Effect of Different Structure Type Traffic On Railway Line Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gleba Radosław

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The article points to methods of analyzing railway traffic conditions based on two parameters: capacity and delay of trains. The impact of the differentiated railway type structure on the capacity of the railway line was presented. Particular attention has been paid to the assessment of commonly used simplifications in analyzes.

Train turn restrictions and line plan performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burggraeve, Sofie; Bull, Simon Henry; Lusby, Richard Martin

In this paper we study the impact of the `turn conditions' in end stations on the performance of a line plan. If trains have to turn on their platform in an end station, the yoccupy the platform for several minutes. A more preferred option, from a timetabling point of view, would be that a train...... in a exible and large enough shunt. Starting from a given line plan, we compare two timetables, one where trains have to turn on their platform and one where trains can turn in a shunt. We evaluate the impact on the performance of the line plan by its feasibility for timetabling,the minimum overall buffer...... disappears from the platform in its end station after dwelling and only appears again when departing for a subsequent trip. In this case, the train will not interfere with other trains that dwell on the platform during the time between these events. However, this option is only possible if the train can stay...

Analysis of Power Network for Line Reactance Variation to Improve Total Transmission Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ikram Ullah

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The increasing growth in power demand and the penetration of renewable distributed generations in competitive electricity market demands large and flexible capacity from the transmission grid to reduce transmission bottlenecks. The bottlenecks cause transmission congestion, reliability problems, restrict competition, and limit the maximum dispatch of low cost generations in the network. The electricity system requires efficient utilization of the current transmission capability to improve the Available Transfer Capability (ATC. To improve the ATC, power flow among the lines can be managed by using Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS devices as power flow controllers, which alter the parameters of power lines. It is important to place FACTS devices on suitable lines to vary the reactance for improving Total Transmission Capacity (TTC of the network and provide flexibility in the power flow. In this paper a transmission network is analyzed based on line parameters variation to improve TTC of the interconnected system. Lines are selected for placing FACTS devices based on real power flow Performance Index (PI sensitivity factors. TTC is computed using the Repeated Power Flow (RPF method using the constraints of lines thermal limits, bus voltage limits and generator limits. The reactance of suitable lines, selected on the basis of PI sensitivity factors are changed to divert the power flow to other lines with enough transfer capacity available. The improvement of TTC using line reactance variation is demonstrated with three IEEE test systems with multi-area networks. The results show the variation of the selected lines’ reactance in improving TTC for all the test networks with defined contingency cases.

Communicative Planning As Institutional Capacity Building: From Discourse/Network To Opportunity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delik Hudalah

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The paper redefines the ideas about communicative planning as not only participatory and democratic practice but also capacity building oriented toward the improvement of governance styles and consciousness. So far capacity building has focused on the exploitation of social resources internal to actors. These internal resources include knowledge (argumentation, debate, discourse formation etc and relational (network, coalition, alliance etc building. The paper argues that in dealing with very complex planning problems characterized by fragmented and uncertain institutional systems, the internal resources need to be coupled with the exploration of resources external to actors, namely the political opportunity structure and moment of opportunity. The analysis implies that the performance of communicative decision-making process as capacity building can be assessed in three aspects: strategic and inclusive actors’ involvement, the building of actors’ awareness on neglected but important planning issues and agendas, and consistency and deliberation in realizing and delivering agreed planning ideas, frameworks and decisions.

Pricing and Capacity Planning Problems in Energy Transmission Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villumsen, Jonas Christoffer

strategy. In the Nordic electricity system a market with zonal prices is adopted. We consider the problem of designing zones in an optimal way explicitly considering uncertainty. Finally, we formulate the integrated problem of pipeline capacity expansion planning and transmission pricing in natural gas...... necessitates a radical change in the way we plan and operate energy systems. Another paradigm change which began in the 1990’s for electricity systems is that of deregulation. This has led to a variety of different market structures implemented across the world. In this thesis we discuss capacity planning...... and transmission pricing problems in energy transmission networks. Although the modelling framework applies to energy networks in general, most of the applications discussed concern the transmission of electricity. A number of the problems presented involves transmission switching, which allows the operator...

Scenario calculations for the 2012 grid development plan. Overdimensioned HVDC transmission lines; Szenarienrechnungen zum Netzentwicklungsplan (NEP) 2012. HGUe-Leitungen ueberdimensioniert

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oei, Pao-Yu; Sander, Aram; Hankel, Lisa; Laurisch, Lilian; Lorenz, Casimir [Technische Univ. Berlin (Germany); Schroeder, Andreas [Deutsches Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung, Berlin (Germany)

2012-09-15

The grid development plan presented in June 2012 by the German Federal Network Agency envisages a large number of new AC and DC transmission lines for Germany. The purpose of these transmission lines is to facilitate the point-to-point transport of electricity produced from renewable resources to load centres. The authors present a model-assisted analysis of the impact of these transmission lines on the structure of electricity production. They also investigate to what extent an increase in storage capacity and the steering of demand can serve as alternatives to grid expansion.

Model for Assembly Line Re-Balancing Considering Additional Capacity and Outsourcing to Face Demand Fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Samadhi, TMAA; Sumihartati, Atin

2016-02-01

The most critical stage in a garment industry is sewing process, because generally, it consists of a number of operations and a large number of sewing machines for each operation. Therefore, it requires a balancing method that can assign task to work station with balance workloads. Many studies on assembly line balancing assume a new assembly line, but in reality, due to demand fluctuation and demand increased a re-balancing is needed. To cope with those fluctuating demand changes, additional capacity can be carried out by investing in spare sewing machine and paying for sewing service through outsourcing. This study develops an assembly line balancing (ALB) model on existing line to cope with fluctuating demand change. Capacity redesign is decided if the fluctuation demand exceeds the available capacity through a combination of making investment on new machines and outsourcing while considering for minimizing the cost of idle capacity in the future. The objective of the model is to minimize the total cost of the line assembly that consists of operating costs, machine cost, adding capacity cost, losses cost due to idle capacity and outsourcing costs. The model develop is based on an integer programming model. The model is tested for a set of data of one year demand with the existing number of sewing machines of 41 units. The result shows that additional maximum capacity up to 76 units of machine required when there is an increase of 60% of the average demand, at the equal cost parameters..

Building hospital capacity planning mechanisms in Poland: The impact of 2016/2017 regulatory changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna; Sowada, Christoph; Domagała, Alicja; Więckowska, Barbara

2018-02-07

Capacity planning is a crucial component of modern health care governance. The aim of this paper is to analyze the requirements that need to be met to build effective hospital capacity planning mechanisms in Poland. In this context, the recent regulatory changes strongly influencing hospital sector functioning, including introduction of health care needs maps, capital investment assessment, and hospital network regulations, are analyzed. Some possible ways forward, based on review of international experiences in hospital capacity planning, are discussed. Applied methods include literature review and analysis of statistical data as well as desk analysis of key national regulations related to hospital sector. Results indicate that at the system level, the process of capacity planning involves 4 elements: capital investment in facilities, equipment, and technology; service delivery; allocation of staff; and financial resources. For hospital capacity planning to be effective, the strategic decision at the macrolevel must be complemented by appropriate management of individual hospitals. The major challenge of building hospital capacity planning mechanism in Poland is imbedding it into the overall health system strategy. Because of the lack of such a strategy, the practical implementation of the ad hoc changes, which have been introduced, shows some inconsistencies. The regulations implemented between 2016 and 2017 provided a basis for hospital capacity planning, yet still need evaluation and adjustments. Also, including a mechanism for human resources planning is of crucial importance. The regulations should provide incentives for reducing oversized hospital infrastructure with simultaneous development of the long-term and coordinated care models. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Planning Decrements in Healthy Aging: Mediation Effects of Fluid Reasoning and Working Memory Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Köstering, Lena; Leonhart, Rainer; Stahl, Christoph; Weiller, Cornelius; Kaller, Christoph P

2016-03-01

Although age-related differences in planning ability are well known, their cognitive foundations remain a matter of contention. To elucidate the specific processes underlying planning decrements in older age, the relative contributions of fluid reasoning, working memory (WM) capacity, and processing speed to accuracy on the Tower of London (TOL) planning task were investigated. Mediation analyses were used to relate overall and search depth-related TOL accuracy from older (N = 106; 60-89 years) and younger adults (N = 69; 18-54 years) to age and measures of fluid reasoning, WM capacity, and speed. For overall planning, fluid abilities mediated the effects of age, WM capacity, and speed in older adults. By contrast, fluid abilities and WM capacity mediated each other in younger adults. For planning accuracy under low demands on the depth of search, WM capacity was specifically important in older age, whereas younger adults recruited both WM capacity and fluid reasoning. Under high search-depth-demands, fluid abilities underlay the cognitive operations critical for resolving move interdependencies in both age groups. Fluid abilities and WM capacity undergo significant changes from younger to older age in their unique contribution to planning, which might represent a mechanism whereby planning decrements in older age are brought about. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Learners’ processes during pre-task planning and Working Memory Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria da Gloria Tavares

2016-01-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-8026.2016v69n1p79 The present study is part of a larger scale research (Guará-Tavares, 2011, 2013 that investigates the relationship among working memory capacity, pre-task planning, and L2 speech performance. The aim of the study was to analyze 1 what processes learners engage during pre-task planning, and 2 whether higher and lower working memory spans engage in different processes during pre-task planning. Learners’ processes were accessed by means of think aloud protocols and a retrospective interview. Working memory capacity was measured by the Speaking Span Test. Results show that learners engage mainly in organization of ideas, rehearsal, lexical searches, and monitoring.. Moreover, higher spans employ significantly more metacognitive strategies during planning when compared to lower spans.

BALANCE CAPACITY WITH VARIABILITY CAUSED BY HUMAN FACTOR: AN APPLICATION IN A LINE WITH MONTE CARLO SIMULATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Augusto Sandes Mendes

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The variation in processing times due to the human factor between the working stations of a production line can generate queues resulting in a higher cost to the productive process. The objective of this study was to apply Monte Carlo simulation to balance the capacity of a production line with stations suffering variability in processing time due to the human factor. Simulations of the current situation of the production line were performed by comparing it with a proposal to align capacity with the production restriction in order to reduce inventories process while maintaining full capacity of the line. To develop the study, the selection involves the case of a company’s production line in the metal industry that produces machinery and products for metalworking area. The results allowed pointing suggestions for the company to reduce in-process inventory, keeping then total capacity of the line.

Integrating Robot Task Planning into Off-Line Programming Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Hongyan; Kroszynski, Uri

1988-01-01

a system architecture for integrated robot task planning. It identifies and describes the components considered necessary for implementation. The focus is on functionality of these elements as well as on the information flow. A pilot implementation of such an integrated system architecture for a robot......The addition of robot task planning in off-line programming systems aims at improving the capability of current state-of-the-art commercially available off-line programming systems, by integrating modeling, task planning, programming and simulation together under one platform. This article proposes...... assembly task is discussed....

Power generation capacity planning under budget constraint in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afful-Dadzie, Anthony; Afful-Dadzie, Eric; Awudu, Iddrisu; Banuro, Joseph Kwaku

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A long term stochastic GEP model with budget constraint is developed. • Model suitable for analyzing GEP problems in developing countries. • Model determines optimal mix, size and timing of future generation capacity needs. • A real case study of the Ghana GEP problem was employed. • Insufficient budget leads to costly generation capacity expansion plans. - Abstract: This paper presents a novel multi-period stochastic optimization model for studying long-term power generation capacity planning in developing countries. A stylized model is developed to achieve three objectives: (1) to serve as a tool for determining optimal mix, size and timing of power generation types in the face of budget constraint, (2) to help decision makers appreciate the consequences of capacity expansion decisions on level of unserved electricity demand and its attendant impact on the national economy, and (3) to encourage the habit of periodic savings towards new generation capacity financing. The problem is modeled using a stochastic mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) technique under demand uncertainty. The effectiveness of the model, together with valuable insights derived from considering different levels of budget constraints are demonstrated using Ghana as a case study. The results indicate that at an annual savings equivalent to 0.75% of GDP, Ghana could finance the needed generation capacity to meet approximately 95% of its annual electricity demand between 2016 and 2035. Additionally, it is observed that as financial constraint becomes tighter, decisions on the mix of new generation capacities tend to be more costly compared to when sufficient funds are available.

Railway line capacity consumption of different railway signalling systems under scheduled and disturbed conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goverde, R.M.P.; Corman, F.; D'Ariano, A.

2013-01-01

This paper evaluates the capacity consumption on a Dutch railway line both under scheduled and disturbed traffic conditions. For the scheduled condition the standard UIC compression method is used, while the computation of capacity consumption under disturbed conditions requires multiple simulation

Research, Calculation for Designing the Technological Equipment Line of Cementation with 3,000 Tonnes of Solid Waste/Year Capacity for ZOC Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran Van Hoa; Ngo Van Tuyen; Nguyen Ba Tien; Le Ba Thuan; Phung Quoc Khanh; Mai Duc Lanh; Vuong Huu Anh; Luu Cao Nguyen; Duong Dinh Tho; Phung Vu Phong; Nguyen An Thai; Pham Quang Minh

2013-01-01

Technological process and equipment line for cementation with 3,000 tons of solid wastes/year capacity for ZOC plant was studied according to the quantity, the composition and the property of solid wastes from ZOC plant. The influence of several parameters with cementation process such as cement mixing ratio, size, moisture and NaCl content in residue, which affected to mechanical and chemical strength of waste block after cementation was evaluated. The calculation and designing for cementation equipment line were thus conducted and total investment cost of construction and installation as well as operation of this equipment line was also estimated. Radiation safety and environmental protection for waste treatment facility was calculated and the design on radiation safety and environmental protection for equipment line was proposed. Technological process and design document of this production line seemed to be reasonable because it is consistent with properties of wastes as well as it has been commonly used in the world to stabilize solid residues in nuclear industry. The advantages of this propose were simple structure of the devices, locally made, easy operation, locally available and inexpensive materials resulting in low cost of investment and operation. (author)

Planning for partnerships: Maximizing surge capacity resources through service learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Lavonne M; Reams, Paula K; Canclini, Sharon B

2015-01-01

Infectious disease outbreaks and natural or human-caused disasters can strain the community's surge capacity through sudden demand on healthcare activities. Collaborative partnerships between communities and schools of nursing have the potential to maximize resource availability to meet community needs following a disaster. This article explores how communities can work with schools of nursing to enhance surge capacity through systems thinking, integrated planning, and cooperative efforts.

Improving resource capacity planning in hospitals with business approaches.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Lent, Wineke Agnes Marieke; van Lent, W.A.M.

2011-01-01

This dissertation contributed to the knowledge on the translation of approaches from businesses and services to improve the resource capacity planning on tactical and operational level in (oncologic) hospital care. The following studies were presented: * Chapter 2 surveyed the business approaches

The EPA-Wide Plan to Provide Solid Waste Management Capacity Assistance to Tribes

Science.gov (United States)

This Plan is a strategy for building tribal capacity to manage solid waste. The Plan promotes the development and implementation of integrated waste management plans and describes how EPA will prioritize its resources to maximize environmental benefits.

Characterization Plan for Soils Around Drain Line PLA-100115

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. Shanklin

2006-05-24

This Characterization Plan supports the Hazardous Waste Management Act/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (HWMA/RCRA) closure of soils that may have been contaminated by releases from drain line PLA-100115, located within the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center at the Idaho National Laboratory Site. The requirements to address the closure of soils contaminated by a potential release from this line in a characterization plan was identified in the "HWMA/RCRA Less Than 90-day Generator Closure Report for the VES-SFE-126."

Actual practical considerations about overhead line engineering. Planning of overhead lines is booming; Aktuelle praktische Betrachtung der Freileitungstechnik. Freileitungsplanung boomt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bueckner, W.F.

2007-04-30

The power breakdowns we encountered in March 2006 due to extreme weather conditions and in November 2006 due to overload of overhead lines made overhead line techniques more interesting. After pausing for decades, technical development and investments for overhead lines in Germany become necessary again, meaning reconstructions and new constructions worth several millions of investment. An additional reason for this is given by the Federal Government's request for the construction of new power plants and overhead lines as well as by the energy plan of the EU-Commission. The power supplier have begun planning already. These plans require new and economical overhead lines. Proposals and practical examples are shown in the following article.

A Decision Support System for Ship Maintenance Capacity Planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, R.; Schutten, Johannes M.J.; Zijm, Willem H.M.

1997-01-01

In this paper, the basic framework and algorithms of a decision support system are discussed, which enhance process and capacity planning at a large repair shop. The research is strongly motivated by experiences in a project carried out at a dockyard, which performs repair, overhaul and modification

The Capacity to Integrate and Deal with Environmental Issues in Local Transport Policy and Planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Carsten Jahn

2002-01-01

The article identifies and discuss the capacity to integrate and deal with environmental issues in local transport policy-making and planning processes.......The article identifies and discuss the capacity to integrate and deal with environmental issues in local transport policy-making and planning processes....

Efficient on-line setup correction strategies using plan-intent functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, Harry; Jaffray, David A.; Rosewall, Tara; White, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

With the introduction of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) delivery systems on-line set-up correction strategies have gained in popularity. Usually, the correction workload of these strategies is high compared to off-line strategies as daily setup corrections have to be performed based on a predefined action level. In this work, it is proposed that on-line strategies must not only be judged in terms of workload but also in terms of efficacy. While workload can be easily predicted for such strategies, the efficacy must ultimately reflect the efficiency with which the original treatment plan intent is met. The purpose of this work is to investigate the tradeoff between workload and efficacy of three different on-line set-up correction strategies: The common fixed action level strategy and two novel on-line setup correction strategies, i.e., a dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraint and an equivalent uniform dose (EUD) score strategy that aim directly for better compliance with original treatment plan intent. All strategies were reformulated in terms of a score function that reflected treatment plan intent. A retrospective study was conducted on 5 prostate patients (7-field conformal, 79.8 Gy, 42 fractions). PTV margins were 10 mm except in the posterior direction (7 mm). The original treatment plan intent for these patients was defined using a set of DVH constraints. The results show that the on-line setup correction strategy based on a fixed action level of 3 mm resulted in a considerable correction workload. For larger action levels, a dose benefit (in terms of EUD) in the rectum and bladder was observed for all patients which is clinically ''fortuitous'' but difficult to take advantage of. In contrast, the application of the two novel strategies generally resulted in a controlled decrease of the dose to the rectum and the bladder with a smaller workload. It is concluded that using information about target anatomy and the planned dose distribution allows the

Planning the most suitable travel speed for high frequency railway lines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex; Kaas, Anders H.

2005-01-01

the interlocking system. Based on the braking distance it is possible to calculate the minimum headway time, and thereby determine the buffer time when knowing the frequency. Hence the headway time can be divided into minimum headway time and buffer time. The buffer time is an indicator for the spare capacity......This paper presents a new method to calculate the most suitable travel speed for high frequency railway lines to achieve as much capacity as possible for congested railway lines. The method calculates the most suitable travel speed based on the braking distance and information about...

Adaptive Planning: Understanding Organizational Workload to Capability/ Capacity through Modeling and Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Hase, Chris

2010-01-01

In August 2003, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) established the Adaptive Planning (AP) initiative [1] with an objective of reducing the time necessary to develop and revise Combatant Commander (COCOM) contingency plans and increase SECDEF plan visibility. In addition to reducing the traditional plan development timeline from twenty-four months to less than twelve months (with a goal of six months)[2], AP increased plan visibility to Department of Defense (DoD) leadership through In-Progress Reviews (IPRs). The IPR process, as well as the increased number of campaign and contingency plans COCOMs had to develop, increased the workload while the number of planners remained fixed. Several efforts from collaborative planning tools to streamlined processes were initiated to compensate for the increased workload enabling COCOMS to better meet shorter planning timelines. This paper examines the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP) directed contingency planning and staffing requirements assigned to a combatant commander staff through the lens of modeling and simulation. The dynamics of developing a COCOM plan are captured with an ExtendSim [3] simulation. The resulting analysis provides a quantifiable means by which to measure a combatant commander staffs workload associated with development and staffing JSCP [4] directed contingency plans with COCOM capability/capacity. Modeling and simulation bring significant opportunities in measuring the sensitivity of key variables in the assessment of workload to capability/capacity analysis. Gaining an understanding of the relationship between plan complexity, number of plans, planning processes, and number of planners with time required for plan development provides valuable information to DoD leadership. Through modeling and simulation AP leadership can gain greater insight in making key decisions on knowing where to best allocate scarce resources in an effort to meet DoD planning objectives.

Capacity Planning for Batch and Perfusion Bioprocesses Across Multiple Biopharmaceutical Facilities

OpenAIRE

Siganporia, Cyrus C; Ghosh, Soumitra; Daszkowski, Thomas; Papageorgiou, Lazaros G; Farid, Suzanne S

2014-01-01

Production planning for biopharmaceutical portfolios becomes more complex when products switch between fed-batch and continuous perfusion culture processes. This article describes the development of a discrete-time mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model to optimize capacity plans for multiple biopharmaceutical products, with either batch or perfusion bioprocesses, across multiple facilities to meet quarterly demands. The model comprised specific features to account for products with fe...

Impact of Operating Rules on Planning Capacity Expansion of Urban Water Supply Systems

Science.gov (United States)

de Neufville, R.; Galelli, S.; Tian, X.

2017-12-01

This study addresses the impact of operating rules on capacity planning of urban water supply systems. The continuous growth of metropolitan areas represents a major challenge for water utilities, which often rely on industrial water supply (e.g., desalination, reclaimed water) to complement natural resources (e.g., reservoirs). These additional sources increase the reliability of supply, equipping operators with additional means to hedge against droughts. How do their rules for using industrial water supply impact the performance of water supply system? How might it affect long-term plans for capacity expansion? Possibly significantly, as demonstrated by the analysis of the operations and planning of a water supply system inspired by Singapore. Our analysis explores the system dynamics under multiple inflow and management scenarios to understand the extent to which alternative operating rules for the use of industrial water supply affect system performance. Results first show that these operating rules can have significant impact on the variability in system performance (e.g., reliability, energy use) comparable to that of hydro-climatological conditions. Further analyses of several capacity expansion exercises—based on our original hydrological and management scenarios—show that operating rules significantly affect the timing and magnitude of critical decisions, such as the construction of new desalination plants. These results have two implications: Capacity expansion analysis should consider the effect of a priori uncertainty about operating rules; and operators should consider how their flexibility in operating rules can affect their perceived need for capacity.

The Effects of Pre-Task Planning and On-line Planning on Fluency, Complexity, and Accuracy in L2 Monologic Oral Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Fangyuan; Ellis, Rod

2003-01-01

Investigated the effects of both pre-task and on-line planning on second language (L2) oral production. Results show that pre-task planning enhances grammatical complexity while on-line planning positively influences accuracy and grammatical complexity. Pre-task planners also produced more fluent and lexically varied language than the on-line…

Capacity planning of a wide-sense nonblocking generalized survivable network

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Kwok Shing; Cheung, Kwok Wai

2006-06-01

Generalized survivable networks (GSNs) have two interesting properties that are essential attributes for future backbone networks--full survivability against link failures and support for dynamic traffic demands. GSNs incorporate the nonblocking network concept into the survivable network models. Given a set of nodes and a topology that is at least two-edge connected, a certain minimum capacity is required for each edge to form a GSN. The edge capacity is bounded because each node has an input-output capacity limit that serves as a constraint for any allowable traffic demand matrix. The GSN capacity planning problem is nondeterministic polynomial time (NP) hard. We first give a rigorous mathematical framework; then we offer two different solution approaches. The two-phase approach is fast, but the joint optimization approach yields a better bound. We carried out numerical computations for eight networks with different topologies and found that the cost of a GSN is only a fraction (from 52% to 89%) more than that of a static survivable network.

Building capacity for energy and electricity planning for sustainable development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-09-01

The IAEA, through its Planning and Economic Studies Section (PESS), assists Member States to build their capacities to perform analyses for developing alternative strategies for sustainable energy development, evaluate the energy-economic-environmental implications and assess the potential contribution of nuclear energy in securing affordable and clean supplies of energy

Capacity planning and management

OpenAIRE

Boydell, Briony

2011-01-01

After reading this chapter you should be able to: • Define and measure capacity and appreciate the factors that influence it. • Assess the difficulties of matching capacity to demand. • Evaluate and apply the different strategies for matching capacity with demand in the short, medium and long term. • Analyse the impact of constraints and bottlenecks on a process and consider the Theory of Constraints. • Outline the different strategies available for both manufacturing and service operations. ...

Determination of planning capacity and layout criteria of outdoor recreation projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lier, van H.N.

1973-01-01

When meeting the increasing demand for outdoor recreation projects, problems arise concerning location, planning capacity and layout. A system has been developed to solve the two last mentioned problems. Special attention is paid to inland beaches in the Netherlands. To apply the system two

Study of Parameters that Determine Railway Line Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josip Kukec

2005-07-01

Full Text Available In this work the study focuses on:- determining the elements required to determine the locationfor the installation of the main signals,- calculated block lengths, and- calculations of optimal head ways, that have not been studiedin detail although they deserve special attention due totheir impact.Generally speaking, the signals are installed in compliancewith the local circumstances, i. e. according to the technicaland technological characteristics and conditions determinedby the traffic places of work they protect.The distribution and length of the blocks depend on: therailway line and its exploitation characteristics, structure andtype of trains that run on the railway line, traffic organisationand signalisation system, as well as technical and exploitationcharacte1istics of the traction vehicles and the rolling stock.What has to be considered is that the minimum section lengthcannot be shorter than the length of the braking distance, i. e.the length of the longest train which runs on the respective railwayline.The study of these parameters is supplemented by the calculationof the reduction in throughput capacity depending on thelack of uniformity in the operation of trains, which, in order tomaintain the design quality of the transportation se1vice, and inthe activities of establishing and implementing the business policyshouldn't be left out nor bypassed.

Study plan for evaluating carrying capacity: Measure 7.1A of the Northwest Power Planning Council's 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program. Report 2 of 4, Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neitzel, D.A.; Johnson, G.E.

1996-05-01

This report is one report of four that the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff used to address Measure 7.1A in the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) fish and Wildlife Program (Program) dated December 1994 (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.1A calls for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to fund an evaluation of salmon survival, ecology, carrying capacity, and limiting factors in freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats. Additionally, the Measure asks for the development of a study plan based on the critical uncertainties and research needs identified during the evaluation. In the evaluation of carrying capacity the authors concluded that defining capacity and listing the determinants of capacity is not a simple exercise. Capacity is a complex variable among the attributes that all together define salmon performance. To pursue the capacity parameter, that is, a single number or set of numbers that quantify how many salmon the basin or any part of the basin can support, will not lead to the development of a useful study plan. To increase understanding of ecology, carrying capacity, and limiting factors, it is necessary to deal with the complexity of the sustained performance of salmon in the Columbia River Basin. This report describes the elements of a study plan that could be used to increase the understanding of ecology, carrying capacity, and limiting factors that influence salmon survival under current conditions

Marketing plan for Pharmacare product line in the Moscow region Case Oriola-KD

OpenAIRE

Mashkilleyson, Peter

2012-01-01

The thesis was commissioned by Oriola-KD. It deals with a marketing plan for a product line called Pharmacare. The product line will be launched in 2012 in the Moscow region in the Russian Federation. The purpose of this thesis was to acquire useful information about the Moscow market for the target company and produce a marketing plan that they can implement. The research question was how to create an effective marketing plan and what it entails. The literary review consisted of the theo...

Engineering task plan for steam line ramp calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeSantis, G.N.; Freeman, R.D.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this document is to provide an approved work plan to perform calculations that verify the load limits of a proposed ramp over a steam line at the back side (East side) of SY Farm in support of work package 2W-94-00812/K. The objective of this supporting document is to provide Operations with a set of checked calculations that verify the ramp over the steam line at SY Farm will support a fully loaded concrete mixer truck without affecting the steam line. The calculations will be performed by an engineers from Facility Systems and independently checked and reviewed by another engineer. The calculations may then be added to the work package. If Operations decides to make any configuration changes to the steam line or surrounding area, Operations shall have these changes documented by an Engineering Change Notice (ECN). This ECN can be done by Facility Systems or any other engineering organization at the direction of Operations

Capacity planning for batch and perfusion bioprocesses across multiple biopharmaceutical facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Siganporia, Cyrus C; Ghosh, Soumitra; Daszkowski, Thomas; Papageorgiou, Lazaros G; Farid, Suzanne S

2014-01-01

Production planning for biopharmaceutical portfolios becomes more complex when products switch between fed-batch and continuous perfusion culture processes. This article describes the development of a discrete-time mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model to optimize capacity plans for multiple biopharmaceutical products, with either batch or perfusion bioprocesses, across multiple facilities to meet quarterly demands. The model comprised specific features to account for products with fed-batch or perfusion culture processes such as sequence-dependent changeover times, continuous culture constraints, and decoupled upstream and downstream operations that permit independent scheduling of each. Strategic inventory levels were accounted for by applying cost penalties when they were not met. A rolling time horizon methodology was utilized in conjunction with the MILP model and was shown to obtain solutions with greater optimality in less computational time than the full-scale model. The model was applied to an industrial case study to illustrate how the framework aids decisions regarding outsourcing capacity to third party manufacturers or building new facilities. The impact of variations on key parameters such as demand or titres on the optimal production plans and costs was captured. The analysis identified the critical ratio of in-house to contract manufacturing organization (CMO) manufacturing costs that led the optimization results to favor building a future facility over using a CMO. The tool predicted that if titres were higher than expected then the optimal solution would allocate more production to in-house facilities, where manufacturing costs were lower. Utilization graphs indicated when capacity expansion should be considered. © 2014 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

The Planning of Straight Line Trajectory in Robotics Using Interactive Graphics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kesheng Wang

1987-07-01

Full Text Available The planning of straight line trajectory using the interactive computer graphics simulation of robot manipulator movement is discussed. This new approach to straight line motion planning improves the 'bound deviation joint paths' developed by R. M. Taylor (1979. The new approach has three characteristics: (1 linear interpolation in joint space; (2 unequal intervals for interpolating knot points; (3 using interactive computer graphics to assure that the maximum deviation in the whole segment is less than the pre-specified values. The structure and mathematical basis of a computer program developed for this purpose are presented.

Development of a regional capacity expansion plan in the Russian Federation. Application of the WASP Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernilin, Yu.; Kononov, S.; Zakharova, E.; Kagramanyan, V.; Malenkov, A.

1997-01-01

The Wien Automatic System Planning Package (WASP) is used for the development of optimal capacity expansion plans in Russia. The object of the WASP study is the Central power pool, which is the largest power pool in Russia and has an essential share of nuclear power in electricity generation. The objective of the study is to assess the long-term competitiveness of nuclear power in the region. The major features of the power system analyzed with WASP are the following: 1) four types of electricity generators are considered: condensity fossil fuel plants, cogeneration fossil fuel plants, nuclear power plants and hydraulic plants; 2) nine fuel categories are considered: gas/fuel oil fuel, several types of coal and several nuclear fuels; 3) escalation of capital, operation and maintenance, and fuel costs as a result of economic transition is explicitly modeled. Under these assumptions, a regional optimal capacity expansion plan is developed that showed the following: (a) Until 2004 there is no need for new electricity generation capacities due to the drop in demand in the 90s, certain lifetime margin of existing capacities, committed additions of co-generators and planned refurbishment/repowering measures; (b) The structure of the optimal capacity mix confirms that nuclear power can retain its role as one of the major electricity generation sources in the region. The most important factor with a positive of effect upon the competitiveness of nuclear power plants is the projected escalation of the prices of fossil fuels; (c) The application of WASP has proved that the model can serve as a valuable planning tool at the power pool level in Russia. (author). 14 refs, 8 figs, 10 tabs

Development of a regional capacity expansion plan in the Russian Federation. Application of the WASP Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chernilin, Yu; Kononov, S; Zakharova, E [Russian Research Inst. ` ` Kurchatov Inst.` ` , Moscow (Russian Federation); Kagramanyan, V; Malenkov, A [Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk (Russian Federation)

1997-09-01

The Wien Automatic System Planning Package (WASP) is used for the development of optimal capacity expansion plans in Russia. The object of the WASP study is the Central power pool, which is the largest power pool in Russia and has an essential share of nuclear power in electricity generation. The objective of the study is to assess the long-term competitiveness of nuclear power in the region. The major features of the power system analyzed with WASP are the following: 1) four types of electricity generators are considered: condensity fossil fuel plants, cogeneration fossil fuel plants, nuclear power plants and hydraulic plants; 2) nine fuel categories are considered: gas/fuel oil fuel, several types of coal and several nuclear fuels; 3) escalation of capital, operation and maintenance, and fuel costs as a result of economic transition is explicitly modeled. Under these assumptions, a regional optimal capacity expansion plan is developed that showed the following: (a) Until 2004 there is no need for new electricity generation capacities due to the drop in demand in the 90s, certain lifetime margin of existing capacities, committed additions of co-generators and planned refurbishment/repowering measures; (b) The structure of the optimal capacity mix confirms that nuclear power can retain its role as one of the major electricity generation sources in the region. The most important factor with a positive of effect upon the competitiveness of nuclear power plants is the projected escalation of the prices of fossil fuels; (c) The application of WASP has proved that the model can serve as a valuable planning tool at the power pool level in Russia. (author). 14 refs, 8 figs, 10 tabs.

Analysis quality of content digital plan of cadastre lines (underground installation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marinković Goran

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents the results of research quality digital geodetic plans lines and underground installations. The study included the creation of a digital geodetic plan sewerage network vectorization of analogue geodetic plans and creation of digital geodetic plan of the same details from the original data survey and maintenance survey. Based on research results the analysis of the accuracy and reliability digital geodetic plan created vectoring analogue plan or 'digitizing from the screen'. The results obtained in this work, the can be use not only in the Republic of Serbia, but also in other countries where digitalization of geodetic plans are increasingly gaining in importance.

Optimal Capacity Proportion and Distribution Planning of Wind, Photovoltaic and Hydro Power in Bundled Transmission System

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, X.; Tang, Q.; Li, T.; Wang, Y. L.; Zhang, X.; Ye, S. Y.

2017-05-01

The wind, photovoltaic and hydro power bundled transmission system attends to become common in Northwest and Southwest of China. To make better use of the power complementary characteristic of different power sources, the installed capacity proportion of wind, photovoltaic and hydro power, and their capacity distribution for each integration node is a significant issue to be solved in power system planning stage. An optimal capacity proportion and capacity distribution model for wind, photovoltaic and hydro power bundled transmission system is proposed here, which considers the power out characteristic of power resources with different type and in different area based on real operation data. The transmission capacity limit of power grid is also considered in this paper. Simulation cases are tested referring to one real regional system in Southwest China for planning level year 2020. The results verify the effectiveness of the model in this paper.

Comparisons of recent growth in actual demand, planned demand, and planned generating capacity at U. S. electric utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bopp, A.E. (James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA (United States))

1994-12-01

During the winter of 1993, a number of U.S. electric utilities and some regional power pools discovered that current load exceeded generating capacity. Load restrictions followed, as entire regions-not just isolated utilities or even states-cut back. Was 1993 a typical, or simply a preview of the future If a preview, how did this shortage occur For a number of years, utilities, regulatory agencies, and power pools have been planning to add capacity at a much lower rate than the rate at which load has been growing. The National Electricity Reliability Council (NERC) has projected that eight of it's nine regions will have demand growth exceed capacity growth. The only region where capacity is growing faster is in the Texas Region. There are four reasons behind this shortage: excess capacity in the 1980's, disbelief in current forecasts, passage of the Clean Air act bringing stricter regulation on power plants, and the herd mentality where utilities have all delayed new plant construction.

Environmental impacts of power plants and transmission lines in power system planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miracapillo, C.; Moreschini, G.; Rome Univ. 'La Sapienza'

1992-01-01

This paper deals with a criterion to assess the environmental impacts of power plants and transmission lines in power system planning. First, the effects of hydro-plants, thermal plants and transmission lines are reviewed. Then, a number of methods for the evaluation of the environmental impacts of civil and industrial plants are described. A new criterion is proposed to introduce the evaluation of the environmental impact and related costs into methods for power system planning. Finally, the criterion is applied to a simple case

An optimisation approach for capacity planning: modelling insights and empirical findings from a tactical perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréa Nunes Carvalho

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract The academic literature presents a research-practice gap on the application of decision support tools to address tactical planning problems in real-world organisations. This paper addresses this gap and extends a previous action research relative to an optimisation model applied for tactical capacity planning in an engineer-to-order industrial setting. The issues discussed herein raise new insights to better understand the practical results that can be achieved through the proposed model. The topics presented include the modelling of objectives, the representation of the production process and the costing approach, as well as findings regarding managerial decisions and the scope of action considered. These insights may inspire ideas to academics and practitioners when developing tools for capacity planning problems in similar contexts.

Creation of inpatient capacity during a major hospital relocation: lessons for disaster planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Jen, Howard C; Shew, Stephen B; Atkinson, James B; Rosenthal, J Thomas; Hiatt, Jonathan R

2009-09-01

To identify tools to aid the creation of disaster surge capacity using a model of planned inpatient census reduction prior to relocation of a university hospital. Prospective analysis of hospital operations for 1-week periods beginning 2 weeks (baseline) and 1 week (transition) prior to move day; analysis of regional hospital and emergency department capacity. Large metropolitan university teaching hospital. Hospital census figures and patient outcomes. Census was reduced by 36% from 537 at baseline to 345 on move day, a rate of 18 patients/d (P emergency operations was unchanged. Hospital admissions were decreased by 42%, and the adjusted discharges per occupied bed were increased by 8% (both P capacity to absorb new patients was limited. During a period in which southern California population grew by 8.5%, acute care beds fell by 3.3%, while Los Angeles County emergency departments experienced a 13% diversion rate due to overcrowding. Local or regional disasters of any size can overwhelm the system's ability to respond. Our strategy produced a surge capacity of 36% without interruption of emergency department and trauma services but required 3 to 4 days for implementation, making it applicable to disasters and mass casualty events with longer lead times. These principles may aid in disaster preparedness and planning.

Capacity Planning for Batch and Perfusion Bioprocesses Across Multiple Biopharmaceutical Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

Siganporia, Cyrus C; Ghosh, Soumitra; Daszkowski, Thomas; Papageorgiou, Lazaros G; Farid, Suzanne S

2014-01-01

Production planning for biopharmaceutical portfolios becomes more complex when products switch between fed-batch and continuous perfusion culture processes. This article describes the development of a discrete-time mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model to optimize capacity plans for multiple biopharmaceutical products, with either batch or perfusion bioprocesses, across multiple facilities to meet quarterly demands. The model comprised specific features to account for products with fed-batch or perfusion culture processes such as sequence-dependent changeover times, continuous culture constraints, and decoupled upstream and downstream operations that permit independent scheduling of each. Strategic inventory levels were accounted for by applying cost penalties when they were not met. A rolling time horizon methodology was utilized in conjunction with the MILP model and was shown to obtain solutions with greater optimality in less computational time than the full-scale model. The model was applied to an industrial case study to illustrate how the framework aids decisions regarding outsourcing capacity to third party manufacturers or building new facilities. The impact of variations on key parameters such as demand or titres on the optimal production plans and costs was captured. The analysis identified the critical ratio of in-house to contract manufacturing organization (CMO) manufacturing costs that led the optimization results to favor building a future facility over using a CMO. The tool predicted that if titres were higher than expected then the optimal solution would allocate more production to in-house facilities, where manufacturing costs were lower. Utilization graphs indicated when capacity expansion should be considered. © 2013 The Authors Biotechnology Progress published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:594–606, 2014 PMID:24376262

Optimal Planning Method of On-load Capacity Regulating Distribution Transformers in Urban Distribution Networks after Electric Energy Replacement Considering Uncertainties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Su

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Electric energy replacement is the umbrella term for the use of electric energy to replace oil (e.g., electric automobiles, coal (e.g., electric heating, and gas (e.g., electric cooking appliances, which increases the electrical load peak, causing greater valley/peak differences. On-load capacity regulating distribution transformers have been used to deal with loads with great valley/peak differences, so reasonably replacing conventional distribution transformers with on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers can effectively cope with load changes after electric energy replacement and reduce the no-load losses of distribution transformers. Before planning for on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers, the nodal effective load considering uncertainties within the life cycle after electric energy replacement was obtained by a Monte Carlo method. Then, according to the loss relation between on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers and conventional distribution transformers, three characteristic indexes of annual continuous apparent power curve and replacement criteria for on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers were put forward in this paper, and a set of distribution transformer replaceable points was obtained. Next, based on cost benefit analysis, a planning model of on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers which consists of investment profitability index within the life cycle, investment cost recouping index and capacity regulating cost index was put forward. The branch and bound method was used to solve the planning model within replaceable point set to obtain upgrading and reconstruction scheme of distribution transformers under a certain investment. Finally, planning analysis of on-load capacity regulating distribution transformers was carried out for electric energy replacement points in one urban distribution network under three scenes: certain load, uncertain load and nodal

Carrying Capacity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schroll, Henning; Andersen, Jan; Kjærgård, Bente

2012-01-01

A spatial planning act was introduced inIndonesia 1992 and renewed in 2008. It emphasised the planning role of decentralised authorities. The spatial planning act covers both spatial and environmental issues. It defines the concept of carrying capacity and includes definitions of supportive....../cities. Four different sectors (water, food production, waste, and forests) were selected as core areas for decentralised spatial planning. Indicators for SCC and ACC were identified and assessed with regard to relevance and quantifiability. For each of the indicators selected, a legal threshold or guiding...... was introduced inIndonesia 1992 and renewed in 2008. It emphasised the planning role of decentralised authorities. The spatial planning act covers both spatial and environmental issues. It defines the concept of carrying capacity and includes definitions of supportive carrying capacity (SCC) and assimilative...

Dynamic supply chain network design with capacity planning and multi-period pricing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fattahi, Mohammad; Mahootchi, Masoud; Govindan, Kannan

2015-01-01

This paper addresses a new problem in designing and planning a multi-echelon and multi-product supply chain network over a multi-period horizon in which customer zones have price-sensitive demands. Based on price-demand relationships, a generic method is presented to obtain price levels...... for products and then, a mixed-integer linear programming model is developed. Due to the problem intractability, a simulated annealing algorithm that uses some developed linear relaxation-based heuristics for capacity planning and pricing is presented. Numerical results demonstrate the significance...

A Case Study of Line-of-Balance based Schedule Planning and Control System

OpenAIRE

Seppänen, Olli; Aalto, Erno

2005-01-01

Line-of-Balance is a graphical technique which can be used to plan and manage work flow. It is suit-able for construction projects because of their large degree of repetition. Despite its strengths Line-of-Balance has not gained widespread use in construction industry internationally. However, it has been used as the principal scheduling tool in Finland since 1980s. As a result of two decades of research and use in industry, a comprehensive schedule planning and control system has been develo...

HVDC-System-Interaction Assessment through Line-Flow Change-Distribution Factor and Transient-Stability Analysis at Planning Stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungchul Hwang

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Many of the recent projects for new transmission line have considered the high-voltage direct current (HVDC system, owing to the many advantages of the direct current (DC system. The most noteworthy advantage is that a cable can serve as a substitute for the overhead transmission line in residential areas; therefore, the HVDC system application is increasing, and as the number of DC systems in the power system increases, the interaction assessment regarding the HVDC system gains importance. An index named multi-infeed interaction factor (MIIF is commonly used to estimate the interaction between power converters; however, the HVDC system is composed of two converters and a transmission line. The MIIF represents the interaction between the rectifiers and inverters, but not for the whole system. In this work, a method to assess the interaction of the whole system was therefore studied. To decide on the location of the new HVDC transmission system at the planning stage, in consideration of the interaction of the existing DC system, the line flow change distribution factor, according to the HVDC-transmission capacity change, was examined. Also, a power system transient -stability analysis was performed with different HVDC system locations, depending on the distribution factor. The simulation results indicate that when the factor is higher, two HVDC systems have a stronger interaction and are less stable in the transient state.

Organizational factors, planning capacity, and integration challenges constrain provincial planning processes for nutrition in decentralizing Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapping, Karin; Frongillo, Edward A; Nguyen, Phuong H; Coates, Jennifer; Webb, Patrick; Menon, Purnima

2014-09-01

Translating national policies and guidelines into effective action at the subnational level (e.g., province or region) is a prerequisite for ensuring an impact on nutrition. In several countries, including Vietnam, the focus of this paper, this process is affected by the quality of the decentralized process of planning and action. This study examined how provincial planning processes for nutrition occurred in Vietnam during 2009 and 2010. Key goals were to understand variability in processes across provinces, identify factors that influenced the process, and assess the usefulness of the process for individuals involved in planning and action. A qualitative case-study methodology was used. Data were drawn from interviews with 51 government officials in eight provinces. The study found little variability in the planning process among these eight provinces, probably due to a planning process that was predominantly a fiscal exercise within the confines of a largely centralized structure. Respondents were almost unanimous about the main barriers: a top-down approach to planning, limited human capacity for effective planning at subnational levels, and difficulty in integrating actions from multiple sectors. Provincial-level actors were deeply dissatisfied with the nature of their role in the process. Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, too much power is probably still retained at the central level. A strategic multiyear approach is needed to strengthen the provincial planning process and address many of the key barriers identified in this study.

Coupling and corona effects research plan for transmission lines. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bridges, J E; Formanek, V C

1976-06-01

Concern has arisen over the possible effects of electric and magnetic fields produced by EHV-UHV transmission lines. Past and ongoing research concerning the electric and magnetic field effects from EHV-UHV transmission lines was reviewed as it pertains to the following areas: (1) electromagnetic interference, (2) acoustic noise, (3) generation of gaseous effluents, and (4) safety considerations of induced voltages and currents. The intent of this review was to identify the short and long range research projects required to address these areas. The research plan identifies and gives priority to twenty programs in corona and coupling effects. In the case of the corona effects, a number of programs were recommended for acoustic noise and electromagnetic interference to delineate improved power line design criteria in terms of social, meteorological, geographical and cost constraints. Only one project is recommended in the case of ozone generation, because the results of comprehensive analyses, laboratory studies and field measurements have demonstrated that power lines do not contribute significant quantities of ozone. In the case of the coupling effects, a number of programs are recommended for HVAC transmission lines to improve the theoretically developed design guidelines by considering practical constraints. For HVDC transmission lines, programs are suggested to engender a better theoretical understanding and practical measurements capability for the coupling mechanisms of the dc electric and magnetic field with nearby objects. The interrelationship of the programs and their role in a long-term research plan is also discussed.

