Les agriculteurs s'adaptent aux changements climatiques en Tunisie ...

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

23 août 2011 ... À La Soukra, en Tunisie, des centaines de familles à faible revenu vivent des produits de la terre qu'elles cultivent. Or, depuis quelques décennies, ce mode de vie est menacé par l'urbanisation et les changements climatiques.

Energy Efficiency Indicators Methodology Booklet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathaye, Jayant; Price, Lynn; McNeil, Michael; de la rue du Can, Stephane

2010-05-01

This Methodology Booklet provides a comprehensive review and methodology guiding principles for constructing energy efficiency indicators, with illustrative examples of application to individual countries. It reviews work done by international agencies and national government in constructing meaningful energy efficiency indicators that help policy makers to assess changes in energy efficiency over time. Building on past OECD experience and best practices, and the knowledge of these countries' institutions, relevant sources of information to construct an energy indicator database are identified. A framework based on levels of hierarchy of indicators -- spanning from aggregate, macro level to disaggregated end-use level metrics -- is presented to help shape the understanding of assessing energy efficiency. In each sector of activity: industry, commercial, residential, agriculture and transport, indicators are presented and recommendations to distinguish the different factors affecting energy use are highlighted. The methodology booklet addresses specifically issues that are relevant to developing indicators where activity is a major factor driving energy demand. A companion spreadsheet tool is available upon request.

Changements climatiques | Page 39 | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

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

Le Moyen-Orient et l'Afrique du Nord connaissent une urbanisation effrénée qui entraîne un grave stress hydrique et nuit à la production alimentaire. Mais la recherche montre comment l'expansion urbaine et la croissance agricole peuvent aller de pair. Axe de recherche. Examiner en quoi les changements climatiques et ...

Vulnérabilité des troupeaux transhumants aux mutations climatiques ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Vulnérabilité des troupeaux transhumants aux mutations climatiques : analyse des perceptions et adaptations locales dans le bassin de la Sota à Malanville. S Zakari, BAH Tente, I Yabi, IT Imorou, T Tabou, F Afouda, B n'Bessa ...

Des données locales sur les changements climatiques assurent la ...

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

13 mai 2015 ... Les changements climatiques et la variabilité du climat représentent une menace importante pour l'agriculture, la sécurité alimentaire et les moyens de subsistance en Afrique subsaharienne.

PERCEPTIONS DE LA vARIABILITÉ CLIMATIqUE ET STRATÉGIES ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pas suivie d'une restauration écologique (Waziri,. 2014). Depuis cette décennie, le Sahel connaît de profonds changements liés à l'environnement climatique et .... l'érosion éolienne. .... la vente du bois énergie et de la vulgarisation des.

Impact des changements climatiques sur l’agriculture dans la plaine de Jeffara sud-est tunisien

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Houcine Jeder

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Cette étude évalue la vulnérabilité de l’agriculture dans la plaine de Jeffera sud-est tunisien aux changements climatiques en utilisant la méthode Ricardienne. Cette méthode consiste à exprimer les revenus nets agricoles en fonction des variables climatiques, édaphiques et socio-économiques. Ces modèles ricardiens ont été testés sur la base des données d’une enquête réalisée dans le cadre de projet de développement dans la plaine Jeffera pour la compagne agricole 2002-2003.  Ces modèles ont permis d’exprimer d’une part la relation qui existe entre le revenu agricole et les variables climatiques (température et précipitation et d’autre part, d’analyser la sensibilité des revenus agricoles par rapport à ces variables climatiques. Des simulations ont été faites sur la base de scenario A2 résultat de la projection faite par le modèle HadCM3 à l’échelle nationale et régionale de la Tunisie.Les résultats de l’étude ont montré que la relation entre le revenu agricole et le climat est non linéaire. De même, les effets négatifs de certaines options d’adaptation ont montré que  l’agriculture dans la plaine de Jeffera est une agriculture paysanne basée sur le travail familial qui nécessite aujourd’hui un capital financier important et une marge de modernisation afin d’améliorer l’activité agricole dans les années futures. Tandis que les effets positifs de certaines autres options peuvent être servir comme des points de réflexion dans l’élaboration des stratégies d’adaptation aux changements climatiques comme l’utilisation des nouvelles technologies d’irrigation et l’intégration de l’activité de l’élevage dans l’exploitation agricole.

Objectif : les zones cruciales au regard des changements climatiques

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

ruissellement et les phénomènes climatiques extrêmes constituent des menaces pour les deltas en. Afrique et en Asie du Sud, où sont situées quelques-unes des plus grandes villes de la planète. Des centaines de millions de personnes sont exposées, et tout particulièrement celles qui vivent dans des établissements.

La gestion des risques climatiques en Afrique du Sud

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

CRDI

ou une variabilité à court terme, mais la plupart des scénarios de changements climatiques prévoient une hausse de leur fréquence. Selon Peter Johnston, du .... Une planification plus éclairée contribuera à sauvegarder des emplois dans le secteur agricole commercial et à réduire les risques pour les agriculteurs démunis.

Aquaculture intérieure et adaptation aux changements climatiques ...

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

Ce projet porte sur l'élevage du tilapia dans de petits étangs fermiers ou des cages flottantes dans les rivières et les réservoirs du nord de la Thaïlande. Les chercheurs exploreront des façons d'adapter les pratiques aquacoles aux changements climatiques et analyseront la valeur de l'aquaculture comme stratégie ...

118 Variabilité climatique et son incidence sur les ressources en ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

MARTINE

particulièrement fortes et touchent de nombreux secteurs d'activité. Le changement ... économique était basé sur l'agriculture est très sensible au contexte climatique [8,9]. ..... rupture. 3-2-6 Calcul du coefficient de tarissement : loi de Maillet.

Communication des risques reliés aux changements climatiques en ...

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

1 janv. 2012 ... Il incombe bien sûr aux gouvernements locaux et nationaux de prendre les décisions relatives à l'adaptation aux changements climatiques; ils doivent toutefois les communiquer aux ménages, aux groupes communautaires et aux entreprises privées afin que ceux-ci prennent les décisions qui s'imposent ...

Impacts économiques et sociaux des changements climatiques sur l ...

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

Le projet étudiera l'attribution de l'eau dans les divers secteurs productifs des trois bassins et estimera la demande d'eau pour l'agriculture, l'industrie et la consommation domestique. La recherche identifiera les groupes vulnérables touchés par le stress hydrique engendré par les changements climatiques. On fera appel à ...

Le littoral face aux changements climatiques

OpenAIRE

Mulot, Vanessa; Vigneron, Anne-Laure; Lambert-Hadid, Marie-Laure

2011-01-01

Le changement climatique et l’anthropisation du littoral accentuent le risque de submersion marine sur l’ensemble des côtes. Malgré l’élévation en cours du niveau des mers, l’attractivité du littoral ne décroît pas malgré la connaissance du risque. Ce risque aggravera dans les années à venir les enjeux liés à la submersion marine, parmi lesquels le danger pour les vies humaines, comme l’a malheureusement illustré l’actualité (Xynhia), mais aussi la question de la propriété des biens et des te...

Adaptation aux changements climatiques grâce à une gestion ...

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

Cette équipe évaluera les problèmes de disponibilité de l'eau et de gestion du bassin versant dans le bassin du Tensift, notamment sur les plans biophysique, écologique, climatique et socio-économique. Elle utilisera des modèles pour estimer les futurs schémas d'utilisation des ressources hydriques afin de déterminer ...

Changement climatique et domaines skiables: simulation en Savoie et Haute-Savoie à l’horizon 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Christophe Loubier

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Les domaines skiables et le changement climatique posent des questions importantes et nouvelles pour les espaces montagnards. Dans les hautes vallées où ces domaines sont souvent le moteur principal du développement local, on peut s'interroger sur la pérennité du modèle économique de l'or blanc à moyen terme quand les modèles de simulation du climat tablent sur une élévation de la température moyenne comprise entre 1,5° et 5° en 2100. Nous avons tenté de simuler les effets du changement climatique à l'horizon 2015, sur les domaines skiables de Savoie et Haute Savoie.

Developpement D'un Modele Climatique Regional: Fizr Simulation des Conditions de Janvier de la Cote Ouest Nord Americaine

Science.gov (United States)

Goyette, Stephane

1995-11-01

Le sujet de cette these concerne la modelisation numerique du climat regional. L'objectif principal de l'exercice est de developper un modele climatique regional ayant les capacites de simuler des phenomenes de meso-echelle spatiale. Notre domaine d'etude se situe sur la Cote Ouest nord americaine. Ce dernier a retenu notre attention a cause de la complexite du relief et de son controle sur le climat. Les raisons qui motivent cette etude sont multiples: d'une part, nous ne pouvons pas augmenter, en pratique, la faible resolution spatiale des modeles de la circulation generale de l'atmosphere (MCG) sans augmenter a outrance les couts d'integration et, d'autre part, la gestion de l'environnement exige de plus en plus de donnees climatiques regionales determinees avec une meilleure resolution spatiale. Jusqu'alors, les MCG constituaient les modeles les plus estimes pour leurs aptitudes a simuler le climat ainsi que les changements climatiques mondiaux. Toutefois, les phenomenes climatiques de fine echelle echappent encore aux MCG a cause de leur faible resolution spatiale. De plus, les repercussions socio-economiques des modifications possibles des climats sont etroitement liees a des phenomenes imperceptibles par les MCG actuels. Afin de circonvenir certains problemes inherents a la resolution, une approche pratique vise a prendre un domaine spatial limite d'un MCG et a y imbriquer un autre modele numerique possedant, lui, un maillage de haute resolution spatiale. Ce processus d'imbrication implique alors une nouvelle simulation numerique. Cette "retro-simulation" est guidee dans le domaine restreint a partir de pieces d'informations fournies par le MCG et forcee par des mecanismes pris en charge uniquement par le modele imbrique. Ainsi, afin de raffiner la precision spatiale des previsions climatiques de grande echelle, nous developpons ici un modele numerique appele FIZR, permettant d'obtenir de l'information climatique regionale valide a la fine echelle spatiale

Adaptation aux changements climatiques au Malawi grâce à l ...

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

28 avr. 2016 ... Depuis 2001, le programme Écosystèmes et santé humaine du CRDI finance au Malawi des recherches centrées sur les liens entre la fertilité des sols, ... L'équipe examine la façon dont la recherche participative peut guider l'élaboration de stratégies d'adaptation aux changements climatiques, dans un ...

Régulation en génie climatique froid, climatisation, chauffage

CERN Document Server

Desmons, Jean

2010-01-01

Après un rappel des bases de l'électronique et de l'hydraulique nécessaires en régulation climatique, cet ouvrage donne tous les éléments méthodologiques et technologiques pour : concevoir les systèmes de régulation adaptés aux installations de froid, de climatisation et de chauffage ; mettre en oeuvre les régulateurs (entrées / sorties, réglage, paramétrage, dépannage, repérage et contrôle) ; pratiquer la maintenance des installations. Il regroupe notamment plusieurs cas pratiques de régulation d'installations réelles : groupe à eau glacée, bloc opératoire, pompes à chaleur, régulation numérique, détente directe, alimentation en fluide frigoporteur. Cette seconde édition révisée et mise à jour s'enrichit également d'une section sur les installations photovoltaïques et d'un nouveau chapitre sur la régulation numérique et les systèmes informatiques. Cet ouvrage constitue un outil de travail indispensable aux ingénieurs et techniciens en froid et génie climatique et en régu...

Protection des régions semi-arides contre les chocs climatiques ...

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

21 avr. 2016 ... Définition de mésadaptation. Elizabeth Carabine, chercheuse à ... Elle a soutenu que l'inaction délibérée devrait être considérée comme une mésadaptation si elle contribue à augmenter les risques climatiques et les résultats négatifs pour les gens et les collectivités. Selon elle, il faudrait se pencher ...

Variabilité climatique et production maraîchère dans la plaine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cependant, dans les pays au Sud du Sahara, la variabilité climatique représente une grande menace pour la croissance et le développement durable. ... le maraîchage se traduisent entre autres par les inondations, les sécheresses, la baisse des rendements agricoles et le bouleversement du calendrier agricole classique.

Caractérisation de la variabilité climatique : cas du bassin versant ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DK

Cette étude présente l'intérêt de certaines méthodes statistiques, pour interpréter la variabilité spatiotemporelle ... Mots-clés : Sécheresse - Variabilité climatique - Fraction pluviométrique - Bassin versant Medjerda - Est de .... global actuel, aussi bien l'espérance ...... de l'Afrique de l'Ouest non sahélienne entre 1950-1989.

La vulnérabilité aux changements climatiques, une expérience ...

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

21 avr. 2011 ... Madagascar, la quatrième plus grande île au monde, héberge une multitude de formes de vie qu'on ne trouve nulle part ailleurs sur la planète. Dans la plupart des cas, cette biodiversité est extrêmement vulnérable aux changements climatiques, tout comme l'agriculture pluviale, la pêche et la foresterie, ...

Lutte contre le changement climatique et maîtrise de la demande d’énergie : introduction au dossier thématique

OpenAIRE

Aubrée, Loïc; Calvo-Mendieta, Iratxe

2017-01-01

Cet article constitue l’introduction du dossier thématique consacré à la lutte contre le changement climatique et la maîtrise de la demande d’énergie. Après un dossier de la Revue Développement Durable et Territoires, paru en décembre 2015 et en juillet 2016, abordant la question du climat sous l’angle de l’adaptation, les articles de ce dossier s’intéressent aux politiques, aux programmes et aux instruments qui contribuent à l’atténuation du changement climatique. L’objectif est la diminutio...

Methodology for development of risk indicators for offshore platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oeien, K.; Sklet, S.

