the test assuming that the test environments well represent the operation profile. The experiences show that the operational reliability is higher than the test reliability User's interest is on the operational reliability rather than on the test reliability, however. With the assumption that the difference in reliability results from the change of environment, testing environment factors comprising the aging factor and the coverage factor are defined in this study to predict the ultimate operational reliability with the failure data. It is by incorporating test environments applied beyond the operational profile into testing environment factors. The application results are close to the actual data

Integrating Sustainable Development into Operations Management Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Fredriksson, Peter; Persson, Magnus

2011-01-01

Purpose: It is widely acknowledged that aspects of sustainable development (SD) should be integrated into higher level operations management (OM) education. The aim of the paper is to outline the experiences gained at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden from integrating aspects of SD into OM courses. Design/methodology/approach: The paper…

Cerebrospinal fluid cortisol levels are higher in patients with delirium versus controls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

White Timothy O

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High plasma cortisol levels can cause acute cognitive and neuropsychiatric dysfunction, and have been linked with delirium. CSF cortisol levels more closely reflect brain exposure to cortisol, but there are no studies of CSF cortisol levels in delirium. In this pilot study we acquired CSF specimens at the onset of spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery, and compared CSF and plasma cortisol levels in delirium cases versus controls. Findings Delirium assessments were performed the evening before or on the morning of operation with a standard battery comprising cognitive tests, mental status assessments and the Confusion Assessment Method. CSF and plasma samples were obtained at the onset of the operation and cortisol levels measured. Twenty patients (15 female, 5 male aged 62 - 93 years were studied. Seven patients were diagnosed with delirium. The mean ages of cases (81.4 (SD 7.2 and controls (80.5 (SD 8.7 were not significantly different (p = 0.88. The median (interquartile range CSF cortisol levels were significantly higher in cases (63.9 (40.4-102.1 nmol/L than controls (31.4 (21.7-43.3 nmol/L; Mann-Whitney U, p = 0.029. The median (interquartile range of plasma cortisol was also significantly higher in cases (968.8 (886.2-1394.4 nmol/L, than controls (809.4 (544.0-986.4 nmol/L; Mann Whitney U, p = 0.036. Conclusions These findings support an association between higher CSF cortisol levels and delirium. This extends previous findings linking higher plasma cortisol and delirium, and suggests that more definitive studies of the relationship between cortisol levels and delirium are now required.

Higher derivative extensions of 3d Chern-Simons models: conservation laws and stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaparulin, D.S.; Karataeva, I.Yu.; Lyakhovich, S.L.

2015-01-01

We consider the class of higher derivative 3d vector field models with the field equation operator being a polynomial of the Chern-Simons operator. For the nth-order theory of this type, we provide a general recipe for constructing n-parameter family of conserved second rank tensors. The family includes the canonical energy-momentum tensor, which is unbounded, while there are bounded conserved tensors that provide classical stability of the system for certain combinations of the parameters in the Lagrangian. We also demonstrate the examples of consistent interactions which are compatible with the requirement of stability. (orig.)

Playing in Operations Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Guitart-Tarrés

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The current model of competency-based learning requires new tools that allow students to develop these competencies and become active subjects of their learning (rather than passive receivers of a contents. Gamification or ludification is becoming an innovative trend in many areas, also in higher education. Games can provide a useful environment for students to acquire professional skills, a fact that is much more difficult to acquire through traditional learning methods. In that sense, this paper presents the experience of designing a game for Operations Management students.

Some studies of Schroedinger operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yang.

1993-09-01

This thesis consists of three papers. Paper 1 deals with the semiclassical approximation for a Schroedinger operator in one dimension with an arbitrary continuous potential. The basic result is that function in the range of a spectral projection associated with an interval are exponentially small (with respect to Plancks parameter h) in places where the potential exceeds the interval. As an application of this result, it is shown that the eigenvalues of the operator localized to the wells appear as resonances of the global operator. This is true also when the potential is not bounded from below. Such results were proved before for analytic potentials by analytic dilatation. In Paper 2, the potential is assumed to have the form of χ + V(χ) (the Stark Hamiltonian) with a well-behaved V(χ), an explicit spectral and scattering theory for such an operator was presented using the time-independent approach. In particular, we derive an eigenfunction expansion theorem which, combined with a construction of an intertwining operator, gives a solution of the inverse scattering problem according to L. Daddeev and A. Melin. The direct part of the second paper has a generalization to higher dimensions, and this was done in the third paper. Also in that paper, the condition on the potentials for doing the inverse scattering theory was relaxed, and an explicit formula for the potentials involving the first approximation of the scattering data was given

Features of ABWR operator training with a full-scope simulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondou, Shin'ichi

1999-01-01

Many innovations have been incorporated into the Advanced BWR (ABWR) type control panels. In the BWR Operator Training Center (BTC), we started ABWR operator training using an ABWR full-scope simulator prior to the first ABWR plant's commercial operation. In consideration of the features of the ABWR type control panels, BTC has been conducting ABWR operator training focusing on the following 2 points; (1) Operator training reflecting the differences in the Human-Machine Interface (HMI). The new HMI devices which have the touch-operation function were introduced. These devices have higher operability, however, they require new operational skills. We planned the training program so that operators can fully acquire these skills. Also the compact main console and the new HMI devices made it relatively difficult for the operator crews to grasp visually what an operator was doing. We provide the training to have proper communication skills, and check trainees' operation using monitoring systems for simulator training. (2) Operator training responding to the expanded operation automation system. The scope of the automation system was expanded to reduce the operators' burden. We provide the training to improve the trainees' competence for 'operation and monitoring' suitable to both manual and automatic operational modes. (author)

Tutoring in higher education in Portugal and Spain : lessons learned from six initiatives in place

OpenAIRE

Flores, Maria Assunção; Simão, Ana Margarida Veiga; Carrasco, Vicente

2012-01-01

Tutoring has been one of the issues which have received growing interest within the context of restructuring process in higher education under the so-called Bologna process in Europe. In this paper six tutoring initiatives currently being implemented in Portuguese and Spanish universities are examined in the light of the framework within which tutoring operates in higher education contexts. The various kinds of tutoring — mentoring, curricular tutoring, academic tutoring and training-related ...

Higher boron rejection with a new TFC forward osmosis membrane

KAUST Repository

Valladares Linares, Rodrigo; Li, Zhenyu; Sarp, Sarper; Park, Y. G.; Amy, Gary L.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2014-01-01

Due to the stringent limits for boron in drinking and irrigation water, water treatment facilities have to incur additional treatment to remove boron down to a safe concentration. Forward osmosis (FO) is a membrane technology that may reduce the energy required to remove boron present in seawater. In direct FO desalination hybrid systems, fresh water is recovered from seawater using a recoverable draw solution, FO membranes are expected to show high boron rejection. This study focuses on determining the boron rejection capabilities of a new generation thin-film composite (TFC) FO membrane compared to a first generation cellulose triacetate (CTA) FO membrane. The effects of water permeate flux, membrane structure, draw solute charge, and reverse solute flux on boron rejection were determined. For TFC and CTA FO membranes, experiments showed that when similar operating conditions are applied (e.g. membrane type and draw solute type) boron rejection decreases with increase in permeate flux. Reverse draw solute flux and membrane fouling have no significant impact on boron rejection. Compared to the first generation CTA FO membrane operated at the same conditions, the TFC FO membrane showed a 40% higher boron rejection capability and a 20% higher water flux. This demonstrates the potential for boron removal for new generation TFC FO membranes. © 2014 © 2014 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Higher boron rejection with a new TFC forward osmosis membrane

KAUST Repository

Valladares Linares, Rodrigo

2014-07-17

Due to the stringent limits for boron in drinking and irrigation water, water treatment facilities have to incur additional treatment to remove boron down to a safe concentration. Forward osmosis (FO) is a membrane technology that may reduce the energy required to remove boron present in seawater. In direct FO desalination hybrid systems, fresh water is recovered from seawater using a recoverable draw solution, FO membranes are expected to show high boron rejection. This study focuses on determining the boron rejection capabilities of a new generation thin-film composite (TFC) FO membrane compared to a first generation cellulose triacetate (CTA) FO membrane. The effects of water permeate flux, membrane structure, draw solute charge, and reverse solute flux on boron rejection were determined. For TFC and CTA FO membranes, experiments showed that when similar operating conditions are applied (e.g. membrane type and draw solute type) boron rejection decreases with increase in permeate flux. Reverse draw solute flux and membrane fouling have no significant impact on boron rejection. Compared to the first generation CTA FO membrane operated at the same conditions, the TFC FO membrane showed a 40% higher boron rejection capability and a 20% higher water flux. This demonstrates the potential for boron removal for new generation TFC FO membranes. © 2014 © 2014 Balaban Desalination Publications. All rights reserved.

Sex and age differences in physical performance: A comparison of Army basic training and operational populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dada, Esther O; Anderson, Morgan K; Grier, Tyson; Alemany, Joseph A; Jones, Bruce H

2017-11-01

To determine the age- and sex-specific differences of physical fitness performances and Body Mass Index (BMI) in basic training and the operational Army. Cross-sectional Study. This secondary analysis utilizes retrospective surveys of U.S. Army Soldiers in Basic Combat Training (BCT) and operational units to compare physical performances between men and women as measured by the Army Physical Readiness Test (APFT). An ANOVA was used to compare mean differences in APFT results and BMI within sex-specific populations. A post hoc Tukey test identified specific mean differences. Adjusting for age, an ANCOVA was used to compare sex and occupation (infantry and non-infantry) differences in APFT results. Surveyed populations consisted of 2216 BCT Soldiers (1573 men and 643 women) and 5515 Operational Soldiers (4987 men and 528 women). Male and female operational Soldiers had greater muscular performance (79%-125% higher APFT push-ups, 66%-85% higher APFT sit-ups) and cardiorespiratory performance (22%-24% faster APFT 2-mile run times) than BCT Soldiers. Male BCT and operational Soldiers outperform their female counterparts on tests of muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance. Sex differences in physical performances attenuated among female Soldiers in operational units compared to BCT. Among male operational Soldiers, infantry Soldiers exhibited greater cardiorespiratory and muscular performance than non-infantry Soldiers. Higher BMI was associated with higher age groups, except for female BCT Soldiers. Gaps in cardiorespiratory and muscular performances between men and women should be addressed through targeted physical training programs that aim to minimize physiological differences. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ontario electricity outlook : smaller reserve margins and higher prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, C.; Kalevar, P.

2002-01-01

Privatization of Hydro One has been delayed, but this will not postpone the scheduled launch of restructuring the electricity markets in Ontario on May 1, 2002. The main concern of Ontario consumers is whether they will undergo an energy crisis such as the one experienced in California. A report released in February 2002 stated that electricity bills will be higher under the new electricity regime. It appears that electricity supply reserve margins will be tighter than originally thought, raising price volatility in the summer and fall. The authors claim that the chance for an energy crisis are low because of the added generating capacity. However, regardless of whether consumers sign a fixed term price contract with retailers, it is likely that electricity bills will be higher in 2002 and 2003. The Independent Electricity Market Operator (IMO) is assuring the public that the power generation resources currently available are sufficient to meet expected demand. However, in June through July, it is possible that reserves will fall short. It is also evident that charges for distribution, transmission and other services will be higher under the restructured system. Electricity bills are likely to be about 5 to 15 per cent higher in 2003 than they were before March 1, 2002. Higher prices might not last indefinitely. Initially, they will be used to pay off the debt, but competition and opportunities for profit should allow for greater efficiencies and innovation in Ontario's electricity system and prices could potentially fall lower than pre-deregulation prices. 1 tab., 3 figs

40 CFR 60.753 - Operational standards for collection and control systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... a landfill gas temperature less than 55 °C and with either a nitrogen level less than 20 percent or an oxygen level less than 5 percent. The owner or operator may establish a higher operating... that gas is collected from each area, cell, or group of cells in the MSW landfill in which solid waste...

ENQA: 10 Years (2000-2010): A Decade of European Co-Operation in Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Crozier, Fiona, Ed.; Costes, Nathalie, Ed.; Ranne, Paula, Ed.; Stalter, Maria, Ed.

2010-01-01

The history of ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) arises in the late 1990s when the first formal procedures for quality assurance begun to stabilize on a national level. As a result of the European Pilot Projects in the field of external quality assurance during the nineties, participants felt the need for…

Operating System Concepts for Reconfigurable Computing: Review and Survey

OpenAIRE

Marcel Eckert; Dominik Meyer; Jan Haase; Bernd Klauer

2016-01-01

One of the key future challenges for reconfigurable computing is to enable higher design productivity and a more easy way to use reconfigurable computing systems for users that are unfamiliar with the underlying concepts. One way of doing this is to provide standardization and abstraction, usually supported and enforced by an operating system. This article gives historical review and a summary on ideas and key concepts to include reconfigurable computing aspects in operating systems. The arti...

Nucleon structure functions from lattice operator product expansion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chambers, A.J.; Somfleth, K.; Young, R.D.; Zanotti, J.M. [Adelaide Univ., SA (Australia). CSSM, Dept. of Physics; Horsley, R. [Edinburgh Univ. (United Kingdom). School of Physics and Astronomy; Nakamura, Y. [RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science, Kobe (Japan); Perlt, H.; Schiller, A. [Leipzig Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Rakow, P.E.L. [Liverpool Univ. (United Kingdom). Theoretical Physics Div.; Schierholz, G. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2017-03-15

Deep-inelastic scattering, in the laboratory and on the lattice, is most instructive for understanding how the nucleon is built from quarks and gluons. The long-term goal is to compute the associated structure functions from first principles. So far this has been limited to model calculations. In this Letter we propose a new method to compute the structure functions directly from the virtual, all-encompassing Compton amplitude, utilizing the operator product expansion. This overcomes issues of renormalization and operator mixing, which so far have hindered lattice calculations of power corrections and higher moments.

Nucleon structure functions from lattice operator product expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambers, A.J.; Somfleth, K.; Young, R.D.; Zanotti, J.M.; Perlt, H.; Schiller, A.

2017-03-01

Deep-inelastic scattering, in the laboratory and on the lattice, is most instructive for understanding how the nucleon is built from quarks and gluons. The long-term goal is to compute the associated structure functions from first principles. So far this has been limited to model calculations. In this Letter we propose a new method to compute the structure functions directly from the virtual, all-encompassing Compton amplitude, utilizing the operator product expansion. This overcomes issues of renormalization and operator mixing, which so far have hindered lattice calculations of power corrections and higher moments.

Digital operation and eye diagrams in spin-lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wasner, Evan; Bearden, Sean; Žutić, Igor; Lee, Jeongsu

2015-01-01

Digital operation of lasers with injected spin-polarized carriers provides an improved operation over their conventional counterparts with spin-unpolarized carriers. Such spin-lasers can attain much higher bit rates, crucial for optical communication systems. The overall quality of a digital signal in these two types of lasers is compared using eye diagrams and quantified by improved Q-factors and bit-error-rates in spin-lasers. Surprisingly, an optimal performance of spin-lasers requires finite, not infinite, spin-relaxation times, giving a guidance for the design of future spin-lasers

Varying Levels of Automation on UAS Operator Responses to Traffic Resolution Advisories in Civil Airspace

Science.gov (United States)

Kenny, Caitlin; Fern, Lisa

2012-01-01

Continuing demand for the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) has put increasing pressure on operations in civil airspace. The need to fly UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS) in order to perform missions vital to national security and defense, emergency management, and science is increasing at a rapid pace. In order to ensure safe operations in the NAS, operators of unmanned aircraft, like those of manned aircraft, may be required to maintain separation assurance and avoid loss of separation with other aircraft while performing their mission tasks. This experiment investigated the effects of varying levels of automation on UAS operator performance and workload while responding to conflict resolution instructions provided by the Tactical Collision Avoidance System II (TCAS II) during a UAS mission in high-density airspace. The purpose of this study was not to investigate the safety of using TCAS II on UAS, but rather to examine the effect of automation on the ability of operators to respond to traffic collision alerts. Six licensed pilots were recruited to act as UAS operators for this study. Operators were instructed to follow a specified mission flight path, while maintaining radio contact with Air Traffic Control and responding to TCAS II resolution advisories. Operators flew four, 45 minute, experimental missions with four different levels of automation: Manual, Knobs, Management by Exception, and Fully Automated. All missions included TCAS II Resolution Advisories (RAs) that required operator attention and rerouting. Operator compliance and reaction time to RAs was measured, and post-run NASA-TLX ratings were collected to measure workload. Results showed significantly higher compliance rates, faster responses to TCAS II alerts, as well as less preemptive operator actions when higher levels of automation are implemented. Physical and Temporal ratings of workload were significantly higher in the Manual condition than in the Management by Exception and

Operation and Design of Diabatic Distillation Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, Thomas

Diabatic operation of a distillation column implies that heat is exchanged in one or more stages in the column. The most common way of realising diabatic operation is by internal heat integration resulting in a heat-integrated distillation column (HIDiC). When operating the rectifying section...... at a higher pressure, a driving forcefor transferring heat from the rectifying section to the stripping section is achieved. As a result, the condenser and reboiler duties can be significantly reduced. For two-product distillation, the HIDiC is a favourable alternative to the conventional distillation column....... Energy savings up to 83% are reported for the HIDiC compared to the CDiC, while the reported economical savings are as high as 40%. However, a simpler heat-integrated distillation column configuration exists, which employs compression in order to obtain a direct heat integration between the top vapour...

Predictive potential of pre-operative functional neuroimaging in patients treated with subthalamic stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sestini, Stelvio; Castagnoli, Antonio; Pupi, Alberto; Sciagra, Roberto; Ammannati, Franco; Ramat, Silvia; Sorbi, Sandro; Mansi, Luigi

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive potential of pre-operative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and clinical factors in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation. Ten patients underwent rCBF SPECT and motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) pre- and post-operatively during stimulation at 5 and 42 months. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to extract rCBF values in the pre-SMA because it is related with motor improvement. Post-operative outcomes included motor response to stimulation and percent improvement in UPDRS. Pre-operative predictors were explored by correlation test, linear regression and multivariate analyses. Higher pre-operative rCBF in the pre-SMA and younger age were associated with favourable outcomes at 5 and 42 months. Pre-operative rCBF results were significantly associated with baseline clinical factors. This study shows that PD patients with younger age have higher rCBF values in the pre-SMA and better outcome, thus giving the rationale to the hypothesis that STN stimulation could be considered early in the course of disease. (orig.)

Predictive potential of pre-operative functional neuroimaging in patients treated with subthalamic stimulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sestini, Stelvio; Castagnoli, Antonio [Ospedale Misericordia e Dolce, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Prato (Italy); Pupi, Alberto; Sciagra, Roberto [University of Florence, Department of Clinical Physiopathology, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Florence (Italy); Ammannati, Franco; Ramat, Silvia; Sorbi, Sandro [University of Florence, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, Florence (Italy); Mansi, Luigi [University II Naples, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Unit, Naples (Italy)

2010-01-15

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive potential of pre-operative regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and clinical factors in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation. Ten patients underwent rCBF SPECT and motor Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) pre- and post-operatively during stimulation at 5 and 42 months. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to extract rCBF values in the pre-SMA because it is related with motor improvement. Post-operative outcomes included motor response to stimulation and percent improvement in UPDRS. Pre-operative predictors were explored by correlation test, linear regression and multivariate analyses. Higher pre-operative rCBF in the pre-SMA and younger age were associated with favourable outcomes at 5 and 42 months. Pre-operative rCBF results were significantly associated with baseline clinical factors. This study shows that PD patients with younger age have higher rCBF values in the pre-SMA and better outcome, thus giving the rationale to the hypothesis that STN stimulation could be considered early in the course of disease. (orig.)

Higher Education

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kunle Amuwo: Higher Education Transformation: A Paradigm Shilt in South Africa? ... ty of such skills, especially at the middle management levels within the higher ... istics and virtues of differentiation and diversity. .... may be forced to close shop for lack of capacity to attract ..... necessarily lead to racial and gender equity,.

TRIGA research reactors with higher power density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whittemore, W.L.

1994-01-01

The recent trend in new or upgraded research reactors is to higher power densities (hence higher neutron flux levels) but not necessarily to higher power levels. The TRIGA LEU fuel with burnable poison is available in small diameter fuel rods capable of high power per rod (≅48 kW/rod) with acceptable peak fuel temperatures. The performance of a 10-MW research reactor with a compact core of hexagonal TRIGA fuel clusters has been calculated in detail. With its light water coolant, beryllium and D 2 O reflector regions, this reactor can provide in-core experiments with thermal fluxes in excess of 3 x 10 14 n/cm 2 ·s and fast fluxes (>0.1 MeV) of 2 x 10 14 n/cm 2 ·s. The core centerline thermal neutron flux in the D 2 O reflector is about 2 x 10 14 n/cm 2 ·s and the average core power density is about 230 kW/liter. Using other TRIGA fuel developed for 25-MW test reactors but arranged in hexagonal arrays, power densities in excess of 300 kW/liter are readily available. A core with TRIGA fuel operating at 15-MW and generating such a power density is capable of producing thermal neutron fluxes in a D 2 O reflector of 3 x 10 14 n/cm 2 ·s. A beryllium-filled central region of the core can further enhance the core leakage and hence the neutron flux in the reflector. (author)

Gauge-Higgs unification in higher dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, Lawrence; Nomura, Yasunori; Smith, David

2002-01-01

The electroweak Higgs doublets are identified as components of a vector multiplet in a higher-dimensional supersymmetric field theory. We construct a minimal model in 6D where the electroweak SU(2)xU(1) gauge group is extended to SU(3), and unified 6D models with the unified SU(5) gauge symmetry extended to SU(6). In these realistic theories the extended gauge group is broken by orbifold boundary conditions, leaving Higgs doublet zero modes which have Yukawa couplings to quarks and leptons on the orbifold fixed points. In one SU(6) model the weak mixing angle receives power law corrections, while in another the fixed point structure forbids such corrections. A 5D model is also constructed in which the Higgs doublet contains the fifth component of the gauge field. In this case Yukawa couplings are introduced as nonlocal operators involving the Wilson line of this gauge field

Benchmarking as an Instrument for Improvement of Quality Management in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narimantas Kazimieras Paliulis

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Conditioned by globalisation and constant change, higher education institutions (HEIs are forced to pursue new instruments for quality assurance in higher education. States seem to pursue this aim by attempting to create an efficiently operating system of higher education that satisfies needs of diverse societal groups. Quality dimension is the most important element of efficient and effective higher education. From the perspective of a state, assessment and monitoring of quality are instruments for the management of processes of higher education. The article substantiates these statements using the evolution of the dimension of quality in the European and Lithuanian higher education in the course of the Bologna Process. The article also presents a benchmarking method and discusses its development and application tendencies in business organisations. Also, it looks at possibilities to apply this method in higher education. The main aim of this article is to explore benchmarking as an effective instrument for the improvement of performance quality in HEIs and complement the already implemented quality management systems. Another aim is to suggest this method to national agencies for quality assurance in higher education for monitoring and analysis of qualitative changes on the systematic level. The object of the article is the improvement of performance quality in HEIs. Benchmarking is proposed for the use in higher education on the institutional level as an instrument that complements presently introduced quality management systems in Lithuanian HEIs. This way, it will contribute to the formation of the culture of quality in higher education.

