Atom localization via phase and amplitude control of the driving field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghafoor, Fazal; Qamar, Sajid; Zubairy, M. Suhail

2002-01-01

Control of amplitude and phase of the driving field in an atom-field interaction leads towards the strong line narrowing and quenching in the spontaneous emission spectrum. We exploit this fact for the atom localization scheme and achieve a much better spatial resolution in the conditional position probability distribution of the atom. Most importantly the quenching in the spontaneous emission manifests itself in reducing the periodicity in the conditional position probability distribution and hence the uncertainty in a particular position measurement of the single atom by a factor of 2

Human error recovery failure probability when using soft controls in computerized control rooms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Inseok; Kim, Ar Ryum; Seong, Poong Hyun; Jung, Wondea

2014-01-01

selection and delayed operation were mutually dependent. The ranges of other recovery failure probabilities were 0.227 to 0.546 in terms of using soft controls. Since there is no recovery failure probability database regarding soft controls in advanced MCRs and recovery failure probabilities in other HRA method were obtained by expert judgment, the results in this study would be helpful for HRA experts to decide recovery failure probabilities under advanced MCR environment

Clinical implementation of coverage probability planning for nodal boosting in locally advanced cervical cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramlov, Anne; Assenholt, Marianne S; Jensen, Maria F

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: To implement coverage probability (CovP) for dose planning of simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) of pathologic lymph nodes in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: CovP constraints for SIB of the pathological nodal target (PTV-N) with a central dose peak...

Multiple Vehicle Cooperative Localization with Spatial Registration Based on a Probability Hypothesis Density Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feihu Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the problem of multiple vehicle cooperative localization with spatial registration in the formulation of the probability hypothesis density (PHD filter. Assuming vehicles are equipped with proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors (with biases to cooperatively localize positions, a simultaneous solution for joint spatial registration and state estimation is proposed. For this, we rely on the sequential Monte Carlo implementation of the PHD filtering. Compared to other methods, the concept of multiple vehicle cooperative localization with spatial registration is first proposed under Random Finite Set Theory. In addition, the proposed solution also addresses the challenges for multiple vehicle cooperative localization, e.g., the communication bandwidth issue and data association uncertainty. The simulation result demonstrates its reliability and feasibility in large-scale environments.

Initialization and Restart in Stochastic Local Search: Computing a Most Probable Explanation in Bayesian Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Mengshoel, Ole J.; Wilkins, David C.; Roth, Dan

2010-01-01

For hard computational problems, stochastic local search has proven to be a competitive approach to finding optimal or approximately optimal problem solutions. Two key research questions for stochastic local search algorithms are: Which algorithms are effective for initialization? When should the search process be restarted? In the present work we investigate these research questions in the context of approximate computation of most probable explanations (MPEs) in Bayesian networks (BNs). We introduce a novel approach, based on the Viterbi algorithm, to explanation initialization in BNs. While the Viterbi algorithm works on sequences and trees, our approach works on BNs with arbitrary topologies. We also give a novel formalization of stochastic local search, with focus on initialization and restart, using probability theory and mixture models. Experimentally, we apply our methods to the problem of MPE computation, using a stochastic local search algorithm known as Stochastic Greedy Search. By carefully optimizing both initialization and restart, we reduce the MPE search time for application BNs by several orders of magnitude compared to using uniform at random initialization without restart. On several BNs from applications, the performance of Stochastic Greedy Search is competitive with clique tree clustering, a state-of-the-art exact algorithm used for MPE computation in BNs.

Treatment fractionation for stereotactic radiotherapy of lung tumours: a modelling study of the influence of chronic and acute hypoxia on tumour control probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindblom, Emely; Antonovic, Laura; Dasu, Alexandru; Lax, Ingmar; Wersäll, Peter; Toma-Dasu, Iuliana

2014-01-01

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has led to promising local control and overall survival for fractionation schemes with increasingly high fractional doses. A point has however been reached where the number of fractions used might be too low to allow efficient local inter-fraction reoxygenation of the hypoxic cells residing in the tumour. It was therefore the purpose of this study to investigate the impact of hypoxia and extreme hypofractionation on the tumour control probability (TCP) from SBRT. A three-dimensional model of tumour oxygenation able to simulate oxygenation changes on the microscale was used. The TCP was determined for clinically relevant SBRT fractionation schedules of 1, 3 and 5 fractions assuming either static tumour oxygenation or that the oxygenation changes locally between fractions due to fast reoxygenation of acute hypoxia without an overall reduction in chronic hypoxia. For the schedules applying three or five fractions the doses required to achieve satisfying levels of TCP were considerably lower when local oxygenation changes were assumed compared to the case of static oxygenation; a decrease in D 50 of 17.7 Gy was observed for a five-fractions schedule applied to a 20% hypoxic tumour when fast reoxygenation was modelled. Assuming local oxygenation changes, the total doses required for a tumor control probability of 50% were of similar size for one, three and five fractions. Although attractive from a practical point of view, extreme hypofractionation using just one single fraction may result in impaired local control of hypoxic tumours, as it eliminates the possibility for any kind of reoxygenation

Influence of dose distribution homogeneity on the tumor control probability in heavy-ion radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Xiaoqiong; Li Qiang; Zhou Guangming; Li Wenjian; Wei Zengquan

2001-01-01

In order to estimate the influence of the un-uniform dose distribution on the clinical treatment result, the Influence of dose distribution homogeneity on the tumor control probability was investigated. Basing on the formula deduced previously for survival fraction of cells irradiated by the un-uniform heavy-ion irradiation field and the theory of tumor control probability, the tumor control probability was calculated for a tumor mode exposed to different dose distribution homogeneity. The results show that the tumor control probability responding to the same total dose will decrease if the dose distribution homogeneity gets worse. In clinical treatment, the dose distribution homogeneity should be better than 95%

Dynamic probability control limits for risk-adjusted CUSUM charts based on multiresponses.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiang; Loda, Justin B; Woodall, William H

2017-07-20

For a patient who has survived a surgery, there could be several levels of recovery. Thus, it is reasonable to consider more than two outcomes when monitoring surgical outcome quality. The risk-adjusted cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart based on multiresponses has been developed for monitoring a surgical process with three or more outcomes. However, there is a significant effect of varying risk distributions on the in-control performance of the chart when constant control limits are applied. To overcome this disadvantage, we apply the dynamic probability control limits to the risk-adjusted CUSUM charts for multiresponses. The simulation results demonstrate that the in-control performance of the charts with dynamic probability control limits can be controlled for different patient populations because these limits are determined for each specific sequence of patients. Thus, the use of dynamic probability control limits for risk-adjusted CUSUM charts based on multiresponses allows each chart to be designed for the corresponding patient sequence of a surgeon or a hospital and therefore does not require estimating or monitoring the patients' risk distribution. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of local variability by high-throughput e-beam metrology for prediction of patterning defect probabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fuming; Hunsche, Stefan; Anunciado, Roy; Corradi, Antonio; Tien, Hung Yu; Tang, Peng; Wei, Junwei; Wang, Yongjun; Fang, Wei; Wong, Patrick; van Oosten, Anton; van Ingen Schenau, Koen; Slachter, Bram

2018-03-01

We present an experimental study of pattern variability and defectivity, based on a large data set with more than 112 million SEM measurements from an HMI high-throughput e-beam tool. The test case is a 10nm node SRAM via array patterned with a DUV immersion LELE process, where we see a variation in mean size and litho sensitivities between different unique via patterns that leads to a seemingly qualitative differences in defectivity. The large available data volume enables further analysis to reliably distinguish global and local CDU variations, including a breakdown into local systematics and stochastics. A closer inspection of the tail end of the distributions and estimation of defect probabilities concludes that there is a common defect mechanism and defect threshold despite the observed differences of specific pattern characteristics. We expect that the analysis methodology can be applied for defect probability modeling as well as general process qualification in the future.

PRMT1-mediated arginine methylation controls ATXN2L localization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaehler, Christian; Guenther, Anika; Uhlich, Anja; Krobitsch, Sylvia, E-mail: krobitsc@molgen.mpg.de

2015-05-15

Arginine methylation is a posttranslational modification that is of importance in diverse cellular processes. Recent proteomic mass spectrometry studies reported arginine methylation of ataxin-2-like (ATXN2L), the paralog of ataxin-2, a protein that is implicated in the neurodegenerative disorder spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Here, we investigated the methylation state of ATXN2L and its significance for ATXN2L localization. We first confirmed that ATXN2L is asymmetrically dimethylated in vivo, and observed that the nuclear localization of ATXN2L is altered under methylation inhibition. We further discovered that ATXN2L associates with the protein arginine-N-methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1). Finally, we showed that neither mutation of the arginine–glycine-rich motifs of ATXN2L nor methylation inhibition alters ATXN2L localization to stress granules, suggesting that methylation of ATXN2L is probably not mandatory. - Highlights: • ATXN2L is asymmetrically dimethylated in vivo. • ATXN2L interacts with PRMT1 under normal and stress conditions. • PRMT1-mediated dimethylation of ATXN2L controls its nuclear localization. • ATXN2L localization to stress granules appears independent of its methylation state.

Towards structural controllability of local-world networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Shiwen; Ma, Yilin; Wu, Yafang; Wang, Li; Xia, Chengyi

2016-01-01

Controlling complex networks is of vital importance in science and engineering. Meanwhile, local-world effect is an important ingredient which should be taken into consideration in the complete description of real-world complex systems. In this letter, structural controllability of a class of local-world networks is investigated. Through extensive numerical simulations, firstly, effects of local world size M and network size N on structural controllability are examined. For local-world networks with sparse topological configuration, compared to network size, local-world size can induce stronger influence on controllability, however, for dense networks, controllability is greatly affected by network size and local-world effect can be neglected. Secondly, relationships between controllability and topological properties are analyzed. Lastly, the robustness of local-world networks under targeted attacks regarding structural controllability is discussed. These results can help to deepen the understanding of structural complexity and connectivity patterns of complex systems. - Highlights: • Structural controllability of a class of local-world networks is investigated. • For sparse local-world networks, compared to network size, local-world size can bring stronger influence on controllability. • For dense networks, controllability is greatly affected by network size and the effect of local-world size can be neglected. • Structural controllability against targeted node attacks is discussed.

Towards structural controllability of local-world networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Shiwen, E-mail: sunsw80@126.com [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System (Tianjin University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Tianjin 300384 (China); Ma, Yilin; Wu, Yafang; Wang, Li; Xia, Chengyi [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligence Computing and Novel Software Technology, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384 (China); Key Laboratory of Computer Vision and System (Tianjin University of Technology), Ministry of Education, Tianjin 300384 (China)

2016-05-20

Controlling complex networks is of vital importance in science and engineering. Meanwhile, local-world effect is an important ingredient which should be taken into consideration in the complete description of real-world complex systems. In this letter, structural controllability of a class of local-world networks is investigated. Through extensive numerical simulations, firstly, effects of local world size M and network size N on structural controllability are examined. For local-world networks with sparse topological configuration, compared to network size, local-world size can induce stronger influence on controllability, however, for dense networks, controllability is greatly affected by network size and local-world effect can be neglected. Secondly, relationships between controllability and topological properties are analyzed. Lastly, the robustness of local-world networks under targeted attacks regarding structural controllability is discussed. These results can help to deepen the understanding of structural complexity and connectivity patterns of complex systems. - Highlights: • Structural controllability of a class of local-world networks is investigated. • For sparse local-world networks, compared to network size, local-world size can bring stronger influence on controllability. • For dense networks, controllability is greatly affected by network size and the effect of local-world size can be neglected. • Structural controllability against targeted node attacks is discussed.

Control of dynamical localization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong Jiangbin; Woerner, Hans Jakob; Brumer, Paul

2003-01-01

Control over the quantum dynamics of chaotic kicked rotor systems is demonstrated. Specifically, control over a number of quantum coherent phenomena is achieved by a simple modification of the kicking field. These include the enhancement of the dynamical localization length, the introduction of classical anomalous diffusion assisted control for systems far from the semiclassical regime, and the observation of a variety of strongly nonexponential line shapes for dynamical localization. The results provide excellent examples of controlled quantum dynamics in a system that is classically chaotic and offer opportunities to explore quantum fluctuations and correlations in quantum chaos

Exploring non-signalling polytopes with negative probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oas, G; Barros, J Acacio de; Carvalhaes, C

2014-01-01

Bipartite and tripartite EPR–Bell type systems are examined via joint quasi-probability distributions where probabilities are permitted to be negative. It is shown that such distributions exist only when the no-signalling condition is satisfied. A characteristic measure, the probability mass, is introduced and, via its minimization, limits the number of quasi-distributions describing a given marginal probability distribution. The minimized probability mass is shown to be an alternative way to characterize non-local systems. Non-signalling polytopes for two to eight settings in the bipartite scenario are examined and compared to prior work. Examining perfect cloning of non-local systems within the tripartite scenario suggests defining two categories of signalling. It is seen that many properties of non-local systems can be efficiently described by quasi-probability theory. (paper)

Is the local linearity of space-time inherited from the linearity of probabilities?

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Markus P.; Carrozza, Sylvain; Höhn, Philipp A.

2017-02-01

The appearance of linear spaces, describing physical quantities by vectors and tensors, is ubiquitous in all of physics, from classical mechanics to the modern notion of local Lorentz invariance. However, as natural as this seems to the physicist, most computer scientists would argue that something like a ‘local linear tangent space’ is not very typical and in fact a quite surprising property of any conceivable world or algorithm. In this paper, we take the perspective of the computer scientist seriously, and ask whether there could be any inherently information-theoretic reason to expect this notion of linearity to appear in physics. We give a series of simple arguments, spanning quantum information theory, group representation theory, and renormalization in quantum gravity, that supports a surprising thesis: namely, that the local linearity of space-time might ultimately be a consequence of the linearity of probabilities. While our arguments involve a fair amount of speculation, they have the virtue of being independent of any detailed assumptions on quantum gravity, and they are in harmony with several independent recent ideas on emergent space-time in high-energy physics.

Is the local linearity of space-time inherited from the linearity of probabilities?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Müller, Markus P; Carrozza, Sylvain; Höhn, Philipp A

2017-01-01

The appearance of linear spaces, describing physical quantities by vectors and tensors, is ubiquitous in all of physics, from classical mechanics to the modern notion of local Lorentz invariance. However, as natural as this seems to the physicist, most computer scientists would argue that something like a ‘local linear tangent space’ is not very typical and in fact a quite surprising property of any conceivable world or algorithm. In this paper, we take the perspective of the computer scientist seriously, and ask whether there could be any inherently information-theoretic reason to expect this notion of linearity to appear in physics. We give a series of simple arguments, spanning quantum information theory, group representation theory, and renormalization in quantum gravity, that supports a surprising thesis: namely, that the local linearity of space-time might ultimately be a consequence of the linearity of probabilities. While our arguments involve a fair amount of speculation, they have the virtue of being independent of any detailed assumptions on quantum gravity, and they are in harmony with several independent recent ideas on emergent space-time in high-energy physics. (paper)

Computing exact bundle compliance control charts via probability generating functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Binchao; Matis, Timothy; Benneyan, James

2016-06-01

Compliance to evidenced-base practices, individually and in 'bundles', remains an important focus of healthcare quality improvement for many clinical conditions. The exact probability distribution of composite bundle compliance measures used to develop corresponding control charts and other statistical tests is based on a fairly large convolution whose direct calculation can be computationally prohibitive. Various series expansions and other approximation approaches have been proposed, each with computational and accuracy tradeoffs, especially in the tails. This same probability distribution also arises in other important healthcare applications, such as for risk-adjusted outcomes and bed demand prediction, with the same computational difficulties. As an alternative, we use probability generating functions to rapidly obtain exact results and illustrate the improved accuracy and detection over other methods. Numerical testing across a wide range of applications demonstrates the computational efficiency and accuracy of this approach.

Modelling detection probabilities to evaluate management and control tools for an invasive species

Science.gov (United States)

Christy, M.T.; Yackel Adams, A.A.; Rodda, G.H.; Savidge, J.A.; Tyrrell, C.L.

2010-01-01

For most ecologists, detection probability (p) is a nuisance variable that must be modelled to estimate the state variable of interest (i.e. survival, abundance, or occupancy). However, in the realm of invasive species control, the rate of detection and removal is the rate-limiting step for management of this pervasive environmental problem. For strategic planning of an eradication (removal of every individual), one must identify the least likely individual to be removed, and determine the probability of removing it. To evaluate visual searching as a control tool for populations of the invasive brown treesnake Boiga irregularis, we designed a mark-recapture study to evaluate detection probability as a function of time, gender, size, body condition, recent detection history, residency status, searcher team and environmental covariates. We evaluated these factors using 654 captures resulting from visual detections of 117 snakes residing in a 5-ha semi-forested enclosure on Guam, fenced to prevent immigration and emigration of snakes but not their prey. Visual detection probability was low overall (= 0??07 per occasion) but reached 0??18 under optimal circumstances. Our results supported sex-specific differences in detectability that were a quadratic function of size, with both small and large females having lower detection probabilities than males of those sizes. There was strong evidence for individual periodic changes in detectability of a few days duration, roughly doubling detection probability (comparing peak to non-elevated detections). Snakes in poor body condition had estimated mean detection probabilities greater than snakes with high body condition. Search teams with high average detection rates exhibited detection probabilities about twice that of search teams with low average detection rates. Surveys conducted with bright moonlight and strong wind gusts exhibited moderately decreased probabilities of detecting snakes. Synthesis and applications. By

Notions of local controllability and optimal feedforward control for quantum systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakrabarti, Raj

2011-01-01

Local controllability is an essential concept for regulation and control of time-varying nonlinear dynamical systems; in the classical control logic it is at the foundation of neighboring optimal feedback and feedforward control. We introduce notions of local controllability suited to feedforward control of classical input disturbances in bilinear quantum systems evolving on projective spaces and Lie groups. Tests for local controllability based on a Gramian matrix analogous to the nonlinear local controllability Gramian, which allow assessment of which trajectories can be regulated by perturbative feedforward in the presence of classical input noise, are presented. These notions explicitly incorporate system bilinearity and the geometry of quantum states into the definition of local controllability of quantum systems. Associated feedforward strategies are described.

Notions of local controllability and optimal feedforward control for quantum systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chakrabarti, Raj, E-mail: rchakra@purdue.edu [School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States)

2011-05-06

Local controllability is an essential concept for regulation and control of time-varying nonlinear dynamical systems; in the classical control logic it is at the foundation of neighboring optimal feedback and feedforward control. We introduce notions of local controllability suited to feedforward control of classical input disturbances in bilinear quantum systems evolving on projective spaces and Lie groups. Tests for local controllability based on a Gramian matrix analogous to the nonlinear local controllability Gramian, which allow assessment of which trajectories can be regulated by perturbative feedforward in the presence of classical input noise, are presented. These notions explicitly incorporate system bilinearity and the geometry of quantum states into the definition of local controllability of quantum systems. Associated feedforward strategies are described.

Control of territorial communities in local government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

О. А. Смоляр

2015-11-01

Full Text Available According to Art. 5 of the Constitution of Ukraine all power in Ukraine belong to people, which is primary, unified, inalienable and carried people through free will through elections, referendum and other forms of direct democracy, including those intended to control the activity of bodies and officials of the government and local government. Paper objective. At the local level the main supervisory entity in local government is local community. Consolidation of the Constitution of Ukraine the primary subject of local self-government territorial community not only meets current international practice, but also the historical traditions of Ukrainian people. Control territorial community in all phases of local government is one of the most important functions of managing the development of appropriate settlements, and therefore needs an effective mechanism of legal regulation, clearly define mutual rights and responsibilities of controlling and controlled entities. Recent research and publications analysis. Problems Assessment of local communities and the activities of local government officials in their works viewed Y.G. Barabash, P.M. Liubchenko, O.D. Skopych, Y.P. Strilets. However, given the variety of aspects of this area of research remain many questions that need resolving, on which depends largely on the further process of local governance. The paper main body. The existing regulation territorial communities can exercise control in local government actually only through local governments. The control of the executive bodies of village, town council municipalities can only be made through the appropriate council. The existing regulation of territorial communities can exercise control in local government actually only through local governments. The control of the executive bodies of village, town council municipalities can only be made through the appropriate council. The author emphasizes that only by implementing self-control powers local

Local and Integral Control of Workload

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.B.M. de Koster (René); J. Wijngaard (Jacob)

1989-01-01

textabstractIn most of the literature on performance analysis of production systems, buffer are assumed to be controlled locally. In automated production systems buffers are not always the result of local physical space restrictions, but may also be software- controlled. Software-controlled buffers

High-precision atom localization via controllable spontaneous emission in a cycle-configuration atomic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Chunling; Li, Jiahua; Yu, Rong; Hao, Xiangying; Wu, Ying

2012-03-26

A scheme for realizing two-dimensional (2D) atom localization is proposed based on controllable spontaneous emission in a coherently driven cycle-configuration atomic system. As the spatial-position-dependent atom-field interaction, the frequency of the spontaneously emitted photon carries the information about the position of the atom. Therefore, by detecting the emitted photon one could obtain the position information available, and then we demonstrate high-precision and high-resolution 2D atom localization induced by the quantum interference between the multiple spontaneous decay channels. Moreover, we can achieve 100% probability of finding the atom at an expected position by choosing appropriate system parameters under certain conditions.

Globalization and localization of Management Control Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toldbod, Thomas; Israelsen, Poul

2014-01-01

Through an empirical case study this article examines the operation of multiple management control systems as a package in a Danish manufacturing company. The analysis focuses on four different management control systems; cybernetic controls, planning controls, reward controls, and administrative...... have more particular characteristics. Specifically, this study finds that cybernetic controls and administrative controls are designed as global management control systems. Planning controls are glocal systems and reward & compensation controls assume local characteristics. The finding leads...... controls, through the theoretical lens of globalization, localization, and glocalization. The analysis documents that these different management control systems are affected differently by the processes of globalization and localization, whereby some are universal throughout the organization and others...

Web-based experiments controlled by JavaScript: an example from probability learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Birnbaum, Michael H; Wakcher, Sandra V

2002-05-01

JavaScript programs can be used to control Web experiments. This technique is illustrated by an experiment that tested the effects of advice on performance in the classic probability-learning paradigm. Previous research reported that people tested via the Web or in the lab tended to match the probabilities of their responses to the probabilities that those responses would be reinforced. The optimal strategy, however, is to consistently choose the more frequent event; probability matching produces suboptimal performance. We investigated manipulations we reasoned should improve performance. A horse race scenario in which participants predicted the winner in each of a series of races between two horses was compared with an abstract scenario used previously. Ten groups of learners received different amounts of advice, including all combinations of (1) explicit instructions concerning the optimal strategy, (2) explicit instructions concerning a monetary sum to maximize, and (3) accurate information concerning the probabilities of events. The results showed minimal effects of horse race versus abstract scenario. Both advice concerning the optimal strategy and probability information contributed significantly to performance in the task. This paper includes a brief tutorial on JavaScript, explaining with simple examples how to assemble a browser-based experiment.

Towards probabilistic synchronisation of local controllers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Herzallah, R.; Kárný, Miroslav

2017-01-01

Roč. 48, č. 3 (2017), s. 604-615 ISSN 0020-7721 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-13502S Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : cooperative control * optimal control * complex system s * stochastic system s * fully probabilistic desing Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research OBOR OECD: Statistics and probability Impact factor: 2.285, year: 2016

Level set segmentation of medical images based on local region statistics and maximum a posteriori probability.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Wenchao; Wang, Yi; Lei, Tao; Fan, Yangyu; Feng, Yan

2013-01-01

This paper presents a variational level set method for simultaneous segmentation and bias field estimation of medical images with intensity inhomogeneity. In our model, the statistics of image intensities belonging to each different tissue in local regions are characterized by Gaussian distributions with different means and variances. According to maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) and Bayes' rule, we first derive a local objective function for image intensities in a neighborhood around each pixel. Then this local objective function is integrated with respect to the neighborhood center over the entire image domain to give a global criterion. In level set framework, this global criterion defines an energy in terms of the level set functions that represent a partition of the image domain and a bias field that accounts for the intensity inhomogeneity of the image. Therefore, image segmentation and bias field estimation are simultaneously achieved via a level set evolution process. Experimental results for synthetic and real images show desirable performances of our method.

The influence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy on local postural muscle and central sensory feedback balance control.

Science.gov (United States)

Toosizadeh, Nima; Mohler, Jane; Armstrong, David G; Talal, Talal K; Najafi, Bijan

2015-01-01

Poor balance control and increased fall risk have been reported in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Traditional body sway measures are unable to describe underlying postural control mechanism. In the current study, we used stabilogram diffusion analysis to examine the mechanism under which balance is altered in DPN patients under local-control (postural muscle control) and central-control (postural control using sensory cueing). DPN patients and healthy age-matched adults over 55 years performed two 15-second Romberg balance trials. Center of gravity sway was measured using a motion tracker system based on wearable inertial sensors, and used to derive body sway and local/central control balance parameters. Eighteen DPN patients (age = 65.4±7.6 years; BMI = 29.3±5.3 kg/m2) and 18 age-matched healthy controls (age = 69.8±2.9; BMI = 27.0±4.1 kg/m2) with no major mobility disorder were recruited. The rate of sway within local-control was significantly higher in the DPN group by 49% (healthy local-controlslope = 1.23±1.06×10-2 cm2/sec, Pcontrol balance behavior in DPN patients. Unlike local-control, the rate of sway within central-control was 60% smaller in the DPN group (healthy central-controlslope-Log = 0.39±0.23, Pcontrol rate of sway with neuropathy severity (rPearson = 0.65-085, Pcontrols. However, as soon as they perceived the magnitude of sway using sensory feedback, they chose a high rigid postural control strategy, probably due to high concerns for fall, which may increase the energy cost during extended period of standing; the adaptation mechanism using sensory feedback depends on the level of neuropathy and the history of diabetes.

Analysis of the relationship between tumor dose inhomogeneity and local control in patients with skull base chordoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terahara, Atsuro; Niemierko, Andrzej; Goitein, Michael; Finkelstein, Dianne; Hug, Eugen; Liebsch, Norbert; O'Farrell, Desmond; Lyons, Sue; Munzenrider, John

1999-01-01

Purpose: When irradiating a tumor that abuts or displaces any normal structures, the dose constraints to those structures (if lower than the prescribed dose) may cause dose inhomogeneity in the tumor volume at the tumor-critical structure interface. The low-dose region in the tumor volume may be one of the reasons for local failure. The aim of this study is to quantitate the effect of tumor dose inhomogeneity on local control and recurrence-free survival in patients with skull base chordoma. Methods and Materials: 132 patients with skull base chordoma were treated with combined photon and proton irradiation between 1978 and 1993. This study reviews 115 patients whose dose-volume data and follow-up data are available. The prescribed doses ranged from 66.6 Cobalt-Gray-Equivalent (CGE) to 79.2 CGE (median of 68.9 CGE). The dose to the optic structures (optic nerves and chiasma), the brain stem surface, and the brain stem center was limited to 60, 64, and 53 CGE, respectively. We used the dose-volume histogram data derived with the three-dimensional treatment planning system to evaluate several dose-volume parameters including the Equivalent Uniform Dose (EUD). We also analyzed several other patient and treatment factors in relation to local control and recurrence-free survival. Results: Local failure developed in 42 of 115 patients, with the actuarial local control rates at 5 and 10 years being 59% and 44%. Gender was a significant predictor for local control with the prognosis in males being significantly better than that in females (P 0.004, hazard ratio = 2.3). In a Cox univariate analysis, with stratification by gender, the significant predictors for local control (at the probability level of 0.05) were EUD, the target volume, the minimum dose, and the D 5cc dose. The prescribed dose, histology, age, the maximum dose, the mean dose, the median dose, the D 90% dose, and the overall treatment time were not significant factors. In a Cox multivariate analysis, the

Failure probability under parameter uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerrard, R; Tsanakas, A

2011-05-01

In many problems of risk analysis, failure is equivalent to the event of a random risk factor exceeding a given threshold. Failure probabilities can be controlled if a decisionmaker is able to set the threshold at an appropriate level. This abstract situation applies, for example, to environmental risks with infrastructure controls; to supply chain risks with inventory controls; and to insurance solvency risks with capital controls. However, uncertainty around the distribution of the risk factor implies that parameter error will be present and the measures taken to control failure probabilities may not be effective. We show that parameter uncertainty increases the probability (understood as expected frequency) of failures. For a large class of loss distributions, arising from increasing transformations of location-scale families (including the log-normal, Weibull, and Pareto distributions), the article shows that failure probabilities can be exactly calculated, as they are independent of the true (but unknown) parameters. Hence it is possible to obtain an explicit measure of the effect of parameter uncertainty on failure probability. Failure probability can be controlled in two different ways: (1) by reducing the nominal required failure probability, depending on the size of the available data set, and (2) by modifying of the distribution itself that is used to calculate the risk control. Approach (1) corresponds to a frequentist/regulatory view of probability, while approach (2) is consistent with a Bayesian/personalistic view. We furthermore show that the two approaches are consistent in achieving the required failure probability. Finally, we briefly discuss the effects of data pooling and its systemic risk implications. © 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.

Local control room

CERN Multimedia

CERN PhotoLab

1972-01-01

Local control room in the ejection building : all electronics pertaining to proton distribution and concomitants such as beam gymnastics and diagnostics at high energies will eventually be gathered here. Shown is the first of two rows of fast ejection electronic racks. It includes only what is necessary for operation.

A stochastic model for the probability of malaria extinction by mass drug administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Pemberton-Ross, Peter; Chitnis, Nakul; Pothin, Emilie; Smith, Thomas A

2017-09-18

Mass drug administration (MDA) has been proposed as an intervention to achieve local extinction of malaria. Although its effect on the reproduction number is short lived, extinction may subsequently occur in a small population due to stochastic fluctuations. This paper examines how the probability of stochastic extinction depends on population size, MDA coverage and the reproduction number under control, R c . A simple compartmental model is developed which is used to compute the probability of extinction using probability generating functions. The expected time to extinction in small populations after MDA for various scenarios in this model is calculated analytically. The results indicate that mass drug administration (Firstly, R c must be sustained at R c  95% to have a non-negligible probability of successful elimination. Stochastic fluctuations only significantly affect the probability of extinction in populations of about 1000 individuals or less. The expected time to extinction via stochastic fluctuation is less than 10 years only in populations less than about 150 individuals. Clustering of secondary infections and of MDA distribution both contribute positively to the potential probability of success, indicating that MDA would most effectively be administered at the household level. There are very limited circumstances in which MDA will lead to local malaria elimination with a substantial probability.

Potency probability following conformal megavoltage radiotherapy using conventional doses for localized prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mantz, C.A.; Song, P.; Farhangi, E.; Nautiyal, J.; Awan, A.; Ignacio, L.; Weichselbaum, R.; Vijayakumar, S.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Impotence is a familiar sequela of definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) for localized prostate cancer; however, nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (NSRP) has offered potency rates as high as 70% for selected for patients in several large series. To the authors' knowledge, age and stage-matched comparisons between the effects of EBRT and NSRP upon the normal age trend of impotence have not been performed. Herein, we report the change in potency over time in an EBRT-treated population, determine the significantly predisposing health factors affecting potency in this population, and compare age and stage-matched potency rates with those of normal males and prostatectomy patients. Methods and Materials: Our results are obtained from a retrospective study of 114 patients ranging in age from 52 to 85 (mean, 68) who were diagnosed with clinical stages A-C C (T1-T4N0M0) prostate cancer and then treated conformally with megavoltage x-rays to 6500-7000 cGy (180-200 cGy per fraction) using the four-field box technique. Information concerning pre-RT potency, medical and surgical history, and medications was documented for each patient as was time of post-RT change in potency during regular follow-up. The median follow-up time was 18.5 months. Results: The actuarial probability of potency for all patients gradually decreased throughout post-RT follow-up. At months 1, 12, 24, and 36, potency rates were 98, 92, 75, and 66%, respectively. For those patients who became impotent, the median time to impotence was 14 months. Factors identified from logistic regression analysis as significant predictors of post-EBRT impotence include pre-EBRT partial potency (p < 0.001), vascular disease (p < 0.001), and diabetes (p = 0.003). Next, an actuarial plot of potency probability to patient age for the EBRT-treated population was compared to that obtained from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study of normal males. The two curves were not significantly different (logrank

Local Directional Probability Optimization for Quantification of Blurred Gray/White Matter Junction in Magnetic Resonance Image

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxia Qu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The blurred gray/white matter junction is an important feature of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD lesions. FCD is the main cause of epilepsy and can be detected through magnetic resonance (MR imaging. Several earlier studies have focused on computing the gradient magnitude of the MR image and used the resulting map to model the blurred gray/white matter junction. However, gradient magnitude cannot quantify the blurred gray/white matter junction. Therefore, we proposed a novel algorithm called local directional probability optimization (LDPO for detecting and quantifying the width of the gray/white matter boundary (GWB within the lesional areas. The proposed LDPO method mainly consists of the following three stages: (1 introduction of a hidden Markov random field-expectation-maximization algorithm to compute the probability images of brain tissues in order to obtain the GWB region; (2 generation of local directions from gray matter (GM to white matter (WM passing through the GWB, considering the GWB to be an electric potential field; (3 determination of the optimal local directions for any given voxel of GWB, based on iterative searching of the neighborhood. This was then used to measure the width of the GWB. The proposed LDPO method was tested on real MR images of patients with FCD lesions. The results indicated that the LDPO method could quantify the GWB width. On the GWB width map, the width of the blurred GWB in the lesional region was observed to be greater than that in the non-lesional regions. The proposed GWB width map produced higher F-scores in terms of detecting the blurred GWB within the FCD lesional region as compared to that of FCD feature maps, indicating better trade-off between precision and recall.

The influence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy on local postural muscle and central sensory feedback balance control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nima Toosizadeh

Full Text Available Poor balance control and increased fall risk have been reported in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN. Traditional body sway measures are unable to describe underlying postural control mechanism. In the current study, we used stabilogram diffusion analysis to examine the mechanism under which balance is altered in DPN patients under local-control (postural muscle control and central-control (postural control using sensory cueing. DPN patients and healthy age-matched adults over 55 years performed two 15-second Romberg balance trials. Center of gravity sway was measured using a motion tracker system based on wearable inertial sensors, and used to derive body sway and local/central control balance parameters. Eighteen DPN patients (age = 65.4±7.6 years; BMI = 29.3±5.3 kg/m2 and 18 age-matched healthy controls (age = 69.8±2.9; BMI = 27.0±4.1 kg/m2 with no major mobility disorder were recruited. The rate of sway within local-control was significantly higher in the DPN group by 49% (healthy local-controlslope = 1.23±1.06×10-2 cm2/sec, P<0.01, which suggests a compromised local-control balance behavior in DPN patients. Unlike local-control, the rate of sway within central-control was 60% smaller in the DPN group (healthy central-controlslope-Log = 0.39±0.23, P<0.02, which suggests an adaptation mechanism to reduce the overall body sway in DPN patients. Interestingly, significant negative correlations were observed between central-control rate of sway with neuropathy severity (rPearson = 0.65-085, P<0.05 and the history of diabetes (rPearson = 0.58-071, P<0.05. Results suggest that in the lack of sensory feedback cueing, DPN participants were highly unstable compared to controls. However, as soon as they perceived the magnitude of sway using sensory feedback, they chose a high rigid postural control strategy, probably due to high concerns for fall, which may increase the energy cost during extended period of standing; the adaptation

Stress localization in BCC polycrystals and its implications on the probability of brittle fracture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vincent, Ludovic [CEA, DEN, SRMA, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Gelebart, Lionel, E-mail: lionel.gelebart@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, SRMA, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Dakhlaoui, Rim; Marini, Bernard [CEA, DEN, SRMA, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France)

2011-07-15

Highlights: {yields} Intergranular stress distributions in a bainitic steel. {yields} Comparison of local mean stress field with neutron diffraction results. {yields} Application of the local stress distribution in a brittle fracture model. - Abstract: The evaluation of the reliability of pressure vessels in nuclear plants relies on the evaluation of failure probability models. Micromechanical approaches are of great interest to refine their description, to better understand the underlying mechanisms leading to failure, and finally to improve the prediction of these models. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce the stress heterogeneities arising within the polycrystal in a probabilistic modeling of brittle fracture. Stress heterogeneities are evaluated from Finite-Element simulations performed on a large number of Statistical Volume Elements. Results are validated both on the measured averaged behavior and on the averaged stresses measured by neutron diffraction in five specific orientations. A probabilistic model for brittle fracture is then presented accounting for the carbide distribution and the stress distribution evaluated previously inside an elementary volume V{sub 0}. Results are compared to a 'Beremin type' approach, assuming a homogeneous stress state inside V{sub 0}.

Probability of Interference-Optimal and Energy-Efficient Analysis for Topology Control in Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Li

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Because wireless sensor networks (WSNs have been widely used in recent years, how to reduce their energy consumption and interference has become a major issue. Topology control is a common and effective approach to improve network performance, such as reducing the energy consumption and network interference, improving the network connectivity, etc. Many topology control algorithms reduce network interference by dynamically adjusting the node transmission range. However, reducing the network interference by adjusting the transmission range is probabilistic. Therefore, in this paper, we analyze the probability of interference-optimality for the WSNs and prove that the probability of interference-optimality increases with the increasing of the original transmission range. Under a specific transmission range, the probability reaches the maximum value when the transmission range is 0.85r in homogeneous networks and 0.84r in heterogeneous networks. In addition, we also prove that when the network is energy-efficient, the network is also interference-optimal with probability 1 both in the homogeneous and heterogeneous networks.

Estimating Subjective Probabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Steffen; Fountain, John; Harrison, Glenn W.

2014-01-01

either construct elicitation mechanisms that control for risk aversion, or construct elicitation mechanisms which undertake 'calibrating adjustments' to elicited reports. We illustrate how the joint estimation of risk attitudes and subjective probabilities can provide the calibration adjustments...... that theory calls for. We illustrate this approach using data from a controlled experiment with real monetary consequences to the subjects. This allows the observer to make inferences about the latent subjective probability, under virtually any well-specified model of choice under subjective risk, while still...

Embedded controllers for local board-control

CERN Document Server

Neufeld, Niko; Mini, Giuseppe; Sannino, Mario; Guzik, Zbigniew; Jacobsson, Richard; Jost, Beat

2005-01-01

The LHCb experiment at CERN has a large number of custom electronic boards performing high-speed data-processing. Like in any large experiment the control and monitoring of these crate-mounted boards must be integrated into the overall control-system. Traditionally this has been done by using buses like VME on the back-plane of the crates. LHCb has chosen to equip every board with an embedded micro-controller and connecting them in a large Local Area Network. The intelligence of these devices allows complex (soft) real-time control and monitoring, required for modern powerful FPGA driven electronics. Moreover each board has its own, isolated control access path, which increases the robustness of the entire system. The system is now in pre-production at several sites and will go into full production during next year. The hardware and software will be discussed and experiences from the R&D and pre-production will be reviewed, with an emphasis on advantages and difficulties of this approach to board-control.

Enabling Controlling Complex Networks with Local Topological Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Guoqi; Deng, Lei; Xiao, Gaoxi; Tang, Pei; Wen, Changyun; Hu, Wuhua; Pei, Jing; Shi, Luping; Stanley, H Eugene

2018-03-15

Complex networks characterize the nature of internal/external interactions in real-world systems including social, economic, biological, ecological, and technological networks. Two issues keep as obstacles to fulfilling control of large-scale networks: structural controllability which describes the ability to guide a dynamical system from any initial state to any desired final state in finite time, with a suitable choice of inputs; and optimal control, which is a typical control approach to minimize the cost for driving the network to a predefined state with a given number of control inputs. For large complex networks without global information of network topology, both problems remain essentially open. Here we combine graph theory and control theory for tackling the two problems in one go, using only local network topology information. For the structural controllability problem, a distributed local-game matching method is proposed, where every node plays a simple Bayesian game with local information and local interactions with adjacent nodes, ensuring a suboptimal solution at a linear complexity. Starring from any structural controllability solution, a minimizing longest control path method can efficiently reach a good solution for the optimal control in large networks. Our results provide solutions for distributed complex network control and demonstrate a way to link the structural controllability and optimal control together.

Effects of concurrent caffeine and mobile phone exposure on local target probability processing in the human brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Trunk, Attila; Stefanics, Gábor; Zentai, Norbert; Bacskay, Ivett; Felinger, Attila; Thuróczy, György; Hernádi, István

2015-09-23

Millions of people use mobile phones (MP) while drinking coffee or other caffeine containing beverages. Little is known about the potential combined effects of MP irradiation and caffeine on cognitive functions. Here we investigated whether caffeine intake and concurrent exposure to Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) MP-like irradiation may interactively influence neuro-cognitive function in an active visual oddball paradigm. In a full factorial experimental design, 25 participants performed a simple visual target detection task while reaction time (RT) and electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Target trials were divided into Low and High probability sets based on target-to-target distance. We analyzed single trial RT and alpha-band power (amplitude) in the pre-target interval. We found that RT was shorter in High vs. Low local probability trials, and caffeine further shortened RT in High probability trials relative to the baseline condition suggesting that caffeine improves the efficiency of implicit short-term memory. Caffeine also decreased pre-target alpha amplitude resulting in higher arousal level. Furthermore, pre-target gamma power positively correlated with RT, which may have facilitated target detection. However, in the present pharmacologically validated study UMTS exposure either alone or in combination with caffeine did not alter RT or pre-stimulus oscillatory brain activity.

Ruin probabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asmussen, Søren; Albrecher, Hansjörg

The book gives a comprehensive treatment of the classical and modern ruin probability theory. Some of the topics are Lundberg's inequality, the Cramér-Lundberg approximation, exact solutions, other approximations (e.g., for heavy-tailed claim size distributions), finite horizon ruin probabilities......, extensions of the classical compound Poisson model to allow for reserve-dependent premiums, Markov-modulation, periodicity, change of measure techniques, phase-type distributions as a computational vehicle and the connection to other applied probability areas, like queueing theory. In this substantially...... updated and extended second version, new topics include stochastic control, fluctuation theory for Levy processes, Gerber–Shiu functions and dependence....

State Aid, Voter Power and Local Control in Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Zak, Itai; Glasman, Naftaly S.

1979-01-01

Not only did voter power contribute meaningfully to local control behavior regardless of the exact shape of the relations between state aid and local control, but the hypothesized inverse relationship between state aid and local control did not receive support. Journal availability: see EA 511 898. (Author/IRT)

Survival probability of a local excitation in a non-Markovian environment: Survival collapse, Zeno and anti-Zeno effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rufeil-Fiori, E.; Pastawski, H.M.

2009-01-01

The decay dynamics of a local excitation interacting with a non-Markovian environment, modeled by a semi-infinite tight-binding chain, is exactly evaluated. We identify distinctive regimes for the dynamics. Sequentially: (i) early quadratic decay of the initial-state survival probability, up to a spreading time t S , (ii) exponential decay described by a self-consistent Fermi Golden Rule, and (iii) asymptotic behavior governed by quantum diffusion through the return processes, leading to an inverse power law decay. At this last cross-over time t R a survival collapse becomes possible. This could reduce the survival probability by several orders of magnitude. The cross-over times t S and t R allow to assess the range of applicability of the Fermi Golden Rule and give the conditions for the observation of the Zeno and anti-Zeno effect.

The impact of microscopic disease on the tumor control probability in non-small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siedschlag, Christian; Boersma, Liesbeth; Loon, Judith van; Rossi, Maddalena; Baardwijk, Angela van; Gilhuijs, Kenneth; Stroom, Joep

2011-01-01

Purpose: To indicate which clinical target volume (CTV) margin (if any) is needed for an adequate treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using either 3D conformal or stereotactic radiotherapy, taking the distribution of the microscopic disease extension (MDE) into account. Methods and materials: On the basis of the linear-quadratic biological model, a Monte-Carlo simulation was used to study the impact of MDE and setup deviations on the tumor control probability (TCP) after typical 3D conformal and stereotactic irradiation techniques. Setup deviations were properly accounted for in the planning target volume (PTV) margin. Previously measured distributions of MDE outside the macroscopic tumor in NSCLC patients were used. The dependence of the TCP on the CTV margins was quantified. Results: The presence of MDE had a demonstratable influence on the TCP in both the 3D conformal and the stereotactic technique when no CTV margins were employed. The impact of MDE on the TCP values was greater in the 3D conformal scenario (67% TCP with MDE; 84% TCP without MDE) than for stereotactic radiotherapy (91% TCP with MDE; 100% TCP without MDE). Accordingly, an increase of the CTV margin had the greatest impact for the 3D conformal technique. Larger setup errors, with appropriate PTV margins, lead to an increase in TCP for both techniques, showing the interdependence of CTV and PTV margins. Conclusions: MDE may not always be eradicated by the beam penumbra or existing PTV margins using either 3D conformal or stereotactic radiotherapy. Nonetheless, TCP modeling indicates an overall local control rate above 90% for the stereotactic technique, while a non-zero CTV margin is recommended for better local control of MDE when using the 3D conformal technique.

Probable maximum flood control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeGabriele, C.E.; Wu, C.L.

1991-11-01

This study proposes preliminary design concepts to protect the waste-handling facilities and all shaft and ramp entries to the underground from the probable maximum flood (PMF) in the current design configuration for the proposed Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation (NNWSI) repository protection provisions were furnished by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USSR) or developed from USSR data. Proposed flood protection provisions include site grading, drainage channels, and diversion dikes. Figures are provided to show these proposed flood protection provisions at each area investigated. These areas are the central surface facilities (including the waste-handling building and waste treatment building), tuff ramp portal, waste ramp portal, men-and-materials shaft, emplacement exhaust shaft, and exploratory shafts facility

Error Control in Distributed Node Self-Localization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Zhang

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Location information of nodes in an ad hoc sensor network is essential to many tasks such as routing, cooperative sensing, and service delivery. Distributed node self-localization is lightweight and requires little communication overhead, but often suffers from the adverse effects of error propagation. Unlike other localization papers which focus on designing elaborate localization algorithms, this paper takes a different perspective, focusing on the error propagation problem, addressing questions such as where localization error comes from and how it propagates from node to node. To prevent error from propagating and accumulating, we develop an error-control mechanism based on characterization of node uncertainties and discrimination between neighboring nodes. The error-control mechanism uses only local knowledge and is fully decentralized. Simulation results have shown that the active selection strategy significantly mitigates the effect of error propagation for both range and directional sensors. It greatly improves localization accuracy and robustness.

Treatment of locally advanced breast carcinoma with high-dose external beam supervoltage radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brufman, G.; Weshler, Z.; Prosnitz, L.R.; Fuks, Z.

