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Sample records for independent analysis based

  1. Multi-spectrometer calibration transfer based on independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan; Xu, Hao; Xia, Zhenzhen; Gong, Zhiyong

    2018-02-26

    Calibration transfer is indispensable for practical applications of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy due to the need for precise and consistent measurements across different spectrometers. In this work, a method for multi-spectrometer calibration transfer is described based on independent component analysis (ICA). A spectral matrix is first obtained by aligning the spectra measured on different spectrometers. Then, by using independent component analysis, the aligned spectral matrix is decomposed into the mixing matrix and the independent components of different spectrometers. These differing measurements between spectrometers can then be standardized by correcting the coefficients within the independent components. Two NIR datasets of corn and edible oil samples measured with three and four spectrometers, respectively, were used to test the reliability of this method. The results of both datasets reveal that spectra measurements across different spectrometers can be transferred simultaneously and that the partial least squares (PLS) models built with the measurements on one spectrometer can predict that the spectra can be transferred correctly on another.

  2. Independent component analysis based filtering for penumbral imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yenwei; Han Xianhua; Nozaki, Shinya

    2004-01-01

    We propose a filtering based on independent component analysis (ICA) for Poisson noise reduction. In the proposed filtering, the image is first transformed to ICA domain and then the noise components are removed by a soft thresholding (shrinkage). The proposed filter, which is used as a preprocessing of the reconstruction, has been successfully applied to penumbral imaging. Both simulation results and experimental results show that the reconstructed image is dramatically improved in comparison to that without the noise-removing filters

  3. Learning Algorithms for Audio and Video Processing: Independent Component Analysis and Support Vector Machine Based Approaches

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Qi, Yuan

    2000-01-01

    In this thesis, we propose two new machine learning schemes, a subband-based Independent Component Analysis scheme and a hybrid Independent Component Analysis/Support Vector Machine scheme, and apply...

  4. Independent component analysis based digital signal processing in coherent optical fiber communication systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiang; Luo, Ming; Qiu, Ying; Alphones, Arokiaswami; Zhong, Wen-De; Yu, Changyuan; Yang, Qi

    2018-02-01

    In this paper, channel equalization techniques for coherent optical fiber transmission systems based on independent component analysis (ICA) are reviewed. The principle of ICA for blind source separation is introduced. The ICA based channel equalization after both single-mode fiber and few-mode fiber transmission for single-carrier and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation formats are investigated, respectively. The performance comparisons with conventional channel equalization techniques are discussed.

  5. Performance of Water-Based Liquid Scintillator: An Independent Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Beznosko

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The water-based liquid scintillator (WbLS is a new material currently under development. It is based on the idea of dissolving the organic scintillator in water using special surfactants. This material strives to achieve the novel detection techniques by combining the Cerenkov rings and scintillation light, as well as the total cost reduction compared to pure liquid scintillator (LS. The independent light yield measurement analysis for the light yield measurements using three different proton beam energies (210 MeV, 475 MeV, and 2000 MeV for water, two different WbLS formulations (0.4% and 0.99%, and pure LS conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA, is presented. The results show that a goal of ~100 optical photons/MeV, indicated by the simulation to be an optimal light yield for observing both the Cerenkov ring and the scintillation light from the proton decay in a large water detector, has been achieved.

  6. Independent component analysis for automatic note extraction from musical trills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Judith C.; Smaragdis, Paris

    2004-05-01

    The method of principal component analysis, which is based on second-order statistics (or linear independence), has long been used for redundancy reduction of audio data. The more recent technique of independent component analysis, enforcing much stricter statistical criteria based on higher-order statistical independence, is introduced and shown to be far superior in separating independent musical sources. This theory has been applied to piano trills and a database of trill rates was assembled from experiments with a computer-driven piano, recordings of a professional pianist, and commercially available compact disks. The method of independent component analysis has thus been shown to be an outstanding, effective means of automatically extracting interesting musical information from a sea of redundant data.

  7. Blind Separation of Acoustic Signals Combining SIMO-Model-Based Independent Component Analysis and Binary Masking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiekata Takashi

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available A new two-stage blind source separation (BSS method for convolutive mixtures of speech is proposed, in which a single-input multiple-output (SIMO-model-based independent component analysis (ICA and a new SIMO-model-based binary masking are combined. SIMO-model-based ICA enables us to separate the mixed signals, not into monaural source signals but into SIMO-model-based signals from independent sources in their original form at the microphones. Thus, the separated signals of SIMO-model-based ICA can maintain the spatial qualities of each sound source. Owing to this attractive property, our novel SIMO-model-based binary masking can be applied to efficiently remove the residual interference components after SIMO-model-based ICA. The experimental results reveal that the separation performance can be considerably improved by the proposed method compared with that achieved by conventional BSS methods. In addition, the real-time implementation of the proposed BSS is illustrated.

  8. Crude oil price analysis and forecasting based on variational mode decomposition and independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    E, Jianwei; Bao, Yanling; Ye, Jimin

    2017-10-01

    As one of the most vital energy resources in the world, crude oil plays a significant role in international economic market. The fluctuation of crude oil price has attracted academic and commercial attention. There exist many methods in forecasting the trend of crude oil price. However, traditional models failed in predicting accurately. Based on this, a hybrid method will be proposed in this paper, which combines variational mode decomposition (VMD), independent component analysis (ICA) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), called VMD-ICA-ARIMA. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence factors of crude oil price and predict the future crude oil price. Major steps can be concluded as follows: Firstly, applying the VMD model on the original signal (crude oil price), the modes function can be decomposed adaptively. Secondly, independent components are separated by the ICA, and how the independent components affect the crude oil price is analyzed. Finally, forecasting the price of crude oil price by the ARIMA model, the forecasting trend demonstrates that crude oil price declines periodically. Comparing with benchmark ARIMA and EEMD-ICA-ARIMA, VMD-ICA-ARIMA can forecast the crude oil price more accurately.

  9. How Many Separable Sources? Model Selection In Independent Components Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Roger P.; Hansen, Lars Kai; Strother, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    Unlike mixtures consisting solely of non-Gaussian sources, mixtures including two or more Gaussian components cannot be separated using standard independent components analysis methods that are based on higher order statistics and independent observations. The mixed Independent Components Analysis/Principal Components Analysis (mixed ICA/PCA) model described here accommodates one or more Gaussian components in the independent components analysis model and uses principal components analysis to characterize contributions from this inseparable Gaussian subspace. Information theory can then be used to select from among potential model categories with differing numbers of Gaussian components. Based on simulation studies, the assumptions and approximations underlying the Akaike Information Criterion do not hold in this setting, even with a very large number of observations. Cross-validation is a suitable, though computationally intensive alternative for model selection. Application of the algorithm is illustrated using Fisher's iris data set and Howells' craniometric data set. Mixed ICA/PCA is of potential interest in any field of scientific investigation where the authenticity of blindly separated non-Gaussian sources might otherwise be questionable. Failure of the Akaike Information Criterion in model selection also has relevance in traditional independent components analysis where all sources are assumed non-Gaussian. PMID:25811988

  10. Independent component analysis in non-hypothesis driven metabolomics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Xiang; Hansen, Jakob; Zhao, Xinjie

    2012-01-01

    In a non-hypothesis driven metabolomics approach plasma samples collected at six different time points (before, during and after an exercise bout) were analyzed by gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS). Since independent component analysis (ICA) does not need a priori...... information on the investigated process and moreover can separate statistically independent source signals with non-Gaussian distribution, we aimed to elucidate the analytical power of ICA for the metabolic pattern analysis and the identification of key metabolites in this exercise study. A novel approach...... based on descriptive statistics was established to optimize ICA model. In the GC-TOF MS data set the number of principal components after whitening and the number of independent components of ICA were optimized and systematically selected by descriptive statistics. The elucidated dominating independent...

  11. Independent component analysis: recent advances

    OpenAIRE

    Hyv?rinen, Aapo

    2013-01-01

    Independent component analysis is a probabilistic method for learning a linear transform of a random vector. The goal is to find components that are maximally independent and non-Gaussian (non-normal). Its fundamental difference to classical multi-variate statistical methods is in the assumption of non-Gaussianity, which enables the identification of original, underlying components, in contrast to classical methods. The basic theory of independent component analysis was mainly developed in th...

  12. Condition monitoring with Mean field independent components analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pontoppidan, Niels Henrik; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur; Larsen, Jan

    2005-01-01

    We discuss condition monitoring based on mean field independent components analysis of acoustic emission energy signals. Within this framework it is possible to formulate a generative model that explains the sources, their mixing and also the noise statistics of the observed signals. By using...... a novelty approach we may detect unseen faulty signals as indeed faulty with high precision, even though the model learns only from normal signals. This is done by evaluating the likelihood that the model generated the signals and adapting a simple threshold for decision. Acoustic emission energy signals...... from a large diesel engine is used to demonstrate this approach. The results show that mean field independent components analysis gives a better detection of fault compared to principal components analysis, while at the same time selecting a more compact model...

  13. Color Independent Components Based SIFT Descriptors for Object/Scene Classification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ai, Dan-Ni; Han, Xian-Hua; Ruan, Xiang; Chen, Yen-Wei

    In this paper, we present a novel color independent components based SIFT descriptor (termed CIC-SIFT) for object/scene classification. We first learn an efficient color transformation matrix based on independent component analysis (ICA), which is adaptive to each category in a database. The ICA-based color transformation can enhance contrast between the objects and the background in an image. Then we compute CIC-SIFT descriptors over all three transformed color independent components. Since the ICA-based color transformation can boost the objects and suppress the background, the proposed CIC-SIFT can extract more effective and discriminative local features for object/scene classification. The comparison is performed among seven SIFT descriptors, and the experimental classification results show that our proposed CIC-SIFT is superior to other conventional SIFT descriptors.

  14. Extracting intrinsic functional networks with feature-based group independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calhoun, Vince D; Allen, Elena

    2013-04-01

    There is increasing use of functional imaging data to understand the macro-connectome of the human brain. Of particular interest is the structure and function of intrinsic networks (regions exhibiting temporally coherent activity both at rest and while a task is being performed), which account for a significant portion of the variance in functional MRI data. While networks are typically estimated based on the temporal similarity between regions (based on temporal correlation, clustering methods, or independent component analysis [ICA]), some recent work has suggested that these intrinsic networks can be extracted from the inter-subject covariation among highly distilled features, such as amplitude maps reflecting regions modulated by a task or even coordinates extracted from large meta analytic studies. In this paper our goal was to explicitly compare the networks obtained from a first-level ICA (ICA on the spatio-temporal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data) to those from a second-level ICA (i.e., ICA on computed features rather than on the first-level fMRI data). Convergent results from simulations, task-fMRI data, and rest-fMRI data show that the second-level analysis is slightly noisier than the first-level analysis but yields strikingly similar patterns of intrinsic networks (spatial correlations as high as 0.85 for task data and 0.65 for rest data, well above the empirical null) and also preserves the relationship of these networks with other variables such as age (for example, default mode network regions tended to show decreased low frequency power for first-level analyses and decreased loading parameters for second-level analyses). In addition, the best-estimated second-level results are those which are the most strongly reflected in the input feature. In summary, the use of feature-based ICA appears to be a valid tool for extracting intrinsic networks. We believe it will become a useful and important approach in the study of the macro

  15. Robust spinal cord resting-state fMRI using independent component analysis-based nuisance regression noise reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yong; Jin, Richu; Li, Guangsheng; Luk, Keith Dk; Wu, Ed X

    2018-04-16

    Physiological noise reduction plays a critical role in spinal cord (SC) resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI). To reduce physiological noise and increase the robustness of SC rsfMRI by using an independent component analysis (ICA)-based nuisance regression (ICANR) method. Retrospective. Ten healthy subjects (female/male = 4/6, age = 27 ± 3 years, range 24-34 years). 3T/gradient-echo echo planar imaging (EPI). We used three alternative methods (no regression [Nil], conventional region of interest [ROI]-based noise reduction method without ICA [ROI-based], and correction of structured noise using spatial independent component analysis [CORSICA]) to compare with the performance of ICANR. Reduction of the influence of physiological noise on the SC and the reproducibility of rsfMRI analysis after noise reduction were examined. The correlation coefficient (CC) was calculated to assess the influence of physiological noise. Reproducibility was calculated by intraclass correlation (ICC). Results from different methods were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc analysis. No significant difference in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation influence or tissue motion influence were found (P = 0.223 in CSF, P = 0.2461 in tissue motion) in the ROI-based (CSF: 0.122 ± 0.020; tissue motion: 0.112 ± 0.015), and Nil (CSF: 0.134 ± 0.026; tissue motion: 0.124 ± 0.019). CORSICA showed a significantly stronger influence of CSF pulsation and tissue motion (CSF: 0.166 ± 0.045, P = 0.048; tissue motion: 0.160 ± 0.032, P = 0.048) than Nil. ICANR showed a significantly weaker influence of CSF pulsation and tissue motion (CSF: 0.076 ± 0.007, P = 0.0003; tissue motion: 0.081 ± 0.014, P = 0.0182) than Nil. The ICC values in the Nil, ROI-based, CORSICA, and ICANR were 0.669, 0.645, 0.561, and 0.766, respectively. ICANR more effectively reduced physiological noise from both tissue motion and CSF pulsation than three alternative methods. ICANR increases the robustness of SC rsf

  16. How Many Separable Sources? Model Selection In Independent Components Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Woods, Roger P.; Hansen, Lars Kai; Strother, Stephen

    2015-01-01

    among potential model categories with differing numbers of Gaussian components. Based on simulation studies, the assumptions and approximations underlying the Akaike Information Criterion do not hold in this setting, even with a very large number of observations. Cross-validation is a suitable, though....../Principal Components Analysis (mixed ICA/PCA) model described here accommodates one or more Gaussian components in the independent components analysis model and uses principal components analysis to characterize contributions from this inseparable Gaussian subspace. Information theory can then be used to select from...... might otherwise be questionable. Failure of the Akaike Information Criterion in model selection also has relevance in traditional independent components analysis where all sources are assumed non-Gaussian....

  17. Are Independent Fiscal Institutions Really Independent?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slawomir Franek

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available In the last decade the number of independent fiscal institutions (known also as fiscal councils has tripled. They play an important oversight role over fiscal policy-making in democratic societies, especially as they seek to restore public finance stability in the wake of the recent financial crisis. Although common functions of such institutions include a role in analysis of fiscal policy, forecasting, monitoring compliance with fiscal rules or costing of spending proposals, their roles, resources and structures vary considerably across countries. The aim of the article is to determine the degree of independence of such institutions based on the analysis of the independence index of independent fiscal institutions. The analysis of this index values may be useful to determine the relations between the degree of independence of fiscal councils and fiscal performance of particular countries. The data used to calculate the index values will be derived from European Commission and IMF, which collect sets of information about characteristics of activity of fiscal councils.

  18. Towards automatic music transcription: note extraction based on independent subspace analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wellhausen, Jens; Hoynck, Michael

    2005-01-01

    Due to the increasing amount of music available electronically the need of automatic search, retrieval and classification systems for music becomes more and more important. In this paper an algorithm for automatic transcription of polyphonic piano music into MIDI data is presented, which is a very interesting basis for database applications, music analysis and music classification. The first part of the algorithm performs a note accurate temporal audio segmentation. In the second part, the resulting segments are examined using Independent Subspace Analysis to extract sounding notes. Finally, the results are used to build a MIDI file as a new representation of the piece of music which is examined.

  19. Is Cognitive Activity of Speech Based On Statistical Independence?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Feng, Ling; Hansen, Lars Kai

    2008-01-01

    This paper explores the generality of COgnitive Component Analysis (COCA), which is defined as the process of unsupervised grouping of data such that the ensuing group structure is well-aligned with that resulting from human cognitive activity. The hypothesis of {COCA} is ecological......: the essentially independent features in a context defined ensemble can be efficiently coded using a sparse independent component representation. Our devised protocol aims at comparing the performance of supervised learning (invoking cognitive activity) and unsupervised learning (statistical regularities) based...... on similar representations, and the only difference lies in the human inferred labels. Inspired by the previous research on COCA, we introduce a new pair of models, which directly employ the independent hypothesis. Statistical regularities are revealed at multiple time scales on phoneme, gender, age...

  20. Bayesian Independent Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Ole; Petersen, Kaare Brandt

    2007-01-01

    In this paper we present an empirical Bayesian framework for independent component analysis. The framework provides estimates of the sources, the mixing matrix and the noise parameters, and is flexible with respect to choice of source prior and the number of sources and sensors. Inside the engine...

  1. Gaussian process based independent analysis for temporal source separation in fMRI

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hald, Ditte Høvenhoff; Henao, Ricardo; Winther, Ole

    2017-01-01

    Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) gives us a unique insight into the processes of the brain, and opens up for analyzing the functional activation patterns of the underlying sources. Task-inferred supervised learning with restrictive assumptions in the regression set-up, restricts...... the exploratory nature of the analysis. Fully unsupervised independent component analysis (ICA) algorithms, on the other hand, can struggle to detect clear classifiable components on single-subject data. We attribute this shortcoming to inadequate modeling of the fMRI source signals by failing to incorporate its...

  2. A Novel Method for Surface Defect Detection of Photovoltaic Module Based on Independent Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuewu Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposed a new method for surface defect detection of photovoltaic module based on independent component analysis (ICA reconstruction algorithm. Firstly, a faultless image is used as the training image. The demixing matrix and corresponding ICs are obtained by applying the ICA in the training image. Then we reorder the ICs according to the range values and reform the de-mixing matrix. Then the reformed de-mixing matrix is used to reconstruct the defect image. The resulting image can remove the background structures and enhance the local anomalies. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method can effectively detect the presence of defects in periodically patterned surfaces.

  3. Signal-dependent independent component analysis by tunable mother wavelets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Kyung Ho

    2006-02-01

    The objective of this study is to improve the standard independent component analysis when applied to real-world signals. Independent component analysis starts from the assumption that signals from different physical sources are statistically independent. But real-world signals such as EEG, ECG, MEG, and fMRI signals are not statistically independent perfectly. By definition, standard independent component analysis algorithms are not able to estimate statistically dependent sources, that is, when the assumption of independence does not hold. Therefore before independent component analysis, some preprocessing stage is needed. This paper started from simple intuition that wavelet transformed source signals by 'well-tuned' mother wavelet will be simplified sufficiently, and then the source separation will show better results. By the correlation coefficient method, the tuning process between source signal and tunable mother wavelet was executed. Gamma component of raw EEG signal was set to target signal, and wavelet transform was executed by tuned mother wavelet and standard mother wavelets. Simulation results by these wavelets was shown

  4. Device-independent bit commitment based on the CHSH inequality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aharon, N; Massar, S; Pironio, S; Silman, J

    2016-01-01

    Bit commitment and coin flipping occupy a unique place in the device-independent landscape, as the only device-independent protocols thus far suggested for these tasks are reliant on tripartite GHZ correlations. Indeed, we know of no other bipartite tasks, which admit a device-independent formulation, but which are not known to be implementable using only bipartite nonlocality. Another interesting feature of these protocols is that the pseudo-telepathic nature of GHZ correlations—in contrast to the generally statistical character of nonlocal correlations, such as those arising in the violation of the CHSH inequality—is essential to their formulation and analysis. In this work, we present a device-independent bit commitment protocol based on CHSH testing, which achieves the same security as the optimal GHZ-based protocol, albeit at the price of fixing the time at which Alice reveals her commitment. The protocol is analyzed in the most general settings, where the devices are used repeatedly and may have long-term quantum memory. We also recast the protocol in a post-quantum setting where both honest and dishonest parties are restricted only by the impossibility of signaling, and find that overall the supra-quantum structure allows for greater security. (paper)

  5. Kernel-based tests for joint independence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pfister, Niklas; Bühlmann, Peter; Schölkopf, Bernhard

    2018-01-01

    if the $d$ variables are jointly independent, as long as the kernel is characteristic. Based on an empirical estimate of dHSIC, we define three different non-parametric hypothesis tests: a permutation test, a bootstrap test and a test based on a Gamma approximation. We prove that the permutation test......We investigate the problem of testing whether $d$ random variables, which may or may not be continuous, are jointly (or mutually) independent. Our method builds on ideas of the two variable Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (HSIC) but allows for an arbitrary number of variables. We embed...... the $d$-dimensional joint distribution and the product of the marginals into a reproducing kernel Hilbert space and define the $d$-variable Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (dHSIC) as the squared distance between the embeddings. In the population case, the value of dHSIC is zero if and only...

  6. Constrained independent component analysis approach to nonobtrusive pulse rate measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsouri, Gill R.; Kyal, Survi; Dianat, Sohail; Mestha, Lalit K.

    2012-07-01

    Nonobtrusive pulse rate measurement using a webcam is considered. We demonstrate how state-of-the-art algorithms based on independent component analysis suffer from a sorting problem which hinders their performance, and propose a novel algorithm based on constrained independent component analysis to improve performance. We present how the proposed algorithm extracts a photoplethysmography signal and resolves the sorting problem. In addition, we perform a comparative study between the proposed algorithm and state-of-the-art algorithms over 45 video streams using a finger probe oxymeter for reference measurements. The proposed algorithm provides improved accuracy: the root mean square error is decreased from 20.6 and 9.5 beats per minute (bpm) for existing algorithms to 3.5 bpm for the proposed algorithm. An error of 3.5 bpm is within the inaccuracy expected from the reference measurements. This implies that the proposed algorithm provided performance of equal accuracy to the finger probe oximeter.

  7. Spatiotemporal analysis of single-trial EEG of emotional pictures based on independent component analysis and source location

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jiangang; Tian, Jie

    2007-03-01

    The present study combined the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) algorithms to identify the spatial distribution and time course of single-trial EEG record differences between neural responses to emotional stimuli vs. the neutral. Single-trial multichannel (129-sensor) EEG records were collected from 21 healthy, right-handed subjects viewing the emotion emotional (pleasant/unpleasant) and neutral pictures selected from International Affective Picture System (IAPS). For each subject, the single-trial EEG records of each emotional pictures were concatenated with the neutral, and a three-step analysis was applied to each of them in the same way. First, the ICA was performed to decompose each concatenated single-trial EEG records into temporally independent and spatially fixed components, namely independent components (ICs). The IC associated with artifacts were isolated. Second, the clustering analysis classified, across subjects, the temporally and spatially similar ICs into the same clusters, in which nonparametric permutation test for Global Field Power (GFP) of IC projection scalp maps identified significantly different temporal segments of each emotional condition vs. neutral. Third, the brain regions accounted for those significant segments were localized spatially with LORETA analysis. In each cluster, a voxel-by-voxel randomization test identified significantly different brain regions between each emotional condition vs. the neutral. Compared to the neutral, both emotional pictures elicited activation in the visual, temporal, ventromedial and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulated gyrus. In addition, the pleasant pictures activated the left middle prefrontal cortex and the posterior precuneus, while the unpleasant pictures activated the right orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulated gyrus and somatosensory region. Our results were well consistent with other functional imaging

  8. Functional Connectivity Parcellation of the Human Thalamus by Independent Component Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sheng; Li, Chiang-Shan R

    2017-11-01

    As a key structure to relay and integrate information, the thalamus supports multiple cognitive and affective functions through the connectivity between its subnuclei and cortical and subcortical regions. Although extant studies have largely described thalamic regional functions in anatomical terms, evidence accumulates to suggest a more complex picture of subareal activities and connectivities of the thalamus. In this study, we aimed to parcellate the thalamus and examine whole-brain connectivity of its functional clusters. With resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 96 adults, we used independent component analysis (ICA) to parcellate the thalamus into 10 components. On the basis of the independence assumption, ICA helps to identify how subclusters overlap spatially. Whole brain functional connectivity of each subdivision was computed for independent component's time course (ICtc), which is a unique time series to represent an IC. For comparison, we computed seed-region-based functional connectivity using the averaged time course across all voxels within a thalamic subdivision. The results showed that, at p analysis, ICtc analysis revealed patterns of connectivity that were more distinguished between thalamic clusters. ICtc analysis demonstrated thalamic connectivity to the primary motor cortex, which has eluded the analysis as well as previous studies based on averaged time series, and clarified thalamic connectivity to the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and precuneus. The new findings elucidate functional organization of the thalamus and suggest that ICA clustering in combination with ICtc rather than seed-region analysis better distinguishes whole-brain connectivities among functional clusters of a brain region.

  9. A Comparative Analysis of Corporate and Independent Foundations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justin Koushyar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Notwithstanding some visible debates, systematic evidence about the implications of greater corporate involvement in the social sector is sparse. We provide some of this evidence by examining one channel of corporate influence within the nonprofit sector–company sponsorship of philanthropic foundations. Our analysis shows that corporate foundations raise more funds and distribute grants with lower overhead than similar independent (i.e., non-corporate foundations. However, their grantmaking is also more dispersed and less relational, and they tend to be governed by more ephemeral groups of officers and trustees. These findings suggest that corporate foundations benefit from having access to the resources of the companies that sponsor them but are constrained by their additional market-based motivations. The findings also update and refine what nonprofits might expect from corporate foundations relative to their more traditional independent counterparts.

  10. Systems analysis-independent analysis and verification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Badin, J.S.; DiPietro, J.P. [Energetics, Inc., Columbia, MD (United States)

    1995-09-01

    The DOE Hydrogen Program is supporting research, development, and demonstration activities to overcome the barriers to the integration of hydrogen into the Nation`s energy infrastructure. Much work is required to gain acceptance of hydrogen energy system concepts and to develop them for implementation. A systems analysis database has been created that includes a formal documentation of technology characterization profiles and cost and performance information. Through a systematic and quantitative approach, system developers can understand and address important issues and thereby assure effective and timely commercial implementation. This project builds upon and expands the previously developed and tested pathway model and provides the basis for a consistent and objective analysis of all hydrogen energy concepts considered by the DOE Hydrogen Program Manager. This project can greatly accelerate the development of a system by minimizing the risk of costly design evolutions, and by stimulating discussions, feedback, and coordination of key players and allows them to assess the analysis, evaluate the trade-offs, and to address any emerging problem areas. Specific analytical studies will result in the validation of the competitive feasibility of the proposed system and identify system development needs. Systems that are investigated include hydrogen bromine electrolysis, municipal solid waste gasification, electro-farming (biomass gasifier and PEM fuel cell), wind/hydrogen hybrid system for remote sites, home electrolysis and alternate infrastructure options, renewable-based electrolysis to fuel PEM fuel cell vehicle fleet, and geothermal energy used to produce hydrogen. These systems are compared to conventional and benchmark technologies. Interim results and findings are presented. Independent analyses emphasize quality, integrity, objectivity, a long-term perspective, corporate memory, and the merging of technical, economic, operational, and programmatic expertise.

  11. Determining the optimal number of independent components for reproducible transcriptomic data analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kairov, Ulykbek; Cantini, Laura; Greco, Alessandro; Molkenov, Askhat; Czerwinska, Urszula; Barillot, Emmanuel; Zinovyev, Andrei

    2017-09-11

    Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is a method that models gene expression data as an action of a set of statistically independent hidden factors. The output of ICA depends on a fundamental parameter: the number of components (factors) to compute. The optimal choice of this parameter, related to determining the effective data dimension, remains an open question in the application of blind source separation techniques to transcriptomic data. Here we address the question of optimizing the number of statistically independent components in the analysis of transcriptomic data for reproducibility of the components in multiple runs of ICA (within the same or within varying effective dimensions) and in multiple independent datasets. To this end, we introduce ranking of independent components based on their stability in multiple ICA computation runs and define a distinguished number of components (Most Stable Transcriptome Dimension, MSTD) corresponding to the point of the qualitative change of the stability profile. Based on a large body of data, we demonstrate that a sufficient number of dimensions is required for biological interpretability of the ICA decomposition and that the most stable components with ranks below MSTD have more chances to be reproduced in independent studies compared to the less stable ones. At the same time, we show that a transcriptomics dataset can be reduced to a relatively high number of dimensions without losing the interpretability of ICA, even though higher dimensions give rise to components driven by small gene sets. We suggest a protocol of ICA application to transcriptomics data with a possibility of prioritizing components with respect to their reproducibility that strengthens the biological interpretation. Computing too few components (much less than MSTD) is not optimal for interpretability of the results. The components ranked within MSTD range have more chances to be reproduced in independent studies.

  12. The Research of Multiple Attenuation Based on Feedback Iteration and Independent Component Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, X.; Tong, S.; Wang, L.

    2017-12-01

    How to solve the problem of multiple suppression is a difficult problem in seismic data processing. The traditional technology for multiple attenuation is based on the principle of the minimum output energy of the seismic signal, this criterion is based on the second order statistics, and it can't achieve the multiple attenuation when the primaries and multiples are non-orthogonal. In order to solve the above problems, we combine the feedback iteration method based on the wave equation and the improved independent component analysis (ICA) based on high order statistics to suppress the multiple waves. We first use iterative feedback method to predict the free surface multiples of each order. Then, in order to predict multiples from real multiple in amplitude and phase, we design an expanded pseudo multi-channel matching filtering method to get a more accurate matching multiple result. Finally, we present the improved fast ICA algorithm which is based on the maximum non-Gauss criterion of output signal to the matching multiples and get better separation results of the primaries and the multiples. The advantage of our method is that we don't need any priori information to the prediction of the multiples, and can have a better separation result. The method has been applied to several synthetic data generated by finite-difference model technique and the Sigsbee2B model multiple data, the primaries and multiples are non-orthogonal in these models. The experiments show that after three to four iterations, we can get the perfect multiple results. Using our matching method and Fast ICA adaptive multiple subtraction, we can not only effectively preserve the effective wave energy in seismic records, but also can effectively suppress the free surface multiples, especially the multiples related to the middle and deep areas.

  13. Entropy-based automated classification of independent components separated from fMCG

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Comani, S; Srinivasan, V; Alleva, G; Romani, G L

    2007-01-01

    Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG) is a noninvasive technique suitable for the prenatal diagnosis of the fetal heart function. Reliable fetal cardiac signals can be reconstructed from multi-channel fMCG recordings by means of independent component analysis (ICA). However, the identification of the separated components is usually accomplished by visual inspection. This paper discusses a novel automated system based on entropy estimators, namely approximate entropy (ApEn) and sample entropy (SampEn), for the classification of independent components (ICs). The system was validated on 40 fMCG datasets of normal fetuses with the gestational age ranging from 22 to 37 weeks. Both ApEn and SampEn were able to measure the stability and predictability of the physiological signals separated with ICA, and the entropy values of the three categories were significantly different at p <0.01. The system performances were compared with those of a method based on the analysis of the time and frequency content of the components. The outcomes of this study showed a superior performance of the entropy-based system, in particular for early gestation, with an overall ICs detection rate of 98.75% and 97.92% for ApEn and SampEn respectively, as against a value of 94.50% obtained with the time-frequency-based system. (note)

  14. Techniques to extract physical modes in model-independent analysis of rings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, C.-X.

    2004-01-01

    A basic goal of Model-Independent Analysis is to extract the physical modes underlying the beam histories collected at a large number of beam position monitors so that beam dynamics and machine properties can be deduced independent of specific machine models. Here we discuss techniques to achieve this goal, especially the Principal Component Analysis and the Independent Component Analysis.

  15. A Priori Implementation Effort Estimation for HW Design Based on Independent-Path Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abildgren, Rasmus; Diguet, Jean-Philippe; Bomel, Pierre

    2008-01-01

    that with the proposed approach it is possible to estimate the hardware implementation effort. This approach, part of our light design space exploration concept, is implemented in our framework ‘‘Design-Trotter'' and offers a new type of tool that can help designers and managers to reduce the time-to-market factor......This paper presents a metric-based approach for estimating the hardware implementation effort (in terms of time) for an application in relation to the number of linear-independent paths of its algorithms. We exploit the relation between the number of edges and linear-independent paths...... in an algorithm and the corresponding implementation effort. We propose an adaptation of the concept of cyclomatic complexity, complemented with a correction function to take designers' learning curve and experience into account. Our experimental results, composed of a training and a validation phase, show...

  16. Bridge Diagnosis by Using Nonlinear Independent Component Analysis and Displacement Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Juanqing; Yeh, Yichun; Ogai, Harutoshi

    A daily diagnosis system for bridge monitoring and maintenance is developed based on wireless sensors, signal processing, structure analysis, and displacement analysis. The vibration acceleration data of a bridge are firstly collected through the wireless sensor network by exerting. Nonlinear independent component analysis (ICA) and spectral analysis are used to extract the vibration frequencies of the bridge. After that, through a band pass filter and Simpson's rule the vibration displacement is calculated and the vibration model is obtained to diagnose the bridge. Since linear ICA algorithms work efficiently only in linear mixing environments, a nonlinear ICA model, which is more complicated, is more practical for bridge diagnosis systems. In this paper, we firstly use the post nonlinear method to change the signal data, after that perform linear separation by FastICA, and calculate the vibration displacement of the bridge. The processed data can be used to understand phenomena like corrosion and crack, and evaluate the health condition of the bridge. We apply this system to Nakajima Bridge in Yahata, Kitakyushu, Japan.

  17. A Parcellation Based Nonparametric Algorithm for Independent Component Analysis with Application to fMRI Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanshan eLi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Independent Component analysis (ICA is a widely used technique for separating signals that have been mixed together. In this manuscript, we propose a novel ICA algorithm using density estimation and maximum likelihood, where the densities of the signals are estimated via p-spline based histogram smoothing and the mixing matrix is simultaneously estimated using an optimization algorithm. The algorithm is exceedingly simple, easy to implement and blind to the underlying distributions of the source signals. To relax the identically distributed assumption in the density function, a modified algorithm is proposed to allow for different density functions on different regions. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated in different simulation settings. For illustration, the algorithm is applied to a research investigation with a large collection of resting state fMRI datasets. The results show that the algorithm successfully recovers the established brain networks.

  18. Coincident In Vitro Analysis of DNA-PK-Dependent and -Independent Nonhomologous End Joining

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia L. Hendrickson

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In mammalian cells, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs are primarily repaired by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ. The current model suggests that the Ku 70/80 heterodimer binds to DSB ends and recruits DNA-PKcs to form the active DNA-dependent protein kinase, DNA-PK. Subsequently, XRCC4, DNA ligase IV, XLF and most likely, other unidentified components participate in the final DSB ligation step. Therefore, DNA-PK plays a key role in NHEJ due to its structural and regulatory functions that mediate DSB end joining. However, recent studies show that additional DNA-PK-independent NHEJ pathways also exist. Unfortunately, the presence of DNA-PKcs appears to inhibit DNA-PK-independent NHEJ, and in vitro analysis of DNA-PK-independent NHEJ in the presence of the DNA-PKcs protein remains problematic. We have developed an in vitro assay that is preferentially active for DNA-PK-independent DSB repair based solely on its reaction conditions, facilitating coincident differential biochemical analysis of the two pathways. The results indicate the biochemically distinct nature of the end-joining mechanisms represented by the DNA-PK-dependent and -independent NHEJ assays as well as functional differences between the two pathways.

  19. The finite sample performance of estimators for mediation analysis under sequential conditional independence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huber, Martin; Lechner, Michael; Mellace, Giovanni

    Using a comprehensive simulation study based on empirical data, this paper investigates the finite sample properties of different classes of parametric and semi-parametric estimators of (natural) direct and indirect causal effects used in mediation analysis under sequential conditional independence...

  20. Phase advance and β function measurements using model-independent analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Chun-xi Wang; Vadim Sajaev; Chih-Yuan Yao

    2003-01-01

    Phase advance and β function are basic lattice functions characterizing the linear properties of an accelerator lattice. Accurate and efficient measurements of these quantities are important for commissioning and operating a machine. For rings with little coupling, we report a new method to measure these lattice functions based on the model-independent analysis technique, which uses beam histories of excited betatron oscillations measured simultaneously at a large number of beam position moni...

  1. Functional connectivity analysis of the neural bases of emotion regulation: A comparison of independent component method with density-based k-means clustering method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Ling; Guo, Qian; Xu, Yi; Yang, Biao; Jiao, Zhuqing; Xiang, Jianbo

    2016-04-29

    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an important tool in neuroscience for assessing connectivity and interactions between distant areas of the brain. To find and characterize the coherent patterns of brain activity as a means of identifying brain systems for the cognitive reappraisal of the emotion task, both density-based k-means clustering and independent component analysis (ICA) methods can be applied to characterize the interactions between brain regions involved in cognitive reappraisal of emotion. Our results reveal that compared with the ICA method, the density-based k-means clustering method provides a higher sensitivity of polymerization. In addition, it is more sensitive to those relatively weak functional connection regions. Thus, the study concludes that in the process of receiving emotional stimuli, the relatively obvious activation areas are mainly distributed in the frontal lobe, cingulum and near the hypothalamus. Furthermore, density-based k-means clustering method creates a more reliable method for follow-up studies of brain functional connectivity.

  2. Separation of GRACE geoid time-variations using Independent Component Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frappart, F.; Ramillien, G.; Maisongrande, P.; Bonnet, M.

    2009-12-01

    Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is a blind separation method based on the simple assumptions of the independence of the sources and the non-Gaussianity of the observations. An approach based on this numerical method is used here to extract hydrological signals over land and oceans from the polluting striping noise due to orbit repetitiveness and present in the GRACE global mass anomalies. We took advantage of the availability of monthly Level-2 solutions from three official providers (i.e., CSR, JPL and GFZ) that can be considered as different observations of the same phenomenon. The efficiency of the methodology is first demonstrated on a synthetic case. Applied to one month of GRACE solutions, it allows to clearly separate the total water storage change from the meridional-oriented spurious gravity signals on the continents but not on the oceans. This technique gives results equivalent as the destriping method for continental water storage for the hydrological patterns with less smoothing. This methodology is then used to filter the complete series of the 2002-2009 GRACE solutions.

  3. Tomato sorting using independent component analysis on spectral images

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Polder, G.; Heijden, van der G.W.A.M.; Young, I.T.

    2003-01-01

    Independent Component Analysis is one of the most widely used methods for blind source separation. In this paper we use this technique to estimate the most important compounds which play a role in the ripening of tomatoes. Spectral images of tomatoes were analyzed. Two main independent components

  4. Diagnosis of Connective Tissue Disorders based on Independent Component Analysis of Aortic Shape and Motion from 4D MR Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Michael Sass; Zhao, Fei; Zhang, Honghai

    2006-01-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is employed for com\\$\\backslash\\$-puter-aided diagnosis (CAD) allowing objective identification of subjects with connective tissue disorder from 4D aortic MR images. Stationary independent components assist in the disease detection, which is the first...

  5. Source-Based Tasks in Writing Independent and Integrated Essays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Gholami

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Integrated writing tasks have gained considerable attention in ESL and EFL writing assessment and are frequently needed and used in academic settings and daily life. However, they are very rarely practiced and promoted in writing classes. This paper explored the effects of source-based writing practice on EFL learners’ composing abilities and investigated the probable differences between those tasks and independent writing ones in improving Iranian EFL learners’ essay writing abilities. To this end, a quasi-experimental design was implemented to gauge EFL learners’ writing improvements using a pretest-posttest layout. Twenty female learners taking a TOEFL iBT preparation course were randomly divided into an only-writing group with just independent writing instruction and essay practice, and a hybrid-writing-approach group receiving instruction and practice on independent writing plus source-based essay writing for ten sessions. Based on the findings, the participants with hybrid writing practice outperformed their counterparts in integrated essay tests. Their superior performance was not observed in the case of traditional independent writing tasks. The present study calls for incorporating more source-based writing tasks in writing courses.

  6. A Spline-Based Lack-Of-Fit Test for Independent Variable Effect in Poisson Regression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chin-Shang; Tu, Wanzhu

    2007-05-01

    In regression analysis of count data, independent variables are often modeled by their linear effects under the assumption of log-linearity. In reality, the validity of such an assumption is rarely tested, and its use is at times unjustifiable. A lack-of-fit test is proposed for the adequacy of a postulated functional form of an independent variable within the framework of semiparametric Poisson regression models based on penalized splines. It offers added flexibility in accommodating the potentially non-loglinear effect of the independent variable. A likelihood ratio test is constructed for the adequacy of the postulated parametric form, for example log-linearity, of the independent variable effect. Simulations indicate that the proposed model performs well, and misspecified parametric model has much reduced power. An example is given.

  7. Independent component analysis-based artefact reduction: application to the electrocardiogram for improved magnetic resonance imaging triggering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oster, Julien; Pietquin, Olivier; Felblinger, Jacques; Abächerli, Roger; Kraemer, Michel

    2009-01-01

    Electrocardiogram (ECG) is required during magnetic resonance (MR) examination for monitoring patients under anaesthesia or with heart diseases and for synchronizing image acquisition with heart activity (triggering). Accurate and fast QRS detection is therefore desirable, but this task is complicated by artefacts related to the complex MR environment (high magnetic field, radio-frequency pulses and fast switching magnetic gradients). Specific signal processing has been proposed, whether using specific MR QRS detectors or ECG denoising methods. Most state-of-the-art techniques use a connection to the MR system for achieving their task, which is a major drawback since access to the MR system is often restricted. This paper introduces a new method for on-line ECG signal enhancement, called ICARE, which takes advantage of using multi-lead ECG and does not require any connection to the MR system. It is based on independent component analysis (ICA) and applied in real time. This algorithm yields accurate QRS detection for efficient triggering

  8. Independent component analysis for understanding multimedia content

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolenda, Thomas; Hansen, Lars Kai; Larsen, Jan

    2002-01-01

    Independent component analysis of combined text and image data from Web pages has potential for search and retrieval applications by providing more meaningful and context dependent content. It is demonstrated that ICA of combined text and image features has a synergistic effect, i.e., the retrieval...

  9. Data-Independent Acquisition-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Potential Biomarkers of Kidney Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yimeng; Zhong, Lijun; Zhou, Juntuo; Lu, Min; Xing, Tianying; Ma, Lulin; Shen, Jing

    2017-12-01

    Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant and metastatic cancer with 95% mortality, and clear cell RCC (ccRCC) is the most observed among the five major subtypes of RCC. Specific biomarkers that can distinguish cancer tissues from adjacent normal tissues should be developed to diagnose this disease in early stages and conduct a reliable prognostic evaluation. Data-independent acquisition (DIA) strategy has been widely employed in proteomic analysis because of various advantages, including enhanced protein coverage and reliable data acquisition. In this study, a DIA workflow is constructed on a quadrupole-Orbitrap LC-MS platform to reveal dysregulated proteins between ccRCC and adjacent normal tissues. More than 4000 proteins are identified, 436 of these proteins are dysregulated in ccRCC tissues. Bioinformatic analysis reveals that multiple pathways and Gene Ontology items are strongly associated with ccRCC. The expression levels of L-lactate dehydrogenase A chain, annexin A4, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, and perilipin-2 examined through RT-qPCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry confirm the validity of the proteomic analysis results. The proposed DIA workflow yields optimum time efficiency and data reliability and provides a good choice for proteomic analysis in biological and clinical studies, and these dysregulated proteins might be potential biomarkers for ccRCC diagnosis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Effect of PVRC damping with independent support motion response spectrum analysis of piping systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.K.; Bezler, P.; Shteyngart, S.

    1986-01-01

    The Technical Committee for Piping Systems of the Pressure Vessel Research Committee (PVRC) has recommended new damping values to be used in the seismic analyses of piping systems in nuclear power plants. To evaluate the effects of coupling these recommendations with the use of independent support motion analyses methods, two sets of seismic analyses have been carried out for several piping systems. One set based on the use of uniform damping as specified in Regulatory Guide 1.61, the other based on the PVRC recommendations. In each set the analyses were performed using independent support motion time history and response spectrum methods as well as the envelope spectrum method. In the independent response spectrum analyses, 14 response estimates were in fact obtained by considering different combination procedures between the support group contributions and all sequences of combinations between support groups, modes and directions. For each analysis set, the response spectrum results were compared with time history estimates of those results. Comparison tables were then prepared depicting the percentage by which the response spectrum estimates exceeded the time history estimates. By comparing the result tables between both analysis sets, the impact of PVRC damping can be observed. Preliminary results show that the degree of exceedance of the response spectrum estimates based on PVRC damping is less than that based on uniform damping for the same piping problem. Expressed differently the results obtained if ISM methods are coupled with PVRC damping are not as conservative as those obtained using uniform damping

  11. Unified Balance Scale: an activity-based, bed to community, and aetiology-independent measure of balance calibrated with Rasch analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Porta, Fabio; Franceschini, Marco; Caselli, Serena; Cavallini, Paola; Susassi, Sonia; Tennant, Alan

    2011-04-01

    To build a new activity-based, "bed to community", aetiology-independent measure of balance within the neurological rehabilitation setting by merging some existing scales. Balance scales were selected using a conceptual framework and subsequently administered to a convenience sample of adult patients with balance problems due to different neurological aetiologies. Data were then processed using classical psychometric analyses and Rasch analysis in order to construct a new balance measurement tool. The Berg Balance Scale, the Tinetti Scales and the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale were selected and administered to a sample of patients, giving 302 observations. Classical psychometric analyses (item and scale analysis; confirmatory factor analysis) were undertaken on the pooled 40-item set with confirmation of unidimensionality. The subsequent Rasch analysis allowed the identification of a 27-item set satisfying the Rasch Model's requirements for fundamental measurement, with further confirmation of unidimensionality by post-hoc confirmatory factor analysis. The new scale (Unified Balance Scale) holds proven measurement properties and may be a candidate tool for "bed to community" balance measurement for patients with balance problems within the neuro-rehabilitation setting. Future studies are warranted to explore further its external validity and other clinical properties, as well as to improve its usability.

  12. Denoising of chaotic signal using independent component analysis and empirical mode decomposition with circulate translating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Wen-Bo; Zhang Xiao-Dong; Chang Yuchan; Wang Xiang-Li; Wang Zhao; Chen Xi; Zheng Lei

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, a new method to reduce noises within chaotic signals based on ICA (independent component analysis) and EMD (empirical mode decomposition) is proposed. The basic idea is decomposing chaotic signals and constructing multidimensional input vectors, firstly, on the base of EMD and its translation invariance. Secondly, it makes the independent component analysis on the input vectors, which means that a self adapting denoising is carried out for the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) of chaotic signals. Finally, all IMFs compose the new denoised chaotic signal. Experiments on the Lorenz chaotic signal composed of different Gaussian noises and the monthly observed chaotic sequence on sunspots were put into practice. The results proved that the method proposed in this paper is effective in denoising of chaotic signals. Moreover, it can correct the center point in the phase space effectively, which makes it approach the real track of the chaotic attractor. (paper)

  13. Measurement-Device Independency Analysis of Continuous-Variable Quantum Digital Signature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Shang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available With the practical implementation of continuous-variable quantum cryptographic protocols, security problems resulting from measurement-device loopholes are being given increasing attention. At present, research on measurement-device independency analysis is limited in quantum key distribution protocols, while there exist different security problems for different protocols. Considering the importance of quantum digital signature in quantum cryptography, in this paper, we attempt to analyze the measurement-device independency of continuous-variable quantum digital signature, especially continuous-variable quantum homomorphic signature. Firstly, we calculate the upper bound of the error rate of a protocol. If it is negligible on condition that all measurement devices are untrusted, the protocol is deemed to be measurement-device-independent. Then, we simplify the calculation by using the characteristics of continuous variables and prove the measurement-device independency of the protocol according to the calculation result. In addition, the proposed analysis method can be extended to other quantum cryptographic protocols besides continuous-variable quantum homomorphic signature.

  14. Fetal ECG extraction using independent component analysis by Jade approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giraldo-Guzmán, Jader; Contreras-Ortiz, Sonia H.; Lasprilla, Gloria Isabel Bautista; Kotas, Marian

    2017-11-01

    Fetal ECG monitoring is a useful method to assess the fetus health and detect abnormal conditions. In this paper we propose an approach to extract fetal ECG from abdomen and chest signals using independent component analysis based on the joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrices approach. The JADE approach avoids redundancy, what reduces matrix dimension and computational costs. Signals were filtered with a high pass filter to eliminate low frequency noise. Several levels of decomposition were tested until the fetal ECG was recognized in one of the separated sources output. The proposed method shows fast and good performance.

  15. Model Independent Analysis of Beam Centroid Dynamics in Accelerators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Chun-xi

    2003-01-01

    Fundamental issues in Beam-Position-Monitor (BPM)-based beam dynamics observations are studied in this dissertation. The major topic is the Model-Independent Analysis (MIA) of beam centroid dynamics. Conventional beam dynamics analysis requires a certain machine model, which itself of ten needs to be refined by beam measurements. Instead of using any particular machine model, MIA relies on a statistical analysis of the vast amount of BPM data that often can be collected non-invasively during normal machine operation. There are two major parts in MIA. One is noise reduction and degrees-of-freedom analysis using a singular value decomposition of a BPM-data matrix, which constitutes a principal component analysis of BPM data. The other is a physical base decomposition of the BPM-data matrix based on the time structure of pulse-by-pulse beam and/or machine parameters. The combination of these two methods allows one to break the resolution limit set by individual BPMs and observe beam dynamics at more accurate levels. A physical base decomposition is particularly useful for understanding various beam dynamics issues. MIA improves observation and analysis of beam dynamics and thus leads to better understanding and control of beams in both linacs and rings. The statistical nature of MIA makes it potentially useful in other fields. Another important topic discussed in this dissertation is the measurement of a nonlinear Poincare section (one-turn) map in circular accelerators. The beam dynamics in a ring is intrinsically nonlinear. In fact, nonlinearities are a major factor that limits stability and influences the dynamics of halos. The Poincare section map plays a basic role in characterizing and analyzing such a periodic nonlinear system. Although many kinds of nonlinear beam dynamics experiments have been conducted, no direct measurement of a nonlinear map has been reported for a ring in normal operation mode. This dissertation analyzes various issues concerning map

  16. Model Independent Analysis of Beam Centroid Dynamics in Accelerators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Chun-xi

    2003-04-21

    Fundamental issues in Beam-Position-Monitor (BPM)-based beam dynamics observations are studied in this dissertation. The major topic is the Model-Independent Analysis (MIA) of beam centroid dynamics. Conventional beam dynamics analysis requires a certain machine model, which itself of ten needs to be refined by beam measurements. Instead of using any particular machine model, MIA relies on a statistical analysis of the vast amount of BPM data that often can be collected non-invasively during normal machine operation. There are two major parts in MIA. One is noise reduction and degrees-of-freedom analysis using a singular value decomposition of a BPM-data matrix, which constitutes a principal component analysis of BPM data. The other is a physical base decomposition of the BPM-data matrix based on the time structure of pulse-by-pulse beam and/or machine parameters. The combination of these two methods allows one to break the resolution limit set by individual BPMs and observe beam dynamics at more accurate levels. A physical base decomposition is particularly useful for understanding various beam dynamics issues. MIA improves observation and analysis of beam dynamics and thus leads to better understanding and control of beams in both linacs and rings. The statistical nature of MIA makes it potentially useful in other fields. Another important topic discussed in this dissertation is the measurement of a nonlinear Poincare section (one-turn) map in circular accelerators. The beam dynamics in a ring is intrinsically nonlinear. In fact, nonlinearities are a major factor that limits stability and influences the dynamics of halos. The Poincare section map plays a basic role in characterizing and analyzing such a periodic nonlinear system. Although many kinds of nonlinear beam dynamics experiments have been conducted, no direct measurement of a nonlinear map has been reported for a ring in normal operation mode. This dissertation analyzes various issues concerning map

  17. Temperature-independent fiber-Bragg-grating-based atmospheric pressure sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhiguo; Shen, Chunyan; Li, Luming

    2018-03-01

    Atmospheric pressure is an important way to achieve a high degree of measurement for modern aircrafts, moreover, it is also an indispensable parameter in the meteorological telemetry system. With the development of society, people are increasingly concerned about the weather. Accurate and convenient atmospheric pressure parameters can provide strong support for meteorological analysis. However, electronic atmospheric pressure sensors currently in application suffer from several shortcomings. After an analysis and discussion, we propose an innovative structural design, in which a vacuum membrane box and a temperature-independent strain sensor based on an equal strength cantilever beam structure and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are used. We provide experimental verification of that the atmospheric pressure sensor device has the characteristics of a simple structure, lack of an external power supply, automatic temperature compensation, and high sensitivity. The sensor system has good sensitivity, which can be up to 100 nm/MPa, and repeatability. In addition, the device exhibits desired hysteresis.

  18. Model-independent analysis with BPM correlation matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Irwin, J.; Wang, C.X.; Yan, Y.T.; Bane, K.; Cai, Y.; Decker, F.; Minty, M.; Stupakov, G.; Zimmermann, F.

    1998-06-01

    The authors discuss techniques for Model-Independent Analysis (MIA) of a beamline using correlation matrices of physical variables and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a beamline BPM matrix. The beamline matrix is formed from BPM readings for a large number of pulses. The method has been applied to the Linear Accelerator of the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC)

  19. Online Statistical Modeling (Regression Analysis) for Independent Responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Made Tirta, I.; Anggraeni, Dian; Pandutama, Martinus

    2017-06-01

    Regression analysis (statistical analmodelling) are among statistical methods which are frequently needed in analyzing quantitative data, especially to model relationship between response and explanatory variables. Nowadays, statistical models have been developed into various directions to model various type and complex relationship of data. Rich varieties of advanced and recent statistical modelling are mostly available on open source software (one of them is R). However, these advanced statistical modelling, are not very friendly to novice R users, since they are based on programming script or command line interface. Our research aims to developed web interface (based on R and shiny), so that most recent and advanced statistical modelling are readily available, accessible and applicable on web. We have previously made interface in the form of e-tutorial for several modern and advanced statistical modelling on R especially for independent responses (including linear models/LM, generalized linier models/GLM, generalized additive model/GAM and generalized additive model for location scale and shape/GAMLSS). In this research we unified them in the form of data analysis, including model using Computer Intensive Statistics (Bootstrap and Markov Chain Monte Carlo/ MCMC). All are readily accessible on our online Virtual Statistics Laboratory. The web (interface) make the statistical modeling becomes easier to apply and easier to compare them in order to find the most appropriate model for the data.

  20. Speckle noise reduction technique for Lidar echo signal based on self-adaptive pulse-matching independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Fan; Wang, Jiaxing; Zhu, Daiyin; Tu, Qi

    2018-04-01

    Speckle noise has always been a particularly tricky problem in improving the ranging capability and accuracy of Lidar system especially in harsh environment. Currently, effective speckle de-noising techniques are extremely scarce and should be further developed. In this study, a speckle noise reduction technique has been proposed based on independent component analysis (ICA). Since normally few changes happen in the shape of laser pulse itself, the authors employed the laser source as a reference pulse and executed the ICA decomposition to find the optimal matching position. In order to achieve the self-adaptability of algorithm, local Mean Square Error (MSE) has been defined as an appropriate criterion for investigating the iteration results. The obtained experimental results demonstrated that the self-adaptive pulse-matching ICA (PM-ICA) method could effectively decrease the speckle noise and recover the useful Lidar echo signal component with high quality. Especially, the proposed method achieves 4 dB more improvement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than a traditional homomorphic wavelet method.

  1. On an efficient modification of singular value decomposition using independent component analysis for improved MRS denoising and quantification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stamatopoulos, V G; Karras, D A; Mertzios, B G

    2009-01-01

    An efficient modification of singular value decomposition (SVD) is proposed in this paper aiming at denoising and more importantly at quantifying more accurately the statistically independent spectra of metabolite sources in magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Although SVD is known in MRS applications and several efficient algorithms exist for estimating SVD summation terms in which the raw MRS data are analyzed, however, it would be more beneficial for such an analysis if techniques with the ability to estimate statistically independent spectra could be employed. SVD is known to separate signal and noise subspaces but it assumes orthogonal properties for the components comprising signal subspace, which is not always the case, and might impose heavy constraints for the MRS case. A much more relaxing constraint would be to assume statistically independent components. Therefore, a modification of the main methodology incorporating techniques for calculating the assumed statistically independent spectra is proposed by applying SVD on the MRS spectrogram through application of the short time Fourier transform (STFT). This approach is based on combining SVD on STFT spectrogram followed by an iterative application of independent component analysis (ICA). Moreover, it is shown that the proposed methodology combined with a regression analysis would lead to improved quantification of the MRS signals. An experimental study based on synthetic MRS signals has been conducted to evaluate the herein proposed methodologies. The results obtained have been discussed and it is shown to be quite promising

  2. Explaining the judicial independence of international courts: a comparative analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beach, Derek

    What factors allow some international courts (ICs) to rule against the express preferences of powerful member states, whereas others routinely defer to governments? While judicial independence is not the only factor explaining the strength of a given international institution, it is a necessary...... condition. The paper first develops three sets of competing explanatory variables that potentially can explain variations in the judicial independence of ICs. The causal effects of these explanatory variables upon variance in judicial independence are investigated in a comparative analysis of the ACJ, ECJ...

  3. An interactive algorithm for identifying multiattribute measurable value functions based on finite-order independence of structural difference

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamura, Hiroyuki; Hikita, Shiro

    1985-01-01

    In this paper, we develop an interactive algorithm for identifying multiattribute measurable value functions based on the concept of finite-order independence of structural difference. This concept includes Dyer and Sarin's weak difference independence as special cases. The algorithm developed is composed of four major parts: 1) formulation of the problem 2) assessment of normalized conditional value functions and structural difference functions 3) assessment of corner values 4) assessment of the order of independence of structural difference and selection of the model. A hypothetical numerical example of a trade-off analysis for siting a nuclear power plant is included. (author)

  4. Iterative Strain-Gage Balance Calibration Data Analysis for Extended Independent Variable Sets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulbrich, Norbert Manfred

    2011-01-01

    A new method was developed that makes it possible to use an extended set of independent calibration variables for an iterative analysis of wind tunnel strain gage balance calibration data. The new method permits the application of the iterative analysis method whenever the total number of balance loads and other independent calibration variables is greater than the total number of measured strain gage outputs. Iteration equations used by the iterative analysis method have the limitation that the number of independent and dependent variables must match. The new method circumvents this limitation. It simply adds a missing dependent variable to the original data set by using an additional independent variable also as an additional dependent variable. Then, the desired solution of the regression analysis problem can be obtained that fits each gage output as a function of both the original and additional independent calibration variables. The final regression coefficients can be converted to data reduction matrix coefficients because the missing dependent variables were added to the data set without changing the regression analysis result for each gage output. Therefore, the new method still supports the application of the two load iteration equation choices that the iterative method traditionally uses for the prediction of balance loads during a wind tunnel test. An example is discussed in the paper that illustrates the application of the new method to a realistic simulation of temperature dependent calibration data set of a six component balance.

  5. Independent Component Analysis in Multimedia Modeling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Jan

    2003-01-01

    largely refers to text, images/video, audio and combinations of such data. We review a number of applications within single and combined media with the hope that this might provide inspiration for further research in this area. Finally, we provide a detailed presentation of our own recent work on modeling......Modeling of multimedia and multimodal data becomes increasingly important with the digitalization of the world. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of independent component analysis and blind sources separation methods for modeling and understanding of multimedia data, which...

  6. Naive Bayes Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on Enhanced Independence of Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Nannan; Wu, Lifeng; Yang, Jing; Guan, Yong

    2018-02-05

    The bearing is the key component of rotating machinery, and its performance directly determines the reliability and safety of the system. Data-based bearing fault diagnosis has become a research hotspot. Naive Bayes (NB), which is based on independent presumption, is widely used in fault diagnosis. However, the bearing data are not completely independent, which reduces the performance of NB algorithms. In order to solve this problem, we propose a NB bearing fault diagnosis method based on enhanced independence of data. The method deals with data vector from two aspects: the attribute feature and the sample dimension. After processing, the classification limitation of NB is reduced by the independence hypothesis. First, we extract the statistical characteristics of the original signal of the bearings effectively. Then, the Decision Tree algorithm is used to select the important features of the time domain signal, and the low correlation features is selected. Next, the Selective Support Vector Machine (SSVM) is used to prune the dimension data and remove redundant vectors. Finally, we use NB to diagnose the fault with the low correlation data. The experimental results show that the independent enhancement of data is effective for bearing fault diagnosis.

  7. Naive Bayes Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on Enhanced Independence of Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Nannan; Wu, Lifeng; Yang, Jing; Guan, Yong

    2018-01-01

    The bearing is the key component of rotating machinery, and its performance directly determines the reliability and safety of the system. Data-based bearing fault diagnosis has become a research hotspot. Naive Bayes (NB), which is based on independent presumption, is widely used in fault diagnosis. However, the bearing data are not completely independent, which reduces the performance of NB algorithms. In order to solve this problem, we propose a NB bearing fault diagnosis method based on enhanced independence of data. The method deals with data vector from two aspects: the attribute feature and the sample dimension. After processing, the classification limitation of NB is reduced by the independence hypothesis. First, we extract the statistical characteristics of the original signal of the bearings effectively. Then, the Decision Tree algorithm is used to select the important features of the time domain signal, and the low correlation features is selected. Next, the Selective Support Vector Machine (SSVM) is used to prune the dimension data and remove redundant vectors. Finally, we use NB to diagnose the fault with the low correlation data. The experimental results show that the independent enhancement of data is effective for bearing fault diagnosis. PMID:29401730

  8. Multifractal analysis of managed and independent float exchange rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stošić, Darko; Stošić, Dusan; Stošić, Tatijana; Stanley, H. Eugene

    2015-06-01

    We investigate multifractal properties of daily price changes in currency rates using the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA). We analyze managed and independent floating currency rates in eight countries, and determine the changes in multifractal spectrum when transitioning between the two regimes. We find that after the transition from managed to independent float regime the changes in multifractal spectrum (position of maximum and width) indicate an increase in market efficiency. The observed changes are more pronounced for developed countries that have a well established trading market. After shuffling the series, we find that the multifractality is due to both probability density function and long term correlations for managed float regime, while for independent float regime multifractality is in most cases caused by broad probability density function.

  9. Music video shot segmentation using independent component analysis and keyframe extraction based on image complexity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Chen, Ting; Zhang, Wenjun; Shi, Yunyu; Li, Jun

    2012-04-01

    In recent years, Music video data is increasing at an astonishing speed. Shot segmentation and keyframe extraction constitute a fundamental unit in organizing, indexing, retrieving video content. In this paper a unified framework is proposed to detect the shot boundaries and extract the keyframe of a shot. Music video is first segmented to shots by illumination-invariant chromaticity histogram in independent component (IC) analysis feature space .Then we presents a new metric, image complexity, to extract keyframe in a shot which is computed by ICs. Experimental results show the framework is effective and has a good performance.

  10. Normal mode analysis based on an elastic network model for biomolecules in the Protein Data Bank, which uses dihedral angles as independent variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wako, Hiroshi; Endo, Shigeru

    2013-06-01

    We have developed a computer program, named PDBETA, that performs normal mode analysis (NMA) based on an elastic network model that uses dihedral angles as independent variables. Taking advantage of the relatively small number of degrees of freedom required to describe a molecular structure in dihedral angle space and a simple potential-energy function independent of atom types, we aimed to develop a program applicable to a full-atom system of any molecule in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The algorithm for NMA used in PDBETA is the same as the computer program FEDER/2, developed previously. Therefore, the main challenge in developing PDBETA was to find a method that can automatically convert PDB data into molecular structure information in dihedral angle space. Here, we illustrate the performance of PDBETA with a protein-DNA complex, a protein-tRNA complex, and some non-protein small molecules, and show that the atomic fluctuations calculated by PDBETA reproduce the temperature factor data of these molecules in the PDB. A comparison was also made with elastic-network-model based NMA in a Cartesian-coordinate system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Visualization of Global Sensitivity Analysis Results Based on a Combination of Linearly Dependent and Independent Directions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Misty D.; Gundy-Burlet, Karen

    2010-01-01

    A useful technique for the validation and verification of complex flight systems is Monte Carlo Filtering -- a global sensitivity analysis that tries to find the inputs and ranges that are most likely to lead to a subset of the outputs. A thorough exploration of the parameter space for complex integrated systems may require thousands of experiments and hundreds of controlled and measured variables. Tools for analyzing this space often have limitations caused by the numerical problems associated with high dimensionality and caused by the assumption of independence of all of the dimensions. To combat both of these limitations, we propose a technique that uses a combination of the original variables with the derived variables obtained during a principal component analysis.

  12. JAVA based LCD Reconstruction and Analysis Tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bower, G.

    2004-01-01

    We summarize the current status and future developments of the North American Group's Java-based system for studying physics and detector design issues at a linear collider. The system is built around Java Analysis Studio (JAS) an experiment-independent Java-based utility for data analysis. Although the system is an integrated package running in JAS, many parts of it are also standalone Java utilities

  13. Java based LCD reconstruction and analysis tools

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bower, Gary; Cassell, Ron; Graf, Norman; Johnson, Tony; Ronan, Mike

    2001-01-01

    We summarize the current status and future developments of the North American Group's Java-based system for studying physics and detector design issues at a linear collider. The system is built around Java Analysis Studio (JAS) an experiment-independent Java-based utility for data analysis. Although the system is an integrated package running in JAS, many parts of it are also standalone Java utilities

  14. A method for independent component graph analysis of resting-state fMRI

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Paula, Demetrius Ribeiro; Ziegler, Erik; Abeyasinghe, Pubuditha M.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Independent component analysis (ICA) has been extensively used for reducing task-free BOLD fMRI recordings into spatial maps and their associated time-courses. The spatially identified independent components can be considered as intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) of non-contiguou......Introduction Independent component analysis (ICA) has been extensively used for reducing task-free BOLD fMRI recordings into spatial maps and their associated time-courses. The spatially identified independent components can be considered as intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) of non......-contiguous regions. To date, the spatial patterns of the networks have been analyzed with techniques developed for volumetric data. Objective Here, we detail a graph building technique that allows these ICNs to be analyzed with graph theory. Methods First, ICA was performed at the single-subject level in 15 healthy...... parcellated regions. Third, between-node functional connectivity was established by building edge weights for each networks. Group-level graph analysis was finally performed for each network and compared to the classical network. Results Network graph comparison between the classically constructed network...