1999-01-01

This paper presents a generic methodology for development of risk indicators for petroleum installations and a specific set of risk indicators established for one offshore platform. The risk indicators should be used to control the risk during operation of platforms. The methodology is purely risk-based and the basis for development of risk indicators is the platform specific quantitative risk analysis (QRA). In order to identify high risk contributing factors, platform personnel are asked to assess whether and how much the risk influencing factors will change. A brief comparison of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) for nuclear power plants and quantitative risk analysis (QRA) for petroleum platforms is also given. (au)

Energy indicators for sustainable development: Guidelines and methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-04-01

This publication is the product of an international initiative to define a set of Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development (EISD) and corresponding methodologies and guidelines. The successful completion of this work is the result of an intensive effort led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), Eurostat and the European Environment Agency (EEA). The thematic framework, guidelines, methodology sheets and energy indicators set out in this publication reflect the expertise of these various agencies, recognized worldwide as leaders in energy and environmental statistics and analysis. While each agency has an active indicator programme, one goal of this joint endeavour has been to provide users with a consensus by leading experts on definitions, guidelines and methodologies for the development and worldwide use of a single set of energy indicators. No set of energy indicators can be final and definitive. To be useful, indicators must evolve over time to fit country-specific conditions, priorities and capabilities. The purpose of this publication is to present one set of EISD for consideration and use, particularly at the national level, and to serve as a starting point in the development of a more comprehensive and universally accepted set of energy indicators relevant to sustainable development. It is hoped that countries will use the EISD to assess their energy systems and to track their progress towards nationally defined sustainable development goals and objectives. It is also hoped that users of the information presented in this publication will contribute to refinements of energy indicators for sustainable development by adding their own unique perspectives to what is presented herein

Energy indicators for sustainable development: Guidelines and methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

This publication is the product of an international initiative to define a set of Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development (EISD) and corresponding methodologies and guidelines. The successful completion of this work is the result of an intensive effort led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), Eurostat and the European Environment Agency (EEA). The thematic framework, guidelines, methodology sheets and energy indicators set out in this publication reflect the expertise of these various agencies, recognized worldwide as leaders in energy and environmental statistics and analysis. While each agency has an active indicator programme, one goal of this joint endeavour has been to provide users with a consensus by leading experts on definitions, guidelines and methodologies for the development and worldwide use of a single set of energy indicators. No set of energy indicators can be final and definitive. To be useful, indicators must evolve over time to fit country-specific conditions, priorities and capabilities. The purpose of this publication is to present one set of EISD for consideration and use, particularly at the national level, and to serve as a starting point in the development of a more comprehensive and universally accepted set of energy indicators relevant to sustainable development. It is hoped that countries will use the EISD to assess their energy systems and to track their progress towards nationally defined sustainable development goals and objectives. It is also hoped that users of the information presented in this publication will contribute to refinements of energy indicators for sustainable development by adding their own unique perspectives to what is presented herein

Inventaire des cartes climatiques conservées à la cartothèque de l' IGN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernadette Joseph

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Cet inventaire présente la liste des cartes climatiques étrangères, conservées à la cartothèque de l' IGN. Ce fonds très riche en cartes thématiques n'est actuellement pas répertorié dans les catalogues SUDOC ou OPALE. Il n'est accessible qu'en interne sur fichiers papier.

Les ecarts de financement en matiere d'adaptation aux changements climatiques - avec la perspective des CPDN

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olhoff, Anne; Bee, Skylar; Puig, Daniel

En 2014, le Programme des Nations Unies pour l’Environnement (PNUE) a publié son premier rapport sur les écarts entre besoins et perspectives en matière d’adaptation (AGR 2014) (PNUE, 2014), lequel a permis de poser un cadre préliminaire pour évaluer ces écarts et d’établir une évaluation...... rapport sur les écarts financiers et les options permettant de les combler. Le rapport sera publié au printemps 2016. Cette mise à jour doit contribuer aux débats lors de la 21ème session de la Conférence des Parties (COP 21) à la Convention-Cadre des Nations Unies sur les Changements Climatiques (CCNUCC...... les besoins de financement présentes dans les composantes adaptation des Contributions Prévues Déterminées au niveau National (CPDN) (INDC) – soit les engagements post 2020 que les pays se proposent mettre en oeuvre dans le cadre d’un nouvel accord mondial sur les changements climatiques....

Vulnerability curves vs. vulnerability indicators: application of an indicator-based methodology for debris-flow hazards

Science.gov (United States)

Papathoma-Köhle, Maria

2016-08-01

The assessment of the physical vulnerability of elements at risk as part of the risk analysis is an essential aspect for the development of strategies and structural measures for risk reduction. Understanding, analysing and, if possible, quantifying physical vulnerability is a prerequisite for designing strategies and adopting tools for its reduction. The most common methods for assessing physical vulnerability are vulnerability matrices, vulnerability curves and vulnerability indicators; however, in most of the cases, these methods are used in a conflicting way rather than in combination. The article focuses on two of these methods: vulnerability curves and vulnerability indicators. Vulnerability curves express physical vulnerability as a function of the intensity of the process and the degree of loss, considering, in individual cases only, some structural characteristics of the affected buildings. However, a considerable amount of studies argue that vulnerability assessment should focus on the identification of these variables that influence the vulnerability of an element at risk (vulnerability indicators). In this study, an indicator-based methodology (IBM) for mountain hazards including debris flow (Kappes et al., 2012) is applied to a case study for debris flows in South Tyrol, where in the past a vulnerability curve has been developed. The relatively "new" indicator-based method is being scrutinised and recommendations for its improvement are outlined. The comparison of the two methodological approaches and their results is challenging since both methodological approaches deal with vulnerability in a different way. However, it is still possible to highlight their weaknesses and strengths, show clearly that both methodologies are necessary for the assessment of physical vulnerability and provide a preliminary "holistic methodological framework" for physical vulnerability assessment showing how the two approaches may be used in combination in the future.

La modélisation intégrée des changements climatiques et les liens ...

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

Les changements climatiques influencent la fréquence et l'intensité des phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes, exposant à la fois les populations et les économies à des pertes de vie, de productivité et de propriété. Ce projet aidera les planificateurs et les responsables des politiques à réagir de manière plus efficace en ...

Impact de la variabilité climatique sur le régime des cours d'eau du ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... pluies de la “saison sèche” d'été (juillet et août) sont plus élevées depuis quelques décennies, ce qui entretient vraisemblablement une humidité du sol plus élevée favorable au ruissellement au début de la crue d'automne. Mots clefs : changement climatique ; climat équatorial ; séries chronologiques ; Sud Cameroun.

Conférence extérieure - Université de Genève: La modélisation numérique des extrêmes climatiques: Projections pour l'Europe et la Suisse d'ici 2100 - French version only

CERN Document Server

2006-01-01

Université de Genève Ecole de physique 24 quai Ernest Ansermet 1211 Genève 4 Tél : + 41 22 379 63 83 (secrétariat) Tél : + 41 22 379 62 56 (réception) Fax: + 41 22 379 69 22 Lundi 15 janvier 2007 17 heures - Auditoire Stueckelberg La modélisation numérique des extrêmes climatiques: Projections pour l'Europe et la Suisse d'ici 2100 Prof. Martin Beniston / Chaire de Climatologie de l'Université de Genève Les nombreuses catastrophes liées au climat (canicule 2003 en Europe; inondations en Suisse en 2005; sécheresse en Australie; ouragans Katrina, etc.) donnent l'impression que les catastrophes climatiques qui touchent de nombreuses parties du monde sont la preuve du réchauffement climatique. A voir... Pourtant, les changements climatiques représentent l'un des thèmes de préoccupation majeure de ce début du 21e siècle, du moins pour les scientifiques sinon pour le monde politique. Car si l'ampleur, et surtout la rapidité du changement, sont aussi importants que ce que laissent entrevoi...

Climate and desertification: indicators for an assessment methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sciortino, M.; Caiaffa, E.; Fattoruso, G.; Donolo, R.; Salvetti, G.

2009-01-01

This work aims to define a methodology that, on the basis of commonly available surface climate records, assesses indicators of the increase or decrease of the extension of territories vulnerable to desertification and land degradation. The definition and quantification of environmental policy relevant indicators aims to improve the understanding and the decision making processes in dry lands. the results of this study show that since 1931 changes of climate involved 90% of the territory of the Sicilian region, with stronger intensity in the internal areas of Enna, Caltanissetta and Palermo provinces. (Author) 9 refs.

Etude du processus de changement vecu par des familles ayant decide d'adopter volontairement des comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques

Science.gov (United States)

Leger, Michel T.

Les activites humaines energivores telles l'utilisation intensive de l'automobile, la surconsommation de biens et l'usage excessif d'electricite contribuent aux changements climatiques et autres problemes environnementaux. Bien que plusieurs recherches rapportent que l'etre humain est de plus en plus conscient de ses impacts sur le climat de la planete, ces memes recherches indiquent qu'en general, les gens continuent a se comporter de facon non ecologique. Que ce soit a l'ecole ou dans la communaute, plusieurs chercheurs en education relative a l'environnement estiment qu'une personne bien intentionnee est capable d'adopter des comportements plus respectueux de l'environnement. Le but de cette these etait de comprendre le processus d'integration de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles. A cette fin, nous nous sommes fixe deux objectifs : 1) decrire les competences et les procedes qui favorisent l'adoption de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles et 2) decrire les facteurs et les dynamiques familiales qui facilitent et limitent l'adoption de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles. Des familles ont ete invitees a essayer des comportements personnels et collectifs d'attenuation des changements climatiques de sorte a integrer des modes de vie plus ecologiques. Sur une periode de huit mois, nous avons suivi leur experience de changement afin de mieux comprendre comment se produit le processus de changement dans des familles qui decident volontairement d'adopter des comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques. Apres leur avoir fourni quelques connaissances de base sur les changements climatiques, nous avons observe le vecu de changement des familles durant huit mois d'essais a l'aide de journaux reflexifs, d'entretiens d'explicitation et du journal du chercheur. La these comporte trois articles scientifiques. Dans le premier article, nous presentons une

Forecasting in Intelligence: Indications and Warning Methodology in Modern Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Gennadievna Vlasova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Today the national security system effectiveness seriously depends on the professional analysis of information and timely forecasts. Thus the efficient methods of forecasting in the sphere of international relations are of current importance for the modern intelligence services. The Indications and Warning Technique that was a key element of forecasting methodology in intelligence until the end of Cold War is estimated in the present article. Is this method still relevant in the contemporary world with its new international order, new security challenges and technological revolution in the data collection and processing? The main conclusion based on the overview of current researches and known intelligence practice is that indicators technique is still relevant for the early warning of national security threats but requires some adaptation to today’s issues. The most important trends in adaptation are supposed to be a creation of broadest possible spectrum of threatens scenarios as well as research of current strategic threatens and corresponding indicators. Also the appropriate software that automates the use of indications technique by the security services is very important. The author believes that the cooperation between intelligence services and academic community can increase the efficiency of the Indications Methodology and of the strategic forecasting as well.

Effet des conditions climatiques sur le niveau du lac Sidi Ali (Moyen Atlas, Maroc)

OpenAIRE

Sayad, Ahmed; Chakiri, Saïd; Martin, Claude; Bejjaji, Zohra; Echarfaoui, Hassan

2012-01-01

Le lac Sidi Ali est un lac naturel d'altitude (2070-2080 m), sans exutoire superficiel, déterminé par le barrage d'une coulée basaltique. Doté d'un bassin versant apparent de 15,6 km2, il est alimenté par des eaux de ruissellement et par des sources karstiques. Son niveau subit des variations très fortes, annuelles et interannuelles, sous le contrôle des conditions climatiques, et en particulier des pluies et de l'évapotranspiration. Les périodes de sécheresse qui ont marqué les trois dernièr...

SOCIAL INDICATORS FOR EVALUATING SUSTAINABILITY OF GOAT LIVESTOCK FARMS: METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco de Asís Ruiz Morales

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Currently, sustainability is an objective for any economic activity or development process. Many studies with theoretical reflections relating to the concept of sustainability exist, but few methodological contributions adequately quantify and evaluate the level of sustainability of agraricultural systems, specifically with respect to small ruminant. The level of sustainability of these systems should be estimated taking into account not only economic and environmental aspects, but also social ones. Despite its importance to the functioning of agraricultural systems, the social dimension has been little addressed, and is frequently ignored in studies of this nature. Then, the objective of this study is to carry out methodological reflections based on identification and quantification of social indicators applied to goat livestock farms. Furthermore, this study forms part of a broader comparative study on sustainable development of animal systems in Andalusia (Spain and Chiapas (Mexico, in which economic, environmental, and social indicators are used in an integrated manner. The methodology used to obtain indicators is based on the authors´ knowledge of the functioning of goat livestock systems, focus groups and opinions of experts in the field, and revision of the available bibliography. As a result of the study, we propose a group of indicators made up of several variables based on the logical-mathematical principals of different scales of measurement as well as on multicriteria analysis. The social indicators proposed refer to several themes: i multi-functionality; ii membership in professional associations; iii implication for local life; iv social well-being (quality of life, especially that related to work; and v continuity of the goats livestock activity.

Modelisation de l'erosion et des sources de pollution dans le bassin versant Iroquois/Blanchette dans un contexte de changements climatiques

Science.gov (United States)

Coulibaly, Issa

Principale source d'approvisionnement en eau potable de la municipalite d'Edmundston, le bassin versant Iroquois/Blanchette est un enjeu capital pour cette derniere, d'ou les efforts constants deployes pour assurer la preservation de la qualite de son eau. A cet effet, plusieurs etudes y ont ete menees. Les plus recentes ont identifie des menaces de pollution de diverses origines dont celles associees aux changements climatiques (e.g. Maaref 2012). Au regard des impacts des modifications climatiques annonces a l'echelle du Nouveau-Brunswick, le bassin versant Iroquois/Blanchette pourrait etre fortement affecte, et cela de diverses facons. Plusieurs scenarios d'impacts sont envisageables, notamment les risques d'inondation, d'erosion et de pollution a travers une augmentation des precipitations et du ruissellement. Face a toutes ces menaces eventuelles, l'objectif de cette etude est d'evaluer les impacts potentiels des changements climatiques sur les risques d'erosion et de pollution a l'echelle du bassin versant Iroquois/Blanchette. Pour ce faire, la version canadienne de l'equation universelle revisee des pertes en sol RUSLE-CAN et le modele hydrologique SWAT ( Soil and Water Assessment Tool) ont ete utilises pour modeliser les risques d'erosion et de pollution au niveau dans la zone d'etude. Les donnees utilisees pour realiser ce travail proviennent de sources diverses et variees (teledetections, pedologiques, topographiques, meteorologiques, etc.). Les simulations ont ete realisees en deux etapes distinctes, d'abord dans les conditions actuelles ou l'annee 2013 a ete choisie comme annee de reference, ensuite en 2025 et 2050. Les resultats obtenus montrent une tendance a la hausse de la production de sediments dans les prochaines annees. La production maximale annuelle augmente de 8,34 % et 8,08 % respectivement en 2025 et 2050 selon notre scenario le plus optimiste, et de 29,99 % en 2025 et 29,72 % en 2050 selon le scenario le plus pessimiste par rapport a celle

Effet des conditions climatiques sur le niveau du lac Sidi Ali (Moyen Atlas, Maroc

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Claude Martin

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Le lac Sidi Ali est un lac naturel d'altitude (2070-2080 m, sans exutoire superficiel, déterminé par le barrage d'une coulée basaltique. Doté d'un bassin versant apparent de 15,6 km2, il est alimenté par des eaux de ruissellement et par des sources karstiques. Son niveau subit des variations très fortes, annuelles et interannuelles, sous le contrôle des conditions climatiques, et en particulier des pluies et de l'évapotranspiration. Les périodes de sécheresse qui ont marqué les trois dernières décennies, se sont traduites par un abaissement du niveau de près de 7 m. Mais les précipitations abondantes des années 2008-09 et 2009-10 ont provoqué une nette remontée. Une régression multiple d'assez bonne qualité (r = 0,87 lie la variation annuelle du niveau (d'août à août à différents paramètres (conditions climatiques et niveau initial du lac.Lake Sidi Ali is a natural lake at high altitude (2070-2080 m, without surface outlet, determined by the dam of a basalt flow. With an apparent catchment of 15.6 km2, it is fed by runoff and karst springs. Its level shows strong annual and interannual variations, depending on weather conditions, particularly rainfall and evapotranspiration. Droughts that have marked the last three decades have resulted in a lowering of about 7 m of the water level. But heavy rainfall that occurred in 2008-09 and 2009-10 caused a marked rise. A multiple regression of sufficient quality (r = 0.87 binds the annual change (from august to august at differents parameters (weather conditions and initial level of the lake.