1981-01-01

Between 1960 and 1978, 87 patients with locally advanced Tsub(3-4)Nsub(0-3)M 0 carcinoma of the breast were treated with 5,000 to 8,000 rad of external beam supervoltage radiotherapy. Initial clinical eradication of the tumour was observed in 76 of 87 cases (87%), but the actuarial probability of local control at 5 yr was only 53%. Furthermore, the actuarial probability of disease-free survival was 25% at 5 yr and 13% at 10 yr. Most of the patients eventually succumbed to metastatic breast carcinoma and the actuarial survival at 5 yr was 43% and at 10 yr, 16%. The addition of adjuvant low-dose chemotherapy, given to 13 patients, did not affect the rates of local control, survival or disease-free survival. The most common long-term complication was extensive and deforming radiation-induced fibrosis of the treated breast. The actuarial probability of 10-yr survival without a local recurrence and without severe fibrosis of the treated breast was only 17.5%. The role of adjuvant high-dose chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced breast carcinoma and the possible use of improved radiotherapy techniques to achieve a more effective long-term local control and a more desirable cosmetic end result are discussed. (author)

Delay and probability discounting of sexual and monetary outcomes in individuals with cocaine use disorders and matched controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Matthew W; Johnson, Patrick S; Herrmann, Evan S; Sweeney, Mary M

2015-01-01

Individuals with cocaine use disorders are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, partly due to higher rates of unprotected sex. Recent research suggests delay discounting of condom use is a factor in sexual HIV risk. Delay discounting is a behavioral economic concept describing how delaying an event reduces that event's value or impact on behavior. Probability discounting is a related concept describing how the uncertainty of an event decreases its impact on behavior. Individuals with cocaine use disorders (n = 23) and matched non-cocaine-using controls (n = 24) were compared in decision-making tasks involving hypothetical outcomes: delay discounting of condom-protected sex (Sexual Delay Discounting Task), delay discounting of money, the effect of sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk on likelihood of condom use (Sexual Probability Discounting Task), and probability discounting of money. The Cocaine group discounted delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., were more likely to have unprotected sex vs. wait for a condom) significantly more than controls in two of four Sexual Delay Discounting Task partner conditions. The Cocaine group also discounted delayed money (i.e., preferred smaller immediate amounts over larger delayed amounts) significantly more than controls. In the Sexual Probability Discounting Task, both groups showed sensitivity to STI risk, however the groups did not differ. The Cocaine group did not consistently discount probabilistic money more or less than controls. Steeper discounting of delayed, but not probabilistic, sexual outcomes may contribute to greater rates of sexual HIV risk among individuals with cocaine use disorders. Probability discounting of sexual outcomes may contribute to risk of unprotected sex in both groups. Correlations showed sexual and monetary results were unrelated, for both delay and probability discounting. The results highlight the importance of studying specific behavioral processes (e.g., delay and probability

Delay and probability discounting of sexual and monetary outcomes in individuals with cocaine use disorders and matched controls.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew W Johnson

Full Text Available Individuals with cocaine use disorders are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, partly due to higher rates of unprotected sex. Recent research suggests delay discounting of condom use is a factor in sexual HIV risk. Delay discounting is a behavioral economic concept describing how delaying an event reduces that event's value or impact on behavior. Probability discounting is a related concept describing how the uncertainty of an event decreases its impact on behavior. Individuals with cocaine use disorders (n = 23 and matched non-cocaine-using controls (n = 24 were compared in decision-making tasks involving hypothetical outcomes: delay discounting of condom-protected sex (Sexual Delay Discounting Task, delay discounting of money, the effect of sexually transmitted infection (STI risk on likelihood of condom use (Sexual Probability Discounting Task, and probability discounting of money. The Cocaine group discounted delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., were more likely to have unprotected sex vs. wait for a condom significantly more than controls in two of four Sexual Delay Discounting Task partner conditions. The Cocaine group also discounted delayed money (i.e., preferred smaller immediate amounts over larger delayed amounts significantly more than controls. In the Sexual Probability Discounting Task, both groups showed sensitivity to STI risk, however the groups did not differ. The Cocaine group did not consistently discount probabilistic money more or less than controls. Steeper discounting of delayed, but not probabilistic, sexual outcomes may contribute to greater rates of sexual HIV risk among individuals with cocaine use disorders. Probability discounting of sexual outcomes may contribute to risk of unprotected sex in both groups. Correlations showed sexual and monetary results were unrelated, for both delay and probability discounting. The results highlight the importance of studying specific behavioral processes (e.g., delay and

WE-AB-202-10: Modelling Individual Tumor-Specific Control Probability for Hypoxia in Rectal Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warren, S; Warren, DR; Wilson, JM; Muirhead, R; Hawkins, MA; Maughan, T; Partridge, M [University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To investigate hypoxia-guided dose-boosting for increased tumour control and improved normal tissue sparing using FMISO-PET images Methods: Individual tumor-specific control probability (iTSCP) was calculated using a modified linear-quadratic model with rectal-specific radiosensitivity parameters for three limiting-case assumptions of the hypoxia / FMISO uptake relationship. {sup 18}FMISO-PET images from 2 patients (T3N0M0) from the RHYTHM trial (Investigating Hypoxia in Rectal Tumours NCT02157246) were chosen to delineate a hypoxic region (GTV-MISO defined as tumor-to-muscle ratio > 1.3) within the anatomical GTV. Three VMAT treatment plans were created in Eclipse (Varian): STANDARD (45Gy / 25 fractions to PTV4500); BOOST-GTV (simultaneous integrated boost of 60Gy / 25fr to GTV +0.5cm) and BOOST-MISO (60Gy / 25fr to GTV-MISO+0.5cm). GTV mean dose (in EQD2), iTSCP and normal tissue dose-volume metrics (small bowel, bladder, anus, and femoral heads) were recorded. Results: Patient A showed small hypoxic volume (15.8% of GTV) and Patient B moderate hypoxic volume (40.2% of GTV). Dose escalation to 60Gy was achievable, and doses to femoral heads and small bowel in BOOST plans were comparable to STANDARD plans. For patient A, a reduced maximum bladder dose was observed in BOOST-MISO compared to BOOST-GTV (D0.1cc 49.2Gy vs 54.0Gy). For patient B, a smaller high dose volume was observed for the anus region in BOOST-MISO compared to BOOST-GTV (V55Gy 19.9% vs 100%), which could potentially reduce symptoms of fecal incontinence. For BOOST-MISO, the largest iTSCPs (A: 95.5% / B: 90.0%) assumed local correlation between FMISO uptake and hypoxia, and approached iTSCP values seen for BOOST-GTV (A: 96.1% / B: 90.5%). Conclusion: Hypoxia-guided dose-boosting is predicted to improve local control in rectal tumors when FMISO is spatially correlated to hypoxia, and to reduce dose to organs-at-risk compared to boosting the whole GTV. This could lead to organ

A Bayesian-probability-based method for assigning protein backbone dihedral angles based on chemical shifts and local sequences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Jun; Liu Haiyan [University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, and Key Laboratory of Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences (China)], E-mail: hyliu@ustc.edu.cn

2007-01-15

Chemical shifts contain substantial information about protein local conformations. We present a method to assign individual protein backbone dihedral angles into specific regions on the Ramachandran map based on the amino acid sequences and the chemical shifts of backbone atoms of tripeptide segments. The method uses a scoring function derived from the Bayesian probability for the central residue of a query tripeptide segment to have a particular conformation. The Ramachandran map is partitioned into representative regions at two levels of resolution. The lower resolution partitioning is equivalent to the conventional definitions of different secondary structure regions on the map. At the higher resolution level, the {alpha} and {beta} regions are further divided into subregions. Predictions are attempted at both levels of resolution. We compared our method with TALOS using the original TALOS database, and obtained comparable results. Although TALOS may produce the best results with currently available databases which are much enlarged, the Bayesian-probability-based approach can provide a quantitative measure for the reliability of predictions.

Two-dimensional atom localization based on coherent field controlling in a five-level M-type atomic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Xiangqian; Li, Jinjiang; Sun, Xiudong

2017-12-11

We study two-dimensional sub-wavelength atom localization based on the microwave coupling field controlling and spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) effect. For a five-level M-type atom, introducing a microwave coupling field between two upper levels and considering the quantum interference between two transitions from two upper levels to lower levels, the analytical expression of conditional position probability (CPP) distribution is obtained using the iterative method. The influence of the detuning of a spontaneously emitted photon, Rabi frequency of the microwave field, and the SGC effect on the CPP are discussed. The two-dimensional sub-half-wavelength atom localization with high-precision and high spatial resolution is achieved by adjusting the detuning and the Rabi frequency, where the atom can be localized in a region smaller thanλ/10×λ/10. The spatial resolution is improved significantly compared with the case without the microwave field.

Controlling spatio-temporal extreme events by decreasing the localized energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Lin; Xu Wei; Li Zhanguo; Zhou Bingchang

2011-01-01

The problem of controlling extreme events in spatially extended dynamical systems is investigated in this Letter. Based on observations of the system state, the control technique we proposed locally decreases the spatial energy of the amplitude in the vicinity of the highest burst, without needs of any knowledge or prediction of the system model. Considering the specific Complex Ginzburg-Landau equation, we provide theoretical analysis for designing the localized state feedback controller. More exactly, a simple control law by varying a damping parameter at control region is chose to achieve the control. Numerical simulations and statistic analysis demonstrate that extreme events can be efficiently suppressed by our strategy. In particular, the cost of the control and the tolerant time delay in applying the control is considered in detail. - Highlights: → We propose a local control scheme to suppress spatio-temporal extreme events. → The control is address by decreasing the spatial energy of the system locally. → The detail control law is to apply localized state feedback based on observations. → The cost of the control increases with the size of the control region exponentially. → The tolerant delay of the control is about 5-6 times of lifetime of extreme events.

Local control station for development, testing and maintenance of mirror fusion facility subsystem controls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ables, E.; Kelly, M.F.

1985-01-01

A Local Control Station (LCS) was designed and built to provide a simplified ad easily configurable means of controlling any Mirror Fusion Test Facility (MFTF-B) subsystem for the purpose of development, testing and maintenance of the subsystem. All MFTF-B Subsystems incorporate at least one Local Control Computer (LCC) that is connected to and accepts high level commands from one of the Supervisory Control and Diagnostic System (SCDS) computers. The LCS connects directly to the LCC in place of SCDS. The LCS communicates with the subsystem hardware using the same SCDS commands that the local control computer recognizes and as such requires no special configuration of the LCC

Tracking local control of a parabolic trough collector. Control local de Seguimiento cilindro parabolico ACE 20

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ajona Maeztu, J.I.; Alberdi Primicia, J.; Gamero Aranda, E.; Blanco, J.

1991-01-01

In the local control, the sun position related to the trough collector is measured by two photo-resistors. the provided electronic signal is then compared with reference levels in order to get a set of 8 logical signals which form a byte. This byte and the commands issued by a programmable controller are connected to the inputs of a P.R.O.M. memory which is programmed with the logical ecuations of the control system. the memory output lines give the control commands of the parabolic trough collector motor. (author)

Tracking local control of a parabolic trough collector; Control local de Seguimiento cilindro parabolico ACE 20

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ajona Maeztu, J.I.; Alberdi Primicia, J.; Gamero Aranda, E.; Blanco, J.

1991-12-31

In the local control, the sun position related to the trough collector is measured by two photo-resistors. the provided electronic signal is then compared with reference levels in order to get a set of 8 logical signals which form a byte. This byte and the commands issued by a programmable controller are connected to the inputs of a P.R.O.M. memory which is programmed with the logical ecuations of the control system. the memory output lines give the control commands of the parabolic trough collector motor. (author)

Tracking local control of a parabolic trough collector; Control local de seguimiento cilindro parabolico ACE20

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ajona, J I; Alberdi, J; Gamero, E; Blanco, J

1992-07-01

In the local control, the sun position related to the trough collector is measured by two photo-resistors. The provided electronic signal is then compared with reference levels in order to get a set of B logical signals which form a byte. This byte and the commands issued by a programmable controller are connected to the inputs of o P.R.O.M. memory which is programmed with the logical equations of the control system. The memory output lines give the control command of the parabolic trough collector motor. (Author)

Probabilities for gravitational lensing by point masses in a locally inhomogeneous universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaacson, J.A.; Canizares, C.R.

1989-01-01

Probability functions for gravitational lensing by point masses that incorporate Poisson statistics and flux conservation are formulated in the Dyer-Roeder construction. Optical depths to lensing for distant sources are calculated using both the method of Press and Gunn (1973) which counts lenses in an otherwise empty cone, and the method of Ehlers and Schneider (1986) which projects lensing cross sections onto the source sphere. These are then used as parameters of the probability density for lensing in the case of a critical (q0 = 1/2) Friedmann universe. A comparison of the probability functions indicates that the effects of angle-averaging can be well approximated by adjusting the average magnification along a random line of sight so as to conserve flux. 17 references

Association between FDG uptake, CSF biomarkers and cognitive performance in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arlt, Soenke; Jahn, Holger; Eichenlaub, Martin; Brassen, Stefanie; Wilke, Florian; Apostolova, Ivayla; Buchert, Ralph; Wenzel, Fabian; Young, Stewart; Thiele, Frank

2009-01-01

Brain imaging of FDG uptake and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of amyloid-beta 1-42 (Aβ 1-42 ) or tau proteins are promising biomarkers in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is still uncertainty regarding any association between decreased FDG uptake and alterations in CSF markers. The relationship between FDG uptake, CSF Aβ 1-42 and total tau (T-tau), as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was investigated in 34 subjects with probable AD using step-wise linear regression. FDG uptake was scaled to the pons. Scaled FDG uptake was significantly reduced in the probable AD subjects compared to 17 controls bilaterally in the precuneus/posterior cingulate area, angular gyrus/inferior parietal cortex, inferior temporal/midtemporal cortex, midfrontal cortex, and left caudate. Voxel-based single-subject analysis of the probable AD subjects at p 1-42 . Scaled FDG uptake in the caudate was positively correlated with CSF T-tau. The extent and local severity of the reduction in FDG uptake in probable AD subjects are associated with cognitive impairment. In addition, there appears to be a relationship between local FDG uptake and CSF biomarkers which differs between different brain regions. (orig.)

Impact of therapeutic factors on local control in T2-T3 anal carcinoma treated by radiation or radiochemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allal, Abdelkarim S.; Mermillod, Bernadette; Kurtz, John M.; Marti, Marc-Claude

1996-01-01

). Conclusion: This multivariate study suggests that therapeutic factors probably have a less marked effect on local control compared with clinical parameters. In spite of the great variability in treatment modalities during this long period of investigation, not one significant therapeutic factor has been identified. The only factor which seemed to have some effect was overall treatment time. These results confirm the current opinion that the quite different treatment modalities used in anal carcinoma may give similar results. Any effort to improve local control should probably consider optimizing overall treatment time and chemotherapy schedule (more than one cycle, more effective agents) particularly for patients with poor prognostic factors

Probabilistic interpretation of command and control signals: Bayesian updating of the probability of nuclear attack

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pate-Cornell, M.Elisabeth; Fischbeck, Paul S.

1995-01-01

A warning system such as the Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence system (C 3 I) for the United States nuclear forces operates on the basis of various sources of information among which are signals from sensors. A fundamental problem in the use of such signals is that these sensors provide only imperfect information. Bayesian probability, defined as a degree of belief in the possibility of each event, is therefore a key concept in the logical treatment of the signals. However, the base of evidence for estimation of these probabilities may be small and, therefore, the results of the updating (posterior probabilities of attack) may also be uncertain. In this paper, we examine the case where uncertainties hinge upon the existence of several possible underlying hypotheses (or models), and where the decision-maker attributes a different probability of attack to each of these fundamental hypotheses. We present a two-stage Bayesian updating process, first of the probabilities of the fundamental hypotheses, then of the probabilities of attack conditional on each hypothesis, given a positive signal from the C 3 I. We illustrate the method in the discrete case where there are only two possible fundamental hypotheses, and in the case of a continuous set of hypotheses. We discuss briefly the implications of the results for decision-making. The method can be generalized to other warning systems with imperfect signals, when the prior probability of the event of interest is uncertain

High-efficiency one-dimensional atom localization via two parallel standing-wave fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhiping; Wu, Xuqiang; Lu, Liang; Yu, Benli

2014-01-01

We present a new scheme of high-efficiency one-dimensional (1D) atom localization via measurement of upper state population or the probe absorption in a four-level N-type atomic system. By applying two classical standing-wave fields, the localization peak position and number, as well as the conditional position probability, can be easily controlled by the system parameters, and the sub-half-wavelength atom localization is also observed. More importantly, there is 100% detecting probability of the atom in the subwavelength domain when the corresponding conditions are satisfied. The proposed scheme may open up a promising way to achieve high-precision and high-efficiency 1D atom localization. (paper)

Analysis of locally controlled esophageal carcinomas treated with radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotoh, Yasuo; Yamada, Shogo; Takai, Yoshihiro; Nemoto, Kenji; Ogawa, Yoshihiro; Hoshi, Akihiko; Ariga, Hisanori; Sakamoto, Kiyohiko

1996-01-01

Of 227 esophageal carcinomas treated with a radiation dose of 60 Gy or more, 100 patients had no tumor or ulceration (with or without stenosis) of the esophagus after irradiation. We analyzed local control factors of these 100 patients to determine the need for further treatment. The cumulative local control rate at five years was 40% in all cases, 37% in 21 cases without any stenosis of the esophagus and 40% in 79 cases with stenosis. The presence of stenosis of the esophagus after irradiation was not a critical factor in predicting final local control. Local recurrence of tumors with findings of Borrmann III or Borrmann IV by the pretreatment esophageal barium study, tumors controlled after a total dose of more than 80 Gy, tumors without low dose rate telecobalt therapy (LDRT: 1 Gy/hour, 5 to 7 Gy/day, a total dose of 12 to 15 Gy) as boost therapy, and apparently controlled tumors with a stenotic ratio of 60% or more or with 5 cm or more length of stenosis of the esophagus after irradiation was significantly higher than that of the others (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that findings of pretreatment barium study, total dose, with or without LDRT, and length of stenosis of the esophagus after irradiation were significantly important factors in local control. Members of the high risk group of apparently controlled tumors should undertake surgical treatment or further intensive chemotherapy. (author)

Disordered-quantum-walk-induced localization of a Bose-Einstein condensate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandrashekar, C. M.

2011-01-01

We present an approach to induce localization of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a one-dimensional lattice under the influence of unitary quantum-walk evolution using disordered quantum coin operation. We introduce a discrete-time quantum-walk model in which the interference effect is modified to diffuse or strongly localize the probability distribution of the particle by assigning a different set of coin parameters picked randomly for each step of the walk, respectively. Spatial localization of the particle or state is explained by comparing the variance of the probability distribution of the quantum walk in position space using disordered coin operation to that of the walk using an identical coin operation for each step. Due to the high degree of control over quantum coin operation and most of the system parameters, ultracold atoms in an optical lattice offer opportunities to implement a disordered quantum walk that is unitary and induces localization. Here we present a scheme to use a Bose-Einstein condensate that can be evolved to the superposition of its internal states in an optical lattice and control the dynamics of atoms to observe localization. This approach can be adopted to any other physical system in which controlled disordered quantum walk can be implemented.

Correlation of a hypoxia based tumor control model with observed local control rates in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avanzo, Michele; Stancanello, Joseph; Franchin, Giovanni; Sartor, Giovanna; Jena, Rajesh; Drigo, Annalisa; Dassie, Andrea; Gigante, Marco; Capra, Elvira [Department of Medical Physics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy); Research and Clinical Collaborations, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen 91052 (Germany); Department of Radiation Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy); Department of Medical Physics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy); Oncology Centre, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ (United Kingdom); Department of Medical Physics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy); Department of Radiation Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy); Department of Medical Physics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano 33081 (Italy)

2010-04-15

Purpose: To extend the application of current radiation therapy (RT) based tumor control probability (TCP) models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) to include the effects of hypoxia and chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: A TCP model is described based on the linear-quadratic model modified to account for repopulation, chemotherapy, heterogeneity of dose to the tumor, and hypoxia. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine which parameters exert the greatest influence on the uncertainty of modeled TCP. On the basis of the sensitivity analysis, the values of specific radiobiological parameters were set to nominal values reported in the literature for NPC or head and neck tumors. The remaining radiobiological parameters were determined by fitting TCP to clinical local control data from published randomized studies using both RT and CRT. Validation of the model was performed by comparison of estimated TCP and average overall local control rate (LCR) for 45 patients treated at the institution with conventional linear-accelerator-based or helical tomotherapy based intensity-modulated RT and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the model is most sensitive to the radiosensitivity term {alpha} and the dose per fraction. The estimated values of {alpha} and OER from data fitting were 0.396 Gy{sup -1} and 1.417. The model estimate of TCP (average 90.9%, range 26.9%-99.2%) showed good correlation with the LCR (86.7%). Conclusions: The model implemented in this work provides clinicians with a useful tool to predict the success rate of treatment, optimize treatment plans, and compare the effects of multimodality therapy.

Correlation of a hypoxia based tumor control model with observed local control rates in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with chemoradiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avanzo, Michele; Stancanello, Joseph; Franchin, Giovanni; Sartor, Giovanna; Jena, Rajesh; Drigo, Annalisa; Dassie, Andrea; Gigante, Marco; Capra, Elvira

2010-01-01

Purpose: To extend the application of current radiation therapy (RT) based tumor control probability (TCP) models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) to include the effects of hypoxia and chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: A TCP model is described based on the linear-quadratic model modified to account for repopulation, chemotherapy, heterogeneity of dose to the tumor, and hypoxia. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine which parameters exert the greatest influence on the uncertainty of modeled TCP. On the basis of the sensitivity analysis, the values of specific radiobiological parameters were set to nominal values reported in the literature for NPC or head and neck tumors. The remaining radiobiological parameters were determined by fitting TCP to clinical local control data from published randomized studies using both RT and CRT. Validation of the model was performed by comparison of estimated TCP and average overall local control rate (LCR) for 45 patients treated at the institution with conventional linear-accelerator-based or helical tomotherapy based intensity-modulated RT and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the model is most sensitive to the radiosensitivity term α and the dose per fraction. The estimated values of α and OER from data fitting were 0.396 Gy -1 and 1.417. The model estimate of TCP (average 90.9%, range 26.9%-99.2%) showed good correlation with the LCR (86.7%). Conclusions: The model implemented in this work provides clinicians with a useful tool to predict the success rate of treatment, optimize treatment plans, and compare the effects of multimodality therapy.

Globalization and Localization of the Management Control System package

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toldbod, Thomas; Israelsen, Poul

2015-01-01

Through an empirical case study, this article examines the operation of multiple management control systems as a package in a Danish manufacturing company. The analysis focuses on four different management control systems – cybernetic controls, planning controls, reward controls, and administrative...... the organization and others have more particular characteristics. Specifically, this study finds that cybernetic controls and administrative controls are designed as global management control systems. Planning controls and reward and compensation controls are glocal systems. The finding leads to the conclusion...... controls – through the theoretical lens of globalization, localization, and glocalization. Based on a single-case study, the analysis documents that these different management control systems are affected differently by the processes of globalization and localization, some of which are universal throughout...

Sub-half-wavelength localization of an atom via trichromatic phase control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jun; Hu Xiangming

2007-01-01

We show that the trichromatic manipulation of the absorption spectrum leads to sub-half-wavelength atom localization. In particular, a three-level atom in the Λ configuration is considered, in which one transition is coupled by a trichromatic field with one sideband component being a standing-wave field while the other transition is probed by a weak monochromatic field. By varying the sum of relative phases of the sideband components of the trichromatic field to the central component, the atom is localized in either of the two half-wavelength regions with 50% detecting probability when the absorption spectrum is measured

QUESTION OF IMPROVEMENT OF BUDGET CONTROL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleg Vatslavskyi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The aim is to analyse the current practice of budgetary control to develop its areas of improvement at the local level. The subject of the research is theoretical and methodological principles of functioning of budgetary control at the local level. The methodological basis of the study comprises research approaches, general theoretical principles of scientific knowledge, system of methods and techniques. The paper clarifies the nature of budgetary control at the local level. The main bodies that implement budget control, namely the State Audit Office, the Accounting Chamber, the State Treasury, the State Fiscal Service, financial and management departments are singled out. It is found that the leading part among all of the special budgetary control bodies in the rational and efficient use of local financial resources is performed by the State Audit Office. Analysis of the State Audit Office in three regions of Ukraine for the period 2013-2015 has been carried out. We distinguish two main types of violations that the State Audit Service reveals during its work at the local level: 1 shortfall in the financial resources of public enterprises, institutions and organizations; 2 violations that lead to illegal, non-target costs and shortages. It is proved that the efficiency of budgetary control is low. The paper states basic problems of budget control at the local level, namely, low income funds and reimbursements from violations revealed by regulatory agencies; insufficient work with the public to explain the problems of budget control and eliminate violations in the public sector; lack of a consolidated legal act, which would have regulated all the major components of budgetary control; insufficient use of controlling and auditing methods aimed at determining the effectiveness of budget funds; low preventive function on the part of budget control bodies. We offer ways to improve budget control at the local level through: standardization system of

On the Inclusion of Short-distance Bystander Effects into a Logistic Tumor Control Probability Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Tempel, David G; Brodin, N Patrik; Tomé, Wolfgang A

2018-01-01

Currently, interactions between voxels are neglected in the tumor control probability (TCP) models used in biologically-driven intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment planning. However, experimental data suggests that this may not always be justified when bystander effects are important. We propose a model inspired by the Ising model, a short-range interaction model, to investigate if and when it is important to include voxel to voxel interactions in biologically-driven treatment planning. This Ising-like model for TCP is derived by first showing that the logistic model of tumor control is mathematically equivalent to a non-interacting Ising model. Using this correspondence, the parameters of the logistic model are mapped to the parameters of an Ising-like model and bystander interactions are introduced as a short-range interaction as is the case for the Ising model. As an example, we apply the model to study the effect of bystander interactions in the case of radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The model shows that it is adequate to neglect bystander interactions for dose distributions that completely cover the treatment target and yield TCP estimates that lie in the shoulder of the dose response curve. However, for dose distributions that yield TCP estimates that lie on the steep part of the dose response curve or for inhomogeneous dose distributions having significant hot and/or cold regions, bystander effects may be important. Furthermore, the proposed model highlights a previously unexplored and potentially fruitful connection between the fields of statistical mechanics and tumor control probability/normal tissue complication probability modeling.

Enhancing the Situational Awareness of Airfield Local Controllers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mowery, Samuel

2002-01-01

.... In air traffic control operations, situational awareness of a local controller at an airfield such as Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, is critical to prevention of catastrophic...

Failure-probability driven dose painting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogelius, Ivan R.; Håkansson, Katrin; Due, Anne K.; Aznar, Marianne C.; Kristensen, Claus A.; Rasmussen, Jacob; Specht, Lena; Berthelsen, Anne K.; Bentzen, Søren M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate a data-driven dose-painting strategy based on the spatial distribution of recurrences in previously treated patients. The result is a quantitative way to define a dose prescription function, optimizing the predicted local control at constant treatment intensity. A dose planning study using the optimized dose prescription in 20 patients is performed.Methods: Patients treated at our center have five tumor subvolumes from the center of the tumor (PET positive volume) and out delineated. The spatial distribution of 48 failures in patients with complete clinical response after (chemo)radiation is used to derive a model for tumor control probability (TCP). The total TCP is fixed to the clinically observed 70% actuarial TCP at five years. Additionally, the authors match the distribution of failures between the five subvolumes to the observed distribution. The steepness of the dose–response is extracted from the literature and the authors assume 30% and 20% risk of subclinical involvement in the elective volumes. The result is a five-compartment dose response model matching the observed distribution of failures. The model is used to optimize the distribution of dose in individual patients, while keeping the treatment intensity constant and the maximum prescribed dose below 85 Gy.Results: The vast majority of failures occur centrally despite the small volumes of the central regions. Thus, optimizing the dose prescription yields higher doses to the central target volumes and lower doses to the elective volumes. The dose planning study shows that the modified prescription is clinically feasible. The optimized TCP is 89% (range: 82%–91%) as compared to the observed TCP of 70%.Conclusions: The observed distribution of locoregional failures was used to derive an objective, data-driven dose prescription function. The optimized dose is predicted to result in a substantial increase in local control without increasing the predicted risk of toxicity

Modeling tumor control probability for spatially inhomogeneous risk of failure based on clinical outcome data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lühr, Armin; Löck, Steffen; Jakobi, Annika

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: Objectives of this work are (1) to derive a general clinically relevant approach to model tumor control probability (TCP) for spatially variable risk of failure and (2) to demonstrate its applicability by estimating TCP for patients planned for photon and proton irradiation. METHODS AND ...

Limiting values of large deviation probabilities of quadratic statistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jeurnink, Gerardus A.M.; Kallenberg, W.C.M.

1990-01-01

Application of exact Bahadur efficiencies in testing theory or exact inaccuracy rates in estimation theory needs evaluation of large deviation probabilities. Because of the complexity of the expressions, frequently a local limit of the nonlocal measure is considered. Local limits of large deviation

The efficacy of control environment as fraud deterrence in local government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuswantara Dian Anita

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In a globalised scenario, the topic of an enormous increase of malfeasance in the local governments, posing catastrophic threats which come from vicious bureaucratic apparatus, becomes a global phenomenon. This current study uses case study material on the risk management control system specially the control environment in Indonesia local governments to extend existing theory by developing a contingency theory for the public sector. Within local government, contingency theory has emerged as a lens for exploring the links between public sector initiatives to improve risk mitigation and the structure of the control system. The case illustrates that the discretion of control environment - the encouragement of a local government’s control environment - is considered as a springboard for fraud deterrence and might be the loopholes in the government control systems.

An evaluation method for tornado missile strike probability with stochastic correction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eguchi, Yuzuru; Murakami, Takahiro; Hirakuchi, Hiromaru; Sugimoto, Soichiro; Hattori, Yasuo [Nuclear Risk Research Center (External Natural Event Research Team), Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Abiko (Japan)

2017-03-15

An efficient evaluation method for the probability of a tornado missile strike without using the Monte Carlo method is proposed in this paper. A major part of the proposed probability evaluation is based on numerical results computed using an in-house code, Tornado-borne missile analysis code, which enables us to evaluate the liftoff and flight behaviors of unconstrained objects on the ground driven by a tornado. Using the Tornado-borne missile analysis code, we can obtain a stochastic correlation between local wind speed and flight distance of each object, and this stochastic correlation is used to evaluate the conditional strike probability, QV(r), of a missile located at position r, where the local wind speed is V. In contrast, the annual exceedance probability of local wind speed, which can be computed using a tornado hazard analysis code, is used to derive the probability density function, p(V). Then, we finally obtain the annual probability of tornado missile strike on a structure with the convolutional integration of product of QV(r) and p(V) over V. The evaluation method is applied to a simple problem to qualitatively confirm the validity, and to quantitatively verify the results for two extreme cases in which an object is located just in the vicinity of or far away from the structure.

An evaluation method for tornado missile strike probability with stochastic correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eguchi, Yuzuru; Murakami, Takahiro; Hirakuchi, Hiromaru; Sugimoto, Soichiro; Hattori, Yasuo

2017-01-01

An efficient evaluation method for the probability of a tornado missile strike without using the Monte Carlo method is proposed in this paper. A major part of the proposed probability evaluation is based on numerical results computed using an in-house code, Tornado-borne missile analysis code, which enables us to evaluate the liftoff and flight behaviors of unconstrained objects on the ground driven by a tornado. Using the Tornado-borne missile analysis code, we can obtain a stochastic correlation between local wind speed and flight distance of each object, and this stochastic correlation is used to evaluate the conditional strike probability, QV(r), of a missile located at position r, where the local wind speed is V. In contrast, the annual exceedance probability of local wind speed, which can be computed using a tornado hazard analysis code, is used to derive the probability density function, p(V). Then, we finally obtain the annual probability of tornado missile strike on a structure with the convolutional integration of product of QV(r) and p(V) over V. The evaluation method is applied to a simple problem to qualitatively confirm the validity, and to quantitatively verify the results for two extreme cases in which an object is located just in the vicinity of or far away from the structure

Local control of muscle-invasive bladder cancer: preoperative radiotherapy and cystectomy versus cystectomy alone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, Christopher J; Pollack, Alan; Zagars, Gunar K; Dinney, Colin P; Swanson, David A; Eschenbach, Andrew C. von

1995-05-15

account for the differences in local control in Stage T3b patients. For patients with Stage T3b disease, the only significant difference was by grouped age (p < 0.05, chisquare), which was not a significant factor in the univariate analyses of local control. A multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards models revealed pretreatment hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration, and treatment type (PREOP vs. CYST) to be independently predictive of local control. Conclusion: We document here in a large number of patients treated at a single institution that preoperative radiotherapy had a significant impact on local control for patients with clinical Stage T3b disease. Because the CYST patients were treated using modern-day surgical techniques and 80% of those with Stage T3b disease received multiagent chemotherapy, it is probable that any biases, if present, would favor the CYST group. Thus, the differences between PREOP and CYST described may be underestimated. Preoperative radiotherapy should be considered as an adjunct to chemotherapy and surgery for clinical Stage T3b patients.

A note on the transition probability over Csup(*)-algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alberti, P.M.; Karl-Marx-Universitaet, Leipzig

1983-01-01

The algebraic structure of Uhlmann's transition probability between mixed states on unital Csup(*)-algebras is analyzed. Several improvements of methods to calculate the transition probability are fixed, examples are given (e.g., the case of quasi-local Csup(*)-algebras is dealt with) and two more functional characterizations are proved in general. (orig.)

Scheme of 2-dimensional atom localization for a three-level atom via quantum coherence

OpenAIRE

Zafar, Sajjad; Ahmed, Rizwan; Khan, M. Khalid

2013-01-01

We present a scheme for two-dimensional (2D) atom localization in a three-level atomic system. The scheme is based on quantum coherence via classical standing wave fields between the two excited levels. Our results show that conditional position probability is significantly phase dependent of the applied field and frequency detuning of spontaneously emitted photons. We obtain a single localization peak having probability close to unity by manipulating the control parameters. The effect of ato...

Impact of target point deviations on control and complication probabilities in stereotactic radiosurgery of AVMs and metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treuer, Harald; Kocher, Martin; Hoevels, Moritz; Hunsche, Stefan; Luyken, Klaus; Maarouf, Mohammad; Voges, Juergen; Mueller, Rolf-Peter; Sturm, Volker

2006-01-01

Objective: Determination of the impact of inaccuracies in the determination and setup of the target point in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) on the expectable complication and control probabilities. Methods: Two randomized samples of patients with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) (n = 20) and with brain metastases (n = 20) treated with SRS were formed, and the probability for complete obliteration (COP) or complete remission (CRP), the size of the 10 Gy-volume in the brain tissue (VOI10), and the probability for radiation necrosis (NTCP) were calculated. The dose-effect relations for COP and CRP were fitted to clinical data. Target point deviations were simulated through random vectors and the resulting probabilities and volumes were calculated and compared with the values of the treatment plan. Results: The decrease of the relative value of the control probabilities at 1 mm target point deviation was up to 4% for AVMs and up to 10% for metastases. At 2 mm the median decrease was 5% for AVMs and 9% for metastases. The value for the target point deviation, at which COP and CRP decreased about 0.05 in 90% of the cases, was 1.3 mm. The increase of NTCP was maximally 0.0025 per mm target point deviation for AVMs and 0.0035/mm for metastases. The maximal increase of VOI10 was 0.7 cm 3 /mm target point deviation in both patient groups. Conclusions: The upper limit for tolerable target point deviations is at 1.3 mm. If this value cannot be achieved during the system test, a supplementary safety margin should be applied for the definition of the target volume. A better accuracy level is desirable, in order to ensure optimal chances for the success of the treatment. The target point precision is less important for the minimization of the probability of radiation necroses

A fluctuation relation for the probability of energy backscatter

Science.gov (United States)

Vela-Martin, Alberto; Jimenez, Javier

2017-11-01

We simulate the large scales of an inviscid turbulent flow in a triply periodic box using a dynamic Smagorinsky model for the sub-grid stresses. The flow, which is forced to constant kinetic energy, is fully reversible and can develop a sustained inverse energy cascade. However, due to the large number of degrees freedom, the probability of spontaneous mean inverse energy flux is negligible. In order to quantify the probability of inverse energy cascades, we test a local fluctuation relation of the form log P(A) = - c(V , t) A , where P(A) = p(| Cs|V,t = A) / p(| Cs|V , t = - A) , p is probability, and | Cs|V,t is the average of the least-squared dynamic model coefficient over volume V and time t. This is confirmed when Cs is averaged over sufficiently large domains and long times, and c is found to depend linearly on V and t. In the limit in which V 1 / 3 is of the order of the integral scale and t is of the order of the eddy-turnover time, we recover a global fluctuation relation that predicts a negligible probability of a sustained inverse energy cascade. For smaller V and t, the local fluctuation relation provides useful predictions on the occurrence of local energy backscatter. Funded by the ERC COTURB project.

The improvement of PWR(OPR-1000) Local Control Pannel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Joo-Youl; Kim, Min-Soo; Kim, Kyung-Min; Lee, Jun-Kou [KHNP CRI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The malfunction of feature in NPP could be occurred by physical aging, electrical false signal and natural disaster. The first recognition of malfunction is almost done by alarm system. Due to the importance of alarm system, design basis of alarm system is described in FSAR 18.1.4.20(alarm system design review). Operators can recognize malfunction of feature and importance of alarm in short distance. The sound of alarm is also changed depending on frequency so it contributes recognition of alarm. This system is not helpful in recognition of alarm for filed operators. In this study, the way that FSAR(priority of alarm and color indication) is also applied on local control is suggested. The alarm sound considering field situation, alarm name, status indication in circuit breaker are suggested to improve overall local control panel. These can contribute to safety operation. This paper is made from improvement items of local control panel in the sight of field operator. The research of local panel is necessary to apply these improvements and the collaboration of related department is also needed. In this study, The alarm sound considering field situation, alarm name, status indication in circuit breaker are suggested to improve overall local control panel based on Hanul Unit 6. If the improvement is applied, the qualitative effect of safe operation will be increased, and fatigue of work stress will be lower.

Applied probability and stochastic processes

CERN Document Server

Sumita, Ushio

1999-01-01

Applied Probability and Stochastic Processes is an edited work written in honor of Julien Keilson. This volume has attracted a host of scholars in applied probability, who have made major contributions to the field, and have written survey and state-of-the-art papers on a variety of applied probability topics, including, but not limited to: perturbation method, time reversible Markov chains, Poisson processes, Brownian techniques, Bayesian probability, optimal quality control, Markov decision processes, random matrices, queueing theory and a variety of applications of stochastic processes. The book has a mixture of theoretical, algorithmic, and application chapters providing examples of the cutting-edge work that Professor Keilson has done or influenced over the course of his highly-productive and energetic career in applied probability and stochastic processes. The book will be of interest to academic researchers, students, and industrial practitioners who seek to use the mathematics of applied probability i...

Improved local control with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal carcinoma: Long-term analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakfoor, Bruce M.; Willett, Christopher G.; Kaufman, S. Donald; Shellito, Paul C.; Daly, William J.

1996-01-01

Objective: Since 1979, our institution has treated locally advanced rectal cancer with preoperative irradiation followed by resection with or without intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). In 1986, our preoperative treatment policy was changed to include bolus 5-FU chemotherapy concurrent with irradiation in hopes of improving resectability, downstaging and/or local control rates. We report the long-term results with the addition of 5-FU chemotherapy to preoperative irradiation. Materials and Methods: From 1979 - 1994, 200 patients with locally advanced rectal carcinoma (primary or recurrent) received preoperative irradiation, resection and IORT if indicated. Bolus 5-FU (500mg/m 2 /day) chemotherapy was administered for three days during weeks one and five of irradiation. The change in treatment policy was limited to the addition of 5-FU chemotherapy: the radiation techniques (four-field), doses (50.4 Gy), and indications for intraoperative radiation (microscopic residual, gross residual, tumor adherence) remained constant. The median follow-up for the entire group of patients was 33 months (.95 months - 199 months), and the minimum follow-up was 1.5 years. Tabular results are 5-year actuarial calculations. Results: One hundred and five patients received preoperative 5-FU chemotherapy and irradiation whereas 95 patients underwent preoperative irradiation alone. Sixty-five percent of the patients were able to undergo complete resections, and 53% had transmural disease upon pathologic examination. The addition of chemotherapy did not affect the rates of resectability or tumor downstaging. However, the 10-year local control rate was significantly improved for those patients who received preoperative chemotherapy: 77% vs. 44% (p<0.01) (see figure). When stratified by extent of resection and stage, those patients who underwent complete resections or had transmural disease had significantly improved local control rates when compared to the non-chemotherapy group: No

Electrochemotherapy increases local control after incomplete ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ibrahim Eldaghayes

2016-11-24

Nov 24, 2016 ... The treatment was well tolerated, and the patient is still disease free after 12 months. ECT resulted in improved local control and should be considered among the available adjuvant treatments in equines carrying soft tissue tumors. Keywords: Cisplatin, Electrochemotherapy, Equine, Fibrosarcoma.

Controlling principles for prior probability assignments in nuclear risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, I.; Unwin, S.D.

1986-01-01

As performed conventionally, nuclear probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) may be criticized as utilizing inscrutable and unjustifiably ''precise'' quantitative informed judgment or extrapolation from that judgment. To meet this criticism, controlling principles that govern the formulation of probability densities are proposed, given only the informed input that would be required for a simple bounding analysis. These principles are founded upon information theoretic ideas of maximum uncertainty and cover both cases in which there exists a stochastic model of the phenomenon of interest and cases in which these is no such model. In part, the principles are conventional, and such an approach is justified by appealing to certain analogies in accounting practice and judicial decision making. Examples are given. Appropriate employment of these principles is expected to facilitate substantial progress toward PRA scrutability and transparency

Cascade Probability Control to Mitigate Bufferbloat under Multiple Real-World TCP Stacks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoang-Linh To

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Persistently full buffer problem, commonly known as bufferbloat, causes unnecessary additional latency and throughput degradation whenever congestion happens in Internet. Several proposed queue management schemes, with the debloat mission, are almost based on the modification of one-loop feedback control where the instability and bad transient behavior are still big challenges. In this paper, we present a cascade probability control scheme using margin optimal method to address such challenges under different kinds of real-world TCP stacks. Simulation results guarantee the measured round trip time tracking to a low value of delay (e.g., ≈180 ms under TCP Reno, and ≈130 ms under TCP Cubic and ≈50% delay reduction in comparison to current deployed queue management schemes in network devices.

Highly tunable local gate controlled complementary graphene device performing as inverter and voltage controlled resistor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Wonjae; Riikonen, Juha; Li, Changfeng; Chen, Ya; Lipsanen, Harri

2013-10-04

Using single-layer CVD graphene, a complementary field effect transistor (FET) device is fabricated on the top of separated back-gates. The local back-gate control of the transistors, which operate with low bias at room temperature, enables highly tunable device characteristics due to separate control over electrostatic doping of the channels. Local back-gating allows control of the doping level independently of the supply voltage, which enables device operation with very low VDD. Controllable characteristics also allow the compensation of variation in the unintentional doping typically observed in CVD graphene. Moreover, both p-n and n-p configurations of FETs can be achieved by electrostatic doping using the local back-gate. Therefore, the device operation can also be switched from inverter to voltage controlled resistor, opening new possibilities in using graphene in logic circuitry.

SureTrak Probability of Impact Display

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, John

2012-01-01

The SureTrak Probability of Impact Display software was developed for use during rocket launch operations. The software displays probability of impact information for each ship near the hazardous area during the time immediately preceding the launch of an unguided vehicle. Wallops range safety officers need to be sure that the risk to humans is below a certain threshold during each use of the Wallops Flight Facility Launch Range. Under the variable conditions that can exist at launch time, the decision to launch must be made in a timely manner to ensure a successful mission while not exceeding those risk criteria. Range safety officers need a tool that can give them the needed probability of impact information quickly, and in a format that is clearly understandable. This application is meant to fill that need. The software is a reuse of part of software developed for an earlier project: Ship Surveillance Software System (S4). The S4 project was written in C++ using Microsoft Visual Studio 6. The data structures and dialog templates from it were copied into a new application that calls the implementation of the algorithms from S4 and displays the results as needed. In the S4 software, the list of ships in the area was received from one local radar interface and from operators who entered the ship information manually. The SureTrak Probability of Impact Display application receives ship data from two local radars as well as the SureTrak system, eliminating the need for manual data entry.

Barriers to adopting and implementing local-level tobacco control policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Satterlund, Travis D; Cassady, Diana; Treiber, Jeanette; Lemp, Cathy

2011-08-01

Although California communities have been relatively successful in adopting and implementing a wide range of local tobacco control policies, the process has not been without its setbacks and barriers. Little is known about local policy adoption, and this paper examines these processes related to adopting and implementing outdoor smoke-free policies, focusing on the major barriers faced by local-level tobacco control organizations in this process. Ninety-six projects funded by the California Tobacco Control Program submitted final evaluation reports pertaining to an outdoor smoking objective, and the reports from these projects were analyzed. The barriers were grouped in three primary areas: politically polarizing barriers, organizational barriers, and local political orientation. The barriers identified in this study underscore the need for an organized action plan in adopting local tobacco policy. The authors also suggest potential strategies to offset the barriers, including: (1) having a "champion" who helps to carry an objective forward; (2) tapping into a pool of youth volunteers; (3) collecting and using local data as a persuasive tool; (4) educating the community in smoke-free policy efforts; (5) working strategically within the local political climate; and (6) demonstrating to policymakers the constituent support for proposed policy.

An empirical study on the basic human error probabilities for NPP advanced main control room operation using soft control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Inseok; Kim, Ar Ryum; Harbi, Mohamed Ali Salem Al; Lee, Seung Jun; Kang, Hyun Gook; Seong, Poong Hyun

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► The operation environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed by adopting new HSIs. ► The operation action in NPP Advanced MCRs is performed by soft control. ► Different basic human error probabilities (BHEPs) should be considered. ► BHEPs in a soft control operation environment are investigated empirically. ► This work will be helpful to verify if soft control has positive or negative effects. -- Abstract: By adopting new human–system interfaces that are based on computer-based technologies, the operation environment of main control rooms (MCRs) in nuclear power plants (NPPs) has changed. The MCRs that include these digital and computer technologies, such as large display panels, computerized procedures, soft controls, and so on, are called Advanced MCRs. Among the many features in Advanced MCRs, soft controls are an important feature because the operation action in NPP Advanced MCRs is performed by soft control. Using soft controls such as mouse control, touch screens, and so on, operators can select a specific screen, then choose the controller, and finally manipulate the devices. However, because of the different interfaces between soft control and hardwired conventional type control, different basic human error probabilities (BHEPs) should be considered in the Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) for advanced MCRs. Although there are many HRA methods to assess human reliabilities, such as Technique for Human Error Rate Prediction (THERP), Accident Sequence Evaluation Program (ASEP), Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART), Human Event Repository and Analysis (HERA), Nuclear Computerized Library for Assessing Reactor Reliability (NUCLARR), Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method (CREAM), and so on, these methods have been applied to conventional MCRs, and they do not consider the new features of advance MCRs such as soft controls. As a result, there is an insufficient database for assessing human reliabilities in advanced

Scalable Harmonization of Complex Networks With Local Adaptive Controllers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kárný, Miroslav; Herzallah, R.

2017-01-01

Roč. 47, č. 3 (2017), s. 394-404 ISSN 2168-2216 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-13502S Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Adaptive control * Adaptive estimation * Bayes methods * Complex networks * Decentralized control * Fee dback * Fee dforward systems * Recursive estimation Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research OBOR OECD: Statistics and probability Impact factor: 2.350, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2016/AS/karny-0457337.pdf

Adjuvant radiation for vulvar carcinoma: improved local control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faul, Clare M.; Mirmow, Dwight; Huang Qingshon; Gerszten, Kristina; Day, Roger; Jones, Mirka W.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Local recurrence is a significant problem following primary surgery for advanced vulva carcinoma. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of adjuvant vulvar radiation on local control in high risk patients and the impact of local recurrence on overall survival. Methods and Materials: From 1980-1994, 62 patients with invasive vulva carcinoma and either positive or close (less 8 mm) margins of excision were retrospectively studied. Thirty-one patients were treated with adjuvant radiation therapy to the vulva and 31 patients were observed after surgery. Kaplan-Meier estimates and the Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to evaluate the effect of adjuvant radiation therapy on local recurrence and overall survival. Independent prognostic factors for local recurrence and survival were also assessed. Results: Local recurrence occurred in 58% of observed patients and 16% in patients treated with adjuvant radiation therapy. Adjuvant radiation therapy significantly reduced local recurrence rates in both the close margin and positive margin groups (p = 0.036, p = 0.0048). On both univariate and multivariate analysis adjuvant radiation and margins of excision were significant prognostic predictors for local control. Significant determinants of actuarial survival included International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) stage, percentage of pathologically positive inguinal nodes and margins of excision. The positive margin observed group had a significantly poorer actuarial 5 year survival than the other groups (p = 0.0016) and adjuvant radiation significantly improved survival for this group. The 2 year actuarial survival after developing local recurrence was 25%. Local recurrence was a significant predictor for death from vulva carcinoma (risk ratio 3.54). Conclusion: Local recurrence is a common occurrence in high risk patients. In this study adjuvant radiation therapy significantly reduced local recurrence rates and

Supervisor localization a top-down approach to distributed control of discrete-event systems

CERN Document Server

Cai, Kai

2016-01-01

This monograph presents a systematic top-down approach to distributed control synthesis of discrete-event systems (DES). The approach is called supervisor localization; its essence is the allocation of external supervisory control action to individual component agents as their internal control strategies. The procedure is: first synthesize a monolithic supervisor, to achieve globally optimal and nonblocking controlled behavior, then decompose the monolithic supervisor into local controllers, one for each agent. The collective behavior of the resulting local controllers is identical to that achieved by the monolithic supervisor. The basic localization theory is first presented in the Ramadge–Wonham language-based supervisory control framework, then demonstrated with distributed control examples of multi-robot formations, manufacturing systems, and distributed algorithms. An architectural approach is adopted to apply localization to large-scale DES; this yields a heterarchical localization procedure, which is...