Higher groupoid bundles, higher spaces, and self-dual tensor field equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jurco, Branislav [Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Mathematical Institute, Prague (Czech Republic); Saemann, Christian [Maxwell Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Wolf, Martin [Department of Mathematics, University of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom)

2016-08-15

We develop a description of higher gauge theory with higher groupoids as gauge structure from first principles. This approach captures ordinary gauge theories and gauged sigma models as well as their categorifications on a very general class of (higher) spaces comprising presentable differentiable stacks, as e.g. orbifolds. We start off with a self-contained review on simplicial sets as models of (∞, 1)-categories. We then discuss principal bundles in terms of simplicial maps and their homotopies. We explain in detail a differentiation procedure, suggested by Severa, that maps higher groupoids to L{sub ∞}-algebroids. Generalising this procedure, we define connections for higher groupoid bundles. As an application, we obtain six-dimensional superconformal field theories via a Penrose-Ward transform of higher groupoid bundles over a twistor space. This construction reduces the search for non-Abelian self-dual tensor field equations in six dimensions to a search for the appropriate (higher) gauge structure. The treatment aims to be accessible to theoretical physicists. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Higher groupoid bundles, higher spaces, and self-dual tensor field equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jurco, Branislav; Saemann, Christian; Wolf, Martin

2016-01-01

We develop a description of higher gauge theory with higher groupoids as gauge structure from first principles. This approach captures ordinary gauge theories and gauged sigma models as well as their categorifications on a very general class of (higher) spaces comprising presentable differentiable stacks, as e.g. orbifolds. We start off with a self-contained review on simplicial sets as models of (∞, 1)-categories. We then discuss principal bundles in terms of simplicial maps and their homotopies. We explain in detail a differentiation procedure, suggested by Severa, that maps higher groupoids to L ∞ -algebroids. Generalising this procedure, we define connections for higher groupoid bundles. As an application, we obtain six-dimensional superconformal field theories via a Penrose-Ward transform of higher groupoid bundles over a twistor space. This construction reduces the search for non-Abelian self-dual tensor field equations in six dimensions to a search for the appropriate (higher) gauge structure. The treatment aims to be accessible to theoretical physicists. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Predicting in-hospital mortality after redo cardiac operations: development of a preoperative scorecard.

Science.gov (United States)

Launcelott, Sebastian; Ouzounian, Maral; Buth, Karen J; Légaré, Jean-Francois

2012-09-01

The present study generated a risk model and an easy-to-use scorecard for the preoperative prediction of in-hospital mortality for patients undergoing redo cardiac operations. All patients who underwent redo cardiac operations in which the initial and subsequent procedures were performed through a median sternotomy were included. A logistic regression model was created to identify independent preoperative predictors of in-hospital mortality. The results were then used to create a scorecard predicting operative risk. A total of 1,521 patients underwent redo procedures between 1995 and 2010 at a single institution. Coronary bypass procedures were the most common previous (58%) or planned operations (54%). The unadjusted in-hospital mortality for all redo cases was higher than for first-time procedures (9.7% vs. 3.4%; pscorecard was generated using these independent predictors, stratifying patients undergoing redo cardiac operations into 6 risk categories of in-hospital mortality ranging from risk to >40%. Reoperation represents a significant proportion of modern cardiac surgical procedures and is often associated with significantly higher mortality than first-time operations. We created an easy-to-use scorecard to assist clinicians in estimating operative mortality to ensure optimal decision making in the care of patients facing redo cardiac operations. Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GNF2 Operating Experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schardt, John

2007-01-01

GNF's latest generation fuel product, GNF2, is designed to deliver improved nuclear efficiency, higher bundle and cycle energy capability, and more operational flexibility. But along with high performance, our customers face a growing need for absolute fuel reliability. This is driven by a general sense in the industry that LWR fuel reliability has plateaued. Too many plants are operating with fuel leakers, and the impact on plant operations and operator focus is unacceptable. The industry has responded by implementing an INPO-coordinated program aimed at achieving leaker-free reliability by 2010. One focus area of the program is the relationship between fuel performance (i.e., duty) and reliability. The industry recognizes that the right balance between performance and problem-free fuel reliability is critical. In the development of GNF2, GNF understood the requirement for a balanced solution and utilized a product development and introduction strategy that specifically addressed reliability: evolutionary design features supported by an extensive experience base; thoroughly tested components; and defense-in-depth mitigation of all identified failure mechanisms. The final proof test that the balance has been achieved is the application of the design, initially through lead use assemblies (LUAs), in a variety of plants that reflect the diversity of the BWR fleet. Regular detailed surveillance of these bundles provides the verification that the proper balance between performance and reliability has been achieved. GNF currently has GNF2 lead use assemblies operating in five plants. Included are plants that have implemented extended power up-rates, plants on one and two-year operating cycles, and plants with and without NobleChem TM and zinc injection. The leading plant has undergone three pool-side inspections outages to date. This paper reviews the actions taken to insure GNF2's reliability, and the lead use assembly surveillance data accumulated to date to validate

Chromosomal replicons of higher plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van't Hof, J.

1987-01-01

This brief discussion of replicons of higher plants offers a glimpse into the properties of chromosomal DNA replication. It gives evidence that the S phase of unrelated plant species is comprised of temporally ordered replicon families that increase in number with genome size. This orderly process, which assures a normal inheritance of genetic material to recipient daughter cells, is maintained at the level of replicon clusters by two mutually exclusive mechanisms, one involving the rate at which single replicons replicate their allotment of DNA, and another by means of the tempo-pause. The same two mechanisms are used by cells to alter the pattern of chromosomal DNA replication just prior to and during normal development. Both mechanisms are genetically determined and produce genetic effects when disturbed of disrupted by additional non-conforming DNAs. Further insight into how these two mechanisms operate requires more molecular information about the nature of replicons and the factors that govern when a replicon family replicates. Plant material is a rich and ideal source for this information just awaiting exploitation. 63 refs

Visibility-Based Hypothesis Testing Using Higher-Order Optical Interference

Science.gov (United States)

Jachura, Michał; Jarzyna, Marcin; Lipka, Michał; Wasilewski, Wojciech; Banaszek, Konrad

2018-03-01

Many quantum information protocols rely on optical interference to compare data sets with efficiency or security unattainable by classical means. Standard implementations exploit first-order coherence between signals whose preparation requires a shared phase reference. Here, we analyze and experimentally demonstrate the binary discrimination of visibility hypotheses based on higher-order interference for optical signals with a random relative phase. This provides a robust protocol implementation primitive when a phase lock is unavailable or impractical. With the primitive cost quantified by the total detected optical energy, optimal operation is typically reached in the few-photon regime.

Higher-order processes in x-ray photoionization of atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanter, E. P.; Dunford, R. W.; Krassig, B.; Southworth, S. H.; Young, L.

2006-01-01

There are several fourth-generation X-ray light source projects now underway around the world and it is anticipated that by the end of the decade, one or more of these X-ray free-electron lasers will be operational. In this contribution, we describe recent measurements and future plans to study both multielectron and multiphoton atomic photoionization. Although such higher-order processes are rare with present third-generation sources, they will be commonplace in experimental work with the new sources. The topics we discuss here are double K-shell ionization and two-photon X-ray photoionization

Top-Off Injection and Higher Currents at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Johannes M.; Liu, James C.; Prinz, Alyssa A.; Rokni, Sayed H.; /SLAC

2011-04-05

The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a 234 m circumference storage ring for 3 GeV electrons with its synchrotron radiation serving currently 13 beamlines with about 27 experimental stations. It operated for long time with 100 mA peak current provided by usually three injections per day. In July 2009, the maximum beam current was raised to 200 mA. Over the period from June 2009 to March 2010, Top-Off operation started at every beamline. Top-Off, i.e., the injection of electrons into the storage ring with injection stoppers open, is necessary for SSRL to reach its design current of 500 mA. In the future, the maximal power of the injection current will also soon be raised from currently 1.5 W to 5 W. The Radiation Protection Department at SLAC worked with SSRL on the specifications for the safety systems for operation with Top-Off injection and higher beam currents.

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Lung Operation After Your Operation Your Discharge and Recovery Complete Video After Your Operation Guidance for after ... Your Lung Operation Read Next Your Discharge and Recovery Back to Top Find A Surgeon Find A ...

Teamwork and error in the operating room: analysis of skills and roles.

Science.gov (United States)

Catchpole, K; Mishra, A; Handa, A; McCulloch, P

2008-04-01

To analyze the effects of surgical, anesthetic, and nursing teamwork skills on technical outcomes. The value of team skills in reducing adverse events in the operating room is presently receiving considerable attention. Current work has not yet identified in detail how the teamwork and communication skills of surgeons, anesthetists, and nurses affect the course of an operation. Twenty-six laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 22 carotid endarterectomies were studied using direct observation methods. For each operation, teams' skills were scored for the whole team, and for nursing, surgical, and anesthetic subteams on 4 dimensions (leadership and management [LM]; teamwork and cooperation; problem solving and decision making; and situation awareness). Operating time, errors in surgical technique, and other procedural problems and errors were measured as outcome parameters for each operation. The relationships between teamwork scores and these outcome parameters within each operation were examined using analysis of variance and linear regression. Surgical (F(2,42) = 3.32, P = 0.046) and anesthetic (F(2,42) = 3.26, P = 0.048) LM had significant but opposite relationships with operating time in each operation: operating time increased significantly with higher anesthetic but decreased with higher surgical LM scores. Errors in surgical technique had a strong association with surgical situation awareness (F(2,42) = 7.93, P skills of the nurses (F(5,1) = 3.96, P = 0.027). Detailed analysis of team interactions and dimensions is feasible and valuable, yielding important insights into relationships between nontechnical skills, technical performance, and operative duration. These results support the concept that interventions designed to improve teamwork and communication may have beneficial effects on technical performance and patient outcome.

Operative Duration and Risk of Surgical Site Infection in Neurosurgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekelis, Kimon; Coy, Shannon; Simmons, Nathan

2016-10-01

The association of surgical duration with the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) has not been quantified in neurosurgery. We investigated the association of operative duration in neurosurgical procedures with the incidence of SSI. We performed a retrospective cohort study involving patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures from 2005 to 2012 and were registered in the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Project registry. To control for confounding, we used multivariable regression models and propensity score conditioning. During the study period there were 94,744 patients who underwent a neurosurgical procedure and met the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 4.1% developed a postoperative SSI within 30 days. Multivariable logistic regression showed an association between longer operative duration with higher incidence of SSI (odds ratio [OR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.20). Compared with procedures of moderate duration (third quintile, 40th-60th percentile), patients undergoing the longest procedures (>80th percentile) had higher odds (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.86-2.31) of developing SSI. The shortest procedures (operative duration was associated with increased incidence of SSI for neurosurgical procedures. These results can be used by neurosurgeons to inform operative management and to stratify patients with regard to SSI risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gauged BRST symmetry and the occurence of higher cocycles in quantum field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baulieu, L.; Grossman, B.; Stora, R.

1986-06-01

The BRST symmetry of Yang Mills theories can be gauged via the introduction of an anticommuting single gauge field. There follows the construction of a local BRST operation which allows an algebraic analysis of the BRST current algebra. This construction provides, in particular, a field theory interpretation of most higher cocycles which accompany the usual chiral anomaly

One-Click Data Analysis Software for Science Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Vicente

2015-12-01

One of the important activities of ESA Science Operations Centre is to provide Data Analysis Software (DAS) to enable users and scientists to process data further to higher levels. During operations and post-operations, Data Analysis Software (DAS) is fully maintained and updated for new OS and library releases. Nonetheless, once a Mission goes into the "legacy" phase, there are very limited funds and long-term preservation becomes more and more difficult. Building on Virtual Machine (VM), Cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) technologies, this project has aimed at providing long-term preservation of Data Analysis Software for the following missions: - PIA for ISO (1995) - SAS for XMM-Newton (1999) - Hipe for Herschel (2009) - EXIA for EXOSAT (1983) Following goals have guided the architecture: - Support for all operations, post-operations and archive/legacy phases. - Support for local (user's computer) and cloud environments (ESAC-Cloud, Amazon - AWS). - Support for expert users, requiring full capabilities. - Provision of a simple web-based interface. This talk describes the architecture, challenges, results and lessons learnt gathered in this project.

Improved core monitoring for improved plant operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, N.P.

1987-01-01

Westinghouse has recently installed a core on-line surveillance, monitoring and operations systems (COSMOS), which uses only currently available core and plant data to accurately reconstruct the core average axial and radial power distributions. This information is provided to the operator in an immediately usable, human-engineered format and is accumulated for use in application programs that provide improved core performance predictive tools and a data base for improved fuel management. Dynamic on-line real-time axial and radial core monitoring supports a variety of plant operations to provide a favorable cost/benefit ratio for such a system. Benefits include: (1) relaxation or elimination of certain technical specifications to reduce surveillance and reporting requirements and allow higher availability factors, (2) improved information displays, predictive tools, and control strategies to support more efficient core control and reduce effluent production, and (3) expanded burnup data base for improved fuel management. Such systems can be backfit into operating plants without changing the existing instrumentation and control system and can frequently be implemented on existing plant computer capacity

arXiv Dimension-6 Operator Analysis of the CLIC Sensitivity to New Physics

CERN Document Server

Ellis, John; Sanz, Veronica; You, Tevong

2017-05-17

We estimate the possible accuracies of measurements at the proposed CLIC e$^{+}$ e$^{−}$ collider of Higgs and W$^{+}$ W$^{−}$ production at centre-of-mass energies up to 3 TeV, incorporating also Higgsstrahlung projections at higher energies that had not been consid-ered previously, and use them to explore the prospective CLIC sensitivities to decoupled new physics. We present the resulting constraints on the Wilson coefficients of dimension-6 operators in a model-independent approach based on the Standard Model effective field theory (SM EFT). The higher centre-of-mass energy of CLIC, compared to other projects such as the ILC and CEPC, gives it greater sensitivity to the coefficients of some of the operators we study. We find that CLIC Higgs measurements may be sensitive to new physics scales $ \\Lambda =\\mathcal{O}(10) $ TeV for individual operators, reduced to $ \\mathcal{O}(1) $ TeV sensitivity for a global fit marginalising over the coefficients of all contributing operators. We give some examples of...

Measuring the Contribution of Higher Education to Innovation Capacity in the EU. Executive Summary of the Final Report

Science.gov (United States)

European Commission, 2017

2017-01-01

This current study is part of the actions taken aiming to analyse the links between the operations and effects of higher-education institutions on the capacity to innovate in the economies in Europe. Providing insights into the contribution of higher education to the innovative capacity of the EU economies is crucial for policy making and the…

Higher order perturbation theory - An example for discussion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewins, J.D.; Parks, G.; Babb, A.L.

1986-01-01

Higher order perturbation theory is developed in the form of a Taylor series expansion to third order to calculate the thermal utilization of a nonuniform cell. The development takes advantage of the self-adjoint property of the diffusion operator to provide a simple development of this illustration of generalized perturbation theory employing scalar perturbation parameters. The results show how a designer might employ a second-order theory to quantify proposed design improvements, together with the limitations of second- and third-order theory. The chosen example has an exact optimization solution and thus provides a clear understanding of the role of perturbation theory at its various orders. Convergence and the computational advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed

Investigations, Experiments, and Implications for using existing Pulse Magnets for 'TOPOFF' Operation at the Advanced Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stover, Gregory D.; Baptiste, Kenneth Michael; Barry, Walter; Gath, William; Julian, James; Kwiatkowski, Slawomir; Prestemon, Soren; Schlueter, Ross; Shuman, Derek; Steier, Christoph

2005-01-01

ALS top-off mode of operation will require injection of the electron beam from the Booster Ring into the Storage Ring at the full ALS energy level of 1.9 GeV. Currently the Booster delivers a beam at 1.5 GeV to the Storage Ring where it is then ramped to the full energy and stored for the user operation. The higher Booster beam energy will require the pulse magnets in the Booster and Storage Rings to operate at proportionally higher magnetic gap fields. Our group studied and tested the possible design and installation modifications required to operate the magnets and drivers at ''top-off'' levels. Our results and experiments show that with minor electrical modifications all the existing pulse magnet systems can be used at the higher energy levels, and the increased operational stresses should have a negligible impact on magnet reliability. Furthermore, simple electrical modifications to the storage ring thick septum will greatly reduce the present level of septum stray leakage fields into the storage ring beam

Evaluating Web 2.0 Technologies in Higher Education Using Students' Perceptions and Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Karvounidis, T.; Chimos, K.; Bersimis, S.; Douligeris, C.

2014-01-01

In this work, Web 2.0 technologies in higher education are evaluated using students' perceptions, satisfaction, performance and behaviour. The study evaluates the Web 2.0 tools as stand-alone entities as well in terms of their cross-operability and integration (confluence) to synergistic contributions towards the enhancement of student…

Operational experience from a large EPICS-based accelerator facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciarlette, D.J.; Gerig, R.

1995-01-01

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory is a third-generation x-ray light source which uses the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) to operate its linear accelerator, positron accumulator ring, booster synchrotron, and storage ring equipment. EPICS has been used at the APS since the beginning of installation and commissioning. Currently, EPICS controls approximately 100 VME crates containing over 100,000 process variables. With this complexity, the APS has had to review some of the methods originally employed and make changes as necessary. In addition, due to commissioning and operational needs, higher-level operator software needed to be created. EPICS has been flexible enough to allow this

Predictive indications of operation and mortality following renal trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chia-Shen Yang

2012-01-01

Conclusion: In conclusion, ISS ≥ 16 and RIS ≥ 4 are predictive factors for necessitating an operation, and higher injury severity (ISS ≥ 16 and lower consciousness level (GCS < 8 scores are significantly associated with mortality after renal trauma.

Bio-Inspired Genetic Algorithms with Formalized Crossover Operators for Robotic Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jie; Kang, Man; Li, Xiaojuan; Liu, Geng-Yang

2017-01-01

Genetic algorithms are widely adopted to solve optimization problems in robotic applications. In such safety-critical systems, it is vitally important to formally prove the correctness when genetic algorithms are applied. This paper focuses on formal modeling of crossover operations that are one of most important operations in genetic algorithms. Specially, we for the first time formalize crossover operations with higher-order logic based on HOL4 that is easy to be deployed with its user-friendly programing environment. With correctness-guaranteed formalized crossover operations, we can safely apply them in robotic applications. We implement our technique to solve a path planning problem using a genetic algorithm with our formalized crossover operations, and the results show the effectiveness of our technique.

Single-mode operation of a coiled multimode fiber amplifier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koplow, Jeffrey P.; Kliner, Dahv A. V.; Goldberg, Lew

2000-01-01

We report a new approach to obtaining single-transverse-mode operation of a multimode fiber amplifier in which the gain fiber is coiled to induce significant bend loss for all but the lowest-order mode. We demonstrated this method by constructing a coiled amplifier using Yb-doped, double-clad fiber with a core diameter of 25 μm and a numerical aperture of ∼0.1 (V≅7.4) . When the amplifier was operated as an amplified-spontaneous-emission source, the output beam had an M 2 value of 1.09±0.09 ; when seeded at 1064 nm, the slope efficiency was similar to that of an uncoiled amplifier. This technique will permit scaling of pulsed fiber lasers and amplifiers to significantly higher pulse energies and peak powers and cw fiber sources to higher average powers while maintaining excellent beam quality. (c) 2000 Optical Society of America

Design improvements, construction and operating experience with BWRs in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchigasaki, G.; Yokomi, M.; Sasaki, M.; Aoki, R.; Hashimoto, H.