  15. Fundamental design bases for independent core cooling in Swedish nuclear power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jelinek, Tomas

    2015-01-01

    New regulations on design and construction of nuclear power plants came into force in 2005. The need of an independent core cooling system and if the regulations should include such a requirement was discussed. The Swedish Radiation Safety authority (SSM) decided to not include such a requirement because of open questions about the water balance and started to investigate the consequences of an independent core cooling system. The investigation is now finished and SSM is also looking at the lessons learned from the accident in Fukushima 2011. One of the most important measures in the Swedish national action plan is the implementation of an independent core cooling function for all Swedish power plants. SSM has investigated the basic design criteria for such a function where some important questions are the level of defence in depth and the acceptance criteria. There is also a question about independence between the levels of defence in depth that SSM have included in the criteria. Another issue that has to be taken into account is the complexity of the system and the need of automation where independence and simplicity are very strong criteria. In the beginning of 2014 a memorandum was finalized regarding fundamental design bases for independent core cooling in Swedish nuclear power reactors. A decision based on this memorandum with an implementation plan will be made in the first half of 2014. Sweden is also investigating the possibility to have armed personnel on site, which is not allowed currently. The result from the investigation will have impact on the possibility to use mobile equipment and the level of protection of permanent equipment. In this paper, SSM will present the memorandum for design bases for independent core cooling in Swedish nuclear power reactors that was finalized in March 20147 that also describe SSM's position regarding independence and automation of the independent core cooling function. This memorandum describes the Swedish

  16. Identifying constituents in commercial gasoline using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasadakis, Nikos; Kardamakis, Andreas A

    2006-09-25

    A new method is proposed that enables the identification of five refinery fractions present in commercial gasoline mixtures using infrared spectroscopic analysis. The data analysis and interpretation was carried out based on independent component analysis (ICA) and spectral similarity techniques. The FT-IR spectra of the gasoline constituents were determined using the ICA method, exclusively based on the spectra of their mixtures as a blind separation procedure, i.e. assuming unknown the spectra of the constituents. The identity of the constituents was subsequently determined using similarity measures commonly employed in spectra library searches against the spectra of the constituent components. The high correlation scores that were obtained in the identification of the constituents indicates that the developed method can be employed as a rapid and effective tool in quality control, fingerprinting or forensic applications, where gasoline constituents are suspected.

  17. Selection of independent components based on cortical mapping of electromagnetic activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Hui-Ling; Chen, Yong-Sheng; Chen, Li-Fen

    2012-10-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) has been widely used to attenuate interference caused by noise components from the electromagnetic recordings of brain activity. However, the scalp topographies and associated temporal waveforms provided by ICA may be insufficient to distinguish functional components from artifactual ones. In this work, we proposed two component selection methods, both of which first estimate the cortical distribution of the brain activity for each component, and then determine the functional components based on the parcellation of brain activity mapped onto the cortical surface. Among all independent components, the first method can identify the dominant components, which have strong activity in the selected dominant brain regions, whereas the second method can identify those inter-regional associating components, which have similar component spectra between a pair of regions. For a targeted region, its component spectrum enumerates the amplitudes of its parceled brain activity across all components. The selected functional components can be remixed to reconstruct the focused electromagnetic signals for further analysis, such as source estimation. Moreover, the inter-regional associating components can be used to estimate the functional brain network. The accuracy of the cortical activation estimation was evaluated on the data from simulation studies, whereas the usefulness and feasibility of the component selection methods were demonstrated on the magnetoencephalography data recorded from a gender discrimination study.

  18. Locally-Based Enterprise Training To Improve The Economic Empowerment Of The Learners Of Independent Enterprise Literacy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dayat Hidayat

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Entrepreneurial skills of learners of Independent Enterprise Literacy at Community Learning Center (CLC Harapan Karawang Regency in developing locally-based enterprise, is still low. This study is aimed to analyze the planning, the implementation, the outcome, and the impact of locally-based enterprise training on improving the economic empowerment of the learners of Independent Enterprise Literacy. The approach uses in this study is a qualitative case study method. The subjects consist of four learners, a trainer, and an administrator of CLC. The data are obtained through the observation, in-depth interview, and documentation analysis. The data analysis involves the following stages: data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The locally-based enterprise training is designed through proper planning with the identification of learner needs, formulating objectives and preparing training curriculum that meets the needs and characteristics of the learners. The implementation of the training is conducted properly in accordance with a predetermined plan. The results of training assessment show an increase of knowledge, attitudes and behavior of learners’ entrepreneurial skills. The enterprise training gives impact and influence to increase the learners’ economic empowerment proved by the increasing income and wider business opportunities.

  19. Independent component and pathway-based analysis of miRNA-regulated gene expression in a model of type 1 diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hagedorn Peter H

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several approaches have been developed for miRNA target prediction, including methods that incorporate expression profiling. However the methods are still in need of improvements due to a high false discovery rate. So far, none of the methods have used independent component analysis (ICA. Here, we developed a novel target prediction method based on ICA that incorporates both seed matching and expression profiling of miRNA and mRNA expressions. The method was applied on a cellular model of type 1 diabetes. Results Microrray profiling identified eight miRNAs (miR-124/128/192/194/204/375/672/708 with differential expression. Applying ICA on the mRNA profiling data revealed five significant independent components (ICs correlating to the experimental conditions. The five ICs also captured the miRNA expressions by explaining >97% of their variance. By using ICA, seven of the eight miRNAs showed significant enrichment of sequence predicted targets, compared to only four miRNAs when using simple negative correlation. The ICs were enriched for miRNA targets that function in diabetes-relevant pathways e.g. type 1 and type 2 diabetes and maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY. Conclusions In this study, ICA was applied as an attempt to separate the various factors that influence the mRNA expression in order to identify miRNA targets. The results suggest that ICA is better at identifying miRNA targets than negative correlation. Additionally, combining ICA and pathway analysis constitutes a means for prioritizing between the predicted miRNA targets. Applying the method on a model of type 1 diabetes resulted in identification of eight miRNAs that appear to affect pathways of relevance to disease mechanisms in diabetes.

  20. The price of independents: an analysis of the independent power sector in England and Wales

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Branston, J. Robert

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents a focused analysis of the role of entrants into the electricity generation market since privatisation. It examines subsequent developments in the market and in the industry's structure and performance. The analysis draws heavily upon new information gained from telephone interviews with many of those involved with the so-called 'independent power producers' (IPPs), as well as information in the existing literature. Our key finding is that IPP entry has not significantly increased competition and has adversely affected the future viability of the electricity system. We attribute these failures to the very policies that encouraged the initial entry of the IPPs

  1. Independent component analysis for the extraction of reliable protein signal profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantini, Dante; Petrucci, Francesca; Del Boccio, Piero; Pieragostino, Damiana; Di Nicola, Marta; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Federici, Giorgio; Sacchetta, Paolo; Di Ilio, Carmine; Urbani, Andrea

    2008-01-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is a signal processing technique that can be utilized to recover independent signals from a set of their linear mixtures. We propose ICA for the analysis of signals obtained from large proteomics investigations such as clinical multi-subject studies based on MALDI-TOF MS profiling. The method is validated on simulated and experimental data for demonstrating its capability of correctly extracting protein profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra. The comparison on peak detection with an open-source and two commercial methods shows its superior reliability in reducing the false discovery rate of protein peak masses. Moreover, the integration of ICA and statistical tests for detecting the differences in peak intensities between experimental groups allows to identify protein peaks that could be indicators of a diseased state. This data-driven approach demonstrates to be a promising tool for biomarker-discovery studies based on MALDI-TOF MS technology. The MATLAB implementation of the method described in the article and both simulated and experimental data are freely available at http://www.unich.it/proteomica/bioinf/.

  2. Institutional independence and the constitutionality of legislation ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The test for determining whether judicial independence is safeguarded is an objective one based on public confidence in the structure of the court and the ... in the analysis of the application of the principles of judicial independence to specific legislative schemes where the structure of the tribunal thereby established had ...

  3. Quantifying motor recovery after stroke using independent vector analysis and graph-theoretical analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Laney

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The assessment of neuroplasticity after stroke through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI analysis is a developing field where the objective is to better understand the neural process of recovery and to better target rehabilitation interventions. The challenge in this population stems from the large amount of individual spatial variability and the need to summarize entire brain maps by generating simple, yet discriminating features to highlight differences in functional connectivity. Independent vector analysis (IVA has been shown to provide superior performance in preserving subject variability when compared with widely used methods such as group independent component analysis. Hence, in this paper, graph-theoretical (GT analysis is applied to IVA-generated components to effectively exploit the individual subjects' connectivity to produce discriminative features. The analysis is performed on fMRI data collected from individuals with chronic stroke both before and after a 6-week arm and hand rehabilitation intervention. Resulting GT features are shown to capture connectivity changes that are not evident through direct comparison of the group t-maps. The GT features revealed increased small worldness across components and greater centrality in key motor networks as a result of the intervention, suggesting improved efficiency in neural communication. Clinically, these results bring forth new possibilities as a means to observe the neural processes underlying improvements in motor function.

  4. A comparative study of independent particle model based ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    We find that among these three independent particle model based methods, the ss-VSCF method provides most accurate results in the thermal averages followed by t-SCF and the v-VSCF is the least accurate. However, the ss-VSCF is found to be computationally very expensive for the large molecules. The t-SCF gives ...

  5. Involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex in time-based prospective memory task monitoring: An EEG analysis of brain sources using Independent Component and Measure Projection Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Cruz

    Full Text Available Time-based prospective memory (PM, remembering to do something at a particular moment in the future, is considered to depend upon self-initiated strategic monitoring, involving a retrieval mode (sustained maintenance of the intention plus target checking (intermittent time checks. The present experiment was designed to explore what brain regions and brain activity are associated with these components of strategic monitoring in time-based PM tasks.24 participants were asked to reset a clock every four minutes, while performing a foreground ongoing word categorisation task. EEG activity was recorded and data were decomposed into source-resolved activity using Independent Component Analysis. Common brain regions across participants, associated with retrieval mode and target checking, were found using Measure Projection Analysis.Participants decreased their performance on the ongoing task when concurrently performed with the time-based PM task, reflecting an active retrieval mode that relied on withdrawal of limited resources from the ongoing task. Brain activity, with its source in or near the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, showed changes associated with an active retrieval mode including greater negative ERP deflections, decreased theta synchronization, and increased alpha suppression for events locked to the ongoing task while maintaining a time-based intention. Activity in the ACC was also associated with time-checks and found consistently across participants; however, we did not find an association with time perception processing per se.The involvement of the ACC in both aspects of time-based PM monitoring may be related to different functions that have been attributed to it: strategic control of attention during the retrieval mode (distributing attentional resources between the ongoing task and the time-based task and anticipatory/decision making processing associated with clock-checks.

  6. Temporal and Spatial Independent Component Analysis for fMRI Data Sets Embedded in the AnalyzeFMRI R Package

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre Lafaye de Micheaux

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available For statistical analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI data sets, we propose a data-driven approach based on independent component analysis (ICA implemented in a new version of the AnalyzeFMRI R package. For fMRI data sets, spatial dimension being much greater than temporal dimension, spatial ICA is the computationally tractable approach generally proposed. However, for some neuroscientific applications, temporal independence of source signals can be assumed and temporal ICA becomes then an attractive exploratory technique. In this work, we use a classical linear algebra result ensuring the tractability of temporal ICA. We report several experiments on synthetic data and real MRI data sets that demonstrate the potential interest of our R package.

  7. Shifted Independent Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørup, Morten; Madsen, Kristoffer Hougaard; Hansen, Lars Kai

    2007-01-01

    Delayed mixing is a problem of theoretical interest and practical importance, e.g., in speech processing, bio-medical signal analysis and financial data modelling. Most previous analyses have been based on models with integer shifts, i.e., shifts by a number of samples, and have often been carried...

  8. Estimation of compound distribution in spectral images of tomatoes using independent component analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Polder, G.; Heijden, van der G.W.A.M.

    2003-01-01

    Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is one of the most widely used methods for blind source separation. In this paper we use this technique to estimate the important compounds which play a role in the ripening of tomatoes. Spectral images of tomatoes were analyzed. Two main independent components

  9. Adaptive tools in virtual environments: Independent component analysis for multimedia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolenda, Thomas

    2002-01-01

    The thesis investigates the role of independent component analysis in the setting of virtual environments, with the purpose of finding properties that reflect human context. A general framework for performing unsupervised classification with ICA is presented in extension to the latent semantic in...... were compared to investigate computational differences and separation results. The ICA properties were finally implemented in a chat room analysis tool and briefly investigated for visualization of search engines results....

  10. Developing a complex independent component analysis technique to extract non-stationary patterns from geophysical time-series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forootan, Ehsan; Kusche, Jürgen

    2016-04-01

    Geodetic/geophysical observations, such as the time series of global terrestrial water storage change or sea level and temperature change, represent samples of physical processes and therefore contain information about complex physical interactionswith many inherent time scales. Extracting relevant information from these samples, for example quantifying the seasonality of a physical process or its variability due to large-scale ocean-atmosphere interactions, is not possible by rendering simple time series approaches. In the last decades, decomposition techniques have found increasing interest for extracting patterns from geophysical observations. Traditionally, principal component analysis (PCA) and more recently independent component analysis (ICA) are common techniques to extract statistical orthogonal (uncorrelated) and independent modes that represent the maximum variance of observations, respectively. PCA and ICA can be classified as stationary signal decomposition techniques since they are based on decomposing the auto-covariance matrix or diagonalizing higher (than two)-order statistical tensors from centered time series. However, the stationary assumption is obviously not justifiable for many geophysical and climate variables even after removing cyclic components e.g., the seasonal cycles. In this paper, we present a new decomposition method, the complex independent component analysis (CICA, Forootan, PhD-2014), which can be applied to extract to non-stationary (changing in space and time) patterns from geophysical time series. Here, CICA is derived as an extension of real-valued ICA (Forootan and Kusche, JoG-2012), where we (i) define a new complex data set using a Hilbert transformation. The complex time series contain the observed values in their real part, and the temporal rate of variability in their imaginary part. (ii) An ICA algorithm based on diagonalization of fourth-order cumulants is then applied to decompose the new complex data set in (i

  11. Development of vendor independent safety analysis capability for nuclear power plants in Taiwan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, J.-R.

    2001-01-01

    The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) and the Taiwan Power Company (TPC) have long-term cooperation to develop vendor independent safety analysis capability to provide support to nuclear power plants in Taiwan in many aspects. This paper presents some applications of this analysis capability, introduces the analysis methodology, and discusses the significance of vendor independent analysis capability now and future. The applications include a safety analysis of core shroud crack for Chinshan BWR/4 Unit 2, a parallel reload safety analysis of the first 18-month extended fuel cycle for Kuosheng BWR/6 Unit 2 Cycle 13, an analysis to support Technical Specification change for Maanshan three-loop PWR, and a design analysis to support the review of Preliminary Safety Analysis Report of Lungmen ABWR. In addition, some recent applications such as an analysis to support the review of BWR fuel bid for Chinshan and Kuosheng demonstrates the needs of further development of the analysis capability to support nuclear power plants in the 21 st century. (authors)

  12. Systems analysis - independent analysis and verification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DiPietro, J.P.; Skolnik, E.G.; Badin, J.S. [Energetics, Inc., Columbia, MD (United States)

    1996-10-01

    The Hydrogen Program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funds a portfolio of activities ranging from conceptual research to pilot plant testing. The long-term research projects support DOE`s goal of a sustainable, domestically based energy system, and the development activities are focused on hydrogen-based energy systems that can be commercially viable in the near-term. Energetics develops analytic products that enable the Hydrogen Program Manager to assess the potential for near- and long-term R&D activities to satisfy DOE and energy market criteria. This work is based on a pathway analysis methodology. The authors consider an energy component (e.g., hydrogen production from biomass gasification, hybrid hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle) within a complete energy system. The work involves close interaction with the principal investigators to ensure accurate representation of the component technology. Comparisons are made with the current cost and performance of fossil-based and alternative renewable energy systems, and sensitivity analyses are conducted to determine the effect of changes in cost and performance parameters on the projects` viability.

  13. Quantitative profiling of polar metabolites in herbal medicine injections for multivariate statistical evaluation based on independence principal component analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miaomiao Jiang

    Full Text Available Botanical primary metabolites extensively exist in herbal medicine injections (HMIs, but often were ignored to control. With the limitation of bias towards hydrophilic substances, the primary metabolites with strong polarity, such as saccharides, amino acids and organic acids, are usually difficult to detect by the routinely applied reversed-phase chromatographic fingerprint technology. In this study, a proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR profiling method was developed for efficient identification and quantification of small polar molecules, mostly primary metabolites in HMIs. A commonly used medicine, Danhong injection (DHI, was employed as a model. With the developed method, 23 primary metabolites together with 7 polyphenolic acids were simultaneously identified, of which 13 metabolites with fully separated proton signals were quantified and employed for further multivariate quality control assay. The quantitative 1H NMR method was validated with good linearity, precision, repeatability, stability and accuracy. Based on independence principal component analysis (IPCA, the contents of 13 metabolites were characterized and dimensionally reduced into the first two independence principal components (IPCs. IPC1 and IPC2 were then used to calculate the upper control limits (with 99% confidence ellipsoids of χ2 and Hotelling T2 control charts. Through the constructed upper control limits, the proposed method was successfully applied to 36 batches of DHI to examine the out-of control sample with the perturbed levels of succinate, malonate, glucose, fructose, salvianic acid and protocatechuic aldehyde. The integrated strategy has provided a reliable approach to identify and quantify multiple polar metabolites of DHI in one fingerprinting spectrum, and it has also assisted in the establishment of IPCA models for the multivariate statistical evaluation of HMIs.

  14. Polyphony: superposition independent methods for ensemble-based drug discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitt, William R; Montalvão, Rinaldo W; Blundell, Tom L

    2014-09-30

    Structure-based drug design is an iterative process, following cycles of structural biology, computer-aided design, synthetic chemistry and bioassay. In favorable circumstances, this process can lead to the structures of hundreds of protein-ligand crystal structures. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations are increasingly being used to further explore the conformational landscape of these complexes. Currently, methods capable of the analysis of ensembles of crystal structures and MD trajectories are limited and usually rely upon least squares superposition of coordinates. Novel methodologies are described for the analysis of multiple structures of a protein. Statistical approaches that rely upon residue equivalence, but not superposition, are developed. Tasks that can be performed include the identification of hinge regions, allosteric conformational changes and transient binding sites. The approaches are tested on crystal structures of CDK2 and other CMGC protein kinases and a simulation of p38α. Known interaction - conformational change relationships are highlighted but also new ones are revealed. A transient but druggable allosteric pocket in CDK2 is predicted to occur under the CMGC insert. Furthermore, an evolutionarily-conserved conformational link from the location of this pocket, via the αEF-αF loop, to phosphorylation sites on the activation loop is discovered. New methodologies are described and validated for the superimposition independent conformational analysis of large collections of structures or simulation snapshots of the same protein. The methodologies are encoded in a Python package called Polyphony, which is released as open source to accompany this paper [http://wrpitt.bitbucket.org/polyphony/].

  15. SU-F-T-267: A Clarkson-Based Independent Dose Verification for the Helical Tomotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagata, H [Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Kamakura, Kanagawa, (Japan); Juntendo University, Hongo, Tokyo (Japan); Hongo, H [Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Kamakura, Kanagawa, (Japan); Tsukuba University, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Kawai, D [Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan); Takahashi, R [Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Koto, Tokyo (Japan); Hashimoto, H [Shonan Fujisawa Tokushukai Hospital, Fujisawa, Kanagawa (Japan); Tachibana, H [National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: There have been few reports for independent dose verification for Tomotherapy. We evaluated the accuracy and the effectiveness of an independent dose verification system for the Tomotherapy. Methods: Simple MU Analysis (SMU, Triangle Product, Ishikawa, Japan) was used as the independent verification system and the system implemented a Clarkson-based dose calculation algorithm using CT image dataset. For dose calculation in the SMU, the Tomotherapy machine-specific dosimetric parameters (TMR, Scp, OAR and MLC transmission factor) were registered as the machine beam data. Dose calculation was performed after Tomotherapy sinogram from DICOM-RT plan information was converted to the information for MU and MLC location at more segmented control points. The performance of the SMU was assessed by a point dose measurement in non-IMRT and IMRT plans (simple target and mock prostate plans). Subsequently, 30 patients’ treatment plans for prostate were compared. Results: From the comparison, dose differences between the SMU and the measurement were within 3% for all cases in non-IMRT plans. In the IMRT plan for the simple target, the differences (Average±1SD) were −0.70±1.10% (SMU vs. TPS), −0.40±0.10% (measurement vs. TPS) and −1.20±1.00% (measurement vs. SMU), respectively. For the mock prostate, the differences were −0.40±0.60% (SMU vs. TPS), −0.50±0.90% (measurement vs. TPS) and −0.90±0.60% (measurement vs. SMU), respectively. For patients’ plans, the difference was −0.50±2.10% (SMU vs. TPS). Conclusion: A Clarkson-based independent dose verification for the Tomotherapy can be clinically available as a secondary check with the similar tolerance level of AAPM Task group 114. This research is partially supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)

  16. A demonstration of an independent-station radio interferometry system with 4-cm precision on a 16-km base line. [for geodesy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, J. B.; Fanselow, J. L.; Macdoran, P. F.; Skjerve, L. J.; Spitzmesser, D. J.; Fliegel, H. F.

    1976-01-01

    Radio interferometry promises eventually to measure directly, with accuracies of a few centimeters, both whole earth motions and relative crustal motions with respect to an 'inertial' reference frame. Interferometry measurements of arbitrarily long base lines require, however, the development of new techniques for independent-station observation. In connection with the development of such techniques, a series of short base line demonstration experiments has been conducted between two antennas. The experiments were related to a program involving the design of independent-station instrumentation capable of making three-dimensional earth-fixed base line measurements with an accuracy of a few centimeters. Attention is given to the instrumentation used in the experiments, aspects of data analysis, and the experimental results.

  17. Excellent polarization-independent reflector based on guided mode resonance effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Cheng; Xu Lin-Min; Qiang Ying-Huai; Zhu Ya-Bo; Liu Jiong-Tian; Ma Jian-Yong

    2011-01-01

    A broad band polarization-independent reflector working in the telecommunication C+L band is proposed using the guided mode resonance effect of a periodic surface relief element deposited by a layer of silicon medium. It is shown that this structure can provide high reflection (R > 99.5%) and wide angular bandwidth (θ ≈ 20°, R > 98%) for both TE and TM polarizations over a wide spectrum band 1.5 μm∼1.6 μm. Furthermore, it is found by rigorous coupled wave analysis that the polarization-independent reflector proposed here is tolerant of a deviation of grating thickness, which makes it very easy to fabricate in experiments. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

  18. Two-port connecting-layer-based sandwiched grating by a polarization-independent design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongtao; Wang, Bo

    2017-05-02

    In this paper, a two-port connecting-layer-based sandwiched beam splitter grating with polarization-independent property is reported and designed. Such the grating can separate the transmission polarized light into two diffraction orders with equal energies, which can realize the nearly 50/50 output with good uniformity. For the given wavelength of 800 nm and period of 780 nm, a simplified modal method can design a optimal duty cycle and the estimation value of the grating depth can be calculated based on it. In order to obtain the precise grating parameters, a rigorous coupled-wave analysis can be employed to optimize grating parameters by seeking for the precise grating depth and the thickness of connecting layer. Based on the optimized design, a high-efficiency two-port output grating with the wideband performances can be gained. Even more important, diffraction efficiencies are calculated by using two analytical methods, which are proved to be coincided well with each other. Therefore, the grating is significant for practical optical photonic element in engineering.

  19. Domain Independent Vocabulary Generation and Its Use in Category-based Small Footprint Language Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KIM, K.-H.

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available The work in this paper pertains to domain independent vocabulary generation and its use in category-based small footprint Language Model (LM. Two major constraints of the conventional LMs in the embedded environment are memory capacity limitation and data sparsity for the domain-specific application. This data sparsity adversely affects vocabulary coverage and LM performance. To overcome these constraints, we define a set of domain independent categories using a Part-Of-Speech (POS tagged corpus. Also, we generate a domain independent vocabulary based on this set using the corpus and knowledge base. Then, we propose a mathematical framework for a category-based LM using this set. In this LM, one word can be assigned assign multiple categories. In order to reduce its memory requirements, we propose a tree-based data structure. In addition, we determine the history length of a category n-gram, and the independent assumption applying to a category history generation. The proposed vocabulary generation method illustrates at least 13.68% relative improvement in coverage for a SMS text corpus, where data are sparse due to the difficulties in data collection. The proposed category-based LM requires only 215KB which is 55% and 13% compared to the conventional category-based LM and the word-based LM, respectively. It successively improves the performance, achieving 54.9% and 60.6% perplexity reduction compared to the conventional category-based LM and the word-based LM in terms of normalized perplexity.

  20. Observational attachment theory-based parenting measures predict children's attachment narratives independently from social learning theory-based measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matias, Carla; O'Connor, Thomas G; Futh, Annabel; Scott, Stephen

    2014-01-01

    Conceptually and methodologically distinct models exist for assessing quality of parent-child relationships, but few studies contrast competing models or assess their overlap in predicting developmental outcomes. Using observational methodology, the current study examined the distinctiveness of attachment theory-based and social learning theory-based measures of parenting in predicting two key measures of child adjustment: security of attachment narratives and social acceptance in peer nominations. A total of 113 5-6-year-old children from ethnically diverse families participated. Parent-child relationships were rated using standard paradigms. Measures derived from attachment theory included sensitive responding and mutuality; measures derived from social learning theory included positive attending, directives, and criticism. Child outcomes were independently-rated attachment narrative representations and peer nominations. Results indicated that Attachment theory-based and Social Learning theory-based measures were modestly correlated; nonetheless, parent-child mutuality predicted secure child attachment narratives independently of social learning theory-based measures; in contrast, criticism predicted peer-nominated fighting independently of attachment theory-based measures. In young children, there is some evidence that attachment theory-based measures may be particularly predictive of attachment narratives; however, no single model of measuring parent-child relationships is likely to best predict multiple developmental outcomes. Assessment in research and applied settings may benefit from integration of different theoretical and methodological paradigms.

  1. Advances in independent component analysis and learning machines

    CERN Document Server

    Bingham, Ella; Laaksonen, Jorma; Lampinen, Jouko

    2015-01-01

    In honour of Professor Erkki Oja, one of the pioneers of Independent Component Analysis (ICA), this book reviews key advances in the theory and application of ICA, as well as its influence on signal processing, pattern recognition, machine learning, and data mining. Examples of topics which have developed from the advances of ICA, which are covered in the book are: A unifying probabilistic model for PCA and ICA Optimization methods for matrix decompositions Insights into the FastICA algorithmUnsupervised deep learning Machine vision and image retrieval A review of developments in the t

  2. Model-independent analysis of the Fermilab Tevatron turn-by-turn beam position monitor measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrenko, A. V.; Valishev, A. A.; Lebedev, V. A.

    2011-09-01

    Coherent transverse beam oscillations in the Tevatron were analyzed with the model-independent analysis (MIA) technique. This allowed one to obtain the model-independent values of coupled betatron amplitudes, phase advances, and dispersion function around the ring from a single dipole kick measurement. In order to solve the MIA mode mixing problem which limits the accuracy of determination of the optical functions, we have developed a new technique of rotational MIA mode untangling. The basic idea is to treat each beam position monitor (BPM) as two BPMs separated in a ring by exactly one turn. This leads to a simple criterion of MIA mode separation: the betatron phase advance between any BPM and its counterpart shifted by one turn should be equal to the betatron tune and therefore should not depend on the BPM position in the ring. Furthermore, we describe a MIA-based technique to locate vibrating magnets in a storage ring.

  3. Model-independent analysis of the Fermilab Tevatron turn-by-turn beam position monitor measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Petrenko

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Coherent transverse beam oscillations in the Tevatron were analyzed with the model-independent analysis (MIA technique. This allowed one to obtain the model-independent values of coupled betatron amplitudes, phase advances, and dispersion function around the ring from a single dipole kick measurement. In order to solve the MIA mode mixing problem which limits the accuracy of determination of the optical functions, we have developed a new technique of rotational MIA mode untangling. The basic idea is to treat each beam position monitor (BPM as two BPMs separated in a ring by exactly one turn. This leads to a simple criterion of MIA mode separation: the betatron phase advance between any BPM and its counterpart shifted by one turn should be equal to the betatron tune and therefore should not depend on the BPM position in the ring. Furthermore, we describe a MIA-based technique to locate vibrating magnets in a storage ring.

  4. GPR Detection of Buried Symmetrically Shaped Mine-like Objects using Selective Independent Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karlsen, Brian; Sørensen, Helge Bjarup Dissing; Larsen, Jan

    2003-01-01

    from small-scale anti-personal (AP) mines to large-scale anti-tank (AT) mines were designed. Large-scale SF-GPR measurements on this series of mine-like objects buried in soil were performed. The SF-GPR data was acquired using a wideband monostatic bow-tie antenna operating in the frequency range 750......This paper addresses the detection of mine-like objects in stepped-frequency ground penetrating radar (SF-GPR) data as a function of object size, object content, and burial depth. The detection approach is based on a Selective Independent Component Analysis (SICA). SICA provides an automatic...... ranking of components, which enables the suppression of clutter, hence extraction of components carrying mine information. The goal of the investigation is to evaluate various time and frequency domain ICA approaches based on SICA. Performance comparison is based on a series of mine-like objects ranging...

  5. A PLC platform-independent structural analysis on FBD programs for digital reactor protection systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Sejin; Yoo, Junbeom; Lee, Young-Jun

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • FBD has been widely used to implement safety-critical software for PLC-based systems. • The safety-critical software should be developed strictly with safety programming guidelines. • There are no argued rules that have specific links to higher guidelines NUREG/CR-6463 PLC platform-independently. • This paper proposes a set of rules on the structure of FBD programs with providing specific links to higher guidelines. • This paper also provides CASE tool ‘FBD Checker’ for analyzing the structure of FBD. - Abstract: FBD (function block diagram) has been widely used to implement safety-critical software for PLC (programmable logic controller)-based digital nuclear reactor protection systems. The software should be developed strictly in accordance with safety programming guidelines such as NUREG/CR-6463. Software engineering tools of PLC vendors enable us to present structural analyses using FBD programs, but specific rules pertaining to the guidelines are enclosed within the commercial tools, and specific links to the guidelines are not clearly communicated. This paper proposes a set of rules on the structure of FBD programs in accordance with guidelines, and we develop an automatic analysis tool for FBD programs written in the PLCopen TC6 format. With the proposed tool, any FBD program that is transformed into an open format can be analyzed the PLC platform-independently. We consider a case study on FBD programs obtained from a preliminary version of a Korean nuclear power plant, and we demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of the proposed rules and analysis tool.

  6. DEVELOPMENT OF RISK-BASED AND TECHNOLOGY-INDEPENDENT SAFETY CRITERIA FOR GENERATION IV SYSTEMS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    William E. Kastenberg; Edward Blandford; Lance Kim

    2009-03-31

    This project has developed quantitative safety goals for Generation IV (Gen IV) nuclear energy systems. These safety goals are risk based and technology independent. The foundations for a new approach to risk analysis has been developed, along with a new operational definition of risk. This project has furthered the current state-of-the-art by developing quantitative safety goals for both Gen IV reactors and for the overall Gen IV nuclear fuel cycle. The risk analysis approach developed will quantify performance measures, characterize uncertainty, and address a more comprehensive view of safety as it relates to the overall system. Appropriate safety criteria are necessary to manage risk in a prudent and cost-effective manner. This study is also important for government agencies responsible for managing, reviewing, and for approving advanced reactor systems because they are charged with assuring the health and safety of the public.

  7. DEVELOPMENT OF RISK-BASED AND TECHNOLOGY-INDEPENDENT SAFETY CRITERIA FOR GENERATION IV SYSTEMS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kastenberg, William E.; Blandford, Edward; Kim, Lance

    2009-01-01

    This project has developed quantitative safety goals for Generation IV (Gen IV) nuclear energy systems. These safety goals are risk based and technology independent. The foundations for a new approach to risk analysis has been developed, along with a new operational definition of risk. This project has furthered the current state-of-the-art by developing quantitative safety goals for both Gen IV reactors and for the overall Gen IV nuclear fuel cycle. The risk analysis approach developed will quantify performance measures, characterize uncertainty, and address a more comprehensive view of safety as it relates to the overall system. Appropriate safety criteria are necessary to manage risk in a prudent and cost-effective manner. This study is also important for government agencies responsible for managing, reviewing, and for approving advanced reactor systems because they are charged with assuring the health and safety of the public

  8. Dual-energy x-ray image decomposition by independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yifeng; Jiang, Dazong; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Dengfu; Lin, Gang

    2001-09-01

    The spatial distributions of bone and soft tissue in human body are separated by independent component analysis (ICA) of dual-energy x-ray images. It is because of the dual energy imaging modelí-s conformity to the ICA model that we can apply this method: (1) the absorption in body is mainly caused by photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering; (2) they take place simultaneously but are mutually independent; and (3) for monochromatic x-ray sources the total attenuation is achieved by linear combination of these two absorption. Compared with the conventional method, the proposed one needs no priori information about the accurate x-ray energy magnitude for imaging, while the results of the separation agree well with the conventional one.

  9. Denoising of chaotic signal using independent component analysis and empirical mode decomposition with circulate translating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen-Bo, Wang; Xiao-Dong, Zhang; Yuchan, Chang; Xiang-Li, Wang; Zhao, Wang; Xi, Chen; Lei, Zheng

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, a new method to reduce noises within chaotic signals based on ICA (independent component analysis) and EMD (empirical mode decomposition) is proposed. The basic idea is decomposing chaotic signals and constructing multidimensional input vectors, firstly, on the base of EMD and its translation invariance. Secondly, it makes the independent component analysis on the input vectors, which means that a self adapting denoising is carried out for the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) of chaotic signals. Finally, all IMFs compose the new denoised chaotic signal. Experiments on the Lorenz chaotic signal composed of different Gaussian noises and the monthly observed chaotic sequence on sunspots were put into practice. The results proved that the method proposed in this paper is effective in denoising of chaotic signals. Moreover, it can correct the center point in the phase space effectively, which makes it approach the real track of the chaotic attractor. Project supported by the National Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 2012BAJ15B04), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41071270 and 61473213), the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China (Grant No. 2015CFB424), the State Key Laboratory Foundation of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, China (Grant No. SOED1405), the Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory Foundation of Metallurgical Industry Process System Science, China (Grant No. Z201303), and the Hubei Key Laboratory Foundation of Transportation Internet of Things, Wuhan University of Technology, China (Grant No.2015III015-B02).

  10. A Fourier-series-based kernel-independent fast multipole method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Bo; Huang Jingfang; Pitsianis, Nikos P.; Sun Xiaobai

    2011-01-01

    We present in this paper a new kernel-independent fast multipole method (FMM), named as FKI-FMM, for pairwise particle interactions with translation-invariant kernel functions. FKI-FMM creates, using numerical techniques, sufficiently accurate and compressive representations of a given kernel function over multi-scale interaction regions in the form of a truncated Fourier series. It provides also economic operators for the multipole-to-multipole, multipole-to-local, and local-to-local translations that are typical and essential in the FMM algorithms. The multipole-to-local translation operator, in particular, is readily diagonal and does not dominate in arithmetic operations. FKI-FMM provides an alternative and competitive option, among other kernel-independent FMM algorithms, for an efficient application of the FMM, especially for applications where the kernel function consists of multi-physics and multi-scale components as those arising in recent studies of biological systems. We present the complexity analysis and demonstrate with experimental results the FKI-FMM performance in accuracy and efficiency.

  11. Gene Module Identification from Microarray Data Using Nonnegative Independent Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting Gong

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Genes mostly interact with each other to form transcriptional modules for performing single or multiple functions. It is important to unravel such transcriptional modules and to determine how disturbances in them may lead to disease. Here, we propose a non-negative independent component analysis (nICA approach for transcriptional module discovery. nICA method utilizes the non-negativity constraint to enforce the independence of biological processes within the participated genes. In such, nICA decomposes the observed gene expression into positive independent components, which fi ts better to the reality of corresponding putative biological processes. In conjunction with nICA modeling, visual statistical data analyzer (VISDA is applied to group genes into modules in latent variable space. We demonstrate the usefulness of the approach through the identification of composite modules from yeast data and the discovery of pathway modules in muscle regeneration.

  12. A short study to assess the potential of independent component analysis for motion artifact separation in wearable pulse oximeter signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jianchu; Warren, Steve

    2005-01-01

    Motion artifact reduction and separation become critical when medical sensors are used in wearable monitoring scenarios. Previous research has demonstrated that independent component analysis (ICA) can be applied to pulse oximeter signals to separate photoplethysmographic (PPG) data from motion artifacts, ambient light, and other interference in low-motion environments. However, ICA assumes that all source signal component pairs are mutually independent. It is important to assess the statistical independence of the source components in PPG data, especially if ICA is to be applied in ambulatory monitoring environments, where motion artifacts can have a substantial effect on the quality of data received from light-based sensors. This paper addresses the statistical relationship between motion artifacts and PPG data by calculating the correlation coefficients between arterial volume variations and motion over a range of stationary to high-motion conditions. Analyses indicate that motion significantly affects arterial flow, so care must be taken when applying ICA to light-based sensor data acquired from wearable platforms.

  13. Independent component analysis-based algorithm for automatic identification of Raman spectra applied to artistic pigments and pigment mixtures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Vidal, Juan José; Pérez-Pueyo, Rosanna; Soneira, María José; Ruiz-Moreno, Sergio

    2015-03-01

    A new method has been developed to automatically identify Raman spectra, whether they correspond to single- or multicomponent spectra. The method requires no user input or judgment. There are thus no parameters to be tweaked. Furthermore, it provides a reliability factor on the resulting identification, with the aim of becoming a useful support tool for the analyst in the decision-making process. The method relies on the multivariate techniques of principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA), and on some metrics. It has been developed for the application of automated spectral analysis, where the analyzed spectrum is provided by a spectrometer that has no previous knowledge of the analyzed sample, meaning that the number of components in the sample is unknown. We describe the details of this method and demonstrate its efficiency by identifying both simulated spectra and real spectra. The method has been applied to artistic pigment identification. The reliable and consistent results that were obtained make the methodology a helpful tool suitable for the identification of pigments in artwork or in paint in general.

  14. Multi-party Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution Based on Cluster States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chuanqi; Zhu, Changhua; Ma, Shuquan; Pei, Changxing

    2018-03-01

    We propose a novel multi-party measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) protocol based on cluster states. A four-photon analyzer which can distinguish all the 16 cluster states serves as the measurement device for four-party MDI-QKD. Any two out of four participants can build secure keys after the analyzers obtains successful outputs and the two participants perform post-processing. We derive a security analysis for the protocol, and analyze the key rates under different values of polarization misalignment. The results show that four-party MDI-QKD is feasible over 280 km in the optical fiber channel when the key rate is about 10- 6 with the polarization misalignment parameter 0.015. Moreover, our work takes an important step toward a quantum communication network.

  15. Independent procedure of checking dose calculations using an independent calculus algorithm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perez Rozos, A.; Jerez Sainz, I.; Carrasco Rodriguez, J. L.

    2006-01-01

    In radiotherapy it is recommended the use of an independent procedure of checking dose calculations, in order to verify the main treatment planning system and double check every patient dosimetry. In this work we present and automatic spreadsheet that import data from planning system using IMPAC/RTP format and verify monitor unit calculation using an independent calculus algorithm. Additionally, it perform a personalized analysis of dose volume histograms and several radiobiological parameters like TCP and NTCP. Finally, the application automatically generate a clinical dosimetry report for every patient, including treatment fields, fractionation, independent check results, dose volume analysis, and first day forms. (Author)

  16. An assessment of independent component analysis for detection of military targets from hyperspectral images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, K. C.; Arora, M. K.; Singh, D.

    2011-10-01

    Hyperspectral data acquired over hundreds of narrow contiguous wavelength bands are extremely suitable for target detection due to their high spectral resolution. Though spectral response of every material is expected to be unique, but in practice, it exhibits variations, which is known as spectral variability. Most target detection algorithms depend on spectral modelling using a priori available target spectra In practice, target spectra is, however, seldom available a priori. Independent component analysis (ICA) is a new evolving technique that aims at finding out components which are statistically independent or as independent as possible. The technique therefore has the potential of being used for target detection applications. A assessment of target detection from hyperspectral images using ICA and other algorithms based on spectral modelling may be of immense interest, since ICA does not require a priori target information. The aim of this paper is, thus, to assess the potential of ICA based algorithm vis a vis other prevailing algorithms for military target detection. Four spectral matching algorithms namely Orthogonal Subspace Projection (OSP), Constrained Energy Minimisation (CEM), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) and Spectral Correlation Mapper (SCM), and four anomaly detection algorithms namely OSP anomaly detector (OSPAD), Reed-Xiaoli anomaly detector (RXD), Uniform Target Detector (UTD) and a combination of Reed-Xiaoli anomaly detector and Uniform Target Detector (RXD-UTD) were considered. The experiments were conducted using a set of synthetic and AVIRIS hyperspectral images containing aircrafts as military targets. A comparison of true positive and false positive rates of target detections obtained from ICA and other algorithms plotted on a receiver operating curves (ROC) space indicates the superior performance of the ICA over other algorithms.

  17. SU-E-T-762: Toward Volume-Based Independent Dose Verification as Secondary Check

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tachibana, H; Tachibana, R

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Lung SBRT plan has been shifted to volume prescription technique. However, point dose agreement is still verified using independent dose verification at the secondary check. The volume dose verification is more affected by inhomogeneous correction rather than point dose verification currently used as the check. A feasibility study for volume dose verification was conducted in lung SBRT plan. Methods: Six SBRT plans were collected in our institute. Two dose distributions with / without inhomogeneous correction were generated using Adaptive Convolve (AC) in Pinnacle3. Simple MU Analysis (SMU, Triangle Product, Ishikawa, JP) was used as the independent dose verification software program, in which a modified Clarkson-based algorithm was implemented and radiological path length was computed using CT images independently to the treatment planning system. The agreement in point dose and mean dose between the AC with / without the correction and the SMU were assessed. Results: In the point dose evaluation for the center of the GTV, the difference shows the systematic shift (4.5% ± 1.9 %) in comparison of the AC with the inhomogeneous correction, on the other hands, there was good agreement of 0.2 ± 0.9% between the SMU and the AC without the correction. In the volume evaluation, there were significant differences in mean dose for not only PTV (14.2 ± 5.1 %) but also GTV (8.0 ± 5.1 %) compared to the AC with the correction. Without the correction, the SMU showed good agreement for GTV (1.5 ± 0.9%) as well as PTV (0.9% ± 1.0%). Conclusion: The volume evaluation for secondary check may be possible in homogenous region. However, the volume including the inhomogeneous media would make larger discrepancy. Dose calculation algorithm for independent verification needs to be modified to take into account the inhomogeneous correction

  18. Applying independent component analysis to clinical fMRI at 7 T

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Daniel Robinson

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Increased BOLD sensitivity at 7 T offers the possibility to increase the reliability of fMRI, but ultra-high field is also associated with an increase in artifacts related to head motion, Nyquist ghosting and parallel imaging reconstruction errors. In this study, the ability of Independent Component Analysis (ICA to separate activation from these artifacts was assessed in a 7 T study of neurological patients performing chin and hand motor tasks. ICA was able to isolate primary motor activation with negligible contamination by motion effects. The results of General Linear Model (GLM analysis of these data were, in contrast, heavily contaminated by motion. Secondary motor areas, basal ganglia and thalamus involvement were apparent in ICA results, but there was low capability to isolate activation in the same brain regions in the GLM analysis, indicating that ICA was more sensitive as well as more specific. A method was developed to simplify the assessment of the large number of independent components. Task-related activation components could be automatically identified via intuitive and effective features. These findings demonstrate that ICA is a practical and sensitive analysis approach in high field fMRI studies, particularly where motion is evoked. Promising applications of ICA in clinical fMRI include presurgical planning and the study of pathologies affecting subcortical brain areas.

  19. Humidity independent mass spectrometry for gas phase chemical analysis via ambient proton transfer reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Hongying; Huang, Guangming

    2015-03-31

    In this work, a humidity independent mass spectrometric method was developed for rapid analysis of gas phase chemicals. This method is based upon ambient proton transfer reaction between gas phase chemicals and charged water droplets, in a reaction chamber with nearly saturate humidity under atmospheric pressure. The humidity independent nature enables direct and rapid analysis of raw gas phase samples, avoiding time- and sample-consuming sample pretreatments in conventional mass spectrometry methods to control sample humidity. Acetone, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and meta-xylene were used to evaluate the analytical performance of present method. The limits of detection for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and meta-xylene are in the range of ∼0.1 to ∼0.3 ppbV; that of benzene is well below the present European Union permissible exposure limit for benzene vapor (5 μg m(-3), ∼1.44 ppbV), with linear ranges of approximately two orders of magnitude. The majority of the homemade device contains a stainless steel tube as reaction chamber and an ultrasonic humidifier as the source of charged water droplets, which makes this cheap device easy to assemble and facile to operate. In addition, potential application of this method was illustrated by the real time identification of raw gas phase chemicals released from plants at different physiological stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Independent Monte-Carlo dose calculation for MLC based CyberKnife radiotherapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackeprang, P.-H.; Vuong, D.; Volken, W.; Henzen, D.; Schmidhalter, D.; Malthaner, M.; Mueller, S.; Frei, D.; Stampanoni, M. F. M.; Dal Pra, A.; Aebersold, D. M.; Fix, M. K.; Manser, P.

    2018-01-01

    This work aims to develop, implement and validate a Monte Carlo (MC)-based independent dose calculation (IDC) framework to perform patient-specific quality assurance (QA) for multi-leaf collimator (MLC)-based CyberKnife® (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) treatment plans. The IDC framework uses an XML-format treatment plan as exported from the treatment planning system (TPS) and DICOM format patient CT data, an MC beam model using phase spaces, CyberKnife MLC beam modifier transport using the EGS++ class library, a beam sampling and coordinate transformation engine and dose scoring using DOSXYZnrc. The framework is validated against dose profiles and depth dose curves of single beams with varying field sizes in a water tank in units of cGy/Monitor Unit and against a 2D dose distribution of a full prostate treatment plan measured with Gafchromic EBT3 (Ashland Advanced Materials, Bridgewater, NJ) film in a homogeneous water-equivalent slab phantom. The film measurement is compared to IDC results by gamma analysis using 2% (global)/2 mm criteria. Further, the dose distribution of the clinical treatment plan in the patient CT is compared to TPS calculation by gamma analysis using the same criteria. Dose profiles from IDC calculation in a homogeneous water phantom agree within 2.3% of the global max dose or 1 mm distance to agreement to measurements for all except the smallest field size. Comparing the film measurement to calculated dose, 99.9% of all voxels pass gamma analysis, comparing dose calculated by the IDC framework to TPS calculated dose for the clinical prostate plan shows 99.0% passing rate. IDC calculated dose is found to be up to 5.6% lower than dose calculated by the TPS in this case near metal fiducial markers. An MC-based modular IDC framework was successfully developed, implemented and validated against measurements and is now available to perform patient-specific QA by IDC.

  1. Gas Bubbles Investigation in Contaminated Water Using Optical Tomography Based on Independent Component Analysis Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohd Taufiq Mohd Khairi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of concentration profiles for gas bubble flow in a vertical pipeline containing contaminated water using an optical tomography system. The concentration profiles for the bubble flow quantities are investigated under five different flows conditions, a single bubble, double bubbles, 25% of air opening, 50% of air opening, and 100% of air opening flow rates where a valve is used to control the gas flow in the vertical pipeline. The system is aided by the independent component analysis (ICA algorithm to reconstruct the concentration profiles of the liquid-gas flow. The behaviour of the gas bubbles was investigated in contaminated water in which the water sample was prepared by adding 25 mL of colour ingredients to 3 liters of pure water. The result shows that the application of ICA has enabled the system to detect the presence of gas bubbles in contaminated water. This information provides vital information on the flow inside the pipe and hence could be very significant in increasing the efficiency of the process industries.

  2. Analysis of the technical impact of decentralized independent production based on cogeneration, in public distribution systems; Analise do impacto tecnico da producao independente descentralizada baseada em cogeracao em redes de distribuicao de servico publico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, Jose L. Pereira da; Lopes, J.A. Pecas [Universidade do Porto (Portugal). Faculdade de Engenharia; Pascoal, Jose A.F. [Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores (INESC), Porto (Portugal)

    1999-07-01

    This paper describes the methodology adopted and the results obtained in the evaluation of the impact of decentralized independent production plants based on cogeneration in the distribution system of Portugal Public Service. The analysis concerns with impact on a medium voltage network where the significant integration of these units occurs. The methodology involved the definition of various exploration scenarios, specifically the recent regulations related to the reactive energy to be supplied to the network, during peak and full hours, by the independent production. This work also presents the global results of impact no the system, considering voltage profiles, branching congestion and network losses.

  3. Efficiency Analysis of Independent and Centralized Heating Systems for Residential Buildings in Northern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabio Rinaldi

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The primary energy consumption in residential buildings is determined by the envelope thermal characteristics, air change, outside climatic data, users’ behaviour and the adopted heating system and its control. The new Italian regulations strongly suggest the installation of centralized boilers in renovated buildings with more than four apartments. This work aims to investigate the differences in primary energy consumption and efficiency among several independent and centralized heating systems installed in Northern Italy. The analysis is carried out through the following approach: firstly building heating loads are evaluated using the software TRNSYS® and, then, heating system performances are estimated through a simplified model based on the European Standard EN 15316. Several heating systems have been analyzed, evaluating: independent and centralized configurations, condensing and traditional boilers, radiator and radiant floor emitters and solar plant integration. The heating systems are applied to four buildings dating back to 2010, 2006, 1960s and 1930s. All the combinations of heating systems and buildings are analyzed in detail, evaluating efficiency and primary energy consumption. In most of the cases the choice between centralized and independent heating systems has minor effects on primary energy consumption, less than 3%: the introduction of condensing technology and the integration with solar heating plant can reduce energy consumption by 11% and 29%, respectively.

  4. Time-Sharing-Based Synchronization and Performance Evaluation of Color-Independent Visual-MIMO Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Tae-Ho; Kim, Jai-Eun; Kim, Ki-Doo

    2018-05-14

    In the field of communication, synchronization is always an important issue. The communication between a light-emitting diode (LED) array (LEA) and a camera is known as visual multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), for which the data transmitter and receiver must be synchronized for seamless communication. In visual-MIMO, LEDs generally have a faster data rate than the camera. Hence, we propose an effective time-sharing-based synchronization technique with its color-independent characteristics providing the key to overcome this synchronization problem in visual-MIMO communication. We also evaluated the performance of our synchronization technique by varying the distance between the LEA and camera. A graphical analysis is also presented to compare the symbol error rate (SER) at different distances.

  5. External Tank Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) Prepress Regression Analysis Independent Review Technical Consultation Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, Vickie s.

    2009-01-01

    The request to conduct an independent review of regression models, developed for determining the expected Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) External Tank (ET)-04 cycle count for the Space Shuttle ET tanking process, was submitted to the NASA Engineering and Safety Center NESC on September 20, 2005. The NESC team performed an independent review of regression models documented in Prepress Regression Analysis, Tom Clark and Angela Krenn, 10/27/05. This consultation consisted of a peer review by statistical experts of the proposed regression models provided in the Prepress Regression Analysis. This document is the consultation's final report.

  6. A Combined Methodology to Eliminate Artifacts in Multichannel Electrogastrogram Based on Independent Component Analysis and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengottuvel, S; Khan, Pathan Fayaz; Mariyappa, N; Patel, Rajesh; Saipriya, S; Gireesan, K

    2018-06-01

    Cutaneous measurements of electrogastrogram (EGG) signals are heavily contaminated by artifacts due to cardiac activity, breathing, motion artifacts, and electrode drifts whose effective elimination remains an open problem. A common methodology is proposed by combining independent component analysis (ICA) and ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) to denoise gastric slow-wave signals in multichannel EGG data. Sixteen electrodes are fixed over the upper abdomen to measure the EGG signals under three gastric conditions, namely, preprandial, postprandial immediately, and postprandial 2 h after food for three healthy subjects and a subject with a gastric disorder. Instantaneous frequencies of intrinsic mode functions that are obtained by applying the EEMD technique are analyzed to individually identify and remove each of the artifacts. A critical investigation on the proposed ICA-EEMD method reveals its ability to provide a higher attenuation of artifacts and lower distortion than those obtained by the ICA-EMD method and conventional techniques, like bandpass and adaptive filtering. Characteristic changes in the slow-wave frequencies across the three gastric conditions could be determined from the denoised signals for all the cases. The results therefore encourage the use of the EEMD-based technique for denoising gastric signals to be used in clinical practice.

  7. Imputation and subset-based association analysis across different cancer types identifies multiple independent risk loci in the TERT-CLPTM1L region on chromosome 5p15.33

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhaoming; Zhu, Bin; Zhang, Mingfeng; Parikh, Hemang; Jia, Jinping; Chung, Charles C.; Sampson, Joshua N.; Hoskins, Jason W.; Hutchinson, Amy; Burdette, Laurie; Ibrahim, Abdisamad; Hautman, Christopher; Raj, Preethi S.; Abnet, Christian C.; Adjei, Andrew A.; Ahlbom, Anders; Albanes, Demetrius; Allen, Naomi E.; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Aldrich, Melinda; Amiano, Pilar; Amos, Christopher; Andersson, Ulrika; Andriole, Gerald; Andrulis, Irene L.; Arici, Cecilia; Arslan, Alan A.; Austin, Melissa A.; Baris, Dalsu; Barkauskas, Donald A.; Bassig, Bryan A.; Beane Freeman, Laura E.; Berg, Christine D.; Berndt, Sonja I.; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Biritwum, Richard B.; Black, Amanda; Blot, William; Boeing, Heiner; Boffetta, Paolo; Bolton, Kelly; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Bracci, Paige M.; Brennan, Paul; Brinton, Louise A.; Brotzman, Michelle; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Buring, Julie E.; Butler, Mary Ann; Cai, Qiuyin; Cancel-Tassin, Geraldine; Canzian, Federico; Cao, Guangwen; Caporaso, Neil E.; Carrato, Alfredo; Carreon, Tania; Carta, Angela; Chang, Gee-Chen; Chang, I-Shou; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Che, Xu; Chen, Chien-Jen; Chen, Chih-Yi; Chen, Chung-Hsing; Chen, Constance; Chen, Kuan-Yu; Chen, Yuh-Min; Chokkalingam, Anand P.; Chu, Lisa W.; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Colditz, Graham A.; Colt, Joanne S.; Conti, David; Cook, Michael B.; Cortessis, Victoria K.; Crawford, E. David; Cussenot, Olivier; Davis, Faith G.; De Vivo, Immaculata; Deng, Xiang; Ding, Ti; Dinney, Colin P.; Di Stefano, Anna Luisa; Diver, W. Ryan; Duell, Eric J.; Elena, Joanne W.; Fan, Jin-Hu; Feigelson, Heather Spencer; Feychting, Maria; Figueroa, Jonine D.; Flanagan, Adrienne M.; Fraumeni, Joseph F.; Freedman, Neal D.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Fuchs, Charles S.; Gago-Dominguez, Manuela; Gallinger, Steven; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gapstur, Susan M.; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Garcia-Closas, Reina; Gastier-Foster, Julie M.; Gaziano, J. Michael; Gerhard, Daniela S.; Giffen, Carol A.; Giles, Graham G.; Gillanders, Elizabeth M.; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Goggins, Michael; Gokgoz, Nalan; Goldstein, Alisa M.; Gonzalez, Carlos; Gorlick, Richard; Greene, Mark H.; Gross, Myron; Grossman, H. Barton; Grubb, Robert; Gu, Jian; Guan, Peng; Haiman, Christopher A.; Hallmans, Goran; Hankinson, Susan E.; Harris, Curtis C.; Hartge, Patricia; Hattinger, Claudia; Hayes, Richard B.; He, Qincheng; Helman, Lee; Henderson, Brian E.; Henriksson, Roger; Hoffman-Bolton, Judith; Hohensee, Chancellor; Holly, Elizabeth A.; Hong, Yun-Chul; Hoover, Robert N.; Hosgood, H. Dean; Hsiao, Chin-Fu; Hsing, Ann W.; Hsiung, Chao Agnes; Hu, Nan; Hu, Wei; Hu, Zhibin; Huang, Ming-Shyan; Hunter, David J.; Inskip, Peter D.; Ito, Hidemi; Jacobs, Eric J.; Jacobs, Kevin B.; Jenab, Mazda; Ji, Bu-Tian; Johansen, Christoffer; Johansson, Mattias; Johnson, Alison; Kaaks, Rudolf; Kamat, Ashish M.; Kamineni, Aruna; Karagas, Margaret; Khanna, Chand; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Kim, Christopher; Kim, In-Sam; Kim, Jin Hee; Kim, Yeul Hong; Kim, Young-Chul; Kim, Young Tae; Kang, Chang Hyun; Jung, Yoo Jin; Kitahara, Cari M.; Klein, Alison P.; Klein, Robert; Kogevinas, Manolis; Koh, Woon-Puay; Kohno, Takashi; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Kooperberg, Charles; Kratz, Christian P.; Krogh, Vittorio; Kunitoh, Hideo; Kurtz, Robert C.; Kurucu, Nilgun; Lan, Qing; Lathrop, Mark; Lau, Ching C.; Lecanda, Fernando; Lee, Kyoung-Mu; Lee, Maxwell P.; Le Marchand, Loic; Lerner, Seth P.; Li, Donghui; Liao, Linda M.; Lim, Wei-Yen; Lin, Dongxin; Lin, Jie; Lindstrom, Sara; Linet, Martha S.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Liu, Jianjun; Ljungberg, Börje; Lloreta, Josep; Lu, Daru; Ma, Jing; Malats, Nuria; Mannisto, Satu; Marina, Neyssa; Mastrangelo, Giuseppe; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGlynn, Katherine A.; McKean-Cowdin, Roberta; McNeill, Lorna H.; McWilliams, Robert R.; Melin, Beatrice S.; Meltzer, Paul S.; Mensah, James E.; Miao, Xiaoping; Michaud, Dominique S.; Mondul, Alison M.; Moore, Lee E.; Muir, Kenneth; Niwa, Shelley; Olson, Sara H.; Orr, Nick; Panico, Salvatore; Park, Jae Yong; Patel, Alpa V.; Patino-Garcia, Ana; Pavanello, Sofia; Peeters, Petra H. M.; Peplonska, Beata; Peters, Ulrike; Petersen, Gloria M.; Picci, Piero; Pike, Malcolm C.; Porru, Stefano; Prescott, Jennifer; Pu, Xia; Purdue, Mark P.; Qiao, You-Lin; Rajaraman, Preetha; Riboli, Elio; Risch, Harvey A.; Rodabough, Rebecca J.; Rothman, Nathaniel; Ruder, Avima M.; Ryu, Jeong-Seon; Sanson, Marc; Schned, Alan; Schumacher, Fredrick R.; Schwartz, Ann G.; Schwartz, Kendra L.; Schwenn, Molly; Scotlandi, Katia; Seow, Adeline; Serra, Consol; Serra, Massimo; Sesso, Howard D.; Severi, Gianluca; Shen, Hongbing; Shen, Min; Shete, Sanjay; Shiraishi, Kouya; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Siddiq, Afshan; Sierrasesumaga, Luis; Sierri, Sabina; Loon Sihoe, Alan Dart; Silverman, Debra T.; Simon, Matthias; Southey, Melissa C.; Spector, Logan; Spitz, Margaret; Stampfer, Meir; Stattin, Par; Stern, Mariana C.; Stevens, Victoria L.; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z.; Stram, Daniel O.; Strom, Sara S.; Su, Wu-Chou; Sund, Malin; Sung, Sook Whan; Swerdlow, Anthony; Tan, Wen; Tanaka, Hideo; Tang, Wei; Tang, Ze-Zhang; Tardon, Adonina; Tay, Evelyn; Taylor, Philip R.; Tettey, Yao; Thomas, David M.; Tirabosco, Roberto; Tjonneland, Anne; Tobias, Geoffrey S.; Toro, Jorge R.; Travis, Ruth C.; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Troisi, Rebecca; Truelove, Ann; Tsai, Ying-Huang; Tucker, Margaret A.; Tumino, Rosario; Van Den Berg, David; Van Den Eeden, Stephen K.; Vermeulen, Roel; Vineis, Paolo; Visvanathan, Kala; Vogel, Ulla; Wang, Chaoyu; Wang, Chengfeng; Wang, Junwen; Wang, Sophia S.; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Weinstein, Stephanie J.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Wheeler, William; White, Emily; Wiencke, John K.; Wolk, Alicja; Wolpin, Brian M.; Wong, Maria Pik; Wrensch, Margaret; Wu, Chen; Wu, Tangchun; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Yi-Long; Wunder, Jay S.; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Xu, Jun; Yang, Hannah P.; Yang, Pan-Chyr; Yatabe, Yasushi; Ye, Yuanqing; Yeboah, Edward D.; Yin, Zhihua; Ying, Chen; Yu, Chong-Jen; Yu, Kai; Yuan, Jian-Min; Zanetti, Krista A.; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Zhou, Baosen; Mirabello, Lisa; Savage, Sharon A.; Kraft, Peter; Chanock, Stephen J.; Yeager, Meredith; Landi, Maria Terese; Shi, Jianxin; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Amundadottir, Laufey T.

    2014-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped risk alleles for at least 10 distinct cancers to a small region of 63 000 bp on chromosome 5p15.33. This region harbors the TERT and CLPTM1L genes; the former encodes the catalytic subunit of telomerase reverse transcriptase and the latter may play a role in apoptosis. To investigate further the genetic architecture of common susceptibility alleles in this region, we conducted an agnostic subset-based meta-analysis (association analysis based on subsets) across six distinct cancers in 34 248 cases and 45 036 controls. Based on sequential conditional analysis, we identified as many as six independent risk loci marked by common single-nucleotide polymorphisms: five in the TERT gene (Region 1: rs7726159, P = 2.10 × 10−39; Region 3: rs2853677, P = 3.30 × 10−36 and PConditional = 2.36 × 10−8; Region 4: rs2736098, P = 3.87 × 10−12 and PConditional = 5.19 × 10−6, Region 5: rs13172201, P = 0.041 and PConditional = 2.04 × 10−6; and Region 6: rs10069690, P = 7.49 × 10−15 and PConditional = 5.35 × 10−7) and one in the neighboring CLPTM1L gene (Region 2: rs451360; P = 1.90 × 10−18 and PConditional = 7.06 × 10−16). Between three and five cancers mapped to each independent locus with both risk-enhancing and protective effects. Allele-specific effects on DNA methylation were seen for a subset of risk loci, indicating that methylation and subsequent effects on gene expression may contribute to the biology of risk variants on 5p15.33. Our results provide strong support for extensive pleiotropy across this region of 5p15.33, to an extent not previously observed in other cancer susceptibility loci. PMID:25027329

  8. Independent component analysis classification of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy spectra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forni, Olivier; Maurice, Sylvestre; Gasnault, Olivier; Wiens, Roger C.; Cousin, Agnès; Clegg, Samuel M.; Sirven, Jean-Baptiste; Lasue, Jérémie

    2013-01-01

    The ChemCam instrument on board Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover uses the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique to remotely analyze Martian rocks. It retrieves spectra up to a distance of seven meters to quantify and to quantitatively analyze the sampled rocks. Like any field application, on-site measurements by LIBS are altered by diverse matrix effects which induce signal variations that are specific to the nature of the sample. Qualitative aspects remain to be studied, particularly LIBS sample identification to determine which samples are of interest for further analysis by ChemCam and other rover instruments. This can be performed with the help of different chemometric methods that model the spectra variance in order to identify a the rock from its spectrum. In this paper we test independent components analysis (ICA) rock classification by remote LIBS. We show that using measures of distance in ICA space, namely the Manhattan and the Mahalanobis distance, we can efficiently classify spectra of an unknown rock. The Mahalanobis distance gives overall better performances and is easier to manage than the Manhattan distance for which the determination of the cut-off distance is not easy. However these two techniques are complementary and their analytical performances will improve with time during MSL operations as the quantity of available Martian spectra will grow. The analysis accuracy and performances will benefit from a combination of the two approaches. - Highlights: • We use a novel independent component analysis method to classify LIBS spectra. • We demonstrate the usefulness of ICA. • We report the performances of the ICA classification. • We compare it to other classical classification schemes

  9. COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEMS OF PHYSICAL EXPERIMENT IN INDEPENDENT WORK OF STUDENTS OF TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iryna Slipukhina

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The self-study activity of students is an important form of educational process under the conditions of rapid changes of technologies. Ability and readiness of future engineers for independent education is one of their key competences. Investigation of modern methods of planning, organization and control of independent cognitive activity of students while studying physics as effective means of complex forming of their professional qualities is the object of the research. Methods: We analyse the curricula of some engineering specialities in leading technical universities, existent methods and forms of organization of students’ self-study, and own pedagogical experience. Results: Based on the theoretical analysis of existing methods of students’ self-study, it was found that a systematizing factor of appropriate educational technology is the problem focused cognitive tasks. They have to be implemented by application of the modern technological devices integrated with a computer-based experiment. We define the aim of individual or group laboratory works; the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge and skills of students are rationalized; timing and form of presentation of the results are clarified after individual and group consulting. The details of preparatory, searching-organizational, operational, and control stages in organization of students’ self-study with the use of computer oriented physical experiment are specified, these details differ depending on the didactic purpose, form of organization and students’ individuality. Discussion: The research theoretical aspect confirms the determining role of subject-subject cooperation in forming of competences of independent learning of the future engineers. Basic practical achievements of the research consist of improving methods of using of digital learning systems, creation of textbooks that promote consultative and guiding role for the educational process, working-out of

  10. Problem based learning: the effect of real time data on the website to student independence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setyowidodo, I.; Pramesti, Y. S.; Handayani, A. D.

    2018-05-01

    Learning science developed as an integrative science rather than disciplinary education, the reality of the nation character development has not been able to form a more creative and independent Indonesian man. Problem Based Learning based on real time data in the website is a learning method focuses on developing high-level thinking skills in problem-oriented situations by integrating technology in learning. The essence of this study is the presentation of authentic problems in the real time data situation in the website. The purpose of this research is to develop student independence through Problem Based Learning based on real time data in website. The type of this research is development research with implementation using purposive sampling technique. Based on the study there is an increase in student self-reliance, where the students in very high category is 47% and in the high category is 53%. This learning method can be said to be effective in improving students learning independence in problem-oriented situations.