Developing a Framework for Effective Network Capacity Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Yaprak, Ece

2005-01-01

As Internet traffic continues to grow exponentially, developing a clearer understanding of, and appropriately measuring, network's performance is becoming ever more critical. An important challenge faced by the Information Resources Directorate (IRD) at the Johnson Space Center in this context remains not only monitoring and maintaining a secure network, but also better understanding the capacity and future growth potential boundaries of its network. This requires capacity planning which involves modeling and simulating different network alternatives, and incorporating changes in design as technologies, components, configurations, and applications change, to determine optimal solutions in light of IRD's goals, objectives and strategies. My primary task this summer was to address this need. I evaluated network-modeling tools from OPNET Technologies Inc. and Compuware Corporation. I generated a baseline model for Building 45 using both tools by importing "real" topology/traffic information using IRD's various network management tools. I compared each tool against the other in terms of the advantages and disadvantages of both tools to accomplish IRD's goals. I also prepared step-by-step "how to design a baseline model" tutorial for both OPNET and Compuware products.

Examining pre-service science teachers' developing pedagogical design capacity for planning and supporting task-based classroom discussions

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Danielle Kristina

Teachers face many challenges as we move forward into the age of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (Achieve, Inc., 2013). The NGSS aim to develop a population of scientifically literate and talented students who can participate in the "innovation-driven economy" (p. 1). In order to meet these goals, teachers must provide students with opportunities to engage in science and engineering practices (SEPs) and learn core ideas of these disciplines. This study followed pre-service secondary science teachers as they participated in a secondary science teacher preparation program intended to support the development of their pedagogical design capacity (Brown, 2009) related to planning and supporting whole-class taskbased discussions. Teacher educators in this program designed an intervention that aimed in supporting this development. This study examined a particular dimension of PDC -- specifically, PSTs effective use of resources to plan science lessons in which students engage in a high demand task, participate in SEPs, and discuss their work in a whole-class setting. In order to examine the effectiveness of the intervention, I had to define PDC a priori. I measured PDC by documenting how/whether PSTs engaged in the following instructional planning practices: developing Learning Goals, selecting and/or designing challenging tasks, anticipating student thinking, planning for monitoring student thinking, imagining the discussion storyline, planning questions, and planning marking strategies. Analyses showed a significant difference between baseline lesson plan scores and Instructional Performance scores. These findings suggest these patterns and changes were directly linked to the teacher preparation program. The mean increase in Instructional Performance scores during the course of the teacher preparation year further supports the effect of the teacher preparation coursework. Pre-service teachers with high pedagogical design capacity continually integrated the

ENVIRONMENTAL CARRYING CAPACITY BASED ON LAND BALANCE FOR EVALUATION PLANNING OF SPATIAL AND REGIONAL IN SOLOK REGENCY, WEST SUMATRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alvan Pahuluan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Act No. 26 of 2007 on Spatial Planning stated that the central and the local government should establish Spatial and Regional Planning (RTRW by considering environmental carrying capacity. The environmental carrying capacity based RTRW will ensure the balance between the use of natural resources and the prevention of negative impacts on the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of RTRW at Solok Regency Year 2012 - 2031 which has been established in 2013. Evaluation was conducted by calculating land carrying capacity method to determine land supply and land demand. The results showed that the land use planned as stated in the RTRW increase the land supply in supporting bio-product production to meet the needs of the population, with surplus conditions amounted to 101,005.79 hectares. The future predictions indicated that the carrying capacity of planned land could met the needs of the population bio-product until the year 2121. The evaluation of the spatial pattern plan showed that there was a need to increase the area of housing and settlements in accordance with the rate of population increase and determine the extents area for the development of the livestock sector to improve its yield.

The Impact of Noise Models on Capacity Performance of Distribution Broadband over Power Lines Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athanasios G. Lazaropoulos

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper considers broadband potential of distribution Broadband over Power Lines (BPL networks when different well-known noise models of the BPL literature are applied. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, the seven most representative and used noise models of the BPL literature are synopsized in this paper. With reference to this set, the broadband performance of a great number of distribution BPL topologies either Overhead (OV or Underground (UN, either Medium-Voltage (MV or Low-Voltage (LV, is investigated in terms of suitable capacity metrics. Second, based on the proposed capacity metrics, a comparative capacity analysis is performed among various well-validated noise models. Through the careful study of its results, it is demonstrated that during capacity computations of distribution BPL networks, the flat Additive White Gaussian Noise (FL noise model can be comfortably assumed as an efficient noise model either in 3–30 MHz or in 3–88 MHz frequency range since its capacity differences with the other well-proven noise models are negligible.

Stability measures for rolling schedules with applications to capacity expansion planning, master production scheduling, and lot sizing

OpenAIRE

Kimms, Alf

1996-01-01

This contribution discusses the measurement of (in-)stability of finite horizon production planning when done on a rolling horizon basis. As examples we review strategic capacity expansion planning, tactical master production schedulng, and operational capacitated lot sizing.

How do NHS organisations plan research capacity development? Strategies, strengths, and opportunities for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Gee, Melanie; Cooke, Jo

2018-03-22

Research that is integral into a 'learning healthcare system' can promote cost effective services and knowledge creation. As such, research is defined as a 'core function' in UK health service organisations, and is often planned through research and development (R&D) strategies that aim to promote research activity and research capacity development (RCD). The discussion focuses around the content of ten R&D strategies for healthcare organisations in England and Scotland, with respect to RCD. These organisations were engaged with a research interest network called ACORN (Addressing Organisational Capacity to do Research Network) that included two Scottish Health Boards, four community and mental health trusts, two provincial district hospitals, and two teaching hospitals. We undertook a thematic documentary analysis of the R&D strategies which identified 11 'core activities' of RCD. The potential for building research capacity in these 'core activities' was established by reviewing them through the lens of a RCD framework. Core activities aimed to 'hard wire' RCD into health organisations. They demonstrated a complex interplay between developing a strong internal organisational infrastructure, and supporting individual career planning and skills development, in turn enabled by organisational processes. They also included activities to build stronger inter-organisational relationships and networks. Practitioner, manager and patient involvement was a cross cutting theme. The potential to demonstrate progress was included in plans through monitoring activity across all RCD principles. Strategies were primarily aimed at research production rather than research use. Developing 'actionable dissemination' was poorly addressed in the strategies, and represents an area for improvement. We describe strengths of RCD planning activities, and opportunities for improvement. We explore how national policy and research funders can influence health systems' engagement in research.

Building and measuring infrastructure and capacity for community health assessment and health improvement planning in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Abarca, Christine; Grigg, C Meade; Steele, Jo Ann; Osgood, Laurie; Keating, Heidi

2009-01-01

COMPASS (Comprehensive Assessment, Strategic Success) is the Florida Department of Health's community health assessment and health improvement planning initiative. Since 2002, COMPASS built state and county health department infrastructure to support a comprehensive, systematic, and integrated approach to community health assessment and planning. To assess the capacity of Florida's 67 county health departments (CHDs) to conduct community health assessment and planning and to identify training and technical assistance needs, COMPASS surveyed the CHDs using a Web-based instrument annually from 2004 through 2008. Response rate to the survey was 100 percent annually. In 2007, 96 percent of CHDs reported conducting assessment and planning within the past 3 years; 74 percent used the MAPP (Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships) framework. Progress was greater for the organizational and assessment phases of the MAPP-based work; only 10 CHDs had identified strategic priorities in 2007, and even fewer had implemented strategies for improving health. In 2007, the most frequently requested types of training were measuring success, developing goals and action plans, and using qualitative data; technical assistance was most frequently requested for program evaluation and writing community health status reports. Florida's CHDs have increased their capacity to conduct community health assessment and planning. Questions remain about sustaining these gains with limited resources.

Survey of transmission line corridors. [Data on delays in transmission line construction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-01-05

The intent of this study is to determine the extent of delays experienced in planning and constructing transmission lines in the continental United States. The reasons for the delays are identified for each line studied and their effect on the total electrical system is sought. Data was collected for 136 different lines either recently built or currently under study. Statistics were developed for each line in several categories and comparisons of lines delayed were made by company, area served and generation capacity. From the study presented here it was found that: right-of-way acquisition procedures including condemnation and easement negotiation practices delay more projects than local, state and federal regulatory requirements combined; load growth reductions particularly in the east have reduced the impact of regulatory delays; the south, southeast and southwestern areas of the country experience fewer delays in constructing transmission lines than the more populated states, and the cost for corridor delays was responded to for only 17 of the 142 projects surveyed. By far the most costly delay is the expense of condemning land for transmission right-of-way.

Antioxidant capacity of hesperidin from citrus peel using electron spin resonance and cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ashaal, Hanan A; El-Sheltawy, Shakinaz T

2011-03-01

Hesperidin is a flavonoid that has various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral activities. The aim of the study is the isolation of hesperidin from the peel of Citrus sinensis L. (Rutaceae), and the evaluation of its antioxidant capacity and cytotoxicity against different human carcinoma cell lines. In the present work, hesperidin is identified and confirmed using chromatographic and spectral analysis. To correlate between hesperidin concentration and antioxidant capacity of peel extracts, extraction was carried out using 1% HCl-MeOH, MeOH, alkaline solution, the concentration of hesperidin determined qualitatively and quantitatively using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, in vitro antioxidant capacity of hesperidin and the extracts against free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) performed using an electron spin resonance spectrophotometer (ESR). Cytotoxic assay against larynx, cervix, breast and liver carcinoma cell lines was performed. Hesperidin was found to be moderately active as an antioxidant agent; its capacity reached 36%. In addition, the results revealed that hesperidin exhibited pronounced anticancer activity against the selected cell lines. IC₅₀ were 1.67, 3.33, 4.17, 4.58 µg/mL, respectively. Orange peels are considered to be a cheap source for hesperidin which may be used in the pharmaceutical industry as a natural chemopreventive agent. Hesperidin and orange peel extract could possess antioxidant properties with a wide range of therapeutic applications.

Integrated flexible capacity and inventory management under flexible capacity uncertainty

OpenAIRE

Paç, Mehmet Fazıl

2006-01-01

Cataloged from PDF version of article. In a manufacturing environment with volatile demand, inventory management can be coupled with dynamic capacity adjustments for handling the fluctuations more effectively. In this study we consider the integrated management of inventory and flexible capacity management under seasonal stochastic demand and uncertain labor supply. The capacity planning problem is investigated from the workforce planning perspective. We consider a manufactu...

The Effects of Pre-Task, On-Line, and Both Pre-Task and On-Line Planning on Fluency, Complexity, and Accuracy--The Case of Iranian EFL Learners' Written Production

Science.gov (United States)

Piri, Faramarz; Barati, Hossein; Ketabi, Saeed

2012-01-01

Previous studies on the effect of planning on language production have revealed that planning does have a positive effect on language performance in terms of fluency, complexity, and accuracy. The present study was an attempt to investigate the effects of pre-task, on-line, and both pre-task and on-line planning on fluency, accuracy, and…

Cell Penetrating Capacity and Internalization Mechanisms Used by the Synthetic Peptide CIGB-552 and Its Relationship with Tumor Cell Line Sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Astrada, Soledad; Fernández Massó, Julio Raúl; Vallespí, Maribel G; Bollati-Fogolín, Mariela

2018-03-30

CIGB-552 is a twenty-amino-acid novel synthetic peptide that has proven to be effective in reducing tumor size and increasing lifespan in tumor-bearing mice. Such capability is conferred by its cell-penetrating peptide character, which allows it to enter cells and elicit a pro-apoptotic effect through its major mediator, COMMD1 protein. Cell-penetrating peptides are able to use different internalization mechanisms, such as endocytosis or direct transduction through the plasma membrane. Although CIGB-552 cytotoxicity has been evaluated in several non-tumor- and tumor-derived cell lines, no data regarding the relationship between cell line sensitivity, cell penetrating capacity, the internalization mechanisms involved, COMMD1 expression levels, or its subcellular localization has yet been produced. Here, we present the results obtained from a comparative analysis of CIGB-552 sensitivity, internalization capacity and the mechanisms involved in three human tumor-derived cell lines from different origins: mammary gland, colon and lung (MCF-7, HT-29 and H460, respectively). Furthermore, cell surface markers relevant for internalization processes such as phosphatidylserine, as well as CIGB-552 target COMMD1 expression/localization, were also evaluated. We found that both endocytosis and transduction are involved in CIGB-552 internalization in the three cell lines evaluated. However, CIGB-552 incorporation efficiency and contribution of each mechanism is cell-line dependent. Finally, sensitivity was directly correlated with high internalization capacity in those cell lines where endocytosis had a major contribution on CIGB-552 internalization.

A Modelling Approach for Integrated Planning of Port Capacity- Trade-Offs in Rotterdam Investment Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sander Dekker

2006-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a modelling approach for planning ofport capacity. The approach integrates port commercial andpublic interests. It further incorporates route competition andautonomous demand growth. It is applied to port expansion,which can be considered as a strategy for an individual port todeal with route competition. The basis for solving this planningproblem comprises an analysis of port demand and supply in apartial equilibrium model. With such an approach, the reactionof a single port on the change in a transport network comprisingalternative routes to a hinterland destination can be simulated.To establish the optimal expansion strategy, port expansion iscombined with congestion pricing. This is used for the simultaneousdetermination of 1 optimal expansion size, and 2 investmentrecovery period. The modelling approach will be appliedto Rotterdam port focusing on port expansion by means ofland reclamation. The scenmio of the entry of a new competingroute via the Italian port Gioia Tauro is used to address sometrade-offs in Rotterdam investment planning.

Implementation of Capacity Planning Agent of Demand Responsive Planning Framework : Master’s Thesis in Production Engineering of The Royal Institute of Technology

OpenAIRE

Juhong, Nirut

2013-01-01

This master’s thesis is conducted as a conclusion of Master degree of Science in Production Engineering and Management at The Royal Institute of Technology. The focus of this thesis work is to implement a Capacity planning agent. Nowadays, companies need to adapt themselves to be as responsive to customers’ demand as possible. However, the responsiveness is usually limited by the fixed capacity of the production. Evolvable Production System (EPS), motivated by the limitation mentioned above, ...

Comparative miRNAs analysis of Two contrasting broccoli inbred lines with divergent head-forming capacity under temperature stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chi-Chien; Fu, Shih-Feng; Norikazu, Monma; Yang, Yau-Wen; Liu, Yu-Ju; Ikeo, Kazuho; Gojobori, Takashi; Huang, Hao-Jen

2015-12-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in growth, development, and stress response at the post-transcriptional level. Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var italic) is an important vegetable crop, and the yield and quality of broccoli are decreased by heat stress. The broccoli inbred lines that are capable of producing head at high temperature in summer are unique varieties in Taiwan. However, knowledge of miRNAomes during the broccoli head formation under heat stress is limited. In this study, molecular characterization of two nearly isogenic lines with contrasting head-forming capacity was investigated. Head-forming capacity was better for heat-tolerant (HT) than heat-sensitive (HS) broccoli under heat stress. By deep sequencing and computational analysis, 20 known miRNAs showed significant differential expression between HT and HS genotypes. According to the criteria for annotation of new miRNAs, 24 novel miRNA sequences with differential expression between the two genotypes were identified. To gain insight into functional significance, 213 unique potential targets of these 44 differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted. These targets were implicated in shoot apical development, phase change, response to temperature stimulus, hormone and energy metabolism. The head-forming capacity of the unique HT line was related to autonomous regulation of Bo-FT genes and less expression level of heat shock protein genes as compared to HS. For the genotypic comparison, a set of miRNAs and their targets had consistent expression patterns in various HT genotypes. This large-scale characterization of broccoli miRNAs and their potential targets is to unravel the regulatory roles of miRNAs underlying heat-tolerant head-forming capacity.

Using discrete-event simulation in strategic capacity planning for an outpatient physical therapy service.

Science.gov (United States)

Rau, Chi-Lun; Tsai, Pei-Fang Jennifer; Liang, Sheau-Farn Max; Tan, Jhih-Cian; Syu, Hong-Cheng; Jheng, Yue-Ling; Ciou, Ting-Syuan; Jaw, Fu-Shan

2013-12-01

This study uses a simulation model as a tool for strategic capacity planning for an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Taipei, Taiwan. The clinic provides a wide range of physical treatments, with 6 full-time therapists in each session. We constructed a discrete-event simulation model to study the dynamics of patient mixes with realistic treatment plans, and to estimate the practical capacity of the physical therapy room. The changes in time-related and space-related performance measurements were used to evaluate the impact of various strategies on the capacity of the clinic. The simulation results confirmed that the clinic is extremely patient-oriented, with a bottleneck occurring at the traction units for Intermittent Pelvic Traction (IPT), with usage at 58.9 %. Sensitivity analysis showed that attending to more patients would significantly increase the number of patients staying for overtime sessions. We found that pooling the therapists produced beneficial results. The average waiting time per patient could be reduced by 45 % when we pooled 2 therapists. We found that treating up to 12 new patients per session had no significantly negative impact on returning patients. Moreover, we found that the average waiting time for new patients decreased if they were given priority over returning patients when called by the therapists.

Building the Capacity of Indonesian Education Universities for ICT in Pre-Service Teacher Education: A Case Study of a Strategic Planning Exercise

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Cher Ping; Pannen, Paulina

2012-01-01

This paper documents how four Indonesian teacher education institutions (TEIs) engaged in strategic planning to build their capacity in developing pre-service teachers' ICT in education competencies. These TEIs adopted a holistic approach towards strategic planning by drawing upon the six dimensions of the "Capacity Building Toolkit" for…

Higher capacity, lower carbon dioxide emissions. Idle power compensation in HV lines; Mehr Kapazitaet, weniger Kohlendioxid. Blindleistungskompensation bei Hochspannungsleitungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auer, Jan-Hendrik von [Alstom Grid GmbH, Berlin (Germany). Team Leistungselektronik und Kompensationsanlagen

2012-07-01

Even today, many HP lines have reached their limits. It is therefore highly urgent to find measures for optimum utilization of the available overhead transmssion capacities, e.g. by idle power compensation. Together with a filter for harmonics reduction, this will ensure higher grid stability and enhance transport capacities while reducing transport losses, thus saving money and reducing CO{sub 2} emissions. (orig./AKB)

Regional approach to building operational level capacity for disaster planning: the case of the Eastern Africa region.

Science.gov (United States)

Bazeyo, W; Mayega, R W; Orach, G C; Kiguli, J; Mamuya, S; Tabu, J S; Sena, L; Rugigana, E; Mapatano, M; Lewy, D; Mock, N; Burnham, G; Keim, M; Killewo, J

2013-06-01

The Eastern Africa region is regularly affected by a variety of disasters ranging from drought, to human conflict and population displacement. The magnitude of emergencies and response capacities is similar across the region. In order to strengthen public health disaster management capacities at the operational level in six countries of the Eastern Africa region, the USAID-funded leadership project worked through the HEALTH Alliance, a network of seven schools of public health from six countries in the region to train district-level teams. To develop a sustainable regional approach to building operational level capacity for disaster planning. This project was implemented through a higher education leadership initiative. Project activities were spear-headed by a network of Deans and Directors of public health schools within local universities in the Eastern Africa region. The leadership team envisioned a district-oriented systems change strategy. Pre-service and in-service curricula were developed regionally and district teams were formed to attend short training courses. Project activities began with a situational analysis of the disaster management capacity at national and operational levels. The next steps were chronologically the formation of country training teams and training of trainers, the development of a regional disaster management training curriculum and training materials, the cascading of training activities in the region, and the incorporation of emerging issues into the training curriculum. An evaluation model included the analysis of preparedness impact of the training program. The output from the district teams was the creation of individual district-level disaster plans and their implementation. This 4-year project focused on building operational level public health emergency response capacity, which had not previously been part of any national program. Use of the all-hazard approach rather than a scenario-based contingency planning led to the

Critical care medicine as a distinct product line with substantial financial profitability: the role of business planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekes, Carolyn E; Dellinger, R Phillip; Brooks, Daniel; Edmondson, Robert; Olivia, Christopher T; Parrillo, Joseph E

2004-05-01

As academic health centers face increasing financial pressures, they have adopted a more businesslike approach to planning, particularly for discrete "product" or clinical service lines. Since critical care typically has been viewed as a service provided by a hospital, and not a product line, business plans have not historically been developed to expand and promote critical care. The major focus when examining the finances of critical care has been cost reduction, not business development. We hypothesized that a critical care business plan can be developed and analyzed like other more typical product lines and that such a critical care product line can be profitable for an institution. In-depth analysis of critical care including business planning for critical care services. Regional academic health center in southern New Jersey. None. As part of an overall business planning process directed by the Board of Trustees, the critical care product line was identified by isolating revenue, expenses, and profitability associated with critical care patients. We were able to identify the major sources ("value chain") of critical care patients: the emergency room, patients who are admitted for other problems but spend time in a critical care unit, and patients transferred to our intensive care units from other hospitals. The greatest opportunity to expand the product line comes from increasing the referrals from other hospitals. A methodology was developed to identify the revenue and expenses associated with critical care, based on the analysis of past experience. With this model, we were able to demonstrate a positive contribution margin of dollar 7 million per year related to patients transferred to the institution primarily for critical care services. This can be seen as the profit related to the product line segment of critical care. There was an additional positive contribution margin of dollar 5.8 million attributed to the critical care portion of the hospital stay of

Transportation tolls, services and capacity : report from TransCanada PipeLines Limited on its changing mainline system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McPherson, J.

2003-01-01

This presentation described the measures that TransCanada PipeLines Limited has taken to change its business model while lowering operating costs. The company is concerned about keeping tolls as low as possible to maintain competitiveness. Demand for pipeline capacity over the next five years is expected to be as high as 1.0 Bcf. Incremental capacity will be required to serve the markets. The market drivers for transportation were described as being reliability, greater price certainty, optionality, and stability in terms of contracts, service and regulations. 1 fig

Early environmental planning: A process for power line corridor selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haagenstad, T.; Bare, C.M.

1998-01-01

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) conducted an environmental planning study in the fall of 1997 to help determine the best alternative for upgrading the Laboratory's electrical power system. Alternatives considered included an on-site power generation facility and two corridors for a 10-mile-long 115-kV power line. This planning process was conducted prior to the formal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. The goals were to help select the best proposed action, to recommend modifications and mitigation measures for each alternative for a more environmentally sound project, and to avoid potential delays once the formal Department of Energy review process began. Significant constraints existed from a planning perspective, including operational issues such as existing outdoor high explosives testing areas, as well as environmental issues including threatened and endangered species habitats, multiple archeological sites, contaminated areas, and aesthetics. The study had to be completed within 45 days to meet project schedule needs. The process resulted in a number of important recommendations. While the construction and operation of the on-site power generation facility could have minimal environmental impacts, the need for a new air quality permit would create severe cost and schedule constraints for the project. From an environmental perspective, construction and operation of a power line within either corridor was concluded to be a viable alternative. However, impacts with either corridor would have to be reduced through specific recommended alignment modifications and mitigation measures

Huge natural gas reserves central to capacity work, construction plans in Iran

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

Questions about oil production capacity in Iran tend to mask the country's huge potential as a producer of natural gas. Iran is second only to Russia in gas reserves, which National Iranian Gas Co. estimates at 20.7 trillion cu m. Among hurdles to Iran's making greater use of its rich endowment of natural gas are where and how to sell gas not used inside the country. The marketing logistics problem is common to other Middle East holders of gas reserves and a reason behind the recent proliferation of proposals for pipeline and liquefied natural gas schemes targeting Europe and India. But Iran's challenges are greater than most in the region. Political uncertainties and Islamic rules complicate long-term financing of transportation projects and raise questions about security of supply. As a result, Iran has remained mostly in the background of discussions about international trade of Middle Eastern gas. The country's huge gas reserves, strategic location, and existing transport infrastructure nevertheless give it the potential to be a major gas trader if the other issues can be resolved. The paper discusses oil capacity plans, gas development, gas injection for enhanced oil recovery, proposals for exports of gas, and gas pipeline plans

An improved mechanism for capacity payment based on system dynamics modeling for investment planning in competitive electricity environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assili, Mohsen; Javidi, D.B.; Hossein, M.; Ghazi, Reza

2008-01-01

Many countries have experienced restructuring in their electric utilities. This restructuring has presented the power industries with new challenges, the most important of which is long-term investment planning under uncertain conditions. This paper presents an improved mechanism for capacity payment. The mechanism has been investigated based on system dynamic modeling. In our proposed mechanism, generators will recover a part of their investment through capacity payment. While the payment for any plant remains constant during the operation period, it depends on the investment needed to build it. The main factors affecting long-term planning have been considered in our model. The approach can be used to investigate the effects of fixed as well as variable capacity payment in market investment. We used the probability density function of load as a new concept to calculate average market price. Delays in unit constructions, estimation of demand, and market capacity growth during construction periods have been included in the proposed algorithm as parameters, which affect the regulator's decision for changing capacity payment. The model can be used by regulators to investigate strategies that may affect the fluctuations in the market

An improved mechanism for capacity payment based on system dynamics modeling for investment planning in competitive electricity environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assili, Mohsen; Javidi DB, M. H.; Ghazi, Reza [Department of Electrical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad (Iran)

2008-10-15

Many countries have experienced restructuring in their electric utilities. This restructuring has presented the power industries with new challenges, the most important of which is long-term investment planning under uncertain conditions. This paper presents an improved mechanism for capacity payment. The mechanism has been investigated based on system dynamic modeling. In our proposed mechanism, generators will recover a part of their investment through capacity payment. While the payment for any plant remains constant during the operation period, it depends on the investment needed to build it. The main factors affecting long-term planning have been considered in our model. The approach can be used to investigate the effects of fixed as well as variable capacity payment in market investment. We used the probability density function of load as a new concept to calculate average market price. Delays in unit constructions, estimation of demand, and market capacity growth during construction periods have been included in the proposed algorithm as parameters, which affect the regulator's decision for changing capacity payment. The model can be used by regulators to investigate strategies that may affect the fluctuations in the market. (author)

Capacity Measurement with the UIC 406 Capacity Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex; Schittenhelm, Bernd; Kaas, Anders H.

2008-01-01

This article describes the fast and effective UIC 406 method for calculating capacity consumption on railway lines. It is possible to expound the UIC 406 method in different ways which can lead to different capacity consumptions. Therefore, this article describes how the methodology is expounded...

Planning of overhead contact lines and simulation of the pantograph running; Oberleitungsplanung und Simulation des Stromabnehmerlaufes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hofbauer, Gerhard [ALPINE-ENERGIE Oesterreich GmbH, Linz (Austria); Hofbauer, Werner

2009-07-01

Using the software FLTG all planning steps for overhead contact lines can be carried out based on the parameters of the contact line type and the line data. Contact line supports and individual spans are presented graphically. The geometric interaction of pantograph and contact line can be simulated taking into account the pantograph type, its sway and the wind action. Thus, the suitability of a line for the interoperability of the transEuropean rail system can be demonstrated. (orig.)

Optimal Pricing and Production Master Planning in a Multiperiod Horizon Considering Capacity and Inventory Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neale R. Smith

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We formulate and solve a single-item joint pricing and master planning optimization problem with capacity and inventory constrains. The objective is to maximize profits over a discrete-time multiperiod horizon. The solution process consists of two steps. First, we solve the single-period problem exactly. Second, using the exact solution of the single-period problem, we solve the multiperiod problem using a dynamic programming approach. The solution process and the importance of considering both capacity and inventory constraints are illustrated with numerical examples.

The UIC 406 capacity method used on single track sections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex; Kaas, Anders H.; Jacobsen, Erik M.

2007-01-01

This paper describes the relatively new UIC 406 capacity method which is an easy and effective way of calculating capacity consumption on railway lines. However, it is possible to expound the method in different ways which can lead to different capacity consumptions. This paper describes the UIC...... 406 method for single track lines and how it is expounded in Denmark. Many capacity analyses using the UIC 406 capacity method for double track lines have been carried out and presented internationally but only few capacity analyses using the UIC 406 capacity method on single track lines have been...... presented. Therefore, the differences between capacity analysis for double track lines and single track lines are discussed in the beginning of this paper. Many of the principles of the UIC 406 capacity analyses on double track lines can be used on single track lines – at least when more than one train...

Ten-Year Network Development Plan - 2015 edition, executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

Complying with the European and French laws, each year, RTE prepares and publicizes a Ten-Year Network Development Plan (NDP) to meet the expectations of its stakeholders and customers. The NDP lists the network development projects that RTE plans to complete and commission over a 3-year period and presents the main power transmission infrastructure work envisaged for the next Ten-years. Beyond, it outlines the possible network adaptation needs for a variety of energy transition scenarios. Over the next 10 years, the network investments will make it possible to: - Meet the goals of the Regional Climate Air Energy Plans, - Create 4 GW of extra offshore wind generation integration capacity and 10 GW of additional interconnection capacity, 2/3 more than the current capacity, - Enable the development of economically and demographically dynamic areas, with safe and high-standard electricity supply. In the coming decade, RTE plans: - 1,200 km of new underground and sub-sea DC links, along with their associated converter stations; - 600 km of existing equipment upgrades or new overhead 400 kV AC circuits substituting existing power lines. - and, at the same time, nearly 900 km of underground lines and just over 400 km of overhead 225 kV AC lines should be built. 400 projects are listed in this NDP: - 21% of the operations are on overhead lines (for 3/4 new lines or upgrade and for 1/4 dismantling of existing assets) - 27% concern new underground lines; - 52% on substation adaptations (about 20 new RTE substations and 100 new customer substations connected). Globally, nearly 80% of the network is developed underground or sub-sea. This edition of the Network Development plan is further enriched. In particular, it explains more thoroughly the link between the integration of renewable energy and the entailed development of the transmission network. It also provides a focus on smart grids. This edition relies on mid and long term scenarios describing the evolution of the

Integration of on-line imaging, plan adaptation and radiation delivery: proof of concept using digital tomosynthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mestrovic, Ante; Otto, Karl; Nichol, Alan; Clark, Brenda G

2009-01-01

The main objective of this manuscript is to propose a new approach to on-line adaptive radiation therapy (ART) in which daily image acquisition, plan adaptation and radiation delivery are integrated together and performed concurrently. A method is described in which on-line ART is performed based on intra-fractional digital tomosynthesis (DTS) images. Intra-fractional DTS images were reconstructed as the gantry rotated between treatment positions. An edge detection algorithm was used to automatically segment the DTS images as the gantry arrived at each treatment position. At each treatment position, radiation was delivered based on the treatment plan re-optimized for the most recent DTS image contours. To investigate the feasibility of this method, a model representing a typical prostate, bladder and rectum was used. To simulate prostate deformations, three clinically relevant, non-rigid deformations (small, medium and large) were modeled by systematically deforming the original anatomy. Using our approach to on-line ART, the original treatment plan was successfully adapted to arrive at a clinically acceptable plan for all three non-rigid deformations. In conclusion, we have proposed a new approach to on-line ART in which plan adaptation is performed based on intra-fractional DTS images. The study findings indicate that this approach can be used to re-optimize the original treatment plan to account for non-rigid anatomical deformations. The advantages of this approach are 1) image acquisition and radiation delivery are integrated in a single gantry rotation around the patient, reducing the treatment time, and 2) intra-fractional DTS images can be used to detect and correct for patient motion prior to the delivery of each beam (intra-fractional patient motion).

Electric sector capacity planning under uncertainty: Climate policy and natural gas in the US

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bistline, John E.

2015-01-01

This research investigates the dynamics of capacity planning and dispatch in the US electric power sector under a range of technological, economic, and policy-related uncertainties. Using a two-stage stochastic programming approach, model results suggest that the two most critical risks in the near-term planning process of the uncertainties considered here are natural gas prices and the stringency of climate policy. Stochastic strategies indicate that some near-term hedging from lower-cost wind and nuclear may occur but robustly demonstrate that delaying investment and waiting for more information can be optimal to avoid stranding capital-intensive assets. Hedging strategies protect against downside losses while retaining the option value of deferring irreversible commitments until more information is available about potentially lucrative market opportunities. These results are explained in terms of the optionality of investments in the electric power sector, leading to more general insights about uncertainty, learning, and irreversibility. The stochastic solution is especially valuable if decision-makers do not sufficiently account for the potential of climate constraints in future decades or if fuel price projections are outdated. - Highlights: • Explicitly incorporating uncertainty influences capacity planning decisions. • Natural gas prices and climate policy are the two most critical risks for utilities. • Strategic delay can be explained in terms of real options. • Stochastic strategies are especially valuable when outdated assumptions are used.

Capacity and production planning with carbon emission constraints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Govindan, Kannan; Song, Shuang; Xu, Lei

2017-01-01

This paper builds a two-stage, stochastic model to study capacity expansion problem in logistics under cap-and-trade and carbon tax regulations. The optimal capacity expansion and production decisions are obtained, and the effects of carbon emission regulations on capacity expansion are studied....... Through analytical study and a real case numerical analysis, we find that the carbon tax exhibits different impacts on optimal capacity expansion decisions in low tax rate and high tax rate, and the volatility of capacity investment cost has a larger impact on optimal capacity expansion than...... that of production cost....

A Departure Time Choice for Morning Commute Considering Train Capacity of a Rail Transit Line

OpenAIRE

Jia Feng; Baohua Mao; Zhijie Chen; Yun Bai; Minggao Li

2013-01-01

Every commuter utilizing urban rail transit decides the departure time from home to a station according to individual judgment for the biggest possibility to board a train as soon as possible after the arrival. Therefore, the departure time choice behavior of the commuters is complicated especially when the transport capacity of this transit line cannot meet the travel demands of its users in rush hour. This research first develops a travel cost function mainly considering the travel time to ...

Where spatial capacity building and spatial decision making meet. Publically debating participatory spatial planning via a newspaper.

OpenAIRE

Huybrechts, Liesbeth; Martens, Sarah; Devisch, Oswald

2015-01-01

This article reports on the in-between results of a Participatory Design research process in spatial planning in Godsheide, a small village in the Belgian Region of Limburg. The research explores how the language of newspapers enables citizens, policy makers, property developers and local organisations to build capacities (cfr. spatial capacity building) in ‘scripting’ their reflections on, but also actions in spatial change. In the heads of our participants, there existed a duality between -...

Implementation plan for the new production reactor capacity environmental impact statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-12-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) proposed to site, construct, and operate new production reactor (NPR) capacity intended primarily to produce tritium and secondarily to produce plutonium for the US nuclear weapons program. DOE studies show that this new capacity is needed to ensure reliable maintenance of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. It also is essential that these necessary nuclear materials be produced in a safe and environmentally sound manner. The DOE has determined that this proposed action constitutes a major federal action that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment; therefore, the DOE will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to assess the potential impacts of the proposed action and reasonable alternatives on the human and natural environment. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as implemented in regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). This EIS implementation plan (IP) includes a description of the proposed action, descriptions of alternatives, a summary of EIS assumptions, a list of environmental issues to be considered in the EIS (including those identified during public scoping activities), a list of proposed agency consultations, a schedule for EIS preparation and related activities, and an annotated outline for the EIS. It is the Department's intent that the EIS on the NPR capacity will serve as the programmatic National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of modernization of DOE defense nuclear materials production of tritium and plutonium. The Department is currently developing a NEPA compliance strategy for modernization of the remainder of the nuclear weapons production complex, which will reference the EIS on NPR capacity. 7 refs., 8 tabs

Homogenate-assisted Vacuum-powered Bubble Extraction of Moso Bamboo Flavonoids for On-line Scavenging Free Radical Capacity Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yinnan; Yang, Kui; Cao, Qin; Sun, Jinde; Xia, Yu; Wang, Yinhang; Li, Wei; Ma, Chunhui; Liu, Shouxin

2017-07-11

A homogenate-assisted vacuum-powered bubble extraction (HVBE) method using ethanol was applied for extraction of flavonoids from Phyllostachys pubescens (P. pubescens) leaves. The mechanisms of homogenate-assisted extraction and vacuum-powered bubble generation were discussed in detail. Furthermore, a method for the rapid determination of flavonoids by HPLC was established. HVBE followed by HPLC was successfully applied for the extraction and quantification of four flavonoids in P. pubescens , including orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin. This method provides a fast and effective means for the preparation and determination of plant active components. Moreover, the on-line antioxidant capacity, including scavenging positive ion and negative ion free radical capacity of different fractions from the bamboo flavonoid extract was evaluated. Results showed that the scavenging DPPH ˙ free radical capacity of vitexin and isovitexin was larger than that of isoorientin and orientin. On the contrary, the scavenging ABTS⁺ ˙ free radical capacity of isoorientin and orientin was larger than that of vitexin and isovitexin.

Capacity Constrained Routing Algorithms for Evacuation Route Planning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lu, Qingsong; George, Betsy; Shekhar, Shashi

2006-01-01

.... In this paper, we propose a new approach, namely a capacity constrained routing planner which models capacity as a time series and generalizes shortest path algorithms to incorporate capacity constraints...

Project W-314 specific test and evaluation plan for SN-635 transfer line (241-AY-01A to 241-AY-02A) and SN-633 transfer line tie in

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hays, W.H.

1998-01-01

This Specific Test and Evaluation Plan (STEP) defines the test and evaluation activities encompassing the installation of the SN-635 transfer line for the W-314 Project. The purpose of this Specific Test and Evaluation Plan (STEP) is to provide a detailed written plan for the systematic testing of modifications made by the addition of the SN-635 transfer line and the tie in of SN-633 to the AY-02A pit by the W-314 Project. The STEP develops the outline for test procedures that verify the system's performance to the established Project design criteria. The STEP is a lower tier document based on the W-314 Test and Evaluation Plan (TEP)

Difference in membrane repair capacity between cancer cell lines and a normal cell line

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Stine Krog; McNeil, Anna K.; Novak, Ivana

2016-01-01

repair was investigated by disrupting the plasma membrane using laser followed by monitoring fluorescent dye entry over time in seven cancer cell lines, an immortalized cell line, and a normal primary cell line. The kinetics of repair in living cells can be directly recorded using this technique...... cancer cell lines (p immortalized cell line (p

Probabilistic Analysis for Capacity Planning in Smart Grid at Residential Low Voltage Level by Monte-Carlo Method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Du, W.

2011-01-01

Smart Grid integrates sustainable energy sources and allows mutual communications between electricity distribution operators and electricity consumers. Electricity demand and supply becomes more complex in Smart Grid. It is more challenging for DNOs in grid asset capacity planning, especially at low

Graded Approach to the Development of a Contingency Plan for On-Line Maintenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Hee Seung; Kim, Jung Wun; Song, Tae Young

2012-01-01

Many utilities perform preventive maintenance for safety systems during power operation to improve equipment reliability so as to focus on the work activities more easily and improve the quality of maintenance. Such a strategy can also reduce outage work activities, thus allowing resources to be utilized effectively. Preventive maintenance during power operation, known as on-line maintenance (OLM), requires an assessment and mitigation of risk, which can increase owing to out-of-service safety systems. One of the mitigation action plans is a contingency plan. EPRI recommends the development of a contingency plan for all planned system outages which include factors that strongly affect safety. The Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company (KHNP) undertook the preventive maintenance of the Essential Chilled Water System (ECWS) of a Westinghouse plant as a pilot OLM implementation. During the preparation of the work activities, a contingency plan was a pertinent issue during the discussions with regulators, especially regarding the scope and depth of the plan. This paper discusses the purpose of a contingency plan, including as examples some cases of US utilities, and proposes a graded approach to develop a contingency plan for OLM in consideration of the risks

MOPSO-based multi-objective TSO planning considering uncertainties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Qi; Zhang, Chunyu; Ding, Yi

2014-01-01

factors, i.e. load growth, generation capacity and line faults, and aims to enhance the transmission system via the multi-objective TSO planning (MOTP) approach. The proposed MOTP approach optimizes three objectives simultaneously, namely the probabilistic available transfer capability (PATC), investment...... cost and power outage cost. A two-phase MOPSO algorithm is employed to solve this optimization problem, which can accelerate the convergence and guarantee the diversity ofPareto-optimal front set as well. The feasibility and effectiveness of both the proposed multi-objective planning approach...

Bird on the wire: Landscape planning considering costs and benefits for bird populations coexisting with power lines.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Amico, Marcello; Catry, Inês; Martins, Ricardo C; Ascensão, Fernando; Barrientos, Rafael; Moreira, Francisco

2018-02-24

Power-line grids are increasingly expanding worldwide, as well as their negative impacts on avifauna, namely the direct mortality through collision and electrocution, the reduction of breeding performance, and the barrier effect. On the other hand, some bird species can apparently benefit from the presence of power lines, for example perching for hunting purposes or nesting on electricity towers. In this perspective essay, we reviewed the scientific literature on both costs and benefits for avifauna coexisting with power lines. Overall, we detected a generalized lack of studies focusing on these costs or benefits at a population level. We suggest that a switch in research approach to a larger spatio-temporal scale would greatly improve our knowledge about the actual effects of power lines on bird populations. This research approach would facilitate suitable landscape planning encompassing both mitigation of costs and promotion of benefits for bird populations coexisting with power lines. For example, the strategic route planning of electricity infrastructures would limit collision risk or barrier effects for threatened bird populations. Concurrently, this strategic route planning would promote the range expansion of threatened populations of other bird species, by providing nesting structures in treeless but potentially suitable landscapes. We suggest establishing a collaborative dialogue among the scientific community, governments, and electricity companies, with the aim to produce a win-win scenario in which both biodiversity conservation and infrastructure development are integrated in a common strategy.

Implications of Model Structure and Detail for Utility Planning. Scenario Case Studies using the Resource Planning Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Trieu [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Barrows, Clayton [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lopez, Anthony [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Hale, Elaine [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dyson, Mark [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Eurek, Kelly [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-04-23

We examine how model investment decisions change under different model configurations and assumptions related to renewable capacity credit, the inclusion or exclusion of operating reserves, dispatch period sampling, transmission power flow modeling, renewable spur line costs, and the ability of a planning region to import and export power. For all modeled scenarios, we find that under market conditions where new renewable deployment is predominantly driven by renewable portfolio standards, model representations of wind and solar capacity credit and interactions between balancing areas are most influential in avoiding model investments in excess thermal capacity. We also compare computation time between configurations to evaluate tradeoffs between computational burden and model accuracy. From this analysis, we find that certain advanced dispatch representations (e.g., DC optimal power flow) can have dramatic adverse effects on computation time but can be largely inconsequential to model investment outcomes, at least at the renewable penetration levels modeled. Finally, we find that certain underappreciated aspects of new capacity investment decisions and model representations thereof, such as spur lines for new renewable capacity, can influence model outcomes particularly in the renewable technology and location chosen by the model. Though this analysis is not comprehensive and results are specific to the model region, input assumptions, and optimization-modeling framework employed, the findings are intended to provide a guide for model improvement opportunities.

Antiproliferative activity in tumor cell lines, antioxidant capacity and total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents of Myrciaria floribunda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LUIS A.C. TIETBOHL

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd. O. Berg, Myrtaceae, is a native plant species of the Atlantic Rain Forest, from north to south of Brazil. The lyophilized ethyl acetate extract from the leaves of M. floribunda was investigated for its antiproliferative activity in tumor cell lines, antioxidant capacity and its total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents. Antiproliferative activity was tested in vitro against seven human cancer cells and against immortalized human skin keratinocytes line (HaCat, no cancer cell. Antioxidant activity was determined using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging and oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC assays and total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents were determined by spectrophotometric techniques. Ethyl acetate extract of M. floribunda exhibited antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines with total growth inhibition (TGI between 69.70 and 172.10 µg/mL. For HaCat cell, TGI value was 213.60 µg/mL. M. floribunda showed a strong antioxidant potential: EC50 of 45.89±0.42 µg/mL and 0.55±0.05 mmol TE/g for DPPH and ORAC, respectively. Total phenolic content was 0.23±0.013g gallic acid equivalents (GAE/g extract and exhibited 13.10±1.60% of tannins content. The content of flavonoid was 24.08±0.44% expressed as rutin equivalents. These results provide a direction for further researches about the antitumoral potential of M. floribunda.

CDMA systems capacity engineering

CERN Document Server

Kim, Kiseon

2004-01-01

This new hands-on resource tackles capacity planning and engineering issues that are crucial to optimizing wireless communication systems performance. Going beyond the system physical level and investigating CDMA system capacity at the service level, this volume is the single-source for engineering and analyzing systems capacity and resources.

Production layout improvement by using line balancing and Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) at PT. XYZ

Science.gov (United States)

Buchari; Tarigan, U.; Ambarita, M. B.

2018-02-01

PT. XYZ is a wood processing company which produce semi-finished wood with production system is make to order. In the production process, it can be seen that the production line is not balanced. The imbalance of the production line is caused by the difference in cycle time between work stations. In addition, there are other issues, namely the existence of material flow pattern is irregular so it resulted in the backtracking and displacement distance away. This study aimed to obtain the allocation of work elements to specific work stations and propose an improvement of the production layout based on the result of improvements in the line balancing. The method used in the balancing is Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) or also known as Helgeson Birnie method. While the methods used in the improvement of the layout is the method of Systematic Layout Planning (SLP). By using Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) obtained increase in line efficiency becomes 84,86% and decreased balance delay becomes 15,14%. Repairing the layout using the method of Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) also give good results with a reduction in path length becomes 133,82 meters from 213,09 meters previously or a decrease of 37.2%.

Concentrated fed-batch cell culture increases manufacturing capacity without additional volumetric capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, William C; Minkler, Daniel F; Kshirsagar, Rashmi; Ryll, Thomas; Huang, Yao-Ming

2016-01-10

Biomanufacturing factories of the future are transitioning from large, single-product facilities toward smaller, multi-product, flexible facilities. Flexible capacity allows companies to adapt to ever-changing pipeline and market demands. Concentrated fed-batch (CFB) cell culture enables flexible manufacturing capacity with limited volumetric capacity; it intensifies cell culture titers such that the output of a smaller facility can rival that of a larger facility. We tested this hypothesis at bench scale by developing a feeding strategy for CFB and applying it to two cell lines. CFB improved cell line A output by 105% and cell line B output by 70% compared to traditional fed-batch (TFB) processes. CFB did not greatly change cell line A product quality, but it improved cell line B charge heterogeneity, suggesting that CFB has both process and product quality benefits. We projected CFB output gains in the context of a 2000-L small-scale facility, but the output was lower than that of a 15,000-L large-scale TFB facility. CFB's high cell mass also complicated operations, eroded volumetric productivity, and showed our current processes require significant improvements in specific productivity in order to realize their full potential and savings in manufacturing. Thus, improving specific productivity can resolve CFB's cost, scale-up, and operability challenges. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cryptotanshinone has diverse effects on cell cycle events in melanoma cell lines with different metastatic capacity

OpenAIRE

Punchard, Neville

2011-01-01

Background and Purpose: Cryptotanshinone (CTs) is a major active component of Salvia miltiorrhiza, which is often used as Chinese herbal medicine in cancer therapy. Here, we systematically assessed the anti-tumor effect of CTs on two melanoma cell lines with low/high metastatic capacity (B16/B16BL6). Experimental Approach: MTT and LDH assays were used to evaluate cell growth and cytotoxicity. We assessed the effect of CTs on cell apoptosis or proliferation by Annexin V, TUNEL or BrdU assay. C...