Gestion Technique Centralisée en Génie Climatique

CERN Document Server

Pepinster, P

1999-01-01

Il y a une quinzaine d'années, la Division ST a introduit sur les équipements de chauffage et de climatisation du CERN, des systèmes de contrôle locaux à microprocesseur en lieu et place des chaînes de régulation devenues obsolètes. Adoptée dans une volonté d'évolution technologique et dans une démarche de rationalisation des dépenses d'énergie, cette technique s'est répandue sur les différents sites du Laboratoire au fil des années. Depuis les applications de confort climatique dans les bâtiments tertiaires, jusqu'au conditionnement d'air des accélérateurs et des expériences, en passant par l'autocontrôle des chaufferies centrales, ces 'Unités de Traitement Locales' (UTL) sont aujourd'hui interconnectées en un système de Gestion Technique Centralisée d'environ 140 sous-stations. L'objet du document est de présenter la structure actuelle de ce système GTC, d'en montrer les possibilités et l'intérêt dans son exploitation quotidienne au CERN, et d'aborder ses évolutions futures.

Methodological foundations of evaluation of effectiveness indicators of small-scale business activities

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Ivanova T.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The methodological approach to the measurement of financial indicators of small-scale enterprises has been developed. It enables to secure the comparability of financial condition indicators and the results of small-scale enterprise activities, and also to develop the methods of vertical integral estimate calculation at separate aspects of financial condition and the results of smallscale enterprise activities.

Methodology for qualitative uncertainty assessment of climate impact indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Juliane; Keup-Thiel, Elke; Rechid, Diana; Hänsler, Andreas; Pfeifer, Susanne; Roth, Ellinor; Jacob, Daniela

2016-04-01

The FP7 project "Climate Information Portal for Copernicus" (CLIPC) is developing an integrated platform of climate data services to provide a single point of access for authoritative scientific information on climate change and climate change impacts. In this project, the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) has been in charge of the development of a methodology on how to assess the uncertainties related to climate impact indicators. Existing climate data portals mainly treat the uncertainties in two ways: Either they provide generic guidance and/or express with statistical measures the quantifiable fraction of the uncertainty. However, none of the climate data portals give the users a qualitative guidance how confident they can be in the validity of the displayed data. The need for such guidance was identified in CLIPC user consultations. Therefore, we aim to provide an uncertainty assessment that provides the users with climate impact indicator-specific guidance on the degree to which they can trust the outcome. We will present an approach that provides information on the importance of different sources of uncertainties associated with a specific climate impact indicator and how these sources affect the overall 'degree of confidence' of this respective indicator. To meet users requirements in the effective communication of uncertainties, their feedback has been involved during the development process of the methodology. Assessing and visualising the quantitative component of uncertainty is part of the qualitative guidance. As visual analysis method, we apply the Climate Signal Maps (Pfeifer et al. 2015), which highlight only those areas with robust climate change signals. Here, robustness is defined as a combination of model agreement and the significance of the individual model projections. Reference Pfeifer, S., Bülow, K., Gobiet, A., Hänsler, A., Mudelsee, M., Otto, J., Rechid, D., Teichmann, C. and Jacob, D.: Robustness of Ensemble Climate Projections

How methodological issues affect the energy indicator results for different electricity generation technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modahl, Ingunn Saur; Raadal, Hanne Lerche; Gagnon, Luc; Bakken, Tor Haakon

2013-01-01

The aim of this paper is to improve the basis for the comparison of energy products. The paper will discuss important methodological issues with regard to various energy indicators and it will, by means of a few selected energy indicators, show examples of results for hydropower, wind power and electricity from biomass, gas and coal. Lastly it will suggest methods to achieve results which are more consistent when comparing electricity production technologies. In general, methodological issues can affect the results of life cycle assessments. In this paper, the authors have focused on the effect of system boundaries for energy indicators and found that the internal ranking of cases within one electricity generation technology is dependent on the indicator used. These variations do not, however, alter the general ranking of the major technologies studied. The authors suggest that future assessments should focus on a smaller set of indicators: the Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), which is the most “universal” indicator, Energy Payback Ratio (EPR) for assessment of upstream activities, and a suggested “Cumulative Fossil Energy Demand” (CFED) for resource depletion assessments. There is also a need for stricter standardisation and increased transparency in the assessment of energy products. - Highlights: • There is a need for stricter standardisation of energy performance assessments. • System boundaries for renewable sources should be harmonised. • One should focus on a smaller set of indicators. CED should be included

Exploring Methodologies and Indicators for Cross-disciplinary Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Bernknopf, R.; Pearlman, J.

2015-12-01

Assessing the impact and benefit of geospatial information is a multidisciplinary task that involves the social, economic and environmental knowledge to formulate indicators and methods. There are use cases that couple the social sciences including economics, psychology, sociology that incorporate geospatial information. Benefit - cost analysis is an empirical approach that uses money as an indicator for decision making. It is a traditional base for a use case and has been applied to geospatial information and other areas. A new use case that applies indicators is Meta Regression analysis, which is used to evaluate transfers of socioeconomic benefits from different geographic regions into a unifying statistical approach. In this technique, qualitative and quantitative variables are indicators, which provide a weighted average of value for the nonmarket good or resource over a large region. The expected willingness to pay for the nonmarket good can be applied to a specific region. A third use case is the application of Decision Support Systems and Tools that have been used for forecasting agricultural prices and analysis of hazard policies. However, new methods for integrating these disciplines into use cases, an avenue to instruct the development of operational applications of geospatial information, are needed. Experience in one case may not be broadly transferable to other uses and applications if multiple disciplines are involved. To move forward, more use cases are needed and, especially, applications in the private sector. Applications are being examined across a multidisciplinary community for good examples that would be instructive in meeting the challenge. This presentation will look at the results of an investigation into directions in the broader applications of use cases to teach the methodologies and use of indicators that have applications across fields of interest.

Methodological proposal for evaluating and selecting environment al indicators, Case: Chachafruto Stream Basin, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osorio Velez, Luis Fernando; Pineda Correa, Marcelena

2000-01-01

The investigation mainly responds to the necessity of developing a methodology that allows getting indicators to make easier the process of making decisions in the environmental administration field. The elaboration was relied on the support of the Corporacion Autonoma Regional Rionegro - Nare CORNARE in Antioquia - Colombia, through a subscribed agreement between this entity and the authors. The development of the investigation was carried out in two parts: the first involves the search of methodological paths for the evaluation and selection of applicable indicators to basins, Through the creation of parameters that allow qualifying these indicators in direct form; this is followed by a statistical treatment that allows selecting indicators in a rational way. For application purposes, some criterions are defined in a such way that the selected indicators can be evaluated; with these criterions the matrix is constructed; this allows to view and qualify the indicators, starting from ranges and scales previously defined; once the evaluation and qualification matrix are carried out, the selection process is begun from multivariate analysis. The second part consists in the methodology application expounded to a pattern of indicators previously defined and a determined territory (Basin of the Chachafruto Stream, Rionegro - Antioquia - Colombia); starting from the listing of the whole reported indicators in the consulted literature, the ability of themselves to reflex the basin problems is analyzed, based on parameters such as local contextualization and focuses of the topic. Once the first selection is done, the indicators are submitted to the qualification and evaluation matrix and its results are analyzed by multivariate analysis, in order to condense the environmental indicators to be used. Subsequently, for the evaluation of selected indicators, it is necessary to compile diverse thematic information and to identify the existent databases for the select territory

Evaluation du risque de déstabilisation des infrastructures de haute montagne engendré par le réchauffement climatique dans les Alpes françaises

OpenAIRE

Duvillard, Pierre-Allain; Ravanel, Ludovic; Deline, Philip

2015-01-01

Dans le contexte du changement climatique actuel, les milieux de haute montagne sont soumis à de profonds bouleversements tels que la fonte des glaciers ou la dégradation du permafrost, à l’origine de mouvements de versant au sein des parois rocheuses comme des formations superficielles. Ces processus impliquent des risques directs de déstabilisation pour les infrastructures (refuges, remontées mécaniques, etc.). Dans un but de prévention de ces risques, un recensement des infrastructures de ...

Sustainability of green jobs in Portugal: a methodological approach using occupational health indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Sandra; Vasconcelos, Lia; Silva Santos, Carlos

2017-09-28

This study aimed to develop a methodological tool to analyze and monitor the green jobs in the context of Occupational Health and Safety. A literature review in combination with an investigation of Occupational Health Indicators was performed. The resulting tool of Occupational Health Indicators was based on the existing information of "Single Report" and was validated by national's experts. The tool brings together 40 Occupational Health Indicators in four key fields established by World Health Organization in their conceptual framework "Health indicators of sustainable jobs." The tool proposed allows for assessing if the green jobs enabled to follow the principles and requirements of Occupational Health Indicators and if these jobs are as good for the environment as for the workers' health, so if they can be considered quality jobs. This shows that Occupational Health Indicators are indispensable for the assessment of the sustainability of green jobs and should be taken into account in the definition and evaluation of policies and strategies of the sustainable development.

ISSUES ON USING PRICE INDICES FOR ESTIMATING GDP AND ITS COMPONENTS AT CONSTANT PRICES ACCORDING TO SNA METHODOLOGY

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K. Prykhodko

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The article examines requirements and methodological approaches to the calculation of price indices (deflators in the national accounts. It gives estimation for the level and dynamics of price indicators. It proposes on improving the calculation of price indices (deflators in the national accounts of Ukraine.

Aérosols atmosphériques propriétés et impacts climatiques

CERN Document Server

Boucher, Olivier

2012-01-01

L’hypothèse d’une cause anthropique au réchauffement climatique est désormais considérée comme valide par la très grande majorité de la communauté scientifique. Les gaz à effet de serre ne sont toutefois pas les seuls facteurs de modification du climat. Le rôle des aérosols doit aussi être souligné : il est admis que ces derniers ont partiellement masqué le pouvoir réchauffant des gaz à effet de serre depuis le début de l’ère industrielle. Ils interagissent en outre fortement avec le cycle de l’eau et un certain nombre de cycles biogéochimiques. C’est l’ensemble de ces interactions – entre aérosols, rayonnement, cycle hydrologique, etc. – que ce livre propose de passer en revue. Après avoir décrit les principales propriétés physiques et chimiques des aérosols, le livre expose les principes de modélisation des aérosols à grande échelle ; il décrit ensuite la théorie du transfert radiatif dans l’atmosphère, les techniques de télédétection et d’observati...

Quel futur pour les services écosystémiques de la forêt alpine dans un contexte de changement climatique ?

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Benoît Courbaud

2011-01-01

Full Text Available La forêt de montagne produit de nombreux services écosystémiques qui vont être affectés par les changements climatiques. On attend une remontée des essences en altitude qui pourrait conduire à une diminution des résineux et des espèces du subalpin. Ces changements d’essences pourraient avoir un impact négatif sur la biodiversité et sur la production de bois d’œuvre. On observe cependant également une augmentation de la productivité favorable à la production de bois énergie et au moins temporairement de bois d’œuvre, ainsi qu’au stockage de carbone. Face à une augmentation possible des évènements climatiques extrêmes, les changements de végétation pourront être marqués par des épisodes de dépérissements, très négatifs pour la filière économique, la protection contre les risques naturels et la biodiversité. Le changement climatique affectera la forêt également de manière indirecte en augmentant la demande en énergie renouvelable et en stockage de carbone. Les incertitudes sur les prédictions de changements de végétation sont élevées, ce qui rend délicate la définition de stratégies d’adaptation de la gestion forestière. Une gestion de crises efficace, un accompagnement des évolutions naturelles de la forêt basé sur une interaction recherche-gestion (gestion adaptative, et la prise en compte explicite de la notion d’incertitude paraissent des éléments essentiels au maintien des services écosystémiques fournis par la forêt.Mountain forests produce a large number of ecosystem services that are going to be affected by climate change. We are expecting an increase in high altitude species that could result in the decrease in resinous and subalpine species. These changes in species could adversely affect biodiversity and timber production. However, we also observe an increase in productivity that favours the production of energy wood and, at least temporarily, timber, as well as carbon

Evaluation and selection of indicators for land degradation and desertification monitoring: methodological approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosmas, C; Kairis, Or; Karavitis, Ch; Ritsema, C; Salvati, L; Acikalin, S; Alcala, M; Alfama, P; Atlhopheng, J; Barrera, J; Belgacem, A; Solé-Benet, A; Brito, J; Chaker, M; Chanda, R; Coelho, C; Darkoh, M; Diamantis, I; Ermolaeva, O; Fassouli, V; Fei, W; Feng, J; Fernandez, F; Ferreira, A; Gokceoglu, C; Gonzalez, D; Gungor, H; Hessel, R; Juying, J; Khatteli, H; Khitrov, N; Kounalaki, A; Laouina, A; Lollino, P; Lopes, M; Magole, L; Medina, L; Mendoza, M; Morais, P; Mulale, K; Ocakoglu, F; Ouessar, M; Ovalle, C; Perez, C; Perkins, J; Pliakas, F; Polemio, M; Pozo, A; Prat, C; Qinke, Y; Ramos, A; Ramos, J; Riquelme, J; Romanenkov, V; Rui, L; Santaloia, F; Sebego, R; Sghaier, M; Silva, N; Sizemskaya, M; Soares, J; Sonmez, H; Taamallah, H; Tezcan, L; Torri, D; Ungaro, F; Valente, S; de Vente, J; Zagal, E; Zeiliguer, A; Zhonging, W; Ziogas, A

2014-11-01

An approach to derive relationships for defining land degradation and desertification risk and developing appropriate tools for assessing the effectiveness of the various land management practices using indicators is presented in the present paper. In order to investigate which indicators are most effective in assessing the level of desertification risk, a total of 70 candidate indicators was selected providing information for the biophysical environment, socio-economic conditions, and land management characteristics. The indicators were defined in 1,672 field sites located in 17 study areas in the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Based on an existing geo-referenced database, classes were designated for each indicator and a sensitivity score to desertification was assigned to each class based on existing research. The obtained data were analyzed for the various processes of land degradation at farm level. The derived methodology was assessed using independent indicators, such as the measured soil erosion rate, and the organic matter content of the soil. Based on regression analyses, the collected indicator set can be reduced to a number of effective indicators ranging from 8 to 17 in the various processes of land degradation. Among the most important indicators identified as affecting land degradation and desertification risk were rain seasonality, slope gradient, plant cover, rate of land abandonment, land-use intensity, and the level of policy implementation.