  11. Quantifying identifiability in independent component analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sokol, Alexander; Maathuis, Marloes H.; Falkeborg, Benjamin

    2014-01-01

    We are interested in consistent estimation of the mixing matrix in the ICA model, when the error distribution is close to (but different from) Gaussian. In particular, we consider $n$ independent samples from the ICA model $X = A\\epsilon$, where we assume that the coordinates of $\\epsilon......$ are independent and identically distributed according to a contaminated Gaussian distribution, and the amount of contamination is allowed to depend on $n$. We then investigate how the ability to consistently estimate the mixing matrix depends on the amount of contamination. Our results suggest...

  12. Protein expression based multimarker analysis of breast cancer samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Presson, Angela P; Horvath, Steve; Yoon, Nam K; Bagryanova, Lora; Mah, Vei; Alavi, Mohammad; Maresh, Erin L; Rajasekaran, Ayyappan K; Goodglick, Lee; Chia, David

    2011-01-01

    Tissue microarray (TMA) data are commonly used to validate the prognostic accuracy of tumor markers. For example, breast cancer TMA data have led to the identification of several promising prognostic markers of survival time. Several studies have shown that TMA data can also be used to cluster patients into clinically distinct groups. Here we use breast cancer TMA data to cluster patients into distinct prognostic groups. We apply weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to TMA data consisting of 26 putative tumor biomarkers measured on 82 breast cancer patients. Based on this analysis we identify three groups of patients with low (5.4%), moderate (22%) and high (50%) mortality rates, respectively. We then develop a simple threshold rule using a subset of three markers (p53, Na-KATPase-β1, and TGF β receptor II) that can approximately define these mortality groups. We compare the results of this correlation network analysis with results from a standard Cox regression analysis. We find that the rule-based grouping variable (referred to as WGCNA*) is an independent predictor of survival time. While WGCNA* is based on protein measurements (TMA data), it validated in two independent Affymetrix microarray gene expression data (which measure mRNA abundance). We find that the WGCNA patient groups differed by 35% from mortality groups defined by a more conventional stepwise Cox regression analysis approach. We show that correlation network methods, which are primarily used to analyze the relationships between gene products, are also useful for analyzing the relationships between patients and for defining distinct patient groups based on TMA data. We identify a rule based on three tumor markers for predicting breast cancer survival outcomes

  13. Texture-based analysis of COPD

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Lauge; Nielsen, Mads; Lo, Pechin Chien Pau

    2012-01-01

    This study presents a fully automatic, data-driven approach for texture-based quantitative analysis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in pulmonary computed tomography (CT) images. The approach uses supervised learning where the class labels are, in contrast to previous work, based...... on measured lung function instead of on manually annotated regions of interest (ROIs). A quantitative measure of COPD is obtained by fusing COPD probabilities computed in ROIs within the lung fields where the individual ROI probabilities are computed using a k nearest neighbor (kNN ) classifier. The distance...... and subsequently applied to classify 200 independent images from the same screening trial. The texture-based measure was significantly better at discriminating between subjects with and without COPD than were the two most common quantitative measures of COPD in the literature, which are based on density...

  14. Stimulus-related independent component and voxel-wise analysis of human brain activity during free viewing of a feature film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahnakoski, Juha M; Salmi, Juha; Jääskeläinen, Iiro P; Lampinen, Jouko; Glerean, Enrico; Tikka, Pia; Sams, Mikko

    2012-01-01

    Understanding how the brain processes stimuli in a rich natural environment is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Here, we showed a feature film to 10 healthy volunteers during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of hemodynamic brain activity. We then annotated auditory and visual features of the motion picture to inform analysis of the hemodynamic data. The annotations were fitted to both voxel-wise data and brain network time courses extracted by independent component analysis (ICA). Auditory annotations correlated with two independent components (IC) disclosing two functional networks, one responding to variety of auditory stimulation and another responding preferentially to speech but parts of the network also responding to non-verbal communication. Visual feature annotations correlated with four ICs delineating visual areas according to their sensitivity to different visual stimulus features. In comparison, a separate voxel-wise general linear model based analysis disclosed brain areas preferentially responding to sound energy, speech, music, visual contrast edges, body motion and hand motion which largely overlapped the results revealed by ICA. Differences between the results of IC- and voxel-based analyses demonstrate that thorough analysis of voxel time courses is important for understanding the activity of specific sub-areas of the functional networks, while ICA is a valuable tool for revealing novel information about functional connectivity which need not be explained by the predefined model. Our results encourage the use of naturalistic stimuli and tasks in cognitive neuroimaging to study how the brain processes stimuli in rich natural environments.

  15. Application of independent component analysis to H-1 MR spectroscopic imaging exams of brain tumours

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Szabo de Edelenyi, F.; Simonetti, A.W.; Postma, G.; Huo, R.; Buydens, L.M.C.

    2005-01-01

    The low spatial resolution of clinical H-1 MRSI leads to partial volume effects. To overcome this problem, we applied independent component analysis (ICA) on a set of H-1 MRSI exams of brain turnours. With this method, tissue types that yield statistically independent spectra can be separated. Up to

  16. ORGANIZATION OF INDEPENDENT STUDENT WORK BASED ON STUDENT BLOGGING ACTIVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Gareyev

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Today, the students’ personality traits and increasing their motivation to self-development are the most complex and urgent problems in foreign language training at higher technical university and in the system of higher education in general. According to the authors, the technology of student blogging is a means for addressing these issues, despite the lack of research on its methodology. In that regard, there is a need for further studies on information and communication technologies (ICT application by promoting independent student work. The aim of this paper is to present the developed model of organization of bachelors’ independent work through educational blogging; to fulfill educational potential and to prove the efficiency of ICTs application in education taking into consideration professional foreign language competence development of future specialists in tool making. Methodology and research methods. When designing the model, the basic considerations of the following methodological approaches were considered: competency-based, personal-oriented, activity-based, thesaurus, and qualimetric; the listed above approaches enable to realize the principles of individualization, professional orientation, integrity, self-organization and interactivity in the performed work. The method of group expert assessment, as the leading one in pedagogical qualimetry, was chosen as the main method in the research undertaken. The methods of modeling and pedagogical experiment were involved. Results and scientific novelty. The structure of professional foreign language competence (including communicative, cognitive and subject components of future toolmaking bachelors is identified. The development of the competence formation model among students is described in detail: having studied independently the subject topic, the students post the material. Pedagogical conditions and didactic guidelines for the model realization are formulated

  17. Large-scale Reconstructions and Independent, Unbiased Clustering Based on Morphological Metrics to Classify Neurons in Selective Populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bragg, Elise M; Briggs, Farran

    2017-02-15

    This protocol outlines large-scale reconstructions of neurons combined with the use of independent and unbiased clustering analyses to create a comprehensive survey of the morphological characteristics observed among a selective neuronal population. Combination of these techniques constitutes a novel approach for the collection and analysis of neuroanatomical data. Together, these techniques enable large-scale, and therefore more comprehensive, sampling of selective neuronal populations and establish unbiased quantitative methods for describing morphologically unique neuronal classes within a population. The protocol outlines the use of modified rabies virus to selectively label neurons. G-deleted rabies virus acts like a retrograde tracer following stereotaxic injection into a target brain structure of interest and serves as a vehicle for the delivery and expression of EGFP in neurons. Large numbers of neurons are infected using this technique and express GFP throughout their dendrites, producing "Golgi-like" complete fills of individual neurons. Accordingly, the virus-mediated retrograde tracing method improves upon traditional dye-based retrograde tracing techniques by producing complete intracellular fills. Individual well-isolated neurons spanning all regions of the brain area under study are selected for reconstruction in order to obtain a representative sample of neurons. The protocol outlines procedures to reconstruct cell bodies and complete dendritic arborization patterns of labeled neurons spanning multiple tissue sections. Morphological data, including positions of each neuron within the brain structure, are extracted for further analysis. Standard programming functions were utilized to perform independent cluster analyses and cluster evaluations based on morphological metrics. To verify the utility of these analyses, statistical evaluation of a cluster analysis performed on 160 neurons reconstructed in the thalamic reticular nucleus of the thalamus

  18. Discrete Discriminant analysis based on tree-structured graphical models

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perez de la Cruz, Gonzalo; Eslava, Guillermina

    The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential use of discriminant analysis based on tree{structured graphical models for discrete variables. This is done by comparing its empirical performance using estimated error rates for real and simulated data. The results show that discriminant a...... analysis based on tree{structured graphical models is a simple nonlinear method competitive with, and sometimes superior to, other well{known linear methods like those assuming mutual independence between variables and linear logistic regression.......The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential use of discriminant analysis based on tree{structured graphical models for discrete variables. This is done by comparing its empirical performance using estimated error rates for real and simulated data. The results show that discriminant...

  19. Multiple brain networks underpinning word learning from fluent speech revealed by independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Barroso, Diana; Ripollés, Pablo; Marco-Pallarés, Josep; Mohammadi, Bahram; Münte, Thomas F; Bachoud-Lévi, Anne-Catherine; Rodriguez-Fornells, Antoni; de Diego-Balaguer, Ruth

    2015-04-15

    Although neuroimaging studies using standard subtraction-based analysis from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have suggested that frontal and temporal regions are involved in word learning from fluent speech, the possible contribution of different brain networks during this type of learning is still largely unknown. Indeed, univariate fMRI analyses cannot identify the full extent of distributed networks that are engaged by a complex task such as word learning. Here we used Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to characterize the different brain networks subserving word learning from an artificial language speech stream. Results were replicated in a second cohort of participants with a different linguistic background. Four spatially independent networks were associated with the task in both cohorts: (i) a dorsal Auditory-Premotor network; (ii) a dorsal Sensory-Motor network; (iii) a dorsal Fronto-Parietal network; and (iv) a ventral Fronto-Temporal network. The level of engagement of these networks varied through the learning period with only the dorsal Auditory-Premotor network being engaged across all blocks. In addition, the connectivity strength of this network in the second block of the learning phase correlated with the individual variability in word learning performance. These findings suggest that: (i) word learning relies on segregated connectivity patterns involving dorsal and ventral networks; and (ii) specifically, the dorsal auditory-premotor network connectivity strength is directly correlated with word learning performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Eye-gaze independent EEG-based brain-computer interfaces for communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riccio, A.; Mattia, D.; Simione, L.; Olivetti, M.; Cincotti, F.

    2012-08-01

    The present review systematically examines the literature reporting gaze independent interaction modalities in non-invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for communication. BCIs measure signals related to specific brain activity and translate them into device control signals. This technology can be used to provide users with severe motor disability (e.g. late stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); acquired brain injury) with an assistive device that does not rely on muscular contraction. Most of the studies on BCIs explored mental tasks and paradigms using visual modality. Considering that in ALS patients the oculomotor control can deteriorate and also other potential users could have impaired visual function, tactile and auditory modalities have been investigated over the past years to seek alternative BCI systems which are independent from vision. In addition, various attentional mechanisms, such as covert attention and feature-directed attention, have been investigated to develop gaze independent visual-based BCI paradigms. Three areas of research were considered in the present review: (i) auditory BCIs, (ii) tactile BCIs and (iii) independent visual BCIs. Out of a total of 130 search results, 34 articles were selected on the basis of pre-defined exclusion criteria. Thirteen articles dealt with independent visual BCIs, 15 reported on auditory BCIs and the last six on tactile BCIs, respectively. From the review of the available literature, it can be concluded that a crucial point is represented by the trade-off between BCI systems/paradigms with high accuracy and speed, but highly demanding in terms of attention and memory load, and systems requiring lower cognitive effort but with a limited amount of communicable information. These issues should be considered as priorities to be explored in future studies to meet users’ requirements in a real-life scenario.

  1. Multiresolution analysis applied to text-independent phone segmentation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cherniz, AnalIa S; Torres, MarIa E; Rufiner, Hugo L; Esposito, Anna

    2007-01-01

    Automatic speech segmentation is of fundamental importance in different speech applications. The most common implementations are based on hidden Markov models. They use a statistical modelling of the phonetic units to align the data along a known transcription. This is an expensive and time-consuming process, because of the huge amount of data needed to train the system. Text-independent speech segmentation procedures have been developed to overcome some of these problems. These methods detect transitions in the evolution of the time-varying features that represent the speech signal. Speech representation plays a central role is the segmentation task. In this work, two new speech parameterizations based on the continuous multiresolution entropy, using Shannon entropy, and the continuous multiresolution divergence, using Kullback-Leibler distance, are proposed. These approaches have been compared with the classical Melbank parameterization. The proposed encodings increase significantly the segmentation performance. Parameterization based on the continuous multiresolution divergence shows the best results, increasing the number of correctly detected boundaries and decreasing the amount of erroneously inserted points. This suggests that the parameterization based on multiresolution information measures provide information related to acoustic features that take into account phonemic transitions

  2. Fast and accurate methods of independent component analysis: A survey

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tichavský, Petr; Koldovský, Zbyněk

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 47, č. 3 (2011), s. 426-438 ISSN 0023-5954 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0572; GA ČR GA102/09/1278 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : Blind source separation * artifact removal * electroencephalogram * audio signal processing Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research Impact factor: 0.454, year: 2011 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2011/SI/tichavsky-fast and accurate methods of independent component analysis a survey.pdf

  3. A first application of independent component analysis to extracting structure from stock returns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Back, A D; Weigend, A S

    1997-08-01

    This paper explores the application of a signal processing technique known as independent component analysis (ICA) or blind source separation to multivariate financial time series such as a portfolio of stocks. The key idea of ICA is to linearly map the observed multivariate time series into a new space of statistically independent components (ICs). We apply ICA to three years of daily returns of the 28 largest Japanese stocks and compare the results with those obtained using principal component analysis. The results indicate that the estimated ICs fall into two categories, (i) infrequent large shocks (responsible for the major changes in the stock prices), and (ii) frequent smaller fluctuations (contributing little to the overall level of the stocks). We show that the overall stock price can be reconstructed surprisingly well by using a small number of thresholded weighted ICs. In contrast, when using shocks derived from principal components instead of independent components, the reconstructed price is less similar to the original one. ICA is shown to be a potentially powerful method of analyzing and understanding driving mechanisms in financial time series. The application to portfolio optimization is described in Chin and Weigend (1998).

  4. Improved application of independent component analysis to functional magnetic resonance imaging study via linear projection techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Zhiying; Chen, Kewei; Wu, Xia; Reiman, Eric; Peng, Danling; Yao, Li

    2009-02-01

    Spatial Independent component analysis (sICA) has been widely used to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The well accepted implicit assumption is the spatially statistical independency of intrinsic sources identified by sICA, making the sICA applications difficult for data in which there exist interdependent sources and confounding factors. This interdependency can arise, for instance, from fMRI studies investigating two tasks in a single session. In this study, we introduced a linear projection approach and considered its utilization as a tool to separate task-related components from two-task fMRI data. The robustness and feasibility of the method are substantiated through simulation on computer data and fMRI real rest data. Both simulated and real two-task fMRI experiments demonstrated that sICA in combination with the projection method succeeded in separating spatially dependent components and had better detection power than pure model-based method when estimating activation induced by each task as well as both tasks.

  5. Factors influencing secondary care pharmacist and nurse independent prescribers' clinical reasoning: An interprofessional analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abuzour, Aseel S; Lewis, Penny J; Tully, Mary P

    2018-03-01

    In the United Kingdom, pharmacist and nurse independent prescribers are responsible for both the clinical assessment of and prescribing for patients. Prescribing is a complex skill that entails the application of knowledge, skills, and clinical reasoning to arrive at a clinically appropriate decision. Decision-making is influenced and informed by many factors. This study, the first of its kind, explores what factors influence pharmacist and nurse independent prescribers during the process of clinical reasoning. A think-aloud methodology immediately followed by a semi-structured interview was conducted with 11 active nurse and 10 pharmacist independent prescribers working in secondary care. Each participant was presented with validated clinical vignettes for the think-aloud stage. Participants chose the clinical therapeutic areas for the vignettes, based on their self-perceived competencies. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and a constant-comparative approach was used for analysis. Influences on clinical reasoning were broadly categorised into themes: social interaction, intrinsic, and contextual factors. These themes showed that intrinsic, sociocultural, and contextual aspects heavily influenced the clinical reasoning processes of prescribers. For example, prescribers were aware of treatment pathways, but chose to refer patient cases to avoid making the final prescribing decision. Exploration of this behaviour in the interviews revealed that previous experience and attitudes such as confidence and cautiousness associated with responsibility were strong influencers within the decision-making process. In addition, strengthening the professional identity of prescribers could be achieved through collaborative work with interprofessional healthcare teams to orient their professional practice from within the profession. Findings from this study can be used to inform the education, training, and practice of independent prescribers to improve healthcare

  6. Stimulus-Related Independent Component and Voxel-Wise Analysis of Human Brain Activity during Free Viewing of a Feature Film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lahnakoski, Juha M.; Salmi, Juha; Jääskeläinen, Iiro P.; Lampinen, Jouko; Glerean, Enrico; Tikka, Pia; Sams, Mikko

    2012-01-01

    Understanding how the brain processes stimuli in a rich natural environment is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Here, we showed a feature film to 10 healthy volunteers during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of hemodynamic brain activity. We then annotated auditory and visual features of the motion picture to inform analysis of the hemodynamic data. The annotations were fitted to both voxel-wise data and brain network time courses extracted by independent component analysis (ICA). Auditory annotations correlated with two independent components (IC) disclosing two functional networks, one responding to variety of auditory stimulation and another responding preferentially to speech but parts of the network also responding to non-verbal communication. Visual feature annotations correlated with four ICs delineating visual areas according to their sensitivity to different visual stimulus features. In comparison, a separate voxel-wise general linear model based analysis disclosed brain areas preferentially responding to sound energy, speech, music, visual contrast edges, body motion and hand motion which largely overlapped the results revealed by ICA. Differences between the results of IC- and voxel-based analyses demonstrate that thorough analysis of voxel time courses is important for understanding the activity of specific sub-areas of the functional networks, while ICA is a valuable tool for revealing novel information about functional connectivity which need not be explained by the predefined model. Our results encourage the use of naturalistic stimuli and tasks in cognitive neuroimaging to study how the brain processes stimuli in rich natural environments. PMID:22496909

  7. Stimulus-related independent component and voxel-wise analysis of human brain activity during free viewing of a feature film.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juha M Lahnakoski

    Full Text Available Understanding how the brain processes stimuli in a rich natural environment is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Here, we showed a feature film to 10 healthy volunteers during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI of hemodynamic brain activity. We then annotated auditory and visual features of the motion picture to inform analysis of the hemodynamic data. The annotations were fitted to both voxel-wise data and brain network time courses extracted by independent component analysis (ICA. Auditory annotations correlated with two independent components (IC disclosing two functional networks, one responding to variety of auditory stimulation and another responding preferentially to speech but parts of the network also responding to non-verbal communication. Visual feature annotations correlated with four ICs delineating visual areas according to their sensitivity to different visual stimulus features. In comparison, a separate voxel-wise general linear model based analysis disclosed brain areas preferentially responding to sound energy, speech, music, visual contrast edges, body motion and hand motion which largely overlapped the results revealed by ICA. Differences between the results of IC- and voxel-based analyses demonstrate that thorough analysis of voxel time courses is important for understanding the activity of specific sub-areas of the functional networks, while ICA is a valuable tool for revealing novel information about functional connectivity which need not be explained by the predefined model. Our results encourage the use of naturalistic stimuli and tasks in cognitive neuroimaging to study how the brain processes stimuli in rich natural environments.

  8. Analysis of membrane proteome by data-dependent LC-MS/MS combined with data-independent LC-MSE technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Kwon

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Proteomics work resembles the search for a needle in a haystack. The identification of protein biomarker requires the removal of the false protein data from the whole protein mixture. For high quality proteomic data, even a strict filtration step using the false discovery rate (FDR is insufficient for obtaining perfect protein information from the biological samples. In this study, the cyanobacterial whole membrane fraction was applied to the data-dependent analysis (DDA mode of LC-MS/MS, which was used along with the data-independent LC-MSE technique in order to evaluate the membrane proteomic data. Furthermore, the identified MSE-information (MSE-i data based on the peptide mass and the retention time were validated by the other database search, i.e., the probability-based MASCOT and de novo search engine PEAKS. In this present study, 208 cyanobacterial proteins with FDR of 5% were identified using the data-independent nano-UPLC/MSE acquisition with the Protein Lynx Global Server (PLGS, and 56 of these proteins were the predicted membrane proteins. When a total of 208 MSE-i proteomic data were applied to the DDA mode of LC-MS/MS, the number of identified membrane proteins was 26 and 33 from MASCOT and PEAKS with a FDR of 5%, respectively. The number of totally overlapped membrane proteins was 25. Therefore, the data-independent LC-MSE identified more proteins with a high confidence.

  9. Microprocessor-based control for independently-phased RF linac cavities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dawson, J.W.

    1979-01-01

    A microprocessor based system has been built to control the RF amplifiers associated with independently phased linac cavities. The system has an 8080A at each amplifier station, together with associated ROM, RAM, I/O, etc. At a central NOVA 3 computer an additional 8080A system is incorporated in the interface to the NOVA I/O bus. The NOVA interface is connected by a bus of eighteen twisted pairs to each amplifier station, providing bilateral transmission between each station and the NOVA. The system architecture, bus protocol, and operating characteristics are described

  10. Functional Independence and Quality of Life for Persons with Locomotor Disabilities in Institutional Based Rehabilitation and Community Based Rehabilitation - A Comparative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Amarnath

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To compare the functional independence and quality of life of persons with locomotor disabilities who undergo Institutional Based Rehabilitation (IBR and similar persons who undergo Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR. Methods: Purposive sampling was done. Thirty males with locomotor disabilities -15 from IBR and 15 from CBR- were selected. Both the groups were first administered the Functional Independence Measure (FIM questionnaire, followed by the Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire.Results: There were no significant differencse between IBR and CBR with regard to functional independence  (t value = -1.810, P doi: 10.5463/dcid.v23i3.147

  11. Development Of Entrepreneur Learning Model Based On Problem Based Learning To Increase Competency Independence And Creativity Students Of Industrial Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leola Dewiyani

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Currently it is undeniable that the competition to get a job is very tight and of course universities have an important role in printing human resources that can compete globally not least with the Department of Industrial Engineering Faculty of Engineering Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta FT UMJ. Problems that occur is based on the analysis obtained from the track record of graduates researchers found that 60 percent of students of Industrial Engineering FT UMJ work not in accordance with the level of education owned so financially their income is still below the standard. This study aims to improve the competence of students of Industrial Engineering Department FT UMJ in entrepreneurship courses especially through the development of Problem Based Learning based learning model. Specific targets of this research were conducted with the aim to identify and analyze the need to implement learning model based on Problem Based Learning Entrepreneurship and to design and develop the model of entrepreneurship based on Problem Based Learning to improve the competence independence and creativity of Industrial Engineering students of FT UMJ in Entrepreneurship course. To achieve the above objectives this research uses research and development R amp D method. The product produced in this research is the detail of learning model of entrepreneurial model based on Problem Based Learning entrepreneurship model based on Problem Based Learning and international journals

  12. Determination of the optimal number of components in independent components analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassouf, Amine; Jouan-Rimbaud Bouveresse, Delphine; Rutledge, Douglas N

    2018-03-01

    Independent components analysis (ICA) may be considered as one of the most established blind source separation techniques for the treatment of complex data sets in analytical chemistry. Like other similar methods, the determination of the optimal number of latent variables, in this case, independent components (ICs), is a crucial step before any modeling. Therefore, validation methods are required in order to decide about the optimal number of ICs to be used in the computation of the final model. In this paper, three new validation methods are formally presented. The first one, called Random_ICA, is a generalization of the ICA_by_blocks method. Its specificity resides in the random way of splitting the initial data matrix into two blocks, and then repeating this procedure several times, giving a broader perspective for the selection of the optimal number of ICs. The second method, called KMO_ICA_Residuals is based on the computation of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index of the transposed residual matrices obtained after progressive extraction of ICs. The third method, called ICA_corr_y, helps to select the optimal number of ICs by computing the correlations between calculated proportions and known physico-chemical information about samples, generally concentrations, or between a source signal known to be present in the mixture and the signals extracted by ICA. These three methods were tested using varied simulated and experimental data sets and compared, when necessary, to ICA_by_blocks. Results were relevant and in line with expected ones, proving the reliability of the three proposed methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Salesperson Self-Regulation of Pride: Effects on Adaptability, Effort, and Citizenship Behaviors between Independent-Based and Interdependent-Based Cultures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bagozzi, R.P.; Belschak, F.; Verbeke, W.; Gavino, J.R.

    2016-01-01

    We investigate and compare how salespersons within an independent-based culture (the Netherlands) and an interdependent-based culture (the Philippines) experience and self-regulate pride that is evoked through praise and recognition by their managers. This self-regulation differentially influences

  14. Genetic algorithm using independent component analysis in x-ray reflectivity curve fitting of periodic layer structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tiilikainen, J; Bosund, V; Tilli, J-M; Sormunen, J; Mattila, M; Hakkarainen, T; Lipsanen, H

    2007-01-01

    A novel genetic algorithm (GA) utilizing independent component analysis (ICA) was developed for x-ray reflectivity (XRR) curve fitting. EFICA was used to reduce mutual information, or interparameter dependences, during the combinatorial phase. The performance of the new algorithm was studied by fitting trial XRR curves to target curves which were computed using realistic multilayer models. The median convergence properties of conventional GA, GA using principal component analysis and the novel GA were compared. GA using ICA was found to outperform the other methods with problems having 41 parameters or more to be fitted without additional XRR curve calculations. The computational complexity of the conventional methods was linear but the novel method had a quadratic computational complexity due to the applied ICA method which sets a practical limit for the dimensionality of the problem to be solved. However, the novel algorithm had the best capability to extend the fitting analysis based on Parratt's formalism to multiperiodic layer structures

  15. Decomposing a Utility Function Based on Discrete Distribution Independence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    He, Ying; Dyer, James; Butler, John

    2014-01-01

    For two-attribute decision-making problems, the multilinear utility model cannot be applied when the risk aversion on one attribute depends on the level of the other attribute. We propose a family of general preference conditions called nth-degree discrete distribution independence that can...... accommodate a variety of dependence relationships between two attributes. The special case of second-degree discrete distribution independence is equivalent to the utility independence condition. We focus on third-degree discrete distribution independence that leads to a decomposition formula that contains...

  16. Halo-independent analysis of direct detection data for light WIMPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nobile, Eugenio Del; Gelmini, Graciela B.; Huh, Ji-Haeng; Gondolo, Paolo

    2013-01-01

    We present a halo-independent analysis of direct detection data on ''light WIMPs'', i.e. weakly interacting massive particles with mass close to or below 10 GeV/c 2 . We include new results from silicon CDMS detectors (bounds and excess events), the latest CoGeNT acceptances, and recent measurements of low sodium quenching factors in NaI crystals. We focus on light WIMPs with spin-independent isospin-conserving and isospin-violating interactions with nucleons. For these dark matter candidates we find that a low quenching factor would make the DAMA modulation incompatible with a reasonable escape velocity for the dark matter halo, and that the tension among experimental data tightens in both the isospin-conserving and isospin-violating scenarios. We also find that a new although milder tension appears between the CoGeNT and DAMA annual modulations on one side and the silicon excess events on the other, in that it seems difficult to interpret them as the modulated and unmodulated aspects of the same WIMP dark matter signal

  17. An Independent Evaluation of the FMEA/CIL Hazard Analysis Alternative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Paul S.

    1996-01-01

    The present instruments of safety and reliability risk control for a majority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs/projects consist of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Hazard Analysis (HA), Critical Items List (CIL), and Hazard Report (HR). This extensive analytical approach was introduced in the early 1970's and was implemented for the Space Shuttle Program by NHB 5300.4 (1D-2. Since the Challenger accident in 1986, the process has been expanded considerably and resulted in introduction of similar and/or duplicated activities in the safety/reliability risk analysis. A study initiated in 1995, to search for an alternative to the current FMEA/CIL Hazard Analysis methodology generated a proposed method on April 30, 1996. The objective of this Summer Faculty Study was to participate in and conduct an independent evaluation of the proposed alternative to simplify the present safety and reliability risk control procedure.

  18. The Removal of EOG Artifacts From EEG Signals Using Independent Component Analysis and Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Gang; Teng, Chaolin; Li, Kuo; Zhang, Zhonglin; Yan, Xiangguo

    2016-09-01

    The recorded electroencephalography (EEG) signals are usually contaminated by electrooculography (EOG) artifacts. In this paper, by using independent component analysis (ICA) and multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD), the ICA-based MEMD method was proposed to remove EOG artifacts (EOAs) from multichannel EEG signals. First, the EEG signals were decomposed by the MEMD into multiple multivariate intrinsic mode functions (MIMFs). The EOG-related components were then extracted by reconstructing the MIMFs corresponding to EOAs. After performing the ICA of EOG-related signals, the EOG-linked independent components were distinguished and rejected. Finally, the clean EEG signals were reconstructed by implementing the inverse transform of ICA and MEMD. The results of simulated and real data suggested that the proposed method could successfully eliminate EOAs from EEG signals and preserve useful EEG information with little loss. By comparing with other existing techniques, the proposed method achieved much improvement in terms of the increase of signal-to-noise and the decrease of mean square error after removing EOAs.

  19. Independent component analysis using prior information for signal detection in a functional imaging system of the retina

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barriga, E. Simon; Pattichis, Marios; Ts’o, Dan; Abramoff, Michael; Kardon, Randy; Kwon, Young; Soliz, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is a statistical technique that estimates a set of sources mixed by an unknown mixing matrix using only a set of observations. For this purpose, the only assumption is that the sources are statistically independent. In many applications, some information about

  20. Independent Interactive Inquiry-Based Learning Modules Using Audio-Visual Instruction In Statistics

    OpenAIRE

    McDaniel, Scott N.; Green, Lisa

    2012-01-01

    Simulations can make complex ideas easier for students to visualize and understand. It has been shown that guidance in the use of these simulations enhances students’ learning. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of the Independent Interactive Inquiry-based (I3) Learning Modules, which use existing open-source Java applets, combined with audio-visual instruction. Students are guided to discover and visualize important concepts in post-calculus and algebra-based courses in p...

  1. FireCalc: An XML-based framework for distributed data analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duarte, A.S.; Santos, J.H.; Fernandes, H.; Neto, A.; Pereira, T.; Varandas, C.A.F.

    2008-01-01

    Requirements and specifications for Control Data Access and Communication (CODAC) systems in fusion reactors point towards flexible and modular solutions, independent from operating system and computer architecture. These concepts can also be applied to calculation and data analysis systems, where highly standardized solutions must also apply in order to anticipate long time-scales and high technology evolution changes. FireCalc is an analysis tool based on standard Extensible Markup Language (XML) technologies. Actions are described in an XML file, which contains necessary data specifications and the code or references to scripts. This is used by the user to send the analysis code and data to a server, which can be running either locally or remotely. Communications between the user and the server are performed through XML-RPC, an XML based remote procedure call, thus enabling the client and server to be coded in different computer languages. Access to the database, security procedures and calls to the code interpreter are handled through independent modules, which unbinds them from specific solutions. Currently there is an implementation of the FireCalc framework in Java, that uses the Shared Data Access System (SDAS) for accessing the ISTTOK database and the Scilab kernel for the numerical analysis

  2. FireCalc: An XML-based framework for distributed data analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duarte, A.S. [Associacao Euratom/IST, Centro de Fusao Nuclear, Av. Rovisco Pais P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)], E-mail: andre.duarte@cfn.ist.utl.pt; Santos, J.H.; Fernandes, H.; Neto, A.; Pereira, T.; Varandas, C.A.F. [Associacao Euratom/IST, Centro de Fusao Nuclear, Av. Rovisco Pais P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

    2008-04-15

    Requirements and specifications for Control Data Access and Communication (CODAC) systems in fusion reactors point towards flexible and modular solutions, independent from operating system and computer architecture. These concepts can also be applied to calculation and data analysis systems, where highly standardized solutions must also apply in order to anticipate long time-scales and high technology evolution changes. FireCalc is an analysis tool based on standard Extensible Markup Language (XML) technologies. Actions are described in an XML file, which contains necessary data specifications and the code or references to scripts. This is used by the user to send the analysis code and data to a server, which can be running either locally or remotely. Communications between the user and the server are performed through XML-RPC, an XML based remote procedure call, thus enabling the client and server to be coded in different computer languages. Access to the database, security procedures and calls to the code interpreter are handled through independent modules, which unbinds them from specific solutions. Currently there is an implementation of the FireCalc framework in Java, that uses the Shared Data Access System (SDAS) for accessing the ISTTOK database and the Scilab kernel for the numerical analysis.

  3. EEGLAB: an open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delorme, Arnaud; Makeig, Scott

    2004-03-15

    We have developed a toolbox and graphic user interface, EEGLAB, running under the crossplatform MATLAB environment (The Mathworks, Inc.) for processing collections of single-trial and/or averaged EEG data of any number of channels. Available functions include EEG data, channel and event information importing, data visualization (scrolling, scalp map and dipole model plotting, plus multi-trial ERP-image plots), preprocessing (including artifact rejection, filtering, epoch selection, and averaging), independent component analysis (ICA) and time/frequency decompositions including channel and component cross-coherence supported by bootstrap statistical methods based on data resampling. EEGLAB functions are organized into three layers. Top-layer functions allow users to interact with the data through the graphic interface without needing to use MATLAB syntax. Menu options allow users to tune the behavior of EEGLAB to available memory. Middle-layer functions allow users to customize data processing using command history and interactive 'pop' functions. Experienced MATLAB users can use EEGLAB data structures and stand-alone signal processing functions to write custom and/or batch analysis scripts. Extensive function help and tutorial information are included. A 'plug-in' facility allows easy incorporation of new EEG modules into the main menu. EEGLAB is freely available (http://www.sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab/) under the GNU public license for noncommercial use and open source development, together with sample data, user tutorial and extensive documentation.

  4. Specter: linear deconvolution for targeted analysis of data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry proteomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peckner, Ryan; Myers, Samuel A; Jacome, Alvaro Sebastian Vaca; Egertson, Jarrett D; Abelin, Jennifer G; MacCoss, Michael J; Carr, Steven A; Jaffe, Jacob D

    2018-05-01

    Mass spectrometry with data-independent acquisition (DIA) is a promising method to improve the comprehensiveness and reproducibility of targeted and discovery proteomics, in theory by systematically measuring all peptide precursors in a biological sample. However, the analytical challenges involved in discriminating between peptides with similar sequences in convoluted spectra have limited its applicability in important cases, such as the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and alternative site localizations in phosphoproteomics data. We report Specter (https://github.com/rpeckner-broad/Specter), an open-source software tool that uses linear algebra to deconvolute DIA mixture spectra directly through comparison to a spectral library, thus circumventing the problems associated with typical fragment-correlation-based approaches. We validate the sensitivity of Specter and its performance relative to that of other methods, and show that Specter is able to successfully analyze cases involving highly similar peptides that are typically challenging for DIA analysis methods.

  5. Method-independent, Computationally Frugal Convergence Testing for Sensitivity Analysis Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mai, J.; Tolson, B.

    2017-12-01

    The increasing complexity and runtime of environmental models lead to the current situation that the calibration of all model parameters or the estimation of all of their uncertainty is often computationally infeasible. Hence, techniques to determine the sensitivity of model parameters are used to identify most important parameters. All subsequent model calibrations or uncertainty estimation procedures focus then only on these subsets of parameters and are hence less computational demanding. While the examination of the convergence of calibration and uncertainty methods is state-of-the-art, the convergence of the sensitivity methods is usually not checked. If any, bootstrapping of the sensitivity results is used to determine the reliability of the estimated indexes. Bootstrapping, however, might as well become computationally expensive in case of large model outputs and a high number of bootstraps. We, therefore, present a Model Variable Augmentation (MVA) approach to check the convergence of sensitivity indexes without performing any additional model run. This technique is method- and model-independent. It can be applied either during the sensitivity analysis (SA) or afterwards. The latter case enables the checking of already processed sensitivity indexes. To demonstrate the method's independency of the convergence testing method, we applied it to two widely used, global SA methods: the screening method known as Morris method or Elementary Effects (Morris 1991) and the variance-based Sobol' method (Solbol' 1993). The new convergence testing method is first scrutinized using 12 analytical benchmark functions (Cuntz & Mai et al. 2015) where the true indexes of aforementioned three methods are known. This proof of principle shows that the method reliably determines the uncertainty of the SA results when different budgets are used for the SA. The results show that the new frugal method is able to test the convergence and therefore the reliability of SA results in an

  6. Board Independence and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR Reporting in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurulyasmin Binti Ju Ahmad

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to examine the influence of board independence on corporate social responsibility (CSR reporting by publicly listed companies in Malaysia. Content analysis was used to determine the extent of CSR reporting. A reporting index consisting of 51 items was developed based on six themes: General, Community, Environment, Human Resources, Marketplace and Other. An Ordinary Least Square (OLS regression was used to examine the relationship between board independence and firm CSR reporting. The results indicate that the association between board independence and company CSR reporting is industry specific. Overall, the empirical evidence partially supports agency theory.

  7. Multi Canister Overpack (MCO) Handling Machine - Independent Review of Seismic Structural Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    SWENSON, C.E.

    2000-01-01

    The following separate reports and correspondence pertains to the independent review of the seismic analysis. The original analysis was performed by GEC-Alsthom Engineering Systems Limited (GEC-ESL) under subcontract to Foster-Wheeler Environmental Corporation (FWEC) who was the prime integration contractor to the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project for the Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) Handling Machine (MHM). The original analysis was performed to the Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) response spectra using 5% damping as required in specification, HNF-S-0468 for the 90% Design Report in June 1997. The independent review was performed by Fluor-Daniel (Irvine) under a separate task from their scope as Architect-Engineer of the Canister Storage Building (CSB) in 1997. The comments were issued in April 1998. Later in 1997, the response spectra of the Canister Storage Building (CSB) was revised according to a new soil-structure interaction analysis and accordingly revised the response spectra for the MHM and utilized 7% damping in accordance with American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) NOG-1, ''Rules for Construction of Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Multiple Girder).'' The analysis was re-performed to check critical areas but because manufacturing was underway, designs were not altered unless necessary. FWEC responded to SNF Project correspondence on the review comments in two separate letters enclosed. The dispositions were reviewed and accepted. Attached are supplier source surveillance reports on the procedures and process by the engineering group performing the analysis and structural design. All calculation and analysis results are contained in the MHM Final Design Report which is part of the Vendor Information File 50100. Subsequent to the MHM supplier engineering analysis, there was a separate analyses for nuclear safety accident concerns that used the electronic input data files provided by FWEC/GEC-ESL and are contained in document SNF-6248

  8. Multi Canister Overpack (MCO) Handling Machine Independent Review of Seismic Structural Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    SWENSON, C.E.

    2000-09-22

    The following separate reports and correspondence pertains to the independent review of the seismic analysis. The original analysis was performed by GEC-Alsthom Engineering Systems Limited (GEC-ESL) under subcontract to Foster-Wheeler Environmental Corporation (FWEC) who was the prime integration contractor to the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project for the Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) Handling Machine (MHM). The original analysis was performed to the Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) response spectra using 5% damping as required in specification, HNF-S-0468 for the 90% Design Report in June 1997. The independent review was performed by Fluor-Daniel (Irvine) under a separate task from their scope as Architect-Engineer of the Canister Storage Building (CSB) in 1997. The comments were issued in April 1998. Later in 1997, the response spectra of the Canister Storage Building (CSB) was revised according to a new soil-structure interaction analysis and accordingly revised the response spectra for the MHM and utilized 7% damping in accordance with American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) NOG-1, ''Rules for Construction of Overhead and Gantry Cranes (Top Running Bridge, Multiple Girder).'' The analysis was re-performed to check critical areas but because manufacturing was underway, designs were not altered unless necessary. FWEC responded to SNF Project correspondence on the review comments in two separate letters enclosed. The dispositions were reviewed and accepted. Attached are supplier source surveillance reports on the procedures and process by the engineering group performing the analysis and structural design. All calculation and analysis results are contained in the MHM Final Design Report which is part of the Vendor Information File 50100. Subsequent to the MHM supplier engineering analysis, there was a separate analyses for nuclear safety accident concerns that used the electronic input data files provided by FWEC/GEC-ESL and are contained in

  9. Applying independent component analysis to clinical fMRI at 7 T

    OpenAIRE

    Simon Daniel Robinson; Veronika eSchöpf; Pedro eCardoso; Alexander eGeissler; Alexander eGeissler; Florian Ph.S Fischmeister; Florian Ph.S Fischmeister; Moritz eWurnig; Moritz eWurnig; Siegfried eTrattnig; Roland eBeisteiner; Roland eBeisteiner

    2013-01-01

    Increased BOLD sensitivity at 7 T offers the possibility to increase the reliability of fMRI, but ultra-high field is also associated with an increase in artifacts related to head motion, Nyquist ghosting and parallel imaging reconstruction errors. In this study, the ability of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to separate activation from these artifacts was assessed in a 7 T study of neurological patients performing chin and hand motor tasks. ICA was able to isolate primary motor activati...

  10. Fuzzy AHP Analysis on Enterprises’ Independent Innovation Capability Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yu; Lei, Huai-ying

    Independent innovation has become a key factor in the rapid and healthy development of the enterprises. Therefore, an effective and reasonable comprehensive evaluation on the independent innovation capability of the businesses is especially important. This paper applies fuzzy AHP in the evaluation of the independent innovation capability of the businesses, and validates the rationality and feasibility of the evaluation methods and the indicators.

  11. Multiplexed data independent acquisition (MSX-DIA) applied by high resolution mass spectrometry improves quantification quality for the analysis of histone peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidoli, Simone; Fujiwara, Rina; Garcia, Benjamin A

    2016-08-01

    We present the MS-based application of the innovative, although scarcely exploited, multiplexed data-independent acquisition (MSX-DIA) for the analysis of histone PTMs. Histones are golden standard for complexity in MS based proteomics, due to their large number of combinatorial modifications, leading to isobaric peptides after proteolytic digestion. DIA has, thus, gained popularity for the purpose as it allows for MS/MS-based quantification without upfront assay development. In this work, we evaluated the performance of traditional DIA versus MSX-DIA in terms of MS/MS spectra quality, instrument scan rate and quantification precision using histones from HeLa cells. We used an MS/MS isolation window of 10 and 6 m/z for DIA and MSX-DIA, respectively. Four MS/MS scans were multiplexed for MSX-DIA. Despite MSX-DIA was programmed to perform two-fold more MS/MS events than traditional DIA, it acquired on average ∼5% more full MS scans, indicating even faster scan rate. Results highlighted an overall decrease of background ion signals using MSX-DIA, and we illustrated specific examples where peptides of different precursor masses were co-fragmented by DIA but not MSX-DIA. Taken together, MSX-DIA proved thus to be a more favorable method for histone analysis in data independent mode. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Mutational spectrum analysis of umuC-independent and umuC-dependent γ-radiation mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sargentini, N.J.; Smith, K.C.

    1989-01-01

    γ-radiation mutagenesis Escherichia coli K-12. Mutagenesis (argE3(OC) A rg + ) was blocked in a δ(recA-srlR)306 strain at the same doses that induced mutations in umuC122::Tn5 and wild-type strains, indicating that both umuC-independent and umuC-dependent mechanisms function within recA-dependent misrepair. Analyses of various suppressor and back mutations that result in argE3 and hisG4 ochre reversion and an analysis of trpE9777 reversion were performed on umuC and wild-type cells irradiated in the presence and absence of oxygen. While the umuC strain showed the γ-radiation induction of base substitution and frameshifts when irradiated in the absence of oxygen, the umuC mutation blocked all oxygen-dependent base-substitution mutagenesis, but non all oxygen-dependent frameshift mutagenesis. For anoxically irradiated cells, the yields of GC T and AT GC transitions were essentially umuC independent, while the yields of (AT or GC) TA transversions were heavily umuC dependent. These data suggest new concepts about the nature of the DNA lesions and the mutagenic mechanisms that lead to γ-radiation mutagenesis. (author). 48 refs.; 1 tab.; 6 refs

  13. Independent component analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography images

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koh, T S [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Yang, X [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Ave, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Bisdas, S [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Hospital, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt (Germany); Lim, C C T [Department of Neuroradiology, National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore 308433 (Singapore)

    2006-10-07

    Independent component analysis (ICA) was applied on dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography images of cerebral tumours to extract spatial component maps of the underlying vascular structures, which correspond to different haemodynamic phases as depicted by the passage of the contrast medium. The locations of arteries, veins and tumours can be separately identified on these spatial component maps. As the contrast enhancement behaviour of the cerebral tumour differs from the normal tissues, ICA yields a tumour component map that reveals the location and extent of the tumour. Tumour outlines can be generated using the tumour component maps, with relatively simple segmentation methods. (note)

  14. EEG-based recognition of video-induced emotions: selecting subject-independent feature set.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kortelainen, Jukka; Seppänen, Tapio

    2013-01-01

    Emotions are fundamental for everyday life affecting our communication, learning, perception, and decision making. Including emotions into the human-computer interaction (HCI) could be seen as a significant step forward offering a great potential for developing advanced future technologies. While the electrical activity of the brain is affected by emotions, offers electroencephalogram (EEG) an interesting channel to improve the HCI. In this paper, the selection of subject-independent feature set for EEG-based emotion recognition is studied. We investigate the effect of different feature sets in classifying person's arousal and valence while watching videos with emotional content. The classification performance is optimized by applying a sequential forward floating search algorithm for feature selection. The best classification rate (65.1% for arousal and 63.0% for valence) is obtained with a feature set containing power spectral features from the frequency band of 1-32 Hz. The proposed approach substantially improves the classification rate reported in the literature. In future, further analysis of the video-induced EEG changes including the topographical differences in the spectral features is needed.

  15. Applying independent component analysis to clinical FMRI at 7 t

    OpenAIRE

    Robinson, Simon Daniel; Schöpf, Veronika; Cardoso, Pedro; Geissler, Alexander; Fischmeister, Florian P S; Wurnig, Moritz; Trattnig, Siegfried; Beisteiner, Roland

    2013-01-01

    Increased BOLD sensitivity at 7 T offers the possibility to increase the reliability of fMRI, but ultra-high field is also associated with an increase in artifacts related to head motion, Nyquist ghosting, and parallel imaging reconstruction errors. In this study, the ability of independent component analysis (ICA) to separate activation from these artifacts was assessed in a 7 T study of neurological patients performing chin and hand motor tasks. ICA was able to isolate primary motor activat...

  16. Cluster Analysis of Time-Dependent Crystallographic Data: Direct Identification of Time-Independent Structural Intermediates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostov, Konstantin S.; Moffat, Keith

    2011-01-01

    The initial output of a time-resolved macromolecular crystallography experiment is a time-dependent series of difference electron density maps that displays the time-dependent changes in underlying structure as a reaction progresses. The goal is to interpret such data in terms of a small number of crystallographically refinable, time-independent structures, each associated with a reaction intermediate; to establish the pathways and rate coefficients by which these intermediates interconvert; and thereby to elucidate a chemical kinetic mechanism. One strategy toward achieving this goal is to use cluster analysis, a statistical method that groups objects based on their similarity. If the difference electron density at a particular voxel in the time-dependent difference electron density (TDED) maps is sensitive to the presence of one and only one intermediate, then its temporal evolution will exactly parallel the concentration profile of that intermediate with time. The rationale is therefore to cluster voxels with respect to the shapes of their TDEDs, so that each group or cluster of voxels corresponds to one structural intermediate. Clusters of voxels whose TDEDs reflect the presence of two or more specific intermediates can also be identified. From such groupings one can then infer the number of intermediates, obtain their time-independent difference density characteristics, and refine the structure of each intermediate. We review the principles of cluster analysis and clustering algorithms in a crystallographic context, and describe the application of the method to simulated and experimental time-resolved crystallographic data for the photocycle of photoactive yellow protein. PMID:21244840

  17. In-depth evaluation of software tools for data-independent acquisition based label-free quantification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuharev, Jörg; Navarro, Pedro; Distler, Ute; Jahn, Olaf; Tenzer, Stefan

    2015-09-01

    Label-free quantification (LFQ) based on data-independent acquisition workflows currently experiences increasing popularity. Several software tools have been recently published or are commercially available. The present study focuses on the evaluation of three different software packages (Progenesis, synapter, and ISOQuant) supporting ion mobility enhanced data-independent acquisition data. In order to benchmark the LFQ performance of the different tools, we generated two hybrid proteome samples of defined quantitative composition containing tryptically digested proteomes of three different species (mouse, yeast, Escherichia coli). This model dataset simulates complex biological samples containing large numbers of both unregulated (background) proteins as well as up- and downregulated proteins with exactly known ratios between samples. We determined the number and dynamic range of quantifiable proteins and analyzed the influence of applied algorithms (retention time alignment, clustering, normalization, etc.) on quantification results. Analysis of technical reproducibility revealed median coefficients of variation of reported protein abundances below 5% for MS(E) data for Progenesis and ISOQuant. Regarding accuracy of LFQ, evaluation with synapter and ISOQuant yielded superior results compared to Progenesis. In addition, we discuss reporting formats and user friendliness of the software packages. The data generated in this study have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium with identifier PXD001240 (http://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org/dataset/PXD001240). © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Quantifying biological samples using Linear Poisson Independent Component Analysis for MALDI-ToF mass spectra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deepaisarn, S; Tar, P D; Thacker, N A; Seepujak, A; McMahon, A W

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Motivation Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI) facilitates the analysis of large organic molecules. However, the complexity of biological samples and MALDI data acquisition leads to high levels of variation, making reliable quantification of samples difficult. We present a new analysis approach that we believe is well-suited to the properties of MALDI mass spectra, based upon an Independent Component Analysis derived for Poisson sampled data. Simple analyses have been limited to studying small numbers of mass peaks, via peak ratios, which is known to be inefficient. Conventional PCA and ICA methods have also been applied, which extract correlations between any number of peaks, but we argue makes inappropriate assumptions regarding data noise, i.e. uniform and Gaussian. Results We provide evidence that the Gaussian assumption is incorrect, motivating the need for our Poisson approach. The method is demonstrated by making proportion measurements from lipid-rich binary mixtures of lamb brain and liver, and also goat and cow milk. These allow our measurements and error predictions to be compared to ground truth. Availability and implementation Software is available via the open source image analysis system TINA Vision, www.tina-vision.net. Contact paul.tar@manchester.ac.uk Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:29091994

  19. Independent sector treatment centres: the first independent evaluation, a Scottish case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollock, Allyson M; Kirkwood, Graham

    2009-07-01

    The pound5 billion English Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme remains unevaluated because of a lack of published contract data and poor quality data returns. Scotland has a three-year pilot ISTC, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre (SRTC), the contract for which is now in the public domain. This study aims to conduct an independent evaluation of the performance of the SRTC during the first year of operation. A retrospective analysis of the SRTC comparing activity as reported by hospital episode statistics returned to ISD Scotland with: volume and cost data in the SRTC contract; a 10-month audit carried out by management consultants Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC); and an internal NHS Tayside performance report. All day-case and inpatient activity at the SRTC from 1 December 2006 to 31 January 2008. Activity and cost. The annual contract was based on patient referrals to the SRTC and not actual treatments. The contract was awarded on the basis of 2624 referrals a year, total value of pound5,667,464. According to ISD data, the SRTC performed 831 procedures (32% of annual contract) in the first 13 months worth pound1,035,603 (18%). PWC's figures report 2200 referrals (84%) to the SRTC at a cost of 2,642,000 (47%) in the first 10 months. Basing the SRTC contract on payments for referrals rather than actual treatment represents a major departure from normal standards of reporting and commissioning and may have resulted in over-payment for referrals for patients who did not receive treatment of up to pound3 million in the first 10 months. The PWC report falls well below the standards one would expect of an independent evaluation and we were unable to validate PWC's analysis and the claim of value for money. If wave-one ISTCs in England perform similarly to the SRTC then as much as pound927 million may have been paid for patients who did not receive treatment. We recommend a moratorium on all ISTC contracts until the contracts have been published and

  20. Independent component analysis: A new possibility for analysing series of electron energy loss spectra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonnet, Nogl; Nuzillard, Danielle

    2005-01-01

    A complementary approach is proposed for analysing series of electron energy-loss spectra that can be recorded with the spectrum-line technique, across an interface for instance. This approach, called blind source separation (BSS) or independent component analysis (ICA), complements two existing methods: the spatial difference approach and multivariate statistical analysis. The principle of the technique is presented and illustrations are given through one simulated example and one real example

  1. Independent Component Analysis and Time-Frequency Masking for Speech Recognition in Multitalker Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinhold Orglmeister

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available When a number of speakers are simultaneously active, for example in meetings or noisy public places, the sources of interest need to be separated from interfering speakers and from each other in order to be robustly recognized. Independent component analysis (ICA has proven a valuable tool for this purpose. However, ICA outputs can still contain strong residual components of the interfering speakers whenever noise or reverberation is high. In such cases, nonlinear postprocessing can be applied to the ICA outputs, for the purpose of reducing remaining interferences. In order to improve robustness to the artefacts and loss of information caused by this process, recognition can be greatly enhanced by considering the processed speech feature vector as a random variable with time-varying uncertainty, rather than as deterministic. The aim of this paper is to show the potential to improve recognition of multiple overlapping speech signals through nonlinear postprocessing together with uncertainty-based decoding techniques.

  2. Design of Smart Ion-Selective Electrode Arrays Based on Source Separation through Nonlinear Independent Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duarte L.T.

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The development of chemical sensor arrays based on Blind Source Separation (BSS provides a promising solution to overcome the interference problem associated with Ion-Selective Electrodes (ISE. The main motivation behind this new approach is to ease the time-demanding calibration stage. While the first works on this problem only considered the case in which the ions under analysis have equal valences, the present work aims at developing a BSS technique that works when the ions have different charges. In this situation, the resulting mixing model belongs to a particular class of nonlinear systems that have never been studied in the BSS literature. In order to tackle this sort of mixing process, we adopted a recurrent network as separating system. Moreover, concerning the BSS learning strategy, we develop a mutual information minimization approach based on the notion of the differential of the mutual information. The method works requires a batch operation, and, thus, can be used to perform off-line analysis. The validity of our approach is supported by experiments where the mixing model parameters were extracted from actual data.

  3. Raman hyperspectral imaging in conjunction with independent component analysis as a forensic tool for explosive analysis: The case of an ATM explosion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Mariana Ramos; Logrado, Lucio Paulo Lima; Zacca, Jorge Jardim; Correa, Deleon Nascimento; Poppi, Ronei Jesus

    2017-11-01

    In this work, Raman hyperspectral imaging, in conjunction with independent component analysis, was employed as an analytical methodology to detect an ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosive in banknotes after an ATM explosion experiment. The proposed methodology allows for the identification of the ANFO explosive without sample preparation or destroying the sample, at quantities as small as 70μgcm -2 . The explosive was identified following ICA data decomposition by the characteristic nitrate band at 1044cm -1 . The use of Raman hyperspectral imaging and independent component analysis shows great potential for identifying forensic samples by providing chemical and spatial information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. A GIS-based disaggregate spatial watershed analysis using RADAR data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Hamdan, M.

    2002-01-01

    Hydrology is the study of water in all its forms, origins, and destinations on the earth.This paper develops a novel modeling technique using a geographic information system (GIS) to facilitate watershed hydrological routing using RADAR data. The RADAR rainfall data, segmented to 4 km by 4 km blocks, divides the watershed into several sub basins which are modeled independently. A case study for the GIS-based disaggregate spatial watershed analysis using RADAR data is provided for South Fork Cowikee Creek near Batesville, Alabama. All the data necessary to complete the analysis is maintained in the ArcView GIS software. This paper concludes that the GIS-Based disaggregate spatial watershed analysis using RADAR data is a viable method to calculate hydrological routing for large watersheds. (author)

  5. Definition of an automatic information retrieval system independent from the data base used

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cunha, E.R.

    1983-04-01

    A bibliographic information retrieval system using data stored at the standardized interchange format ISO 2709 or ANSI Z39.2, is specified. A set of comands for interchange format manipulation wich allows the data access at the logical level, achieving the data independence, are used. A data base description language, a storage structure and data base manipulation comands are specified, using retrieval techniques which consider the applications needs. (Author) [pt

  6. Density-independent algorithm for sensing moisture content of sawdust based on reflection measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    A density-independent algorithm for moisture content determination in sawdust, based on a one-port reflection measurement technique is proposed for the first time. Performance of this algorithm is demonstrated through measurement of the dielectric properties of sawdust with an open-ended haft-mode s...

  7. Vitamin D as a possible independent predictor of bone mineral density in Estonian adults: a cross-sectional population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kull, M; Kallikorm, R; Lember, M

    2012-06-01

    Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent worldwide, with the highest prevalence in the northern countries due to the lack of ultraviolet exposure. The individual effect of vitamin D on bone mineral density (BMD) has been studied but the results are inconclusive. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D on BMD in a random population-based cohort of Estonian adults. A cross-sectional population-based study. A total of 273 individuals free of diseases or states known to affect bone or vitamin D metabolism participated in the study. We measured BMD, vitamin D and parathyroid hormone concentrations (in winter and in summer). Several co-variables were included in the regression analysis, including age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, physical activity, fresh milk consumption, caffeinated beverage consumption, lean tissue mass and total body fat percentage, and in women the number of children and breastfeeding history. We show that summer vitamin D independently correlates with BMD in lumbar spine, trochanter and total body regions (P vitamin D predicts independently lumbar spine (P body BMD (P mass and fat mass were additional contributors of the BMD (P body composition indices, vitamin D could be an independent contributor of BMD in several skeletal regions in men and women. © 2010 The Authors. Internal Medicine Journal © 2010 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  8. Boards: Independent and Committed Directors?

    OpenAIRE

    Christophe Volonté

    2011-01-01

    Regulators, proxy advisors and shareholders are regularly calling for independent directors. However, at the same time, independent directors commonly engage in numerous outside activities potentially reducing their time and commitment with the particular firm. Using Tobin's Q as an approximation of market valuation and controlling for endogeneity, our empirical analysis reveals that neither is independence positively related to firm performance nor are outside activities negatively related t...

  9. Chapter 11. Community analysis-based methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao, Y.; Wu, C.H.; Andersen, G.L.; Holden, P.A.

    2010-05-01

    Microbial communities are each a composite of populations whose presence and relative abundance in water or other environmental samples are a direct manifestation of environmental conditions, including the introduction of microbe-rich fecal material and factors promoting persistence of the microbes therein. As shown by culture-independent methods, different animal-host fecal microbial communities appear distinctive, suggesting that their community profiles can be used to differentiate fecal samples and to potentially reveal the presence of host fecal material in environmental waters. Cross-comparisons of microbial communities from different hosts also reveal relative abundances of genetic groups that can be used to distinguish sources. In increasing order of their information richness, several community analysis methods hold promise for MST applications: phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), cloning/sequencing, and PhyloChip. Specific case studies involving TRFLP and PhyloChip approaches demonstrate the ability of community-based analyses of contaminated waters to confirm a diagnosis of water quality based on host-specific marker(s). The success of community-based MST for comprehensively confirming fecal sources relies extensively upon using appropriate multivariate statistical approaches. While community-based MST is still under evaluation and development as a primary diagnostic tool, results presented herein demonstrate its promise. Coupled with its inherently comprehensive ability to capture an unprecedented amount of microbiological data that is relevant to water quality, the tools for microbial community analysis are increasingly accessible, and community-based approaches have unparalleled potential for translation into rapid, perhaps real-time, monitoring platforms.

  10. Documentation of Hanford Site independent review of the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Preliminary Safety Analysis Report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herborn, D.I.

    1991-10-01

    The requirements for Westinghouse Hanford independent review of the Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) are contained in Section 1.0, Subsection 4.3 of WCH-CM-4-46. Specifically, this manual requires the following: (1) Formal functional reviews of the HWVP PSAR by the future operating organization (HWVP Operations), and the independent review organizations (HWVP and Environmental Safety Assurance, Environmental Assurance, and Quality Assurance); and (2) Review and approval of the HWVP PSAR by the Tank Waste Disposal (TWD) Subcouncil of the Safety and Environmental Advisory Council (SEAC), which provides independent advice to the Westinghouse Hanford President and executives on matters of safety and environmental protection. 7 refs

  11. Spine-hip T-score difference predicts major osteoporotic fracture risk independent of FRAX(®): a population-based report from CAMOS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, William D; Kovacs, Christopher S; Olszynski, Wojciech P; Towheed, Tanveer; Kaiser, Stephanie M; Prior, Jerilynn C; Josse, Robert G; Jamal, Sophie A; Kreiger, Nancy; Goltzman, David

    2011-01-01

    The WHO fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX(®)) estimates an individual's 10-yr major osteoporotic and hip fracture probabilities. When bone mineral density (BMD) is included in the FRAX calculation, only the femoral neck measurement can be used. Recently, a procedure was reported for adjusting major osteoporotic fracture probability from FRAX with femoral neck BMD based on the difference (offset) between the lumbar spine and the femoral neck T-score values. The objective of the current analysis was to independently evaluate this algorithm in a population-based cohort of 4575 women and 1813 men aged 50 yr and older from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. For women and men combined, there was a 15% (95% confidence interval 7-24%) increase in major osteoporotic fracture risk for each offset T-score after adjusting for FRAX probability calculated with femoral neck BMD. The effect was stronger in women than men, but a significant sex interaction was not detected. Among the full cohort, 5.5% had their risk category reclassified after using the offset adjustment. Sex- and age-dependent offsets (equivalent to an offset based on Z-scores) showed improved risk classification among individuals designated to be at moderate risk with the conventional FRAX probability measurement. In summary, the T-score difference between the lumbar spine and femoral neck is an independent risk factor for major osteoporotic fractures that is independent of the FRAX probability calculated with femoral neck BMD. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Genetic algorithm–based varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control for four-wheel independent steering vehicle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linlin Gao

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available From the perspective of vehicle dynamics, the four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamics stability control method is studied, and a four-wheel independent steering varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control system is proposed with the help of expert control method. In the article, a four-wheel independent steering linear quadratic regulator controller for model following purpose is designed first. Then, by analyzing the four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamic characteristics and the influence of linear quadratic regulator control parameters on control performance, a linear quadratic regulator control parameter adjustment strategy based on vehicle steering state is proposed to achieve the adaptive adjustment of linear quadratic regulator control parameters. In addition, to further improve the control performance, the proposed varying parameter linear quadratic regulator control system is optimized by genetic algorithm. Finally, simulation studies have been conducted by applying the proposed control system to the 8-degree-of-freedom four-wheel independent steering vehicle dynamics model. The simulation results indicate that the proposed control system has better performance and robustness and can effectively improve the stability and steering safety of the four-wheel independent steering vehicle.

  13. dLocAuth: a dynamic multifactor authentication scheme for mCommerce applications using independent location-based obfuscation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuseler, Torben; Lami, Ihsan A.

    2012-06-01

    This paper proposes a new technique to obfuscate an authentication-challenge program (named LocProg) using randomly generated data together with a client's current location in real-time. LocProg can be used to enable any handsetapplication on mobile-devices (e.g. mCommerce on Smartphones) that requires authentication with a remote authenticator (e.g. bank). The motivation of this novel technique is to a) enhance the security against replay attacks, which is currently based on using real-time nonce(s), and b) add a new security factor, which is location verified by two independent sources, to challenge / response methods for authentication. To assure a secure-live transaction, thus reducing the possibility of replay and other remote attacks, the authors have devised a novel technique to obtain the client's location from two independent sources of GPS on the client's side and the cellular network on authenticator's side. The algorithm of LocProg is based on obfuscating "random elements plus a client's data" with a location-based key, generated on the bank side. LocProg is then sent to the client and is designed so it will automatically integrate into the target application on the client's handset. The client can then de-obfuscate LocProg if s/he is within a certain range around the location calculated by the bank and if the correct personal data is supplied. LocProg also has features to protect against trial/error attacks. Analysis of LocAuth's security (trust, threat and system models) and trials based on a prototype implementation (on Android platform) prove the viability and novelty of LocAuth.

  14. The need for independent research on the health effects of glyphosate-based herbicides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landrigan, Philip J; Belpoggi, Fiorella

    2018-05-29

    Glyphosate, formulated as Roundup, is the world's most widely used herbicide. Glyphosate is used extensively on genetically modified (GM) food crops designed to tolerate the herbicide, and global use is increasing rapidly. Two recent reviews of glyphosate's health hazards report conflicting results. An independent review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that glyphosate is a "probable human carcinogen". A review by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) found no evidence of carcinogenic hazard. These differing findings have produced regulatory uncertainty. Reflecting this regulatory uncertainty, the European Commission on November 27 2017, extended authorization for glyphosate for another 5 years, while the European Parliament opposed this decision and issued a call that pesticide approvals be based on peer-reviewed studies by independent scientists rather than on the current system that relies on proprietary industry studies. The Ramazzini Institute has initiated a pilot study of glyphosate's health hazards that will be followed by an integrated experimental research project. This evaluation will be independent of industry support and entirely sponsored by worldwide crowdfunding. The aim of the Ramazzini Institute project is to explore comprehensively the effects of exposures to glyphosate-based herbicides at current real-world levels on several toxicological endpoints, including carcinogenicity, long-term toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disrupting effects, prenatal developmental toxicity, the microbiome and multi-generational effects.

  15. Integration of independent component analysis with near-infrared spectroscopy for analysis of bioactive components in the medicinal plant Gentiana scabra Bunge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Kun Chuang

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Independent component (IC analysis was applied to near-infrared spectroscopy for analysis of gentiopicroside and swertiamarin; the two bioactive components of Gentiana scabra Bunge. ICs that are highly correlated with the two bioactive components were selected for the analysis of tissue cultures, shoots and roots, which were found to distribute in three different positions within the domain [two-dimensional (2D and 3D] constructed by the ICs. This setup could be used for quantitative determination of respective contents of gentiopicroside and swertiamarin within the plants. For gentiopicroside, the spectral calibration model based on the second derivative spectra produced the best effect in the wavelength ranges of 600–700 nm, 1600–1700 nm, and 2000–2300 nm (correlation coefficient of calibration = 0.847, standard error of calibration = 0.865%, and standard error of validation = 0.909%. For swertiamarin, a spectral calibration model based on the first derivative spectra produced the best effect in the wavelength ranges of 600–800 nm and 2200–2300 nm (correlation coefficient of calibration = 0.948, standard error of calibration = 0.168%, and standard error of validation = 0.216%. Both models showed a satisfactory predictability. This study successfully established qualitative and quantitative correlations for gentiopicroside and swertiamarin with near-infrared spectra, enabling rapid and accurate inspection on the bioactive components of G. scabra Bunge at different growth stages.