Resource Planning in Glaucoma: A Tool to Evaluate Glaucoma Service Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Batra, Ruchika; Sharma, Hannah E; Elaraoud, Ibrahim; Mohamed, Shabbir

2017-12-28

The National Patient Safety Agency (2009) publication advising timely follow-up of patients with established glaucoma followed several reported instances of visual loss due to postponed appointments and patients lost to follow-up. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Quality Standards Development Group stated that all hospital appointments should occur within 15% of the intended follow-up period. To determine whether: 1. Glaucoma follow-up appointments at a teaching hospital occur within the requested time 2. Appointments are requested at appropriate intervals based on the NICE Guidelines 3. The capacity of the glaucoma service is adequate Methods: A two-part audit was undertaken of 98 and 99 consecutive patients respectively attending specialist glaucoma clinics. In the first part, the reasons for delayed appointments were recorded. In the second part the requested follow-up was compared with NICE guidelines where applicable. Based on the findings, changes were implemented and a re-audit of 100 patients was carried out. The initial audit found that although clinical decisions regarding follow-up intervals were 100% compliant with NICE guidelines where applicable, 24% of appointments were delayed beyond 15% of the requested period, due to administrative errors and inadequate capacity, leading to significant clinical deterioration in two patients. Following the introduction of an electronic appointment tracker and increased clinical capacity created by extra clinics and clinicians, the re-audit found a marked decrease in the percentage of appointments being delayed (9%). This audit is a useful tool to evaluate glaucoma service provision, assist in resource planning for the service and bring about change in a non-confrontational way. It can be widely applied and adapted for use in other medical specialities.

Capacity planning of link restorable optical networks under dynamic change of traffic

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Kwok Shing; Cheung, Kwok Wai

2005-11-01

Future backbone networks shall require full-survivability and support dynamic changes of traffic demands. The Generalized Survivable Networks (GSN) was proposed to meet these challenges. GSN is fully-survivable under dynamic traffic demand changes, so it offers a practical and guaranteed characterization framework for ASTN / ASON survivable network planning and bandwidth-on-demand resource allocation 4. The basic idea of GSN is to incorporate the non-blocking network concept into the survivable network models. In GSN, each network node must specify its I/O capacity bound which is taken as constraints for any allowable traffic demand matrix. In this paper, we consider the following generic GSN network design problem: Given the I/O bounds of each network node, find a routing scheme (and the corresponding rerouting scheme under failure) and the link capacity assignment (both working and spare) which minimize the cost, such that any traffic matrix consistent with the given I/O bounds can be feasibly routed and it is single-fault tolerant under the link restoration scheme. We first show how the initial, infeasible formal mixed integer programming formulation can be transformed into a more feasible problem using the duality transformation of the linear program. Then we show how the problem can be simplified using the Lagrangian Relaxation approach. Previous work has outlined a two-phase approach for solving this problem where the first phase optimizes the working capacity assignment and the second phase optimizes the spare capacity assignment. In this paper, we present a jointly optimized framework for dimensioning the survivable optical network with the GSN model. Experiment results show that the jointly optimized GSN can bring about on average of 3.8% cost savings when compared with the separate, two-phase approach. Finally, we perform a cost comparison and show that GSN can be deployed with a reasonable cost.

Problem in application carrying capacity approach for land allocation assessment in Indonesian municipal spatial planning: A case of Kutai Kartanegara Regency

Science.gov (United States)

Wijaya, I. N. S.; Rahadi, B.; Lusiana, N.; Maulidina, I.

2017-06-01

Urbanization in many countries, such as Indonesia, is commonly appeared as a dynamic population of developed areas. It is followed with reducing rural uses of land for improving urban land uses such as housing, industry, infrastructure, etc. in response to the growth of population. One may not be sufficiently considered by the urban planners and the decision makers, urbanization also means escalation of natural resources consumption that should be supported by the natural capacity of the area. In this situation, balancing approach as carrying capacity calculation in spatial planning is needed for sustainability. Indonesian Spatial Planning Law 26/2007 has already expressed about the balance approach in the system. Moreover, it strictly regulates the assessment and the permission system in controlling land development, especially for the conversion. However, the reductions over the rural uses of land, especially agriculture, are continuously occurred. Concerning the planning approach, this paper aims to disclose common insufficiency of carrying capacity considerations in Indonesian spatial planning practice. This paper describes common calculation weaknesses in projecting area for the urban development by recalculating the actual gap between supply and demand of agriculture land areas. Here, municipal spatial plan of Kutai Kartanegara Regency is utilized as single sample case to discuss. As the result, the recalculation shows that: 1) there are serious deficit status of agriculture land areas in order to fulfil the demanded agriculture production for the existed population, 2) some calculation of agriculture production may be miss-interpreted because of insufficient explanation toward the productivity of each agriculture commodity.

Evaluation of carrying capacity: Measure 7.1A of the Northwest Power Planning Council's 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program. Report 1 of 4, Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neitzel, D.A.; Johnson, G.E.

1996-05-01

This report is one of four that the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff prepared to address Measure 7.1A in the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) dated december 1994 (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.1A calls for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to fund an evaluation of salmon survival, ecology, carrying capacity, and limiting factors in freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats. Additionally, the Measure asks for development of a study plan based on critical uncertainties and research needs identified during the evaluation. This report deals with the evaluation of carrying capacity. It describes the analysis of different views of capacity as it relates to salmon survival and abundance. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations for studying carrying capacity

Adverse effects of reduced oxygen tension on the proliferative capacity of rat kidney and insulin-secreting cell lines involve DNA damage and stress responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jianhua; Jones, R. Huw; Tarry-Adkins, Jane; Smith, Noel H.; Ozanne, Susan E.

2008-01-01

Standard cell culture conditions do not reflect the physiological environment in terms of oxygen tension (20% vs 3%). The effects of lowering oxygen tension on cell proliferation in culture can be beneficial as well as detrimental depending on the cell line studied, but the molecular mechanism underlying such effects is not fully understood. We observed that the proliferative capacity of the rat cell lines NRK and INS-1 was inhibited when cultured under 3% oxygen as compared to 20% oxygen. Suppression of proliferation in NRK cells was accompanied by induction of DNA double strand breaks whereas in INS-1 cells it was accompanied by up-regulation of p53 and p27. Although Sirt1 was up-regulated in both cell lines by 3% oxygen the effects on antioxidant enzymes (MnSOD, CuZnSOD and catalase) were cell line specific. Marked up-regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was detected in both NRK and INS-1 cells when cultured in 3% oxygen. HO-1 expression can be readily induced by exposure to hydrogen peroxide in culture. These results suggest that reduced oxygen tension suppresses the proliferative capacity of these two cell lines through a stress response that is similar to an oxidative stress response but the molecular events that lead to the reduced cell proliferation are cell line specific

Electric and magnetic field reduction by alternative transmission line options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, J.R. (Power Technologies, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)); Dale, S.J. (Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)); Klein, K.W. (Energetics, Inc., Columbia, MD (United States))

1991-01-01

Ground level electric, and more recently magnetic, fields from overhead power transmission lines are increasingly important considerations in right of way specification, with states setting or planning to set edge of right of way limits. Research has been conducted in high phase order power transmission wherein six of twelve phases are used to transmit power in less physical space and with reduced electrical environmental effects than conventional designs. The first magnetic field testing, as reported in this paper, has verified predictive methods for determination of magnetic fields from high phase order lines. Based on these analytical methods, field profiles have been determined for lines of different phase order of comparable power capacity. Potential advantages of high phase order as a means of field mitigation are discussed. 10 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.

Evaluation of railway capacity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex; Kaas, Anders H.; Schittenhelm, Bernd

2006-01-01

capacity consumptions. This paper describes the UIC 406 method and how it is expounded in Denmark. The paper describes the importance of choosing the right length of the line sections examined and how line sections with multiple track sections are examined. Furthermore, the possibility of using idle...

Station Capacity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex

2011-01-01

the probability of conflicts and the minimum headway times into account. The last method analyzes how optimal platform tracks are used by examining the arrival and departure pattern of the trains. The developed methods can either be used separately to analyze specific characteristics of the capacity of a station......Stations are often limiting the capacity of railway networks. This is due to extra need of tracks when trains stand still, trains turning around, and conflicting train routes. Although stations are often the capacity bottlenecks, most capacity analysis methods focus on open line capacity. Therefore...... for platform tracks and the probability that arriving trains will not get a platform track immediately at arrival. The third method is a scalable method that analyzes the conflicts in the switch zone(s). In its simplest stage, the method just analyzes the track layout while the more advanced stages also take...

Transmission capacity assessment by probabilistic planning. An approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lammintausta, M.

2002-01-01

The Finnish electricity markets participate in the Scandinavian markets, Nord-Pool. The Finnish market is free for marketers, producers and consumers. All these participants can be seen as customers of the transmission network, which in turn can be considered to be a market place in which electricity can be sold and bought. The Finnish transmission network is owned and operated by an independent company, Fingrid that has the full responsibility of the Finnish transmission system. The available transfer capacity of a transmission route is traditionally limited by deterministic security constraints. More efficient and flexible network utilisation could be achieved with probabilistic planning methods. This report introduces a simple and practical probabilistic approach for transfer limit and risk assessment. The method is based on the economical benefit and risk predictions. It uses also the existing results of deterministic data and it could be used side by side with the deterministic method. The basic concept and necessary equations for expected risks of various market players have been derived for further developments. The outage costs and thereby the risks of the market participants depend on how the system operator reacts to the faults. In the Finnish power system consumers will usually experience no costs due to the faults because of meshed network and counter trade method preferred by the system operator. The costs to the producers and dealers are also low because of the counter trade method. The network company will lose the cost of reparation, additional losses and cost of regulation power because of counter trades. In case power flows will be rearranged drastically because of aggressive strategies used in the electricity markets, the only way to fulfil the needs of free markets is that the network operator buys regulation power for short-term problems and reinforces the network in the long-term situations. The reinforcement is done if the network can not be

The Relationship between Working Memory Capacity and L2 Oral Performance under Task-Based Careful Online Planning Condition

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadian, Mohammad Javad

2012-01-01

The study reported in this article aimed to investigate the way working memory capacity (WMC) interacts with careful online planning--a task-based implementation variable--to affect second language (L2) speech production. This issue is important to teachers, because it delves into one of the possible task-based implementation variables and thus…

Nuclear power as an option in electrical generation planning for Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feretic, D.; Tomsic, Z.; Cavlina, N.; Kovacevic, T.

2000-01-01

The expected increase of electricity consumption in the next two decades, if covered mainly by domestic production, will require roughly 4500 MW of new installed capacity. The question is which resource mix would be optimal for the future power plants. Taking into account lack of domestic resources for electricity generation, current trends in the European energy markets, and environmental impact of various energy technologies, it seems reasonable for Croatia to keep the nuclear option open in the future energy planning. In line with that conclusion, this paper analyzes how the introduction of nuclear power plants would influence future power system expansion plans in Croatia, and the possibility to meet the Kyoto requirement. The effects of CO 2 emission tax and external costs on the optimal capacity mix and the emissions levels are also examined. (author)

Evaluation of Carrying Capacity : Measure 7.1A of the Northwest Power Planning Council`s 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program : Report 1 of 4, Final Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neitzel, Duane A.; Johnson, Gary E.

1996-05-01

This report is one of four that the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff prepared to address Measure 7.1A in the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program (Program) dated december 1994 (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.1A calls for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to fund an evaluation of salmon survival, ecology, carrying capacity, and limiting factors in freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats. Additionally, the Measure asks for development of a study plan based on critical uncertainties and research needs identified during the evaluation. This report deals with the evaluation of carrying capacity. It describes the analysis of different views of capacity as it relates to salmon survival and abundance. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations for studying carrying capacity.

Building the Capacity of States to Ensure Inclusion of Rural Communities in State and Local Primary Violence Prevention Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Cook-Craig, Patricia G.; Lane, Karen G.; Siebold, Wendi L.

2010-01-01

Rural, frontier, and geographically isolated communities face unique challenges associated with ensuring that they are equal partners in capacity-building and prevention planning processes at the state and local level despite barriers that can inhibit participation. By their nature, rural, frontier, and geographically isolated communities and…

Evaluation of the radioinduced damage, repair capacity and cell death on human tumorigenic (T-47D and MCF-7) and nontumorigenic (MCF-10) cell lines of breast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdoge, Flavia Gomes Silva

2008-01-01

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies that account women, representing about one in three of all female neoplasm. Approximately, 90% of cases are considered sporadic, attributed to somatic events and about 10% have a family history and this only 4 - 5 % is due to hereditary factors. In the clinic, ionizing radiation is a major tool utilized in the control of tumour growth, besides surgery and chemotherapy. There is, however, little information concerning cellular response to the action of ionizing radiation in the target cells, i.e., cell lines originating from breast cancer. The present study proposed to analyze the radiosensitivity of the human tumorigenic (T-47D and MCF-7) and non tumorigenic (MCF-10) cell lines, originating from breast and submitted to various doses (0.5 to 30 Gy) of 60 Co rays (0.72 - 1.50 Gy/min). For this purpose, DNA radioinduced damage, repair capacity and cell death were utilized as parameters of radiosensitivity by micronucleus, single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) and cell viability techniques. The data obtained showed that tumorigenic cell lines were more radiosensitive than non tumorigenic breast cells in all assays here utilized. The T-47D cell line was presenting the highest amount of radioinduced damage, a more accelerated proliferation rate and a higher rate of cell death. The three cell lines presented a relatively efficient repair capacity, since one hour after the irradiation all of them showed a considerable reduction of radioinduced damage. The techniques employed showed to be secure, sensitive and reproducible, allowing to quantify and evaluate DNA damage, repair capacity and cell death in the three human breast cell lines. (author)

Representation of Solar Capacity Value in the ReEDS Capacity Expansion Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigrin, B. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sullivan, P. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Ibanez, E. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2014-03-01

An important issue for electricity system operators is the estimation of renewables' capacity contributions to reliably meeting system demand, or their capacity value. While the capacity value of thermal generation can be estimated easily, assessment of wind and solar requires a more nuanced approach due to the resource variability. Reliability-based methods, particularly assessment of the Effective Load-Carrying Capacity, are considered to be the most robust and widely-accepted techniques for addressing this resource variability. This report compares estimates of solar PV capacity value by the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) capacity expansion model against two sources. The first comparison is against values published by utilities or other entities for known electrical systems at existing solar penetration levels. The second comparison is against a time-series ELCC simulation tool for high renewable penetration scenarios in the Western Interconnection. Results from the ReEDS model are found to compare well with both comparisons, despite being resolved at a super-hourly temporal resolution. Two results are relevant for other capacity-based models that use a super-hourly resolution to model solar capacity value. First, solar capacity value should not be parameterized as a static value, but must decay with increasing penetration. This is because -- for an afternoon-peaking system -- as solar penetration increases, the system's peak net load shifts to later in the day -- when solar output is lower. Second, long-term planning models should determine system adequacy requirements in each time period in order to approximate LOLP calculations. Within the ReEDS model we resolve these issues by using a capacity value estimate that varies by time-slice. Within each time period the net load and shadow price on ReEDS's planning reserve constraint signals the relative importance of additional firm capacity.

Incorporating environmental externalities into the capacity expansion planning: An Israeli case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Nir; Soloveitchik, David; Olshansky, Moshe

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Long term energy-environmental planning problems for the electricity sector. → Environmental considerations in the capacity expansion plan. → Modified version of WASP-IV as a multiple objective programming model. → Multi-objective analysis of trade-offs between costs and pollutants reduction. -- Abstract: In this paper we use the WASP-IV model and develop methodology to estimate the impact of several environmental externality costs on the electricity sector development plan. For this purpose, 22 cases were generated which were later on reduced to only seven non-dominated cases by considering this problem as a dynamic multiple objective programming model. The major impact of internalizing the external cost is on fuel use. In the electricity generation system more natural gas and less coal has been used. A cost benefit analysis (CBA) of three scenarios has been performed focusing on taxing only one pollutant while looking at its overall implication. The benefit cost ratio was about 4.5 while the net benefit was about 200 million USD (depending on the scenario). Multi-objective analysis among the different scenarios was carried in a dynamic setting. Seven scenarios appear in the non-dominated set. Out of them five appears in every year and those should have a higher weight placed on them by policy makers. Out of those five, two are a single tax on one pollutant. Thus, policy makers might want to consider a mixture of taxes but for the sake of simplicity can also use a simple one tax on a given pollutant.

Planning Electric Transmission Lines: A Review of Recent Regional Transmission Plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eto, Joseph H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-04-13

The first Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) recommends that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conduct a national review of transmission plans and assess the barriers and incentives to their implementation. DOE tasked Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to prepare two reports to support the agency’s response to this recommendation. This report reviews regional transmission plans and regional transmission planning processes that have been directed by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order Nos. 890 and 1000. We focus on the most recent regional transmission plans (those issued in 2015 and through approximately mid-year 2016) and current regional transmission planning processes. A companion report focuses on non-plan-related factors that affect transmission projects.

A Production Planning Model for Make-to-Order Foundry Flow Shop with Capacity Constraint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xixing Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The mode of production in the modern manufacturing enterprise mainly prefers to MTO (Make-to-Order; how to reasonably arrange the production plan has become a very common and urgent problem for enterprises’ managers to improve inner production reformation in the competitive market environment. In this paper, a mathematical model of production planning is proposed to maximize the profit with capacity constraint. Four kinds of cost factors (material cost, process cost, delay cost, and facility occupy cost are considered in the proposed model. Different factors not only result in different profit but also result in different satisfaction degrees of customers. Particularly, the delay cost and facility occupy cost cannot reach the minimum at the same time; the two objectives are interactional. This paper presents a mathematical model based on the actual production process of a foundry flow shop. An improved genetic algorithm (IGA is proposed to solve the biobjective problem of the model. Also, the gene encoding and decoding, the definition of fitness function, and genetic operators have been illustrated. In addition, the proposed algorithm is used to solve the production planning problem of a foundry flow shop in a casting enterprise. And comparisons with other recently published algorithms show the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Defense plan of Hydro-Quebec for extreme contingencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trudel, Guilles; Bernard, Serge; Portales, Esteban

2000-01-01

In the last years, Hydro-Quebec it undertook an important program to improve the dependability of their net of energy transport. They concentrated the efforts on increasing the capacity of the net resist in the event of carries to an extreme contingency caused in general by multiple incidents or for successive disconnection of the lines of energy transport. To neutralize these contingencies, Hydro-Quebec it adopted a series of special measures that are contained under the general title of Plan of Defense for Extreme Contingencies. The objective of this plan is to detect the incidents that surpass the capacity of the net. It is completely automatic and it is based mainly in: A system of automatic disconnection of generation and tele-shot of loads; A system of automatic maneuver (opening and closing) of inductances shunt of 735 kw; A system of disconnection of loads for low voltage; A system of disconnection of loads for low frequency. The present document summarizes the orientations that there is taking Hydro-Quebec to protect its net in the event of extreme contingencies and it describes the different automatism that they are adopts, in particular the system automatic disconnection of generation and tele-shot of loads (RPTC) that is one of the main components of the defense plan. The system RPTC detects the simultaneous loss of several lines directly in 15 substations of 735 kw. It understands four places of automatic disconnection of generation and a centralized system of tele-shot of loads

Optimization of Sex Ratio in a Selection Plan for Palas Prolificacy Line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Răzvan Popa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper work is to optimize the sex ratio in a selection plan, according to model developed by King (1961, which will be proposed to be applied for prolificacy improvement in Prolific Line Palas. The method used in this paper work is modeling, which exist in the most animal breeding scientifically papers. After the simulations, we observed that the most convenient variant was that which prefigure use of 13 rams on reproduction activity. This variant offer a genetic gain per generation by 0.47497 additive standard deviations.

Dynamic Line Rating - Technologies and Challenges of PMU on Overhead Lines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alvarez, David; Rosero, Javier; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da

2016-01-01

for line rating computation and monitoring are identified, these are: sensors, communications, management information system and information analysis tools, which are part of integral dynamic line rating systems. Finally, the benefits and challenges of using phasor measurement units for real time capacity...

Competition under capacitated dynamic lot-sizing with capacity acquisition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Hongyan; Meissner, Joern

2011-01-01

Lot-sizing and capacity planning are important supply chain decisions, and competition and cooperation affect the performance of these decisions. In this paper, we look into the dynamic lot-sizing and resource competition problem of an industry consisting of multiple firms. A capacity competition...... production setup, along with inventory carrying costs. The individual production lots of each firm are limited by a constant capacity restriction, which is purchased up front for the planning horizon. The capacity can be purchased from a spot market, and the capacity acquisition cost fluctuates...

Capacitated Dynamic Lot Sizing with Capacity Acquisition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Hongyan; Meissner, Joern

One of the fundamental problems in operations management is to determine the optimal investment in capacity. Capacity investment consumes resources and the decision is often irreversible. Moreover, the available capacity level affects the action space for production and inventory planning decisions...

Quantitative analysis of investment allocation over various resources of health care systems by using views of product lines

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Guangfu; Williams, Peter

2013-11-01

Hospitals can be viewed as service enterprises, of which the primary function is to provide specific sets of diagnostic and therapeutic medical services to individual patients. Each patient has certain diagnosis and therapeutic attributes in common with some other patients. Thus, patients with similar medical attributes could be 'processed' in one 'product line' of medical services, and individual treatments for patients within one 'product line' can be regarded as incurring identical consumption of health care resources. This article presents a theoretical framing for resource planning and investment allocation of various resources from a macro perspective of costs that demonstrates the need to plan capacity at the disaggregated resource level. The result of a balanced line ('optimal') is compared with an alternative scheme of 'the same ratio composing of resources' under the same monetary constraints. Thus, it is demonstrated that planning at the disaggregated level affords much better use of resources than achieved in common practice of budget control by simple percentage increase/decrease in distributing a financial vote.

Capacity at Railway Stations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex

2011-01-01

zone(s) the possible conflicts with other trains (also in the opposite direction) are taken into account leading to more trustworthy results. Although the UIC 406 methodology proposes that the railway network should be divided into line sections when trains turn around and when the train order...... is changed, this paper recommends that the railway lines are not always be divided. In case trains turn around on open (single track) line, the capacity consumption may be too low if a railway line is divided. The same can be the case if only few trains are overtaken at an overtaking station. For dead end...

The benefits of designing a stratification system for New York City pediatric intensive care units for use in regional surge capacity planning and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Christiana

2010-08-01

Accurate assessment of New York City (NYC) pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) resources and the ability to surge them during a disaster has been recognized as an important citywide emergency preparedness activity. However, while NYC hospitals with PICUs may be expected to surge in a disaster, few of them have detailed surge capacity plans. This will likely make it difficult for them to realize their full surge capacity both on individual and regional levels. If the pediatric resources that each NYC PICU hospital has can be identified prior to a disaster, this information can be used to both determine appropriate surge capacity goals for each PICU hospital and the additional resources needed to reach those goals. City agencies can then focus citywide planning efforts on making these resources available and more easily anticipate what a hospital will need during a disaster. Communication of this hospital information both prior to and during a surge situation will be aided by a stratification system familiar to both city planners and hospitals. The goal of this project was to design a NYC PICU surge stratification system that would aid physicians, hospitals and city agencies in regional surge capacity planning for critical pediatric patients. This goal was demonstrated through two objectives. The first identified major factors to consider when designing a stratification system. The second devised a preliminary system of PICU stratification based on clinical criteria and resources.

The line makes the difference: line managers as effective HRM partners

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos-Nehles, Anna Christina

2010-01-01

The HR role of line managers is highly discussed and criticized but little empirically researched. It is argued that line managers are not able to effectively implement HR practices because they do not have the desire, capacity and competences needed to perform well and lack support and policies &

Project W-314 specific test and evaluation plan for SN-633 transfer line (241-AX-B to 241-AY-02A)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hays, W.H.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this Specific Test and Evaluation Plan (STEP) is to provide a detailed written plan for the systematic testing of modifications made by the addition of the SN-633 transfer line by the W-314 Project. The STEP develops the outline for test procedures that verify the system's performance to the established Project design criteria. The STEP is a lower tier document based on the W-314 Test and Evaluation Plan (TEP). This STEP encompasses all testing activities required to demonstrate compliance to the project design criteria as it relates to the addition of transfer line SN-633. The Project Design Specifications (PDS) identify the specific testing activities required for the Project. Testing includes Validations and Verifications (e.g., Commercial Grade Item Dedication activities), Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs), installation tests and inspections, Construction Acceptance Tests (CATs), Acceptance Test Procedures (ATPs), Pre-Operational Test Procedures (POTPs), and Operational Test Procedures (OTPs). It should be noted that POTPs are not required for testing of the transfer line addition. The STEP will be utilized in conjunction with the TEP for verification and validation

Essays on investment planning in electricity generating capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Gomez, Jorge

In the first part of this study we develop and analyze two mathematical models that incorporate a time changing demand for electricity and uncertainty of input prices. The first model highlights the shortcomings in assuming a constant plant utilization under uncertainty of input prices and the effects of such assumption on the optimal investment in electricity generating capacity in a simple two period model. The second model presents sufficient restrictions to the optimal investment in electricity generating capacity problem to allow for a recursive solution. The necessary restrictions are extremely limiting to the extend that we found a solution for very simple scenarios. In our opinion, the problem is better handled in a case by case basis rather than under a general dynamic framework. Following the spirit of our conclusions of the first part of our study, in the second part we provide a methodology to simulate long-term natural gas prices, we analyze the investment prospects of nuclear and natural gas generating capacity in Mexico and provide a constraint approach for the optimal generation of hydroelectric plants in the Mexican hydroelectric system. These three problems belong to the solution of the optimal investment in electricity generating capacity in Mexico. To simulate the uncertainty of natural gas prices, we assume that natural gas prices are the sum of two stochastic processes: short-term and long-term variability. We characterize the short-term variability of natural gas prices using an Exponential General Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedastic (EGARCH) model. The uncertainty of the long-term variability of natural gas prices is based on the long-term natural gas prices scenarios of the National Energy Modeling System of the Energy Information Administration. Equipped with a methodology to simulate long-term natural gas prices, we investigate the investment prospects of nuclear and natural gas generating capacity in Mexico using the levelized

Evaluating the Cost of Line Capacity Limitations in Aggregations of Commercial Buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ziras, Charalampos; Delikaraoglou, Stefanos; Kazempour, Jalal

2017-01-01

-ahead optimization strategy to assess the cost of imposing capacity limitations in the total consumption of individual buildings, as well as aggregations of buildings. We show that such capacity limitations lead to an increase for the buildings operational costs, which can be interpreted as the value...... of these limitations. Based on such calculations, the aggregator can value capacity-limitation services to the distribution system operator. Moreover, the value of aggregation is also highlighted, since it leads to lower costs than imposing the same total capacity limitation on individual buildings....

Cross case analysis of institutions and adaptive capacity in The Netherlands: Do institutions for spatial planning, water and nature management in The Netherlands enhance the capacity of society to adapt to climate change?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijerink, S.; Bergsma, E.; Gupta, J.; Jong, P.; Klostermann, J.E.M.; Termeer, C.J.A.M.

2010-01-01

In this working document we aim to answer the following question: Do institutions for spatial planning, water and nature management in the Netherlands enhance the capacity of society to adapt to climate change? To answer this question we have first reviewed the literature on adaptive governance and

State of technology, system and solution supporting on-line maintenance - company's activities and products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishitani, Junichi; Shimizu, Shunichi; Higasa, Hisakazu

2010-01-01

The new inspection system based on operator's maintenance and monitoring program of nuclear power plants was introduced in Japan more than one year ago and recommended on-line maintenance (maintenance during operation) will be carried out to increase capacity factor with safe and reliable operation of the plant. In this feature article, nine experts described the state of technology, system and solution supporting on-line maintenance - company's activities and products. These were titled as 'MHI's technology supporting on-line maintenance'. 'Technology supporting on-line maintenance - Toshiba's activities to upgrade monitoring and diagnostic service and maintenance management', 'AsahiKASEI's activities of on-line maintenance', 'Importance of information sharing of on-line maintenance and its ideal method-function of impact plan of IBM Maximo Asset Management for Nuclear', 'US's on-line maintenance and information systems', 'SmartProcedures realizing safe operation of nuclear power plant - proposal of computerized procedures', 'Ultrasonic leak detection system SDT170', 'Application of infrared thermography for equipment maintenance in nuclear power plant' and 'On-line condition monitoring system - condition eye'. (T. Tanaka)

Modeling and forecasting of electrical power demands for capacity planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Shobaki, Salman [Department of Industrial Engineering, Hashemite University, Zarka 13115 (Jordan); Mohsen, Mousa [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hashemite University, Zarka 13115 (Jordan)

2008-11-15

This paper describes the development of forecasting models to predict future generation and electrical power consumption in Jordan. This is critical to production cost since power is generated by burning expensive imported oil. Currently, the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) is using regression models that only accounts for trend dynamics in their planning of loads and demand levels. The models are simplistic and are based on generated energy historical levels. They produce results on yearly bases and do not account for monthly variability in demand levels. The paper presents two models, one based on the generated energy data and the other is based on the consumed energy data. The models account for trend, monthly seasonality, and cycle dynamics. Both models are compared to NEPCO's model and indicate that NEPCO is producing energy at levels higher than needed (5.25%) thus increasing the loss in generated energy. The developed models also show a 13% difference between the generated energy and the consumed energy that is lost due to transmission line and in-house consumption. (author)

Modeling and forecasting of electrical power demands for capacity planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Shobaki, Salman; Mohsen, Mousa

2008-01-01

This paper describes the development of forecasting models to predict future generation and electrical power consumption in Jordan. This is critical to production cost since power is generated by burning expensive imported oil. Currently, the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) is using regression models that only accounts for trend dynamics in their planning of loads and demand levels. The models are simplistic and are based on generated energy historical levels. They produce results on yearly bases and do not account for monthly variability in demand levels. The paper presents two models, one based on the generated energy data and the other is based on the consumed energy data. The models account for trend, monthly seasonality, and cycle dynamics. Both models are compared to NEPCO's model and indicate that NEPCO is producing energy at levels higher than needed (5.25%) thus increasing the loss in generated energy. The developed models also show a 13% difference between the generated energy and the consumed energy that is lost due to transmission line and in-house consumption

A Framework to Support the Fusion of Operation and Planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yousu; Etingov, Pavel V.; Fitzhenry, Erin B.; Sharma, Poorva; Nguyen, Tony B.; Makarov, Yuri V.; Rice, Mark J.; Allwardt, Craig H.; Widergren, Steven E.

2015-12-31

The management of the nation’s power system has progressed to the point where the boundary lines between operations and planning are becoming blurred. The dynamic behavior of smart grid technologies brings pressures of incorporating the predictive capability from planning to enhance operations. These needs are requiring a smoother, better integrated interplay between the functional roles of planning and operations. This paper presents a framework to support the fusion of operation and planning. A case study of predicting the intra-hour deficiency in generation capability and ramping capacity and presenting the outputs to operators was conducted. The study shows the benefits of the fusion and the effectiveness of the framework. All the function blocks used in the study were built upon GridOPTICS Software System (GOSS), a software system middleware platform that facilitates deployment of new applications for the future power grid.

Strengthening our approaches to building capacity

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

CCAA

and capacity building mandate. A number of ... of CCAA capacity building: participatory action research (PAR) mentoring ... project, to ensure its application in planning, monitoring ... community volunteers who use climate information in emergency response ... has expertise in monitoring and evaluation, and the Department.

A Generalized National Planning Approach for Admission Capacity in Higher Education: A Nonlinear Integer Goal Programming Model with a Novel Differential Evolution Algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Qulity, Said Ali; Mohamed, Ali Wagdy

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a nonlinear integer goal programming model (NIGPM) for solving the general problem of admission capacity planning in a country as a whole. The work aims to satisfy most of the required key objectives of a country related to the enrollment problem for higher education. The system general outlines are developed along with the solution methodology for application to the time horizon in a given plan. The up-to-date data for Saudi Arabia is used as a case study and a novel evolutionary algorithm based on modified differential evolution (DE) algorithm is used to solve the complexity of the NIGPM generated for different goal priorities. The experimental results presented in this paper show their effectiveness in solving the admission capacity for higher education in terms of final solution quality and robustness.

Transmission investment and planning in deregulated market environment : a literature survey (part 1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, F.; Wu, F.F.

2005-01-01

This paper is the first half of a 2-part paper that provided details of a comprehensive survey of issues related to transmission investment and expansion planning in the electricity market. The lack of adequate transmission capacity has played an important role in recent power crises, and deregulation has had a significant impact on the investment and planning process of transmission systems. The main objective of transmission investment is to meet load demands as cheaply as possible. In a deregulated market, there is no longer centrally coordinated planning of new generation. Transmission planning is generally not coordinated with generation planning. There is considerable uncertainty with regard to transmission capacity requirements due to long lead times for transmission construction. Generating plants and transmission lines are built according to investor assessments and private interests, and current transmission systems were not designed to handle supply and demand patterns in competitive markets. It was recommended that new transmission plans should meet reliability requirements while minimizing expected unserved energy. It was concluded that reliability criteria must be redefined to account for the fact that transmission systems are more stressed under deregulation. Two popular financial transmission rights were also discussed, notably (1) point-to-point financial transmission rights (FTR); and (2) financial flowgate rights (FGR)

A New Methodology for Solving Trajectory Planning and Dynamic Load-Carrying Capacity of a Robot Manipulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wanjin Guo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A new methodology using a direct method for obtaining the best found trajectory planning and maximum dynamic load-carrying capacity (DLCC is presented for a 5-degree of freedom (DOF hybrid robot manipulator. A nonlinear constrained multiobjective optimization problem is formulated with four objective functions, namely, travel time, total energy involved in the motion, joint jerks, and joint acceleration. The vector of decision variables is defined by the sequence of the time-interval lengths associated with each two consecutive via-points on the desired trajectory of the 5-DOF robot generalized coordinates. Then this vector of decision variables is computed in order to minimize the cost function (which is the weighted sum of these four objective functions subject to constraints on joint positions, velocities, acceleration, jerks, forces/torques, and payload mass. Two separate approaches are proposed to deal with the trajectory planning problem and the maximum DLCC calculation for the 5-DOF robot manipulator using an evolutionary optimization technique. The adopted evolutionary algorithm is the elitist nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II. A numerical application is performed for obtaining best found solutions of trajectory planning and maximum DLCC calculation for the 5-DOF hybrid robot manipulator.

Robustness indicators and capacity models for railway networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Wittrup

In a world continuous striving for higher mobility and the use of more sustainable modes of transport, there is a constant pressure on utilising railway capacity better and, at the same time, obtaining a high robustness against delays. During the planning of railway operations and infrastructure ....... This has motivated the research conducted and described in this thesis, where the objective has been to develop and improve existing methods to achieve timetable and infrastructure plans with robust capacity utilisation aimed at the strategic and early tactical planning phases....

Evaluating the strategic capacity of collaborative spatial planning initiatives by the performance of its process, output and outcomes: The case of the southern Randstad Holland

OpenAIRE

Harteveld, E.; Waterhout, B.; Broekhans, B.; Zonneveld, W.A.M.

2015-01-01

Spatial planning practices are constantly evolving to be more effective in a dynamic context. In the face of the latest developments, the practice of collaborative spatial planning through the formation of regional collaborations has emerged as the contemporary solution. The practice of working with a multitude of public actors that cooperate to formulate spatial strategies for issues that transcend their own planning capacity is relatively new and the ideal structure, organization and scope ...

Capacity Expansion Modeling for Storage Technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hale, Elaine; Stoll, Brady; Mai, Trieu

2017-04-03

The Resource Planning Model (RPM) is a capacity expansion model designed for regional power systems and high levels of renewable generation. Recent extensions capture value-stacking for storage technologies, including batteries and concentrating solar power with storage. After estimating per-unit capacity value and curtailment reduction potential, RPM co-optimizes investment decisions and reduced-form dispatch, accounting for planning reserves; energy value, including arbitrage and curtailment reduction; and three types of operating reserves. Multiple technology cost scenarios are analyzed to determine level of deployment in the Western Interconnection under various conditions.

Exploring the meteorological potential for planning a high performance European electricity super-grid: optimal power capacity distribution among countries

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Alamillos, Francisco J.; Brayshaw, David J.; Methven, John; Thomaidis, Nikolaos S.; Ruiz-Arias, José A.; Pozo-Vázquez, David

2017-11-01

The concept of a European super-grid for electricity presents clear advantages for a reliable and affordable renewable power production (photovoltaics and wind). Based on the mean-variance portfolio optimization analysis, we explore optimal scenarios for the allocation of new renewable capacity at national level in order to provide to energy decision-makers guidance about which regions should be mostly targeted to either maximize total production or reduce its day-to-day variability. The results show that the existing distribution of renewable generation capacity across Europe is far from optimal: i.e. a ‘better’ spatial distribution of resources could have been achieved with either a ~31% increase in mean power supply (for the same level of day-to-day variability) or a ~37.5% reduction in day-to-day variability (for the same level of mean productivity). Careful planning of additional increments in renewable capacity at the European level could, however, act to significantly ameliorate this deficiency. The choice of where to deploy resources depends, however, on the objective being pursued—if the goal is to maximize average output, then new capacity is best allocated in the countries with highest resources, whereas investment in additional capacity in a north/south dipole pattern across Europe would act to most reduce daily variations and thus decrease the day-to-day volatility of renewable power supply.

18 CFR 294.101 - Shortages of electric energy and capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... customers; and (ii) It will report any modifications to its contingency plans for accommodating shortages... REGULATORY POLICIES ACT OF 1978 § 294.101 Shortages of electric energy and capacity. (a) Definition of... customers. (4) If a plan for accommodating any shortages of electric energy or capacity affecting its firm...

Remote sensing for industrial applications in the energy business: digital territorial data integration for planning of overhead power transmission lines (OHTLs)

Science.gov (United States)

Terrazzino, Alfonso; Volponi, Silvia; Borgogno Mondino, Enrico

2001-12-01

An investigation has been carried out, concerning remote sensing techniques, in order to assess their potential application to the energy system business: the most interesting results concern a new approach, based on digital data from remote sensing, to infrastructures with a large territorial distribution: in particular OverHead Transmission Lines, for the high voltage transmission and distribution of electricity on large distances. Remote sensing could in principle be applied to all the phases of the system lifetime, from planning to design, to construction, management, monitoring and maintenance. In this article, a remote sensing based approach is presented, targeted to the line planning: optimization of OHTLs path and layout, according to different parameters (technical, environmental and industrial). Planning new OHTLs is of particular interest in emerging markets, where typically the cartography is missing or available only on low accuracy scale (1:50.000 and lower), often not updated. Multi- spectral images can be used to generate thematic maps of the region of interest for the planning (soil coverage). Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), allow the planners to easily access the morphologic information of the surface. Other auxiliary information from local laws, environmental instances, international (IEC) standards can be integrated in order to perform an accurate optimized path choice and preliminary spotting of the OHTLs. This operation is carried out by an ABB proprietary optimization algorithm: the output is a preliminary path that bests fits the optimization parameters of the line in a life cycle approach.

Effects of capacity constraints on the motion pattern of an autonomous orchard sprayer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bochtis, D.D.; Vougioukas, S.G.; Griepentrog, Hans-Werner

Orchard farming operations are very promising for automated systems implementation due to the semi-controlled environment that they are executed. Researches on autonomous orchard vehicles have been madden from many research teams the last years. Although, there is a lot of work that has been done...... which computes the routes that the vehicle has to follow as well as the optimal locations of the facilities in order to minimize the total operation's time. An autonomous tractor was used as the test platform. For the off-line testing of the planned operations as well as for the evaluation...... concerning the navigation of these vehicles, there is a lack of efficient mission planning for the operations that they execute. In this paper, orchard operations with capacity restrictions, such us spraying operation, are studied. For this kind of operations, a combinatorial optimization method is used...

Using Evaluation for CBNRM Capacity Development (Southeast Asia)

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Using Evaluation for CBNRM Capacity Development (Southeast Asia) ... for evaluating both the process and outcome of capacity development efforts in CBNRM. ... Cluster Case Studies Planning Workshop, Beijing, September 21-23, 2006; ...

An Examination of the Predictive Relationships of Self-Evaluation Capacity and Staff Competency on Strategic Planning in Hong Kong Aided Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Eric C. K.

2011-01-01

This article aims to examine the predictive relationships of self-evaluation capacity and staff competency on the effect of strategic planning in aided secondary schools in Hong Kong. A quantitative questionnaire survey was compiled to collect data from principals of the participating schools. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests…

GTRgaz: investment plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2007-01-01

GTRgaz company published on June 2007 its indicative development plan for the 10 years to come. This document serves as a communication vector between GTRgaz and the actors of the market and presents the projects of development of the gas transportation network as defined on the basis of the evolution of French and European markets, and on the knowledge of capacity needs directly or indirectly expressed by the suppliers community. This article summarizes the different points of this plan: reduction of the number of balancing points, development of interconnection capacities, development of output capacities, network free interplay improvement beyond 2013. (J.S.)

Building Adaptive Capacity in Changing Social-Ecological Systems: Integrating Knowledge in Communal Land-Use Planning in the Peruvian Amazon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lily O. Rodríguez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Building resilient sustainable social-ecological systems (SES requires communities to enhance their adaptive capacities. Communal participative land-use planning (Zonificación Participativa Comunal—ZPC is a tool designed for communities to integrating local and scientific knowledge to sustainably organize and manage their SES. Between 2006 and 2011, a ZPC was developed with communities in the buffer zone of Cordillera Azul National Park (Peru, where rapid demographic changes are converting pre-montane seasonally dry forest into agricultural land. Herein, we analyse how the ZPC enhanced adaptive capacity, enabling the SES to cope with environmental, political and economic changes. Based on qualitative, semi-structured interviews, communities are analysed along their capacities in the dimensions social capital, learning, adaptive management and governance. An analysis of yearly high-resolution forest cover data supports our findings. Deforestation activities in biologically sensitive zones decreased rapidly during the time of the ZPC implementation. We find that particularly the long-term presence of the bridging institution and the continuous testing and reflection of the integrated “hybrid knowledge” enabled communities to develop adaptive capacities. The analysis of ZPC our results reveals the enabling conditions for promoting the learning process to develop a sustainable land-use management in the context of migration and rapid changes.

Managing Demand and Capacity Using Multi-Sector Planning and Flexible Airspace: Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation of NextGen

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Paul U.; Smith, Nancy M.; Prevot, Thomas; Homola, Jeffrey R.

2010-01-01

When demand for an airspace sector exceeds capacity, the balance can be re-established by reducing the demand, increasing the capacity, or both. The Multi-Sector Planner (MSP) concept has been proposed to better manage traffic demand by modifying trajectories across multiple sectors. A complementary approach to MSP, called Flexible Airspace Management (FAM), reconfigures the airspace such that capacity can be reallocated dynamically to balance the traffic demand across multiple sectors, resulting in fewer traffic management initiatives. The two concepts have been evaluated with a series of human-in-the-loop simulations at the Airspace Operations Laboratory to examine and refine the roles of the human operators in these concepts, as well as their tools and procedural requirements. So far MSP and FAM functions have been evaluated individually but the integration of the two functions is desirable since there are significant overlaps in their goals, geographic/temporal scope of the problem space, and the implementation timeframe. Ongoing research is planned to refine the humans roles in the integrated concept.

The Practice of Guangzhou Port Planning Environmental Impact Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ning; Zhao, Junjie; Shou, Youping; Qiao, Jianzhe; Dong, Shipei; Zhang, Lu

2018-01-01

In this paper, the effects of the implementation of Guangzhou port plan were analyzed from hydrological condition, water environment and ecological environment. Regional water environmental carrying capacity was analyzed. Guangzhou port is a main port in the coast of China, it is an important port of foreign trade in south China, it is an important port for energy supplies and raw materials in Guangdong province [1]. With the shipping channel condition improvement and the construction of large specialized container port area, Guangzhou port will gradually become trunk line port of container transport in south China.

Interleukin 1β, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6 decreas nuclear thyroid hormone receptor capacity in a liver cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolf, M.; Hansen, N.; Greten, H.

1994-01-01

Many of the acute inflammatory responses in critical illness are mediated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNTF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Furthermore, these cytokines are involved in mediating the characteristic changes of thyroid function during acute disease known as non-thyroidal illness. In the present studies the authors investigated in vitro whether TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 modify nuclear thyroid hormone receptor (TR) capacity and/or affinity. Regulation of TR synthesis was studied in the human hepatoma cell line Hep-G2. Subconfluent cells were incubated with recombinant cytokines in serum-free medium. Nuclear extracts were prepared by high-salt extraction of cell nuclei. Binding assays were performed with [ 125 I]-triiodothyronine; bound and free hormone were separated by filtration. Interleukin 1β decreased TR capacity in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with unstimulated cells, the TR capacity was reduced to 87.9 ± 3.9% after incubation with 0.1, 1.0 and 100 μg/l IL-1β, respectively. Interleukin 6 and TNF-α significantly reduced receptor capacity only at concentrations of 10μg/l or higher and the magnitude of the reduction was lower than with IL-1β. The TR capacity was reduced to 81.2 ± 2.3% and 83.2 ± 6.6% after stimulation with 10μg/l IL-6 or TNF-α, respectively. TR affinity was not altered significantly after stimulation with any of the cytokines. 44 refs., 4 figs

Practical use of the UIC 406 capacity leaflet by including timetable tools in the investigations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Landex, Alex; Kaas, Anders H.; Schittenhelm, Bernd

2006-01-01

This paper describes the relatively new UIC 406 method for calculating capacity consumption on railway lines. The UIC 406 method is an easy and effective way of calculating the capacity consumption, but it is possible to expound the UIC 406 method in different ways which can lead to different...... capacity consumptions. This paper describes how the UIC 406 method is expounded in Denmark. The paper describes the importance of choosing the right length of the line sections examined and how line sections with multiple track sections are examined. Furthermore, the possibility of using idle capacity...

Efficiency estimation method of three-wired AC to DC line transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Solovev, S. V.; Bardanov, A. I.

2018-05-01

The development of power semiconductor converters technology expands the scope of their application to medium voltage distribution networks (6-35 kV). Particularly rectifiers and inverters of appropriate power capacity complement the topology of such voltage level networks with the DC links and lines. The article presents a coefficient that allows taking into account the increase of transmission line capacity depending on the parameters of it. The application of the coefficient is presented by the example of transfer three-wired AC line to DC in various methods. Dependences of the change in the capacity from the load power factor of the line and the reactive component of the resistance of the transmission line are obtained. Conclusions are drawn about the most efficient ways of converting a three-wired AC line to direct current.