An empirical study on the human error recovery failure probability when using soft controls in NPP advanced MCRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Inseok; Kim, Ar Ryum; Jung, Wondea; Seong, Poong Hyun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Many researchers have tried to understand human recovery process or step. • Modeling human recovery process is not sufficient to be applied to HRA. • The operation environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed by adopting new HSIs. • Recovery failure probability in a soft control operation environment is investigated. • Recovery failure probability here would be important evidence for expert judgment. - Abstract: It is well known that probabilistic safety assessments (PSAs) today consider not just hardware failures and environmental events that can impact upon risk, but also human error contributions. Consequently, the focus on reliability and performance management has been on the prevention of human errors and failures rather than the recovery of human errors. However, the recovery of human errors is as important as the prevention of human errors and failures for the safe operation of nuclear power plants (NPPs). For this reason, many researchers have tried to find a human recovery process or step. However, modeling the human recovery process is not sufficient enough to be applied to human reliability analysis (HRA), which requires human error and recovery probabilities. In this study, therefore, human error recovery failure probabilities based on predefined human error modes were investigated by conducting experiments in the operation mockup of advanced/digital main control rooms (MCRs) in NPPs. To this end, 48 subjects majoring in nuclear engineering participated in the experiments. In the experiments, using the developed accident scenario based on tasks from the standard post trip action (SPTA), the steam generator tube rupture (SGTR), and predominant soft control tasks, which are derived from the loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and the excess steam demand event (ESDE), all error detection and recovery data based on human error modes were checked with the performance sheet and the statistical analysis of error recovery/detection was then

Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data (QCLCD) Publication

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data (QCLCD) contains summaries from major airport weather stations that include a daily account of temperature extremes,...

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Improves Local Control After Surgical Resection in Patients With Localized Adrenocortical Carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabolch, Aaron; Else, Tobias; Griffith, Kent A.; Ben-Josef, Edgar; Williams, Andrew; Miller, Barbra S.; Worden, Francis; Hammer, Gary D.; Jolly, Shruti

2015-01-01

Purpose: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy known for high rates of local recurrence, though the benefit of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) has not been established. In this study of grossly resected ACC, we compare local control of patients treated with surgery followed by adjuvant RT to a matched cohort treated with surgery alone. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively identified patients with localized disease who underwent R0 or R1 resection followed by adjuvant RT. Only patients treated with RT at our institution were included. Matching to surgical controls was on the basis of stage, surgical margin status, tumor grade, and adjuvant mitotane. Results: From 1991 to 2011, 360 ACC patients were evaluated for ACC at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Twenty patients with localized disease received postoperative adjuvant RT. These were matched to 20 controls. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to stage, margins, grade, or mitotane. Median RT dose was 55 Gy (range, 45-60 Gy). Median follow-up was 34 months. Local recurrence occurred in 1 patient treated with RT, compared with 12 patients not treated with RT (P=.0005; hazard ratio [HR] 12.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.62-97.88). However, recurrence-free survival was no different between the groups (P=.17; HR 1.52; 95% CI 0.67-3.45). Overall survival was also not significantly different (P=.13; HR 1.97; 95% CI 0.57-6.77), with 4 deaths in the RT group compared with 9 in the control group. Conclusions: Postoperative RT significantly improved local control compared with the use of surgery alone in this case-matched cohort analysis of grossly resected ACC patients. Although this retrospective series represents the largest study to date on adjuvant RT for ACC, its findings need to be prospectively confirmed

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Improves Local Control After Surgical Resection in Patients With Localized Adrenocortical Carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabolch, Aaron [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Else, Tobias [Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Griffith, Kent A. [Center for Cancer Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Ben-Josef, Edgar [Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Williams, Andrew [University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Miller, Barbra S. [Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of General Surgery, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Worden, Francis [Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Hammer, Gary D. [Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States); Jolly, Shruti, E-mail: shrutij@med.umich.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan Hospital and Health Systems, Ann Arbor, Mchigan (United States)

2015-06-01

Purpose: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy known for high rates of local recurrence, though the benefit of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) has not been established. In this study of grossly resected ACC, we compare local control of patients treated with surgery followed by adjuvant RT to a matched cohort treated with surgery alone. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively identified patients with localized disease who underwent R0 or R1 resection followed by adjuvant RT. Only patients treated with RT at our institution were included. Matching to surgical controls was on the basis of stage, surgical margin status, tumor grade, and adjuvant mitotane. Results: From 1991 to 2011, 360 ACC patients were evaluated for ACC at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Twenty patients with localized disease received postoperative adjuvant RT. These were matched to 20 controls. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to stage, margins, grade, or mitotane. Median RT dose was 55 Gy (range, 45-60 Gy). Median follow-up was 34 months. Local recurrence occurred in 1 patient treated with RT, compared with 12 patients not treated with RT (P=.0005; hazard ratio [HR] 12.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.62-97.88). However, recurrence-free survival was no different between the groups (P=.17; HR 1.52; 95% CI 0.67-3.45). Overall survival was also not significantly different (P=.13; HR 1.97; 95% CI 0.57-6.77), with 4 deaths in the RT group compared with 9 in the control group. Conclusions: Postoperative RT significantly improved local control compared with the use of surgery alone in this case-matched cohort analysis of grossly resected ACC patients. Although this retrospective series represents the largest study to date on adjuvant RT for ACC, its findings need to be prospectively confirmed.

The effect of a priori probability and complexity on decision making in a supervisory control task

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerstholt, J.H.; Passenier, P.O.; Houttuin, K.; Schuffel, H.

1996-01-01

In the present study we investigated how monitoring and fault management in a ship control task are affected by complexity and a priori probability of disturbances. Partici-pants were required to supervise four independent shipping subsystems and to adjust the subsystems whenever deviations

Maximization of regional probabilities using Optimal Surface Graphs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arias Lorza, Andres M.; Van Engelen, Arna; Petersen, Jens

2018-01-01

Purpose: We present a segmentation method that maximizes regional probabilities enclosed by coupled surfaces using an Optimal Surface Graph (OSG) cut approach. This OSG cut determines the globally optimal solution given a graph constructed around an initial surface. While most methods for vessel...... wall segmentation only use edge information, we show that maximizing regional probabilities using an OSG improves the segmentation results. We applied this to automatically segment the vessel wall of the carotid artery in magnetic resonance images. Methods: First, voxel-wise regional probability maps...... were obtained using a Support Vector Machine classifier trained on local image features. Then, the OSG segments the regions which maximizes the regional probabilities considering smoothness and topological constraints. Results: The method was evaluated on 49 carotid arteries from 30 subjects...

Modulation of cognitive control levels via manipulation of saccade trial-type probability assessed with event-related BOLD fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierce, Jordan E; McDowell, Jennifer E

2016-02-01

Cognitive control supports flexible behavior adapted to meet current goals and can be modeled through investigation of saccade tasks with varying cognitive demands. Basic prosaccades (rapid glances toward a newly appearing stimulus) are supported by neural circuitry, including occipital and posterior parietal cortex, frontal and supplementary eye fields, and basal ganglia. These trials can be contrasted with complex antisaccades (glances toward the mirror image location of a stimulus), which are characterized by greater functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the aforementioned regions and recruitment of additional regions such as dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The current study manipulated the cognitive demands of these saccade tasks by presenting three rapid event-related runs of mixed saccades with a varying probability of antisaccade vs. prosaccade trials (25, 50, or 75%). Behavioral results showed an effect of trial-type probability on reaction time, with slower responses in runs with a high antisaccade probability. Imaging results exhibited an effect of probability in bilateral pre- and postcentral gyrus, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, and medial frontal gyrus. Additionally, the interaction between saccade trial type and probability revealed a strong probability effect for prosaccade trials, showing a linear increase in activation parallel to antisaccade probability in bilateral temporal/occipital, posterior parietal, medial frontal, and lateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, antisaccade trials showed elevated activation across all runs. Overall, this study demonstrated that improbable performance of a typically simple prosaccade task led to augmented BOLD signal to support changing cognitive control demands, resulting in activation levels similar to the more complex antisaccade task. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Local control of Ewing's sarcoma: an analysis of 67 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, A.P.; Fixsen, J.A.; Plowman, P.N.

1987-01-01

Local control of Ewing's sarcoma was analysed in a series of 67 patients treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy as well as combination chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was employed with or without surgery in 60 patients and produced an overall local control rate of 55%; complete excision of the primary lesion seemed to be beneficial. There was a marked variation in control rates depending on the site of the primary lesion: limb 85%, rib 53%, pelvis 31% and other sites 33%.Primary tumours greater than 10 cm in diameter were significantly less likely to be controlled. Using daily fractions of approximately 180 cGy, total doses in excess of 6000 cGy seem more likely to produce serious late morbidity amd may not increase the local control rate. No cases of second malignancy arising in irradiated tissue have been observed to date, but one patient developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. (author)

HLA-Cw Allele Frequency in Definite Meniere’s Disease Compared to Probable Meniere’s Disease and Healthy Controls in an Iranian Sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sasan Dabiri

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction Several lines of evidence support the contribution of autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Meniere’s disease. The aim of this study was determining the association between HLA-Cw Alleles in patients with definite Meniere’s disease and patients with probable Meniere’s disease and a control group.  Materials and Methods: HLA-Cw genotyping was performed in 23 patients with definite Meniere’s disease, 24 with probable Meniere’s disease, and 91 healthy normal subjects, using sequence specific primers polymerase chain reaction technique. The statistical analysis was performed using stata 8 software.  Results: There was a significant association between HLA-Cw*04 and HLA-Cw*16 in both definite and probable Meniere’s disease compared to normal healthy controls. We observed a significant difference in HLA-Cw*12 frequencies between patients with definite Meniere’s disease compared to patients with probable Meniere’s disease (P=0.04. The frequency of HLA-Cw*18 is significantly higher in healthy controls (P=0.002.  Conclusion: Our findings support the rule of HLA-Cw Alleles in both definite and probable Meniere’s disease. In addition, differences in HLA-Cw*12 frequency in definite and probable Meniere’s disease in our study’s population might indicate distinct immune and inflammatory mechanisms involved in each condition.

STAR-TYPE LOCAL AREA NETWORK ACCESS CONTROL

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

逯昭义; 齐藤忠夫

1990-01-01

The multiple access fashion is a new resolution for the star-type local area network (LAN) access control and star-type optical fibre LAN. Arguments about this network are discussed, and the results are introduced.

Electronically controllable spoof localized surface plasmons

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yong Jin; Zhang, Chao; Yang, Liu; Xun Xiao, Qian

2017-10-01

Electronically controllable multipolar spoof localized surface plasmons (LSPs) are experimentally demonstrated in the microwave frequencies. It has been shown that half integer order LSPs modes exist on the corrugated ring loaded with a slit, which actually arise from the Fabry-Perot-like resonances. By mounting active components across the slit in the corrugated rings, electronic switchability and tunability of spoof LSPs modes have been accomplished. Both simulated and measured results demonstrate efficient dynamic control of the spoof LSPs. These elements may form the basis of highly integrated programmable plasmonic circuits in microwave and terahertz regimes.

Blockage-induced condensation controlled by a local reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Cirillo, Emilio N. M.; Colangeli, Matteo; Muntean, Adrian

2016-10-01

We consider the setup of stationary zero range models and discuss the onset of condensation induced by a local blockage on the lattice. We show that the introduction of a local feedback on the hopping rates allows us to control the particle fraction in the condensed phase. This phenomenon results in a current versus blockage parameter curve characterized by two nonanalyticity points.

Generalized Probability-Probability Plots

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mushkudiani, N.A.; Einmahl, J.H.J.

2004-01-01

We introduce generalized Probability-Probability (P-P) plots in order to study the one-sample goodness-of-fit problem and the two-sample problem, for real valued data.These plots, that are constructed by indexing with the class of closed intervals, globally preserve the properties of classical P-P

Basic human error probabilities in advanced MCRs when using soft control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, In Seok; Seong, Poong Hyun; Kang, Hyun Gook; Lee, Seung Jun

2012-01-01

In a report on one of the renowned HRA methods, Technique for Human Error Rate Prediction (THERP), it is pointed out that 'The paucity of actual data on human performance continues to be a major problem for estimating HEPs and performance times in nuclear power plant (NPP) task'. However, another critical difficulty is that most current HRA databases deal with operation in conventional type of MCRs. With the adoption of new human system interfaces that are based on computer based technologies, the operation environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed. The MCRs including these digital and computer technologies, such as large display panels, computerized procedures, soft controls, and so on, are called advanced MCRs. Because of the different interfaces, different Basic Human Error Probabilities (BHEPs) should be considered in human reliability analyses (HRAs) for advanced MCRs. This study carries out an empirical analysis of human error considering soft controls. The aim of this work is not only to compile a database using the simulator for advanced MCRs but also to compare BHEPs with those of a conventional MCR database

Quantum Probabilities as Behavioral Probabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vyacheslav I. Yukalov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate that behavioral probabilities of human decision makers share many common features with quantum probabilities. This does not imply that humans are some quantum objects, but just shows that the mathematics of quantum theory is applicable to the description of human decision making. The applicability of quantum rules for describing decision making is connected with the nontrivial process of making decisions in the case of composite prospects under uncertainty. Such a process involves deliberations of a decision maker when making a choice. In addition to the evaluation of the utilities of considered prospects, real decision makers also appreciate their respective attractiveness. Therefore, human choice is not based solely on the utility of prospects, but includes the necessity of resolving the utility-attraction duality. In order to justify that human consciousness really functions similarly to the rules of quantum theory, we develop an approach defining human behavioral probabilities as the probabilities determined by quantum rules. We show that quantum behavioral probabilities of humans do not merely explain qualitatively how human decisions are made, but they predict quantitative values of the behavioral probabilities. Analyzing a large set of empirical data, we find good quantitative agreement between theoretical predictions and observed experimental data.

Five versus ten fractions per week radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramanjis Viranna Tallari

2017-01-01

Conclusions: After induction chemotherapy, HFRT seems to be more efficacious than CFRT in locally advanced HNSCC, by increasing significantly the probability of progression-free survival and locoregional control.

Probability Aggregates in Probability Answer Set Programming

OpenAIRE

Saad, Emad

2013-01-01

Probability answer set programming is a declarative programming that has been shown effective for representing and reasoning about a variety of probability reasoning tasks. However, the lack of probability aggregates, e.g. {\\em expected values}, in the language of disjunctive hybrid probability logic programs (DHPP) disallows the natural and concise representation of many interesting problems. In this paper, we extend DHPP to allow arbitrary probability aggregates. We introduce two types of p...

Bayesian optimization for computationally extensive probability distributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Ryo; Hukushima, Koji

2018-01-01

An efficient method for finding a better maximizer of computationally extensive probability distributions is proposed on the basis of a Bayesian optimization technique. A key idea of the proposed method is to use extreme values of acquisition functions by Gaussian processes for the next training phase, which should be located near a local maximum or a global maximum of the probability distribution. Our Bayesian optimization technique is applied to the posterior distribution in the effective physical model estimation, which is a computationally extensive probability distribution. Even when the number of sampling points on the posterior distributions is fixed to be small, the Bayesian optimization provides a better maximizer of the posterior distributions in comparison to those by the random search method, the steepest descent method, or the Monte Carlo method. Furthermore, the Bayesian optimization improves the results efficiently by combining the steepest descent method and thus it is a powerful tool to search for a better maximizer of computationally extensive probability distributions.

Local, distributed topology control for large-scale wireless ad-hoc networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieberg, T.; Hurink, Johann L.

In this document, topology control of a large-scale, wireless network by a distributed algorithm that uses only locally available information is presented. Topology control algorithms adjust the transmission power of wireless nodes to create a desired topology. The algorithm, named local power

Local Control With 21-Gy Radiation Therapy for High-Risk Neuroblastoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casey, Dana L.; Kushner, Brian H.; Cheung, Nai-Kong V.; Modak, Shakeel; LaQuaglia, Michael P.; Wolden, Suzanne L.

2016-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate local control after 21-Gy radiation therapy (RT) to the primary site in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Methods and Materials: After receiving dose-intensive chemotherapy and gross total resection (GTR), 246 patients (aged 1.2-17.9 years, median 4.0 years) with high-risk neuroblastoma underwent RT to the primary site at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 2000 to 2014. Radiation therapy consisted of 21 Gy in twice-daily fractions of 1.5 Gy each. Local failure (LF) was correlated with biologic prognostic factors and clinical findings at the time of diagnosis and start of RT. Results: Median follow-up of surviving patients was 6.4 years. Cumulative incidence of LF was 7.1% at 2 years after RT and 9.8% at 5 years after RT. The isolated LF rate was 3.0%. Eighty-six percent of all local failures were within the RT field. Local control was worse in patients who required more than 1 surgical resection to achieve GTR (22.4% vs 8.3%, P=.01). There was also a trend toward inferior local control with MYCN-amplified tumors or serum lactate dehydrogenase ≥1500 U/L (P=.09 and P=.06, respectively). Conclusion: After intensive chemotherapy and maximal surgical debulking, hyperfractionated RT with 21 Gy in high-risk neuroblastoma results in excellent local control. Given the young patient age, concern for late effects, and local control >90%, dose reduction may be appropriate for patients without MYCN amplification who achieve GTR.

Local Control With 21-Gy Radiation Therapy for High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casey, Dana L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Kushner, Brian H.; Cheung, Nai-Kong V.; Modak, Shakeel [Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); LaQuaglia, Michael P. [Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Wolden, Suzanne L., E-mail: woldens@mskcc.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States)

2016-10-01

Purpose: To evaluate local control after 21-Gy radiation therapy (RT) to the primary site in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Methods and Materials: After receiving dose-intensive chemotherapy and gross total resection (GTR), 246 patients (aged 1.2-17.9 years, median 4.0 years) with high-risk neuroblastoma underwent RT to the primary site at Memorial Sloan Kettering from 2000 to 2014. Radiation therapy consisted of 21 Gy in twice-daily fractions of 1.5 Gy each. Local failure (LF) was correlated with biologic prognostic factors and clinical findings at the time of diagnosis and start of RT. Results: Median follow-up of surviving patients was 6.4 years. Cumulative incidence of LF was 7.1% at 2 years after RT and 9.8% at 5 years after RT. The isolated LF rate was 3.0%. Eighty-six percent of all local failures were within the RT field. Local control was worse in patients who required more than 1 surgical resection to achieve GTR (22.4% vs 8.3%, P=.01). There was also a trend toward inferior local control with MYCN-amplified tumors or serum lactate dehydrogenase ≥1500 U/L (P=.09 and P=.06, respectively). Conclusion: After intensive chemotherapy and maximal surgical debulking, hyperfractionated RT with 21 Gy in high-risk neuroblastoma results in excellent local control. Given the young patient age, concern for late effects, and local control >90%, dose reduction may be appropriate for patients without MYCN amplification who achieve GTR.

Supervisor Localization: A Top-Down Approach to Distributed Control of Discrete-Event Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai, K.; Wonham, W. M.

2009-01-01

A purely distributed control paradigm is proposed for discrete-event systems (DES). In contrast to control by one or more external supervisors, distributed control aims to design built-in strategies for individual agents. First a distributed optimal nonblocking control problem is formulated. To solve it, a top-down localization procedure is developed which systematically decomposes an external supervisor into local controllers while preserving optimality and nonblockingness. An efficient localization algorithm is provided to carry out the computation, and an automated guided vehicles (AGV) example presented for illustration. Finally, the 'easiest' and 'hardest' boundary cases of localization are discussed.

Local gate control in carbon nanotube quantum devices

Science.gov (United States)

Biercuk, Michael Jordan

This thesis presents transport measurements of carbon nanotube electronic devices operated in the quantum regime. Nanotubes are contacted by source and drain electrodes, and multiple lithographically-patterned electrostatic gates are aligned to each device. Transport measurements of device conductance or current as a function of local gate voltages reveal that local gates couple primarily to the proximal section of the nanotube, hence providing spatially localized control over carrier density along the nanotube length. Further, using several different techniques we are able to produce local depletion regions along the length of a tube. This phenomenon is explored in detail for different contact metals to the nanotube. We utilize local gating techniques to study multiple quantum dots in carbon nanotubes produced both by naturally occurring defects, and by the controlled application of voltages to depletion gates. We study double quantum dots in detail, where transport measurements reveal honeycomb charge stability diagrams. We extract values of energy-level spacings, capacitances, and interaction energies for this system, and demonstrate independent control over all relevant tunneling rates. We report rf-reflectometry measurements of gate-defined carbon nanotube quantum dots with integrated charge sensors. Aluminum rf-SETs are electrostatically coupled to carbon nanotube devices and detect single electron charging phenomena in the Coulomb blockade regime. Simultaneous correlated measurements of single electron charging are made using reflected rf power from the nanotube itself and from the rf-SET on microsecond time scales. We map charge stability diagrams for the nanotube quantum dot via charge sensing, observing Coulomb charging diamonds beyond the first order. Conductance measurements of carbon nanotubes containing gated local depletion regions exhibit plateaus as a function of gate voltage, spaced by approximately 1e2/h, the quantum of conductance for a single

Thailand Momentum on Policy and Practice in Local Legislation on Dengue Vector Control

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Adisak Bhumiratana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Over a past decade, an administrative decentralization model, adopted for local administration development in Thailand, is replacing the prior centralized (top-down command system. The change offers challenges to local governmental agencies and other public health agencies at all the ministerial, regional, and provincial levels. A public health regulatory and legislative framework for dengue vector control by local governmental agencies is a national topic of interest because dengue control program has been integrated into healthcare services at the provincial level and also has been given priority in health plans of local governmental agencies. The enabling environments of local administrations are unique, so this critical review focuses on the authority of local governmental agencies responsible for disease prevention and control and on the functioning of local legislation with respect to dengue vector control and practices.

Multi-scale evaluation of the environmental controls on burn probability in a southern Sierra Nevada landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Sean A. Parks; Marc-Andre Parisien; Carol Miller

2011-01-01

We examined the scale-dependent relationship between spatial fire likelihood or burn probability (BP) and some key environmental controls in the southern Sierra Nevada, California, USA. Continuous BP estimates were generated using a fire simulation model. The correspondence between BP (dependent variable) and elevation, ignition density, fuels and aspect was evaluated...

Students' Understanding of Conditional Probability on Entering University

Science.gov (United States)

Reaburn, Robyn

2013-01-01

An understanding of conditional probability is essential for students of inferential statistics as it is used in Null Hypothesis Tests. Conditional probability is also used in Bayes' theorem, in the interpretation of medical screening tests and in quality control procedures. This study examines the understanding of conditional probability of…

Probability theory

CERN Document Server

Dorogovtsev, A Ya; Skorokhod, A V; Silvestrov, D S; Skorokhod, A V

1997-01-01

This book of problems is intended for students in pure and applied mathematics. There are problems in traditional areas of probability theory and problems in the theory of stochastic processes, which has wide applications in the theory of automatic control, queuing and reliability theories, and in many other modern science and engineering fields. Answers to most of the problems are given, and the book provides hints and solutions for more complicated problems.

Scheme for implementing N-qubit controlled phase gate of photons assisted by quantum-dot-microcavity coupled system: optimal probability of success

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Wen-Xue; Hu, Shi; Wang, Hong-Fu; Zhu, Ai-Dong; Zhang, Shou

2015-01-01

The direct implementation of multiqubit controlled phase gate of photons is appealing and important for reducing the complexity of the physical realization of linear-optics-based practical quantum computer and quantum algorithms. In this letter we propose a nondestructive scheme for implementing an N-qubit controlled phase gate of photons with a high success probability. The gate can be directly implemented with the self-designed quantum encoder circuits, which are probabilistic optical quantum entangler devices and can be achieved using linear optical elements, single-photon superposition state, and quantum dot coupled to optical microcavity. The calculated results indicate that both the success probabilities of the quantum encoder circuit and the N-qubit controlled phase gate in our scheme are higher than those in the previous schemes. We also consider the effects of the side leakage and cavity loss on the success probability and the fidelity of the quantum encoder circuit for a realistic quantum-dot-microcavity coupled system. (letter)

Capacity analysis in multi-state synaptic models: a retrieval probability perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yibi; Amit, Yali

2011-06-01

We define the memory capacity of networks of binary neurons with finite-state synapses in terms of retrieval probabilities of learned patterns under standard asynchronous dynamics with a predetermined threshold. The threshold is set to control the proportion of non-selective neurons that fire. An optimal inhibition level is chosen to stabilize network behavior. For any local learning rule we provide a computationally efficient and highly accurate approximation to the retrieval probability of a pattern as a function of its age. The method is applied to the sequential models (Fusi and Abbott, Nat Neurosci 10:485-493, 2007) and meta-plasticity models (Fusi et al., Neuron 45(4):599-611, 2005; Leibold and Kempter, Cereb Cortex 18:67-77, 2008). We show that as the number of synaptic states increases, the capacity, as defined here, either plateaus or decreases. In the few cases where multi-state models exceed the capacity of binary synapse models the improvement is small.

Precise Localization and Control of Catalytic Janus Micromotors using Weak Magnetic Fields

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khalil, Islam S. M.; Magdanz, Veronika; Sanchez, Samuel; Schmidt, Oliver G.; Misra, Sarthak

2015-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate the precise localization of spherical Pt-Silica Janus micromotors (diameter 5 mu m) under the influence of controlled magnetic fields. First, we control the motion of the Janus micromotors in two-dimensional (2D) space. The control system achieves precise localization

Mathematical models of tumor growth: translating absorbed dose to tumor control probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sgouros, G.

1996-01-01

cell loss due to irradiation, the log-kill model, therefore, predicts that incomplete treatment of a kinetically heterogeneous tumor will yield a more proliferative tumor. The probability of tumor control in such a simulation may be obtained from the nadir in tumor cell number. If the nadir is not sufficiently low to yield a high probability of tumor control, then the tumor will re-grow. Since tumors in each sub-population are assumed lost at the same rate, cells comprising the sub-population with the shortest potential doubling time will re-grow the fastest, yielding a recurrent tumor that is more proliferative. A number of assumptions and simplifications are both implicitly and explicitly made in converting absorbed dose to tumor control probability. The modeling analyses described above must, therefore, be viewed in terms of understanding and evaluating different treatment approaches with the goal of treatment optimization rather than outcome prediction

Controlling the delocalization-localization transition of light via electromagnetically induced transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Jing; Huang Guoxiang

2011-01-01

We propose a scheme to realize a transition from delocalization to localization of light waves via electromagnetically induced transparency. The system we suggested is a resonant cold atomic ensemble having N configuration, with a control field consisting of two pairs of laser beams with different cross angles, which produce an electromagnetically induced quasiperiodic waveguide (EIQPW) for the propagation of a signal field. By appropriately tuning the incommensurate rate or relative modulation strength between the two pairs of control-field components, the signal field can exhibit the delocalization-localization transition as it transports inside the atomic ensemble. The delocalization-localization transition point is determined and the propagation property of the signal field is studied in detail. Our work provides a way of realizing wave localization via atomic coherence, which is quite different from the conventional, off-resonant mechanism-based Aubry-Andre model, and the great controllability of the EIQPW also allows an easy manipulation of the delocalization-localization transition.

Development of risk assessment simulation tool for optimal control of a low probability-high consequence disaster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yotsumoto, Hiroki; Yoshida, Kikuo; Genchi, Hiroshi

2011-01-01

In order to control low probability-high consequence disaster which causes huge social and economic damage, it is necessary to develop simultaneous risk assessment simulation tool based on the scheme of disaster risk including diverse effects of primary disaster and secondary damages. We propose the scheme of this risk simulation tool. (author)

Sub-half-wavelength atom localization via phase control of a pair of bichromatic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jun; Hu Xiangming

2007-01-01

We propose a scheme of atom localization based on the interaction of the atom in the Λ configuration with a strong bichromatic coupling field and a weak bichromatic probe field with equal frequency difference. One of the bichromatic coupling components is a standing-wave field, which imposes position information on the Rabi frequency. By varying the difference between the relative phases of the two bichromatic fields, the atom is localized in either of the two half-wavelength regions with 50% probability provided the population in the upper state is detected

Supply Chain Control Principles in Local Food Production: A Norwegian Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi C. Dreyer

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Based on an analysis of the supply chain of four producers of local specialty foods, we explore how planning and control principles can be applied to align supply chain capabilities and market requirements. It has been shown that local food struggles with market access, and that the supply chain is one of the obstacles preventing local food producers from gaining a solid market position. We identify a number of features of the local food chain, analyse the obstacles and develop generic designs and control principles for local food producers.

Local control and survival after external irradiation for adenocarcinoma of the prostate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangala, N.; Cox, J.D.; Byhardt, R.W.; Wilson, J.F.; Greenberg, M.; Conceicao, A.L.D.

1982-01-01

From 1966 through 1978, 128 patients with biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate underwent external irradiation to the entire pelvis followed by additional irradiation with a field that encompassed the entire prostate with generous margins. Local recurrence was diagnosed when palpable regrowth occurred and was confirmed by biopsy. Eighteen patients (14%) had local recurrence. Actuarial (life table) local recurrence rates, however, were 24% for both for Stage B and C patients. Actuarial five year survival was 100% for the 10 Stage A patients, 91% for the 25 Stage B, and 78% for the 93 Stage C patients. Actuarial five year disease-free survival was 59% for Stage B and 69% for Stage C patients. Local recurrence was affected by the total dose to the whole pelvis and the dose at the center of the prostate. Disease-free survival was influenced by differentiation. High dose external irradiation to the prostate and regional lymph nodes offers the greatest probability of long-term disease-free survival for patients with localized disease. Late bowel complications were seen in 14 patients (11%), two of whom required colostomies. Late urinary tract complications were observed in five patients (4%)

Post Laparoscopic Pain Control Using Local Anesthesia through Laparoscopic Port Sites

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Seyyed Amir Vejdan

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Severe abdominal pain is not common after laparoscopic surgeries, but acute or chronic pain after operation is considerable in some patients. Post-operative Pain control after laparoscopic surgeries, is conventionally achieved using analgesics such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs and narcotics, but their administration has a lot of side effects. This study compares the efficacy and side effects of local anesthetic drugs versus conventional analgesics in post-operative pain control.Materials and Methods: This prospective investigation was conducted into two groups of patients (n=93. Group 1, as control group, was given conventional analgesics such as narcotics and NSAIDs. In investigational group, at the end of laparoscopic surgery, prior to port withdrawal, a local anesthetic mixture, a short acting (Lidocaine 2% plus a long acting (Bupivacaine 0.5% is instilled through the port lumen between the abdominal wall layers. The efficacy of both types of medications was compared to their efficacy and side effects.Results: 85% of the control group, received 5 to 20 ml Morphine for pain control while the others were controlled with trans-rectal NSAIDs. In the treatment group, the pain of 65% of the patients was controlled only by local anesthetic drugs, 30% required NSAIDs and the other 5% required narcotics administration for pain control.Conclusion: The administration of local anesthetic drugs after laparoscopic surgery is an effective method for pain control with a low complications rate and side effects of narcotics.

Local-regional control in breast cancer patients with a possible genetic predisposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freedman, Laura M.; Buchholz, Thomas A.; Thames, Howard D.; Strom, Eric A.; McNeese, Marsha D.; Hortobagyi, Gabriel N.; Singletary, S. Eva; Heaton, Keith M.; Hunt, Kelly K.

2000-01-01

Purpose: Local control rates for breast cancer in genetically predisposed women are poorly defined. Because such a small percentage of breast cancer patients have proven germline mutations, surrogates, such as a family history for breast cancer, have been used to examine this issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate local-regional control following breast conservation therapy (BCT) in patients with bilateral breast cancer and a breast cancer family history. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed records of all 58 patients with bilateral breast cancer and a breast cancer family history treated in our institution between 1959 and 1998. The primary surgical treatment was a breast-conserving procedure in 55 of the 116 breast cancer cases and a mastectomy in 61. The median follow-up was 68 months for the BCT patients and 57 months for the mastectomy-treated patients. Results: Eight local-regional recurrences occurred in the 55 cases treated with BCT, resulting in 5- and 10-year actuarial local-regional control rates of 86% and 76%, respectively. In the nine cases that did not receive radiation as a component of their BCT, four developed local-regional recurrences (5- and 10-year local-regional control rates of BCT without radiation: 49% and 49%). The 5- and 10-year actuarial local-regional control rates for the 46 cases treated with BCT and radiation were 94% and 83%, respectively. In these cases, there were two late local recurrences, developing at 8 years and 9 years, respectively. A log rank comparison of radiation versus no radiation actuarial data was significant at p = 0.009. In the cases treated with BCT, a multivariate analysis of radiation use, patient age, degree of family history, margin status, and stage revealed that only the use of radiation was associated with improved local control (Cox regression analysis p = 0.021). The 10-year actuarial rates of local-regional control following mastectomy with and without radiation were 91% and 89

Control room habitability during severe accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siu, R.P.

1989-01-01

The requirements for protection of control room personnel against radiation hazards are specified in 10CFR50, Appendix A, GDC 19. The conventional approach involves a mechanistic evaluation of the radiation doses to control room personnel during design-basis accidents. In this study, an assessment of control room habitability during severe accidents is conducted. The potential levels of radiation hazards to control room personnel are evaluated in terms of both magnitude and probability of occurrence. The expected values for the probabilities of exceeding GDC-19 limits and the cumulative probability distributions of control room doses are determined. In this study, a pressurized water reactor with a large dry containment has been selected for analysis. The types of control rooms evaluated in this study include designs with: (a) filtered local intakes only, (b) filtered recirculation only, (c) filtered local intakes and recirculation, and (d) filtered dual remote intakes and recirculation. From the observations, it is concluded that, except for control room D, all other control room designs may require improvements in order to provide adequate radiation protection during severe accidents, particularly in terms of reducing whole-body gamma doses and skin doses. Potential design improvements include reduction of intake flows for concepts relying on pressurization, reduction in overall leakages, and control room pressurization through the use of bottled air supply

Negative probability in the framework of combined probability

OpenAIRE

Burgin, Mark

2013-01-01

Negative probability has found diverse applications in theoretical physics. Thus, construction of sound and rigorous mathematical foundations for negative probability is important for physics. There are different axiomatizations of conventional probability. So, it is natural that negative probability also has different axiomatic frameworks. In the previous publications (Burgin, 2009; 2010), negative probability was mathematically formalized and rigorously interpreted in the context of extende...

Trial type probability modulates the cost of antisaccades

Science.gov (United States)

Chiau, Hui-Yan; Tseng, Philip; Su, Jia-Han; Tzeng, Ovid J. L.; Hung, Daisy L.; Muggleton, Neil G.

2011-01-01

The antisaccade task, where eye movements are made away from a target, has been used to investigate the flexibility of cognitive control of behavior. Antisaccades usually have longer saccade latencies than prosaccades, the so-called antisaccade cost. Recent studies have shown that this antisaccade cost can be modulated by event probability. This may mean that the antisaccade cost can be reduced, or even reversed, if the probability of surrounding events favors the execution of antisaccades. The probabilities of prosaccades and antisaccades were systematically manipulated by changing the proportion of a certain type of trial in an interleaved pro/antisaccades task. We aimed to disentangle the intertwined relationship between trial type probabilities and the antisaccade cost with the ultimate goal of elucidating how probabilities of trial types modulate human flexible behaviors, as well as the characteristics of such modulation effects. To this end, we examined whether implicit trial type probability can influence saccade latencies and also manipulated the difficulty of cue discriminability to see how effects of trial type probability would change when the demand on visual perceptual analysis was high or low. A mixed-effects model was applied to the analysis to dissect the factors contributing to the modulation effects of trial type probabilities. Our results suggest that the trial type probability is one robust determinant of antisaccade cost. These findings highlight the importance of implicit probability in the flexibility of cognitive control of behavior. PMID:21543748

Increase in tumor control and normal tissue complication probabilities in advanced head-and-neck cancer for dose-escalated intensity-modulated photon and proton therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annika eJakobi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction:Presently used radio-chemotherapy regimens result in moderate local control rates for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. Dose escalation (DE may be an option to improve patient outcome, but may also increase the risk of toxicities in healthy tissue. The presented treatment planning study evaluated the feasibility of two DE levels for advanced HNSCC patients, planned with either intensity-modulated photon therapy (IMXT or proton therapy (IMPT.Materials and Methods:For 45 HNSCC patients, IMXT and IMPT treatment plans were created including DE via a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB in the high-risk volume, while maintaining standard fractionation with 2 Gy per fraction in the remaining target volume. Two DE levels for the SIB were compared: 2.3 Gy and 2.6 Gy. Treatment plan evaluation included assessment of tumor control probabilities (TCP and normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCP.Results:An increase of approximately 10% in TCP was estimated between the DE levels. A pronounced high-dose rim surrounding the SIB volume was identified in IMXT treatment. Compared to IMPT, this extra dose slightly increased the TCP values and to a larger extent the NTCP values. For both modalities, the higher DE level led only to a small increase in NTCP values (mean differences < 2% in all models, except for the risk of aspiration, which increased on average by 8% and 6% with IMXT and IMPT, respectively, but showed a considerable patient dependence. Conclusions:Both DE levels appear applicable to patients with IMXT and IMPT since all calculated NTCP values, except for one, increased only little for the higher DE level. The estimated TCP increase is of relevant magnitude. The higher DE schedule needs to be investigated carefully in the setting of a prospective clinical trial, especially regarding toxicities caused by high local doses that lack a sound dose response description, e.g., ulcers.

Transforming local government by project portfolio management: Identifying and overcoming control problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lars Kristian

2013-01-01

Purpose – As public organizations strive for higher e-government maturity, information technology (IT) Project Portfolio Management (IT PPM) has become a high priority issue. Assuming control is central in IT PPM, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how a Danish local government conducts...... to understand how local governments can improve IT PPM. Keywords IT project portfolio management, E-government, Control theory, Control problems, Formal mechanisms, Informal mechanisms, Local government, Denmark...... control in IT PPM. The authors identify control problems and formulate recommendations to address these. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting principles from Engaged Scholarship, the authors have conducted a case study using a wide variety of data collection methods, including 29 interviews, one...

Precise Localization and Formation Control of Swarm Robots via Wireless Sensor Networks

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Han Wu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Precise localization and formation control are one of the key technologies to achieve coordination and control of swarm robots, which is also currently a bottleneck for practical applications of swarm robotic systems. Aiming at overcoming the limited individual perception and the difficulty of achieving precise localization and formation, a localization approach combining dead reckoning (DR with wireless sensor network- (WSN- based methods is proposed in this paper. Two kinds of WSN localization technologies are adopted in this paper, that is, ZigBee-based RSSI (received signal strength indication global localization and electronic tag floors for calibration of local positioning. First, the DR localization information is combined with the ZigBee-based RSSI position information using the Kalman filter method to achieve precise global localization and maintain the robot formation. Then the electronic tag floors provide the robots with their precise coordinates in some local areas and enable the robot swarm to calibrate its formation by reducing the accumulated position errors. Hence, the overall performance of localization and formation control of the swarm robotic system is improved. Both of the simulation results and the experimental results on a real schematic system are given to demonstrate the success of the proposed approach.

Local state probabilities for solvable restricted solid-on-solid models: A/sub n/, D/sub n/, D/sub n//sup (1)/, and A/sub n//sup (1)/

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuniba, A.; Yajima, T.

1988-01-01

The local state probabilities (LSPs) are exactly computed for four hierarchies of solvable lattice models. They are restricted solid-on-solid (RSOS) models whose local states and their adjacent conditions are specified by Dinkin diagrams of types A/sub n/, D/sub n/, D/sub n//sup (1)/ and A/sub n//sup (1)/. The LSPs are expressed in terms of modular functions characterized by branching identities among the theta functions. Their automorphic properties are used to study the critical behaviors. Some fine structures are found in the spectrum of the critical exponents

Government Internal Control System Maturity: The Role of Internal Guidance and External Control of Local Government in Indonesia

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Sutaryo Sutaryo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study discusses the Government Internal Control System (SPIP. The purpose of this study is to obtain empirical evidence of influence of guidance, external control, and the characteristics of Local Governments on Internal Control (SPIP maturity of local governments in Indonesia. The samples used in this study are 188 local governments in 2014. The variables used include the dependent variable, i.e. the SPIP maturity of local government; Independent variables, i.e. guidance frequency, the number of internal control findings, total assets, total expenditure and the number of local government units. This study uses secondary data obtained from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP and the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK. This study uses multiple regression analysis and the results show that the guidace frequency and total expenditure have a positive influence on maturity of SPIP, SPI finding has a negative influence, and the total assets and the number of units do not have significant influence on the maturity of SPIP.

Precise Localization and Control of Catalytic Janus Micromotors Using Weak Magnetic Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Islam S. M. Khalil

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We experimentally demonstrate the precise localization of spherical Pt-Silica Janus micromotors (diameter 5 μm under the influence of controlled magnetic fields. First, we control the motion of the Janus micromotors in two-dimensional (2D space. The control system achieves precise localization within an average region-of-convergence of 7 μm. Second, we show that these micromotors provide sufficient propulsion force, allowing them to overcome drag and gravitational forces and move both downwards and upwards. This propulsion is studied by moving the micromotors in three-dimensional (3D space. The micromotors move downwards and upwards at average speeds of 19.1 μm/s and 9.8 μm/s, respectively. Moreover, our closed-loop control system achieves localization in 3D space within an average region-of-convergence of 6.3 μm in diameter. The precise motion control and localization of the Janus micromotors in 2D and 3D spaces provides broad possibilities for nanotechnology applications.

Tracking local control of a parabolic trough collector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ajona, J.I.; Alberdi, J.; Gamero, E.; Blanco, J.

1992-01-01

In the local control, the sun position related to the trough collector is measured by two photo-resistors. The provided electronic signal is then compared with reference levels in order to get a set of B logical signals which form a byte. This byte and the commands issued by a programmable controller are connected to the inputs of o P.R.O.M. memory which is programmed with the logical equations of the control system. The memory output lines give the control command of the parabolic trough collector motor. (Author)

Jump probabilities in the non-Markovian quantum jump method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haerkoenen, Kari

2010-01-01

The dynamics of a non-Markovian open quantum system described by a general time-local master equation is studied. The propagation of the density operator is constructed in terms of two processes: (i) deterministic evolution and (ii) evolution of a probability density functional in the projective Hilbert space. The analysis provides a derivation for the jump probabilities used in the recently developed non-Markovian quantum jump (NMQJ) method (Piilo et al 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 180402).

Local control and survival in spinal cord compression from lymphoma and myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallington, M.; Mendis, S.; Premawardhana, U.; Sanders, P.; Shahsavar-Haghighi, K.

1997-01-01

Background: Between 1979 and 1989, 48 cases of extradural spinal cord and cauda equina compression in patients with lymphoma (24) and myeloma (24) received local radiation therapy for control of cord compression. Twenty five (52%) of the cases were treated by surgical decompression prior to irradiation. Thirty five (73%) of the cases received chemotherapy following the diagnosis of spinal cord compression. Post-treatment outcome was assessed at a minimum follow-up of 24 months to determine the significant clinical and treatment factors following irradiation. Results: Seventeen (71%) of the lymphoma and 15 (63%) of the myeloma patients achieved local control, here defined as improvement to, or maintenance of ambulation with minimal or no assistance for 3 months from the start of radiotherapy. At a median follow-up of 30 (2-98) for the lymphoma and 10 (1-87) months for the myeloma patients, the results showed that survival following local radiation therapy for cord compression was independently influenced by the underlying disease type in favour of lymphoma compared to myeloma (P<0.01). The median duration of local control and survival figures were 23 and 48 months for the lymphomas compared to 4.5 and 10 months for the myeloma cases. Survival was also independently influenced by preservation of sphincter function at initial presentation (P<0.02) and the achievement of local control following treatment (P<0.01). Discussion: We conclude that while disease type independently impacts on outcome following treatment of spinal cord compression in lymphoma and myeloma, within both of these disease type the achievement of local control of spinal cord compression is an important management priority, for without local control survival may be adversely affected

Sensitivity of the probability of failure to probability of detection curve regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garza, J.; Millwater, H.

2016-01-01

Non-destructive inspection (NDI) techniques have been shown to play a vital role in fracture control plans, structural health monitoring, and ensuring availability and reliability of piping, pressure vessels, mechanical and aerospace equipment. Probabilistic fatigue simulations are often used in order to determine the efficacy of an inspection procedure with the NDI method modeled as a probability of detection (POD) curve. These simulations can be used to determine the most advantageous NDI method for a given application. As an aid to this process, a first order sensitivity method of the probability-of-failure (POF) with respect to regions of the POD curve (lower tail, middle region, right tail) is developed and presented here. The sensitivity method computes the partial derivative of the POF with respect to a change in each region of a POD or multiple POD curves. The sensitivities are computed at no cost by reusing the samples from an existing Monte Carlo (MC) analysis. A numerical example is presented considering single and multiple inspections. - Highlights: • Sensitivities of probability-of-failure to a region of probability-of-detection curve. • The sensitivities are computed with negligible cost. • Sensitivities identify the important region of a POD curve. • Sensitivities can be used as a guide to selecting the optimal POD curve.

The effect of local control on metastatic dissemination in carcinoma of the prostate: Long-term results in patients treated with 125I implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuks, Z.; Leibel, S.A.; Wallner, K.E.; Begg, C.B.; Fair, W.R.; Anderson, L.L.; Hilaris, B.S.; Whitmore, W.F.

1991-01-01

The study evaluates the effect of the locally recurring tumor on the incidence of metastatic disease in early stage carcinoma of the prostate. The probability of distant metastases was studied in 679 patients with Stage B-C/N0 carcinoma of the prostate treated at MSKCC between 1970 and 1985 (median follow-up of 97 months). Patients were staged with pelvic lymph node dissection and treated with retropubic 125I implantation. The actuarial distant metastases free survival (DMFS) for patients at risk at 15 years after initial therapy was 37%. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis of covariates affecting the metastatic outcome showed that local failure, used in the model as a time dependent variable, was the most significant covariate, although stage, grade, and implant volume were also found to be independent variables. The relative risk of metastatic spread subsequent to local failure was 4-fold increased compared to the risk without evidence of local relapse. The 15-year actuarial DMFS in 351 patients with local control was 77% compared to 24% in 328 patients who developed local relapses (p less than 0.00001). The relation of distant spread to the local outcome was observed regardless of stage, grade, or implant dose. Even stage B1/N0-Grade I patient with local control showed a 15-year actuarial DMFS of 82%, compared to 22% in patients with local relapse (p less than 0.00001). The median local relapse-free survival (LRFS) in the 268 patients with local recurrences who did not receive hormonal therapy before distant metastases were detected was 51 months, compared to a median of 71 months for DMFS in the same patients (p less than 0.001), consistent with the possibility that distant dissemination may develop secondary to local failure

Power probability density function control and performance assessment of a nuclear research reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abharian, Amir Esmaeili; Fadaei, Amir Hosein

2014-01-01

Highlights: • In this paper, the performance assessment of static PDF control system is discussed. • The reactor PDF model is set up based on the B-spline functions. • Acquaints of Nu, and Th-h. equations solve concurrently by reformed Hansen’s method. • A principle of performance assessment is put forward for the PDF of the NR control. - Abstract: One of the main issues in controlling a system is to keep track of the conditions of the system function. The performance condition of the system should be inspected continuously, to keep the system in reliable working condition. In this study, the nuclear reactor is considered as a complicated system and a principle of performance assessment is used for analyzing the performance of the power probability density function (PDF) of the nuclear research reactor control. First, the model of the power PDF is set up, then the controller is designed to make the power PDF for tracing the given shape, that make the reactor to be a closed-loop system. The operating data of the closed-loop reactor are used to assess the control performance with the performance assessment criteria. The modeling, controller design and the performance assessment of the power PDF are all applied to the control of Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) power in a nuclear process. In this paper, the performance assessment of the static PDF control system is discussed, the efficacy and efficiency of the proposed method are investigated, and finally its reliability is proven

Local quantum control of Heisenberg spin chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heule, Rahel; Bruder, C.; Stojanovic, Vladimir M.; Burgarth, Daniel

2010-01-01

Motivated by some recent results of quantum control theory, we discuss the feasibility of local operator control in arrays of interacting qubits modeled as isotropic Heisenberg spin chains. Acting on one of the end spins, we aim at finding piecewise-constant control pulses that lead to optimal fidelities for a chosen set of quantum gates. We analyze the robustness of the obtained results for the gate fidelities to random errors in the control fields, finding that with faster switching between piecewise-constant controls the system is less susceptible to these errors. The observed behavior falls into a generic class of physical phenomena that are related to a competition between resonance- and relaxation-type behavior, exemplified by motional narrowing in NMR experiments. Finally, we discuss how the obtained optimal gate fidelities are altered when the corresponding rapidly varying piecewise-constant control fields are smoothened through spectral filtering.