  16. Effectiveness of problem-based learning in Chinese pharmacy education: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jiyin; Zhou, Shiwen; Huang, Chunji; Xu, Rufu; Zhang, Zuo; Zeng, Shengya; Qian, Guisheng

    2016-01-19

    This review provides a critical overview of problem-based learning (PBL) practices in Chinese pharmacy education. PBL has yet to be widely applied in pharmaceutical education in China. The results of those studies that have been conducted are published in Chinese and thus may not be easily accessible to international researchers. Therefore, this meta-analysis was carried out to review the effectiveness of PBL. Databases were searched for studies in accordance with the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently performed the study identification and data extraction. A meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.3 software. Sixteen randomized controlled trials were included. The meta-analysis revealed that PBL had a positive association with higher theoretical scores (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI [0.77, 11.57], P methods are superior to conventional teaching methods in improving students' learning interest, independent analysis skills, scope of knowledge, self-study, team spirit, and oral expression. This meta-analysis indicates that PBL pedagogy is superior to traditional lecture-based teaching in Chinese pharmacy education. PBL methods could be an optional, supplementary method of pharmaceutical teaching in China. However, Chinese pharmacy colleges and universities should revise PBL curricula according to their own needs, which would maximize the effectiveness of PBL.

  17. Automated analysis of information processing, kinetic independence and modular architecture in biochemical networks using MIDIA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowsher, Clive G

    2011-02-15

    Understanding the encoding and propagation of information by biochemical reaction networks and the relationship of such information processing properties to modular network structure is of fundamental importance in the study of cell signalling and regulation. However, a rigorous, automated approach for general biochemical networks has not been available, and high-throughput analysis has therefore been out of reach. Modularization Identification by Dynamic Independence Algorithms (MIDIA) is a user-friendly, extensible R package that performs automated analysis of how information is processed by biochemical networks. An important component is the algorithm's ability to identify exact network decompositions based on both the mass action kinetics and informational properties of the network. These modularizations are visualized using a tree structure from which important dynamic conditional independence properties can be directly read. Only partial stoichiometric information needs to be used as input to MIDIA, and neither simulations nor knowledge of rate parameters are required. When applied to a signalling network, for example, the method identifies the routes and species involved in the sequential propagation of information between its multiple inputs and outputs. These routes correspond to the relevant paths in the tree structure and may be further visualized using the Input-Output Path Matrix tool. MIDIA remains computationally feasible for the largest network reconstructions currently available and is straightforward to use with models written in Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML). The package is distributed under the GNU General Public License and is available, together with a link to browsable Supplementary Material, at http://code.google.com/p/midia. Further information is at www.maths.bris.ac.uk/~macgb/Software.html.

  18. Independent EEG sources are dipolar.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arnaud Delorme

    Full Text Available Independent component analysis (ICA and blind source separation (BSS methods are increasingly used to separate individual brain and non-brain source signals mixed by volume conduction in electroencephalographic (EEG and other electrophysiological recordings. We compared results of decomposing thirteen 71-channel human scalp EEG datasets by 22 ICA and BSS algorithms, assessing the pairwise mutual information (PMI in scalp channel pairs, the remaining PMI in component pairs, the overall mutual information reduction (MIR effected by each decomposition, and decomposition 'dipolarity' defined as the number of component scalp maps matching the projection of a single equivalent dipole with less than a given residual variance. The least well-performing algorithm was principal component analysis (PCA; best performing were AMICA and other likelihood/mutual information based ICA methods. Though these and other commonly-used decomposition methods returned many similar components, across 18 ICA/BSS algorithms mean dipolarity varied linearly with both MIR and with PMI remaining between the resulting component time courses, a result compatible with an interpretation of many maximally independent EEG components as being volume-conducted projections of partially-synchronous local cortical field activity within single compact cortical domains. To encourage further method comparisons, the data and software used to prepare the results have been made available (http://sccn.ucsd.edu/wiki/BSSComparison.

  19. Robust and unobtrusive algorithm based on position independence for step detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, KeCheng; Li, MengYang; Luo, YiHan

    2018-04-01

    Running is becoming one of the most popular exercises among the people, monitoring steps can help users better understand their running process and improve exercise efficiency. In this paper, we design and implement a robust and unobtrusive algorithm based on position independence for step detection under real environment. It applies Butterworth filter to suppress high frequency interference and then employs the projection based on mathematics to transform system to solve the problem of unknown position of smartphone. Finally, using sliding window to suppress the false peak. The algorithm was tested for eight participants on the Android 7.0 platform. In our experiments, the results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve desired effect in spite of device pose.

  20. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the atmospheric revitalization pressure control subsystem FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saiidi, M. J.

    1988-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the atmospheric Revitalization Pressure Control Subsystem (ARPCS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL proposed Post 51-L updates based upon the CCB/PRCB presentations and an informal criticality summary listing. A discussion of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. These discrepancies were flagged as issues, and recommendations were made based on the FMEA data available at the time. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter ARPCS hardware.

  1. Evaluation of device-independent internet spatial location

    OpenAIRE

    Komosný, Dan; Pang, Paul; Mehic, Miralem; Vozňák, Miroslav

    2017-01-01

    Device-independent Internet spatial location is needed for many purposes, such as data personalisation and social behaviour analysis. Internet spatial databases provide such locations based the IP address of a device. The free to use databases are natively included into many UNIX and Linux operating systems. These systems are predominantly used for e-shops, social networks, and cloud data storage. Using a constructed ground truth dataset, we comprehensively evaluate these databases for null r...

  2. Marital status independently predicts testis cancer survival--an analysis of the SEER database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abern, Michael R; Dude, Annie M; Coogan, Christopher L

    2012-01-01

    Previous reports have shown that married men with malignancies have improved 10-year survival over unmarried men. We sought to investigate the effect of marital status on 10-year survival in a U.S. population-based cohort of men with testis cancer. We examined 30,789 cases of testis cancer reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 17) database between 1973 and 2005. All staging were converted to the 1997 AJCC TNM system. Patients less than 18 years of age at time of diagnosis were excluded. A subgroup analysis of patients with stages I or II non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) was performed. Univariate analysis using t-tests and χ(2) tests compared characteristics of patients separated by marital status. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazard model to generate Kaplan-Meier survival curves, with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality as the primary endpoints. 20,245 cases met the inclusion criteria. Married men were more likely to be older (38.9 vs. 31.4 years), Caucasian (94.4% vs. 92.1%), stage I (73.1% vs. 61.4%), and have seminoma as the tumor histology (57.3% vs. 43.4%). On multivariate analysis, married status (HR 0.58, P married status (HR 0.60, P married and unmarried men (44.8% vs. 43.4%, P = 0.33). Marital status is an independent predictor of improved overall and cancer-specific survival in men with testis cancer. In men with stages I or II NSGCT, RPLND is an additional predictor of improved overall survival. Marital status does not appear to influence whether men undergo RPLND. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Stealthy false data injection attacks using matrix recovery and independent component analysis in smart grid

    Science.gov (United States)

    JiWei, Tian; BuHong, Wang; FuTe, Shang; Shuaiqi, Liu

    2017-05-01

    Exact state estimation is vital important to maintain common operations of smart grids. Existing researches demonstrate that state estimation output could be compromised by malicious attacks. However, to construct the attack vectors, a usual presumption in most works is that the attacker has perfect information regarding the topology and so on even such information is difficult to acquire in practice. Recent research shows that Independent Component Analysis (ICA) can be used for inferring topology information which can be used to originate undetectable attacks and even to alter the price of electricity for the profits of attackers. However, we found that the above ICA-based blind attack tactics is merely feasible in the environment with Gaussian noises. If there are outliers (device malfunction and communication errors), the Bad Data Detector will easily detect the attack. Hence, we propose a robust ICA based blind attack strategy that one can use matrix recovery to circumvent the outlier problem and construct stealthy attack vectors. The proposed attack strategies are tested with IEEE representative 14-bus system. Simulations verify the feasibility of the proposed method.

  4. SU-F-T-288: Impact of Trajectory Log Files for Clarkson-Based Independent Dose Verification of IMRT and VMAT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahashi, R; Kamima, T [Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Koto, Tokyo (Japan); Tachibana, H [National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To investigate the effect of the trajectory files from linear accelerator for Clarkson-based independent dose verification in IMRT and VMAT plans. Methods: A CT-based independent dose verification software (Simple MU Analysis: SMU, Triangle Products, Japan) with a Clarksonbased algorithm was modified to calculate dose using the trajectory log files. Eclipse with the three techniques of step and shoot (SS), sliding window (SW) and Rapid Arc (RA) was used as treatment planning system (TPS). In this study, clinically approved IMRT and VMAT plans for prostate and head and neck (HN) at two institutions were retrospectively analyzed to assess the dose deviation between DICOM-RT plan (PL) and trajectory log file (TJ). An additional analysis was performed to evaluate MLC error detection capability of SMU when the trajectory log files was modified by adding systematic errors (0.2, 0.5, 1.0 mm) and random errors (5, 10, 30 mm) to actual MLC position. Results: The dose deviations for prostate and HN in the two sites were 0.0% and 0.0% in SS, 0.1±0.0%, 0.1±0.1% in SW and 0.6±0.5%, 0.7±0.9% in RA, respectively. The MLC error detection capability shows the plans for HN IMRT were the most sensitive and 0.2 mm of systematic error affected 0.7% dose deviation on average. Effect of the MLC random error did not affect dose error. Conclusion: The use of trajectory log files including actual information of MLC location, gantry angle, etc should be more effective for an independent verification. The tolerance level for the secondary check using the trajectory file may be similar to that of the verification using DICOM-RT plan file. From the view of the resolution of MLC positional error detection, the secondary check could detect the MLC position error corresponding to the treatment sites and techniques. This research is partially supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)

  5. Emotional responses as independent components in EEG

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Camilla Birgitte Falk; Petersen, Michael Kai; Larsen, Jakob Eg

    2014-01-01

    susceptible to noise if captured in a mobile context. Hypothesizing that retrieval of emotional responses in mobile usage scenarios could be enhanced through spatial filtering, we compare a standard EEG electrode based analysis against an approach based on independent component analysis (ICA). By clustering...... or unpleasant images; early posterior negativity (EPN) and late positive potential (LPP). Recent studies suggest that several time course components may be modulated by emotional content in images or text. However these neural signatures are characterized by small voltage changes that would be highly...... by emotional content. We propose that similar approaches to spatial filtering might allow us to retrieve more robust signals in real life mobile usage scenarios, and potentially facilitate design of cognitive interfaces that adapt the selection of media to our emotional responses....

  6. An independent accurate reference method for the determination of chromium in biological materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lagerwaard, A.; Woittiez, J.R.W.; de Goeij, J.J.M.

    1994-01-01

    A method for the determination of Cr in biological materials with high accuracy is reported for use as an independent reference method. It is based on radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) in combination with an individual yield determination based on the online yield principle. A

  7. Time course based artifact identification for independent components of resting state fMRI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian eRummel

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI coherent oscillations of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD signal can be detected. These arise when brain regions respond to external stimuli or are activated by tasks. The same networks have been characterized during wakeful rest when functional connectivity of the human brain is organized in generic resting state networks (RSN. Alterations of RSN emerge as neurobiological markers of pathological conditions such as altered mental state. In single-subject fMRI data the coherent components can be identified by blind source separation of the pre-processed BOLD data using spatial independent component analysis (ICA and related approaches. The resulting maps may represent physiological RSNs or may be due to various artifacts. In this methodological study, we propose a conceptually simple and fully automatic time course based filtering procedure to detect obvious artifacts in the ICA output for resting state fMRI. The filter is trained on six and tested on 29 healthy subjects, yielding mean filter accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 0.80, 0.82 and 0.75 in out-of-sample tests. To estimate the impact of clearly artifactual single-subject components on group resting state studies we analyze unfiltered and filtered output with a second level ICA procedure. Although the automated filter does not reach performance values of visual analysis by human raters, we propose that resting state compatible analysis of ICA time courses could be very useful to complement the existing map or task/event oriented artifact classification algorithms.

  8. Application of independent component analysis to ac dipole based optics measurement and correction at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X. Shen

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Correction of beta-beat is of great importance for performance improvement of high energy accelerators, like the Relativistic Hadron Ion Collider (RHIC. At RHIC, using the independent component analysis method, linear optical functions are extracted from the turn by turn beam position data of the ac dipole driven betatron oscillation. Despite the constraint of a limited number of available quadrupole correctors at RHIC, a global beta-beat correction scheme using a beta-beat response matrix method was developed and experimentally demonstrated. In both rings, a factor of 2 or better reduction of beta-beat was achieved within available beam time. At the same time, a new scheme of using horizontal closed orbit bump at sextupoles to correct beta-beat in the arcs was demonstrated in the Yellow ring of RHIC at beam energy of 255 GeV, and a peak beta-beat of approximately 7% was achieved.

  9. Model-independent curvature determination with 21 cm intensity mapping experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witzemann, Amadeus; Bull, Philip; Clarkson, Chris; Santos, Mario G.; Spinelli, Marta; Weltman, Amanda

    2018-06-01

    Measurements of the spatial curvature of the Universe have improved significantly in recent years, but still tend to require strong assumptions to be made about the equation of state of dark energy (DE) in order to reach sub-percent precision. When these assumptions are relaxed, strong degeneracies arise that make it hard to disentangle DE and curvature, degrading the constraints. We show that forthcoming 21 cm intensity mapping experiments such as Hydrogen Intensity and Real-time Analysis eXperiment (HIRAX) are ideally designed to carry out model-independent curvature measurements, as they can measure the clustering signal at high redshift with sufficient precision to break many of the degeneracies. We consider two different model-independent methods, based on `avoiding' the DE-dominated regime and non-parametric modelling of the DE equation of state, respectively. Our forecasts show that HIRAX will be able to improve upon current model-independent constraints by around an order of magnitude, reaching percent-level accuracy even when an arbitrary DE equation of state is assumed. In the same model-independent analysis, the sample variance limit for a similar survey is another order of magnitude better.

  10. Temperature-independent refractometer based on fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiacheng; Qiao, Xueguang; Wang, Ruohui; Rong, Qiangzhou; Bao, Weijia; Shao, Zhihua; Yang, Tingting

    2016-04-01

    A miniature fiber-optic refractometer based on Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensing head consists of a short section of photonics crystal fiber (PCF) spliced to a single mode fiber (SMF), in which the end-face of the PCF is etched to remove holey structure with hydrofluoric (HF) acid. A Fabry-Perot interference spectrum is achieved based on the reflections from the fusion splicing interface and the end-face of the core of PCF. The interference fringe is sensitive to the external refractive index (RI) with an intensity-referenced sensitivity of 358.27 dB/RIU ranging from 1.33 to 1.38. The sensor has also been implemented for the concentration measurement of λ-phage DNA solution. In addition, the dip intensity is insensitive to the ambient temperature variation, making it a good candidate for temperature-independent bio-sensing area.

  11. Extraction of a Weak Co-Channel Interfering Communication Signal Using Complex Independent Component Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-01

    zarzoso/ biblio /tnn10.pdf"> % "Robust independent component analysis by iterative maximization</a> % <a href = "http://www.i3s.unice.fr/~zarzoso... biblio /tnn10.pdf"> % of the kurtosis contrast with algebraic optimal step size"</a>, % IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks, vol. 21, no. 2, % pp

  12. Roll and pitch independently tuned interconnected suspension: modelling and dynamic analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Guangzhong; Zhang, Nong; Roser, Holger M.

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, a roll and pitch independently tuned hydraulically interconnected passive suspension is presented. Due to decoupling of vibration modes and the improved lateral and longitudinal stability, the stiffness of individual suspension spring can be reduced for improving ride comfort and road grip. A generalised 14 degree-of-freedom nonlinear vehicle model with anti-roll bars is established to investigate the vehicle ride and handling dynamic responses. The nonlinear fluidic model of the hydraulically interconnected suspension is developed and integrated with the full vehicle model to investigate the anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics. Time domain analysis of the vehicle model with the proposed suspension is conducted under different road excitations and steering/braking manoeuvres. The dynamic responses are compared with conventional suspensions to demonstrate the potential of enhanced ride and handling performance. The results illustrate the model-decoupling property of the hydraulically interconnected system. The anti-roll and anti-pitch performance could be tuned independently by the interconnected systems. With the improved anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics, the bounce stiffness and ride damping can be optimised for better ride comfort and tyre grip.

  13. Independent component analysis separates spikes of different origin in the EEG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urrestarazu, Elena; Iriarte, Jorge; Artieda, Julio; Alegre, Manuel; Valencia, Miguel; Viteri, César

    2006-02-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is a novel system that finds independent sources in recorded signals. Its usefulness in separating epileptiform activity of different origin has not been determined. The goal of this study was to demonstrate that ICA is useful for separating different spikes using samples of EEG of patients with focal epilepsy. Digital EEG samples from four patients with focal epilepsy were included. The patients had temporal (n = 2), centrotemporal (n = 1) or frontal spikes (n = 1). Twenty-six samples with two (or more) spikes from two different patients were created. The selection of the two spikes for each mixed EEG was performed randomly, trying to have all the different combinations and rejecting the mixture of two spikes from the same patient. Two different examiners studied the EEGs using ICA with JADE paradigm in Matlab platform, trying to separate and to identify the spikes. They agreed in the correct separation of the spikes in 24 of the 26 samples, classifying the spikes as frontal, temporal or centrotemporal, left or right sided. The demonstration of the possibility of detecting different artificially mixed spikes confirms that ICA may be useful in separating spikes or other elements in real EEGs.

  14. Stakeholder Analysis on Community Forest Management Partnership and Independent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimas Alfred Pasetia

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Timber of community forest in one of the alternative supply that is needed by the wood processing industries. Partnership and independent of community forest can be realized in the relationship between farmers and industry. However, parts of the community forest system is represented by different stakeholders, which are interrelated in a system. This study analyzed stakeholder interest, influences and relationships between partnership and independent of community forest management. The study was conducted in Probolinggo District and respondents were selected using snowball sampling. There were 15 stakeholders identified as being involved in the partnership of community forest management of which were classified 4 as key players, 2 as context setters, 5 as subjects and 5 as crowds. There were 12 stakeholders identified as being involved in the independent of community forest management of which were classified 3 as key players, 1 as context setters, 5 as subjects and 3 as crowd. The performances of each stakeholder can be controlled if the integration of relationships and rules has been established. Keywords: community forest, independent, partnership, stakeholders

  15. Performance comparison of six independent components analysis algorithms for fetal signal extraction from real fMCG data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hild, Kenneth E; Alleva, Giovanna; Nagarajan, Srikantan; Comani, Silvia

    2007-01-01

    In this study we compare the performance of six independent components analysis (ICA) algorithms on 16 real fetal magnetocardiographic (fMCG) datasets for the application of extracting the fetal cardiac signal. We also compare the extraction results for real data with the results previously obtained for synthetic data. The six ICA algorithms are FastICA, CubICA, JADE, Infomax, MRMI-SIG and TDSEP. The results obtained using real fMCG data indicate that the FastICA method consistently outperforms the others in regard to separation quality and that the performance of an ICA method that uses temporal information suffers in the presence of noise. These two results confirm the previous results obtained using synthetic fMCG data. There were also two notable differences between the studies based on real and synthetic data. The differences are that all six ICA algorithms are independent of gestational age and sensor dimensionality for synthetic data, but depend on gestational age and sensor dimensionality for real data. It is possible to explain these differences by assuming that the number of point sources needed to completely explain the data is larger than the dimensionality used in the ICA extraction

  16. Independent component analysis for cochlear implant artifacts attenuation from electrically evoked auditory steady-state response measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deprez, Hanne; Gransier, Robin; Hofmann, Michael; van Wieringen, Astrid; Wouters, Jan; Moonen, Marc

    2018-02-01

    Objective. Electrically evoked auditory steady-state responses (EASSRs) are potentially useful for objective cochlear implant (CI) fitting and follow-up of the auditory maturation in infants and children with a CI. EASSRs are recorded in the electro-encephalogram (EEG) in response to electrical stimulation with continuous pulse trains, and are distorted by significant CI artifacts related to this electrical stimulation. The aim of this study is to evaluate a CI artifacts attenuation method based on independent component analysis (ICA) for three EASSR datasets. Approach. ICA has often been used to remove CI artifacts from the EEG to record transient auditory responses, such as cortical evoked auditory potentials. Independent components (ICs) corresponding to CI artifacts are then often manually identified. In this study, an ICA based CI artifacts attenuation method was developed and evaluated for EASSR measurements with varying CI artifacts and EASSR characteristics. Artifactual ICs were automatically identified based on their spectrum. Main results. For 40 Hz amplitude modulation (AM) stimulation at comfort level, in high SNR recordings, ICA succeeded in removing CI artifacts from all recording channels, without distorting the EASSR. For lower SNR recordings, with 40 Hz AM stimulation at lower levels, or 90 Hz AM stimulation, ICA either distorted the EASSR or could not remove all CI artifacts in most subjects, except for two of the seven subjects tested with low level 40 Hz AM stimulation. Noise levels were reduced after ICA was applied, and up to 29 ICs were rejected, suggesting poor ICA separation quality. Significance. We hypothesize that ICA is capable of separating CI artifacts and EASSR in case the contralateral hemisphere is EASSR dominated. For small EASSRs or large CI artifact amplitudes, ICA separation quality is insufficient to ensure complete CI artifacts attenuation without EASSR distortion.

  17. Effective time-independent analysis for quantum kicked systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandyopadhyay, Jayendra N.; Guha Sarkar, Tapomoy

    2015-03-01

    We present a mapping of potentially chaotic time-dependent quantum kicked systems to an equivalent approximate effective time-independent scenario, whereby the system is rendered integrable. The time evolution is factorized into an initial kick, followed by an evolution dictated by a time-independent Hamiltonian and a final kick. This method is applied to the kicked top model. The effective time-independent Hamiltonian thus obtained does not suffer from spurious divergences encountered if the traditional Baker-Cambell-Hausdorff treatment is used. The quasienergy spectrum of the Floquet operator is found to be in excellent agreement with the energy levels of the effective Hamiltonian for a wide range of system parameters. The density of states for the effective system exhibits sharp peaklike features, pointing towards quantum criticality. The dynamics in the classical limit of the integrable effective Hamiltonian shows remarkable agreement with the nonintegrable map corresponding to the actual time-dependent system in the nonchaotic regime. This suggests that the effective Hamiltonian serves as a substitute for the actual system in the nonchaotic regime at both the quantum and classical level.

  18. Blind Extraction of Chaotic Signals by Using the Fast Independent Component Analysis Algorithm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong-Bin, Chen; Jiu-Chao, Feng; Yong, Fang

    2008-01-01

    We report the results of using the fast independent component analysis (FastICA) algorithm to realize blind extraction of chaotic signals. Two cases are taken into consideration: namely, the mixture is noiseless or contaminated by noise. Pre-whitening is employed to reduce the effect of noise before using the FastICA algorithm. The correlation coefficient criterion is adopted to evaluate the performance, and the success rate is defined as a new criterion to indicate the performance with respect to noise or different mixing matrices. Simulation results show that the FastICA algorithm can extract the chaotic signals effectively. The impact of noise, the length of a signal frame, the number of sources and the number of observed mixtures on the performance is investigated in detail. It is also shown that regarding a noise as an independent source is not always correct

  19. Firms’ Board Independence and Corporate Social Performance: A Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Ortas

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the influence of organizations’ board independence on corporate social performance (CSP using a meta-analytic approach. A sample of 87 published papers is used to identify a set of underlying moderating effects in that relationship. Specifically, differences in the system of corporate governance, CSP measurement models and market conditions have been considered as moderating variables. The results show that the independence of a company’s board positively influences CSP. This is because companies with more independent directors in their boards are more likely to commit to stakeholder engagement, environmental preservation and community well-being. Interestingly, the results also show that the positive connection between board independence and CSP is stronger in civil law countries and when CSP is measured by self-reporting data. Finally, the strength of the influence of the independence of a firm’s board on CSP varies significantly in different market conditions. The paper concludes by presenting the main implications for academics, practitioners and policy makers.

  20. RIPE [robot independent programming environment]: A robot independent programming environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, D.J.; Lennox, R.C.

    1990-01-01

    Remote manual operations in radiation environments are typically performed very slowly. Sensor-based computer-controlled robots hold great promise for increasing the speed and safety of remote operations; however, the programming of robotic systems has proven to be expensive and difficult. Generalized approaches to robot programming that reuse available software modules and employ programming languages which are independent of the specific robotic and sensory devices being used are needed to speed software development and increase overall system reliability. This paper discusses the robot independent programming environment (RIPE) developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The RIPE is an object-oriented approach to robot system architectures; it is a software environment that facilitates rapid design and implementation of complex robot systems for diverse applications. An architecture based on hierarchies of distributed multiprocessors provides the computing platform for a layered programming structure that models applications using software objects. These objects are designed to support model-based automated programming of robotic and machining devices, real-time sensor-based control, error handling, and robust communication

  1. Detector-device-independent quantum key distribution: Security analysis and fast implementation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boaron, Alberto; Korzh, Boris; Boso, Gianluca; Martin, Anthony; Zbinden, Hugo; Houlmann, Raphael; Lim, Charles Ci Wen

    2016-01-01

    One of the most pressing issues in quantum key distribution (QKD) is the problem of detector side-channel attacks. To overcome this problem, researchers proposed an elegant “time-reversal” QKD protocol called measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD), which is based on time-reversed entanglement swapping. However, MDI-QKD is more challenging to implement than standard point-to-point QKD. Recently, an intermediary QKD protocol called detector-device-independent QKD (DDI-QKD) has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks of MDI-QKD, with the hope that it would eventually lead to a more efficient detector side-channel-free QKD system. Here, we analyze the security of DDI-QKD and elucidate its security assumptions. We find that DDI-QKD is not equivalent to MDI-QKD, but its security can be demonstrated with reasonable assumptions. On the more practical side, we consider the feasibility of DDI-QKD and present a fast experimental demonstration (clocked at 625 MHz), capable of secret key exchange up to more than 90 km.

  2. Independent safety organization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, W.Y.; Weinstock, E.V.; Carew, J.F.; Cerbone, R.J.; Guppy, J.G.; Hall, R.E.; Taylor, J.H.

    1985-01-01

    Brookhaven National Laboratory has conducted a study on the need and feasibility of an independent organization to investigate significant safety events for the Office for Analysis and Evaluation of Operational Data, USNRC. The study consists of three parts: the need for an independent organization to investigate significant safety events, alternative organizations to conduct investigations, and legislative requirements. The determination of need was investigated by reviewing current NRC investigation practices, comparing aviation and nuclear industry practices, and interviewing a spectrum of representatives from the nuclear industry, the regulatory agency, and the public sector. The advantages and disadvantages of alternative independent organizations were studied, namely, an Office of Nuclear Safety headed by a director reporting to the Executive Director for Operations (EDO) of NRC; an Office of Nuclear Safety headed by a director reporting to the NRC Commissioners; a multi-member NTSB-type Nuclear Safety Board independent of the NRC. The costs associated with operating a Nuclear Safety Board were also included in the study. The legislative requirements, both new authority and changes to the existing NRC legislative authority, were studied. 134 references

  3. Maintainability analysis considering time-dependent and time-independent covariates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barabadi, Abbas; Barabady, Javad; Markeset, Tore

    2011-01-01

    Traditional parametric methods for assessing maintainability most often only consider time to repair (TTR) as a single explanatory variable. However, to predict availability more precisely for high availability systems, a better model is needed to quantify the effect of operational environment on maintainability. The proportional repair model (PRM), which is developed based on proportional hazard model (PHM), may be used to analyze maintainability in the present of covariates. In the PRM, the effect of covariates is considered to be time independent. However this assumption may not be valid for some situations. The aim of this paper is to develop the Cox regression model and its extension in the presence of time-dependent covariates for determining maintainability. A simple case study is used to demonstrate how the model can be applied in a real case.

  4. Concurrent Development and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Paper-Based and Digitized Instructional Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annand, David

    2002-01-01

    Describes the simultaneous development of paper-based and digitized versions of a textbook and related instructional material used in an undergraduate, independent study, distance education course at Athabasca University (Canada). Used break-even analysis as an initial evaluation measure to determine cost-effectiveness, and discusses the next…

  5. User-independent accelerometer-based gesture recognition for mobile devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo METOLA

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Many mobile devices embed nowadays inertial sensors. This enables new forms of human-computer interaction through the use of gestures (movements performed with the mobile device as a way of communication. This paper presents an accelerometer-based gesture recognition system for mobile devices which is able to recognize a collection of 10 different hand gestures. The system was conceived to be light and to operate in a user-independent manner in real time. The recognition system was implemented in a smart phone and evaluated through a collection of user tests, which showed a recognition accuracy similar to other state-of-the art techniques and a lower computational complexity. The system was also used to build a human-robot interface that enables controlling a wheeled robot with the gestures made with the mobile phone

  6. Proficiency-based laparoscopic and endoscopic training with virtual reality simulators: a comparison of proctored and independent approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Christopher W; Vandromme, Marianne J; Tyra, Sharon L; Hawn, Mary T

    2009-01-01

    Virtual reality (VR) simulators for laparoscopy and endoscopy may be valuable tools for resident education. However, the cost of such training in terms of trainee and instructor time may vary depending upon whether an independent or proctored approach is employed. We performed a randomized controlled trial to compare independent and proctored methods of proficiency-based VR simulator training. Medical students were randomized to independent or proctored training groups. Groups were compared with respect to the number of training hours and task repetitions required to achieve expert level proficiency on laparoscopic and endoscopic simulators. Cox regression modeling was used to compare time to proficiency between groups, with adjustment for appropriate covariates. Thirty-six medical students (18 independent, 18 proctored) were enrolled. Achievement of overall simulator proficiency required a median of 11 hours of training (range, 6-21 hours). Laparoscopic and endoscopic proficiency were achieved after a median of 11 (range, 6-32) and 10 (range, 5-27) task repetitions, respectively. The number of repetitions required to achieve proficiency was similar between groups. After adjustment for covariates, trainees in the independent group achieved simulator proficiency with significantly fewer hours of training (hazard ratio, 2.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-6.85; p = 0.048). Our study quantifies the cost, in instructor and trainee hours, of proficiency-based laparoscopic and endoscopic VR simulator training, and suggests that proctored instruction does not offer any advantages to trainees. The independent approach may be preferable for surgical residency programs desiring to implement VR simulator training.

  7. Hyperhomocysteinemia is independently associated with albuminuria in the population-based CoLaus study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paccaud Fred

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Increased serum levels of homocysteine and uric acid have each been associated with cardiovascular risk. We analyzed whether homocysteine and uric acid were associated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR and albuminuria independently of each other. We also investigated the association of MTHFR polymorphisms related to homocysteine with albuminuria to get further insight into causality. Methods This was a cross-sectional population-based study in Caucasians (n = 5913. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as total serum homocysteine ≥ 15 μmol/L. Albuminuria was defined as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g. Results Uric acid was associated positively with homocysteine (r = 0.246 in men and r = 0.287 in women, P P for trend P P = 0.004 were significantly associated with albuminuria, independently of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The 2-fold higher risk of albuminuria associated with hyperhomocysteinemia was similar to the risk associated with hypertension or diabetes. MTHFR alleles related to higher homocysteine were associated with increased risk of albuminuria. Conclusions In the general adult population, elevated serum homocysteine and uric acid were associated with albuminuria independently of each other and of renal function.

  8. Analysis of the molecular networks in androgen dependent and independent prostate cancer revealed fragile and robust subsystems.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Tasseff

    Full Text Available Androgen ablation therapy is currently the primary treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. Unfortunately, in nearly all cases, androgen ablation fails to permanently arrest cancer progression. As androgens like testosterone are withdrawn, prostate cancer cells lose their androgen sensitivity and begin to proliferate without hormone growth factors. In this study, we constructed and analyzed a mathematical model of the integration between hormone growth factor signaling, androgen receptor activation, and the expression of cyclin D and Prostate-Specific Antigen in human LNCaP prostate adenocarcinoma cells. The objective of the study was to investigate which signaling systems were important in the loss of androgen dependence. The model was formulated as a set of ordinary differential equations which described 212 species and 384 interactions, including both the mRNA and protein levels for key species. An ensemble approach was chosen to constrain model parameters and to estimate the impact of parametric uncertainty on model predictions. Model parameters were identified using 14 steady-state and dynamic LNCaP data sets taken from literature sources. Alterations in the rate of Prostatic Acid Phosphatase expression was sufficient to capture varying levels of androgen dependence. Analysis of the model provided insight into the importance of network components as a function of androgen dependence. The importance of androgen receptor availability and the MAPK/Akt signaling axes was independent of androgen status. Interestingly, androgen receptor availability was important even in androgen-independent LNCaP cells. Translation became progressively more important in androgen-independent LNCaP cells. Further analysis suggested a positive synergy between the MAPK and Akt signaling axes and the translation of key proliferative markers like cyclin D in androgen-independent cells. Taken together, the results support the targeting of both the Akt and MAPK

  9. A MODIS-based analysis of the Val d'Agri Oil Center (South of Italy) thermal emission: an independent gas flaring estimation strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pergola, Nicola; Faruolo, Mariapia; Irina, Coviello; Carolina, Filizzola; Teodosio, Lacava; Valerio, Tramutoli

    2014-05-01

    Different kinds of atmospheric pollution affect human health and the environment at local and global scale. The petroleum industry represents one of the most important environmental pollution sources, accounting for about 18% of well-to-wheels greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The main pollution source is represented by the flaring of gas, one of the most challenging energy and environmental problems facing the world today. The World Bank has estimated that 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas are being flared annually, that is equivalent to 30% of the European Union's gas consumption. Since 2002, satellite-based methodologies have shown their capability in providing independent and reliable estimation of gas flaring emissions, at both national and global scale. In this paper, for the first time, the potential of satellite data in estimating gas flaring volumes emitted from a single on-shore crude oil pre-treatment plant, i.e. the Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI) Val d'Agri Oil Center (COVA), located in the Basilicata Region (South of Italy), was assessed. Specifically, thirteen years of night-time Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data acquired in the medium and thermal infrared (MIR and TIR, respectively) bands were processed. The Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) approach was implemented for identifying anomalous values of the signals under investigation (i.e. the MIR-TIR difference one), associated to the COVA flares emergency discharges. Then, the Fire Radiative Power (FRP), computed for the thermal anomalies previously identified, was correlated to the emitted gas flaring volumes, available for the COVA in the period 2003 - 2009, defining a satellite based regression model for estimating COVA gas flaring emitted volumes. The used strategy and the preliminary results of this analysis will be described in detail in this work.

  10. The Financial Resilience of Independent Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chessman, Hollie M.; Hartley, Harold V., III; Williams, Michael

    2017-01-01

    This report explores the financial resilience of independent colleges and universities through an analysis of 14 years (fiscal years 2001-2014) of financial data from 559 private nondoctoral institutions. Through analysis of financial performance in several domains, the data reveal that the majority of independent baccalaureate and master's-level…

  11. Are Independent Probes Truly Independent?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camp, Gino; Pecher, Diane; Schmidt, Henk G.; Zeelenberg, Rene

    2009-01-01

    The independent cue technique has been developed to test traditional interference theories against inhibition theories of forgetting. In the present study, the authors tested the critical criterion for the independence of independent cues: Studied cues not presented during test (and unrelated to test cues) should not contribute to the retrieval…

  12. An Improved Interferometric Calibration Method Based on Independent Parameter Decomposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, J.; Zuo, X.; Li, T.; Chen, Q.; Geng, X.

    2018-04-01

    Interferometric SAR is sensitive to earth surface undulation. The accuracy of interferometric parameters plays a significant role in precise digital elevation model (DEM). The interferometric calibration is to obtain high-precision global DEM by calculating the interferometric parameters using ground control points (GCPs). However, interferometric parameters are always calculated jointly, making them difficult to decompose precisely. In this paper, we propose an interferometric calibration method based on independent parameter decomposition (IPD). Firstly, the parameters related to the interferometric SAR measurement are determined based on the three-dimensional reconstruction model. Secondly, the sensitivity of interferometric parameters is quantitatively analyzed after the geometric parameters are completely decomposed. Finally, each interferometric parameter is calculated based on IPD and interferometric calibration model is established. We take Weinan of Shanxi province as an example and choose 4 TerraDEM-X image pairs to carry out interferometric calibration experiment. The results show that the elevation accuracy of all SAR images is better than 2.54 m after interferometric calibration. Furthermore, the proposed method can obtain the accuracy of DEM products better than 2.43 m in the flat area and 6.97 m in the mountainous area, which can prove the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed IPD based interferometric calibration method. The results provide a technical basis for topographic mapping of 1 : 50000 and even larger scale in the flat area and mountainous area.

  13. Cross coherence independent component analysis in resting and action states EEG discrimination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almurshedi, A; Ismail, A K

    2014-01-01

    Cross Coherence time frequency transform and independent component analysis (ICA) method were used to analyse the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals in resting and action states during open and close eyes conditions. From the topographical scalp distributions of delta, theta, alpha, and beta power spectrum can clearly discriminate between the signal when the eyes were open or closed, but it was difficult to distinguish between resting and action states when the eyes were closed. In open eyes condition, the frontal area (Fp1, Fp2) was activated (higher power) in delta and theta bands whilst occipital (O1, O2) and partial (P3, P4, Pz) area of brain was activated alpha band in closed eyes condition. The cross coherence method of time frequency analysis is capable of discrimination between rest and action brain signals in closed eyes condition

  14. Parameter-Independent Dynamical Behaviors in Memristor-Based Wien-Bridge Oscillator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ning Wang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a novel memristor-based Wien-bridge oscillator and investigates its parameter-independent dynamical behaviors. The newly proposed memristive chaotic oscillator is constructed by linearly coupling a nonlinear active filter composed of memristor and capacitor to a Wien-bridge oscillator. For a set of circuit parameters, phase portraits of a double-scroll chaotic attractor are obtained by numerical simulations and then validated by hardware experiments. With a dimensionless system model and the determined system parameters, the initial condition-dependent dynamical behaviors are explored through bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponents, and phase portraits, upon which the coexisting infinitely many attractors and transient chaos related to initial conditions are perfectly offered. These results are well verified by PSIM circuit simulations.

  15. Automatic flow analysis of digital subtraction angiography using independent component analysis in patients with carotid stenosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han-Jui Lee

    Full Text Available Current time-density curve analysis of digital subtraction angiography (DSA provides intravascular flow information but requires manual vasculature selection. We developed an angiographic marker that represents cerebral perfusion by using automatic independent component analysis.We retrospectively analyzed the data of 44 patients with unilateral carotid stenosis higher than 70% according to North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial criteria. For all patients, magnetic resonance perfusion (MRP was performed one day before DSA. Fixed contrast injection protocols and DSA acquisition parameters were used before stenting. The cerebral circulation time (CCT was defined as the difference in the time to peak between the parietal vein and cavernous internal carotid artery in a lateral angiogram. Both anterior-posterior and lateral DSA views were processed using independent component analysis, and the capillary angiogram was extracted automatically. The full width at half maximum of the time-density curve in the capillary phase in the anterior-posterior and lateral DSA views was defined as the angiographic mean transient time (aMTT; i.e., aMTTAP and aMTTLat. The correlations between the degree of stenosis, CCT, aMTTAP and aMTTLat, and MRP parameters were evaluated.The degree of stenosis showed no correlation with CCT, aMTTAP, aMTTLat, or any MRP parameter. CCT showed a strong correlation with aMTTAP (r = 0.67 and aMTTLat (r = 0.72. Among the MRP parameters, CCT showed only a moderate correlation with MTT (r = 0.67 and Tmax (r = 0.40. aMTTAP showed a moderate correlation with Tmax (r = 0.42 and a strong correlation with MTT (r = 0.77. aMTTLat also showed similar correlations with Tmax (r = 0.59 and MTT (r = 0.73.Apart from vascular anatomy, aMTT estimates brain parenchyma hemodynamics from DSA and is concordant with MRP. This process is completely automatic and provides immediate measurement of quantitative peritherapeutic brain parenchyma

  16. Contextual information management: An example of independent-checking in the review of laboratory-based bloodstain pattern analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Nikola K P; Taylor, Michael C

    2018-05-01

    This article describes a New Zealand forensic agency's contextual information management protocol for bloodstain pattern evidence examined in the laboratory. In an effort to create a protocol that would have minimal impact on current work-flow, while still effectively removing task-irrelevant contextual information, the protocol was designed following an in-depth consultation with management and forensic staff. The resulting design was for a protocol of independent-checking (i.e. blind peer-review) where the checker's interpretation of the evidence is conducted in the absence of case information and the original examiner's notes or interpretation(s). At the conclusion of a ten-case trial period, there was widespread agreement that the protocol had minimal impact on the number of people required, the cost, or the time to complete an item examination. The agency is now looking to adopt the protocol into standard operating procedures and in some cases the protocol has been extended to cover other laboratory-based examinations (e.g. fabric damage, shoeprint examination, and physical fits). The protocol developed during this trial provides a useful example for agencies seeking to adopt contextual information management into their workflow. Copyright © 2018 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Toward the detection of gravitational waves under non-Gaussian noises II. Independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morisaki, Soichiro; Yokoyama, Jun'ichi; Eda, Kazunari; Itoh, Yousuke

    2016-01-01

    We introduce a new analysis method to deal with stationary non-Gaussian noises in gravitational wave detectors in terms of the independent component analysis. First, we consider the simplest case where the detector outputs are linear combinations of the inputs, consisting of signals and various noises, and show that this method may be helpful to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Next, we take into account the time delay between the inputs and the outputs. Finally, we extend our method to nonlinearly correlated noises and show that our method can identify the coupling coefficients and remove non-Gaussian noises. Although we focus on gravitational wave data analysis, our methods are applicable to the detection of any signals under non-Gaussian noises.

  18. Alignment-independent comparison of binding sites based on DrugScore potential fields encoded by 3D Zernike descriptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisius, Britta; Gohlke, Holger

    2012-09-24

    Analyzing protein binding sites provides detailed insights into the biological processes proteins are involved in, e.g., into drug-target interactions, and so is of crucial importance in drug discovery. Herein, we present novel alignment-independent binding site descriptors based on DrugScore potential fields. The potential fields are transformed to a set of information-rich descriptors using a series expansion in 3D Zernike polynomials. The resulting Zernike descriptors show a promising performance in detecting similarities among proteins with low pairwise sequence identities that bind identical ligands, as well as within subfamilies of one target class. Furthermore, the Zernike descriptors are robust against structural variations among protein binding sites. Finally, the Zernike descriptors show a high data compression power, and computing similarities between binding sites based on these descriptors is highly efficient. Consequently, the Zernike descriptors are a useful tool for computational binding site analysis, e.g., to predict the function of novel proteins, off-targets for drug candidates, or novel targets for known drugs.

  19. Analysis, Simulation, and Verification of Knowledge-Based, Rule-Based, and Expert Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinchey, Mike; Rash, James; Erickson, John; Gracanin, Denis; Rouff, Chris

    2010-01-01

    Mathematically sound techniques are used to view a knowledge-based system (KBS) as a set of processes executing in parallel and being enabled in response to specific rules being fired. The set of processes can be manipulated, examined, analyzed, and used in a simulation. The tool that embodies this technology may warn developers of errors in their rules, but may also highlight rules (or sets of rules) in the system that are underspecified (or overspecified) and need to be corrected for the KBS to operate as intended. The rules embodied in a KBS specify the allowed situations, events, and/or results of the system they describe. In that sense, they provide a very abstract specification of a system. The system is implemented through the combination of the system specification together with an appropriate inference engine, independent of the algorithm used in that inference engine. Viewing the rule base as a major component of the specification, and choosing an appropriate specification notation to represent it, reveals how additional power can be derived from an approach to the knowledge-base system that involves analysis, simulation, and verification. This innovative approach requires no special knowledge of the rules, and allows a general approach where standardized analysis, verification, simulation, and model checking techniques can be applied to the KBS.

  20. Independent component analysis of edge information for face recognition

    CERN Document Server

    Karande, Kailash Jagannath

    2013-01-01

    The book presents research work on face recognition using edge information as features for face recognition with ICA algorithms. The independent components are extracted from edge information. These independent components are used with classifiers to match the facial images for recognition purpose. In their study, authors have explored Canny and LOG edge detectors as standard edge detection methods. Oriented Laplacian of Gaussian (OLOG) method is explored to extract the edge information with different orientations of Laplacian pyramid. Multiscale wavelet model for edge detection is also propos

  1. Angle-independent structural colors of silicon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Højlund-Nielsen, Emil; Weirich, Johannes; Nørregaard, Jesper

    2014-01-01

    Structural colors are optical phenomena of physical origin, where microscale and nanoscale structures determine the reflected spectrum of light. Artificial structural colors have been realized within recent years. However, multilayer structures require substantial fabrication. Instead we considered...... one-layer surface textures of silicon.We explored four patterns of square structures in a square lattice with periods of 500, 400, 300, and 200 nm. The reflectivity and daylight-colors were measured and compared with simulations based on rigorously coupledwave analysis with excellent agreement. Based...... on the 200-nm periodic pattern, it was found that angle-independent specular colors up to 60 deg of incidence may be provided. The underlying mechanisms include (1) the suppression of diffraction and (2) a strong coupling of light to localized surface states. The strong coupling yields absorption anomalies...

  2. Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for tracheal cancer patients: an analysis of the SEER database.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mu; Dai, Chen-Yang; Wang, Yu-Ning; Chen, Tao; Wang, Long; Yang, Ping; Xie, Dong; Mao, Rui; Chen, Chang

    2016-11-22

    Although marital status is an independent prognostic factor in many cancers, its prognostic impact on tracheal cancer has not yet been determined. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between marital status and survival in patients with tracheal cancer. Compared with unmarried patients (42.67%), married patients (57.33%) had better 5-year OS (25.64% vs. 35.89%, p = 0.009) and 5-year TCSS (44.58% vs. 58.75%, p = 0.004). Results of multivariate analysis indicated that marital status is an independent prognostic factor, with married patients showing better OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.95, p = 0.015) and TCSS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91, p = 0.008). In addition, subgroup analysis suggested that marital status plays a more important role in the TCSS of patients with non-low-grade malignant tumors (HR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.93, p = 0.015). We extracted 600 cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Variables were compared by Pearson chi-squared test, t-test, log-rank test, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Overall survival (OS) and tracheal cancer-specific survival (TCSS) were compared between subgroups with different pathologic features and tumor stages. Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with tracheal cancer. For that reason, additional social support may be needed for unmarried patients, especially those with non-low-grade malignant tumors.

  3. A non-parametric meta-analysis approach for combining independent microarray datasets: application using two microarray datasets pertaining to chronic allograft nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Archer Kellie J

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background With the popularity of DNA microarray technology, multiple groups of researchers have studied the gene expression of similar biological conditions. Different methods have been developed to integrate the results from various microarray studies, though most of them rely on distributional assumptions, such as the t-statistic based, mixed-effects model, or Bayesian model methods. However, often the sample size for each individual microarray experiment is small. Therefore, in this paper we present a non-parametric meta-analysis approach for combining data from independent microarray studies, and illustrate its application on two independent Affymetrix GeneChip studies that compared the gene expression of biopsies from kidney transplant recipients with chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN to those with normal functioning allograft. Results The simulation study comparing the non-parametric meta-analysis approach to a commonly used t-statistic based approach shows that the non-parametric approach has better sensitivity and specificity. For the application on the two CAN studies, we identified 309 distinct genes that expressed differently in CAN. By applying Fisher's exact test to identify enriched KEGG pathways among those genes called differentially expressed, we found 6 KEGG pathways to be over-represented among the identified genes. We used the expression measurements of the identified genes as predictors to predict the class labels for 6 additional biopsy samples, and the predicted results all conformed to their pathologist diagnosed class labels. Conclusion We present a new approach for combining data from multiple independent microarray studies. This approach is non-parametric and does not rely on any distributional assumptions. The rationale behind the approach is logically intuitive and can be easily understood by researchers not having advanced training in statistics. Some of the identified genes and pathways have been

  4. Independent versus non-independent outside directors in European companies: Who has a say on CEO compensation?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo de Andrés

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Our study reveals how two separate dimensions of board composition—the proportion of independent directors and of non-independent directors—influence CEO compensation in Western European firms. Controlling for the simultaneous determination of CEO pay structure and board design, we find that firms with a higher proportion of non-independent outsiders on their boards pay less direct compensation (salary + bonus and less equity-linked compensation to their CEOs. By contrast, CEOs working for firms with more independent boards receive more equity based-pay. When we control for the fact that equity linked is not granted systematically in Europe we find that firms with more independent directors on the board tend to grant equity-linked compensation more often than firms with more non independent outside directors. Our results challenge the commonly accepted view of independent directors as safeguards of shareholder value, uncovering the relevance of non-independent outsiders for pay moderation and incentives.

  5. Characterizing functional connectivity during rest in multiple sclerosis patients versus healthy volunteers using independent component analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palacio Garcia, L.; Andrzejak, R.; Prchkovska, V.; Rodrigues, P.

    2016-07-01

    It is commonly thought that our brain is not active when it does not receive any external input. However, during rest, there are still certain distant regions of the brain that are functionally correlated between them: the so-called resting-state networks. This functional connectivity of the brain is disrupted in many neurological diseases. In particular, it has been shown that one of the most studied resting-state networks (the default-mode network) is affected in multiple sclerosis, which is the most common disabling neurological condition affecting the central nervous system of young adults. In this work, I focus on the study of the differences in the resting-state networks between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy volunteers. In order to study the effects of multiple sclerosis on the functional connectivity of the brain, a numerical method known as independent component analysis (ICA) is applied. This technique divides the resting-state fMRI data into independent components. Nonetheless, noise, which could be due to head motion or physiological artifacts, may corrupt the data by indicating a false activation. Therefore, I create a web user interface that allows the user to manually classify all the independent components for a given subject. Eventually, the components classified as noise should be removed from the functional data in order to prevent them from taking part in any further analysis. (Author)

  6. Representation for dialect recognition using topographic independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Qu

    2004-10-01

    In dialect speech recognition, the feature of tone in one dialect is subject to changes in pitch frequency as well as the length of tone. It is beneficial for the recognition if a representation can be derived to account for the frequency and length changes of tone in an effective and meaningful way. In this paper, we propose a method for learning such a representation from a set of unlabeled speech sentences containing the features of the dialect changed from various pitch frequencies and time length. Topographic independent component analysis (TICA) is applied for the unsupervised learning to produce an emergent result that is a topographic matrix made up of basis components. The dialect speech is topographic in the following sense: the basis components as the units of the speech are ordered in the feature matrix such that components of one dialect are grouped in one axis and changes in time windows are accounted for in the other axis. This provides a meaningful set of basis vectors that may be used to construct dialect subspaces for dialect speech recognition.

  7. Independent programmable CAMAC crate controller based on KR580IK80A microprocessor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulik, O.V.; Andronov, M.A.

    1986-01-01

    The RTKAM-2 independent programmable CAMAC crate controller is designed for use as a remote terminal in systems for automation of physics research. The built-in 12K-byte RAM is automatically changed to 24-bit organization in exchanges with the crate dataway. A nonstandard 24-level priority-interrupt system allows an LAM-request routing to be accessed in 5.5 μsec. Communication with the base computer is through a two conductor line

  8. Cloaks and antiobject-independent illusion optics based on illusion media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhou; Zang, XiaoFei; Cai, Bin; Shi, Cheng; Zhu, YiMing

    2013-11-01

    Based on the transformation optics, we propose a new strategy of illusion media consisting of homogeneous and anisotropic materials. By utilizing the illusion media, invisible cloak is theoretically realized, in which objects covered with the illusion media could not be detected. The cloak here allows neither the propagation of light around the concealed region nor compensates the scattering field of object outside the media. What the cloak does is to shift the region into another place where outside the trace of light, so that objects in that region can disappear. Another application of the illusion media is to create the antiobject-independent illusion optics which means that two objects appear to be like some other objects of our choice. Finite element simulations for two-dimensional cases have been performed to prove these ideas.

  9. Classification in hyperspectral images by independent component analysis, segmented cross-validation and uncertainty estimates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatriz Galindo-Prieto

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Independent component analysis combined with various strategies for cross-validation, uncertainty estimates by jack-knifing and critical Hotelling’s T2 limits estimation, proposed in this paper, is used for classification purposes in hyperspectral images. To the best of our knowledge, the combined approach of methods used in this paper has not been previously applied to hyperspectral imaging analysis for interpretation and classification in the literature. The data analysis performed here aims to distinguish between four different types of plastics, some of them containing brominated flame retardants, from their near infrared hyperspectral images. The results showed that the method approach used here can be successfully used for unsupervised classification. A comparison of validation approaches, especially leave-one-out cross-validation and regions of interest scheme validation is also evaluated.

  10. AN IMPROVED INTERFEROMETRIC CALIBRATION METHOD BASED ON INDEPENDENT PARAMETER DECOMPOSITION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Fan

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Interferometric SAR is sensitive to earth surface undulation. The accuracy of interferometric parameters plays a significant role in precise digital elevation model (DEM. The interferometric calibration is to obtain high-precision global DEM by calculating the interferometric parameters using ground control points (GCPs. However, interferometric parameters are always calculated jointly, making them difficult to decompose precisely. In this paper, we propose an interferometric calibration method based on independent parameter decomposition (IPD. Firstly, the parameters related to the interferometric SAR measurement are determined based on the three-dimensional reconstruction model. Secondly, the sensitivity of interferometric parameters is quantitatively analyzed after the geometric parameters are completely decomposed. Finally, each interferometric parameter is calculated based on IPD and interferometric calibration model is established. We take Weinan of Shanxi province as an example and choose 4 TerraDEM-X image pairs to carry out interferometric calibration experiment. The results show that the elevation accuracy of all SAR images is better than 2.54 m after interferometric calibration. Furthermore, the proposed method can obtain the accuracy of DEM products better than 2.43 m in the flat area and 6.97 m in the mountainous area, which can prove the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed IPD based interferometric calibration method. The results provide a technical basis for topographic mapping of 1 : 50000 and even larger scale in the flat area and mountainous area.

  11. Variational Bayesian Learning for Wavelet Independent Component Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roussos, E.; Roberts, S.; Daubechies, I.

    2005-11-01

    In an exploratory approach to data analysis, it is often useful to consider the observations as generated from a set of latent generators or "sources" via a generally unknown mapping. For the noisy overcomplete case, where we have more sources than observations, the problem becomes extremely ill-posed. Solutions to such inverse problems can, in many cases, be achieved by incorporating prior knowledge about the problem, captured in the form of constraints. This setting is a natural candidate for the application of the Bayesian methodology, allowing us to incorporate "soft" constraints in a natural manner. The work described in this paper is mainly driven by problems in functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, for the neuro-scientific goal of extracting relevant "maps" from the data. This can be stated as a `blind' source separation problem. Recent experiments in the field of neuroscience show that these maps are sparse, in some appropriate sense. The separation problem can be solved by independent component analysis (ICA), viewed as a technique for seeking sparse components, assuming appropriate distributions for the sources. We derive a hybrid wavelet-ICA model, transforming the signals into a domain where the modeling assumption of sparsity of the coefficients with respect to a dictionary is natural. We follow a graphical modeling formalism, viewing ICA as a probabilistic generative model. We use hierarchical source and mixing models and apply Bayesian inference to the problem. This allows us to perform model selection in order to infer the complexity of the representation, as well as automatic denoising. Since exact inference and learning in such a model is intractable, we follow a variational Bayesian mean-field approach in the conjugate-exponential family of distributions, for efficient unsupervised learning in multi-dimensional settings. The performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on some representative experiments.

  12. Resting State Functional Connectivity in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury at the Acute Stage: Independent Component and Seed-Based Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iraji, Armin; Benson, Randall R.; Welch, Robert D.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Woodard, John L.; Imran Ayaz, Syed; Kulek, Andrew; Mika, Valerie; Medado, Patrick; Soltanian-Zadeh, Hamid; Liu, Tianming; Haacke, E. Mark

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accounts for more than 1 million emergency visits each year. Most of the injured stay in the emergency department for a few hours and are discharged home without a specific follow-up plan because of their negative clinical structural imaging. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly functional MRI (fMRI), has been reported as being sensitive to functional disturbances after brain injury. In this study, a cohort of 12 patients with mTBI were prospectively recruited from the emergency department of our local Level-1 trauma center for an advanced MRI scan at the acute stage. Sixteen age- and sex-matched controls were also recruited for comparison. Both group-based and individual-based independent component analysis of resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) demonstrated reduced functional connectivity in both posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and precuneus regions in comparison with controls, which is part of the default mode network (DMN). Further seed-based analysis confirmed reduced functional connectivity in these two regions and also demonstrated increased connectivity between these regions and other regions of the brain in mTBI. Seed-based analysis using the thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala regions further demonstrated increased functional connectivity between these regions and other regions of the brain, particularly in the frontal lobe, in mTBI. Our data demonstrate alterations of multiple brain networks at the resting state, particularly increased functional connectivity in the frontal lobe, in response to brain concussion at the acute stage. Resting-state functional connectivity of the DMN could serve as a potential biomarker for improved detection of mTBI in the acute setting. PMID:25285363

  13. A resampling-based meta-analysis for detection of differential gene expression in breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gur-Dedeoglu, Bala; Konu, Ozlen; Kir, Serkan; Ozturk, Ahmet Rasit; Bozkurt, Betul; Ergul, Gulusan; Yulug, Isik G

    2008-01-01

    Accuracy in the diagnosis of breast cancer and classification of cancer subtypes has improved over the years with the development of well-established immunohistopathological criteria. More recently, diagnostic gene-sets at the mRNA expression level have been tested as better predictors of disease state. However, breast cancer is heterogeneous in nature; thus extraction of differentially expressed gene-sets that stably distinguish normal tissue from various pathologies poses challenges. Meta-analysis of high-throughput expression data using a collection of statistical methodologies leads to the identification of robust tumor gene expression signatures. A resampling-based meta-analysis strategy, which involves the use of resampling and application of distribution statistics in combination to assess the degree of significance in differential expression between sample classes, was developed. Two independent microarray datasets that contain normal breast, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) samples were used for the meta-analysis. Expression of the genes, selected from the gene list for classification of normal breast samples and breast tumors encompassing both the ILC and IDC subtypes were tested on 10 independent primary IDC samples and matched non-tumor controls by real-time qRT-PCR. Other existing breast cancer microarray datasets were used in support of the resampling-based meta-analysis. The two independent microarray studies were found to be comparable, although differing in their experimental methodologies (Pearson correlation coefficient, R = 0.9389 and R = 0.8465 for ductal and lobular samples, respectively). The resampling-based meta-analysis has led to the identification of a highly stable set of genes for classification of normal breast samples and breast tumors encompassing both the ILC and IDC subtypes. The expression results of the selected genes obtained through real-time qRT-PCR supported the meta-analysis results. The

  14. A resampling-based meta-analysis for detection of differential gene expression in breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ergul Gulusan

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Accuracy in the diagnosis of breast cancer and classification of cancer subtypes has improved over the years with the development of well-established immunohistopathological criteria. More recently, diagnostic gene-sets at the mRNA expression level have been tested as better predictors of disease state. However, breast cancer is heterogeneous in nature; thus extraction of differentially expressed gene-sets that stably distinguish normal tissue from various pathologies poses challenges. Meta-analysis of high-throughput expression data using a collection of statistical methodologies leads to the identification of robust tumor gene expression signatures. Methods A resampling-based meta-analysis strategy, which involves the use of resampling and application of distribution statistics in combination to assess the degree of significance in differential expression between sample classes, was developed. Two independent microarray datasets that contain normal breast, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC, and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC samples were used for the meta-analysis. Expression of the genes, selected from the gene list for classification of normal breast samples and breast tumors encompassing both the ILC and IDC subtypes were tested on 10 independent primary IDC samples and matched non-tumor controls by real-time qRT-PCR. Other existing breast cancer microarray datasets were used in support of the resampling-based meta-analysis. Results The two independent microarray studies were found to be comparable, although differing in their experimental methodologies (Pearson correlation coefficient, R = 0.9389 and R = 0.8465 for ductal and lobular samples, respectively. The resampling-based meta-analysis has led to the identification of a highly stable set of genes for classification of normal breast samples and breast tumors encompassing both the ILC and IDC subtypes. The expression results of the selected genes obtained through real

  15. Including foreshocks and aftershocks in time-independent probabilistic seismic hazard analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, Oliver S.

    2012-01-01

    Time‐independent probabilistic seismic‐hazard analysis treats each source as being temporally and spatially independent; hence foreshocks and aftershocks, which are both spatially and temporally dependent on the mainshock, are removed from earthquake catalogs. Yet, intuitively, these earthquakes should be considered part of the seismic hazard, capable of producing damaging ground motions. In this study, I consider the mainshock and its dependents as a time‐independent cluster, each cluster being temporally and spatially independent from any other. The cluster has a recurrence time of the mainshock; and, by considering the earthquakes in the cluster as a union of events, dependent events have an opportunity to contribute to seismic ground motions and hazard. Based on the methods of the U.S. Geological Survey for a high‐hazard site, the inclusion of dependent events causes ground motions that are exceeded at probability levels of engineering interest to increase by about 10% but could be as high as 20% if variations in aftershock productivity can be accounted for reliably.

  16. Diagnostic markers of urothelial cancer based on DNA methylation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chihara, Yoshitomo; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Kanai, Yae; Fujimoto, Hiroyuki; Sugano, Kokichi; Kawashima, Kiyotaka; Liang, Gangning; Jones, Peter A; Fujimoto, Kiyohide; Kuniyasu, Hiroki

    2013-01-01

    Early detection and risk assessment are crucial for treating urothelial cancer (UC), which is characterized by a high recurrence rate, and necessitates frequent and invasive monitoring. We aimed to establish diagnostic markers for UC based on DNA methylation. In this multi-center study, three independent sample sets were prepared. First, DNA methylation levels at CpG loci were measured in the training sets (tumor samples from 91 UC patients, corresponding normal-appearing tissue from these patients, and 12 normal tissues from age-matched bladder cancer-free patients) using the Illumina Golden Gate methylation assay to identify differentially methylated loci. Next, these methylated loci were validated by quantitative DNA methylation by pyrosequencing, using another cohort of tissue samples (Tissue validation set). Lastly, methylation of these markers was analyzed in the independent urine samples (Urine validation set). ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these 12 selected markers. Of the 1303 CpG sites, 158 were hyper ethylated and 356 were hypo ethylated in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. In the panel analysis, 12 loci showed remarkable alterations between tumor and normal samples, with 94.3% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity. Similarly, corresponding normal tissue could be distinguished from normal tissues with 76.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy for UC of these markers determined in urine samples was high, with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Based on these preliminary findings, diagnostic markers based on differential DNA methylation at specific loci can be useful for non-invasive and reliable detection of UC and epigenetic field defect

  17. Influence maximization in social networks under an independent cascade-based model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qiyao; Jin, Yuehui; Lin, Zhen; Cheng, Shiduan; Yang, Tan

    2016-02-01

    The rapid growth of online social networks is important for viral marketing. Influence maximization refers to the process of finding influential users who make the most of information or product adoption. An independent cascade-based model for influence maximization, called IMIC-OC, was proposed to calculate positive influence. We assumed that influential users spread positive opinions. At the beginning, users held positive or negative opinions as their initial opinions. When more users became involved in the discussions, users balanced their own opinions and those of their neighbors. The number of users who did not change positive opinions was used to determine positive influence. Corresponding influential users who had maximum positive influence were then obtained. Experiments were conducted on three real networks, namely, Facebook, HEP-PH and Epinions, to calculate maximum positive influence based on the IMIC-OC model and two other baseline methods. The proposed model resulted in larger positive influence, thus indicating better performance compared with the baseline methods.

  18. Model-independent curvature determination with 21cm intensity mapping experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witzemann, Amadeus; Bull, Philip; Clarkson, Chris; Santos, Mario G.; Spinelli, Marta; Weltman, Amanda

    2018-04-01

    Measurements of the spatial curvature of the Universe have improved significantly in recent years, but still tend to require strong assumptions to be made about the equation of state of dark energy (DE) in order to reach sub-percent precision. When these assumptions are relaxed, strong degeneracies arise that make it hard to disentangle DE and curvature, degrading the constraints. We show that forthcoming 21cm intensity mapping experiments such as HIRAX are ideally designed to carry out model-independent curvature measurements, as they can measure the clustering signal at high redshift with sufficient precision to break many of the degeneracies. We consider two different model-independent methods, based on `avoiding' the DE-dominated regime and non-parametric modelling of the DE equation of state respectively. Our forecasts show that HIRAX will be able to improve upon current model-independent constraints by around an order of magnitude, reaching percent-level accuracy even when an arbitrary DE equation of state is assumed. In the same model-independent analysis, the sample variance limit for a similar survey is another order of magnitude better.

  19. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the body flap subsystem FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, R. E.

    1988-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Body Flap (BF) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter BF hardware. The IOA product for the BF analysis consisted of 43 failure mode worksheets that resulted in 19 potential critical items being identified. Comparison was made to the NASA baseline which consisted of 34 FMEAs and 15 CIL items. This comparison produced agreement on all CIL items. Based on the Pre 51-L baseline, all non-CIL FMEAs were also in agreement.

  20. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the elevon actuator subsystem FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, R. E.

    1988-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Elevon Subsystem hardware, generating draft failure modes, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter Elevon hardware. The IOA product for the Elevon analysis consisted of 25 failure mode worksheets that resulted in 17 potential critical items being identified. Comparison was made to the NASA FMEA/CIL, which consisted of 23 FMEAs and 13 CIL items. This comparison produced agreement on all CIL items. Based on the Pre 51-L baseline, all non-CIL FMEAs were also in agreement.

  1. A comparative and combined study of EMIS and GPR detectors by the use of Independent Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Morgenstjerne, Axel; Karlsen, Brian; Larsen, Jan

    2005-01-01

    Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is applied to classify unexploded ordnance (UXO) on laboratory UXO test-field data, acquired by stand-off detection. The data are acquired by an Electromagnetic Induction Spectroscopy (EMIS) metal detector and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) detector. The metal...