Research for the Influence of Distribution Network Line Reclosing Current on Line Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Kansheng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available According to the distribution network line structure and reclosing control strategy, the system simulation model of distribution network lines has established based on the real-time digital simulation RTDS. Based on this, distribution network switching impulse current characteristic has researched with different capacity, different distribution and different load power factor under the different voltage switching angles. The results of the study provide a scientific basis for distribution network line protection setting, in order to further lay the foundation for improvement the validity and reliability of distribution network line protection action.

Guided preparedness planning with lay communities: enhancing capacity of rural emergency response through a systems-based partnership.

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, O Lee; Perry, Charlene; Azur, Melissa; Taylor, Henry G; Gwon, Howard; Mosley, Adrian; Semon, Natalie; Links, Jonathan M

2013-02-01

, LHDs, FBOs, and AHCs can work effectively to plan, implement, and evaluate what appears to be an effective, practical, and durable model of capacity building for public mental health emergency planning.

Institutional capacity for health systems research in East and Central African schools of public health: experiences with a capacity assessment tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessani, Nasreen; Lewy, Daniela; Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth; Bennett, Sara

2014-06-02

Despite significant investments in health systems research (HSR) capacity development, there is a dearth of information regarding how to assess HSR capacity. An alliance of schools of public health (SPHs) in East and Central Africa developed a tool for the self-assessment of HSR capacity with the aim of producing institutional capacity development plans. Between June and November 2011, seven SPHs across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda implemented this co-created tool. The objectives of the institutional assessments were to assess existing capacities for HSR and to develop capacity development plans to address prioritized gaps. A mixed-method approach was employed consisting of document analysis, self-assessment questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and institutional dialogues aimed at capturing individual perceptions of institutional leadership, collective HSR skills, knowledge translation, and faculty incentives to engage in HSR. Implementation strategies for the capacity assessment varied across the SPHs. This paper reports findings from semi-structured interviews with focal persons from each SPH, to reflect on the process used at each SPH to execute the institutional assessments as well as the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the assessment process. The assessment tool was robust enough to be utilized in its entirety across all seven SPHs resulting in a thorough HSR capacity assessment and a capacity development plan for each SPH. Successful implementation of the capacity assessment exercises depended on four factors: (i) support from senior leadership and collaborators, (ii) a common understanding of HSR, (iii) adequate human and financial resources for the exercise, and (iv) availability of data. Methods of extracting information from the results of the assessments, however, were tailored to the unique objectives of each SPH. This institutional HSR capacity assessment tool and the process for its utilization

Hydropower planning coordinated with wind power in areas with congestion problems for trading on the spot and the regulating market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matevosyan, Julija; Olsson, Magnus; Soeder, Lennart

2009-01-01

In this paper a day-ahead planning algorithm for a multi-reservoir hydropower system coordinated with wind power is developed. Coordination applies to real situations, where wind power and hydropower are owned by different utilities, sharing the same transmission lines, though hydropower has priority for transmission capacity. Coordination is thus necessary to minimize wind energy curtailments during congestion situations. The planning algorithm accounts for the uncertainty of wind power forecasts and power market price uncertainty. Planning for the spot market and the regulating market is considered in the algorithm. The planning algorithm is applied to a case study and the results are summarized in the paper. (author)

Autoshuttle: Concept and Commercial Example Line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Steingrover

2003-05-01

Full Text Available The transport system AUTOSHUTTLE integrates roadand track guided traffic using and combining the specific advantagesof each of these means of transportation. Conventionalroad vehicles are transported including their passengersand freight in individual cabins. The operational concept ofA UTOSHUTTLE provides operation of the cabins without intermediatestops at almost constant travelling speed. During thejourney convoys with low aerodynamic drag are formed in orderto lower the energy consumption and increase traffic capacity.Approaching a station only those cabins that have reachedtheir destination leave the convoy on a passive switch and decelerateon a brake track, while other cabins close the gap in theconvoy and travel on at the usual cruising speed. This paper describesthe planning and economical aspects of a proposedcommercia/line along the motorway A3 in Germany betweenthe cities of Duisburg and Cologne as a typical example formany other applications.

A general approach to decomposable bi-capacities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Saminger, S.; Mesiar, Radko

2003-01-01

Roč. 39, č. 5 (2003), s. 631-642 ISSN 0023-5954 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA402/04/1026 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1075907 Keywords : bi-capacity * cumulative prospect theory * decomposable capacity Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.319, year: 2003

Characterisation of Human Keratinocytes by Measuring Cellular Repair Capacity of UVB-Induced DNA Damage and Monitoring of Cytogenetic Changes in Melanoma Cell Lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greinert, R.; Breibart, E.W.; Mitchell, D.; Smida, J.; Volkmer, B

2000-07-01

The molecular mechanisms for UV-induced photocarcinogenesis are far from being understood in detail, especially in the case of malignant melanoma of the skin. Nevertheless, it is known that deficiencies in cellular repair processes of UV-induced DNA damage (e.g. in the case of Xeroderma pigmentosum) represent important aetiological factors in the multistep development of skin cancer. The repair kinetics have therefore been studied of an established skin cell line (HaCaT), primary human keratinocytes, melanocytes and melanoma cell lines, using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Our data show a high degree of interindividual variability in cellular repair capacity for UV-induced DNA lesions, which might be due to individual differences in the degree of tolerable damage and/or the onsets of saturation of the enzymatic repair system. The cytogenetic analysis of melanoma cell lines, using spectral karyotyping (SKY) furthermore proves that malignant melanoma of the skin are characterised by high numbers of chromosomal aberrations. (author)

Capacity Markets and Market Stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stauffer, Hoff

2006-01-01

The good news is that market stability can be achieved through a combination of longer-term contracts, auctions for far enough in the future to permit new entry, a capacity management system, and a demand curve. The bad news is that if and when stable capacity markets are designed, the markets may seem to be relatively close to where we started - with integrated resource planning. Market ideologues will find this anathema. (author)

[Ecotourism carrying capacity of Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Rong, Liang

2007-10-01

In this paper, an integrated estimation on the ecotourism carrying capacity of Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park in China was made from the aspects of ecological carrying capacity, spatial carrying capacity, facility carrying capacity, management carrying capacity, and psychological carrying capacity. The results indicated that the tourism carrying capacity of the Park was 4 145 - 6 450 persons per day. The rational distance between man and bird was first adopted to determine the ecotourism carrying capacity of wetland, which provided an effective solution both to fully ensure bird safety and to appropriately develop wetland tourism. The estimation of psychological carrying capacity based on tourist satisfaction degree reflected more objectively the extent the tourist demands satisfied at the planning, construction and management of tour places. Such an integrated estimation method based on the distance between man and bird and the tourist satisfaction degree could be of practical and instructive significances in the planning and management of wetland parks.

Opportunities and Benefits for Increasing Transmission Capacity between the US Eastern and Western Interconnections

Science.gov (United States)

Figueroa-Acevedo, Armando L.

Historically, the primary justification for building wide-area transmission lines in the US and around the world has been based on reliability and economic criteria. Today, the influence of renewable portfolio standards (RPS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, transmission needs, load diversity, and grid flexibility requirements drives interest in high capacity wide-area transmission. By making use of an optimization model to perform long-term (15 years) co-optimized generation and transmission expansion planning, this work explored the benefits of increasing transmission capacity between the US Eastern and Western Interconnections under different policy and futures assumptions. The model assessed tradeoffs between investments in cross-interconnection HVDC transmission, AC transmission needs within each interconnection, generation investment costs, and operational costs, while satisfying different policy compliance constraints. Operational costs were broken down into the following market products: energy, up-/down regulation reserve, and contingency reserve. In addition, the system operating flexibility requirements were modeled as a function of net-load variability so that the flexibility of the non-wind/non-solar resources increases with increased wind and solar investment. In addition, planning reserve constraints are imposed under the condition that they be deliverable to the load. Thus, the model allows existing and candidate generation resources for both operating reserves and deliverable planning reserves to be shared throughout the interconnections, a feature which significantly drives identification of least-cost investments. This model is used with a 169-bus representation of the North American power grid to design four different high-capacity wide-area transmission infrastructures. Results from this analysis suggest that, under policy that imposes a high-renewable future, the benefits of high capacity transmission between the Eastern and

Transmission and capacity pricing and constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fusco, M.

1999-01-01

A series of overhead viewgraphs accompanied this presentation which discussed the following issues regarding the North American electric power industry: (1) capacity pricing transmission constraints, (2) nature of transmission constraints, (3) consequences of transmission constraints, and (4) prices as market evidence. Some solutions suggested for pricing constraints included the development of contingent contracts, back-up power in supply regions, and new line capacity construction. 8 tabs., 20 figs

Surge capacity principles: care of the critically ill and injured during pandemics and disasters: CHEST consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Hick, John L; Einav, Sharon; Hanfling, Dan; Kissoon, Niranjan; Dichter, Jeffrey R; Devereaux, Asha V; Christian, Michael D

2014-10-01

This article provides consensus suggestions for expanding critical care surge capacity and extension of critical care service capabilities in disasters or pandemics. It focuses on the principles and frameworks for expansion of intensive care services in hospitals in the developed world. A companion article addresses surge logistics, those elements that provide the capability to deliver mass critical care in disaster events. The suggestions in this article are important for all who are involved in large-scale disasters or pandemics with injured or critically ill multiple patients, including front-line clinicians, hospital administrators, and public health or government officials. The Surge Capacity topic panel developed 23 key questions focused on the following domains: systems issues; equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals; staffing; and informatics. Literature searches were conducted to identify evidence on which to base key suggestions. Most reports were small scale, were observational, or used flawed modeling; hence, the level of evidence on which to base recommendations was poor and did not permit the development of evidence-based recommendations. Therefore, the panel developed expert opinion-based suggestions using a modified Delphi process. Suggestions from the previous task force were also included for validation by the expert panel. This article presents 10 suggestions pertaining to the principles that should guide surge capacity and capability planning for mass critical care, including the role of critical care in disaster planning; the surge continuum; targets of surge response; situational awareness and information sharing; mitigating the impact on critical care; planning for the care of special populations; and service deescalation/cessation (also considered as engineered failure). Future reports on critical care surge should emphasize population-based outcomes as well as logistical details. Planning should be based on the projected number of

Mobile-Source GHG Modeling Institutions and Capacities in China:Findings Based on Structured Interviews and On-Line Surveys

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jiangping; ZHOU; Yin; WANG

2014-01-01

This paper provides an overview of practices of mobile-source greenhouse gas(GHG) modeling in China and related data sharing issues. It is based on structured phone interviews and two on-line surveys conducted in 2011 and finds that most cities have transportation-land use models but that few have mobile-source GHG models. A group of entities housed in the government have the strongest GHG modeling capacities and dominate the relevant consulting market. Data hoarding of public entities is the biggest barrier for entities without government ties to compete in the market. The reasons for data hoarding include government concerns over political implications of data release, a tradition of data hoarding, and a lack of confidence in reliability and accuracy of the data.

Study on Tourist Carrying Capacity Based on Matter Element Analysis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LiuYunguo; FanTing; LiXin; ZhouMing; WangXianhai

2005-01-01

This paper proposes that it is necessary to implement the concept of tourist carrying capacity to facilitate the tourism planning, and presents a method to evaluate the carrying capacity. The method called matter element analysis can solve the uncertain and incompatible problem of the evaluated factors in assessing carrying capacity.The current state of a destination's carrying capacity can be determined by establishing the standard indexes and the matter element model. Through the evaluating of the travel industry zones of the Autonomous Prefecture of Western Hunan, the method is proved to be simple and feasible, and it is improved to be significant for the tourism planning and determination as well as the sustainable development of the regional tourism.

Capacity expansion model of wind power generation based on ELCC

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Bo; Zong, Jin; Wu, Shengyu

2018-02-01

Capacity expansion is an indispensable prerequisite for power system planning and construction. A reasonable, efficient and accurate capacity expansion model (CEM) is crucial to power system planning. In most current CEMs, the capacity of wind power generation is considered as boundary conditions instead of decision variables, which may lead to curtailment or over construction of flexible resource, especially at a high renewable energy penetration scenario. This paper proposed a wind power generation capacity value(CV) calculation method based on effective load-carrying capability, and a CEM that co-optimizes wind power generation and conventional power sources. Wind power generation is considered as decision variable in this model, and the model can accurately reflect the uncertainty nature of wind power.

Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Karimian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Professional capacity building (PCB is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers.Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans.Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58% were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42% were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97% were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries.Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended.

Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimian, Zahra; Azin, Seied Ali; Javid, Nasrin; Araban, Marzieh; Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Aghayan, Shahrokh; Merghati Khoie, Effat

2018-01-01

Background: Professional capacity building (PCB) is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers. Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans. Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58%) were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42%) were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97%) were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries. Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended.

Building capacity in local government for integrated planning to increase physical activity: evaluation of the VicHealth MetroACTIVE program.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, M M; Hodge, W; Smith, B J

2009-12-01

Integrated planning is a holistic approach to addressing the needs of local communities built on partnerships between those responsible for development, environmental quality and service provision. This study investigated the extent and key influences on the use of integrated planning to promote physical activity among six metropolitan councils in Melbourne Australia, which took part in the MetroACTIVE Project funded by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation from 2005 to 2007. The evaluation entailed interviews conducted at the mid-term (N = 67) and completion (N = 50) of the project, and the review of relevant documents. Respondents included elected councillors, chief executive officers, officers from different council divisions and the project staff employed in each council. Three councils showed evidence of integrated planning for physical activity, whereas the remainder focused on the delivery of community participation programs. Leadership from senior management and an organizational culture that supported collaboration across council departments were prerequisites for integrated planning. Employment of a dedicated project officer with skills for engaging management and building partnerships within the organization was important. Barriers to integrated planning were a complex organization structure, high demands on the council due to a growing residential population and a poor climate among staff. Overall, integrated planning was found to be a viable approach for developing a coordinated approach to this issue involving the range of council services and functions. Ongoing strategies are needed to facilitate senior management commitment and organizational capacity for integrated planning, with leadership provided by departments responsible for infrastructure or corporate planning.

Effect of radiation on the expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin and invasive capacity in human lung cancer cell line in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimoto, Tetsuo; Mitsuhashi, Norio; Saito, Yoshihiro; Ebara, Takeshi; Niibe, Hideo

1998-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the effect of radiation on E-cadherin and α-catenin expression in a human lung cancer cell line, and also evaluate invasive capacity in the membrane invasion culture system using the Boyden Chamber. Materials and Methods: The immunoblot and immunofluorescence analyses were performed using the human lung cancer cell line A549 to examine altered expression of E-cadherin and α-catenin after irradiation. We also compared invasive capacity of untreated cells with that of irradiated cells. Results: Immunoblot analysis revealed that the expression of E-cadherin increased after irradiation. In a time-course analysis, the expression was increased 6 h after irradiation with 10 Gy and reached its peak level at 24 h, being 2.3 times the control value, whereas expression at 1 and 3 h after irradiation was almost equivalent to that of the control. A slight increase in expression was observed after irradiation of 2 Gy and the expression reached peak levels after 5 Gy. After fractionated irradiation, the increase in expression of both E-cadherin and α-catenin was observed, and the alteration of α-catenin was more prominent than that after a single irradiation of the same total dose. In the immunofluorescence study for E-cadherin antibody analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, increased intensity in irradiated cells produced as a nondisrupted and continuous line at cell-cell contact sites. In an invasive assay, the number of migrated cells in irradiated cells after a dose of 5 and 10 Gy was reduced significantly compared to untreated cells. Conclusion: The results indicate that irradiation of A549 increased the expression of E-cadherin, possibly preserving their functional property

Reconstruction of railway energy lines; Rekonstruktion von Bahnenergieleitungen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rothe, Matthias [DB Energie Gmbh, Berlin (Germany); Wahlen, Manfred [DB Energie Gmbh, Koeln (Germany)

2013-06-15

As is the case for other overhead lines, 110 kV railway energy lines are assumed to have a service life of 80 years. When this service life ends or the lines are adapted to the state of the art as necessary, all components of the overhead line are renewed. For the reconstruction of railway energy lines, the specifications laid down in planning and environmental laws, operational management aspects and the local ambient and development situation are decisive project planning parameters. (orig.)

Capacity Building in the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acuna, Oscar

2014-01-01

Good Practice on Capacity Building - The UNDP/UNDG Approach: Key Steps: 1. Engage stakeholders on capacity development: - in broader national, sectoral, thematic or programme-based development plans, strategies and priorities; - consult all relevant actors and secure the support; - ensure appropriate team composition. 2. Assess capacity assets and needs: - point of entry; - core issues; - the nature of capacity. 3. Formulate a Capacity Development Response: - a capacity development response; - indicators of progress for a capacity development response; - budgeting a capacity development response. 4. Implement the Capacity Development Response: - capacity development strategies in programming; - monitoring from inputs to outputs; - managing implementation through national systems and process; - continuous link with national development. 5. Evaluate Capacity Development focusing on the Outputs Impacts

Can Planning Time Compensate for Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity?

Science.gov (United States)

Nielson, Katharine B.

2014-01-01

Language learners with high working memory capacity have an advantage, all other factors being equal, during the second language acquisition (SLA) process; therefore, identifying a pedagogical intervention that can compensate for low working memory capacity would be advantageous to language learners and instructors. Extensive research on the…

Tourism Planning and Design Based on the Environmental Carrying Capacity%基于环境承载力的旅游规划设计

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

冀慧萍

2015-01-01

旅游的发展必然会对环境造成一定的影响,如何在发展旅游与保护环境之间取得平衡,是旅游规划设计中必须考虑的一个焦点问题. 环境承载能力又称环境容量,基于环境承载力进行旅游规划设计,能很好地确保旅游与环境间的和谐发展. 笔者对环境承载力进行了简要概述,提出了基于环境自洁能力、基于环境再生能力、基于生态足迹的旅游环境承载力的计算方法. 就基于环境承载能力的旅游规划设计进行了探讨,对地区旅游业的可持续发展、旅游资源的开发和调整、旅游环境的保护具有重要意义.%The development of tourism causes certain effect on the environment, and how to achieve a balance between tourism development and environmental protection is a focus problem, which in the tourism planning and design must be considered.Environmental carrying capacity is also called the environment capacity, tourism planning and design based on the environmental carrying capacity can ensure the harmonious development between tourism and environment.In this pa-per, tourism planning and design based on the environmental carrying capacity are discussed, which has positive signifi-cance for the sustainable development of regional tourism experience, the development of tourism resources and the adjust-ment, the protection of tourism environment .

Expert system in power distribution lines switching; Sistema especialista em manobras de redes de distribuicao de energia eletrica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavellucci, Celso

1989-07-01

This work proposes an expert system integrated to procedures of numerical computation, denominated RD and projected to suggest alternatives of switching plans in the isolation and re-establishment of power distribution lines. The switching plans are based on the specialist's knowledge (network operator) and in evaluations of the electric conditions of the switching. Specialist's knowledge is represented in the form of triples (context, attribute, value) and production rules, that are evaluated conveniently by the machine of inference of the RD system. The electric power distribution is represented by a graph model, where the knots are load blocks and the arcs are key of the system. The evaluation of the electric requirements (voltage drop and physical capacity of the components of the power distribution lines) it is obtained through a maneuver simulator (numeric computation). The maneuver simulator bases on the Method of the Moments for the calculation of the voltage drop. With base in these ideas a prototype of the RD system was developed.

Expert system in power distribution lines switching; Sistema especialista em manobras de redes de distribuicao de energia eletrica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavellucci, Celso

1989-07-01

This work proposes an expert system integrated to procedures of numerical computation, denominated RD and projected to suggest alternatives of switching plans in the isolation and re-establishment of power distribution lines. The switching plans are based on the specialist's knowledge (network operator) and in evaluations of the electric conditions of the switching. Specialist's knowledge is represented in the form of triples (context, attribute, value) and production rules, that are evaluated conveniently by the machine of inference of the RD system. The electric power distribution is represented by a graph model, where the knots are load blocks and the arcs are key of the system. The evaluation of the electric requirements (voltage drop and physical capacity of the components of the power distribution lines) it is obtained through a maneuver simulator (numeric computation). The maneuver simulator bases on the Method of the Moments for the calculation of the voltage drop. With base in these ideas a prototype of the RD system was developed.

Joint optimization of maintenance, buffers and machines in manufacturing lines

Science.gov (United States)

Nahas, Nabil; Nourelfath, Mustapha

2018-01-01

This article considers a series manufacturing line composed of several machines separated by intermediate buffers of finite capacity. The goal is to find the optimal number of preventive maintenance actions performed on each machine, the optimal selection of machines and the optimal buffer allocation plan that minimize the total system cost, while providing the desired system throughput level. The mean times between failures of all machines are assumed to increase when applying periodic preventive maintenance. To estimate the production line throughput, a decomposition method is used. The decision variables in the formulated optimal design problem are buffer levels, types of machines and times between preventive maintenance actions. Three heuristic approaches are developed to solve the formulated combinatorial optimization problem. The first heuristic consists of a genetic algorithm, the second is based on the nonlinear threshold accepting metaheuristic and the third is an ant colony system. The proposed heuristics are compared and their efficiency is shown through several numerical examples. It is found that the nonlinear threshold accepting algorithm outperforms the genetic algorithm and ant colony system, while the genetic algorithm provides better results than the ant colony system for longer manufacturing lines.

Using Software Product Line to improve ERP Engineering: Literature Review and Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl Mazo

2014-10-01

Full Text Available On the one hand, getting advantages of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP systems largely depends on their capacity to be configured and adapted to fit the customer and domain requirements. On the other hand, product line engineering (PLE is a promising approach for configuring and adapting products by means of configuration and derivation processes. While the literature and industrial experiences show the benefits of PLE methods, techniques and tools, there is still a lack of interest in addressing ERP engineering issues with the product line strategy. Objective: The aim of this paper is to identify and analyze the different ways presented in the literature to improve ERP engineering issues with the methods, techniques and tools provided by PLE. Method: To achieve that objective, we reviewed the literature and analyzed available publications. Results: This literature review analyzes six research papers at the intersection between ERP and PLE. It shows that the product line strategy can indeed be applied for ERP configuration and customization. It further shows the evolving interest on this topic and discusses existing contributions.

Plans for an on-line computer at the Finnish TRIGA Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Junttila, J.; Tamminen, A.; Palmgren, A.

1970-01-01

Full text: The future plans at the Helsinki Triga reactor include an on-line computer system. The project is in its pre-planning stage, and if the financing can be arranged, the instancing is preliminarily scheduled to start in 1972. We estimate the probability of getting a computer to be 90%. The tasks of the system would be the monitoring and control of reactor power level and other operating conditions, and, on the other hand, data acquisition, analysis and apparatus control in different reactor laboratory experiments. These include the neutron diffractometer, the cold neutron facility and neutron TOF-measurements, gamma-spectroscopy, reactor noise measurements, and neutron activation analysis. It is our intention to purchase a medium-sized computer which is presently being developed by the Finnish company Oy Stroemberg Ab. This computer has been constructed by using the time sharing principle. Consequently, background jobs like testing of new programs, off-line calculations etc., can be executed simultaneously with the actual data taking and control operations. The interfering of programs with each other is prevented by dividing the programs in protected segments. Different kinds of devices and functions can be added to the basic control processing unit, e.g. an automatic interrupt unit with up to 128 priority levels, a fast floating point arithmetic unit, and the control of a direct memory access channel. An additional fact, which makes this particular computer attractive to us, is that we wish to have the manufacturer's support in designing our special applications. The initial system cost of about 120.000 US$ is considered justified for three reasons of about equal importance: 1. The operation and utilization of our reactor will become more efficient. 2. All people involved in the project will learn how to handle a rather complicated-computerization project. 3. The Finnish Government can support the development of this computer by ordering one or two

Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: Aggregate Planning from Sustainability Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Türkay, Metin; Saraçoğlu, Öztürk; Arslan, Mehmet Can

2016-01-01

Supply chain management that considers the flow of raw materials, products and information has become a focal issue in modern manufacturing and service systems. Supply chain management requires effective use of assets and information that has far reaching implications beyond satisfaction of customer demand, flow of goods, services or capital. Aggregate planning, a fundamental decision model in supply chain management, refers to the determination of production, inventory, capacity and labor usage levels in the medium term. Traditionally standard mathematical programming formulation is used to devise the aggregate plan so as to minimize the total cost of operations. However, this formulation is purely an economic model that does not include sustainability considerations. In this study, we revise the standard aggregate planning formulation to account for additional environmental and social criteria to incorporate triple bottom line consideration of sustainability. We show how these additional criteria can be appended to traditional cost accounting in order to address sustainability in aggregate planning. We analyze the revised models and interpret the results on a case study from real life that would be insightful for decision makers.

Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: Aggregate Planning from Sustainability Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Türkay, Metin; Saraçoğlu, Öztürk; Arslan, Mehmet Can

2016-01-01

Supply chain management that considers the flow of raw materials, products and information has become a focal issue in modern manufacturing and service systems. Supply chain management requires effective use of assets and information that has far reaching implications beyond satisfaction of customer demand, flow of goods, services or capital. Aggregate planning, a fundamental decision model in supply chain management, refers to the determination of production, inventory, capacity and labor usage levels in the medium term. Traditionally standard mathematical programming formulation is used to devise the aggregate plan so as to minimize the total cost of operations. However, this formulation is purely an economic model that does not include sustainability considerations. In this study, we revise the standard aggregate planning formulation to account for additional environmental and social criteria to incorporate triple bottom line consideration of sustainability. We show how these additional criteria can be appended to traditional cost accounting in order to address sustainability in aggregate planning. We analyze the revised models and interpret the results on a case study from real life that would be insightful for decision makers. PMID:26807848

La "capacidad vial" del plan regulador chileno, ¿es lo suficientemente buena para dar forma a un entorno edificado sostenible?/ The "road capacity" of the chilean master plan is it good enough for shaping a sustainable built environment?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cárdenas Jirón, Luz Alicia

2000-03-01

Full Text Available The "road capacity" of the Chilean Master Plan is a tool developed to measure the capacity of streets in terms of supporting the size of vehicle flow. This tool considers topics such as land use, population density and street width. The purpose of this technique is to incorporate it to the Master Plan, as a town planning instrument, so as to cope with traffic forecasting and congestion. However, the technique does not embrace any sustainability concept, this is due to a disregard of any district ´s social or environmental needs. Therefore a sustainable urban development would doubtfully be reached. It is argued that some other approaches are required for shaping a sustainable built environment in which it is understood that the streets are a public space for people rather than a platform for moving vehicles only. This means, to promote accessibility as well as mobility. In this paper the author reviews borrowed concepts such as "carrying capacity" and "environmental capacity" from bioregionalist and ecological disciplines using a case study in outskirts of Santiago´s metro area./La "capacidad vial" del Plan Regulador chileno es una herramienta desarrollada para medir la capacidad de las calles en términos de apoyar el tamaño del flujo de vehículos. Esta herramienta considera temas como el uso de la tierra, la densidad de población y ancho de la calle. El propósito de esta técnica es su incorporación al Plan Maestro, como un instrumento de planificación de la ciudad, con el fin de hacer frente a la previsión del tráfico y la congestión. Sin embargo, la técnica no incluye ningún concepto de sostenibilidad. Por lo tanto un desarrollo urbano sostenible dudosamente sería alcanzado. Se argumenta que algunos otros enfoques son necesarios para dar forma a un medio ambiente sostenible integrado, en el que se entiende que las calles son un espacio público para las personas en lugar de una plataforma para mover los vehículos solamente

LLNL Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocampo, R. P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bellah, W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-09-14

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well water is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.

Survival, growth performance and immune capacity of the juvenile lined seahorse Hippocampus erectus fed with rifampicin-treated copepods.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tingting; Wang, Changbo; Liu, Xin; Gao, Fen; Xiao, Dongxue; Zhang, Dong; Zhu, Xialian

2017-06-19

Gastrointestinal disease is one of the most serious diseases in cultured seahorse juveniles. Treatment with antimicrobials of live food (i.e. copepods and Artemia) that is used to feed the juveniles may be a promising measure to alleviate the occurrence of gastrointestinal disease. However, relevant investigations are rare. In the present study, we first investigated the antimicrobial efficacies on bacteria within copepods that were treated with 4 antimicrobials, including 3 antibiotics (i.e. enrofloxacin hydrochloride, oxytetracycline and rifampicin [RFP]) that are approved for use in aquaculture and 1 disinfectant (i.e. povidone iodine). We then assessed the effects of copepods treated with the antimicrobial that had the best antimicrobial efficacy on survival, growth performance and immune capacity of juvenile lined seahorses Hippocampus erectus. The results showed that RFP had the best antimicrobial efficacy on both Pseudoalteromonas spp. and Vibrio spp., 2 dominant bacteria with potential pathogenicity within the copepods; the proper concentration of RFP was 6 mg l-1. Moreover, H. erectus juveniles fed with RFP-treated copepods demonstrated an improved survivorship and immune capacity and had a lower abundance of pathogenic bacteria within their gastrointestinal tracts compared to juveniles fed with untreated copepods. These results suggest that treating live food with RFP is a potential measure for reducing the incidence of gastrointestinal disease in seahorse juveniles.

Model of clinker capacity expansion

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Stylianides, T

1998-10-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a model which has been applied in practice to determine an optimal plan for clinker capacity expansion. The problem was formulated as an integer linear program aiming to determine the optimal number, size and location of kilns...

Do you have a Plan B?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahlberg, Rasmus

2017-01-01

This study explores adaptive capacities in infrastructure preparedness planning from a resilience approach using the bridge between Denmark and Sweden as a case. First, a theoretical framework anchors adaptive capacity in a more general resilience discourse focusing on flexibility and adaptive...... capacity with emphasis on citizens’ ability to interpret information and adjust their behaviour without prior planning and training or instructions. Then, findings from a small qualitative study (n = 45) of the perception of commuters and travellers of the responsibilities and contingencies involved...

Implications of Model Structure and Detail for Utility Planning: Scenario Case Studies Using the Resource Planning Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Trieu [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Barrows, Clayton [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lopez, Anthony [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Hale, Elaine [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dyson, Mark [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Eurek, Kelly [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-04-01

In this report, we analyze the impacts of model configuration and detail in capacity expansion models, computational tools used by utility planners looking to find the least cost option for planning the system and by researchers or policy makers attempting to understand the effects of various policy implementations. The present analysis focuses on the importance of model configurations — particularly those related to capacity credit, dispatch modeling, and transmission modeling — to the construction of scenario futures. Our analysis is primarily directed toward advanced tools used for utility planning and is focused on those impacts that are most relevant to decisions with respect to future renewable capacity deployment. To serve this purpose, we develop and employ the NREL Resource Planning Model to conduct a case study analysis that explores 12 separate capacity expansion scenarios of the Western Interconnection through 2030.

An Observational Assessment of Anesthesia Capacity in Madagascar as a Prerequisite to the Development of a National Surgical Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Linden S; Ravelojaona, Vaonandianina A; Rakotoarison, Hasiniaina N; Herbert, Alison; Bruno, Emily; Close, Kristin L; Andean, Vanessa; Andriamanjato, Hery H; Shrime, Mark G; White, Michelle C

2017-06-01

The global lack of anesthesia capacity is well described, but country-specific data are needed to provide country-specific solutions. We aimed to assess anesthesia capacity in Madagascar as part of the development of a Ministry of Health national surgical plan. As part of a nationwide surgical safety quality improvement project, we surveyed 19 of 22 regional hospitals, representing surgical facilities caring for 75% of the total population. The assessment was divided into 3 areas: anesthesia workforce density, infrastructure and equipment, and medications. Data were obtained by semistructured interviews with Ministry of Health officials, hospital directors, technical directors, statisticians, pharmacists, and anesthesia providers and through on-site observations. Interview questions were adapted from the World Health Organization Situational Analysis Tool and the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists International Standards for Safe Practice of Anaesthesia. Additional data on workforce density were collected from the 3 remaining regions so that workforce density data are representative of all 22 regions. Anesthesia physician workforce density is 0.26 per 100,000 population and 0.19 per 100,000 outside of the capital region. Less than 50% of hospitals surveyed reported having a reliable electricity and oxygen supply. The majority of anesthesia providers work without pulse oximetry (52%) or a functioning vaporizer (52%). All the hospitals surveyed had very basic pediatric supplies, and none had a pediatric pulse oximetry probe. Ketamine is universally available but more than 50% of hospitals lack access to opioids. None of the 19 regional hospitals surveyed was able to completely meet the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists' standards for monitoring. Improving anesthesia care is complex. Capacity assessment is a first step that would enable progress to be tracked against specific targets. In Madagascar, scale-up of the anesthesia

Co-authorship Network Analysis: A Powerful Tool for Strategic Planning of Research, Development and Capacity Building Programs on Neglected Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

Morel, Carlos Medicis; Serruya, Suzanne Jacob; Penna, Gerson Oliveira; Guimarães, Reinaldo

2009-01-01

Background New approaches and tools were needed to support the strategic planning, implementation and management of a Program launched by the Brazilian Government to fund research, development and capacity building on neglected tropical diseases with strong focus on the North, Northeast and Center-West regions of the country where these diseases are prevalent. Methodology/Principal Findings Based on demographic, epidemiological and burden of disease data, seven diseases were selected by the Ministry of Health as targets of the initiative. Publications on these diseases by Brazilian researchers were retrieved from international databases, analyzed and processed with text-mining tools in order to standardize author- and institution's names and addresses. Co-authorship networks based on these publications were assembled, visualized and analyzed with social network analysis software packages. Network visualization and analysis generated new information, allowing better design and strategic planning of the Program, enabling decision makers to characterize network components by area of work, identify institutions as well as authors playing major roles as central hubs or located at critical network cut-points and readily detect authors or institutions participating in large international scientific collaborating networks. Conclusions/Significance Traditional criteria used to monitor and evaluate research proposals or R&D Programs, such as researchers' productivity and impact factor of scientific publications, are of limited value when addressing research areas of low productivity or involving institutions from endemic regions where human resources are limited. Network analysis was found to generate new and valuable information relevant to the strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of the Program. It afforded a more proactive role of the funding agencies in relation to public health and equity goals, to scientific capacity building objectives and a more

Co-authorship network analysis: a powerful tool for strategic planning of research, development and capacity building programs on neglected diseases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Medicis Morel

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: New approaches and tools were needed to support the strategic planning, implementation and management of a Program launched by the Brazilian Government to fund research, development and capacity building on neglected tropical diseases with strong focus on the North, Northeast and Center-West regions of the country where these diseases are prevalent. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Based on demographic, epidemiological and burden of disease data, seven diseases were selected by the Ministry of Health as targets of the initiative. Publications on these diseases by Brazilian researchers were retrieved from international databases, analyzed and processed with text-mining tools in order to standardize author- and institution's names and addresses. Co-authorship networks based on these publications were assembled, visualized and analyzed with social network analysis software packages. Network visualization and analysis generated new information, allowing better design and strategic planning of the Program, enabling decision makers to characterize network components by area of work, identify institutions as well as authors playing major roles as central hubs or located at critical network cut-points and readily detect authors or institutions participating in large international scientific collaborating networks. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Traditional criteria used to monitor and evaluate research proposals or R&D Programs, such as researchers' productivity and impact factor of scientific publications, are of limited value when addressing research areas of low productivity or involving institutions from endemic regions where human resources are limited. Network analysis was found to generate new and valuable information relevant to the strategic planning, implementation and monitoring of the Program. It afforded a more proactive role of the funding agencies in relation to public health and equity goals, to scientific capacity building

Plansalud: Plan sectorial concertado y descentralizado para el desarrollo de capacidades en salud, Perú 2010 - 2014 Plansalud: Decentralized and agreed sector plan for the capacity development in health, Peru 2010-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lizardo Huamán-Angulo

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Los recursos humanos son el eje del accionar del sector salud; sin embargo, no necesariamente son el aspecto mejor atendido, por ello el Ministerio de Salud del Perú (MINSA conjuntamente con los gobiernos regionales generó el Plan Sectorial Concertado y Descentralizado para el Desarrollo de Capacidades en Salud 2010-2014 (PLANSALUD con el propósito de fortalecer las capacidades de los Recursos Humanos en Salud (RHUS y contribuir para que la atención de salud se desarrolle con eficiencia, calidad, pertinencia, equidad e interculturalidad en el marco de la descentralización, el Aseguramiento Universal de la Salud (AUS y las políticas de la salud. Con ese objeto se han propuesto tres componentes (asistencia técnica, capacitación y articulación educación - salud que agrupan a un conjunto importante de intervenciones, las cuales son planteadas y definidas de acuerdo al contexto nacional, regional y local, contribuyendo de ese modo a la mejora de las capacidades de gobierno, de gestión por competencias y la prestación de servicios de salud. El presente artículo muestra una primera aproximación de PLANSALUD, incluyendo aspectos relacionados a su planificación, gestión, financiamiento, estructura y funcionamiento, así como las medidas de monitoreo y evaluación.Human resources are the backbone of health sector actions; however, they are not necessarily the area with the greatest attention, therefore, the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA together with regional governments, led the Decentralized and Agreed Sector Plan for the Capacity Development in Health 2010-2014 (PLANSALUD with the aim of strengthening the capacities of Human Resources for Health (HRH and contribute to health care efficient development, quality, relevance, equity and multiculturalism, in the context of descentralization, the Universal Health Insurance (AUS and health policies. To achieve this goal, they have proposed three components (technical assistance, joint

Capacity of Intelligent Underlay and Overlay Network

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ling, Yim; Elling, Jan; Nielsen, Thomas Toftegaard

1996-01-01

traffic. The formulas of the model have been implemented with the use of MatLab. To verify the model, measurement methods have been developed to collect the teletraffic information in a real-live GSM network. The measured data indicates that the teletraffic model describes the capacity with high accuracy...... and therefore can be used to dimension the network. The model shows that the increase of capacity for a GSM network with 34 frequencies is about 30%. Further capacity enhancement can be achieved by intelligent frequency planning method which is currently being developed...

Flow lines and export lines of Sabalo Gas Field - the engineering of a complex job; Flow lines e export lines de Sabalo - a engenharia da complexidade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serodio, Conrado Jose Morbach [GDK Engenharia, Salvador, BA (Brazil)

2003-07-01

The construction of the natural gas flow lines and export lines system of the Sabalo field, in the far South of Bolivia is an unique job in the pipeline construction area. Its execution is a turning point in terms of engineering and construction technology in this industry. Among the Aguarague Cordillera (mountains), it runs across rocky canyons for more than 5 km, a 2.100 mt long narrow tunnel to overcome the mountains and steep hills along all the ROW length, with a total extension of 70 km, in line pipes ranging from 10'' and 12'' for the flow lines, 28'' for the gas export line and 8' for the condensate line. An integrated construction work plan was settled in order to face and overcome the complex construction situations found in every feet of the pipeline. Four simultaneous work sites were mobilized, 8 independent work fronts, 700 professionals and more than 150 pieces of heavy construction equipment, brought from 3 different countries. Special techniques were adopted also to handle the challenging detail engineering . All in all, the correct conjunction of a sound engineering work, planning, human resources and equipment and the managing flexibility to create alternatives and solutions at the fast pace required by a dynamic work schedule were essential to succeed, in a job with no room for mistakes. The successfully job completion open new possibilities to other challenging projects alike.(author)

Layout Design for a Low Capacity Manufacturing Line: A Case Study

OpenAIRE

De Carlo, Filippo; Arleo, Maria Antonietta; Borgia, Orlando; Tucci, Mario

2013-01-01

The layout re‐arrangement of fashion production lines realizing many small batches is rarely deployed according to well‐known engineering procedures. In fact, it would often appear too complex to call a plant engineer for the proper layout design of such small production lines. Rather, it is preferred to apply empirical methodologies when considering, generally, factory know‐how, general business needs, safety requirements, and so on. In the present work, the results of a fashion manufacturin...

Analysis of Load-Carrying Capacity for Redundant Free-Floating Space Manipulators in Trajectory Tracking Task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingxuan Jia

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to analyze load-carrying capacity of redundant free-floating space manipulators (FFSM in trajectory tracking task. Combined with the analysis of influential factors in load-carrying process, evaluation of maximum load-carrying capacity (MLCC is described as multiconstrained nonlinear programming problem. An efficient algorithm based on repeated line search within discontinuous feasible region is presented to determine MLCC for a given trajectory of the end-effector and corresponding joint path. Then, considering the influence of MLCC caused by different initial configurations for the starting point of given trajectory, a kind of maximum payload initial configuration planning method is proposed by using PSO algorithm. Simulations are performed for a particular trajectory tracking task of the 7-DOF space manipulator, of which MLCC is evaluated quantitatively. By in-depth research of the simulation results, significant gap between the values of MLCC when using different initial configurations is analyzed, and the discontinuity of allowable load-carrying capacity is illustrated. The proposed analytical method can be taken as theoretical foundation of feasibility analysis, trajectory optimization, and optimal control of trajectory tracking task in on-orbit load-carrying operations.

32 CFR 644.7 - Acquisition lines.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... HANDBOOK Project Planning Civil Works § 644.7 Acquisition lines. (a) Tentative acquisition lines. As..., in accordance with sound real estate practices. Accordingly, fringe tracts will not be acquired until...

Sustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphries, Debbie; Gomez, Ligia; Hartwig, Kari

2011-01-01

Despite an increase in organizational capacity building efforts by external organizations in low and middle income countries, the documentation of these efforts and their effects on health programs and systems remains limited. This paper reviews key frameworks for considering sustainability of capacity building and applies these frameworks to an evaluation of the sustainability of an AIDS non-governmental organization (NGO) capacity building initiative. From 2004-2007 Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's Secure the Future(TM) initiative in southern Africa funded a five country program, the NGO Training Institute (NGOTI), to build capacity of NGOs working to address HIV/AIDS. Lessons learned from this project include issues of ownership, the importance of integrating planning for sustainability within capacity-building projects, and the value of identifying primary capacity-building objectives in order to select sustainability strategies that are focused on maintaining program benefits. Sustainability for capacity building projects can be developed by discussing key issues early in the planning process with all primary stakeholders. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Constraint programming-based genetic algorithm for capacity output optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Ean Nee Goh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The manuscript presents an investigation into a constraint programming-based genetic algorithm for capacity output optimization in a back-end semiconductor manufacturing company.Design/methodology/approach: In the first stage, constraint programming defining the relationships between variables was formulated into the objective function. A genetic algorithm model was created in the second stage to optimize capacity output. Three demand scenarios were applied to test the robustness of the proposed algorithm.Findings: CPGA improved both the machine utilization and capacity output once the minimum requirements of a demand scenario were fulfilled. Capacity outputs of the three scenarios were improved by 157%, 7%, and 69%, respectively.Research limitations/implications: The work relates to aggregate planning of machine capacity in a single case study. The constraints and constructed scenarios were therefore industry-specific.Practical implications: Capacity planning in a semiconductor manufacturing facility need to consider multiple mutually influenced constraints in resource availability, process flow and product demand. The findings prove that CPGA is a practical and an efficient alternative to optimize the capacity output and to allow the company to review its capacity with quick feedback.Originality/value: The work integrates two contemporary computational methods for a real industry application conventionally reliant on human judgement.

Capacity in the energy underwriting market - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulhall, L.

1992-01-01

It is important to clarify the different definitions of capacity, and in the insurance business this work has two distinct interpretations. The capacity of a Lloyd's syndicate is described by its ability to write premium income. Of more interest is the maximum ability and willingness of an underwriter, whether Lloyds's or Company, to commit itself to catastrophe loss policies. Or put more simply, what is the size of their line? It is this capacity for covering high value catastrophic exposure or Target Risks that will be discussed using the definition that capacity in this case is: ''The ability of insurance markets to cover any single maximum loss''. (Author)

On-line maintenance PSA support at NPP Krsko

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prosen, R.; Vrbanic, I.; Kastelan, M.

2000-01-01

In 1997 Krsko NPP initiated the on-line maintenance (OLM) practice. On-line maintenance constitutes of corrective activities, preventive activities, surveillance activities, tests and inspections, as well as calibrations and modifications, taking place during the normal power operations. The on-line maintenance is a multidisciplinary process consisting of activity specification, planning, and preparation and performing of the OLM activity of interest. The primary role of the PSA group is to assess from the r isk perspective , using the plant-specific NEK PSA model, system unavailability and the impact to the plant operational risk. The intent is to support planning of the on-line maintenance activities from the risk perspective. The risk evaluation of the OLM activities is based on the probability of core damage evaluation for the defined discrete plant configuration states, determined by the OLM activities. Within this application, the optimized, plant-specific PSA model is used on Risk Spectrum platform. To perform the risk assessment of the on-line maintenance activities, first the systems to be affected are defined based on the planned OLM activities. The next important step is the assessment of the planned work schedule. To define the final schedule, the co-ordination and optimizing the planned OLM activities needs activation of all participating departments, supported also from PSA group. The P3 (i.e. Primavera) planning tool system windows are defined for different systems and groups of systems, and the activities are sorted in particular weeks according to these windows. (author)

Capacity building in emerging space nations: Experiences, challenges and benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Jason, Susan; da Silva Curiel, Alex; Liddle, Doug; Chizea, Francis; Leloglu, Ugur Murat; Helvaci, Mustafa; Bekhti, Mohammed; Benachir, Djouad; Boland, Lee; Gomes, Luis; Sweeting, Martin

2010-09-01

This paper focuses on ways in which space is being used to build capacity in science and technology in order to: Offer increasing support for national and global solutions to current and emerging problems including: how to improve food security; resource management; understanding the impacts of climate change and how to deal with them; improving disaster mitigation, management and response. Support sustainable economic development. We present some of the experiences, lessons learned and benefits gained in capacity building projects undertaken by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and our partners from developing and mature space nations. We focus on the Turkish, Algerian and Nigerian know-how and technology transfer programmes which form part of the first Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) in orbit. From the lessons learned on Surrey's know-how and technology transfer partnership programmes, it is clear that space technology needs to be implemented responsibly as part of a long-term capacity building plan to be a sustainable one. It needs to be supported with appropriate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, including community participation, human resources development and strengthening of managerial systems. In taking this on board, DMC has resulted in a strong international partnership combining national objectives, humanitarian aid and commerce. The benefits include: Ownership of space-based and supporting ground assets with low capital expenditure that is in line with national budgets of developing nations. Ownership of data and control over data acquisition. More for the money via collaborative consortium. Space related capacity building in organisations and nations with the goal of sustainable development. Opportunities for international collaboration, including disaster management and relief.