A STUDY OF COX-2 INHIBITOR CELECOXIB AND CHEMORADIATION IN PATIENTS WITH LOCALLY ADVANCED CERVICAL CANCER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuppa Prakash

2016-08-01

Full Text Available AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate efficacy of concurrent oral Cox-2 Inhibitor (celecoxib and chemoradiation in locoregional control, distant control, disease free survival and/or overall survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. To determine treatment related toxicity rates in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated by oral celecoxib, intravenous cisplatin and concurrent pelvic radiation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study was done for a period of 2 years in a tertiary care cancer hospital which caters to the cancer patients. Advanced squamous, adenocarcinoma or adenosquamous carcinoma of uterine cervix, Patients with age <70 years, ECOG performance status 0-2, Normal haematological investigations, Normal renal function test, Normal liver function test, No disease outside of pelvis. RESULTS This prospective study consisted 30 patients, 15 patients on either arm. Overall pooled mean age for both study and comparison group was 50.3 years with a probability value P=0.91 for age. 14 patients (93.33% in both the arms had a performance status of ECOG 0 or 1 and 1 patient in both arms had ECOG PS-2. Stage distribution of the patients in study arm was 3 in IB2, 2 in IIA, 5 in IIB, 4 in III and 1 in stage IVA. In control arm, out of the 15 patients 2 are in IB2, 2 in IIA, 5 in IIB, 5 in III and 1 in stage IVA. The mean probability value was P=0.65 for stage distribution. 15 patients in arm-A (study arm received pelvic RT 50Gy 2Gy/Fr 5#/week followed by HDR –ICR 3 Fr. 700 cGy/Fr after pelvic RT on an average of 1 week along with weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2 (50 mg (D1, D8, D15, D22 and Cox-2 inhibitor oral celecoxib 400 mg twice daily (800 mg/d starting from day 1 to throughout the duration of the chemoradiation. 15 patients in arm-B (Control arm received pelvic RT 50Gy 2Gy/Fr 5#/week followed by HDR –ICR 3 Fr. 700 cGy/Fr on an average of 1 week after pelvic RT along with weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2 (50 mg (D1, D8, D15, D22

A semi-mechanistic approach to calculate the probability of fuel defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tayal, M.; Millen, E.; Sejnoha, R.

1992-10-01

In this paper the authors describe the status of a semi-mechanistic approach to the calculation of the probability of fuel defects. This approach expresses the defect probability in terms of fundamental parameters such as local stresses, local strains, and fission product concentration. The calculations of defect probability continue to reflect the influences of the conventional parameters like power ramp, burnup and CANLUB. In addition, the new approach provides a mechanism to account for the impacts of additional factors involving detailed fuel design and reactor operation, for example pellet density, pellet shape and size, sheath diameter and thickness, pellet/sheath clearance, and coolant temperature and pressure. The approach has been validated against a previous empirical correlation. AN illustrative example shows how the defect thresholds are influenced by changes in the internal design of the element and in the coolant pressure. (Author) (7 figs., tab., 12 refs.)

Distributed illumination control with local sensing and actuation in networked lighting systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Caicedo Fernandez, D.R.; Pandharipande, A.

2013-01-01

We consider the problem of illumination control in a networked lighting system wherein luminaires have local sensing and actuation capabilities. Each luminaire (i) consists of a light emitting diode (LED) based light source dimmable by a local controller, (ii) is actuated based on sensing

Probability

CERN Document Server

Shiryaev, A N

1996-01-01

This book contains a systematic treatment of probability from the ground up, starting with intuitive ideas and gradually developing more sophisticated subjects, such as random walks, martingales, Markov chains, ergodic theory, weak convergence of probability measures, stationary stochastic processes, and the Kalman-Bucy filter Many examples are discussed in detail, and there are a large number of exercises The book is accessible to advanced undergraduates and can be used as a text for self-study This new edition contains substantial revisions and updated references The reader will find a deeper study of topics such as the distance between probability measures, metrization of weak convergence, and contiguity of probability measures Proofs for a number of some important results which were merely stated in the first edition have been added The author included new material on the probability of large deviations, and on the central limit theorem for sums of dependent random variables

Continuous and split-course radiotherapy in locally advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Analyses of local control, distant metastases, crude survival, early and late morbidity and prognostic factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, D.E.

1994-01-01

From 1974 to 1984, 442 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were referred for combined intracavitary (IRT) and external radiotherapy (ERT). Dose prescriptions were performed based on the points A and B of the Manchester system. From 1978 the treatment strategy was changed from continuous (CRT) to split course radiotherapy (SCRT) with a higher total dose to point B, a lower dose to point A from the IRT, and a longer total treatment time (TTT). The purpose of the present thesis is: To evaluate local tumour control, distant metastases, survival and complications in the rectosigmoid and bladder in relation to treatment strategy (continuous and split course radiotherapy). To evaluate prognostic factors and importance of treatment strategy for local control, distant metastases, and survival by uni- and multivariate analyses. To develop a classification system (AADK, Aarhus, Denmark) for the recording of early and late radiation complications allowing and estimation of the importance of latency when reporting late radiotherapeutic morbidity and a rescoring of complication grade, and to compare results from AADK with those from the French-Italian glossary recording the maximal damage. To evaluate early and late radiotherapeutic morbidity and the importance of latency by comparing frequencies and actuarial estimates of late complications, to estimate the combined late organ morbidity and the probability of being alive, cured and without serious complications. (EG) (61 refs.)

Tuberculosis control: decentralization, local planning and management specificities.

Science.gov (United States)

Trigueiro, Janaína Von Söhsten; Nogueira, Jordana de Almeida; de Sá, Lenilde Duarte; Palha, Pedro Fredemir; Villa, Tereza Cristina Scatena; Trigueiro, Débora Raquel Soares Guedes

2011-01-01

The goal was to analyze, according to the perception of health managers, the practices that guide tuberculosis control actions in cities in the metropolitan region of João Pessoa - PB, Brazil. This qualitative study involved eight professionals in management functions. Testimonies were collected through semi-structured interviews between May and June 2009 and organized through content analysis. Despite the acknowledged benefits of tuberculosis control action decentralization, local planning indicates the predominance of a bureaucratic model that is restricted to negotiation and supplies. Local programming is centered on the coordinator, which shows a command line and vertical management that lead to the fragmentation of the work process. Management action should follow an innovative and transformative route that surpasses bureaucratic barriers and faces the biggest challenge it is proposed: to balance professional interrelations with a view to improving health work performance.

Local system for control by console-mobile crane for russian depository of fissionable materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troshchenko, V.G.; Kapustin, V.N.; Zinina, N.V.; Derbyshev, S.A.

2005-01-01

Description of crane of console-mobile type used for transportation of fissionable materials in depository with local control system is represented. Local control system realizes program control in real time [ru

Neural Network with Local Memory for Nuclear Reactor Power Level Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uluyol, Oender; Ragheb, Magdi; Tsoukalas, Lefteri

2001-01-01

A methodology is introduced for a neural network with local memory called a multilayered local output gamma feedback (LOGF) neural network within the paradigm of locally-recurrent globally-feedforward neural networks. It appears to be well-suited for the identification, prediction, and control tasks in highly dynamic systems; it allows for the presentation of different timescales through incorporation of a gamma memory. A learning algorithm based on the backpropagation-through-time approach is derived. The spatial and temporal weights of the network are iteratively optimized for a given problem using the derived learning algorithm. As a demonstration of the methodology, it is applied to the task of power level control of a nuclear reactor at different fuel cycle conditions. The results demonstrate that the LOGF neural network controller outperforms the classical as well as the state feedback-assisted classical controllers for reactor power level control by showing a better tracking of the demand power, improving the fuel and exit temperature responses, and by performing robustly in different fuel cycle and power level conditions

Local control of striatal dopamine release

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger eCachope

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine (DA systems play a key role in the physiology of reward seeking, motivation and motor control. Importantly, they are also involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia and addiction. Control of DA release in the striatum is tightly linked to firing of DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA and the substantia nigra (SN. However, local influences in the striatum affect release by exerting their action directly on axon terminals. For example, endogenous glutamatergic and cholinergic activity is sufficient to trigger striatal DA release independently of cell body firing. Recent developments involving genetic manipulation, pharmacological selectivity or selective stimulation have allowed for better characterization of these phenomena. Such termino-terminal forms of control of DA release transform considerably our understanding of the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal systems, and have strong implications as potential mechanisms to modify impaired control of DA release in the diseased brain. Here, we review these and related mechanisms and their implications in the physiology of ascending DA systems.

Participatory health impact assessment for the development of local government regulation on hazard control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inmuong, Uraiwan; Rithmak, Panee; Srisookwatana, Soomol; Traithin, Nathathai; Maisuporn, Pornpun

2011-01-01

The Thai Public Health Act 1992 required the Thai local governments to issue respective regulations to take control of any possible health-hazard related activities, both from commercial and noncommercial sources. Since 1999, there has been centrally decentralized of power to a new form of local government establishment, namely Sub-district Administrative Organization (SAO). The SAO is asmall-scale local governing structure while its legitimate function is for community services, including control of health impact related activities. Most elected SAO administrators and officers are new and less experience with any of public health code of practice, particularly on health-hazard control. This action research attempted to introduce and apply a participatory health impact assessment (HIA) tool for the development of SAO health-hazard control regulation. The study sites were at Ban Meang and Kok See SAOs, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, while all intervention activities conducted during May 2005-April 2006. A set of cooperative activities between researchers and community representatives were planned and organized by; surveying and identifying place and service base locally causing local environmental health problems, organizing community participatory workshops for drafting and proposing the health-hazard control regulation, and appropriate practices for health-hazard controlling measures. This action research eventually could successfully enable the SAO administrators and officers understanding of local environmental-related health problem, as well as development of imposed health-hazard control regulation for local community.

Charging for Local Social Services: the Case of Estonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Pihor

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Increasing fiscal pressure has forced local governments to seek new sources of autonomous revenues for financing public services. Charging users of social services has been modest, but with an aging society and growing social costs, this option needs to be reconsidered. This paper combines the results of the survey on the application of user charges on local social services in Estonian local governments (LGs with the official financial and population statistics in order to discover trends and explore factors determining the application of user charges in a small, unitary, highly centralised, post-soviet country. We conclude that user charges are mainly considered as a source of information and additional income to partially cover service costs – the possibilities of increased efficiency and demand control have remained undervalued. The probability of charging users of social services tends to be greater if the income level of inhabitants is higher, reflecting the ‘ability to pay’ principle. Charging users is more probable in the municipalities where the social costs are higher in volume or in proportion to the budget’s expenditures.

Performance Probability Distributions for Sediment Control Best Management Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrell, L.; Beighley, R.; Walsh, K.

2007-12-01

Controlling soil erosion and sediment transport can be a significant challenge during the construction process due to the extent and conditions of bare, disturbed soils. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are used as the framework for the design of sediment discharge prevention systems in stormwater pollution prevention plans which are typically required for construction sites. This research focuses on commonly-used BMP systems for perimeter control of sediment export: silt fences and fiber rolls. Although these systems are widely used, the physical and engineering parameters describing their performance are not well understood. Performance expectations are based on manufacturer results, but due to the dynamic conditions that exist on a construction site performance expectations are not always achievable in the field. Based on experimental results product performance is shown to be highly variable. Experiments using the same installation procedures show inconsistent sediment removal performances ranging from (>)85 percent to zero. The goal of this research is to improve the determination of off-site sediment yield based on probabilistic performance results of perimeter control BMPs. BMPs are evaluated in the Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (SERL) in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at San Diego State University. SERL experiments are performed on a 3-m by 10-m tilting soil bed with a soil depth of 0.5 meters and a slope of 33 percent. The simulated storm event consists of 17 mm/hr for 20 minutes followed by 51 mm/hr for 30 minutes. The storm event is based on an ASTM design storm intended to simulate BMP failures. BMP performance is assessed based on experiments where BMPs are installed per manufacture specifications, less than optimal installations, and no treatment conditions. Preliminary results from 30 experiments are presented and used to develop probability distributions for BMP sediment removal efficiencies. The results are then combined with

Transforming local government by project portfolio management: Identifying and overcoming control problems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Lars Kristian

2013-01-01

Purpose – As public organizations strive for higher e-government maturity, information technology (IT) Project Portfolio Management (IT PPM) has become a high priority issue. Assuming control is central in IT PPM, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how a Danish local government conducts...... workshop, and analyses of documents. Findings – It is found that the local government relies vastly on informal control mechanisms and five control problems are identified: weak accountability processes between the political and administrative level; weak accountability between the director level...... the identified control problems. Research limitations/implications – As a single qualitative case study, the results are limited to one organization and subject. Practical implications – The paper has implications for IT PPM in Danish local governments and similar organizations in other countries. The paper...

Two-dimensional atom localization via two standing-wave fields in a four-level atomic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hongtao; Wang Hui; Wang Zhiping

2011-01-01

We propose a scheme for the two-dimensional (2D) localization of an atom in a four-level Y-type atomic system. By applying two orthogonal standing-wave fields, the atoms can be localized at some special positions, leading to the formation of sub-wavelength 2D periodic spatial distributions. The localization peak position and number as well as the conditional position probability can be controlled by the intensities and detunings of optical fields.

Using probability modelling and genetic parentage assignment to test the role of local mate availability in mating system variation.

Science.gov (United States)

Blyton, Michaela D J; Banks, Sam C; Peakall, Rod; Lindenmayer, David B

2012-02-01

The formal testing of mating system theories with empirical data is important for evaluating the relative importance of different processes in shaping mating systems in wild populations. Here, we present a generally applicable probability modelling framework to test the role of local mate availability in determining a population's level of genetic monogamy. We provide a significance test for detecting departures in observed mating patterns from model expectations based on mate availability alone, allowing the presence and direction of behavioural effects to be inferred. The assessment of mate availability can be flexible and in this study it was based on population density, sex ratio and spatial arrangement. This approach provides a useful tool for (1) isolating the effect of mate availability in variable mating systems and (2) in combination with genetic parentage analyses, gaining insights into the nature of mating behaviours in elusive species. To illustrate this modelling approach, we have applied it to investigate the variable mating system of the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus cunninghami) and compared the model expectations with the outcomes of genetic parentage analysis over an 18-year study. The observed level of monogamy was higher than predicted under the model. Thus, behavioural traits, such as mate guarding or selective mate choice, may increase the population level of monogamy. We show that combining genetic parentage data with probability modelling can facilitate an improved understanding of the complex interactions between behavioural adaptations and demographic dynamics in driving mating system variation. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Scaling Qualitative Probability

OpenAIRE

Burgin, Mark

2017-01-01

There are different approaches to qualitative probability, which includes subjective probability. We developed a representation of qualitative probability based on relational systems, which allows modeling uncertainty by probability structures and is more coherent than existing approaches. This setting makes it possible proving that any comparative probability is induced by some probability structure (Theorem 2.1), that classical probability is a probability structure (Theorem 2.2) and that i...

Probability of Achieving Glycemic Control with Basal Insulin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Real-World Practice in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Blonde, Lawrence; Meneghini, Luigi; Peng, Xuejun Victor; Boss, Anders; Rhee, Kyu; Shaunik, Alka; Kumar, Supriya; Balodi, Sidhartha; Brulle-Wohlhueter, Claire; McCrimmon, Rory J

2018-06-01

Basal insulin (BI) plays an important role in treating type 2 diabetes (T2D), especially when oral antidiabetic (OAD) medications are insufficient for glycemic control. We conducted a retrospective, observational study using electronic medical records (EMR) data from the IBM ® Explorys database to evaluate the probability of achieving glycemic control over 24 months after BI initiation in patients with T2D in the USA. A cohort of 6597 patients with T2D who started BI following OAD(s) and had at least one valid glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) result recorded both within 90 days before and 720 days after BI initiation were selected. We estimated the changes from baseline in HbA1c every 6 months, the quarterly conditional probabilities of reaching HbA1c < 7% if a patient had not achieved glycemic control prior to each quarter (Q), and the cumulative probability of reaching glycemic control over 24 months. Our cohort was representative of patients with T2D who initiated BI from OADs in the USA. The average HbA1c was 9.1% at BI initiation, and decreased robustly (1.5%) in the first 6 months after initiation with no further reductions thereafter. The conditional probability of reaching glycemic control decreased rapidly in the first year (26.6% in Q2; 17.6% in Q3; 8.6% in Q4), and then remained low (≤ 6.1%) for each quarter in the second year. Cumulatively, about 38% of patients reached HbA1c < 7% in the first year; only approximately 8% more did so in the second year. Our study of real-world data from a large US EMR database suggested that among patients with T2D who initiated BI after OADs, the likelihood of reaching glycemic control diminished over time, and remained low from 12 months onwards. Additional treatment options should be considered if patients do not reach glycemic control within 12 months of BI initiation. Sanofi Corporation.

Local control after brachytherapy for localized prostatic carcinomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wachter, T.; Peneau, M.; Sabattier, R.; Breteau, N.

1996-01-01

From 1991 to 1995; 31 patients (mid-age: 70 years) underwent prostatic brachytherapy for localized prostate cancers using Iridium 192 transperineal percutaneous interstitial implantation guided by transrectal ultrasonography. Initial staging included among other evaluations a bilateral staging, iliac and obturator lymph nodes dissection. Classification according to stage was : T1b=16%, T1c=36%, T2a=19%, T2b=13%, T2c=13%, T3a=3%. All patients were N (-). Gleason score was 5 for 55%. 77% of the initial PSA was < 25μg/l. Follow-up included one clinical control and psa determination at 1-3-6-12 and 18 months, bone scanning at 12 months and prostate biopsy guided by transrectal ultrasonography at 18, 24, 30 months. Up to now, mean follow-up is 32 months. At one month, psa was normal (< 2,5μg/l) in 21% of the patients, at 12 months 60% and 67% two years after brachytherapy. Biopsies at 18 months were negative for 60% of the patients and 63% at 24 months. 3 patients were metastased after 3 years. 4 patients had severe complications with colostomy and/or urinary derivation. This technic seems to be interesting for localized prostate cancers T1 and T2 with initial psa < 25μg/l. Two third of the patients had normal psa and negative biopsies after 2 years. The rate of ano-rectal and urinary morbidity is high but is explained by the technic used at the beginning of this study

Risk Assessment Using the Three Dimensions of Probability (Likelihood), Severity, and Level of Control

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Clifford C.

2011-01-01

Traditional hazard analysis techniques utilize a two-dimensional representation of the results determined by relative likelihood and severity of the residual risk. These matrices present a quick-look at the Likelihood (Y-axis) and Severity (X-axis) of the probable outcome of a hazardous event. A three-dimensional method, described herein, utilizes the traditional X and Y axes, while adding a new, third dimension, shown as the Z-axis, and referred to as the Level of Control. The elements of the Z-axis are modifications of the Hazard Elimination and Control steps (also known as the Hazard Reduction Precedence Sequence). These steps are: 1. Eliminate risk through design. 2. Substitute less risky materials for more hazardous materials. 3. Install safety devices. 4. Install caution and warning devices. 5. Develop administrative controls (to include special procedures and training.) 6. Provide protective clothing and equipment. When added to the two-dimensional models, the level of control adds a visual representation of the risk associated with the hazardous condition, creating a tall-pole for the least-well-controlled failure while establishing the relative likelihood and severity of all causes and effects for an identified hazard. Computer modeling of the analytical results, using spreadsheets and three-dimensional charting gives a visual confirmation of the relationship between causes and their controls.

Combining local and global optimisation for virtual camera control

OpenAIRE

Burelli, Paolo; Yannakakis, Georgios N.; 2010 IEEE Symposium on Computational Intelligence and Games

2010-01-01

Controlling a virtual camera in 3D computer games is a complex task. The camera is required to react to dynamically changing environments and produce high quality visual results and smooth animations. This paper proposes an approach that combines local and global search to solve the virtual camera control problem. The automatic camera control problem is described and it is decomposed into sub-problems; then a hierarchical architecture that solves each sub-problem using the most appropriate op...

Traditional methods of social control in Afikpo north local ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditional methods of social control in Afikpo north local government area, Ebonyi state south eastern Nigeria. ... Journal of Religion and Human Relations ... simple percentage was used in presenting and interpreting the quantitative data.

Control Surface Fault Diagnosis with Specified Detection Probability - Real Event Experiences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Søren; Blanke, Mogens

2013-01-01

desired levels of false alarms and detection probabilities. Self-tuning residual generators are employed for diagnosis and are combined with statistical change detection to form a setup for robust fault diagnosis. On-line estimation of test statistics is used to obtain a detection threshold and a desired...... false alarm probability. A data based method is used to determine the validity of the methods proposed. Verification is achieved using real data and shows that the presented diagnosis method is efficient and could have avoided incidents where faults led to loss of aircraft....

Local hierarchical control for industrial microgrids with improved frequency regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rey, Juan M.; Vergara, Pedro P.; Castilla, Miguel

2018-01-01

Local control strategies that operate without relying on communication systems enhance flexibility and reliability of AC industrial microgrids. Based on a previous work in which a secondary switched control was proposed, this paper presents a complementary strategy to improve the frequency......-use of communications. Experimental results obtained on a laboratory microgrid are presented to validate the performance of the proposed complementary control strategy....

A mobile console for local access to accelerator control systems.

CERN Multimedia

1981-01-01

Microprocessors were installed as auxiliary crate controllers (ACCs) in the CAMAC interface of control systems for various accelerators. The same ACC was also at the hearth of a stand-alone system in the form of a mobile console. This was also used for local access to the control systems for tests and development work (Annual Report 1981, p. 80, Fig. 10).

Localized and Energy-Efficient Topology Control in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Fuzzy-Logic Control Approaches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuanjiang Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The sensor nodes in the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs are prone to failures due to many reasons, for example, running out of battery or harsh environment deployment; therefore, the WSNs are expected to be able to maintain network connectivity and tolerate certain amount of node failures. By applying fuzzy-logic approach to control the network topology, this paper aims at improving the network connectivity and fault-tolerant capability in response to node failures, while taking into account that the control approach has to be localized and energy efficient. Two fuzzy controllers are proposed in this paper: one is Learning-based Fuzzy-logic Topology Control (LFTC, of which the fuzzy controller is learnt from a training data set; another one is Rules-based Fuzzy-logic Topology Control (RFTC, of which the fuzzy controller is obtained through designing if-then rules and membership functions. Both LFTC and RFTC do not rely on location information, and they are localized. Comparing them with other three representative algorithms (LTRT, List-based, and NONE through extensive simulations, our two proposed fuzzy controllers have been proved to be very energy efficient to achieve desired node degree and improve the network connectivity when sensor nodes run out of battery or are subject to random attacks.

Streamlining Local Behaviour Through Communication, Incentives and Control: A Case Study of Local Environmental Policies in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Heberer

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes how China uses evaluation ratings and monitoring as incentives in order to foster the implementation of environmental policies at the local level. It is argued that decentralisation in China leaves room for actors at the local levels to manoeuver and bargain with those on higher levels for flexible adjustment of implementation policies according to local conditions. However, decentralisation is accompanied by significant institutional changes in the structure of intergovernmental communication, incentives and control. Accordingly, decentralisation in China exhibits a specific design which leaves space for divergent local environmental policies while also engendering “grass-roots mechanisms”. On the whole, this new institutional setting benefits the implementation of environmental policies.

Toward a generalized probability theory: conditional probabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassinelli, G.

1979-01-01

The main mathematical object of interest in the quantum logic approach to the foundations of quantum mechanics is the orthomodular lattice and a set of probability measures, or states, defined by the lattice. This mathematical structure is studied per se, independently from the intuitive or physical motivation of its definition, as a generalized probability theory. It is thought that the building-up of such a probability theory could eventually throw light on the mathematical structure of Hilbert-space quantum mechanics as a particular concrete model of the generalized theory. (Auth.)

Association between obesity and local control of advanced rectal cancer after combined surgery and radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Yun Seon; Park, Sung Kwang; Cho, Heung Lae; Ahn, Ki Jung [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yun Han [Dept. of Molecular Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

The association between metabolism and cancer has been recently emphasized. This study aimed to find the prognostic significance of obesity in advanced stage rectal cancer patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy (RT). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 111 patients who were treated with combined surgery and RT for clinical stage 2–3 (T3 or N+) rectal cancer between 2008 and 2014. The prognostic significance of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m{sup 2}) in local control was evaluated. The median follow-up was 31.2 months (range, 4.1 to 85.7 months). Twenty-five patients (22.5%) were classified as obese. Treatment failure occurred in 33 patients (29.7%), including local failures in 13 patients (11.7%), regional lymph node failures in 5, and distant metastases in 24. The 3-year local control, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival rates were 88.7%, 73.6%, and 87.7%, respectively. Obesity (n = 25) significantly reduced the local control rate (p = 0.045; 3-year local control, 76.2%), especially in women (n = 37, p = 0.021). Segregation of local control was best achieved by BMI of 25.6 kg/m{sup 2} as a cutoff value. Obese rectal cancer patients showed poor local control after combined surgery and RT. More effective local treatment strategies for obese patients are warranted.

Association between obesity and local control of advanced rectal cancer after combined surgery and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yun Seon; Park, Sung Kwang; Cho, Heung Lae; Ahn, Ki Jung; Lee, Yun Han

2016-01-01

The association between metabolism and cancer has been recently emphasized. This study aimed to find the prognostic significance of obesity in advanced stage rectal cancer patients treated with surgery and radiotherapy (RT). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 111 patients who were treated with combined surgery and RT for clinical stage 2–3 (T3 or N+) rectal cancer between 2008 and 2014. The prognostic significance of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m 2 ) in local control was evaluated. The median follow-up was 31.2 months (range, 4.1 to 85.7 months). Twenty-five patients (22.5%) were classified as obese. Treatment failure occurred in 33 patients (29.7%), including local failures in 13 patients (11.7%), regional lymph node failures in 5, and distant metastases in 24. The 3-year local control, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival rates were 88.7%, 73.6%, and 87.7%, respectively. Obesity (n = 25) significantly reduced the local control rate (p = 0.045; 3-year local control, 76.2%), especially in women (n = 37, p = 0.021). Segregation of local control was best achieved by BMI of 25.6 kg/m 2 as a cutoff value. Obese rectal cancer patients showed poor local control after combined surgery and RT. More effective local treatment strategies for obese patients are warranted

Local anaesthetic medication for the treatment of asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo A Siqueira

2005-03-01

Full Text Available It is presumed that drugs able to prevent bronchial spasm and/or inflammation may have therapeutic potential to control asthma symptoms. The local anaesthetic lidocaine has recently received increased attention as an alternative form of treatment for asthmatic patients. This paper reviews the major findings on the topic and summarizes the putative mechanisms underlying the airway effects of local anaesthetic agents. We think that lidocaine extends the spectrum of options in asthma therapy, probably by counteracting both spasmogenic and inflammatory stimuli in the bronchial airways. The possibility of development of new anti-asthma compounds based on the synthesis of lidocaine derivatives is also on the horizon.

Multi-region fuzzy logic controller with local PID controllers for U-tube steam generator in nuclear power plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Puchalski Bartosz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the paper, analysis of multi-region fuzzy logic controller with local PID controllers for steam generator of pressurized water reactor (PWR working in wide range of thermal power changes is presented. The U-tube steam generator has a nonlinear dynamics depending on thermal power transferred from coolant of the primary loop of the PWR plant. Control of water level in the steam generator conducted by a traditional PID controller which is designed for nominal power level of the nuclear reactor operates insufficiently well in wide range of operational conditions, especially at the low thermal power level. Thus the steam generator is often controlled manually by operators. Incorrect water level in the steam generator may lead to accidental shutdown of the nuclear reactor and consequently financial losses. In the paper a comparison of proposed multi region fuzzy logic controller and traditional PID controllers designed only for nominal condition is presented. The gains of the local PID controllers have been derived by solving appropriate optimization tasks with the cost function in a form of integrated squared error (ISE criterion. In both cases, a model of steam generator which is readily available in literature was used for control algorithms synthesis purposes. The proposed multi-region fuzzy logic controller and traditional PID controller were subjected to broad-based simulation tests in rapid prototyping software - Matlab/Simulink. These tests proved the advantage of multi-region fuzzy logic controller with local PID controllers over its traditional counterpart.

WE-AB-207B-11: Optimizing Tumor Control Probability in Radiation Therapy Treatment - Application to HDR Cervical Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, E [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (Georgia); Yuan, F [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GEORGIA (United States); Templeton, A [Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (United States); Yao, R [Columbus Regional Healthcare, Columbus, GA (United States); Chu, J [Rush University Medical Center, Oak Brook, IL (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The ultimate goal of radiotherapy treatment planning is to find a treatment that will yield a high tumor-control-probability(TCP) with an acceptable normal-tissue-complication probability(NTCP). Yet most treatment planning today is not based upon optimization of TCPs and NTCPs, but rather upon meeting physical dose and volume constraints defined by the planner. We design treatment plans that optimize TCP directly and contrast them with the clinical dose-based plans. PET image is incorporated to evaluate gain in TCP for dose escalation. Methods: We build a nonlinear mixed integer programming optimization model that maximizes TCP directly while satisfying the dose requirements on the targeted organ and healthy tissues. The solution strategy first fits the TCP function with a piecewise-linear approximation, then solves the problem that maximizes the piecewise linear approximation of TCP, and finally performs a local neighborhood search to improve the TCP value. To gauge the feasibility, characteristics, and potential benefit of PET-image guided dose escalation, initial validation consists of fifteen cervical cancer HDR patient cases. These patients have all received prior 45Gy of external radiation dose. For both escalated strategies, we consider 35Gy PTV-dose, and two variations (37Gy-boost to BTV vs 40Gy-boost) to PET-image-pockets. Results: TCP for standard clinical plans range from 59.4% - 63.6%. TCP for dose-based PET-guided escalated-dose-plan ranges from 63.8%–98.6% for all patients; whereas TCP-optimized plans achieves over 91% for all patients. There is marginal difference in TCP among those with 37Gy-boosted vs 40Gy-boosted. There is no increase in rectum and bladder dose among all plans. Conclusion: Optimizing TCP directly results in highly conformed treatment plans. The TCP-optimized plan is individualized based on the biological PET-image of the patients. The TCP-optimization framework is generalizable and has been applied successfully to other

WE-AB-207B-11: Optimizing Tumor Control Probability in Radiation Therapy Treatment - Application to HDR Cervical Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, E; Yuan, F; Templeton, A; Yao, R; Chu, J

2016-01-01

Purpose: The ultimate goal of radiotherapy treatment planning is to find a treatment that will yield a high tumor-control-probability(TCP) with an acceptable normal-tissue-complication probability(NTCP). Yet most treatment planning today is not based upon optimization of TCPs and NTCPs, but rather upon meeting physical dose and volume constraints defined by the planner. We design treatment plans that optimize TCP directly and contrast them with the clinical dose-based plans. PET image is incorporated to evaluate gain in TCP for dose escalation. Methods: We build a nonlinear mixed integer programming optimization model that maximizes TCP directly while satisfying the dose requirements on the targeted organ and healthy tissues. The solution strategy first fits the TCP function with a piecewise-linear approximation, then solves the problem that maximizes the piecewise linear approximation of TCP, and finally performs a local neighborhood search to improve the TCP value. To gauge the feasibility, characteristics, and potential benefit of PET-image guided dose escalation, initial validation consists of fifteen cervical cancer HDR patient cases. These patients have all received prior 45Gy of external radiation dose. For both escalated strategies, we consider 35Gy PTV-dose, and two variations (37Gy-boost to BTV vs 40Gy-boost) to PET-image-pockets. Results: TCP for standard clinical plans range from 59.4% - 63.6%. TCP for dose-based PET-guided escalated-dose-plan ranges from 63.8%–98.6% for all patients; whereas TCP-optimized plans achieves over 91% for all patients. There is marginal difference in TCP among those with 37Gy-boosted vs 40Gy-boosted. There is no increase in rectum and bladder dose among all plans. Conclusion: Optimizing TCP directly results in highly conformed treatment plans. The TCP-optimized plan is individualized based on the biological PET-image of the patients. The TCP-optimization framework is generalizable and has been applied successfully to other

EGFR-TK inhibition before radiotherapy reduces tumour volume but does not improve local control: Differential response of cancer stem cells and nontumourigenic cells?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, Mechthild; Prager, Jenny; Zhou Xuanjing; Yaromina, Ala; Doerfler, Annegret; Eicheler, Wolfgang; Baumann, Michael

2007-01-01

Background and purpose: Waiting times before radiotherapy may reduce tumour control probability due to proliferation of tumour cells. The aim of the experiment was to test whether the growth inhibiting effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-inhibitors after surgery or tumour transplantation results in a lower tumour mass at time of irradiation and can thereby improve local tumour control. Materials and methods: The EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor BIBX1382BS was applied over 14 days starting from microscopically non-in-sano-resection of FaDu tumours or from tumour transplantation, followed by irradiation (5f/5d). Endpoint was local tumour control. In addition, vital tumour areas, pimonidazole hypoxic fraction, BrdU labelling index, and colony forming ability in vitro were tested in control tumours and after BIBX1382BS treatment (starting from transplantation). Results: The tumour volume at start of irradiation was significantly lower in the BIBX1382BS treated tumours as compared to the control groups by factors of 11 (post-surgery setting) and 2.7 (transplantation setting). However, the reduced volume did not translate into improved local control after irradiation. The TCD 50 values after surgery were 25.4 Gy [95% CI 18; 33 Gy] in the control group and 30.5 Gy [24; 37] in the BIBX1382BS group (p = 0.25). Treatment after transplantation resulted in TCD 50 values of 41.1 Gy [35; 47] in the control group and 41.1 Gy [33; 49] in the BIBX1382BS group (p = 1). While the proportion of S-phase cells decreased after BIBX1382BS treatment, no differences were observed between the pimonidazole hypoxic fractions and in vitro colony forming ability. Conclusions: EGFR-TK inhibition with BIBX1382BS over 14 days between macroscopically complete tumour resection or tumour transplantation and start of radiotherapy significantly reduced tumour volume but did not improve local tumour control. One possible explanation is that the EGFR-TK inhibitor has a higher activity in

Quantum probability measures and tomographic probability densities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Amosov, GG; Man'ko, [No Value

2004-01-01

Using a simple relation of the Dirac delta-function to generalized the theta-function, the relationship between the tomographic probability approach and the quantum probability measure approach with the description of quantum states is discussed. The quantum state tomogram expressed in terms of the

Local correlations of mixed two-qubit states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Fulin; Chen Jingling; Ren Changliang; Shi Mingjun

2010-01-01

The quantum probability distribution arising from single-copy von Neumann measurements on an arbitrary two-qubit state is decomposed into the local and nonlocal parts, in the approach of Elitzur, Popescu and Rohrlich [A. Elitzur, S. Popescu, D. Rohrlich, Phys. Lett. A 162 (1992) 25]. A lower bound of the local weight is proved being connected with the concurrence of the state p L max =1-C(ρ). The local probability distributions for two families of mixed states are constructed independently, which accord with the lower bound.

A neo-strategic planning approach to enhance local tobacco control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Malinda R; Carter, Sara Sally R; Wilson, Andrew P; Chan, Andie

2015-01-01

Research in tobacco control demonstrating best practices is widely disseminated; however, application at the local level is often difficult. Translating research into practice requires a concerted effort to develop an understanding of the evidence and how it can be applied within diverse contexts. A strategic planning infrastructure was developed to support the translation of evidence-based interventions into community practice. This paper highlights the strategic process of turning "know-what" into "know-how" to facilitate the strategic planning and implementation of tobacco control best practices at the local level. The purpose, people, process, and product strategies of knowledge management and translation provided a framework for the strategic planning infrastructure. The knowledge translation concepts of audience, motivations, and mechanisms were synergized in the neo-strategic planning component design. The participants were 20 community coalitions funded to implement local tobacco control programs. From 2004 to 2011, the strategic planners facilitated a cyclical process to translate research into practice using a trio of integrated tools, skill-building workshops on strategic planning, and grantee-driven technical assistance and consultation. In the short term, the usefulness of the strategic planning components to the programs was measured. The intermediate outcome was the successful movement of the community programs from the planning stage to the implementation stage. The achievement of community-level changes in planned tobacco control efforts was the overall outcome measure for the success of the local coalitions. Seventeen of 20 communities that began the planning process implemented strategic plans. All 17 of the programs implemented evidence-based practices, resulting in numerous tobacco-free policies, increased cessation, and increased support from the media and community. Bridging the gap between research and practice can enhance the practicality

Local knowledge, science, and institutional change: the case of desertification control in Northern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lihua

2015-03-01

This article studies the influence of local knowledge on the impact of science on institutional change in ecological and environmental management. Based on an empirical study on desertification control in 12 counties in north China, the study found the following major results: (1) although there was a cubic relationship between the extent and effect of local knowledge, local knowledge significantly influenced the impact of science on institutional change; (2) local knowledge took effect mainly through affecting formal laws and regulations, major actors, and methods of desertification control in institutional change but had no significant impact on the types of property rights; and (3) local knowledge enhanced the impact of science on the results of desertification control through affecting the impact of science on institutional change. These findings provide a reference for researchers, policy makers, and practitioners, both in China and in other regions of the world, to further explore the influence of local knowledge on the impact of science on institutional change and the roles of local knowledge or knowledge in institutional change and governance.

COVAL, Compound Probability Distribution for Function of Probability Distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astolfi, M.; Elbaz, J.

1979-01-01

1 - Nature of the physical problem solved: Computation of the probability distribution of a function of variables, given the probability distribution of the variables themselves. 'COVAL' has been applied to reliability analysis of a structure subject to random loads. 2 - Method of solution: Numerical transformation of probability distributions

Distributed model predictive control for constrained nonlinear systems with decoupled local dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Meng; Ding, Baocang

2015-03-01

This paper considers the distributed model predictive control (MPC) of nonlinear large-scale systems with dynamically decoupled subsystems. According to the coupled state in the overall cost function of centralized MPC, the neighbors are confirmed and fixed for each subsystem, and the overall objective function is disassembled into each local optimization. In order to guarantee the closed-loop stability of distributed MPC algorithm, the overall compatibility constraint for centralized MPC algorithm is decomposed into each local controller. The communication between each subsystem and its neighbors is relatively low, only the current states before optimization and the optimized input variables after optimization are being transferred. For each local controller, the quasi-infinite horizon MPC algorithm is adopted, and the global closed-loop system is proven to be exponentially stable. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On Probability Leakage

OpenAIRE

Briggs, William M.

2012-01-01

The probability leakage of model M with respect to evidence E is defined. Probability leakage is a kind of model error. It occurs when M implies that events $y$, which are impossible given E, have positive probability. Leakage does not imply model falsification. Models with probability leakage cannot be calibrated empirically. Regression models, which are ubiquitous in statistical practice, often evince probability leakage.

Edge Probability and Pixel Relativity-Based Speckle Reducing Anisotropic Diffusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Deepak; Chaudhury, Santanu; Sarkar, Mukul; Soin, Arvinder Singh; Sharma, Vivek

2018-02-01

Anisotropic diffusion filters are one of the best choices for speckle reduction in the ultrasound images. These filters control the diffusion flux flow using local image statistics and provide the desired speckle suppression. However, inefficient use of edge characteristics results in either oversmooth image or an image containing misinterpreted spurious edges. As a result, the diagnostic quality of the images becomes a concern. To alleviate such problems, a novel anisotropic diffusion-based speckle reducing filter is proposed in this paper. A probability density function of the edges along with pixel relativity information is used to control the diffusion flux flow. The probability density function helps in removing the spurious edges and the pixel relativity reduces the oversmoothing effects. Furthermore, the filtering is performed in superpixel domain to reduce the execution time, wherein a minimum of 15% of the total number of image pixels can be used. For performance evaluation, 31 frames of three synthetic images and 40 real ultrasound images are used. In most of the experiments, the proposed filter shows a better performance as compared to the state-of-the-art filters in terms of the speckle region's signal-to-noise ratio and mean square error. It also shows a comparative performance for figure of merit and structural similarity measure index. Furthermore, in the subjective evaluation, performed by the expert radiologists, the proposed filter's outputs are preferred for the improved contrast and sharpness of the object boundaries. Hence, the proposed filtering framework is suitable to reduce the unwanted speckle and improve the quality of the ultrasound images.

Taking potential probability function maps to the local scale and matching them with land use maps

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Saryu; Sinha, Vinayak; Sinha, Baerbel

2013-04-01

Source-Receptor models have been developed using different methods. Residence-time weighted concentration back trajectory analysis and Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) are the two most popular techniques for identification of potential sources of a substance in a defined geographical area. Both techniques use back trajectories calculated using global models and assign values of probability/concentration to various locations in an area. These values represent the probability of threshold exceedances / the average concentration measured at the receptor in air masses with a certain residence time over a source area. Both techniques, however, have only been applied to regional and long-range transport phenomena due to inherent limitation with respect to both spatial accuracy and temporal resolution of the of back trajectory calculations. Employing the above mentioned concepts of residence time weighted concentration back-trajectory analysis and PSCF, we developed a source-receptor model capable of identifying local and regional sources of air pollutants like Particulate Matter (PM), NOx, SO2 and VOCs. We use 1 to 30 minute averages of concentration values and wind direction and speed from a single receptor site or from multiple receptor sites to trace the air mass back in time. The model code assumes all the atmospheric transport to be Lagrangian and linearly extrapolates air masses reaching the receptor location, backwards in time for a fixed number of steps. We restrict the model run to the lifetime of the chemical species under consideration. For long lived species the model run is limited to 180 trees/gridsquare); moderate concentrations for agricultural lands with low tree density (1.5-2.5 ppbv for 250 μg/m3 for traffic hotspots in Chandigarh City are observed. Based on the validation against the land use maps, the model appears to do an excellent job in source apportionment and identifying emission hotspots. Acknowledgement: We thank the IISER

Clinical and dosimetric results of three-dimensional image-guided and pulsed dose rate curie-therapy in locally advanced cervical cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazeron, R.; Gilmore, J.; Dumas, I.; Abrous-Anane, S.; Haberer, S.; Verstraet, R.; Champoudry, J.; Martinetti, F.; Morice, P.; Haie-Meller, C.

2011-01-01

The authors report a review of data obtained between 2004 and 2009 on 130 women who had been treated by optimized pulsed-rate curie-therapy for a locally advanced cervical cancer. Results are discussed in terms of cancer stage, treatment (with or without concomitant chemotherapy), planning method (MRI, scanography), delivered doses in the clinical target volumes, surgery, relapse occurrence and localizations, global survival probability, local control, undesirable side effects, occurrence of intestine or urinary toxicity. It appears that the association of a concomitant chemo-radiotherapy and optimized curie-therapy results in a good local-regional control and a low toxicity level. Short communication

Conditional probabilities in Ponzano-Regge minisuperspace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petryk, Roman; Schleich, Kristin

2003-01-01

We examine the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary initial state for the Ponzano-Regge formulation of gravity in three dimensions. We consider the behavior of conditional probabilities and expectation values for geometrical quantities in this initial state for a simple minisuperspace model consisting of a two-parameter set of anisotropic geometries on a 2-sphere boundary. We find dependence on the cutoff used in the construction of Ponzano-Regge amplitudes for expectation values of edge lengths. However, these expectation values are cutoff independent when computed in certain, but not all, conditional probability distributions. Conditions that yield cutoff independent expectation values are those that constrain the boundary geometry to a finite range of edge lengths. We argue that such conditions have a correspondence to fixing a range of local time, as classically associated with the area of a surface for spatially closed cosmologies. Thus these results may hint at how classical spacetime emerges from quantum amplitudes

Ciudadania, el poder local e controle do Estado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Moulin Simões Penalva Santos

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Brazilian society is experiencing a population expansion within the context of decentralisation of public policies, from the central government to local institutions. Following this line of thought, in this article we analyse the public expenses in the Brazilian Federation in the period 1996-1998 in order to identify the institutions that have assumed the financial right of the citizens, as well as to estimate if there has been a transfer of responsibilities among federal institutions. The success of this process is related to the integrated performance of the external control from the public administration. In that sense, we also study the control exercised by Parliaments, Administrative Courts, Public Prosecution Offices and the Judicial Power beyond social control, taking into consideration their improvement and highlighting the control of the Public Prosecution Office as well as the control exercised by the popular councils.

Contributions to quantum probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritz, Tobias

2010-01-01

Chapter 1: On the existence of quantum representations for two dichotomic measurements. Under which conditions do outcome probabilities of measurements possess a quantum-mechanical model? This kind of problem is solved here for the case of two dichotomic von Neumann measurements which can be applied repeatedly to a quantum system with trivial dynamics. The solution uses methods from the theory of operator algebras and the theory of moment problems. The ensuing conditions reveal surprisingly simple relations between certain quantum-mechanical probabilities. It also shown that generally, none of these relations holds in general probabilistic models. This result might facilitate further experimental discrimination between quantum mechanics and other general probabilistic theories. Chapter 2: Possibilistic Physics. I try to outline a framework for fundamental physics where the concept of probability gets replaced by the concept of possibility. Whereas a probabilistic theory assigns a state-dependent probability value to each outcome of each measurement, a possibilistic theory merely assigns one of the state-dependent labels ''possible to occur'' or ''impossible to occur'' to each outcome of each measurement. It is argued that Spekkens' combinatorial toy theory of quantum mechanics is inconsistent in a probabilistic framework, but can be regarded as possibilistic. Then, I introduce the concept of possibilistic local hidden variable models and derive a class of possibilistic Bell inequalities which are violated for the possibilistic Popescu-Rohrlich boxes. The chapter ends with a philosophical discussion on possibilistic vs. probabilistic. It can be argued that, due to better falsifiability properties, a possibilistic theory has higher predictive power than a probabilistic one. Chapter 3: The quantum region for von Neumann measurements with postselection. It is determined under which conditions a probability distribution on a finite set can occur as the outcome

Relationship between the generalized equivalent uniform dose formulation and the Poisson statistics-based tumor control probability model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Sumin; Das, Shiva; Wang Zhiheng; Marks, Lawrence B.