Laboratory methodologies for indicators of iron status: strengths, limitations, and analytical challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, Christine M; Looker, Anne C

2017-12-01

Biochemical assessment of iron status relies on serum-based indicators, such as serum ferritin (SF), transferrin saturation, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), as well as erythrocyte protoporphyrin. These indicators present challenges for clinical practice and national nutrition surveys, and often iron status interpretation is based on the combination of several indicators. The diagnosis of iron deficiency (ID) through SF concentration, the most commonly used indicator, is complicated by concomitant inflammation. sTfR concentration is an indicator of functional ID that is not an acute-phase reactant, but challenges in its interpretation arise because of the lack of assay standardization, common reference ranges, and common cutoffs. It is unclear which indicators are best suited to assess excess iron status. The value of hepcidin, non-transferrin-bound iron, and reticulocyte indexes is being explored in research settings. Serum-based indicators are generally measured on fully automated clinical analyzers available in most hospitals. Although international reference materials have been available for years, the standardization of immunoassays is complicated by the heterogeneity of antibodies used and the absence of physicochemical reference methods to establish "true" concentrations. From 1988 to 2006, the assessment of iron status in NHANES was based on the multi-indicator ferritin model. However, the model did not indicate the severity of ID and produced categorical estimates. More recently, iron status assessment in NHANES has used the total body iron stores (TBI) model, in which the log ratio of sTfR to SF is assessed. Together, sTfR and SF concentrations cover the full range of iron status. The TBI model better predicts the absence of bone marrow iron than SF concentration alone, and TBI can be analyzed as a continuous variable. Additional consideration of methodologies, interpretation of indicators, and analytic standardization is important for further

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INDICATORS OBTAINED BY CORINELAND COVER METHODOLOGY FOR SUSTAINABLE USE OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

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Slaviša Popović

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Serbian Environmental Protection Agency followed international and national indicators to do monitoring of forested landscape area for the period 1990-2000. Based on the data obtained by Corine Land Cover methodology following the indicators like Forest area, Forested landscape, Forest land and Forest and semi natural area, analysis was done. The forested landscape indicators analysis helped trends monitoring during the period from 1990 - 2000 year. Dynamic of forested area changes could have direct impact on the practical implementation of indicators. Indicator Forest area can be used in planning sustainable use of forests. Recorded growth rates value in 2000year, compared to the 1990th is 0.296%. Indicator Forested landscape increase for 0.186% till 2000 year, while the indicator Forested Land recorded value growth rate of 0.193%. Changes in rates of those indicators can be used in the future for “emission trading”. The smallest increment of rate change of 0.1% was recorded in indicator Forests and semi natural area. Information given by this indicator can be used for monitoring habitats in high mountain areas.

Methodological procedures and analytical instruments to evaluate an indicators integrated archive for urban management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Ciello, R.; Napoleoni, S.

1998-01-01

This guide provides the results of a research developed at ENEA (National Agency for new Technology, Energy and the Environment) Casaccia center (Rome, Italy) aimed to define methodological procedures and analytical instruments needed to carry out an indicators integrated archive for urban management. The guide also defines the scheme of a negotiation process aimed to reach and exchange data and information among governmental and local administrations, non-governmental organizations and scientific bodies [it

A methodological proposal for quantifying environmental compensation through the spatial analysis of vulnerability indicators

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Fabio Enrique Torresan

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to propose a methodology for quantifying the environmental compensation through the spatial analysis of vulnerability indicators. A case study was applied for the analysis of sand extraction enterprises, in the region of Descalvado and Analândia, inland of São Paulo State, Brazil. Environmental vulnerability scores were attributed for the indicators related to erosion, hydrological resources and biodiversity loss. This methodological proposal allowed analyzing the local alternatives of certain enterprise with the objective of reducing impacts and at the same time reducing the costs of environmental compensation. The application of the methodology significantly reduced the subjectivity degree usually associated to the most of the methodologies of impact evaluation.O termo compensação ambiental refere-se à obrigação do empreendedor em apoiar a implantação e manutenção de Unidades de Conservação, aplicável a empreendimentos de significativo impacto ambiental, de acordo com a Lei 9.986/2000. Esta lei estabelece que o volume de recursos a ser aplicado pelo empreendedor deve ser de no mínimo 0,5% dos custos totais previstos para a implantação do empreendimento, sendo que este percentual deve ser fixado pelo órgão ambiental competente, de acordo com o grau de impacto ambiental. Sendo assim, o presente artigo tem o objetivo de propor uma metodologia para quantificação da compensação ambiental através da análise espacial de indicadores de vulnerabilidade ambiental. A proposta foi aplicada através de um estudo de caso em empreendimentos de mineração de areia, na região de Descalvado/Analândia, interior do Estado de São Paulo. Índices de vulnerabilidade ambiental foram atribuídos a indicadores de impactos relacionados à erosão, recursos hídricos e perda de biodiversidade. Esta metodologia representa importante instrumento de planejamento ambiental e econômico, podendo ser adaptada a diversos

L’équité au cœur des politiques climatiques : l’exemple des négociations relatives au climat et de la recherche de solutions à la crise énergétique

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Loïc Aubrée

2011-02-01

Full Text Available L’article débat de la question de l’équité dans la lutte contre les changements climatiques. Il établit un parallèle entre le développement pris au niveau international de la négociation entre Etats d’une part, et la pauvreté au niveau d’une collectivité d’autre part. Dans les deux cas, il s’agit à la fois d’un principe moral essentiel, mais aussi d’une condition centrale des consensus et donc de la réussite des politiques face au défi climatique. La question de l’équité renvoie aussi très vite au changement nécessaire des modes de vie vers plus de sobriété.The article debates Equity Issues in the Climate Change debate is debated. A parallel is set between the development issues at the international level of negotiations between States, and poverty alleviation at the local community level. In both cases, the discussions stem from an essential moral principle, but also as a requisite for consensus and thus a condition of success of climate change policies to combat Climate Change. The issue of equity brings also forward the necessary modification of consumption patterns, into more frugal modes.

Nordic eHealth Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyppönen, Hannele; Faxvaag, Arild; Gilstad, Heidi

2013-01-01

eHealth indicator and benchmarking activities are rapidly increasing nationally and internationally. The work is rarely based on a transparent methodology for indicator definition. This article describes first results of testing an indicator methodology for defining eHealth indicators, which...... was reported at the Medical Informatics Europe conference in 2012. The core elements of the methodology are illustrated, demonstrating validation of each of them in the context of Nordic eHealth Indicator work. Validation proved the importance of conducting each of the steps of the methodology, with several...

DEVELOPMENT OF METHODOLOGY FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE PROJECT INNOVATION INDICATOR AND ITS CRITERIA COMPONENTS

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Mariya Vishnevskaya

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Two main components of the problem studied in the article are revealed. At the practical level, the provision of the convenient tools allowing a comprehensive evaluation the proposed innovative project in terms of its possibilities for inclusion in the portfolio or development program, and on the level of science – the need for improvement and complementing the existing methodology of assessment of innovative projects attractiveness in the context of their properties and a specific set of components. The research is scientifically applied since the problem solution involves the science-based development of a set of techniques, allowing the practical use of knowledge gained from large information arrays at the initialization stage. The purpose of the study is the formation of an integrated indicator of the project innovation, with a substantive justification of the calculation method, as a tool for the evaluation and selection of projects to be included in the portfolio of projects and programs. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is the conceptual provisions and scientific developments of experts on project management issues, published in monographs, periodicals, materials of scientific and practical conferences on the topic of research. The tasks were solved using the general scientific and special methods, mathematical modelling methods based on the system approach. Results. A balanced system of parametric single indicators of innovation is presented – the risks, personnel, quality, innovation, resources, and performers, which allows getting a comprehensive idea of any project already in the initial stages. The choice of a risk tolerance as a key criterion of the “risks” element and the reference characteristics is substantiated, in relation to which it can be argued that the potential project holds promise. A tool for calculating the risk tolerance based on the use of matrices and vector analysis is proposed

Peculiarities of organization and methodology of indicative control in nonbudget unprofitable organizations

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O.O. Vysochan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The stability of development and the results of activity of organizations representing noncommercial economic sector depend on a properly organized and effectively operated system of control about payments and funds, property, reporting and other items. To arrange the control function of management for nonbudget unprofitable organizations we single out four groups of control according to the feature of entity initiative, they are: state, public, donative, managerial. Each of them differs in its application form and sphere of interests. The article establishes common and distinct features of organizations of commercial and noncommercial economic sectors, which influence upon the organization and methodology of their control. The most significant for nonbudget unprofitable organizations are: the aim and direction of activity, the absence of production, the sources of financing, the ways of efficiency control. The paper substantiates the importance of indicative control for increasing the efficiency of the activity of nonbudget unprofitable organizations. It describes the main financial indicators of possible inefficiency for nonbudget unprofitable organization activity: debit and credit indebtedness; the mobility of own funds; a part of stocks in current assets; the rhythm of movement of funds; penalty sanctions on the part of controlling bodies; monetary circulation related to counteragents; the deviation of actual indices from planned (estimated; atypical operations for an organization; the concentration of the capital attracted; the specific gravity of administrative costs in the costs of operating activity.

Combining several thermal indices to generate a unique heat comfort assessment methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wissam EL Hachem

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The proposed methodology hopes to provide a systematic multi-disciplinary approach to assess the thermal environment while minimizing unneeded efforts. Design/methodology/approach: Different factors affect the perception of the human thermal experience: metabolic rate (biology, surrounding temperatures (heat balance and environmental factors and cognitive treatment (physiology.This paper proposes a combination of different multidisciplinary variables to generate a unique heat comfort assessment methodology. The variables at stake are physiological, biological, and environmental. Our own heat analysis is thoroughly presented and all relevant equations are described. Findings: Most companies are oblivious about potential dangers of heat stress accidents and thus about methods to monitor and prevent them. This methodology enables the company or the concerned individual to conduct a preliminary assessment with minimal wasted resources and time in unnecessary steps whilst providing a guideline for a detailed study with minimal error rates if needed. More so, thermal comfort is an integral part of sound ergonomics practices, which in turn are decisive for the success of any lean six sigma initiative. Research limitations/implications: This methodology requires several full implementations to finalize its design. Originality/value: Most used heat comfort models are inherently uncertain and tiresome to apply. An extensive literature review confirms the need for a uniform assessment methodology that combines the different thermal comfort models such as the Fanger comfort model (PMV, PPD and WGBT since high error rates coupled with tiresome calculations often hinder the thermal assessment process.

A methodology approach for analysis of sustainability indicators as a tool for decision making using fuzzy logic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinhoneiro, Fernando Henrique Franchi

2015-01-01

The greatest challenge of this century is focused on sustainability, due to world population growth and consequently to the increased demand for resources such as water, food and energy. The main difficulty when discussing the issue of sustainable development is the evaluation methodology. Because of this, there is a need for a measurement tool that addresses these resources in a holistic manner and be able to translate data into results that can be interpreted. There are tools validated for this purpose like, 'Dashboard of Sustainability' and other developing like the CLEW Nexus by the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA. This study aims to develop a new model to analyze the correlation between variables, energy, water, land use and climate, using Artificial Intelligence through Fuzzy Logic, having as a data source, indicators that represent one or more resource, considering the relative and temporal distribution required to research results and behaviors. The result is a final index generated by mapping these input data. The results presented using this methodology are indicators of Brazil, but can be applied to any other country, allowing a comparison analysis of the behavior of indices between regions. The contribution of this project will be the availability of a tool with powerful computational resource, aimed at decision makers to assist in developing strategies and development policies. (author)

Developing a methodological framework for estimating water productivity indicators in water scarce regions

Science.gov (United States)

Mubako, S. T.; Fullerton, T. M.; Walke, A.; Collins, T.; Mubako, G.; Walker, W. S.

2014-12-01

Water productivity is an area of growing interest in assessing the impact of human economic activities on water resources, especially in arid regions. Indicators of water productivity can assist water users in evaluating sectoral water use efficiency, identifying sources of pressure on water resources, and in supporting water allocation rationale under scarcity conditions. This case study for the water-scarce Middle Rio Grande River Basin aims to develop an environmental-economic accounting approach for water use in arid river basins through a methodological framework that relates water use to human economic activities impacting regional water resources. Water uses are coupled to economic transactions, and the complex but mutual relations between various water using sectors estimated. A comparison is made between the calculated water productivity indicators and representative cost/price per unit volume of water for the main water use sectors. Although it contributes very little to regional economic output, preliminary results confirm that Irrigation is among the sectors with the largest direct water use intensities. High economic value and low water use intensity economic sectors in the study region include Manufacturing, Mining, and Steam Electric Power. Water accounting challenges revealed by the study include differences in water management regimes between jurisdictions, and little understanding of the impact of major economic activities on the interaction between surface and groundwater systems in this region. A more comprehensive assessment would require the incorporation of environmental and social sustainability indicators to the calculated water productivity indicators.