A capacity expansion planning model for integrated water desalination and power supply chain problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saif, Y.; Almansoori, A.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Water and power supply chain is considered by a discrete optimization model. • The model examines the capacity expansion and operation of the supply chain problem. • Renewable/alternative power technologies and carbon mitigation are considered. • A case study of Abu Dhabi in UAE is examined as an application of the model. - Abstract: Cogeneration of water and power in integrated cogeneration production plants is a common practice in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. There are several combinations of water desalination and power technologies which give significant adverse environmental impact. Renewable and alternative energy technologies have been recently proposed as alternative power production paths in the water and power sector. In this study, we examine the optimal capacity expansion of water and power infrastructure over an extended planning horizon. A generic mixed integer linear programming model is developed to assist in the decision making process on: (1) optimal installation of cogeneration expansion capacities; (2) optimal installation of renewable and alternative power plants; (3) optimal operation of the integrated water and power supply chain over large geographical areas. Furthermore, the model considers the installation of carbon capture methods in fossil-based power plants. A case study will be presented to illustrate the mathematical programming application for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (AD) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The case study is solved reflecting different scenarios: base case scenario, integration of renewable and alternative technologies scenario, and CO_2 reduction targets scenario. The results show that increased carbon tax values up to 150 $/ton-CO_2 gives a maximum 3% cost increase for the supply chain net present value. The installation of carbon capture methods is not an economical solution due to its high operation energy requirements in the order of 370 kW h per ton of captured CO_2

Increasing Student Interest and Comprehension of Production Planning and Control and Operations Performance Measurement Concepts Using a Production Line Game

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, James F., III; Walker, Edward D., II

2005-01-01

Production planning and control (PPC) systems and operations performance measures are topics that students generally find both boring and difficult to understand. In the article, the authors present a production line game that they have found to be an effective tool to increase student interest in the topics as well as student comprehension. The…

Increasing transmission capacity : case studies and techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reisdorff, R.A. [Laminated Wood Systems, NE (United States)

2007-07-01

Many companies are stretching the capacities of their mature transmission lines as a result of deregulation in the electric utility industry. Since electric utilities are no longer in control of new generation locations or capacities, their mission has changed from supplying electricity to regional customers to that of the movement of power over their grid. There will also be even more pressure to maximize the thermal capacity of existing transmission lines once the regional transmission operators (RTOs) are in place. Various methods including conductor replacement or increasing structure height are available options to accomplish this. This paper discussed the available methods to increase ground clearance, including structure changeouts; pole top extensions; nip and tuck conductor; adding mid-span structures; and raising structures. Because the actual cost of line outages for maintenance of rebuild work will make many present day work procedures obsolete, the industry is changing to methods of safely increasing the existing structure heights without removing the line from service. The paper also presented the Phaiseraiser product which is a patented system, consisting of double steel members that are either single or multiple piece units which are used to support the raised structure. The paper discussed the product development of the Phaiseraiser product, with reference to wood stubs; pier foundation; pole enforcer methodology; testing; designs; and ordering requirements. Last, the paper discussed a custom designed installation tool package developed by Laminated Wood Systems (LWS); LWS structural analysis; estimated cost for Phaiseraiser installation on an h-frame; labor resources and training; maintenance considerations; completed Phaiseraiser projects; and a case study on the Omaha Public Power District. figs.

Results from the Macedonian power system development planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkanovski, A.; Bosevski, T.; Todorovski, M.

2000-01-01

In this paper we present the results from the development planning of the Macedonian power system for the period 2001-2020. Taking into account the fact that one can not consider construction of new power generating units on domestic lignite due to its shortage, development of the national power system can be supported by utilisation of hydro potential, natural gas within the capabilities of the existing gas pipeline and nuclear energy. The crucial year in the planning period will be the year when reduction of the lignite utilisation in the existing thermal plants will take place, which will cause construction of new units with significant capacities. We have analysed two possibilities for inclusion od nuclear plant, optimal based on the economical criteria and forced with delay of the on-line year of the nuclear plant starting from the optimal year for its construction (2014 which was obtained from the WASP optimisation procedure) and ending with the year 2021 (one year beyond the study period). (author)

Isoeffect lines using TDF and CRE concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Supe, S.J.; Sasane, J.B.; Supe, D.S.

1980-01-01

Isoeffect lines based on Ellis' Nominal Standard Dose concept, Orton's Time Dose and Fractionation Factor (TDF) concept, and Kirk et al's Cumulative Radiation Effect (CRE) concept give differing results of treatment planning. Experience with isoeffect lines based on the above concepts in planning in case of radiotherapy for carcinoma of bladder and carcinoma of uterine cervix is narrated. (M.G.B.)

Capacity Building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molloy, Brian; Mallick, Shahid

2014-01-01

Outcomes & Recommendations: • Significant increase needed in the nuclear workforce both to replace soon-to-retire current generation and to staff large numbers of new units planned • Key message, was the importance of an integrated approach to workforce development. • IAEA and other International Organisations were asked to continue to work on Knowledge Management, Networks and E&T activities • IAEA requested to conduct Global Survey of HR needs – survey initiated but only 50% of operating countries (30% of capacity) took part, so results inconclusive

Urethrography and ischial intertuberosity line in radiation therapy planning for prostate carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadeghi, Ahmad; Kuisk, Hans; Tran, Luu; St Royal, Leslie

1996-01-01

We analyzed our urethrography procedure regarding the validity of using the ischial tuberosity line (ITL) as the caudal margin of treatment portals for prostate carcinoma. The distances of the external urethral sphincter and the lowest margin of the opacified urinary bladder were analyzed in one hundred fifteen consecutive urethrograms. None showed the urethral sphincter to be caudal to the ITL. Ten percent of the sphincters were located less than 1.0 cm cephalad to the ITL, yielding inadequate treatment coverage if the ITL was relied on. Arbitrarily considering 2.0 cm or more of the urethral irradiation to be excessive, the use of the ITL would then have resulted in unnecessary normal tissue irradiation of 42.5%. The ITL should not be used as the caudal margin for prostate treatment portals. Variation in sphincter position, as also seen on lateral projections, reveal a need for urethrography as a necessary supplement to computed tomography to plan radiation portals for prostate cancer

Surge capacity logistics: care of the critically ill and injured during pandemics and disasters: CHEST consensus statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Einav, Sharon; Hick, John L; Hanfling, Dan; Erstad, Brian L; Toner, Eric S; Branson, Richard D; Kanter, Robert K; Kissoon, Niranjan; Dichter, Jeffrey R; Devereaux, Asha V; Christian, Michael D

2014-10-01

Successful management of a pandemic or disaster requires implementation of preexisting plans to minimize loss of life and maintain control. Managing the expected surges in intensive care capacity requires strategic planning from a systems perspective and includes focused intensive care abilities and requirements as well as all individuals and organizations involved in hospital and regional planning. The suggestions in this article are important for all involved in a large-scale disaster or pandemic, including front-line clinicians, hospital administrators, and public health or government officials. Specifically, this article focuses on surge logistics-those elements that provide the capability to deliver mass critical care. The Surge Capacity topic panel developed 23 key questions focused on the following domains: systems issues; equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals; staffing; and informatics. Literature searches were conducted to identify studies upon which evidence-based recommendations could be made. The results were reviewed for relevance to the topic, and the articles were screened by two topic editors for placement within one of the surge domains noted previously. Most reports were small scale, were observational, or used flawed modeling; hence, the level of evidence on which to base recommendations was poor and did not permit the development of evidence-based recommendations. The Surge Capacity topic panel subsequently followed the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) Guidelines Oversight Committee's methodology to develop suggestion based on expert opinion using a modified Delphi process. This article presents 22 suggestions pertaining to surge capacity mass critical care, including requirements for equipment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals; staff preparation and organization; methods of mitigating overwhelming patient loads; the role of deployable critical care services; and the use of transportation assets to support the surge response

Does Assisted Living Capacity Influence Case Mix at Nursing Homes?

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Jan P; Khushalani, Jaya

2015-01-01

Assisted living facilities (ALFs) have grown over the past few decades. If they attract residents with lower care needs away from nursing homes (NHs), NHs may be left with higher case mix residents. We study the relationship between ALF bed market capacity and NH case mix in a state (Virginia) where ALF bed capacity stabilized after a period of growth. Similarly, NH capacity and use had been stable. While it is interesting to study markets in flux, for planning purposes, it is also important to examine what happens after periods of turbulence and adaptation. Our findings show some substitution of ALF for NH care, but the relationship is not linear with ALF market capacity. Communities need to consider the interplay of ALFs and NHs in planning for long-term care services and supports. Policies supporting ALFs may enable care needs to be met in a lower cost setting than the NH.

EIA models and capacity building in Viet Nam: an analysis of development aid programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doberstein, Brent

2004-01-01

There has been a decided lack of empirical research examining development aid agencies as 'agents of change' in environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems in developing countries, particularly research examining the model of environmental planning practice promoted by aid agencies as part of capacity building. This paper briefly traces a conceptual framework of EIA, then introduces the concept of 'EIA capacity building'. Using Viet Nam as a case study, the paper then outlines the empirical results of the research, focusing on the extent to which aid agency capacity-building programs promoted a Technical vs. Planning Model of EIA and on the coherence of capacity-building efforts across all aid programs. A discussion follows, where research results are interpreted within the Vietnamese context, and implications of research results are identified for three main groups of actors. The paper concludes by calling for development aid agencies to reconceptualise EIA capacity building as an opportunity to transform developing countries' development planning processes

Planning the public transport system in Mucat (Oman)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez Jimenez, J.; Hitado Hernandez, E.; Sanz Pecharroman, C.

2016-07-01

In Muscat, the capital of Oman with over one million inhabitants, urban public transport practically does not exist and the use of private cars is dramatically increasing. As a result, accident rates and traffic congestion, two particularly pressing concerns in the urban area of the capital, have both risen. This situation has focused the concern of public administrations and has led to the urgent need of developing a Public Transport System in the city. In order to develop this system in an integrated manner, the plan proposes to unify and organize regulation and management of public transport by creating a public transport authority, headed by the Ministry of Transport and with a very strong involvement of Muscat Municipality. By 2015 only two urban bus lines operate in Muscat, covering a small area of the city–Wadi Adei, Wadi Kabir and Ruwi. Therefore, the plan adopts a conservative approach by proposing the implementation of a comprehensive urban bus network –composed by trunk and feeder lines adapted to the low density of the city- before establishing other high capacity solutions, such as BRT or LRT. A key element of the system is the number of 13,400 taxis and microbuses that represent the only alternative to the 317,000 cars of Muscat. The plan suggests the reorganization and further regulation of the sector to achieve the professionalization of the taxi services and the migration of existing users, part of them to the professionalised taxi services and the other part to the implemented public transport services. (Author)

Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: Aggregate Planning from Sustainability Perspective.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Metin Türkay

Full Text Available Supply chain management that considers the flow of raw materials, products and information has become a focal issue in modern manufacturing and service systems. Supply chain management requires effective use of assets and information that has far reaching implications beyond satisfaction of customer demand, flow of goods, services or capital. Aggregate planning, a fundamental decision model in supply chain management, refers to the determination of production, inventory, capacity and labor usage levels in the medium term. Traditionally standard mathematical programming formulation is used to devise the aggregate plan so as to minimize the total cost of operations. However, this formulation is purely an economic model that does not include sustainability considerations. In this study, we revise the standard aggregate planning formulation to account for additional environmental and social criteria to incorporate triple bottom line consideration of sustainability. We show how these additional criteria can be appended to traditional cost accounting in order to address sustainability in aggregate planning. We analyze the revised models and interpret the results on a case study from real life that would be insightful for decision makers.

Intentions to Participate in Counselling among Front-Line, At-Risk Irish Government Employees: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Hyland, Philip E.; McLaughlin, Christopher G.; Boduszek, Daniel; Prentice, Garry R.

2012-01-01

The study set out to examine intentions to engage in counselling among at-risk Irish government employees and the differential utility of two alternative theory of planned behaviour (TPB) models of behaviour to explain intentions to participate in counselling. Individuals (N = 259) employed in a front-line, at-risk occupation for the Irish…

Organizational capacity for community development in regional health authorities: a conceptual model.

Science.gov (United States)

Germann, Kathy; Wilson, Doug

2004-09-01

The value of community development (CD) practices is well documented in the health promotion literature; it is a foundational strategy outlined in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Despite the importance of collaborative action with communities to enhance individual and community health and well-being, there exists a major gap between the evidence for CD and the actual extent to which CD is carried out by health organizations. In this paper it is argued that the gap exists because we have failed to turn the evaluative gaze inward-to examine the capacity of health organizations themselves to facilitate CD processes. This study was designed to explicate key elements that contribute to organizational capacity for community development (OC-CD). Twenty-two front-line CD workers and managers responsible for CD initiatives from five regional health authorities in Alberta, Canada, were interviewed. Based on the study findings, a multidimensional model for conceptualizing OC-CD is presented. Central to the model are four inter-related dimensions: (i) organizational commitment to CD, rooted in particular values and beliefs, leadership and shared understanding of CD; (ii) supportive structures and systems, such as job design, flexible planning processes, evaluation mechanisms and collaborative processes; (iii) allocation of resources for CD; and (iv) working relationships and processes that model CD within the health organization. These four dimensions contribute to successful CD practice in numerous ways, but perhaps most importantly by supporting the empowerment and autonomy of the pivotal organizational player in health promotion practice: the front-line worker.

Data Management Plan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ernst Jan de Place; Sørensen, Nils Lykke

2016-01-01

This document describes the Data Management Plan (DMP) (second version), relating to RIBuild WP8, deliverable D8.1. It draws the first lines for how data can be made findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable after the project period.......This document describes the Data Management Plan (DMP) (second version), relating to RIBuild WP8, deliverable D8.1. It draws the first lines for how data can be made findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable after the project period....

Strengthening public health nutrition research and training capacities in West Africa: Report of a planning workshop convened in Dakar, Senegal, 26-28 March 2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Kenneth H; McLachlan, Milla; Cardosa, Placido; Tchibindat, Félicité; Baker, Shawn K

2010-01-01

A three-day workshop was convened in Dakar, Senegal, to provide participants from West African and international academic and research institutions, public health agencies, and donor organisations an opportunity to review current public health nutrition research and training capabilities in West Africa, assess needs for strengthening the regional institutional and workforce capacities, and discuss appropriate steps required to advance this agenda. The workshop included presentations of background papers, experiences of regional and international training programmes and small group discussions. Participants concluded that there is an urgent need to: (1) increase the throughput of public health nutrition training programmes, including undergraduate education, pre-service and in-service professional training, and higher education in public health nutrition and related research skills; and (2) enhance applied research capacity, to provide the evidence base necessary for nutrition program planning and evaluation. A Task Team was appointed to inform the regional Assembly of Health Ministers of the workshop conclusions and to develop political and financial support for a regional nutrition initiative to: (1) conduct advocacy and nutrition stewardship; (2) survey existing training programmes and assist with curriculum development; and (3) develop a plan for a regional applied research institute in Public Health Nutrition.

Wind energy planning in Denmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godtfredsen, F.; Lemming, J.; Nielsen, S.R.; Jessien, S.

1992-01-01

The total capacity of the about 3300 Danish wind turbines is approximately 450 MW. Most of the wind turbines have been erected detached or in small clusters by private citizens - especially by joint ownership. 100 MW of the capacity have been installed by the power companies, mainly in wind farms. Up till now the privately owned wind turbines have been erected without a previous planning process. Increased expansion of wind energy makes demands on physical planning, since access to suitable locations in Denmark is limited. Hence more coordination is called for between the interested parties to ensure optimal utilization of the sites allocated by the physical planning authorities. A siting committee appointed by the Government has recommended locations for additional 100 MW power company wind farms as well as a more detailed planning in each local community. The detailed planning in the municipality of Thisted is described. (au)

A test plan for an on-line whole building energy calculator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Purdy, J.; Ferguson, A.; Mombourquette, S.; Haddad, K.; Lopez, P.; Wyndham-Wheeler, P.; Henry, S. [CANMET Energy Technology Centre, Natural Resources, Ottawa, Ont. (Canada)

2008-04-15

This paper presents the testing of a dynamic on-line whole-building energy calculator. The tool consists of a web-based interface for user inputs; an application to create the simulation input files from these user inputs; a simulation engine; and an application for passing the simulation engine output back to the interface and user. A detailed test protocol, composed of three parts, was developed as part of the software development process for quality assurance purposes. This paper will present the tasks specific to the development of the simulation engine, including, the definition of the required user inputs, the creation of default house archetypes, and the definition of the results to be presented to the user. It will also investigate the three parts of the test plan as well as the task automation tools developed to facilitate the testing. The use of these tools proved very useful given the large number of combinations of user inputs at the web interface and input files to the simulation engine. The findings show the importance of having a detailed and comprehensive test protocol during the software development phase. (author)

Assessment of the Sustainability Capacity of a Coordinated Approach to Chronic Disease Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Combs, Todd; Polk, LaShaun; Dexter, Sarah

2017-12-07

This article outlines some factors that influenced the sustainability capacity of a coordinated approach to chronic disease prevention in state and territory health departments. This study involved a cross-sectional design and mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected using the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT), a 40-item multiple-choice instrument that assesses 8 domains of sustainability capacity (environmental support, funding stability, partnerships, organizational capacity, program evaluation, program adaptation, communications, and strategic planning). Qualitative data were collected via phone interviews. The PSAT was administered to staff and stakeholders from public health departments in 50 US states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, who were involved in the implementation of coordinated chronic disease programs. Phone interviews were conducted with program coordinators in each state. Sustainability score patterns and state-level categorical results, as well as strengths and opportunities for improvement across the 8 program sustainability domains, were explored. On average, programs reported the strongest sustainability capacity in the domains of program adaptation, environmental support, and organizational capacity, while funding stability, strategic planning, and communications yielded lowest scores, indicating weakest capacity. Scores varied the most by state in environmental support and strategic planning. The PSAT results highlight the process through which states approached the sustainability of coordinated chronic disease initiatives. This process included an initial focus on program evaluation and partnerships with transfer of priority to long-term strategic planning, communications, and funding stability to further establish coordinated chronic disease efforts. Qualitative interviews provided further context to PSAT results, indicating that leadership, communications, partnerships, funding stability, and policy

Structure dependent antioxidant capacity of phlorotannins from Icelandic Fucus vesiculosus by UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermund, Ditte B; Plaza, Merichel; Turner, Charlotta; Jónsdóttir, Rosa; Kristinsson, Hordur G; Jacobsen, Charlotte; Nielsen, Kristian Fog

2018-02-01

Brown algae are rich in polyphenolic compounds, phlorotannins, which have been found to possess high in vitro antioxidant capacity, especially DPPH radical scavenging activity, due to the high number of hydroxyl groups. Whereas, the overall antioxidant capacity of brown algae extracts has been widely studied, the antioxidant capacity of individual phlorotannins has been rarely explored. The aim of this study was to determine the structure dependant antioxidant capacity of phlorotannins from Icelandic brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus. The antioxidant capacity of individual phlorotannins was determined by an on-line method using liquid chromatography and an electrochemical detector followed by quadrupole Time of Flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-ECD-QTOFMS). Tentative structural elucidation of 13 phlorotannin isomers from EAF was obtained by LC-DAD-QTOFMS, ranging from 374 to 870Da. On-line determination of antioxidant capacity of the individual phlorotannins generally showed that low molecular phlorotannins exhibited higher antioxidant capacity and that the capacity decreased with polymerisation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient admission planning using Approximate Dynamic Programming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulshof, P.J.H.; Mes, Martijn R.K.; Boucherie, Richardus J.; Hans, Elias W.

2016-01-01

Tactical planning in hospitals involves elective patient admission planning and the allocation of hospital resource capacities. We propose a method to develop a tactical resource allocation and patient admission plan that takes stochastic elements into consideration, thereby providing robust plans.

Does Assisted Living Capacity Influence Case Mix at Nursing Homes?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan P. Clement PhD

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Assisted living facilities (ALFs have grown over the past few decades. If they attract residents with lower care needs away from nursing homes (NHs, NHs may be left with higher case mix residents. We study the relationship between ALF bed market capacity and NH case mix in a state (Virginia where ALF bed capacity stabilized after a period of growth. Similarly, NH capacity and use had been stable. While it is interesting to study markets in flux, for planning purposes, it is also important to examine what happens after periods of turbulence and adaptation. Our findings show some substitution of ALF for NH care, but the relationship is not linear with ALF market capacity. Communities need to consider the interplay of ALFs and NHs in planning for long-term care services and supports. Policies supporting ALFs may enable care needs to be met in a lower cost setting than the NH.

Paraffin dispersant application for cleaning subsea flow lines in the deep water Gulf of Mexico cottonwood development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jennings, David; White, Jake; Pogoson, Oje [Baker Hughes Inc., Houston, TX (United States); Barros, Dalmo; Ramachandran, Kartik; Bonin, George; Waltrich, Paulo; Shecaira, Farid [PETROBRAS America, Houston, TX (United States); Ziglio, Claudio [Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (CENPES/PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento

2012-07-01

This paper discusses a paraffin dispersant (in seawater) application to clean paraffin deposition from a severely restricted 17.4-mile dual subsea flow line system in the Gulf of Mexico Cottonwood development. In principle, dispersant treatments are simple processes requiring effective dispersant packages and agitation to break-up and disperse deposition. Dispersants have been used onshore for treating wax deposition for decades. Implementation of a treatment in a long deep water production system, however, poses numerous challenges. The Cottonwood application was one of the first ever deep water dispersant applications. The application was designed in four separate phases: pre-treatment displacement for hydrate protection, dispersant treatment for paraffin deposition removal, pigging sequence for final flow line cleaning, and post-treatment displacement for hydrate protection. In addition, considerable job planning was performed to ensure the application was executed in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Two dynamically positioned marine vessels were used for pumping fluids and capturing returns. The application was extremely successful in restoring the deep water flow lines back to near pre-production state. Final pigging operations confirmed the flow lines were cleaned of all restrictions. Significant paraffin deposition was removed in the application. Approximately 900 bbls of paraffin sludge was recovered from the 4000 bbl internal volume flow line loop. Furthermore, the application was completed with zero discharge of fluids. The application provided significant value for the Cottonwood development. It allowed production from wells to be brought on-line at a higher capacity, thereby generating increased revenue. It also allowed resumption of routine pigging operations. As such, the Cottonwood dispersant application illustrates that with proper planning and execution, paraffin dispersant treatments can be highly effective solutions for cleaning

Optimization of line configuration and balancing for flexible machining lines

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xuemei; Li, Aiping; Chen, Zurui

2016-05-01

Line configuration and balancing is to select the type of line and allot a given set of operations as well as machines to a sequence of workstations to realize high-efficiency production. Most of the current researches for machining line configuration and balancing problems are related to dedicated transfer lines with dedicated machine workstations. With growing trends towards great product variety and fluctuations in market demand, dedicated transfer lines are being replaced with flexible machining line composed of identical CNC machines. This paper deals with the line configuration and balancing problem for flexible machining lines. The objective is to assign operations to workstations and find the sequence of execution, specify the number of machines in each workstation while minimizing the line cycle time and total number of machines. This problem is subject to precedence, clustering, accessibility and capacity constraints among the features, operations, setups and workstations. The mathematical model and heuristic algorithm based on feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory are presented to find an optimal solution. The feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory are used to establish constraint model. A heuristic operations sequencing and assignment algorithm is given. An industrial case study is carried out, and multiple optimal solutions in different line configurations are obtained. The case studying results show that the solutions with shorter cycle time and higher line balancing rate demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. This research proposes a heuristic line configuration and balancing algorithm based on feature group strategy and polychromatic sets theory which is able to provide better solutions while achieving an improvement in computing time.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in the oviduct of two rabbit lines divergently selected for uterine capacity using suppression subtractive hybridization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballester, M; Castelló, A; Peiró, R; Argente, M J; Santacreu, M A; Folch, J M

2013-06-01

Suppressive subtractive hybridization libraries from oviduct at 62 h post-mating of two lines of rabbits divergently selected for uterine capacity were generated to identify differentially expressed genes. A total of 438 singletons and 126 contigs were obtained by cluster assembly and sequence alignment of 704 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), of which 54% showed homology to known proteins of the non-redundant NCBI databases. Differential screening by dot blot validated 71 ESTs, of which 47 showed similarity to known genes. Transcripts of genes were functionally annotated in the molecular function and the biological process gene ontology categories using the BLAST2GO software and were assigned to reproductive developmental process, immune response, amino acid metabolism and degradation, response to stress and apoptosis terms. Finally, three interesting genes, PGR, HSD17B4 and ERO1L, were identified as overexpressed in the low line using RT-qPCR. Our study provides a list of candidate genes that can be useful to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic differences observed in early embryo survival and development traits. © 2012 The Authors, Animal Genetics © 2012 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Computer-Assisted School Facility Planning with ONPASS.

Science.gov (United States)

Urban Decision Systems, Inc., Los Angeles, CA.

The analytical capabilities of ONPASS, an on-line computer-aided school facility planning system, are described by its developers. This report describes how, using the Canoga Park-Winnetka-Woodland Hills Planning Area as a test case, the Department of City Planning of the city of Los Angeles employed ONPASS to demonstrate how an on-line system can…

Research on the Evaluation System for Rural Public Safety Planning

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ming; SUN; Jianxin; YAN

2014-01-01

The indicator evaluation system is introduced to the study of rural public safety planning in this article.By researching the current rural public safety planning and environmental carrying capacity,we select some carrying capacity indicators influencing the rural public safety,such as land,population,ecological environment,water resources,infrastructure,economy and society,to establish the environmental carrying capacity indicator system.We standardize the indicators,use gray correlation analysis method to determine the weight of indicators,and make DEA evaluation of the indicator system,to obtain the evaluation results as the basis for decision making in rural safety planning,and provide scientific and quantified technical support for rural public safety planning.

Transgenic cassava lines carrying heterologous alternative oxidase ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Afuape

2013-07-03

Jul 3, 2013 ... production of flowers, apomixis (Nassar et al., 2000; ... In order to increase the stress tolerance capacity of ... stress-related procedure due to the activities of auxin ... the evaluation of the transgenic lines for rate of OES .... Some transgenic lines carrying the 35S-AOX fragment amplified using 35S303F1 and.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Potable Water System Operations Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ocampo, Ruben P. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bellah, Wendy [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-03-04

The existing Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Site 300 drinking water system operation schematic is shown in Figures 1 and 2 below. The sources of water are from two Site 300 wells (Well #18 and Well #20) and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Hetch-Hetchy water through the Thomas shaft pumping station. Currently, Well #20 with 300 gallons per minute (gpm) pump capacity is the primary source of well water used during the months of September through July, while Well #18 with 225 gpm pump capacity is the source of well water for the month of August. The well water is chlorinated using sodium hypochlorite to provide required residual chlorine throughout Site 300. Well water chlorination is covered in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Experimental Test Site (Site 300) Chlorination Plan (“the Chlorination Plan”; LLNL-TR-642903; current version dated August 2013). The third source of water is the SFPUC Hetch-Hetchy Water System through the Thomas shaft facility with a 150 gpm pump capacity. At the Thomas shaft station the pumped water is treated through SFPUC-owned and operated ultraviolet (UV) reactor disinfection units on its way to Site 300. The Thomas Shaft Hetch- Hetchy water line is connected to the Site 300 water system through the line common to Well pumps #18 and #20 at valve box #1.

Capacity factor prediction and planning in the wind power generation industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurgur, Cigdem Z. [Department of Management and Marketing, Richard T. Doermer School of Business and Management Sciences, Indiana - Purdue University, 2101 Coliseum Blvd. East, Fort Wayne, IN 46805 (United States); Jones, Michael [Xcel Energy, Denver, CO 80223 (United States)

2010-12-15

The common practice to calculate wind generation capacity values relies more on heuristic approximations than true system estimations. In this paper we proposed a more accurate method. In the first part of our analysis, a Monte Carlo simulation was created based on Markov chains to provide an independent estimate of the true behavior of wind farm capacity value as a function of system penetration. With this curve as a baseline, a technique for using beta distributions to model the input variables was adopted. A final step to increase accuracy involved the use of numerical convolution within the program to eliminate summation estimates. (author)

Reliable on-line storage in the ALICE High-Level Trigger

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalcher, Sebastian; Lindenstruth, Volker [Kirchhoff Institute of Physics, University of Heidelberg (Germany)

2009-07-01

The on-line disk capacity within large computing clusters such as used in the ALICE High-Level Trigger (HLT) is often not used due to the inherent unreliability of the involved disks. With currently available hard drive capacities the total on-line capacity can be significant when compared to the storage requirements of present high energy physics experiments. In this talk we report on ClusterRAID, a reliable, distributed mass storage system, which allows to harness the (often unused) disk capacities of large cluster installations. The key paradigm of this system is to transform the local hard drive into a reliable device. It provides adjustable fault-tolerance by utilizing sophisticated error-correcting codes. To reduce the costs of coding and decoding operations the use of modern graphics processing units as co-processor has been investigated. Also, the utilization of low overhead, high performance communication networks has been examined. A prototype set up of the system exists within the HLT with 90 TB gross capacity.

Bike Map Lines

Data.gov (United States)

Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina — Chapel Hill Bike Map Lines from KMZ file.This data came from the wiki comment board for the public, not an “official map” showing the Town of Chapel Hill's plans or...

Warehouse operations planning model for Bausch & Lomb

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Atilgan, Ceren

2009-01-01

Operations planning is a major part of the Sales& Operations Planning (S&OP) process. It provides an overview on the operations capacity requirements by considering the supply and demand plan. However, Bausch& Lomb does not have a structured operations planning process for their warehouse

Laboratory analysis of phacoemulsifier compliance and capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Nejad, Mitra; Injev, Valentine P; Miller, Kevin M

2012-11-01

To compare the compliance and capacity of 7 fluidics modules used by 6 phacoemulsifiers from 3 manufacturers. Jules Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA. Experimental study. Previous-model and current-model phacoemulsifiers from 3 manufacturers were subjected to laboratory analysis of compliance and capacity. Previous-generation models tested included the Legacy Advantec, Whitestar Sovereign Phacoemulsification System, and Millennium Microsurgical System. Current models tested were the Infiniti Vision System with standard and Intrepid cassettes, Whitestar Signature Phacoemulsification System, and Stellaris Vision Enhancement System. To measure compliance, the aspiration line was connected to an electronic pressure transducer and small volumes of fluid were injected or aspirated. To measure capacity, the space between the distal end of the aspiration line and the pump was filled with methylene blue-dyed fluid. The Legacy was the most compliant phacoemulsifier. The old and new Whitestar systems, Millennium system, and Stellaris system showed similar midrange compliances. The Infiniti Vision System with the Intrepid fluidic management system was the least compliant. The Infiniti cassettes had the greatest capacity, which is a detriment from a surge-control perspective, and Signature cassettes had the least capacity. The Infiniti Intrepid system had the lowest compliance of the 6 units tested, which is optimum from a surge-control perspective. All other things being equal, the Infiniti should have the safest occlusion-break surge response. Mr. Injev is an employee of Alcon Laboratories. Dr. Miller is a consultant to and investigator for Alcon Laboratories. Ms. Nejad has no financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2012 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isoeffect lines using TDF and CRE concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Supe, S.J.; Sasane, J.B.; Gupta, M.K.; Supe, D.S.

1979-01-01

In most of the radiotherapy centres the treatment planning is based on isodose lines. Isoeffect lines are also being drawn based on the concepts of TDFs and CREs. A study has been made of whether the isoeffect lines based on the concepts of TDFs, CRes and the physical isodose lines are identical in all the treatment situations. Isoeffects lines for a few treatment schedules involving treatment of carcinoma of the bladder, treatment of cancer of the uterine cervix by combined intracavitary and external beam therapies and intracavitary therapy alone have been obtained and compared. The effect of treatment mode on the isoeffect lines has also been studied. It was found that the isodose curves and the isoeffect lines using the TDF and CRE concepts were not identical in all situations. Therefore, the ultimate treatment plans based on these isoeffect lines will not be exactly the same. The dependence of the isoeffect lines with the variation of the exponents of time and number of fractions used in the empirical relationship for NSD have also been investigated. Clinical trials have been initiated in the case of cancer of the bladder and cervix uterus based on the isodose curves and isoeffect lines using CRE and TDF concepts. (author)

Capacity Building through Geospatial Education in Planning and School Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, P.; Siddiqui, A.; Gupta, K.; Jain, S.; Krishna Murthy, Y. V. N.

2014-11-01

Geospatial technology has widespread usage in development planning and resource management. It offers pragmatic tools to help urban and regional planners to realize their goals. On the request of Ministry of Urban Development, Govt. of India, the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun has taken an initiative to study the model syllabi of All India Council for Technical Education for planning curricula of Bachelor and Master (five disciplines) programmes. It is inferred that geospatial content across the semesters in various planning fields needs revision. It is also realized that students pursuing planning curricula are invariably exposed to spatial mapping tools but the popular digital drafting software have limitations on geospatial analysis of planning phenomena. Therefore, students need exposure on geospatial technologies to understand various real world phenomena. Inputs were given to seamlessly merge and incorporate geospatial components throughout the semesters wherever seems relevant. Another initiative by IIRS was taken to enhance the understanding and essence of space and geospatial technologies amongst the young minds at 10+2 level. The content was proposed in a manner such that youngsters start realizing the innumerable contributions made by space and geospatial technologies in their day-to-day life. This effort both at school and college level would help in not only enhancing job opportunities for young generation but also utilizing the untapped human resource potential. In the era of smart cities, higher economic growth and aspirations for a better tomorrow, integration of Geospatial technologies with conventional wisdom can no longer be ignored.

ACTIVE POWER LOSSES IN LONG LINES DURING COORDINATED, LIMITING AND MALFUNCTION BEHAVIOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rimsky V.X.

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Exact formulas for calculation of limiting values of transmitted capacity and efficiency of lines of a variable voltage with active loading on the reception end are resulted. Critical resistance and losses of capacity are determined depending on length Air-lines of an electricity transmission of a class of a voltage 500 … 750 kV. Emergency operation in the loaded electricity transmission is investigated.

Assessing institutional capacities to adapt to climate change - integrating psychological dimensions in the Adaptive Capacity Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Grothmann, T.; Grecksch, K.; Winges, M.; Siebenhüner, B.

2013-03-01

Several case studies show that "soft social factors" (e.g. institutions, perceptions, social capital) strongly affect social capacities to adapt to climate change. Many soft social factors can probably be changed faster than "hard social factors" (e.g. economic and technological development) and are therefore particularly important for building social capacities. However, there are almost no methodologies for the systematic assessment of soft social factors. Gupta et al. (2010) have developed the Adaptive Capacity Wheel (ACW) for assessing the adaptive capacity of institutions. The ACW differentiates 22 criteria to assess six dimensions: variety, learning capacity, room for autonomous change, leadership, availability of resources, fair governance. To include important psychological factors we extended the ACW by two dimensions: "adaptation motivation" refers to actors' motivation to realise, support and/or promote adaptation to climate. "Adaptation belief" refers to actors' perceptions of realisability and effectiveness of adaptation measures. We applied the extended ACW to assess adaptive capacities of four sectors - water management, flood/coastal protection, civil protection and regional planning - in North Western Germany. The assessments of adaptation motivation and belief provided a clear added value. The results also revealed some methodological problems in applying the ACW (e.g. overlap of dimensions), for which we propose methodological solutions.

Assessing institutional capacities to adapt to climate change: integrating psychological dimensions in the Adaptive Capacity Wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Grothmann, T.; Grecksch, K.; Winges, M.; Siebenhüner, B.

2013-12-01

Several case studies show that social factors like institutions, perceptions and social capital strongly affect social capacities to adapt to climate change. Together with economic and technological development they are important for building social capacities. However, there are almost no methodologies for the systematic assessment of social factors. After reviewing existing methodologies we identify the Adaptive Capacity Wheel (ACW) by Gupta et al. (2010), developed for assessing the adaptive capacity of institutions, as the most comprehensive and operationalised framework to assess social factors. The ACW differentiates 22 criteria to assess 6 dimensions: variety, learning capacity, room for autonomous change, leadership, availability of resources, fair governance. To include important psychological factors we extended the ACW by two dimensions: "adaptation motivation" refers to actors' motivation to realise, support and/or promote adaptation to climate; "adaptation belief" refers to actors' perceptions of realisability and effectiveness of adaptation measures. We applied the extended ACW to assess adaptive capacities of four sectors - water management, flood/coastal protection, civil protection and regional planning - in northwestern Germany. The assessments of adaptation motivation and belief provided a clear added value. The results also revealed some methodological problems in applying the ACW (e.g. overlap of dimensions), for which we propose methodological solutions.

Hospital-Based Coalition to Improve Regional Surge Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James M. Learning

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Surge capacity for optimization of access to hospital beds is a limiting factor in response to catastrophic events. Medical facilities, communication tools, manpower, and resource reserves exist to respond to these events. However, these factors may not be optimally functioning to generate an effective and efficient surge response. The objective was to improve the function of these factors.Methods: Regional healthcare facilities and supporting local emergency response agencies developed a coalition (the Healthcare Facilities Partnership of South Central Pennsylvania; HCFP¬SCPA to increase regional surge capacity and emergency preparedness for healthcare facilities. The coalition focused on 6 objectives: (1 increase awareness of capabilities and assets, (2 develop and pilot test advanced planning and exercising of plans in the region, (3 augment written medical mutual aid agreements, (4 develop and strengthen partnership relationships, (5 ensure National Incident Management System compliance, and (6 develop and test a plan for effective utilization of volunteer healthcare professionals.Results: In comparison to baseline measurements, the coalition improved existing areas covered under all 6 objectives documented during a 24-month evaluation period. Enhanced communications between the hospital coalition, and real-time exercises, were used to provide evidence of improved preparedness for putative mass casualty incidents.Conclusion: The HCFP-SCPA successfully increased preparedness and surge capacity through a partnership of regional healthcare facilities and emergency response agencies.

Planning of the energy generation system expansion taking into account transmission lines; Planejamento da expansao do sistema de geracao considerando redes de transmissao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucio, Joao Carlos Martins

1990-12-31

This work presents the proposal of a methodology which, by exploring the interaction between generation and transmission systems expansion studies, aims for an Integrated Planning of Power Systems. It intends to emphasize the Integrated Planning importance so as to improve the utilization of the available resources in the electric sector and to reduce the expansion and operational costs. The work describes a procedure to consider explicitly the network for the determination of a generation system construction schedule. It considers that the transmission lines construction costs have a significant weight so that it can modify the initial generation expansion plan with the anticipation of some investments and the postponement of others, decreasing the global expansion costs. The generation and transmission systems expansion is made in an optimal way using a Graph Search Algorithm. Finally the best Integrated Plan is obtained from a final algorithm that generates a sequence of integrated plans from combination of generation and transmission algorithms. These plans are compared from a global cost point of view until a convergence criterion has been satisfied. (author) 18 refs., 5 figs., 28 tabs.

Planning of the energy generation system expansion taking into account transmission lines; Planejamento da expansao do sistema de geracao considerando redes de transmissao

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucio, Joao Carlos Martins

1991-12-31

This work presents the proposal of a methodology which, by exploring the interaction between generation and transmission systems expansion studies, aims for an Integrated Planning of Power Systems. It intends to emphasize the Integrated Planning importance so as to improve the utilization of the available resources in the electric sector and to reduce the expansion and operational costs. The work describes a procedure to consider explicitly the network for the determination of a generation system construction schedule. It considers that the transmission lines construction costs have a significant weight so that it can modify the initial generation expansion plan with the anticipation of some investments and the postponement of others, decreasing the global expansion costs. The generation and transmission systems expansion is made in an optimal way using a Graph Search Algorithm. Finally the best Integrated Plan is obtained from a final algorithm that generates a sequence of integrated plans from combination of generation and transmission algorithms. These plans are compared from a global cost point of view until a convergence criterion has been satisfied. (author) 18 refs., 5 figs., 28 tabs.

Planning India's long-term energy shipment infrastructures for electricity and coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, Brian H.; Canchi, Devendra; Lalit, Vishal Agarwal; Preckel, Paul V.; Sparrow, F.T.; Irwin, Marty W.

2010-01-01

The Purdue Long-Term Electricity Trading and Capacity Expansion Planning Model simultaneously optimizes both transmission and generation capacity expansions. Most commercial electricity system planning software is limited to only transmission planning. An application of the model to India's national power grid, for 2008-2028, indicates substantial transmission expansion is the cost-effective means of meeting the needs of the nation's growing economy. An electricity demand growth rate of 4% over the 20-year planning horizon requires more than a 50% increase in the Government's forecasted transmission capacity expansion, and 8% demand growth requires more than a six-fold increase in the planned transmission capacity expansion. The model minimizes the long-term expansion costs (operational and capital) for the nation's five existing regional power grids and suggests the need for large increases in load-carrying capability between them. Changes in coal policy affect both the location of new thermal power plants and the optimal pattern inter-regional transmission expansions.

Development of cross-border transmission lines in Poland and their significance for the Central East Europeam energy market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andruszkiewicz, Jerzy

2010-09-15

This publication presents the existing cross-border transmission lines connecting Poland with neighbouring countries and their use in the currently applied mechanisms for making available the transfer capacities. The prospects and the considered options of development in cross-border interconnections were presented, taking into account their role in the integration of the European market and of the trade relations with neighbouring counties other than members of the European Community. The role of the planned interconnections in solving the problems of central European countries connected with the implementation of European strategy that reduce CO2 emissions in the area of electricity generation was discussed.

Capacity value evaluation of photovoltaic power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurihara, I.

1993-01-01

The paper presents an example of capacity value (kW-value) evaluation of photovoltaic generation from power companies generation planning point of view. The method actually applied to evaluate the supplying capability of conventional generation plants is briefly described. 21 figs, 1 tab

Capacity Building in Land Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enemark, Stig; Ahene, Rexford

2003-01-01

There is a significant need for capacity building in the interdisciplinary area of land management especially in developing countries and countries in transition, to deal with the complex issues of building efficient land information systems and sustainable institutional infrastructures. Capacity...... building in land management is not only a question of establishing a sufficient technological level or sufficient economic resources. It is mainly a question of understanding the interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral nature of land administration systems, and understanding the need for human resource...... and professionals for implementing the new land policy. The curriculum combines the diploma and the bachelor level and it combines the key areas of land surveying, land management and physical planning....

Strengthening Africa's capacity to design and implement strategies for food and nutrition security

OpenAIRE

Babu, Suresh Chandra; Rhoe, Valerie; Temu, Andrew; Hendriks, Sheryl

2004-01-01

"Among the capacity-strengthening challenges the region faces are inadequate in-country capacity, institutional weaknesses, lack of multidisciplinary approaches to problem solving, expatriates' limited incountry experience, poor governance, and failure to monitor the sustainability of development efforts and to plan for future capacity generation....The current gaps in capacity are known, but as political, environmental, technical, and social contexts change, new needs will arise. Therefore, ...

Colombia defines innovative plans for refining and petrochemicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carta Petrolera

1998-01-01

Ecopetrol plans to increase capacity at its Cartagena refinery to 140,000 barrels per day until 2002. The new production will be for basic streams to supply and stimulate new industries in the petrochemical sector. Investment has concentrated on exploration and production and far less on the rest of the oil sector, but now Ecopetrol will be new financing plans to develop refining in keeping with government guidelines. The Ecopetrol Board approved the development plan for the Cartagena Refinery, this consist of increasing capacity

An optimization framework for the integrated planning of generation and transmission expansion in interconnected power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerra, Omar J.; Tejada, Diego A.; Reklaitis, Gintaras V.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A novel optimization framework for the design and planning of interconnected power systems is proposed. • The framework integrates generation and transmission capacity expansion planning. • Reserve and emission constraints are included. • Business as usual and CO_2 mitigation policy scenarios are evaluated. • Reconfiguration of existing power generation technologies is the most cost-effective option for CO_2 emissions mitigation. - Abstract: Energy, and particularly electricity, has played and will continue to play a very important role in the development of human society. Electricity, which is the most flexible and manageable energy form, is currently used in a variety of activities and applications. For instance, electricity is used for heating, cooling, lighting, and for operating electronic appliances and electric vehicles. Nowadays, given the rapid development and commercialization of technologies and devices that rely on electricity, electricity demand is increasing faster than overall primary energy supply. Consequently, the design and planning of power systems is becoming a progressively more important issue in order to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy in timely fashion, not only in developed countries but particularly in developing economies where electricity demand is increasing even faster. Power systems are networks of electrical devices, such as power plants, transformers, and transmission lines, used to produce, transmit, and supply electricity. The design and planning of such systems require the selection of generation technologies, along with the capacity, location, and timing of generation and transmission capacity expansions to meet electricity demand over a long-term horizon. This manuscript presents a comprehensive optimization framework for the design and planning of interconnected power systems, including the integration of generation and transmission capacity expansion planning. The proposed

Improved cost–benefit analysis for market-based transmission planning, a European perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papaemmanouil, A.; Bertling Tjernberg, L.; Tuan, L.A.; Andersson, G.

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the problem of transmission planning in interconnected power systems under the uncertainty of future generation parks and fast varying marginal production costs. The decision maker has to consider many different aspects during the definition of different transmission planning strategies that sometimes might even be contradicting. Major contributions are the incorporation of energy policy measurements in the evaluation process of candidate transmission plans and the inclusion of short- and long-term uncertainties. The proposed methodology, so-called C-TRAP, is based on a semi-dynamic heuristic approach that solves the social welfare maximization problem for several discrete steps considering different preferences for energy policy and transmission network reinforcements. The flexibility provided through the heuristic analysis is very important for decision makers in the new uncertain environment in power systems. - Highlights: • Consideration of environmental policy in the decision of transmission expansion plans. • Semi-dynamic heuristic approach including societal, economic and availability standards. • Market-based approach using nodal pricing. • The amount of reduced unserved load is not equal to the amount of capacity increase of a line. • Less environmental costs lead usually to higher congestion costs due to overly power trading

Network development plan 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-11-01

Network plan 1995 concerns several strategic problems, among others environmental policy of power transmission lines. Possibilities of restructuring aerial cable network are described. The state of the existing systems and plans for new network systems are presented. (EG)

Reasons for decision in the matter of Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Line 4 Extension Project : facilities[Application dated 28 June 2007 for the Line 4 Extension Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-04-15

In June 2007, Enbridge Pipelines Inc. applied for approval to extend Line 4 of its Mainline pipeline upstream from Hardisty to Edmonton, Alberta. The project would relieve a potential bottleneck and would also add an additional line across this segment to increase system security and flexibility. The average annual capacity of Line 4 would be 140,000 cubic metres per day. The Enbridge Mainline from Edmonton to Hardisty currently includes 3 oil pipelines, while the Enbridge Mainline downstream of Hardisty includes 4 oil pipelines. This document presented the views of the Board regarding the construction and operation of the project facilities; public and Aboriginal consultation; environmental and socio-economic matters; land matters; tolls and tariffs; and, supply, markets, financing and economics. The Board noted that the benefits of this project outweigh the burdens associated with it. The project required an environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act which found that it is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. In its approval of the project, the Board attached 15 conditions, including a requirement for Enbridge to file an updated Environmental Protection Plan for the Board's approval. The Board also approved Enbridge's application for its tolling method and to reactivate 3 sections of pre-existing pipeline. 3 tabs., 3 figs., 3 appendices.