2004-01-01

The generalized equivalent uniform dose (GEUD) model uses a power-law formalism, where the outcome is related to the dose via a power law. We herein investigate the mathematical compatibility between this GEUD model and the Poisson statistics based tumor control probability (TCP) model. The GEUD and TCP formulations are combined and subjected to a compatibility constraint equation. This compatibility constraint equates tumor control probability from the original heterogeneous target dose distribution to that from the homogeneous dose from the GEUD formalism. It is shown that this constraint equation possesses a unique, analytical closed-form solution which relates radiation dose to the tumor cell survival fraction. It is further demonstrated that, when there is no positive threshold or finite critical dose in the tumor response to radiation, this relationship is not bounded within the realistic cell survival limits of 0%-100%. Thus, the GEUD and TCP formalisms are, in general, mathematically inconsistent. However, when a threshold dose or finite critical dose exists in the tumor response to radiation, there is a unique mathematical solution for the tumor cell survival fraction that allows the GEUD and TCP formalisms to coexist, provided that all portions of the tumor are confined within certain specific dose ranges

Causal inference, probability theory, and graphical insights.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Stuart G

2013-11-10

Causal inference from observational studies is a fundamental topic in biostatistics. The causal graph literature typically views probability theory as insufficient to express causal concepts in observational studies. In contrast, the view here is that probability theory is a desirable and sufficient basis for many topics in causal inference for the following two reasons. First, probability theory is generally more flexible than causal graphs: Besides explaining such causal graph topics as M-bias (adjusting for a collider) and bias amplification and attenuation (when adjusting for instrumental variable), probability theory is also the foundation of the paired availability design for historical controls, which does not fit into a causal graph framework. Second, probability theory is the basis for insightful graphical displays including the BK-Plot for understanding Simpson's paradox with a binary confounder, the BK2-Plot for understanding bias amplification and attenuation in the presence of an unobserved binary confounder, and the PAD-Plot for understanding the principal stratification component of the paired availability design. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Local control unit for ITER-India gyrotron test facility (IIGTF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathod, Vipal, E-mail: vipal.rathod@iter-india.org; Shah, Ronak; Mandge, Deepak; Parmar, Rajvi; Rao, S.L.

2016-11-15

Highlights: • A dedicated full scale ITER prototype Local Control Unit for ITER-India Gyrotron test facility. • National Instruments® make PXIe system for real time control & data acquisition and Siemens® PLC for sequence control function. • Hardwired FPGA based fast protection interlock system. • High speed analog fiber optical transmission link using V/F and F/V technique. • Software framework based on LabVIEW™ platform and ITER CODAC Core System. - Abstract: Electron Cyclotron system on ITER, is one of the important RF ancillary systems based on high power Gyrotron RF sources, that is used for plasma heating and current drive applications. To operate a Gyrotron source, various auxiliary systems and services such as Super Conducting Magnet set, High Voltage Power Supplies, Auxiliary Power Supplies, Waveguide components, Cooling water system and a Local Control Unit (LCU) are required. The LCU plays a very crucial role for the safe and reliable operation of Gyrotron system. A dedicated full scale ITER prototype LCU is being developed for testing and commissioning of an ITER like Test Gyrotron at ITER-India Gyrotron Test facility (IIGTF). The main functions of LCU include Sequence Control, Local Interlock Protection and Real Time Data Acquisition. PLC based slow controller is used for implementing the Sequence Control & Slow Interlock functions. Critical Protection Interlocks are required to have a response time of <10 μs and are implemented using custom built hardware and PXIe based fast controller. Also PXIe system is used for implementing Real Time Data Acquisition function that is required to have slow and fast acquisition with online visualization and off line analysis facility. A Signal Conditioning Unit (SCU) is used to interface and faithfully transmit the field signals to the remote control systems. Necessary controller hardware is procured and several pre-prototype developments have been taken up to establish the critical subsystems such as

Local control unit for ITER-India gyrotron test facility (IIGTF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathod, Vipal; Shah, Ronak; Mandge, Deepak; Parmar, Rajvi; Rao, S.L.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A dedicated full scale ITER prototype Local Control Unit for ITER-India Gyrotron test facility. • National Instruments® make PXIe system for real time control & data acquisition and Siemens® PLC for sequence control function. • Hardwired FPGA based fast protection interlock system. • High speed analog fiber optical transmission link using V/F and F/V technique. • Software framework based on LabVIEW™ platform and ITER CODAC Core System. - Abstract: Electron Cyclotron system on ITER, is one of the important RF ancillary systems based on high power Gyrotron RF sources, that is used for plasma heating and current drive applications. To operate a Gyrotron source, various auxiliary systems and services such as Super Conducting Magnet set, High Voltage Power Supplies, Auxiliary Power Supplies, Waveguide components, Cooling water system and a Local Control Unit (LCU) are required. The LCU plays a very crucial role for the safe and reliable operation of Gyrotron system. A dedicated full scale ITER prototype LCU is being developed for testing and commissioning of an ITER like Test Gyrotron at ITER-India Gyrotron Test facility (IIGTF). The main functions of LCU include Sequence Control, Local Interlock Protection and Real Time Data Acquisition. PLC based slow controller is used for implementing the Sequence Control & Slow Interlock functions. Critical Protection Interlocks are required to have a response time of <10 μs and are implemented using custom built hardware and PXIe based fast controller. Also PXIe system is used for implementing Real Time Data Acquisition function that is required to have slow and fast acquisition with online visualization and off line analysis facility. A Signal Conditioning Unit (SCU) is used to interface and faithfully transmit the field signals to the remote control systems. Necessary controller hardware is procured and several pre-prototype developments have been taken up to establish the critical subsystems such as

Association between FDG uptake, CSF biomarkers and cognitive performance in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arlt, Soenke; Jahn, Holger; Eichenlaub, Martin [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hamburg (Germany); Brassen, Stefanie [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Hamburg (Germany); Wilke, Florian; Apostolova, Ivayla; Buchert, Ralph [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hamburg (Germany); Wenzel, Fabian; Young, Stewart [Philips Research, Digital Imaging Department, Hamburg (Germany); Thiele, Frank [Philips Research, Molecular Imaging Department, Aachen (Germany)

2009-07-15

Brain imaging of FDG uptake and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of amyloid-beta 1-42 (A{beta}{sub 1-42}) or tau proteins are promising biomarkers in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is still uncertainty regarding any association between decreased FDG uptake and alterations in CSF markers. The relationship between FDG uptake, CSF A{beta}{sub 1-42} and total tau (T-tau), as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score was investigated in 34 subjects with probable AD using step-wise linear regression. FDG uptake was scaled to the pons. Scaled FDG uptake was significantly reduced in the probable AD subjects compared to 17 controls bilaterally in the precuneus/posterior cingulate area, angular gyrus/inferior parietal cortex, inferior temporal/midtemporal cortex, midfrontal cortex, and left caudate. Voxel-based single-subject analysis of the probable AD subjects at p < 0.001 (uncorrected) revealed a total volume of significant hypometabolism ranging from 0 to 452 ml (median 70 ml). The total hypometabolic volume was negatively correlated with the MMSE score, but it was not correlated with the CSF measures. VOI-based step-wise linear regression revealed that scaled FDG uptake in the precuneus/posterior cingulate was negatively correlated with CSF A{beta}{sub 1-42}. Scaled FDG uptake in the caudate was positively correlated with CSF T-tau. The extent and local severity of the reduction in FDG uptake in probable AD subjects are associated with cognitive impairment. In addition, there appears to be a relationship between local FDG uptake and CSF biomarkers which differs between different brain regions. (orig.)

Modeling Local Control After Hypofractionated Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Report From the Elekta Collaborative Lung Research Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohri, Nitin; Werner-Wasik, Maria; Grills, Inga S.; Belderbos, José; Hope, Andrew; Yan Di; Kestin, Larry L.; Guckenberger, Matthias; Sonke, Jan-Jakob; Bissonnette, Jean-Pierre; Xiao, Ying

2012-01-01

Purpose: Hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an effective treatment option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using data collected by the Elekta Lung Research Group, we generated a tumor control probability (TCP) model that predicts 2-year local control after SBRT as a function of biologically effective dose (BED) and tumor size. Methods and Materials: We formulated our TCP model as follows: TCP = e [BED10−c∗L−TCD50]/k ÷ (1 + e [BED10−c∗L−TCD50]/k ), where BED10 is the biologically effective SBRT dose, c is a constant, L is the maximal tumor diameter, and TCD50 and k are parameters that define the shape of the TCP curve. Least-squares optimization with a bootstrap resampling approach was used to identify the values of c, TCD50, and k that provided the best fit with observed actuarial 2-year local control rates. Results: Data from 504 NSCLC tumors treated with a variety of SBRT schedules were available. The mean follow-up time was 18.4 months, and 26 local recurrences were observed. The optimal values for c, TCD50, and k were 10 Gy/cm, 0 Gy, and 31 Gy, respectively. Thus, size-adjusted BED (sBED) may be defined as BED minus 10 times the tumor diameter (in centimeters). Our TCP model indicates that sBED values of 44 Gy, 69 Gy, and 93 Gy provide 80%, 90%, and 95% chances of tumor control at 2 years, respectively. When patients were grouped by sBED, the model accurately characterized the relationship between sBED and actuarial 2-year local control (r=0.847, P=.008). Conclusion: We have developed a TCP model that predicts 2-year local control rate after hypofractionated SBRT for early-stage NSCLC as a function of biologically effective dose and tumor diameter. Further testing of this model with additional datasets is warranted.

Modeling Local Control After Hypofractionated Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Report From the Elekta Collaborative Lung Research Group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohri, Nitin, E-mail: ohri.nitin@gmail.com [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Werner-Wasik, Maria [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Grills, Inga S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan (United States); Belderbos, Jose [Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Hope, Andrew [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Yan Di; Kestin, Larry L. [Department of Radiation Oncology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan (United States); Guckenberger, Matthias [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg (Germany); Sonke, Jan-Jakob [Department of Radiation Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Bissonnette, Jean-Pierre [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Xiao, Ying [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

2012-11-01

Purpose: Hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as an effective treatment option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using data collected by the Elekta Lung Research Group, we generated a tumor control probability (TCP) model that predicts 2-year local control after SBRT as a function of biologically effective dose (BED) and tumor size. Methods and Materials: We formulated our TCP model as follows: TCP = e{sup [BED10-c Asterisk-Operator L-TCD50]/k} Division-Sign (1 + e{sup [BED10-c Asterisk-Operator L-TCD50]/k}), where BED10 is the biologically effective SBRT dose, c is a constant, L is the maximal tumor diameter, and TCD50 and k are parameters that define the shape of the TCP curve. Least-squares optimization with a bootstrap resampling approach was used to identify the values of c, TCD50, and k that provided the best fit with observed actuarial 2-year local control rates. Results: Data from 504 NSCLC tumors treated with a variety of SBRT schedules were available. The mean follow-up time was 18.4 months, and 26 local recurrences were observed. The optimal values for c, TCD50, and k were 10 Gy/cm, 0 Gy, and 31 Gy, respectively. Thus, size-adjusted BED (sBED) may be defined as BED minus 10 times the tumor diameter (in centimeters). Our TCP model indicates that sBED values of 44 Gy, 69 Gy, and 93 Gy provide 80%, 90%, and 95% chances of tumor control at 2 years, respectively. When patients were grouped by sBED, the model accurately characterized the relationship between sBED and actuarial 2-year local control (r=0.847, P=.008). Conclusion: We have developed a TCP model that predicts 2-year local control rate after hypofractionated SBRT for early-stage NSCLC as a function of biologically effective dose and tumor diameter. Further testing of this model with additional datasets is warranted.

Saliency Detection via Absorbing Markov Chain With Learnt Transition Probability.

Science.gov (United States)

Lihe Zhang; Jianwu Ai; Bowen Jiang; Huchuan Lu; Xiukui Li

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose a bottom-up saliency model based on absorbing Markov chain (AMC). First, a sparsely connected graph is constructed to capture the local context information of each node. All image boundary nodes and other nodes are, respectively, treated as the absorbing nodes and transient nodes in the absorbing Markov chain. Then, the expected number of times from each transient node to all other transient nodes can be used to represent the saliency value of this node. The absorbed time depends on the weights on the path and their spatial coordinates, which are completely encoded in the transition probability matrix. Considering the importance of this matrix, we adopt different hierarchies of deep features extracted from fully convolutional networks and learn a transition probability matrix, which is called learnt transition probability matrix. Although the performance is significantly promoted, salient objects are not uniformly highlighted very well. To solve this problem, an angular embedding technique is investigated to refine the saliency results. Based on pairwise local orderings, which are produced by the saliency maps of AMC and boundary maps, we rearrange the global orderings (saliency value) of all nodes. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on six publicly available benchmark data sets.

Fault-tolerant design of local controller for the poloidal field converter control system on ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Jun; Fu, Peng; Gao, Ge; He, Shiying; Huang, Liansheng; Zhu, Lili; Chen, Xiaojiao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The requirements on the Local Control Cubicles (LCC) for ITER Poloidal Field Converter are analyzed. • Decoupled service-based software architecture is proposed to make control loops on LCC running at varying cycle-time. • Fault detection and recovery methods for the LCC are developed to enhance the system. • The performance of the LCC with or without fault-tolerant feature is tested and compared. - Abstract: The control system for the Poloidal Field (PF) on ITER is a synchronously networked control system, which has several kinds of computational controllers. The Local Control Cubicles (LCC) play a critical role in the networked control system for they are the interface to all input and output signals. Thus, some additional work must be done to guarantee the LCCs proper operation under influence of faults. This paper mainly analyzes the system demands of the LCCs and faults which have been encountered recently. In order to handle these faults, decoupled service-based software architecture has been proposed. Based on this architecture, fault detection and system recovery methods, such as redundancy and rejuvenation, have been incorporated to achieve a fault-tolerant private network with the aid of QNX operating system. Unlike the conventional method, this method requires no additional hardware and can be achieved relatively easily. To demonstrate effectiveness the LCCs have been successfully tested during the recent PF Converter Unit performance tests for ITER.

Fault-tolerant design of local controller for the poloidal field converter control system on ITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Jun; Fu, Peng; Gao, Ge; He, Shiying; Huang, Liansheng, E-mail: huangls@ipp.ac.cn; Zhu, Lili; Chen, Xiaojiao

2016-11-15

Highlights: • The requirements on the Local Control Cubicles (LCC) for ITER Poloidal Field Converter are analyzed. • Decoupled service-based software architecture is proposed to make control loops on LCC running at varying cycle-time. • Fault detection and recovery methods for the LCC are developed to enhance the system. • The performance of the LCC with or without fault-tolerant feature is tested and compared. - Abstract: The control system for the Poloidal Field (PF) on ITER is a synchronously networked control system, which has several kinds of computational controllers. The Local Control Cubicles (LCC) play a critical role in the networked control system for they are the interface to all input and output signals. Thus, some additional work must be done to guarantee the LCCs proper operation under influence of faults. This paper mainly analyzes the system demands of the LCCs and faults which have been encountered recently. In order to handle these faults, decoupled service-based software architecture has been proposed. Based on this architecture, fault detection and system recovery methods, such as redundancy and rejuvenation, have been incorporated to achieve a fault-tolerant private network with the aid of QNX operating system. Unlike the conventional method, this method requires no additional hardware and can be achieved relatively easily. To demonstrate effectiveness the LCCs have been successfully tested during the recent PF Converter Unit performance tests for ITER.

Clinical and dosimetric results of three-dimensional image-guided and pulsed dose rate curie-therapy in locally advanced cervical cancers; Resultats cliniques et dosimetriques de la curietherapie de debit de dose pulse guidee par imagerie tridimensionnelle dans les cancers du col de l'uterus localement evolues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazeron, R.; Gilmore, J.; Dumas, I.; Abrous-Anane, S.; Haberer, S.; Verstraet, R.; Champoudry, J.; Martinetti, F.; Morice, P.; Haie-Meller, C. [Institut de cancerologie Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif (France)

2011-10-15

The authors report a review of data obtained between 2004 and 2009 on 130 women who had been treated by optimized pulsed-rate curie-therapy for a locally advanced cervical cancer. Results are discussed in terms of cancer stage, treatment (with or without concomitant chemotherapy), planning method (MRI, scanography), delivered doses in the clinical target volumes, surgery, relapse occurrence and localizations, global survival probability, local control, undesirable side effects, occurrence of intestine or urinary toxicity. It appears that the association of a concomitant chemo-radiotherapy and optimized curie-therapy results in a good local-regional control and a low toxicity level. Short communication

Local Voltage Control in Distribution Networks: A Game-Theoretic Perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Xinyang; Tian, Jie; Chen, Lijun; Dall' Anese, Emiliano

2016-11-21

Inverter-based voltage regulation is gaining importance to alleviate emerging reliability and power-quality concerns related to distribution systems with high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) systems. This paper seeks contribution in the domain of reactive power compensation by establishing stability of local Volt/VAr controllers. In lieu of the approximate linear surrogate used in the existing work, the paper establishes existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium point using nonlinear AC power flow model. Key to this end is to consider a nonlinear dynamical system with non-incremental local Volt/VAr control, cast the Volt/VAr dynamics as a game, and leverage the fixed-point theorem as well as pertinent contraction mapping argument. Numerical examples are provided to complement the analytical results.

Chemotherapy, brachytherapy and surgery of locally evolved uterine cervix carcinomas: prognosis factors of local control and global survival; Chimioradiotherapie, curietherapie et chirurgie des cancers du col uterin localement evolues: facteurs pronostiques de controle local et de survie globale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laude, C.; Montella, A.; Montbarbon, X.; Malet, C.; Racadot, S.; Pommier, P. [Centre Leon-Berard, 69 - Lyon (France); Mathevet, P. [Hopital Femme-Mere-Enfant, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69 - Lyon (France); Buenerd, A. [Centre de Pathologie Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69 - Lyon (France)

2009-10-15

The protocol used allows an excellent local control of the uterine cervix carcinoma with an acceptable morbidity. To anticipate the presence of a tumor residue can be an evolution in the therapy management after external radiotherapy, particularly in optimized image-guided brachytherapy (MRI and PET)New utero vaginal applicators with parameters implantation allow to realise the dose complement at the distal parameters. These advances make consider an improvement of results in the management of locally evolved uterine cervix carcinomas. (N.C.)

Quantum probabilities as Dempster-Shafer probabilities in the lattice of subspaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vourdas, A.

2014-01-01

The orthocomplemented modular lattice of subspaces L[H(d)], of a quantum system with d-dimensional Hilbert space H(d), is considered. A generalized additivity relation which holds for Kolmogorov probabilities is violated by quantum probabilities in the full lattice L[H(d)] (it is only valid within the Boolean subalgebras of L[H(d)]). This suggests the use of more general (than Kolmogorov) probability theories, and here the Dempster-Shafer probability theory is adopted. An operator D(H 1 ,H 2 ), which quantifies deviations from Kolmogorov probability theory is introduced, and it is shown to be intimately related to the commutator of the projectors P(H 1 ),P(H 2 ), to the subspaces H 1 , H 2 . As an application, it is shown that the proof of the inequalities of Clauser, Horne, Shimony, and Holt for a system of two spin 1/2 particles is valid for Kolmogorov probabilities, but it is not valid for Dempster-Shafer probabilities. The violation of these inequalities in experiments supports the interpretation of quantum probabilities as Dempster-Shafer probabilities

Supply Chain Control Principles in Local Food Production: A Norwegian Case Study

OpenAIRE

Heidi C. Dreyer; Jan O. Strandhagen; Maria K. Thomassen; Anita Romsdal; Erik Gran

2014-01-01

Based on an analysis of the supply chain of four producers of local specialty foods, we explore how planning and control principles can be applied to align supply chain capabilities and market requirements. It has been shown that local food struggles with market access, and that the supply chain is one of the obstacles preventing local food producers from gaining a solid market position. We identify a number of features of the local food chain, analyse the obstacles and develop generic design...

Application of radiotracer method for tightness control and leakage localization in industrial objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kras, J; Walis, L.; Myczkowski, S.

2001-01-01

Application of 82 Br in the form of gaseous CH 3 Br for tightness control and leakage localization in large industrial apparatus as chemical reactors, columns, vessels, pipelines etc. has been presented. The tracer has been prepared at the place of measurements in a specially designed mobile chemical reactor. The paper presents different variants of the method convenient for: tightness control of underground pipelines, leakage control of technological objects working in chemical and petrochemical industry, tightness control of large metal vessels localized underground and on surface. The radiometric devices used in mentioned variants have ben performed as well

PROBABILITY SURVEYS , CONDITIONAL PROBABILITIES AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

Science.gov (United States)

We show that probability-based environmental resource monitoring programs, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, and conditional probability analysis can serve as a basis for estimating ecological risk over ...

A survey of local cohomology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, J.E.

1977-06-01

Local cohomology is discussed in Wightman field theory and algebraic field theory. Applications are made to superselection structure, solitons, spontaneously broken gauge symmetries and quantum electrodynamics. A simplified picture of the probable relationship between gauge theories and the local 2-cohomology is presented

Local Model Predictive Control for T-S Fuzzy Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Donghwan; Hu, Jianghai

2017-09-01

In this paper, a new linear matrix inequality-based model predictive control (MPC) problem is studied for discrete-time nonlinear systems described as Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems. A recent local stability approach is applied to improve the performance of the proposed MPC scheme. At each time k , an optimal state-feedback gain that minimizes an objective function is obtained by solving a semidefinite programming problem. The local stability analysis, the estimation of the domain of attraction, and feasibility of the proposed MPC are proved. Examples are given to demonstrate the advantages of the suggested MPC over existing approaches.

Robust controller for synchronous generator with local load via VSC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabrera-Vazquez, J. [Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierias, Departamento de Electronica, Av. Revolucion No. 1500, Modulo ' ' O' ' , Apdo. Postal 44840, Guadalajara Jalisco (Mexico); Loukianov, Alexander G.; Canedo, Jose M. [Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Apdo. Postal 31-438, Plaza La Luna, C. P. 44550, Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico); Utkin, Vadim I. [Department of Electrical Engineering, The Ohio-State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1272 (United States)

2007-05-15

The objective of this paper is to design a nonlinear observer-based excitation controller for power system comprising a single synchronous generator connected to an infinite bus with local load. The controller proposed is based on the using first singular perturbation systems concepts and then Sliding Mode Control technique combining with Block Control Principle. To reduce ''chattering'' a nonlinear observer with estimation of the mechanical torque and rotor fluxes is designed. This combined approach enables to compensate the inherent nonlinearities of the generator and to reject external disturbances. (author)

Contributions to quantum probability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritz, Tobias

2010-06-25

Chapter 1: On the existence of quantum representations for two dichotomic measurements. Under which conditions do outcome probabilities of measurements possess a quantum-mechanical model? This kind of problem is solved here for the case of two dichotomic von Neumann measurements which can be applied repeatedly to a quantum system with trivial dynamics. The solution uses methods from the theory of operator algebras and the theory of moment problems. The ensuing conditions reveal surprisingly simple relations between certain quantum-mechanical probabilities. It also shown that generally, none of these relations holds in general probabilistic models. This result might facilitate further experimental discrimination between quantum mechanics and other general probabilistic theories. Chapter 2: Possibilistic Physics. I try to outline a framework for fundamental physics where the concept of probability gets replaced by the concept of possibility. Whereas a probabilistic theory assigns a state-dependent probability value to each outcome of each measurement, a possibilistic theory merely assigns one of the state-dependent labels ''possible to occur'' or ''impossible to occur'' to each outcome of each measurement. It is argued that Spekkens' combinatorial toy theory of quantum mechanics is inconsistent in a probabilistic framework, but can be regarded as possibilistic. Then, I introduce the concept of possibilistic local hidden variable models and derive a class of possibilistic Bell inequalities which are violated for the possibilistic Popescu-Rohrlich boxes. The chapter ends with a philosophical discussion on possibilistic vs. probabilistic. It can be argued that, due to better falsifiability properties, a possibilistic theory has higher predictive power than a probabilistic one. Chapter 3: The quantum region for von Neumann measurements with postselection. It is determined under which conditions a probability distribution on a

Predictors of Individual Tumor Local Control After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garsa, Adam A.; Badiyan, Shahed N.; DeWees, Todd; Simpson, Joseph R.; Huang, Jiayi; Drzymala, Robert E.; Barani, Igor J.; Dowling, Joshua L.; Rich, Keith M.; Chicoine, Michael R.; Kim, Albert H.; Leuthardt, Eric C.; Robinson, Clifford G.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate local control rates and predictors of individual tumor local control for brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods and Materials: Between June 1998 and May 2011, 401 brain metastases in 228 patients were treated with Gamma Knife single-fraction SRS. Local failure was defined as an increase in lesion size after SRS. Local control was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to identify an optimal cutpoint for conformality index relative to local control. A P value <.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Median age was 60 years (range, 27-84 years). There were 66 cerebellar metastases (16%) and 335 supratentorial metastases (84%). The median prescription dose was 20 Gy (range, 14-24 Gy). Median overall survival from time of SRS was 12.1 months. The estimated local control at 12 months was 74%. On multivariate analysis, cerebellar location (hazard ratio [HR] 1.94, P=.009), larger tumor volume (HR 1.09, P<.001), and lower conformality (HR 0.700, P=.044) were significant independent predictors of local failure. Conformality index cutpoints of 1.4-1.9 were predictive of local control, whereas a cutpoint of 1.75 was the most predictive (P=.001). The adjusted Kaplan-Meier 1-year local control for conformality index ≥1.75 was 84% versus 69% for conformality index <1.75, controlling for tumor volume and location. The 1-year adjusted local control for cerebellar lesions was 60%, compared with 77% for supratentorial lesions, controlling for tumor volume and conformality index. Conclusions: Cerebellar tumor location, lower conformality index, and larger tumor volume were significant independent predictors of local failure after SRS for brain metastases from NSCLC. These results warrant further investigation in a prospective

Negative impact of pretreatment anemia on local control after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery for rectal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hye Bin; Park, Hee Chul; Park, Won [Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); and others

2012-09-15

Although anemia is considered to be a contributor to intra-tumoral hypoxia and tumor resistance to ionizing radiation in cancer patients, the impact of pretreatment anemia on local control after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) and surgery for rectal cancer remains unclear. We reviewed the records of 247 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who were treated with NACRT followed by curative-intent surgery. The patients with anemia before NACRT (36.0%, 89/247) achieved less pathologic complete response (pCR) than those without anemia (p = 0.012). The patients with pretreatment anemia had worse 3-year local control than those without pretreatment anemia (86.0% vs. 95.7%, p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that pretreatment anemia (p = 0.035), pathologic tumor and nodal stage (p = 0.020 and 0.032, respectively) were independently significant factors for local control. Pretreatment anemia had negative impacts on pCR and local control among patients who underwent NACRT and surgery for rectal cancer. Strategies maintaining hemoglobin level within normal range could potentially be used to improve local control in rectal cancer patients.

Negative impact of pretreatment anemia on local control after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery for rectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hye Bin; Park, Hee Chul; Park, Won

2012-01-01

Although anemia is considered to be a contributor to intra-tumoral hypoxia and tumor resistance to ionizing radiation in cancer patients, the impact of pretreatment anemia on local control after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) and surgery for rectal cancer remains unclear. We reviewed the records of 247 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who were treated with NACRT followed by curative-intent surgery. The patients with anemia before NACRT (36.0%, 89/247) achieved less pathologic complete response (pCR) than those without anemia (p = 0.012). The patients with pretreatment anemia had worse 3-year local control than those without pretreatment anemia (86.0% vs. 95.7%, p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that pretreatment anemia (p = 0.035), pathologic tumor and nodal stage (p = 0.020 and 0.032, respectively) were independently significant factors for local control. Pretreatment anemia had negative impacts on pCR and local control among patients who underwent NACRT and surgery for rectal cancer. Strategies maintaining hemoglobin level within normal range could potentially be used to improve local control in rectal cancer patients.

French local agencies of energy control; Agences locales francaise de maitrise de l'energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

In the framework of the SAVE program, the European Commission brings financial assistance to the creation of local or regional agencies of energy control in municipalities and regions. The main criteria are the impacts on the energy demand, the reinforcement of the economic and social cohesion, the environmental quality and the contribution to the economic development and the employment creation. In this document, realized by Energie-Cites, the Ademe objective is to present a state of the art of french local agencies. Ten agencies are presented as case study. Each case deals with the following topics: the main context of the action which details the energy and the environmental policy of the municipality, the creation and the description of the agency, the implemented actions and the perspectives. (A.L.B.)

Probability an introduction

CERN Document Server

Goldberg, Samuel

1960-01-01

Excellent basic text covers set theory, probability theory for finite sample spaces, binomial theorem, probability distributions, means, standard deviations, probability function of binomial distribution, more. Includes 360 problems with answers for half.

Failure Probability Estimation of Wind Turbines by Enhanced Monte Carlo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sichani, Mahdi Teimouri; Nielsen, Søren R.K.; Naess, Arvid

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the estimation of the failure probability of wind turbines required by codes of practice for designing them. The Standard Monte Carlo (SMC) simulations may be used for this reason conceptually as an alternative to the popular Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) method. However......, estimation of very low failure probabilities with SMC simulations leads to unacceptably high computational costs. In this study, an Enhanced Monte Carlo (EMC) method is proposed that overcomes this obstacle. The method has advantages over both POT and SMC in terms of its low computational cost and accuracy...... is controlled by the pitch controller. This provides a fair framework for comparison of the behavior and failure event of the wind turbine with emphasis on the effect of the pitch controller. The Enhanced Monte Carlo method is then applied to the model and the failure probabilities of the model are estimated...

Forest management in India. Local versus state control of forest resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilk, J

1998-12-31

Degradation and substantial losses to India`s forests have prompted a change in existing forestry management strategy. The new approach includes recognition of local participation in forestry management schemes but state control over most decisions is still dominant. Seen in terms of a common property resource system, India`s forests lack many of the factors usually considered inherent to successful management programs. Though India`s latest Forest Act affords more local involvement in forestry management, there continues to be an apparent lack of rights for local management groups over decision-making and the resource itself. Can this system enable the required balance between state and local management of India`s forests? 24 refs, 1 tab

Forest management in India. Local versus state control of forest resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilk, J.

1997-12-31

Degradation and substantial losses to India`s forests have prompted a change in existing forestry management strategy. The new approach includes recognition of local participation in forestry management schemes but state control over most decisions is still dominant. Seen in terms of a common property resource system, India`s forests lack many of the factors usually considered inherent to successful management programs. Though India`s latest Forest Act affords more local involvement in forestry management, there continues to be an apparent lack of rights for local management groups over decision-making and the resource itself. Can this system enable the required balance between state and local management of India`s forests? 24 refs, 1 tab

Probability 1/e

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, Reginald; Jones, Martin L.

2011-01-01

Quite a number of interesting problems in probability feature an event with probability equal to 1/e. This article discusses three such problems and attempts to explain why this probability occurs with such frequency.

Local and Global Function Model of the Liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hesheng, E-mail: hesheng@umich.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States); Feng, Mary [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States); Jackson, Andrew [Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Ten Haken, Randall K.; Lawrence, Theodore S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States); Cao, Yue [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States); Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States); Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States)

2016-01-01

Purpose: To develop a local and global function model in the liver based on regional and organ function measurements to support individualized adaptive radiation therapy (RT). Methods and Materials: A local and global model for liver function was developed to include both functional volume and the effect of functional variation of subunits. Adopting the assumption of parallel architecture in the liver, the global function was composed of a sum of local function probabilities of subunits, varying between 0 and 1. The model was fit to 59 datasets of liver regional and organ function measures from 23 patients obtained before, during, and 1 month after RT. The local function probabilities of subunits were modeled by a sigmoid function in relating to MRI-derived portal venous perfusion values. The global function was fitted to a logarithm of an indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes (an overall liver function measure). Cross-validation was performed by leave-m-out tests. The model was further evaluated by fitting to the data divided according to whether the patients had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or not. Results: The liver function model showed that (1) a perfusion value of 68.6 mL/(100 g · min) yielded a local function probability of 0.5; (2) the probability reached 0.9 at a perfusion value of 98 mL/(100 g · min); and (3) at a probability of 0.03 [corresponding perfusion of 38 mL/(100 g · min)] or lower, the contribution to global function was lost. Cross-validations showed that the model parameters were stable. The model fitted to the data from the patients with HCC indicated that the same amount of portal venous perfusion was translated into less local function probability than in the patients with non-HCC tumors. Conclusions: The developed liver function model could provide a means to better assess individual and regional dose-responses of hepatic functions, and provide guidance for individualized treatment planning of RT.

Tendencias probables de la educacion en el siglo XXI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jimenez, E.

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Using the outlines of documental investigation, this work focuses on the main analysis of an outstanding group of local and foreign investigators with regards to the university institutions in the century that just has begun and, starting from that basis, tries to outline the tendencies and probable perspectives of the university as close as possible to the reality.

Applications of Algorithmic Probability to the Philosophy of Mind

OpenAIRE

Leuenberger, Gabriel

2014-01-01

This paper presents formulae that can solve various seemingly hopeless philosophical conundrums. We discuss the simulation argument, teleportation, mind-uploading, the rationality of utilitarianism, and the ethics of exploiting artificial general intelligence. Our approach arises from combining the essential ideas of formalisms such as algorithmic probability, the universal intelligence measure, space-time-embedded intelligence, and Hutter's observer localization. We argue that such universal...

Local magnetic divertor for control of the plasma--limiter interaction in a tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zweben, S.J.; Liewer, P.C.; Gould, R.W.

1984-01-01

An experiment is described in which plasma flow to a tokamak limiter is controlled through the use of a local toroidal divertor coil mounted inside the limiter itself. This coil produces a local perturbed field B/sub C/ approximately equal to the local unperturbed toroidal field B/sub T/approx. =3 kG, such that when B/sub C/ adds to B/sub T/ the field lines move into the limiter and the local plasma flow to it increases by a factor as great as 1.6, and when B/sub C/ subtracts from B/sub T/ the field lines move away from the limiter and the local plasma flow to it decreases by as much as a factor of 4. A simple theoretical model is used to interpret these results. Since these changes occur without significantly affecting global plasma confinement, such a control scheme may be useful for optimizing the performance of pumped limiters

Subwavelength atom localization via amplitude and phase control of the absorption spectrum-II

OpenAIRE

Kapale, Kishore T.; Zubairy, M. Suhail

2005-01-01

Interaction of the internal states of an atom with spatially dependent standing-wave cavity field can impart position information of the atom passing through it leading to subwavelength atom localization. We recently demonstrated a new regime of atom localization [Sahrai {\\it et al.}, Phys. Rev. A {\\bf 72}, 013820 (2005)], namely sub-half-wavelength localization through phase control of electromagnetically induced transparency. This regime corresponds to extreme localization of atoms within a...

Quantum operations, state transformations and probabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chefles, Anthony

2002-01-01

In quantum operations, probabilities characterize both the degree of the success of a state transformation and, as density operator eigenvalues, the degree of mixedness of the final state. We give a unified treatment of pure→pure state transformations, covering both probabilistic and deterministic cases. We then discuss the role of majorization in describing the dynamics of mixing in quantum operations. The conditions for mixing enhancement for all initial states are derived. We show that mixing is monotonically decreasing for deterministic pure→pure transformations, and discuss the relationship between these transformations and deterministic local operations with classical communication entanglement transformations

Pattern recognition in spaces of probability distributions for the analysis of edge-localized modes in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shabbir, Aqsa

2016-07-07

In this doctoral work, pattern recognition techniques are developed and applied to data from tokamak plasmas, in order to contribute to a systematic analysis of edge-localized modes (ELMs). We employ probabilistic models for a quantitative data description geared towards an enhanced systematization of ELM phenomenology. Hence, we start from the point of view that the fundamental object resulting from the observation of a system is a probability distribution, with every single measurement providing a sample from this distribution. In exploring the patterns emerging from the various ELM regimes and relations, we need methods that can handle the intrinsic probabilistic nature of the data. The original contributions of this work are twofold. First, several novel pattern recognition methods in non-Euclidean spaces of probability distribution functions (PDFs) are developed and validated. The second main contribution lies in the application of these and other techniques to a systematic analysis of ELMs in tokamak plasmas. In regard to the methodological aims of the work, we employ the framework of information geometry to develop pattern visualization and classification methods in spaces of probability distributions. In information geometry, a family of probability distributions is considered as a Riemannian manifold. Every point on the manifold represents a single PDF and the distribution parameters provide local coordinates on the manifold. The Fisher information plays the role of a Riemannian metric tensor, enabling calculation of geodesic curves on the surface. The length of such curves yields the geodesic distance (GD) on probabilistic manifolds, which is a natural similarity (distance) measure between PDFs. Equipped with a suitable distance measure, we extrapolate several distance-based pattern recognition methods to the manifold setting. This includes k-nearest neighbor (kNN) and conformal predictor (CP) methods for classification, as well as multidimensional

Pattern recognition in spaces of probability distributions for the analysis of edge-localized modes in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shabbir, Aqsa

2016-01-01

In this doctoral work, pattern recognition techniques are developed and applied to data from tokamak plasmas, in order to contribute to a systematic analysis of edge-localized modes (ELMs). We employ probabilistic models for a quantitative data description geared towards an enhanced systematization of ELM phenomenology. Hence, we start from the point of view that the fundamental object resulting from the observation of a system is a probability distribution, with every single measurement providing a sample from this distribution. In exploring the patterns emerging from the various ELM regimes and relations, we need methods that can handle the intrinsic probabilistic nature of the data. The original contributions of this work are twofold. First, several novel pattern recognition methods in non-Euclidean spaces of probability distribution functions (PDFs) are developed and validated. The second main contribution lies in the application of these and other techniques to a systematic analysis of ELMs in tokamak plasmas. In regard to the methodological aims of the work, we employ the framework of information geometry to develop pattern visualization and classification methods in spaces of probability distributions. In information geometry, a family of probability distributions is considered as a Riemannian manifold. Every point on the manifold represents a single PDF and the distribution parameters provide local coordinates on the manifold. The Fisher information plays the role of a Riemannian metric tensor, enabling calculation of geodesic curves on the surface. The length of such curves yields the geodesic distance (GD) on probabilistic manifolds, which is a natural similarity (distance) measure between PDFs. Equipped with a suitable distance measure, we extrapolate several distance-based pattern recognition methods to the manifold setting. This includes k-nearest neighbor (kNN) and conformal predictor (CP) methods for classification, as well as multidimensional

The Use of Probability Theory as a Basis for Planning and Controlling Overhead Costs in Education and Industry. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinson, R. B.

In this report, the author suggests changes in the treatment of overhead costs by hypothesizing that "the effectiveness of standard costing in planning and controlling overhead costs can be increased through the use of probability theory and associated statistical techniques." To test the hypothesis, the author (1) presents an overview of the…

Knotting probability of self-avoiding polygons under a topological constraint

Science.gov (United States)

Uehara, Erica; Deguchi, Tetsuo

2017-09-01

We define the knotting probability of a knot K by the probability for a random polygon or self-avoiding polygon (SAP) of N segments having the knot type K. We show fundamental and generic properties of the knotting probability particularly its dependence on the excluded volume. We investigate them for the SAP consisting of hard cylindrical segments of unit length and radius rex. For various prime and composite knots, we numerically show that a compact formula describes the knotting probabilities for the cylindrical SAP as a function of segment number N and radius rex. It connects the small-N to the large-N behavior and even to lattice knots in the case of large values of radius. As the excluded volume increases, the maximum of the knotting probability decreases for prime knots except for the trefoil knot. If it is large, the trefoil knot and its descendants are dominant among the nontrivial knots in the SAP. From the factorization property of the knotting probability, we derive a sum rule among the estimates of a fitting parameter for all prime knots, which suggests the local knot picture and the dominance of the trefoil knot in the case of large excluded volumes. Here we remark that the cylindrical SAP gives a model of circular DNA which is negatively charged and semiflexible, where radius rex corresponds to the screening length.

Knotting probability of self-avoiding polygons under a topological constraint.

Science.gov (United States)

Uehara, Erica; Deguchi, Tetsuo

2017-09-07

We define the knotting probability of a knot K by the probability for a random polygon or self-avoiding polygon (SAP) of N segments having the knot type K. We show fundamental and generic properties of the knotting probability particularly its dependence on the excluded volume. We investigate them for the SAP consisting of hard cylindrical segments of unit length and radius r ex . For various prime and composite knots, we numerically show that a compact formula describes the knotting probabilities for the cylindrical SAP as a function of segment number N and radius r ex . It connects the small-N to the large-N behavior and even to lattice knots in the case of large values of radius. As the excluded volume increases, the maximum of the knotting probability decreases for prime knots except for the trefoil knot. If it is large, the trefoil knot and its descendants are dominant among the nontrivial knots in the SAP. From the factorization property of the knotting probability, we derive a sum rule among the estimates of a fitting parameter for all prime knots, which suggests the local knot picture and the dominance of the trefoil knot in the case of large excluded volumes. Here we remark that the cylindrical SAP gives a model of circular DNA which is negatively charged and semiflexible, where radius r ex corresponds to the screening length.

Foundations of probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraassen, B.C. van

1979-01-01

The interpretation of probabilities in physical theories are considered, whether quantum or classical. The following points are discussed 1) the functions P(μ, Q) in terms of which states and propositions can be represented, are classical (Kolmogoroff) probabilities, formally speaking, 2) these probabilities are generally interpreted as themselves conditional, and the conditions are mutually incompatible where the observables are maximal and 3) testing of the theory typically takes the form of confronting the expectation values of observable Q calculated with probability measures P(μ, Q) for states μ; hence, of comparing the probabilities P(μ, Q)(E) with the frequencies of occurrence of the corresponding events. It seems that even the interpretation of quantum mechanics, in so far as it concerns what the theory says about the empirical (i.e. actual, observable) phenomena, deals with the confrontation of classical probability measures with observable frequencies. This confrontation is studied. (Auth./C.F.)

Non-Archimedean Probability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benci, Vieri; Horsten, Leon; Wenmackers, Sylvia

We propose an alternative approach to probability theory closely related to the framework of numerosity theory: non-Archimedean probability (NAP). In our approach, unlike in classical probability theory, all subsets of an infinite sample space are measurable and only the empty set gets assigned

The modulation of simple reaction time by the spatial probability of a visual stimulus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carreiro L.R.R.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Simple reaction time (SRT in response to visual stimuli can be influenced by many stimulus features. The speed and accuracy with which observers respond to a visual stimulus may be improved by prior knowledge about the stimulus location, which can be obtained by manipulating the spatial probability of the stimulus. However, when higher spatial probability is achieved by holding constant the stimulus location throughout successive trials, the resulting improvement in performance can also be due to local sensory facilitation caused by the recurrent spatial location of a visual target (position priming. The main objective of the present investigation was to quantitatively evaluate the modulation of SRT by the spatial probability structure of a visual stimulus. In two experiments the volunteers had to respond as quickly as possible to the visual target presented on a computer screen by pressing an optic key with the index finger of the dominant hand. Experiment 1 (N = 14 investigated how SRT changed as a function of both the different levels of spatial probability and the subject's explicit knowledge about the precise probability structure of visual stimulation. We found a gradual decrease in SRT with increasing spatial probability of a visual target regardless of the observer's previous knowledge concerning the spatial probability of the stimulus. Error rates, below 2%, were independent of the spatial probability structure of the visual stimulus, suggesting the absence of a speed-accuracy trade-off. Experiment 2 (N = 12 examined whether changes in SRT in response to a spatially recurrent visual target might be accounted for simply by sensory and temporally local facilitation. The findings indicated that the decrease in SRT brought about by a spatially recurrent target was associated with its spatial predictability, and could not be accounted for solely in terms of sensory priming.

Should Aggressive Surgical Local Control Be Attempted in All Patients with Metastatic or Pelvic Ewing's Sarcoma?

Science.gov (United States)

Thorpe, Steven W.; Weiss, Kurt R.; Goodman, Mark A.; Heyl, Alma E.; McGough, Richard L.

2012-01-01

In previous reports, patients with Ewing's sarcoma received radiation therapy (XRT) for definitive local control because metastatic disease and pelvic location were thought to preclude aggressive local treatment. We sought to determine if single-site metastatic disease should be treated differently from multicentric-metastatic disease. We also wanted to reinvestigate the impact of XRT, pelvic location, and local recurrence on outcomes. Our results demonstrated a significant difference in overall survival (OS) between patients with either localized disease or a single-metastatic site and patients with multicentric-metastatic disease (P = 0.004). Local control was also found to be an independent predictor of outcomes as demonstrated by a significant difference in OS between those with and without local recurrence (P = 0.001). Axial and pelvic location did not predict a decreased OS. Based on these results, we concluded that pelvic location and the diagnosis of metastatic disease at diagnosis should not preclude aggressive local control, except in cases of multicentric-metastatic disease. PMID:22550427

Handbook of probability

CERN Document Server

Florescu, Ionut

2013-01-01

THE COMPLETE COLLECTION NECESSARY FOR A CONCRETE UNDERSTANDING OF PROBABILITY Written in a clear, accessible, and comprehensive manner, the Handbook of Probability presents the fundamentals of probability with an emphasis on the balance of theory, application, and methodology. Utilizing basic examples throughout, the handbook expertly transitions between concepts and practice to allow readers an inclusive introduction to the field of probability. The book provides a useful format with self-contained chapters, allowing the reader easy and quick reference. Each chapter includes an introductio

Probability-1

CERN Document Server

Shiryaev, Albert N

2016-01-01

This book contains a systematic treatment of probability from the ground up, starting with intuitive ideas and gradually developing more sophisticated subjects, such as random walks, martingales, Markov chains, the measure-theoretic foundations of probability theory, weak convergence of probability measures, and the central limit theorem. Many examples are discussed in detail, and there are a large number of exercises. The book is accessible to advanced undergraduates and can be used as a text for independent study. To accommodate the greatly expanded material in the third edition of Probability, the book is now divided into two volumes. This first volume contains updated references and substantial revisions of the first three chapters of the second edition. In particular, new material has been added on generating functions, the inclusion-exclusion principle, theorems on monotonic classes (relying on a detailed treatment of “π-λ” systems), and the fundamental theorems of mathematical statistics.

Probability Machines: Consistent Probability Estimation Using Nonparametric Learning Machines

Science.gov (United States)

Malley, J. D.; Kruppa, J.; Dasgupta, A.; Malley, K. G.; Ziegler, A.

2011-01-01

Summary Background Most machine learning approaches only provide a classification for binary responses. However, probabilities are required for risk estimation using individual patient characteristics. It has been shown recently that every statistical learning machine known to be consistent for a nonparametric regression problem is a probability machine that is provably consistent for this estimation problem. Objectives The aim of this paper is to show how random forests and nearest neighbors can be used for consistent estimation of individual probabilities. Methods Two random forest algorithms and two nearest neighbor algorithms are described in detail for estimation of individual probabilities. We discuss the consistency of random forests, nearest neighbors and other learning machines in detail. We conduct a simulation study to illustrate the validity of the methods. We exemplify the algorithms by analyzing two well-known data sets on the diagnosis of appendicitis and the diagnosis of diabetes in Pima Indians. Results Simulations demonstrate the validity of the method. With the real data application, we show the accuracy and practicality of this approach. We provide sample code from R packages in which the probability estimation is already available. This means that all calculations can be performed using existing software. Conclusions Random forest algorithms as well as nearest neighbor approaches are valid machine learning methods for estimating individual probabilities for binary responses. Freely available implementations are available in R and may be used for applications. PMID:21915433

Does probability of occurrence relate to population dynamics?

Science.gov (United States)

Thuiller, Wilfried; Münkemüller, Tamara; Schiffers, Katja H; Georges, Damien; Dullinger, Stefan; Eckhart, Vincent M; Edwards, Thomas C; Gravel, Dominique; Kunstler, Georges; Merow, Cory; Moore, Kara; Piedallu, Christian; Vissault, Steve; Zimmermann, Niklaus E; Zurell, Damaris; Schurr, Frank M

2014-12-01

Hutchinson defined species' realized niche as the set of environmental conditions in which populations can persist in the presence of competitors. In terms of demography, the realized niche corresponds to the environments where the intrinsic growth rate ( r ) of populations is positive. Observed species occurrences should reflect the realized niche when additional processes like dispersal and local extinction lags do not have overwhelming effects. Despite the foundational nature of these ideas, quantitative assessments of the relationship between range-wide demographic performance and occurrence probability have not been made. This assessment is needed both to improve our conceptual understanding of species' niches and ranges and to develop reliable mechanistic models of species geographic distributions that incorporate demography and species interactions. The objective of this study is to analyse how demographic parameters (intrinsic growth rate r and carrying capacity K ) and population density ( N ) relate to occurrence probability ( P occ ). We hypothesized that these relationships vary with species' competitive ability. Demographic parameters, density, and occurrence probability were estimated for 108 tree species from four temperate forest inventory surveys (Québec, Western US, France and Switzerland). We used published information of shade tolerance as indicators of light competition strategy, assuming that high tolerance denotes high competitive capacity in stable forest environments. Interestingly, relationships between demographic parameters and occurrence probability did not vary substantially across degrees of shade tolerance and regions. Although they were influenced by the uncertainty in the estimation of the demographic parameters, we found that r was generally negatively correlated with P occ , while N, and for most regions K, was generally positively correlated with P occ . Thus, in temperate forest trees the regions of highest occurrence

Autonomous Micro-Air-Vehicle Control Based on Visual Sensing for Odor Source Localization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenzo Kurotsuchi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a novel control method for autonomous-odor-source localization using visual and odor sensing by micro air vehicles (MAVs. Our method is based on biomimetics, which enable highly autonomous localization. Our method does not need any instruction signals, including even global positioning system (GPS signals. An experimenter simply blows a whistle, and the MAV will then start to hover, to seek an odor source, and to keep hovering near the source. The GPS-signal-free control based on visual sense enables indoor/underground use. Moreover, the MAV is light-weight (85 grams and does not cause harm to others even if it accidentally falls. Experiments conducted in the real world were successful in enabling odor source localization using the MAV with a bio-inspired searching method. The distance error of the localization was 63 cm, more accurate than the target distance of 120 cm for individual identification. Our odor source localization is the first step to a proof of concept for a danger warning system. These localization experiments were the first step to a proof of concept for a danger warning system to enable a safer and more secure society.