1983-01-01

(1) The first domestic-made 1100-MW(e) BWR in Japan commenced commercial operation in April 1982. The unit is the leading one of the subsequent three in Fukushima Daini nuclear power station owned by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Inc. (Tepco). Based on the accumulated construction and operation experience of 500-MW(e) and 800-MW(e) class BWRs, improvements in various aspects during both the design and construction stages were introduced in core and fuel design with advanced gadolinia distribution, reactor feedwater treatment technology for crud reduction, a radwaste island, control and instrumentation to cope with the lessons learned through Three Mile Island assessment etc. (2) Based on many operating experiences with BWRs, an improved BWR core, which has easier operability and higher load factor than the conventional core, has been developed. The characteristic of the improved core is ''axially two-zoned uranium enrichment distribution''; the enrichment of the upper part of the fuel is slightly higher than that of the lower part. Through the improved core it became possible to optimize the axial power flattening and core reactivity control separately by axial enrichment distribution and burnable poison content. The improved fuels were loaded into operating BWRs and successfully proved the performance by this experience. (3) To shorten annual outage time, to reduce radiation exposure, to save manpower, and to achieve high reliability and safety of inspection operation, the remote automatic service and inspection equipment were developed in Japan. This paper presents the concept, distinctive features, and actual operation experience of the automatic refuelling machine, control-rod drive (CRD) remote-handling machine, improved main steam line isolation plug, and the automated ultrasonic inspection system with a computerized data processing unit, which have been developed by Hitachi, Ltd. with excellent results. (author)

Investigations into light-front interactions for massless fields (I): non-constructibility of higher spin quartic amplitudes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bengtsson, Anders K.H. [Academy of Textiles, Engineering and Economics, University of Borås,Allégatan 1, SE-50190 Borås (Sweden)

2016-12-27

The dynamical commutators of the light-front Poincaré algebra yield first order differential equations in the p{sup +} momenta for the interaction vertex operators. The homogeneous solution to the equation for the quartic vertex is studied. Consequences as regards the constructibility assumption of quartic higher spin amplitudes from cubic amplitudes are discussed. The existence of quartic contact interactions unrelated to cubic interactions by Poincaré symmetry indicates that the higher spin S-matrix is not constructible. Thus quartic amplitude based no-go results derived by BCFW recursion for Minkowski higher spin massless fields may be circumvented.

The Fuzzy analogy of chiral diffeomorphisms in higher dimensional quantum field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fassarella, Lucio; Schroer, Bert

2001-06-01

Our observation that the chiral diffeomorphisms allow an interpretation as modular groups of local operator algebras in the sense of Tomita and takesaki allows us to conclude that the higher deimensional generalizations are certain infinite dimensional groups which act in a 'fuzzy' way on the operator algebras of local quantum physics. These actions do not require any spacetime noncommutativity and are in complete harmony with causality and localization principles. The use of an appropriately defined isomorphism reprocesses these fuzzy actions into partially geometric actions on the holographic image and in this way tightens the relation with chiral structures and makes recent attempts to explain the required universal structure of a would be quantum Bekenstein law in terms of Virasoro algebra structures more palatable. (author)

The BWR [Boiling Water Reactor] Emergency Operating Procedures Tracking System (EOPTS): Evaluation by control-room operating crews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spurgin, A.J.; Orvis, D.D.; Spurgin, J.P.; Luna, C.J.

1990-05-01

This report presents the results of a project sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Taiwan Power Company (TPC) and conducted by APG and TPC to perform evaluation of the Emergency Operating Procedures Tracking System (EOPTS). The EOPTS is an expert system employing artificial intelligence techniques developed by EPRI for Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) plants based on emergency operating procedures (EOPs). EOPTS is a computerized decision aid used to assist plant operators in efficient and reliable use of EOPs. The main objective of this project was to evaluate the EOPTS and determine how an operator aid of this type could noticeably improve the response time and the reliability of control room crews to multi-failure scenarios. A secondary objective was to collect data on how crew performance was affected. Experiments results indicate that the EOPTS measurably improves crew performance over crews using the EOP flow charts. Time-comparison measurements indicate that crews using the EOPTS perform required actions more quickly than do those using the flowcharts. The results indicate that crews using the EOPTS are not only faster and more consistent in their actions but make fewer errors. In addition, they have a higher likelihood of recovering from the errors that they do make. Use of the EOPTS in the control room should result in faster termination and mitigation of accidents and reduced risk of power plant operations. Recommendations are made towards possible applications of the EOPTS to operator training and evaluation, and for the applicability of the evaluation methodology developed for this project to the evaluation of similar operator aides. 17 refs., 14 figs., 14 tabs

The peculiarities' study of higher education applicants' employment in pharmaceutical specialties of full-time training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Kotvitska

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Employment of applicants of pharmaceutical higher education has both positive and negative impact on the quality of educational services provided by institutions, especially in terms of knowledge and skills acquired by student. Objective is to study peculiarities of higher education employment, full-time training, and features driving them to conclude labor agreements. Materials and methods. During the study, we used juridical and comparative legal methods of analysis. Results. The study has defined the following features of the employment of applicants of higher education in the health care institutions, pharmaceutical enterprises and organizations. The current legislation provides the applicants of higher education enrolled in HEIs for full-time training with a right to make a free choice of the field of study, profession, type of occupation and work. The relationship developed between an applicant and higher education institutions are not to be regarded as an employment relationship. The working under the items of labor agreement for person who combine it with the full-time education is not a part or combination or sharing, and is considered the main place of job. Thus, it stipulates maintenance of records book of the employed worker according to the general procedure. An applicant of higher education has discretion to choose working hours (full- or part-time working day, full- or part-time working week with taking into consideration the HEIs schedule and only in the free time. When full-time operating in frameworks of collective agreement at enterprise, institution, or organization, having accounted peculiarities of operation, non-standardized working day for some positions can be set. The current legislation stipulates possibility of employment for persons without higher pharmaceutical education to the health care institutions on the clearly defined positions. Conclusions.The country authority has created and is providing favorable

Pre-operative stroke and neurological disability do not independently affect short- and long-term mortality in infective endocarditis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Diab, Mahmoud; Guenther, Albrecht; Sponholz, Christoph; Lehmann, Thomas; Faerber, Gloria; Matz, Anna; Franz, Marcus; Witte, Otto W; Pletz, Mathias W; Doenst, Torsten

2016-10-01

Infective endocarditis (IE) is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. The impact of pre-operative stroke on mortality and long-term survival is controversial. In addition, data on the severity of neurological disability due to pre-operative stroke are scarce. We analysed the impact of pre-operative stroke and the severity of its related neurological disability on short- and long-term outcome. We retrospectively reviewed our data from patients operated for left-sided IE between 01/2007 and 04/2013. We performed univariate (Chi-Square and independent samples t test) and multivariate analyses. Among 308 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery for left-sided IE, pre-operative stroke was present in 87 (28.2 %) patients. Patients with pre-operative stroke had a higher pre-operative risk profile than patient without it: higher Charlson comorbidity index (8.1 ± 2.6 vs. 6.6 ± 3.3) and higher incidence of Staphylococcus aureus infection (43 vs. 17 %) and septic shock (37 vs. 19 %). In-hospital mortality was equal but 5-year survival was significantly worse with pre-operative stroke (33.1 % vs. 45 %, p = 0.006). 5-year survival was worst in patients with severe neurological disability compared to mild disability (19.0 vs. 0.58 %, p = 0.002). However, neither pre-operative stroke nor the degree of neurological disability appeared as an independent risk factor for short or long-term mortality by multivariate analysis. Pre-operative stroke and the severity of neurological disability do not independently affect short- and long-term mortality in patients with infective endocarditis. It appears that patients with pre-operative stroke present with a generally higher risk profile. This information may substantially affect decision-making.

Development of solid electrolytes for water electrolysis at higher temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linkous, C.A. [Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL (United States)

1996-10-01

This report describes efforts in developing new solid polymer electrolytes that will enable operation of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers at higher temperatures than are currently possible. Several ionomers have been prepared from polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyethersulfone (PES), and polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ) by employing various sulfonation procedures. By controlling the extent of sulfonation, a range of proton conductivities could be achieved, whose upper limit actually exceeded that of commercially available perfluoralkyl sulfonates. Thermoconductimetric analysis of samples at various degrees of sulfonation showed an inverse relationship between conductivity and maximum operating temperature. This was attributed to the dual effect of adding sulfonate groups to the polymer: more acid groups produce more protons for increased conductivity, but they also increase water uptake, which mechanically weakens the membrane. This situation was exacerbated by the limited acidity of the aromatic sulfonic acids (pK{sub A} {approx} 2-3). The possibility of using partial fluorination to raise the acid dissociation constant is discussed.

The DBI action, higher-derivative supergravity, and flattening inflaton potentials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bielleman, Sjoerd; Ibáñez, Luis E.; Pedro, Francisco G.; Valenzuela, Irene; Wieck, Clemens

2016-01-01

In string theory compactifications it is common to find an effective Lagrangian for the scalar fields with a non-canonical kinetic term. We study the effective action of the scalar position moduli of Type II Dp-branes. In many instances the kinetic terms are in fact modified by a term proportional to the scalar potential itself. This can be linked to the appearance of higher-dimensional supersymmetric operators correcting the Kähler potential. We identify the supersymmetric dimension-eight operators describing the α"′ corrections captured by the D-brane Dirac-Born-Infeld action. Our analysis then allows an embedding of the D-brane moduli effective action into an N=1 supergravity formulation. The effects of the potential-dependent kinetic terms may be very important if one of the scalars is the inflaton, since they lead to a flattening of the scalar potential. We analyze this flattening effect in detail and compute its impact on the CMB observables for single-field inflation with monomial potentials.

Risk management model of winter navigation operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdez Banda, Osiris A.; Goerlandt, Floris; Kuzmin, Vladimir; Kujala, Pentti; Montewka, Jakub

2016-01-01

The wintertime maritime traffic operations in the Gulf of Finland are managed through the Finnish–Swedish Winter Navigation System. This establishes the requirements and limitations for the vessels navigating when ice covers this area. During winter navigation in the Gulf of Finland, the largest risk stems from accidental ship collisions which may also trigger oil spills. In this article, a model for managing the risk of winter navigation operations is presented. The model analyses the probability of oil spills derived from collisions involving oil tanker vessels and other vessel types. The model structure is based on the steps provided in the Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and adapted into a Bayesian Network model. The results indicate that ship independent navigation and convoys are the operations with higher probability of oil spills. Minor spills are most probable, while major oil spills found very unlikely but possible. - Highlights: •A model to assess and manage the risk of winter navigation operations is proposed. •The risks of oil spills in winter navigation in the Gulf of Finland are analysed. •The model assesses and prioritizes actions to control the risk of the operations. •The model suggests navigational training as the most efficient risk control option.

Operating experience and reliability improvements on the 5 kW CW klystron at Jefferson Lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, R.; Holben, S.

1997-01-01

With substantial operating hours on the RF system, considerable information on reliability of the 5 kW CW klystrons has been obtained. High early failure rates led to examination of the operating conditions and failure modes. Internal ceramic contamination caused premature failure of gun potting material and ultimate tube demise through arcing or ceramic fracture. A planned course of reporting and reconditioning of approximately 300 klystrons, plus careful attention to operating conditions and periodic analysis of operational data, has substantially reduced the failure rate. It is anticipated that implementation of planned supplemental monitoring systems for the klystrons will allow most catastrophic failures to be avoided. By predicting end of life, tubes can be changed out before they fail, thus minimizing unplanned downtime. Initial tests have also been conducted on this same klystron operated at higher voltages with resultant higher output power. The outcome of these tests will provide information to be considered for future upgrades to the accelerator

Higher-order Zeeman and spin terms in the electron paramagnetic resonance spin Hamiltonian; their description in irreducible form using Cartesian, tesseral spherical tensor and Stevens' operator expressions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGavin, Dennis G; Tennant, W Craighead

2009-01-01

In setting up a spin Hamiltonian (SH) to study high-spin Zeeman and high-spin nuclear and/or electronic interactions in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments, it is argued that a maximally reduced SH (MRSH) framed in tesseral combinations of spherical tensor operators is necessary. Then, the SH contains only those terms that are necessary and sufficient to describe the particular spin system. The paper proceeds then to obtain interrelationships between the parameters of the MRSH and those of alternative SHs expressed in Cartesian tensor and Stevens operator-equivalent forms. The examples taken, initially, are those of Cartesian and Stevens' expressions for high-spin Zeeman terms of dimension BS 3 and BS 5 . Starting from the well-known decomposition of the general Cartesian tensor of second rank to three irreducible tensors of ranks 0, 1 and 2, the decomposition of Cartesian tensors of ranks 4 and 6 are treated similarly. Next, following a generalization of the tesseral spherical tensor equations, the interrelationships amongst the parameters of the three kinds of expressions, as derived from equivalent SHs, are determined and detailed tables, including all redundancy equations, set out. In each of these cases the lowest symmetry, 1-bar Laue class, is assumed and then examples of relationships for specific higher symmetries derived therefrom. The validity of a spin Hamiltonian containing mixtures of terms from the three expressions is considered in some detail for several specific symmetries, including again the lowest symmetry. Finally, we address the application of some of the relationships derived here to seldom-observed low-symmetry effects in EPR spectra, when high-spin electronic and nuclear interactions are present.

Case Writing Projects in Co-Operation with Companies and Organizations

OpenAIRE

Bengtsson, Lars; Asplund, Carl-Johan

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present the process and evaluation of case writing projects in co-operation with companies and organizations in a course for engineering students. The case writing projects could provide an illustration and example framework for working with companies in constructing cases. Normally cases are constructed for teaching purposes in higher education. However, in order to get closer co-operation and more interest from the companies the authors encouraged the student...

Effects of operating temperature on the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, C.; Zhao, T.S.; Xu, Q.; An, L.; Zhao, G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The effect of the operating temperature on the VRFB’s performance is studied. • The voltage efficiency and peak power density increases with temperature. • High temperatures aggravate the coulombic efficiency drop and the capacity decay. • The outcomes suggest that thermal management of operating VRFBs is essential. - Abstract: For an operating flow battery system, how the battery’s performance varies with ambient temperatures is of practical interest. To gain an understanding of the general thermal behavior of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs), we devised and tested a laboratory-scale single VRFB by varying the operating temperature. The voltage efficiency of the VRFB is found to increase from 86.5% to 90.5% at 40 mA/cm 2 when the operating temperature is increased from 15 °C to 55 °C. The peak discharge power density is also observed to increase from 259.5 mW/cm 2 to 349.8 mW/cm 2 at the same temperature increment. The temperature increase, however, leads to a slight decrease in the coulombic efficiency from 96.2% to 93.7% at the same temperature increments. In addition, the capacity degradation rate is found to be higher at higher temperatures

The Influence of Organisational Identification on Employee Attitudes and Behaviours in Multinational Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Stephen; Butt, Muhammad Mohsin; Annabi, Carrie Amani

2018-01-01

In order to operate effectively and efficiently, most higher education institutions depend on employees performing extra-role behaviours and being committed to staying with the organisation. This study assesses the extent to which organisational identification and employee satisfaction are antecedents of these two important behaviours. Key…

Outsourcing Instruction: Issues for Public Colleges and Universities. Policy Matters: A Higher Education Policy Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Alene

2010-01-01

Outsourcing--defined as an "institution's decision to contract with an external organization to provide a traditional function or service" (IHEP, 2005)--is nothing new to higher education. For decades, institutions have been "contracting out" or "privatizing" a variety of operational functions, hoping to reduce costs,…

Sufficient condition for existence of solutions for higher-order resonance boundary value problem with one-dimensional p-Laplacian

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Yang

2007-10-01

Full Text Available By using coincidence degree theory of Mawhin, existence results for some higher order resonance multipoint boundary value problems with one dimensional p-Laplacian operator are obtained.

Evaluation of personality features of nuclear power plant operators: investigation with Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Yiling; Liu Yulong; Li Yuan; Bian Huahui; Bi Jinling; Qiu Mengyue; Liu Chunfeng

2011-01-01

Objective: To explore the personality features of nuclear power plant operators and the influencing factors thereof. Methods: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was used to examine the personality features of 136 nuclear power plant operators randomly selected from 2 cooperative units, all males. The results were compared with the nationwide norms and subsequently an inter-block contrast analysis was carried out. Results: Obvious difference was observed in the final scores between the nuclear power plant operators and nationwide norms. The former got higher scores on hysteria (t=3.05, P<0.05), and lower scores on hypochondriasis, depression, morbid personality, masculinity-femininity, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia, hypomania, and social introversion(t=7.47, 7.47, 7.31, 2.23, 15.09, 16.15, 19.28, 7.88, 11.10, P<0.05). The scores on hypochondriasis, depression, schizophrenia, and social introversion of those with the length of services over 3 years were all significantly higher than those of with the length of services less than 3 years (t=3.25, 2.51, 2.76, 3.00, P<0.05). The scores on hypochondriasis, depression, psychopathicdeviate, and social introversion of the operators aged over 30 were all significantly higher than those of the operators aged below 30 (t=2.36, 2.35, 2.01, 2.54, P<0.05). Conclusions: The psychological quality of the nuclear power plant operators is superior to that of the general population. (authors)

The algebra of the energy-momentum tensor and the Noether currents in classical non-linear sigma models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forger, M.; Mannheim Univ.; Laartz, J.; Schaeper, U.

1994-01-01

The recently derived current algrbra of classical non-linear sigma models on arbitrary Riemannian manifolds is extended to include the energy-momentum tensor. It is found that in two dimensions the energy-momentum tensor θ μv , the Noether current j μ associated with the global symmetry of the theory and the composite field j appearing as the coefficient of the Schwinger term in the current algebra, together with the derivatives of j μ and j, generte a closed algebra. The subalgebra generated by the light-cone components of the energy-momentum tensor consists of two commuting copies of the Virasoro algebra, with central charge c=0, reflecting the classical conformal invariance of the theory, but the current algebra part and the semidirect product structure are quite different from the usual Kac-Moody/Sugawara type contruction. (orig.)

An explicit construction of Wakimoto realizations of current algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boer, J. de; Feher, L.

1996-05-01

It is known from a work of Feigin and Frenkel that a Wakimoto type, generalized free field realization of the current algebra g k can be associated with each parabolic subalgebra P = (g 0 + g + ) of the Lie algebra g, where in the standard case g 0 is the Cartan and P is the Borel subalgebra. In this letter we obtain an explicit formula for the Wakimoto realization in the general case. Using Hamiltonian reduction of the WZNW model, we first derive a Poisson bracket realization of the g-valued current in terms of simplistic bosons belonging to g + and a current belonging to g 0 . We then quantize the formula by determining the correct normal ordering. We also show that the affine-Sugawara stress-energy tensor takes the expected quadratic form in the constituents. (author)

A Proposed Educational Model to Improve the Operations of Knowledge-Exchange between MOE and Higher Education Institutions in Jordan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Husni Ana,am Ali Salem

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to build a proposed educational model for improving knowledge-exchange processes between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education institutions in Jordan. The sample of the study consisted of (301 educational leaders: (158 academic staff members from the Faculty of Educational Sciences – University of Jordan – and the Faculty of Education in Yarmouk University; and (143 members from the center of Jordanian Ministry of Education for the academic year 2016/2017. To achieve the aims of the study, the researcher built a questionnaire, consisting of (88 items as tool for collecting data. The research tool was checked for its validity and reliability semantics. To analyze the data, means and standard deviation were used. The results of the study showed that the educational leaders rated the degree of practicing knowledge-exchange processes between Jordanian Ministry of Education and Higher Education institutions in Jordan as (moderate. Also, they rated the obstacles that face knowledge-exchange processes as (moderate. The study concluded with a proposed educational model for improving knowledge-exchange processes between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education institutions in Jordan, and recommended to be approved and applied in Jordan. Keywords: A Proposed educational model, Knowledge-exchange processes, Practicing degree, Obstacles, Jordanian Universities, Jordanian Ministry of Education

IMPACT OF ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING POLICY ON UNIVERSITY EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CRETAN Georgiana Camelia

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The issues of higher education funding policy and university operating efficiency are hot points on the actual public agenda worldwide as the pressures exercised upon the public resources increased, especially in the aftermath of the last economic crisis. Concerned with the improvement of the funding mechanism through which government allocates the public funds in order to meet the national core objectives within the area of higher education, the policy makers adjusted the funding policy by diversifying the criteria used in distributing the funds to public universities. Thus, the aim of this research is to underline both the impact and the consequences the public funding patterns of higher education have on the relative efficiency of public funded higher education institutions, across time. Moreover, the research conducted aims to determine whether the changes occurred within the Romanian public funding methodology of higher education institutions improved the relative efficiency scores of public funded universities, before and after the economic crisis of 2008. Thus, on one hand we have underlined the changes brought to the Romanian public funding mechanism of higher education during the years of 2007, 2009 and 2010 compared to the year of 2006, using the content analysis, and on the other hand we assessed and compared the relative efficiency scores of each selected public funded university using a multiple input - multiple output linear programming model, by employing the Data Envelopment Analysis technique. The findings of the research undertaken emphasized that a more performance oriented funding mechanism improves the efficiency scores of public universities. The results of the research undertaken could be used either by the policy makers within the area of higher education or by the administrative management of public universities in order to correlate the funding with the results obtained and/or the objectives assumed by both the

Conduct of operations: establishing operational focus and setting operational standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lane, L.; McGuigan, K.