  2. Instrument-independent analysis of music by means of the continuous wavelet transform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olmo, Gabriella; Dovis, Fabio; Benotto, Paolo; Calosso, Claudio; Passaro, Pierluigi

    1999-10-01

    This paper deals with the problem of automatic recognition of music. Segments of digitized music are processed by means of a Continuous Wavelet Transform, properly chosen so as to match the spectral characteristics of the signal. In order to achieve a good time-scale representation of the signal components a novel wavelet has been designed suited to the musical signal features. particular care has been devoted towards an efficient implementation, which operates in the frequency domain, and includes proper segmentation and aliasing reduction techniques to make the analysis of long signals feasible. The method achieves very good performance in terms of both time and frequency selectivity, and can yield the estimate and the localization in time of both the fundamental frequency and the main harmonics of each tone. The analysis is used as a preprocessing step for a recognition algorithm, which we show to be almost independent on the instrument reproducing the sounds. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  3. Does Board Independence Matter? Evidence from New Zealand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hardjo Koerniadi

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the effects of the presence of independent directors on firm value using both market-based performance measures (Tobin’s Q ratio and EVA and accounting-based ratios (ROA and ROE. We find that, instead of adding value, independent directors in NewZealand negatively affect firm value. We also find that, consistent with stewardship theory,independent directors have a positive effect on firm value only when they are in the minority.These findings are important given the increasing trend toward independence in corporate boards around the globe and suggest that board independence may not generally be suitable for countries where managers are considered as active partners along with other stakeholders in companies.

  4. Improvement in the independence of relaxation method-based particle tracking velocimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jia, P; Wang, Y; Zhang, Y

    2013-01-01

    New techniques are developed to improve the independence of relaxation method-based particle tracking velocimetry (RM-PTV). Firstly, Delaunay tessellation (DT) is employed to form clusters of neighboring particles with similar motion in the same frame; and then a bidirectional calculation concept is adopted to improve the way of particle pairing. These new techniques are tested with both self-defined particle images and the particle image velocimetry standard synthetic particle images. The results indicate that the DT method performs well and efficiently in determining the particle clusters, and the particle pairing process is well optimized by the bidirectional calculation concept. With these methods, three computation parameters are eliminated, which makes RM-PTV more autonomous in applications. (paper)

  5. Novel co-culture plate enables growth dynamic-based assessment of contact-independent microbial interactions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas J Moutinho

    Full Text Available Interactions between microbes are central to the dynamics of microbial communities. Understanding these interactions is essential for the characterization of communities, yet challenging to accomplish in practice. There are limited available tools for characterizing diffusion-mediated, contact-independent microbial interactions. A practical and widely implemented technique in such characterization involves the simultaneous co-culture of distinct bacterial species and subsequent analysis of relative abundance in the total population. However, distinguishing between species can be logistically challenging. In this paper, we present a low-cost, vertical membrane, co-culture plate to quantify contact-independent interactions between distinct bacterial populations in co-culture via real-time optical density measurements. These measurements can be used to facilitate the analysis of the interaction between microbes that are physically separated by a semipermeable membrane yet able to exchange diffusible molecules. We show that diffusion across the membrane occurs at a sufficient rate to enable effective interaction between physically separate cultures. Two bacterial species commonly found in the cystic fibrotic lung, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia, were co-cultured to demonstrate how this plate may be implemented to study microbial interactions. We have demonstrated that this novel co-culture device is able to reliably generate real-time measurements of optical density data that can be used to characterize interactions between microbial species.

  6. Equilibrium II: Acids and Bases. Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). Unit P3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inner London Education Authority (England).

    This unit on equilibrium is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit, which consists of two levels, focuses on the application of equilibrium principles to equilibria involving weak acids and bases, including buffer solutions and indicators. Level one uses Le Chatelier's…

  7. Equivalent water height extracted from GRACE gravity field model with robust independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Jinyun; Mu, Dapeng; Liu, Xin; Yan, Haoming; Dai, Honglei

    2014-08-01

    The Level-2 monthly GRACE gravity field models issued by Center for Space Research (CSR), GeoForschungs Zentrum (GFZ), and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are treated as observations used to extract the equivalent water height (EWH) with the robust independent component analysis (RICA). The smoothing radii of 300, 400, and 500 km are tested, respectively, in the Gaussian smoothing kernel function to reduce the observation Gaussianity. Three independent components are obtained by RICA in the spatial domain; the first component matches the geophysical signal, and the other two match the north-south strip and the other noises. The first mode is used to estimate EWHs of CSR, JPL, and GFZ, and compared with the classical empirical decorrelation method (EDM). The EWH STDs for 12 months in 2010 extracted by RICA and EDM show the obvious fluctuation. The results indicate that the sharp EWH changes in some areas have an important global effect, like in Amazon, Mekong, and Zambezi basins.

  8. Filter Selection for Optimizing the Spectral Sensitivity of Broadband Multispectral Cameras Based on Maximum Linear Independence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sui-Xian

    2018-05-07

    Previous research has shown that the effectiveness of selecting filter sets from among a large set of commercial broadband filters by a vector analysis method based on maximum linear independence (MLI). However, the traditional MLI approach is suboptimal due to the need to predefine the first filter of the selected filter set to be the maximum ℓ₂ norm among all available filters. An exhaustive imaging simulation with every single filter serving as the first filter is conducted to investigate the features of the most competent filter set. From the simulation, the characteristics of the most competent filter set are discovered. Besides minimization of the condition number, the geometric features of the best-performed filter set comprise a distinct transmittance peak along the wavelength axis of the first filter, a generally uniform distribution for the peaks of the filters and substantial overlaps of the transmittance curves of the adjacent filters. Therefore, the best-performed filter sets can be recognized intuitively by simple vector analysis and just a few experimental verifications. A practical two-step framework for selecting optimal filter set is recommended, which guarantees a significant enhancement of the performance of the systems. This work should be useful for optimizing the spectral sensitivity of broadband multispectral imaging sensors.

  9. Filter Selection for Optimizing the Spectral Sensitivity of Broadband Multispectral Cameras Based on Maximum Linear Independence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sui-Xian Li

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Previous research has shown that the effectiveness of selecting filter sets from among a large set of commercial broadband filters by a vector analysis method based on maximum linear independence (MLI. However, the traditional MLI approach is suboptimal due to the need to predefine the first filter of the selected filter set to be the maximum ℓ2 norm among all available filters. An exhaustive imaging simulation with every single filter serving as the first filter is conducted to investigate the features of the most competent filter set. From the simulation, the characteristics of the most competent filter set are discovered. Besides minimization of the condition number, the geometric features of the best-performed filter set comprise a distinct transmittance peak along the wavelength axis of the first filter, a generally uniform distribution for the peaks of the filters and substantial overlaps of the transmittance curves of the adjacent filters. Therefore, the best-performed filter sets can be recognized intuitively by simple vector analysis and just a few experimental verifications. A practical two-step framework for selecting optimal filter set is recommended, which guarantees a significant enhancement of the performance of the systems. This work should be useful for optimizing the spectral sensitivity of broadband multispectral imaging sensors.

  10. mapDIA: Preprocessing and statistical analysis of quantitative proteomics data from data independent acquisition mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teo, Guoshou; Kim, Sinae; Tsou, Chih-Chiang; Collins, Ben; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Nesvizhskii, Alexey I; Choi, Hyungwon

    2015-11-03

    Data independent acquisition (DIA) mass spectrometry is an emerging technique that offers more complete detection and quantification of peptides and proteins across multiple samples. DIA allows fragment-level quantification, which can be considered as repeated measurements of the abundance of the corresponding peptides and proteins in the downstream statistical analysis. However, few statistical approaches are available for aggregating these complex fragment-level data into peptide- or protein-level statistical summaries. In this work, we describe a software package, mapDIA, for statistical analysis of differential protein expression using DIA fragment-level intensities. The workflow consists of three major steps: intensity normalization, peptide/fragment selection, and statistical analysis. First, mapDIA offers normalization of fragment-level intensities by total intensity sums as well as a novel alternative normalization by local intensity sums in retention time space. Second, mapDIA removes outlier observations and selects peptides/fragments that preserve the major quantitative patterns across all samples for each protein. Last, using the selected fragments and peptides, mapDIA performs model-based statistical significance analysis of protein-level differential expression between specified groups of samples. Using a comprehensive set of simulation datasets, we show that mapDIA detects differentially expressed proteins with accurate control of the false discovery rates. We also describe the analysis procedure in detail using two recently published DIA datasets generated for 14-3-3β dynamic interaction network and prostate cancer glycoproteome. The software was written in C++ language and the source code is available for free through SourceForge website http://sourceforge.net/projects/mapdia/.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Computational Proteomics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Fuzzy 5F Analysis of an Independent Chinese Auto Company

    OpenAIRE

    陳, 法恩; 古殿, 幸雄; チン, ホウオン; コドノ, ユキオ; Faen, Chen; Yukio, Kodono

    2014-01-01

     The Chinese market is indispensable to international automobile companies, who are thus expanding investment in the country’s automotive industry. To increase their market share in China, automobile manufacturers and independent automotive enterprises have implemented a series of management strategies. Consequently, competition in China is becoming increasingly intense. At the same time, Chinese automobile companies have no international brand recognition.  In this paper, an independent auto...

  12. EXPERIENCE OF THE REMOTE COURSE IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE INDEPENDENT WORK OF STUDENTS FROM MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Botuzova Y.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article raises the problem of organization independent work of students. In particular, the model of integration of traditional and distance learning in the form of a blended learning is considered. The experience of introducing a distance course in the discipline "Mathematical Analysis" is described. The purpose of this distance course is the effective organization of independent out of class work of future mathematics teachers. In this paper, the structure of educational and methodological support of the educational process on mathematical analysis is examined, as well as its model in a blended learning is presented. The didactic capabilities of distance technologies are analyzed. The step-by-step scheme of organization of independent work of students in the context of the use of distance course is offered. The scheme consists of the following stages: preparatory, theoretical, practical-activity, controlling, corrective. The author describes in detail the contents of the work of the teacher and students at each of these stages. The peculiarities of planning, developing and implementing a distance course, and the leadership of independent work of students are revealed. For this, the teacher performs the following functions: the formation of a permanent positive student motivation; defining and setting goals and objectives; organization of interaction between students; control and counseling of students in the learning process. A number of psychological and pedagogical problems are highlighted in the implementation of the distance learning form and the ways of their partial or complete elimination are indicated.

  13. Latent physiological factors of complex human diseases revealed by independent component analysis of clinarrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen David P

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diagnosis and treatment of patients in the clinical setting is often driven by known symptomatic factors that distinguish one particular condition from another. Treatment based on noticeable symptoms, however, is limited to the types of clinical biomarkers collected, and is prone to overlooking dysfunctions in physiological factors not easily evident to medical practitioners. We used a vector-based representation of patient clinical biomarkers, or clinarrays, to search for latent physiological factors that underlie human diseases directly from clinical laboratory data. Knowledge of these factors could be used to improve assessment of disease severity and help to refine strategies for diagnosis and monitoring disease progression. Results Applying Independent Component Analysis on clinarrays built from patient laboratory measurements revealed both known and novel concomitant physiological factors for asthma, types 1 and 2 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Serum sodium was found to be the most significant factor for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and was also significant in asthma. TSH3, a measure of thyroid function, and blood urea nitrogen, indicative of kidney function, were factors unique to type 1 diabetes respective to type 2 diabetes. Platelet count was significant across all the diseases analyzed. Conclusions The results demonstrate that large-scale analyses of clinical biomarkers using unsupervised methods can offer novel insights into the pathophysiological basis of human disease, and suggest novel clinical utility of established laboratory measurements.

  14. Reliability analysis of a sensitive and independent stabilometry parameter set.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagymáté, Gergely; Orlovits, Zsanett; Kiss, Rita M

    2018-01-01

    Recent studies have suggested reduced independent and sensitive parameter sets for stabilometry measurements based on correlation and variance analyses. However, the reliability of these recommended parameter sets has not been studied in the literature or not in every stance type used in stabilometry assessments, for example, single leg stances. The goal of this study is to evaluate the test-retest reliability of different time-based and frequency-based parameters that are calculated from the center of pressure (CoP) during bipedal and single leg stance for 30- and 60-second measurement intervals. Thirty healthy subjects performed repeated standing trials in a bipedal stance with eyes open and eyes closed conditions and in a single leg stance with eyes open for 60 seconds. A force distribution measuring plate was used to record the CoP. The reliability of the CoP parameters was characterized by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), coefficient of variation (CV) and CV compliance rate (CVCR). Based on the ICC, SEM and MDC results, many parameters yielded fair to good reliability values, while the CoP path length yielded the highest reliability (smallest ICC > 0.67 (0.54-0.79), largest SEM% = 19.2%). Usually, frequency type parameters and extreme value parameters yielded poor reliability values. There were differences in the reliability of the maximum CoP velocity (better with 30 seconds) and mean power frequency (better with 60 seconds) parameters between the different sampling intervals.

  15. Reliability analysis of a sensitive and independent stabilometry parameter set

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagymáté, Gergely; Orlovits, Zsanett

    2018-01-01

    Recent studies have suggested reduced independent and sensitive parameter sets for stabilometry measurements based on correlation and variance analyses. However, the reliability of these recommended parameter sets has not been studied in the literature or not in every stance type used in stabilometry assessments, for example, single leg stances. The goal of this study is to evaluate the test-retest reliability of different time-based and frequency-based parameters that are calculated from the center of pressure (CoP) during bipedal and single leg stance for 30- and 60-second measurement intervals. Thirty healthy subjects performed repeated standing trials in a bipedal stance with eyes open and eyes closed conditions and in a single leg stance with eyes open for 60 seconds. A force distribution measuring plate was used to record the CoP. The reliability of the CoP parameters was characterized by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), coefficient of variation (CV) and CV compliance rate (CVCR). Based on the ICC, SEM and MDC results, many parameters yielded fair to good reliability values, while the CoP path length yielded the highest reliability (smallest ICC > 0.67 (0.54–0.79), largest SEM% = 19.2%). Usually, frequency type parameters and extreme value parameters yielded poor reliability values. There were differences in the reliability of the maximum CoP velocity (better with 30 seconds) and mean power frequency (better with 60 seconds) parameters between the different sampling intervals. PMID:29664938

  16. RFI Detection and Mitigation using Independent Component Analysis as a Pre-Processor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenwald, Adam J.; Gholian, Armen; Bradley, Damon C.; Wong, Mark; Mohammed, Priscilla N.; Piepmeier, Jeffrey R.

    2016-01-01

    Radio-frequency interference (RFI) has negatively impacted scientific measurements of passive remote sensing satellites. This has been observed in the L-band radiometers Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), Aquarius and more recently, Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP). RFI has also been observed at higher frequencies such as K band. Improvements in technology have allowed wider bandwidth digital back ends for passive microwave radiometry. A complex signal kurtosis radio frequency interference detector was developed to help identify corrupted measurements. This work explores the use of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) as a blind source separation (BSS) technique to pre-process radiometric signals for use with the previously developed real and complex signal kurtosis detectors.

  17. Vocabulary Breadth and Field Dependence/Independence Cognitive Styles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nassim Golaghaei

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This article is primarily bidirectional in that it is concerned with two fields of cognitive styles of field-dependency/independency on one hand and breadth of vocabulary knowledge on the other hand. In other word, this research is primarily intended to investigate the nature of the students' vocabulary knowledge in the field of passive and active knowledge of L2 words as a whole with regard to their preferred cognitive style of field dependency/independency. A group of 60 undergraduate students majoring in the field of English Language Teaching was selected. They were then divided into two groups based on the basis of their preferred cognitive styles of field-dependency / independency. Four types of tests, the 1000 frequency word-level test, the passive version of vocabulary Levels Test, the Productive Version of the Vocabulary Levels Test, and the Group Imbedded Figures Test were administered to the participants. The conclusion drawn after the analysis of the data was that the fieldindependent group outperformed their field-dependent counterparts in dealing with both passive and productive vocabulary levels. Finally, the findings of this research could be interpreted as being supportive of the idea that the field-dependent/independent cognitive style could be considered as an effective factor influencing the learners' vocabulary learning in the field of second language acquisition.

  18. Defining and Selecting Independent Directors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Pichet

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Drawing from the Enlightened Shareholder Theory that the author first developed in 2011, this theoretical paper with practical and normative ambitions achieves a better definition of independent director, while improving the understanding of the roles he fulfils on boards of directors. The first part defines constructs like firms, Governance system and Corporate governance, offering a clear distinction between the latter two concepts before explaining the four main missions of a board. The second part defines the ideal independent director by outlining the objective qualities that are necessary and adding those subjective aspects that have turned this into a veritable profession. The third part defines the ideal process for selecting independent directors, based on nominating committees that should themselves be independent. It also includes ways of assessing directors who are currently in function, as well as modalities for renewing their mandates. The paper’s conclusion presents the Paradox of the Independent Director.

  19. Combined culture-based and culture-independent approaches provide insights into diversity of jakobids, an extremely plesiomorphic eukaryotic lineage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomáš ePánek

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available We used culture-based and culture-independent approaches to discover diversity and ecology of anaerobic jakobids (Excavata: Jakobida, an overlooked, deep-branching lineage of free-living nanoflagellates related to Euglenozoa. Jakobids are among a few lineages of nanoflagellates frequently detected in anoxic habitats by PCR-based studies, however only two strains of a single jakobid species have been isolated from those habitats. We recovered 712 environmental sequences and cultured 21 new isolates of anaerobic jakobids that collectively represent at least ten different species in total, from which four are uncultured. Two cultured species have never been detected by environmental, PCR-based methods. Surprisingly, culture-based and culture-independent approaches were able to reveal a relatively high proportion of overall species diversity of anaerobic jakobids - 60 % or 80 %, respectively. Our phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA and six protein-coding genes showed that anaerobic jakobids constitute a clade of morphologically similar, but genetically and ecologically diverse protists – Stygiellidae fam. nov. Our investigation combines culture-based and environmental molecular-based approaches to capture a wider extent of species diversity and shows Stygiellidae as a group that ordinarily inhabits anoxic, sulfide- and ammonium-rich marine habitats worldwide.

  20. Temperature-independent sensors based on perovskite-type oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaza, F.; Frangini, S.; Masci, A.; Leoncini, J.; Pasquali, M.; Luisetto, I.; Tuti, S.

    2013-01-01

    The need of energy security and environment sustainability drives toward the development of energy technology in order to enhance the performance of internal combustion engines. Gas sensors play a key role for controlling the fuel oxygen ratio and monitoring the pollution emissions. The perovskite-type oxides can be synthesized for an extremely wide variety of combinations of chemical elements, allowing to design materials with suitable properties for sensing application. Lanthanum strontium ferrites, such as La 0.7 Sr 0.3 FeO 3 , are suitable oxygen sensing materials with temperature-independence conductivity, but they have low chemical stability under reducing conditions. The addition of aluminum into the perovskite structure improves the material properties in order to develop suitable oxygen sensing probes for lean burn engine control systems. Perovskite-type oxides with formula (La 0.7 Sr 0.3 )(Al x Fe 1−x )O 3 was synthesized by the citrate-nitrate combustion synthesis method. XRD analyses, show that it was synthesized a phase-pure powder belonging to the perovskite structure. Aluminum affects both the unit cell parameters, by shrinking the unit cell, and the powder morphology, by promoting the synthesis of particles with small crystallite size and large specific surface area. The partial substitution of iron with aluminum improves the chemical stability under reducing gas conditions and modulates the oxygen sensitivity by affecting the relative amount of Fe 4+ and Fe 3+ , as confirmed from TPR profiles. In the same time, the addition of aluminum does not affects the temperature-independent properties of lanthanum strontium ferrites. Indeed, the electrical measurements show that (La 0.7 Sr 0.3 )(Al x Fe 1−x )O 3 perovskites have temperature-independence conductivity from 900 K

  1. Temperature-independent sensors based on perovskite-type oxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zaza, F.; Frangini, S.; Masci, A. [ENEA-Casaccia R.C., Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 S.Maria di Galeria, Rome (Italy); Leoncini, J.; Pasquali, M. [University La Sapienza, Piazza Via del Castro Laurenziano 7, 00161 Rome (Italy); Luisetto, I.; Tuti, S. [University RomaTre, Rome 00146 (Italy)

    2014-06-19

    The need of energy security and environment sustainability drives toward the development of energy technology in order to enhance the performance of internal combustion engines. Gas sensors play a key role for controlling the fuel oxygen ratio and monitoring the pollution emissions. The perovskite-type oxides can be synthesized for an extremely wide variety of combinations of chemical elements, allowing to design materials with suitable properties for sensing application. Lanthanum strontium ferrites, such as La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}FeO{sub 3}, are suitable oxygen sensing materials with temperature-independence conductivity, but they have low chemical stability under reducing conditions. The addition of aluminum into the perovskite structure improves the material properties in order to develop suitable oxygen sensing probes for lean burn engine control systems. Perovskite-type oxides with formula (La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3})(Al{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x})O{sub 3} was synthesized by the citrate-nitrate combustion synthesis method. XRD analyses, show that it was synthesized a phase-pure powder belonging to the perovskite structure. Aluminum affects both the unit cell parameters, by shrinking the unit cell, and the powder morphology, by promoting the synthesis of particles with small crystallite size and large specific surface area. The partial substitution of iron with aluminum improves the chemical stability under reducing gas conditions and modulates the oxygen sensitivity by affecting the relative amount of Fe{sup 4+} and Fe{sup 3+}, as confirmed from TPR profiles. In the same time, the addition of aluminum does not affects the temperature-independent properties of lanthanum strontium ferrites. Indeed, the electrical measurements show that (La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3})(Al{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x})O{sub 3} perovskites have temperature-independence conductivity from 900 K.

  2. High-Speed Device-Independent Quantum Random Number Generation without a Detection Loophole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Yuan, Xiao; Li, Ming-Han; Zhang, Weijun; Zhao, Qi; Zhong, Jiaqiang; Cao, Yuan; Li, Yu-Huai; Chen, Luo-Kan; Li, Hao; Peng, Tianyi; Chen, Yu-Ao; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Shi, Sheng-Cai; Wang, Zhen; You, Lixing; Ma, Xiongfeng; Fan, Jingyun; Zhang, Qiang; Pan, Jian-Wei

    2018-01-01

    Quantum mechanics provides the means of generating genuine randomness that is impossible with deterministic classical processes. Remarkably, the unpredictability of randomness can be certified in a manner that is independent of implementation devices. Here, we present an experimental study of device-independent quantum random number generation based on a detection-loophole-free Bell test with entangled photons. In the randomness analysis, without the independent identical distribution assumption, we consider the worst case scenario that the adversary launches the most powerful attacks against the quantum adversary. After considering statistical fluctuations and applying an 80 Gb ×45.6 Mb Toeplitz matrix hashing, we achieve a final random bit rate of 114 bits /s , with a failure probability less than 10-5. This marks a critical step towards realistic applications in cryptography and fundamental physics tests.

  3. Quantitative study of Portland cement hydration by X-ray diffraction/Rietveld analysis and independent methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scrivener, K.L.; Fuellmann, T.; Gallucci, E.; Walenta, G.; Bermejo, E.

    2004-01-01

    X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a powerful technique for the study of crystalline materials. The technique of Rietveld refinement now enables the amounts of different phases in anhydrous cementitious materials to be determined to a good degree of precision. This paper describes the extension of this technique to a pilot study of the hydration of a typical Portland cement. To validate this XRD-Rietveld analysis technique, its results were compared with independent measures of the same materials by the analysis of backscattered electron images (BSE/IA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, the internal consistency of the measurements was studied by comparing the XRD estimates of the amounts of hydrates formed with the amounts expected to form from the XRD estimates of the amounts of anhydrous materials reacted

  4. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the rudder/speed brake subsystem FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, R. E.

    1988-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Rudder/Speed Brake (RSB) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline along with the proposed Post 51-L CIL updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison was provided through additional analysis as required. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter RSB hardware. The IOA product for the RSB analysis consisted of 38 failure mode worksheets that resulted in 27 potential critical items being identified. Comparison was made to the NASA baseline which consisted of 34 FMEAs and 18 CIL items. This comparison produced agreement on all CIL items. Based on the Pre 51-L baseline, all non-CIL FMEAs were also in agreement.

  5. Separating complex compound patient motion tracking data using independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsay, C.; Johnson, K.; King, M. A.

    2014-03-01

    In SPECT imaging, motion from respiration and body motion can reduce image quality by introducing motion-related artifacts. A minimally-invasive way to track patient motion is to attach external markers to the patient's body and record their location throughout the imaging study. If a patient exhibits multiple movements simultaneously, such as respiration and body-movement, each marker location data will contain a mixture of these motions. Decomposing this complex compound motion into separate simplified motions can have the benefit of applying a more robust motion correction to the specific type of motion. Most motion tracking and correction techniques target a single type of motion and either ignore compound motion or treat it as noise. Few methods account for compound motion exist, but they fail to disambiguate super-position in the compound motion (i.e. inspiration in addition to body movement in the positive anterior/posterior direction). We propose a new method for decomposing the complex compound patient motion using an unsupervised learning technique called Independent Component Analysis (ICA). Our method can automatically detect and separate different motions while preserving nuanced features of the motion without the drawbacks of previous methods. Our main contributions are the development of a method for addressing multiple compound motions, the novel use of ICA in detecting and separating mixed independent motions, and generating motion transform with 12 DOFs to account for twisting and shearing. We show that our method works with clinical datasets and can be employed to improve motion correction in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images.

  6. Culture-independent analysis of aerosol microbiology in a metropolitan subway system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Charles E; Baumgartner, Laura K; Harris, J Kirk; Peterson, Kristen L; Stevens, Mark J; Frank, Daniel N; Pace, Norman R

    2013-06-01

    The goal of this study was to determine the composition and diversity of microorganisms associated with bioaerosols in a heavily trafficked metropolitan subway environment. We collected bioaerosols by fluid impingement on several New York City subway platforms and associated sites in three sampling sessions over a 1.5-year period. The types and quantities of aerosolized microorganisms were determined by culture-independent phylogenetic analysis of small-subunit rRNA gene sequences by using both Sanger (universal) and pyrosequencing (bacterial) technologies. Overall, the subway bacterial composition was relatively simple; only 26 taxonomic families made up ~75% of the sequences determined. The microbiology was more or less similar throughout the system and with time and was most similar to outdoor air, consistent with highly efficient air mixing in the system. Identifiable bacterial sequences indicated that the subway aerosol assemblage was composed of a mixture of genera and species characteristic of soil, environmental water, and human skin commensal bacteria. Eukaryotic diversity was mainly fungal, dominated by organisms of types associated with wood rot. Human skin bacterial species (at 99% rRNA sequence identity) included the Staphylococcus spp. Staphylococcus epidermidis (the most abundant and prevalent commensal of the human integument), S. hominis, S. cohnii, S. caprae, and S. haemolyticus, all well-documented human commensal bacteria. We encountered no organisms of public health concern. This study is the most extensive culture-independent survey of subway microbiota so far and puts in place pre-event information required for any bioterrorism surveillance activities or monitoring of the microbiological impact of recent subway flooding events.

  7. Prefrontal cortex and somatosensory cortex in tactile crossmodal association: an independent component analysis of ERP recordings.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yixuan Ku

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Our previous studies on scalp-recorded event-related potentials (ERPs showed that somatosensory N140 evoked by a tactile vibration in working memory tasks was enhanced when human subjects expected a coming visual stimulus that had been paired with the tactile stimulus. The results suggested that such enhancement represented the cortical activities involved in tactile-visual crossmodal association. In the present study, we further hypothesized that the enhancement represented the neural activities in somatosensory and frontal cortices in the crossmodal association. By applying independent component analysis (ICA to the ERP data, we found independent components (ICs located in the medial prefrontal cortex (around the anterior cingulate cortex, ACC and the primary somatosensory cortex (SI. The activity represented by the IC in SI cortex showed enhancement in expectation of the visual stimulus. Such differential activity thus suggested the participation of SI cortex in the task-related crossmodal association. Further, the coherence analysis and the Granger causality spectral analysis of the ICs showed that SI cortex appeared to cooperate with ACC in attention and perception of the tactile stimulus in crossmodal association. The results of our study support with new evidence an important idea in cortical neurophysiology: higher cognitive operations develop from the modality-specific sensory cortices (in the present study, SI cortex that are involved in sensation and perception of various stimuli.

  8. The Regulatory Independence of FANR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ALNuaimi, Fatema; Choi, Kwang Shik

    2012-01-01

    Regulatory independence is meant to provide a conservative system of policy making in order to comply with the problems that are forecasted upon the basis of assumptions. The Federal Authorization of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) is a regulatory commission that was formed to be regulatory body that governs the generation of nuclear power in United Arab Emirates. It was established under the UAE nuclear law (9/2009) as an independent regulatory body that was tasked with the regulation of all nuclear activities in the United Arab Emirates. As an independent body, FANR was tasked with ensuring that the regulation of the nuclear sector is done in effective and transparent manner to ensure its accountability to the people. Being independent, the regulatory body develops national nuclear regulations based on laid down safety standards by the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that they are based on scientific and proven technologies The role of FANR is to ensure that the all corporations that undertake nuclear activities follow the laid down procedures and objectives and ensure safety measures are taken keenly to ensure the safety of the workers and the general public while at the same time ensuring the environment is free from nuclear radiations

  9. The Regulatory Independence of FANR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    ALNuaimi, Fatema; Choi, Kwang Shik [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    Regulatory independence is meant to provide a conservative system of policy making in order to comply with the problems that are forecasted upon the basis of assumptions. The Federal Authorization of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) is a regulatory commission that was formed to be regulatory body that governs the generation of nuclear power in United Arab Emirates. It was established under the UAE nuclear law (9/2009) as an independent regulatory body that was tasked with the regulation of all nuclear activities in the United Arab Emirates. As an independent body, FANR was tasked with ensuring that the regulation of the nuclear sector is done in effective and transparent manner to ensure its accountability to the people. Being independent, the regulatory body develops national nuclear regulations based on laid down safety standards by the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that they are based on scientific and proven technologies The role of FANR is to ensure that the all corporations that undertake nuclear activities follow the laid down procedures and objectives and ensure safety measures are taken keenly to ensure the safety of the workers and the general public while at the same time ensuring the environment is free from nuclear radiations

  10. Highly flexible SRAM cells based on novel tri-independent-gate FinFET

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chengsheng; Zheng, Fanglin; Sun, Yabin; Li, Xiaojin; Shi, Yanling

    2017-10-01

    In this paper, a novel tri-independent-gate (TIG) FinFET is proposed for highly flexible SRAM cells design. To mitigate the read-write conflict, two kinds of SRAM cells based on TIG FinFETs are designed, and high tradeoff are obtained between read stability and speed. Both cells can offer multi read operations for frequency requirement with single voltage supply. In the first TIG FinFET SRAM cell, the strength of single-fin access transistor (TIG FinFET) can be flexibly adjusted by selecting five different modes to meet the needs of dynamic frequency design. Compared to the previous double-independent-gate (DIG) FinFET SRAM cell, 12.16% shorter read delay can be achieved with only 1.62% read stability decrement. As for the second TIG FinFET SRAM cell, pass-gate feedback technology is applied and double-fin TIG FinFETs are used as access transistors to solve the severe write-ability degradation. Three modes exist to flexibly adjust read speed and stability, and 68.2% larger write margin and 51.7% shorter write delay are achieved at only the expense of 26.2% increase in leakage power, with the same layout area as conventional FinFET SRAM cell.

  11. SVM-based glioma grading. Optimization by feature reduction analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zoellner, Frank G.; Schad, Lothar R.; Emblem, Kyrre E.; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Oslo Univ. Hospital

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the predictive power of feature reduction analysis approaches in support vector machine (SVM)-based classification of glioma grade. In 101 untreated glioma patients, three analytic approaches were evaluated to derive an optimal reduction in features; (i) Pearson's correlation coefficients (PCC), (ii) principal component analysis (PCA) and (iii) independent component analysis (ICA). Tumor grading was performed using a previously reported SVM approach including whole-tumor cerebral blood volume (CBV) histograms and patient age. Best classification accuracy was found using PCA at 85% (sensitivity = 89%, specificity = 84%) when reducing the feature vector from 101 (100-bins rCBV histogram + age) to 3 principal components. In comparison, classification accuracy by PCC was 82% (89%, 77%, 2 dimensions) and 79% by ICA (87%, 75%, 9 dimensions). For improved speed (up to 30%) and simplicity, feature reduction by all three methods provided similar classification accuracy to literature values (∝87%) while reducing the number of features by up to 98%. (orig.)

  12. SVM-based glioma grading. Optimization by feature reduction analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zoellner, Frank G.; Schad, Lothar R. [University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg Univ., Mannheim (Germany). Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine; Emblem, Kyrre E. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston MA (United States). Dept. of Radiology; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Oslo Univ. Hospital (Norway). The Intervention Center

    2012-11-01

    We investigated the predictive power of feature reduction analysis approaches in support vector machine (SVM)-based classification of glioma grade. In 101 untreated glioma patients, three analytic approaches were evaluated to derive an optimal reduction in features; (i) Pearson's correlation coefficients (PCC), (ii) principal component analysis (PCA) and (iii) independent component analysis (ICA). Tumor grading was performed using a previously reported SVM approach including whole-tumor cerebral blood volume (CBV) histograms and patient age. Best classification accuracy was found using PCA at 85% (sensitivity = 89%, specificity = 84%) when reducing the feature vector from 101 (100-bins rCBV histogram + age) to 3 principal components. In comparison, classification accuracy by PCC was 82% (89%, 77%, 2 dimensions) and 79% by ICA (87%, 75%, 9 dimensions). For improved speed (up to 30%) and simplicity, feature reduction by all three methods provided similar classification accuracy to literature values ({proportional_to}87%) while reducing the number of features by up to 98%. (orig.)

  13. Streaming support for data intensive cloud-based sequence analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issa, Shadi A; Kienzler, Romeo; El-Kalioby, Mohamed; Tonellato, Peter J; Wall, Dennis; Bruggmann, Rémy; Abouelhoda, Mohamed

    2013-01-01

    Cloud computing provides a promising solution to the genomics data deluge problem resulting from the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Based on the concepts of "resources-on-demand" and "pay-as-you-go", scientists with no or limited infrastructure can have access to scalable and cost-effective computational resources. However, the large size of NGS data causes a significant data transfer latency from the client's site to the cloud, which presents a bottleneck for using cloud computing services. In this paper, we provide a streaming-based scheme to overcome this problem, where the NGS data is processed while being transferred to the cloud. Our scheme targets the wide class of NGS data analysis tasks, where the NGS sequences can be processed independently from one another. We also provide the elastream package that supports the use of this scheme with individual analysis programs or with workflow systems. Experiments presented in this paper show that our solution mitigates the effect of data transfer latency and saves both time and cost of computation.

  14. Streaming Support for Data Intensive Cloud-Based Sequence Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shadi A. Issa

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cloud computing provides a promising solution to the genomics data deluge problem resulting from the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS technology. Based on the concepts of “resources-on-demand” and “pay-as-you-go”, scientists with no or limited infrastructure can have access to scalable and cost-effective computational resources. However, the large size of NGS data causes a significant data transfer latency from the client’s site to the cloud, which presents a bottleneck for using cloud computing services. In this paper, we provide a streaming-based scheme to overcome this problem, where the NGS data is processed while being transferred to the cloud. Our scheme targets the wide class of NGS data analysis tasks, where the NGS sequences can be processed independently from one another. We also provide the elastream package that supports the use of this scheme with individual analysis programs or with workflow systems. Experiments presented in this paper show that our solution mitigates the effect of data transfer latency and saves both time and cost of computation.

  15. Streaming Support for Data Intensive Cloud-Based Sequence Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issa, Shadi A.; Kienzler, Romeo; El-Kalioby, Mohamed; Tonellato, Peter J.; Wall, Dennis; Bruggmann, Rémy; Abouelhoda, Mohamed

    2013-01-01

    Cloud computing provides a promising solution to the genomics data deluge problem resulting from the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Based on the concepts of “resources-on-demand” and “pay-as-you-go”, scientists with no or limited infrastructure can have access to scalable and cost-effective computational resources. However, the large size of NGS data causes a significant data transfer latency from the client's site to the cloud, which presents a bottleneck for using cloud computing services. In this paper, we provide a streaming-based scheme to overcome this problem, where the NGS data is processed while being transferred to the cloud. Our scheme targets the wide class of NGS data analysis tasks, where the NGS sequences can be processed independently from one another. We also provide the elastream package that supports the use of this scheme with individual analysis programs or with workflow systems. Experiments presented in this paper show that our solution mitigates the effect of data transfer latency and saves both time and cost of computation. PMID:23710461

  16. A subject-independent pattern-based Brain-Computer Interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Markus Ray

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available While earlier Brain-Computer Interface (BCI studies have mostly focused on modulating specific brain regions or signals, new developments in pattern classification of brain states are enabling real-time decoding and modulation of an entire functional network. The present study proposes a new method for real-time pattern classification and neurofeedback of brain states from electroencephalographic (EEG signals. It involves the creation of a fused classification model based on the method of Common Spatial Patterns (CSPs from data of several healthy individuals. The subject-independent model is then used to classify EEG data in real-time and provide feedback to new individuals. In a series of offline experiments involving training and testing of the classifier with individual data from 27 healthy subjects, a mean classification accuracy of 75.30% was achieved, demonstrating that the classification system at hand can reliably decode two types of imagery used in our experiments, i.e. happy emotional imagery and motor imagery. In a subsequent experiment it is shown that the classifier can be used to provide neurofeedback to new subjects, and that these subjects learn to match their brain pattern to that of the fused classification model in a few days of neurofeedback training. This finding can have important implications for future studies on neurofeedback and its clinical applications on neuropsychiatric disorders.

  17. Comparison of common components analysis with principal components analysis and independent components analysis: Application to SPME-GC-MS volatolomic signatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouhlel, Jihéne; Jouan-Rimbaud Bouveresse, Delphine; Abouelkaram, Said; Baéza, Elisabeth; Jondreville, Catherine; Travel, Angélique; Ratel, Jérémy; Engel, Erwan; Rutledge, Douglas N

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this work is to compare a novel exploratory chemometrics method, Common Components Analysis (CCA), with Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Independent Components Analysis (ICA). CCA consists in adapting the multi-block statistical method known as Common Components and Specific Weights Analysis (CCSWA or ComDim) by applying it to a single data matrix, with one variable per block. As an application, the three methods were applied to SPME-GC-MS volatolomic signatures of livers in an attempt to reveal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) markers of chicken exposure to different types of micropollutants. An application of CCA to the initial SPME-GC-MS data revealed a drift in the sample Scores along CC2, as a function of injection order, probably resulting from time-related evolution in the instrument. This drift was eliminated by orthogonalization of the data set with respect to CC2, and the resulting data are used as the orthogonalized data input into each of the three methods. Since the first step in CCA is to norm-scale all the variables, preliminary data scaling has no effect on the results, so that CCA was applied only to orthogonalized SPME-GC-MS data, while, PCA and ICA were applied to the "orthogonalized", "orthogonalized and Pareto-scaled", and "orthogonalized and autoscaled" data. The comparison showed that PCA results were highly dependent on the scaling of variables, contrary to ICA where the data scaling did not have a strong influence. Nevertheless, for both PCA and ICA the clearest separations of exposed groups were obtained after autoscaling of variables. The main part of this work was to compare the CCA results using the orthogonalized data with those obtained with PCA and ICA applied to orthogonalized and autoscaled variables. The clearest separations of exposed chicken groups were obtained by CCA. CCA Loadings also clearly identified the variables contributing most to the Common Components giving separations. The PCA Loadings did not

  18. Independents in the local politics of post-communist Romania

    OpenAIRE

    Enache, Ion

    2011-01-01

    Aiming at filling a gap in the existing literature, this paper advances the analysis of available alternatives to party representation, namely independent candidatures. For that reason, we consider the context of Eastern Europe, and particularly the last decade when a considerable number of independent candidatures have been advanced. Particularly, the Romanian political system provides one viable example for the examination of independent candidacies, with numerous independents running in th...

  19. Independent preferences

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vind, Karl

    1991-01-01

    A simple mathematical result characterizing a subset of a product set is proved and used to obtain additive representations of preferences. The additivity consequences of independence assumptions are obtained for preferences which are not total or transitive. This means that most of the economic ...... theory based on additive preferences - expected utility, discounted utility - has been generalized to preferences which are not total or transitive. Other economic applications of the theorem are given...

  20. Polarization-independent transparency window induced by complementary graphene metasurfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Wei Bing; Liu, Ji Long; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Jian; Liu, Zhen Guo

    2017-01-01

    A fourfold symmetric graphene-based complementary metasurface featuring a polarization-independent transparency window is proposed and numerically analysed in this paper. The unit cell of the metamaterial consists of a monolayer graphene perforated with a cross and four identical split-ring resonators deposited on a substrate. Our analysis shows that the transparency window can be interpreted as a plasmonic analogy of Autler–Townes splitting. The polarization independence is achieved due to the fourfold symmetry of graphene’s complementary structure. In addition, the frequency range of the transparency window can be dynamically tuned over a broad band by changing the chemical potential of graphene, and the width of the transparency window can also be controlled by changing the split-gap orientation. This work may lead to potential applications in many area, such as slow-light devices and optical sensing. (paper)

  1. Progressive Disintegration of Brain Networking from Normal Aging to Alzheimer Disease: Analysis of Independent Components of 18F-FDG PET Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagani, Marco; Giuliani, Alessandro; Öberg, Johanna; De Carli, Fabrizio; Morbelli, Silvia; Girtler, Nicola; Arnaldi, Dario; Accardo, Jennifer; Bauckneht, Matteo; Bongioanni, Francesca; Chincarini, Andrea; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Jonsson, Cathrine; Nobili, Flavio

    2017-07-01

    Brain connectivity has been assessed in several neurodegenerative disorders investigating the mutual correlations between predetermined regions or nodes. Selective breakdown of brain networks during progression from normal aging to Alzheimer disease dementia (AD) has also been observed. Methods: We implemented independent-component analysis of 18 F-FDG PET data in 5 groups of subjects with cognitive states ranging from normal aging to AD-including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) not converting or converting to AD-to disclose the spatial distribution of the independent components in each cognitive state and their accuracy in discriminating the groups. Results: We could identify spatially distinct independent components in each group, with generation of local circuits increasing proportionally to the severity of the disease. AD-specific independent components first appeared in the late-MCI stage and could discriminate converting MCI and AD from nonconverting MCI with an accuracy of 83.5%. Progressive disintegration of the intrinsic networks from normal aging to MCI to AD was inversely proportional to the conversion time. Conclusion: Independent-component analysis of 18 F-FDG PET data showed a gradual disruption of functional brain connectivity with progression of cognitive decline in AD. This information might be useful as a prognostic aid for individual patients and as a surrogate biomarker in intervention trials. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

  2. Detection of explosives on the surface of banknotes by Raman hyperspectral imaging and independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Mariana R; Correa, Deleon N; Zacca, Jorge J; Logrado, Lucio Paulo Lima; Poppi, Ronei J

    2015-02-20

    The aim of this study was to develop a methodology using Raman hyperspectral imaging and chemometric methods for identification of pre- and post-blast explosive residues on banknote surfaces. The explosives studied were of military, commercial and propellant uses. After the acquisition of the hyperspectral imaging, independent component analysis (ICA) was applied to extract the pure spectra and the distribution of the corresponding image constituents. The performance of the methodology was evaluated by the explained variance and the lack of fit of the models, by comparing the ICA recovered spectra with the reference spectra using correlation coefficients and by the presence of rotational ambiguity in the ICA solutions. The methodology was applied to forensic samples to solve an automated teller machine explosion case. Independent component analysis proved to be a suitable method of resolving curves, achieving equivalent performance with the multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) method. At low concentrations, MCR-ALS presents some limitations, as it did not provide the correct solution. The detection limit of the methodology presented in this study was 50 μg cm(-2). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Identifying significant genetic regulatory networks in the prostate cancer from microarray data based on transcription factor analysis and conditional independency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeh Cheng-Yu

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prostate cancer is a world wide leading cancer and it is characterized by its aggressive metastasis. According to the clinical heterogeneity, prostate cancer displays different stages and grades related to the aggressive metastasis disease. Although numerous studies used microarray analysis and traditional clustering method to identify the individual genes during the disease processes, the important gene regulations remain unclear. We present a computational method for inferring genetic regulatory networks from micorarray data automatically with transcription factor analysis and conditional independence testing to explore the potential significant gene regulatory networks that are correlated with cancer, tumor grade and stage in the prostate cancer. Results To deal with missing values in microarray data, we used a K-nearest-neighbors (KNN algorithm to determine the precise expression values. We applied web services technology to wrap the bioinformatics toolkits and databases to automatically extract the promoter regions of DNA sequences and predicted the transcription factors that regulate the gene expressions. We adopt the microarray datasets consists of 62 primary tumors, 41 normal prostate tissues from Stanford Microarray Database (SMD as a target dataset to evaluate our method. The predicted results showed that the possible biomarker genes related to cancer and denoted the androgen functions and processes may be in the development of the prostate cancer and promote the cell death in cell cycle. Our predicted results showed that sub-networks of genes SREBF1, STAT6 and PBX1 are strongly related to a high extent while ETS transcription factors ELK1, JUN and EGR2 are related to a low extent. Gene SLC22A3 may explain clinically the differentiation associated with the high grade cancer compared with low grade cancer. Enhancer of Zeste Homolg 2 (EZH2 regulated by RUNX1 and STAT3 is correlated to the pathological stage

  4. Identifying significant genetic regulatory networks in the prostate cancer from microarray data based on transcription factor analysis and conditional independency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Hsiang-Yuan; Cheng, Shih-Wu; Lin, Yu-Chun; Yeh, Cheng-Yu; Lin, Shih-Fang; Soo, Von-Wun

    2009-12-21

    Prostate cancer is a world wide leading cancer and it is characterized by its aggressive metastasis. According to the clinical heterogeneity, prostate cancer displays different stages and grades related to the aggressive metastasis disease. Although numerous studies used microarray analysis and traditional clustering method to identify the individual genes during the disease processes, the important gene regulations remain unclear. We present a computational method for inferring genetic regulatory networks from micorarray data automatically with transcription factor analysis and conditional independence testing to explore the potential significant gene regulatory networks that are correlated with cancer, tumor grade and stage in the prostate cancer. To deal with missing values in microarray data, we used a K-nearest-neighbors (KNN) algorithm to determine the precise expression values. We applied web services technology to wrap the bioinformatics toolkits and databases to automatically extract the promoter regions of DNA sequences and predicted the transcription factors that regulate the gene expressions. We adopt the microarray datasets consists of 62 primary tumors, 41 normal prostate tissues from Stanford Microarray Database (SMD) as a target dataset to evaluate our method. The predicted results showed that the possible biomarker genes related to cancer and denoted the androgen functions and processes may be in the development of the prostate cancer and promote the cell death in cell cycle. Our predicted results showed that sub-networks of genes SREBF1, STAT6 and PBX1 are strongly related to a high extent while ETS transcription factors ELK1, JUN and EGR2 are related to a low extent. Gene SLC22A3 may explain clinically the differentiation associated with the high grade cancer compared with low grade cancer. Enhancer of Zeste Homolg 2 (EZH2) regulated by RUNX1 and STAT3 is correlated to the pathological stage. We provide a computational framework to reconstruct

  5. Complex Signal Kurtosis and Independent Component Analysis for Wideband Radio Frequency Interference Detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenwald, Adam; Mohammed, Priscilla; Bradley, Damon; Piepmeier, Jeffrey; Wong, Englin; Gholian, Armen

    2016-01-01

    Radio-frequency interference (RFI) has negatively implicated scientific measurements across a wide variation passive remote sensing satellites. This has been observed in the L-band radiometers SMOS, Aquarius and more recently, SMAP [1, 2]. RFI has also been observed at higher frequencies such as K band [3]. Improvements in technology have allowed wider bandwidth digital back ends for passive microwave radiometry. A complex signal kurtosis radio frequency interference detector was developed to help identify corrupted measurements [4]. This work explores the use of ICA (Independent Component Analysis) as a blind source separation technique to pre-process radiometric signals for use with the previously developed real and complex signal kurtosis detectors.

  6. Expression profiling to predict the clinical behaviour of ovarian cancer fails independent evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gevaert, Olivier; De Smet, Frank; Van Gorp, Toon; Pochet, Nathalie; Engelen, Kristof; Amant, Frederic; De Moor, Bart; Timmerman, Dirk; Vergote, Ignace

    2008-01-01

    In a previously published pilot study we explored the performance of microarrays in predicting clinical behaviour of ovarian tumours. For this purpose we performed microarray analysis on 20 patients and estimated that we could predict advanced stage disease with 100% accuracy and the response to platin-based chemotherapy with 76.92% accuracy using leave-one-out cross validation techniques in combination with Least Squares Support Vector Machines (LS-SVMs). In the current study we evaluate whether tumour characteristics in an independent set of 49 patients can be predicted using the pilot data set with principal component analysis or LS-SVMs. The results of the principal component analysis suggest that the gene expression data from stage I, platin-sensitive advanced stage and platin-resistant advanced stage tumours in the independent data set did not correspond to their respective classes in the pilot study. Additionally, LS-SVM models built using the data from the pilot study – although they only misclassified one of four stage I tumours and correctly classified all 45 advanced stage tumours – were not able to predict resistance to platin-based chemotherapy. Furthermore, models based on the pilot data and on previously published gene sets related to ovarian cancer outcomes, did not perform significantly better than our models. We discuss possible reasons for failure of the model for predicting response to platin-based chemotherapy and conclude that existing results based on gene expression patterns of ovarian tumours need to be thoroughly scrutinized before these results can be accepted to reflect the true performance of microarray technology

  7. Independent principal component analysis for simulation of soil water content and bulk density in a Canadian Watershed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaba Boluwade

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Accurate characterization of soil properties such as soil water content (SWC and bulk density (BD is vital for hydrologic processes and thus, it is importance to estimate θ (water content and ρ (soil bulk density among other soil surface parameters involved in water retention and infiltration, runoff generation and water erosion, etc. The spatial estimation of these soil properties are important in guiding agricultural management decisions. These soil properties vary both in space and time and are correlated. Therefore, it is important to find an efficient and robust technique to simulate spatially correlated variables. Methods such as principal component analysis (PCA and independent component analysis (ICA can be used for the joint simulations of spatially correlated variables, but they are not without their flaws. This study applied a variant of PCA called independent principal component analysis (IPCA that combines the strengths of both PCA and ICA for spatial simulation of SWC and BD using the soil data set from an 11 km2 Castor watershed in southern Quebec, Canada. Diagnostic checks using the histograms and cumulative distribution function (cdf both raw and back transformed simulations show good agreement. Therefore, the results from this study has potential in characterization of water content variability and bulk density variation for precision agriculture.

  8. REPEATABILITY OF SPITZER/IRAC EXOPLANETARY ECLIPSES WITH INDEPENDENT COMPONENT ANALYSIS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morello, G.; Waldmann, I. P.; Tinetti, G., E-mail: giuseppe.morello.11@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E6BT (United Kingdom)

    2016-04-01

    The research of effective and reliable detrending methods for Spitzer data is of paramount importance for the characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres. To date, the totality of exoplanetary observations in the mid- and far-infrared, at wavelengths >3 μm, have been taken with Spitzer. In some cases, in past years, repeated observations and multiple reanalyses of the same data sets led to discrepant results, raising questions about the accuracy and reproducibility of such measurements. Morello et al. (2014, 2015) proposed a blind-source separation method based on the Independent Component Analysis of pixel time series (pixel-ICA) to analyze InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) data, obtaining coherent results when applied to repeated transit observations previously debated in the literature. Here we introduce a variant to the pixel-ICA through the use of wavelet transform, wavelet pixel-ICA, which extends its applicability to low-signal-to-noise-ratio cases. We describe the method and discuss the results obtained over 12 eclipses of the exoplanet XO3b observed during the “Warm Spitzer” era in the 4.5 μm band. The final results are reported, in part, also in Ingalls et al. (2016), together with results obtained with other detrending methods, and over 10 synthetic eclipses that were analyzed for the “IRAC Data Challenge 2015.” Our results are consistent within 1σ with the ones reported in Wong et al. (2014) and with most of the results reported in Ingalls et al. (2016), which appeared on arXiv while this paper was under review. Based on many statistical tests discussed in Ingalls et al. (2016), the wavelet pixel-ICA method performs as well as or better than other state-of-art methods recently developed by other teams to analyze Spitzer/IRAC data, and, in particular, it appears to be the most repeatable and the most reliable, while reaching the photon noise limit, at least for the particular data set analyzed. Another strength of the ICA approach is its highest

  9. REPEATABILITY OF SPITZER/IRAC EXOPLANETARY ECLIPSES WITH INDEPENDENT COMPONENT ANALYSIS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morello, G.; Waldmann, I. P.; Tinetti, G.

    2016-01-01

    The research of effective and reliable detrending methods for Spitzer data is of paramount importance for the characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres. To date, the totality of exoplanetary observations in the mid- and far-infrared, at wavelengths >3 μm, have been taken with Spitzer. In some cases, in past years, repeated observations and multiple reanalyses of the same data sets led to discrepant results, raising questions about the accuracy and reproducibility of such measurements. Morello et al. (2014, 2015) proposed a blind-source separation method based on the Independent Component Analysis of pixel time series (pixel-ICA) to analyze InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) data, obtaining coherent results when applied to repeated transit observations previously debated in the literature. Here we introduce a variant to the pixel-ICA through the use of wavelet transform, wavelet pixel-ICA, which extends its applicability to low-signal-to-noise-ratio cases. We describe the method and discuss the results obtained over 12 eclipses of the exoplanet XO3b observed during the “Warm Spitzer” era in the 4.5 μm band. The final results are reported, in part, also in Ingalls et al. (2016), together with results obtained with other detrending methods, and over 10 synthetic eclipses that were analyzed for the “IRAC Data Challenge 2015.” Our results are consistent within 1σ with the ones reported in Wong et al. (2014) and with most of the results reported in Ingalls et al. (2016), which appeared on arXiv while this paper was under review. Based on many statistical tests discussed in Ingalls et al. (2016), the wavelet pixel-ICA method performs as well as or better than other state-of-art methods recently developed by other teams to analyze Spitzer/IRAC data, and, in particular, it appears to be the most repeatable and the most reliable, while reaching the photon noise limit, at least for the particular data set analyzed. Another strength of the ICA approach is its highest

  10. [Independence in Plastic Surgery - Benefit or Barrier? Analysis of the Publication Performance in Academic Plastic Surgery Depending on Varying Organisational Structures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schubert, C D; Leitsch, S; Haertnagl, F; Haas, E M; Giunta, R E

    2015-08-01

    Despite its recognition as an independent specialty, at German university hospitals the field of plastic surgery is still underrepresented in terms of independent departments with a dedicated research focus. The aim of this study was to analyse the publication performance within the German academic plastic surgery environment and to compare independent departments and dependent, subordinate organisational structures regarding their publication performance. Organisational structures and number of attending doctors in German university hospitals were examined via a website analysis. A pubmed analysis was applied to assess the publication performance (number of publications, cumulative impact factor, impact factor/publication, number of publications/MD, number of publications/unit) between 2009 and 2013. In a journal analysis the distribution of the cumulative impact factor and number of publications in different journals as well as the development of the impact factor in the top journals were analysed. Out of all 35 university hospitals there exist 12 independent departments for plastic surgery and 8 subordinate organisational structures. In 15 university hospitals there were no designated plastic surgery units. The number of attending doctors differed considerably between independent departments (3.6 attending doctors/unit) and subordinate organisational structures (1.1 attending doctors/unit). The majority of publications (89.0%) and of the cumulative impact factor (91.2%) as well as most of the publications/MD (54 publications/year) and publications/unit (61 publications/year) were created within the independent departments. Only in departments top publications with an impact factor > 5 were published. In general a negative trend regarding the number of publications (- 13.4%) and cumulative impact factor (- 28.9%) was observed. 58.4% of all publications were distributed over the top 10 journals. Within the latter the majority of articles were published in

  11. Model-independent partial wave analysis using a massively-parallel fitting framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, L.; Aoude, R.; dos Reis, A. C.; Sokoloff, M.

    2017-10-01

    The functionality of GooFit, a GPU-friendly framework for doing maximum-likelihood fits, has been extended to extract model-independent {\\mathscr{S}}-wave amplitudes in three-body decays such as D + → h + h + h -. A full amplitude analysis is done where the magnitudes and phases of the {\\mathscr{S}}-wave amplitudes are anchored at a finite number of m 2(h + h -) control points, and a cubic spline is used to interpolate between these points. The amplitudes for {\\mathscr{P}}-wave and {\\mathscr{D}}-wave intermediate states are modeled as spin-dependent Breit-Wigner resonances. GooFit uses the Thrust library, with a CUDA backend for NVIDIA GPUs and an OpenMP backend for threads with conventional CPUs. Performance on a variety of platforms is compared. Executing on systems with GPUs is typically a few hundred times faster than executing the same algorithm on a single CPU.

  12. Analysis of the Functional Independence Measure Value of Cervical Spine Injury Patients with Conservative Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Zafrullah Arifin

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Analysis of the Functional Independence Measure Value of Cervical Spine Injury Patients with Conservative Management. Cervical spine injury is one of the most common spinal cord injuries in trauma patients. From 100,000 spinal cord injury cases reported in the United States of America (2008, sixty seven percent involve cervical spine injury. American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA impairment score is used as an initial assessment but not enough attention prognostic outcome of these patients was paid to. The objective of this study is to analyze the value of functional independence measure (FIM cervical spine injury patients with conservative management and its correlation with age, sex, type of trauma, onset of trauma, cervical abnormalities, type of cervical spine lesion and ASIA impairment score. A prospective cohort study was performed to all patients with cervical spine injury treated inNeurosurgery Department of Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital Bandung that fullfiled the inclusion criteria. The subjects were classified based on age, sex, single/multiple trauma, acute /chronic, cervical abnormalities, complete/incomplete lesion and ASIA impairment score. The FIM examination was performed in Outpatient clinic of Neurosurgery. T-test and chi-square test was done to analyze the data. There were 17 cervical spine injury patients treated in Neurosurgery Department of Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital during April 2009–April 2010. The average FIM value of cervical spine injury in those patients is 4+ 1.63 by cohort prospective study. There were no correlation between FIM value with age, sex, type of trauma, onset of trauma and cervical abnormalities. Significant correlations were found between FIM value with type of cervical spine lesion and ASIA impairment score in cervical spine patients. Type of cervical spine lesion and ASIA impairment score have significant correlation with FIM value of patients in 6 months after cervical injury.

  13. Risk analysis of radioactive waste repository based on the time dependent hazard rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, S.H.; Cho, W.J.

    1984-01-01

    For the probabilistic risk analysis of the radioactive high level waste repository, the simplified method based on the time dependent hazard rate is proposed. The obtained results are compared with those from the time independent hazard rate. The estimation of the failure probability of the waste repository through this method gives more conservative results, especially when the half-life of nuclide is larger and retardation factors of nuclide is smaller. (Auth.)

  14. Gaze-independent brain-computer interfaces based on covert attention and feature attention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Treder, M. S.; Schmidt, N. M.; Blankertz, B.

    2011-10-01

    There is evidence that conventional visual brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) based on event-related potentials cannot be operated efficiently when eye movements are not allowed. To overcome this limitation, the aim of this study was to develop a visual speller that does not require eye movements. Three different variants of a two-stage visual speller based on covert spatial attention and non-spatial feature attention (i.e. attention to colour and form) were tested in an online experiment with 13 healthy participants. All participants achieved highly accurate BCI control. They could select one out of thirty symbols (chance level 3.3%) with mean accuracies of 88%-97% for the different spellers. The best results were obtained for a speller that was operated using non-spatial feature attention only. These results show that, using feature attention, it is possible to realize high-accuracy, fast-paced visual spellers that have a large vocabulary and are independent of eye gaze.

  15. Silicon-on-insulator-based polarization-independent 1×3 broadband beam splitter with adiabatic coupling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Yuanhao; Liu, Lei; Chang, Limin; Li, Zhiyong; Tan, Manqing; Yu, Yude

    2017-10-01

    We propose and numerically simulate a polarization-independent 1×3 broadband beam splitter based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology with adiabatic coupling. The designed structure is simulated by beam-propagation-method (BPM) and gets simulated transmission uniformity of three outputs better than 0.3dB for TE-polarization and 0.8dB for TM-polarization in a broadband of 180nm.

  16. Assessment of the Lodging Industry Profitability Performance: Invest in Independent or Chain Ownership?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soultana Tania Kapiki

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to evaluate the economic results of the independent hotels in comparison with the chain hotels as well as to propose suggestions for the viability of the lodging industry.The survey took place in Greece concerning the period 2008-2011 and it was conducted via on-line questionnaires among 165 hotel units. The average means of efficiency and profitability indicators of the sampled hotels are benchmarked and the data of 2009 are utilized to further compare their ratios by using ratio analysis. Furthermore, ANOVA test is used to conduct mean difference analysis in order to identify the differences among the means along with their associated variables between independent and chain hotels. The main findings of the survey show that, generally, the independent hotels tend to be more profitable than chain hotels. The sector’s good practices that have been identified through this study are highlighted as suggestions for the viability of the lodging industry both in Greece and worldwide.Based on the findings of the survey, investors and hotel operators may have a clearer picture of whether it is preferable to invest their funds in the development of an independent hotel or they should turn to chain ownership

  17. SCANS (Shipping Cask ANalysis System) a microcomputer-based analysis system for shipping cask design review: User's manual to Version 3a. Volume 1, Revision 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mok, G.C.; Thomas, G.R.; Gerhard, M.A.; Trummer, D.J.; Johnson, G.L.

    1998-03-01

    SCANS (Shipping Cask ANalysis System) is a microcomputer-based system of computer programs and databases developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for evaluating safety analysis reports on spent fuel shipping casks. SCANS is an easy-to-use system that calculates the global response to impact loads, pressure loads and thermal conditions, providing reviewers with an independent check on analyses submitted by licensees. SCANS is based on microcomputers compatible with the IBM-PC family of computers. The system is composed of a series of menus, input programs, cask analysis programs, and output display programs. All data is entered through fill-in-the-blank input screens that contain descriptive data requests. Analysis options are based on regulatory cases described in the Code of Federal Regulations 10 CFR 71 and Regulatory Guides published by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1977 and 1978

  18. Brain network of semantic integration in sentence reading: insights from independent component analysis and graph theoretical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Zheng; Doñamayor, Nuria; Münte, Thomas F

    2014-02-01

    A set of cortical and sub-cortical brain structures has been linked with sentence-level semantic processes. However, it remains unclear how these brain regions are organized to support the semantic integration of a word into sentential context. To look into this issue, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that required participants to silently read sentences with semantically congruent or incongruent endings and analyzed the network properties of the brain with two approaches, independent component analysis (ICA) and graph theoretical analysis (GTA). The GTA suggested that the whole-brain network is topologically stable across conditions. The ICA revealed a network comprising the supplementary motor area (SMA), left inferior frontal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, left caudate nucleus, and left angular gyrus, which was modulated by the incongruity of sentence ending. Furthermore, the GTA specified that the connections between the left SMA and left caudate nucleus as well as that between the left caudate nucleus and right thalamus were stronger in response to incongruent vs. congruent endings. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Service tailoring: a method and tool for user-centric creation of integrated IT-based homecare services to support independent living of elderly

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zarifi Eslami, Mohammed

    2013-01-01

    This thesis addresses the problem of supporting independent living of elderly people through IT-based homecare services. Independent living is seen as one way to deal with the consequences of an aging population (especially in industrialized countries), which include rising healthcare expenditures

  20. Content Validity and Inter-Rater Reliability of the Halliwick-Concept-Based Instrument "Swimming with Independent Measure"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srsen, Katja Groleger; Vidmar, Gaj; Pikl, Masa; Vrecar, Irena; Burja, Cirila; Krusec, Klavdija

    2012-01-01

    The Halliwick concept is widely used in different settings to promote joyful movement in water and swimming. To assess the swimming skills and progression of an individual swimmer, a valid and reliable measure should be used. The Halliwick-concept-based Swimming with Independent Measure (SWIM) was introduced for this purpose. We aimed to determine…

  1. High Dimensional Classification Using Features Annealed Independence Rules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Jianqing; Fan, Yingying

    2008-01-01

    Classification using high-dimensional features arises frequently in many contemporary statistical studies such as tumor classification using microarray or other high-throughput data. The impact of dimensionality on classifications is largely poorly understood. In a seminal paper, Bickel and Levina (2004) show that the Fisher discriminant performs poorly due to diverging spectra and they propose to use the independence rule to overcome the problem. We first demonstrate that even for the independence classification rule, classification using all the features can be as bad as the random guessing due to noise accumulation in estimating population centroids in high-dimensional feature space. In fact, we demonstrate further that almost all linear discriminants can perform as bad as the random guessing. Thus, it is paramountly important to select a subset of important features for high-dimensional classification, resulting in Features Annealed Independence Rules (FAIR). The conditions under which all the important features can be selected by the two-sample t-statistic are established. The choice of the optimal number of features, or equivalently, the threshold value of the test statistics are proposed based on an upper bound of the classification error. Simulation studies and real data analysis support our theoretical results and demonstrate convincingly the advantage of our new classification procedure.

  2. Independent technical review, handbook

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-02-01

    Purpose Provide an independent engineering review of the major projects being funded by the Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management. The independent engineering review will address questions of whether the engineering practice is sufficiently developed to a point where a major project can be executed without significant technical problems. The independent review will focus on questions related to: (1) Adequacy of development of the technical base of understanding; (2) Status of development and availability of technology among the various alternatives; (3) Status and availability of the industrial infrastructure to support project design, equipment fabrication, facility construction, and process and program/project operation; (4) Adequacy of the design effort to provide a sound foundation to support execution of project; (5) Ability of the organization to fully integrate the system, and direct, manage, and control the execution of a complex major project

  3. Independent technical review, handbook

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-02-01

    Purpose Provide an independent engineering review of the major projects being funded by the Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management. The independent engineering review will address questions of whether the engineering practice is sufficiently developed to a point where a major project can be executed without significant technical problems. The independent review will focus on questions related to: (1) Adequacy of development of the technical base of understanding; (2) Status of development and availability of technology among the various alternatives; (3) Status and availability of the industrial infrastructure to support project design, equipment fabrication, facility construction, and process and program/project operation; (4) Adequacy of the design effort to provide a sound foundation to support execution of project; (5) Ability of the organization to fully integrate the system, and direct, manage, and control the execution of a complex major project.