Enterprise resource planning for hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Merode, Godefridus G.; Groothuis, Siebren; Hasman, Arie

2004-01-01

Integrated hospitals need a central planning and control system to plan patients' processes and the required capacity. Given the changes in healthcare one can ask the question what type of information systems can best support these healthcare delivery organizations. We focus in this review on the

Enterprise resource planning for hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merode, van G.G.; Groothuis, S.; Hasman, A.

2004-01-01

Integrated hospitals need a central planning and control system to plan patients’ processes and the required capacity. Given the changes in healthcare one can ask the question what type of information systems can best support these healthcare delivery organizations. We focus in this review on the

Dealing with Uncertainty in Operational Transport Planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zutt, J.; Van Gemund, A.J.C.; De Weerdt, M.M.; Witteveen, C.

2010-01-01

An important problem in transportation is how to ensure efficient operational route planning when several vehicles share a common road infrastructure with limited capacity. Examples of such a problem are route planning for automated guided vehicles in a terminal and route planning for aircraft

Financial capacity in older adults: a growing concern for clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardiner, Paul A; Byrne, Gerard J; Mitchell, Leander K; Pachana, Nancy A

2015-02-02

Older people with cognitive impairment and/or dementia may be particularly vulnerable to diminished financial decision-making capacity. Financial capacity refers to the ability to satisfactorily manage one's financial affairs in a manner consistent with personal self-interest and values. Impairment of financial capacity makes the older individual vulnerable to financial exploitation, may negatively affect their family's financial situation and places strain on relationships within the family. Clinicians are often on the front line of responding to queries regarding decision-making capacity, and clinical evaluation options are often not well understood. Assessment of financial capacity should include formal objective assessment in addition to a clinical interview and gathering contextual data. Development of a flexible, empirically supported and clinically relevant assessment approach that spans all dimensions of financial capacity yet is simple enough to be used by non-specialist clinicians is needed.

A Method of Flow-Shop Re-Scheduling Dealing with Variation of Productive Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenzo KURIHARA

2005-02-01

Full Text Available We can make optimum scheduling results using various methods that are proposed by many researchers. However, it is very difficult to process the works on time without delaying the schedule. There are two major causes that disturb the planned optimum schedules; they are (1the variation of productive capacity, and (2the variation of products' quantities themselves. In this paper, we deal with the former variation, or productive capacities, at flow-shop works. When production machines in a shop go out of order at flow-shops, we cannot continue to operate the productions and we have to stop the production line. To the contrary, we can continue to operate the shops even if some workers absent themselves. Of course, in this case, the production capacities become lower, because workers need to move from a machine to another to overcome the shortage of workers and some shops cannot be operated because of the worker shortage. We developed a new re-scheduling method based on Branch-and Bound method. We proposed an equation for calculating the lower bound for our Branch-and Bound method in a practical time. Some evaluation experiments are done using practical data of real flow-shop works. We compared our results with those of another simple scheduling method, and we confirmed the total production time of our result is shorter than that of another method by 4%.

Fund management plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-08-01

This revision of the Fund Management Plan updates the original plan published in May 1983. It is derived from and supplements the Mission Plan of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. A major purpose in preparing this Plan is to inform the public about management of the Nuclear Waste Fund and the Interim Storage Fund. The purpose of the Interim Storage Fund is to finance the provision of the Federal interim storage capacity of up to 1900 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Waste Fund is a separate account for all revenues and expenditures related to the geological disposal and monitored retrieval storage of civilian radioactive waste

A Survey on Robustness in Railway Planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lusby, Richard Martin; Larsen, Jesper; Bull, Simon Henry

2018-01-01

Planning problems in passenger railway range from long term strategic decision making to the detailed planning of operations.Operations research methods have played an increasing role in this planning process. However, recently more attention has been given to considerations of robustness...... in the quality of solutions to individual planning problems, and of operations in general. Robustness in general is the capacity for some system to absorb or resist changes. In the context of railway robustness it is often taken to be the capacity for operations to continue at some level when faced...... with a disruption such as delay or failure. This has resulted in more attention given to the inclusion of robustness measures and objectives in individual planning problems, and to the providing of tools to ensure operations continue under disrupted situations. In this paper we survey the literature on robustness...

Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line

Science.gov (United States)

Kienzler, Aude; Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Schweigert, Nathalie; Devaux, Alain; Bony, Sylvie

2015-01-01

Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity.

Visual identification and similarity measures used for on-line motion planning of autonomous robots in unknown environments

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez, Fredy; Martínez, Fernando; Jacinto, Edwar

2017-02-01

In this paper we propose an on-line motion planning strategy for autonomous robots in dynamic and locally observable environments. In this approach, we first visually identify geometric shapes in the environment by filtering images. Then, an ART-2 network is used to establish the similarity between patterns. The proposed algorithm allows that a robot establish its relative location in the environment, and define its navigation path based on images of the environment and its similarity to reference images. This is an efficient and minimalist method that uses the similarity of landmark view patterns to navigate to the desired destination. Laboratory tests on real prototypes demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.

Iteration particle swarm optimization for contract capacities selection of time-of-use rates industrial customers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Tsung-Ying; Chen, Chun-Lung

2007-01-01

This paper presents a new algorithm for solving the optimal contract capacities of a time-of-use (TOU) rates industrial customer. This algorithm is named iteration particle swarm optimization (IPSO). A new index, called iteration best is incorporated into particle swarm optimization (PSO) to improve solution quality and computation efficiency. Expanding line construction cost and contract recovery cost are considered, as well as demand contract capacity cost and penalty bill, in the selection of the optimal contract capacities. The resulting optimal contract capacity effectively reaches the minimum electricity charge of TOU rates users. A significant reduction in electricity costs is observed. The effects of expanding line construction cost and contract recovery cost on the selection of optimal contract capacities can also be estimated. The feasibility of the new algorithm is demonstrated by a numerical example, and the IPSO solution quality and computation efficiency are compared to those of other algorithms

Buyer-supplier relationships and planning solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hvolby, H.H.; Trienekens, J.H.; Steger-Jensen, K.

2007-01-01

The paper focuses on supply chain relationships and segmented planning and ICT concepts. Major supplier segments are distinguished based on literature: capacity suppliers, standard suppliers, system suppliers and key suppliers. Next, current supply chain planning solutions are distinguished: vendor

STRATEGIC PLANNING AS A SUPPORTING TOOL TO DETERMINE MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DAVID VILLACIS PAZOS

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Planning by scenarios, also called prospective, is of great value in high turbulent and volatile environments, as is today, because it permits to visualize the future from a spectrum of possibilities. That visualization is strategic information that provides a competitive edge and facilitates the identification of possible threats in each scenario and in front of those threats determines the required capacities needed. Therefore, prospective planning is an indispensable tool for decision making and determining military capacities. The scenario spectrum could consider an infinite number; however, for a strategic analysis it is basic to visualize at least three options: an optimist, a pessimist, and a tendency. To determine the military capacities, it is a required minimum to consider the traditional and non-traditional threats, as well as “foreseeable” and “feasible” capacities. The present article provides a global vision of prospective planning and its relationship with determining military capacities.

On-line implant reconstruction in HDR brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolkman-Deurloo, Inger-Karine K.; Kruijf, Wilhelmus J.M. de; Levendag, Peter C.

2006-01-01

Background and purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of on-line planning in an Integrated Brachytherapy Unit (IBU) using dedicated image distortion correction algorithms, correcting the geometric distortion and magnetic distortion separately, and to determine the effect of the reconstruction accuracy on clinical treatment plans in terms of deviations in treatment time and dose. Patients and methods: The reconstruction accuracy has been measured using 20 markers, positioned at well known locations in a QA phantom. Treatment plans of two phantoms representing clinical implant geometries, have been compared with reference plans to determine the effect of the reconstruction accuracy on the treatment plan. Before clinical introduction, treatment plans of three representative patients, based on on-line reconstruction, have been compared with reference plans. Results: The average reconstruction error for 10 in. images reduces from -0.6 mm (range -2.6 to +1.0 mm) to -0.2 mm (range -1.2 to +0.6 mm) after image distortion correction and for 15 in. images from 0.8 mm (range -0.5 to +3.0 mm) to 0.0 mm (range -0.8 to +0.8 mm). The error in case of eccentric positioning of the phantom, i.e. 0.8 mm (range -1.0 to +3.3 mm), reduces to 0.1 mm (range -0.5 to +0.9 mm). Correction of the image distortions reduces the deviation in the calculated treatment time of maximally 2.7% to less than 0.8% in case of eccentrically positioned clinical phantoms. The deviation in the treatment time or reference dose in the plans based on on-line reconstruction with image distortion correction of the three patient examples is smaller than 0.3%. Conclusions: Accurate on-line implant reconstruction using the IBU localiser and dedicated correction algorithms separating the geometric distortion and the magnetic distortion is possible. The results fulfill the minimum requirements as imposed by the Netherlands Commission on Radiation Dosimetry (NCS) without limitations regarding the usable range of the field

Production Planning with Load Dependent Lead Times

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pahl, Julia

2005-01-01

Lead times impact the performance of the supply chain significantly. Although there is a large literature concerning queuing models for the analysis of the relationship between capacity utilization and lead times, and there is a substantial literature concerning control and order release policies...... that take lead times into consideration, there have been only few papers describing models at the aggregate planning level that recognize the relationship between the planned utilization of capacity and lead times. In this paper we provide an in-depth discussion of the state-of-the art in this literature......, with particular attention to those models that are appropriate at the aggregate planning level....

An analysis of representative heating load lines for residential HSPF ratings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rice, C. Keith [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Shen, Bo [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Shrestha, Som S. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-07-01

This report describes an analysis to investigate representative heating loads for single-family detached homes using current EnergyPlus simulations (DOE 2014a). Hourly delivered load results are used to determine binned load lines using US Department of Energy (DOE) residential prototype building models (DOE 2014b) developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The selected residential single-family prototype buildings are based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC 2006) in the DOE climate regions. The resulting load lines are compared with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Standard 210/240 (AHRI 2008) minimum and maximum design heating requirement (DHR) load lines of the heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) ratings procedure for each region. The results indicate that a heating load line closer to the maximum DHR load line, and with a lower zero load ambient temperature, is more representative of heating loads predicted for EnergyPlus prototype residential buildings than the minimum DHR load line presently used to determine HSPF ratings. An alternative heating load line equation was developed and compared to binned load lines obtained from the EnergyPlus simulation results. The effect on HSPF of the alternative heating load line was evaluated for single-speed and two-capacity heat pumps, and an average HSPF reduction of 16% was found. The alternative heating load line relationship is tied to the rated cooling capacity of the heat pump based on EnergyPlus autosizing, which is more representative of the house load characteristics than the rated heating capacity. The alternative heating load line equation was found to be independent of climate for the six DOE climate regions investigated, provided an adjustable zero load ambient temperature is used. For Region IV, the default DOE climate region used for HSPF ratings, the higher load line results in an ~28

An Assessment of Institutional Capacity for Integrated Landscape Management in Eastern Cameroon.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, H Carolyn Peach

2018-07-01

Landscape approaches have become prominent in efforts to address issues of conservation and development through bringing together different actors and sectors, to reconcile diverse land uses, and promote synergies. Some have suggested that integrated landscape management approaches are consistent with the goals of REDD+ and offer a strategy to address multiple goals of climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, maintenance of ecosystem services, and socio-economic development. Institutional or governance arrangements have been shown to be a critical component in influencing outcomes in landscapes. Using diverse methodologies, this study investigated the capacity of institutions to support the planning, implementation, and resource mobilization needed to integrate climate change mitigation, conservation, and livelihood goals in a forest mosaic landscape in East Cameroon. Results showed that diverse institutions are present in the landscape, including institutions of relevant government agencies, local government, local non-government, the private sector, and hybrid institutions of conservation, development and research institutions. However, the overall institutional capacity for integrated landscape planning and management in the study area is limited, although some institutions exhibit increased capacity in some areas over others. Multiple strategies can be employed to build the necessary human, financial, and leadership capacity, and facilitate the institutional planning and coordination that is foundational to multi-stakeholder landscape governance. Given the complexity of integrating climate change mitigation, conservation and livelihood goals in a landscape, building such institutional capacity is a long term endeavour that requires sustained effort and ongoing financial, technical and human resource support.

Flight Planning in the Cloud

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Sarah L.; Chapman, Bruce D.; Tung, Waye W.; Zheng, Yang

2011-01-01

This new interface will enable Principal Investigators (PIs), as well as UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar) members to do their own flight planning and time estimation without having to request flight lines through the science coordinator. It uses an all-in-one Google Maps interface, a JPL hosted database, and PI flight requirements to design an airborne flight plan. The application will enable users to see their own flight plan being constructed interactively through a map interface, and then the flight planning software will generate all the files necessary for the flight. Afterward, the UAVSAR team can then complete the flight request, including calendaring and supplying requisite flight request files in the expected format for processing by NASA s airborne science program. Some of the main features of the interface include drawing flight lines on the map, nudging them, adding them to the current flight plan, and reordering them. The user can also search and select takeoff, landing, and intermediate airports. As the flight plan is constructed, all of its components are constantly being saved to the database, and the estimated flight times are updated. Another feature is the ability to import flight lines from previously saved flight plans. One of the main motivations was to make this Web application as simple and intuitive as possible, while also being dynamic and robust. This Web application can easily be extended to support other airborne instruments.

12 CFR 221.112 - Loans by bank in capacity as trustee.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Loans by bank in capacity as trustee. 221.112... CARRYING MARGIN STOCK (REGULATION U) Interpretations § 221.112 Loans by bank in capacity as trustee. (a... been pledged as collateral for loans. Loans are not made, under the plan, from bank funds, and...

75 FR 51831 - Request for Measures of Health Plan Efforts To Address Health Plan Members' Health Literacy Needs

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-23

... and health plans. The results of the planned survey may become an important source of information for... services and nurse advice lines, the quality and accessibility of health plan information on coverage...

Heat capacity of NdB.sub.6./sub..

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Reiffers, M.; Šebek, Josef; Šantavá, Eva; Shitsevalova, N.; Gabáni, S.; Pristáš, G.; Flachbart, K.

2007-01-01

Roč. 310, - (2007), e595-e597 ISSN 0304-8853 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : heat capacity * NdB 6 * magnetic contribution Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.704, year: 2007

Capacity Management as a Service for Enterprise Standard Software

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hendrik Müller

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Capacity management approaches optimize component utilization from a strong technical perspective. In fact, the quality of involved services is considered implicitly by linking it to resource capacity values. This practice hinders to evaluate design alternatives with respect to given service levels that are expressed in user-centric metrics such as the mean response time for a business transaction. We argue that utilized historical workload traces often contain a variety of performance-related information that allows for the integration of performance prediction techniques through machine learning. Since enterprise applications excessively make use of standard software that is shipped by large software vendors to a wide range of customers, standardized prediction models can be trained and provisioned as part of a capacity management service which we propose in this article. Therefore, we integrate knowledge discovery activities into well-known capacity planning steps, which we adapt to the special characteristics of enterprise applications. Using a real-world example, we demonstrate how prediction models that were trained on a large scale of monitoring data enable cost-efficient measurement-based prediction techniques to be used in early design and redesign phases of planned or running applications. Finally, based on the trained model, we demonstrate how to simulate and analyze future workload scenarios. Using a Pareto approach, we were able to identify cost-effective design alternatives for an enterprise application whose capacity is being managed.

Dynamic Demand-Capacity Balancing for Air Traffic Management Using Constraint-Based Local Search: First Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farshid Hassani Bijarbooneh

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Using constraint-based local search, we effectively model and efficiently solve the problem of balancing the traffic demands on portions of the European airspace while ensuring that their capacity constraints are satisfied. The traffic demand of a portion of airspace is the hourly number of flights planned to enter it, and its capacity is the upper bound on this number under which air-traffic controllers can work. Currently, the only form of demand-capacity balancing we allow is ground holding, that is the changing of the take-off times of not yet airborne flights. Experiments with projected European flight plans of the year 2030 show that already this first form of demand-capacity balancing is feasible without incurring too much total delay and that it can lead to a significantly better demand-capacity balance.

Capacity building in the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caruso, Gustavo

2014-01-01

Conclusion and Future Challenges: • Momentum on Nuclear Safety; • To continue strengthening, developing, maintaining and implementing capacity building programmes, including education, training and exercises at the national, regional and international levels; • To ensure sufficient and competent human resources necessary to assume responsibility for safety; • To incorporate lessons learned from the accident based on the IEMs and IAEA Fukushima Report

Project Mapping to Build Capacity and Demonstrate Impact in the Earth Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Hemmings, S. N.; Searby, N. D.; Murphy, K. J.; Mataya, C. J.; Crepps, G.; Clayton, A.; Stevens, C. L.

2017-12-01

Diverse organizations are increasingly using project mapping to communicate location-based information about their activities. NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD), through the Earth Science Data Systems and Applied Sciences' Capacity Building Program (CBP), has created a geographic information system of all ESD projects to support internal program management for the agency. The CBP's NASA DEVELOP program has built an interactive mapping tool to support capacity building for the program's varied constituents. This presentation will explore the types of programmatic opportunities provided by a geographic approach to management, communication, and strategic planning. We will also discuss the various external benefits that mapping supports and that build capacity in the Earth sciences. These include activities such as project matching (location-focused synergies), portfolio planning, inter- and intra-organizational collaboration, science diplomacy, and basic impact analysis.

Prestressed Concrete-Lined Pressure Tunnels : Towards Improved Safety and Economical Design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Simanjuntak, Y.

2015-01-01

Pressure tunnels for hydropower plants are relatively expensive constructions, particularly when steel linings are used. Concrete linings can be economically attractive; however, their applicability is limited by the low tensile strength of concrete. Techniques to improve the bearing capacity of

Improvement in dose escalation using off-line and on-line image feedback in the intensity modulated beam design for prostate cancer treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, D.; Birkner, M.; Nuesslin, F.; Wong, J.; Martinez, A.

2001-01-01

Purpose: To test the capability of dose escalation in the IMRT process where the organ/patient temporal geometric variation, measured using either off-line or on-line treatment CT and portal images, are adapted for the optimal design of intensity modulated beam. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study was performed on five prostate cancer patients with multiple CT scans (14∼17/patient) and daily portal images obtained during the treatment course. These images were used to determine the displacements of each subvolume in the organs of interest caused by the daily patient setup and internal organ motion/deformation. The temporal geometric information was processed in order of treatment time and fed into an inverse planning system. The inverse planning engine was specifically implemented to adapt the design of intensity modulated beam to the temporal subvolume displacement and patient internal density changes. Three image feedback strategies were applied to each patient and evaluated with respect to the capability of safe dose escalation. The first one is off-line image feedback, which designs the beam intensity based on the patient images measured within the first week of treatment. The second is an on-line 'the target of the day' strategy, which designs the beam intensity in daily bases by using 'the image of the day' alone. The last one is also the on-line based. However, it designs the instantaneous beam intensity based on also dose distribution in each organ of interest received prior to the current treatment. For each of the treatment strategies, the minimum dose delivered to the CTV was determined by applying the identical normal tissue constraints of partial dose/volumes. This minimum dose was used to represent the treatment dose for each patient. Results: The off-line strategy appears feasible after 5 days of image feedback. The average treatment dose among the patients can be 10% higher than the one in the conventional IMRT treatment where the inverse

Production planning in the Combinado Lácteo Santiago

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edith Carmen Fajardo-Alcolea

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A planning, programming and control of the production procedure is designed in this paper to consider all the technical and organizational aspects that are involved in planning, using the balance and normative method, and a variant of the General Algorithm for the Calculation of the Capacities. This procedure is supported by an innovative computer application designed to assist students, technicians and specialists in the planning stages. The procedure is applied in the company “Combinado Lácteo de Santiago de Cuba” to plan the production in 2016. As a result, an innovation of an organizational type is obtained that allows the Production Master Plan, disaggregated in the different time horizons, consider the real capacity of the plants. For its evaluation it was compared to the production plan prepared by the company and the actual production data of the first quarter of the year to determine the existing differences.

Insertion device and beam line plans for the Advanced Photon Source: A report and recommendations by the Insertion Device and Beam Line Planning Committee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-02-01

In the 7-GeV Advanced Photon Source (APS) Conceptual Design Report (CDR), fifteen complete experimental beam lines were specified in order to establish a representative technical and cost base for the components involved. In order to optimize the composition of the insertion devices and the beam line, these funds are considered a ''Trust Fund.'' The present report evaluates the optimization for the distribution of these funds so that the short- and long-term research programs will be most productive, making the facility more attractive from the user's point of view. It is recommended that part of the ''Trust Fund'' be used for the construction of the insertion devices, the front-end components, and the first-optics, minimizing the cost to potential users of completing a beam line. In addition, the possibility of cost savings resulting from replication and standardization of high multiplicity components (such as IDs, front ends, and first-optics instrumentation) is addressed. 2 refs., 5 tabs

Primer on gas integrated resource planning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldman, C.; Comnes, G.A.; Busch, J.; Wiel, S. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)

1993-12-01

This report discusses the following topics: gas resource planning: need for IRP; gas integrated resource planning: methods and models; supply and capacity planning for gas utilities; methods for estimating gas avoided costs; economic analysis of gas utility DSM programs: benefit-cost tests; gas DSM technologies and programs; end-use fuel substitution; and financial aspects of gas demand-side management programs.

A mini-integrated resource plan for a commercial entity in Gauteng Province: planning for energy autonomous businesses

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Senatla, Mamahloko

2017-08-01

Full Text Available their electricity demand using PV at least cost. This paper conducts a mini-integrated resource plan using PLEXOS modelling tool for a commercial entity located in Gauteng with a peak capacity of 6MW. The results show that investing in optimal PV capacity by 2030...

Assessing Capacity for Sustainability of Effective Programs and Policies in Local Health Departments.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabak, Rachel G; Duggan, Katie; Smith, Carson; Aisaka, Kristelle; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Brownson, Ross C

2016-01-01

Sustainability has been defined as the existence of structures and processes that allow a program to leverage resources to effectively implement and maintain evidence-based public health and is important in local health departments (LHDs) to retain the benefits of effective programs. Explore the applicability of the Program Sustainability Framework in high- and low-capacity LHDs as defined by national performance standards. Case study interviews from June to July 2013. Standard qualitative methodology was used to code transcripts; codes were developed inductively and deductively. Six geographically diverse LHD's (selected from 3 of high and 3 of low capacity) : 35 LHD practitioners. Thematic reports explored the 8 domains (Organizational Capacity, Program Adaptation, Program Evaluation, Communications, Strategic Planning, Funding Stability, Environmental Support, and Partnerships) of the Program Sustainability Framework. High-capacity LHDs described having environmental support, while low-capacity LHDs reported this was lacking. Both high- and low-capacity LHDs described limited funding; however, high-capacity LHDs reported greater funding flexibility. Partnerships were important to high- and low-capacity LHDs, and both described building partnerships to sustain programming. Regarding organizational capacity, high-capacity LHDs reported better access to and support for adequate staff and staff training when compared with low-capacity LHDs. While high-capacity LHDs described integration of program evaluation into implementation and sustainability, low-capacity LHDs reported limited capacity for measurement specifically and evaluation generally. When high-capacity LHDs described program adoption, they discussed an opportunity to adapt and evaluate. Low-capacity LHDs struggled with programs requiring adaptation. High-capacity LHDs described higher quality communication than low-capacity LHDs. High- and low-capacity LHDs described strategic planning, but high-capacity

Assessing capacity for sustainability of effective programs and policies in local health departments

Science.gov (United States)

Tabak, Rachel G.; Duggan, Katie; Smith, Carson; Aisaka, Kristelle; Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Brownson, Ross C.

2015-01-01

Context Sustainability has been defined as the existence of structures and processes that allow a program to leverage resources to effectively implement and maintain evidence-based public health and is important in local health departments (LHDs) to retain the benefits of effective programs. Objective Explore the applicability of the Program Sustainability Framework in high- and low-capacity LHDs as defined by national performance standards. Design Case study interviews from June-July 2013. Standard qualitative methodology was used to code transcripts; codes were developed inductively and deductively. Setting Six geographically diverse LHD’s (selected from three high- and three low-capacity) Participants 35 LHD practitioners Main Outcome Measures Thematic reports explored the eight domains (Organizational Capacity, Program Adaptation, Program Evaluation, Communications, Strategic Planning, Funding Stability, Environmental Support, and Partnerships) of the Program Sustainability Framework. Results High-capacity LHDs described having environmental support, while low-capacity LHDs reported this was lacking. Both high- and low-capacity LHDs described limited funding; however, high-capacity LHDs reported greater funding flexibility. Partnerships were important to high- and low-capacity LHDs, and both described building partnerships to sustain programming. Regarding organizational capacity, high-capacity LHDs reported better access to and support for adequate staff and staff training compared to low-capacity LHDs. While high-capacity LHDs described integration of program evaluation into implementation and sustainability, low-capacity LHDs reported limited capacity for measurement specifically and evaluation generally. When high-capacity LHDs described program adoption, they discussed an opportunity to adapt and evaluate. Low-capacity LHDs struggled with programs requiring adaptation. High-capacity LHDs described higher quality communication than low-capacity LHDs. High

Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Kienzler, Aude; Mahler, Barbara J; Van Metre, Peter C; Schweigert, Nathalie; Devaux, Alain; Bony, Sylvie

2015-07-01

Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-objective Analysis for a Sequencing Planning of Mixed-model Assembly Line

Science.gov (United States)

Shimizu, Yoshiaki; Waki, Toshiya; Yoo, Jae Kyu

Diversified customer demands are raising importance of just-in-time and agile manufacturing much more than before. Accordingly, introduction of mixed-model assembly lines becomes popular to realize the small-lot-multi-kinds production. Since it produces various kinds on the same assembly line, a rational management is of special importance. With this point of view, this study focuses on a sequencing problem of mixed-model assembly line including a paint line as its preceding process. By taking into account the paint line together, reducing work-in-process (WIP) inventory between these heterogeneous lines becomes a major concern of the sequencing problem besides improving production efficiency. Finally, we have formulated the sequencing problem as a bi-objective optimization problem to prevent various line stoppages, and to reduce the volume of WIP inventory simultaneously. Then we have proposed a practical method for the multi-objective analysis. For this purpose, we applied the weighting method to derive the Pareto front. Actually, the resulting problem is solved by a meta-heuristic method like SA (Simulated Annealing). Through numerical experiments, we verified the validity of the proposed approach, and discussed the significance of trade-off analysis between the conflicting objectives.

Health Workforce Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sawai, Abdulaziz; Al-Shishtawy, Moeness M.

2015-01-01

In most countries, the lack of explicit health workforce planning has resulted in imbalances that threaten the capacity of healthcare systems to attain their objectives. This has directed attention towards the prospect of developing healthcare systems that are more responsive to the needs and expectations of the population by providing health planners with a systematic method to effectively manage human resources in this sector. This review analyses various approaches to health workforce planning and presents the Six-Step Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning which highlights essential elements in workforce planning to ensure the quality of services. The purpose, scope and ownership of the approach is defined. Furthermore, developing an action plan for managing a health workforce is emphasised and a reviewing and monitoring process to guide corrective actions is suggested. PMID:25685381

Regional planning and plan approval procedures for development and modification of HV grids; Raumordnungs- und Planfeststellungsverfahren fuer den Aus- und Umbau der Hochspannungsnetze

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hennig, Jan; Luehmann, Tobias [Sozietaet Gleiss Lutz, Berlin (Germany)

2012-07-01

If renewable energy sources are to be integrated, HV grids in Germany must be expanded and upgraded massively. Plans for new ultrahigh voltage lines find a legal basis in the grid expansion acceleration act (NABEG) of 2011 while most of the plans for 110 kV HV lines are still based on the conventional regional planning procedures with public participation followed by a plan approval procedure. With the decentralisation of power supply, these distribution grids are rapidly developing into power collecting grids, which makes high demands in terms of adaptation and upgrading. The contribution presents the legal boundary conditions and practical challenges accompanying the planning of HV lines outside the scope of the NABEG. It outlines the limited options for priorisation of test points in the regional planning and subsequent plan approval procedures and shows how friction between these may be reduced. Buried cables as an alternative to overhead cables are given particular attention as these have come into focus with the energy turnaround legislation of 2011.

Public Affairs Capacity Building: A Soft Tool for Combatant Commanders

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Salata, Jason P

2008-01-01

Public affairs capacity building is a valuable soft component of the Combatant Commander's Theater Campaign Plan that builds habitual relationships, fosters transparency, and enhances the ability to shape the AOR...

Feature-based plan adaptation for fast treatment planning in scanned ion beam therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Wenjing; Gemmel, Alexander; Rietzel, Eike

2013-01-01

We propose a plan adaptation method for fast treatment plan generation in scanned ion beam therapy. Analysis of optimized treatment plans with carbon ions indicates that the particle number modulation of consecutive rasterspots in depth shows little variation throughout target volumes with convex shape. Thus, we extract a depth-modulation curve (DMC) from existing reference plans and adapt it for creation of new plans in similar treatment situations. The proposed method is tested with seven CT serials of prostate patients and three digital phantom datasets generated with the MATLAB code. Plans are generated with a treatment planning software developed by GSI using single-field uniform dose optimization for all the CT datasets to serve as reference plans and ‘gold standard’. The adapted plans are generated based on the DMC derived from the reference plans of the same patient (intra-patient), different patient (inter-patient) and phantoms (phantom-patient). They are compared with the reference plans and a re-positioning strategy. Generally, in 1 min on a standard PC, either a physical plan or a biological plan can be generated with the adaptive method provided that the new target contour is available. In all the cases, the V95 values of the adapted plans can achieve 97% for either physical or biological plans. V107 is always 0 indicating no overdosage, and target dose homogeneity is above 0.98 in all cases. The dose received by the organs at risk is comparable to the optimized plans. The plan adaptation method has the potential for on-line adaptation to deal with inter-fractional motion, as well as fast off-line treatment planning, with either the prescribed physical dose or the RBE-weighted dose. (paper)

Plans for future on-line access to the historical astronomical literature through the Astrophysics Data System.

Science.gov (United States)

Eichhorn, G.; Kurtz, M. J.; Coletti, D.

1997-09-01

The NASA Astrophysics Data System provides access to about 1 million abstracts and 50,000 journal articles. This service is funded by NASA and is accessible world-wide through the World Wide Web free without restrictions at: http://adswww.harvard.edu We currently have on-line journals starting with 1975. We plan to extend the coverage for the journals and also include scans from observatory publications in our database. Eventually we plan to provide access to scans of the complete journal literature and as much observatory literature as possible. In order to accomplish this, we have started discussions with the preservation group at the Harvard University Library. Harvard University Library, together with the Library at the Center for Astrophysics is in the process of microfilming their collection of observatory publications. We are working together with this project to prepare for scanning the microfilms and make these scans available through the ADS. We are also collecting older journals and preparing them for scanning. We already have the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in hand from Volume 1, and have been promised a large part of the Astronomische Nachrichten prior to 1945. We will start scanning these volumes soon. All volumes that can be fed automatically through the scanning machine should be scanned and put on-line within the next 6 - 12 months. In order to scan volumes that are too brittle, we need additional funding. We hope to obtain additional funding to cover such scanning for 1998. In order to cover more of the astronomical literature, we need donations of astronomical literature. We have a web page that lists the volumes that we need so we can scan them. If you have any of these journals (or other astronomical literature), please contact us. the web page is at: http://adshome.harvard.edu/pubs/missing_journals.html We would appreciate any contributions, even smaller sets, since it will be more and more difficult to find complete sets.

Assessment of Stochastic Capacity Consumption in Railway Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Wittrup; Landex, Alex; Nielsen, Otto Anker

2015-01-01

The railway industry continuously strive to reduce cost and utilise resources optimally. Thus, there is a demand for tools that are able to fast and efficiently provide decision-makers with solutions that can help them achieve their goals. In strategic planning of capacity, this translates...

SU-E-J-92: On-Line Cone Beam CT Based Planning for Emergency and Palliative Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Held, M; Morin, O; Pouliot, J [UC San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2014-06-01

Purpose: To evaluate and develop the feasibility of on-line cone beam CT based planning for emergency and palliative radiotherapy treatments. Methods: Subsequent to phantom studies, a case library of 28 clinical megavoltage cone beam CT (MVCBCT) was built to assess dose-planning accuracies on MVCBCT for all anatomical sites. A simple emergency treatment plan was created on the MVCBCT and copied to its reference CT. The agreement between the dose distributions of each image pair was evaluated by the mean dose difference of the dose volume and the gamma index of the central 2D axial plane. An array of popular urgent and palliative cases was also evaluated for imaging component clearance and field-of-view. Results: The treatment cases were categorized into four groups (head and neck, thorax/spine, pelvis and extremities). Dose distributions for head and neck treatments were predicted accurately in all cases with a gamma index of >95% for 2% and 2 mm criteria. Thoracic spine treatments had a gamma index as low as 60% indicating a need for better uniformity correction and tissue density calibration. Small anatomy changes between CT and MVCBCT could contribute to local errors. Pelvis and sacral spine treatment cases had a gamma index between 90% and 98% for 3%/3 mm criteria. The limited FOV became an issue for large pelvis patients. Imaging clearance was difficult for cases where the tumor was positioned far off midline. Conclusion: The MVCBCT based dose planning and delivery approach is feasible in many treatment cases. Dose distributions for head and neck patients are unrestrictedly predictable. Some FOV restrictions apply to other treatment sites. Lung tissue is most challenging for accurate dose calculations given the current imaging filters and corrections. Additional clinical cases for extremities need to be included in the study to assess the full range of site-specific planning accuracies. This work is supported by Siemens.

The capacity credit of micro-combined heat and power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawkes, A.D.; Leach, M.A.

2008-01-01

This article is concerned with development of a methodology to determine the capacity credit of micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP), and application of the method for the UK. Capacity credit is an important parameter in electricity system planning because it measures the amount of conventional generation that would be displaced by an alternative technology. Firstly, a mathematical formulation is presented. Capacity credit is then calculated for three types of micro-CHP units-Stirling engine, internal combustion engine, and fuel cell systems-operating under various control strategies. It is found that low heat-to-power ratio fuel cell technologies achieve the highest capacity credit of approximately 85% for a 1.1 GW penetration when a heat-led control strategy is applied. Higher heat-to-power ratio Stirling engine technology achieves approximately 33% capacity credit for heat-led operation. Low heat-to-power ratio technologies achieve higher capacity credit because they are able to continue operating even when heat demand is relatively low. Capacity credit diminishes as penetration of the technology increases. Overall, the high capacity credit of micro-CHP contributes to the viewpoint that the technology can help meet a number of economic and environmental energy policy aims

Upgrading transmission lines with aerial LiDAR technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koop, J.E. [Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg, MB (Canada)

2003-04-01

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is described as an example of techniques used by hydro companies to increase their capacity with existing plants, and within tight budget constraints. LiDAR was chosen by Manitoba Hydro primarily because LiDAR's data collection method offers very fast turn-around time from collection to delivery, and most importantly because of LiDAR's highly accurate ability to map terrain and wire catenary shape in every span. The article describes a case study of the 'Nip and Tuck' method of wire re-tensioning based on LiDAR data, which was used by Manitoba Hydro to create a computer model of Saskatchewan Hydro's transmission line capacity on its 138 kV transmission line between Saskatoon and North Battleford. The model was needed to analyze the existing line conditions in an effort to minimize cascading failures on the 40-year old line. Using the 'Nip and Tuck' technology in combination with LiDAR, SaskPower engineers were able to complete the required modifications to raise transmission wire operating temperatures on the 135 km long line to 66 degree C in only 36 days, and at a cost that was 80 per cent less than the cost would have been using conventional techniques ($232,000 instead of the estimated $1.25 million).

Developing science policy capacity at the state government level: Planning a science and technology policy fellowship program for Colorado and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Druckenmiller, M. L.

2017-12-01

There is growing recognition of the potential to advance science policy capacity within state legislatures, where there is most often a shortage of professional backgrounds in the natural sciences, technology, engineering, and medicine. Developing such capacity at the state level should be considered a vital component of any comprehensive national scale strategy to strengthen science informed governance. Toward this goal, the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado Boulder is leading a strategic planning process for a Science and Technology Policy Fellowship Program within the Colorado state legislature and executive branch agencies. The intended program will place PhD-level scientists and engineers in one-year placements with decision-makers to provide an in-house resource for targeted policy-relevant research. Fellows will learn the intricacies of the state policymaking process, be exposed to opportunities for science to inform decisions, and develop a deeper understanding of key science and technology topics in Colorado, including water resources, wildfire management, and energy. The program's ultimate goals are to help foster a decision-making arena informed by evidence-based information, to develop new leaders adept at bridging science and policymaking realms, and to foster governance that champions the role of science in society. Parallel to efforts in Colorado, groups from nine other states are preparing similar plans, providing opportunities to share approaches across states and to set the stage for increased science and technology input to state legislative agendas nationwide. Importantly, highly successful and sustainable models exist; the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has implemented a federally based fellowship program for over 43 years and the California Council for Science and Technology (CCST) has directed a fellowship program for their state's legislature since 2009. AAAS and CCST

Rehabilitation medicine summit: building research capacity Executive Summary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kemp John D

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The five elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were: 1 researchers; 2 research culture, environment, and infrastructure; 3 funding; 4 partnerships; and 5 metrics. The 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multi-organizational initiative is called to pursue the agendas outlined in this report (see Additional File 1. Additional File 1 A table outlining the Final Action Plan of the Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity held on April 28–29, 2005 in Washington, DC. Click here for file

Construction of a remote radiotherapy planning system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Yoshihiro; Nemoto, Kenji; Takahashi, Chiaki; Takai, Yoshihiro; Yamada, Shogo; Seiji, Hiromasa; Sasaki, Kazuya

2005-01-01

We constructed a remote radiotherapy planning system, and we examined the usefulness of and faults in our system in this study. Two identical radiotherapy planning systems, one installed at our institution and the other installed at an affiliated hospital, were used for radiotherapy planning. The two systems were connected by a wide area network (WAN), using a leased line. Beam data for the linear accelerator at the affiliated hospital were installed in the two systems. During the period from December 2001 to December 2002, 43 remote radiotherapy plans were made using this system. Data were transmitted using a file transfer protocol (FTP) software program. The 43 radiotherapy plans examined in this study consisted of 13 ordinary radiotherapy plans, 28 radiotherapy plans sent to provide assistance for medical residents, and 2 radiotherapy plans for emergency cases. There were ten minor planning changes made in radiotherapy plans sent to provide assistance for medical residents. Our remote radiotherapy planning system based on WAN using a leased line is useful for remote radiotherapy, with advantages for both radiation oncologists and medical residents. (author)

Building policy-making capacity in the Ministry of Health: the Kazakhstan experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Chanturidze, Tata; Adams, Orvill; Tokezhanov, Bolat; Naylor, Mike; Richardson, Erica

2015-01-20

Recent economic growth in Kazakhstan has been accompanied by slower improvements in population health and this has renewed impetus for health system reform. Strengthening strategic planning and policy-making capacity in the Ministry of Health has been identified as an important priority, particularly as the Ministry of Health is leading the health system reform process. The intervention was informed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) framework for capacity building which views capacity building as an ongoing process embedded in local institutions and practices. In response to local needs extra elements were included in the framework to tailor the capacity building programme according to the existing policy and budget cycles and respective competence requirements, and link it with transparent career development structures of the Ministry of Health. This aspect of the programme was informed by the institutional capability assessment model used by the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) which was adapted to examine the specific organizational and individual competences of the Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan. There were clear successes in building capacity for policy making and strategic planning within the Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan, including better planned, more timely and in-depth responses to policy assignments. Embedding career development as a part of this process was more challenging. This case study highlights the importance of strong political will and high level support for capacity building in ensuring the sustainability of programmes. It also shows that capacity-building programmes need to ensure full engagement with all local stakeholders, or where this is not possible, programmes need to be targeted narrowly to those stakeholders who will benefit most, for the greatest impact to be achieved. In sum, high quality tailor-made capacity development programmes should be based on thorough needs assessment of individual and

Transmission capacities and competition in Western European electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiridonova, Olga

2016-01-01

The integration of national electricity markets into a single European one is expected to reduce the ability of dominant players to exercise market power. This paper investigates whether or not existing transmission capacities of cross-border interconnectors are sufficient to achieve this result and create vigorous competition in the market. A model with two decision levels is used. On the first level profit maximizing generators play Cournot game against each other. On the last level the system operator clears the market and determines flows in the network to maximize social welfare subject to a set of physical constraints. As each strategic generator anticipates her impact on equilibrium prices and congestion in the system, her optimization problem is subject to equilibrium constraints from the system operator's problem. The analysis demonstrates that interconnector capacities in Western Europe are insufficient for integration alone to reduce the exercise of market power. I compare several possible competition-enhancing policies: expansion of interconnectors and different scenarios of national markets’ restructuring. I show that although increase of line capacity is a useful tool to stimulate competition in an integrated market, it is not a substitute for the restructuring of large players. - Highlights: •The ability of integration to reduce market power depends on transmission capacities. •In the model firms compete in quantities, know their impact on prices and congestion. •In Western Europe integration will not diminish market power. •Line extension stimulates competition but is not a substitute for the regulation.

Electrochemical impedance studies of capacity fading of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2017-06-09

Jun 9, 2017 ... low cost, and has a theoretical capacity of 978 mAh g. −1. , which is higher than that of ..... Projections of (a) 100 and (b) 110 crystal planes of wurtzite ZnO showing their non-polar nature. Dashed horizontal lines identify .... ernment of India, for financial support through the award of a Ramanna Fellowship to ...

Introducing an on-line adaptive procedure for prostate image guided intensity modulate proton therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, M; Westerly, D C; Mackie, T R

2011-08-07

With on-line image guidance (IG), prostate shifts relative to the bony anatomy can be corrected by realigning the patient with respect to the treatment fields. In image guided intensity modulated proton therapy (IG-IMPT), because the proton range is more sensitive to the material it travels through, the realignment may introduce large dose variations. This effect is studied in this work and an on-line adaptive procedure is proposed to restore the planned dose to the target. A 2D anthropomorphic phantom was constructed from a real prostate patient's CT image. Two-field laterally opposing spot 3D-modulation and 24-field full arc distal edge tracking (DET) plans were generated with a prescription of 70 Gy to the planning target volume. For the simulated delivery, we considered two types of procedures: the non-adaptive procedure and the on-line adaptive procedure. In the non-adaptive procedure, only patient realignment to match the prostate location in the planning CT was performed. In the on-line adaptive procedure, on top of the patient realignment, the kinetic energy for each individual proton pencil beam was re-determined from the on-line CT image acquired after the realignment and subsequently used for delivery. Dose distributions were re-calculated for individual fractions for different plans and different delivery procedures. The results show, without adaptive, that both the 3D-modulation and the DET plans experienced delivered dose degradation by having large cold or hot spots in the prostate. The DET plan had worse dose degradation than the 3D-modulation plan. The adaptive procedure effectively restored the planned dose distribution in the DET plan, with delivered prostate D(98%), D(50%) and D(2%) values less than 1% from the prescription. In the 3D-modulation plan, in certain cases the adaptive procedure was not effective to reduce the delivered dose degradation and yield similar results as the non-adaptive procedure. In conclusion, based on this 2D phantom

Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kienzler, Aude; Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Schweigert, Nathalie; Devaux, Alain; Bony, Sylvie

2015-01-01

Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity. - Highlights: • Co-exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealcoated pavement and UVA caused DNA damage. • Significant genotoxicity occurred with a 1:100 dilution of runoff. • Runoff collected up to 36 d following coal-tar-sealcoat application was genotoxic. • Exposure to runoff from sealed pavement impaired an important DNA repair pathway. • Repair capacity was impaired with a 1:10 dilution of runoff (1:100 not

Exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealed pavement induces genotoxicity and impairment of DNA repair capacity in the RTL-W1 fish liver cell line

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kienzler, Aude, E-mail: aude.kienzler@entpe.fr [Université de Lyon, UMR LEHNA 5023, USC INRA, ENTPE, rue Maurice Audin, Vaulx-en-Velin F-69518 (France); Mahler, Barbara J., E-mail: bjmahler@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, 1505 Ferguson Lane, Austin, TX 78754 (United States); Van Metre, Peter C., E-mail: pcvanmet@usgs.gov [U.S. Geological Survey, 1505 Ferguson Lane, Austin, TX 78754 (United States); Schweigert, Nathalie [Université de Lyon, UMR LEHNA 5023, USC INRA, ENTPE, rue Maurice Audin, Vaulx-en-Velin F-69518 (France); Devaux, Alain, E-mail: alain.devaux@entpe.fr [Université de Lyon, UMR LEHNA 5023, USC INRA, ENTPE, rue Maurice Audin, Vaulx-en-Velin F-69518 (France); Bony, Sylvie, E-mail: bony@entpe.fr [Université de Lyon, UMR LEHNA 5023, USC INRA, ENTPE, rue Maurice Audin, Vaulx-en-Velin F-69518 (France)

2015-07-01

Coal-tar-based (CTB) sealcoat, frequently applied to parking lots and driveways in North America, contains elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and related compounds. The RTL-W1 fish liver cell line was used to investigate two endpoints (genotoxicity and DNA-repair-capacity impairment) associated with exposure to runoff from asphalt pavement with CTB sealcoat or with an asphalt-based sealcoat hypothesized to contain about 7% CTB sealcoat (AS-blend). Genotoxic potential was assessed by the Formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg)-modified comet assay for 1:10 and 1:100 dilutions of runoff samples collected from 5 h to 36 d following sealcoat application. DNA-repair capacity was assessed by the base excision repair comet assay for 1:10 dilution of samples collected 26 h and 36 d following application. Both assays were run with and without co-exposure to ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA). With co-exposure to UVA, genotoxic effects were significant for both dilutions of CTB runoff for three of four sample times, and for some samples of AS-blend runoff. Base excision repair was significantly impaired for CTB runoff both with and without UVA exposure, and for AS-blend runoff only in the absence of UVA. This study is the first to investigate the effects of exposure to the complex mixture of chemicals in coal tar on DNA repair capacity. The results indicate that co-exposure to runoff from CT-sealcoated pavement and UVA as much as a month after sealcoat application has the potential to cause genotoxicity and impair DNA repair capacity. - Highlights: • Co-exposure to runoff from coal-tar-sealcoated pavement and UVA caused DNA damage. • Significant genotoxicity occurred with a 1:100 dilution of runoff. • Runoff collected up to 36 d following coal-tar-sealcoat application was genotoxic. • Exposure to runoff from sealed pavement impaired an important DNA repair pathway. • Repair capacity was impaired with a 1:10 dilution of runoff (1:100 not

Building Capacity in the Public Utility Sectors of Basra, Iraq

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Trainor, Tim; Henderson, Dale

2007-01-01

... in provincial reconstruction efforts. Specifically, the mission was to assist in building the capacity of the public sector utility leadership in project prioritization, project planning and project management in order to enhance...