1998-01-01

Due to the nature of our business, we have often tended to focus on the technological aspects of the nuclear industry. The focus of this paper is directed towards the importance of addressing the people skills, attitudes, and 'culture' within, and surrounding, our facilities as key areas of improvement. Within Ontario Hydro Nuclear (OLIN) we have developed the terminology 'event free' operation and 'event free' culture. 'Event Free' recognizes errors as a part of human performance. 'Event Free' takes into account human weaknesses, and provides tools (such as standards) to manage, control, and mitigate errors. In essence, 'Event Free' encompasses two concepts: 1. Prevent errors from occurring; 2. If an error is made, catch it before it can affect safe operation of the facility, learn from the error, and ensure that it does not happen again. In addressing these business realities, Ontario Hydro has identified a number of key support mechanisms and corresponding performance standards that are essential for achieving operating excellence and an 'event free' business culture. This paper will discuss two operational aspects of an 'event free' culture, the first being a set of expectations to enhance the culture, and the second an example of cultural change: 1. Operating Standards - establishing clear expectations for human performance in operating staff; 2. Operational Focus - the understanding that, as a nuclear worker, you should consider every task, activity, in fact everything you do in this business, for the potential to affect safe and reliable operation of a nuclear facility. Note that although the term 'Operational' appears in the title, this concept applies to every individual in the nuclear business, from the cleaner, to the Board of Directors, to the external supplier. (author)

Passively-switched energy harvester for increased operational range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Tian; Livermore, Carol; Pierre, Ryan St

2014-01-01

This paper presents modeling and experimental validation of a new type of vibrational energy harvester that passively switches between two dynamical modes of operation to expand the range of driving frequencies and accelerations over which the harvester effectively extracts power. In both modes, a driving beam with a low resonant frequency couples into ambient vibrations and transfers their energy to a generating beam that has a higher resonant frequency. The generating beam converts the mechanical power into electrical power. In coupled-motion mode, the driving beam bounces off the generating beam. In plucked mode, the driving beam deflects the generating beam until the driving beam passes from above the generating beam to below it or vice versa. Analytical system models are implemented numerically in the time domain for driving frequencies of 3 Hz to 27 Hz and accelerations from 0.1 g to 2.6 g, and both system dynamics and output power are predicted. A corresponding switched-dynamics harvester is tested experimentally, and its voltage, power, and dynamics are recorded. In both models and experiments, coupled-motion harvesting is observed at lower accelerations, whereas plucked harvesting and/or mixed mode harvesting are observed at higher accelerations. As expected, plucked harvesting outputs greater power than coupled-motion harvesting in both simulations and experiments. The predicted (1.8 mW) and measured (1.56 mW) maximum average power levels are similar under measured conditions at 0.5 g. When the system switches to dynamics that are characteristic of higher frequencies, the difference between predicted and measured power levels is more pronounced due to non-ideal mechanical interaction between the beams’ tips. Despite the beams’ non-ideal interactions, switched-dynamics operation increases the harvester’s operating range. (paper)

Influence of higher order modes on angled-facet amplifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Z.; Mikkelsen, B.; Stubkjær, Kristian

1991-01-01

The influence of the first-order mode on the residual reflectivity of angled-facet amplifiers is analyzed. For a 7 degrees angled-facet ridge waveguide amplifier with a single-layer antireflective (AR) coating, a gain ripple lower than 1-dB at 25-dB gain can be obtained independent...... of the polarization, even in the presence of a first-order mode with a 15-dB gain. The tolerances for the thickness and refractive index of the AR coating are reduced by a factor of three compared to operation in the fundamental mode only. The influence of the higher order mode can virtually be suppressed...

Recurrens Rates and Affecting Factors in Patients Operated for Endometrioma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cüneyt Eftal Taner

2008-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate reurrens rates and affecting factors in patients operated for endometrioma.\tMATERIAL-METHOD: The cases operated for over cyst diagnosis and pathologically endometrioma diagnosis between the years 2000-2004 has been reviewed retrospectively. Cases’s age, cyst diameter, endometriosis stage and operation procedure have been recorded and the cases that have recurrence and factors affecting recurrence are evaluated.\tRESULTS: Results: 51 of 137 (37.3% cases with endometrioma that have average age of 29.1 in course of operation ± 5.4 had left side, 37 of 137(27% had right side and 49 of 137 (35.7% had bilateral endometrioma. Average diameter of endometriomas was 5.1 ±1.9 cm (1-1.5 cm. After average 3.3±1.8 years from first operation time in 42 cases(30.6% had recurrence. in the left over recurrence rate was signifciantly high (10.8% to 41.2% than right over. For recurrence rate There were no significiant diference between the 102 cases that had laparoscopy and 35 cases that had laparotomy according to cyst diameter, case ages and type of operation.\tWhen the cases were reviewed according to endometriozis staging, There were significiantly high recurrence rate at stage III (28.9% and stage IV(46.0%. With respect to the operation type, patients that had one-sided ooferektomi,relapse is not seen. Patients that had fenestration and ablation as operation, relapse rate is 52.9% significiantly higher than patients that had kistektomi (26.9%.Despite decrease in preoperative complaints (dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain in early postoperative period, they recurred in late postoperative period. 47(56% of 84 patients who have fertility desire gave live birth unfortunately 12(14.3% of them.\tCONCLUSION: Recurrence rates were signifiantly higher in cases with lift sided endometrioma, advanced stafe of endometriosis and in patient udergone fenestration and ablation for treatment.

Comparison of Management-Operational Efficiency of Agricultural Machinery Operating Systems (Case Study Alborz Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Omidi

2017-10-01

first, the professional- dedicated farming system with 0.5261 had second rank and dedicated farming system with 0.1556 ranked third Conclusions The results showed that the managerial-operational efficiency of the professional operating system was more than the other two operating systems, which was due to the high effectiveness of the management-operation of the economic efficiency and technical-operational efficiency, which in this system was more efficient from other systems. Investigating the importance of factors affecting the efficiency of agricultural machinery farming systems showed that the weight economic factors is far more than other factors and the effect of economic efficiency on the efficiency of the entire farming systems is much higher. The cost of ownership of a machine is very important among economic agents, this factor directly affects the choice of operating systems, and it also indirectly affects other factors. Therefore, it can be concluded that the key for improving agricultural machinery management and increasing the productivity of this important input is to perpend different aspects of the cost of ownership.

Hige Compression Ratio Turbo Gasoline Engine Operation Using Alcohol Enhancement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heywood, John [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Jo, Young Suk [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Lewis, Raymond [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Bromberg, Leslie [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Heywood, John [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2016-01-29

The overall objective of this project was to quantify the potential for improving the performance and efficiency of gasoline engine technology by use of alcohols to suppress knock. Knock-free operation is obtained by direct injection of a second “anti-knock” fuel such as ethanol, which suppresses knock when, with gasoline fuel, knock would occur. Suppressing knock enables increased turbocharging, engine downsizing, and use of higher compression ratios throughout the engine’s operating map. This project combined engine testing and simulation to define knock onset conditions, with different mixtures of gasoline and alcohol, and with this information quantify the potential for improving the efficiency of turbocharged gasoline spark-ignition engines, and the on-vehicle fuel consumption reductions that could then be realized. The more focused objectives of this project were therefore to: Determine engine efficiency with aggressive turbocharging and downsizing and high compression ratio (up to a compression ratio of 13.5:1) over the engine’s operating range; Determine the knock limits of a turbocharged and downsized engine as a function of engine speed and load; Determine the amount of the knock-suppressing alcohol fuel consumed, through the use of various alcohol-gasoline and alcohol-water gasoline blends, for different driving cycles, relative to the gasoline consumed; Determine implications of using alcohol-boosted engines, with their higher efficiency operation, in both light-duty and medium-duty vehicle sectors.

Operable severe obstructive jaundice: How should we use pre ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Obstructive jaundice is a common surgical problem, and surgery in jaundiced patients is associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications than surgery in non-jaundiced patients. However, the efficacy of pre-operative biliary drainage (PBD) for patients with obstructive jaundice remains controversial. Many studies ...

Novel operation and control modes for series-resonant converters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, de S.W.H.; Huisman, H.

1985-01-01

A series-resonant converter (SRC) able to generate an output voltage either lower or higher than the source voltage is described. Moreover, a novel control scheme is presented which renders two degrees of freedom for control and which guarantees symmetrical steady-state waveforms in all operation

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Overview ACS-AEI Consortium Quarterly ACS Chapter News Cancer ... American College of Surgeons Education Patients and Family Skills Programs Your Lung Operation Your Lung Operation DVD After Your Operation ...

Reliability of high-voltage pulse capacitors operating in large energy storages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchinskij, G.S.; Fedorova, V.S.; Shilin, O.V.

1982-01-01

To improve the reliability of pulse capacitors operating in capacitive energy storages, processes, resulting in break-down of capacitor insulation were investigated. A statistic model of failures was constructed and reliability of real capacitors, functioning at operating electric intensity Usub(oper) equal 70 kV/mm and at elevated intensity 90 kV/mm was calculated. Results of testing the IK50-ZU4 capacitor are given. The form of the capacitor service life distribution function was specified. To provide and confirm the assigned capacitor reliability, it is necessary to speed up tests at a higher voltage (1.3-1.5) Usub(oper). To improve the capacitor reliability, it is advisable to conduct acceptance tests, which include hold at increased constant voltage (1.3-1.5) Usub(oper) during 1-3 min and the effect of pulses of increased voltage (1.2-1.3) Usub(oper) with the pulse shape corresponding to operating conditions

Operator Spreading in Random Unitary Circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Nahum, Adam; Vijay, Sagar; Haah, Jeongwan

2018-04-01

Random quantum circuits yield minimally structured models for chaotic quantum dynamics, which are able to capture, for example, universal properties of entanglement growth. We provide exact results and coarse-grained models for the spreading of operators by quantum circuits made of Haar-random unitaries. We study both 1 +1 D and higher dimensions and argue that the coarse-grained pictures carry over to operator spreading in generic many-body systems. In 1 +1 D , we demonstrate that the out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) satisfies a biased diffusion equation, which gives exact results for the spatial profile of the OTOC and determines the butterfly speed vB. We find that in 1 +1 D , the "front" of the OTOC broadens diffusively, with a width scaling in time as t1 /2. We address fluctuations in the OTOC between different realizations of the random circuit, arguing that they are negligible in comparison to the broadening of the front within a realization. Turning to higher dimensions, we show that the averaged OTOC can be understood exactly via a remarkable correspondence with a purely classical droplet growth problem. This implies that the width of the front of the averaged OTOC scales as t1 /3 in 2 +1 D and as t0.240 in 3 +1 D (exponents of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class). We support our analytic argument with simulations in 2 +1 D . We point out that, in two or higher spatial dimensions, the shape of the spreading operator at late times is affected by underlying lattice symmetries and, in general, is not spherical. However, when full spatial rotational symmetry is present in 2 +1 D , our mapping implies an exact asymptotic form for the OTOC, in terms of the Tracy-Widom distribution. For an alternative perspective on the OTOC in 1 +1 D , we map it to the partition function of an Ising-like statistical mechanics model. As a result of special structure arising from unitarity, this partition function reduces to a random walk calculation which can be

Imagining a Future: Changing the Landscape for Third Space Professionals in Australian Higher Education Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Veles, Natalia; Carter, Margaret-Anne

2016-01-01

In the last decade there has been a shift in the discourses around professional staff in higher education that has been influenced by neoliberal agenda that focused on driving education reforms. Earlier discussions centring around nomenclature variations have progressed to those about creating and developing borderless professionals operating in…

Managing Risks in Dry Port Operations

OpenAIRE

Ciortescu Cezar-Gabriel; Pãvãla?cu Narcis Sebastian

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to have an in-depth look into the phenomenon of risk assessment and risk management strategies in managing dry port operations as an integrated part into international containerized freight trade. The fact that world crises take the form of disruptions, bankruptcies, breakdowns, macroeconomic and political changes, and disasters leads to higher risks and makes risk management more and more difficult. This paper aims to discuss the theory behind the dry port concep...

On the mild solutions of higher-order differential equations in Banach spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Thanh Lan

2003-01-01

Full Text Available For the higher-order abstract differential equation u(n(t=Au(t+f(t, t∈ℝ, we give a new definition of mild solutions. We then characterize the regular admissibility of a translation-invariant subspace ℳ of BUC(ℝ,E with respect to the above-mentioned equation in terms of solvability of the operator equation AX−Xn=C. As applications, periodicity and almost periodicity of mild solutions are also proved.

Power system reliability impacts of wind generation and operational reserve requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esteban Gil

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Due to its variability, wind generation integration presents a significant challenge to power system operators in order to maintain adequate reliability levels while ensuring least cost operation. This paper explores the trade-off between the benefits associated to a higher wind penetration and the additional operational reserve requirements that they impose. Such exploration is valued in terms of its effect on power system reliability, measured as an amount of unserved energy. The paper also focuses on how changing the Value of Lost Load (VoLL can be used to attain different reliability targets, and how wind power penetration and the diversity of the wind energy resource will impact quality of supply (in terms of instances of unserved energy. The evaluation of different penetrations of wind power generation, different wind speed profiles, wind resource diversity, and different operational reserve requirements, is conducted on the Chilean Northern Interconnected System (SING using statistical modeling of wind speed time series and computer simulation through a 24-hour ahead unit commitment algorithm and a Monte Carlo simulation scheme. Results for the SING suggest that while wind generation can significantly reduce generation costs, it can also imply higher security costs to reach acceptable reliability levels.

Higher-Order Cyclostationarity Detection for Spectrum Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julien Renard

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Recent years have shown a growing interest in the concept of Cognitive Radios (CRs, able to access portions of the electromagnetic spectrum in an opportunistic operating way. Such systems require efficient detectors able to work in low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR environments, with little or no information about the signals they are trying to detect. Energy detectors are widely used to perform such blind detection tasks, but quickly reach the so-called SNR wall below which detection becomes impossible Tandra (2005. Cyclostationarity detectors are an interesting alternative to energy detectors, as they exploit hidden periodicities present in man-made signals, but absent in noise. Such detectors use quadratic transformations of the signals to extract the hidden sine-waves. While most of the literature focuses on the second-order transformations of the signals, we investigate the potential of higher-order transformations of the signals. Using the theory of Higher-Order Cyclostationarity (HOCS, we derive a fourth-order detector that performs similarly to the second-order ones to detect linearly modulated signals, at SNR around 0 dB, which may be used if the signals of interest do not exhibit second-order cyclostationarity. More generally this paper reviews the relevant aspects of the cyclostationary and HOCS theory, and shows their potential for spectrum sensing.

Operator radiation exposure during right or left transradial coronary angiography: A phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciahbasi, Alessandro; Rigattieri, Stefano; Sarandrea, Alessandro; Cera, Maria; Di Russo, Cristian; Fedele, Silvio; Romano, Silvio; Pugliese, Francesco Rocco; Penco, Maria

2015-01-01

Background: Previous studies showed a possible lower radiation dose absorbed by operators comparing LRA and RRA for percutaneous coronary procedures. The reasons of this lower radiation dose are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiation dose absorbed by operators comparing left with right radial access (LRA and RRA respectively) during a simulated diagnostic coronary angiography using a phantom. Methods: A coronary angiography examination was simulated on a phantom by 5 operators using eight projections with 5 seconds fluoroscopy each. Each operator was equipped with 4 electronic dosimeters placed at thorax, at left wrist, at left head and at hip level. Radiation doses were expressed in picosievert and normalized by dose area product. Results: LRA compared to RRA was associated with a significant lower operator dose at wrist (36 pSv/cGYcm"2 [IQR 18–59 pSv/cGYcm"2] and 48 pSv/cGYcm"2 [IQR 22–148 pSv/cGYcm"2] respectively, p = 0.01) and thorax (3 pSv/cGYcm"2 [IQR 2–5 pSv/cGYcm"2] and 10 pSv/cGYcm"2 [6–23 pSv/cGYcm"2] respectively, p < 0.001) but with a significant higher radiation dose at hip level (102 pSv/cGYcm"2 [IQR 44–199 pSv/cGYcm"2] and 67 pSv/cGYcm"2 [IQR 39–132 pSv/cGYcm"2] respectively, p = 0.02). Conversely the radiation dose at left side of the head did not show significant differences between the two approaches. Conclusions: In this phantom study simulating a diagnostic coronarography the use of LRA compared to RRA was associated with a significant lower radiation dose at wrist and thorax but with an increased dose at hip level. Summary: To evaluate the radiation dose absorbed by operators comparing left with right radial access (LRA and RRA respectively) we simulated a diagnostic coronary angiography using a dedicated phantom. Operators were equipped with dedicated electronic dosimeters at wrist, hip, head and thorax level. LRA compared to RRA was associated with a significant lower operator dose at wrist and thorax

Greater Confinement Disposal trench and borehole operations status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harley, J.P. Jr.; Wilhite, E.L.; Jaegge, W.J.

1987-01-01

Greater Confinement Disposal (GCD) facilities have been constructed within the operating burial ground at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) to dispose of the higher activity fraction of SRP low-level waste. GCD practices of waste segregation, packaging, emplacement below the root zone, and waste stabilization are being used in the demonstration. 2 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

A Derivational Approach to the Operational Semantics of Functional Languages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biernacka, Malgorzata

We study the connections between different forms of operational semantics for functional programming languages and we present systematic methods of interderiving reduction semantics, abstract machines and higher-order evaluators. We first consider two methods based on program transformations: a s...

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Medical Student Core Curriculum ACS/ASE Medical Student Simulation-Based Surgical Skills Curriculum Cancer Education Cancer Education ... Surgeons Education Patients and Family Skills Programs Your Lung Operation Your Lung Operation DVD After Your Operation ...

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... You Want to Be a Surgeon Resident Resources Teaching Resources Online Guide to Choosing a Surgical Residency ... After Your Operation Your Discharge and Recovery Complete Video After Your Operation Guidance for after the operation ...

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Liability Surgeons as Advocates Surgeons and Bundled Payment Models Surgeons as Institutional Employees Our Changing Health Care ... Lung Operation After Your Operation Your Discharge and Recovery Complete Video After Your Operation Guidance for after ...

Your Lung Operation: After Your Operation

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Safety Resources About the Patient Education Program The Recovery Room Choosing Wisely Educational Programs Educational Programs Educational ... Lung Operation After Your Operation Your Discharge and Recovery Complete Video After Your Operation Guidance for after ...

New Hamiltonian constraint operator for loop quantum gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jinsong, E-mail: yangksong@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Guizhou university, Guiyang 550025 (China); Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (China); Ma, Yongge, E-mail: mayg@bnu.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

2015-12-17

A new symmetric Hamiltonian constraint operator is proposed for loop quantum gravity, which is well defined in the Hilbert space of diffeomorphism invariant states up to non-planar vertices with valence higher than three. It inherits the advantage of the original regularization method to create new vertices to the spin networks. The quantum algebra of this Hamiltonian is anomaly-free on shell, and there is less ambiguity in its construction in comparison with the original method. The regularization procedure for this Hamiltonian constraint operator can also be applied to the symmetric model of loop quantum cosmology, which leads to a new quantum dynamics of the cosmological model.

New Hamiltonian constraint operator for loop quantum gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinsong Yang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A new symmetric Hamiltonian constraint operator is proposed for loop quantum gravity, which is well defined in the Hilbert space of diffeomorphism invariant states up to non-planar vertices with valence higher than three. It inherits the advantage of the original regularization method to create new vertices to the spin networks. The quantum algebra of this Hamiltonian is anomaly-free on shell, and there is less ambiguity in its construction in comparison with the original method. The regularization procedure for this Hamiltonian constraint operator can also be applied to the symmetric model of loop quantum cosmology, which leads to a new quantum dynamics of the cosmological model.

Achieving shift work excellence: maximizing health, safety and operating efficiency in round-the-clock operations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sirois, W. G. (circadian Technologies Ltd., Cambridge, MA (United States))

1999-01-01

Alertness Assurance techniques, Lifestyle Training and Shift Scheduling practices are described as weapons in the fight against the consequences of sleep deprivation and fatigue, higher operating risks , the adverse health, safety and quality of life effects on workers. Fatigue is a fundamental problem for all round-the-clock industries. The central message of this paper is that by making appropriate interventions and taking counter-measures to fatigue, the risks and liabilities of human error can be dramatically minimized through increased employee alertness, vigilance and cognitive reasoning skills around-the-clock. 12 refs., 1 fig.

Role of Combined Post-Operative Venous Lactate and 48 Hours C-Reactive Protein Values on the Etiology and Predictive Capacity of Organ-Space Surgical Site Infection after Elective Colorectal Operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Juvany, Montserrat; Guirao, Xavier; Oliva, Joan Carles; Badía Pérez, Jose M

2017-04-01

C-reactive protein (CRP) has been assessed to detect organ-space surgical site infection (OSI). Nevertheless, data about peri-operative oxygen debt and surgical stress-elicited biologic markers to explain and allow for the early detection of OSI are lacking. We analyzed immediate post-operative venous lactate, early CRP levels, and intra-operative hemodynamic values on the capacity to predict OSI after elective colorectal operation. Patients undergoing an elective colorectal surgical procedure with anastomosis between March 2013 and August 2014 were included and assessed prospectively. Post-operative lactate values at L-0, L-6, and L-24 hours, CRP (basal and 48 h), and the percentage of operative time (POT) with systolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg and heart rate above 90 beats per minute in patients with and without OSI were compared. Binary logistic regression was constructed for L-0 and CRP-48, and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) was analyzed for sensitivity (S), specificity (Sp), positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values. Patients with OSI (11 of 100) showed higher L-0 and L-24 (3.2 ± 2.5 vs. 1.6 ± 0.8; p = 0.025 and 1.9 ± 1.2 vs. 1.2 ± 0.4 mmol/L; p = 0.025) and CRP-48 (188 ± 80 vs. 74 ± 52 mg/L; p = 0.001). The ROC from logistic regression showed area under the curve of 0.899 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.805-0.992), S of 72% (95% CI 43.2%-90.5%), Sp of 95% (95% CI 88.6%-98.4%), PPV of 66% (95% CI 38.9%-86.4%) and NPV of 0.96 (95% CI 90%-99%). L-0 was higher in those patients with hypotension during more than 60% of the POT (2.4 ± 2.1 vs. 1.6 ± 0.8; p = 0.038). Patients with OSI had a higher POT with hypotension (50 ± 28% vs. 30 ± 28%; p = 0.032) and tachycardia (18 ± 27% vs. 5 ± 16%; p = 0,024). The combination of immediate post-operative lactate and CRP at 48 hours proved to be useful in predicting OSI after elective colorectal operation

Modelling the Turbocharger Cut Off Application Due to Slow Steaming Operation 12RTA96C-B Engine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karsten Wehner

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Out of the total operational costs of a ship, fuel costs account for by far the highest proportion. In view of the global economic situation and the rising oil prices, shipowners and charterers are looking for solutions to cut costs by reducing fuel consumption. Low load operation, also well-known as “slow steaming”, represents the currently most effective and popular measure to cut fuel costs and, in consequence, the total operational costs for increased competitiveness in the market. Low load operation is possible and there is an increasing trend to operate in these very low engine load ranges. As the engines were not designed for this operational condition, various retrofit modifications to the engine can compensate for this. By using low load operation, the reduction of the RPM gives problems when sailing at low speed.  A turbocharger (TC compresses inlet air to a high pressure and after cooling this compressed air it results in higher mass of air in the cylinder. But when running at a low power load this air reaches temperatures that are too low for an optimal combustion process. One of the solution comes from the company Wärtsilä. They install so called “low steam engine kits”. When this kit is installed it allows the engine operators to cut off one turbocharger of the engine, this result’s in a higher RPM for the operating turbochargers. When the remaining TC’s have a higher RPM their efficiency improves and gives the engine more air for combustion.The goal of this Bachelor thesis is to make a calculation modelling and prove that by switching off one or more turbocharger on the system will improve the efficiency in slow steaming operation. Beside that, this thesis is aims to estimated the performance of the engine in both operation condition.