Non-invasive cardiac imaging. Spectrum, methodology, indication and interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefers, Michael; Flachskampf, Frank; Sechtem, Udo; Achenbach, Stephan; Krause, Bernd J.; Schwaiger, Markus; Breithardt, Guenter

2008-01-01

The book contains 13 contributions concerning the following chapters: (1)methodology: echo cardiography; NMR imaging; nuclear medicine; computer tomography, (2) clinical protocols: contraction; cardiac valve function; perfusion and perfusion reserve; vitality; corona imaging; transmitters, receptors, enzymes; (3) clinic: coronary heart diseases; non-ischemic heart diseases. The appendix contains two contributions on future developments and certification/standardization

Energy audit in small wastewater treatment plants: methodology, energy consumption indicators, and lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Foladori, P; Vaccari, M; Vitali, F

2015-01-01

Energy audits in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) reveal large differences in the energy consumption in the various stages, depending also on the indicators used in the audits. This work is aimed at formulating a suitable methodology to perform audits in WWTPs and identifying the most suitable key energy consumption indicators for comparison among different plants and benchmarking. Hydraulic-based stages, stages based on chemical oxygen demand, sludge-based stages and building stages were distinguished in WWTPs and analysed with different energy indicators. Detailed energy audits were carried out on five small WWTPs treating less than 10,000 population equivalent and using continuous data for 2 years. The plants have in common a low designed capacity utilization (52% on average) and equipment oversizing which leads to waste of energy in the absence of controls and inverters (a common situation in small plants). The study confirms that there are several opportunities for reducing energy consumption in small WWTPs: in addition to the pumping of influent wastewater and aeration, small plants demonstrate low energy efficiency in recirculation of settled sludge and in aerobic stabilization. Denitrification above 75% is ensured through intermittent aeration and without recirculation of mixed liquor. Automation in place of manual controls is mandatory in illumination and electrical heating.

Methodological developments in US state-level Genuine Progress Indicators: toward GPI 2.0

Science.gov (United States)

Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Berik, Günseli; Gaddis, Erica J. Brown

2014-01-01

The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) has emerged as an important monetary measure of economic well-being. Unlike mainstream economic indicators, primarily Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the GPI accounts for both the benefits and costs of economic production across diverse economic, social, and environmental domains in a more comprehensive manner. Recently, the GPI has gained traction in subnational policy in the United States, with GPI studies being conducted in a number of states and with their formal adoption by several state governments. As the GPI is applied in different locations, new methods are developed, different data sources are available, and new issues of policy relevance are addressed using its component indicators. This has led to a divergence in methods, reducing comparability between studies and yielding results that are of varying methodological sophistication. In this study, we review the “state of the art” in recent US state-level GPI studies, focusing on those from Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Utah, and Vermont. Through adoption of a consistent approach, these and future GPI studies could utilize a framework that supports more uniform, comparable, and accurate measurements of progress. We also identify longer-term issues, particularly related to treatment of nonrenewable resource depletion, government spending, income inequality, and ecosystem services. As these issues are successfully addressed and disseminated, a “GPI 2.0” will emerge that better measures economic well-being and has greater accuracy and policy relevance than past GPI measurements. As the GPI expands further into mainstream policy analysis, a more formal process by which methods could be updated, standardized, and applied is needed.

[Methodological aspects in the evaluation of turn-over and up/down sizing as indicators of work-related stress].

Science.gov (United States)

Veronesi, G; Bertù, L; Mombelli, S; Cimmino, L; Caravati, G; Conti, M; Abate, T; Ferrario, M M

2011-01-01

We discuss the methodological aspects related to the evaluation of turn-over and up-down sizing as indicators of work-related stress, in complex organizations like a university hospital. To estimate the active workers population we developed an algorithm which integrated several administrative databases. The indicators were standardized to take into account some potential confounders (age, sex, work seniority) when considering different hospital structures and job mansions. Main advantages of our method include flexibility in the choice of the analysis detail (hospital units, job mansions, a combination of both) and the possibility to describe over-time trends to measure the success of preventive strategies.

Can citizen science produce good science? Testing the OPAL Air Survey methodology, using lichens as indicators of nitrogenous pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tregidgo, Daniel J.; West, Sarah E.; Ashmore, Mike R.

2013-01-01

Citizen science is having increasing influence on environmental monitoring as its advantages are becoming recognised. However methodologies are often simplified to make them accessible to citizen scientists. We tested whether a recent citizen science survey (the OPAL Air Survey) could detect trends in lichen community composition over transects away from roads. We hypothesised that the abundance of nitrophilic lichens would decrease with distance from the road, while that of nitrophobic lichens would increase. The hypothesised changes were detected along strong pollution gradients, but not where the road source was relatively weak, or background pollution relatively high. We conclude that the simplified OPAL methodology can detect large contrasts in nitrogenous pollution, but it may not be able to detect more subtle changes in pollution exposure. Similar studies are needed in conjunction with the ever-growing body of citizen science work to ensure that the limitations of these methods are fully understood. -- Highlights: •We investigated the validity of a simplified citizen science methodology. •Lichen abundance data were used to indicate nitrogenous air pollution. •Significant changes were detected beside busy roads with low background pollution. •The methodology detected major, but not subtle, contrasts in pollution. •Sensitivity of citizen science methods to environmental change must be evaluated. -- A simplified lichen biomonitoring method used for citizen science can detect the impact of nitrogenous air pollution from local roads

Mexican energy policy and sustainability indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheinbaum-Pardo, Claudia; Ruiz-Mendoza, Belizza Janet; Rodríguez-Padilla, Víctor

2012-01-01

The authors analyze the Mexican energy policy taking as reference the methodological framework for sustainable energy development proposed by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. This methodology takes eight related indicators to the social, environmental and economic dimensions in order to calculate a general sustainability indicator for the energy sector. In this methodology, the weight of each dimension is different; namely, the social and environmental issues have less relevance than the economic issues. The authors use this methodology because government institutions as the Department of Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have used some indicators from such a methodology to propose plans, programs, projects and bills. Authors know of the existence of other methodologies about sustainability. Nonetheless, opting for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean's methodology is convenient because this organization is a respectable authority for civil servants from the Mexican institutions. Our objective is just to contrast the sustainability grade of the energy sector between 1990 and 2008 for Mexico whose government started reforms in the 1990s. It concludes that those reforms did not bring about a higher sustainability level for the energy sector. - Highlights: ► We used the OLADE, CEPAL and GTZ's methodology to calculate sustainability indicators for the Mexican energy sector. ► We studied the Mexican energy policy from 1990 to date and presented it. ► Currently, the Mexican energy sector is less sustainable than in 1990.

An Indicator Based Assessment Methodology Proposal for the Identification of Domestic Systemically Important Banks within the Turkish Banking Sector

OpenAIRE

Ozge ULKUTAS SACCI; Guven SAYILGAN

2014-01-01

This study aims to identify domestic systemically important banks (D-SIB) operating within the Turkish Banking Sector. In this regard, adopting an indicator based assessment methodology together with the cluster analysis application, banks in the sample are classified in terms of their degree of systemic importance by using publicly available year-end data of 2012. The study has shown that a total of 7 banks with the highest systemic importance clustered away from the remaining 21 banks in th...

Mapping key economic indicators of onshore wind energy in Sweden by using a geospatial methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siyal, Shahid Hussain; Mentis, Dimitris; Howells, Mark

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We spatially quantified and visualized the economic indicators of onshore wind energy in Sweden. • Possible land use constraints to wind energy were taken into account. • Economic indicators were estimated on the basis of two wind turbines. • We used a GIS-based methodology for this analysis and found it very useful. • Results suggest that Sweden holds economic feasible wind energy resource, specially in the southern and central regions. - Abstract: Due to modern advancements in renewable energy systems and increasing prices of fossil fuels wind energy is getting a lot of attention all over the world. In this regard, Sweden also fixed motivated targets to get energy supply from local renewable energy resources. So, local wind power could help the country in achieving the targets. In this study, economic indicators of wind energy were spatially estimated for Sweden by using ArcGIS tool. In order to do this, as input data one-year high resolution modeled annual average wind data was processed by means of Rayleigh distribution, wind turbine power curve, land use constraints, technical constraints and economic parameters. Based on the input data, it was concluded that Sweden possesses economically feasible wind energy resource. The results of the study indicate that southern and central regions could produce economically viable wind electricity in all aspects as compared to the northern region of the country. Lastly, it was recommended to speed up wind energy penetration in Sweden, communal awareness and acceptance regarding the resource should be increased to avoid possible misunderstanding. Additionally, the capability of the national electric grid should be enhanced to take up the large scale unpredictable wind energy resource.

Formalizing the ISDF Software Development Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai Liviu DESPA

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper is aimed at depicting the ISDF software development methodology by emphasizing quality management and software development lifecycle. The ISDF methodology was built especially for innovative software development projects. The ISDF methodology was developed empirically by trial and error in the process of implementing multiple innovative projects. The research process began by analysing key concepts like innovation and software development and by settling the important dilemma of what makes a web application innovative. Innovation in software development is presented from the end-user, project owner and project manager’s point of view. The main components of a software development methodology are identified. Thus a software development methodology should account for people, roles, skills, teams, tools, techniques, processes, activities, standards, quality measuring tools, and team values. Current software development models are presented and briefly analysed. The need for a dedicated innovation oriented software development methodology is emphasized by highlighting shortcomings of current software development methodologies when tackling innovation. The ISDF methodology is presented in the context of developing an actual application. The ALHPA application is used as a case study for emphasizing the characteristics of the ISDF methodology. The development life cycle of the ISDF methodology includes research, planning, prototyping, design, development, testing, setup and maintenance. Artefacts generated by the ISDF methodology are presented. Quality is managed in the ISDF methodology by assessing compliance, usability, reliability, repeatability, availability and security. In order to properly asses each quality component a dedicated indicator is built. A template for interpreting each indicator is provided. Conclusions are formulated and new related research topics are submitted for debate.

Quality indicators for hip fracture care, a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Voeten, S C; Krijnen, P; Voeten, D M; Hegeman, J H; Wouters, M W J M; Schipper, I B

2018-05-17

Quality indicators are used to measure quality of care and enable benchmarking. An overview of all existing hip fracture quality indicators is lacking. The primary aim was to identify quality indicators for hip fracture care reported in literature, hip fracture audits, and guidelines. The secondary aim was to compose a set of methodologically sound quality indicators for the evaluation of hip fracture care in clinical practice. A literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines and an internet search were performed to identify hip fracture quality indicators. The indicators were subdivided into process, structure, and outcome indicators. The methodological quality of the indicators was judged using the Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument. For structure and process indicators, the construct validity was assessed. Sixteen publications, nine audits and five guidelines were included. In total, 97 unique quality indicators were found: 9 structure, 63 process, and 25 outcome indicators. Since detailed methodological information about the indicators was lacking, the AIRE instrument could not be applied. Seven indicators correlated with an outcome measure. A set of nine quality indicators was extracted from the literature, audits, and guidelines. Many quality indicators are described and used. Not all of them correlate with outcomes of care and have been assessed methodologically. As methodological evidence is lacking, we recommend the extracted set of nine indicators to be used as the starting point for further clinical research. Future research should focus on assessing the clinimetric properties of the existing quality indicators.

Social impact assessment and management methodology using social indicators and planning strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, M.E.; Curry, M.G.; Greene, M.R.; Melber, B.D.; Merwin, D.J.

1978-08-01

The scope of environmental impact statements prepared during the past few years has steadily expanded to incorporate all aspects of the social as well as the natural environment, including demographic, economic, social, political, and cultural conditions. Broadly conceived, social impacts are alterations in people's living conditions that occur in conjunction with a new policy, program, or project, and that (1) are in addition to all other concurrent changes produced by other factors, and (2) are seen by those affected as significant social events. Since any social environment is constantly changing, the crucial problems in analyzing social impacts are to identify those social alterations that are a direct or indirect result of the specific action under examination, apart from all other events and changes, and to determine which of these alterations are having significant social effects on the people involved. Three features of this conception of social impacts are especially noteworthy. First, although impacts are often thought of as undesirable or detrimental in nature, they may also be desirable or beneficial. Second, although impacts are often described as caused by prior intervening innovations, in reality they always interact with their original causes in a reciprocal process, either immediately or after some time lag. Third, the purpose of social impact assessment is to enable policy makers to anticipate and plan for potential impacts before they occur, and then act to prevent or mitigate undesired impacts. A new methodology for performing social impact assessment and management studies that meet current needs by emphasizing standardized social indicators and social planning techniques is proposed. We refer to our approach as the Social Impact and Planning (SIP) method of social impact assessment

Functional-diversity indices can be driven by methodological choices and species richness.

Science.gov (United States)

Poos, Mark S; Walker, Steven C; Jackson, Donald A

2009-02-01

Functional diversity is an important concept in community ecology because it captures information on functional traits absent in measures of species diversity. One popular method of measuring functional diversity is the dendrogram-based method, FD. To calculate FD, a variety of methodological choices are required, and it has been debated about whether biological conclusions are sensitive to such choices. We studied the probability that conclusions regarding FD were sensitive, and that patterns in sensitivity were related to alpha and beta components of species richness. We developed a randomization procedure that iteratively calculated FD by assigning species into two assemblages and calculating the probability that the community with higher FD varied across methods. We found evidence of sensitivity in all five communities we examined, ranging from a probability of sensitivity of 0 (no sensitivity) to 0.976 (almost completely sensitive). Variations in these probabilities were driven by differences in alpha diversity between assemblages and not by beta diversity. Importantly, FD was most sensitive when it was most useful (i.e., when differences in alpha diversity were low). We demonstrate that trends in functional-diversity analyses can be largely driven by methodological choices or species richness, rather than functional trait information alone.

Quantifying Averted Disability-Adjusted Life Years as a Performance Indicator for Water Quality Interventions: A Review of Current Methodologies and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darcy M. Anderson

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Sustainable access to safe drinking water protects against infectious disease and promotes overall health. Despite considerable progress toward increasing water access, safe water quality and reliable service delivery remain a challenge. Traditional financing strategies pay implementers based on inputs and activities, with minimal incentives for water quality monitoring and sustained service operation. Pay-for-performance offers an alternative financing strategy that delivers all or a portion of payment based on performance indicators of desired outputs or outcomes. A pay-for-performance approach in the water sector could quantify and incentivize health impact. Averted disability-adjusted life years (ADALYs have been used as a performance indicator to measure the burden of disease averted due to environmental health interventions. Water-related disease burden can be measured for application as an ADALYs performance indicator following either comparative risk assessment or quantitative microbial risk assessment. Comparative risk assessment models disease burden using water source type as a proxy indicator of microbial water quality, while quantitative microbial risk assessment models disease burden using concentrations of indicator pathogens. This paper compares these risk assessment methodologies, and summarizes the limitations of applying these approaches toward quantifying ADALYs as a performance indicator for water quality interventions.