The influence of mechanical vibration on local and central balance control.

Science.gov (United States)

Ehsani, Hossein; Mohler, Jane; Marlinski, Vladimir; Rashedi, Ehsan; Toosizadeh, Nima

2018-04-11

Fall prevention has an indispensable role in enhancing life expectancy and quality of life among older adults. The first step to prevent falls is to devise reliable methods to identify individuals at high fall risk. The purpose of the current study was to assess alterations in local postural muscle and central sensory balance control mechanisms due to low-frequency externally applied vibration among elders at high fall risk, in comparison with healthy controls, as a potential tool for assessing fall risk. Three groups of participants were recruited: healthy young (n = 10; age = 23 ± 2 years), healthy elders (n = 10; age = 73 ± 3 years), and elders at high fall risk (n = 10; age = 84 ± 9 years). Eyes-open and eyes-closed upright standing balance performance was measured with no vibration, 30 Hz, and 40 Hz vibration of Gastrocnemius muscles. When vibratory stimulation was applied, changes in local-control performance manifested significant differences among the groups (p fall risk participants when compared to healthy young and older adults, respectively. On the other hand, vibration-induced changes in the central-control performance were not significant between groups (p ≥ 0.19). Results suggest that local-control deficits are responsible for balance behavior alterations among elders at high fall risk and healthy individuals. This observation may be attributable to deterioration of short-latency reflexive loop in elders at high fall risk. On the other hand, we could not ascribe the balance alterations to problems related to central nervous system performance or long-latency responses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemotherapy, brachytherapy and surgery of locally evolved uterine cervix carcinomas: prognosis factors of local control and global survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laude, C.; Montella, A.; Montbarbon, X.; Malet, C.; Racadot, S.; Pommier, P.; Mathevet, P.; Buenerd, A.

2009-01-01

The protocol used allows an excellent local control of the uterine cervix carcinoma with an acceptable morbidity. To anticipate the presence of a tumor residue can be an evolution in the therapy management after external radiotherapy, particularly in optimized image-guided brachytherapy (MRI and PET)New utero vaginal applicators with parameters implantation allow to realise the dose complement at the distal parameters. These advances make consider an improvement of results in the management of locally evolved uterine cervix carcinomas. (N.C.)

Comparing coefficients of nested nonlinear probability models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kohler, Ulrich; Karlson, Kristian Bernt; Holm, Anders

2011-01-01

In a series of recent articles, Karlson, Holm and Breen have developed a method for comparing the estimated coeffcients of two nested nonlinear probability models. This article describes this method and the user-written program khb that implements the method. The KHB-method is a general decomposi......In a series of recent articles, Karlson, Holm and Breen have developed a method for comparing the estimated coeffcients of two nested nonlinear probability models. This article describes this method and the user-written program khb that implements the method. The KHB-method is a general...... decomposition method that is unaffected by the rescaling or attenuation bias that arise in cross-model comparisons in nonlinear models. It recovers the degree to which a control variable, Z, mediates or explains the relationship between X and a latent outcome variable, Y*, underlying the nonlinear probability...

Influence of postsurgical residual tumor volume on local control in radiotherapy for maxillary sinus cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawashima, Mitsuhiko; Ogino, Takashi; Hayashi, Ryuichi; Ishikura, Satoshi; Nihei, Keiji; Ito, Yoshinori; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Ebihara, Satoshi [National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan). Hospital East; Itai, Yuji

2001-05-01

The aim was to study the influence of postsurgical gross residual tumor volume on local control of maxillary sinus cancer treated with radiotherapy combined with debulking surgery. Forty-three patients who underwent combined surgery and radiotherapy (50-72 Gy, median 60 Gy) for squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus were reviewed. Gross residual tumor volume (GRTV) after surgery was measured on computed tomograms obtained during the radiotherapy planning. Patients were classified according to GRTV as follows: group AA, GRTV=0 (microscopic residual, n=2); group A, GRTV <10 cm{sup 3} (n=24); group B, 10-40 cm{sup 3} (n=9); and group C, {>=}40 cm{sup 3} (n=8). The relationship between local control and GRTV was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. The 2-year local control rate for all patients was 62%. The differences in local control rates between groups AA, A and B were not significant (P<0.05), but the rate was significantly lower in group C than in the other groups (69% at 2 years vs 31% at 1 year, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that GRTV (P=0.002) and histological differentiation (poorly differentiated histology was favorable, P=0.035) were independent prognostic factors and that intraarterial chemotherapy and administered total dose were not. Local control in groups A and B significantly depended on the total dose of radiotherapy, with 2-year control rates of patients receiving 50 Gy (n=6) and {>=}60 Gy (n=27) of 17% vs 79%, respectively (P<0.001). Our data suggest that adequate, not complete, debulking associated with a total radiotherapy dose of {>=}60 Gy can provide satisfactory local control for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus. (author)

Family of probability distributions derived from maximal entropy principle with scale invariant restrictions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnino, Giorgio; Steinbrecher, György; Cardinali, Alessandro; Sonnino, Alberto; Tlidi, Mustapha

2013-01-01

Using statistical thermodynamics, we derive a general expression of the stationary probability distribution for thermodynamic systems driven out of equilibrium by several thermodynamic forces. The local equilibrium is defined by imposing the minimum entropy production and the maximum entropy principle under the scale invariance restrictions. The obtained probability distribution presents a singularity that has immediate physical interpretation in terms of the intermittency models. The derived reference probability distribution function is interpreted as time and ensemble average of the real physical one. A generic family of stochastic processes describing noise-driven intermittency, where the stationary density distribution coincides exactly with the one resulted from entropy maximization, is presented.

Dysfunctional default mode network and executive control network in people with Internet gaming disorder: Independent component analysis under a probability discounting task.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L; Wu, L; Lin, X; Zhang, Y; Zhou, H; Du, X; Dong, G

2016-04-01

The present study identified the neural mechanism of risky decision-making in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) under a probability discounting task. Independent component analysis was used on the functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 19 IGD subjects (22.2 ± 3.08 years) and 21 healthy controls (HC, 22.8 ± 3.5 years). For the behavioral results, IGD subjects prefer the risky to the fixed options and showed shorter reaction time compared to HC. For the imaging results, the IGD subjects showed higher task-related activity in default mode network (DMN) and less engagement in the executive control network (ECN) than HC when making the risky decisions. Also, we found the activities of DMN correlate negatively with the reaction time and the ECN correlate positively with the probability discounting rates. The results suggest that people with IGD show altered modulation in DMN and deficit in executive control function, which might be the reason for why the IGD subjects continue to play online games despite the potential negative consequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Local control and image diagnosis of cases of esophageal carcinoma treated by external and intracavitary irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hishikawa, Yoshio; Miura, Takashi

1984-01-01

Discussions are made on local control of 31 cases of esophageal carcinoma which were treated by external and intracavitary irradiation between May 1980 and March 1983. X-ray and endoscopic findings have been used for the image diagnosis. Before the begining of radiotherapy, types of esophageal carcinoma were determined from X-ray findings according to Borrmann's classification. There were 10 cases of types 1 and 2, and 21 cases of types 3 and 4. After completion of external and intracvitary irradiation, all 10 cases of types 1 and 2 were locally controlled. Of the 21 cases of types 3 and 4, 8 cases which developed stenosis or deep ulcer after external irradiation all failed in local control. The remaining 13 cases of types 3 and 4 were locally controlled except 2 by radiotherapy. (author)

Prototyping the E-ELT M1 local control system communication infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Argomedo, J.; Kornweibel, N.; Grudzien, T.; Dimmler, M.; Andolfato, L.; Barriga, P.

2016-08-01

The primary mirror of the E-ELT is composed of 798 hexagonal segments of about 1.45 meters across. Each segment can be moved in piston and tip-tilt using three position actuators. Inductive edge sensors are used to provide feedback for global reconstruction of the mirror shape. The E-ELT M1 Local Control System will provide a deterministic infrastructure for collecting edge sensor and actuators readings and distribute the new position actuators references while at the same time providing failure detection, isolation and notification, synchronization, monitoring and configuration management. The present paper describes the prototyping activities carried out to verify the feasibility of the E-ELT M1 local control system communication architecture design and assess its performance and potential limitations.

Local Voltage Control in Distribution Networks: A Game-Theoretic Perspective: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Xinyang; Tian, Jie; Chen, Lijun; Dall' Anese, Emiliano

2016-09-01

Inverter-based voltage regulation is gaining importance to alleviate emerging reliability and power-quality concerns related to distribution systems with high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) systems. This paper seeks contribution in the domain of reactive power compensation by establishing stability of local Volt/VAr controllers. In lieu of the approximate linear surrogate used in the existing work, the paper establishes existence and uniqueness of an equilibrium point using nonlinear AC power flow model. Key to this end is to consider a nonlinear dynamical system with non-incremental local Volt/VAr control, cast the Volt/VAr dynamics as a game, and leverage the fixed-point theorem as well as pertinent contraction mapping argument. Numerical examples are provided to complement the analytical results.

Classical analogues of a quantum system in spatial and temporal domains: A probability amplitude approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradipta Panchadhyayee

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We have simulated the similar features of the well-known classical phenomena in quantum domain under the formalism of probability amplitude method. The identical pattern of interference fringes of a Fabry–Perot interferometer (especially on reflection mode is obtained through the power-broadened spectral line shape of the population distribution in the excited state with careful delineation of a coherently driven two-level atomic model. In a unit wavelength domain, such pattern can be substantially modified by controlling typical spatial field arrangement in one and two dimensions, which is found complementary to the findings of recent research on atom localization in sub-wavelength domain. The spatial dependence of temporal dynamics has also been studied at a particular condition, which is equivalent to that could be obtained under Raman–Nath diffraction controlled by spatial phase.

Continuously tunable sub-half-wavelength localization via coherent control of spontaneous emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Fei; Tan Xin-Yu; Gong Cheng; Shi Wen-Xing

2012-01-01

We propose a continuously tunable method of sub-half-wavelength localization via the coherent control of the spontaneous emission of a four-level Y-type atomic system, which is coupled to three strong coupling fields including a standing-wave field together with a weak probe field. It is shown that the sub-half-wavelength atomic localization is realized for both resonance and off-resonance cases. Furthermore, by varying the probe detuning in succession, the positions of the two localization peaks are tuned continuously within a wide range of probe field frequencies, which provides convenience for the realization of sub-half-wavelength atomic localization experimentally

Human error and the associated recovery probabilities for soft control being used in the advanced MCRs of NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Inseok; Jung, Wondea; Seong, Poong Hyun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The operation environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed by adopting digital HSIs. • Most current HRA databases are not explicitly designed to deal with digital HSI. • Empirical analysis for new HRA DB under an advanced MCR mockup are carried. • It is expected that the results can be used for advanced MCR HRA. - Abstract: Since the Three Mile Island (TMI)-2 accident, human error has been recognized as one of the main causes of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accidents, and numerous studies related to Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) have been carried out. Most of these studies were focused on considering the conventional Main Control Room (MCR) environment. However, the operating environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed with the adoption of new human-system interfaces (HSI) largely based on up-to-date digital technologies. The MCRs that include these digital and computer technologies, such as large display panels, computerized procedures, and soft controls, are called advanced MCRs. Among the many features of advanced MCRs, soft controls are a particularly important because operating actions in advanced MCRs are performed by soft control. Due to the difference in interfaces between soft control and hardwired conventional controls, different HEP should be used in the HRA for advanced MCRs. Unfortunately, most current HRA databases deal with operations in conventional MCRs and are not explicitly designed to deal with digital Human System Interface (HSI). For this reason, empirical human error and the associated error recovery probabilities were collected from the mockup of an advanced MCR equipped with soft controls. To this end, small-scaled experiments are conducted with 48 graduated students in the department of nuclear engineering in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) are participated, and accident scenarios are designed with respect to the typical Design Basis Accidents (DBAs) in NPPs, such as Steam Generator Tube Rupture

Janus-faced probability

CERN Document Server

Rocchi, Paolo

2014-01-01

The problem of probability interpretation was long overlooked before exploding in the 20th century, when the frequentist and subjectivist schools formalized two conflicting conceptions of probability. Beyond the radical followers of the two schools, a circle of pluralist thinkers tends to reconcile the opposing concepts. The author uses two theorems in order to prove that the various interpretations of probability do not come into opposition and can be used in different contexts. The goal here is to clarify the multifold nature of probability by means of a purely mathematical approach and to show how philosophical arguments can only serve to deepen actual intellectual contrasts. The book can be considered as one of the most important contributions in the analysis of probability interpretation in the last 10-15 years.

Localized temperature and chemical reaction control in nanoscale space by nanowire array.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, C Yan; Li, Zhiyong; Williams, R Stanley; Lee, K-Cheol; Park, Inkyu

2011-11-09

We introduce a novel method for chemical reaction control with nanoscale spatial resolution based on localized heating by using a well-aligned nanowire array. Numerical and experimental analysis shows that each individual nanowire could be selectively and rapidly Joule heated for local and ultrafast temperature modulation in nanoscale space (e.g., maximum temperature gradient 2.2 K/nm at the nanowire edge; heating/cooling time chemical reactions such as polymer decomposition/cross-linking and direct and localized hydrothermal synthesis of metal oxide nanowires were demonstrated.

French local agencies of energy control; Agences locales francaise de maitrise de l'energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

In the framework of the SAVE program, the European Commission brings financial assistance to the creation of local or regional agencies of energy control in municipalities and regions. The main criteria are the impacts on the energy demand, the reinforcement of the economic and social cohesion, the environmental quality and the contribution to the economic development and the employment creation. In this document, realized by Energie-Cites, the Ademe objective is to present a state of the art of french local agencies. Ten agencies are presented as case study. Each case deals with the following topics: the main context of the action which details the energy and the environmental policy of the municipality, the creation and the description of the agency, the implemented actions and the perspectives. (A.L.B.)

Environmental pollution has sex-dependent effects on local survival

Science.gov (United States)

Eeva, Tapio; Hakkarainen, Harri; Laaksonen, Toni; Lehikoinen, Esa

2006-01-01

Environmental pollutants cause a potential hazard for survival in free-living animal populations. We modelled local survival (including emigration) by using individual mark–recapture histories of males and females in a population of a small insectivorous passerine bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) living around a point source of heavy metals (copper smelter). Local survival of F. hypoleuca females did not differ between polluted and unpolluted environments. Males, however, showed a one-third higher local-survival probability in the polluted area. Low fledgling production was generally associated with decreased local survival, but males in the polluted area showed relatively high local survival, irrespective of their fledgling number. A possible explanation of higher local survival of males in the polluted area could be a pollution-induced change in hormone (e.g. corticosterone or testosterone) levels of males. It could make them to invest more on their own survival or affect the hormonal control of breeding dispersal. The local survival of males decreased in the polluted area over the study period along with the simultaneous decrease in heavy metal emissions. This temporal trend is in agreement with the stress hormone hypothesis. PMID:17148387

Interpretations of probability

CERN Document Server

Khrennikov, Andrei

2009-01-01

This is the first fundamental book devoted to non-Kolmogorov probability models. It provides a mathematical theory of negative probabilities, with numerous applications to quantum physics, information theory, complexity, biology and psychology. The book also presents an interesting model of cognitive information reality with flows of information probabilities, describing the process of thinking, social, and psychological phenomena.

Improved local and regional control with radiotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Science.gov (United States)

Strom, Tobin; Naghavi, Arash O; Messina, Jane L; Kim, Sungjune; Torres-Roca, Javier F; Russell, Jeffery; Sondak, Vernon K; Padhya, Tapan A; Trotti, Andy M; Caudell, Jimmy J; Harrison, Louis B

2017-01-01

We hypothesized that radiotherapy (RT) would improve both local and regional control with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. A single-institution institutional review board-approved study was performed including 113 patients with nonmetastatic Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Postoperative RT was delivered to the primary tumor bed (71.7% cases) ± draining lymphatics (33.3% RT cases). Postoperative local RT was associated with improved local control (3-year actuarial local control 89.4% vs 68.1%; p = .005; Cox hazard ratio [HR] 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.55; p = .002). Similarly, regional RT was associated with improved regional control (3-year actuarial regional control 95.0% vs 66.7%; p = .008; Cox HR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01-0.69; p = .02). Regional RT played an important role for both clinical node-negative patients (3-year regional control 100% vs 44.7%; p = .03) and clinical/pathological node-positive patients (3-year regional control 90.9% vs 55.6%; p = .047). Local RT was beneficial for all patients with Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck, whereas regional RT was beneficial for clinical node-negative and clinical/pathological node-positive patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 48-55, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stereotactic radiotherapy following surgery for brain metastasis: Predictive factors for local control and radionecrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Doré, M; Martin, S; Delpon, G; Clément, K; Campion, L; Thillays, F

2017-02-01

To evaluate local control and adverse effects after postoperative hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with brain metastasis. We reviewed patients who had hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (7.7Gy×3 prescribed to the 70% isodose line, with 2mm planning target volume margin) following resection from March 2008 to January 2014. The primary endpoint was local failure defined as recurrence within the surgical cavity. Secondary endpoints were distant failure rates and the occurrence of radionecrosis. Out of 95 patients, 39.2% had metastatic lesions from a non-small cell lung cancer primary tumour. The median Graded Prognostic Assessment score was 3 (48% of patients). One-year local control rates were 84%. Factors associated with improved local control were no cavity enhancement on pre-radiation MRI (P<0.00001), planning target volume less than 12cm 3 (P=0.005), Graded Prognostic Assessment score 2 or above (P=0.009). One-year distant cerebral control rates were 56%. Thirty-three percent of patients received whole brain radiation therapy. Histologically proven radionecrosis of brain tissue occurred in 7.2% of cases. The size of the preoperative lesion and the volume of healthy brain tissue receiving 21Gy (V 21 ) were both predictive of the incidence of radionecrosis (P=0.010 and 0.036, respectively). Adjuvant hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery to the postoperative cavity in patients with brain metastases results in excellent local control in selected patients, helps delay the use of whole brain radiation, and is associated with a relatively low risk of radionecrosis. Copyright © 2016 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Optimizer convergence and local minima errors and their clinical importance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeraj, Robert; Wu, Chuan; Mackie, Thomas R

2003-01-01

Two of the errors common in the inverse treatment planning optimization have been investigated. The first error is the optimizer convergence error, which appears because of non-perfect convergence to the global or local solution, usually caused by a non-zero stopping criterion. The second error is the local minima error, which occurs when the objective function is not convex and/or the feasible solution space is not convex. The magnitude of the errors, their relative importance in comparison to other errors as well as their clinical significance in terms of tumour control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were investigated. Two inherently different optimizers, a stochastic simulated annealing and deterministic gradient method were compared on a clinical example. It was found that for typical optimization the optimizer convergence errors are rather small, especially compared to other convergence errors, e.g., convergence errors due to inaccuracy of the current dose calculation algorithms. This indicates that stopping criteria could often be relaxed leading into optimization speed-ups. The local minima errors were also found to be relatively small and typically in the range of the dose calculation convergence errors. Even for the cases where significantly higher objective function scores were obtained the local minima errors were not significantly higher. Clinical evaluation of the optimizer convergence error showed good correlation between the convergence of the clinical TCP or NTCP measures and convergence of the physical dose distribution. On the other hand, the local minima errors resulted in significantly different TCP or NTCP values (up to a factor of 2) indicating clinical importance of the local minima produced by physical optimization

A framework to estimate probability of diagnosis error in NPP advanced MCR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ar Ryum; Kim, Jong Hyun; Jang, Inseok; Seong, Poong Hyun

2018-01-01

Highlights: •As new type of MCR has been installed in NPPs, the work environment is considerably changed. •A new framework to estimate operators’ diagnosis error probabilities should be proposed. •Diagnosis error data were extracted from the full-scope simulator of the advanced MCR. •Using Bayesian inference, a TRC model was updated for use in advanced MCR. -- Abstract: Recently, a new type of main control room (MCR) has been adopted in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The new MCR, known as the advanced MCR, consists of digitalized human-system interfaces (HSIs), computer-based procedures (CPS), and soft controls while the conventional MCR includes many alarm tiles, analog indicators, hard-wired control devices, and paper-based procedures. These changes significantly affect the generic activities of the MCR operators, in relation to diagnostic activities. The aim of this paper is to suggest a framework to estimate the probabilities of diagnosis errors in the advanced MCR by updating a time reliability correlation (TRC) model. Using Bayesian inference, the TRC model was updated with the probabilities of diagnosis errors. Here, the diagnosis error data were collected from a full-scope simulator of the advanced MCR. To do this, diagnosis errors were determined based on an information processing model and their probabilities were calculated. However, these calculated probabilities of diagnosis errors were largely affected by context factors such as procedures, HSI, training, and others, known as PSFs (Performance Shaping Factors). In order to obtain the nominal diagnosis error probabilities, the weightings of PSFs were also evaluated. Then, with the nominal diagnosis error probabilities, the TRC model was updated. This led to the proposal of a framework to estimate the nominal probabilities of diagnosis errors in the advanced MCR.

Factors influencing reporting and harvest probabilities in North American geese

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, G.S.; Moser, T.J.; Kendall, W.L.; Doherty, P.F.; White, Gary C.; Caswell, D.F.

2009-01-01

We assessed variation in reporting probabilities of standard bands among species, populations, harvest locations, and size classes of North American geese to enable estimation of unbiased harvest probabilities. We included reward (US10,20,30,50, or100) and control (0) banded geese from 16 recognized goose populations of 4 species: Canada (Branta canadensis), cackling (B. hutchinsii), Ross's (Chen rossii), and snow geese (C. caerulescens). We incorporated spatially explicit direct recoveries and live recaptures into a multinomial model to estimate reporting, harvest, and band-retention probabilities. We compared various models for estimating harvest probabilities at country (United States vs. Canada), flyway (5 administrative regions), and harvest area (i.e., flyways divided into northern and southern sections) scales. Mean reporting probability of standard bands was 0.73 (95 CI 0.690.77). Point estimates of reporting probabilities for goose populations or spatial units varied from 0.52 to 0.93, but confidence intervals for individual estimates overlapped and model selection indicated that models with species, population, or spatial effects were less parsimonious than those without these effects. Our estimates were similar to recently reported estimates for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We provide current harvest probability estimates for these populations using our direct measures of reporting probability, improving the accuracy of previous estimates obtained from recovery probabilities alone. Goose managers and researchers throughout North America can use our reporting probabilities to correct recovery probabilities estimated from standard banding operations for deriving spatially explicit harvest probabilities.

Decreased Serum Lipids in Patients with Probable Alzheimer´s Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orhan Lepara

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease (AD is a multifactorial disease but its aetiology and pathophisiology are still not fully understood. Epidemiologic studies examining the association between lipids and dementia have reported conflicting results. High total cholesterol has been associated with both an increased, and decreased, risk of AD and/or vascular dementia (VAD, whereas other studies found no association. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum lipids concentration in patients with probable AD, as well as possible correlation between serum lipids concentrations and cognitive impairment.Our cross-sectional study included 30 patients with probable AD and 30 age and sex matched control subjects. The probable AD was clinically diagnosed by NINCDS-ADRDA criteria. Serum total cholesterol (TC, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and triglyceride (TG levels were determined at the initial assessment using standard enzymatic colorimetric techniques. Low-den- sity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C levels were calculated. Subjects with probable AD had significantly lower serum TG (p<0,01, TC (p<0,05, LDL-C (p<0,05 and VLDL-C (p<0,01 compared to the control group. We did not observe signifi-cant difference in HDL-C level between patients with probable AD and control subjects. Negative, although not significant correlation between TG, TC and VLDL-C and MMSE in patients with AD was observed. In the control group of subjects there was a negative correlation between TC and MMSE but it was not statistically significant (r = -0,28. Further studies are required to explore the possibility for serum lipids to serve as diagnostic and therapeutic markers of AD.

Patterns of Failure and Local Control After Intraoperative Electron Boost Radiotherapy to the Presacral Space in Combination with Total Mesorectal Excision in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roeder, Falk; Treiber, Martina; Oertel, Susanne; Dinkel, Julien; Timke, Carmen; Funk, Angela; Garcia-Huttenlocher, Helena; Bischof, Marc; Weitz, Juergen; Harms, Wolfgang; Hensley, Frank W.; Buchler, Markus W.; Debus, Juergen; Krempien, Robert

2007-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate local control and patterns of failure in patients treated with intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy (IOERT) after total mesorectal excision (TME), to appraise the effectiveness of intraoperative target definition. Methods and Materials: We analyzed the outcome of 243 patients with rectal cancer treated with IOERT (median dose, 10 Gy) after TME. Eighty-eight patients received neoadjuvant and 122 patients adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) (median dose, 41.4 Gy), and in 88% simultaneous chemotherapy was applied. Median follow-up was 59 months. Results: Local failure was observed in 17 patients (7%), resulting in a 5-year local control rate of 92%. Only complete resection and absence of nodal involvement correlated positively with local control. Considering IOERT fields, seven infield recurrences were seen in the presacral space, resulting in a 5-year local control rate of 97%. The remaining local relapses were located as follows: retrovesical/retroprostatic (5), anastomotic site (2), promontorium (1), ileocecal (1), and perineal (1). Conclusion: Intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy as part of a multimodal treatment approach including TME is a highly effective regimen to prevent local failure. The presacral space remains the site of highest risk for local failure, but IOERT can decrease the percentage of relapses in this area

Improving Ranking Using Quantum Probability

OpenAIRE

Melucci, Massimo

2011-01-01

The paper shows that ranking information units by quantum probability differs from ranking them by classical probability provided the same data used for parameter estimation. As probability of detection (also known as recall or power) and probability of false alarm (also known as fallout or size) measure the quality of ranking, we point out and show that ranking by quantum probability yields higher probability of detection than ranking by classical probability provided a given probability of ...

Advances in local anesthesia in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogle, Orrett E; Mahjoubi, Ghazal

2011-07-01

Local pain management is the most critical aspect of patient care in dentistry. The improvements in agents and techniques for local anesthesia are probably the most significant advances that have occurred in dental science. This article provides an update on the most recently introduced local anesthetic agents along with new technologies used to deliver local anesthetics. Safety devices are also discussed, along with an innovative method for reducing the annoying numbness of the lip and tongue following local anesthesia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Local stem cell depletion model for normal tissue damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaes, R.J.; Keland, A.

1987-01-01

The hypothesis that radiation causes normal tissue damage by completely depleting local regions of tissue of viable stem cells leads to a simple mathematical model for such damage. In organs like skin and spinal cord where destruction of a small volume of tissue leads to a clinically apparent complication, the complication probability is expressed as a function of dose, volume and stem cell number by a simple triple negative exponential function analogous to the double exponential function of Munro and Gilbert for tumor control. The steep dose response curves for radiation myelitis that are obtained with our model are compared with the experimental data for radiation myelitis in laboratory rats. The model can be generalized to include other types or organs, high LET radiation, fractionated courses of radiation, and cases where an organ with a heterogeneous stem cell population receives an inhomogeneous dose of radiation. In principle it would thus be possible to determine the probability of tumor control and of damage to any organ within the radiation field if the dose distribution in three dimensional space within a patient is known

Control of group of mobile autonomous agents via local strategies

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Lixin GAO; Daizhan CHENG; Yiguang HONG

2008-01-01

This paper considers the formation control problem of multi-agent systems in a distributed fashion.Two cases of the information propagating topologies among multiple agents,characterized by graphics model,are considered.One is fixed topology.The other is switching topology which represents the limited and less reliable information exchange.The local formation control strategies established in this paper are based on a simple modification of the existing consensus control strategies.Moreover,some existing convergence conditions ale shown to be a special case of our model even in the continuous-time consensus case.Therefore.the results of this paper extend the existing results about the consensus problem.

Control system of executive mechanisms of a spectrometer on the IBR-2 reactor as a modern local network of controllers CAN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuravlev, V.V.; Kirillov, A.S.; Petukhova, T.B.; Sirotin, A.P.

2007-01-01

Controllers SMC-32 and SMC-32-CAN as elements of control systems of executive mechanisms of the IBR-2 spectrometers are submitted. The controllers provide management of executive mechanisms of spectrometers on the consecutive communication line RS232, RS422 (SMC-32, SMC-32-CAN), and on the local network CAN (SMC-32-CAN). The control systems of the executive mechanisms are easily modernized due to connection of additional elements of the local network CAN. Dynamic characteristics of the spectrometers' executive mechanisms are essentially improved. For example, it has been possible to increase the rotation frequency of the step motor DSHI-200 up to 10000 pps. (author)

Localization of the brainstem GABAergic neurons controlling paradoxical (REM sleep.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilie Sapin

Full Text Available Paradoxical sleep (PS is a state characterized by cortical activation, rapid eye movements and muscle atonia. Fifty years after its discovery, the neuronal network responsible for the genesis of PS has been only partially identified. We recently proposed that GABAergic neurons would have a pivotal role in that network. To localize these GABAergic neurons, we combined immunohistochemical detection of Fos with non-radioactive in situ hybridization of GAD67 mRNA (GABA synthesis enzyme in control rats, rats deprived of PS for 72 h and rats allowed to recover after such deprivation. Here we show that GABAergic neurons gating PS (PS-off neurons are principally located in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG and the dorsal part of the deep mesencephalic reticular nucleus immediately ventral to it (dDpMe. Furthermore, iontophoretic application of muscimol for 20 min in this area in head-restrained rats induced a strong and significant increase in PS quantities compared to saline. In addition, we found a large number of GABAergic PS-on neurons in the vlPAG/dDPMe region and the medullary reticular nuclei known to generate muscle atonia during PS. Finally, we showed that PS-on neurons triggering PS localized in the SLD are not GABAergic. Altogether, our results indicate that multiple populations of PS-on GABAergic neurons are distributed in the brainstem while only one population of PS-off GABAergic neurons localized in the vlPAG/dDpMe region exist. From these results, we propose a revised model for PS control in which GABAergic PS-on and PS-off neurons localized in the vlPAG/dDPMe region play leading roles.

High probability of avian influenza virus (H7N7) transmission from poultry to humans active in disease control on infected farms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.E.H. Bos (Marian); D.E. te Beest (Dennis); M. van Boven (Michiel); M.R.D.R.B. van Holle; A. Meijer (Adam); A. Bosman (Arnold); Y.M. Mulder (Yonne); M.P.G. Koopmans D.V.M. (Marion); A. Stegeman (Arjan)

2010-01-01

textabstractAn epizootic of avian influenza (H7N7) caused a large number of human infections in The Netherlands in 2003. We used data from this epizootic to estimate infection probabilities for persons involved in disease control on infected farms. Analyses were based on databases containing

The effect of faulty local detectors on a detection network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirjalily, G.; Emadi, S.

2002-01-01

Distributed detection theory has received increasing attention recently. Development of multiple sensors for signal detection results in improved performance and increased reliability. in a detection network, each local sensor decides locally whether a signal is detected or not. The local decisions are sent to the fusion center, where the final decision is made. In this paper, a theoretic approach is considered to data fusion when one of the sensors is faulty. If the fusion center does not have any knowledge of this fault, the performance of the system is different than its normal performance. The changes in the error probabilities depend on the type of the fault and on the threshold value of the fission center test. We derived some expressions of the changes in the values of error probabilities. For some type of faults, the system false alarm probability increases significantly, whereas for some other faults, the system detection probability decreases significantly. To illustrate the results, a numerical example is also given

Pointwise probability reinforcements for robust statistical inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Frénay, Benoît; Verleysen, Michel

2014-02-01

Statistical inference using machine learning techniques may be difficult with small datasets because of abnormally frequent data (AFDs). AFDs are observations that are much more frequent in the training sample that they should be, with respect to their theoretical probability, and include e.g. outliers. Estimates of parameters tend to be biased towards models which support such data. This paper proposes to introduce pointwise probability reinforcements (PPRs): the probability of each observation is reinforced by a PPR and a regularisation allows controlling the amount of reinforcement which compensates for AFDs. The proposed solution is very generic, since it can be used to robustify any statistical inference method which can be formulated as a likelihood maximisation. Experiments show that PPRs can be easily used to tackle regression, classification and projection: models are freed from the influence of outliers. Moreover, outliers can be filtered manually since an abnormality degree is obtained for each observation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EDF and local authorities: a historical model of compromise and control?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouneau, Ch.

2008-01-01

The June 15, 1906 Distribution Act is central to the country's legal and energy heritage, and has retained, after 1946, its validity and relevance, in the era of EDF. By acknowledging the essential role of local authorities, mainly cities, it established the local public electricity agency (SPL) based on relationships between the licensor and the Licence Holder. After setting up the FNCCR (Federation Nationale des Collectivites Concedantes et Regies) in 1933, the April 8, 946 Nationalization Act had initiated a golden age for local electric economy control by public agencies, by confirming the privileges of local authorities. The end of rural electrification, the role of FACE (Fonds d'Amortissement des charges d'electrification rurale) and the increasing number of inter-city associations symbolize the French model of concession economy. Open competition under European energy liberalization directives since 1990 has led to increased authority, as well as responsibilities, for local authorities looking for a new SPL. Its key words are not only competitiveness, but also social and territorial solidarity and the new requirements of sustainable energy development, and its agenda. (author)

Calculating the Probability of Returning a Loan with Binary Probability Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julian Vasilev

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to give a new approach in calculating the probability of returning a loan. A lot of factors affect the value of the probability. In this article by using statistical and econometric models some influencing factors are proved. The main approach is concerned with applying probit and logit models in loan management institutions. A new aspect of the credit risk analysis is given. Calculating the probability of returning a loan is a difficult task. We assume that specific data fields concerning the contract (month of signing, year of signing, given sum and data fields concerning the borrower of the loan (month of birth, year of birth (age, gender, region, where he/she lives may be independent variables in a binary logistics model with a dependent variable “the probability of returning a loan”. It is proved that the month of signing a contract, the year of signing a contract, the gender and the age of the loan owner do not affect the probability of returning a loan. It is proved that the probability of returning a loan depends on the sum of contract, the remoteness of the loan owner and the month of birth. The probability of returning a loan increases with the increase of the given sum, decreases with the proximity of the customer, increases for people born in the beginning of the year and decreases for people born at the end of the year.

Use of the Concept of Equivalent Biologically Effective Dose (BED) to Quantify the Contribution of Hyperthermia to Local Tumor Control in Radiohyperthermia Cervical Cancer Trials, and Comparison With Radiochemotherapy Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plataniotis, George A.; Dale, Roger G.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To express the magnitude of contribution of hyperthermia to local tumor control in radiohyperthermia (RT/HT) cervical cancer trials, in terms of the radiation-equivalent biologically effective dose (BED) and to explore the potential of the combined modalities in the treatment of this neoplasm. Materials and Methods: Local control rates of both arms of each study (RT vs. RT+HT) reported from randomized controlled trials (RCT) on concurrent RT/HT for cervical cancer were reviewed. By comparing the two tumor control probabilities (TCPs) from each study, we calculated the HT-related log cell-kill and then expressed it in terms of the number of 2 Gy fraction equivalents, for a range of tumor volumes and radiosensitivities. We have compared the contribution of each modality and made some exploratory calculations on the TCPs that might be expected from a combined trimodality treatment (RT+CT+HT). Results: The HT-equivalent number of 2-Gy fractions ranges from 0.6 to 4.8 depending on radiosensitivity. Opportunities for clinically detectable improvement by the addition of HT are only available in tumors with an alpha value in the approximate range of 0.22-0.28 Gy -1 . A combined treatment (RT+CT+HT) is not expected to improve prognosis in radioresistant tumors. Conclusion: The most significant improvements in TCP, which may result from the combination of RT/CT/HT for locally advanced cervical carcinomas, are likely to be limited only to those patients with tumors of relatively low-intermediate radiosensitivity.

Probability and logical structure of statistical theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, M.J.W.

1988-01-01

A characterization of statistical theories is given which incorporates both classical and quantum mechanics. It is shown that each statistical theory induces an associated logic and joint probability structure, and simple conditions are given for the structure to be of a classical or quantum type. This provides an alternative for the quantum logic approach to axiomatic quantum mechanics. The Bell inequalities may be derived for those statistical theories that have a classical structure and satisfy a locality condition weaker than factorizability. The relation of these inequalities to the issue of hidden variable theories for quantum mechanics is discussed and clarified

On the Possibility of Assigning Probabilities to Singular Cases, or: Probability Is Subjective Too!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark R. Crovelli

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Both Ludwig von Mises and Richard von Mises claimed that numerical probability could not be legitimately applied to singular cases. This paper challenges this aspect of the von Mises brothers’ theory of probability. It is argued that their denial that numerical probability could be applied to singular cases was based solely upon Richard von Mises’ exceptionally restrictive definition of probability. This paper challenges Richard von Mises’ definition of probability by arguing that the definition of probability necessarily depends upon whether the world is governed by time-invariant causal laws. It is argued that if the world is governed by time-invariant causal laws, a subjective definition of probability must be adopted. It is further argued that both the nature of human action and the relative frequency method for calculating numerical probabilities both presuppose that the world is indeed governed by time-invariant causal laws. It is finally argued that the subjective definition of probability undercuts the von Mises claim that numerical probability cannot legitimately be applied to singular, non-replicable cases.

Dual Diagnosis and Suicide Probability in Poly-Drug Users.

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, Ismail M; Fahmy, Magda T; Haggag, Wafaa L; Mohamed, Khalid A; Baalash, Amany A

2016-02-01

To determine the frequency of suicidal thoughts and suicidal probability among poly-substance abusers in Saudi population, and to examine the relation between dual diagnosis and suicidal thoughts. Case control study. Al-Baha Psychiatric Hospital, Saudi Arabia, from May 2011 to June 2012. Participants were 239 subjects, aged 18 - 45 years. We reviewed 122 individuals who fulfilled the DSM-IV-TR criteria of substance abuse for two or more substances, and their data were compared with that collected from 117 control persons. Suicidal cases were highly present among poly-substance abusers 64.75%. Amphetamine and cannabis were the most abused substances, (87.7% and 70.49%, respectively). Astatistically significant association with suicidality was found with longer duration of substance abuse (p Suicidal cases showed significant higher scores (p suicide probability scale and higher scores in Beck depressive inventory (p Abusing certain substances for long duration, in addition to comorbid psychiatric disorders especially with disturbed-mood element, may trigger suicidal thoughts in poly-substance abusers. Depression and suicide probability is common consequences of substance abuse.

Does probability of occurrence relate to population dynamics?

Science.gov (United States)

Thuiller, Wilfried; Münkemüller, Tamara; Schiffers, Katja H.; Georges, Damien; Dullinger, Stefan; Eckhart, Vincent M.; Edwards, Thomas C.; Gravel, Dominique; Kunstler, Georges; Merow, Cory; Moore, Kara; Piedallu, Christian; Vissault, Steve; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Zurell, Damaris; Schurr, Frank M.

2014-01-01

Hutchinson defined species' realized niche as the set of environmental conditions in which populations can persist in the presence of competitors. In terms of demography, the realized niche corresponds to the environments where the intrinsic growth rate (r) of populations is positive. Observed species occurrences should reflect the realized niche when additional processes like dispersal and local extinction lags do not have overwhelming effects. Despite the foundational nature of these ideas, quantitative assessments of the relationship between range-wide demographic performance and occurrence probability have not been made. This assessment is needed both to improve our conceptual understanding of species' niches and ranges and to develop reliable mechanistic models of species geographic distributions that incorporate demography and species interactions.The objective of this study is to analyse how demographic parameters (intrinsic growth rate r and carrying capacity K ) and population density (N ) relate to occurrence probability (Pocc ). We hypothesized that these relationships vary with species' competitive ability. Demographic parameters, density, and occurrence probability were estimated for 108 tree species from four temperate forest inventory surveys (Québec, western USA, France and Switzerland). We used published information of shade tolerance as indicators of light competition strategy, assuming that high tolerance denotes high competitive capacity in stable forest environments.Interestingly, relationships between demographic parameters and occurrence probability did not vary substantially across degrees of shade tolerance and regions. Although they were influenced by the uncertainty in the estimation of the demographic parameters, we found that r was generally negatively correlated with Pocc, while N, and for most regions K, was generally positively correlated with Pocc. Thus, in temperate forest trees the regions of highest occurrence

Local Control After Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Head-and-Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, Amarinthia E.; Okcu, M. Fatih; Chintagumpala, Murali; Teh, Bin S.; Paulino, Arnold C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To examine the patterns of failure in patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for head-and-neck rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Methods and Materials: Between 1998 and 2005, 19 patients with a diagnosis of head-and-neck RMS received IMRT at The Methodist Hospital. There were 11 male and 8 female patients, with a median age of 6 years at time of irradiation. Tumor location was parameningeal in 7, orbital in 6, and other head-and-neck RMS in 6. Chemotherapy was given to all patients, with vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide being the most common regimen (n = 18). The median prescribed dose was 5040 cGy. The clinical target volume included the gross tumor volume with a 1.5-cm margin. The median duration of follow-up for surviving patients was 56 months. Results: The 4-year overall survival and local control rates were 76% and 92.9%, respectively. One patient developed a local failure in the high-dose region of the radiation field; there were no marginal failures. Distant metastasis was seen in 4 patients. Overall survival was 42.9% for parameningeal sites and 100% for other sites (p < 0.01). Late toxicities were seen in 7 patients. Two secondary malignancies occurred in 1 child with embryonal RMS of the face and a p53 mutation. Conclusions: Local control was excellent in patients receiving IMRT for head-and-neck RMS. Patterns of local failure reveal no marginal failures in this group of patients

Phase control of the probability of electronic transitions in the non-perturbative laser field intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoyama, Keiichi; Sugita, Akihiro; Yamada, Hidetaka; Teranishi, Yoshiaki; Yokoyama, Atsushi

2007-01-01

A preparatory study on the quantum control of the selective transition K(4S 1/2 ) → K(4P J ) (J=1/2, 3/2) in intense laser field is reported. To generate high average power femtosecond laser pulses with enough field intensity, a Ti:Sapphire regenerative amplifier system with a repetition rate of 1 kHz is constructed. The bandwidth and pulse energy are shown to qualify the required values for the completely selective transition with 100% population inversion. A preliminary experiment of the selective excitation shows that the fringe pattern formed by a phase related pulse pair depends on the laser intensity, indicating that the perturbative behavior of the excitation probabilities is not valid any more and the laser intensity reaches a non-perturbative region. (author)

Spatial Probability Cuing and Right Hemisphere Damage

Science.gov (United States)

Shaqiri, Albulena; Anderson, Britt

2012-01-01

In this experiment we studied statistical learning, inter-trial priming, and visual attention. We assessed healthy controls and right brain damaged (RBD) patients with and without neglect, on a simple visual discrimination task designed to measure priming effects and probability learning. All participants showed a preserved priming effect for item…

Direct subwavelength imaging and control of near-field localization in individual silver nanocubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mårsell, Erik; Svärd, Robin; Miranda, Miguel; Guo, Chen; Harth, Anne; Lorek, Eleonora; Mauritsson, Johan; Arnold, Cord L.; L' Huillier, Anne; Mikkelsen, Anders; Losquin, Arthur, E-mail: arthur.losquin@fysik.lth.se [Department of Physics, Lund University, PO Box 118, 221 00 Lund (Sweden); Xu, Hongxing [Department of Physics, Lund University, PO Box 118, 221 00 Lund (Sweden); School of Physics and Technology and Institute for Advanced Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

2015-11-16

We demonstrate the control of near-field localization within individual silver nanocubes through photoemission electron microscopy combined with broadband, few-cycle laser pulses. We find that the near-field is concentrated at the corners of the cubes, and that it can be efficiently localized to different individual corners depending on the polarization of the incoming light. The experimental results are confirmed by finite-difference time-domain simulations, which also provide an intuitive picture of polarization dependent near-field localization in nanocubes.

Development of ITER CODAC compatible gyrotron local control system and its operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohshima, Katsumi; Oda, Yasuhisa; Takahashi, Koji; Terakado, Masayuki; Ikeda, Ryosuke; Moriyama, Shinichi; Kajiwara, Ken; Sakamoto, Keishi; Hayashi, Kazuo

2016-03-01

In Japan Atomic Energy Agency, an ITER relevant control system for ITER gyrotron was developed according to Plant Control Design Handbook. This control system was developed based on ITER CODAC Core System and implemented state machine control of gyrotron operation system, sequential timing control of gyrotron oscillation startup, and data acquisition. The operation of ITER 170 GHz gyrotron was demonstrated with ITER relevant power supply configuration. This system is utilized for gyrotron operation test for ITER procurement. This report describes the architecture of gyrotron local control system, its basic and detailed design, and recent operation results. (author)

Quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects measured by transition probabilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Wenxian, E-mail: wxzhang@whu.edu.cn [School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072 (China); Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics China, CAS, Beijing 100190 (China); Kofman, A.G. [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Physics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States); Zhuang, Jun [Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); You, J.Q. [Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 10084 (China); Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Nori, Franco [CEMS, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Physics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States)

2013-10-30

Using numerical calculations, we compare the transition probabilities of many spins in random magnetic fields, subject to either frequent projective measurements, frequent phase modulations, or a mix of modulations and measurements. For various distribution functions, we find the transition probability under frequent modulations is suppressed most if the pulse delay is short and the evolution time is larger than a critical value. Furthermore, decay freezing occurs only under frequent modulations as the pulse delay approaches zero. In the large pulse-delay region, however, the transition probabilities under frequent modulations are highest among the three control methods.

Factors influencing local control and survival for patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suh, John H.; Barnett, Gene H.; Sohn, Jason W.; Fernandez-Vicioso, Eduardo; Kupelian, Patrick A.

1996-01-01

PURPOSE: To identify factors affecting local control and survival for patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 3/90-10/95, 99 patients (median age 58, range 29-83; 44 women, 55 men) with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic intracranial metastases measuring < 4 cm in diameter and ≥ 1 cm from optic chiasm and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 70 underwent modified linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Patients characteristics included 20 with recurrent disease, 66 with solitary lesions, and 42 with systemic disease. Forty six patients underwent surgical resection prior to SRS (16 biopsy, 3 subtotal resection (STR), and 21 gross total resection (GTR)). Eighty of 99 patients underwent whole brain radiation treatments (median 4005 cGy/15 fx, range 2200-6000 cGy). A total of 154 lesions were treated with 143 being evaluable on follow-up CT or MRI scans. Radiosurgery parameters (median) were the following: volume 2.8 cc (range 0.1-38 cc) and a peripheral dose of 1700 cGy (range 500-2400 cGy) with normalization to the 80% line (range 50-90%). Survival was measured from the date of SRS. Local control was defined as stabilization or decrease in size of the intracranial lesion(s). RESULTS: The following factors were analyzed with respect to local control and survival: 1) solitary vs. multiple lesions, 2) Age < or ≥ 60, 3) sex, 4) radiosensitive vs. radioresistant (renal cell and melanoma) histologies, 5) recurrent vs. newly diagnosed lesions, 6) KPS (70-80 vs. 90-100), 7) extent of surgery (biopsy vs. STR/GTR), 8) use of whole brain radiation treatments, 9) absence or presence of systemic disease, 10) dose (< or ≥ 1500 cGy) and 11) volume (< or ≥ 3 cc). On univariate analysis, survival was significantly influenced by female sex, presence of solitary lesion, absence of systemic disease, and extent of surgery. On multivariate analysis, female sex (p=0.0037), absence of systemic disease

Effect of local automatic control rods on three-dimensional calculations of the power distribution in an RBMK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pogosbekyan, L.R.; Lysov, D.A.; Bronitskii, L.L.