Seeley-Gilkey coefficients for the fourth-order operators on a Riemannian manifold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusynin, V.P.

1989-01-01

A new covariant method for computing the coefficients in the heat kernel expansion is suggested. It allows one to calculate Seeley-Gilkey coefficients for both minimal and nonminimal differential operators acting on a vector bundle over a Riemannian manifold. The coefficients for the fourth-order minimal operators in arbitrary dimension of the space are calculated. In contrast to the second-order operators the coefficients for the fourth-order (and higher) operators turn out to be essentially dependent on the space dimension. The algorithmic character of the method suggested allows one to calculate coefficients by computer using the analytical calculation system. 19 refs.; 1 fig

Corporate culture as the basis for the Ukrainian higher education modernization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. P. Kubko

2017-07-01

A higher educational establishment has been defined as a multi-functional, multi-discipline social establishment which co-operates with the state on some defined legal basis and whose main purpose is to transmit scientific knowledge and cultural values in order to train the scientific personnel. The modernization of the education is impossible without development of the principles of a cultural approach and formation of the educational establishment managerial system. In other words, the necessary condition of the transformation of the educational establishment is the implementation and development of a corporate culture model, the main functions of which will be: cognition, development and transmission of the values, personal development and improvement of individuals. Therefore, it has been claimed by the author that the corporate culture of a higher educational establishment is a unique and effective form of its functioning. Due to this fact the following conclusion can be made: it is a self-organized system, developed on the principles of self-worth of knowledge, freedom of education, which is the particular way to implement the ideas of the higher education. Such corporate organization of the educational establishment aims to perform the universal functions of cultural heritage and generate cultural examples. An important part of corporate culture is corporate identity – a high level of awareness of history, values, rules and positive attitude towards the educational establishment, following its rules. Ukrainian higher educational establishments face the necessity to form the corporate culture in order to be stable and partly financially independent. It is necessary to pay attention to this fact while developing corporate culture of the educational establishment in order to make people understand the necessity to donate additional financial resources, necessity to develop an establishment and contribute to its prosperous future. Corporate values play a

Dual fuel mode operation in diesel engines using renewable fuels: Rubber seed oil and coir-pith producer gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramadhas, A.S.; Jayaraj, S.; Muraleedharan, C. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut-673601 (India)

2008-09-15

Partial combustion of biomass in the gasifier generates producer gas that can be used as supplementary or sole fuel for internal combustion engines. Dual fuel mode operation using coir-pith derived producer gas and rubber seed oil as pilot fuel was analyzed for various producer gas-air flow ratios and at different load conditions. The engine is experimentally optimized with respect to maximum pilot fuel savings in the dual fuel mode operation. The performance and emission characteristics of the dual fuel engine are compared with that of diesel engine at different load conditions. Specific energy consumption in the dual-fuel mode of operation with oil-coir-pith operation is found to be in the higher side at all load conditions. Exhaust emission was found to be higher in the case of dual fuel mode of operation as compared to neat diesel/oil operation. Engine performance characteristics are inferior in fully renewable fueled engine operation but it suitable for stationary engine application, particularly power generation. (author)

Automated quantum operations in photonic qutrits

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, G. F.; Baldijão, R. D.; Condé, J. G. L.; Cabral, J. S.; Marques, B.; Terra Cunha, M.; Cabello, A.; Pádua, S.

2018-02-01

We report an experimental implementation of automated state transformations on spatial photonic qutrits following the theoretical proposal made by Baldijão et al. [Phys. Rev. A 96, 032329 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevA.96.032329]. A qutrit state is simulated by using three Gaussian beams, and after some state operations, the transformed state is available in the end in terms of the basis state. The state transformation setup uses a spatial light modulator and a calcite-based interferometer. The results reveal the usefulness of the operation method. The experimental data show a good agreement with theoretical predictions, opening possibilities for explorations in higher dimensions and in a wide range of applications. This is a necessary step in qualifying spatial photonic qudits as a competitive setup for experimental research in the implementation of quantum algorithms which demand a large number of steps.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN MALAYSIA: COMPETING, COMPLEMENTARY OR CROSSBREEDS AS EDUCATION PROVIDERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan Chang Da

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Delivery of higher education used to be exclusive to the public sector in Malaysia. However, legislative changes made in 1996 led to the coexistence of public and private higher education institutions. In 2007, there were 20 public universities compared to more than 500 private institutions, of which 30 are currently categorised as universities or university colleges. Looking at their respective roles as higher education providers, public and private institutions display characteristics of being substitutes while at the same time serving complementary roles to one another. This dichotomy between public and private higher education institutions can, in fact, be seen as inclining towards a hybrid model that allows both to operate within a single system of higher education provision in the country. Such a hybrid model is evident in how the clientele is being divided between public and private higher institutions. It is also evident in the different roles played by the respective faculty members as well as in the programmes being made available in either type of institutions.

Operating experience from Swedish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

During 1997 the PWRs in Ringhals performed extremely well (capability factors 85-90%), the unit Ringhals 2 reached the best capability factor since commercial operation started in 1976. The BWRs made an average 76% capability, which is somewhat less than in 1996. The slightly reduced capability derives from ongoing modernization projects at several units. At the youngest plants, Forsmark 3 and Oskarshamn 3, capability and utilization were very high. Events and data for 1997 are given for each reactor, together with operational statistics for the years 1990-1997. A number of safety-related events are reported, which occurred st the Swedish plants during 1997. These events are classified as level 1 or higher on the international nuclear event scale (INES)

Operating experience from Swedish nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-06-01

During 1997 the PWRs in Ringhals performed extremely well (capability factors 85-90%), the unit Ringhals 2 reached the best capability factor since commercial operation started in 1976. The BWRs made an average 76% capability, which is somewhat less than in 1996. The slightly reduced capability derives from ongoing modernization projects at several units. At the youngest plants, Forsmark 3 and Oskarshamn 3, capability and utilization were very high. Events and data for 1997 are given for each reactor, together with operational statistics for the years 1990-1997. A number of safety-related events are reported, which occurred st the Swedish plants during 1997. These events are classified as level 1 or higher on the international nuclear event scale (INES).

Safeguard management for operation security in nuclear power plants (NPPs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, Tae-Ho; Lee, Un-Chul

2011-01-01

Safeguard modeling is conducted for the successful operations in the nuclear power plants (NPPs). The characteristics of the secure operation in NPPs are investigated using the network effect method which is quantified by the Monte-Carlo algorithm. Fundamentally, it is impossible to predict the exact time of a terror incident. So, the random sampling for the event frequency is a reasonable method, including the characteristics of network effect method such as the zero-sum quantification. The performance of operation with safeguard is the major concern of this study. There are three kinds of considerations as the neutronics, thermo-hydraulics, and safeguard properties which are organized as an aspect of safeguard considerations. The result, therefore, can give the stability of the operations when the power is decided. The maximum value of secure operation is 12.0 in the third month and the minimum value is 1.0 in the 18th and 54th months, in a 10 years period. Thus, the stability of the secure power operation increases 12 times higher than the lowest value according to this study. This means that the secure operation is changeable in the designed NPPs and the dynamical situation of the secure operation can be shown to the operator.

Pre-operative renal volume predicts peak creatinine after congenital heart surgery in neonates.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmody, J Bryan; Seckeler, Michael D; Ballengee, Cortney R; Conaway, Mark; Jayakumar, K Anitha; Charlton, Jennifer R

2014-10-01

Acute kidney injury is common in neonates following surgery for congenital heart disease. We conducted a retrospective analysis to determine whether neonates with smaller pre-operative renal volume were more likely to develop post-operative acute kidney injury. We conducted a retrospective review of 72 neonates who underwent congenital heart surgery for any lesion other than patent ductus arteriosus at our institution from January 2007 to December 2011. Renal volume was calculated by ultrasound using the prolate ellipsoid formula. The presence and severity of post-operative acute kidney injury was determined both by measuring the peak serum creatinine in the first 7 days post-operatively and by using the Acute Kidney Injury Network scoring system. Using a linear change point model, a threshold renal volume of 17 cm³ was identified. Below this threshold, there was an inverse linear relationship between renal volume and peak post-operative creatinine for all patients (p = 0.036) and the subgroup with a single morphologic right ventricle (p = 0.046). There was a non-significant trend towards more acute kidney injury using Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria in all neonates with renal volume ≤17 cm³ (p = 0.11) and in the subgroup with a single morphologic right ventricle (p = 0.17). Pre-operative renal volume ≤17 cm³ is associated with a higher peak post-operative creatinine and potentially greater risk for post-operative acute kidney injury for neonates undergoing congenital heart surgery. Neonates with a single right ventricle may be at higher risk.

Triangle identity and free differential algebra of massless higher spins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasiliev, M A [AN SSSR, Moscow. Fizicheskij Inst.

1989-09-25

In terms of Berezins's theory of symbols of operators, the integral formulation is suggested for the free differential algebra which gives rise to consistent equations of motion of interacting massless fields of all spins 0{le}s<{infinity} in the frameworks of gravity. In the first nontrivial order of the expansion in powers of curvatures, Frobenius consistency conditions for higher-spin equations of motion are shown to reduce to the simple geometrical fast that there are two ways for splitting any quadrangle in two triangles. To clarify our construction, we illustrate how it works in the simplest case of pure gravity. (orig.).

Claims of operators, non-operators and third parties arising from oil and gas operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Block, R.W.; Semadeni, T.

1999-01-01

There has come a resurgence in the number of companies involved in the oil and gas industry seeking protection from their creditors because of the recent weakness in commodity prices. Because most operations in this industry are conducted jointly, a single insolvency can lead to a toppling of other participants in the joint venture and beyond. The problem is to minimize one's losses if other members of the joint venture become insolvent. An examination is included of some remedies which may be available to operators, non-operators and third parties when faced with an insolvent oil and gas participant. The remedies which may be available to the non-operator that is owed moneys by its operator are discussed. The remedies that the operator has against its non-operators, with an emphasis on the nature of the operator's lien and the right of set-off, are described. A brief review is included of some of the remedies that might be available to a third party as against the operators and non-operators. Some s uggestions are included for directors, bankers, third parties, non-operators and operators

Applied Operations Research: Operator's Assistant

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Stuart K.

2015-01-01

NASA operates high value critical equipment (HVCE) that requires trouble shooting, periodic maintenance and continued monitoring by Operations staff. The complexity HVCE and information required to maintain and trouble shoot HVCE to assure continued mission success as paper is voluminous. Training on new HVCE is commensurate with the need for equipment maintenance. LaRC Research Directorate has undertaken a proactive research to support Operations staff by initiation of the development and prototyping an electronic computer based portable maintenance aid (Operator's Assistant). This research established a goal with multiple objectives and a working prototype was developed. The research identified affordable solutions; constraints; demonstrated use of commercial off the shelf software; use of the US Coast Guard maintenance solution; NASA Procedure Representation Language; and the identification of computer system strategies; where these demonstrations and capabilities support the Operator, and maintenance. The results revealed validation against measures of effectiveness and overall proved a substantial training and capability sustainment tool. The research indicated that the OA could be deployed operationally at the LaRC Compressor Station with an expectation of satisfactorily results and to obtain additional lessons learned prior to deployment at other LaRC Research Directorate Facilities. The research revealed projected cost and time savings.

Using fractional order method to generalize strengthening generating operator buffer operator and weakening buffer operator

OpenAIRE

Wu, L.; Liu, S.; Yang, Yingjie

2016-01-01

Traditional integer order buffer operator is extended to fractional order buffer operator, the corresponding relationship between the weakening buffer operator and the strengthening buffer operator is revealed. Fractional order buffer operator not only can generalize the weakening buffer operator and the strengthening buffer operator, but also realize tiny adjustment of buffer effect. The effectiveness of GM(1,1) with the fractional order buffer operator is validated by six cases.

A Prospective Multi-Institutional Cohort Study of Mediastinal Infections After Cardiac Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrault, Louis P; Kirkwood, Katherine A; Chang, Helena L; Mullen, John C; Gulack, Brian C; Argenziano, Michael; Gelijns, Annetine C; Ghanta, Ravi K; Whitson, Bryan A; Williams, Deborah L; Sledz-Joyce, Nancy M; Lima, Brian; Greco, Giampaolo; Fumakia, Nishit; Rose, Eric A; Puskas, John D; Blackstone, Eugene H; Weisel, Richard D; Bowdish, Michael E

2018-02-01

Mediastinal infections are a potentially devastating complication of cardiac operations. This study analyzed the frequency, risk factors, and perioperative outcomes of mediastinal infections after cardiac operations. In 2010, 5,158 patients enrolled in a prospective study evaluating infections after cardiac operations and their effect on readmissions and mortality for up to 65 days after the procedure. Clinical and demographic characteristics, operative variables, management practices, and outcomes were compared for patients with and without mediastinal infections, defined as deep sternal wound infection, myocarditis, pericarditis, or mediastinitis. There were 43 mediastinal infections in 41 patients (cumulative incidence, 0.79%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60% to 1.06%). Median time to infection was 20.0 days, with 65% of infections occurring after the index hospitalization discharge. Higher body mass index (hazard ratio [HR] 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10), higher creatinine (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.38), peripheral vascular disease (HR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.21 to 5.05), preoperative corticosteroid use (HR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.27 to 8.76), and ventricular assist device or transplant surgery (HR, 5.81; 95% CI, 2.36 to 14.33) were associated with increased risk of mediastinal infection. Postoperative hyperglycemia (HR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.32 to 7.51) was associated with increased risk of infection in nondiabetic patients. Additional length of stay attributable to mediastinal infection was 11.5 days (bootstrap 95% CI, 1.88 to 21.11). Readmission rates and mortality were five times higher in patients with mediastinal infection than in patients without mediastinal infection. Mediastinal infection after a cardiac operation is associated with substantial increases in length of stay, readmissions, and death. Reducing these infections remains a high priority, and improving post-operative glycemic management may reduce their risk in patients without diabetes. Copyright © 2018 The

Association of bond, market, operational, and financial factors with multi-hospital system bond issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, C E; McCue, M J; Hossack, J B

2001-01-01

Despite the growth of multi-hospital systems in the 1990s, their performance in the tax-exempt bond market has not been adequately evaluated. The purpose of this study is to compare bonds issued by multi-hospital systems to those issued by individual hospitals in terms of bond, market, operational, and financial characteristics. The study sample includes 2,078 newly issued, tax-exempt, revenue bonds between 1991 and 1997. The findings indicate that multi-hospital systems issued larger amounts of debt at a lower cost, were more likely to be insured, had higher debt service coverage and higher operating margins.

IMPROVEMENT OF PERFORMANCE OF DUAL FUEL ENGINE OPERATED AT PART LOAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Kapilan

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Rising petroleum prices, an increasing threat to the environment from exhaust emissions, global warming and the threat of supply instabilities has led to the choice of inedible Mahua oil (MO as one of the main alternative fuels to diesel oil in India. In the present work, MO was converted into biodiesel by transesterification using methanol and sodium hydroxide. The cost of Mahua oil biodiesel (MOB is higher than diesel. Hence liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, which is one of the cheapest gaseous fuels available in India, was fumigated along with the air to reduce the operating cost and to reduce emissions. The dual fuel engine resulted in lower efficiency and higher emissions at part load. Hence in the present work, the injection time was varied and the performance of the dual fuel engine was studied. From the engine tests, it is observed that an advanced injection time results in higher efficiency and lower emissions. Hence, advancing the injection timing is one of the ways of increasing the efficiency of LPG+MOB dual fuel engine operated at part load.

Automated Operations Development for Advanced Exploration Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Haddock, Angie T.; Stetson, Howard

2012-01-01

Automated space operations command and control software development and its implementation must be an integral part of the vehicle design effort. The software design must encompass autonomous fault detection, isolation, recovery capabilities and also provide "single button" intelligent functions for the crew. Development, operations and safety approval experience with the Timeliner system onboard the International Space Station (ISS), which provided autonomous monitoring with response and single command functionality of payload systems, can be built upon for future automated operations as the ISS Payload effort was the first and only autonomous command and control system to be in continuous execution (6 years), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within a crewed spacecraft environment. Utilizing proven capabilities from the ISS Higher Active Logic (HAL) System, along with the execution component design from within the HAL 9000 Space Operating System, this design paper will detail the initial HAL System software architecture and interfaces as applied to NASA's Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) in support of the Advanced Exploration Systems, Autonomous Mission Operations project. The development and implementation of integrated simulators within this development effort will also be detailed and is the first step in verifying the HAL 9000 Integrated Test-Bed Component [2] designs effectiveness. This design paper will conclude with a summary of the current development status and future development goals as it pertains to automated command and control for the HDU.

Student agreement regarding adequacy of didactic content and practical experiences of vaccination clinic business operations.

Science.gov (United States)

George, David L; Johnson, Eric J; O'Neal, Katherine S; Smith, Michael J

2018-04-01

To report student perceived adequacy regarding didactic content and practical experiences of vaccination clinic business operations. Didactic content, a case study, and practical experiences regarding vaccination clinic business operations were implemented in related lectures of a Pharmacy Business and Entrepreneurship (PBE) elective and the college of pharmacy sponsored vaccination clinics. An online survey was used to evaluate student perceived adequacy of didactic content and practical experiences of vaccination clinic business operations. Mean scaled agreement was compared between students in the PBE elective versus those not in the elective. Student confidence in performing business operations was also assessed. Students in the PBE had higher mean confidence than non-elective students regarding staff management (3.23 vs. 2.73, p = 0.04). Success of the interventions may be attributed to students in the PBE elective that reported a higher mean perceived adequacy of content and practical experiences and confidence in performing nearly all business operations. Still, further evaluation of interventions is being considered to assess effectiveness of learning. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Higher spin currents in orthogonal Wolf space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Changhyun; Paeng, Jinsub

2015-01-01

For the N=4 superconformal coset theory by ((SO(N+4))/(SO(N)×SU(2)))×U(1) (that contains an orthogonal Wolf space) with N = 4, the N=2 WZW affine current algebra is obtained. The 16 generators (or 11 generators) of the large N=4 linear (or nonlinear) superconformal algebra are described by these WZW affine currents explicitly. Along the line of large N=4 holography, the extra 16 currents with spins (2,(5/2),(5/2),3), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), ((5/2),3,3,(7/2)), and (3,(7/2),(7/2),4) are obtained in terms of the WZW affine currents. The lowest spin of this N=4 multiplet is two rather than one, which is for a unitary Wolf space. The operator product expansions between the above 11 currents and these extra 16 higher spin currents are found explicitly. (paper)

Operating experience with superconducting cavities at the TESLA test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeller, Wolf-Dietrich

2003-01-01

A description of the TESLA Test Facility, which has been set up at DESY by the TeV Energy Superconducting Accelerator (TESLA) collaboration, will be given as it is now after five years of installation and operation. The experience with the first three modules, each containing 8 superconducting 9-cell cavities, installed and operated in the TTF-linac will be described. The measurements in the vertical and horizontal cryostats as well as in the modules will be compared. Recent results of the operation at the TESLA design current, macropulses of 800 μsec with bunches of 3.2 nC at a rate of 2.25 MHz are given. New measurement results of the higher order modes (HOM) will be presented. The operation and optimisation of the TTF Free Electron Laser (TTF-FEL) will also be covered in this paper. (author)

The Use of Work-Based Learning Pedagogical Perspectives to Inform Flexible Practice within Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Nottingham, Paula

2016-01-01

The renewed emphasis on developing flexible learning practices in higher education (HE) underscores the importance of understanding pedagogies for students who are based in the workplace or undertake significant work-related elements of study. This paper draws on research that explores how work-based learning (WBL) pedagogy operates in UK HE using…

Trends and Issues in Educational Technology Research in Saudi Higher Education: A Meta-Analysis Review

Science.gov (United States)

Alkraiji, Abdullah; Eidaroos, Abdulhadi

2016-01-01

As Information Technology expands, all industries and fields in Saudi Arabia are experiencing reduced costs and improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of operations in various systems. This has positioned the higher education sector in Saudi Arabia as the land of opportunity in terms of educational technology and its ability to support…

The Relationship between Human Operators' Psycho-physiological Condition and Human Errors in Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Arryum; Jang, Inseok; Kang, Hyungook; Seong, Poonghyun

2013-01-01

The safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is substantially dependent on the performance of the human operators who operate the systems. In this environment, human errors caused by inappropriate performance of operator have been considered to be critical since it may lead serious problems in the safety-critical plants. In order to provide meaningful insights to prevent human errors and enhance the human performance, operators' physiological conditions such as stress and workload have been investigated. Physiological measurements were considered as reliable tools to assess the stress and workload. T. Q. Tran et al. and J. B. Brooking et al pointed out that operators' workload can be assessed using eye tracking, galvanic skin response, electroencephalograms (EEGs), heart rate, respiration and other measurements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the human operators' tense level and knowledge level to the number of human errors. For this study, the experiments were conducted in the mimic of the main control rooms (MCR) in NPP. It utilized the compact nuclear simulator (CNS) which is modeled based on the three loop Pressurized Water Reactor, 993MWe, Kori unit 3 and 4 in Korea and the subjects were asked to follow the tasks described in the emergency operating procedures (EOP). During the simulation, three kinds of physiological measurement were utilized; Electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG and nose temperature. Also, subjects were divided into three groups based on their knowledge of the plant operation. The result shows that subjects who are tense make fewer errors. In addition, subjects who are in higher knowledge level tend to be tense and make fewer errors. For the ECG data, subjects who make fewer human errors tend to be located in higher tense level area of high SNS activity and low PSNS activity. The results of EEG data are also similar to ECG result. Beta power ratio of subjects who make fewer errors was higher. Since beta power ratio is

Operating System Concepts for Reconfigurable Computing: Review and Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcel Eckert

2016-01-01

Full Text Available One of the key future challenges for reconfigurable computing is to enable higher design productivity and a more easy way to use reconfigurable computing systems for users that are unfamiliar with the underlying concepts. One way of doing this is to provide standardization and abstraction, usually supported and enforced by an operating system. This article gives historical review and a summary on ideas and key concepts to include reconfigurable computing aspects in operating systems. The article also presents an overview on published and available operating systems targeting the area of reconfigurable computing. The purpose of this article is to identify and summarize common patterns among those systems that can be seen as de facto standard. Furthermore, open problems, not covered by these already available systems, are identified.