Development of Proliferation Resistance Assessment Methodology Based on International Standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Deok; Lee, Jung Won; Lee, Kwang Seok

2009-03-01

Proliferation resistance is one of the requirement to be met in GEN IV and INPRO for next generation nuclear energy system. Internationally, the evaluation methodology on PR had been already initiated from 1980, but the systematic development was started at 2000s. In Korea, for the export of nuclear energy system and the increase of international credibility and transparence of domestic nuclear system and fuel cycle development, the independent development of PR evaluation methodology was started in 2007 as a nuclear long term R and D project and the development is being performed for the model of PR evaluation methodology. In 1st year, comparative study of GEN-IV/INPRO, PR indicator development, quantification of indicator and evaluation model development, analysis of technology system and international technology development trend had been performed. In 2nd year, feasibility study of indicator, allowable limit of indicator, review of technical requirement of indicator were done. The results of PR evaluation must be applied in the beginning of conceptual design of nuclear system. Through the technology development of PR evaluation methodology, the methodology will be applied in the regulatory requirement for authorization and permission to be developed

Methods for evaluation and comparison of display indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azarm, M.A.; Hsu, F.; Vesely, W.E.

1991-01-01

This paper summarizes a procedure and associated methodologies for evaluating the operational characteristics of display indicators. This research was conducted as a part of the Risk-Based performance Indicator (RBPI) project under the auspices of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the Office of Research (Res.). The recommended procedure and associated methodologies have been utilized to evaluate the capabilities of four candidate system unavailability indicators presently under study by NRC/Res

Résultats de recherche | Page 15 | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

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

Est, sont particulièrement vulnérables, à long terme, aux conséquences des changements climatiques et, à court terme, à la variabilité accrue du climat. Projet. -. Variabilité climatique, changements sociaux et dengue au Bangladesh. Depuis ...

Complicating Methodological Transparency

Science.gov (United States)

Bridges-Rhoads, Sarah; Van Cleave, Jessica; Hughes, Hilary E.

2016-01-01

A historical indicator of the quality, validity, and rigor of qualitative research has been the documentation and disclosure of the behind-the-scenes work of the researcher. In this paper, we use what we call "methodological data" as a tool to complicate the possibility and desirability of such transparency. Specifically, we draw on our…

Methodology for developing new test methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Korobko

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper describes the methodology for developing new test methods and forming solutions for the development of new test methods. The basis of the methodology for developing new test methods is the individual elements of the system and process approaches. They contribute to the development of an effective research strategy for the object, the study of interrelations, the synthesis of an adequate model of the test method. The effectiveness of the developed test method is determined by the correct choice of the set of concepts, their interrelations and mutual influence. This allows you to solve the tasks assigned to achieve the goal. The methodology is based on the use of fuzzy cognitive maps. The question of the choice of the method on the basis of which the model for the formation of solutions is based is considered. The methodology provides for recording a model for a new test method in the form of a finite set of objects. These objects are significant for the test method characteristics. Then a causal relationship is established between the objects. Further, the values of fitness indicators and the observability of the method and metrological tolerance for the indicator are established. The work is aimed at the overall goal of ensuring the quality of tests by improving the methodology for developing the test method.

12 Layout ppp2

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nubidga

Climatiques en Zone Soudano-Sahélienne : Cas De Mogode, Extrême-Nord. Cameroun. DJAKOU ... climatique majeurs affectant l'eau dans la zone d'étude. Les inondations détruisent les .... zone soudano-sahélienne. L'objectif global est de.

Commercial Property Index Construction Methodology: A Review on Literature and Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md Nasir Daud

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews the literature on commercial property index construction methodology. Alongside this, index construction methodology employed by various organizations in producing existing commercial property indices is also discussed. The aim of the review is to identify the best possible methodology option to adopt in developing Kuala Lumpur Office Price Index (KL - OPI. Among the Asean countries, Singapore is the only country in this region that produces retail and office price index. In the case of Malaysia, this is the first study of this nature in the country, which outcome would be useful indicator for the industry. Having reviewed the existing methodologies of commercial property indices, it is best to model KL-OPI by adopting the hedonic price method

Biological indication in aquatic ecosystems. Biological indication in limnic and coastal ecosystems - fundamentals, techniques, methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunkel, G.

1994-01-01

Biological methods of water quality evaluation today form an integral part of environmental monitoring and permit to continuously monitor the condition of aquatic ecosystems. They indicate both improvements in water quality following redevelopment measures, and the sometimes insidious deterioration of water quality. This book on biological indication in aquatic ecosystems is a compendium of measurement and evaluation techniques for limnic systems by means of biological parameters. At present, however, an intense discussion of biological evaluation techniques is going on, for one thing as a consequence of the German reunification and the need to unify evaluation techniques, and for another because of harmonizations within the European Community. (orig./EF) [de

Risk indicators as a tool for risk control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oien, K.

2001-01-01

This paper presents a general methodology for the establishment of risk indicators that can be used as a tool for risk control during operation of offshore petroleum installations. The risk indicators established are based on the platform specific quantitative risk analysis (QRA). The general methodology is evaluated against comparable approaches both in offshore and nuclear industry. There are two distinct features of this methodology. The first is that it is truly risk-based with the intention of covering the total risk picture. The second is that the identification of the risk factors contributing most to the total risk is based on realistic changes of each factor assessed by the platform personnel, not a theoretically assumed change. The set of risk indicators for one specific installation is presented along with test results

[Methodology for construction of a panel of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of unified health system (SUS) management].

Science.gov (United States)

Tamaki, Edson Mamoru; Tanaka, Oswaldo Yoshimi; Felisberto, Eronildo; Alves, Cinthia Kalyne de Almeida; Drumond Junior, Marcos; Bezerra, Luciana Caroline de Albuquerque; Calvo, Maria Cristina Marino; Miranda, Alcides Silva de

2012-04-01

This study sought to develop methodology for the construction of a Panel for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Management of the Unified Health System (SUS). The participative process used in addition to the systematization conducted made it possible to identify an effective strategy for building management tools in partnership with researchers, academic institutions and managers of the SUS. The final systematization of the Panel selected indicators for the management of the SUS in terms of Demand, Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Outcomes in order to provide a simple, versatile and useful tool for evaluation at any level of management and more transparent and easier communication with all stakeholders in decision-making. Taking the management of the SUS as the scope of these processes and practices in all normative aspects enabled dialog between systemic theories and those which consider the centrality of the social actor in the decision-making process.

eHealth indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

HYPPÖNEN, Hannele; AMMENWERTH, Elske; Nøhr, Christian

2012-01-01

eHealth indicators are needed to measure defined aspects of national eHealth implementations. However, until now, eHealth indicators are ambiguous or unclear. Therefore, an expert workshop "Towards an International Minimum Dataset for Monitoring National Health Information System Implementations......" was organized. The objective was to develop ideas for a minimum eHealth indicator set. The proposed ideas for indicators were classified based on EUnetHTA and De-Lone & McClean, and classification was compared with health IT evaluation criteria classification by Ammenwerth & Keizer. Analysis of the workshop...... results emphasized the need for a common methodological framework for defining and classifying eHealth indicators. It also showed the importance of setting the indicators into context. The results will benefit policy makers, developers and researchers in pursuit of provision and use of evidence...

LEADING WITH LEADING INDICATORS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PREVETTE, S.S.

2005-01-01

This paper documents Fluor Hanford's use of Leading Indicators, management leadership, and statistical methodology in order to improve safe performance of work. By applying these methods, Fluor Hanford achieved a significant reduction in injury rates in 2003 and 2004, and the improvement continues today. The integration of data, leadership, and teamwork pays off with improved safety performance and credibility with the customer. The use of Statistical Process Control, Pareto Charts, and Systems Thinking and their effect on management decisions and employee involvement are discussed. Included are practical examples of choosing leading indicators. A statistically based color coded dashboard presentation system methodology is provided. These tools, management theories and methods, coupled with involved leadership and employee efforts, directly led to significant improvements in worker safety and health, and environmental protection and restoration at one of the nation's largest nuclear cleanup sites

1133-IJBCS-Article-Dr Benoit Sarr

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR GATSING

Identification des risques climatiques de la culture du maïs au Burkina Faso. Benoît SARR *, Luc ... La culture est sensible aux aléas climatiques liés à la variabilité et aux extrêmes ...... daily rainfall principal component analysis to the ...

Dimensionality reduction of quality of life indicators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Jindrová

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Selecting indicators for assessing the quality of life at the regional level is not unambigous. Currently, there are no precisely defined indicators that would give comprehensive information about the quality of life on a local level. In this paper we focus on the determination (selection of groups of indicators that can be interpreted, on the basis of studied literature, as factors characterizing the quality of life. Furthermore, on the application of methods to reduce the dimensionality of these indicators, from the source of the database CULS KROK, which provides statistics on the regional and districts level. To reduce the number of indicators and the subsequent creation of derived variables that capture the relationships between selected indicators multivariate statistical analysis methods, especially method of principal components and factor analysis were used. This paper also indicates the methodology grant project “Methodological Approaches to assess Subjective Aspects of the life quality in regions of the Czech Republic”.

The climatic out of control. the climatic forcing; L'emballement climatique. Le forcage climatique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bony-Lena, S.; Dufresne, J.L. [Laboratoire de Meteorologie Dynamique, LMD/IPSL, CNRS-UPMC, 75 - Paris (France); Acot, P. [Institut d' histoire et de philosophie des sciences et des techniques (IHPST), CNRS-Univ. Paris-1-ENS, 75 - Paris (France); Friedlingstein, P. [CEA Saclay, Lab. des Sciences du Climat et l' Environnement (LSCE), 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Berger, A.; Loutre, M.L. [Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium). Inst. d' Astronomie et de Geophysique G. Lemaitre; Jouzel, J. [Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, 75 - Paris (France); Raynaud, D. [Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Geophysique de l' Environnement (UMR 5183), 38 - Saint Martin d' Heres cedex (France); Thuiller, W. [Universite Joseph-Fourier, Lab. d' Ecologie Alpine, CNRS-Univ. Grenoble-1, 38 (France); Le Treut, H. [Laboratoire de Meteorologie dynamique du CNRS, 75 - Paris (France); Houssais, M.N. [Laboratoire d' Oceanographie et du Climat Experimentation et Approches Numerique (LOCEAN / IPSL), 75 - Paris (France); Duplessy, J.C. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l' Environnement (LSCE), 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Royer, J.F.; Douville, H. [Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques, 31 - Toulouse (France); Barberousse, A. [Institut d' Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques, CNRS, ENS, 75 - Paris (France); Quinon, P

2007-03-15

The expert group on the climate evolution affirms that the global warming is unequivocal and that the human being is the main responsible. This document broaches the climatic change under many aspects: the principle, the historical aspect of the greenhouse effect, the GIEC, the carbon cycle, the paleo-climate theory, the antarctic ices and the impacts of the climatic change on the biodiversity, the simulations and the models, the climatic indicators and the climatic forcing by human activities. (A.L.B.)

Comprendre les obstacles à la paix dans la région des Grands Lacs ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Intégration régionale, commerce et essor du secteur privé (Namibie ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Building a New South Africa Volume 4 : Environment ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Production et commercialisation durables de l'indigo au Salvador ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Protection sociale et travailleurs pauvres en Égypte | CRDI - Centre ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Soutien institutionnel à l'Ethiopian Development Research Institute ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Synthèse et diffusion de résultats de recherche à l'échelle régionale ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Soutien institutionnel à l'Initiative prospective agricole et rurale ...

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Croissance de l'emploi dans le secteur manufacturier (structuré et ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Compréhension des traumatismes et du processus de réconciliation ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Soutien institutionnel à l'Institute for Policy Analysis and Research ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Site d'enfouissement de Mbeubeuss : Étude de l'impact sur la santé ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Les technologies de l'information et de la communication au service ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Renforcement de la recherche sur les politiques et du plaidoyer ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Réduction de la pauvreté par le truchement du développement du ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Bourse de recherche postdoctorale sur l'Amérique centrale et les ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Voie d'acheminement de contenu et de services (telecentre.org ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Subventions à la mobilité bilatérale Canada-Afrique du Sud pour les ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Sécurité alimentaire, soins adéquats et environnement (Tanzanie et ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Stratégies de lutte antitabac à Maurice | CRDI - Centre de ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Crise financière mondiale et vulnérabilité au Cambodge | CRDI ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Soutien institutionnel au Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Envois de fonds vers les zones de conflit - le cas de la diaspora ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Réseau d'universités et de conseils pour l'innovation au service du ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Atténuation des risques pour la santé dans le secteur de la poterie ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Raúl Prebisch et les défis du XXIe siècle | CRDI - Centre de ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Security Sector Reform in the Arab Region | CRDI - Centre de ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Building a New South Africa Volume 3 : Science and Technology ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Créer un conseil arabe des sciences sociales | CRDI - Centre de ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Innovations pour améliorer les vaccins pour le bétail | CRDI - Centre ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Programme des cycles supérieurs et de recherche en études sur les ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Soutien institutionnel de l'Institute of Social Studies Trust | CRDI ...

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Conflit armé en Colombie : différentes ressources, différents conflits ...

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Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Punto J : portail d'information sur la santé et le VIH/sida par et pour les

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

Nouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau. L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire ...

Review of Urban Sustainability Indicators Assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michael, Florianna Lendai; Noor, Zainura Zainon; Figueroa, Maria Josefina

2015-01-01

This paper examines and compares the processes, methodologies and resulting sets of indicators for urban sustainability carried out in three of Asia's developing countries; Malaysia, Taiwan and China. The paper analytically discusses the challenges of developing urban sustainability indicators...... among the developing countries. The comparison reveals the urban indicators development's processes, contents and outcomes and whether the resulting set of urban indicators is operational and has changed the way things were....

Nouveaux centres de cyberpolitique pour les pays du Sud | CRDI ...

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

13 avr. 2018 ... L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau ...

Lancement de l'appel des bourses du CRDI aux chercheurs ...

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

4 avr. 2018 ... L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau ...

Lancement de l'appel de la bourse John G. Bene 2018 | CRDI ...

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

16 avr. 2018 ... L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau ...

Digital Review of Asia Pacific 2007–2008 | CRDI - Centre de ...

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

7 janv. 2008 ... L'Association internationale de ressources en eau (IWRA), en étroite collaboration avec le CRDI, organise un webinaire intitulé "Changements climatiques et gestion adaptive de l'eau: des... Voir davantageNouveau webinaire IWRA/CRDI sur les changements climatiques et la gestion adaptive de l'eau ...