Environmental and economic appraisal of power generation capacity expansion plan in Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gujba, H.; Mulugetta, Y.; Azapagic, A.

2010-01-01

The power sector in Nigeria is undergoing structural reforms aimed at improving and expanding the current grid generation capacity and distribution network. The Government has injected huge funds into this sector while also granting licences to private companies for the provision of electricity. It is also aiming to increase electricity generation capacity to 25,000 MW by 2020 from the current installed capacity of 6500 MW while also pledging to connect 75% of the population to the grid from the current 40% by 2025. This paper sets out to analyse the implications of the energy policy in Nigeria and presents the life cycle environmental and economic analysis of the current and future electricity sector. The results show that all the life cycle impacts and economic costs increase significantly over the time-period (2003-2030), but at different rates depending on the types of technologies deployed. Renewables such as large hydro and solar proposed by the Government have a potential to reduce the overall life cycle environmental impacts from the electricity mix, considering their lower environmental impacts compared to fossil-fuels. However, this requires a five-fold increase in grid investments from the current US$1.7 billion per year to US$9.40 billion by 2030.

An expert system for a local planning environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meester, G.J.; Meester, G.J.

1993-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the design of an Expert System (ES) that supports decision making in a Local Planning System (LPS) environment. The LPS provides the link between a high level factory planning system (rough cut capacity planning and material coordination) and the actual execution of jobs on

Considering FACTS in Optimal Transmission Expansion Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Soleimani

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The expansion of power transmission systems is an important part of the expansion of power systems that requires enormous investment costs. Since the construction of new transmission lines is very expensive, it is necessary to choose the most efficient expansion plan that ensures system security with a minimal number of new lines. In this paper, the role of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS devices in the effective operation and expansion planning of transmission systems is examined. Effort was taken to implement a method based on sensitivity analysis to select the optimal number and location of FACTS devices, lines and other elements of the transmission system. Using this method, the transmission expansion plan for a 9 and a 39 bus power system was performed with and without the presence of FACTS with the use of DPL environment in Digsilent software 15.1. Results show that the use of these devices reduces the need for new transmission lines and minimizes the investment cost.

Financial viability of the Sonora-Baja California interconnection line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, G.; Ortega, G.

2017-09-01

In the Development Program of the National Electricity Sector 2015-2029, an electric interconnection line between Sonora and Baja California (Mexico) is proposed, this study analyzes the financial viability of this interconnection line based on the maximum hourly and seasonal energy demand between both regions and proposes alternatives for the supply of electric power that supports the economic convenience of this interconnection line. The results show that additional capacity is required in Sonora to cover the maximum demands of both regions since in the current condition of the National Electric System the interconnection line is not justified. (Author)

Capacity flexibility allocation in an outsourced supply chain with reservation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulaksil, Youssef; Grunow, Martin; Fransoo, J.C.

2011-01-01

We consider a contract manufacturer that serves a limited number of outsourcers (customers) on a single capacitated production line. the outsourcers have different levels of demand uncertainty and the contract manufacturer faces the question how to allocate the contractual capacity flexibility...... in an optimal way. The contractual capacity flexibility is a contract parameter that sets the amount of demand the contract manufacturer is obliged to accept from the outsourcers. We develop a hierachical model that consists of two decision levels. At the tactical level, the contract manufacturer allocates...... the capacity flexibility to the different outsourcers by maximizing the expected profit. Offering more flexibility to the more uncertain outsourcer generates higher expected revenue, but also increases the expected penalty costs. The allocated capacity flexibilities (determined at the tactical level) are input...

Microwave line of sight link engineering

CERN Document Server

Angueira, Pablo

2012-01-01

A comprehensive guide to the design, implementation, and operation of line of sight microwave link systems The microwave Line of Sight (LOS) transport network of any cellular operator requires at least as much planning effort as the cellular infrastructure itself. The knowledge behind this design has been kept private by most companies and has not been easy to find. Microwave Line of Sight Link Engineering solves this dilemma. It provides the latest revisions to ITU reports and recommendations, which are not only key to successful design but have changed dramatically in

Economic planning for electric energy systems: a multi objective linearized approach for solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mata Medeiros Branco, T. da.

1986-01-01

The economic planning problem associated to the expansion and operation of electrical power systems is considered in this study, represented for a vectorial objective function in which the minimization of resources involved and maximization of attended demand constitute goals to be satisfied. Supposing all the variables involved with linear characteristic and considering the conflict existing among the objectives to be achieved, in order to find a solution, a multi objective linearized approach is proposed. This approximation utilizes the compromise programming technique and linear programming methods. Generation and transmission are simultaneously considered into the optimization process in which associated losses and the capacity of each line are included. Illustrated examples are also presented with results discussed. (author)

Building policy capacities: an interactive approach for linking knowledge to action in health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Rütten, Alfred; Gelius, Peter

2014-09-01

This article outlines a theoretical framework for an interactive, research-driven approach to building policy capacities in health promotion. First, it illustrates how two important issues in the recent public health debate, capacity building and linking scientific knowledge to policy action, are connected to each other theoretically. It then introduces an international study on an interactive approach to capacity building in health promotion policy. The approach combines the ADEPT model of policy capacities with a co-operative planning process to foster the exchange of knowledge between policy-makers and researchers, thus improving intra- and inter-organizational capacities. A regional-level physical activity promotion project involving governmental and public-law institutions, NGOs and university researchers serves as a case study to illustrate the potential of the approach for capacity building. Analysis and comparison with a similar local-level project indicate that the approach provides an effective means of linking scientific knowledge to policy action and to planning concrete measures for capacity building in health promotion, but that it requires sufficiently long timelines and adequate resources to achieve adequate implementation and sustainability. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Soft Space Planning in Cities unbound

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Kristian

This paper analyses contemporary experiments of building governance capacity in new soft spaces in Denmark through processes of spatial strategy-making. The paper argues that new soft spaces are emerging in Danish spatial planning, which set out to promote more effective forms of strategic spatial...... planning, and how their obsession with promoting economic development at the expense of wider planning responsibilities support contemporary neoliberal transformations of strategic spatial planning....... planning. The Danish case of soft space planning demonstrates how Danish soft spaces at subnational scales fail to fill in the gaps between formal planning structures and provide the glue that binds formal scales of planning together as promised in the soft space literature. This raises a number...

Simulation of 3D-treatment plans in head and neck tumors aided by matching of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) and on-line distortion corrected simulator images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohr, Frank; Schramm, Oliver; Schraube, Peter; Sroka-Perez, Gabriele; Seeber, Steffen; Schlepple, Gerd; Schlegel, Wolfgang; Wannenmacher, Michael

1997-01-01

Background and purpose: Simulation of 3D-treatment plans for head and neck malignancy is difficult due to complex anatomy. Therefore, CT-simulation and stereotactic techniques are becoming more common in the treatment preparation, overcoming the need for simulation. However, if simulation is still performed, it is an important step in the treatment preparation/execution chain, since simulation errors, if not detected immediately, can compromise the success of treatment. A recently developed PC-based system for on-line image matching and comparison of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) and distortion corrected simulator monitor images that enables instant correction of field placement errors during the simulation process was evaluated. The range of field placement errors with noncomputer aided simulation is reported. Materials and methods: For 14 patients either a primary 3D-treatment plan or a 3D-boost plan after initial treatment with opposing laterals for head and neck malignancy with a coplanar or non-coplanar two- or three-field technique was simulated. After determining the robustness of the matching process and the accuracy of field placement error detection with phantom measurements, DRRs were generated from the treatment planning CT-dataset of each patient and were interactively matched with on-line simulator images that had undergone correction for geometrical distortion, using a landmark algorithm. Translational field placement errors in all three planes as well as in-plane rotational errors were studied and were corrected immediately. Results: The interactive matching process is very robust with a tolerance of <2 mm when suitable anatomical landmarks are chosen. The accuracy for detection of translational errors in phantom measurements was <1 mm and for in-plane rotational errors the accuracy had a maximum of only 1.5 deg.. For patient simulation, the mean absolute distance of the planned versus simulated isocenter was 6.4 ± 3.9 mm. The in

Informed, advance refusals of treatment by people with severe mental illness in a randomised controlled trial of joint crisis plans: demand, content and correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Claire; Farrelly, Simone; Flach, Clare; Borschmann, Rohan; Birchwood, Max; Thornicroft, Graham; Waheed, Waquas; Szmukler, George

2017-11-24

In the UK, crisis planning for mental health care should acknowledge the right to make an informed advance treatment refusal under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Our aims were to estimate the demand for such treatment refusals within a sample of service users who had had a recent hospital admission for psychosis or bipolar disorder, and to examine the relationship between refusals, and service user characteristics. To identify refusals we conducted content analysis of Joint Crisis Plans, which are plans formulated by service users and their clinical team with involvement from an external facilitator, and routine care plans in sub-samples from a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of Joint Crisis Plans (plus routine mental health care) versus routine care alone (CRIMSON) in England. Factors hypothesised to be associated with refusals were identified using the trial data collected through baseline interviews of service users and clinicians and collection of routine clinical data. Ninety-nine of 221 (45%) of the Joint Crisis Plans contained a treatment refusal compared to 10 of 424 (2.4%) baseline routine care plans. No Joint Crisis Plans recorded disagreement with refusals on the part of clinicians. Among those with completed Joint Crisis Plans, adjusted analyses indicated a significant association between treatment refusals and perceived coercion at baseline (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.43), but not with baseline working alliance or a past history of involuntary admission. We demonstrated significant demand for written treatment refusals in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which had not previously been elicited by the process of treatment planning. Future treatment/crisis plans should incorporate the opportunity for service users to record a treatment refusal during the drafting of such plans. ISRCTN11501328 Registered 13th March 2008.

Training Planning and Working Memory in Third Graders

Science.gov (United States)

Goldin, Andrea Paula; Segretin, Maria Soledad; Hermida, Maria Julia; Paz, Luciano; Lipina, Sebastian Javier; Sigman, Mariano

2013-01-01

Working memory and planning are fundamental cognitive skills supporting fluid reasoning. We show that 2 games that train working memory and planning skills in school-aged children promote transfer to 2 different tasks: an attentional test and a fluid reasoning test. We also show long-term improvement of planning and memory capacities in…

Reasons for decision in the matter of Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Line 4 Extension Project : facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

In June 2007, Enbridge Pipelines Inc. applied for approval to extend Line 4 of its Mainline pipeline upstream from Hardisty to Edmonton, Alberta. The project would relieve a potential bottleneck and would also add an additional line across this segment to increase system security and flexibility. The average annual capacity of Line 4 would be 140,000 cubic metres per day. The Enbridge Mainline from Edmonton to Hardisty currently includes 3 oil pipelines, while the Enbridge Mainline downstream of Hardisty includes 4 oil pipelines. This document presented the views of the Board regarding the construction and operation of the project facilities; public and Aboriginal consultation; environmental and socio-economic matters; land matters; tolls and tariffs; and, supply, markets, financing and economics. The Board noted that the benefits of this project outweigh the burdens associated with it. The project required an environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act which found that it is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. In its approval of the project, the Board attached 15 conditions, including a requirement for Enbridge to file an updated Environmental Protection Plan for the Board's approval. The Board also approved Enbridge's application for its tolling method and to reactivate 3 sections of pre-existing pipeline. 3 tabs., 3 figs., 3 appendices

Powering the people: India's capacity expansion plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patel, S.

2009-05-15

India has become a global business power even though hundreds of millions of its citizens still live in poverty. To sustain economic growth and lift its people out of poverty, India needs more and more reliable power. Details of government plans for achieving those goals demonstrate that pragmatism may be in shorter supply than ambition and political will. 1 ref., 12 figs., 1 tab.

Managing Plan Implementation in the Asante Akyem South District ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Managing Plan Implementation in the Asante Akyem South District Assembly: Capacity Issues and Challenges. ... This paper uses a case study approach to appraise the capacity of the Asante Akyem South District Assembly (AASDA) in ...

Cognitive capacities for cooking in chimpanzees

OpenAIRE

Warneken, Felix; Rosati, Alexandra G.

2015-01-01

The transition to a cooked diet represents an important shift in human ecology and evolution. Cooking requires a set of sophisticated cognitive abilities, including causal reasoning, self-control and anticipatory planning. Do humans uniquely possess the cognitive capacities needed to cook food? We address whether one of humans' closest relatives, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), possess the domain-general cognitive skills needed to cook. Across nine studies, we show that chimpanzees: (i) prefer...

Limited capacity for contour curvature in iconic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Koji

2006-06-01

We measured the difference threshold for contour curvature in iconic memory by using the cued discrimination method. The study stimulus consisting of 2 to 6 curved contours was briefly presented in the fovea, followed by two lines as cues. Subjects discriminated the curvature of two cued curves. The cue delays were 0 msec. and 300 msec. in Exps. 1 and 2, respectively, and 50 msec. before the study offset in Exp. 3. Analysis of data from Exps. 1 and 2 showed that the Weber fraction rose monotonically with the increase in set size. Clear set-size effects indicate that iconic memory has a limited capacity. Moreover, clear set-size effect in Exp. 3 indicates that perception itself has a limited capacity. Larger set-size effects in Exp. 1 than in Exp. 3 suggest that iconic memory after perceptual process has limited capacity. These properties of iconic memory at threshold level are contradictory to the traditional view that iconic memory has a high capacity both at suprathreshold and categorical levels.

Community capacity building and sustainability: outcomes of community-based participatory research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hacker, Karen; Tendulkar, Shalini A; Rideout, Catlin; Bhuiya, Nazmim; Trinh-Shevrin, Chau; Savage, Clara P; Grullon, Milagro; Strelnick, Hal; Leung, Carolyn; DiGirolamo, Ann

2012-01-01

For communities, the value of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is often manifested in the outcomes of increased capacity and sustainable adoption of evidence-based practices for social change. Educational opportunities that promote discourse between community and academic partners can help to advance CBPR and better define these outcomes. This paper describes a community-academic conference to develop shared definitions of community capacity building and sustainability related to CBPR and to identify obstacles and facilitators to both. "Taking It to the Curbside: Engaging Communities to Create Sustainable Change for Health" was planned by five Clinical Translational Science Institutes and four community organizations. After a keynote presentation, breakout groups of community and academic members met to define community capacity building and sustainability, and to identify facilitators and barriers to achieving both. Groups were facilitated by researcher-community partner teams and conversations were recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis for thematic content was conducted by a subset of the planning committee. Important findings included learning that (1) the concepts of capacity and sustainability were considered interconnected; (2) partnership was perceived as both a facilitator and an outcome of CBPR; (3) sustainability was linked to "transfer of knowledge" from one generation to another within a community; and (4) capacity and sustainability were enhanced when goals were shared and health outcomes were achieved. Community capacity building and sustainability are key outcomes of CBPR for communities. Co-learning opportunities that engage and mutually educate both community members and academics can be useful strategies for identifying meaningful strategies to achieve these outcomes.

Available transmission capacity assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Škokljev Ivan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Effective power system operation requires the analysis of vast amounts of information. Power market activities expose power transmission networks to high-level power transactions that threaten normal, secure operation of the power system. When there are service requests for a specific sink/source pair in a transmission system, the transmission system operator (TSO must allocate the available transfer capacity (ATC. It is common that ATC has a single numerical value. Additionally, the ATC must be calculated for the base case configuration of the system, while generation dispatch and topology remain unchanged during the calculation. Posting ATC on the internet should benefit prospective users by aiding them in formulating their requests. However, a single numerical value of ATC offers little for prospect for analysis, planning, what-if combinations, etc. A symbolic approach to the power flow problem (DC power flow and ATC offers a numerical computation at the very end, whilst the calculation beforehand is performed by using symbols for the general topology of the electrical network. Qualitative analysis of the ATC using only qualitative values, such as increase, decrease or no change, offers some new insights into ATC evaluation, multiple transactions evaluation, value of counter-flows and their impact etc. Symbolic analysis in this paper is performed after the execution of the linear, symbolic DC power flow. As control variables, the mathematical model comprises linear security constraints, ATC, PTDFs and transactions. The aim is to perform an ATC sensitivity study on a five nodes/seven lines transmission network, used for zonal market activities tests. A relatively complicated environment with twenty possible bilateral transactions is observed.

The strong anti-glioblastoma capacity of the plasma-stimulated lysine-rich medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Dayun; Keidar, Michael; Nourmohammadi, Niki; Talbot, Annie; Sherman, Jonathan H

2016-01-01

Plasma-stimulated medium (PSM) shows a remarkable anti-cancer capacity as strong as the direct cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment of cancer cells. PSM is able to effectively resist the growth of several cancer cell lines. To date, the sole approach to strengthen the anti-cancer capacity of PSM is extending the plasma treatment time. In this study, we demonstrated that the anti-glioblastoma capacity of PSM could be significantly increased by adding 20 mM lysine in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM). This study provides clear evidence that the anti-glioblastoma capacity of PSM could be noticeably enhanced by modifying the composition of medium without increasing the CAP treatment time. (paper)

Discrete PSO algorithm based optimization of transmission lines loading in TNEP problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shayeghi, H.; Mahdavi, M.; Bagheri, A.

2010-01-01

Transmission network expansion planning (TNEP) is a basic part of power system planning that determines where, when and how many new transmission lines should be added to the network. Up till now, various methods have been presented to solve the static transmission network expansion planning (STNEP) problem. But in all of these methods, lines adequacy rate has not been considered at the end of planning horizon, i.e. expanded network misses adequacy after some times and needs to be expanded again. In this paper, expansion planning has been implemented by merging lines loading parameter in the STNEP and inserting investment cost into the fitness function constraints using discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) algorithm. Expanded network will possess a maximum adequacy to provide load demand and also the transmission lines overloaded later. The proposed idea has been tested on the Garvers network and an actual transmission network of the Azerbaijan regional electric company, Iran, and the results are compared with the decimal codification genetic algorithm (DCGA) technique. The results evaluation shows that the network will possess maximum efficiency economically. Also, it is shown that precision and convergence speed of the proposed DPSO based method for the solution of the STNEP problem is superior to DCGA approach.

Rotation capacity of self-compacting steel fiber reinforced concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schumacher, P.

2006-01-01

Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has been used in segmental tunnel linings in the past years. In order to investigate the effect of steel fibers on the rotation capacity of plastic hinges in self-compacting concrete (SCC) the effect of the addition of fibers to SCC in compression, tension and

Modelling ramp-up curves to reflect learning: improving capacity planning in secondary pharmaceutical production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Klaus Reinholdt Nyhuus; Grunow, Martin

2015-01-01

availability at market launch is ensured. Our MILP model is applied to a real industry case study using three empirically observed ramp-up curves to demonstrate its value as decision support tool. We demonstrate the superiority of our volume-dependent method over the traditional time-dependent ramp......The experience gained during production ramp-up leads to an increase of the effective production capacity over time. However, full utilisation of production capacity is not always possible during ramp-up. In such cases, the experience gained and hence the available effective capacity...... are overestimated. We develop a new method, which captures ramp-up as a function of the cumulative production volume to better reflect the experience gained while producing the new product. The use of the more accurate and computationally effective approach is demonstrated for the case of secondary pharmaceutical...

Estimates of emergency operating capacity in US manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belzer, D.B. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)); Serot, D.E. (D/E/S Research, Richland, WA (USA)); Kellogg, M.A. (ERCE, Inc., Portland, OR (USA))

1991-03-01

Development of integrated mobilization preparedness policies requires planning estimates of available productive capacity during national emergency conditions. Such estimates must be developed in a manner that allows evaluation of current trends in capacity and the consideration of uncertainties in various data inputs and in engineering assumptions. This study, conducted by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), developed estimates of emergency operating capacity (EOC) for 446 manufacturing industries at the 4-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) level of aggregation and for 24 key non-manufacturing sectors. This volume presents tabular and graphical results of the historical analysis and projections for each SIC industry. (JF)

Forecast Mekong 2012: Building scientific capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanov, James E.

2012-01-01

In 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton joined the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in launching the Lower Mekong Initiative to enhance U.S. engagement with the countries of the Lower Mekong River Basin in the areas of environment, health, education, and infrastructure. The U.S. Geological Survey Forecast Mekong supports the Lower Mekong Initiative through a variety of activities. The principal objectives of Forecast Mekong include the following: * Build scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin and promote cooperation and collaboration among scientists working in the region. * Provide data, information, and scientific models to help resource managers there make informed decisions. * Produce forecasting and visualization tools to support basin planning, including climate change adaptation. The focus of this product is Forecast Mekong accomplishments and current activities related to the development of scientific capacity at organizations and institutions in the region. Building on accomplishments in 2010 and 2011, Forecast Mekong continues to enhance scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin with a suite of activities in 2012.

Linear programming models with planned lead times for supply chain operations planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spitter, J.M.; Hurkens, C.A.J.; Kok, de A.G.; Lenstra, J.K.; Negenman, E.G.

2005-01-01

This paper contributes to the development of models for capacity constrained Supply Chain Operations Planning (SCOP). We focus on production environments with arbitrary supply chain structures. The demand for the end items is assumed to be exogenously determined. We solve the SCOP problem with

Timetable Design for Urban Rail Line with Capacity Constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Ting Zhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To design an efficient and economical timetable for a heavily congested urban rail corridor, a scheduling model is proposed in this paper. The objective of the proposed model is to find the departure time of trains at the start terminal to minimize the system cost, which includes passenger waiting cost and operating cost. To evaluate the performance of the timetable, a simulation model is developed to simulate the detailed movements of passengers and trains with strict constraints of station and train capacities. It assumes that passengers who arrive early will have more chances to access a station and board a train. The accessing and boarding processes of passengers are all based on a first-come-first-serve basis. When a station is full, passengers unable to access must wait outside until the number of waiting passengers at platform falls below a given value. When a train is full, passengers unable to board must wait at the platform for the next train to arrive. Then, based on the simulation results, a two-stage genetic algorithm is introduced to find the best timetable. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and solution method.

Locational Prices in Capacity Subscription Market Considering Transmission Limitations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Babaeinejad Sarookolaee

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on one of the most effective type of capacity markets named Capacity Subscription (CS market which is predicted to be widely used in the upcoming smart grids. Despite variant researches done about the mechanism and structure of capacity markets, their performances have been rarely tested in the presence of network constraints. Considering this deficiency, we tried to propose a new method to determine capacity prices in the network considering the transmission line flow limitations named Local capacity Prices (LP. This method is quite new and has not been tried before in any other similar researches. The philosophy of the proposed method is to determine capacity prices considering each consumer share of total peak demand. The first advantage of LP is that the consumers who benefit from the transmission facilities and are the responsible for transmission congestions, pay higher capacity prices than those whom their needed electricity is prepared locally. The second advantage of LP is that consumers connected to the same bus do not have to pay same capacity price due to their different shares of total peak demand. For more clarification, two other different methods named Branches Flow limit as a Global Limit (BFGL and Locational Capacity Prices (LCP are proposed and compared to the LP method in order to show LP method efficiency. The numerical results obtained from case studies show that the LP method follows more justice market procedure which results in more efficient capacity prices in comparison to BFGL and LCP methods.

Practical methodologies for the calculation of capacity in electricity markets for wind energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botero B, Sergio; Giraldo V, Luis Alfonso; Isaza C, Felipe

2008-01-01

Determining the real capacity of the generators in a power market is an essential task in order to estimate the actual system reliability, and to estimate the reward for generators due to their capacity in the firm energy market. In the wind power case, which is an intermittent resource, several methodologies have been proposed to estimate the capacity of a wind power emplacement, not only for planning but also for firm energy remuneration purposes. This paper presents some methodologies that have been proposed or implemented around the world in order to calculate the capacity of this energy resource.

Synchronous method and engineering tool for the strategic factory planning

OpenAIRE

Abdul Rahman, O.; Jaeger, J.; Constantinescu, C.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the approach to combine two reference methods and engineering tools, for "Factory Performance and Investment Planning«as well as "Value Added Ideal Production Network Planning". The resulted synchronous method aims to support factories in the strategic planning as well as in the network planning. The corresponding engineering tool is employed for assessment planning, sales planning, capacity planning and production costs planning under the consideration of dynamic and stoc...

Reinforcing electricity network cross border capacity: utility evaluation of a commercial interconnection between Belgium and Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinko, Raytchev

2004-01-01

The emergence of a common European electricity market means that more exchange of electrical power between countries will be needed. Basically, there are two ways to accelerate the international trade in electricity: 1) improve the current methods of allocation of existing cross border capacity and 2) reinforce the network by building new capacity. The present paper deals only with the latter topic which is not well explored by the economic literature. The first section underlines the importance of encouraging the construction of a new cross border capacity. Then, using a concrete example - the possible construction of an interconnection line between Belgium and Germany - we discuss some questions concerning the installation of a new cross border capacity. We propose a new identification method for positioning of the interconnection line based on the examination of the energy balance of adjacent regions (section 2). The macro-economic analysis (section 3) and the revision of the institutions involved in the decision process (section 4) show that the three regions located at the German-Belgian border - the Rhineland-Palatinat, the Rhineland-of-North-Westphalia from the German side and Wallonia from the Belgian side-should be interested in building and operating the new electricity tie-line. (authors)

Asymmetric Bimodal Exponential Power Distribution on the Real Line

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Niyazi Çankaya

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The asymmetric bimodal exponential power (ABEP distribution is an extension of the generalized gamma distribution to the real line via adding two parameters that fit the shape of peakedness in bimodality on the real line. The special values of peakedness parameters of the distribution are a combination of half Laplace and half normal distributions on the real line. The distribution has two parameters fitting the height of bimodality, so capacity of bimodality is enhanced by using these parameters. Adding a skewness parameter is considered to model asymmetry in data. The location-scale form of this distribution is proposed. The Fisher information matrix of these parameters in ABEP is obtained explicitly. Properties of ABEP are examined. Real data examples are given to illustrate the modelling capacity of ABEP. The replicated artificial data from maximum likelihood estimates of parameters of ABEP and other distributions having an algorithm for artificial data generation procedure are provided to test the similarity with real data. A brief simulation study is presented.

Review on the Evaluation System of Public Safety Carrying Capacity about Small Town Community

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ming; SUN; Tianyu; ZHU

2014-01-01

Recently,small town community public safety problem has been increasingly highlighted,but its research is short on public safety carrying capacity. Through the investigation and study of community public safety carrying capacity,this paper analyzes the problem of community public safety in our country,to construct index evaluation system of public safety carrying capacity in small town community. DEA method is used to evaluate public safety carrying capacity in small town community,to provide scientific basis for the design of support and standardization theory about small town community in public safety planning.

Bayesian comparative effectiveness study of four consensus treatment plans for initial management of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: FiRst-Line Options for Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis Treatment (FROST).

Science.gov (United States)

Nigrovic, Peter A; Beukelman, Timothy; Tomlinson, George; Feldman, Brian M; Schanberg, Laura E; Kimura, Yukiko

2018-03-01

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a rare febrile arthritis of childhood characterized by a potentially severe course, including prolonged glucocorticoid exposure, growth failure, destructive arthritis, and life-threatening macrophage activation syndrome. Early cytokine-blocking biologic therapy may improve long-term outcomes, although some systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients respond well to non-biologic treatment, leaving optimal management undefined. Consequently, treatment of new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis by expert clinicians varies widely. To describe a pragmatic, observational comparative effectiveness study that takes advantage of diversity in the management of a rare disease: FiRst-Line Options for Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis Treatment (FROST), comparing non-biologic and biologic consensus treatment plans for new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis within the 60-center Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Registry (CARRA). FiRst-Line Options for Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis Treatment (FROST) is a multicenter, prospective, non-randomized study that compares four Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) consensus treatment plans for new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: (1) glucocorticoids alone, (2) methotrexate, (3) interleukin-1 blockade, and (4) interleukin-6 blockade. Patients consenting to participation in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) Registry are started on one of four Consensus Treatment Plans at the discretion of the treating physician. The outcome of primary interest is clinically inactive disease off glucocorticoids at 9 months, comparing non-biologic (Consensus Treatment Plans 1 + 2) versus biologic (Consensus Treatment Plans 3 + 4) strategies. Bayesian analytic methods will be employed to evaluate response rates, using propensity scoring to balance treatment groups for potential

Material requirements planning: a better way to plan material.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomas, S

1990-08-01

MRP systems can benefit hospitals in their management of material. Systems provide the means to schedule surgical procedures, calculate material requirements, release orders, plan future capacity requirements, and release and track work orders. MRP can be a powerful tool if properly implemented. All it takes is individuals dedicated to maintaining the discipline and data integrity required to make MRP successful.

Model study on steady heat capacity in driven stochastic systems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pešek, Jiří; Boksenbojm, E.; Netočný, Karel

2012-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 3 (2012), 692-701 ISSN 1895-1082 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : nonequilibrium steady state * quasistatic process * heat capacity Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 0.905, year: 2012

Reaction of common bean lines and aggressiveness of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, P H; Santos, J B; Lima, I A; Lara, L A C; Alves, F C

2014-11-07

The aims of this study were to evaluate the reaction of common bean lines to white mold, the aggressiveness of different Sclerotinia sclerotiorum isolates from various common bean production areas in Brazil, and comparison of the diallel and GGE (genotype main effect plus genotype-by-environment interaction) biplot analysis procedures via study of the line-by-isolate interaction. Eleven common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lines derived from 3 backcross populations were used. Field experiments were performed in the experimental area of the Departamento de Biologia of the Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil, in the 2011 and 2012 dry crop season and 2011 winter crop season through a randomized block design with 3 replications. This study was also set up in a greenhouse. Inoculations were performed 28 days after sowing by means of the straw test method. The reaction of the bean lines to white mold was assessed according to a diagrammatic scale from 1 (plant without symptoms) to 9 (dead plant). Estimations of general reaction capacity (lines) and general aggressiveness capacity (isolates) indicated different horizontal levels of resistance in the lines and levels of aggressiveness in the isolates. Therefore, it was possible to select more resistant lines and foresee those crosses that are the most promising for increasing the level of resistance. It was also possible to identify the most aggressive isolates that were more efficient in distinguishing the lines. Both diallel and GGE biplot analyses were useful in identifying the genotypic values of lines and isolates.

Evaluation of carrying capacity and territorial environmental sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Ruggiero

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Land use has a great impact on environmental quality, use of resources, state of ecosystems and socio-economic development. Land use can be considered sustainable if the environmental pressures of human activities do not exceed the ecological carrying capacity. A scientific knowledge of the capability of ecosystems to provide resources and absorb waste is a useful and innovative means of supporting territorial planning. This study examines the area of the Province of Bari to estimate the ecosystems’ carrying capacity, and compare it with the current environmental pressures exerted by human activities. The adapted methodology identified the environmentally sustainable level for one province.

Scenario-informed multiple criteria analysis for prioritizing investments in electricity capacity expansion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, Lauro J.; Lambert, James H.; Karvetski, Christopher W.

2011-01-01

Planning the expansion and energy security of electricity capacity for a national electricity utility is a complex task in almost any economy. Planning is usually an iterative activity and can involve the use of large scale planning optimization systems accompanied by assessment of uncertain scenarios emerging from economic, technological, environmental, and regulatory developments. This paper applies a multiple criteria decision analysis to prioritize investment portfolios in capacity expansion and energy security while principally studying the robustness of the prioritization to multiple uncertain and emergent scenarios. The scenarios are identified through interaction with decision makers and stakeholders. The approach finds which scenarios most affect the prioritization of the portfolios and which portfolios have the greatest upside and downside potential across scenarios. The approach fosters innovation in the use of robust and efficient technologies, renewable energy sources, and cleaner energy fuels. A demonstration is provided for assessing the performance of technology portfolios constructed from investments in nine electricity generation technologies in Mexico.

Reasons for decision in the matter of Enbridge Southern Lights GP on behalf of Enbridge Southern Lights LP and Enbridge Pipelines Inc. : facilities[Application dated 9 March 2007 for the Southern Lights Project consisting of the: 1. Diluent Pipeline Project, and 2. Capacity Replacement Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2008-02-15

In March 2007, Enbridge Southern Lights (ESL) GP on behalf of Enbridge Southern Lights LP and Enbridge Pipelines Inc. (EPI) applied for approvals related to the Southern Lights Project. The first component of the project involves the construction of a pipeline to transport diluent from Chicago, Illinois to Edmonton on Line 13, an existing EPI Mainline pipeline. The second component of the project involves a Capacity Replacement Project to replace the loss of southbound capacity on the EPI Mainline system resulting from the transfer of Line 13 to diluent service. The application required Board approvals for several related project components, including the transfer of ownership of EPI's Line 13 to ESL; the removal of Line 13 from southbound crude oil delivery service; reversing the flow on Line 13 to carry diluent from the Canada/US border northbound to Edmonton, Alberta; constructing a new oil pipeline to transport light sour crude oil; physical changes and alterations to EPI's Line 2; and, appropriate tolls and tariffs. The Board determined that the Southern Lights Project is an innovative and cost-effective solution to transport diluent. The applicants demonstrated sufficient diluent shipping commitments to ensure the long term viability of the pipeline. The Board found that the proposal to build new facilities on existing EPI sites and right-of-way should minimize negative impacts on area landowners, and also judged that mitigation planned for the construction phase will minimize potential adverse effects. The Board will require ESL to conduct an emergency response exercise where Line 13 crosses the South Saskatchewan River. Ongoing discussions between the applicants and Aboriginal groups, and a Heritage Resource Discovery Contingency Plan, will reduce potential impacts to traditional use sites. Having reviewed all evidence, the Board approved applications for the Southern Lights Pipeline Project, worth an estimated $247.5 million in Canadian spending

PLANNING TRIPOLI METRO NETWORK BY THE USE OF REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Alhusain

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Tripoli, the capital city of Libya is going through significant and integrated development process, this development is expected to continue in the next few decades. The Libyan authorities have put it as their goal to develop Tripoli to an important metropolis in North Africa. To achieve this goal, they identified goals for the city's future development in all human, economic, cultural, touristic, and nonetheless infrastructure levels. On the infrastructure development level, among other things, they have identified the development of public transportation as one of the important development priorities. At present, public transportation in Tripoli is carried out by a limited capacity bus network alongside of individual transportation. However, movement in the city is characterized mainly by individual transportation with all its disadvantages such as traffic jams, significant air pollution with both carbon monoxide and dust, and lack of parking space. The Libyan authorities wisely opted for an efficient, modern, and environment friendly solution for public transportation, this was to plan a complex Metro Network as the backbone of public transportation in the city, and to develop and integrate the bus network and other means of transportation to be in harmony with the planned Metro network. The Metro network is planned to provide convenient connections to Tripoli International Airport and to the planned Railway station. They plan to build a system of Park and Ride (P+R facilities at suitable locations along the Metro lines. This paper will present in details the planned Metro Network, some of the applied technological solutions, the importance of applying remote sensing and GIS technologies in different planning phases, and problems and benefits associated with the use of multi-temporal-, multi-format spatial data in the whole network planning phase.

Planning Tripoli Metro Network by the Use of Remote Sensing Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Alhusain, O.; Engedy, Gy.; Milady, A.; Paulini, L.; Soos, G.

2012-08-01

Tripoli, the capital city of Libya is going through significant and integrated development process, this development is expected to continue in the next few decades. The Libyan authorities have put it as their goal to develop Tripoli to an important metropolis in North Africa. To achieve this goal, they identified goals for the city's future development in all human, economic, cultural, touristic, and nonetheless infrastructure levels. On the infrastructure development level, among other things, they have identified the development of public transportation as one of the important development priorities. At present, public transportation in Tripoli is carried out by a limited capacity bus network alongside of individual transportation. However, movement in the city is characterized mainly by individual transportation with all its disadvantages such as traffic jams, significant air pollution with both carbon monoxide and dust, and lack of parking space. The Libyan authorities wisely opted for an efficient, modern, and environment friendly solution for public transportation, this was to plan a complex Metro Network as the backbone of public transportation in the city, and to develop and integrate the bus network and other means of transportation to be in harmony with the planned Metro network. The Metro network is planned to provide convenient connections to Tripoli International Airport and to the planned Railway station. They plan to build a system of Park and Ride (P+R) facilities at suitable locations along the Metro lines. This paper will present in details the planned Metro Network, some of the applied technological solutions, the importance of applying remote sensing and GIS technologies in different planning phases, and problems and benefits associated with the use of multi-temporal-, multi-format spatial data in the whole network planning phase.

Future planning in preschool children.

Science.gov (United States)

Moffett, Lillie; Moll, Henrike; FitzGibbon, Lily

2018-05-01

The capacity to plan ahead and provide the means for future ends is an important part of human practical reasoning. When this capacity develops in ontogeny is the matter of an ongoing debate. In this study, 4- and 5-year-olds performed a future planning task in which they had to create the means (a picture of a particular object, e.g., a banana) that was necessary to address a future end (of completing a game in which such a picture was missing). Children of both ages drew more targets than children in a control condition in which there was no future end to be pursued. Along with prior findings, the results suggest a major progression in children's future thinking between 3 and 5 years. Our findings expand on prior knowledge by showing that young children cannot only identify the probate means to future ends but determine such ends and create the means to achieve them, thus offering compelling evidence for future planning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Operational and Strategic Implementation of Dynamic Line Rating for Optimized Wind Energy Generation Integration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gentle, Jake Paul [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-12-01

One primary goal of rendering today’s transmission grid “smarter” is to optimize and better manage its power transfer capacity in real time. Power transfer capacity is affected by three main elements: stability, voltage limits, and thermal ratings. All three are critical, but thermal ratings represent the greatest opportunity to quickly, reliably and economically utilize the grid’s true capacity. With the “Smarter Grid”, new solutions have been sought to give operators a better grasp on real time conditions, allowing them to manage and extend the usefulness of existing transmission infrastructure in a safe and reliable manner. The objective of the INL Wind Program is to provide industry a Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) solution that is state of the art as measured by cost, accuracy and dependability, to enable human operators to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions without human or system overloading and impacting the reliability of the grid. In addition to mitigating transmission line congestion to better integrate wind, DLR also offers the opportunity to improve the grid with optimized utilization of transmission lines to relieve congestion in general. As wind-generated energy has become a bigger part of the nation’s energy portfolio, researchers have learned that wind not only turns turbine blades to generate electricity, but can cool transmission lines and increase transfer capabilities significantly, sometimes up to 60 percent. INL’s DLR development supports EERE and The Wind Energy Technology Office’s goals by informing system planners and grid operators of available transmission capacity, beyond typical Static Line Ratings (SLR). SLRs are based on a fixed set of conservative environmental conditions to establish a limit on the amount of current lines can safely carry without overheating. Using commercially available weather monitors mounted on industry informed custom brackets developed by INL in combination with Computational

Operational and Strategic Implementation of Dynamic Line Rating for Optimized Wind Energy Generation Integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentle, Jake Paul

2016-01-01

One primary goal of rendering today's transmission grid 'smarter' is to optimize and better manage its power transfer capacity in real time. Power transfer capacity is affected by three main elements: stability, voltage limits, and thermal ratings. All three are critical, but thermal ratings represent the greatest opportunity to quickly, reliably and economically utilize the grid's true capacity. With the 'Smarter Grid', new solutions have been sought to give operators a better grasp on real time conditions, allowing them to manage and extend the usefulness of existing transmission infrastructure in a safe and reliable manner. The objective of the INL Wind Program is to provide industry a Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) solution that is state of the art as measured by cost, accuracy and dependability, to enable human operators to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions without human or system overloading and impacting the reliability of the grid. In addition to mitigating transmission line congestion to better integrate wind, DLR also offers the opportunity to improve the grid with optimized utilization of transmission lines to relieve congestion in general. As wind-generated energy has become a bigger part of the nation's energy portfolio, researchers have learned that wind not only turns turbine blades to generate electricity, but can cool transmission lines and increase transfer capabilities significantly, sometimes up to 60 percent. INL's DLR development supports EERE and The Wind Energy Technology Office's goals by informing system planners and grid operators of available transmission capacity, beyond typical Static Line Ratings (SLR). SLRs are based on a fixed set of conservative environmental conditions to establish a limit on the amount of current lines can safely carry without overheating. Using commercially available weather monitors mounted on industry informed custom brackets developed by INL in combination with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD

Patient mix optimisation for inpatient planning with multiple resources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vissers, J.M.H.; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Dellaert, N.P.; Jeunet, J.; Bekkers, J.A.; Tanfani, E.; Testi, A.

2012-01-01

This contribution addresses the planning of admissions of surgical patients, requiring different resources such as beds and nursing capacity at wards, operating rooms and operating theatre personnel at an operating theatre, intensive care beds and intensive care nursing capacity at an intensive care

The H line: a brand new beam line for fundamental physics at the J-PARC muon facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, N; Shimomura, K; Miyake, Y; Toyoda, A; Saito, N; Mihara, S; Aoki, M

2013-01-01

The muon facility, J-PARC (Muon Science Establishment; MUSE), has been operated since first beam in 2008. Starting with a 200 kW proton beam, the beam intensity has reached 3×10 6 / muons/s, the most intense pulsed muon beam in the world. A 2 cm thick graphite target permits the extraction of four secondary muon beams. A brand new beam line, the H line, is planned to be constructed. The new beam line is designed to have a large acceptance, will provide the ability to tune the momentum, and use a kicker magnet and/or Wien filter. This beam line will provide an intense beam for experiments that require high statistics and must occupy the experimental areas for a relatively long period.

Combination of AC Transmission Expansion Planning and Reactive Power Planning in the restructured power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooshmand, Rahmat-Allah; Hemmati, Reza; Parastegari, Moein

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► To overcome the disadvantages of DC model in Transmission Expansion Planning, AC model should be used. ► The Transmission Expansion Planning associated with Reactive Power Planning results in fewer new transmission lines. ► Electricity market concepts should be considered in Transmission Expansion Planning problem. ► Reliability aspects should be considered in Transmission Expansion Planning problem. ► Particle Swarm Optimization is a suitable optimization method to solve Transmission Expansion Planning problem. - Abstract: Transmission Expansion Planning (TEP) is an important issue in power system studies. It involves decisions on location and number of new transmission lines. Before deregulation of the power system, the goal of TEP problem was investment cost minimization. But in the restructured power system, nodal prices, congestion management, congestion surplus and so on, have been considered too. In this paper, an AC model of TEP problem (AC-TEP) associated with Reactive Power Planning (RPP) is presented. The goals of the proposed planning problem are to minimize investment cost and maximize social benefit at the same time. In the proposed planning problem, in order to improve the reliability of the system the Expected Energy Not Supplied (EENS) index of the system is limited by a constraint. For this purpose, Monte Carlo simulation method is used to determine the EENS. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method is used to solve the proposed planning problem which is a nonlinear mixed integer optimization problem. Simulation results on Garver and RTS systems verify the effectiveness of the proposed planning problem for reduction of the total investment cost, EENS index and also increasing social welfare of the system.

The Art of Capacity Planning Being Ready for the Big Growth Spurt

CERN Document Server

Allspaw, John

2009-01-01

Web-based companies live or die by the ability to scale their infrastructure to accommodate increasing demand. This book is a hands-on and practical guide to planning for such growth, with many techniques and considerations to help you plan, deploy, and manage web application infrastructure. Written by the manager of data operations for the world-famous photo-sharing site Flickr.com, the author offers advice based on years of valuable experience.

A interdependência entre sistemas de controle de produção e critérios de alocação de capacidades The relationship between production planning and control systems and methods of capacity allocation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Bernardi de Souza

2002-08-01

Full Text Available Há uma aparente carência de pesquisas sobre os inter-relacionamentos entre critérios de alocação de capacidades de recursos de manufatura e os métodos de controle de produção. Estudos sobre alocação de capacidades se baseiam geralmente em sistemas simplificados de empurrar a produção, desconsiderando sistemas mais atuais de gestão de produção. Por outro lado, pesquisas sobre a aplicabilidade de sistemas de gestão da produção não consideram apropriada a maneira como as capacidades produtivas dos recursos estão alocadas ao longo da linha. Analisar as interdependências entre esses dois grandes ramos de pesquisa é o objetivo deste artigo.There is a lack of researches on the relationship between methods of capacity allocation of manufacturing resources and production planning and control systems. Studies about capacity allocation are based on simplified push production systems not considering more current production management systems. By other side, studies about efficiency of production management systems don't consider the effect of different criteria of capacity allocation of manufacturing resources at the results. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the different policies of capacity allocation and different production planning and control systems interrelate between each other.