High Temperature Operational Experiences of Helium Experimental Loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chan Soo; Hong, Sung-Deok; Kim, Eung-Seon; Kim, Min Hwan

2015-01-01

The development of high temperature components of VHTR is very important because of its higher operation temperature than that of a common light water reactor and high pressure industrial process. The development of high temperature components requires the large helium loop. Many countries have high temperature helium loops or a plan for its construction. Table 1 shows various international state-of-the-art of high temperature and high pressure gas loops. HELP performance test results show that there is no problem in operation of HELP at the very high temperature experimental condition. These experimental results also provide the basic information for very high temperature operation with bench-scale intermediate heat exchanger prototype in HELP. In the future, various heat exchanger tests will give us the experimental data for GAMMA+ validation about transient T/H behavior of the IHX prototype and the optimization of the working fluid in the intermediate loop

Higher dimensional time-energy entanglement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richart, Daniel Lampert

2014-01-01

freedom improves its applicability to long distance quantum communication schemes. By doing that, the intrinsic limitations of other schemes based on the encoding into the momentum and polarization degree of freedom are overcome. This work presents results on a scalable experimental implementation of time-energy encoded higher dimensional states, demonstrating the feasibility of the scheme. Further tools are defined and used to characterize the properties of the prepared quantum states, such as their entanglement, their dimension and their preparation fidelity. Finally, the method of quantum state tomography is used to fully determine the underlying quantum states at the cost of an increased measurement effort and thus operation time. It is at this point that results obtained from the research field of compressed sensing help to decrease the necessary number of measurements. This scheme is compared with an adaptive tomography scheme designed to offer an additional reconstruction speedup. These results display the scalability of the scheme to bipartite dimensions higher than 2 x 8, equivalent to the encoding of quantum information into more than 6 qubits.

Higher dimensional time-energy entanglement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richart, Daniel Lampert

2014-07-08

freedom improves its applicability to long distance quantum communication schemes. By doing that, the intrinsic limitations of other schemes based on the encoding into the momentum and polarization degree of freedom are overcome. This work presents results on a scalable experimental implementation of time-energy encoded higher dimensional states, demonstrating the feasibility of the scheme. Further tools are defined and used to characterize the properties of the prepared quantum states, such as their entanglement, their dimension and their preparation fidelity. Finally, the method of quantum state tomography is used to fully determine the underlying quantum states at the cost of an increased measurement effort and thus operation time. It is at this point that results obtained from the research field of compressed sensing help to decrease the necessary number of measurements. This scheme is compared with an adaptive tomography scheme designed to offer an additional reconstruction speedup. These results display the scalability of the scheme to bipartite dimensions higher than 2 x 8, equivalent to the encoding of quantum information into more than 6 qubits.

Binary operators and their Green's functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheff, J.R.

1982-01-01

Three topics are considered. First, the Langevin approach to neutron noise is used as a basis and guide to develop solutions and solution techniques for the ChapmanKolmogorov forward equation approach to neutron noise. The approach followed throughout this first part is that of solution by means of Green's functions. A particular form for the binary operator Green's function was picked on the basis of the Langevin method. Second, the basic solution technique using the particular Green's function form mentioned above is proven to be a correct and a general result. It is proven that the binary operator is always separable and that the Green's function could be written as the product of two single operator Green's functions. This is a new result. Third and finally, the forward equation approach of Chapman-Kolmogorov is generalized to include time allowing differential equations for second and higher order correlation functions to be developed directly. The principal result of the last section, the differential equation for correlation function of the neutron density, is new. Its derivation is really outside of or broader than the scope indicated by the title of the paper

Prevalence of operator fatigue in winter maintenance operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Camden, Matthew C; Medina-Flintsch, Alejandra; Hickman, Jeffrey S; Bryce, James; Flintsch, Gerardo; Hanowski, Richard J

2018-02-02

Similar to commercial motor vehicle drivers, winter maintenance operators are likely to be at an increased risk of becoming fatigued while driving due to long, inconsistent shifts, environmental stressors, and limited opportunities for sleep. Despite this risk, there is little research concerning the prevalence of winter maintenance operator fatigue during winter emergencies. The purpose of this research was to investigate the prevalence, sources, and countermeasures of fatigue in winter maintenance operations. Questionnaires from 1043 winter maintenance operators and 453 managers were received from 29 Clear Road member states. Results confirmed that fatigue was prevalent in winter maintenance operations. Over 70% of the operators and managers believed that fatigue has a moderate to significant impact on winter maintenance operations. Approximately 75% of winter maintenance operators reported to at least sometimes drive while fatigued, and 96% of managers believed their winter maintenance operators drove while fatigued at least some of the time. Furthermore, winter maintenance operators and managers identified fatigue countermeasures and sources of fatigue related to winter maintenance equipment. However, the countermeasures believed to be the most effective at reducing fatigue during winter emergencies (i.e., naps) were underutilized. For example, winter maintenance operators reported to never use naps to eliminate fatigue. These results indicated winter maintenance operations are impacted by operator fatigue. These results support the increased need for research and effective countermeasures targeting winter maintenance operator fatigue. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of STPA on small drone operations : a benchmarking approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chatzimichailidou, Maria Mikela; Karanikas, Nektarios; Plioutsias, Anastasios; Rejzek, M

2017-01-01

The remarkable and continuous growth of the unmanned aircraft market has brought new safety related challenges, as those are recorded in various accident and incident reports. Although drones with an operating weight higher than 20-25Kgs are technologically advanced and often subject to standards

Operations Management Teaching: Establishing Content and Relevance to Practitioners

Science.gov (United States)

Doran, Desmond; Hill, Alex; Brown, Steve; Aktas, Emel; Kuula, Markku

2013-01-01

This paper explores the relevance to industry's needs of operations management (OM) teaching in higher education, by researching the content of OM modules delivered by UK academics and comparing the results of this research with the views of business practitioners having had first-hand experience of OM teaching on MBA programmes. To determine…

Prediction of chronic post-operative pain: pre-operative DNIC testing identifies patients at risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnitsky, David; Crispel, Yonathan; Eisenberg, Elon; Granovsky, Yelena; Ben-Nun, Alon; Sprecher, Elliot; Best, Lael-Anson; Granot, Michal

2008-08-15

Surgical and medical procedures, mainly those associated with nerve injuries, may lead to chronic persistent pain. Currently, one cannot predict which patients undergoing such procedures are 'at risk' to develop chronic pain. We hypothesized that the endogenous analgesia system is key to determining the pattern of handling noxious events, and therefore testing diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) will predict susceptibility to develop chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP). Pre-operative psychophysical tests, including DNIC assessment (pain reduction during exposure to another noxious stimulus at remote body area), were conducted in 62 patients, who were followed 29.0+/-16.9 weeks after thoracotomy. Logistic regression revealed that pre-operatively assessed DNIC efficiency and acute post-operative pain intensity were two independent predictors for CPTP. Efficient DNIC predicted lower risk of CPTP, with OR 0.52 (0.33-0.77 95% CI, p=0.0024), i.e., a 10-point numerical pain scale (NPS) reduction halves the chance to develop chronic pain. Higher acute pain intensity indicated OR of 1.80 (1.28-2.77, p=0.0024) predicting nearly a double chance to develop chronic pain for each 10-point increase. The other psychophysical measures, pain thresholds and supra-threshold pain magnitudes, did not predict CPTP. For prediction of acute post-operative pain intensity, DNIC efficiency was not found significant. Effectiveness of the endogenous analgesia system obtained at a pain-free state, therefore, seems to reflect the individual's ability to tackle noxious events, identifying patients 'at risk' to develop post-intervention chronic pain. Applying this diagnostic approach before procedures that might generate pain may allow individually tailored pain prevention and management, which may substantially reduce suffering.

Design and Operation of Distribution Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Parhizi, Sina

The growing penetration of distributed prosumers especially microgrids poses new challenges to the operation of wholesale markets and distribution power systems. Price spikes and higher uncertainty are among these consequences. Distribution markets are envisioned as a remedy to streamline integration of distributed resources and microgrids in the electricity market. This dissertation offers an analytical formulation of electricity markets in the distribution level, considering various prevailing aspects of the market operation problem. The prevailing challenges in regards to integration of microgrids in the electricity markets are illustrated first, and the distribution market operator (DMO) construct is outlined. The day-ahead scheduling of a microgrid participating in a DMO market is formulated and studied. Then the operation of distribution markets integrated with large numbers of responsive participants is considered, and its transactions with the distribution market participants on one hand, and the wholesale market on the other hand are modeled and studied. The market settlement and clearing, essential in operation of distribution markets, is considered and solved. The pricing mechanism in a distribution market is proposed and the relation of distribution and transmission and distribution prices is studied. A more advanced pricing mechanism considering voltages and reactive power is developed and studied. In order to offer a more accurate pricing structure within the distribution system, a linearized distribution power flow is utilized. The performance of the proposed methods is analyzed and the results are presented. Markets have been recently envisioned to be a suitable instrument for integration of distributed energy resources in the distribution system, but most of the discussions surrounding this topic is at the conceptual level. In this work, it is demonstrated that distribution markets are effective in integrating microgrids and distributed resources

Heat transfer operators associated with quantum operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aksak, C; Turgut, S

2011-01-01

Any quantum operation applied on a physical system is performed as a unitary transformation on a larger extended system. If the extension used is a heat bath in thermal equilibrium, the concomitant change in the state of the bath necessarily implies a heat exchange with it. The dependence of the average heat transferred to the bath on the initial state of the system can then be found from the expectation value of a Hermitian operator, which is named as the heat transfer operator (HTO). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relation between the HTOs and the associated quantum operations. Since any given quantum operation on a system can be realized by different baths and unitaries, many different HTOs are possible for each quantum operation. On the other hand, there are also strong restrictions on the HTOs which arise from the unitarity of the transformations. The most important of these is the Landauer erasure principle. This paper is concerned with the question of finding a complete set of restrictions on the HTOs that are associated with a given quantum operation. An answer to this question has been found only for a subset of quantum operations. For erasure operations, these characterizations are equivalent to the generalized Landauer erasure principle. For the case of generic quantum operations, however, it appears that the HTOs obey further restrictions which cannot be obtained from the entropic restrictions of the generalized Landauer erasure principle.

Effectiveness of operation tools developed by KEKB operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugino, K.; Satoh, Y.; Kitabayashi, T.

2004-01-01

The main tasks of KEKB (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization B-physics) operators are beam tuning and injection, operation logging, monitoring of accelerator conditions and safety management. New beam tuning methods are frequently applied to KEKB in order to accomplish high luminosity. In such a situation, various operation tools have been developed by the operators to realize efficient operation. In this paper, we describe effectiveness of tools developed by the operators. (author)

INCOME OVER FEED COST FOR SMALL- TO MEDIUM-SCALE BEEF CATTLE FATTENING OPERATIONS IN EAST JAVA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Priyanti

2014-10-01

Full Text Available An evaluation was conducted of the returns to fattening cattle of small- and medium-scaleenterprises in East Java. The objective was to analyze income over feed costs (IOFC based on locallyavailable feedstuffs to increase liveweight gain. The study was conducted during July-September 2010and January-March 2011, representing relative dry and wet season. The breeds were PO and Limousinand Simmental crossed with PO (LimPO and SimPO. Small-scale farmers owning 1-2 bulls andmedium-scale farmers fattening 10-20 bulls in one period. Fattening period was 58 and 46 days,respectively for dry and wet season. Monthly measurements included liveweight, feed intake, input andoutput prices. Mean values of growth rates and IOFC were compared using t-tests. The results indicatedthat, for small-scale operations, SimPO bulls gave a significantly higher return than either PO or LimPObulls. Likewise, LimPO gave a higher IOFC than SimPO in medium-scale operations. Small-scalefarmers achieved equal or higher IOFC for European-cross than medium-scale farmers in both seasons.This reflects that cash outlays for feed were about two-thirds that of medium-scale operations whiledaily growth rates were similar. Small-scale fattening operations using European-cross can befinancially competitive with medium-scale operations in both wet and dry seasons.

Nucleon Structure Functions from Operator Product Expansion on the Lattice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, A J; Horsley, R; Nakamura, Y; Perlt, H; Rakow, P E L; Schierholz, G; Schiller, A; Somfleth, K; Young, R D; Zanotti, J M

2017-06-16

Deep-inelastic scattering, in the laboratory and on the lattice, is most instructive for understanding how the nucleon is built from quarks and gluons. The long-term goal is to compute the associated structure functions from first principles. So far this has been limited to model calculations. In this Letter we propose a new method to compute the structure functions directly from the virtual, all-encompassing Compton amplitude, utilizing the operator product expansion. This overcomes issues of renormalization and operator mixing, which so far have hindered lattice calculations of power corrections and higher moments.

Globalisation and Higher Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marginson, Simon; van der Wende, Marijk

2007-01-01

Economic and cultural globalisation has ushered in a new era in higher education. Higher education was always more internationally open than most sectors because of its immersion in knowledge, which never showed much respect for juridical boundaries. In global knowledge economies, higher education

α{sup '} inflation. Moduli stabilisation and observable tensors from higher derivatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cicoli, Michele [Bologna Univ. (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica ed Astronomia; INFN, Sezione di Bologna (Italy); Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy); Ciupke, David [DESY, Hamburg (Germany). Theory Group; De Alwis, Senarath [Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States). Dept. of Physics; Muia, Francesco [INFN, Sezione di Bologna (Italy)

2016-07-15

The leading order dynamics of the type IIB Large Volume Scenario is characterised by the interplay between α{sup '} and non-perturbative effects which fix the overall volume and all local blow-up modes leaving (in general) several flat directions. In this paper we show that, in an arbitrary Calabi-Yau with at least one blow-up mode resolving a point-like singularity, any remaining flat directions can be lifted at subleading order by the inclusions of higher derivative α{sup '} corrections. We then focus on simple fibred cases with one remaining flat direction which can behave as an inflaton if its potential is generated by both higher derivative α{sup '} and winding loop corrections. Natural values of the underlying parameters give a spectral index in agreement with observational data and a tensor-to-scalar ratio of order r=0.01 which could be observed by forthcoming CMB experiments. Dangerous corrections from higher dimensional operators are suppressed due to the presence of an approximate non-compact shift symmetry.

Transnational Higher Education Partnerships and the Role of Operational Faculty Members: Developing an Alternative Theoretical Approach for Empirical Research

Science.gov (United States)

Bordogna, Claudia M.

2018-01-01

For too long, transnational higher education (TNE) has been linked to discourse predominately focused upon strategic implementation, quality assurance, and pedagogy. While these aspects are important when designing and managing overseas provisions, there is a lack of research focusing on the social interactions that influence the pace and…

Revitalizing Higher Education. Issues in Higher Education, Volume 3. First Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, Jamil, Ed.; Verspoor, Adriaan M., Ed.

This volume contains 13 papers on experiences with reform and innovation in higher education and their implications for developing countries. Four themes are highlighted: higher education and development, performance assessment, sustainable financing, and effectiveness in governance and management. The papers include: "Introduction:…

Operant conditioning in the ant Myrmica sabuleti.

Science.gov (United States)

Cammaerts, M C

2004-11-30

Operant conditioning could be obtained in the ant Myrmica sabuleti by presenting to the workers, during a six-day period, an apparatus containing either sugared water or meat as a reward. The conditioning obtained using sugared water as a reward was short lasting. A reconditioning was more persistent and lasted four hours. The ants' response was very precise, since they exhibited it only in front of an apparatus identical to that used during the training phase. Operant conditioning obtained using meat as a reward was more pronounced than that obtained by using sugared water, probably because meat is more valuable as a reward than sugar for the species studied, which is essentially a carnivorous one. Such a conditioning was rather persistent. Indeed, a first operant conditioning obtained by using meat as a reward could still be detected after seven hours, and a reconditioning was still significant after eight hours. One day after this eight-hour period without rewarding the ants, the response was higher again and a further day later, it was still significant. Since the operant conditioning is easy to perform and quantify and since the ants' response is very precise, such a conditioning can be used for further studying M. sabuleti workers' visual perception.

Recent result of gyrotron operation in NIFS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ito Satoshi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the last Large Helical Device (LHD experimental campaign, a 154GHz gyrotron which had been conditioned to generate 1 MW/2 s, 0.5 MW/CW was installed for LHD experiments. Four high power gyrotrons (three-77 GHz/1~1.5 MW and one-154 GHz/1 MW and a CW gyrotron (84 GHz/0.2 MW are ready. Our experiment requires high energy and various injection patterns for Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH. Higher individual injection power and various injection patterns, we developed a power enhancement method by stepped anode acceleration voltage control and operated the gyrotron in the hard excitation region. These operations were realized by a remote controlled waveform generator. However the oscillation map of high power or long pulse operation in the hard excitation region were limited because in order to achieve the hard excitation region by the anode voltage control one must pass through the high anode current phase within a time short enough that the anode or the anode power supply is not overloaded. This limitation becomes more critical when the gyrotron beam current is increased in order to increase the output power. In the long pulse operation it was impossible to reach the hard excitation region in a low beam current (<10A.

Hypospadias repair: Byar's two stage operation revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Arshad, A R

2005-06-01

Hypospadias is a congenital deformity characterised by an abnormally located urethral opening, that could occur anywhere proximal to its normal location on the ventral surface of glans penis to the perineum. Many operations had been described for the management of this deformity. One hundred and fifteen patients with hypospadias were treated at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between September 1987 and December 2002, of which 100 had Byar's procedure performed on them. The age of the patients ranged from neonates to 26 years old. Sixty-seven patients had penoscrotal (58%), 20 had proximal penile (18%), 13 had distal penile (11%) and 15 had subcoronal hypospadias (13%). Operations performed were Byar's two-staged (100), Bracka's two-staged (11), flip-flap (2) and MAGPI operation (2). The most common complication encountered following hypospadias surgery was urethral fistula at a rate of 18%. There is a higher incidence of proximal hypospadias in the Malaysian community. Byar's procedure is a very versatile technique and can be used for all types of hypospadias. Fistula rate is 18% in this series.

Beam tests and operation of superconducting cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akai, Kazunori

1990-01-01

Beam tests and operation of superconducting cavities conducted since the third workshop on RF superconductivity (Argonne, Sep. 1987) are reported in this paper. The paper is concerned particularly with electron machines. Storage and acceleration of the beam are discussed, focusing on the CERN test in SPS, the DESY test in PETRA, the superconducting injector at Darmstadt, and the KEK beam tests in T-AR. Then, long-term performance of the cavity in the ring is discussed focusing on Eacc (max) and O-value, environmental conditions, and operational experience in T-MR. RF controllability is addressed, centering on the Robinson stability, cavity tuning loop, quench detection and interlocks, recovery procedure, field calibration, and phase adjustment. Higher order modes are also discussed. Superconducting cavities have been operated successfully in accelerators. It has been confirmed that the superconducting cavities can be used stably for experimental use. For more than 5000 hours the cavities have indicated no essential degradation of the cavity performance. The study of long-term performance should be continued in longer range of period. (N.K.)

China’s Higher Education Engagement with Africa: A Different Partnership and Cooperation Model?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenneth King

2014-11-01

Full Text Available What is the nature of China’s educational partnerships with Africa? This chapter examines China’s investment in human resource development in Africa, especially in higher education, through several programmes including long- and short-term training of Africans in China, Confucius Institutes, stand-alone projects, and the 20+20 scheme for higher education cooperation between China and Africa. It investigates several apparent differences between China’s aid discourse and practice and those of traditional Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD donors. It asks how the enduring continuity of China’s discourse on mutual benefit and common good in educational aid can be explained. Can what looks like a one-way partnership in terms of financing really, in fact, be symmetrical?

Review of operational aids for nuclear plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kisner, R.A.

1983-01-01

Many approaches are being explored to improve the safety of nuclear plant operations. One approach is to supply high-quality, relevant information by means of computer-based diagnostic systems to assist plant operators in performing their operational and safety-related roles. The evaluation of operational aids to ensure safe plant operations is a necessary function of NRC. This work has two purposes: to collect limited data on a diversity of operational aids, and to provide a method for evaluating the safety implications of the functions of proposed operational aids. After a discussion of the method evaluation now under study, this paper outlines this data collection to date

Psychological biases affecting human cognitive performance in dynamic operational environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takano, Kenichi; Reason, J.