Atlas du réchauffement climatique 1971-2010. Publié par Physio-Géo - collection Ouvrages, 2012, 122 p.En ligne sur : http://www.physio-geo.fr (onglet "Ouvrages".

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Claude Flageollet

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Cet atlas présente le réchauffement climatique récent, de 1971 à 2010, dans les terres émergées continentales et océaniques découpées en 39 régions dont, pour certaines d'entre elles, les limites sont proches des limites des régions climatiques du globe telles que définies et tracées par exemple par KÖPPEN et GEIGER. Les températures utilisées sont les moyennes annuelles empruntées à la base de données "Gistemp" de la NASA, complétées par calcul et par station. Dans chaque région, sont représentées graphiquement l'évolution des températures annuelles, selon l'environnement des stations, rural, urbain ou intermédiaire, ainsi que la valeur du réchauffement, par périodes pluri annuelles et décennales. En outre, les stations, classées en deux catégories en comparant leurs températures de 2009 et 2010, sont localisées sur des cartes à l'échelle de chaque continent. Quatre cartes régionales du réchauffement sont produites pour les périodes 1971-2010, 1981-2010, 1991-2010 et 2001­2010. Elles permettent de distinguer les régions en réchauffement et les régions en refroidissement, ces dernières concernant principalement les deux dernières décennies.This atlas presents the recent warming, from 1971 to 2010, in the continental and oceanic earth's land surface, divided into 39 regions which, for some of them, the limits are close to the earth's climatic regions defined and delineated by KÖPPEN and GEIGER. The temperatures used are annual averages taken from the "Gistemp" data base of the NASA, supplemented by calculation and by station. In each region, graphs and diagrams represent the evolution of annual temperatures as well as pluri-annual, decadal and multi decadal periods of warming, depending on the environment of stations: rural, urban or intermediate. In addition, the stations, divided into two categories by comparing their temperatures of 2009 and 2010, are located on each continent-scale maps. Four

A Methodology Inventory for Composition Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Donlan, Dan

1979-01-01

Illustrates one method for describing changes in classroom behavior of composition teachers: a methodology inventory that may be used as an indicator of expertise, a needs assessment, and a summative self-evaluation. (DD)

Methodological quality of systematic reviews addressing femoroacetabular impingement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowalczuk, Marcin; Adamich, John; Simunovic, Nicole; Farrokhyar, Forough; Ayeni, Olufemi R

2015-09-01

As the body of literature on femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) continues to grow, clinicians turn to systematic reviews to remain current with the best available evidence. The quality of systematic reviews in the FAI literature is currently unknown. The goal of this study was to assess the quality of the reporting of systematic reviews addressing FAI over the last 11 years (2003-2014) and to identify the specific methodological shortcomings and strengths. A search of the electronic databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed, was performed to identify relevant systematic reviews. Methodological quality was assessed by two reviewers using the revised assessment of multiple systematic reviews (R-AMSTAR) scoring tool. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) was used to determine agreement between reviewers on R-AMSTAR quality scores. A total of 22 systematic reviews were assessed for methodological quality. The mean consensus R-AMSTAR score across all studies was 26.7 out of 40.0, indicating fair methodological quality. An ICC of 0.931, 95 % CI 0.843-0.971 indicated excellent agreement between reviewers during the scoring process. The systematic reviews addressing FAI are generally of fair methodological quality. Use of tools such as the R-AMSTAR score or PRISMA guidelines while designing future systematic reviews can assist in eliminating methodological shortcomings identified in this review. These shortcomings need to be kept in mind by clinicians when applying the current literature to their patient populations and making treatment decisions. Systematic reviews of highest methodological quality should be used by clinicians when possible to answer clinical questions.

: tous les projets | Page 195 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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Programme: Food, Environment, and Health. Financement total : CA$ 2,411,000.00. Changements climatiques, vulnérabilité et santé en Colombie et en Bolivie. Projet. Selon le quatrième rapport d'évaluation du Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat, les changements climatiques modifient les ...

Ghana : tous les projets | Page 3 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour ...

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

Programme: Alimentation, environnement et santé. Financement total : CA$ 62,000.00. Recherche et renforcement des capacités au chapitre de l'adaptation aux changements climatiques au Ghana. Projet. L'Afrique subsaharienne est la région la plus gravement touchée par les changements climatiques; or, elle dispose ...

Methodological pluralism in the teaching of Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

de Macedo, Josué Antunes; Voelzke, Marcos Rincon

2015-04-01

This paper discusses the feasibility of using a teaching strategy called methodological pluralism, consisting of the use of various methodological resources in order to provide a meaningful learning. It is part of a doctoral thesis, which aims to investigate contributions to the use of traditional resources combined with digital technologies, in order to create autonomy for future teachers of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in relation to themes in Astronomy. It was offered an extension course at the "Federal Institution of Education, Science and Technology" in the North of Minas Gerais (FINMG), Campus Januaria, for thirty-two students of licentiate courses in Physics, Mathematics and Biological Sciences, involving themes of Astronomy, in order to search and contribute to improving the training of future teachers. The following aspects are used: the mixed methodology, with pre-experimental design, combined with content analysis. The results indicate the rates of students' prior knowledge in relation to Astronomy was low; meaningful learning indications of concepts related to Astronomy, and the feasibility of using digital resources Involving technologies, articulated with traditional materials in the teaching of Astronomy. This research sought to contribute to the initial teacher training, especially in relation to Astronomy Teaching, proposing new alternatives to promote the teaching of this area of knowledge, extending the methodological options of future teachers.

Ranking national research systems by citation indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aksnes, Dag W.; Schneider, Jesper Wiborg; Gunnarsson, Magnus

2012-01-01

This paper presents an empirical analysis of two different methodologies for calculating national citation indicators: whole counts and fractionalised counts. The aim of our study is to investigate the effect on relative citation indicators when citations to documents are fractionalised among the...

Framework and indicator testing protocol for developing and piloting quality indicators for the UK quality and outcomes framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burke Martyn

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Quality measures should be subjected to a testing protocol before being used in practice using key attributes such as acceptability, feasibility and reliability, as well as identifying issues derived from actual implementation and unintended consequences. We describe the methodologies and results of an indicator testing protocol (ITP using data from proposed quality indicators for the United Kingdom Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF. Methods The indicator testing protocol involved a multi-step and methodological process: 1 The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, to test clarity and necessity, 2 data extraction from patients' medical records, to test technical feasibility and reliability, 3 diaries, to test workload, 4 cost-effectiveness modelling, and 5 semi-structured interviews, to test acceptability, implementation issues and unintended consequences. Testing was conducted in a sample of representative family practices in England. These methods were combined into an overall recommendation for each tested indicator. Results Using an indicator testing protocol as part of piloting was seen as a valuable way of testing potential indicators in 'real world' settings. Pilot 1 (October 2009-March 2010 involved thirteen indicators across six clinical domains and twelve indicators passed the indicator testing protocol. However, the indicator testing protocol identified a number of implementation issues and unintended consequences that can be rectified or removed prior to national roll out. A palliative care indicator is used as an exemplar of the value of piloting using a multiple attribute indicator testing protocol - while technically feasible and reliable, it was unacceptable to practice staff and raised concerns about potentially causing actual patient harm. Conclusions This indicator testing protocol is one example of a protocol that may be useful in assessing potential quality indicators when adapted to specific country health

Methodology for Assessing the Degree of Internationalization of Business Academic Study Programmes

OpenAIRE

Dan-Cristian Dabija; Cătălin Postelnicu; Nicolae Al. Pop

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology for assessing the degree of internationalization of undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral business programmes with the aid of complex indicators designed to capture the vast array of characteristics displayed by these programmes and contribute to their promotion in the international academic competition. The methodology should include both general indicators applicable to any study programme and some indicators that are specifically develop...

[Indicators of communication and degree of professional integration in healthcare].

Science.gov (United States)

Mola, Ernesto; Maggio, Anna; Vantaggiato, Lucia

2009-01-01

According to the chronic care model, improving the management of chronic illness requires efficient communication between health care professionals and the creation of a web of integrated healthcare The aim of this study was to identify an efficient methodology for evaluating the degree of professional integration through indicators related to communication between healthcare professionals. The following types of indicators were identified:-structure indicators to evaluate the presence of prerequisites necessary for implementing the procedures -functional indicators to quantitatively evaluate the use of communications instruments-performance indicators Defining specific indicators may be an appropriate methodology for evaluating the degree of integration and communication between health professionals, available for a bargaining system of incentives.

An aggregated energy security performance indicator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martchamadol, Jutamanee; Kumar, S.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► AESPI shows a country’s (or province’s) energy security status. ► AESPI considers social, economic and environmental aspects using 25 indicators. ► AESPI shows the impact of the trend of energy policies/measures. ► AESPI could be a tool for monitoring and evaluating the impact of energy policies. -- Abstract: An “Aggregated Energy Security Performance Indicator (AESPI)” has been developed by considering 25 individual indicators representing social, economy and environmental dimensions. The principle used, data required and the methodology for the development of AESPI have been detailed. AESPI requires time series data for its development and its value ranges from 0 to 10. The characteristics of AESPI have been compared with the existing indicators in terms of methodology, data requirements, analysis possible and the applications. The advantages of AESPI is that it not only assists in knowing the past energy security status of a country, but also helps in assessing the future status considering the energy policies and plans of the country, thus enabling the monitoring of the impacts of the policies.

Statistical sources and methodology of elaboration for the regional, national and European energy indicators; Fonti statistiche e metodologie di elaborazione per gli indicatori energetici regionali, nazionali ed europei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bianco, R; Perrella, G [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dip. Energia

1996-10-01

This report is aimed to presenting the energy-economic and structural data system called EIS (energy indicators system), about the statistical sources and the different methodologies of data valuation and indicators elaboration. This system, elaborated in the activity of ERG-PROM Division of ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment), is aimed to analyze the energy by quantity and quality use, in the different sectors, for each final aim and for every source. In the report are defined all the procedure and unit of measure used to process the data bank, so the reader can to interpret the right meaning of the variables and indicators and can make further process.

: tous les projets | Page 59 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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

Ce projet formera jusqu'à 36 nouveaux leaders en matière de changements climatiques dans le domaine du financement de l'adaptation, qui soutient les efforts visant à s'adapter aux répercussions des changements climatiques. Région: North of Sahara, South of Sahara, Central Asia, Far East Asia, South Asia, North and ...

Résultats de recherche | Page 12 | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

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

Les modèles climatiques ont démontré que, même si l'on observe une réduction considérable des émissions de gaz à effet de serre à l'échelle mondiale, les répercussions néfastes du réchauffement climatique planétaire continueront de se fa. Projet ...

Gestion de la leishmaniose en Tunisie dans le contexte des

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

On admet généralement que les changements climatiques auront des répercussions considérables sur la santé humaine : ils augmenteront les catastrophes climatiques et changeront la distribution des maladies transmises par l'eau et par d'autres vecteurs. Toutefois, les efforts que nous déployons pour nous adapter aux ...

Résultats de recherche | Page 450 | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

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

Changements climatiques (403) Apply Changements climatiques filter · Gouvernance et justice (373) Apply Gouvernance et justice filter · Emploi et croissance (329) Apply Emploi et croissance filter · Santé des mères et des enfants (312) Apply Santé des mères et des enfants filter · Alimentation, environnement et santé ...

La recherche pour relever les défis mondiaux : neuvième ...

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

2 janv. 2018 ... Les chercheurs qui ont participé à ce projet ont travaillé avec les négociateurs internationaux du changement climatique à une proposition visant à faire inclure l'agriculture dans l'Accord de Paris sur le changement climatique. Cette proposition a été acceptée une semaine seulement avant l'Assemblé ...

Coopération entre milieux ruraux et urbains dans la gestion de l'eau ...

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

Coopération entre milieux ruraux et urbains dans la gestion de l'eau face aux changements climatiques au Burkina Faso. Les villes dépendent fortement des milieux ruraux qui leur assurent un apport en produits alimentaires, en eau et en matières premières. Les changements climatiques, en augmentant la fréquence des ...

Inde | Page 73 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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

Entretien avec…propose des entrevues vidéos avec des chercheurs participant à des projets portant sur l'adaptation aux changements climatiques réalisés en Afrique, en Asie ainsi qu'en Amérique latine et dans les Caraïbes que le CRDI subventionne par le truchement de son programme Changements climatiques et eau ...

Changements climatiques au Maroc: quels systèmes de culture et quelles biotechnologies pour s’y adapter ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdelhadi AIT HOUSSA

2017-09-01

scale use of seawater in agriculture or finding new salinity tolerant cultivars. In Morocco, we should think of desalinization with renewable energies (solar, wind and the use of this water mainly in coastal areas where climate, land quality, sun and wind are adequate to these projects. To anticipate the future of food security of the country, attention should be given to the use of readily available resources to overcome the structural deficit in wheat starch and animal protein. The study suggests the use of other starch sources that Morocco can produce easily such as potato. For animal protein, we suggest fisheries resources which are still underused by the population. Résumé On présente une étude prospective concernant l’impact probable des changements climatiques sur les systèmes de culture et d’élevage au Maroc. D’après le constat de terrain et dans les limites de ce que signifie ce genre d’étude, l’effet direct du réchauffement climatique peut conduire à terme (et c’est déjà le cas dans certaines contrées à la nécessité d’une redistribution variétale pour des espèces exigeantes en froid comme les rosacées. Des variétés de pomme, telle que le groupe des Golden, risquent de disparaître des montagnes pour laisser la place à d’autres moins exigeantes comme le groupe des Gala. Le bananier et l’avocatier risquent de migrer vers les régions un peu plus continentales, l’olivier et les agrumes un peu plus vers le pied de la montagne. Le réchauffement climatique peut aussi obliger à faire évoluer les systèmes d’élevage et de culture en faisant déplacer la frontière de la sécheresse un peu plus vers le centre et le nord du pays; l’aride serait peut-être envahi par la désertification, le semi-aride passerait en partie à l’étage aride et le Bour dit favorable en partie dans le semi-aride. Comme corollaire à ce changement, il faudrait s’attendre à une perte de potentiel de ressources en eau qui obligerait

A methodology to obtain strain indicators under deep drawing multiaxial stresses. Application to DC-05 electro galvanized steel (UNE in ISO 10130)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miguel, V.; Catalayud, A.; Ferrer, C.