Hybrid adaptive radiotherapy with on-line MRI in cervix cancer IMRT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Seungjong; Stewart, James; Moseley, Joanne; Kelly, Valerie; Lim, Karen; Xie, Jason; Fyles, Anthony; Brock, Kristy K.; Lundin, Anna; Rehbinder, Henrik; Milosevic, Michael; Jaffray, David

2014-01-01

Purpose: Substantial organ motion and tumor shrinkage occur during radiotherapy for cervix cancer. IMRT planning studies have shown that the quality of radiation delivery is influenced by these anatomical changes, therefore the adaptation of treatment plans may be warranted. Image guidance with off-line replanning, i.e. hybrid-adaptation, is recognized as one of the most practical adaptation strategies. In this study, we investigated the effects of soft tissue image guidance using on-line MR while varying the frequency of off-line replanning on the adaptation of cervix IMRT. Materials and method: 33 cervical cancer patients underwent planning and weekly pelvic MRI scans during radiotherapy. 5 patients of 33 were identified in a previous retrospective adaptive planning study, in which the coverage of gross tumor volume/clinical target volume (GTV/CTV) was not acceptable given single off-line IMRT replan using a 3 mm PTV margin with bone matching. These 5 patients and a randomly selected 10 patients from the remaining 28 patients, a total of 15 patients of 33, were considered in this study. Two matching methods for image guidance (bone to bone and soft tissue to dose matrix) and three frequencies of off-line replanning (none, single, and weekly) were simulated and compared with respect to target coverage (cervix, GTV, lower uterus, parametrium, upper vagina, tumor related CTV and elective lymph node CTV) and OAR sparing (bladder, bowel, rectum, and sigmoid). Cost (total process time) and benefit (target coverage) were analyzed for comparison. Results: Hybrid adaptation (image guidance with off-line replanning) significantly enhanced target coverage for both 5 difficult and 10 standard cases. Concerning image guidance, bone matching was short of delivering enough doses for 5 difficult cases even with a weekly off-line replan. Soft tissue image guidance proved successful for all cases except one when single or more frequent replans were utilized in the difficult cases

Preliminary Findings of the South Africa Power System Capacity Expansion and Operational Modelling Study: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reber, Timothy J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Chartan, Erol Kevin [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brinkman, Gregory L [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-01-01

Wind and solar power contract prices have recently become cheaper than many conventional new-build alternatives in South Africa and trends suggest a continued increase in the share of variable renewable energy (vRE) on South Africa's power system with coal technology seeing the greatest reduction in capacity, see 'Figure 6: Percentage share by Installed Capacity (MW)' in [1]. Hence it is essential to perform a state-of-the-art grid integration study examining the effects of these high penetrations of vRE on South Africa's power system. Under the 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has significantly augmented existing models of the South African power system to investigate future vRE scenarios. NREL, in collaboration with Eskom's Planning Department, further developed, tested and ran a combined capacity expansion and operational model of the South African power system including spatially disaggregated detail and geographical representation of system resources. New software to visualize and interpret modelling outputs has been developed, and scenario analysis of stepwise vRE build targets reveals new insight into associated planning and operational impacts and costs. The model, built using PLEXOS, is split into two components, firstly a capacity expansion model and secondly a unit commitment and economic dispatch model. The capacity expansion model optimizes new generation decisions to achieve the lowest cost, with a full understanding of capital cost and an approximated understanding of operational costs. The operational model has a greater set of detailed operational constraints and is run at daily resolutions. Both are run from 2017 through 2050. This investigation suggests that running both models in tandem may be the most effective means to plan the least cost South African power system as build plans seen to be more expensive than optimal by the

Category Specific Knowledge Modulate Capacity Limitations of Visual Short-Term Memory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dall, Jonas Olsen; Watanabe, Katsumi; Sørensen, Thomas Alrik

2016-01-01

We explore whether expertise can modulate the capacity of visual short-term memory, as some seem to argue that training affects capacity of short-term memory [13] while others are not able to find this modulation [12]. We extend on a previous study [3] demonstrating expertise effects by investiga...... are in line with the theoretical interpretation that visual short-term memory reflects the sum of the reverberating feedback loops to representations in long-term memory.......We explore whether expertise can modulate the capacity of visual short-term memory, as some seem to argue that training affects capacity of short-term memory [13] while others are not able to find this modulation [12]. We extend on a previous study [3] demonstrating expertise effects......), and expert observers (Japanese university students). For both the picture and the letter condition we find no performance difference in memory capacity, however, in the critical hiragana condition we demonstrate a systematic difference relating expertise differences between the groups. These results...

Construction and Capacity Analysis of High-Rank LoS MIMO Channels in High Speed Railway Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingya Yang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The validity of the maximum capacity criterion applied to realize high-rank line-of-sight (LoS multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO channels is investigated for high speed railway scenarios. Performance is evaluated by ergodic capacity. Numerical results demonstrate that by simply adjusting antenna spacing according to the maximum capacity criterion, significant capacity gains are achievable. We find relatively low sensitivity of the system to displacements from the optimal point and angle in relatively short range. Thus, we present two proposals to reconfigure antenna arrays so as to maximize LoS MIMO capacity in the high speed railway scenarios

Admission and capacity planning for the implementation of one-stop-shop in skin cancer treatment using simulation-based optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, H L; Dellaert, N P; van der Geer, S; Frunt, M; Jansen-Vullers, M H; Krekels, G A M

2013-03-01

Hospitals and health care institutions are facing the challenge of improving the quality of their services while reducing their costs. The current study presents the application of operations management practices in a dermatology oncology outpatient clinic specialized in skin cancer treatment. An interesting alternative considered by the clinic is the implementation of a one-stop-shop concept for the treatment of new patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma. This alternative proposes a significant improvement in the average waiting time that a patient spends between the diagnosis and treatment. This study is focused on the identification of factors that influence the average throughput time of patients treated in the clinic from the logistic perspective. A two-phase approach was followed to achieve the goals stated in this study. The first phase included an integrated approach for the deterministic analysis of the capacity using a demand-supply model for the hospital processes, while the second phase involved the development of a simulation model to include variability to the activities involved in the process and to evaluate different scenarios. Results showed that by managing three factors: the admission rule, resources allocation and capacity planning in the dermato-oncology unit throughput times for treatments of new patients can be decreased with more than 90 %, even with the same resource level. Finally, a pilot study with 16 patients was also conducted to evaluate the impact of implementing the one stop shop concept from a clinical perspective. Patients turned out to be satisfied with the fast diagnosis and treatment.

World nuclear generating capacity and uranium requirements to 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

The outlook for the world nuclear power industry through 2005 is more positive than some may believe. Installed nuclear electric generating capacity is forecast to grow at an average rate of 2.4 percent per year, and reach 448 gigawatts electric (GWe) by 2005. Consequently, annual world uranium requirements also will grow, reaching over 200 million pounds equivalent U 3 O 8 by 2005. This article presents data and summarizes installed nuclear generating capacity and charts its increase as a function of time through the year 2005. This data is also charted by reactor type as well as reactor status: under construction, planned, or estimated future construction. In a similar fashion, the data is also charted by country and continent. Historical and projected data is also given for capacity factor

On-line control systems in power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freymeyer, P.

1981-01-01

This report is a review of on-line control systems as a complex system connected with all problems like, development, planning, degree of automation, economics, service, quality and documentation. (orig.) [de

Global Production Planning Process considering the Supply Risk of Overseas Manufacturing Sites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hosang Jung

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Although global manufacturers can produce most of their final products in local plants, they need to source components or parts from desirable overseas manufacturing partners at low cost in order to fulfill customer orders. In this global manufacturing environment, capacity information for planning is usually imprecise owing to the various risks of overseas plants (e.g., foreign governments’ policies and labor stability. It is therefore not easy for decision-makers to generate a global production plan showing the production amounts at local plants and overseas manufacturing facilities operated by manufacturing partners. In this paper, we present a new global production planning process considering the supply risk of overseas manufacturing sites. First, local experts estimate the supply capacity of an overseas plant using their judgment to determine when the risk could occur and how large the risk impact would be. Next, we run a global production planning model with the estimated supply capacities. The proposed process systematically adopts the qualitative judgments of local experts in the global production planning process and thus can provide companies with a realistic global production plan. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed process with a real world case.

Novel Approach for Lithium-Ion Battery On-Line Remaining Useful Life Prediction Based on Permutation Entropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luping Chen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The degradation of lithium-ion battery often leads to electrical system failure. Battery remaining useful life (RUL prediction can effectively prevent this failure. Battery capacity is usually utilized as health indicator (HI for RUL prediction. However, battery capacity is often estimated on-line and it is difficult to be obtained by monitoring on-line parameters. Therefore, there is a great need to find a simple and on-line prediction method to solve this issue. In this paper, as a novel HI, permutation entropy (PE is extracted from the discharge voltage curve for analyzing battery degradation. Then the similarity between PE and battery capacity are judged by Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses. Experiment results illustrate the effectiveness and excellent similar performance of the novel HI for battery fading indication. Furthermore, we propose a hybrid approach combining Variational mode decomposition (VMD denoising technique, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA, and GM(1,1 models for RUL prediction. Experiment results illustrate the accuracy of the proposed approach for lithium-ion battery on-line RUL prediction.

Analysis of Enhancement in Available Power Transfer Capacity by STATCOM Integrated SMES by Numerical Simulation Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saraswathi, Ananthavel; Sanjeevikumar, Padmanaban; Shanmugham, Sutha

2016-01-01

Power system researches are mainly focused in enhancing the available power capacities of the existing transmission lines. But still, no prominent solutions have been made due to several factors that affect the transmission lines which include the length, aging of the cables and losses...... on generation, transmission and distribution etc. This paper exploited the integration of static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) which is then connected to existing power transmission line for enhancing the available power transfer capacity (ATC). STATCOMis...... power electronic voltage source converter (VSC) which is connected to the transmission system for shunt reactive power and harmonics compensation. SMES is a renowned clean energy storage technology. Feasibility of the proposed power system can control the real as well as reactive power flow...

Analysis of enhancement in available power transfer capacity by STATCOM integrated SMES by numerical simulation studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saraswathi Ananthavel

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Power system researches are mainly focused in enhancing the available power capacities of the existing transmission lines. But still, no prominent solutions have been made due to several factors that affect the transmission lines which include the length, aging of the cables and losses on generation, transmission and distribution etc. This paper exploited the integration of static synchronous compensator (STATCOM and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES which is then connected to existing power transmission line for enhancing the available power transfer capacity (ATC. STATCOM is power electronic voltage source converter (VSC which is connected to the transmission system for shunt reactive power and harmonics compensation. SMES is a renowned clean energy storage technology. Feasibility of the proposed power system can control the real as well as reactive power flow independently between the transmission lines and STATCOM-(SMES units. Complete proposed power system is implemented in numerical simulation software (Matlab/Simulink and its performance is validated based on obtained investigation results.

Planning for seven generations: Energy planning of American Indian tribes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brookshire, Daniel; Kaza, Nikhil

2013-01-01

The prevalence of energy resources on American Indian lands, the links between energy management and tribal sovereignty, and recent federal government incentives make tribal energy planning an interesting case study for community energy planning in the US. This paper studies the strategic energy planning efforts, energy resource development, and energy efficiency policies established by tribes within the continental US. The paper analyzes the results of a survey of various tribes′ energy resource development and planning efforts and supplements the responses with publicly available information on resources, economics, and demographics. We find that incentives and advisory services from the federal government are key to developing the capacity of the tribes to pursue energy planning and energy resource development. These incentives largely avoid the misdeeds of past federal policy by promoting tribal control over energy planning and energy resource development efforts. Tribes with formal energy plans or visions are more likely to develop energy resources than tribes without them and are engaged in a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to energy resource development and energy efficiency. - Highlights: • American Indian tribal energy planning is an understudied topic. • Tribal energy planning is interconnected with tribal sovereignty and sustainability. • We report the results of a survey of energy planning and development efforts. • Federal Government assistance is critical to the efforts of the tribes. • Tribes with energy plans take a more comprehensive approach to energy resource development

Capacity planning for Carrier Ethernet LTE backhaul networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Checko, Aleksandra; Ellegaard, Lars; Berger, Michael Stübert

2012-01-01

With the introduction of LTE networks operators need to plan a new, IP-based mobile backhaul. In this paper, we provide recommendation on dimensioning LTE backhaul networks links using three methods: delay-, dimensioning formula- and overbooking factor-based. Results are obtained from OPNET simul...... and verified. Simulation in this work proves that Carrier Ethernet, one of the candidate technologies for mobile backhaul, protects the network from users that want to flood the network with their data and manages to keep the delay experienced by other users low....... simulations with traffic model based on traffic forecast for 2015. A delay-based approach gives recommended bandwidth for expected number of users. A dimensioning formula is proposed to calculate link bandwidth when mean value of aggregated traffic in the network is known. An overbooking factor is calculated...

Building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners - the role of organisational management.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Naomi

2017-01-01

To highlight the organisation-level management's role in building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners and the need for appropriate supports to increase their becoming leaders. Little is published about the role of organisation-level management in building leadership capacity and in developing the next generation of nurse leaders. In times of economic constraint, organisations need to focus their efforts on targeted leadership initiatives. Advanced nurse practitioners are ideally positioned to act as leaders both within and beyond the health care organisation. From the available research evidence, several support structures and mechanisms are identified as enablers for advanced nurse practitioners to enact their leadership role. Health care organisations need to include building leadership capacity as a priority in their strategic plan and take action to build-up the level of advanced nurse practitioner leadership. Nurse executives have a vital role in influencing the organisation's strategic plan and making a business case for prioritising leadership capacity building within advanced nurse practitioners. A challenge for nurse executives faced with competing service and leadership development demands, involves strategic decision-making regarding whether the advanced nurse practitioner's role is limited to service delivery or its potential in leading health care reforms is realised. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effect of topography on the choice of optimal step intermediate supports along the line of the cable metro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lagerev A.V.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In article was formulated and solved the problem of conditional nonlinear optimization of the distance between inter-mediate supports during the design of the cable metro lines in highly urbanized environment, taking into account not the horizontal surface of the terrain. The optimization problem involves a single-criterion objective function that expresses the cost of construction of the cable metro line (total cost of intermediate supports and their foundations, traction and carrying steel cables and technical equipment. The specified objective function subject to minimization by finding the optimal combination of the distance between intermediate supports and tension carrying ropes with accounting con-structive, modal, structural and planning constraints in the form of nonlinear inequalities. When constructing the objec-tive function were considered three possible forms sagging of carrying ropes, which can be implemented for various values of the efforts of their tension. Analysis was done of the influence of the angle of the longitudinal slope of the surface relief along the line of the cable metro on the value of the optimal distance between intermediate supports de-pending on the design and cost of intermediate supports and at the cost of 1 km line of the cable metro. Quantitative calculations showed that with the increase of the longitudinal slope of the surface construction cost also increases with nonlinear increasing rate. The dependence of the cost of 1 km of line underground cable metro from the parameters of the relief is of extreme character with a pronounced minimum at small angles of inclination of the terrain surface about 3...60 degrees. The position of the minimum is quite stable and only slightly changes when enough significant change in the cost of intermediate supports and installed on them technological equipment. The most effective conditions for the construction of the cable metro is the terrain with considerable

Estimates of emergency operating capacity in U.S. manufacturing industries: 1994--2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belzer, D.B.

1997-02-01

To develop integrated policies for mobilization preparedness, planners require estimates and projections of available productive capacity during national emergency conditions. This report develops projections of national emergency operating capacity (EOC) for 458 US manufacturing industries at the 4-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) level. These measures are intended for use in planning models that are designed to predict the demands for detailed industry sectors that would occur under conditions such as a military mobilization or a major national disaster. This report is part of an ongoing series of studies prepared by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to support mobilization planning studies of the Federal Emergency Planning Agency/US Department of Defense (FEMA/DOD). Earlier sets of EOC estimates were developed in 1985 and 1991. This study presents estimates of EOC through 2005. As in the 1991 study, projections of capacity were based upon extrapolations of equipment capital stocks. The methodology uses time series regression models based on industry data to obtain a response function of industry capital stock to levels of industrial output. The distributed lag coefficients of these response function are then used with projected outputs to extrapolate the 1994 level of EOC. Projections of industrial outputs were taken from the intermediate-term forecast of the US economy prepared by INFORUM (Interindustry Forecasting Model, University of Maryland) in the spring of 1996.

The DELTA PREP Initiative: Accelerating Coalition Capacity for Intimate Partner Violence Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Zakocs, Ronda; Freire, Kimberley E.

2018-01-01

Background The DELTA PREP Project aimed to build the prevention capacity of 19 state domestic violence coalitions by offering eight supports designed to promote prevention integration over a 3-year period: modest grant awards, training events, technical assistance, action planning, coaching hubs, the Coalition Prevention Capacity Assessment, an online workstation, and the online documentation support system. Objectives Using quantitative and qualitative data, we sought to explain how coalitions integrated prevention within their structures and functions and document how DELTA PREP supports contributed to coalitions’ integration process. Results We found that coalitions followed a common pathway to integrate prevention. First, coalitions exhibited precursors of organizational readiness, especially having prevention champions. Second, coalitions engaged in five critical actions: engaging in dialogue, learning about prevention, forming teams, soliciting input from the coalition, and action planning. Last, by engaging in these critical actions, coalitions enhanced two key organizational readiness factors—developing a common understanding of prevention and an organizational commitment to prevention. We also found that DELTA PREP supports contributed to coalitions’ abilities to integrate prevention by supporting learning about prevention, fostering a prevention team, and engaging in action planning by leveraging existing opportunities. Two DELTA PREP supports—coaching hubs and the workstation—did not work as initially intended. From the DELTA PREP experience, we offer several lessons to consider when designing future prevention capacity-building initiatives. PMID:26245934

Three essays on the effect of wind generation on power system planning and operations

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Clay Duane

While the benefits of wind generation are well known, some drawbacks are still being understood as wind power is integrated into the power grid at increasing levels. The primary difference between wind generation and other forms of generation is the intermittent, and somewhat unpredictable, aspect of this resource. The somewhat uncontrollable aspect of wind generation makes it important to consider the relationship between this resource and load, and also how the operation of other non-wind generation resources may be affected. The three essays that comprise this dissertation focus on these and other important issues related to wind generation; leading to an improved understanding of how to better plan for and utilize this resource. The first essay addresses the cost of increased levels of installed wind capacity from both a capacity planning and economic dispatch perspective to arrive at the total system cost of installing a unit of wind capacity. This total includes not only the cost of the wind turbine and associated infrastructure, but also the cost impact an additional unit of wind capacity has on the optimal mix and operation of other generating units in the electricity supply portfolio. The results of the model showed that for all wind expansion scenarios, wind capacity is not cost-effective regardless of the level of the wind production tax credit and carbon prices that were considered. Larger levels of installed wind capacity result in reduced variable cost, but this reduction is not able to offset increases in capital cost, as a unit of installed wind capacity does not result in an equal reduction in other non-wind capacity needs. The second essay develops a methodology to better handle unexpected short term fluctuations in wind generation within the existing power system. The methodology developed in this essay leads to lower expected costs by anticipating and planning for fluctuations in wind generation by focusing on key constraints in the system. The

Effect of pond depth and lining plastic color on growth and nitrogen ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, this study evaluated the effect of pond depth and lining plastic colors on nitrogen fixing capacity of Anabaena species strain E3. Factorial combinations of four pond lining plastic colors and two depths were laid out in a complete randomized design with three replications. The ANOVA results revealed that the 20 cm ...

Meandered Monopoles for 700 MHz LTE Handsets and Improved MIMO Channel Capacity Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Dioum

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present the design and the measurement of MIMO meandered monopole antennas and the computation of their channel capacity performance. The initial proposed handset-system is composed of a meandered monopole operating in the LTE 700 MHz band, connected to a parasitic radiating element for the upper 2.5 GHz LTE band. Two antennas of the same kind are then closely positioned on the same 120x50 mm2 Printed Circuit Board (PCB. A neutralization line connects the two antennas to enhance their port-to-port isolation in the 700 MHz band. The computation of the channel capacity performance in this band is based on propagation simulations performed with the GRIMM model from the CREMANT. Two system-prototypes are evaluated: one with the neutralization line for enhanced port-to-port isolation and a second without the neutralization exhibiting poor antenna-to-antenna isolation. It is demonstrated that the neutralization technique helps in giving a minimum improvement of 12% of the capacity performance of the handset-system, and a maximum improvement 46%, in the chosen environment.

Future Marine Polar Research Capacities - Science Planning and Research Services for a Multi-National Research Icebreaker

Science.gov (United States)

Biebow, N.; Lembke-Jene, L.; Wolff-Boenisch, B.; Bergamasco, A.; De Santis, L.; Eldholm, O.; Mevel, C.; Willmott, V.; Thiede, J.

2011-12-01

Despite significant advances in Arctic and Antarctic marine science over the past years, the polar Southern Ocean remains a formidable frontier due to challenging technical and operational requirements. Thus, key data and observations from this important region are still missing or lack adequate lateral and temporal coverage, especially from time slots outside optimal weather seasons and ice conditions. These barriers combined with the obligation to efficiently use financial resources and funding for expeditions call for new approaches to create optimally equipped, but cost-effective infrastructures. These must serve the international science community in a dedicated long-term mode and enable participation in multi-disciplinary expeditions, with secured access to optimally equipped marine platforms for world-class research in a wide range of Antarctic science topics. The high operational and technical performance capacity of a future joint European Research Icebreaker and Deep-sea Drilling Vessel (the AURORA BOREALIS concept) aims at integrating still separately operating national science programmes with different strategic priorities into joint development of long-term research missions with international cooperation both in Arctic and Antarctica. The icebreaker is planned to enable, as a worldwide first, autonomous year-round operations in the central Arctic and polar Southern Ocean, including severest ice conditions in winter, and serving all polar marine disciplines. It will facilitate the implementation of atmospheric, oceanographic, cryospheric or geophysical observatories for long-term monitoring of the polar environment. Access to the biosphere and hydrosphere e.g. beneath ice shelves or in remote regions is made possible by acting as advanced deployment platform for instruments, robotic and autonomous vehicles and ship-based air operations. In addition to a report on the long-term strategic science and operational planning objectives, we describe foreseen

UJV line for research into radioactive wastes solidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumann, L.; Feist, I.; Kepak, F.; Nachmilner, L.; Napravnik, J.; Novak, M.; Pecak, V.; Vojtech, O.

1985-01-01

An experimental line with a capacity of 0.01 m 3 /h was developed and built for research of the solidification of liquid radioactive wastes at the Nuclear Research Institute. The line allows the research and pilot plant testing of processes based on vitrification but also on other procedures including calcination. It consists of a horizontal calciner, a resistance melting unit, a homogenization device for research into cementation of the calcinate, and equipment for the disposal of gaseous emissions. The facility is provided with a control console which allows remote control and the control of all basic operating parameters. The design of the line allows its eventual completion with other equipment. (Z.M.)

Strategic assessment of capacity consumption in railway networks: Framework and model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Wittrup; Landex, Alex; Nielsen, Otto Anker

2017-01-01

In this paper, we develop a new framework for strategic planning purposes to calculate railway infrastructure occupation and capacity consumption in networks, independent of a timetable. Furthermore, a model implementing the framework is presented. In this model different train sequences...... are obtained efficiently with little input. The case illustrates the model's ability to quantify the capacity gain from infrastructure scenario to infrastructure scenario which can be used to increase the number of trains or improve the robustness of the system....

A practical and systematic approach to organisational capacity strengthening for research in the health sector in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Imelda; Boyd, Alan; Smith, Helen; Cole, Donald C

2014-03-03

Despite increasing investment in health research capacity strengthening efforts in low and middle income countries, published evidence to guide the systematic design and monitoring of such interventions is very limited. Systematic processes are important to underpin capacity strengthening interventions because they provide stepwise guidance and allow for continual improvement. Our objective here was to use evidence to inform the design of a replicable but flexible process to guide health research capacity strengthening that could be customized for different contexts, and to provide a framework for planning, collecting information, making decisions, and improving performance. We used peer-reviewed and grey literature to develop a five-step pathway for designing and evaluating health research capacity strengthening programmes, tested in a variety of contexts in Africa. The five steps are: i) defining the goal of the capacity strengthening effort, ii) describing the optimal capacity needed to achieve the goal, iii) determining the existing capacity gaps compared to the optimum, iv) devising an action plan to fill the gaps and associated indicators of change, and v) adapting the plan and indicators as the programme matures. Our paper describes three contrasting case studies of organisational research capacity strengthening to illustrate how our five-step approach works in practice. Our five-step pathway starts with a clear goal and objectives, making explicit the capacity required to achieve the goal. Strategies for promoting sustainability are agreed with partners and incorporated from the outset. Our pathway for designing capacity strengthening programmes focuses not only on technical, managerial, and financial processes within organisations, but also on the individuals within organisations and the wider system within which organisations are coordinated, financed, and managed. Our five-step approach is flexible enough to generate and utilise ongoing learning. We have

Solving a Location, Allocation, and Capacity Planning Problem with Dynamic Demand and Response Time Service Level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrie Ka Yuk Lin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Logistic systems with uncertain demand, travel time, and on-site processing time are studied here where sequential trip travel is allowed. The relationship between three levels of decisions: facility location, demand allocation, and resource capacity (number of service units, satisfying the response time requirement, is analysed. The problem is formulated as a stochastic mixed integer program. A simulation-based hybrid heuristic is developed to solve the dynamic problem under different response time service level. An initial solution is obtained from solving static location-allocation models, followed by iterative improvement of the three levels of decisions by ejection, reinsertion procedure with memory of feasible and infeasible service regions. Results indicate that a higher response time service level could be achieved by allocating a given resource under an appropriate decentralized policy. Given a response time requirement, the general trend is that the minimum total capacity initially decreases with more facilities. During this stage, variability in travel time has more impact on capacity than variability in demand arrivals. Thereafter, the total capacity remains stable and then gradually increases. When service level requirement is high, the dynamic dispatch based on first-come-first-serve rule requires smaller capacity than the one by nearest-neighbour rule.

Plant-available soil water capacity: estimation methods and implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Montoani Silva

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The plant-available water capacity of the soil is defined as the water content between field capacity and wilting point, and has wide practical application in planning the land use. In a representative profile of the Cerrado Oxisol, methods for estimating the wilting point were studied and compared, using a WP4-T psychrometer and Richards chamber for undisturbed and disturbed samples. In addition, the field capacity was estimated by the water content at 6, 10, 33 kPa and by the inflection point of the water retention curve, calculated by the van Genuchten and cubic polynomial models. We found that the field capacity moisture determined at the inflection point was higher than by the other methods, and that even at the inflection point the estimates differed, according to the model used. By the WP4-T psychrometer, the water content was significantly lower found the estimate of the permanent wilting point. We concluded that the estimation of the available water holding capacity is markedly influenced by the estimation methods, which has to be taken into consideration because of the practical importance of this parameter.

Good control practices underlined by an on-line fuzzy control database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alonso, M. V.

1994-04-01

Full Text Available In the olive oil trade, control systems that automate extraction processes, cutting production costs and increasing processing capacity without losing quality, are always desirable. The database structure of an on-line fuzzy control of centrifugation systems and the algorithms used to attain the best control conditions are analysed. Good control practices are suggested to obtain virgin olive oil of prime quality.

In the olive oil trade, control systems that automate extraction processes, cutting production costs and increasing processing capacity without losing quality, are always desirable. The database structure of an on-line fuzzy control of centrifugation systems and the algorithms used to attain the best control conditions are analysed. Good control practices are suggested to obtain virgin olive oil of prime quality.

Heat capacity, enthalpy and entropy of bismuth niobate and bismuth tantalate

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hampl, M.; Strejc, A.; Sedmidubský, D.; Růžička, K.; Hejtmánek, Jiří; Leitner, J.

2006-01-01

Roč. 179, - (2006), s. 77-80 ISSN 0022-4596 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : heat capacity * heat of formation * heat content * bismuth perovskite Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.107, year: 2006

Digital Model of Railway Electric Traction Lines

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Rachana; Mahajan, Priya; Kumar, Parmod

2017-08-01

The characteristic impedance and propagation constant define the behavior of signal propagation over the transmission lines. The digital model for railway traction lines which includes railway tracks is developed, using curve fitting technique in MATLAB. The sensitivity of this model has been computed with respect to frequency. The digital sensitivity values are compared with the values of analog sensitivity. The developed model is useful for digital protection, integrated operation, control and planning of the system.

Measuring service line competitive position. A systematic methodology for hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Studnicki, J

1991-01-01

To mount a broad effort aimed at improving their competitive position for some service or group of services, hospitals have begun to pursue product line management techniques. A few hospitals have even reorganized completely under the product line framework. The benefits include focusing accountability for operations and results, facilitating coordination between departments and functions, stimulating market segmentation, and promoting rigorous examination of new and existing programs. As part of its strategic planning process, a suburban Baltimore hospital developed a product line management methodology with six basic steps: (1) define the service lines (which they did by grouping all existing diagnosis-related groups into 35 service lines), (2) determine the contribution of each service line to total inpatient volume, (3) determine trends in service line volumes (by comparing data over time), (4) derive a useful comparison group (competing hospitals or groups of hospitals with comparable size, scope of services, payer mix, and financial status), (5) review multiple time frames, and (6) summarize the long- and short-term performance of the hospital's service lines to focus further analysis. This type of systematic and disciplined analysis can become part of a permanent strategic intelligence program. When hospitals have such a program in place, their market research, planning, budgeting, and operations will be tied together in a true management decision support system.

A financial planning model for estimating hospital debt capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, D S; Heath, D; Levin, P J

1982-01-01

A computer-based financial planning model was formulated to measure the impact of a major capital improvement project on the fiscal health of Stanford University Hospital. The model had to be responsive to many variables and easy to use, so as to allow for the testing of numerous alternatives. Special efforts were made to identify the key variables that needed to be presented in the model and to include all known links between capital investment, debt, and hospital operating expenses. Growth in the number of patient days of care was singled out as a major source of uncertainty that would have profound effects on the hospital's finances. Therefore this variable was subjected to special scrutiny in terms of efforts to gauge expected demographic trends and market forces. In addition, alternative base runs of the model were made under three distinct patient-demand assumptions. Use of the model enabled planners at the Stanford University Hospital (a) to determine that a proposed modernization plan was financially feasible under a reasonable (that is, not unduly optimistic) set of assumptions and (b) to examine the major sources of risk. Other than patient demand, these sources were found to be gross revenues per patient, operating costs, and future limitations on government reimbursement programs. When the likely financial consequences of these risks were estimated, both separately and in combination, it was determined that even if two or more assumptions took a somewhat more negative turn than was expected, the hospital would be able to offset adverse consequences by a relatively minor reduction in operating costs. PMID:7111658

Management self assessment plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debban, B.L.

1998-01-30

Duke Engineering and Services Hanford Inc., Spent Nuclear Fuel Project is responsible for the operation of fuel storage facilities. The SNF project mission includes the safe removal, processing and transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel from 100 K Area fuel storage basins to a new Storage facility in the Hanford 200 East Area. Its mission is the modification of the 100 K area fuel storage facilities and the construction of two new facilities: the 100 K Area Cold Vacuum Drying Facility, and the 200 East Area Canister Storage Building. The management self assessment plan described in this document is scheduled to begin in April of 1999 and be complete in May of 1999. The management self assessment plan describes line management preparations for declaring that line management is ready to commence operations.

Management self assessment plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debban, B.L.

1998-01-01

Duke Engineering and Services Hanford Inc., Spent Nuclear Fuel Project is responsible for the operation of fuel storage facilities. The SNF project mission includes the safe removal, processing and transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel from 100 K Area fuel storage basins to a new Storage facility in the Hanford 200 East Area. Its mission is the modification of the 100 K area fuel storage facilities and the construction of two new facilities: the 100 K Area Cold Vacuum Drying Facility, and the 200 East Area Canister Storage Building. The management self assessment plan described in this document is scheduled to begin in April of 1999 and be complete in May of 1999. The management self assessment plan describes line management preparations for declaring that line management is ready to commence operations

Progress in improving provincial plans for nutrition through targeted technical assistance and local advocacy in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Jody; Nguyen, Phuong H; To, Quyen; Frongillo, Edward A; Menon, Purnima

2016-12-01

Vietnam has been decentralizing nutrition planning to provinces, which could help with local relevance and accountability. Assessment in 2009 found a continuing top-down approach, limited human capacity, and difficulty in integrating multiple sectors. Alive and Thrive (A&T) provided targeted assistance and capacity-building for 15 provincial plans for nutrition (PPNs). We aimed to (i) assess PPN content and quality improvements 2009-2014, and (ii) explain processes through which change occurred. Data consisted of interview-based assessments of provincial planning processes, annual PPN assessments, and tracking of A&T involvement. At endline, some provinces produced higher quality plans. Local planning skills improved, but capacity remained insufficient. Awareness of and support for nutrition improved, but some policy and legal environments were contradictory. Objectives were clearer, but use of data for planning remained inconsistent. Provinces became more proactive and creative, but remained constrained by slow approval processes and insufficient funding. Targeted assistance and local advocacy can improve decentralized planning, with success dependent on policy and programming contexts and ability to overcome constraints around capacity, investment, data use and remnants of centralized planning. We recommend strong engagement with planners at the national level to understand how to unblock major constraints; solutions must take into consideration the particular political, financial and administrative context. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Serotonin-mediated central fatigue underlies increased endurance capacity in mice from lines selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running.

Science.gov (United States)

Claghorn, Gerald C; Fonseca, Ivana A T; Thompson, Zoe; Barber, Curtis; Garland, Theodore

2016-07-01

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is implicated in central fatigue, and 5-HT1A pharmaceuticals are known to influence locomotor endurance in both rodents and humans. We studied the effects of a 5-HT1A agonist and antagonist on both forced and voluntary exercise in the same set of mice. This cohort of mice was taken from 4 replicate lines of mice that have been selectively bred for high levels of voluntary wheel running (HR) as compared with 4 non-selected control (C) lines. HR mice run voluntarily on wheels about 3× as many revolutions per day as compared with C, and have greater endurance during forced treadmill exercise. We hypothesized that drugs targeting serotonin receptors would have differential effects on locomotor behavior of HR and C mice. Subcutaneous injections of a 5-HT1A antagonist (WAY-100,635), a combination of 5-HT1A agonist and a 5-HT1A/1B partial agonist (8-OH-DPAT+pindolol), or physiological saline were given to separate groups of male mice before the start of each of three treadmill trials. The same manipulations were used later during voluntary wheel running on three separate nights. WAY-100,635 decreased treadmill endurance in HR but not C mice (dose by linetype interaction, P=0.0014). 8-OH-DPAT+pindolol affected treadmill endurance (PWheel running was reduced in HR but not C mice at the highest dose of 8-OH-DPAT+pindolol (dose by linetype, P=0.0221), but was not affected by WAY-100,635 treatment. These results provide further evidence that serotonin signaling is an important determinant of performance during both forced and voluntary exercise. Although the elevated wheel running of HR mice does not appear related to alterations in serotonin signaling, their enhanced endurance capacity does. More generally, our results indicate that both forced and voluntary exercise can be affected by an intervention that acts (primarily) centrally. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coping capacities for improving adaptation pathways for flood protection in Can Tho, Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

Pathirana, A.; Radhakrishnan, M.; Quan, N. H.; Gersonius, B.; Ashley, R.; Zevenbergen, C.

2016-12-01

Studying the evolution of coping and adaptation capacities is a prerequisite for preparing an effective flood management plan for the future, especially in the dynamic and fast changing cities of developing countries. The objectives, requirements, targets, design and performance of flood protection measures will have to be determined after taking into account, or in conjunction with, the coping capacities. A methodology is presented based on adaptation pathways to account for coping capacities and to assess the effect on flood protection measures. The adaptation pathways method determines the point of failure of a particular strategy based on the change in an external driver, a point in time or a socio economic situation where / at which the strategy can no longer meet its objective. Pathways arrived at based on this methodology reflect future reality by considering changing engineering standards along with future uncertainties, risk taking abilities and adaptation capacities. This pathways based methodology determines the Adaptation tipping points (ATP), `time of occurrence of ATP' of flood protection measures after accounting for coping capacities, evaluates the measures and then provides the means to determine the adaptation pathways. Application of this methodology for flood protection measures in Can Tho city in the Mekong delta reveals the effect of coping capacity on the usefulness of flood protection measures and the delay in occurrence of tipping points. Consideration of coping capacity in the system owing to elevated property floor levels lead to the postponement of tipping points and improved the adaptation pathways comprising flood protection measures such as dikes. This information is useful to decision makers for planning and phasing of investments in flood protection.

Fuel Line: Defense Energy Support Center. Volume 2

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2000-01-01

.... Fuel Line is prepared by desktop publishing applications and designed to provide timely, factual information on policies, plans, operations, and technical developments of the Center and interrelated subject matter...

Affective bias in visual working memory is associated with capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Weizhen; Li, Huanhuan; Ying, Xiangyu; Zhu, Shiyou; Fu, Rong; Zou, Yingmin; Cui, Yanyan

2017-11-01

How does the affective nature of task stimuli modulate working memory (WM)? This study investigates whether WM maintains emotional information in a biased manner to meet the motivational principle of approaching positivity and avoiding negativity by retaining more approach-related positive content over avoidance-related negative content. This bias may exist regardless of individual differences in WM functionality, as indexed by WM capacity (overall bias hypothesis). Alternatively, this bias may be contingent on WM capacity (capacity-based hypothesis), in which a better WM system may be more likely to reveal an adaptive bias. In two experiments, participants performed change localisation tasks with emotional and non-emotional stimuli to estimate the number of items that they could retain for each of those stimuli. Although participants did not seem to remember one type of emotional content (e.g. happy faces) better than the other type of emotional content (e.g. sad faces), there was a significant correlation between WM capacity and affective bias. Specifically, participants with higher WM capacity for non-emotional stimuli (colours or line-drawing symbols) tended to maintain more happy faces over sad faces. These findings demonstrated the presence of a "built-in" affective bias in WM as a function of its systematic limitations, favouring the capacity-based hypothesis.

COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR REVITALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Downing, Melinda; Rosenthall, John; Hudson, Michelle

2003-02-27

Capacity building programs help poor and disadvantaged communities to improve their ability to participate in the environmental decision-making processes. They encourage citizen involvement, and provide the tools that enable them to do so. Capacity building enables communities that would otherwise be excluded to participate in the process, leading to better, and more just decisions. The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to be committed to promoting environmental justice and involving its stakeholders more directly in the planning and decision-making process for environmental cleanup. DOE's Environmental Management Program (EM) is in full support of this commitment. Through its environmental justice project, EM provides communities with the capacity to effectively contribute to a complex technical decision-making process by furnishing access to computers, the Internet, training and technical assistance. DOE's Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chairs of Excellence Program (Massie Chairs) function as technical advisors to many of these community projects. The Massie Chairs consist of nationally and internationally recognized engineers and scientists from nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and one Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS). This paper will discuss capacity building initiatives in various jurisdictions.

Institutional plan. FY 1998--2003

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-07-01

This Institutional Plan for Argonne National Laboratory contains central elements of Argonne`s strategic plan. Chapter II of this document discusses the Laboratory`s mission and core competencies. Chapter III presents the Science and Technology Strategic Plan, which summarizes key features of the external environment, presents Argonne`s vision, and describes how the Laboratory`s strategic goals and objectives map onto and support DOE`s four business lines. The balance of the chapter comprises the science and technology area plans, organized by the four DOE business lines. Chapter IV describes the Laboratory`s ten major initiatives, which cover a broad spectrum of science and technology. Our proposal for an Exotic Beam Facility aims at, among other things, increased understanding of the processes of nuclear synthesis during and shortly after the Big Bang. Our Advanced Transportation Technology initiative involves working with US industry to develop cost-effective technologies to improve the fuel efficiency and reduce the emissions of transportation systems. The Laboratory`s plans for the future depend significantly on the success of its major initiatives. Chapter V presents our Operations and Infrastructure Strategic Plan. The main body of the chapter comprises strategic plans for human resources; environmental protection, safety, and health; site and facilities; and information management. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the business and management practices that Argonne is adopting to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of its operations. The structure and content of this document depart from those of the Institutional Plan in previous years. Emphasis here is on directions for the future; coverage of ongoing activities is less detailed. We hope that this streamlined plan is more direct and accessible.

THE BUFFER CAPACITY OF AIRWAY EPITHELIAL SECRETIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dusik eKim

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The pH of airway epithelial secretions influences bacterial killing and mucus properties and is reduced by acidic pollutants, gastric reflux, and respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF. The effect of acute acid loads depends on buffer capacity, however the buffering of airway secretions has not been well characterized. In this work we develop a method for titrating micro-scale (30 µl volumes and use it to study fluid secreted by the human airway epithelial cell line Calu-3, a widely used model for submucosal gland serous cells. Microtitration curves revealed that HCO3- is the major buffer. Peak buffer capacity (β increased from 17 to 28 mM/pH during forskolin stimulation, and was reduced by >50% in fluid secreted by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR-deficient Calu-3 monolayers, confirming an important role of CFTR in HCO3- secretion. Back-titration with NaOH revealed non-volatile buffer capacity due to proteins synthesized and released by the epithelial cells. Lysozyme and mucin concentrations were too low to buffer Calu-3 fluid significantly, however model titrations of porcine gastric mucins at concentrations near the sol-gel transition suggest that mucins may contribute to the buffer capacity of ASL in vivo. We conclude that CFTR-dependent HCO3- secretion and epithelially-derived proteins are the predominant buffers in Calu-3 secretions.

Orthopaedic Trauma Care Capacity Assessment and Strategic Planning in Ghana: Mapping a Way Forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Barclay T; Gyedu, Adam; Tansley, Gavin; Yeboah, Dominic; Amponsah-Manu, Forster; Mock, Charles; Labi-Addo, Wilfred; Quansah, Robert

2016-12-07

Orthopaedic conditions incur more than 52 million disability-adjusted life years annually worldwide. This burden disproportionately affects low and middle-income countries, which are least equipped to provide orthopaedic care. We aimed to assess orthopaedic capacity in Ghana, describe spatial access to orthopaedic care, and identify hospitals that would most improve access to care if their capacity was improved. Seventeen perioperative and orthopaedic trauma care-related items were selected from the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Essential Trauma Care. Direct inspection and structured interviews with hospital staff were used to assess resource availability and factors contributing to deficiencies at 40 purposively sampled facilities. Cost-distance analyses described population-level spatial access to orthopaedic trauma care. Facilities for targeted capability improvement were identified through location-allocation modeling. Orthopaedic trauma care assessment demonstrated marked deficiencies. Some deficient resources were low cost (e.g., spinal immobilization, closed reduction capabilities, and prosthetics for amputees). Resource nonavailability resulted from several contributing factors (e.g., absence of equipment, technology breakage, lack of training). Implants were commonly prohibitively expensive. Building basic orthopaedic care capacity at 15 hospitals without such capacity would improve spatial access to basic care from 74.9% to 83.0% of the population (uncertainty interval [UI] of 81.2% to 83.6%), providing access for an additional 2,169,714 Ghanaians. The availability of several low-cost resources could be better supplied by improvements in organization and training for orthopaedic trauma care. There is a critical need to advocate and provide funding for orthopaedic resources. These initiatives might be particularly effective if aimed at hospitals that could provide care to a large proportion of the population.

78 FR 38878 - Critical Incident Stress Plans

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-28

... Institute (API); American Public Transportation Association (APTA); American Short Line and Regional...-0131, Notice No. 1] RIN 2130-AC00 Critical Incident Stress Plans AGENCY: Federal Railroad... incident stress plans that provide for appropriate support services to be offered to their employees who...

Capacity Credit and Security of Supply

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chozas, Julia Fernandez; Mathiesen, Brian Vad

2015-01-01

electricity systems are planned, and how renewable energies fit in these systems. The second part of the article assesses the actual contribution that variable renewable energies can make to security of supply, firstly from a qualitative point of view and secondly in measurable terms. The study is based......This paper addresses the question of how renewable energies can contribute to security of supply. In order to analyse this subject, the paper has two differentiated parts. In the first part, the concept of security of supply is reviewed. This provides the baseline to understand how current...... demand for electricity is highest, the study focuses on the capacity credit of future Danish scenarios including high penetrations of offshore wind, onshore wind, wave and solar PV. The results of this project can ultimately lead towards the improvement of existing rules and methods in system planning...

Demand response and energy efficiency in the capacity resource procurement: Case studies of forward capacity markets in ISO New England, PJM and Great Britain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yingqi

2017-01-01

Demand-side resources like demand response (DR) and energy efficiency (EE) can contribute to the capacity adequacy underpinning power system reliability. Forward capacity markets are established in many liberalised markets to procure capacity, with a strong interest in procuring DR and EE. With case studies of ISO New England, PJM and Great Britain, this paper examines the process and trends of procuring DR and EE in forward capacity markets, and the design for integration mechanisms. It finds that the contribution of DR and EE varies wildly across these three capacity markets, due to a set of factors regarding mechanism design, market conditions and regulatory provisions, and the offering of EE is more heavily influenced by regulatory utility EE obligation. DR and EE are complementary in targeting end-uses and customers for capacity resources, thus highlighting the value of procuring them both. System needs and resources’ market potential need to be considered in defining capacity products. Over the long-term, it is important to ensure the removal of barriers for these demand-side resources and the capability of providers in addressing risks of unstable funding and forward planning. For the EDR Pilot in the UK, better coordination with forward capacity auction needs to be achieved. - Highlights: • Trends of demand response and energy efficiency in capacity markets are analysed. • Integration mechanisms, market conditions and regulatory provisions are key factors. • Participation of energy efficiency is influenced by regulatory utility obligations. • Procuring both demand response and energy efficiency in capacity market is valuable. • Critical analysis of the design of capacity products and integration mechanisms.

Expanding OPEC production capacity: some legal and environmental aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Sahlawi, M.A.

1992-01-01

There is general consensus that the global demand for oil will increase in the medium-to-long term. It is predicted that much of this additional demand will be for OPEC oil. Therefore, it will become necessary to expand OPEC production capacity to meet this perceived increase. In recent years, many OPEC countries have launched far-reaching and, in some cases, radical plans to expand their production capacity. However, given the various investment and political constraints faced by the 13 OPEC Members, each country differs markedly in its ability to boost production capacity sufficiently to meet self-imposed targets. In this paper, we examine the importance to the oil market of recent oil supply trends and possible future attempts to build OPEC production capacity, focussing in particular on the legal and environmental issues involved. A review is provided of the legal mechanisms currently evolving in OPEC Countries to encourage investment in their oil industries. In addition, we outline the impact of the environmental movement of OPEC's expansion programmes. (author)

A Systematic, Automated Network Planning Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Jens Åge; Pedersen, Jens Myrup

2006-01-01

This paper describes a case study conducted to evaluate the viability of a systematic, automated network planning method. The motivation for developing the network planning method was that many data networks are planned in an adhoc manner with no assurance of quality of the solution with respect...... structures, that are ready to implement in a real world scenario, are discussed in the end of the paper. These are in the area of ensuring line independence and complexity of the design rules for the planning method....

Endurance capacity of mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running.

Science.gov (United States)

Meek, Thomas H; Lonquich, Brian P; Hannon, Robert M; Garland, Theodore

2009-09-15

Mice from four lines bred for high voluntary wheel activity run approximately 3-fold more revolutions per day and have elevated maximal oxygen consumption during forced treadmill exercise, as compared with four unselected control (C) lines. We hypothesized that these high runner (HR) lines would have greater treadmill endurance-running capacity. Ninety-six mice from generation 49 were familiarized with running on a motorized treadmill for 3 days. On days 4 and 5, mice were given an incremental speed test (starting at 20 m min(-1), increased 1.5 m min(-1) every 2 min) and endurance was measured as the total time or distance run to exhaustion. Blood samples were taken to measure glucose and lactate concentrations at rest during the photophase, during peak nightly wheel running, and immediately following the second endurance test. Individual differences in endurance time were highly repeatable between days (r=0.79), and mice tended to run longer on the second day (paired t-test, Pwheel running and treadmill endurance differed between the sexes, reinforcing previous studies that indicate sex-specific responses to selective breeding. HR mice appear to have a higher endurance capacity than reported in the literature for inbred strains of mice or transgenics intended to enhance endurance.

Planning for a Distributed Disruption: Innovative Practices for Incorporating Distributed Solar into Utility Planning