1999-01-01

In order to identify cognitive error mechanisms observed in the dynamic operational environment, the following materials were analyzed giving special attention to psychological biases, together with possible cognitive tasks and these location, and internal and external performance shaping factors: (a) 13 human factors analyses of US nuclear power plant accidents, (b) 14 cases of Japanese nuclear power plant incidents, and (c) 23 cases collected in simulator experiments. In the resulting analysis, the most frequently identified cognitive process associated with error productions was situation assessment, and following varieties were KB processes and response planning, all of that were the higher cognitive activities. Over 70% of human error cases, psychological bias was affecting to cognitive errors, especially those to higher cognitive activities. In addition, several error occurrence patterns, including relations between cognitive process, biases, and PSFs were identified by the multivariate analysis. According to the identified error patterns, functions that an operator support system have to equip were discussed and specified for design base considerations. (author)

On stringy AdS5 x S5 and higher spin holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, Massimo; Morales, Jose F.; Samtleben, Henning

2003-01-01

We derive the spectrum of Kaluza-Klein descendants of string excitations on AdS 5 x S 5 . String states are organized in long multiplets of the AdS supergroup SU(2,2|4,R) with a rich pattern of shortenings at the higher spin enhancement point λ=0. The string states holographically dual to the higher spin currents of SYM theory in the strict zero coupling limit are identified together with the corresponding Goldstone particles responsible for the Higgsing of the higher spin symmetry at λ≠ 0. Exploiting higher spin symmetry we propose a very simple yet effective mass formula and establish a one-to-one correspondence between the complete spectrum of Δ 0 ≤ 4 string states and relevant/marginal single-trace deformations in N = 4 SYM theory at large N. To this end, we describe how to efficiently enumerate scaling operators in 'free' YM theory, with the inclusion of fermionic 'letters', by resorting to Polya theory. Comparison between the spectra of 1/4-BPS states is also presented. Finally, we discuss how to organize the spectrum of N = 4 SYM theory in SU(2,2|4,R) supermultiplets by means of some kind of 'Eratostenes's sieve'. (author)

Higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion

CERN Document Server

Igusa, Kiyoshi

2002-01-01

The book is devoted to the theory of topological higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion in K-theory. The author defines the higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion based on Volodin's K-theory and Borel's regulator map. He describes its properties and generalizations and studies the relation between the higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion and other torsions used in K-theory: Whitehead torsion and Ray-Singer torsion. He also presents methods of computing higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion, illustrates them with numerous examples, and describes various applications of higher Franz-Reidemeister torsion, particularly for the study of homology of mapping class groups. Packed with up-to-date information, the book provides a unique research and reference tool for specialists working in algebraic topology and K-theory.

From Franchise Network to Consortium: The Evolution and Operation of a New Kind of Further and Higher Education Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

Bridge, Freda; Fisher, Roy; Webb, Keith

2003-01-01

The Consortium for Post-Compulsory Education and Training (CPCET) is a single subject consortium of further education and higher education providers of professional development relating to in-service teacher training for the whole of the post-compulsory sector. Involving more than 30 partners spread across the North of England, CPCET evolved from…

IMPACT OF GRANT PROJECTS IMPLEMENTATION IN ROMANIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlad S. PETCU

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Romanian Higher Education Institutions were one of the main beneficiaries of European funding in the 2007-2013 funding excercise, especially in the Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development. Analyzing the data provided by 21 public universities in Romania, we find that Universities have accessed in a significant proportion two types of projects: those dedicated to transition from school to active life and those dedicated to doctoral studies. Also, the proportion of the European funds attracted by HEIs is an overwhelming part of the allocation of reference (over 40% since 2011, and also a significant proportion of total revenues universities (~15.5 % for 2011-2014.

"INTEGRATED QUALITY MANAGEMENT" AS A SUBJECT IN HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stevan Živojinović

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The importance of introduction of "Integrated quality management" into higher education curricula arises from the need for students to grasp synergetic application of new and advanced approaches to theoretical and practical management quality and process based management in particular as well as understanding a unified concept which improves conformity and linking of all levels in management hierarchy (normative, strategic and operational toward accomplishment of successful business performance. A curriculum is proposed (as a contribution to a map of necessary knowledge to be expected from prospective quality personnel with appropriate topics in accordance with studies objective and chosen up-to-date options of management concepts and methods.

Operation Open Heart in PNG, 1993-2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Tefuarani, N; Vince, J; Hawker, R; Nunn, G; Lee, R; Crawford, M; Kevau, I H

2007-10-01

To report on the 'Operation Open Heart' (OOH) cardiac surgical program in Papua New Guinea (PNG). To document the short-term surgical outcome, the experience gained and the skill transfer from the visiting team members to their PNG counterparts. Analysis of the database compiled from the records of the patients who were operated on by the visiting cardiothoracic surgical team. Four hundred and seventy patients from all regions of the country received operations. Three hundred and thirty seven (72%) were children less than 12 years of age, 39 (8%) were between 12 and 18 years of age and 263 (56%) were females. One hundred and eighty five (40%) patients had open heart procedures. Complications were unremarkable and the short-term mortality was 1.9%. Clinical skills were transferred to, and experience was gained by national anaesthetists, surgeons, paediatricians, physicians and nurses from intensive and full nursing care units and the operating theatre. The program not only achieved a higher annual operation rate than previous programs but also had a lower mortality rate. It achieved its objective of service delivery and, to a considerable extent, its objective of skill transfer. There now is an established and active group of PNG doctors and nurses with the skills, experience and confidence to perform patent ductus repair safely and efficiently. The program is cheaper than its predecessors, and is less disruptive for parents, patients and families.

Operating and test experience of EBR-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sackett, J.I.

1991-01-01

EBR-II has operated for 27 years, the longest for any Liquid Metal Reactor (LMR) power plant. During that time, much has been learned about successful LMR operation and design. The basic lesson is that conservatism in design can pay significant dividends in operating reliability. Furthermore, such conservatism need not mean high cost. The EBR-II system emphasizes simplicity, minimizing the number of valves in the heat transport system, for example, and simplifying the primary heat-transport-system layout. Another lesson is that emphasizing reliability of the steam generating system at the sodium-water interface (by using duplex tubes in the case of EBR-II) has been well worth the higher initial costs; no problems with leakage have been encountered in EBR-II's operating history. Locating spent fuel storage in the primary tank and providing for decay heat removal by natural connective flow have also been contributors to EBR-II's success. The ability to accommodate loss of forced cooling or loss of heat sink passively has resulted in benefits for simplification, primarily through less reliance on emergency power and in not requiring the secondary sodium or steam systems to be safety grade. Also, the 'piped-pool' arrangement minimizes thermal stress to the primary tank and enhances natural convective flow. These benefits have been realized through a history of operation that has seen EBR-II evolve through four major phases in its test programs, culminating in its present mission as the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) prototype. (author)

Effects of tramadol or morphine in dogs undergoing castration on intra-operative electroencephalogram responses and post-operative pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Kongara, K; Chambers, J P; Johnson, C B; Dukkipati, V S R

2013-11-01

To compare the effects of pre-operatively administered tramadol with those of morphine on electroencephalographic responses to surgery and post-operative pain in dogs undergoing castration. Dogs undergoing castration were treated with either pre-operative morphine (0.5 mg/kg S/C, n = 8) or tramadol (3 mg/kg S/C, n = 8). All dogs also received 0.05 mg/kg acepromazine and 0.04 mg/kg atropine S/C in addition to the test analgesic. Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone administered I/V to effect and maintained with halothane in oxygen. Respiratory rate, heart rate, end-tidal halothane tension (EtHal) and end-tidal CO2 tension (EtCO2) were monitored throughout surgery. Electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded continuously using a three electrode montage. Median frequency (F50), total power (Ptot) and 95% spectral edge frequency (F95) derived from EEG power spectra recorded before skin incision (baseline) were compared with those recorded during ligation of the spermatic cords of both testicles. Post-operatively, pain was assessed after 1, 3, 6 and 9 h using the short form of the Glasgow composite measure pain scale (CMPS-SF). Dogs premedicated with tramadol had higher mean F50 (12.2 (SD 0.2) Hz) and lower Ptot (130.39 (SD 12.1) µv(2)) compared with those premedicated with morphine (11.5 (SD 0.2) Hz and 161.8 (SD 15.1) µv(2), respectively; p0.05). The F95 of the EEG did not differ between the two groups during the ligation of either testicle (p > 0.05). Post-operatively, no significant differences in the CMPS-SF score were found between animals premedicated with tramadol and morphine at any time during the post-operative period. No dog required rescue analgesia. Tramadol and morphine administered pre-operatively provided a similar degree of post-operative analgesia in male dogs at the doses tested.

Higher Education Business Management Staff and the MBA: A Small Study Analysing Intrinsic and Extrinsic Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Gander, Michelle

2015-01-01

Higher education is a key sector for the United Kingdom contributing over £70 billion of output. It functions in an increasingly complex operating, regulatory, and legislative environment that has led to an increased need for effective nonacademic business managers. This study evaluates the benefits of a specialist master of business…

Development of an Instrument to Measure Higher Order Thinking Skills in Senior High School Mathematics Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Tanujaya, Benidiktus

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to develop an instrument that can be used to measure higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) in mathematics instruction of high school students. This research was conducted using a standard procedure of instrument development, from the development of conceptual definitions, development of operational definitions,…

The Supply of and Demand for Charitable Donations to Higher Education. NBER Working Paper No. 18389

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Jeffrey R.; Dimmock, Stephen G.; Weisbenner, Scott

2012-01-01

Charitable donations are an important revenue source for many institutions of higher education. We explore how donations respond to economic and financial market shocks, accounting for both supply and demand channels through which these shocks operate. In panel data with fixed effects to control for unobservable differences across universities, we…

Nonlocal Operational Calculi for Dunkl Operators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan H. Dimovski

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The one-dimensional Dunkl operator $D_k$ with a non-negative parameter $k$, is considered under an arbitrary nonlocal boundary value condition. The right inverse operator of $D_k$, satisfying this condition is studied. An operational calculus of Mikusinski type is developed. In the frames of this operational calculi an extension of the Heaviside algorithm for solution of nonlocal Cauchy boundary value problems for Dunkl functional-differential equations $P(D_ku = f$ with a given polynomial $P$ is proposed. The solution of these equations in mean-periodic functions reduces to such problems. Necessary and sufficient condition for existence of unique solution in mean-periodic functions is found.

Operating strategies for biogas plants - conflict of objectives between advantageous grid and economically oriented operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skau, Katharina; Bettinger, Carola; Schild, Vernea; Fuchs, Clemens; Beck, Hans-Peter

2015-01-01

In an intelligent energy system, ''smart grid'' and ''smart market'' must go hand in hand (Aichele et al., 2014). Changes to the legal framework, especially the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG), aim at bringing in line the requirement for increased generation of renewable energy with the market and system integration of renewable energies (see Schwarz, 2014). This determines whether the operation of a modern renewable energy plant has both the maximisation of profits (smart market) as well as the easing of the higher-order grid (smart grid) as its goal or whether it is only geared towards one aspect. The agricultural biogas producer is the focus of this interdisciplinary paper. He can either use the electrical energy generated by his plant himself in an economically orientated way or design the supply to the upstream grid in a way that is advantageous for the grid through the increased flexibility of generation and consumption. Through a two-stage simulation of the impact on the grid and the operational performance, the differences with regards to the strain on the grid and the financial losses to the farmer are quantified. If is clearly shown that none of the legislative and regulatory incentive schemes favour a mode of operation that is advantageous for the grid.

Discovering Interdisciplinary Uses of Online Technologies in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mary Caton-Rosser

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Recent research shows both students and professors rushing to adapt learning and teaching activities accessing ever-upgrading digital and social media formats like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Prezi. Many institutions of higher education are embracing social media as viable, student-centered-classroom communication tools in a full range of subject disciplines, as well as in emerging interdisciplinary activities that prepare students for current trends in the job force. The new communication channels offer students a direct voice in discussion of topics of subject matter and current events, avenues for expedited exchange of information, and also introduction to skills needed to operate mobile computing devices, such as tablets and portable hand-held devices. The advancing tools of online technology are also being used creatively in general communication across college campuses in higher education following standardized-use policies. The use of social media, for example, is effective in recruiting and interacting with prospective students and their parents or in expedited sharing of news or updated policies and procedures. The current endorsement of new technologies in various higher-education settings aligns with historical enthusiasm in education for interactive classroom dialogue. Over the years, progressive and pragmatic educators, such as John Dewey, Paulo Freire, Elliot Eisner and Larry Cuban have promoted interactive, inclusive pedagogical communication and experiential education since the early 1900s to the present. For the past year-and-a-half, three faculty members at Black Hills State University have been conducting qualitative and quantitative research on the use of digital and social media in higher education. Since the beginning, the central goal has been to create awareness of digital technologies and social media as inter-subjective tools. More recently, the focus has become measurement of the learning experience and

Compact circularly polarized truncated square ring slot antenna with suppressed higher resonances.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mursyidul Idzam Sabran

Full Text Available This paper presents a compact circularly polarized (CP antenna with an integrated higher order harmonic rejection filter. The proposed design operates within the ISM band of 2.32 GHz- 2.63 GHz and is suitable for example for wireless power transfer applications. Asymmetrical truncated edges on a square ring create a defected ground structure to excite the CP property, simultaneously realizing compactness. It offers a 50.5% reduced patch area compared to a conventional design. Novel stubs and slot shapes are integrated in the transmission line to reduce higher (up to the third order harmonics. The proposed prototype yields a -10 dB reflection coefficient (S11 impedance bandwidth of 12.53%, a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 3.27%, and a gain of 5.64 dBi. Measurements also show good agreement with simulations.

Disk Operating System--DOS. Teacher Packet. Learning Activity Packets.

Science.gov (United States)

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

The Learning Activity Packets (LAPs) contained in this manual are designed to assist the beginning user in understanding DOS (Disk Operating System). LAPs will not work with any version below DOS Version 3.0 and do not address the enhanced features of versions 4.0 or higher. These elementary activities cover only the DOS commands necessary to…

Improvement of the operational performance of SRF cavities via in situ helium processing and waveguide vacuum processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reece, C.E.; Drury, M.; Rao, M.G.; Nguyen-Tuong, V.

1997-01-01

The useful performance range of the superconducting rf (SRF) cavities in the CEBAF accelerator at Jefferson Lab is frequently limited by electron field emission and derived phenomena. Improvements are required to support future operation of the accelerator at higher than 5 GeV. Twelve operational cryomodules have been successfully processed to higher useful operating gradients via rf-helium processing. Progress against field emission was evidenced by improved high-field Q, reduced x-ray production and greatly reduced incidence of arcing at the cold ceramic window. There was no difficulty reestablishing beamline vacuum following the processing. Cavities previously limited to 4-6 MV/m are now operating stably at 6-9 MV/m. By applying a pulsed-rf processing technique, we have also improved the pressure stability of the thermal transition region of the input waveguide for several cavities

Coping with Unanticipated Accidents using Emergency Operating Procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yochan; Jung, Wondea

2013-01-01

In, unsafe acts associated with a literal following of a procedure were reported. A report of the Fukushima accident also revealed that a tendency to adhere to procedures and prior practices can impede applying effective countermeasures. To overcome the conflicts between benefit and jeopardy of procedures during unanticipated accidents, we reviewed the literature on the perspectives of cognitive engineering and artificial intelligence. From the insights about human planning of the literatures, we also proposed an approach of how to train operators to effectively use EOPs during unanticipated accidents. There are three key processes required to effectively cope with emergency situations: how correctly the operators are aware of the occurring situations, how properly they develop corresponding plans for the situations, and how accurately they execute the plans. This paper presents a way to develop the plans using EOPs from some literature of human planning. Even if professional operators have implicitly shaped good structures of procedures already, it is expected that this approach will provide a more systematic and concrete training strategy. If the operators are trained with this strategy, a higher level of human reliability would be ensured in unanticipated accidents

Cost and radiation exposure optimization of demineralizer operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernal, F.E.; Burn, R.R.; Cook, G.M.; Simonetti, L.; Simpson, P.A.

1985-01-01

A pool water demineralizer is utilized at a research reactor to minimize impurities that become radioactive; to minimize impurities that react chemically with reactor components; to maintain optical clarity of the pool water; and to minimize aluminum fuel cladding corrosion by maintaining a slightly acidic pH. Balanced against these advantages are the dollar costs of equipment, resins, recharging chemicals, and maintenance; the man-rem costs of radiation exposure during maintenance, demineralizer recharges, and resin replacement; and hazardous chemical exposure. At the Ford Nuclear Reactor (FNR), maintenance of the demineralizer system is the second largest source of radiation exposure to operators. Theoretical and practical aspects of demineralizer operation are discussed. The most obvious way to reduce radiation exposure due to demineralizer system operation is to perform recharges after the reactor has been shut down for the maximum possible time. Setting a higher depletion limit and operating with the optimum system lineup reduce the frequency between recharges, saving both exposure and cost. Recharge frequency and resin lifetime seem to be relatively independent of the quality of the chemicals used and the personnel performing recharges, provided consistent procedures are followed

Quality of Higher Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zou, Yihuan

is about constructing a more inclusive understanding of quality in higher education through combining the macro, meso and micro levels, i.e. from the perspectives of national policy, higher education institutions as organizations in society, individual teaching staff and students. It covers both......Quality in higher education was not invented in recent decades – universities have always possessed mechanisms for assuring the quality of their work. The rising concern over quality is closely related to the changes in higher education and its social context. Among others, the most conspicuous...... changes are the massive expansion, diversification and increased cost in higher education, and new mechanisms of accountability initiated by the state. With these changes the traditional internally enacted academic quality-keeping has been given an important external dimension – quality assurance, which...

The Relationship between Human Operators' Psycho-physiological Condition and Human Errors in Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Arryum; Jang, Inseok; Kang, Hyungook; Seong, Poonghyun [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

The safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is substantially dependent on the performance of the human operators who operate the systems. In this environment, human errors caused by inappropriate performance of operator have been considered to be critical since it may lead serious problems in the safety-critical plants. In order to provide meaningful insights to prevent human errors and enhance the human performance, operators' physiological conditions such as stress and workload have been investigated. Physiological measurements were considered as reliable tools to assess the stress and workload. T. Q. Tran et al. and J. B. Brooking et al pointed out that operators' workload can be assessed using eye tracking, galvanic skin response, electroencephalograms (EEGs), heart rate, respiration and other measurements. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the human operators' tense level and knowledge level to the number of human errors. For this study, the experiments were conducted in the mimic of the main control rooms (MCR) in NPP. It utilized the compact nuclear simulator (CNS) which is modeled based on the three loop Pressurized Water Reactor, 993MWe, Kori unit 3 and 4 in Korea and the subjects were asked to follow the tasks described in the emergency operating procedures (EOP). During the simulation, three kinds of physiological measurement were utilized; Electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG and nose temperature. Also, subjects were divided into three groups based on their knowledge of the plant operation. The result shows that subjects who are tense make fewer errors. In addition, subjects who are in higher knowledge level tend to be tense and make fewer errors. For the ECG data, subjects who make fewer human errors tend to be located in higher tense level area of high SNS activity and low PSNS activity. The results of EEG data are also similar to ECG result. Beta power ratio of subjects who make fewer errors was higher. Since beta

Canonical structure of BHT massive gravity in warped AdS3 sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davood Mahdavian Yekta

2016-08-01

Full Text Available We investigate the asymptotic structure of the three dimensional Warped Anti-de Sitter (WAdS3 black holes in the Bergshoeff–Hohm–Townsend (BHT massive gravity using the canonical Hamiltonian formalism. We define the canonical asymptotic gauge generators, which produce the conserved charges and the asymptotic symmetry group for the WAdS3 black holes. The attained symmetry group is described by a semi-direct sum of a Virasoro and a Kač–Moody algebra. Using the Sugawara construction, we obtain a direct sum of two Virasoro algebras. We show that not only the asymptotic conserved charges satisfy the first law of black hole thermodynamics, but also they lead to the expected Smarr formula for the WAdS3 black holes. We also show that the black hole's entropy obeys the Cardy formula of the dual conformal field theory (CFT.

Canonical structure of BHT massive gravity in warped AdS{sub 3} sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahdavian Yekta, Davood, E-mail: d.mahdavian@hsu.ac.ir

2016-08-10

We investigate the asymptotic structure of the three dimensional Warped Anti-de Sitter (WAdS{sub 3}) black holes in the Bergshoeff–Hohm–Townsend (BHT) massive gravity using the canonical Hamiltonian formalism. We define the canonical asymptotic gauge generators, which produce the conserved charges and the asymptotic symmetry group for the WAdS{sub 3} black holes. The attained symmetry group is described by a semi-direct sum of a Virasoro and a Kač–Moody algebra. Using the Sugawara construction, we obtain a direct sum of two Virasoro algebras. We show that not only the asymptotic conserved charges satisfy the first law of black hole thermodynamics, but also they lead to the expected Smarr formula for the WAdS{sub 3} black holes. We also show that the black hole's entropy obeys the Cardy formula of the dual conformal field theory (CFT).

Segmentation of a Vibro-Shock Cantilever-Type Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Operating in Higher Transverse Vibration Modes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darius Zizys

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The piezoelectric transduction mechanism is a common vibration-to-electric energy harvesting approach. Piezoelectric energy harvesters are typically mounted on a vibrating host structure, whereby alternating voltage output is generated by a dynamic strain field. A design target in this case is to match the natural frequency of the harvester to the ambient excitation frequency for the device to operate in resonance mode, thus significantly increasing vibration amplitudes and, as a result, energy output. Other fundamental vibration modes have strain nodes, where the dynamic strain field changes sign in the direction of the cantilever length. The paper reports on a dimensionless numerical transient analysis of a cantilever of a constant cross-section and an optimally-shaped cantilever with the objective to accurately predict the position of a strain node. Total effective strain produced by both cantilevers segmented at the strain node is calculated via transient analysis and compared to the strain output produced by the cantilevers segmented at strain nodes obtained from modal analysis, demonstrating a 7% increase in energy output. Theoretical results were experimentally verified by using open-circuit voltage values measured for the cantilevers segmented at optimal and suboptimal segmentation lines.