1993-01-01

Numerical simulators and information systems that support nuclear reactor operators must have fast models to estimate how fuel reloads and control rod displacement affect neutron and power distributions in the core. The consequences of reloads and control rod displacement cannot be evaluated correctly without considering local automatic control-rod operations in maintaining the radial power distribution. Fast three-dimensional models to estimate the effects of reloads and displacement of the control and safety rods have already been examined. I.V. Zonov et al. used the following assumptions in their calculational model: (1) the full-scale problem could be reduced a three-dimensional fragment of a locally perturbed core, and (2) the boundary conditions of the fragment and its total power were constant. The last assumption considers approximately how local automatic control rods stabilize the radial power distribution, but three dimensional calculations with these rods are not considered. These assumptions were introduced to obtain high computational speed. I.L. Bronitskii et al. considered in more detail how moving the local automatic control rods affect the power dimensional in the three-dimensional fragment, because, with on-line monitoring of the reload process, information on control rod positions is periodically renewed, and the calculations are done in real time. This model to predict the three-dimensional power distribution to (1) do a preliminary reload analysis, and (2) prepare the core for reloading did not consider the effect of perturbations from the local automatic control rods. Here we examine a model of a stationary neutron distribution. On one hand it gives results in an acceptable computation time; on the other it is a full-scale three-dimensional model and considers how local automatic control rods affect both the radial and axial power distribution

A Feedforward Control Approach to the Local Navigation Problem for Autonomous Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

1994-05-02

AD-A282 787 " A Feedforward Control Approach to the Local Navigation Problem for Autonomous Vehicles Alonzo Kelly CMU-RI-TR-94-17 The Robotics...follow, or a direction to prefer, it cannot generate its own strategic goals. Therefore, it solves the local planning problem for autonomous vehicles . The... autonomous vehicles . It is intelligent because it uses range images that are generated from either a laser rangefinder or a stereo triangulation

Local control of extra-abdominal desmoid tumors: systematic review and meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle A. Ghert

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The local control of desmoid tumors constitutes a continuing treatment dilemma due to its high recurrence rates. The purpose of this systematic review was to critically examine the current treatment of these rare tumors and to specifically evaluate the local failure and response rates of surgery, radiation and systemic therapy. We comprehensively searched the literature for relevant studies across Cinahl, Embase, Medline and the Cochrane databases. Articles were categorized as surgery, radiation, surgery + radiation and systemic therapy (including cytotoxic and non cytotoxic. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled odd ratios (OR for comparative studies and weighted proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CI are reported. Thirty-five articles were included in the final analysis. Weighted mean local failure rates were 22% [95% CI (16-28%], 35% [95% CI (26-44%] and 28% [95% CI (18-39%] for radiation alone, surgery alone and surgery + radiation respectively. In the analysis of comparative studies, surgery and radiation in combination had lower local failure rates than radiation alone [OR 0.7 (0.4, 1.2] and surgery alone [OR 0.7 (0.4, 1.0]. Weighted mean stable disease rates were 91% [95% CI (85-96%] and 52% [95% CI (38-65%] for non cytotoxic and cytotoxic chemotherapy respectively. The current evidence suggests that surgery alone has a consistently high rate of local recurrence in managing extra-abdominal desmoid tumors. Radiation therapy in combination with surgery improves local control rates. However, the limited data on systemic therapy for this rare tumor suggests the benefit of using both cytotoxic and non cytotoxic chemotherapy to achieve stable disease.

Probability in physics

CERN Document Server

Hemmo, Meir

2012-01-01

What is the role and meaning of probability in physical theory, in particular in two of the most successful theories of our age, quantum physics and statistical mechanics? Laws once conceived as universal and deterministic, such as Newton‘s laws of motion, or the second law of thermodynamics, are replaced in these theories by inherently probabilistic laws. This collection of essays by some of the world‘s foremost experts presents an in-depth analysis of the meaning of probability in contemporary physics. Among the questions addressed are: How are probabilities defined? Are they objective or subjective? What is their  explanatory value? What are the differences between quantum and classical probabilities? The result is an informative and thought-provoking book for the scientifically inquisitive. 

The reasons for changes in the control of Dutch local government

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Bogt, H.J.; Haldma, T.

2005-01-01

The last fifteen years have seen a succession of changes in the management control of organizations in the Dutch local government sector, i.e. municipalities and provinces. These changes relate to, for example, organizational structures, financial management and human resources management, and also

Controlling Lean Manufacturing in Multidivisional Organisations : Highlighting Local Interests and Contraints

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Steen, Martijn; Tillema, Sandra

2018-01-01

Purpose: This paper addresses the impact of a multidivisional structure on the implementation of lean manufacturing. It investigates how the controls employed by the corporate level impact the local implementation of lean manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports on case studies

Probability of initiation and extinction in the Mercury Monte Carlo code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2013-07-01

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

Statistics of Local Extremes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunner Chr.; Bierbooms, W.; Hansen, Kurt Schaldemose

2003-01-01

. A theoretical expression for the probability density function associated with local extremes of a stochasticprocess is presented. The expression is basically based on the lower four statistical moments and a bandwidth parameter. The theoretical expression is subsequently verified by comparison with simulated...

Dose-response relationship between probability of pathologic tumor control and glucose metabolic rate measured with FDG PET after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Noah C.; Fischman, Alan J.; Niemierko, Andrzej; Ryu, Jin-Sook; Lynch, Thomas; Wain, John; Wright, Cameron; Fidias, Panos; Mathisen, Douglas

2002-01-01

Purpose: To determine the dose-response relationship between the probability of tumor control on the basis of pathologic tumor response (pTCP) and the residual metabolic rate of glucose (MRglc) in response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and to define the level of residual MRglc that corresponds to pTCP 50% and pTCP ≥95%. Methods and Materials: Quantitative dynamic 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography was performed to measure regional MRglc at the primary lesion before and 2 weeks after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in an initial group of 13 patients with locally advanced NSCLC. A simplified kinetic method was developed subsequently from the initial dynamic study and used in the subsequent 16 patients. The preoperative radiotherapy programs consisted of (1) a split course of 42 Gy in 28 fractions within a period of 28 days using a twice-daily treatment schedule for Stage IIIA(N2) NSCLC (n=18) and (2) standard once-daily radiation schedule of 45-63 Gy in 25-35 fractions during a 5-7-week period (n=11). The preoperative chemotherapy regimens included two cycles of cisplatin, vinblastine, and 5-fluorouracil (n=24), cisplatin and etoposide (n=2), and cisplatin, Taxol, and 5-fluorouracil (n=3). Patients free of tumor progression after preoperative chemoradiotherapy underwent surgery. The degree of residual MRglc measured 2 weeks after preoperative chemoradiotherapy and 2 weeks before surgery was correlated with the pathologic tumor response. The relationship between MRglc and pTCP was modeled using logistic regression. Results: Of 32 patients entered into the study, 29 (16 men and 13 women; 30 lesions) were evaluated for the correlation between residual MRglc and pathologic tumor response. Three patients did not participate in the second study because of a steady decline in general condition. The median age was 60 years (range 42-78). One of the 29 patients had two separate lesions, and

Multidisciplinary management of the locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Kwan Ho

2004-01-01

Locally advanced (Stage III) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately one third of all cases of NSCLC. Few patients with locally advanced NSCLC present with disease amenable to curative surgical resection. Historically, these patients were treated with primary thoracic radiation therapy (RT) and had poor long term survival rates, due to both progression of local disease and development of distant metastases. Over the last two decades, the use of multidisciplinary approach has improved the outcome for patients with locally advanced NSCLC. Combined chemoradiotherapy is the most favored approach for treatment of locally advanced unresectable NSCLC. There are two basic treatment protocols for administering combined chemotherapy and radiation, sequential versus concurrent. The rationale for using chemotherapy is to eliminate subclinical metastatic disease while improving local control. Sequential use of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy has improved median and long term survival compared to radiation therapy alone. This approach appears to decrease the risk of distant metastases, but local failure rates remain the same as radiation alone. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy has been studied extensively. The potential advantages of this approach may include sensitization of tumor cells to radiation by the administration of chemotherapy, and reduced overall treatment time compared to sequential therapy; which is known to be important for improving local control in radiation biology. This approach improves survival primarily as a result of improved local control. However, it doesn't seem to decrease the risk of distant metastases probably because concurrent chemoradiation requires dose reductions in chemotherapy due to increased risks of acute morbidity such as acute esophageal toxicity. Although multidisciplinary therapy has led to improved survival rates compared to radiation therapy alone and has become the new standard of care, the optimal therapy of

A class of free locally convex spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sipacheva, O V

2003-01-01

Stratifiable spaces are a natural generalization of metrizable spaces for which Dugundji's theorem holds. It is proved that the free locally convex space of a stratifiable space is stratifiable. This means, in particular, that the space of finitely supported probability measures on a stratifiable space is a retract of a locally convex space, and that each stratifiable convex subset of a locally convex space is a retract of a locally convex space

Simultaneous PLK1 inhibition improves local tumour control after fractionated irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, Mechthild; Kummer, Berit; Deparade, Andre; Eicheler, Wolfgang; Pfitzmann, Dorothee; Yaromina, Ala; Kunz-Schughart, Leoni A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays an important role in mitotic progression, is frequently overexpressed and associated with a poor prognosis of cancer patients, thus providing a promising target in anticancer treatment. Aim of the current project was to evaluate the effect of the novel PLK1 inhibitor BI 6727 in combination with irradiation. Material and methods: In vitro proliferation and radiation cell survival assays as well as in vivo local tumour control assays after single treatment and combined radiation and drug application were carried out using the squamous cell carcinoma models A431 and FaDu. In addition, cell cycle phases were monitored in vitro and in vivo. Results: BI 6727 showed a dose-dependent antiproliferative effect and an increase in the mitotic fraction. BI 6727 alone reduced clonogenic cell survival, while radiosensitivity in vitro (SF2) and in vivo (single-dose TCD 50 under clamped hypoxia) was not affected. In contrast, local tumour control was significantly improved after application of BI 6727 simultaneously to fractionated irradiation (A431: TCD 50 = 60.5 Gy [95% C.I. 57; 63] after IR alone and <30 Gy after combined treatment; FaDu: 49.5 Gy [43; 56 Gy] versus 32.9 Gy [26; 40]). Conclusions: Despite the lack of direct cellular radiosensitisation, PLK1 inhibition with BI 6727 during fractionated irradiation significantly improves local tumour control when compared to irradiation alone. This result is likely explained by a considerable effect on cell cycle and an independent cytotoxic potential of BI 6727

Synaptic control of local translation: the plot thickens with new characters.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, María Gabriela; Pascual, Malena Lucía; Maschi, Darío; Luchelli, Luciana; Boccaccio, Graciela Lidia

2014-06-01

The production of proteins from mRNAs localized at the synapse ultimately controls the strength of synaptic transmission, thereby affecting behavior and cognitive functions. The regulated transcription, processing, and transport of mRNAs provide dynamic control of the dendritic transcriptome, which includes thousands of messengers encoding multiple cellular functions. Translation is locally modulated by synaptic activity through a complex network of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and various types of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including BC-RNAs, microRNAs, piwi-interacting RNAs, and small interference RNAs. The RBPs FMRP and CPEB play a well-established role in synaptic translation, and additional regulatory factors are emerging. The mRNA repressors Smaug, Nanos, and Pumilio define a novel pathway for local translational control that affects dendritic branching and spines in both flies and mammals. Recent findings support a role for processing bodies and related synaptic mRNA-silencing foci (SyAS-foci) in the modulation of synaptic plasticity and memory formation. The SyAS-foci respond to different stimuli with changes in their integrity thus enabling regulated mRNA release followed by translation. CPEB, Pumilio, TDP-43, and FUS/TLS form multimers through low-complexity regions related to prion domains or polyQ expansions. The oligomerization of these repressor RBPs is mechanistically linked to the aggregation of abnormal proteins commonly associated with neurodegeneration. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on how specificity in mRNA translation is achieved through the concerted action of multiple pathways that involve regulatory ncRNAs and RBPs, the modification of translation factors, and mRNA-silencing foci dynamics.

The design schemes of database and intelligent local controller in the SRRC control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, C.J.; Chen, Jenny; Chen, J.S.; Jan, G.J.

1994-01-01

The control system of the SRRC has been utilized to facilitate commisioning since the beginning, and it provides operators an easy to use environment. Hence, we would like to discuss the design schemes and relationships between the user's interface, the database and the ILC (Intelligent Local Controller) levels. The whole control system in SRRC is a two-level design connected by Ethernet. From operator's view, the upper level is the CONSOLE level and the lower one is the ILC level. Those signals from, or to, equipment are connected to ILCs through analog/digital interfaces, GPIB buses, RS232 serial links, etc.; the ILC is an IEEE 1014 bus (VMEbus) based system running PSOS+ real-time multi-tasking kernel and PNA+ (TCP/IP protocols) communication software. The control software of CONSOLE level is developed in the VMS operating system on DEC workstations, and The Graphic User Interfaces are built on the X-Window/Motif environment. The control system has fulfilled the expectations of the facility commissioning group. It has also proved to be a simple, stable, accurate, easily maintained system. ((orig.))

On the probability of extinction of the Haiti cholera epidemic

Science.gov (United States)

Bertuzzo, Enrico; Finger, Flavio; Mari, Lorenzo; Gatto, Marino; Rinaldo, Andrea

2014-05-01

Nearly 3 years after its appearance in Haiti, cholera has already exacted more than 8,200 deaths and 670,000 reported cases and it is feared to become endemic. However, no clear evidence of a stable environmental reservoir of pathogenic Vibrio cholerae, the infective agent of the disease, has emerged so far, suggesting that the transmission cycle of the disease is being maintained by bacteria freshly shed by infected individuals. Thus in principle cholera could possibly be eradicated from Haiti. Here, we develop a framework for the estimation of the probability of extinction of the epidemic based on current epidemiological dynamics and health-care practice. Cholera spreading is modelled by an individual-based spatially-explicit stochastic model that accounts for the dynamics of susceptible, infected and recovered individuals hosted in different local communities connected through hydrologic and human mobility networks. Our results indicate that the probability that the epidemic goes extinct before the end of 2016 is of the order of 1%. This low probability of extinction highlights the need for more targeted and effective interventions to possibly stop cholera in Haiti.

A country-wide probability sample of public attitudes toward stuttering in Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Valente, Ana Rita S; St Louis, Kenneth O; Leahy, Margaret; Hall, Andreia; Jesus, Luis M T

2017-06-01

Negative public attitudes toward stuttering have been widely reported, although differences among countries and regions exist. Clear reasons for these differences remain obscure. Published research is unavailable on public attitudes toward stuttering in Portugal as well as a representative sample that explores stuttering attitudes in an entire country. This study sought to (a) determine the feasibility of a country-wide probability sampling scheme to measure public stuttering attitudes in Portugal using a standard instrument (the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering [POSHA-S]) and (b) identify demographic variables that predict Portuguese attitudes. The POSHA-S was translated to European Portuguese through a five-step process. Thereafter, a local administrative office-based, three-stage, cluster, probability sampling scheme was carried out to obtain 311 adult respondents who filled out the questionnaire. The Portuguese population held stuttering attitudes that were generally within the average range of those observed from numerous previous POSHA-S samples. Demographic variables that predicted more versus less positive stuttering attitudes were respondents' age, region of the country, years of school completed, working situation, and number of languages spoken. Non-predicting variables were respondents' sex, marital status, and parental status. A local administrative office-based, probability sampling scheme generated a respondent profile similar to census data and indicated that Portuguese attitudes are generally typical. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interpretations of Probability in Quantum Mechanics: A Case of "Experimental Metaphysics"

Science.gov (United States)

Hellman, Geoffrey

After reviewing paradigmatic cases of "experimental metaphysics" basing inferences against local realism and determinism on experimental tests of Bells theorem (and successors), we concentrate on clarifying the meaning and status of "objective probability" in quantum mechanics. The terms "objective" and "subjective" are found ambiguous and inadequate, masking crucial differences turning on the question of what the numerical values of probability functions measure vs. the question of the nature of the "events" on which such functions are defined. This leads naturally to a 2×2 matrix of types of interpretations, which are then illustrated with salient examples. (Of independent interest are the splitting of "Copenhagen interpretation" into "objective" and "subjective" varieties in one of the dimensions and the splitting of Bohmian hidden variables from (other) modal interpretations along that same dimension.) It is then explained why Everett interpretations are difficult to categorize in these terms. Finally, we argue that Bohmian mechanics does not seriously threaten the experimental-metaphysical case for ultimate randomness and purely physical probabilities.

A hydroclimatological approach to predicting regional landslide probability using Landlab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Strauch

2018-02-01

Full Text Available We develop a hydroclimatological approach to the modeling of regional shallow landslide initiation that integrates spatial and temporal dimensions of parameter uncertainty to estimate an annual probability of landslide initiation based on Monte Carlo simulations. The physically based model couples the infinite-slope stability model with a steady-state subsurface flow representation and operates in a digital elevation model. Spatially distributed gridded data for soil properties and vegetation classification are used for parameter estimation of probability distributions that characterize model input uncertainty. Hydrologic forcing to the model is through annual maximum daily recharge to subsurface flow obtained from a macroscale hydrologic model. We demonstrate the model in a steep mountainous region in northern Washington, USA, over 2700 km2. The influence of soil depth on the probability of landslide initiation is investigated through comparisons among model output produced using three different soil depth scenarios reflecting the uncertainty of soil depth and its potential long-term variability. We found elevation-dependent patterns in probability of landslide initiation that showed the stabilizing effects of forests at low elevations, an increased landslide probability with forest decline at mid-elevations (1400 to 2400 m, and soil limitation and steep topographic controls at high alpine elevations and in post-glacial landscapes. These dominant controls manifest themselves in a bimodal distribution of spatial annual landslide probability. Model testing with limited observations revealed similarly moderate model confidence for the three hazard maps, suggesting suitable use as relative hazard products. The model is available as a component in Landlab, an open-source, Python-based landscape earth systems modeling environment, and is designed to be easily reproduced utilizing HydroShare cyberinfrastructure.

A hydroclimatological approach to predicting regional landslide probability using Landlab

Science.gov (United States)

Strauch, Ronda; Istanbulluoglu, Erkan; Nudurupati, Sai Siddhartha; Bandaragoda, Christina; Gasparini, Nicole M.; Tucker, Gregory E.

2018-02-01

We develop a hydroclimatological approach to the modeling of regional shallow landslide initiation that integrates spatial and temporal dimensions of parameter uncertainty to estimate an annual probability of landslide initiation based on Monte Carlo simulations. The physically based model couples the infinite-slope stability model with a steady-state subsurface flow representation and operates in a digital elevation model. Spatially distributed gridded data for soil properties and vegetation classification are used for parameter estimation of probability distributions that characterize model input uncertainty. Hydrologic forcing to the model is through annual maximum daily recharge to subsurface flow obtained from a macroscale hydrologic model. We demonstrate the model in a steep mountainous region in northern Washington, USA, over 2700 km2. The influence of soil depth on the probability of landslide initiation is investigated through comparisons among model output produced using three different soil depth scenarios reflecting the uncertainty of soil depth and its potential long-term variability. We found elevation-dependent patterns in probability of landslide initiation that showed the stabilizing effects of forests at low elevations, an increased landslide probability with forest decline at mid-elevations (1400 to 2400 m), and soil limitation and steep topographic controls at high alpine elevations and in post-glacial landscapes. These dominant controls manifest themselves in a bimodal distribution of spatial annual landslide probability. Model testing with limited observations revealed similarly moderate model confidence for the three hazard maps, suggesting suitable use as relative hazard products. The model is available as a component in Landlab, an open-source, Python-based landscape earth systems modeling environment, and is designed to be easily reproduced utilizing HydroShare cyberinfrastructure.

Philosophical theories of probability

CERN Document Server

Gillies, Donald

2000-01-01

The Twentieth Century has seen a dramatic rise in the use of probability and statistics in almost all fields of research. This has stimulated many new philosophical ideas on probability. Philosophical Theories of Probability is the first book to present a clear, comprehensive and systematic account of these various theories and to explain how they relate to one another. Gillies also offers a distinctive version of the propensity theory of probability, and the intersubjective interpretation, which develops the subjective theory.

Assessing the variability of outcome for patients treated with localized prostate irradiation using different definitions of biochemical control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horwitz, Eric M.; Vicini, Frank A.; Ziaja, Ellen L.; Gonzalez, Jose; Dmuchowski, Carl F.; Stromberg, Jannifer S.; Brabbins, Donald S.; Hollander, Jay; Chen, Peter Y.; Martinez, Alvaro A.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Biochemical control using serial posttreatment serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels is being increasingly used to assess treatment efficacy for localized prostate cancer. However, no standardized definition of biochemical control has been established. We reviewed our experience treating patients with localized prostate cancer and applied three different commonly used definitions of biochemical control to determine if differences in therapeutic outcome would be observed. Methods and Materials: Between January 1987 and December 1991, 480 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received external beam irradiation (RT) using localized prostate fields at William Beaumont Hospital. The median dose to the prostate was 66.6 Gy (range 58-70.4) using a four-field or arc technique. Pretreatment and posttreatment serum PSA levels were recorded. Over 86% (414 of 480) of patients had a pretreatment PSA level available. Three different definitions of biochemical control were used: (a) PSA nadir 20), and 5-year actuarial rates of biochemical control were calculated using the three biochemical control and one clinical local control definitions. For Group 1, 5-year actuarial rates of biochemical control were 84%, 90%, and 96% for Definitions 1-3 and clinical local control, respectively. For Group 2, 5-year actuarial control rates were 45%, 54%, 74%, and 92% for the four definitions, respectively. For Group 3, 5-year actuarial control rates were 26%, 31%, 63%, and 100% for the four definitions, respectively. For Group 4, 5-year actuarial control rates were 24%, 24%, 50%, and 100% for the four definitions, respectively. Finally, for Group 5, 5-year actuarial control rates were 5%, 14%, 15%, and 89% for the four definitions, respectively. Depending on the definition used, statistically significant differences overall in outcome rates were observed. Differences between all four definitions for all pairwise comparisons ranged from 5 to 53% (p < 0

Density of states controls Anderson localization in disordered photonic crystal waveguides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garcia-Fernández, David; Smolka, Stephan; Stobbe, Søren

2010-01-01

We prove Anderson localization in a disordered photonic crystal waveguide by measuring the ensemble-averaged extinction mean-free path, ℓe, which is controlled by the dispersion in the photon density of states (DOS) of the photonic crystal waveguide. Except for the very low DOS case, where out......-of-plane losses are non-negligible, ℓe can be approximated to be the localization length ξ. The extinction mean-free path shows a fivefold variation between the low- and the high-DOS regime, and it becomes shorter than the sample length thus giving rise to strongly confined modes. The dispersive behavior of ℓe...

Adaptive chaos control and synchronization in only locally Lipschitz systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Wei

2008-01-01

In the existing results on chaos control and synchronization based on the adaptive controlling technique (ACT), a uniform Lipschitz condition on a given dynamical system is always assumed in advance. However, without this uniform Lipschitz condition, the ACT might be failed in both theoretical analysis and in numerical experiment. This Letter shows how to utilize the ACT to get a rigorous control for the system which is not uniformly Lipschitz but only locally Lipschitz, and even for the system which has unbounded trajectories. In fact, the ACT is proved to possess some limitation, which is actually induced by the nonlinear degree of the original system. Consequently, a piecewise ACT is proposed so as to improve the performance of the existing techniques

Typing Local Control and State Using Flow Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Guha, Arjun; Saftoiu, Claudiu; Krishnamurthi, Shriram

Programs written in scripting languages employ idioms that confound conventional type systems. In this paper, we highlight one important set of related idioms: the use of local control and state to reason informally about types. To address these idioms, we formalize run-time tags and their relationship to types, and use these to present a novel strategy to integrate typing with flow analysis in a modular way. We demonstrate that in our separation of typing and flow analysis, each component remains conventional, their composition is simple, but the result can handle these idioms better than either one alone.

Local Government Planning Tool to Calculate Institutional and Engineering Control Costs for Brownfield Properties

Science.gov (United States)

This cost calculator is designed as a guide for municipal or local governments to assist in calculating their expected costs of implementing and conducting long-term stewardship of institutional controls and engineering controls at brownfield properties.

Probability for statisticians

CERN Document Server

Shorack, Galen R

2017-01-01

This 2nd edition textbook offers a rigorous introduction to measure theoretic probability with particular attention to topics of interest to mathematical statisticians—a textbook for courses in probability for students in mathematical statistics. It is recommended to anyone interested in the probability underlying modern statistics, providing a solid grounding in the probabilistic tools and techniques necessary to do theoretical research in statistics. For the teaching of probability theory to post graduate statistics students, this is one of the most attractive books available. Of particular interest is a presentation of the major central limit theorems via Stein's method either prior to or alternative to a characteristic function presentation. Additionally, there is considerable emphasis placed on the quantile function as well as the distribution function. The bootstrap and trimming are both presented. Martingale coverage includes coverage of censored data martingales. The text includes measure theoretic...

Safeguarding a Lunar Rover with Wald's Sequential Probability Ratio Test

Science.gov (United States)

Furlong, Michael; Dille, Michael; Wong, Uland; Nefian, Ara

2016-01-01

The virtual bumper is a safeguarding mechanism for autonomous and remotely operated robots. In this paper we take a new approach to the virtual bumper system by using an old statistical test. By using a modified version of Wald's sequential probability ratio test we demonstrate that we can reduce the number of false positive reported by the virtual bumper, thereby saving valuable mission time. We use the concept of sequential probability ratio to control vehicle speed in the presence of possible obstacles in order to increase certainty about whether or not obstacles are present. Our new algorithm reduces the chances of collision by approximately 98 relative to traditional virtual bumper safeguarding without speed control.

Local control of T3 carcinomas after accelerated fractionation: a look at the 'gap'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, C.C.; Efird, Jimmy; Nakfoor, Bruce; Martins, Patricia

1996-01-01

Purpose: To study the effects of midcourse treatment break or gaps related to the local control of T3 carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx following accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: All patients were treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1979 through 1994 with treatment consisting of 1.6 Gy per fraction, two fractions a day for the treatment of T3 carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx. They were entered in the head and neck data base. Their treatment dates, treatment breaks, and doses vs. local control were analyzed and compared. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 162 patients were available for review. Due to the acute severe mucosal effects, most of the patients required a midcourse pause or 'break' after a dose of 38.4-48 Gy before treatment could be resumed and completed. The data indicate that (a) prolongation of the treatment gap for more than 14 days, (b) total treatment course longer than 45 days, (c) total dose less than 67 Gy, and (d) male gender adversely affected local control. In spite of the gaps, the female patients with advanced carcinomas enjoyed the benefits of improved local control after the accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy. Conclusions: Accelerated hyperfractionation radiation therapy using 1.6 Gy per fraction/twice-a-day (b.i.d.) for a total dose of 70.4 Gy in 6 weeks is effective in achieving high local control of T3 squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx and larynx. The midcourse treatment gap should be as short as possible with the projected total dose and time. Should the gaps be unduly prolonged due to various circumstances, further increase in the total dose, for example, 72-75 Gy, and/or increase of the fraction sizes, for example, 1.8-2.0 Gy/f b.i.d. after the gap may be necessary to compensate for the adverse effects of the tumor regeneration from the prolonged gap

A brief introduction to probability.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Paola, Gioacchino; Bertani, Alessandro; De Monte, Lavinia; Tuzzolino, Fabio

2018-02-01

The theory of probability has been debated for centuries: back in 1600, French mathematics used the rules of probability to place and win bets. Subsequently, the knowledge of probability has significantly evolved and is now an essential tool for statistics. In this paper, the basic theoretical principles of probability will be reviewed, with the aim of facilitating the comprehension of statistical inference. After a brief general introduction on probability, we will review the concept of the "probability distribution" that is a function providing the probabilities of occurrence of different possible outcomes of a categorical or continuous variable. Specific attention will be focused on normal distribution that is the most relevant distribution applied to statistical analysis.

Choice probability generating functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosgerau, Mogens; McFadden, Daniel; Bierlaire, Michel

2013-01-01

This paper considers discrete choice, with choice probabilities coming from maximization of preferences from a random utility field perturbed by additive location shifters (ARUM). Any ARUM can be characterized by a choice-probability generating function (CPGF) whose gradient gives the choice...... probabilities, and every CPGF is consistent with an ARUM. We relate CPGF to multivariate extreme value distributions, and review and extend methods for constructing CPGF for applications. The choice probabilities of any ARUM may be approximated by a cross-nested logit model. The results for ARUM are extended...

Probability of satellite collision

Science.gov (United States)

Mccarter, J. W.

1972-01-01

A method is presented for computing the probability of a collision between a particular artificial earth satellite and any one of the total population of earth satellites. The collision hazard incurred by the proposed modular Space Station is assessed using the technique presented. The results of a parametric study to determine what type of satellite orbits produce the greatest contribution to the total collision probability are presented. Collision probability for the Space Station is given as a function of Space Station altitude and inclination. Collision probability was also parameterized over miss distance and mission duration.

Real analysis and probability

CERN Document Server

Ash, Robert B; Lukacs, E

1972-01-01

Real Analysis and Probability provides the background in real analysis needed for the study of probability. Topics covered range from measure and integration theory to functional analysis and basic concepts of probability. The interplay between measure theory and topology is also discussed, along with conditional probability and expectation, the central limit theorem, and strong laws of large numbers with respect to martingale theory.Comprised of eight chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the basic concepts of the theory of measure and integration, followed by a presentation of var

Probability and Measure

CERN Document Server

Billingsley, Patrick

2012-01-01

Praise for the Third Edition "It is, as far as I'm concerned, among the best books in math ever written....if you are a mathematician and want to have the top reference in probability, this is it." (Amazon.com, January 2006) A complete and comprehensive classic in probability and measure theory Probability and Measure, Anniversary Edition by Patrick Billingsley celebrates the achievements and advancements that have made this book a classic in its field for the past 35 years. Now re-issued in a new style and format, but with the reliable content that the third edition was revered for, this

Experimental Probability in Elementary School

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew, Lane

2009-01-01

Concepts in probability can be more readily understood if students are first exposed to probability via experiment. Performing probability experiments encourages students to develop understandings of probability grounded in real events, as opposed to merely computing answers based on formulae.

Probabilities in physics

CERN Document Server

Hartmann, Stephan

2011-01-01

Many results of modern physics--those of quantum mechanics, for instance--come in a probabilistic guise. But what do probabilistic statements in physics mean? Are probabilities matters of objective fact and part of the furniture of the world, as objectivists think? Or do they only express ignorance or belief, as Bayesians suggest? And how are probabilistic hypotheses justified and supported by empirical evidence? Finally, what does the probabilistic nature of physics imply for our understanding of the world? This volume is the first to provide a philosophical appraisal of probabilities in all of physics. Its main aim is to make sense of probabilistic statements as they occur in the various physical theories and models and to provide a plausible epistemology and metaphysics of probabilities. The essays collected here consider statistical physics, probabilistic modelling, and quantum mechanics, and critically assess the merits and disadvantages of objectivist and subjectivist views of probabilities in these fie...

Probability an introduction

CERN Document Server

Grimmett, Geoffrey

2014-01-01

Probability is an area of mathematics of tremendous contemporary importance across all aspects of human endeavour. This book is a compact account of the basic features of probability and random processes at the level of first and second year mathematics undergraduates and Masters' students in cognate fields. It is suitable for a first course in probability, plus a follow-up course in random processes including Markov chains. A special feature is the authors' attention to rigorous mathematics: not everything is rigorous, but the need for rigour is explained at difficult junctures. The text is enriched by simple exercises, together with problems (with very brief hints) many of which are taken from final examinations at Cambridge and Oxford. The first eight chapters form a course in basic probability, being an account of events, random variables, and distributions - discrete and continuous random variables are treated separately - together with simple versions of the law of large numbers and the central limit th...

Evaluation of nuclear power plant component failure probability and core damage probability using simplified PSA model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Yoshio

2000-01-01

It is anticipated that the change of frequency of surveillance tests, preventive maintenance or parts replacement of safety related components may cause the change of component failure probability and result in the change of core damage probability. It is also anticipated that the change is different depending on the initiating event frequency or the component types. This study assessed the change of core damage probability using simplified PSA model capable of calculating core damage probability in a short time period, which is developed by the US NRC to process accident sequence precursors, when various component's failure probability is changed between 0 and 1, or Japanese or American initiating event frequency data are used. As a result of the analysis, (1) It was clarified that frequency of surveillance test, preventive maintenance or parts replacement of motor driven pumps (high pressure injection pumps, residual heat removal pumps, auxiliary feedwater pumps) should be carefully changed, since the core damage probability's change is large, when the base failure probability changes toward increasing direction. (2) Core damage probability change is insensitive to surveillance test frequency change, since the core damage probability change is small, when motor operated valves and turbine driven auxiliary feed water pump failure probability changes around one figure. (3) Core damage probability change is small, when Japanese failure probability data are applied to emergency diesel generator, even if failure probability changes one figure from the base value. On the other hand, when American failure probability data is applied, core damage probability increase is large, even if failure probability changes toward increasing direction. Therefore, when Japanese failure probability data is applied, core damage probability change is insensitive to surveillance tests frequency change etc. (author)

Mosquito politics: local vector control policies and the spread of West Nile Virus in the Chicago region.

Science.gov (United States)

Tedesco, Carmen; Ruiz, Marilyn; McLafferty, Sara

2010-11-01

Differences in mosquito control practices at the local level involve the interplay of place, scale and politics. During the Chicago West Nile Virus (WNV) outbreak of 2002, mosquito abatement districts represent distinct suburban clusters of human WNV cases, independent of characteristics of the local population, housing and physical environment. We examine how the contrasting actions of four districts reveal a distinct local politics of mosquito control that may have contributed to local-scale geographic differences in WNV incidence. This politics is rooted in political, economic and philosophical differences within and between administrative boundaries. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

134Cs emission probabilities determination by gamma spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

de Almeida, M. C. M.; Poledna, R.; Delgado, J. U.; Silva, R. L.; Araujo, M. T. F.; da Silva, C. J.

2018-03-01

The National Laboratory for Ionizing Radiation Metrology (LNMRI/IRD/CNEN) of Rio de Janeiro performed primary and secondary standardization of different radionuclides reaching satisfactory uncertainties. A solution of 134Cs radionuclide was purchased from commercial supplier to emission probabilities determination of some of its energies. 134Cs is a beta gamma emitter with 754 days of half-life. This radionuclide is used as standard in environmental, water and food control. It is also important to germanium detector calibration. The gamma emission probabilities (Pγ) were determined mainly for some energies of the 134Cs by efficiency curve method and the Pγ absolute uncertainties obtained were below 1% (k=1).

MASS TRANSFER CONTROL OF A BACKWARD-FACING STEP FLOW BY LOCAL FORCING- EFFECT OF REYNOLDS NUMBER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zouhaier MEHREZ

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The control of fluid mechanics and mass transfer in separated and reattaching flow over a backward-facing step by a local forcing, is studied using Large Eddy Simulation (LES.To control the flow, the local forcing is realized by a sinusoidal oscillating jet at the step edge. The Reynolds number is varied in the range 10000 ≤ Re≤ 50000 and the Schmidt number is fixed at 1.The found results show that the flow structure is modified and the local mass transfer is enhanced by the applied forcing. The observed changes depend on the Reynolds number and vary with the frequency and amplitude of the local forcing. For the all Reynolds numbers, the largest recirculation zone size reduction is obtained at the optimum forcing frequency St = 0.25. At this frequency the local mass transfer enhancement attains the maximum.

Quadratic obstructions to small-time local controllability for scalar-input systems

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchard, Karine; Marbach, Frédéric

2018-03-01

We consider nonlinear finite-dimensional scalar-input control systems in the vicinity of an equilibrium. When the linearized system is controllable, the nonlinear system is smoothly small-time locally controllable: whatever m > 0 and T > 0, the state can reach a whole neighborhood of the equilibrium at time T with controls arbitrary small in Cm-norm. When the linearized system is not controllable, we prove that: either the state is constrained to live within a smooth strict manifold, up to a cubic residual, or the quadratic order adds a signed drift with respect to it. This drift holds along a Lie bracket of length (2 k + 1), is quantified in terms of an H-k-norm of the control, holds for controls small in W 2 k , ∞-norm and these spaces are optimal. Our proof requires only C3 regularity of the vector field. This work underlines the importance of the norm used in the smallness assumption on the control, even in finite dimension.

Local control and functional results after twice-daily radiotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma of the extremities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolek, Timothy W.; Marcus, Robert B.; Mendenhall, Nancy Price; Scarborough, Mark T.; Graham-Pole, John

1996-01-01

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 to 61 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction. Doses of twice-daily RT varied, depending on the response of the soft-tissue component of the tumor to chemotherapy, and ranged from 50.4 to 60 Gy at 1.2 Gy per fraction. Some patients in the twice-daily RT group also received total body irradiation 1-3 months after local RT as part of a conditioning regimen before marrow-ablative therapy with stem cell rescue. They received either 8 Gy in two once-daily fractions or 12 Gy in six twice-daily fractions. The six patients who received surgery were excluded from local control analysis. Local control rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier (actuarial) method. Fifteen patients had a formal functional evaluation. Results: In the 31 patients treated with RT alone, the actuarial local control rate at 5 years was 81% for patients treated twice daily and 77% for those treated once daily (p = NS). No posttreatment pathologic fractures occurred in patients treated twice daily, whereas five fractures occurred in those treated once daily (p = 0.01). On functional evaluation, less loss in range of motion (15 deg. vs. 28 deg. of loss

Betting on Illusory Patterns: Probability Matching in Habitual Gamblers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaissmaier, Wolfgang; Wilke, Andreas; Scheibehenne, Benjamin; McCanney, Paige; Barrett, H Clark

2016-03-01

Why do people gamble? A large body of research suggests that cognitive distortions play an important role in pathological gambling. Many of these distortions are specific cases of a more general misperception of randomness, specifically of an illusory perception of patterns in random sequences. In this article, we provide further evidence for the assumption that gamblers are particularly prone to perceiving illusory patterns. In particular, we compared habitual gamblers to a matched sample of community members with regard to how much they exhibit the choice anomaly 'probability matching'. Probability matching describes the tendency to match response proportions to outcome probabilities when predicting binary outcomes. It leads to a lower expected accuracy than the maximizing strategy of predicting the most likely event on each trial. Previous research has shown that an illusory perception of patterns in random sequences fuels probability matching. So does impulsivity, which is also reported to be higher in gamblers. We therefore hypothesized that gamblers will exhibit more probability matching than non-gamblers, which was confirmed in a controlled laboratory experiment. Additionally, gamblers scored much lower than community members on the cognitive reflection task, which indicates higher impulsivity. This difference could account for the difference in probability matching between the samples. These results suggest that gamblers are more willing to bet impulsively on perceived illusory patterns.

Introduction to probability

CERN Document Server

Freund, John E

1993-01-01

Thorough, lucid coverage of permutations and factorials, probabilities and odds, frequency interpretation, mathematical expectation, decision making, postulates of probability, rule of elimination, binomial distribution, geometric distribution, standard deviation, law of large numbers, and much more. Exercises with some solutions. Summary. Bibliography. Includes 42 black-and-white illustrations. 1973 edition.

Initial results of local grid control using wind farms with grid support

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soerensen, Poul; Hansen, Anca D.; Iov, F.; Blaabjerg, F.

2005-09-01

This report describes initial results with simulation of local grid control using wind farms with grid support. The focus is on simulation of the behaviour of the wind farms when they are isolated from the main grid and establish a local grid together with a few other grid components. The isolated subsystems used in the work presented in this report do not intend to simulate a specific subsystem, but they are extremely simplified single bus bar systems using only a few more components than the wind farm. This approach has been applied to make it easier to understand the dynamics of the subsystem. The main observation is that the fast dynamics of the wind turbines seem to be able to contribute significantly to the grid control, which can be useful where the wind farm is isolated with a subsystem from the main grid with surplus of generation. Thus, the fast down regulation of the wind farm using automatic frequency control can keep the subsystem in operation and thereby improve the reliability of the grid. (LN)

Probably not future prediction using probability and statistical inference

CERN Document Server

Dworsky, Lawrence N

2008-01-01

An engaging, entertaining, and informative introduction to probability and prediction in our everyday lives Although Probably Not deals with probability and statistics, it is not heavily mathematical and is not filled with complex derivations, proofs, and theoretical problem sets. This book unveils the world of statistics through questions such as what is known based upon the information at hand and what can be expected to happen. While learning essential concepts including "the confidence factor" and "random walks," readers will be entertained and intrigued as they move from chapter to chapter. Moreover, the author provides a foundation of basic principles to guide decision making in almost all facets of life including playing games, developing winning business strategies, and managing personal finances. Much of the book is organized around easy-to-follow examples that address common, everyday issues such as: How travel time is affected by congestion, driving speed, and traffic lights Why different gambling ...

Multiple-copy state discrimination: Thinking globally, acting locally

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, B. L.; Pryde, G. J.; Wiseman, H. M.; Doherty, A. C.; Bartlett, S. D.

2011-01-01

We theoretically investigate schemes to discriminate between two nonorthogonal quantum states given multiple copies. We consider a number of state discrimination schemes as applied to nonorthogonal, mixed states of a qubit. In particular, we examine the difference that local and global optimization of local measurements makes to the probability of obtaining an erroneous result, in the regime of finite numbers of copies N, and in the asymptotic limit as N→∞. Five schemes are considered: optimal collective measurements over all copies, locally optimal local measurements in a fixed single-qubit measurement basis, globally optimal fixed local measurements, locally optimal adaptive local measurements, and globally optimal adaptive local measurements. Here an adaptive measurement is one in which the measurement basis can depend on prior measurement results. For each of these measurement schemes we determine the probability of error (for finite N) and the scaling of this error in the asymptotic limit. In the asymptotic limit, it is known analytically (and we verify numerically) that adaptive schemes have no advantage over the optimal fixed local scheme. Here we show moreover that, in this limit, the most naive scheme (locally optimal fixed local measurements) is as good as any noncollective scheme except for states with less than 2% mixture. For finite N, however, the most sophisticated local scheme (globally optimal adaptive local measurements) is better than any other noncollective scheme for any degree of mixture.

Risk Probabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rojas-Nandayapa, Leonardo

Tail probabilities of sums of heavy-tailed random variables are of a major importance in various branches of Applied Probability, such as Risk Theory, Queueing Theory, Financial Management, and are subject to intense research nowadays. To understand their relevance one just needs to think...... analytic expression for the distribution function of a sum of random variables. The presence of heavy-tailed random variables complicates the problem even more. The objective of this dissertation is to provide better approximations by means of sharp asymptotic expressions and Monte Carlo estimators...

Adaptive local routing strategy on a scale-free network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Liu; Han, Zhao; Ming, Li; Yan-Bo, Zhu; Feng-Yuan, Ren

2010-01-01

Due to the heterogeneity of the structure on a scale-free network, making the betweennesses of all nodes become homogeneous by reassigning the weights of nodes or edges is very difficult. In order to take advantage of the important effect of high degree nodes on the shortest path communication and preferentially deliver packets by them to increase the probability to destination, an adaptive local routing strategy on a scale-free network is proposed, in which the node adjusts the forwarding probability with the dynamical traffic load (packet queue length) and the degree distribution of neighbouring nodes. The critical queue length of a node is set to be proportional to its degree, and the node with high degree has a larger critical queue length to store and forward more packets. When the queue length of a high degree node is shorter than its critical queue length, it has a higher probability to forward packets. After higher degree nodes are saturated (whose queue lengths are longer than their critical queue lengths), more packets will be delivered by the lower degree nodes around them. The adaptive local routing strategy increases the probability of a packet finding its destination quickly, and improves the transmission capacity on the scale-free network by reducing routing hops. The simulation results show that the transmission capacity of the adaptive local routing strategy is larger than that of three previous local routing strategies. (general)

A new strategy for transient stability using augmented generator control and local dynamic braking

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorsey, J; Jiang, H; Habetler, T [Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States); Qu, Z [University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States)

1994-12-31

A decentralized automatic control strategy for significantly improving the transient stability of a large power system is introduced. The strategy combines local dynamic braking and a straightforward augmentation of the existing turbine / governor control system that uses only local feedback. The brake resistor, which employs thick film, metal oxide technology, has no inductance and is of very low resistance, allowing its use during fault to show a generator`s acceleration. Simulation results using the 39 Bus New England system show that the strategy dramatically increases the global stability of a power system. (author) 15 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Dopaminergic Drug Effects on Probability Weighting during Risky Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojala, Karita E; Janssen, Lieneke K; Hashemi, Mahur M; Timmer, Monique H M; Geurts, Dirk E M; Ter Huurne, Niels P; Cools, Roshan; Sescousse, Guillaume

2018-01-01

Dopamine has been associated with risky decision-making, as well as with pathological gambling, a behavioral addiction characterized by excessive risk-taking behavior. However, the specific mechanisms through which dopamine might act to foster risk-taking and pathological gambling remain elusive. Here we test the hypothesis that this might be achieved, in part, via modulation of subjective probability weighting during decision making. Human healthy controls ( n = 21) and pathological gamblers ( n = 16) played a decision-making task involving choices between sure monetary options and risky gambles both in the gain and loss domains. Each participant played the task twice, either under placebo or the dopamine D 2 /D 3 receptor antagonist sulpiride, in a double-blind counterbalanced design. A prospect theory modelling approach was used to estimate subjective probability weighting and sensitivity to monetary outcomes. Consistent with prospect theory, we found that participants presented a distortion in the subjective weighting of probabilities, i.e., they overweighted low probabilities and underweighted moderate to high probabilities, both in the gain and loss domains. Compared with placebo, sulpiride attenuated this distortion in the gain domain. Across drugs, the groups did not differ in their probability weighting, although gamblers consistently underweighted losing probabilities in the placebo condition. Overall, our results reveal that dopamine D 2 /D 3 receptor antagonism modulates the subjective weighting of probabilities in the gain domain, in the direction of more objective, economically rational decision making.

Dopaminergic Drug Effects on Probability Weighting during Risky Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Timmer, Monique H. M.; ter Huurne, Niels P.