  4. COMPARING INDEPENDENT COMPONENT ANALYSIS WITH PRINCIPLE COMPONENT ANALYSIS IN DETECTING ALTERATIONS OF PORPHYRY COPPER DEPOSIT (CASE STUDY: ARDESTAN AREA, CENTRAL IRAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Mahmoudishadi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The image processing techniques in transform domain are employed as analysis tools for enhancing the detection of mineral deposits. The process of decomposing the image into important components increases the probability of mineral extraction. In this study, the performance of Principal Component Analysis (PCA and Independent Component Analysis (ICA has been evaluated for the visible and near-infrared (VNIR and Shortwave infrared (SWIR subsystems of ASTER data. Ardestan is located in part of Central Iranian Volcanic Belt that hosts many well-known porphyry copper deposits. This research investigated the propylitic and argillic alteration zones and outer mineralogy zone in part of Ardestan region. The two mentioned approaches were applied to discriminate alteration zones from igneous bedrock using the major absorption of indicator minerals from alteration and mineralogy zones in spectral rang of ASTER bands. Specialized PC components (PC2, PC3 and PC6 were used to identify pyrite and argillic and propylitic zones that distinguish from igneous bedrock in RGB color composite image. Due to the eigenvalues, the components 2, 3 and 6 account for 4.26% ,0.9% and 0.09% of the total variance of the data for Ardestan scene, respectively. For the purpose of discriminating the alteration and mineralogy zones of porphyry copper deposit from bedrocks, those mentioned percentages of data in ICA independent components of IC2, IC3 and IC6 are more accurately separated than noisy bands of PCA. The results of ICA method conform to location of lithological units of Ardestan region, as well.

  5. Comparing Independent Component Analysis with Principle Component Analysis in Detecting Alterations of Porphyry Copper Deposit (case Study: Ardestan Area, Central Iran)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoudishadi, S.; Malian, A.; Hosseinali, F.

    2017-09-01

    The image processing techniques in transform domain are employed as analysis tools for enhancing the detection of mineral deposits. The process of decomposing the image into important components increases the probability of mineral extraction. In this study, the performance of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) has been evaluated for the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and Shortwave infrared (SWIR) subsystems of ASTER data. Ardestan is located in part of Central Iranian Volcanic Belt that hosts many well-known porphyry copper deposits. This research investigated the propylitic and argillic alteration zones and outer mineralogy zone in part of Ardestan region. The two mentioned approaches were applied to discriminate alteration zones from igneous bedrock using the major absorption of indicator minerals from alteration and mineralogy zones in spectral rang of ASTER bands. Specialized PC components (PC2, PC3 and PC6) were used to identify pyrite and argillic and propylitic zones that distinguish from igneous bedrock in RGB color composite image. Due to the eigenvalues, the components 2, 3 and 6 account for 4.26% ,0.9% and 0.09% of the total variance of the data for Ardestan scene, respectively. For the purpose of discriminating the alteration and mineralogy zones of porphyry copper deposit from bedrocks, those mentioned percentages of data in ICA independent components of IC2, IC3 and IC6 are more accurately separated than noisy bands of PCA. The results of ICA method conform to location of lithological units of Ardestan region, as well.

  6. Sea level reconstructions from altimetry and tide gauges using independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunnabend, Sandra-Esther; Kusche, Jürgen; Forootan, Ehsan

    2017-04-01

    Many reconstructions of global and regional sea level rise derived from tide gauges and satellite altimetry used the method of empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) to reduce noise, improving the spatial resolution of the reconstructed outputs and investigate the different signals in climate time series. However, the second order EOF method has some limitations, e.g. in the separation of individual physical signals into different modes of sea level variations and in the capability to physically interpret the different modes as they are assumed to be orthogonal. Therefore, we investigate the use of the more advanced statistical signal decomposition technique called independent component analysis (ICA) to reconstruct global and regional sea level change from satellite altimetry and tide gauge records. Our results indicate that the used method has almost no influence on the reconstruction of global mean sea level change (1.6 mm/yr from 1960-2010 and 2.9 mm/yr from 1993-2013). Only different numbers of modes are needed for the reconstruction. Using the ICA method is advantageous for separating independent climate variability signals from regional sea level variations as the mixing problem of the EOF method is strongly reduced. As an example, the modes most dominated by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) signal are compared. Regional sea level changes near Tianjin, China, Los Angeles, USA, and Majuro, Marshall Islands are reconstructed and the contributions from ENSO are identified.

  7. All-phase MR angiography using independent component analysis of dynamic contrast enhanced MRI time series. φ-MRA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kiyotaka; Matsuzawa, Hitoshi; Watanabe, Masaki; Nakada, Tsutomu; Nakayama, Naoki; Kwee, I.L.

    2003-01-01

    Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (dynamic MRI) represents a MRI version of non-diffusible tracer methods, the main clinical use of which is the physiological construction of what is conventionally referred to as perfusion images. The raw data utilized for constructing MRI perfusion images are time series of pixel signal alterations associated with the passage of a gadolinium containing contrast agent. Such time series are highly compatible with independent component analysis (ICA), a novel statistical signal processing technique capable of effectively separating a single mixture of multiple signals into their original independent source signals (blind separation). Accordingly, we applied ICA to dynamic MRI time series. The technique was found to be powerful, allowing for hitherto unobtainable assessment of regional cerebral hemodynamics in vivo. (author)

  8. Profit allocation of independent power producers based on cooperative Game theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jia, N.X.; Yokoyama, R.

    2003-01-01

    With the development of deregulation, the retail market is being formed. The independent power producers (IPPs) can contact the customers and sell electric power to them directly to obtain the profits because IPPs can provide electricity at cheaper prices to the customers than the utilities can. If IPP can obtain further more profit through collaborating with other ones in some coalition, it will prefer to collaborate to form this coalition rather than participating individually. In coalition, also the problem of how to allocate profit rationally for each IPP should also be solved. In this paper, we discuss the cooperation of IPPs in retail market and give a formulation about the calculation of IPPs profits. After that, based on Game theory, we propose a scheme to decide the profit allocation of each IPP in the coalitions rationally and impartially. (author)

  9. Sequential sentinel SNP Regional Association Plots (SSS-RAP): an approach for testing independence of SNP association signals using meta-analysis data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Jie; Gaunt, Tom R; Day, Ian N M

    2013-01-01

    Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) frequently incorporate meta-analysis within their framework. However, conditional analysis of individual-level data, which is an established approach for fine mapping of causal sites, is often precluded where only group-level summary data are available for analysis. Here, we present a numerical and graphical approach, "sequential sentinel SNP regional association plot" (SSS-RAP), which estimates regression coefficients (beta) with their standard errors using the meta-analysis summary results directly. Under an additive model, typical for genes with small effect, the effect for a sentinel SNP can be transformed to the predicted effect for a possibly dependent SNP through a 2×2 2-SNP haplotypes table. The approach assumes Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for test SNPs. SSS-RAP is available as a Web-tool (http://apps.biocompute.org.uk/sssrap/sssrap.cgi). To develop and illustrate SSS-RAP we analyzed lipid and ECG traits data from the British Women's Heart and Health Study (BWHHS), evaluated a meta-analysis for ECG trait and presented several simulations. We compared results with existing approaches such as model selection methods and conditional analysis. Generally findings were consistent. SSS-RAP represents a tool for testing independence of SNP association signals using meta-analysis data, and is also a convenient approach based on biological principles for fine mapping in group level summary data. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/University College London.

  10. On the rejection-based algorithm for simulation and analysis of large-scale reaction networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thanh, Vo Hong, E-mail: vo@cosbi.eu [The Microsoft Research-University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, Rovereto 38068 (Italy); Zunino, Roberto, E-mail: roberto.zunino@unitn.it [Department of Mathematics, University of Trento, Trento (Italy); Priami, Corrado, E-mail: priami@cosbi.eu [The Microsoft Research-University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, Rovereto 38068 (Italy); Department of Mathematics, University of Trento, Trento (Italy)

    2015-06-28

    Stochastic simulation for in silico studies of large biochemical networks requires a great amount of computational time. We recently proposed a new exact simulation algorithm, called the rejection-based stochastic simulation algorithm (RSSA) [Thanh et al., J. Chem. Phys. 141(13), 134116 (2014)], to improve simulation performance by postponing and collapsing as much as possible the propensity updates. In this paper, we analyze the performance of this algorithm in detail, and improve it for simulating large-scale biochemical reaction networks. We also present a new algorithm, called simultaneous RSSA (SRSSA), which generates many independent trajectories simultaneously for the analysis of the biochemical behavior. SRSSA improves simulation performance by utilizing a single data structure across simulations to select reaction firings and forming trajectories. The memory requirement for building and storing the data structure is thus independent of the number of trajectories. The updating of the data structure when needed is performed collectively in a single operation across the simulations. The trajectories generated by SRSSA are exact and independent of each other by exploiting the rejection-based mechanism. We test our new improvement on real biological systems with a wide range of reaction networks to demonstrate its applicability and efficiency.

  11. Hypothetical learning trajectory design on the history of Indonesian independence struggle in Mathematics logic instruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dra Nurjanah

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The research was aimed at developing learning resources for mathematics logic using the hypothetical learning trajectory designed through reflection on the history of Indonesian independence struggle. The study was carried out at the Department of Mathematics Education of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Educational Sciences Nusantara Islamic University (Uninus. The study used design research consisted of three stages: preparing the experiments, design the experiments, and retrospective analysis. Preparing the experiments stage has been completed and design the experiments stage is currently under preparation. The main activities accomplished in preparing the experiments stage consisted of: studies of Indonesian independence struggle, curriculum analysis, literature review, and early prototype design. Design the experiments phase has enabled the development of the research instruments. The learning trajectory which has been designed in the first stage involved: reflections on the history of Indonesian independence struggle; implication and bi-implication; implication, bi-implication and their truth in the context of the history of the Indonesian independence struggle; and implication, bi-implication and their truth in the context of mathematics. Based on the results of discussions with colleagues, the students’ ability in mathematical thinking can be developed by using the history of Indonesian independence struggle as the context of learning in a mathematics logics course.

  12. Basis-Independent Analysis of the sneutrino Sector in R-Parity Violating Supersymmetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grossman, Yuval

    2000-01-01

    In R-parity-violating supersymmetric models (with a conserved baryon number), there are no quantum numbers that distinguish the lepton-doublet and down-type Higgs supermultiplets. As a result, the R-parity-violating parameters depend on the basis choice for these superfields, although physical observables are independent of the choice of basis. This paper presents a basis-independent computation of the sneutrino/antisneutrino squared-mass splitting in terms of basis-independent quantities. Techniques are developed for an arbitrary number of sneutrino generations; specific results are provided for the one, two and three generation cases

  13. Blind Separation of Event-Related Brain Responses into Independent Components

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Makeig, Scott

    1996-01-01

    .... We report here a method for the blind separation of event-related brain responses into spatially stationary and temporally independent subcomponents using an Independent Component Analysis algorithm...

  14. A new approach for crude oil price analysis based on empirical mode decomposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xun; Wang, Shou-Yang; Lai, K.K.

    2008-01-01

    The importance of understanding the underlying characteristics of international crude oil price movements attracts much attention from academic researchers and business practitioners. Due to the intrinsic complexity of the oil market, however, most of them fail to produce consistently good results. Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), recently proposed by Huang et al., appears to be a novel data analysis method for nonlinear and non-stationary time series. By decomposing a time series into a small number of independent and concretely implicational intrinsic modes based on scale separation, EMD explains the generation of time series data from a novel perspective. Ensemble EMD (EEMD) is a substantial improvement of EMD which can better separate the scales naturally by adding white noise series to the original time series and then treating the ensemble averages as the true intrinsic modes. In this paper, we extend EEMD to crude oil price analysis. First, three crude oil price series with different time ranges and frequencies are decomposed into several independent intrinsic modes, from high to low frequency. Second, the intrinsic modes are composed into a fluctuating process, a slowly varying part and a trend based on fine-to-coarse reconstruction. The economic meanings of the three components are identified as short term fluctuations caused by normal supply-demand disequilibrium or some other market activities, the effect of a shock of a significant event, and a long term trend. Finally, the EEMD is shown to be a vital technique for crude oil price analysis. (author)

  15. Research on the digital education resources of sharing pattern in independent colleges based on cloud computing environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Ting; He, Zhiwen

    2017-06-01

    Cloud computing was first proposed by Google Company in the United States, which was based on the Internet center, providing a standard and open network sharing service approach. With the rapid development of the higher education in China, the educational resources provided by colleges and universities had greatly gap in the actual needs of teaching resources. therefore, Cloud computing of using the Internet technology to provide shared methods liked the timely rain, which had become an important means of the Digital Education on sharing applications in the current higher education. Based on Cloud computing environment, the paper analyzed the existing problems about the sharing of digital educational resources in Jiangxi Province Independent Colleges. According to the sharing characteristics of mass storage, efficient operation and low input about Cloud computing, the author explored and studied the design of the sharing model about the digital educational resources of higher education in Independent College. Finally, the design of the shared model was put into the practical applications.

  16. Comparison of Standard Culture-Based Method to Culture-Independent Method for Evaluation of Hygiene Effects on the Hand Microbiome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zapka, C; Leff, J; Henley, J; Tittl, J; De Nardo, E; Butler, M; Griggs, R; Fierer, N; Edmonds-Wilson, S

    2017-03-28

    Hands play a critical role in the transmission of microbiota on one's own body, between individuals, and on environmental surfaces. Effectively measuring the composition of the hand microbiome is important to hand hygiene science, which has implications for human health. Hand hygiene products are evaluated using standard culture-based methods, but standard test methods for culture-independent microbiome characterization are lacking. We sampled the hands of 50 participants using swab-based and glove-based methods prior to and following four hand hygiene treatments (using a nonantimicrobial hand wash, alcohol-based hand sanitizer [ABHS], a 70% ethanol solution, or tap water). We compared results among culture plate counts, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted directly from hands, and sequencing of DNA extracted from culture plates. Glove-based sampling yielded higher numbers of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) but had less diversity in bacterial community composition than swab-based sampling. We detected treatment-induced changes in diversity only by using swab-based samples ( P hand hygiene industry methods and for future hand microbiome studies. On the basis of our results and previously published studies, we propose recommendations for best practices in hand microbiome research. IMPORTANCE The hand microbiome is a critical area of research for diverse fields, such as public health and forensics. The suitability of culture-independent methods for assessing effects of hygiene products on microbiota has not been demonstrated. This is the first controlled laboratory clinical hand study to have compared traditional hand hygiene test methods with newer culture-independent characterization methods typically used by skin microbiologists. This study resulted in recommendations for hand hygiene product testing, development of methods, and future hand skin microbiome research. It also demonstrated the importance of inclusion of skin physiological metadata in

  17. Evaluation of Device-Independent Internet Spatial Location

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Komosny

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Device-independent Internet spatial location is needed for many purposes, such as data personalisation and social behaviour analysis. Internet spatial databases provide such locations based the IP address of a device. The free to use databases are natively included into many UNIX and Linux operating systems. These systems are predominantly used for e-shops, social networks, and cloud data storage. Using a constructed ground truth dataset, we comprehensively evaluate these databases for null responses, returned country/region/city, and distance error. The created ground truth dataset differs from others by covering cities with both low and high populations and maintaining only devices that follow the rule of one IP address per ISP (Internet Service Provider and per city. We define two new performance metrics that show the effect of city population and trustworthiness of the results. We also evaluate the databases against an alternative measurement-based approach. We study the reasons behind the results. The data evaluated comes from Europe. The results may be of use for engineers, developers and researchers that use the knowledge of geographical location for related data processing and analysis, such as marketing.

  18. Agent independent task planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, William S.

    1990-01-01

    Agent-Independent Planning is a technique that allows the construction of activity plans without regard to the agent that will perform them. Once generated, a plan is then validated and translated into instructions for a particular agent, whether a robot, crewmember, or software-based control system. Because Space Station Freedom (SSF) is planned for orbital operations for approximately thirty years, it will almost certainly experience numerous enhancements and upgrades, including upgrades in robotic manipulators. Agent-Independent Planning provides the capability to construct plans for SSF operations, independent of specific robotic systems, by combining techniques of object oriented modeling, nonlinear planning and temporal logic. Since a plan is validated using the physical and functional models of a particular agent, new robotic systems can be developed and integrated with existing operations in a robust manner. This technique also provides the capability to generate plans for crewmembers with varying skill levels, and later apply these same plans to more sophisticated robotic manipulators made available by evolutions in technology.

  19. Independence and interdependence in collective decision making: an agent-based model of nest-site choice by honeybee swarms

    Science.gov (United States)

    List, Christian; Elsholtz, Christian; Seeley, Thomas D.

    2008-01-01

    Condorcet's jury theorem shows that when the members of a group have noisy but independent information about what is best for the group as a whole, majority decisions tend to outperform dictatorial ones. When voting is supplemented by communication, however, the resulting interdependencies between decision makers can strengthen or undermine this effect: they can facilitate information pooling, but also amplify errors. We consider an intriguing non-human case of independent information pooling combined with communication: the case of nest-site choice by honeybee (Apis mellifera) swarms. It is empirically well documented that when there are different nest sites that vary in quality, the bees usually choose the best one. We develop a new agent-based model of the bees' decision process and show that its remarkable reliability stems from a particular interplay of independence and interdependence between the bees. PMID:19073474

  20. DNA-based culture-independent analysis detects the presence of group a streptococcus in throat samples from healthy adults in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Tejaswini; Aikawa, Chihiro; Nozawa, Takashi; Murase, Kazunori; Maruyama, Fumito; Nakagawa, Ichiro

    2016-10-11

    Group A Streptococcus (GAS; Streptococcus pyogenes) causes a range of mild to severe infections in humans. It can also colonize healthy persons asymptomatically. Therefore, it is important to study GAS carriage in healthy populations, as carriage of it might lead to subsequent disease manifestation, clonal spread in the community, and/or diversification of the organism. Throat swab culture is the gold standard method for GAS detection. Advanced culture-independent methods provide rapid and efficient detection of microorganisms directly from clinical samples. We investigated the presence of GAS in throat swab samples from healthy adults in Japan using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Two throat swab samples were collected from 148 healthy volunteers. One was cultured on selective medium, while total DNA extracted from the other was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified with two GAS-specific primer pairs: one was a newly designed 16S rRNA-specific primer pair, the other a previously described V-Na + -ATPase primer pair. Although only 5 (3.4 %) of the 148 samples were GAS-positive by the culture-dependent method, 146 (98.6 %) were positive for the presence of GAS DNA by the culture-independent method. To obtain serotype information by emm typing, we performed nested PCR using newly designed emm primers. We detected the four different emm types in 25 (16.9 %) samples, and these differed from the common emm types associated with GAS associated diseases in Japan. The different emm types detected in the healthy volunteers indicate that the presence of unique emm types might be associated with GAS carriage. Our results suggest that culture-independent methods should be considered for profiling GAS in the healthy hosts, with a view to obtaining better understanding of these organisms. The GAS-specific primers (16S rRNA and V-Na + -ATPase) used in this study can be used to estimate the maximum potential GAS carriage in people.

  1. Independent component analysis reveals new and biologically significant structures in micro array data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veerla Srinivas

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background An alternative to standard approaches to uncover biologically meaningful structures in micro array data is to treat the data as a blind source separation (BSS problem. BSS attempts to separate a mixture of signals into their different sources and refers to the problem of recovering signals from several observed linear mixtures. In the context of micro array data, "sources" may correspond to specific cellular responses or to co-regulated genes. Results We applied independent component analysis (ICA to three different microarray data sets; two tumor data sets and one time series experiment. To obtain reliable components we used iterated ICA to estimate component centrotypes. We found that many of the low ranking components indeed may show a strong biological coherence and hence be of biological significance. Generally ICA achieved a higher resolution when compared with results based on correlated expression and a larger number of gene clusters with significantly enriched for gene ontology (GO categories. In addition, components characteristic for molecular subtypes and for tumors with specific chromosomal translocations were identified. ICA also identified more than one gene clusters significant for the same GO categories and hence disclosed a higher level of biological heterogeneity, even within coherent groups of genes. Conclusion Although the ICA approach primarily detects hidden variables, these surfaced as highly correlated genes in time series data and in one instance in the tumor data. This further strengthens the biological relevance of latent variables detected by ICA.

  2. Architectural Analysis of Systems Based on the Publisher-Subscriber Style

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganesun, Dharmalingam; Lindvall, Mikael; Ruley, Lamont; Wiegand, Robert; Ly, Vuong; Tsui, Tina

    2010-01-01

    Architectural styles impose constraints on both the topology and the interaction behavior of involved parties. In this paper, we propose an approach for analyzing implemented systems based on the publisher-subscriber architectural style. From the style definition, we derive a set of reusable questions and show that some of them can be answered statically whereas others are best answered using dynamic analysis. The paper explains how the results of static analysis can be used to orchestrate dynamic analysis. The proposed method was successfully applied on the NASA's Goddard Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) software product line. The results show that the GMSEC has a) a novel reusable vendor-independent middleware abstraction layer that allows the NASA's missions to configure the middleware of interest without changing the publishers' or subscribers' source code, and b) some high priority bugs due to behavioral discrepancies, which were eluded during testing and code reviews, among different implementations of the same APIs for different vendors.

  3. Independent working place on the base of the DVK-2M computer and UNO-4096 analyzer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zajtsev, M.Yu.; Balandin, A.F.

    1987-01-01

    Independent working place on the base of the DVK-2M microcomputer and UNO-4096-90 analyzer, designated for investigations of the field of reactor and protection physics is described. Two ways of the analyzer connection with the DVK-2M microcomputer are suggested : by means of CAMAC system or direct connection of UNO-analyzer with the DVK-2M processor

  4. Unsupervised neural spike sorting for high-density microelectrode arrays with convolutive independent component analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leibig, Christian; Wachtler, Thomas; Zeck, Günther

    2016-09-15

    Unsupervised identification of action potentials in multi-channel extracellular recordings, in particular from high-density microelectrode arrays with thousands of sensors, is an unresolved problem. While independent component analysis (ICA) achieves rapid unsupervised sorting, it ignores the convolutive structure of extracellular data, thus limiting the unmixing to a subset of neurons. Here we present a spike sorting algorithm based on convolutive ICA (cICA) to retrieve a larger number of accurately sorted neurons than with instantaneous ICA while accounting for signal overlaps. Spike sorting was applied to datasets with varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNR: 3-12) and 27% spike overlaps, sampled at either 11.5 or 23kHz on 4365 electrodes. We demonstrate how the instantaneity assumption in ICA-based algorithms has to be relaxed in order to improve the spike sorting performance for high-density microelectrode array recordings. Reformulating the convolutive mixture as an instantaneous mixture by modeling several delayed samples jointly is necessary to increase signal-to-noise ratio. Our results emphasize that different cICA algorithms are not equivalent. Spike sorting performance was assessed with ground-truth data generated from experimentally derived templates. The presented spike sorter was able to extract ≈90% of the true spike trains with an error rate below 2%. It was superior to two alternative (c)ICA methods (≈80% accurately sorted neurons) and comparable to a supervised sorting. Our new algorithm represents a fast solution to overcome the current bottleneck in spike sorting of large datasets generated by simultaneous recording with thousands of electrodes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Independent Pre-Transplant Recipient Cancer Risk Factors after Kidney Transplantation and the Utility of G-Chart Analysis for Clinical Process Control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schrem, Harald; Schneider, Valentin; Kurok, Marlene; Goldis, Alon; Dreier, Maren; Kaltenborn, Alexander; Gwinner, Wilfried; Barthold, Marc; Liebeneiner, Jan; Winny, Markus; Klempnauer, Jürgen; Kleine, Moritz

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study is to identify independent pre-transplant cancer risk factors after kidney transplantation and to assess the utility of G-chart analysis for clinical process control. This may contribute to the improvement of cancer surveillance processes in individual transplant centers. 1655 patients after kidney transplantation at our institution with a total of 9,425 person-years of follow-up were compared retrospectively to the general German population using site-specific standardized-incidence-ratios (SIRs) of observed malignancies. Risk-adjusted multivariable Cox regression was used to identify independent pre-transplant cancer risk factors. G-chart analysis was applied to determine relevant differences in the frequency of cancer occurrences. Cancer incidence rates were almost three times higher as compared to the matched general population (SIR = 2.75; 95%-CI: 2.33-3.21). Significantly increased SIRs were observed for renal cell carcinoma (SIR = 22.46), post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (SIR = 8.36), prostate cancer (SIR = 2.22), bladder cancer (SIR = 3.24), thyroid cancer (SIR = 10.13) and melanoma (SIR = 3.08). Independent pre-transplant risk factors for cancer-free survival were age 62.6 years (p = 0.001, HR: 1.29), polycystic kidney disease other than autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) (p = 0.001, HR: 0.68), high body mass index in kg/m2 (pKaizen events and audits for root-cause analysis of relevant detection rate changes. Further, comparative G-chart analysis would enable benchmarking of cancer surveillance processes between centers.

  6. Change detection for synthetic aperture radar images based on pattern and intensity distinctiveness analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao; Gao, Feng; Dong, Junyu; Qi, Qiang

    2018-04-01

    Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image is independent on atmospheric conditions, and it is the ideal image source for change detection. Existing methods directly analysis all the regions in the speckle noise contaminated difference image. The performance of these methods is easily affected by small noisy regions. In this paper, we proposed a novel change detection framework for saliency-guided change detection based on pattern and intensity distinctiveness analysis. The saliency analysis step can remove small noisy regions, and therefore makes the proposed method more robust to the speckle noise. In the proposed method, the log-ratio operator is first utilized to obtain a difference image (DI). Then, the saliency detection method based on pattern and intensity distinctiveness analysis is utilized to obtain the changed region candidates. Finally, principal component analysis and k-means clustering are employed to analysis pixels in the changed region candidates. Thus, the final change map can be obtained by classifying these pixels into changed or unchanged class. The experiment results on two real SAR images datasets have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  7. Multicomponent quantitative spectroscopic analysis without reference substances based on ICA modelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monakhova, Yulia B; Mushtakova, Svetlana P

    2017-05-01

    A fast and reliable spectroscopic method for multicomponent quantitative analysis of targeted compounds with overlapping signals in complex mixtures has been established. The innovative analytical approach is based on the preliminary chemometric extraction of qualitative and quantitative information from UV-vis and IR spectral profiles of a calibration system using independent component analysis (ICA). Using this quantitative model and ICA resolution results of spectral profiling of "unknown" model mixtures, the absolute analyte concentrations in multicomponent mixtures and authentic samples were then calculated without reference solutions. Good recoveries generally between 95% and 105% were obtained. The method can be applied to any spectroscopic data that obey the Beer-Lambert-Bouguer law. The proposed method was tested on analysis of vitamins and caffeine in energy drinks and aromatic hydrocarbons in motor fuel with 10% error. The results demonstrated that the proposed method is a promising tool for rapid simultaneous multicomponent analysis in the case of spectral overlap and the absence/inaccessibility of reference materials.

  8. Quantum independent increment processes

    CERN Document Server

    Franz, Uwe

    2005-01-01

    This volume is the first of two volumes containing the revised and completed notes lectures given at the school "Quantum Independent Increment Processes: Structure and Applications to Physics". This school was held at the Alfried-Krupp-Wissenschaftskolleg in Greifswald during the period March 9 – 22, 2003, and supported by the Volkswagen Foundation. The school gave an introduction to current research on quantum independent increment processes aimed at graduate students and non-specialists working in classical and quantum probability, operator algebras, and mathematical physics. The present first volume contains the following lectures: "Lévy Processes in Euclidean Spaces and Groups" by David Applebaum, "Locally Compact Quantum Groups" by Johan Kustermans, "Quantum Stochastic Analysis" by J. Martin Lindsay, and "Dilations, Cocycles and Product Systems" by B.V. Rajarama Bhat.

  9. Automatic denoising of functional MRI data: combining independent component analysis and hierarchical fusion of classifiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salimi-Khorshidi, Gholamreza; Douaud, Gwenaëlle; Beckmann, Christian F; Glasser, Matthew F; Griffanti, Ludovica; Smith, Stephen M

    2014-04-15

    Many sources of fluctuation contribute to the fMRI signal, and this makes identifying the effects that are truly related to the underlying neuronal activity difficult. Independent component analysis (ICA) - one of the most widely used techniques for the exploratory analysis of fMRI data - has shown to be a powerful technique in identifying various sources of neuronally-related and artefactual fluctuation in fMRI data (both with the application of external stimuli and with the subject "at rest"). ICA decomposes fMRI data into patterns of activity (a set of spatial maps and their corresponding time series) that are statistically independent and add linearly to explain voxel-wise time series. Given the set of ICA components, if the components representing "signal" (brain activity) can be distinguished form the "noise" components (effects of motion, non-neuronal physiology, scanner artefacts and other nuisance sources), the latter can then be removed from the data, providing an effective cleanup of structured noise. Manual classification of components is labour intensive and requires expertise; hence, a fully automatic noise detection algorithm that can reliably detect various types of noise sources (in both task and resting fMRI) is desirable. In this paper, we introduce FIX ("FMRIB's ICA-based X-noiseifier"), which provides an automatic solution for denoising fMRI data via accurate classification of ICA components. For each ICA component FIX generates a large number of distinct spatial and temporal features, each describing a different aspect of the data (e.g., what proportion of temporal fluctuations are at high frequencies). The set of features is then fed into a multi-level classifier (built around several different classifiers). Once trained through the hand-classification of a sufficient number of training datasets, the classifier can then automatically classify new datasets. The noise components can then be subtracted from (or regressed out of) the original

  10. Experimental study of a quantum random-number generator based on two independent lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shi-Hai; Xu, Feihu

    2017-12-01

    A quantum random-number generator (QRNG) can produce true randomness by utilizing the inherent probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Recently, the spontaneous-emission quantum phase noise of the laser has been widely deployed for quantum random-number generation, due to its high rate, its low cost, and the feasibility of chip-scale integration. Here, we perform a comprehensive experimental study of a phase-noise-based QRNG with two independent lasers, each of which operates in either continuous-wave (CW) or pulsed mode. We implement the QRNG by operating the two lasers in three configurations, namely, CW + CW, CW + pulsed, and pulsed + pulsed, and demonstrate their trade-offs, strengths, and weaknesses.

  11. Transformation-based spherical cloaks designed by an implicit transformation-independent method: theory and optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novitsky, Andrey; Qiu, C-W; Zouhdi, Said

    2009-01-01

    Based on the concept of the cloak generating function, we propose an implicit transformation-independent method for the required parameters of spherical cloaks without knowing the needed coordinate transformation beforehand. A non-ideal discrete model is used to calculate and optimize the total scattering cross-sections of different profiles of the generating function. A bell-shaped quadratic spherical cloak is found to be the best candidate, which is further optimized by controlling the design parameters involved. Such improved invisibility is steady even when the model is highly discretized.

  12. Visualization-based analysis of multiple response survey data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timofeeva, Anastasiia

    2017-11-01

    During the survey, the respondents are often allowed to tick more than one answer option for a question. Analysis and visualization of such data have difficulties because of the need for processing multiple response variables. With standard representation such as pie and bar charts, information about the association between different answer options is lost. The author proposes a visualization approach for multiple response variables based on Venn diagrams. For a more informative representation with a large number of overlapping groups it is suggested to use similarity and association matrices. Some aggregate indicators of dissimilarity (similarity) are proposed based on the determinant of the similarity matrix and the maximum eigenvalue of association matrix. The application of the proposed approaches is well illustrated by the example of the analysis of advertising sources. Intersection of sets indicates that the same consumer audience is covered by several advertising sources. This information is very important for the allocation of the advertising budget. The differences between target groups in advertising sources are of interest. To identify such differences the hypothesis of homogeneity and independence are tested. Recent approach to the problem are briefly reviewed and compared. An alternative procedure is suggested. It is based on partition of a consumer audience into pairwise disjoint subsets and includes hypothesis testing of the difference between the population proportions. It turned out to be more suitable for the real problem being solved.

  13. Assessing Independent Variables Used in Econometric Modeling Forest Land Use or Land Cover Change: A Meta-Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    J Jeuck; F. Cubbage; R. Abt; R. Bardon; J. McCarter; J. Coulston; M. Renkow

    2014-01-01

    : We conducted a meta-analysis on 64 econometric models from 47 studies predicting forestland conversion to agriculture (F2A), forestland to development (F2D), forestland to non-forested (F2NF) and undeveloped (including forestland) to developed (U2D) land. Over 250 independent econometric variables were identified from 21 F2A models, 21 F2D models, 12 F2NF models, and...

  14. Patient-specific IMRT verification using independent fluence-based dose calculation software: experimental benchmarking and initial clinical experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Georg, Dietmar; Stock, Markus; Kroupa, Bernhard; Olofsson, Joergen; Nyholm, Tufve; Ahnesjoe, Anders; Karlsson, Mikael

    2007-01-01

    Experimental methods are commonly used for patient-specific intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) verification. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy and performance of independent dose calculation software (denoted as 'MUV' (monitor unit verification)) for patient-specific quality assurance (QA). 52 patients receiving step-and-shoot IMRT were considered. IMRT plans were recalculated by the treatment planning systems (TPS) in a dedicated QA phantom, in which an experimental 1D and 2D verification (0.3 cm 3 ionization chamber; films) was performed. Additionally, an independent dose calculation was performed. The fluence-based algorithm of MUV accounts for collimator transmission, rounded leaf ends, tongue-and-groove effect, backscatter to the monitor chamber and scatter from the flattening filter. The dose calculation utilizes a pencil beam model based on a beam quality index. DICOM RT files from patient plans, exported from the TPS, were directly used as patient-specific input data in MUV. For composite IMRT plans, average deviations in the high dose region between ionization chamber measurements and point dose calculations performed with the TPS and MUV were 1.6 ± 1.2% and 0.5 ± 1.1% (1 S.D.). The dose deviations between MUV and TPS slightly depended on the distance from the isocentre position. For individual intensity-modulated beams (total 367), an average deviation of 1.1 ± 2.9% was determined between calculations performed with the TPS and with MUV, with maximum deviations up to 14%. However, absolute dose deviations were mostly less than 3 cGy. Based on the current results, we aim to apply a confidence limit of 3% (with respect to the prescribed dose) or 6 cGy for routine IMRT verification. For off-axis points at distances larger than 5 cm and for low dose regions, we consider 5% dose deviation or 10 cGy acceptable. The time needed for an independent calculation compares very favourably with the net time for an experimental approach

  15. THE RIGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT COURT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALIN-GHEORGHE GAVRILESCU

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The independence of the court is essential of state of rule, to maintain the stability in juridical intercourse, for the existence of a constitutional democracy achieved through a warranty of the necessary objectivity for the steady and legal settlement of the causes deducted to the trial and the achievement of a fair trial. The article emphasizes the main international juridical tools in which independence of justice is reflected, achieving an examination of judicial practice of European instance as well as an analysis of this principle as it is regulated by Romanian justice.

  16. Angle-independent measure of motion for image-based gating in 3D coronary angiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lehmann, Glen C.; Holdsworth, David W.; Drangova, Maria

    2006-01-01

    The role of three-dimensional (3D) image guidance for interventional procedures and minimally invasive surgeries is increasing for the treatment of vascular disease. Currently, most interventional procedures are guided by two-dimensional x-ray angiography, but computed rotational angiography has the potential to provide 3D geometric information about the coronary arteries. The creation of 3D angiographic images of the coronary arteries requires synchronization of data acquisition with respect to the cardiac cycle, in order to minimize motion artifacts. This can be achieved by inferring the extent of motion from a patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. However, a direct measurement of motion (from the 2D angiograms) has the potential to improve the 3D angiographic images by ensuring that only projections acquired during periods of minimal motion are included in the reconstruction. This paper presents an image-based metric for measuring the extent of motion in 2D x-ray angiographic images. Adaptive histogram equalization was applied to projection images to increase the sharpness of coronary arteries and the superior-inferior component of the weighted centroid (SIC) was measured. The SIC constitutes an image-based metric that can be used to track vessel motion, independent of apparent motion induced by the rotational acquisition. To evaluate the technique, six consecutive patients scheduled for routine coronary angiography procedures were studied. We compared the end of the SIC rest period (ρ) to R-waves (R) detected in the patient's ECG and found a mean difference of 14±80 ms. Two simultaneous angular positions were acquired and ρ was detected for each position. There was no statistically significant difference (P=0.79) between ρ in the two simultaneously acquired angular positions. Thus we have shown the SIC to be independent of view angle, which is critical for rotational angiography. A preliminary image-based gating strategy that employed the SIC was

  17. Comparison of stress-based and strain-based creep failure criteria for severe accident analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chavez, S.A.; Kelly, D.L.; Witt, R.J.; Stirn, D.P.

    1995-01-01

    We conducted a parametic analysis of stress-based and strain-based creep failure criteria to determine if there is a significant difference between the two criteria for SA533B vessel steel under severe accident conditions. Parametric variables include debris composition, system pressure, and creep strain histories derived from different testing programs and mathematically fit, with and without tertiary creep. Results indicate significant differences between the two criteria. Stress gradient plays an important role in determining which criterion will predict failure first. Creep failure was not very sensitive to different creep strain histories, except near the transition temperature of the vessel steel (900K to 1000K). Statistical analyses of creep failure data of four independent sources indicate that these data may be pooled, with a spline point at 1000K. We found the Manson-Haferd parameter to have better failure predictive capability than the Larson-Miller parameter for the data studied. (orig.)

  18. Distribution-independent hierarchicald N-body methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aluru, S.

    1994-01-01

    The N-body problem is to simulate the motion of N particles under the influence of mutual force fields based on an inverse square law. The problem has applications in several domains including astrophysics, molecular dynamics, fluid dynamics, radiosity methods in computer graphics and numerical complex analysis. Research efforts have focused on reducing the O(N 2 ) time per iteration required by the naive algorithm of computing each pairwise interaction. Widely respected among these are the Barnes-Hut and Greengard methods. Greengard claims his algorithm reduces the complexity to O(N) time per iteration. Throughout this thesis, we concentrate on rigorous, distribution-independent, worst-case analysis of the N-body methods. We show that Greengard's algorithm is not O(N), as claimed. Both Barnes-Hut and Greengard's methods depend on the same data structure, which we show is distribution-dependent. For the distribution that results in the smallest running time, we show that Greengard's algorithm is Ω(N log 2 N) in two dimensions and Ω(N log 4 N) in three dimensions. We have designed a hierarchical data structure whose size depends entirely upon the number of particles and is independent of the distribution of the particles. We show that both Greengard's and Barnes-Hut algorithms can be used in conjunction with this data structure to reduce their complexity. Apart from reducing the complexity of the Barnes-Hut algorithm, the data structure also permits more accurate error estimation. We present two- and three-dimensional algorithms for creating the data structure. The multipole method designed using this data structure has a complexity of O(N log N) in two dimensions and O(N log 2 N) in three dimensions

  19. Wavelet decomposition based principal component analysis for face recognition using MATLAB

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Mahesh Kumar; Sharma, Shashikant; Leeprechanon, Nopbhorn; Ranjan, Aashish

    2016-03-01

    For the realization of face recognition systems in the static as well as in the real time frame, algorithms such as principal component analysis, independent component analysis, linear discriminate analysis, neural networks and genetic algorithms are used for decades. This paper discusses an approach which is a wavelet decomposition based principal component analysis for face recognition. Principal component analysis is chosen over other algorithms due to its relative simplicity, efficiency, and robustness features. The term face recognition stands for identifying a person from his facial gestures and having resemblance with factor analysis in some sense, i.e. extraction of the principal component of an image. Principal component analysis is subjected to some drawbacks, mainly the poor discriminatory power and the large computational load in finding eigenvectors, in particular. These drawbacks can be greatly reduced by combining both wavelet transform decomposition for feature extraction and principal component analysis for pattern representation and classification together, by analyzing the facial gestures into space and time domain, where, frequency and time are used interchangeably. From the experimental results, it is envisaged that this face recognition method has made a significant percentage improvement in recognition rate as well as having a better computational efficiency.

  20. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the ascent thrust vector control actuator subsystem FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, R. E.

    1988-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Ascent Thrust Vector Control Actuator (ATVD) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. This report documents the results of that comparison for the Orbiter ATVC hardware. The IOA product for the ATVC actuator analysis consisted of 25 failure mode worksheets that resulted in 16 potential critical items being identified. Comparison was made to the NASA baseline which consisted of 21 FMEAs and 13 CIL items. This comparison produced agreement on all CIL items. Based on the Pre 51-L baseline, all non-CIL FMEAs were also in agreement.

  1. A Method of Calculating Functional Independence Measure at Discharge from Functional Independence Measure Effectiveness Predicted by Multiple Regression Analysis Has a High Degree of Predictive Accuracy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokunaga, Makoto; Watanabe, Susumu; Sonoda, Shigeru

    2017-09-01

    Multiple linear regression analysis is often used to predict the outcome of stroke rehabilitation. However, the predictive accuracy may not be satisfactory. The objective of this study was to elucidate the predictive accuracy of a method of calculating motor Functional Independence Measure (mFIM) at discharge from mFIM effectiveness predicted by multiple regression analysis. The subjects were 505 patients with stroke who were hospitalized in a convalescent rehabilitation hospital. The formula "mFIM at discharge = mFIM effectiveness × (91 points - mFIM at admission) + mFIM at admission" was used. By including the predicted mFIM effectiveness obtained through multiple regression analysis in this formula, we obtained the predicted mFIM at discharge (A). We also used multiple regression analysis to directly predict mFIM at discharge (B). The correlation between the predicted and the measured values of mFIM at discharge was compared between A and B. The correlation coefficients were .916 for A and .878 for B. Calculating mFIM at discharge from mFIM effectiveness predicted by multiple regression analysis had a higher degree of predictive accuracy of mFIM at discharge than that directly predicted. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effectiveness of problem-based learning in Chinese dental education: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Beilei; Zheng, Liwei; Li, Chunjie; Li, Li; Yu, Haiyang

    2013-03-01

    This article provides a critical overview of problem-based learning (PBL) practice in dental education in China. Because the application of PBL has not been carried out on a large scale in Chinese dental education, this review was performed to investigate its effectiveness. Databases were searched for studies that met the inclusion criteria, with study identification and data extraction performed by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was done with Revman 5.1. Eleven randomized controlled trials were included. The meta-analysis found that PBL had a positive effect on gaining higher theoretical (SMD=0.88, 95% CI [0.46, 1.31], peffect on gaining higher pass rates (RR=1.06, 95% CI [0.97, 1.16], p=0.21). This meta-analysis suggests that the PBL pedagogy is considered superior to the traditional lecture-based teaching in this setting. PBL methods could be an optional supplementary method of dental teaching models in China. However, Chinese dental schools should devise PBL curricula according to their own conditions. The effectiveness of PBL should be optimized maximally with all these limitations.

  3. Simulation-based training for nurses: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hegland, Pål A; Aarlie, Hege; Strømme, Hilde; Jamtvedt, Gro

    2017-07-01

    Simulation-based training is a widespread strategy to improve health-care quality. However, its effect on registered nurses has previously not been established in systematic reviews. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate effect of simulation-based training on nurses' skills and knowledge. We searched CDSR, DARE, HTA, CENTRAL, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, and SveMed+ for randomised controlled trials (RCT) evaluating effect of simulation-based training among nurses. Searches were completed in December 2016. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full-text, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We compared simulation-based training to other learning strategies, high-fidelity simulation to other simulation strategies, and different organisation of simulation training. Data were analysed through meta-analysis and narrative syntheses. GRADE was used to assess the quality of evidence. Fifteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria. For the comparison of simulation-based training to other learning strategies on nurses' skills, six studies in the meta-analysis showed a significant, but small effect in favour of simulation (SMD -1.09, CI -1.72 to -0.47). There was large heterogeneity (I 2 85%). For the other comparisons, there was large between-study variation in results. The quality of evidence for all comparisons was graded as low. The effect of simulation-based training varies substantially between studies. Our meta-analysis showed a significant effect of simulation training compared to other learning strategies, but the quality of evidence was low indicating uncertainty. Other comparisons showed inconsistency in results. Based on our findings simulation training appears to be an effective strategy to improve nurses' skills, but further good-quality RCTs with adequate sample sizes are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Regularization independent analysis of the origin of two loop contributions to N=1 Super Yang-Mills beta function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fargnoli, H.G.; Sampaio, Marcos; Nemes, M.C. [Federal University of Minas Gerais, ICEx, Physics Department, P.O. Box 702, Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Hiller, B. [Coimbra University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Physics Department, Center of Computational Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Baeta Scarpelli, A.P. [Setor Tecnico-Cientifico, Departamento de Policia Federal, Lapa, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

    2011-05-15

    We present both an ultraviolet and an infrared regularization independent analysis in a symmetry preserving framework for the N=1 Super Yang-Mills beta function to two loop order. We show explicitly that off-shell infrared divergences as well as the overall two loop ultraviolet divergence cancel out, whilst the beta function receives contributions of infrared modes. (orig.)

  5. Regularization independent analysis of the origin of two loop contributions to N=1 Super Yang-Mills beta function

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fargnoli, H.G.; Sampaio, Marcos; Nemes, M.C.; Hiller, B.; Baeta Scarpelli, A.P.

    2011-01-01

    We present both an ultraviolet and an infrared regularization independent analysis in a symmetry preserving framework for the N=1 Super Yang-Mills beta function to two loop order. We show explicitly that off-shell infrared divergences as well as the overall two loop ultraviolet divergence cancel out, whilst the beta function receives contributions of infrared modes. (orig.)

  6. Analysis of algebraic reasoning ability of cognitive style perspectives on field dependent field independent and gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosita, N. T.

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this study is to analyse algebraic reasoning ability using the SOLO model as a theoretical framework to assess students’ algebraic reasoning abilities of Field Dependent cognitive (FD), Field Independent (FI) and Gender perspectives. The method of this study is a qualitative research. The instrument of this study is the researcher himself assisted with algebraic reasoning tests, the problems have been designed based on NCTM indicators and algebraic reasoning according to SOLO model. While the cognitive style of students is determined using Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT), as well as interviews on the subject as triangulation. The subjects are 15 female and 15 males of the sixth semester students of mathematics education, STKIP Sebelas April. The results of the qualitative data analysis is that most subjects are at the level of unistructural and multi-structural, subjects at the relational level have difficulty in forming a new linear pattern. While the subjects at the extended abstract level are able to meet all the indicators of algebraic reasoning ability even though some of the answers are not perfect yet. Subjects of FI tend to have higher algebraic reasoning abilities than of the subject of FD.

  7. Vaginismus as an independent risk factor for cesarean delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldsmith, Tomer; Levy, Amalia; Sheiner, Eyal; Goldsmith, Tomer; Levy, Amalia; Sheiner, Eyal

    2009-10-01

    The present study was aimed to investigate pregnancy outcome of patients with vaginismus, and specifically the relationship between vaginismus and cesarean delivery. A population based study comparing all pregnancies in patients with and without vaginismus was conducted. Patients lacking prenatal care were excluded from the analysis. Deliveries occurred during the years 1988-2007. A multivariate logistic regression model, with backward elimination, was constructed to find independent risk factors associated with vaginismus. During the study period there were 192,954 deliveries, of which 118 occurred in patients with vaginismus. Patients with vaginismus tended to be younger (26.04+/-4.89 vs. 28.61+/-5.83; p vaginismus. Patients with vaginismus had higher rates of infertility treatments (5.9%vs. 2.7%, odds ratio [OR] 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.9; p = 0.04) and labor induction (37.3%vs. 27.4%, OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1-2.3; p = 0.02), vacuum extraction (9.3%vs. 2.8%, OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.9-6.7; p vaginismus remained as an independent risk factor for cesarean delivery (OR 7.1; 95% CI 4.5-11.1; p Vaginismus is an independent risk factor for cesarean delivery.

  8. Press touch code: A finger press based screen size independent authentication scheme for smart devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranak, M S A Noman; Azad, Saiful; Nor, Nur Nadiah Hanim Binti Mohd; Zamli, Kamal Z

    2017-01-01

    Due to recent advancements and appealing applications, the purchase rate of smart devices is increasing at a higher rate. Parallely, the security related threats and attacks are also increasing at a greater ratio on these devices. As a result, a considerable number of attacks have been noted in the recent past. To resist these attacks, many password-based authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are not screen size independent; whereas, smart devices come in different sizes. Specifically, they are not suitable for miniature smart devices due to the small screen size and/or lack of full sized keyboards. In this paper, we propose a new screen size independent password-based authentication scheme, which also offers an affordable defense against shoulder surfing, brute force, and smudge attacks. In the proposed scheme, the Press Touch (PT)-a.k.a., Force Touch in Apple's MacBook, Apple Watch, ZTE's Axon 7 phone; 3D Touch in iPhone 6 and 7; and so on-is transformed into a new type of code, named Press Touch Code (PTC). We design and implement three variants of it, namely mono-PTC, multi-PTC, and multi-PTC with Grid, on the Android Operating System. An in-lab experiment and a comprehensive survey have been conducted on 105 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

  9. Press touch code: A finger press based screen size independent authentication scheme for smart devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranak, M. S. A. Noman; Nor, Nur Nadiah Hanim Binti Mohd; Zamli, Kamal Z.

    2017-01-01

    Due to recent advancements and appealing applications, the purchase rate of smart devices is increasing at a higher rate. Parallely, the security related threats and attacks are also increasing at a greater ratio on these devices. As a result, a considerable number of attacks have been noted in the recent past. To resist these attacks, many password-based authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are not screen size independent; whereas, smart devices come in different sizes. Specifically, they are not suitable for miniature smart devices due to the small screen size and/or lack of full sized keyboards. In this paper, we propose a new screen size independent password-based authentication scheme, which also offers an affordable defense against shoulder surfing, brute force, and smudge attacks. In the proposed scheme, the Press Touch (PT)—a.k.a., Force Touch in Apple’s MacBook, Apple Watch, ZTE’s Axon 7 phone; 3D Touch in iPhone 6 and 7; and so on—is transformed into a new type of code, named Press Touch Code (PTC). We design and implement three variants of it, namely mono-PTC, multi-PTC, and multi-PTC with Grid, on the Android Operating System. An in-lab experiment and a comprehensive survey have been conducted on 105 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. PMID:29084262

  10. Press touch code: A finger press based screen size independent authentication scheme for smart devices.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M S A Noman Ranak

    Full Text Available Due to recent advancements and appealing applications, the purchase rate of smart devices is increasing at a higher rate. Parallely, the security related threats and attacks are also increasing at a greater ratio on these devices. As a result, a considerable number of attacks have been noted in the recent past. To resist these attacks, many password-based authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are not screen size independent; whereas, smart devices come in different sizes. Specifically, they are not suitable for miniature smart devices due to the small screen size and/or lack of full sized keyboards. In this paper, we propose a new screen size independent password-based authentication scheme, which also offers an affordable defense against shoulder surfing, brute force, and smudge attacks. In the proposed scheme, the Press Touch (PT-a.k.a., Force Touch in Apple's MacBook, Apple Watch, ZTE's Axon 7 phone; 3D Touch in iPhone 6 and 7; and so on-is transformed into a new type of code, named Press Touch Code (PTC. We design and implement three variants of it, namely mono-PTC, multi-PTC, and multi-PTC with Grid, on the Android Operating System. An in-lab experiment and a comprehensive survey have been conducted on 105 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

  11. Device-independent secret-key-rate analysis for quantum repeaters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holz, Timo; Kampermann, Hermann; Bruß, Dagmar

    2018-01-01

    The device-independent approach to quantum key distribution (QKD) aims to establish a secret key between two or more parties with untrusted devices, potentially under full control of a quantum adversary. The performance of a QKD protocol can be quantified by the secret key rate, which can be lower bounded via the violation of an appropriate Bell inequality in a setup with untrusted devices. We study secret key rates in the device-independent scenario for different quantum repeater setups and compare them to their device-dependent analogon. The quantum repeater setups under consideration are the original protocol by Briegel et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 5932 (1998), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.5932] and the hybrid quantum repeater protocol by van Loock et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 240501 (2006), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.240501]. For a given repeater scheme and a given QKD protocol, the secret key rate depends on a variety of parameters, such as the gate quality or the detector efficiency. We systematically analyze the impact of these parameters and suggest optimized strategies.

  12. CLOUD-BASED INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL AND METHODICAL COMPLEX FOR THE COURSE “INFORMATICS” IN INDEPENDENT WORK OF STUDENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    И Н Куринин

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article concentrates on the basic materials of the educational and methodical complex of a modern format (cloud-based and interactive, used in the educational process of the course “Informatics”, which significantly expands the share of independent work of students according to the increased number of students’ practical work (laboratory work, educational projects, essays. This workshop focuses on mastering the methods of work with personal mobile and office computers, Office programs, Internet technologies by students and making students receive the competences to solve topical applied problems. Efficiency of students’ independent work is additionally ensured by educational and methodical tutorials (lecture notes and compilations of test tasks, excercises, models and examples of performing all tasks, developed by the authors of the article.

  13. Treatment Integrity of School-Based Interventions with Children in the "Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis" 1991-2005

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntyre, Laura Lee; Gresham, Frank M.; DiGennaro, Florence D.; Reed, Derek D.

    2007-01-01

    We reviewed all school-based experimental studies with individuals 0 to 18 years published in the "Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis" (JABA) between 1991 and 2005. A total of 142 articles (152 studies) that met review criteria were included. Nearly all (95%) of these experiments provided an operational definition of the independent variable,…

  14. All Those Independent Variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meacham, Merle L.

    This paper presents a case study of a sixth grade remedial math class which illustrates the thesis that only the "experimental attitude," not the "experimental method," is appropriate in the classroom. The thesis is based on the fact that too many independent variables exist in a classroom situation to allow precise measurement. The case study…

  15. Alternative Perspectives on Independence of Directors

    OpenAIRE

    Brennan, Niamh; McDermott, Michael

    2004-01-01

    This paper examines the issue of independence of boards of directors and non-executive directors of companies listed on the Irish Stock Exchange. Based on information published in annual reports, the study found that most Irish listed companies were complying with the Combined Code’s recommendations for a balanced board structure, albeit with only 60 per cent having majority-independent boards. The study found a lack of consistency in interpreting the definition of “independence”, a lack of d...

  16. Living arrangements of young adults living independently: evidence from the Luxembourg Income Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Short, K S; Garner, T I

    1990-12-01

    A cross-country comparison of the impact of socioeconomic factors on household formation by young adults in the 15-24 age group is presented. "Of those young people living independently (not in their parental homes), how do incomes from various sources affect their decision whether to live alone or with others? The sample did not include all persons in the 15-24 age group, only those living independently. A logit analysis of the living alone question was conducted using data from five countries (Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States) included in the LIS [Luxembourg Income Study] data base to determine whether differences across countries exist." excerpt

  17. Social imagery, tobacco independence, and the truthsm campaign.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, W Douglas; Price, Simani; Blahut, Steven; Hersey, James; Niederdeppe, Jeffrey; Ray, Sarah

    2004-01-01

    This study investigated relationships among exposure to the truthsm campaign, differences in social imagery about not smoking and related measures, and smoking behavior. We asked, "How does truthsm work? Through what psychological mechanisms does it affect smoking behavior?" We developed a framework to explain how receptivity to truthsm ads might influence youth cognitive states and subsequent effects on progression to established smoking. The main hypotheses were that social imagery about not smoking and related beliefs and attitudes about tobacco use mediate the relationship between truthsm exposure and smoking status. The study was based on data from the Legacy Media Tracking Survey (LMTS), waves I-III, which were conducted at three time points from 1999 through 2001. A nationally representative sample of 20,058 respondents aged 12-24 from the three time points was used in the analysis. We developed a structural equation model (SEM) based on constructs drawn from the LMTS. We investigated the model and tested our hypotheses about the psychological and behavioral effects of campaign exposure. We tested our constructs and model using a two-stage structural equation modeling approach. We first conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the measurement model. Our model achieved satisfactory fit, and we conducted the SEM to test our hypotheses. We found that social imagery and perceived tobacco independence mediate the relationship between truthsm exposure and smoking status. We found meaningful differences between paths for segmented samples based on age, gender, and race/ethnicity subgroups and over time. The truthsm campaign operates through individuals'sense of tobacco independence and social imagery about not smoking. This study indicates that the campaign's strategy has worked as predicted and represents an effective model for social marketing to change youth risk behaviors. Future studies should further investigate subgroup differences in campaign

  18. CASKS (Computer Analysis of Storage casKS): A microcomputer based analysis system for storage cask design review. User's manual to Version 1b (including program reference)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, T.F.; Gerhard, M.A.; Trummer, D.J.; Johnson, G.L.; Mok, G.C.

    1995-02-01

    CASKS (Computer Analysis of Storage casKS) is a microcomputer-based system of computer programs and databases developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for evaluating safety analysis reports on spent-fuel storage casks. The bulk of the complete program and this user's manual are based upon the SCANS (Shipping Cask ANalysis System) program previously developed at LLNL. A number of enhancements and improvements were added to the original SCANS program to meet requirements unique to storage casks. CASKS is an easy-to-use system that calculates global response of storage casks to impact loads, pressure loads and thermal conditions. This provides reviewers with a tool for an independent check on analyses submitted by licensees. CASKS is based on microcomputers compatible with the IBM-PC family of computers. The system is composed of a series of menus, input programs, cask analysis programs, and output display programs. All data is entered through fill-in-the-blank input screens that contain descriptive data requests

  19. Path dependence and independent utility regulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ibsen, Christian Lyhne; Skovgaard Poulsen, Lauge

    2007-01-01

    The establishment of the Danish independent regulatory authorities for the energy and telecommunications sectors was based upon EU directives as part of their liberalisation process. Following the concepts of transaction costs and path dependency this article analyses differences in independence...... between the two authorities - the Danish Energy Regulatory Authority (Energitilsynet) and the National IT and Telecommunications Agency (IT- og Telestyrelsen) respectively. We find that the state's negligible interest in the energy sector until the 1970s formed the basis for strong energy companies...

  20. A Karnaugh map based approach towards systemic reviews and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassan, Abdul Wahab; Hassan, Ahmad Kamal

    2016-01-01

    Studying meta-analysis and systemic reviews since long had helped us conclude numerous parallel or conflicting studies. Existing studies are presented in tabulated forms which contain appropriate information for specific cases yet it is difficult to visualize. On meta-analysis of data, this can lead to absorption and subsumption errors henceforth having undesirable potential of consecutive misunderstandings in social and operational methodologies. The purpose of this study is to investigate an alternate forum for meta-data presentation that relies on humans' strong pictorial perception capability. Analysis of big-data is assumed to be a complex and daunting task often reserved on the computational powers of machines yet there exist mapping tools which can analyze such data in a hand-handled manner. Data analysis on such scale can benefit from the use of statistical tools like Karnaugh maps where all studies can be put together on a graph based mapping. Such a formulation can lead to more control in observing patterns of research community and analyzing further for uncertainty and reliability metrics. We present a methodological process of converting a well-established study in Health care to its equaling binary representation followed by furnishing values on to a Karnaugh Map. The data used for the studies presented herein is from Burns et al (J Publ Health 34(1):138-148, 2011) consisting of retrospectively collected data sets from various studies on clinical coding data accuracy. Using a customized filtration process, a total of 25 studies were selected for review with no, partial, or complete knowledge of six independent variables thus forming 64 independent cells on a Karnaugh map. The study concluded that this pictorial graphing as expected had helped in simplifying the overview of meta-analysis and systemic reviews.

  1. A comparison of analysis methods to estimate contingency strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, Blair P; Staubitz, Johanna L; Tapp, Jon T

    2018-05-09

    To date, several data analysis methods have been used to estimate contingency strength, yet few studies have compared these methods directly. To compare the relative precision and sensitivity of four analysis methods (i.e., exhaustive event-based, nonexhaustive event-based, concurrent interval, concurrent+lag interval), we applied all methods to a simulated data set in which several response-dependent and response-independent schedules of reinforcement were programmed. We evaluated the degree to which contingency strength estimates produced from each method (a) corresponded with expected values for response-dependent schedules and (b) showed sensitivity to parametric manipulations of response-independent reinforcement. Results indicated both event-based methods produced contingency strength estimates that aligned with expected values for response-dependent schedules, but differed in sensitivity to response-independent reinforcement. The precision of interval-based methods varied by analysis method (concurrent vs. concurrent+lag) and schedule type (continuous vs. partial), and showed similar sensitivities to response-independent reinforcement. Recommendations and considerations for measuring contingencies are identified. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  2. Improve Outcomes Study subjects Chemistry Teaching and Learning Strategies through independent study with the help of computer-based media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiharti, Gulmah

    2018-03-01

    This study aims to see the improvement of student learning outcomes by independent learning using computer-based learning media in the course of STBM (Teaching and Learning Strategy) Chemistry. Population in this research all student of class of 2014 which take subject STBM Chemistry as many as 4 class. While the sample is taken by purposive as many as 2 classes, each 32 students, as control class and expriment class. The instrument used is the test of learning outcomes in the form of multiple choice with the number of questions as many as 20 questions that have been declared valid, and reliable. Data analysis techniques used one-sided t test and improved learning outcomes using a normalized gain test. Based on the learning result data, the average of normalized gain values for the experimental class is 0,530 and for the control class is 0,224. The result of the experimental student learning result is 53% and the control class is 22,4%. Hypothesis testing results obtained t count> ttable is 9.02> 1.6723 at the level of significance α = 0.05 and db = 58. This means that the acceptance of Ha is the use of computer-based learning media (CAI Computer) can improve student learning outcomes in the course Learning Teaching Strategy (STBM) Chemistry academic year 2017/2018.

  3. [Simulation and data analysis of stereological modeling based on virtual slices].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hao; Shen, Hong; Bai, Xiao-yan

    2008-05-01

    To establish a computer-assisted stereological model for simulating the process of slice section and evaluate the relationship between section surface and estimated three-dimensional structure. The model was designed by mathematic method as a win32 software based on the MFC using Microsoft visual studio as IDE for simulating the infinite process of sections and analysis of the data derived from the model. The linearity of the fitting of the model was evaluated by comparison with the traditional formula. The win32 software based on this algorithm allowed random sectioning of the particles distributed randomly in an ideal virtual cube. The stereological parameters showed very high throughput (>94.5% and 92%) in homogeneity and independence tests. The data of density, shape and size of the section were tested to conform to normal distribution. The output of the model and that from the image analysis system showed statistical correlation and consistency. The algorithm we described can be used for evaluating the stereologic parameters of the structure of tissue slices.

  4. Independent random sampling methods

    CERN Document Server

    Martino, Luca; Míguez, Joaquín

    2018-01-01

    This book systematically addresses the design and analysis of efficient techniques for independent random sampling. Both general-purpose approaches, which can be used to generate samples from arbitrary probability distributions, and tailored techniques, designed to efficiently address common real-world practical problems, are introduced and discussed in detail. In turn, the monograph presents fundamental results and methodologies in the field, elaborating and developing them into the latest techniques. The theory and methods are illustrated with a varied collection of examples, which are discussed in detail in the text and supplemented with ready-to-run computer code. The main problem addressed in the book is how to generate independent random samples from an arbitrary probability distribution with the weakest possible constraints or assumptions in a form suitable for practical implementation. The authors review the fundamental results and methods in the field, address the latest methods, and emphasize the li...

  5. Voxel-Based Morphometry ALE meta-analysis of Bipolar Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magana, Omar; Laird, Robert

    2012-03-01

    A meta-analysis was performed independently to view the changes in gray matter (GM) on patients with Bipolar disorder (BP). The meta-analysis was conducted on a Talairach Space using GingerALE to determine the voxels and their permutation. In order to achieve the data acquisition, published experiments and similar research studies were uploaded onto the online Voxel-Based Morphometry database (VBM). By doing so, coordinates of activation locations were extracted from Bipolar disorder related journals utilizing Sleuth. Once the coordinates of given experiments were selected and imported to GingerALE, a Gaussian was performed on all foci points to create the concentration points of GM on BP patients. The results included volume reductions and variations of GM between Normal Healthy controls and Patients with Bipolar disorder. A significant amount of GM clusters were obtained in Normal Healthy controls over BP patients on the right precentral gyrus, right anterior cingulate, and the left inferior frontal gyrus. In future research, more published journals could be uploaded onto the database and another VBM meta-analysis could be performed including more activation coordinates or a variation of age groups.

  6. Contrast-enhanced T1 mapping-based extracellular volume fraction independently predicts clinical outcome in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy: a prospective cohort study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Youn, Jong-Chan [Hallym University College of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwaseong (Korea, Republic of); Yonsei University College of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Yoo Jin; Lee, Hye-Jeong; Han, Kyunghwa; Suh, Young Joo; Hur, Jin; Kim, Young Jin; Choi, Byoung Wook [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Chi Young; Hong, Geu-Ru; Kang, Seok-Min [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-09-15

    We aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)-based extracellular volume fraction (ECV) in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and compare it with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) parameters. This was a single-center, prospective, cohort study of 117 NIDCM patients (71 men, 51.9 ± 16.7 years) who underwent clinical 3.0-T CMR. Myocardial ECV and LGE were quantified on the left ventricular myocardium. The presence of midwall LGE was also detected. Nineteen healthy subjects served as controls. The primary end points were cardiovascular (CV) events defined by CV death, rehospitalization due to heart failure, and heart transplantation. During the follow-up period (median duration, 11.2 months; 25{sup th}-75{sup th} percentile, 7.8-21.9 months), the primary end points occurred in 19 patients (16.2%). The ECV (per 3% and 1% increase) was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.80 and 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48-2.20 and 1.14-1.30, respectively; p < 0.001) for the CV events. Multivariable analysis also indicated that ECV was an independent prognostic factor and had a higher prognostic value (Harrell's c statistic, 0.88) than LGE quantification values (0.77) or midwall LGE (0.80). CMR-based ECV independently predicts the clinical outcome in NIDCM patients. (orig.)

  7. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): FMEA/CIL assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinsdale, L. W.; Swain, L. J.; Barnes, J. E.