Operational Experience with the ATLAS Pixel Detector

CERN Document Server

Djama, Fares; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Run 2 of the LHC collider sets new challenges to track and vertex reconstruction because of its higher energy, pileup and luminosity. The ATLAS tracking performance relies critically on the Pixel Detector. Therefore, in view of Run 2, the ATLAS collaboration has constructed the first 4-layer pixel detector in Particle Physics by installing a new pixel layer, called Insertable B-Layer (IBL). Operational experience and performance of the 4-layer Pixel Detector during Run 2 are presented.

Influence of median surgeon operative duration on adverse outcomes in bariatric surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Reames, Bradley N; Bacal, Daniel; Krell, Robert W; Birkmeyer, John D; Birkmeyer, Nancy J O; Finks, Jonathan F

2015-01-01

Evidence suggests that prolonged operative time adversely affects surgical outcomes. However, whether faster surgeons have better outcomes is unclear, as a surgeon׳s speed could reflect skill and efficiency, but may alternatively reflect haste. This study evaluates whether median surgeon operative time is associated with adverse surgical outcomes after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. We performed a retrospective cohort study using statewide clinical registry data from the years 2006 to 2012. Surgeons were ranked by their median operative time and grouped into terciles. Multivariable logistic regression with robust standard errors was used to evaluate the influence of median surgeon operative time on 30-day surgical outcomes, adjusting for patient and surgeon characteristics, trainee involvement, concurrent procedures, and the complex interaction between these variables. A total of 16,344 patients underwent surgery during the study period. Compared to surgeons in the fastest tercile, slow surgeons required 53 additional minutes to complete a gastric bypass procedure (median [interquartile range] 139 [133-150] versus 86 [69-91], Ppatient characteristic only, slow surgeons had significantly higher adjusted rates of any complication, prolonged length of stay, emergency department visits or readmissions, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). After further adjustment for surgeon characteristics, resident involvement, and the interaction between these variables, slow surgeons had higher rates of any complication (10.5% versus 7.1%, P=.039), prolonged length of stay (14.0% versus 4.4%, P=.002), and VTE (0.39% versus .22%, P<.001). Median surgeon operative duration is independently associated with adjusted rates of certain adverse outcomes after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Improving surgeon efficiency while operating may reduce operative time and improve the safety of bariatric surgery. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by

Atlantic Richfield Hanford Company chemical operator training program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zumhoff, R.G.

1975-01-01

Formal training and testing of Chemical Operators at Hanford were initiated as part of a negotiated union settlement in 1966. Consequently, it was agreed that 25 percent of the chemical operator force would receive a higher rated job (Lead Nuclear Chemical Operator) provided they satisfactorily completed a training program including testing. The training and testing program was developed in two parts. The first covered subjects of a general nature and was applicable to an operator's duties no matter what the assignment. Part II was more specifically oriented to the presently assigned work area. Renewed interest in retraining and requalification of all chemical operators was taken in 1971. This evolved from a Company concern that a program be developed to assure the fact that operators were qualified to do their assigned jobs, and an Atomic Energy Commission request for an outline of a retraining and requalification program for chemical operators. Building upon the experience gained in the LNCO (Lead Nuclear Chemical Operator) program, the two part format is retained. The use of video tapes is used to complement the manuals. An arrangement where an operator can view a lecture-type presentation is provided in seven plant locations. A small studio for in-house production of the video tapes is available to the training Specialists. A script is developed from a training manual by condensing the information into 20-minute presentations. A prime objective of each tape is to highlight the safety and control aspects that accompany operator responsibilities in each of these areas. Testing is also handled on a two part basis; one test covers the fundamentals and a separate test is designed for each of the plant subjects. A walk-through examination is also performed for the plant portion. Operators are required to be requalified on emergency procedures on an annual basis and at two-year intervals in the other areas. (U.S.)

Health state of population in the locality of the Mochovce nuclear power plant after four years of operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Letkovicova, M.; Letkovicova, H.; Letkovic, M.

2002-01-01

The Mochovce NPP was put into the operation in 1998. Authors monitor the health state of the population in its vicinity since 1993. The authors recorded this health state also in before-operational safety report of Mochovce NPP. The authors show in the presentation the evaluation of nine years, five before putting of Mochovce NPP into the operation and four during its operation. The aim of the authors is to evaluate the state of chosen health indicators in individual villages in whole monitored region and to try to found out the differences between of their size before and after putting the Mochovce NPP into the operation. Authors used the methods of so-called population epidemiology, where they evaluate the health risks by the system of multidimensional mathematical-statistical methods, by using of the theory of fuzzy sets. The Mochovce region belongs for the long period to the regions with very unfavourable health state. Its very general comparison with one year all Slovak values of the relevant indicators in 2000 are following: more newborn on thousand inhabitants (in 12 per cent) (consequence of wholly older population), higher general mortality of population (in 11 per cent), higher premature mortality of population (in 17 per cent), higher mortality from selected causes, thus malignant tumours of digestive tract (in 20 per cent), higher mortality from malignant tumours of lungs (in 25 per cent), higher mortality from malignant tumours of leukaemia (in 25 per cent). However the authors found out very positive findings in the evaluation of the trends: in the case of fifteen most serious health indicators in the vicinity of Mochovce NPP authors state also mathematically visible influence on the surroundings, which is registerable only in positive meaning. There are created the demonstrable clusters of the villages with low general, also premature women mortality. This locality was far off the industrial and cultural centres, there were always historically higher

Social Responsibility in Intra-organisational Procedures of Higher Education Institutions with AACSB Accreditation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andżelika Dzięgiel

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to identify the core elements of social responsibility which have been applied in intraorganisational procedures of higher education institutions with AACSB Accreditation. The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR in entrepreneurial strategies means taking into account their social interests and environmental protection, as well as, relationships with different groups of stakeholders. In contemporary business, CSR activities are very important. Therefore, universities, especially those with prestigious accreditations, should also act in accordance with the rules prevailing in the business market. The Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB is a global, nonprofit membership organisation of educational institutions, businesses, and other entities. Higher education institutions with certificates represent the highest standard of achievement for business schools all over the world. For the research and analysis, there have been selected six universities from three countries: the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. According to the international standard ISO 26000 dated as of 2010, social responsibility involves seven core subjects: organisational governance, human rights, labour practices, environment, fair operating practices, customer issues, community involvement and development. All these aspects were researched in intraorganisational procedures of selected higher education institutions with AACSB Accreditation. It is a comprehensive and objective comparison of several educational institutions in the world in terms of their implemented CSR activities. The results of the research show that the institutions under the study established a wide range of procedures for respecting CSR. They took into account transparency, respect to the law, human rights, labour practices and organisational governance. While they pay less attention to the environmental issues, fair operating practices and

Fee - fishing operation evaluation at Nothwest São Paulo State, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lopes Ruy Bessa

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Fee-fishing operations developed recently in Brazilian agricultural scenery in a rather disordered manner. This study, carried out at the northwest region of São Paulo State, Brazil, focuses on the productive performance of fee-fishing system. Several visits were made monthly to nine fee-fishing establishments, for six months. A questionnaire by owners targeting 13 indicators of the operation's productive performance. Data were submitted to multivariate analysis (MANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA and cluster analysis. MANOVA indicated significant differences between the fee-fishing operations. The PCA analyses indicated, from the higher coefficient eigenvectors, three attributes for the lakes, such as productive system, fishery management and operational administration. The cluster analyses classified the fishing lakes in four groups. The indicators angler frequency (AF, stocking density (SD, stocking biomass (SB, total capture (TC and capture/lake/day (CLD, which are part of the attribute productive system, were the most important indicators of "fee-fishing" operations performance in this study.

The features of argumentation skills formation problem in Higher Educational Establishment students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamozhska I. V.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Deals with argumentation skill formation in future specialist's professional preparation: kinds and ways of argumentation, influence of communicative co-operation means on compromise zones defining and general decision making, strategy choice in communicators' behavior at argumentation phase in a dialogue, defining of effective factors of convincing argumentation influence in communicators. The work suggests the system of methodological research means for argumentation skill formation in Higher Educational Establishment students, which helps professional language problem solving in composition with theoretical questions argumentation basis.

Analysis of Higher Order Modes in Large Superconducting Radio Frequency Accelerating Structures

CERN Document Server

Galek, Tomasz; Brackebusch, Korinna; Van Rienen, Ursula

2015-01-01

Superconducting radio frequency cavities used for accelerating charged particle beams are commonly used in accelerator facilities around the world. The design and optimization of modern superconducting RF cavities requires intensive numerical simulations. Vast number of operational parameters must be calculated to ensure appropriate functioning of the accelerating structures. In this study, we primarily focus on estimation and behavior of higher order modes in superconducting RF cavities connected in chains. To calculate large RF models the state-space concatenation scheme, an efficient hybrid method, is employed.

Operation and maintenance of the RB reactor, Annual report for 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.; Vranic, S.

1978-01-01

The annual report for 1978 includes the following: utilization of the RB reactor; producing the new safety report; improvement of experimental possibilities of the RB reactor; state of the reactor equipment; dosimetry and radiation protection; reactor staff. Four annexes to this report are concerned with: operation of the reactor at higher power levels; performance of the instrumentation, radiation doses during operation; gamma radiation doses after reactor shutdown; properties of the neutron converter (optimization of the rector-converter coupling; maintenance of the reactor equipment; purchase of new equipment

Continuous fermentation and in-situ reed separation of butyric acid for higher sugar consumption rate and productivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baroi, George Nabin; Skiadas, Ioannis; Westermann, Peter

that disconnection of the REED system resulted to much lower (48 and 83% for glucose and xylose, respectively) sugars consumption rates and consequently lower butyric acid production rates. It was also noticeable that continuous operation, even without the REED system, resulted to higher glucose consumption rates...

Synergy, a co-operative innovation for joint operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todd, C.; Feuchtwanger, T.; Moberg, R.; Lesser, L.

1993-01-01

Industry cooperation in the operation of the large Swan Hills oil field in western Alberta is described. Declining production and increasing costs required innovative approaches to field operation. Traditional operation involved one operator making the majority of decisions with funding controlled by numerous non-operating joint owners, and can suffer from interaction problems due to the inherenty competitive nature of the petroleum industry. The new mode of operation stresses trust, cooperation, teamwork, resource sharing, and continuous improvement. The synergy involves sharing best practices, information, knowledge and expertise, combining resources, and standardizing procedures and specifications. The new mode of operation has resulted in an improved performance of up to 15%. The cooperation lessons learnt at Swan Hills may have broad application across the petroleum industry. 6 refs., 6 figs

Effect of reactor chemistry and operating variables on fuel cladding corrosion in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Moon Ghu; Lee, Sang Hee

1997-01-01

As the nuclear industry extends the fuel cycle length, waterside corrosion of zircaloy cladding has become a limiting factor in PWR fuel design. Many plant chemistry factors such as, higher lithium/boron concentration in the primary coolant can influence the corrosion behavior of zircaloy cladding. The chemistry effect can be amplified in higher duty fuel, particularlywhen surface boiling occurs. Local boiling can result in increased crud deposition on fuel cladding which may induce axial power offset anomalies (AOA), recently reported in several PWR units. In this study, the effect of reactor chemistry and operating variables on Zircaloy cladding corrosion is investigated and simulation studies are performed to evaluate the optimal primary chemistry condition for extended cycle operation. (author). 8 refs., 3 tabs., 16 figs

Accessibility of higher education: the right to higher education in comparative approach

OpenAIRE

Pūraitė, Aurelija

2011-01-01

At present there is an unprecedented demand for and a great diversification in higher education, as well as an increased awareness of its vital importance for socio-cultural and economic development. The complexity of the right to education is especially at issue while discussing the right to higher education, which on a national level is non-compulsory, even though the number of people who have acquired higher education during the second half of the twentieth century has tripled. Therefore t...

Operator performance on the night shift: phases 1 and 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morisseau, Dolores; Beere, Barnaby; Collier, Steve

1999-04-01

The objective of the project on operator performance on the night shift is to determine the effects of circadian rhythms on higher order cognitive processes. The project had two preliminary phases. Subjects were operators from the Halden Boiling Water Reactor, (Phase 1: 7 male operators and shift leaders, aged 26 to 35; Phase 2: 8 male operators and shift leaders, aged 26 to 53). The majority of the operators were the same for both studies. The preliminary work established that Norwegian operators' circadian rhythms fall within universal population norms and, thus, they are suitable subjects for such experiments. During Phase 1, two self-assessment instruments, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) and the Global Vigour and Affect Scale (GVA), were administered every hour on all three shifts at the reactor. During Phase 2, three tests from the Walter Reed Performance Assessment Battery were administered at the beginning, middle, and end of each of the three shifts at the reactor. The tests (Serial Add-Subtract, Two-Column Addition, and Logical Reasoning) were administered using a hand-held computer. Both phases were conducted during regular work shifts for one complete shift rota (six weeks). ANOVA with two repeated measures showed that self-reported sleepiness on the night shift, sleepiness with respect to hours into the shift, and the interaction between them all reached statistical significance at p<.001. Data analyses (ANOVA) from Phase 2 indicate that the main effect of SHIFTNO (morning, afternoon, evening) on response times was significant (p<.002); the interaction between SHIFTNO and TINSHIFT (hours into shift) was also significant (p<.009). None of the effects on correctness of response was significant (Phase 2). While correctness of response was not significant for routine cognitive measures, the significant, progressive slowing of response times on the night shift reinforces the concern for possible performance decrements on the night shift. Thus, it

Value centric approaches to the design, operations and maintenance of wind turbines

Science.gov (United States)

Khadabadi, Madhur Aravind

Wind turbine maintenance is emerging as an unexpectedly high component of turbine operating cost, and there is an increasing interest in managing this cost. This thesis presents an alternative view of maintenance as a value-driver, and develops an optimization algorithm to evaluate the value delivered by different maintenance techniques. I view maintenance as an operation that moves the turbine to an improved state in which it can generate more power and, thus, earn more revenue. To implement this approach, I model the stochastic deterioration of the turbine in two dimensions: the deterioration rate, and the extent of deterioration, and then use maintenance to improve the state of the turbine. The value of the turbine is the difference between the revenue from to the power generation and the costs incurred in operation and maintenance. With a focus on blade deterioration, I evaluate the value delivered by implementing two different maintenance schemes, predictive maintenance and scheduled maintenance. An example of predictive maintenance technique is the use of Condition Monitoring Systems to precisely detect deterioration. I model Condition Monitoring System (CMS) of different degrees of fidelity, where a higher fidelity CMS would allow the blade state to be determined with a higher precision. The same model is then applied for the scheduled maintenance technique. The improved state information obtained from these techniques is then used to derive an optimal maintenance strategy. The difference between the value of the turbine with and without the inspection type can be interpreted as the value of the inspection. The results indicate that a higher fidelity (and more expensive) inspection method does not necessarily yield the highest value, and, that there is an optimal level of fidelity that results in maximum value. The results also aim to inform the operator of the impact of regional parameters such as wind speed, variance and maintenance costs to the optimal

Operation and maintenance of the RB reactor, Annual report for 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sotic, O.; Vranic, S.

1976-01-01

Due to its flexibility and relatively simple construction the RB reactor enabled direct measurements of a series of physical parameters. During 1976 the reactor operation exceeded the plan due to preparation of special experiments planned for the next period. It is planned to operate the reactor at higher power levels (50 W - 10 kw). A need for increasing the neutron flux a neutron converter was built in 1976. preliminary measurements showed that placing the neutron converter next to the reactor vessel enables achievement of irradiation and dosimetry measurements in the fast neutron flux. It is planned to purchase highly enriched fuel for the neutron converter. This annual report includes 5 Annexes with data concerning: operation, irradiation field around the RB reactor, maintenance of reactor components and instrumentation, purchase of new equipment, and the program for training reactor operators

Two-loop scale-invariant scalar potential and quantum effective operators

CERN Document Server

Ghilencea, D.M.

2016-11-29

Spontaneous breaking of quantum scale invariance may provide a solution to the hierarchy and cosmological constant problems. In a scale-invariant regularization, we compute the two-loop potential of a higgs-like scalar $\\phi$ in theories in which scale symmetry is broken only spontaneously by the dilaton ($\\sigma$). Its vev $\\langle\\sigma\\rangle$ generates the DR subtraction scale ($\\mu\\sim\\langle\\sigma\\rangle$), which avoids the explicit scale symmetry breaking by traditional regularizations (where $\\mu$=fixed scale). The two-loop potential contains effective operators of non-polynomial nature as well as new corrections, beyond those obtained with explicit breaking ($\\mu$=fixed scale). These operators have the form: $\\phi^6/\\sigma^2$, $\\phi^8/\\sigma^4$, etc, which generate an infinite series of higher dimensional polynomial operators upon expansion about $\\langle\\sigma\\rangle\\gg \\langle\\phi\\rangle$, where such hierarchy is arranged by {\\it one} initial, classical tuning. These operators emerge at the quantum...

[Effects of electromagnetic radiation on health and immune function of operators].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-zhong; Chen, Shao-hua; Zhao, Ke-fu; Gui, Yun; Fang, Si-xin; Xu, Ying; Ma, Zi-jian

2013-08-01

To investigate the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the physiological indices and immune function of operators. The general conditions and electromagnetic radiation awareness rate of 205 operators under electromagnetic radiation were evaluated using a self-designed questionnaire. Physical examination, electrocardiography, and routine urine test were performed in these operators. Peripheral blood was collected from the operators under electromagnetic radiation for blood cell counting and biochemical testing, and their peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for determination of chromosomal aberrant frequency and micronucleus frequency. The data from these operators (exposure group) were compared with those of 95 ordinary individuals (control group). The chief complaint of giddiness, tiredness, dizziness, and amnesia showed significant differences between the exposure group and control group (P electromagnetic radiation damage was significantly higher in the exposure group than in the control group. The difference in bradycardia was significant between the two groups (P Electromagnetic radiation may lead to the changes in physiological indices, genetic effects, and immune function and affect the health and immune function in operators. The adverse effects are increased as the working years increase. So it is important to strengthen occupational protection of operators under electromagnetic radiation.

Concept of Operating Indoor Skiing Halls with

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paul, Joachim

2003-01-01

Indoor skiing halls are conventionally operated at low temperatures and with either crushed ice as snow substitute or snow made from freezing water in cold air. Both systems have a high energy demand for air cooling, floor freezing and consequently snow harvest. At the same time the snow at the top...... floor cooling/freezing and insulation become obsolete, significant savings in piping and building costs can be achieved. Due to the much higher evaporating temperature for the refrigeration system, the energy demand is kept low. Since the same equipment is used for both snowmaking and air cooling......, the running time of the equipment is high, resulting in a better economy. Using Binary Snow, with its unique qualities such as fluffy, crisp, white and ¿ since made daily ¿ "fresh and hygienic", offers great advantages in operating costs, investment costs and quality....

Scenario-based electric bus operation: A case study of Putrajaya, Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lay Eng Teoh

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Globally, transportation sector has emerged as one of the major sources of air pollution. Correspondingly, green mobility (with electric bus is gaining increasing attention as an essential step to mitigate emission concern. As such, a proper electric bus network design and fleet planning is important especially for bus operator to acquire an adequate number of electric bus, right on time, in order to operate electric bus system viably. Thus, this paper aims to examine the possibility to operate electric bus as a replacement for the conventional bus operation (with natural gas buses for the study area in Putrajaya, Malaysia. In order to determine a proper-designed electric bus operating system in terms of electric bus route, service frequency and quantity, the proposed methodology is developed with the aid of a traffic modeling software to cater various scenarios. Based on the existing (conventional traffic and transit system in Putrajaya, the developed electric bus operating model is calibrated accordingly by considering various operational concerns including battery capacity and charging facility. The resultant findings revealed that the developed electric bus operating system in Putrajaya outperforms the conventional bus operation, not only in generating a higher profit margin for the bus operator, but also satisfying the passengers in a better manner (by carrying more passengers per unit of bus with a lower energy consumption.

Analysis of operational records in the bituminization demonstration facility. Investigation of the cause of fire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, A.; Sano, Y.; Yoneya, M.; Koyama, T.

1997-12-01

Operational records in the bituminization demonstration facility in 97-M46-1 campaign were analyzed in order to investigate the cause of fire. Operational records which are different from ordinary level in this campaign are drum weight, temperature at 7th zone and extruder torque. So we investigated past campaign data about these records. The results are as follows. 1) In some campaigns, drum weight was lighter, temperature at 7th zone higher, and torque higher. 2) When drum weight is lighter, temperature at 7th zone becomes relatively higher. 3) In the case that higher temperature was measured at 7th zone, drum weight was sometimes less than the past average. 4) When the extruder's torque increases, it sometimes influences drum weight and temperature at 7th zone. The maximum of salt and bitumen became hotter from 28B. As the heat source, both frictional resistance and exothermic chemical reaction can be considered. Frictional resistance came out with increase of the torque. So we checked some operational parameters to investigate what increases the torque. Feed rate of waste solution is related with the torque increase. The other parameters are not related with it. Now we can not specify any causes of the torque increase from 27B, the feed rate of waste solution is however possible to be one of the causes. (author)

Mathematical modelling of unglazed solar collectors under extreme operating conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bunea, M.; Perers, Bengt; Eicher, S.

2015-01-01

average temperature levels at the evaporator. Simulation of these systems requires a collector model that can take into account operation at very low temperatures (below freezing) and under various weather conditions, particularly operation without solar irradiation.A solar collector mathematical model......Combined heat pumps and solar collectors got a renewed interest on the heating system market worldwide. Connected to the heat pump evaporator, unglazed solar collectors can considerably increase their efficiency, but they also raise the coefficient of performance of the heat pump with higher...... was found due to the condensation phenomenon and up to 40% due to frost under no solar irradiation. This work also points out the influence of the operating conditions on the collector's characteristics.Based on experiments carried out at a test facility, every heat flux on the absorber was separately...

Opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for higher education: the European perspective