2018-01-01

Abstract Dopamine has been associated with risky decision-making, as well as with pathological gambling, a behavioral addiction characterized by excessive risk-taking behavior. However, the specific mechanisms through which dopamine might act to foster risk-taking and pathological gambling remain elusive. Here we test the hypothesis that this might be achieved, in part, via modulation of subjective probability weighting during decision making. Human healthy controls (n = 21) and pathological gamblers (n = 16) played a decision-making task involving choices between sure monetary options and risky gambles both in the gain and loss domains. Each participant played the task twice, either under placebo or the dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonist sulpiride, in a double-blind counterbalanced design. A prospect theory modelling approach was used to estimate subjective probability weighting and sensitivity to monetary outcomes. Consistent with prospect theory, we found that participants presented a distortion in the subjective weighting of probabilities, i.e., they overweighted low probabilities and underweighted moderate to high probabilities, both in the gain and loss domains. Compared with placebo, sulpiride attenuated this distortion in the gain domain. Across drugs, the groups did not differ in their probability weighting, although gamblers consistently underweighted losing probabilities in the placebo condition. Overall, our results reveal that dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonism modulates the subjective weighting of probabilities in the gain domain, in the direction of more objective, economically rational decision making. PMID:29632870

Decisions under risk in Parkinson's disease: preserved evaluation of probability and magnitude.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharp, Madeleine E; Viswanathan, Jayalakshmi; McKeown, Martin J; Appel-Cresswell, Silke; Stoessl, A Jon; Barton, Jason J S

2013-11-01

Unmedicated Parkinson's disease patients tend to be risk-averse while dopaminergic treatment causes a tendency to take risks. While dopamine agonists may result in clinically apparent impulse control disorders, treatment with levodopa also causes shift in behaviour associated with an enhanced response to rewards. Two important determinants in decision-making are how subjects perceive the magnitude and probability of outcomes. Our objective was to determine if patients with Parkinson's disease on or off levodopa showed differences in their perception of value when making decisions under risk. The Vancouver Gambling task presents subjects with a choice between one prospect with larger outcome and a second with higher probability. Eighteen age-matched controls and eighteen patients with Parkinson's disease before and after levodopa were tested. In the Gain Phase subjects chose between one prospect with higher probability and another with larger reward to maximize their gains. In the Loss Phase, subjects played to minimize their losses. Patients with Parkinson's disease, on or off levodopa, were similar to controls when evaluating gains. However, in the Loss Phase before levodopa, they were more likely to avoid the prospect with lower probability but larger loss, as indicated by the steeper slope of their group psychometric function (t(24) = 2.21, p = 0.04). Modelling with prospect theory suggested that this was attributable to a 28% overestimation of the magnitude of loss, rather than an altered perception of its probability. While pre-medicated patients with Parkinson's disease show risk-aversion for large losses, patients on levodopa have normal perception of magnitude and probability for both loss and gain. The finding of accurate and normally biased decisions under risk in medicated patients with PD is important because it indicates that, if there is indeed anomalous risk-seeking behaviour in such a cohort, it may derive from abnormalities in components of

Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Patterns of Failure and Predictors of Local Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daly, Megan E.; Le, Quynh-Thu; Kozak, Margaret M.; Maxim, Peter G.; Murphy, James D.; Hsu, Annie; Loo, Billy W.; Kaplan, Michael J.; Fischbein, Nancy J.; Chang, Daniel T.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Few studies have evaluated the use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity (OC). We report clinical outcomes and failure patterns for these patients. Methods and Materials: Between October 2002 and June 2009, 37 patients with newly diagnosed SCC of the OC underwent postoperative (30) or definitive (7) IMRT. Twenty-five patients (66%) received systemic therapy. The median follow-up was 38 months (range, 10-87 months). The median interval from surgery to RT was 5.9 weeks (range, 2.1-10.7 weeks). Results: Thirteen patients experienced local-regional failure at a median of 8.1 months (range, 2.4-31.9 months), and 2 additional patients experienced local recurrence between surgery and RT. Seven local failures occurred in-field (one with simultaneous nodal and distant disease) and two at the margin. Four regional failures occurred, two in-field and two out-of-field, one with synchronous metastases. Six patients experienced distant failure. The 3-year actuarial estimates of local control, local-regional control, freedom from distant metastasis, and overall survival were 67%, 53%, 81%, and 60% among postoperative patients, respectively, and 60%, 60%, 71%, and 57% among definitive patients. Four patients developed Grade ≥2 chronic toxicity. Increased surgery to RT interval predicted for decreased LRC (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Local-regional control for SCC of the OC treated with IMRT with or without surgery remains unsatisfactory. Definitive and postoperative IMRT have favorable toxicity profiles. A surgery-to-RT interval of <6 weeks improves local-regional control. The predominant failure pattern was local, suggesting that both improvements in target delineation and radiosensitization and/or dose escalation are needed.

Quantum processes: probability fluxes, transition probabilities in unit time and vacuum vibrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oleinik, V.P.; Arepjev, Ju D.

1989-01-01

Transition probabilities in unit time and probability fluxes are compared in studying the elementary quantum processes -the decay of a bound state under the action of time-varying and constant electric fields. It is shown that the difference between these quantities may be considerable, and so the use of transition probabilities W instead of probability fluxes Π, in calculating the particle fluxes, may lead to serious errors. The quantity W represents the rate of change with time of the population of the energy levels relating partly to the real states and partly to the virtual ones, and it cannot be directly measured in experiment. The vacuum background is shown to be continuously distorted when a perturbation acts on a system. Because of this the viewpoint of an observer on the physical properties of real particles continuously varies with time. This fact is not taken into consideration in the conventional theory of quantum transitions based on using the notion of probability amplitude. As a result, the probability amplitudes lose their physical meaning. All the physical information on quantum dynamics of a system is contained in the mean values of physical quantities. The existence of considerable differences between the quantities W and Π permits one in principle to make a choice of the correct theory of quantum transitions on the basis of experimental data. (author)

Application of local area networks to accelerator control systems at the Stanford Linear Accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, J.D.; Linstadt, E.; Melen, R.

1983-03-01

The history and current status of SLAC's SDLC networks for distributed accelerator control systems are discussed. These local area networks have been used for instrumentation and control of the linear accelerator. Network topologies, protocols, physical links, and logical interconnections are discussed for specific applications in distributed data acquisition and control system, computer networks and accelerator operations

Adjuvant irradiation improves the outcome of patients with rectal cancer following local excision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakravarti, Arnab; Willett, Christopher G.; Shellito, Paul; Kaufman, Donald; Daley, William J.

1997-01-01

adjuvant irradiation had a 5-year actuarial local control of 100%. One of these 5 patients developed distant metastases at 13 months. irradiation had a 5-year actuarial local control of 100%. One of these 5 patients developed distant metastases at 13 months. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicates a trend towards improved local control and recurrence-free survival in patients with T1/T2 rectal cancers managed by local excision in combination with radiation and concurrent chemotherapy versus local excision alone. The outcome was excellent in the adjuvant chemoradiation group with 100% local control and 88% RFS. The presence of either poorly differentiated histology or lymphatic/venous vessel invasion significantly lowered local control probabilities for the patients undergoing local excision alone. Adjuvant chemoradiation appears to have resulted in improved outcome for patients with poor pathologic features. We, therefore, recommend adjuvant chemoradiation for patients with tumors exhibiting these high-risk pathologic features as well as for all stage T2 patients

Assessing the variability of outcome for patients treated with localized prostate irradiation using different definitions of biochemical control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horwitz, Eric; Ziaja, Ellen; Vicini, Frank; Dmuchowski, Carl; Gonzalez, Jose; Stromberg, Jannifer; Brabbins, Donald; Hollander, Jay; Chen, Peter; Martinez, Alvaro

1995-01-01

Purpose: Biochemical control is rapidly becoming the standard to assess treatment outcome of clinically localized prostate cancer. However, no standardized definition of biochemical control has been established. We reviewed our experience treating patients with localized prostate cancer and applied 3 different commonly used definitions to estimate the variability in rates of biochemical control. Materials and Methods: Between (1(87)) and (12(91)), 480 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer received uniform treatment with external beam irradiation (RT) using localized prostate fields at William Beaumont Hospital. The median dose to the prostate was 66.6 Gy (range 58 to 70.4 Gy) through a 4 field technique. A total of 14 patients received pelvic nodal RT (median dose 45 Gy). Four hundred seventy patients had post-treatment (posttx) PSA values and 414 patients had pre-treatment (pretx) PSA values. Three different definitions of biochemical control were used: 1) Biochemical control was defined as posttx PSA nadir < 1 ng/ml within 1 year. After achieving nadir, if there were 2 consecutive increases, the patient was scored a failure at the time of the first increase; 2) Biochemical control was defined as posttx PSA nadir < 1.5 ng/ml within 1 year. After achieving nadir, if there were 2 consecutive increases, the patient was scored a failure at the time of the first increase; 3) Posttx PSA nadir < 4 ng/ml without a time limit. Once the nadir was achieved, and it did not rise above normal, the patient was considered controlled. Clinical local control was defined as no palpable prostate nodularity beyond 18 months, no new prostate nodularity, or a negative biopsy. If hormonal therapy was started, the patient was censored for biochemical failure at that time. Results: Median follow-up is 48 months (range 3 to 112 months). Pre-treatment PSA values were correlated with biochemical response using the 3 definitions of biochemical control as well as clinical local

Local tumor control and toxicity in HIV-associated anal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy in the era of antiretroviral therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oehler-Jänne, Christoph; Seifert, Burkhardt; Lütolf, Urs M; Ciernik, I Frank

2006-01-01

To investigate the outcome of HIV-seropositive patients under highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) with anal cancer treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy (CT). Clinical outcome of 81 HIV-seronegative patients (1988 – 2003) and 10 consecutive HIV-seropositive patients under HAART (1997 – 2003) that were treated with 3-D conformal RT of 59.4 Gy and standard 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C were retrospectively analysed. 10 TNM-stage and age matched HIV-seronegative patients (1992 – 2003) were compared with the 10 HIV-seropositive patients. Pattern of care, local disease control (LC), overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and toxicity were assessed. RT with or without CT resulted in complete response in 100 % of HIV-seropositive patients. LC was impaired compared to matched HIV-seronegative patients after a median follow-up of 44 months (p = 0.03). OS at 5 years was 70 % in HIV-seropositive patients receiving HAART and 69 % in the matched controls. Colostomy-free survival was 70 % (HIV+) and 100 % (matched HIV-) and 78 % (all HIV-). No HIV-seropositive patient received an interstitial brachytherapy boost compared to 42 % of all HIV-seronegative patients and adherence to chemotherapy seemed to be difficult in HIV-seropositive patients. Acute hematological toxicity reaching 50 % was high in HIV-seropositive patients receiving MMC compared with 0 % in matched HIV-seronegative patients (p = 0.05) or 12 % in all HIV-seronegative patients. The rate of long-term side effects was low in HIV-seropositive patients. Despite high response rates to organ preserving treatment with RT with or without CT, local tumor failure seems to be high in HIV-positive patients receiving HAART. HIV-seropositive patients are subject to treatment bias, being less likely treated with interstitial brachytherapy boost probably due to HIV-infection, and they are at risk to receive less chemotherapy

Cytologic diagnosis: expression of probability by clinical pathologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher, Mary M; Hotz, Christine S

2004-01-01

Clinical pathologists use descriptive terms or modifiers to express the probability or likelihood of a cytologic diagnosis. Words are imprecise in meaning, however, and may be used and interpreted differently by pathologists and clinicians. The goals of this study were to 1) assess the frequency of use of 18 modifiers, 2) determine the probability of a positive diagnosis implied by the modifiers, 3) identify preferred modifiers for different levels of probability, 4) ascertain the importance of factors that affect expression of diagnostic certainty, and 5) evaluate differences based on gender, employment, and experience. We surveyed 202 clinical pathologists who were board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Clinical Pathology). Surveys were distributed in October 2001 and returned by e-mail, fax, or surface mail over a 2-month period. Results were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests. Survey response rate was 47.5% (n = 96) and primarily included clinical pathologists at veterinary schools (n = 58) and diagnostic laboratories (n = 31). Eleven of 18 terms were used "often" or "sometimes" by >/= 50% of respondents. Broad variability was found in the probability assigned to each term, especially those with median values of 75 to 90%. Preferred modifiers for 7 numerical probabilities ranging from 0 to 100% included 68 unique terms; however, a set of 10 terms was used by >/= 50% of respondents. Cellularity and quality of the sample, experience of the pathologist, and implications of the diagnosis were the most important factors affecting the expression of probability. Because of wide discrepancy in the implied likelihood of a diagnosis using words, defined terminology and controlled vocabulary may be useful in improving communication and the quality of data in cytology reporting.

Propensity, Probability, and Quantum Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Ballentine, Leslie E.

2016-08-01

Quantum mechanics and probability theory share one peculiarity. Both have well established mathematical formalisms, yet both are subject to controversy about the meaning and interpretation of their basic concepts. Since probability plays a fundamental role in QM, the conceptual problems of one theory can affect the other. We first classify the interpretations of probability into three major classes: (a) inferential probability, (b) ensemble probability, and (c) propensity. Class (a) is the basis of inductive logic; (b) deals with the frequencies of events in repeatable experiments; (c) describes a form of causality that is weaker than determinism. An important, but neglected, paper by P. Humphreys demonstrated that propensity must differ mathematically, as well as conceptually, from probability, but he did not develop a theory of propensity. Such a theory is developed in this paper. Propensity theory shares many, but not all, of the axioms of probability theory. As a consequence, propensity supports the Law of Large Numbers from probability theory, but does not support Bayes theorem. Although there are particular problems within QM to which any of the classes of probability may be applied, it is argued that the intrinsic quantum probabilities (calculated from a state vector or density matrix) are most naturally interpreted as quantum propensities. This does not alter the familiar statistical interpretation of QM. But the interpretation of quantum states as representing knowledge is untenable. Examples show that a density matrix fails to represent knowledge.

Probability Assessment and Risk Management of Progressive Collapse in Strategic Buildings Facing Blast Loads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Abdollahzadeh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, as a result of increased terrorist and bomb attacks throughout the globe in the vicinity of strategic buildings, designing these structures against impact loads, particularly the blast-related ones, has been taken into more consideration. The current procedure for designing the structure against an explosion is a design against the local failure of the current elements in the first step and then, in the next step, against local damage as well as tactful thinking to prevent this damage from spreading to other parts of the structure. The present research investigates the impacts of explosives, derived from probable terror–stricken scenarios inside and outside a strategic four-story steel building with a special moment frame system. Then, the resistive capacity of the damaged building (due to blast has been evaluated against the progressive collapse, and finally, the rate of the collapse risk and the reliability of the structure have been obtained by presenting a probable method. Thus, the vulnerable parts inside and outside the building are identified and safety measures have been determined, so that in case of no safety or excessive collapse risk- access to dangerous parts of the building could be reinforced or limited. Results show that progressive collapse probability and reliability of the building are 57% and 43% respectively.

Effect of tumor dose, volume and overall treatment time on local control after radiochemotherapy including MRI guided brachytherapy of locally advanced cervical cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tanderup, Kari; Fokdal, Lars Ulrik; Sturdza, Alina

2016-01-01

-center patient series (retroEMBRACE). Materials and methods This study analyzed 488 locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with external beam radiotherapy ± chemotherapy combined with IGABT. Brachytherapy contouring and reporting was according to ICRU/GEC-ESTRO recommendations. The Cox Proportional...... Hazards model was applied to analyze the effect on local control of dose-volume metrics as well as overall treatment time (OTT), dose rate, chemotherapy, and tumor histology. Results With a median follow up of 46 months, 43 local failures were observed. Dose (D90) to the High Risk Clinical Target Volume...

Determinates of tumor response to radiation: Tumor cells, tumor stroma and permanent local control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wende; Huang, Peigen; Chen, David J.; Gerweck, Leo E.

2014-01-01

Background and purpose: The causes of tumor response variation to radiation remain obscure, thus hampering the development of predictive assays and strategies to decrease resistance. The present study evaluates the impact of host tumor stromal elements and the in vivo environment on tumor cell kill, and relationship between tumor cell radiosensitivity and the tumor control dose. Material and methods: Five endpoints were evaluated and compared in a radiosensitive DNA double-strand break repair-defective (DNA-PKcs −/− ) tumor line, and its DNA-PKcs repair competent transfected counterpart. In vitro colony formation assays were performed on in vitro cultured cells, on cells obtained directly from tumors, and on cells irradiated in situ. Permanent local control was assessed by the TCD 50 assay. Vascular effects were evaluated by functional vascular density assays. Results: The fraction of repair competent and repair deficient tumor cells surviving radiation did not substantially differ whether irradiated in vitro, i.e., in the absence of host stromal elements and factors, from the fraction of cells killed following in vivo irradiation. Additionally, the altered tumor cell sensitivity resulted in a proportional change in the dose required to achieve permanent local control. The estimated number of tumor cells per tumor, their cloning efficiency and radiosensitivity, all assessed by in vitro assays, were used to predict successfully, the measured tumor control doses. Conclusion: The number of clonogens per tumor and their radiosensitivity govern the permanent local control dose

Failure-probability driven dose painting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogelius, Ivan R; Håkansson, Katrin; Due, Anne K

2013-01-01

To demonstrate a data-driven dose-painting strategy based on the spatial distribution of recurrences in previously treated patients. The result is a quantitative way to define a dose prescription function, optimizing the predicted local control at constant treatment intensity. A dose planning study...

Choice Probability Generating Functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosgerau, Mogens; McFadden, Daniel L; Bierlaire, Michel

This paper considers discrete choice, with choice probabilities coming from maximization of preferences from a random utility field perturbed by additive location shifters (ARUM). Any ARUM can be characterized by a choice-probability generating function (CPGF) whose gradient gives the choice...... probabilities, and every CPGF is consistent with an ARUM. We relate CPGF to multivariate extreme value distributions, and review and extend methods for constructing CPGF for applications....

Nonparametric method for failures detection and localization in the actuating subsystem of aircraft control system

Science.gov (United States)

Karpenko, S. S.; Zybin, E. Yu; Kosyanchuk, V. V.

2018-02-01

In this paper we design a nonparametric method for failures detection and localization in the aircraft control system that uses the measurements of the control signals and the aircraft states only. It doesn’t require a priori information of the aircraft model parameters, training or statistical calculations, and is based on algebraic solvability conditions for the aircraft model identification problem. This makes it possible to significantly increase the efficiency of detection and localization problem solution by completely eliminating errors, associated with aircraft model uncertainties.

Blind RSSD-Based Indoor Localization with Confidence Calibration and Energy Control

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Tengyue Zou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Indoor localization based on wireless sensor networks (WSNs is an important field of research with numerous applications, such as elderly care, miner security, and smart buildings. In this paper, we present a localization method based on the received signal strength difference (RSSD to determine a target on a map with unknown transmission information. To increase the accuracy of localization, we propose a confidence value for each anchor node to indicate its credibility for participating in the estimation. An automatic calibration device is designed to help acquire the values. The acceleration sensor and unscented Kalman filter (UKF are also introduced to reduce the influence of measuring noise in the application. Energy control is another key point in WSN systems and may prolong the lifetime of the system. Thus, a quadtree structure is constructed to describe the region correlation between neighboring areas, and the unnecessary anchor nodes can be detected and set to sleep to save energy. The localization system is implemented on real-time Texas Instruments CC2430 and CC2431 embedded platforms, and the experimental results indicate that these mechanisms achieve a high accuracy and low energy cost.

Prediction and probability in sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, E.; Sacquin, Y.

1998-01-01

This book reports the 7 presentations made at the third meeting 'physics and fundamental questions' whose theme was probability and prediction. The concept of probability that was invented to apprehend random phenomena has become an important branch of mathematics and its application range spreads from radioactivity to species evolution via cosmology or the management of very weak risks. The notion of probability is the basis of quantum mechanics and then is bound to the very nature of matter. The 7 topics are: - radioactivity and probability, - statistical and quantum fluctuations, - quantum mechanics as a generalized probability theory, - probability and the irrational efficiency of mathematics, - can we foresee the future of the universe?, - chance, eventuality and necessity in biology, - how to manage weak risks? (A.C.)

Localized modelling and feedback control of linear instabilities in 2-D wall bounded shear flows

Science.gov (United States)

Tol, Henry; Kotsonis, Marios; de Visser, Coen

2016-11-01

A new approach is presented for control of instabilities in 2-D wall bounded shear flows described by the linearized Navier-Stokes equations (LNSE). The control design accounts both for spatially localized actuators/sensors and the dominant perturbation dynamics in an optimal control framework. An inflow disturbance model is proposed for streamwise instabilities that drive laminar-turbulent transition. The perturbation modes that contribute to the transition process can be selected and are included in the control design. A reduced order model is derived from the LNSE that captures the input-output behavior and the dominant perturbation dynamics. This model is used to design an optimal controller for suppressing the instability growth. A 2-D channel flow and a 2-D boundary layer flow over a flat plate are considered as application cases. Disturbances are generated upstream of the control domain and the resulting flow perturbations are estimated/controlled using wall shear measurements and localized unsteady blowing and suction at the wall. It will be shown that the controller is able to cancel the perturbations and is robust to unmodelled disturbances.

Software for the Local Control and Instrumentation System for MFTF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labiak, W.G.

1979-01-01

There are nine different systems requiring over fifty computers in the Local Control and Instrumentation System for the Mirror Fusion Test Facility. Each computer system consists of an LSI-11/2 processor with 32,000 words of memory, a serial driver that implements the CAMAC serial highway protocol. With this large number of systems it is important that as much software as possible be common to all systems. A serial communications system has been developed for data transfers between the LSI-11/2's and the supervisory computers. This system is based on the RS 232 C interface with modem control lines. Six modem control lines are used for hardware handshaking, which allows totally independent full duplex communications to occur. Odd parity on each byte and a 16-bit checksum are used to detect errors in transmission

Statistics of anomalously localized states at the center of band E = 0 in the one-dimensional Anderson localization model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravtsov, V E; Yudson, V I

2013-01-01

We consider the distribution function P(|ψ| 2 ) of the eigenfunction amplitude at the center-of-band (E = 0) anomaly in the one-dimensional tight-binding chain with weak uncorrelated on-site disorder (the one-dimensional Anderson model). The special emphasis is on the probability of the anomalously localized states (ALS) with |ψ| 2 much larger than the inverse typical localization length ℓ 0 . Using the recently found solution for the generating function Φ an (u, ϕ) we obtain the ALS probability distribution P(|ψ| 2 ) at |ψ| 2 ℓ 0 ≫ 1. As an auxiliary preliminary step, we found the asymptotic form of the generating function Φ an (u, ϕ) at u ≫ 1 which can be used to compute other statistical properties at the center-of-band anomaly. We show that at moderately large values of |ψ| 2 ℓ 0 , the probability of ALS at E = 0 is smaller than at energies away from the anomaly. However, at very large values of |ψ| 2 ℓ 0 , the tendency is inverted: it is exponentially easier to create a very strongly localized state at E = 0 than at energies away from the anomaly. We also found the leading term in the behavior of P(|ψ| 2 ) at small |ψ| 2 ≪ ℓ −1 0 and show that it is consistent with the exponential localization corresponding to the Lyapunov exponent found earlier by Kappus and Wegner. (paper)

Political control and perceptions of corruption in Icelandic local government

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Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Political control is an important value of democratic governance and without it democratic accountability can hardly mean much. This is why a number of authors have seen politicization of public service appointments and greater control by the centre as a potential counterweight against trends in recent decades towards more networked and less hierarchical organizational forms of directing public policy. It may help to reassert democratic control. The option of strengthening political control, however, has not been much studied with regard to its likely effects on corruption. Power has the potential to corrupt unless adequately controlled and strengthening political power in a networked environment may create a structure of temptation which conventional deterrents to corruption are unable to curb. The impact of strong political leadership on corruption is here studied in the context of Icelandic local government, making use of institutional variations in the office of Mayor, which provide a unique opportunity for testing the effects of strong political control on corruption. The analysis indicates that municipalities with strong political mayors are likely to be associated with perceptions of corruption even when other factors, such as the structure of temptation and deterrents, are accounted for.

Repopulation of interacting tumor cells during fractionated radiotherapy: Stochastic modeling of the tumor control probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fakir, Hatim; Hlatky, Lynn; Li, Huamin; Sachs, Rainer

2013-01-01

Purpose: Optimal treatment planning for fractionated external beam radiation therapy requires inputs from radiobiology based on recent thinking about the “five Rs” (repopulation, radiosensitivity, reoxygenation, redistribution, and repair). The need is especially acute for the newer, often individualized, protocols made feasible by progress in image guided radiation therapy and dose conformity. Current stochastic tumor control probability (TCP) models incorporating tumor repopulation effects consider “stem-like cancer cells” (SLCC) to be independent, but the authors here propose that SLCC-SLCC interactions may be significant. The authors present a new stochastic TCP model for repopulating SLCC interacting within microenvironmental niches. Our approach is meant mainly for comparing similar protocols. It aims at practical generalizations of previous mathematical models. Methods: The authors consider protocols with complete sublethal damage repair between fractions. The authors use customized open-source software and recent mathematical approaches from stochastic process theory for calculating the time-dependent SLCC number and thereby estimating SLCC eradication probabilities. As specific numerical examples, the authors consider predicted TCP results for a 2 Gy per fraction, 60 Gy protocol compared to 64 Gy protocols involving early or late boosts in a limited volume to some fractions. Results: In sample calculations with linear quadratic parameters α = 0.3 per Gy, α/β = 10 Gy, boosting is predicted to raise TCP from a dismal 14.5% observed in some older protocols for advanced NSCLC to above 70%. This prediction is robust as regards: (a) the assumed values of parameters other than α and (b) the choice of models for intraniche SLCC-SLCC interactions. However, α = 0.03 per Gy leads to a prediction of almost no improvement when boosting. Conclusions: The predicted efficacy of moderate boosts depends sensitively on α. Presumably, the larger values of α are

Repopulation of interacting tumor cells during fractionated radiotherapy: stochastic modeling of the tumor control probability.

Science.gov (United States)

Fakir, Hatim; Hlatky, Lynn; Li, Huamin; Sachs, Rainer

2013-12-01

Optimal treatment planning for fractionated external beam radiation therapy requires inputs from radiobiology based on recent thinking about the "five Rs" (repopulation, radiosensitivity, reoxygenation, redistribution, and repair). The need is especially acute for the newer, often individualized, protocols made feasible by progress in image guided radiation therapy and dose conformity. Current stochastic tumor control probability (TCP) models incorporating tumor repopulation effects consider "stem-like cancer cells" (SLCC) to be independent, but the authors here propose that SLCC-SLCC interactions may be significant. The authors present a new stochastic TCP model for repopulating SLCC interacting within microenvironmental niches. Our approach is meant mainly for comparing similar protocols. It aims at practical generalizations of previous mathematical models. The authors consider protocols with complete sublethal damage repair between fractions. The authors use customized open-source software and recent mathematical approaches from stochastic process theory for calculating the time-dependent SLCC number and thereby estimating SLCC eradication probabilities. As specific numerical examples, the authors consider predicted TCP results for a 2 Gy per fraction, 60 Gy protocol compared to 64 Gy protocols involving early or late boosts in a limited volume to some fractions. In sample calculations with linear quadratic parameters α = 0.3 per Gy, α∕β = 10 Gy, boosting is predicted to raise TCP from a dismal 14.5% observed in some older protocols for advanced NSCLC to above 70%. This prediction is robust as regards: (a) the assumed values of parameters other than α and (b) the choice of models for intraniche SLCC-SLCC interactions. However, α = 0.03 per Gy leads to a prediction of almost no improvement when boosting. The predicted efficacy of moderate boosts depends sensitively on α. Presumably, the larger values of α are the ones appropriate for individualized

The quantum probability calculus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jauch, J.M.

1976-01-01

The Wigner anomaly (1932) for the joint distribution of noncompatible observables is an indication that the classical probability calculus is not applicable for quantum probabilities. It should, therefore, be replaced by another, more general calculus, which is specifically adapted to quantal systems. In this article this calculus is exhibited and its mathematical axioms and the definitions of the basic concepts such as probability field, random variable, and expectation values are given. (B.R.H)

Dose prescription complexity versus tumor control probability in biologically conformal radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

South, C. P.; Evans, P. M.; Partridge, M.

2009-01-01

The technical feasibility and potential benefits of voxel-based nonuniform dose prescriptions for biologically heterogeneous tumors have been widely demonstrated. In some cases, an ''ideal'' dose prescription has been generated by individualizing the dose to every voxel within the target, but often this voxel-based prescription has been discretized into a small number of compartments. The number of dose levels utilized and the methods used for prescribing doses and assigning tumor voxels to different dose compartments have varied significantly. The authors present an investigation into the relationship between the complexity of the dose prescription and the tumor control probability (TCP) for a number of these methods. The linear quadratic model of cell killing was used in conjunction with a number of modeled tumors heterogeneous in clonogen density, oxygenation, or proliferation. Models based on simple mathematical functions, published biological data, and biological image data were investigated. Target voxels were assigned to dose compartments using (i) simple rules based on the initial biological distribution, (ii) iterative methods designed to maximize the achievable TCP, or (iii) methods based on an ideal dose prescription. The relative performance of the simple rules was found to depend on the form of heterogeneity of the tumor, while the iterative and ideal dose methods performed comparably for all models investigated. In all cases the maximum achievable TCP was approached within the first few (typically two to five) compartments. Results suggest that irrespective of the pattern of heterogeneity, the optimal dose prescription can be well approximated using only a few dose levels but only if both the compartment boundaries and prescribed dose levels are well chosen.

Spherical loudspeaker array for local active control of sound.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafaely, Boaz

2009-05-01

Active control of sound has been employed to reduce noise levels around listeners' head using destructive interference from noise-canceling sound sources. Recently, spherical loudspeaker arrays have been studied as multiple-channel sound sources, capable of generating sound fields with high complexity. In this paper, the potential use of a spherical loudspeaker array for local active control of sound is investigated. A theoretical analysis of the primary and secondary sound fields around a spherical sound source reveals that the natural quiet zones for the spherical source have a shell-shape. Using numerical optimization, quiet zones with other shapes are designed, showing potential for quiet zones with extents that are significantly larger than the well-known limit of a tenth of a wavelength for monopole sources. The paper presents several simulation examples showing quiet zones in various configurations.

What probabilities tell about quantum systems, with application to entropy and entanglement

CERN Document Server

Myers, John M

2010-01-01

The use of parameters to describe an experimenter's control over the devices used in an experiment is familiar in quantum physics, for example in connection with Bell inequalities. Parameters are also interesting in a different but related context, as we noticed when we proved a formal separation in quantum mechanics between linear operators and the probabilities that these operators generate. In comparing an experiment against its description by a density operator and detection operators, one compares tallies of experimental outcomes against the probabilities generated by the operators but not directly against the operators. Recognizing that the accessibility of operators to experimental tests is only indirect, via probabilities, motivates us to ask what probabilities tell us about operators, or, put more precisely, “what combinations of a parameterized density operator and parameterized detection operators generate any given set of parametrized probabilities?”

Power Allocation and Outage Probability Analysis for SDN-based Radio Access Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yongxu; Chen, Yueyun; Mai, Zhiyuan

2018-01-01

In this paper, performance of Access network Architecture based SDN (Software Defined Network) is analyzed with respect to the power allocation issue. A power allocation scheme PSO-PA (Particle Swarm Optimization-power allocation) algorithm is proposed, the proposed scheme is subjected to constant total power with the objective of minimizing system outage probability. The entire access network resource configuration is controlled by the SDN controller, then it sends the optimized power distribution factor to the base station source node (SN) and the relay node (RN). Simulation results show that the proposed scheme reduces the system outage probability at a low complexity.

Controlled Remote State Preparation via General Pure Three-Qubit State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuebo Zha

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The protocols for controlled remote state preparation of a single qubit and a general two-qubit state are presented in this paper. The general pure three-qubit states are chosen as shared quantum channel, which are not Local operations and classical communication (LOCC equivalent to the mostly used GHz state. This is the first time that general pure three-qubit states have been introduced to complete remote state preparation. The probability of successful preparation is presented. Moreover, in some special cases, the successful probability could reach a unit value.

Chaos optimization algorithms based on chaotic maps with different probability distribution and search speed for global optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dixiong; Liu, Zhenjun; Zhou, Jilei

2014-04-01

Chaos optimization algorithms (COAs) usually utilize the chaotic map like Logistic map to generate the pseudo-random numbers mapped as the design variables for global optimization. Many existing researches indicated that COA can more easily escape from the local minima than classical stochastic optimization algorithms. This paper reveals the inherent mechanism of high efficiency and superior performance of COA, from a new perspective of both the probability distribution property and search speed of chaotic sequences generated by different chaotic maps. The statistical property and search speed of chaotic sequences are represented by the probability density function (PDF) and the Lyapunov exponent, respectively. Meanwhile, the computational performances of hybrid chaos-BFGS algorithms based on eight one-dimensional chaotic maps with different PDF and Lyapunov exponents are compared, in which BFGS is a quasi-Newton method for local optimization. Moreover, several multimodal benchmark examples illustrate that, the probability distribution property and search speed of chaotic sequences from different chaotic maps significantly affect the global searching capability and optimization efficiency of COA. To achieve the high efficiency of COA, it is recommended to adopt the appropriate chaotic map generating the desired chaotic sequences with uniform or nearly uniform probability distribution and large Lyapunov exponent.

Effect of time, dose and fractionation on local control of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Anne W.M.; Chan, David K.K.; Poon, Y.F.; Foo, William; Law, Stephen C.K.; O, S.K.; Tung, Stewart Y.; Fowler, Jack F.; Chappell, Rick

1995-01-01

To study the effect of radiation factors on local control of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 1008 patients with similarly staged T1N0-3M0 disease (Ho's classification) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated by megavoltage irradiation alone using the same technique. Four different fractionation schedules had been used sequentially during 1976-1985: with total dose ranging from 45.6 to 60 Gy and fractional dose from 2.5 to 4.2 Gy. The median overall time was 39 days (range = 38-75 days). Both for the whole series and 763 patients with nodal control, total dose was the most important radiation factor. The hazard of local failure decreased by 9% per additional Gy (p < 0.01). Biological equivalents expressed in terms of Biologically Effective Dose or Nominal Standard Dose also showed strong correlation. Fractional dose had no significant impact. The effect of overall treatment time was insignificant for the whole series, but almost reached statistical significance for those with nodal control (p = 0.06). Further study is required for elucidation, as 85% of patients completed treatment within a very narrow range (38-42 days), and the possible hazard is clinically too significant to be ignored

Excluding joint probabilities from quantum theory

Science.gov (United States)

Allahverdyan, Armen E.; Danageozian, Arshag

2018-03-01

Quantum theory does not provide a unique definition for the joint probability of two noncommuting observables, which is the next important question after the Born's probability for a single observable. Instead, various definitions were suggested, e.g., via quasiprobabilities or via hidden-variable theories. After reviewing open issues of the joint probability, we relate it to quantum imprecise probabilities, which are noncontextual and are consistent with all constraints expected from a quantum probability. We study two noncommuting observables in a two-dimensional Hilbert space and show that there is no precise joint probability that applies for any quantum state and is consistent with imprecise probabilities. This contrasts with theorems by Bell and Kochen-Specker that exclude joint probabilities for more than two noncommuting observables, in Hilbert space with dimension larger than two. If measurement contexts are included into the definition, joint probabilities are not excluded anymore, but they are still constrained by imprecise probabilities.

Impact of radiation therapy fraction size on local control of early glottic carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Edward; Shenouda, George; Beaudet, Marie P.; Black, Martin J.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Different radiotherapy fractionation schedules were used over a 10-year period to treat patients with early squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cords at McGill University. A retrospective analysis was performed to study the effect of fraction size on local control in this group of patients. Methods and Materials: A total of 126 previously untreated patients with T1 invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the true vocal cords were irradiated between January 1978 and December 1988 in the Department of Radiation Oncology at McGill University. All patients received megavoltage irradiation, 94 patients received daily fractions > 2 Gy (64 patients received 50 Gy with once-daily 2.5-Gy fractions, and 30 received 65.25 Gy in 29 fractions of 2.25 Gy each), and 32 patients were treated to a dose of 66 Gy in 33 fractions with 2 Gy/fraction. Patients' characteristics of prognostic importance were equally distributed between the two fractionation groups. Results: At a median follow-up of 84 months, the 10-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 76% and 93%, respectively. Local control for patients treated with > 2 Gy fraction was 84%, compared to 65.6% for those treated with 2-Gy fractions (p = 0.026). Among the prognostic factors tested, such as gender, age, stage, anterior and posterior commissure involvement, smoking history, and fraction size, the latter was the only significant predictor of local control for the whole group of patients in univariate (p = 0.041) and multivariate (p = 0.023) analysis. There was no observed difference in the incidence of complications between the two fraction groups. Conclusions: From the results of this retrospective review of patients treated with radiotherapy for T1 true vocal cord cancer, and within the range of total doses and overall treatment times used in our patients, it was found that fractionation schedules using daily fraction size > 2 Gy are associated with a better local control than schedules delivering 2 Gy

Regression and local control rates after radiotherapy for jugulotympanic paragangliomas: Systematic review and meta-analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hulsteijn, Leonie T. van; Corssmit, Eleonora P.M.; Coremans, Ida E.M.; Smit, Johannes W.A.; Jansen, Jeroen C.; Dekkers, Olaf M.

2013-01-01

The primary treatment goal of radiotherapy for paragangliomas of the head and neck region (HNPGLs) is local control of the tumor, i.e. stabilization of tumor volume. Interestingly, regression of tumor volume has also been reported. Up to the present, no meta-analysis has been performed giving an overview of regression rates after radiotherapy in HNPGLs. The main objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess regression of tumor volume in HNPGL-patients after radiotherapy. A second outcome was local tumor control. Design of the study is systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, COCHRANE and Academic Search Premier and references of key articles were searched in March 2012 to identify potentially relevant studies. Considering the indolent course of HNPGLs, only studies with ⩾12 months follow-up were eligible. Main outcomes were the pooled proportions of regression and local control after radiotherapy as initial, combined (i.e. directly post-operatively or post-embolization) or salvage treatment (i.e. after initial treatment has failed) for HNPGLs. A meta-analysis was performed with an exact likelihood approach using a logistic regression with a random effect at the study level. Pooled proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Fifteen studies were included, concerning a total of 283 jugulotympanic HNPGLs in 276 patients. Pooled regression proportions for initial, combined and salvage treatment were respectively 21%, 33% and 52% in radiosurgery studies and 4%, 0% and 64% in external beam radiotherapy studies. Pooled local control proportions for radiotherapy as initial, combined and salvage treatment ranged from 79% to 100%. Radiotherapy for jugulotympanic paragangliomas results in excellent local tumor control and therefore is a valuable treatment for these types of tumors. The effects of radiotherapy on regression of tumor volume remain ambiguous, although the data suggest that regression can

Transient localization in the kicked Rydberg atom

OpenAIRE

Persson, E.; Fürthauer, S.; Wimberger, S.; Burgdörfer, J.

2006-01-01

We investigate the long-time limit of quantum localization of the kicked Rydberg atom. The kicked Rydberg atom is shown to possess in addition to the quantum localization time $\\tau_L$ a second cross-over time $t_D$ where quantum dynamics diverges from classical dynamics towards increased instability. The quantum localization is shown to vanish as either the strength of the kicks at fixed principal quantum number or the quantum number at fixed kick strength increases. The survival probability...

Salivary gland carcinomas: prognostic factors for local control and distant metastasis, the role of radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terhaard, C.H.J.; Lubsen, H.; Tweel, I. van der; Hilgers, F.J.M.; Eijkenboom, W.M.H.; Marres, H.A.M.; Tjho-Heslinga, R.E.; Jong, J.M.A. de; Roodenburg, J.L.N.

1997-01-01

Purpose: The Dutch Head and Neck Oncology Cooperative Group, in which head and neck groups of all University hospitals and the two cancer institutes are represented, initiated a retrospective study concerning salivary gland carcinomas. A majority of Dutch patients with head and neck carcinomas are treated in the participating centres, and the follow-up is precise. Prognostic factors for local control and survival were studied, with special interest in the role of treatment and the role of histologic type. Methods and materials: Results were obtained of 568 patients with a mean follow-up time of 5 years. The parotid gland was involved in 59%, the submandibular gland in 14%, oral cavity in 24% and 3% was located elsewhere. Mean age was 59 years (range 8-100 yr), 48% was female. T-stage was T 1 in 27%, T 2 in 44%, T 3 in 19% and T 4 in 11%. Positive necknodes were seen in 15%, 3% was initially M 1 . Histologic type was acinic cell carcinoma in 12%, mucoepidermoid ca. in 16%, adenoid cystic ca. in 26%, adenoca. in 24%, carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma in 8%, squamous cell ca. in 6% and undifferentiated ca. in 7%. Resection margins were radical in 37%, close in 20% and irradical in 40% (3% unknown). Surgery was the primary treatment in 501 patients, combined with postoperative radiotherapy (50-70 Gy, mean dose 62 Gy) in 389 patients. Radiotherapy was the primary treatment in 40 patients (18 M 1 , 30% N+), 20 patients were not treated and 7 patients were treated otherwise. For statistical analysis the Cox PH regression analysis was used (SPSS-PC+). Results: Actuarial local control after 8 years was 80% for surgery alone and 92% for the combined modality (in which more advanced cases prevaled). Independent factors for local control in the surgery±radiotherapy group were: I:T-stage (T 3 vs T 1-2 : RR 3.7; T 4 vs T 1-2 : RR 11.7), II: anatomic site (oral cavity vs parotid and submandibular gland: RR 0.2) and III: treatment modality (surgery alone vs surgery

Linear positivity and virtual probability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartle, James B.

2004-01-01

We investigate the quantum theory of closed systems based on the linear positivity decoherence condition of Goldstein and Page. The objective of any quantum theory of a closed system, most generally the universe, is the prediction of probabilities for the individual members of sets of alternative coarse-grained histories of the system. Quantum interference between members of a set of alternative histories is an obstacle to assigning probabilities that are consistent with the rules of probability theory. A quantum theory of closed systems therefore requires two elements: (1) a condition specifying which sets of histories may be assigned probabilities and (2) a rule for those probabilities. The linear positivity condition of Goldstein and Page is the weakest of the general conditions proposed so far. Its general properties relating to exact probability sum rules, time neutrality, and conservation laws are explored. Its inconsistency with the usual notion of independent subsystems in quantum mechanics is reviewed. Its relation to the stronger condition of medium decoherence necessary for classicality is discussed. The linear positivity of histories in a number of simple model systems is investigated with the aim of exhibiting linearly positive sets of histories that are not decoherent. The utility of extending the notion of probability to include values outside the range of 0-1 is described. Alternatives with such virtual probabilities cannot be measured or recorded, but can be used in the intermediate steps of calculations of real probabilities. Extended probabilities give a simple and general way of formulating quantum theory. The various decoherence conditions are compared in terms of their utility for characterizing classicality and the role they might play in further generalizations of quantum mechanics

The pleasures of probability

CERN Document Server

Isaac, Richard

1995-01-01

The ideas of probability are all around us. Lotteries, casino gambling, the al­ most non-stop polling which seems to mold public policy more and more­ these are a few of the areas where principles of probability impinge in a direct way on the lives and fortunes of the general public. At a more re­ moved level there is modern science which uses probability and its offshoots like statistics and the theory of random processes to build mathematical descriptions of the real world. In fact, twentieth-century physics, in embrac­ ing quantum mechanics, has a world view that is at its core probabilistic in nature, contrary to the deterministic one of classical physics. In addition to all this muscular evidence of the importance of probability ideas it should also be said that probability can be lots of fun. It is a subject where you can start thinking about amusing, interesting, and often difficult problems with very little mathematical background. In this book, I wanted to introduce a reader with at least a fairl...

Local Support for Alcohol Control Policies and Perceptions of Neighborhood Issues in Two College Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Fairlie, Anne M; DeJong, William; Wood, Mark D

2015-01-01

Although valuable, national opinion surveys on alcohol policy may be less informative for policy development at the local level. Using samples of adult residents in 2 college communities, the present study: (1) measured public support for local alcohol control policies to stem underage drinking and alcohol overservice in on-premise outlets, (2) assessed residents' opinions regarding neighborhood problems, and (3) identified factors associated with strong policy support. We administered random-sample telephone surveys to residents aged 21 years and older in college communities located in Community 1 (N = 501; mean age = 57.4 years, SD = 14.7) and Community 2 (N = 505; mean age = 56.0 years, SD = 15.2). The response rates were typical of telephone surveys (Community 1: 33.5%; Community 2: 29.9%). We assessed support for 16 alcohol control policies and the occurrence of specific types of neighborhood incidents (e.g., witnessing intoxicated people). We used multiple regression analyses to determine factors associated with policy support. Residents in Community 1 reported significantly higher weekly alcohol use, a greater number of witnessed neighborhood incidents, and a higher level of perceived neighborhood problems than did residents in Community 2. Residents in Community 1 perceived local alcohol control policies and their enforcement to be significantly stricter. Overall, policy support was high and did not differ between the communities. In both communities, higher policy support was significantly associated with being female, being older, less weekly alcohol use, and lower perceived strictness of alcohol control policies and enforcement. It is important for campus officials and community leaders to be aware of and publicize favorable public opinion when advocating for policy change, especially at the local level. Information on residents' perceptions of the neighborhood issues they face can also inform local policy and enforcement efforts.

Probable Inference and Quantum Mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandy, W. T. Jr.

2009-01-01

In its current very successful interpretation the quantum theory is fundamentally statistical in nature. Although commonly viewed as a probability amplitude whose (complex) square is a probability, the wavefunction or state vector continues to defy consensus as to its exact meaning, primarily because it is not a physical observable. Rather than approach this problem directly, it is suggested that it is first necessary to clarify the precise role of probability theory in quantum mechanics, either as applied to, or as an intrinsic part of the quantum theory. When all is said and done the unsurprising conclusion is that quantum mechanics does not constitute a logic and probability unto itself, but adheres to the long-established rules of classical probability theory while providing a means within itself for calculating the relevant probabilities. In addition, the wavefunction is seen to be a description of the quantum state assigned by an observer based on definite information, such that the same state must be assigned by any other observer based on the same information, in much the same way that probabilities are assigned.

Effect of transarterial chemoembolization with miriplatin plus epirubicin on local control of hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective comparison with miriplatin monotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hashimoto N

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Naoko Hashimoto,1 Jin Iwazawa,1 Shoichi Ohue,2 Takashi Mitani11Department of Radiology, Nissay Hospital, Nishiku, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Radiology, Komatsu Hospital, Neyagawa, JapanObjective: We aimed to evaluate local tumor control after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma using miriplatin and low-dose epirubicin combination therapy.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients who underwent TACE using miriplatin plus low-dose epirubicin (30 patients, 61 nodules, August 2011–March 2012 and control patients who underwent TACE using miriplatin alone (36 patients, 70 nodules, June 2010–July 2011. The local control rate was compared between the two groups using the Kaplan–Meier estimator and the log-rank test. Factors affecting local tumor recurrence were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Treatment-related toxicity was evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.Results: The local control rates at 6 months and 1 year were 87% and 65% for the miriplatin plus low-dose epirubicin group, and 61% and 43% for the miriplatin group, respectively. Local tumor control rates were significantly better in the miriplatin plus low-dose epirubicin group than in the miriplatin group (P = 0.038. Multivariate analysis showed that the addition of epirubicin was an independent factor associated with better local tumor control (hazard ratio 0.2, P = 0.001. Overall incidence rates for adverse events were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusion: Additional usage of low-dose epirubicin for TACE using miriplatin improved local tumor control of hepatocellular carcinoma with adverse effects comparable to those observed with TACE using miriplatin alone.Keywords: combination therapy, local recurrence, liver, embolization, comparative study

Psychophysics of the probability weighting function

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Taiki

2011-03-01

A probability weighting function w(p) for an objective probability p in decision under risk plays a pivotal role in Kahneman-Tversky prospect theory. Although recent studies in econophysics and neuroeconomics widely utilized probability weighting functions, psychophysical foundations of the probability weighting functions have been unknown. Notably, a behavioral economist Prelec (1998) [4] axiomatically derived the probability weighting function w(p)=exp(-() (01e)=1e,w(1)=1), which has extensively been studied in behavioral neuroeconomics. The present study utilizes psychophysical theory to derive Prelec's probability weighting function from psychophysical laws of perceived waiting time in probabilistic choices. Also, the relations between the parameters in the probability weighting function and the probability discounting function in behavioral psychology are derived. Future directions in the application of the psychophysical theory of the probability weighting function in econophysics and neuroeconomics are discussed.

Component fragility data base for reliability and probability studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandyopadhyay, K.; Hofmayer, C.; Kassier, M.; Pepper, S.

1989-01-01

Safety-related equipment in a nuclear plant plays a vital role in its proper operation and control, and failure of such equipment due to an earthquake may pose a risk to the safe operation of the plant. Therefore, in order to assess the overall reliability of a plant, the reliability of performance of the equipment should be studied first. The success of a reliability or a probability study depends to a great extent on the data base. To meet this demand, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has formed a test data base relating the seismic capacity of equipment specimens to the earthquake levels. Subsequently, the test data have been analyzed for use in reliability and probability studies. This paper describes the data base and discusses the analysis methods. The final results that can be directly used in plant reliability and probability studies are also presented in this paper