    1988-01-01

    The McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC) was selected to perform an Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL). Direction was given by the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office to perform the hardware analysis and assessment using the instructions and ground rules defined in NSTS 22206. The IOA analysis featured a top-down approach to determine hardware failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, the analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA and Prime Contractor FMEA/CIL documentation. The assessment process compared the independently derived failure modes and criticality assignments to the proposed NASA post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation. When possible, assessment issues were discussed and resolved with the NASA subsystem managers. Unresolved issues were elevated to the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office manager, Configuration Control Board (CCB), or Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) for further resolution. The most important Orbiter assessment finding was the previously unknown stuck autopilot push-button criticality 1/1 failure mode. The worst case effect could cause loss of crew/vehicle when the microwave landing system is not active. It is concluded that NASA and Prime Contractor Post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation assessed by IOA is believed to be technically accurate and complete. All CIL issues were resolved. No FMEA issues remain that have safety implications. Consideration should be given, however, to upgrading NSTS 22206 with definitive ground rules which more clearly spell out the limits of redundancy.

  8. Variance-based sensitivity indices for models with dependent inputs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mara, Thierry A.; Tarantola, Stefano

    2012-01-01

    Computational models are intensively used in engineering for risk analysis or prediction of future outcomes. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are of great help in these purposes. Although several methods exist to perform variance-based sensitivity analysis of model output with independent inputs only a few are proposed in the literature in the case of dependent inputs. This is explained by the fact that the theoretical framework for the independent case is set and a univocal set of variance-based sensitivity indices is defined. In the present work, we propose a set of variance-based sensitivity indices to perform sensitivity analysis of models with dependent inputs. These measures allow us to distinguish between the mutual dependent contribution and the independent contribution of an input to the model response variance. Their definition relies on a specific orthogonalisation of the inputs and ANOVA-representations of the model output. In the applications, we show the interest of the new sensitivity indices for model simplification setting. - Highlights: ► Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are of great help in engineering. ► Several methods exist to perform variance-based sensitivity analysis of model output with independent inputs. ► We define a set of variance-based sensitivity indices for models with dependent inputs. ► Inputs mutual contributions are distinguished from their independent contributions. ► Analytical and computational tests are performed and discussed.

  9. Delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Fang-Xiang

    2011-11-01

    Genetic regulatory networks can be described by nonlinear differential equations with time delays. In this paper, we study both locally and globally delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks, taking messenger ribonucleic acid alternative splicing into consideration. Based on nonnegative matrix theory, we first develop necessary and sufficient conditions for locally delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks with multiple time delays. Compared to the previous results, these conditions are easy to verify. Then we develop sufficient conditions for global delay-independent stability for genetic regulatory networks. Compared to the previous results, this sufficient condition is less conservative. To illustrate theorems developed in this paper, we analyze delay-independent stability of two genetic regulatory networks: a real-life repressilatory network with three genes and three proteins, and a synthetic gene regulatory network with five genes and seven proteins. The simulation results show that the theorems developed in this paper can effectively determine the delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks.

  10. Hyperplane distance neighbor clustering based on local discriminant analysis for complex chemical processes monitoring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Chunhong; Xiao, Shaoqing; Gu, Xiaofeng [Jiangnan University, Wuxi (China)

    2014-11-15

    The collected training data often include both normal and faulty samples for complex chemical processes. However, some monitoring methods, such as partial least squares (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA) and Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), require fault-free data to build the normal operation model. These techniques are applicable after the preliminary step of data clustering is applied. We here propose a novel hyperplane distance neighbor clustering (HDNC) based on the local discriminant analysis (LDA) for chemical process monitoring. First, faulty samples are separated from normal ones using the HDNC method. Then, the optimal subspace for fault detection and classification can be obtained using the LDA approach. The proposed method takes the multimodality within the faulty data into account, and thus improves the capability of process monitoring significantly. The HDNC-LDA monitoring approach is applied to two simulation processes and then compared with the conventional FDA based on the K-nearest neighbor (KNN-FDA) method. The results obtained in two different scenarios demonstrate the superiority of the HDNC-LDA approach in terms of fault detection and classification accuracy.

  11. Hyperplane distance neighbor clustering based on local discriminant analysis for complex chemical processes monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Chunhong; Xiao, Shaoqing; Gu, Xiaofeng

    2014-01-01

    The collected training data often include both normal and faulty samples for complex chemical processes. However, some monitoring methods, such as partial least squares (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA) and Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA), require fault-free data to build the normal operation model. These techniques are applicable after the preliminary step of data clustering is applied. We here propose a novel hyperplane distance neighbor clustering (HDNC) based on the local discriminant analysis (LDA) for chemical process monitoring. First, faulty samples are separated from normal ones using the HDNC method. Then, the optimal subspace for fault detection and classification can be obtained using the LDA approach. The proposed method takes the multimodality within the faulty data into account, and thus improves the capability of process monitoring significantly. The HDNC-LDA monitoring approach is applied to two simulation processes and then compared with the conventional FDA based on the K-nearest neighbor (KNN-FDA) method. The results obtained in two different scenarios demonstrate the superiority of the HDNC-LDA approach in terms of fault detection and classification accuracy

  12. Blind Detection of Independent Dynamic Components

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Lars Kai; Larsen, Jan; Kolenda, Thomas

    2001-01-01

    In certain applications of independent component analysis (ICA) it is of interest to test hypotheses concerning the number of components or simply to test whether a given number of components is significant relative to a "white noise" null hypothesis. We estimate probabilities of such competing h...

  13. Independent Pre-Transplant Recipient Cancer Risk Factors after Kidney Transplantation and the Utility of G-Chart Analysis for Clinical Process Control.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harald Schrem

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to identify independent pre-transplant cancer risk factors after kidney transplantation and to assess the utility of G-chart analysis for clinical process control. This may contribute to the improvement of cancer surveillance processes in individual transplant centers.1655 patients after kidney transplantation at our institution with a total of 9,425 person-years of follow-up were compared retrospectively to the general German population using site-specific standardized-incidence-ratios (SIRs of observed malignancies. Risk-adjusted multivariable Cox regression was used to identify independent pre-transplant cancer risk factors. G-chart analysis was applied to determine relevant differences in the frequency of cancer occurrences.Cancer incidence rates were almost three times higher as compared to the matched general population (SIR = 2.75; 95%-CI: 2.33-3.21. Significantly increased SIRs were observed for renal cell carcinoma (SIR = 22.46, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (SIR = 8.36, prostate cancer (SIR = 2.22, bladder cancer (SIR = 3.24, thyroid cancer (SIR = 10.13 and melanoma (SIR = 3.08. Independent pre-transplant risk factors for cancer-free survival were age 62.6 years (p = 0.001, HR: 1.29, polycystic kidney disease other than autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD (p = 0.001, HR: 0.68, high body mass index in kg/m2 (p<0.001, HR: 1.04, ADPKD (p = 0.008, HR: 1.26 and diabetic nephropathy (p = 0.004, HR = 1.51. G-chart analysis identified relevant changes in the detection rates of cancer during aftercare with no significant relation to identified risk factors for cancer-free survival (p<0.05.Risk-adapted cancer surveillance combined with prospective G-chart analysis likely improves cancer surveillance schemes by adapting processes to identified risk factors and by using G-chart alarm signals to trigger Kaizen events and audits for root-cause analysis of relevant detection rate changes

  14. Detection and Characterization of Ground Displacement Sources from Variational Bayesian Independent Component Analysis of GPS Time Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gualandi, A.; Serpelloni, E.; Belardinelli, M. E.

    2014-12-01

    A critical point in the analysis of ground displacements time series is the development of data driven methods that allow to discern and characterize the different sources that generate the observed displacements. A widely used multivariate statistical technique is the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which allows to reduce the dimensionality of the data space maintaining most of the variance of the dataset explained. It reproduces the original data using a limited number of Principal Components, but it also shows some deficiencies. Indeed, PCA does not perform well in finding the solution to the so-called Blind Source Separation (BSS) problem, i.e. in recovering and separating the original sources that generated the observed data. This is mainly due to the assumptions on which PCA relies: it looks for a new Euclidean space where the projected data are uncorrelated. Usually, the uncorrelation condition is not strong enough and it has been proven that the BSS problem can be tackled imposing on the components to be independent. The Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is, in fact, another popular technique adopted to approach this problem, and it can be used in all those fields where PCA is also applied. An ICA approach enables us to explain the time series imposing a fewer number of constraints on the model, and to reveal anomalies in the data such as transient signals. However, the independence condition is not easy to impose, and it is often necessary to introduce some approximations. To work around this problem, we use a variational bayesian ICA (vbICA) method, which models the probability density function (pdf) of each source signal using a mix of Gaussian distributions. This technique allows for more flexibility in the description of the pdf of the sources, giving a more reliable estimate of them. Here we present the application of the vbICA technique to GPS position time series. First, we use vbICA on synthetic data that simulate a seismic cycle

  15. A gaze independent hybrid-BCI based on visual spatial attention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egan, John M.; Loughnane, Gerard M.; Fletcher, Helen; Meade, Emma; Lalor, Edmund C.

    2017-08-01

    Objective. Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) use measures of brain activity to convey a user’s intent without the need for muscle movement. Hybrid designs, which use multiple measures of brain activity, have been shown to increase the accuracy of BCIs, including those based on EEG signals reflecting covert attention. Our study examined whether incorporating a measure of the P3 response improved the performance of a previously reported attention-based BCI design that incorporates measures of steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) and alpha band modulations. Approach. Subjects viewed stimuli consisting of two bi-laterally located flashing white boxes on a black background. Streams of letters were presented sequentially within the boxes, in random order. Subjects were cued to attend to one of the boxes without moving their eyes, and they were tasked with counting the number of target-letters that appeared within. P3 components evoked by target appearance, SSVEPs evoked by the flashing boxes, and power in the alpha band are modulated by covert attention, and the modulations can be used to classify trials as left-attended or right-attended. Main Results. We showed that classification accuracy was improved by including a P3 feature along with the SSVEP and alpha features (the inclusion of a P3 feature lead to a 9% increase in accuracy compared to the use of SSVEP and Alpha features alone). We also showed that the design improves the robustness of BCI performance to individual subject differences. Significance. These results demonstrate that incorporating multiple neurophysiological indices of covert attention can improve performance in a gaze-independent BCI.

  16. Extraction of Independent Structural Images for Principal Component Thermography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry Gavrilov

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Thermography is a powerful tool for non-destructive testing of a wide range of materials. Thermography has a number of approaches differing in both experiment setup and the way the collected data are processed. Among such approaches is the Principal Component Thermography (PCT method, which is based on the statistical processing of raw thermal images collected by thermal camera. The processed images (principal components or empirical orthogonal functions form an orthonormal basis, and often look like a superposition of all possible structural features found in the object under inspection—i.e., surface heating non-uniformity, internal defects and material structure. At the same time, from practical point of view it is desirable to have images representing independent structural features. The work presented in this paper proposes an approach for separation of independent image patterns (archetypes from a set of principal component images. The approach is demonstrated in the application of inspection of composite materials as well as the non-invasive analysis of works of art.

  17. Development of a data independent acquisition mass spectrometry workflow to enable glycopeptide analysis without predefined glycan compositional knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chi-Hung; Krisp, Christoph; Packer, Nicolle H; Molloy, Mark P

    2018-02-10

    Glycoproteomics investigates glycan moieties in a site specific manner to reveal the functional roles of protein glycosylation. Identification of glycopeptides from data-dependent acquisition (DDA) relies on high quality MS/MS spectra of glycopeptide precursors and often requires manual validation to ensure confident assignments. In this study, we investigated pseudo-MRM (MRM-HR) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) as alternative acquisition strategies for glycopeptide analysis. These approaches allow data acquisition over the full MS/MS scan range allowing data re-analysis post-acquisition, without data re-acquisition. The advantage of MRM-HR over DDA for N-glycopeptide detection was demonstrated from targeted analysis of bovine fetuin where all three N-glycosylation sites were detected, which was not the case with DDA. To overcome the duty cycle limitation of MRM-HR acquisition needed for analysis of complex samples such as plasma we trialed DIA. This allowed development of a targeted DIA method to identify N-glycopeptides without pre-defined knowledge of the glycan composition, thus providing the potential to identify N-glycopeptides with unexpected structures. This workflow was demonstrated by detection of 59 N-glycosylation sites from 41 glycoproteins from a HILIC enriched human plasma tryptic digest. 21 glycoforms of IgG1 glycopeptides were identified including two truncated structures that are rarely reported. We developed a data-independent mass spectrometry workflow to identify specific glycopeptides from complex biological mixtures. The novelty is that this approach does not require glycan composition to be pre-defined, thereby allowing glycopeptides carrying unexpected glycans to be identified. This is demonstrated through the analysis of immunoglobulins in human plasma where we detected two IgG1 glycoforms that are rarely observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. SU-E-T-49: A Multi-Institutional Study of Independent Dose Verification for IMRT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baba, H; Tachibana, H; Kamima, T; Takahashi, R; Kawai, D; Sugawara, Y; Yamamoto, T; Sato, A; Yamashita, M

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: AAPM TG114 does not cover the independent verification for IMRT. We conducted a study of independent dose verification for IMRT in seven institutes to show the feasibility. Methods: 384 IMRT plans in the sites of prostate and head and neck (HN) were collected from the institutes, where the planning was performed using Eclipse and Pinnacle3 with the two techniques of step and shoot (S&S) and sliding window (SW). All of the institutes used a same independent dose verification software program (Simple MU Analysis: SMU, Triangle Product, Ishikawa, JP), which is Clarkson-based and CT images were used to compute radiological path length. An ion-chamber measurement in a water-equivalent slab phantom was performed to compare the doses computed using the TPS and an independent dose verification program. Additionally, the agreement in dose computed in patient CT images between using the TPS and using the SMU was assessed. The dose of the composite beams in the plan was evaluated. Results: The agreement between the measurement and the SMU were −2.3±1.9 % and −5.6±3.6 % for prostate and HN sites, respectively. The agreement between the TPSs and the SMU were −2.1±1.9 % and −3.0±3.7 for prostate and HN sites, respectively. There was a negative systematic difference with similar standard deviation and the difference was larger in the HN site. The S&S technique showed a statistically significant difference between the SW. Because the Clarkson-based method in the independent program underestimated (cannot consider) the dose under the MLC. Conclusion: The accuracy would be improved when the Clarkson-based algorithm should be modified for IMRT and the tolerance level would be within 5%

  19. Economic impact analysis of independent power projects in British Columbia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-12-01

    Independent power producer (IPP) projects have been active in British Columbia's (BC) regulated electricity market since the late 1980s. The 49 IPP projects developed in the province currently account for approximately 10 per cent of BC's electricity generation, and IPP development continues to expand in nearly every region. This study presented an economic impact analysis of IPP projects in BC. The economic impacts of IPP projects were divided into 2 categories: (1) existing IPP projects, and (2) potential IPP projects. The study showed that the total power potential supplied by BC IPP projects would increase from a current level of 5940 annual GWh to approximately 14,149 GWh. BC could also be generating a further 21,321 GWh of annual output to service demand domestically in addition to exporting to the United States. The value of capital investment in existing IPPs across BC was estimated at $2.8 billion. Capital investment in potential IPPs was estimated at $26.1 billion in 2009 constant dollars. Government revenues generated through the construction phase of potential IPP projects were estimated at $1.6 billion. IPP projects are expected to have a significant impact on First Nations groups, contribute to provincial energy self-sufficiency, and have little to no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 25 refs., 19 tabs., 24 figs.

  20. A dynamically adaptive wavelet approach to stochastic computations based on polynomial chaos - capturing all scales of random modes on independent grids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren Xiaoan; Wu Wenquan; Xanthis, Leonidas S.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → New approach for stochastic computations based on polynomial chaos. → Development of dynamically adaptive wavelet multiscale solver using space refinement. → Accurate capture of steep gradients and multiscale features in stochastic problems. → All scales of each random mode are captured on independent grids. → Numerical examples demonstrate the need for different space resolutions per mode. - Abstract: In stochastic computations, or uncertainty quantification methods, the spectral approach based on the polynomial chaos expansion in random space leads to a coupled system of deterministic equations for the coefficients of the expansion. The size of this system increases drastically when the number of independent random variables and/or order of polynomial chaos expansions increases. This is invariably the case for large scale simulations and/or problems involving steep gradients and other multiscale features; such features are variously reflected on each solution component or random/uncertainty mode requiring the development of adaptive methods for their accurate resolution. In this paper we propose a new approach for treating such problems based on a dynamically adaptive wavelet methodology involving space-refinement on physical space that allows all scales of each solution component to be refined independently of the rest. We exemplify this using the convection-diffusion model with random input data and present three numerical examples demonstrating the salient features of the proposed method. Thus we establish a new, elegant and flexible approach for stochastic problems with steep gradients and multiscale features based on polynomial chaos expansions.

  1. Weighted functional linear regression models for gene-based association analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belonogova, Nadezhda M; Svishcheva, Gulnara R; Wilson, James F; Campbell, Harry; Axenovich, Tatiana I

    2018-01-01

    Functional linear regression models are effectively used in gene-based association analysis of complex traits. These models combine information about individual genetic variants, taking into account their positions and reducing the influence of noise and/or observation errors. To increase the power of methods, where several differently informative components are combined, weights are introduced to give the advantage to more informative components. Allele-specific weights have been introduced to collapsing and kernel-based approaches to gene-based association analysis. Here we have for the first time introduced weights to functional linear regression models adapted for both independent and family samples. Using data simulated on the basis of GAW17 genotypes and weights defined by allele frequencies via the beta distribution, we demonstrated that type I errors correspond to declared values and that increasing the weights of causal variants allows the power of functional linear models to be increased. We applied the new method to real data on blood pressure from the ORCADES sample. Five of the six known genes with P models. Moreover, we found an association between diastolic blood pressure and the VMP1 gene (P = 8.18×10-6), when we used a weighted functional model. For this gene, the unweighted functional and weighted kernel-based models had P = 0.004 and 0.006, respectively. The new method has been implemented in the program package FREGAT, which is freely available at https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/FREGAT/index.html.

  2. Controleum - an independently extensible control system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Martin Lykke Rytter

    2014-01-01

    challenging kind of system to design for independent extension. This thesis presents two new software technologies that improve the extensibility of control systems: First, the concept of dynamic links is introduced and Decouplink – an implementation of dynamic links for Java - is presented. Dynamic links...... is introduced, and an implementation is presented. The extensible controller is a component framework designed to automatically resolve conflicts among mutually unaware components in a control system. The solution is based on the idea that independent components implement different kinds of control concerns...

  3. Electrically evoked compound action potentials artefact rejection by independent component analysis: procedure automation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhoun, Idrick; McKay, Colette; El-Deredy, Wael

    2015-01-15

    Independent-components-analysis (ICA) successfully separated electrically-evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) from the stimulation artefact and noise (ECAP-ICA, Akhoun et al., 2013). This paper shows how to automate the ECAP-ICA artefact cancellation process. Raw-ECAPs without artefact rejection were consecutively recorded for each stimulation condition from at least 8 intra-cochlear electrodes. Firstly, amplifier-saturated recordings were discarded, and the data from different stimulus conditions (different current-levels) were concatenated temporally. The key aspect of the automation procedure was the sequential deductive source categorisation after ICA was applied with a restriction to 4 sources. The stereotypical aspect of the 4 sources enables their automatic classification as two artefact components, a noise and the sought ECAP based on theoretical and empirical considerations. The automatic procedure was tested using 8 cochlear implant (CI) users and one to four stimulus electrodes. The artefact and noise sources were successively identified and discarded, leaving the ECAP as the remaining source. The automated ECAP-ICA procedure successfully extracted the correct ECAPs compared to standard clinical forward masking paradigm in 22 out of 26 cases. ECAP-ICA does not require extracting the ECAP from a combination of distinct buffers as it is the case with regular methods. It is an alternative that does not have the possible bias of traditional artefact rejections such as alternate-polarity or forward-masking paradigms. The ECAP-ICA procedure bears clinical relevance, for example as the artefact rejection sub-module of automated ECAP-threshold detection techniques, which are common features of CI clinical fitting software. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Structure of single-particle nuclear densities from Hartree-Fock theory and model independent analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Starodubskij, V.E.; Shaginyan, V.R.

    1979-01-01

    Friar-Negele method is applied to determine the static densities of neutrons and nuclear matter from the fast proton-nuclei elastic scattering data. This model-independent analysis (MIA) has been carried out for 28 Si, sup(32,34)S, sup(40,42,44,48)Ca, 48 Ti, sup(58,60)Ni, 90 Zr, 208 Pb nuclei. The binding energies, rms radii, densities and scattering cross sections of 1 GeV-proton are calculated in the framework of the Hartree-Fock theory (HF) with Skyrme's interaction. The HF and MIA densities and cross sections have been compared to draw a conclusion on the quality of the HF densities. Calculation of the cross sections has included the spin-orbit interaction with parameters taken from the polarization data

  5. p53 nuclear accumulation and multiploidy are adverse prognostic factors in surgically resected stage II colorectal cancers independent of fluorouracil-based adjuvant therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buglioni, S; D'Agnano, I; Vasselli, S; Perrone Donnorso, R; D'Angelo, C; Brenna, A; Benevolo, M; Cosimelli, M; Zupi, G; Mottolese, M

    2001-09-01

    To identify the prognostically highest risk patients, DNA content and p53 nuclear or cytoplasmic accumulation, evaluated by monoclonal antibody DO7 and polyclonal antibody CM1, were determined in 94 surgically resected stage II (Dukes B2) colorectal cancers, treated or not with adjuvant 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Sixty-one (65%) of the tumors were aneuploid, 16 (17%) of which had a multiploid DNA content; 50 (53%) displayed DO7 nuclear p53 accumulation, and 44 (47%) showed cytoplasmic CM1 positivity. In multivariate analysis, only multiploidy and p53 nuclear positivity emerged as independent prognostic indicators of a poorer outcome. Positivity for p53 was associated with shorter survival in 5-fluorouracil-treated and untreated patients. Therefore, in patients with Dukes B2 colorectal cancer, a biologic profile based on the combined evaluation of DNA multiploidy and p53 status can provide valuable prognostic information, identifying patients to be enrolled in alternative, more aggressive therapeutic trials.

  6. The restructured 'advanced laboratory' at Hope College - A step toward independence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mader, Catherine M.; Jolivette, Peter L.; DeYoung, Paul A.; Peaslee, Graham F.

    1999-01-01

    The advanced physics laboratory at Hope College is a majors course focusing on experimental physics. This course teaches not only experimental techniques, but also experimental design, implementation and analysis. The students are asked to design experiments using existing equipment (such as the Hope College 2MV Van de Graaff accelerator) to address a physical question posed by the instructors. Their experimental plan is reviewed by a program advisory committee (the instructors for the course). Students learn that the planning state can be as important as the actual experiment. They learn how to write a report about an unexpected or less than perfect result. The challenge for the instructors has been finding a way to help the students to become 'independent' without frustrating them in their early attempts. This paper will discuss the structure of the course and give examples of the accelerator-based experiments used to help build independent research skills

  7. Uncertainty analysis and validation of environmental models. The empirically based uncertainty analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monte, Luigi; Hakanson, Lars; Bergstroem, Ulla; Brittain, John; Heling, Rudie

    1996-01-01

    The principles of Empirically Based Uncertainty Analysis (EBUA) are described. EBUA is based on the evaluation of 'performance indices' that express the level of agreement between the model and sets of empirical independent data collected in different experimental circumstances. Some of these indices may be used to evaluate the confidence limits of the model output. The method is based on the statistical analysis of the distribution of the index values and on the quantitative relationship of these values with the ratio 'experimental data/model output'. Some performance indices are described in the present paper. Among these, the so-called 'functional distance' (d) between the logarithm of model output and the logarithm of the experimental data, defined as d 2 =Σ n 1 ( ln M i - ln O i ) 2 /n where M i is the i-th experimental value, O i the corresponding model evaluation and n the number of the couplets 'experimental value, predicted value', is an important tool for the EBUA method. From the statistical distribution of this performance index, it is possible to infer the characteristics of the distribution of the ratio 'experimental data/model output' and, consequently to evaluate the confidence limits for the model predictions. This method was applied to calculate the uncertainty level of a model developed to predict the migration of radiocaesium in lacustrine systems. Unfortunately, performance indices are affected by the uncertainty of the experimental data used in validation. Indeed, measurement results of environmental levels of contamination are generally associated with large uncertainty due to the measurement and sampling techniques and to the large variability in space and time of the measured quantities. It is demonstrated that this non-desired effect, in some circumstances, may be corrected by means of simple formulae

  8. THE INDEPENDENCE OF POST SECTIO CAESAREA MOTHER WITH DISCHARGE PLANNING BASED ON OREM'S SELF CARE THEORY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tinok Ayu Putri W

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Discharge planning is one of nursing intervention that aim to promote the independence of patient's self care-activities after discharge from hospital. This study was aimed to examine the effect of discharge planning on wound care independence of post sectio caesarea mother at Melati Room, Dr. Soegiri Hospital, Lamongan. Method: Design of this study was quasy experiment. The population were post sectio caesarea mother at Melati Room Dr. Soegiri Hospital Lamongan, since May – June 2012. The samples were taken by purposive sampling technique. Fourteen responsdents matched with the inclusion criteria and divided into treatment and control groups. The datas were collected by using questionnaire and observation sheet. Then datas were analyzed by using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Mann Whitney U Test with significance level of α ≤ 0.05. Result: The result of this study showed that post sectio caesarea mother knowledge had significance level of p = 0.027 in treatment group, and in control group was p = 0.034, for post sectio caesarea patient's skill p = 0.015 in treatment group and in control group was p = 0.017. The result of Mann Whitney U test was p = 0.001, it means there was different in knowledge, and skill of wound care on post sectio caesarea patient between treatment and control groups. Discussion: It can be concluded that there are significant effect of wound care independence of post sectio caesarea patient with discharge planning approach based on orem's self care theory to improve patient's independence. Hospital need to develop discharge planning procedure to meet the needs of patient with post sectio caesarea wound and decrease the number of surgical wound infection.

  9. Central Bank independence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasile DEDU

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we present the key aspects regarding central bank’s independence. Most economists consider that the factor which positively influences the efficiency of monetary policy measures is the high independence of the central bank. We determined that the National Bank of Romania (NBR has a high degree of independence. NBR has both goal and instrument independence. We also consider that the hike of NBR’s independence played an important role in the significant disinflation process, as headline inflation dropped inside the targeted band of 3% ± 1 percentage point recently.

  10. Situation analysis of physical independence of the equipment and safety circuits of Almaraz NPP regarding R.G. 1.75 rev.3 (2005)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seijas Portela, S.

    2010-01-01

    Situation analysis of physical independence of the electrical equipment and circuits CN safety Almaraz about R.G. 1.75 rev. 3. (2005) The aim of this paper is to present the work done in the analysis of the physical separation of redundant safety electrical equipment (emergency diesel generators, medium voltage, electrical cabinets, etc.) and physical separation of circuits and electrical conduits.

  11. Practical device-independent quantum cryptography via entropy accumulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnon-Friedman, Rotem; Dupuis, Frédéric; Fawzi, Omar; Renner, Renato; Vidick, Thomas

    2018-01-31

    Device-independent cryptography goes beyond conventional quantum cryptography by providing security that holds independently of the quality of the underlying physical devices. Device-independent protocols are based on the quantum phenomena of non-locality and the violation of Bell inequalities. This high level of security could so far only be established under conditions which are not achievable experimentally. Here we present a property of entropy, termed "entropy accumulation", which asserts that the total amount of entropy of a large system is the sum of its parts. We use this property to prove the security of cryptographic protocols, including device-independent quantum key distribution, while achieving essentially optimal parameters. Recent experimental progress, which enabled loophole-free Bell tests, suggests that the achieved parameters are technologically accessible. Our work hence provides the theoretical groundwork for experimental demonstrations of device-independent cryptography.

  12. An Independent Asteroseismic Analysis of the Fundamental Parameters and Internal Structure of the Solar-like Oscillator KIC 6225718

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Tao; Li, Yan

    2017-09-01

    Asteroseismology is a useful tool that is usually used to probe stellar interiors and to determine stellar fundamental parameters, such as stellar mass, radius, and surface gravity. In order to probe stellar interiors, making comparisons between observations and models is usually used with the {χ }2-minimization method. The work of Wu & Li reported that the best parameter determined by the {χ }2-matching process is the acoustic radius for pure p-mode oscillations. In the present work, based on the theoretical calculations of Wu & Li, we will independently analyze the seismic observations of KIC 6225718 to determine its fundamental parameters and to investigate its interior properties. First, in order to test the method, we use it in the Sun to determine its fundamental parameters and to investigate interiors. Second, we independently determine the fundamental parameters of KIC 6225718 without any other non-seismic constraint. Therefore, those determined fundamental parameters are independent of those determined by other methods. They can be regarded as independent references in other analyses. Finally, we analyze the stellar internal structure and find that KIC 6225718 has a convective core with the size of 0.078-0.092 {R}⊙ . Its overshooting parameter {f}{ov} in the core is around 0.010. In addition, its center hydrogen {X}{{c}} is about 0.264-0.355.

  13. Family-Based Interventions in Preventing Children and Adolescents from Using Tobacco: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Roger E; Baker, Philip R A; Thomas, Bennett C

    2016-07-01

    Tobacco is the main preventable cause of death and disease worldwide. Adolescent smoking is increasing in many countries with poorer countries following the earlier experiences of affluent countries. Preventing adolescents from starting smoking is crucial to decreasing tobacco-related illness. To assess effectiveness of family-based interventions alone and combined with school-based interventions to prevent children and adolescents from initiating tobacco use. Fourteen bibliographic databases and the Internet, journals hand-searched, and experts consulted. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with children or adolescents and families, interventions to prevent starting tobacco use, and follow-up ≥6 months. Abstracts/titles independently assessed and data independently entered by 2 authors. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool. Twenty-seven RCTs were included. Nine trials of never-smokers compared with a control provided data for meta-analysis. Family intervention trials had significantly fewer students who started smoking. Meta-analysis of 2 RCTs of combined family and school interventions compared with school only, showed additional significant benefit. The common feature of effective high-intensity interventions was encouraging authoritative parenting. Only 14 RCTs provided data for meta-analysis (approximately a third of participants). Of the 13 RCTs that did not provide data for meta-analysis 8 compared a family intervention with no intervention and 1 reported significant effects, and 5 compared a family combined with school intervention with a school intervention only and none reported additional significant effects. There is moderate-quality evidence that family-based interventions prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. On the derivation of approximations to cellular automata models and the assumption of independence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, K J; Green, J E F; Bean, N G; Binder, B J; Ross, J V

    2014-07-01

    Cellular automata are discrete agent-based models, generally used in cell-based applications. There is much interest in obtaining continuum models that describe the mean behaviour of the agents in these models. Previously, continuum models have been derived for agents undergoing motility and proliferation processes, however, these models only hold under restricted conditions. In order to narrow down the reason for these restrictions, we explore three possible sources of error in deriving the model. These sources are the choice of limiting arguments, the use of a discrete-time model as opposed to a continuous-time model and the assumption of independence between the state of sites. We present a rigorous analysis in order to gain a greater understanding of the significance of these three issues. By finding a limiting regime that accurately approximates the conservation equation for the cellular automata, we are able to conclude that the inaccuracy between our approximation and the cellular automata is completely based on the assumption of independence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Measurement of form-factor-independent observables in the decay B0→K*0μ+μ-

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aaij, R.; Adeva, B.; Adinolfi, M.; Adrover, C.; Affolder, A.; Ajaltouni, Z.; Albrecht, J.; Alessio, F.; Alexander, M.; Ali, S.; Alkhazov, G.; Alvarez Cartelle, P.; Alves, A. A.; Amato, S.; Amerio, S.; Amhis, Y.; Anderlini, L.; Anderson, J.; Andreassen, P.R.; Andrews, J.E.; Appleby, R. B.; Aquines Gutierrez, O.; Archilli, F.; Artamonov, A.; Artuso, M.; Aslanides, E.; Auriemma, G.; Baalouch, M.; Bachmann, S.; Back, J. J.; Baesso, C.; Balagura, V.; Baldini, W.; Barlow, R. J.; Barschel, C.; Barsuk, S.; Barter, W.; Bauer, Th.; Bay, A.; Beddow, J.; Bedeschi, F.; Bediaga, I.; Belogurov, S.; Belous, K.; Belyaev, I.; Ben-Haim, E.; Bencivenni, G.; Benson, S.; Benton, J.; Berezhnoy, A.; Bernet, R.; Bettler, M-O.; Van Beuzekom, Martin; Bien, A.; Bifani, S.; Bird, T.D.; Bizzeti, A.; Bjørnstad, P. M.; Blake, T.; Blanc, F.; Blouw, J.; Blusk, S.; Bocci, V.; Bondar, A.; Bondar, N.; Bonivento, W.; Borghi, S.; Borgia, A.; Bowcock, T. J. V.; Bowen, E.; Bozzi, C.; Brambach, T.; Van Den Brand, J.; Bressieux, J.; Brett, D.; Britsch, M.; Britton, T.; Brook, N. H.; Brown, H.; Burducea, I.; Bursche, A.; Busetto, G.; Buytaert, J.; Cadeddu, S.; Callot, O.; Calvi, M.; Calvo Gomez, M.; Camboni, A.; Campana, P.; Campora Perez, D.; Carbone, A.; Carboni, G.; Cardinale, R.; Cardini, A.; Carranza-Mejia, H.; Carson, L.; Carvalho Akiba, K.; Casse, G.; Castillo Garcia, L.; Cattaneo, M.; Cauet, Ch; Cenci, R.; Charles, M.; Charpentier, Ph; Chen, P.; Chiapolini, N.; Chrzaszcz, M.; Ciba, K.; Cid Vidal, X.; Ciezarek, G.; Clarke, P. E. L.; Clemencic, M.; Cliff, H. V.; Closier, J.; Coca-Pelaz, A.; Coco, V.; Cogan, J.; Cogneras, E.; Collins, P.; Comerma-Montells, A.; Contu, A.; Cook, A.; Coombes, M.; Coquereau, S.; Corti, G.; Couturier, B.; Cowan, G. A.; Craik, D. C.; Cunliffe, S.; Currie, C.R.; D'Ambrosio, C.; David, P.; David, P. N Y; Davis, A.; De Bonis, I.; De Bruyn, K.; De Capua, S.; De Cian, M.; de Miranda, J. M.; Paula, L.E.; da-Silva, W.S.; De Simone, P.; Decamp, D.; Deckenhoff, M.; Del Buono, L.; Déléage, N.; Derkach, D.; Deschamps, O.; Dettori, F.; Di Canto, A.; Dijkstra, H.; Dogaru, M.; Donleavy, S.; Dordei, F.; Dosil Suárez, A.; Dossett, D.; Dovbnya, A.; Dupertuis, F.; Durante, P.; Dzhelyadin, R.; Dziurda, A.; Dzyuba, A.; Easo, S.; Egede, U.; Egorychev, V.; Eidelman, S.; Van Eijk, D.; Eisenhardt, S.; Eitschberger, U.; Ekelhof, R.; Eklund, L.; El Rifai, I.; Elsasser, Ch.; Falabella, A.; Färber, C.; Fardell, G.; Farinelli, C.; Farry, S.; Ferguson, D.; Fernandez Albor, V.; Ferreira Rodrigues, F.; Ferro-Luzzi, M.; Filippov, S.; Fiore, M.; Fitzpatrick, C.; Fontana, Mark; Fontanelli, F.; Forty, R.; De Aguiar Francisco, O.; Frank, M.; Frei, C.; Frosini, M.; Furcas, S.; Furfaro, E.; Gallas Torreira, A.; Galli, D.; Gandelman, M.; Gandini, P.; Gao, Y.; Garofoli, J.; Garosi, P.; Garra Tico, J.; Garrido, L.; Carvalho-Gaspar, M.; Gauld, Rhorry; Gersabeck, E.; Gersabeck, M.; Gershon, T. J.; Ghez, Ph; Gibson, V.; Giubega, L.; Gligorov, V. V.; Göbel, C.; Golubkov, D.; Golutvin, A.; Gomes, A.Q.; Gorbounov, P.; Head-Gordon, Teresa; Gotti, C.; Grabalosa Gándara, M.; Graciani Diaz, R.; Granado Cardoso, L. A.; Graugés, E.; Graziani, G.; Grecu, A.; Greening, E.; Gregson, S.; Griffith, P.; Grünberg, O.; Gui, B.; Gushchin, E.; Guz, Yu; Gys, T.; Hadjivasiliou, C.; Haefeli, G.; Haen, C.; Haines, S. C.; Hall, S.; Hamilton, B.; Hampson, T.; Hansmann-Menzemer, S.; Harnew, N.; Harnew, S. T.; Harrison, J.; Hartmann, T.; He, J.; Head, T.; Heijne, V.; Hennessy, K.; Henrard, P.; Hernando Morata, J. A.; van Herwijnen, E.; Hess, H.M.; Hicheur, A.; Hicks, G.E.; Hill, D.; Hoballah, M.; Hombach, C.; Hopchev, P.; Hulsbergen, W.; Hunt, P.; Huse, J.T.; Hussain, N.; Hutchcroft, D. E.; Hynds, D.; Iakovenko, V.; Idzik, M.; Ilten, P.; Jacobsson, R.; Jaeger, A.; Jans, E.; Jaton, P.; Jawahery, A.; Jing, F.; John, M.; Johnson, D.; Jones, C. R.; Joram, C.; Jost, B.; Kaballo, M.; Kandybei, S.; Kanso, W.; Karacson, M.; Karbach, T. M.; Kenyon, I. R.; Ketel, T.; Keune, A.; Khanji, B.; Kochebina, O.; Komarov, I.; Koopman, R. F.; Koppenburg, P.; Korolev, M.; Kozlinskiy, A.; Kravchuk, L.; Kreplin, K.; Kreps, M.; Krocker, G.; Krokovny, P.; Kruse, F.; Kucharczyk, M.; Kudryavtsev, V.; Kurek, K.; Kvaratskheliya, T.; La Thi, V. N.; Lacarrere, D.; Lafferty, G. D.; Lai, A.; Lambert, D.M.; Lambert, R. W.; Lanciotti, E.; Lanfranchi, G.; Langenbruch, C.; Latham, T. E.; Lazzeroni, C.; Le Gac, R.; Van Leerdam, J.; Lees, J. P.; Lefèvre, R.; Leflat, A.; Lefrançois, J.; Di Leo, S.; Leroy, O.; Lesiak, T.; Leverington, B.; Li, Y.; Li Gioi, L.; Liles, M.; Lindner, R.; Linn, S.C.; Liu, B.; Liu, G.; Lohn, S.; Longstaff, I.; Lopes, J. H.; Lopez-March, N.; Lu, H.; Lucchesi, D.; Luisier, J.; Luo, H.; Machefert, F.; Machikhiliyan, I. V.; Maciuc, F.; Maev, O.; Malde, S.; Manca, G.; Mancinelli, G.; Maratas, J.; Marconi, U.; Marino, P.; Märki, R.; Marks, J.; Martellotti, G.; Martens, A.; Martín Sánchez, A.; Martinelli-Boneschi, F.; Martinez-Santos, D.; Martins Tostes, D.; Martynov, A.; Massafferri, A.; Matev, R.; Mathe, Z.; Matteuzzi, C.; Maurice, E.; Mazurov, A.; McCarthy, J.; Mcnab, A.; McNulty, R.; McSkelly, B.; Meadows, B. T.; Meier, F.; Meissner, M.; Merk, M.; Milanes, D. A.; Minard, M. N.; Molina Rodriguez, J.; Monteil, S.; Moran-Zenteno, D.; Morawski, P.; Mordà, A.; Morello, M. J.; Mountain, R.; Mous, I.; Muheim, F.; Müller, Karl; Muresan, R.; Muryn, B.; Muster, B.; Naik, P.; Nakada, T.; Nandakumar, R.; Nasteva, I.; Needham, M.; Neubert, S.; Neufeld, N.; Nguyen, A. D.; Nguyen, T. D.; Nguyen-Mau, C.; Nicol, M.; Niess, V.; Niet, R.; Nikitin, N.; Nikodem, T.; Nomerotski, A.; Novoselov, A.; Oblakowska-Mucha, A.; Obraztsov, V.; Oggero, S.; Ogilvy, S.; Okhrimenko, O.; Oldeman, R.; Orlandea, M.; Otalora Goicochea, J. M.; Owen, R.P.; Oyanguren, A.; Pal, B. K.; Palano, A.; Palczewski, T.; Palutan, M.; Panman, J.; Papanestis, A.; Pappagallo, M.; Parkes, C.; Parkinson, C. J.; Passaleva, G.; Patel, G. D.; Patel, M.; Patrick, G. N.; Patrignani, C.; Pavel-Nicorescu, C.; Pazos Alvarez, A.; Pellegrino, A.; Penso, G.; Pepe Altarelli, M.; Perazzini, S.; Perez Trigo, E.; Pérez-Calero Yzquierdo, A.; Perret, P.; Perrin-Terrin, M.; Pescatore, L.; Pesen, E.; Petridis, K.; Petrolini, A.; Phan, A.; Picatoste Olloqui, E.; Pietrzyk, B.; Pilař, T.; Pinci, D.; Playfer, S.; Plo Casasus, M.; Polci, F.; Polok, G.; Poluektov, A.; Polycarpo, E.; Popov, A.; Popov, D.; Popovici, B.; Potterat, C.; Powell, A.; Prisciandaro, J.; Pritchard, C.A.; Prouve, C.; Pugatch, V.; Puig Navarro, A.; Punzi, G.; Qian, Y.W.; Rademacker, J. H.; Rakotomiaramanana, B.; Rangel, M. S.; Raniuk, I.; Rauschmayr, N.; Raven, G.; Redford, S.; Reid, M.; dos Reis, A. C.; Ricciardi, S.; Richards, Al.; Rinnert, K.; Rives Molina, V.; Roa Romero, D. A.; Robbe, P.; Roberts, D. A.; Rodrigues, L.E.T.; Rodriguez Perez, P.; Roiser, S.; Romanovsky, V.; Romero Vidal, A.; Rouvinet, J.; Ruf, T.; Ruffini, F.; Ruiz, van Hapere; Ruiz Valls, P.; Sabatino, G.; Saborido Silva, J. J.; Sagidova, N.; Sail, P.; Saitta, B.; Salustino Guimaraes, V.; Sanmartin Sedes, B.; Sannino, M.; Santacesaria, R.; Santamarina Rios, C.; Santovetti, E.; Sapunov, M.; Sarti, A.; Satriano, C.; Satta, A.; Savrie, M.; Savrina, D.; Schaack, P.; Schiller, M.; Schindler, R. H.; Schlupp, M.; Schmelling, M.; Schmidt, B.; Schneider, O.; Schopper, A.; Schune, M. H.; Schwemmer, R.; Sciascia, B.; Sciubba, A.; Seco, M.; Semennikov, A.; Senderowska, K.; Sepp, I.; Serra, N.; Serrano, J.; Seyfert, P.; Shapkin, M.; Shapoval, I.; Shatalov, P.; Shcheglov, Y.; Shears, T.; Shekhtman, L.; Shevchenko, O.; Shevchenko, V.; Shires, A.; Silva Coutinho, R.; Sirendi, M.; Skwarnicki, T.; Smith, N. A.; Smith, E.; Smith, J; Smith, M.; Sokoloff, M. D.; Soler, F. J. P.; Soomro, F.; de Souza, D.K.; Souza De Paula, B.; Spaan, B.; Sparkes, A.; Spradlin, P.; Stagni, F.; Stahl, S.; Steinkamp, O.; Stevenson-Moore, P.; Stoica, S.; Stone, S.; Storaci, B.; Straticiuc, M.; Straumann, U.; Subbiah, V. K.; Sun, L.; Swientek, S.; Syropoulos, V.; Szczekowski, M.; Szczypka, P.; Szumlak, T.; T'Jampens, S.; Teklishyn, M.; Teodorescu, E.; Teubert, F.; Thomas, C.; Thomas, E.; Van Tilburg, J.; Tisserand, V.; Tobin, M. N.; Tolk, S.; Tonelli, D.; Topp-Joergensen, S.; Torr, N.; Tournefier, E.; Tourneur, S.; Tran, N.T.M.T.; Tresch, M.; Tsaregorodtsev, A.; Tsopelas, P.; Tuning, N.; Ubeda Garcia, M.; Ukleja, A.; Urner, D.; Ustyuzhanin, A.; Uwer, U.; Vagnoni, V.; Valenti, G.; Vallier, A.; Van Dijk, M.; Vazquez Gomez, R.; Vazquez Regueiro, P.; Vázquez Sierra, C.; Vecchi, S.; Velthuis, M.J.; Veltri, M.; Veneziano, G.; Vesterinen, M.; Viaud, B.; Vieira, D.; Vilasis-Cardona, X.; Vollhardt, A.; Volyanskyy, D.; Voong, D.; Vorobyev, A.; Vorobyev, V.; Voß, C.; Voss, H.; Waldi, R.; Wallace, C.; Wallace, R.; Wandernoth, S.; Wang, J.; Ward, D. R.; Watson, N. K.; Webber, A. D.; Websdale, D.; Whitehead, M.; Wicht, J.; Wiechczynski, J.; Wiedner, D.; Wiggers, L.; Wilkinson, G.; Williams, M.P.; Williams, M.; Wilson, James F; Wimberley, J.; Wishahi, J.; Wislicki, W.; Witek, M.; Wotton, S. A.; Wright, S.J.; Wu, S.; Wyllie, K.; Xie, Y.; Xing, Z.; Yang, Z.; Young, D. R.; Yuan, X.; Yushchenko, O.; Zangoli, M.; Zavertyaev, M.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, W. C.; Zhang, Y.; Zhelezov, A.; Zhokhov, A.; Zhong, L.; Zvyagin, A.

    2013-01-01

    We present a measurement of form-factor-independent angular observables in the decay B0→K*(892) 0μ+μ-. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb-1, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. Four observables

  16. Biologic consequences of Stat1-independent IFN signaling

    OpenAIRE

    Gil, M. Pilar; Bohn, Erwin; O'Guin, Andrew K.; Ramana, Chilakamarti V.; Levine, Beth; Stark, George R.; Virgin, Herbert W.; Schreiber, Robert D.

    2001-01-01

    Although Stat1 is required for many IFN-dependent responses, recent work has shown that IFNγ functions independently of Stat1 to affect the growth of tumor cells or immortalized fibroblasts. We now demonstrate that both IFNγ and IFNα/β regulate proliferative responses in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage derived from Stat1-null mice. Using both representational difference analysis and gene arrays, we show that IFNγ exerts its Stat1-independent actions on m...

  17. A novel approach to analyzing fMRI and SNP data via parallel independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jingyu; Pearlson, Godfrey; Calhoun, Vince; Windemuth, Andreas

    2007-03-01

    There is current interest in understanding genetic influences on brain function in both the healthy and the disordered brain. Parallel independent component analysis, a new method for analyzing multimodal data, is proposed in this paper and applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. The method aims to identify the independent components of each modality and the relationship between the two modalities. We analyzed 92 participants, including 29 schizophrenia (SZ) patients, 13 unaffected SZ relatives, and 50 healthy controls. We found a correlation of 0.79 between one fMRI component and one SNP component. The fMRI component consists of activations in cingulate gyrus, multiple frontal gyri, and superior temporal gyrus. The related SNP component is contributed to significantly by 9 SNPs located in sets of genes, including those coding for apolipoprotein A-I, and C-III, malate dehydrogenase 1 and the gamma-aminobutyric acid alpha-2 receptor. A significant difference in the presences of this SNP component is found between the SZ group (SZ patients and their relatives) and the control group. In summary, we constructed a framework to identify the interactions between brain functional and genetic information; our findings provide new insight into understanding genetic influences on brain function in a common mental disorder.

  18. Culture dependent and independent analysis of bacterial communities associated with commercial salad leaf vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Colin R; Randolph, Kevin C; Osborn, Shelly L; Tyler, Heather L

    2013-12-01

    Plants harbor a diverse bacterial community, both as epiphytes on the plant surface and as endophytes within plant tissue. While some plant-associated bacteria act as plant pathogens or promote plant growth, others may be human pathogens. The aim of the current study was to determine the bacterial community composition of organic and conventionally grown leafy salad vegetables at the point of consumption using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Total culturable bacteria on salad vegetables ranged from 8.0 × 10(3) to 5.5 × 10(8) CFU g(-1). The number of culturable endophytic bacteria from surface sterilized plants was significantly lower, ranging from 2.2 × 10(3) to 5.8 × 10(5) CFU g(-1). Cultured isolates belonged to six major bacterial phyla, and included representatives of Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Chryseobacterium, and Flavobacterium. Eleven different phyla and subphyla were identified by culture-independent pyrosequencing, with Gammaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes being the most dominant lineages. Other bacterial lineages identified (e.g. Firmicutes, Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria) typically represented less than 1% of sequences obtained. At the genus level, sequences classified as Pseudomonas were identified in all samples and this was often the most prevalent genus. Ralstonia sequences made up a greater portion of the community in surface sterilized than non-surface sterilized samples, indicating that it was largely endophytic, while Acinetobacter sequences appeared to be primarily associated with the leaf surface. Analysis of molecular variance indicated there were no significant differences in bacterial community composition between organic versus conventionally grown, or surface-sterilized versus non-sterilized leaf vegetables. While culture-independent pyrosequencing identified significantly more bacterial taxa, the dominant taxa from pyrosequence data were also detected by traditional

  19. Culture dependent and independent analysis of bacterial communities associated with commercial salad leaf vegetables

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Plants harbor a diverse bacterial community, both as epiphytes on the plant surface and as endophytes within plant tissue. While some plant-associated bacteria act as plant pathogens or promote plant growth, others may be human pathogens. The aim of the current study was to determine the bacterial community composition of organic and conventionally grown leafy salad vegetables at the point of consumption using both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Results Total culturable bacteria on salad vegetables ranged from 8.0 × 103 to 5.5 × 108 CFU g-1. The number of culturable endophytic bacteria from surface sterilized plants was significantly lower, ranging from 2.2 × 103 to 5.8 × 105 CFU g-1. Cultured isolates belonged to six major bacterial phyla, and included representatives of Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Chryseobacterium, and Flavobacterium. Eleven different phyla and subphyla were identified by culture-independent pyrosequencing, with Gammaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes being the most dominant lineages. Other bacterial lineages identified (e.g. Firmicutes, Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria) typically represented less than 1% of sequences obtained. At the genus level, sequences classified as Pseudomonas were identified in all samples and this was often the most prevalent genus. Ralstonia sequences made up a greater portion of the community in surface sterilized than non-surface sterilized samples, indicating that it was largely endophytic, while Acinetobacter sequences appeared to be primarily associated with the leaf surface. Analysis of molecular variance indicated there were no significant differences in bacterial community composition between organic versus conventionally grown, or surface-sterilized versus non-sterilized leaf vegetables. While culture-independent pyrosequencing identified significantly more bacterial taxa, the dominant taxa from pyrosequence data were also detected by

  20. THE CORRELATION OF LEARNING INDEPENDENCE ATTITUDES AND STUDENT’S LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT ON PHYSICS LEARNING BASED-PORTFOLIO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asep Saefullah

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine correlation between learning independence attitudes and student’s learning achievement. Type of this research is a correlation study to detect the connection of learning independence attitude’s variance in relation to learning achievement variance. This study used an attitude scale to measure the student’s learning independence attitude and objective multiple-choice questions to measure the student’s learning achievement. The results showed that there is a positive correlation (unidirectional and significant betweenthe learning independence attitude and learning achievement. This means that the better student’s learning independence attitude, it will be the better students learning achievement. The attitude of learning independence contributed to 40.96% of students learning achievement.

  1. Balance and Gait Represent Independent Domains of Mobility in Parkinson Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horak, Fay B.; Carlson-Kuhta, Patricia; Nutt, John G.; Salarian, Arash

    2016-01-01

    Background The Instrumented Stand and Walk (ISAW) test, which includes 30 seconds of stance, step initiation, gait, and turning, results in many objective balance and gait metrics from body-worn inertial sensors. However, it is not clear which metrics provide independent information about mobility. Objective It was hypothesized that balance and gait represent several independent domains of mobility and that not all domains would be abnormal in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) or would change with levodopa therapy. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods A factor analysis approach was used to identify independent measures of mobility extracted from the ISAW in 100 participants with PD and 21 control participants. First, a covariance analysis showed that postural sway measures were independent of gait measures. Then, the factor analysis revealed 6 independent factors (mobility domains: sway area, sway frequency, arm swing asymmetry, trunk motion during gait, gait speed, and cadence) that accounted for 87% of the variance of performance across participants. Results Sway area, gait speed, and trunk motion differed between the PD group in the off-levodopa state and the control group, but sway frequency (but not sway area) differed between the PD group in the off-levodopa state and the control group. Four of the 6 factors changed significantly with levodopa (off to on): sway area, sway frequency, trunk motion during gait, and cadence. When participants were on levodopa, the sway area increased compared with off levodopa, becoming more abnormal, whereas the other 3 significant metrics moved toward, but did not reach, the healthy control values. Limitations Exploratory factor analysis was limited to the PD population. Conclusions The different sensitivity various balance and gait domains to PD and to levodopa also support neural control of at least 6 independent mobility domains, each of which warrants clinical assessment for impairments in mobility. PMID

  2. Independent component analysis of gait-related movement artifact recorded using EEG electrodes during treadmill walking.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristine Lynne Snyder

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available There has been a recent surge in the use of electroencephalography (EEG as a tool for mobile brain imaging due to its portability and fine time resolution. When EEG is combined with independent component analysis (ICA and source localization techniques, it can model electrocortical activity as arising from temporally independent signals located in spatially distinct cortical areas. However, for mobile tasks, it is not clear how movement artifacts influence ICA and source localization. We devised a novel method to collect pure movement artifact data (devoid of any electrophysiological signals with a 256-channel EEG system. We first blocked true electrocortical activity using a silicone swim cap. Over the silicone layer, we placed a simulated scalp with electrical properties similar to real human scalp. We collected EEG movement artifact signals from ten healthy, young subjects wearing this setup as they walked on a treadmill at speeds from 0.4-1.6 m/s. We performed ICA and dipole fitting on the EEG movement artifact data to quantify how accurately these methods would identify the artifact signals as non-neural. ICA and dipole fitting accurately localized 99% of the independent components in non-neural locations or lacked dipolar characteristics. The remaining 1% of sources had locations within the brain volume and low residual variances, but had topographical maps, power spectra, time courses, and event related spectral perturbations typical of non-neural sources. Caution should be exercised when interpreting ICA for data that includes semi-periodic artifacts including artifact arising from human walking. Alternative methods are needed for the identification and separation of movement artifact in mobile EEG signals, especially methods that can be performed in real time. Separating true brain signals from motion artifact could clear the way for EEG brain computer interfaces for assistance during mobile activities, such as walking.

  3. Analysis of Petroleum Technology Advances Through Applied Research by Independent Oil Producers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brashear, Jerry P.; North, Walter B.; Thomas Charles P.; Becker, Alan B.; Faulder, David D.

    2000-01-12

    Petroleum Technology Advances Through Applied Research by Independent Oil Producers is a program of the National Oil Research Program, U.S. Department of Energy. Between 1995 and 1998, the program competitively selected and cost-shared twenty-two projects with small producers. The purpose was to involve small independent producers in testing technologies of interest to them that would advance (directly or indirectly) one or more of four national program objectives: (1) Extend the productive life of reservoirs; (2) Increase production and/or reserves; (3) Improve environmental performance; and (4) Broaden the exchange of technology information.

  4. A material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motion for cell growth enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ching-Wen; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    In tissue engineering, cell–cell, cell–scaffold and cell–environment communication balances regulate how cell populations participate in tissue generation, maintenance and repair. These communication balances are called niches. In this study, an easily implemented and material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motions is developed to enhance cell growth. A micropositioning piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate stage is used to provide precise microreciprocating shear stress motions. Various shear stresses were applied to bovine endothelial cells (BECs) that were cultured on the artificially synthesized materials to obtain the suitable shear stress for growth enhancement. It was found that the suitable shear stress for apparent enhancement of BEC growth ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 N m −2 . Biopolymers were further used to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach using the optimized shear stress obtained from the culture on artificially synthesized polymers. The results further confirmed that the growth of BECs was enhanced as expected under the calculated reciprocating frequencies based on the suitable shear stress. It is hoped that the proposed microshear-stress-based niche could be a more cost- and time-effective solution for the enhancement of cell growth in tissue engineering applications. (paper)

  5. Customized Consensus Spectral Library Building for Untargeted Quantitative Metabolomics Analysis with Data Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometry and MetaboDIA Workflow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Gengbo; Walmsley, Scott; Cheung, Gemmy C M; Chen, Liyan; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Beuerman, Roger W; Wong, Tien Yin; Zhou, Lei; Choi, Hyungwon

    2017-05-02

    Data independent acquisition-mass spectrometry (DIA-MS) coupled with liquid chromatography is a promising approach for rapid, automatic sampling of MS/MS data in untargeted metabolomics. However, wide isolation windows in DIA-MS generate MS/MS spectra containing a mixed population of fragment ions together with their precursor ions. This precursor-fragment ion map in a comprehensive MS/MS spectral library is crucial for relative quantification of fragment ions uniquely representative of each precursor ion. However, existing reference libraries are not sufficient for this purpose since the fragmentation patterns of small molecules can vary in different instrument setups. Here we developed a bioinformatics workflow called MetaboDIA to build customized MS/MS spectral libraries using a user's own data dependent acquisition (DDA) data and to perform MS/MS-based quantification with DIA data, thus complementing conventional MS1-based quantification. MetaboDIA also allows users to build a spectral library directly from DIA data in studies of a large sample size. Using a marine algae data set, we show that quantification of fragment ions extracted with a customized MS/MS library can provide as reliable quantitative data as the direct quantification of precursor ions based on MS1 data. To test its applicability in complex samples, we applied MetaboDIA to a clinical serum metabolomics data set, where we built a DDA-based spectral library containing consensus spectra for 1829 compounds. We performed fragment ion quantification using DIA data using this library, yielding sensitive differential expression analysis.

  6. Meta-Analysis of Microarray Data Identifies GAS6 Expression as an Independent Predictor of Poor Survival in Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle Buehler

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Seeking new biomarkers for epithelial ovarian cancer, the fifth most common cause of death from all cancers in women and the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancies, we performed a meta-analysis of three independent studies and compared the results in regard to clinicopathological parameters. This analysis revealed that GAS6 was highly expressed in ovarian cancer and therefore was selected as our candidate of choice. GAS6 encodes a secreted protein involved in physiological processes including cell proliferation, chemotaxis, and cell survival. We performed immunohistochemistry on various ovarian cancer tissues and found that GAS6 expression was elevated in tumour tissue samples compared to healthy control samples (. In addition, GAS6 expression was also higher in tumours from patients with residual disease compared to those without. Our data propose GAS6 as an independent predictor of poor survival, suggesting GAS6, both on the mRNA and on the protein level, as a potential biomarker for ovarian cancer. In clinical practice, the staining of a tumour biopsy for GAS6 may be useful to assess cancer prognosis and/or to monitor disease progression.

  7. Independent System Calibration of Sentinel-1B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Schwerdt

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Sentinel-1B is the second of two C-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR satellites of the Sentinel-1 mission, launched in April 2016—two years after the launch of the first satellite, Sentinel-1A. In addition to the commissioning of Sentinel-1B executed by the European Space Agency (ESA, an independent system calibration was performed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR on behalf of ESA. Based on an efficient calibration strategy and the different calibration procedures already developed and applied for Sentinel-1A, extensive measurement campaigns were executed by initializing and aligning DLR’s reference targets deployed on the ground. This paper describes the different activities performed by DLR during the Sentinel-1B commissioning phase and presents the results derived from the analysis and the evaluation of a multitude of data takes and measurements.

  8. Supervising Model of Independent Enterprise Group (Study of Community Development PT Badak NGL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermansyah Hermansyah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to arrange an empowerment model of enterprise group through the program of Community Development in order to be independent and ready to compete, which is begun from the empirical study of the success of Cipta Busana Cooperative.. This research uses the descriptive analysis by using a case study on one enterprise supervised by PT Badak NGL that is Koperasi Cipta Busana (Kocibu. Kocibu is chosen to be the object of research due to its success to achieve the target to be the independent supervised enterprise in the fourth year. The data analysis method used in this research is the explorative analysis. Based on the research, there are some results such as that Kocibu is one of the supervised Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of PT Badak NGL that could develop and be independent through several supporting programs. Some of key successes of Kocibu are as follows: a high commitment, a good leader, and intensive supervising programs. Besides, a good marketing system also contributes to the key of success. There are some aspects that naturally contribute to the Kocibu improvement and emerge naturally as follows: the leader figure and the high commitment from the stakeholders. While, the aspects emerged by design are: the supervising and training programs, the evaluation, the determination of rules, and the business targets. Hopefully, after this research has been conducted, the aspects appeared naturaly would be realized so early that the success of the public empowerment program will be able to increase. 

  9. Recognizing Human Activities User-independently on Smartphones Based on Accelerometer Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pekka Siirtola

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Real-time human activity recognition on a mobile phone is presented in this article. Unlike in most other studies, not only the data were collected using the accelerometers of a smartphone, but also models were implemented to the phone and the whole classification process (preprocessing, feature extraction and classification was done on the device. The system is trained using phone orientation independent features to recognize five everyday activities: walking, running, cycling, driving a car and sitting/standing while the phone is in the pocket of the subject's trousers. Two classifiers were compared, knn (k nearest neighbors and QDA (quadratic discriminant analysis. The models for real-time activity recognition were trained offline using a data set collected from eight subjects and these offline results were compared to real-time recognition rates, which are obtained by implementing models to mobile activity recognition application which currently supports two operating systems: Symbian^3 and Android. The results show that the presented method is light and, therefore, suitable for be used in real-time recognition. In addition, the recognition rates on the smartphones were encouraging, in fact, the recognition accuracies obtained are approximately as high as offline recognition rates. Also, the results show that the method presented is not an operating system dependent.

  10. Development of quantification methods for the myocardial blood flow using ensemble independent component analysis for dynamic H215O PET

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Byeong Il; Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Won Jun; Lee, Jong Jin; Kim, Soo Jin; Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Choi, Seung Jin

    2004-01-01

    Factor analysis and independent component analysis (lCA) has been used for handling dynamic image sequences. Theoretical advantages of a newly suggested ICA method, ensemble ICA, leaded us to consider applying this method to the analysis of dynamic myocardial H 2 15 O PET data. In this study, we quantified patients, blood flow using the ensemble ICA method. Twenty subjects underwent H 2 15 O PET scans using ECAT EXACT 47 scanner and myocardial perfusion SPECT using Vertex scanner. After transmission scanning, dynamic emission scans were initiated simultaneously with the injection of 555∼740 MBq H 2 15 O. Hidden independent components can be extracted from the observed mixed data (PET image) by means of ICA algorithms. Ensemble learning is a variational Bayesian method that provides an analytical approximation to the parameter posterior using a tractable distribution. Variational approximation forms a lower bound on the ensemble likelihood and the maximization of the lower bound is achieved through minimizing the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the true posterior and the variational posterior. In this study, posterior pdf was approximated by a rectified Gaussian distribution to incorporate non-negativity constraint, which is suitable to dynamic images in nuclear medicine. Blood flow was measured in 9 regions - apex, four areas in mid wall, and four areas in base wall. Myocardial perfusion SPECT score and angiography results were compared with the regional blood flow. Major cardiac components were separated successfully by the ensemble ICA method and blood flow could be estimated in 15 among 20 patients. Mean myocardial blood flow was 1.2±0.40 ml/min/g in rest, 1.85±1.12 ml/min/g in stress state. Blood flow values obtained by an operator in two different occasion were highly correlated (r=0.99). In myocardium component image, the image contrast between left ventricle and myocardium was 1:2.7 in average. Perfusion reserve was significantly different between

  11. Numerical Analysis of Integral Characteristics for the Condenser Setups of Independent Power-Supply Sources with the Closed-Looped Thermodynamic Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga V. Vysokomornaya

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The mathematical model of heat and mass transfer processes with phase transition is developed. It allows analysis of integral characteristics for the condenser setup of independent power-supply plant with the organic Rankine cycle. Different kinds of organic liquids can be used as a coolant and working substance. The temperatures of the working liquid at the condenser outlet under different values of outside air temperature are determined. The comparative analysis of the utilization efficiency of different cooling systems and organic coolants is carried out.

  12. Conserved quantities in background independent theories

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Markopoulou, Fotini [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, 35 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 2W9 (Canada); Department of Physics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

    2007-05-15

    We discuss the difficulties that background independent theories based on quantum geometry encounter in deriving general relativity as the low energy limit. We follow a geometrogenesis scenario of a phase transition from a pre-geometric theory to a geometric phase which suggests that a first step towards the low energy limit is searching for the effective collective excitations that will characterize it. Using the correspondence between the pre-geometric background independent theory and a quantum information processor, we are able to use the method of noiseless subsystems to extract such coherent collective excitations. We illustrate this in the case of locally evolving graphs.

  13. Application of thermodynamics-based rate-dependent constitutive models of concrete in the seismic analysis of concrete dams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leng Fei

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the seismic analysis of concrete dams with consideration of material nonlinearity. Based on a consistent rate-dependent model and two thermodynamics-based models, two thermodynamics-based rate-dependent constitutive models were developed with consideration of the influence of the strain rate. They can describe the dynamic behavior of concrete and be applied to nonlinear seismic analysis of concrete dams taking into account the rate sensitivity of concrete. With the two models, a nonlinear analysis of the seismic response of the Koyna Gravity Dam and the Dagangshan Arch Dam was conducted. The results were compared with those of a linear elastic model and two rate-independent thermodynamics-based constitutive models, and the influences of constitutive models and strain rate on the seismic response of concrete dams were discussed. It can be concluded from the analysis that, during seismic response, the tensile stress is the control stress in the design and seismic safety evaluation of concrete dams. In different models, the plastic strain and plastic strain rate of concrete dams show a similar distribution. When the influence of the strain rate is considered, the maximum plastic strain and plastic strain rate decrease.

  14. Signal extraction and wave field separation in tunnel seismic prediction by independent component analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Y.; Jiang, T.; Zhou, Q.

    2017-12-01

    In order to ensure the rationality and the safety of tunnel excavation, the advanced geological prediction has been become an indispensable step in tunneling. However, the extraction of signal and the separation of P and S waves directly influence the accuracy of geological prediction. Generally, the raw data collected in TSP system is low quality because of the numerous disturb factors in tunnel projects, such as the power interference and machine vibration interference. It's difficult for traditional method (band-pass filtering) to remove interference effectively as well as bring little loss to signal. The power interference, machine vibration interference and the signal are original variables and x, y, z component as observation signals, each component of the representation is a linear combination of the original variables, which satisfy applicable conditions of independent component analysis (ICA). We perform finite-difference simulations of elastic wave propagation to synthetic a tunnel seismic reflection record. The method of ICA was adopted to process the three-component data, and the results show that extract the estimates of signal and the signals are highly correlated (the coefficient correlation is up to more than 0.93). In addition, the estimates of interference that separated from ICA and the interference signals are also highly correlated, and the coefficient correlation is up to more than 0.99. Thus, simulation results showed that the ICA is an ideal method for extracting high quality data from mixed signals. For the separation of P and S waves, the conventional separation techniques are based on physical characteristics of wave propagation, which require knowledge of the near-surface P and S waves velocities and density. Whereas the ICA approach is entirely based on statistical differences between P and S waves, and the statistical technique does not require a priori information. The concrete results of the wave field separation will be presented in

  15. The Politics of Central Bank Independence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Haan, J.; Eijffinger, Sylvester

    2016-01-01

    This paper reviews recent research on the political economy of monetary policy-making, both by economists and political scientists. The traditional argument for central bank independence (CBI) is based on the desire to counter inflationary biases. However, studies in political science on the

  16. Task-evoked brain functional magnetic susceptibility mapping by independent component analysis (χICA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zikuan; Calhoun, Vince D

    2016-03-01

    Conventionally, independent component analysis (ICA) is performed on an fMRI magnitude dataset to analyze brain functional mapping (AICA). By solving the inverse problem of fMRI, we can reconstruct the brain magnetic susceptibility (χ) functional states. Upon the reconstructed χ dataspace, we propose an ICA-based brain functional χ mapping method (χICA) to extract task-evoked brain functional map. A complex division algorithm is applied to a timeseries of fMRI phase images to extract temporal phase changes (relative to an OFF-state snapshot). A computed inverse MRI (CIMRI) model is used to reconstruct a 4D brain χ response dataset. χICA is implemented by applying a spatial InfoMax ICA algorithm to the reconstructed 4D χ dataspace. With finger-tapping experiments on a 7T system, the χICA-extracted χ-depicted functional map is similar to the SPM-inferred functional χ map by a spatial correlation of 0.67 ± 0.05. In comparison, the AICA-extracted magnitude-depicted map is correlated with the SPM magnitude map by 0.81 ± 0.05. The understanding of the inferiority of χICA to AICA for task-evoked functional map is an ongoing research topic. For task-evoked brain functional mapping, we compare the data-driven ICA method with the task-correlated SPM method. In particular, we compare χICA with AICA for extracting task-correlated timecourses and functional maps. χICA can extract a χ-depicted task-evoked brain functional map from a reconstructed χ dataspace without the knowledge about brain hemodynamic responses. The χICA-extracted brain functional χ map reveals a bidirectional BOLD response pattern that is unavailable (or different) from AICA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Analysis, Design, and Construction of a Base-Isolated Multiple Building Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Sorace

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The analysis and design of a multiple residential building, seismically protected by a base isolation system incorporating double friction pendulum sliders as protective devices, are presented in the paper. The building, situated in the suburban area of Florence, is composed of four independent reinforced concrete framed structures, mutually separated by three thermal expansion joints. The plan is L-shaped, with dimensions of about 75 m in the longitudinal direction and about 30 m along the longest side of the transversal direction. These characteristics identify the structure as the largest example of a base-isolated “artificial ground” ever built in Italy. The base isolation solution guarantees lower costs, a much greater performance, and a finer architectural look, as compared to a conventional fixed-base antiseismic design. The characteristics of the building and the isolators, the mechanical properties and the experimental characterization campaign and preliminary sizing carried out on the latter, and the nonlinear time-history design and performance assessment analyses developed on the base isolated building are reported in this paper, along with details about the installation of the isolators and the plants and highlights of the construction works.

  18. DTI analysis methods : Voxel-based analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Hecke, Wim; Leemans, Alexander; Emsell, Louise

    2016-01-01

    Voxel-based analysis (VBA) of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data permits the investigation of voxel-wise differences or changes in DTI metrics in every voxel of a brain dataset. It is applied primarily in the exploratory analysis of hypothesized group-level alterations in DTI parameters, as it does

  19. Independent Risk Factors Contributing to Acute Kidney Injury According to Updated Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 Criteria After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Meta-analysis and Meta-regression of 13 Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jiayang; Yu, Wenyuan; Zhou, Ye; Yang, Yong; Li, Chenglong; Liu, Nan; Hou, Xiaotong; Wang, Longfei

    2017-06-01

    This study aimed to examine the risk factors for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) according to the AKI definition from the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2). A meta-analysis. A total of 661 patients with post-TAVI AKI according to the VARC-2 definition and 2,012 controls were included in the meta-analysis. Patients undergoing TAVI were included in this meta-analysis. Multiple electronic databases were searched using predefined criteria. The diagnosis of AKI was based on the VARC-2 classification. The authors found that preoperative New York Heart Association class IV (odds ratio [OR], 7.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.81-15.85), previous chronic renal disease (CKD) (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.96-4.03), and requirement for transfusion (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.59-2.59) were associated significantly with an increased risk for post-TAVI AKI. Furthermore, previous peripheral vascular disease (PVD), hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and stroke were also risk factors for TAVI-associated AKI. Additionally, transfemoral access significantly correlated with a reduced risk for post-TAVI AKI (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.33-0.57). The potential confounders, including Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score, the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, aortic valve area, mean pressure gradient, left ventricular ejection fraction, age, body mass index, contrast volume, and valve type, had no impact on the association between the risk factors and post-TAVI AKI. Subgroup analysis of the eligible studies presenting multivariate logistic regression analysis on the independent risk factors for post-TAVI AKI revealed that previous CKD, previous PVD, and transapical access were independent risk factors for TAVI-associated AKI. The current meta-analysis suggested that previous CKD, previous PVD, and transapical access may be independent risk factors for TAVI-associated AKI

  20. Fully device-independent conference key agreement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribeiro, Jérémy; Murta, Gláucia; Wehner, Stephanie

    2018-02-01

    We present a security analysis of conference key agreement (CKA) in the most adversarial model of device independence (DI). Our protocol can be implemented by any experimental setup that is capable of performing Bell tests [specifically, the Mermin-Ardehali-Belinskii-Klyshko (MABK) inequality], and security can in principle be obtained for any violation of the MABK inequality that detects genuine multipartite entanglement among the N parties involved in the protocol. As our main tool, we derive a direct physical connection between the N -partite MABK inequality and the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality, showing that certain violations of the MABK inequality correspond to a violation of the CHSH inequality between one of the parties and the other N -1 . We compare the asymptotic key rate for device-independent conference key agreement (DICKA) to the case where the parties use N -1 device-independent quantum key distribution protocols in order to generate a common key. We show that for some regime of noise the DICKA protocol leads to better rates.

  1. Biologic consequences of Stat1-independent IFN signaling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil, M. Pilar; Bohn, Erwin; O'Guin, Andrew K.; Ramana, Chilakamarti V.; Levine, Beth; Stark, George R.; Virgin, Herbert W.; Schreiber, Robert D.

    2001-01-01

    Although Stat1 is required for many IFN-dependent responses, recent work has shown that IFNγ functions independently of Stat1 to affect the growth of tumor cells or immortalized fibroblasts. We now demonstrate that both IFNγ and IFNα/β regulate proliferative responses in cells of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage derived from Stat1-null mice. Using both representational difference analysis and gene arrays, we show that IFNγ exerts its Stat1-independent actions on mononuclear phagocytes by regulating the expression of many genes. This result was confirmed by monitoring changes in expression and function of the corresponding gene products. Regulation of the expression of these genes requires the IFNγ receptor and Jak1. The physiologic relevance of IFN-dependent, Stat1-independent signaling was demonstrated by monitoring antiviral responses in Stat1-null mice. Thus, the IFN receptors engage alternative Stat1-independent signaling pathways that have important physiological consequences. PMID:11390995

  2. A quasi-independence model to estimate failure rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colombo, A.G.

    1988-01-01

    The use of a quasi-independence model to estimate failure rates is investigated. Gate valves of nuclear plants are considered, and two qualitative covariates are taken into account: plant location and reactor system. Independence between the two covariates and an exponential failure model are assumed. The failure rate of the components of a given system and plant is assumed to be a constant, but it may vary from one system to another and from one plant to another. This leads to the analysis of a contingency table. A particular feature of the model is the different operating time of the components in the various cells which can also be equal to zero. The concept of independence of the covariates is then replaced by that of quasi-independence. The latter definition, however, is used in a broader sense than usual. Suitable statistical tests are discussed and a numerical example illustrates the use of the method. (author)

  3. Electroencephalographic dynamics of musical emotion perception revealed by independent spectral components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yuan-Pin; Duann, Jeng-Ren; Chen, Jyh-Horng; Jung, Tzyy-Ping

    2010-04-21

    This study explores the electroencephalographic (EEG) correlates of emotional experience during music listening. Independent component analysis and analysis of variance were used to separate statistically independent spectral changes of the EEG in response to music-induced emotional processes. An independent brain process with equivalent dipole located in the fronto-central region exhibited distinct δ-band and θ-band power changes associated with self-reported emotional states. Specifically, the emotional valence was associated with δ-power decreases and θ-power increases in the frontal-central area, whereas the emotional arousal was accompanied by increases in both δ and θ powers. The resultant emotion-related component activations that were less interfered by the activities from other brain processes complement previous EEG studies of emotion perception to music.

  4. Value of the distant future: Model-independent results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katz, Yuri A.

    2017-01-01

    This paper shows that the model-independent account of correlations in an interest rate process or a log-consumption growth process leads to declining long-term tails of discount curves. Under the assumption of an exponentially decaying memory in fluctuations of risk-free real interest rates, I derive the analytical expression for an apt value of the long run discount factor and provide a detailed comparison of the obtained result with the outcome of the benchmark risk-free interest rate models. Utilizing the standard consumption-based model with an isoelastic power utility of the representative economic agent, I derive the non-Markovian generalization of the Ramsey discounting formula. Obtained analytical results allowing simple calibration, may augment the rigorous cost-benefit and regulatory impact analysis of long-term environmental and infrastructure projects.

  5. Model-independent effects of Δ excitation in nucleon polarizabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pascalutsa, Vladimir; Phillips, Daniel R.

    2003-01-01

    Model-independent effects of Δ(1232) excitation on nucleon polarizabilities are computed in a Lorentz-invariant fashion. We find a large effect of relative order (M Δ -M)/M in some of the spin polarizabilities, with the backward spin polarizability receiving the largest contribution. Similar subleading effects are found to be important in the fourth-order spin-independent polarizabilities α Eν , α E2 , β Mν , and β M2 . Combining our results with those for the model-independent effects of pion loops we obtain predictions for spin and fourth-order polarizabilities which compare favorably with the results of a recent dispersion-relation analysis of data

  6. Asymptotic equivalence of neutron diffusion and transport in time-independent reactor systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borysiewicz, M.; Mika, J.; Spiga, G.

    1982-01-01

    Presented in this paper is the asymptotic analysis of the time-independent neutron transport equation in the second-order variational formulation. The small parameter introduced into the equation is an estimate of the ratio of absorption and leakage to scattering in the system considered. When the ratio tends to zero, the weak solution to the transport problem tends to the weak solution of the diffusion problem, including properly defined boundary conditions. A formula for the diffusion coefficient different from that based on averaging the transport mean-free-path is derived

  7. An independent assessment of the technical feasibility of the Mars One mission plan - Updated analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, Sydney; Owens, Andrew; Ho, Koki; Schreiner, Samuel; de Weck, Olivier

    2016-03-01

    In recent years, the Mars One program has gained significant publicity for its plans to colonize the red planet. Beginning in 2025, the program plans to land four people on Mars every 26 months via a series of one-way missions, using exclusively existing technology. This one-way approach has frequently been cited as a key enabler of accelerating the first crewed landing on Mars. While the Mars One program has received considerable attention, little has been published in the technical literature regarding the formulation of its mission architecture. In light of this, we perform an independent analysis of the technical feasibility of the Mars One mission plan, focusing on the architecture of the life support and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) systems, and their impact on sparing and space logistics. To perform this analysis, we adopt an iterative analysis approach in which we model and simulate the mission architecture, assess its feasibility, implement any applicable modifications while attempting to remain within the constraints set forth by Mars One, and then resimulate and reanalyze the revised version of the mission architecture. Where required information regarding the Mars One mission architecture is not available, we assume numerical values derived from standard spaceflight design handbooks and documents. Through four iterations of this process, our analysis finds that the Mars One mission plan, as publicly described, is not feasible. This conclusion is obtained from analyses based on mission assumptions derived from and constrained by statements made by Mars One, and is the result of the following findings: (1) several technologies including ISRU, life support, and entry, descent, and landing (EDL) are not currently "existing, validated and available" as claimed by Mars One; (2) the crop growth area described by Mars One is insufficient to feed their crew; (3) increasing the crop growth area to provide sufficient food for the crew leads to atmospheric

  8. Three-year financial analysis of pharmacy services at an independent community pharmacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doucette, William R; McDonough, Randal P; Mormann, Megan M; Vaschevici, Renata; Urmie, Julie M; Patterson, Brandon J

    2012-01-01

    To assess the financial performance of pharmacy services including vaccinations, cholesterol screenings, medication therapy management (MTM), adherence management services, employee health fairs, and compounding services provided by an independent community pharmacy. Three years (2008-10) of pharmacy records were examined to determine the total revenue and costs of each service. Costs included products, materials, labor, marketing, overhead, equipment, reference materials, and fax/phone usage. Costs were allocated to each service using accepted principles (e.g., time for labor). Depending on the service, the total revenue was calculated by multiplying the frequency of the service by the revenue per patient or by adding the total revenue received. A sensitivity analysis was conducted for the adherence management services to account for average dispensing net profit. 7 of 11 pharmacy services showed a net profit each year. Those services include influenza and herpes zoster immunization services, MTM, two adherence management services, employee health fairs, and prescription compounding services. The services that realized a net loss included the pneumococcal immunization service, cholesterol screenings, and two adherence management services. The sensitivity analysis showed that all adherence services had a net gain when average dispensing net profit was included. Most of the pharmacist services had an annual positive net gain. It seems likely that these services can be sustained. Further cost management, such as reducing labor costs, could improve the viability of services with net losses. However, even with greater efficiency, external factors such as competition and reimbursement challenge the sustainability of these services.

  9. The frequency-independent control method for distributed generation systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naderi, Siamak; Pouresmaeil, Edris; Gao, Wenzhong David

    2012-01-01

    In this paper a novel frequency-independent control method suitable for distributed generation (DG) is presented. This strategy is derived based on the . abc/. αβ transformation and . abc/. dq transformation of the ac system variables. The active and reactive currents injected by the DG are contr......In this paper a novel frequency-independent control method suitable for distributed generation (DG) is presented. This strategy is derived based on the . abc/. αβ transformation and . abc/. dq transformation of the ac system variables. The active and reactive currents injected by the DG...

  10. Independent component analysis applied to long bunch beams in the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolski, Jeffrey S.; Macek, Robert J.; McCrady, Rodney C.; Pang, Xiaoying

    2012-11-01

    Independent component analysis (ICA) is a powerful blind source separation (BSS) method. Compared to the typical BSS method, principal component analysis, ICA is more robust to noise, coupling, and nonlinearity. The conventional ICA application to turn-by-turn position data from multiple beam position monitors (BPMs) yields information about cross-BPM correlations. With this scheme, multi-BPM ICA has been used to measure the transverse betatron phase and amplitude functions, dispersion function, linear coupling, sextupole strength, and nonlinear beam dynamics. We apply ICA in a new way to slices along the bunch revealing correlations of particle motion within the beam bunch. We digitize beam signals of the long bunch at the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring with a single device (BPM or fast current monitor) for an entire injection-extraction cycle. ICA of the digitized beam signals results in source signals, which we identify to describe varying betatron motion along the bunch, locations of transverse resonances along the bunch, measurement noise, characteristic frequencies of the digitizing oscilloscopes, and longitudinal beam structure.

  11. Independent component analysis applied to long bunch beams in the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey S. Kolski

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Independent component analysis (ICA is a powerful blind source separation (BSS method. Compared to the typical BSS method, principal component analysis, ICA is more robust to noise, coupling, and nonlinearity. The conventional ICA application to turn-by-turn position data from multiple beam position monitors (BPMs yields information about cross-BPM correlations. With this scheme, multi-BPM ICA has been used to measure the transverse betatron phase and amplitude functions, dispersion function, linear coupling, sextupole strength, and nonlinear beam dynamics. We apply ICA in a new way to slices along the bunch revealing correlations of particle motion within the beam bunch. We digitize beam signals of the long bunch at the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring with a single device (BPM or fast current monitor for an entire injection-extraction cycle. ICA of the digitized beam signals results in source signals, which we identify to describe varying betatron motion along the bunch, locations of transverse resonances along the bunch, measurement noise, characteristic frequencies of the digitizing oscilloscopes, and longitudinal beam structure.

  12. Stabilizing bidirectional associative memory with Principles in Independent Component Analysis and Null Space (PICANS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaRue, James P.; Luzanov, Yuriy

    2013-05-01

    A new extension to the way in which the Bidirectional Associative Memory (BAM) algorithms are implemented is presented here. We will show that by utilizing the singular value decomposition (SVD) and integrating principles of independent component analysis (ICA) into the nullspace (NS) we have created a novel approach to mitigating spurious attractors. We demonstrate this with two applications. The first application utilizes a one-layer association while the second application is modeled after the several hierarchal associations of ventral pathways. The first application will detail the way in which we manage the associations in terms of matrices. The second application will take what we have learned from the first example and apply it to a cascade of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and perceptron this being our signal processing model of the ventral pathways, i.e., visual systems.

  13. Central bank independence and inflation revisited

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klomp, Jeroen; de Haan, Jakob

    We re-examine the relationship between central bank independence (CBI), proxied by the central bank governor's turnover rate and an indicator based on central bank laws in place, and inflation using a random coefficient model with the Hildreth-Houck estimator for more than 100 countries in the

  14. Central bank independence and inflation revisited

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klomp, J.G.; Haan, de J.

    2010-01-01

    We re-examine the relationship between central bank independence (CBI), proxied by the central bank governor's turnover rate and an indicator based on central bank laws in place, and inflation using a random coefficient model with the Hildreth-Houck estimator for more than 100 countries in the

  15. Morphology Independent Learning in Modular Robots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, David Johan; Bordignon, Mirko; Schultz, Ulrik Pagh

    2009-01-01

    speed its modules independently and in parallel adjust their behavior based on a single global reward signal. In simulation, we study the learning strategy’s performance on different robot configurations. On the physical platform, we perform learning experiments with ATRON robots learning to move as fast...

  16. Morphology Independent Learning in Modular Robots

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, David Johan; Bordignon, Mirko; Schultz, Ulrik Pagh

    2009-01-01

    speed its modules independently and in parallel adjust their behavior based on a single global reward signal. In simulation, we study the learning strategy?s performance on different robot con?gurations. On the physical platform, we perform learning experiments with ATRON robots learning to move as fast...

  17. 'It's a cultural expectation...' The pressure on medical trainees to work independently in clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Tara J T; Regehr, Glenn; Baker, G Ross; Lingard, Lorelei A

    2009-07-01

    Medical trainees demonstrate a reluctance to ask for help unless they believe it is absolutely necessary, a situation which could impact on the safety of patients. This study aimed to develop a theoretical exploration of the pressure on medical trainees to be independent and to generate theory-based approaches to the implications for patient safety of this pressure towards independent working. In Phase 1, 88 teaching team members from internal and emergency medicine were observed during clinical activities (216 hours), and 65 participants completed brief interviews. In Phase 2, 36 in-depth interviews were conducted using video vignettes. Data collection and analysis employed grounded theory methodology. Participants conceived that the pressure towards independence in clinical work originated in trainees' desire to lay claim to the identity of a doctor (as a member of a group of autonomous high achievers), and in organisational issues such as heavy workloads and constant evaluations. The identity and organisational issues related to the pressure towards independence were explored through the lenses of established theories from education and psychology. Consideration of Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory suggests that giving attention to the 'independent doctor' ideal, through measures such as involving trainees when their supervisors ask for help, could impact the safety of teaching team practice. Amalberti et al.'s migration model explains how pressures to maximise productivity and individual gain may cause teaching teams to migrate beyond the boundaries of safe practice and suggests that managing triggers (such as workload and high-stakes evaluations) for violations of safe practice might improve safety. Implementation and evaluation of these theory-based approaches to the safety of teaching team practice would contribute to a better understanding of the links between trainee independence and patient safety.

  18. Comparative Study of Learning Using E-Learning and Printed Materials on Independent Learning and Creativity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahyu Utami, Niken; Aziz Saefudin, Abdul

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to determine: 1) differences in students taking independent learning by using e-learning and the students who attend the learning by using the print instructional materials ; 2) differences in the creativity of students who follow learning with e-learning and the students who attend the learning by using the print instructional materials ; 3) differences in learning independence and creativity of students attend learning with e-learning and the students who attend lessons using printed teaching materials in the subject of Mathematics Instructional Media Development. This study was a quasi-experimental research design using only posttest control design. The study population was all students who take courses in Learning Mathematics Media Development, Academic Year 2014/2015 100 students and used a random sample (random sampling) is 60 students. To test the hypothesis used multivariate analysis of variance or multivariable analysis of variance (MANOVA) of the track. The results of this study indicate that 1) There is a difference in student learning independence following study using the e-learning and the students who attend lessons using printed teaching materials in the lecture PMPM ( F = 4.177, p = 0.046 0.05) ; No difference learning independence and creativity of students attend learning by using e-learning and the students who attend the learning using printed teaching materials in the lecture PMPM (F = 2.452, p = 0.095 > 0.05). Based on these studies suggested that the learning using e -learning can be used to develop student creativity, while learning to use e -learning and teaching materials can be printed to use to develop students’ independence.

  19. Independent assessment for new nuclear reactor safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D'Auria Francesco

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A rigorous framework for safety assessment is established in all countries where nuclear technology is used for the production of electricity. On the one side, industry, i.e. reactor designers, vendors and utilities perform safety analysis and demonstrate consistency between results of safety analyses and requirements. On the other side, regulatory authorities perform independent assessment of safety and confirm the acceptability of safety of individual reactor units. The process of comparing results from analyses by reactor utilities and regulators is very complex. The process is also highly dependent upon mandatory approaches pursued for the analysis and from very many details which required the knowledge of sensitive proprietary data (e.g. spacer designs. Furthermore, all data available for the design, construction and operation of reactors produced by the nuclear industry are available to regulators. Two areas for improving the process of safety assessment for individual Nuclear Power Plant Units are identified: New details introduced by industry are not always and systematically requested by regulators for the independent assessment; New analytical techniques and capabilities are not necessarily used in the analyses by regulators (and by the industry. The established concept of independent assessment constitutes the way for improving the process of safety assessment. This is possible, or is largely facilitated, by the recent availability of the so-called Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty approach.

  20. Independent assessment for new nuclear reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Auria, F.; Glaeser, H.; Debrecin, N.

    2017-01-01

    A rigorous framework for safety assessment is established in all countries where nuclear technology is used for the production of electricity. On one side, industry, i.e. reactor designers, vendors and utilities perform safety analysis and demonstrate consistency between results of safety analyses and requirements. On the other side, regulatory authorities perform independent assessment of safety and confirm the acceptability of safety of individual reactor units. The process of comparing results from analyses by reactor utilities and regulators is very complex. The process is also highly dependent upon mandatory approaches pursued for the analysis and from very many details which required the knowledge of sensitive proprietary data (e.g. spacer designs). Furthermore, all data available for the design, construction and operation of reactors produced by the nuclear industry are available to regulators. Two areas for improving the process of safety assessment for individual Nuclear Power Plant Units are identified: New details introduced by industry are not always and systematically requested by regulators for the independent assessment; New analytical techniques and capabilities are not necessarily used in the analyses by regulators (and by the industry). The established concept of independent assessment constitutes the way for improving the process of safety assessment. This is possible, or is largely facilitated, by the recent availability of the so-called Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approach. (authors)

  1. Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Assessment of the data processing system FMEA/CIL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowery, H. J.; Haufler, W. A.

    1986-01-01

    The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented. The IOA effort first completed an analysis of the Data Processing System (DPS) hardware, generating draft failure modes and potential critical items. To preserve independence, this analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA FMEA/CIL documentation. The IOA results were then compared to the NASA FMEA/CIL baseline with proposed Post 51-L updates included. A resolution of each discrepancy from the comparison is provided through additional analysis as required. The results of that comparison is documented for the Orbiter DPS hardware.

  2. Enhancement of Students' Independent Learning through Their Critical Thinking Skills Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopzhassarova, Umit; Akbayeva, Gulden; Eskazinova, Zhanar; Belgibayeva, Gulbarshyn; Tazhikeyeva, Akerke

    2016-01-01

    The article focuses on the problem of developing students' critical thinking skills, which help them become independent learners. Analysis of research works of educators and scholars enable the authors to reveal qualities, necessary for students to enhance their critical thinking skills and become independent learners. Different points of view on…

  3. Translating Research into Classroom Practice: Workplace Independence for Students with Severe Handicaps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Carolyn; And Others

    1989-01-01

    The article describes a process for use in high-school transition programs to promote student independence within the context of vocational training. Strategies described include: evaluating student independence in community-based settings, teaching student adaptability, and transferring control of student independence to work-related stimuli. A…

  4. An independent dose calculation algorithm for MLC-based stereotactic radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lorenz, Friedlieb; Killoran, Joseph H.; Wenz, Frederik; Zygmanski, Piotr

    2007-01-01

    We have developed an algorithm to calculate dose in a homogeneous phantom for radiotherapy fields defined by multi-leaf collimator (MLC) for both static and dynamic MLC delivery. The algorithm was developed to supplement the dose algorithms of the commercial treatment planning systems (TPS). The motivation for this work is to provide an independent dose calculation primarily for quality assurance (QA) and secondarily for the development of static MLC field based inverse planning. The dose calculation utilizes a pencil-beam kernel. However, an explicit analytical integration results in a closed form for rectangular-shaped beamlets, defined by single leaf pairs. This approach reduces spatial integration to summation, and leads to a simple method of determination of model parameters. The total dose for any static or dynamic MLC field is obtained by summing over all individual rectangles from each segment which offers faster speed to calculate two-dimensional dose distributions at any depth in the phantom. Standard beam data used in the commissioning of the TPS was used as input data for the algorithm. The calculated results were compared with the TPS and measurements for static and dynamic MLC. The agreement was very good (<2.5%) for all tested cases except for very small static MLC sizes of 0.6 cmx0.6 cm (<6%) and some ion chamber measurements in a high gradient region (<4.4%). This finding enables us to use the algorithm for routine QA as well as for research developments

  5. Characterization of Ground Displacement Sources from Variational Bayesian Independent Component Analysis of Space Geodetic Time Series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gualandi, Adriano; Serpelloni, Enrico; Elina Belardinelli, Maria; Bonafede, Maurizio; Pezzo, Giuseppe; Tolomei, Cristiano

    2015-04-01

    A critical point in the analysis of ground displacement time series, as those measured by modern space geodetic techniques (primarly continuous GPS/GNSS and InSAR) is the development of data driven methods that allow to discern and characterize the different sources that generate the observed displacements. A widely used multivariate statistical technique is the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which allows to reduce the dimensionality of the data space maintaining most of the variance of the dataset explained. It reproduces the original data using a limited number of Principal Components, but it also shows some deficiencies, since PCA does not perform well in finding the solution to the so-called Blind Source Separation (BSS) problem. The recovering and separation of the different sources that generate the observed ground deformation is a fundamental task in order to provide a physical meaning to the possible different sources. PCA fails in the BSS problem since it looks for a new Euclidean space where the projected data are uncorrelated. Usually, the uncorrelation condition is not strong enough and it has been proven that the BSS problem can be tackled imposing on the components to be independent. The Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is, in fact, another popular technique adopted to approach this problem, and it can be used in all those fields where PCA is also applied. An ICA approach enables us to explain the displacement time series imposing a fewer number of constraints on the model, and to reveal anomalies in the data such as transient deformation signals. However, the independence condition is not easy to impose, and it is often necessary to introduce some approximations. To work around this problem, we use a variational bayesian ICA (vbICA) method, which models the probability density function (pdf) of each source signal using a mix of Gaussian distributions. This technique allows for more flexibility in the description of the pdf of the sources

  6. Independence and Product Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Skeide, Michael

    2003-01-01

    Starting from elementary considerations about independence and Markov processes in classical probability we arrive at the new concept of conditional monotone independence (or operator-valued monotone independence). With the help of product systems of Hilbert modules we show that monotone conditional independence arises naturally in dilation theory.

  7. Validation of tumor protein marker quantification by two independent automated immunofluorescence image analysis platforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peck, Amy R; Girondo, Melanie A; Liu, Chengbao; Kovatich, Albert J; Hooke, Jeffrey A; Shriver, Craig D; Hu, Hai; Mitchell, Edith P; Freydin, Boris; Hyslop, Terry; Chervoneva, Inna; Rui, Hallgeir

    2016-01-01

    Protein marker levels in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections traditionally have been assayed by chromogenic immunohistochemistry and evaluated visually by pathologists. Pathologist scoring of chromogen staining intensity is subjective and generates low-resolution ordinal or nominal data rather than continuous data. Emerging digital pathology platforms now allow quantification of chromogen or fluorescence signals by computer-assisted image analysis, providing continuous immunohistochemistry values. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry offers greater dynamic signal range than chromogen immunohistochemistry, and combined with image analysis holds the promise of enhanced sensitivity and analytic resolution, and consequently more robust quantification. However, commercial fluorescence scanners and image analysis software differ in features and capabilities, and claims of objective quantitative immunohistochemistry are difficult to validate as pathologist scoring is subjective and there is no accepted gold standard. Here we provide the first side-by-side validation of two technologically distinct commercial fluorescence immunohistochemistry analysis platforms. We document highly consistent results by (1) concordance analysis of fluorescence immunohistochemistry values and (2) agreement in outcome predictions both for objective, data-driven cutpoint dichotomization with Kaplan–Meier analyses or employment of continuous marker values to compute receiver-operating curves. The two platforms examined rely on distinct fluorescence immunohistochemistry imaging hardware, microscopy vs line scanning, and functionally distinct image analysis software. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry values for nuclear-localized and tyrosine-phosphorylated Stat5a/b computed by each platform on a cohort of 323 breast cancer cases revealed high concordance after linear calibration, a finding confirmed on an independent 382 case cohort, with concordance correlation coefficients >0

  8. Interference-induced angle-independent acoustical transparency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi, Lehua; Yu, Gaokun; Wang, Ning; Wang, Xinlong; Wang, Guibo

    2014-01-01

    It is revealed that the Fano-like interference leads to the extraordinary acoustic transmission through a slab metamaterial of thickness much smaller than the wavelength, with each unit cell consisting of a Helmholtz resonator and a narrow subwavelength slit. More importantly, both the theoretical analysis and experimental measurement show that the angle-independent acoustical transparency can be realized by grafting a Helmholtz resonator and a quarter-wave resonator to the wall of a narrow subwavelength slit in each unit cell of a slit array. The observed phenomenon results from the interferences between the waves propagating in the slit, those re-radiated by the Helmholtz resonator, and those re-radiated by the quarter-wave resonator. The proposed design may find its applications in designing angle-independent acoustical filters and controlling the phase of the transmitted waves

  9. Memory attacks on device-independent quantum cryptography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, Jonathan; Colbeck, Roger; Kent, Adrian

    2013-01-04

    Device-independent quantum cryptographic schemes aim to guarantee security to users based only on the output statistics of any components used, and without the need to verify their internal functionality. Since this would protect users against untrustworthy or incompetent manufacturers, sabotage, or device degradation, this idea has excited much interest, and many device-independent schemes have been proposed. Here we identify a critical weakness of device-independent protocols that rely on public communication between secure laboratories. Untrusted devices may record their inputs and outputs and reveal information about them via publicly discussed outputs during later runs. Reusing devices thus compromises the security of a protocol and risks leaking secret data. Possible defenses include securely destroying or isolating used devices. However, these are costly and often impractical. We propose other more practical partial defenses as well as a new protocol structure for device-independent quantum key distribution that aims to achieve composable security in the case of two parties using a small number of devices to repeatedly share keys with each other (and no other party).

  10. Semi-device-independent security of one-way quantum key distribution

    OpenAIRE

    Pawlowski, Marcin; Brunner, Nicolas

    2011-01-01

    By testing nonlocality, the security of entanglement-based quantum key distribution (QKD) can be enhanced to being 'device-independent'. Here we ask whether such a strong form of security could also be established for one-way (prepare and measure) QKD. While fully device-independent security is impossible, we show that security can be guaranteed against individual attacks in a semi-device-independent scenario. In the latter, the devices used by the trusted parties are non-characterized, but t...

  11. Organizing Independent Student Work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhadyra T. Zhumasheva

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses issues in organizing independent student work. The author defines the term “independence”, discusses the concepts of independent learner work and independent learner work under the guidance of an instructor, proposes a classification of assignments to be done independently, and provides methodological recommendations as to the organization of independent student work. The article discusses the need for turning the student from a passive consumer of knowledge into an active creator of it, capable of formulating a problem, analyzing the ways of solving it, coming up with an optimum outcome, and proving its correctness. The preparation of highly qualified human resources is the primary condition for boosting Kazakhstan’s competitiveness. Independent student work is a means of fostering the professional competence of future specialists. The primary form of self-education is independent work.

  12. Recognition of an Independent Self-Consciousness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerre, Henrik Jøker

    2009-01-01

    Hegel's concept in the Phenomenology of the Spirit of the "recognition of an independent self-consciousness" is investigated as a point of separation for contemporary philosophy of recognition. I claim that multiculturalism and the theories of recognition (such as Axel Honneth's) based on empiric...... psychology neglect or deny crucial metaphysical aspects of the Hegelian legacy. Instead, I seek to point at an additional, "spiritual", level of recognition, based on the concept of the subject in Lacanian psychoanalysis....

  13. Premaxilla: an independent bone that can base therapeutics for middle third growth!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trevizan, Mariana; Consolaro, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Premaxilla, in its early descriptions, had the participation of Goethe. In our face, in a certain period of growth and development processes, premaxilla is an independent and, then, a semi-independent bone to finally be totally integrated to the maxilla. Formation of the premaxilla acts as a stabilization element inside the facial skeleton comparable to the cornerstone of a Roman arch and is closely related to the development of human face and its abnormal growth with characteristic malformations. Until when the premaxillary-maxillary suture remains open and offers opportunities to orthopedically influence facial growth to exert influence over facial esthetics and function? Contact with preliminary results in 1183 skulls from anatomic museums at USP, Unicamp and Unifesp led us to question therapeutic perspectives and its clinical applicability.

  14. Variance gradients and uncertainty budgets for nonlinear measurement functions with independent inputs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campanelli, Mark; Kacker, Raghu; Kessel, Rüdiger

    2013-01-01

    A novel variance-based measure for global sensitivity analysis, termed a variance gradient (VG), is presented for constructing uncertainty budgets under the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) framework for nonlinear measurement functions with independent inputs. The motivation behind VGs is the desire of metrologists to understand which inputs' variance reductions would most effectively reduce the variance of the measurand. VGs are particularly useful when the application of the first supplement to the GUM is indicated because of the inadequacy of measurement function linearization. However, VGs reduce to a commonly understood variance decomposition in the case of a linear(ized) measurement function with independent inputs for which the original GUM readily applies. The usefulness of VGs is illustrated by application to an example from the first supplement to the GUM, as well as to the benchmark Ishigami function. A comparison of VGs to other available sensitivity measures is made. (paper)

  15. High throughput and accurate serum proteome profiling by integrated sample preparation technology and single-run data independent mass spectrometry analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lin; Zheng, Jiaxin; Yu, Quan; Chen, Wendong; Xing, Jinchun; Chen, Chenxi; Tian, Ruijun

    2018-03-01

    Mass spectrometry (MS)-based serum proteome analysis is extremely challenging due to its high complexity and dynamic range of protein abundances. Developing high throughput and accurate serum proteomic profiling approach capable of analyzing large cohorts is urgently needed for biomarker discovery. Herein, we report a streamlined workflow for fast and accurate proteomic profiling from 1μL of blood serum. The workflow combined an integrated technique for highly sensitive and reproducible sample preparation and a new data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based MS method. Comparing with standard data dependent acquisition (DDA) approach, the optimized DIA method doubled the number of detected peptides and proteins with better reproducibility. Without protein immunodepletion and prefractionation, the single-run DIA analysis enables quantitative profiling of over 300 proteins with 50min gradient time. The quantified proteins span more than five orders of magnitude of abundance range and contain over 50 FDA-approved disease markers. The workflow allowed us to analyze 20 serum samples per day, with about 358 protein groups per sample being identified. A proof-of-concept study on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) serum samples confirmed the feasibility of the workflow for large scale serum proteomic profiling and disease-related biomarker discovery. Blood serum or plasma is the predominant specimen for clinical proteomic studies while the analysis is extremely challenging for its high complexity. Many efforts had been made in the past for serum proteomics for maximizing protein identifications, whereas few have been concerned with throughput and reproducibility. Here, we establish a rapid, robust and high reproducible DIA-based workflow for streamlined serum proteomic profiling from 1μL serum. The workflow doesn't need protein depletion and pre-fractionation, while still being able to detect disease-relevant proteins accurately. The workflow is promising in clinical application

  16. Task Selection, Task Switching and Multitasking during Computer-Based Independent Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd, Terry

    2015-01-01

    Detailed logs of students' computer use, during independent study sessions, were captured in an open-access computer laboratory. Each log consisted of a chronological sequence of tasks representing either the application or the Internet domain displayed in the workstation's active window. Each task was classified using a three-tier schema…

  17. Device-independent entanglement certification of all entangled states

    OpenAIRE

    Bowles, Joseph; Šupić, Ivan; Cavalcanti, Daniel; Acín, Antonio

    2018-01-01

    We present a method to certify the entanglement of all bipartite entangled quantum states in a device-independent way. This is achieved by placing the state in a quantum network and constructing a correlation inequality based on an entanglement witness for the state. Our method is device-independent, in the sense that entanglement can be certified from the observed statistics alone, under minimal assumptions on the underlying physics. Conceptually, our results borrow ideas from the field of s...

  18. Performance of an open-source heart sound segmentation algorithm on eight independent databases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chengyu; Springer, David; Clifford, Gari D

    2017-08-01

    Heart sound segmentation is a prerequisite step for the automatic analysis of heart sound signals, facilitating the subsequent identification and classification of pathological events. Recently, hidden Markov model-based algorithms have received increased interest due to their robustness in processing noisy recordings. In this study we aim to evaluate the performance of the recently published logistic regression based hidden semi-Markov model (HSMM) heart sound segmentation method, by using a wider variety of independently acquired data of varying quality. Firstly, we constructed a systematic evaluation scheme based on a new collection of heart sound databases, which we assembled for the PhysioNet/CinC Challenge 2016. This collection includes a total of more than 120 000 s of heart sounds recorded from 1297 subjects (including both healthy subjects and cardiovascular patients) and comprises eight independent heart sound databases sourced from multiple independent research groups around the world. Then, the HSMM-based segmentation method was evaluated using the assembled eight databases. The common evaluation metrics of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, as well as the [Formula: see text] measure were used. In addition, the effect of varying the tolerance window for determining a correct segmentation was evaluated. The results confirm the high accuracy of the HSMM-based algorithm on a separate test dataset comprised of 102 306 heart sounds. An average [Formula: see text] score of 98.5% for segmenting S1 and systole intervals and 97.2% for segmenting S2 and diastole intervals were observed. The [Formula: see text] score was shown to increases with an increases in the tolerance window size, as expected. The high segmentation accuracy of the HSMM-based algorithm on a large database confirmed the algorithm's effectiveness. The described evaluation framework, combined with the largest collection of open access heart sound data, provides essential resources for

  19. Identification of independent modules in fault trees which contain dependent basic events

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, H.; Andrews, J.D.

    2004-01-01

    The reliability performance of a system is frequently a function of component failures of which some are independent whilst others are interdependent. It is possible to represent the system failure logic in a fault tree diagram, however only the sections containing independent events can be assessed using the conventional fault tree analysis methodology. The analysis of the dependent sections will require a Markov analysis. Since the efficiency of the Markov analysis largely depends on the size of the established Markov model, the key is to extract from the fault tree the smallest sections which contain dependencies. This paper proposes a method aimed at establishing the smallest Markov model for the dependencies contained within the fault tree

  20. α-Cut method based importance measure for criticality analysis in fuzzy probability – Based fault tree analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purba, Julwan Hendry; Sony Tjahyani, D.T.; Widodo, Surip; Tjahjono, Hendro

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •FPFTA deals with epistemic uncertainty using fuzzy probability. •Criticality analysis is important for reliability improvement. •An α-cut method based importance measure is proposed for criticality analysis in FPFTA. •The α-cut method based importance measure utilises α-cut multiplication, α-cut subtraction, and area defuzzification technique. •Benchmarking confirm that the proposed method is feasible for criticality analysis in FPFTA. -- Abstract: Fuzzy probability – based fault tree analysis (FPFTA) has been recently developed and proposed to deal with the limitations of conventional fault tree analysis. In FPFTA, reliabilities of basic events, intermediate events and top event are characterized by fuzzy probabilities. Furthermore, the quantification of the FPFTA is based on fuzzy multiplication rule and fuzzy complementation rule to propagate uncertainties from basic event to the top event. Since the objective of the fault tree analysis is to improve the reliability of the system being evaluated, it is necessary to find the weakest path in the system. For this purpose, criticality analysis can be implemented. Various importance measures, which are based on conventional probabilities, have been developed and proposed for criticality analysis in fault tree analysis. However, not one of those importance measures can be applied for criticality analysis in FPFTA, which is based on fuzzy probability. To be fully applied in nuclear power plant probabilistic safety assessment, FPFTA needs to have its corresponding importance measure. The objective of this study is to develop an α-cut method based importance measure to evaluate and rank the importance of basic events for criticality analysis in FPFTA. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed measure, a case study is performed and its results are then benchmarked to the results generated by the four well known importance measures in conventional fault tree analysis. The results

  1. Predictive factors for achieving independent walking in children with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzegar, Mohammad; Toopchizadeh, Vahideh; Maher, Mohammad H K; Sadeghi, Paria; Jahanjoo, Fatemeh; Pishgahi, Alireza

    2017-08-01

    BackgroundTo determine the predictors of achieving independent walking at 2 and 6 months after onset of weakness in children with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).MethodsChildren with GBS admitted to the Tabriz Children's Hospital were studied prospectively. All patients had frequent clinical evaluations until achieving independent walking. Unaided walking at 2 and 6 months and factors influencing these outcomes were determined using both univariate and multiple analyses.ResultsBetween 2003 and 2014, 324 children (mean age: 5.3±3.66 years) were admitted. The mean duration to independent walking was 2.97±3.02 months; 90.5% of patients could walk independently at 6 months. In the univariate analysis, disability score of >3 (P=0.03), autonomic nerve involvement (P=0.003), cranial nerve involvement (P=0.008), and absent compound muscle action potential (CMAP; P=0.048) were found to be significantly associated with poor walking outcome at 6 months. In the multivariate analysis, cranial nerve involvement (P=0.008) and absence of CMAP (P=0.022) were independently associated with poor functional outcome.ConclusionDisability score >3, cranial and autonomic nerve involvement, and absence of CMAP were predictors of independent walking in childhood GBS in this study; early rehabilitation program may prevent further impairments secondary to immobility in these patients.

  2. Operation method study based on the energy balance of an independent microgrid using solar-powered water electrolyzer and an electric heat pump

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obara, Shin'ya; Watanabe, Seizi; Rengarajan, Balaji

    2011-01-01

    A completely energy-independent microgrid (green microgrid) was examined in this work with the aims of abating greenhouse gas emissions by spreading the use of green energy, providing energy backup systems for disaster, and increasing the energy utilization efficiency with the use of exhaust heat. This paper analyzed the energy supply to six houses in a cold region. The green microgrid consisted of photovoltaics, water electrolyzers, proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEFCs), and heat pumps. To investigate the operation method and the capacity of each piece of equipment in the arrangement, a distributed system with two or more sets of equipment and a central system with one set of equipment were analyzed by a genetic algorithm. By introducing the prior energy need pattern of a cold region into the proposed system, the operation method and equipment capacity based on the power and heat balance were clarified. By introducing the partial load performance of a water electrolyzer and a PEFC into the analysis program, the operation method of each system was investigated. It was found that the area of a solar cell of a distributed system could be reduced by 12% as compared to a central system. -- Highlights: → A completely energy-independent microgrid (green microgrid) was planned. → The green microgrid consisted of photovoltaics, water electrolyzers, PEM-FCs, and heat pumps. → Operation of a concentrated system and a distributed system. → Investigate of the operation method and the capacity of each piece of equipment.

  3. Cognitive Component Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Feng, Ling

    2008-01-01

    This dissertation concerns the investigation of the consistency of statistical regularities in a signaling ecology and human cognition, while inferring appropriate actions for a speech-based perceptual task. It is based on unsupervised Independent Component Analysis providing a rich spectrum...... of audio contexts along with pattern recognition methods to map components to known contexts. It also involves looking for the right representations for auditory inputs, i.e. the data analytic processing pipelines invoked by human brains. The main ideas refer to Cognitive Component Analysis, defined...... as the process of unsupervised grouping of generic data such that the ensuing group structure is well-aligned with that resulting from human cognitive activity. Its hypothesis runs ecologically: features which are essentially independent in a context defined ensemble, can be efficiently coded as sparse...

  4. SU-E-T-48: A Multi-Institutional Study of Independent Dose Verification for Conventional, SRS and SBRT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, R; Kamima, T; Tachibana, H; Baba, H; Itano, M; Yamazaki, T; Ishibashi, S; Higuchi, Y; Shimizu, H; Yamamoto, T; Yamashita, M; Sugawara, Y; Sato, A; Nishiyama, S; Kawai, D; Miyaoka, S

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To show the results of a multi-institutional study of the independent dose verification for conventional, Stereotactic radiosurgery and body radiotherapy (SRS and SBRT) plans based on the action level of AAPM TG-114. Methods: This study was performed at 12 institutions in Japan. To eliminate the bias of independent dose verification program (Indp), all of the institutions used the same CT-based independent dose verification software (Simple MU Analysis, Triangle Products, JP) with the Clarkson-based algorithm. Eclipse (AAA, PBC), Pinnacle 3 (Adaptive Convolve) and Xio (Superposition) were used as treatment planning system (TPS). The confidence limits (CL, Mean±2SD) for 18 sites (head, breast, lung, pelvis, etc.) were evaluated in comparison in dose between the TPS and the Indp. Results: A retrospective analysis of 6352 treatment fields was conducted. The CLs for conventional, SRS and SBRT were 1.0±3.7 %, 2.0±2.5 % and 6.2±4.4 %, respectively. In conventional plans, most of the sites showed within 5 % of TG-114 action level. However, there were the systematic difference (4.0±4.0 % and 2.5±5.8 % for breast and lung, respectively). In SRS plans, our results showed good agreement compared to the action level. In SBRT plans, the discrepancy between the Indp was variable depending on dose calculation algorithms of TPS. Conclusion: The impact of dose calculation algorithms for the TPS and the Indp affects the action level. It is effective to set the site-specific tolerances, especially for the site where inhomogeneous correction can affect dose distribution strongly

  5. SU-E-T-48: A Multi-Institutional Study of Independent Dose Verification for Conventional, SRS and SBRT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takahashi, R; Kamima, T [The Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCR, Koto-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Tachibana, H; Baba, H [National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan); Itano, M; Yamazaki, T [Inagi Municipal Hospital, Inagi, Tokyo (Japan); Ishibashi, S; Higuchi, Y [Sasebo City General Hospital, Sasebo, Nagasaki (Japan); Shimizu, H [Kitasato University Medical Center, Kitamoto, Saitama (Japan); Yamamoto, T [Otemae Hospital, Chuou-ku, Osaka-city (Japan); Yamashita, M [Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo (Japan); Sugawara, Y [The National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Sato, A [Itabashi Central General Hospital, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Nishiyama, S [Kuki General Hospital, Kuki, Saitama (Japan); Kawai, D [Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokohama, Kanagawa-prefecture (Japan); Miyaoka, S [Kamitsuga General Hospital, Kanuma, Tochigi (Japan)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To show the results of a multi-institutional study of the independent dose verification for conventional, Stereotactic radiosurgery and body radiotherapy (SRS and SBRT) plans based on the action level of AAPM TG-114. Methods: This study was performed at 12 institutions in Japan. To eliminate the bias of independent dose verification program (Indp), all of the institutions used the same CT-based independent dose verification software (Simple MU Analysis, Triangle Products, JP) with the Clarkson-based algorithm. Eclipse (AAA, PBC), Pinnacle{sup 3} (Adaptive Convolve) and Xio (Superposition) were used as treatment planning system (TPS). The confidence limits (CL, Mean±2SD) for 18 sites (head, breast, lung, pelvis, etc.) were evaluated in comparison in dose between the TPS and the Indp. Results: A retrospective analysis of 6352 treatment fields was conducted. The CLs for conventional, SRS and SBRT were 1.0±3.7 %, 2.0±2.5 % and 6.2±4.4 %, respectively. In conventional plans, most of the sites showed within 5 % of TG-114 action level. However, there were the systematic difference (4.0±4.0 % and 2.5±5.8 % for breast and lung, respectively). In SRS plans, our results showed good agreement compared to the action level. In SBRT plans, the discrepancy between the Indp was variable depending on dose calculation algorithms of TPS. Conclusion: The impact of dose calculation algorithms for the TPS and the Indp affects the action level. It is effective to set the site-specific tolerances, especially for the site where inhomogeneous correction can affect dose distribution strongly.

  6. Distance-independent individual tree diameter-increment model for Thuya [Tetraclinis articulata (VAHL. MAST.] stands in Tunisia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Sghaier

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim of study: The aim of the work was to develop an individual tree diameter-increment model for Thuya (Tetraclinis articulata in Tunisia.Area of study: The natural Tetraclinis articulata stands at Jbel Lattrech in north-eastern of Tunisia.Material and methods:  Data came from 200 trees located in 50 sample plots. The diameter at age t and the diameter increment for the last five years obtained from cores taken at breast height were measured for each tree. Four difference equations derived from the base functions of Richards, Lundqvist, Hossfeld IV and Weibull were tested using the age-independent formulations of the growth functions. Both numerical and graphical analyses were used to evaluate the performance of the candidate models.Main results: Based on the analysis, the age-independent difference equation derived from the base function Richards model was selected. Two of the three parameters (growth rate and shape parameter of the retained model were related to site quality, represented by a Growth Index, stand density and the basal area in larger trees divided by diameter of the subject tree expressing the inter-tree competition.Research highlights: The proposed model can be useful for predicting the diameter growth of Tetraclinis articulata in Tunisia when age is not available or for trees growing in uneven-aged stands.Keywords: Age-independent growth model; difference equations; Tetraclinis articulata; Tunisia.

  7. A simple iterative independent component analysis algorithm for vibration source signal identification of complex structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-Sup Lee

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Independent Component Analysis (ICA, one of the blind source separation methods, can be applied for extracting unknown source signals only from received signals. This is accomplished by finding statistical independence of signal mixtures and has been successfully applied to myriad fields such as medical science, image processing, and numerous others. Nevertheless, there are inherent problems that have been reported when using this technique: insta- bility and invalid ordering of separated signals, particularly when using a conventional ICA technique in vibratory source signal identification of complex structures. In this study, a simple iterative algorithm of the conventional ICA has been proposed to mitigate these problems. The proposed method to extract more stable source signals having valid order includes an iterative and reordering process of extracted mixing matrix to reconstruct finally converged source signals, referring to the magnitudes of correlation coefficients between the intermediately separated signals and the signals measured on or nearby sources. In order to review the problems of the conventional ICA technique and to vali- date the proposed method, numerical analyses have been carried out for a virtual response model and a 30 m class submarine model. Moreover, in order to investigate applicability of the proposed method to real problem of complex structure, an experiment has been carried out for a scaled submarine mockup. The results show that the proposed method could resolve the inherent problems of a conventional ICA technique.

  8. Mutual information, perceptual independence, and holistic face perception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitousi, Daniel

    2013-07-01

    The concept of perceptual independence is ubiquitous in psychology. It addresses the question of whether two (or more) dimensions are perceived independently. Several authors have proposed perceptual independence (or its lack thereof) as a viable measure of holistic face perception (Loftus, Oberg, & Dillon, Psychological Review 111:835-863, 2004; Wenger & Ingvalson, Learning, Memory, and Cognition 28:872-892, 2002). According to this notion, the processing of facial features occurs in an interactive manner. Here, I examine this idea from the perspective of two theories of perceptual independence: the multivariate uncertainty analysis (MUA; Garner & Morton, Definitions, models, and experimental paradigms. Psychological Bulletin 72:233-259, 1969), and the general recognition theory (GRT; Ashby & Townsend, Psychological Review 93:154-179, 1986). The goals of the study were to (1) introduce the MUA, (2) examine various possible relations between MUA and GRT using numerical simulations, and (3) apply the MUA to two consensual markers of holistic face perception(-)recognition of facial features (Farah, Wilson, Drain, & Tanaka, Psychological Review 105:482-498, 1998) and the composite face effect (Young, Hellawell, & Hay, Perception 16:747-759, 1987). The results suggest that facial holism is generated by violations of several types of perceptual independence. They highlight the important theoretical role played by converging operations in the study of holistic face perception.

  9. An independent assessment of Groeneveld et al.'s 1995 CHF look-up table

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baek, W.-P.; Kim, H.-C.; Heung Chang, S.

    1997-01-01

    The prediction capability of the 1995 CHF look-up table (Groeneveld D.C., et al., Nucl. Eng. Des. 163 (1996) 1-23) is independently assessed based on the KAIST data base consisting of 10822 data for uniformly-heated, vertical, round tubes. This confirms the error statistics for the heat balance method reported by Groeneveld et al. and shows overall average and RMS errors of 4.2 and 36.7%, respectively, for the direct substitution method. The new 1995 table shows better prediction capability than the 1986 AECL-UO table (Groeneveld et al., 1986), especially for the low-pressure, low-flow region. The error analysis indicates the length effect even for significantly long tubes. (orig.)

  10. MOLEonline 2.0: interactive web-based analysis of biomacromolecular channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berka, Karel; Hanák, Ondrej; Sehnal, David; Banás, Pavel; Navrátilová, Veronika; Jaiswal, Deepti; Ionescu, Crina-Maria; Svobodová Vareková, Radka; Koca, Jaroslav; Otyepka, Michal

    2012-07-01

    Biomolecular channels play important roles in many biological systems, e.g. enzymes, ribosomes and ion channels. This article introduces a web-based interactive MOLEonline 2.0 application for the analysis of access/egress paths to interior molecular voids. MOLEonline 2.0 enables platform-independent, easy-to-use and interactive analyses of (bio)macromolecular channels, tunnels and pores. Results are presented in a clear manner, making their interpretation easy. For each channel, MOLEonline displays a 3D graphical representation of the channel, its profile accompanied by a list of lining residues and also its basic physicochemical properties. The users can tune advanced parameters when performing a channel search to direct the search according to their needs. The MOLEonline 2.0 application is freely available via the Internet at http://ncbr.muni.cz/mole or http://mole.upol.cz.

  11. On the k-independence required by linear probing and minwise independence

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pǎtraşcu, Mihai; Thorup, Mikkel

    2016-01-01

    We show that linear probing requires 5-independent hash functions for expected constant-time performance, matching an upper bound of Pagh et al. [2009]. More precisely, we construct a random 4-independent hash function yielding expected logarithmic search time for certain keys. For (1 + ε......)-approximate minwise independence, we show that Ω(lg1 ε)-independent hash functions are required, matching an upper bound of Indyk [2001]. We also show that the very fast 2-independent multiply-shift scheme of Dietzfelbinger [1996] fails badly in both applications....

  12. Premaxilla: an independent bone that can base therapeutics for middle third growth!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Trevizan

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Premaxilla, in its early descriptions, had the participation of Goethe. In our face, in a certain period of growth and development processes, premaxilla is an independent and, then, a semi-independent bone to finally be totally integrated to the maxilla. Formation of the premaxilla acts as a stabilization element inside the facial skeleton comparable to the cornerstone of a Roman arch and is closely related to the development of human face and its abnormal growth with characteristic malformations. Until when the premaxillary-maxillary suture remains open and offers opportunities to orthopedically influence facial growth to exert influence over facial esthetics and function? Contact with preliminary results in 1183 skulls from anatomic museums at USP, Unicamp and Unifesp led us to question therapeutic perspectives and its clinical applicability.

  13. Signal-independent timescale analysis (SITA) and its application for neural coding during reaching and walking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zacksenhouse, Miriam; Lebedev, Mikhail A; Nicolelis, Miguel A L

    2014-01-01

    What are the relevant timescales of neural encoding in the brain? This question is commonly investigated with respect to well-defined stimuli or actions. However, neurons often encode multiple signals, including hidden or internal, which are not experimentally controlled, and thus excluded from such analysis. Here we consider all rate modulations as the signal, and define the rate-modulations signal-to-noise ratio (RM-SNR) as the ratio between the variance of the rate and the variance of the neuronal noise. As the bin-width increases, RM-SNR increases while the update rate decreases. This tradeoff is captured by the ratio of RM-SNR to bin-width, and its variations with the bin-width reveal the timescales of neural activity. Theoretical analysis and simulations elucidate how the interactions between the recovery properties of the unit and the spectral content of the encoded signals shape this ratio and determine the timescales of neural coding. The resulting signal-independent timescale analysis (SITA) is applied to investigate timescales of neural activity recorded from the motor cortex of monkeys during: (i) reaching experiments with Brain-Machine Interface (BMI), and (ii) locomotion experiments at different speeds. Interestingly, the timescales during BMI experiments did not change significantly with the control mode or training. During locomotion, the analysis identified units whose timescale varied consistently with the experimentally controlled speed of walking, though the specific timescale reflected also the recovery properties of the unit. Thus, the proposed method, SITA, characterizes the timescales of neural encoding and how they are affected by the motor task, while accounting for all rate modulations.

  14. Independent game development – Developers’ reflections in postmortems

    OpenAIRE

    Suorsa, Noora

    2017-01-01

    Independent computer games have gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. Digital distribution methods and networks have made it possible for indie games to find more players, and get an easier access to markets, and get noticed by the consumers, than it was during the traditional brick and mortar shop based retail and console game dominant era. The increased popularity and number of indie games and developers has made indie games an interesting research area. Research of independent ...

  15. Bridging asymptotic independence and dependence in spatial exbtremes using Gaussian scale mixtures

    KAUST Repository

    Huser, Raphaël

    2017-06-23

    Gaussian scale mixtures are constructed as Gaussian processes with a random variance. They have non-Gaussian marginals and can exhibit asymptotic dependence unlike Gaussian processes, which are asymptotically independent except in the case of perfect dependence. In this paper, we study the extremal dependence properties of Gaussian scale mixtures and we unify and extend general results on their joint tail decay rates in both asymptotic dependence and independence cases. Motivated by the analysis of spatial extremes, we propose flexible yet parsimonious parametric copula models that smoothly interpolate from asymptotic dependence to independence and include the Gaussian dependence as a special case. We show how these new models can be fitted to high threshold exceedances using a censored likelihood approach, and we demonstrate that they provide valuable information about tail characteristics. In particular, by borrowing strength across locations, our parametric model-based approach can also be used to provide evidence for or against either asymptotic dependence class, hence complementing information given at an exploratory stage by the widely used nonparametric or parametric estimates of the χ and χ̄ coefficients. We demonstrate the capacity of our methodology by adequately capturing the extremal properties of wind speed data collected in the Pacific Northwest, US.

  16. Bridging asymptotic independence and dependence in spatial exbtremes using Gaussian scale mixtures

    KAUST Repository

    Huser, Raphaë l; Opitz, Thomas; Thibaud, Emeric

    2017-01-01

    Gaussian scale mixtures are constructed as Gaussian processes with a random variance. They have non-Gaussian marginals and can exhibit asymptotic dependence unlike Gaussian processes, which are asymptotically independent except in the case of perfect dependence. In this paper, we study the extremal dependence properties of Gaussian scale mixtures and we unify and extend general results on their joint tail decay rates in both asymptotic dependence and independence cases. Motivated by the analysis of spatial extremes, we propose flexible yet parsimonious parametric copula models that smoothly interpolate from asymptotic dependence to independence and include the Gaussian dependence as a special case. We show how these new models can be fitted to high threshold exceedances using a censored likelihood approach, and we demonstrate that they provide valuable information about tail characteristics. In particular, by borrowing strength across locations, our parametric model-based approach can also be used to provide evidence for or against either asymptotic dependence class, hence complementing information given at an exploratory stage by the widely used nonparametric or parametric estimates of the χ and χ̄ coefficients. We demonstrate the capacity of our methodology by adequately capturing the extremal properties of wind speed data collected in the Pacific Northwest, US.

  17. Understanding the drive to escort: a cross-sectional analysis examining parental attitudes towards children’s school travel and independent mobility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mammen George

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The declining prevalence of Active School Transportation (AST has been accompanied by a decrease in independent mobility internationally. The objective of this study was to compare family demographics and AST related perceptions of parents who let their children walk unescorted to/from school to those parents who escort (walk and drive their children to/from school. By comparing these groups, insight was gained into how we may encourage greater AST and independent mobility in youth living in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Canada. Methods This study involved a cross-sectional design, using data from a self-reported questionnaire (n =1,016 that examined parental perceptions and attitudes regarding AST. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the differences between households where children travelled independently to school or were escorted. Results Findings revealed that unescorted children were: significantly older, the families spoke predominantly English at home, more likely to live within one kilometer from school, and their parents agreed to a greater extent that they chose to reside in the current neighborhood in order for their child to walk to/from school. The parents of the escorted children worried significantly more about strangers and bullies approaching their child as well as the traffic volume around school. Conclusions From both a policy and research perspective, this study highlights the value of distinguishing between mode (i.e., walking or driving and travel independence. For policy, our findings highlight the need for planning decisions about the siting of elementary schools to include considerations of the impact of catchment size on how children get to/from school. Given the importance of age, distance, and safety issues as significant correlates of independent mobility, research and practice should focus on the development and sustainability of non-infrastructure programs

  18. Halo-independent methods for inelastic dark matter scattering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozorgnia, Nassim; Schwetz, Thomas; Herrero-Garcia, Juan; Zupan, Jure

    2013-01-01

    We present halo-independent methods to analyze the results of dark matter direct detection experiments assuming inelastic scattering. We focus on the annual modulation signal reported by DAMA/LIBRA and present three different halo-independent tests. First, we compare it to the upper limit on the unmodulated rate from XENON100 using (a) the trivial requirement that the amplitude of the annual modulation has to be smaller than the bound on the unmodulated rate, and (b) a bound on the annual modulation amplitude based on an expansion in the Earth's velocity. The third test uses the special predictions of the signal shape for inelastic scattering and allows for an internal consistency check of the data without referring to any astrophysics. We conclude that a strong conflict between DAMA/LIBRA and XENON100 in the framework of spin-independent inelastic scattering can be established independently of the local properties of the dark matter halo

  19. Model-independent particle accelerator tuning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Scheinker

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available We present a new model-independent dynamic feedback technique, rotation rate tuning, for automatically and simultaneously tuning coupled components of uncertain, complex systems. The main advantages of the method are: (1 it has the ability to handle unknown, time-varying systems, (2 it gives known bounds on parameter update rates, (3 we give an analytic proof of its convergence and its stability, and (4 it has a simple digital implementation through a control system such as the experimental physics and industrial control system (EPICS. Because this technique is model independent it may be useful as a real-time, in-hardware, feedback-based optimization scheme for uncertain and time-varying systems. In particular, it is robust enough to handle uncertainty due to coupling, thermal cycling, misalignments, and manufacturing imperfections. As a result, it may be used as a fine-tuning supplement for existing accelerator tuning/control schemes. We present multiparticle simulation results demonstrating the scheme’s ability to simultaneously adaptively adjust the set points of 22 quadrupole magnets and two rf buncher cavities in the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE Linear Accelerator’s transport region, while the beam properties and rf phase shift are continuously varying. The tuning is based only on beam current readings, without knowledge of particle dynamics. We also present an outline of how to implement this general scheme in software for optimization, and in hardware for feedback-based control/tuning, for a wide range of systems.

  20. Metabonomics Analysis of Plasma Reveals the Lactate to Cholesterol Ratio as an Independent Prognostic Factor of Short-Term Mortality in Acute Heart Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desmoulin, Franck; Galinier, Michel; Trouillet, Charlotte; Berry, Matthieu; Delmas, Clément; Turkieh, Annie; Massabuau, Pierre; Taegtmeyer, Heinrich; Smih, Fatima; Rouet, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    Objective Mortality in heart failure (AHF) remains high, especially during the first days of hospitalization. New prognostic biomarkers may help to optimize treatment. The aim of the study was to determine metabolites that have a high prognostic value. Methods We conducted a prospective study on a training cohort of AHF patients (n = 126) admitted in the cardiac intensive care unit and assessed survival at 30 days. Venous plasmas collected at admission were used for 1H NMR – based metabonomics analysis. Differences between plasma metabolite profiles allow determination of discriminating metabolites. A cohort of AHF patients was subsequently constituted (n = 74) to validate the findings. Results Lactate and cholesterol were the major discriminating metabolites predicting 30-day mortality. Mortality was increased in patients with high lactate and low total cholesterol concentrations at admission. Accuracies of lactate, cholesterol concentration and lactate to cholesterol (Lact/Chol) ratio to predict 30-day mortality were evaluated using ROC analysis. The Lact/Chol ratio provided the best accuracy with an AUC of 0.82 (P ratio ≥ 0.4 (cutoff value with 82% sensitivity and 64% specificity) were significant independent predictors of 30-day mortality with hazard ratios (HR) of 1.11, 4.77 and 3.59, respectively. In CS patients, the HR of 30-day mortality risk for plasma Lact/Chol ratio ≥ 0.4 was 3.26 compared to a Lact/Chol ratio of ratio for 30-day mortality outcome was confirmed with the independent validation cohort. Conclusion This study identifies the plasma Lact/Chol ratio as a useful objective and simple parameter to evaluate short term prognostic and could be integrated into quantitative guidance for decision making in heart failure care. PMID:23573279