2007-01-01

In this work a methodology to investigate deep drawing quality steel sheets deformation tendency under multiaxial deep drawing stresses has been proposed. the method consists in assaying a sheet in a wedge die in order to order to introduce a pure shear estate in the material 0 degree centigree, 45 degree centigree and 90 degree centigree rolling directions are selected in the assays, and transversal strain is the variable considered in them. a strain coefficient 0/% has been defined in order to evaluate thickness variations in the test. almost no changes in thickness have been registered and this indicates that strain carried out in the test is similar to that taking place in deep drawing. The stress necessary for practice a certain plastic deformation is obtained too and a potential function between them is formulated. Indicators presented in this work are compared to anisotropy and strength coefficients obtained in normalized tensile tests. these results allow us to justify the steel behaviour in the cup deep drawing processes related to ear forming. (Author) 11 refs

People management as indicator of business excellence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haffer, Rafal; Kristensen, Kai

2010-01-01

Purpose – This paper aims to show the importance of people management as a key indicator of business excellence based on four research projects, conducted on the samples of Polish (in the years 2004-2005 and 2006-2007) and Danish companies (in 1999 and 2005). Design/methodology/approach – EFQM...... it possible to compare developing Polish and developed Danish companies in their initiatives aiming at business excellence. Findings – The results indicate significant negligence in the management of human resources as one of the initiatives towards business excellence of Polish enterprises before Poland...... Excellence Model indicators were used as the evaluation criteria for the studies. The data were next estimated as a structural equation model by partial least squares using SmartPLS software. That estimation was conducted on the model of the Danish Business Excellence Index methodology. Presented data make...

IMPROVING METHODOLOGY OF RISK IDENTIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL DANGEROUS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. P. BOCHKOVSKYI

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In the paper, according to the analysis of statistical data, correlation between the amount of occupational injuries and occupationaldiseases in Ukraine within last 5 years is defined. Also, using methodology of the International Labor Organizationcorrelcation between the amount of accident fatalities and general number of accidents in Ukraine and EU countries (Austria, GreatBritain, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Hungry, Finland, France is defined. It is shown that in spite of the positive dynamicsof decreasing amount of occupational injuries, the number of occupational diseases in Ukraine always increases. The comparativeanalysis of the ratio of the number of accident fatalities to the total number of registered accidents showed that, on average, Ukraineexceeds the EU countries by this indicator by 100 times.It is noted, that such negative indicators (in particular, increasing amount of occupational diseases, may occure because ofimperfect methodology for identifying the risks of professional dangerous.Also, it is ascertained that basing on the existed methodology, the identefication process of occupational dangerous isquite subjective, which reduces objectivity of conducting quantitative assessment. In order to eliminate defined drawnbacks it is firsttime proposed to use corresponding integral criterion to conduct the process of quantitative risk assessmentTo solve this problem authors formulate and propose an algorithm of improving methodology of a process of analysing dangerousand harmful production effects (DHPE which are the mainest reasons of occupational dangerous.The proposed algorithm includes implementation of four following successive steps: DHPE identification, indication of theirmaximum allowed threshold of concentrations (levels, identification of the sources of identified DHPE, esimation of consequencesof manifestation.The improved proposed methodology allows indentify risks of occurrence occupational dangerous in systems

Développer le leadership dans des villes de l'Amérique latine et des ...

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

Développer le leadership dans des villes de l'Amérique latine et des Caraïbes dans le contexte des changements climatiques. En raison des changements climatiques, de la croissance démographique et de l'urbanisation rapide non planifiée, les villes des pays en développement sont à la fois le principal déclencheur des ...

Gestion des ressources hydriques dans un contexte de ...

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

Gestion des ressources hydriques dans un contexte de changements climatiques dans des établissements humains côtiers en Angola. Durant la guerre civile angolaise, de très nombreux habitants des zones de conflit en milieu rural se sont déplacés vers des endroits vulnérables aux phénomènes climatiques extrêmes, ...

Water as a Human Right for the Middle East and North Africa | CRDI ...

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

11 juil. 2008 ... Le CRDI investit dans des solutions locales aux problèmes auxquels l'Inde est confrontée, comme le stress thermique, la gestion de l'eau et les migrations liées aux changements climatiques. Voir davantage Le CRDI aide l'Inde à s'adapter aux changements climatiques au moyen de données probantes, ...

A Comparative Analysis of Disaster Risk, Vulnerability and Resilience Composite Indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Beccari, Benjamin

2016-03-14

In the past decade significant attention has been given to the development of tools that attempt to measure the vulnerability, risk or resilience of communities to disasters. Particular attention has been given to the development of composite indices to quantify these concepts mirroring their deployment in other fields such as sustainable development. Whilst some authors have published reviews of disaster vulnerability, risk and resilience composite indicator methodologies, these have been of a limited nature. This paper seeks to dramatically expand these efforts by analysing 106 composite indicator methodologies to understand the breadth and depth of practice. An extensive search of the academic and grey literature was undertaken for composite indicator and scorecard methodologies that addressed multiple/all hazards; included social and economic aspects of risk, vulnerability or resilience; were sub-national in scope; explained the method and variables used; focussed on the present-day; and, had been tested or implemented. Information on the index construction, geographic areas of application, variables used and other relevant data was collected and analysed. Substantial variety in construction practices of composite indicators of risk, vulnerability and resilience were found. Five key approaches were identified in the literature, with the use of hierarchical or deductive indices being the most common. Typically variables were chosen by experts, came from existing statistical datasets and were combined by simple addition with equal weights. A minimum of 2 variables and a maximum of 235 were used, although approximately two thirds of methodologies used less than 40 variables. The 106 methodologies used 2298 unique variables, the most frequently used being common statistical variables such as population density and unemployment rate. Classification of variables found that on average 34% of the variables used in each methodology related to the social environment, 25

Sustainability of sources of electric generation: indicators and global qualification using fuzzy logic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin del Campo M, C.; Francois L, J.L.

2005-01-01

A methodology developed to evaluate the sustainability of sources of electric generation but used in Mexico and in the World is presented. For it was applied one matrix of sustainability indicators that considers the principles and criteria of general sustainability as 'not exhaustion of natural resources', 'non production of non degradable waste', and 'not high sensibility to social and environmental factors'. The approaches to evaluate in a wide way these principles are numerous and to each approach associates an indicator, call sustainability indicator. The contribution of this work consists on the development of a methodology to qualify globally the sustainability of each option of electric generation, combining all the sustainability indicators. The methodology applies a system of diffuse control to build the function of global qualification of sustainability dependent of all the indicators. (Author)

A critical cluster analysis of 44 indicators of author-level performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wildgaard, Lorna Elizabeth

2016-01-01

-four indicators of individual researcher performance were computed using the data. The clustering solution was supported by continued reference to the researcher’s curriculum vitae, an effect analysis and a risk analysis. Disciplinary appropriate indicators were identified and used to divide the researchers......This paper explores a 7-stage cluster methodology as a process to identify appropriate indicators for evaluation of individual researchers at a disciplinary and seniority level. Publication and citation data for 741 researchers from 4 disciplines was collected in Web of Science. Forty...... of statistics in research evaluation. The strength of the 7-stage cluster methodology is that it makes clear that in the evaluation of individual researchers, statistics cannot stand alone. The methodology is reliant on contextual information to verify the bibliometric values and cluster solution...

Environmental indicators for evaluating properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Grosso

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Property evaluation for tax purposes has traditionally relied on urban and building criteria, mostly resulting from concepts driven by the commercial attractiveness of the property under evaluation, its building and the site itself. Due to the world climate and ecological crisis, awareness has risen about the need for other indicators, which can evaluate the quality of a property, even referring to its potential environmental impact. Technical standards for the evaluation of buildings’ environmental sustainability, which have been developed since the first years of this century, both nationally and internationally, take into account the impact of the building and its relevance for the life-cycle of materials and elements, with reference to the three sectors of sustainability: environmental, economic and social. The social sector includes indicators referring to the user’s health and comfort, which also interact with the morphological and spatial characteristics of the building. However, there is a lack of methodological tools for the evaluation of said indicators and existing ones are mainly of a qualitative type. This paper suggests a methodological approach for the quantitative evaluation of sustainability indicators, relying on the accessibility of a site’s climate resources by the property, as a criterion to evaluate the potential for the reduction of negative environmental impact, as well as a criterion to improve users’ life quality.

Forecasting Irish Inflation: A Composite Leading Indicator

OpenAIRE

Quinn, Terry; Mawdsley, Andrew

1996-01-01

This paper presents the results of research into the construction of a composite leading indicator of the Irish rate of inflation, as measured by the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It follows the work of Fagan and Fell (1994) who applied the business cycle leading indicator methodology, initially established by Mitchell and Burns (1938,1946), to construct a composite leading indicator of the Irish business cycle.

Reduction de la sensation des malaises thermiques: determination ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

La présente étude a pour objet de contribuer à la réduction de la sensation des malaises thermiques à travers la recherche des orientations préférentielles des bâtiments dans les différentes zones du Togo à partir des conditions aérodynamiques et climatiques locales. Les données climatiques à savoir la température, ...

Mobility energy label: An indicator for a sustainable city; Les etiquettes energetiques de mobilite: Un indicateur pour la ville durable

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flety, Yann; Antoni, Jean-Philippe; Vuidel, Gilles; de Sede-Marceau, Marie-Helene

2010-09-15

Perspectives of energy consumption reduction linked to global warming are bringing a desire for actions relating to the mastering and the improvement of energy efficiency. In this context, from the French example of greater Besancon (Communaute d'Agglomeration du Grand Besancon (CAGB)), the research presented here wants to define an energy indicator useful to planners called 'Territory energy label': to measure how the urban area is situated energy wise in terms of the daily mobility of its inhabitants, the behaviour of whom is looked at in a prescriptive manner. [French] Les perspectives de reduction des consommations energetiques en lien avec le rechauffement climatique se traduisent par une volonte d'actions en matiere de maitrise et d'amelioration de l'efficacite energetique. Dans ce contexte, a partir de l'exemple francais de la Communaute d'Agglomeration du Grand Besancon (CAGB), la recherche presentee vise a definir un indicateur energetique utile aux amenageurs intitule 'etiquette energetique Territoriale' : il s'agit de mesurer comment 'se situent energetiquement' les differents espaces que regroupent une meme aire urbaine du point de vu des mobilites quotidiennes de ses habitants, dont le comportement est apprehende de maniere normative.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psoriasis: role of funding sources, conflict of interest and bibliometric indices as predictors of methodological quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-García, F; Ruano, J; Aguilar-Luque, M; Gay-Mimbrera, J; Maestre-Lopez, B; Sanz-Cabanillas, J L; Carmona-Fernández, P J; González-Padilla, M; Vélez García-Nieto, A; Isla-Tejera, B

2017-06-01

The quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease that severely impairs quality of life and is associated with high costs, remains unknown. To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews published on psoriasis. After a comprehensive search in MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Database (PROSPERO: CDR42016041611), the quality of studies was assessed by two raters using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool. Article metadata and journal-related bibliometric indices were also obtained. Systematic reviews were classified as low (0-4), moderate (5-8) or high (9-11) quality. A prediction model for methodological quality was fitted using principal component and multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses. We classified 220 studies as high (17·2%), moderate (55·0%) or low (27·8%) quality. Lower compliance rates were found for AMSTAR question (Q)5 (list of studies provided, 11·4%), Q10 (publication bias assessed, 27·7%), Q4 (status of publication included, 39·5%) and Q1 (a priori design provided, 40·9%). Factors such as meta-analysis inclusion [odds ratio (OR) 6·22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2·78-14·86], funding by academic institutions (OR 2·90, 95% CI 1·11-7·89), Article Influence score (OR 2·14, 95% CI 1·05-6·67), 5-year impact factor (OR 1·34, 95% CI 1·02-1·40) and article page count (OR 1·08, 95% CI 1·02-1·15) significantly predicted higher quality. A high number of authors with a conflict of interest (OR 0·90, 95% CI 0·82-0·99) was significantly associated with lower quality. The methodological quality of systematic reviews published about psoriasis remains suboptimal. The type of funding sources and author conflicts may compromise study quality, increasing the risk of bias. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Impact des changements climatiques sur les écosystèmes alpins : comment les mettre en évidence et les prévoir ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nigel G. Yoccoz

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Les écosystèmes alpins vont être grandement influencés par les changements climatiques à venir, mais d’autres facteurs, tels que l’utilisation des terres ou les espèces invasives, pourront aussi jouer un rôle important. Le climat peut influencer les écosystèmes à différents niveaux, et nous en décrivons certains, en mettant l’accent sur les méthodes utilisées et les données disponibles. Le climat peut d’abord modifier la phénologie des espèces, comme la date de floraison des plantes ou la date d’éclosion des insectes. Il peut ensuite affecter directement la démographie des espèces (survie, reproduction, dispersion et donc à terme leur répartition. Il peut enfin agir sur les interactions entre espèces – le couvert neigeux par exemple modifie le succès de certains prédateurs. Une caractéristique des écosystèmes alpins est la présence d’un manteau neigeux important et pourtant l’influence de la neige reste relativement mal connue, en particulier pour des raisons logistiques. Même si nous avons fait des progrès importants dans le développement de modèles prédictifs, surtout pour ce qui est de la répartition des plantes alpines, il reste à mettre en place des réseaux d’observations et d’expériences permettant de mieux tenir compte de la variabilité des écosystèmes alpins et des interactions avec le climat.Alpine ecosystems will be greatly impacted by climatic change, but other factors, such as land use and invasive species, are likely to play an important role too. Climate can influence ecosystems at several levels. We describe some of them, stressing methodological approaches and available data. Climate can modify species phenology, such as flowering date of plants and hatching date in insects. It can also change directly population demography (survival, reproduction, dispersal, and therefore species distribution. Finally it can effect interactions among species –snow cover for example

Tendances Carbone. Methodology - version 2, jan 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

'Tendances Carbone' newsletter makes a monthly synthesis of the European CO 2 market thanks to the use of 6 groups of indicators: traded volumes and spot prices, climate indexes (temperature, precipitations), economic activity indicators (industrial production index, confidence index of business leaders), energy indicators (changes in energy prices, clean dark spread and clean spark spread), CO 2 quota prices, and institutional environment. This second methodological issue explains the calculation methods and the conventions used for the establishment of these different indexes. (J.S.)

Developing TheoreticalMethodological Approaches to Assessment of Export Potential of Ukrainian Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matyushenko Igor Yu.

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at studying the existing theoretical-methodological approaches to the analysis and assessment of export potential. The opinions by scientists regarding the disclosure of the categorial content of the concept of «export potential» have been considered, an own definition of the indicated economic category has been suggested. The main types of analytical procedures for assessment have been classified, some authorial methodical approaches to determine the level of export potential have been analyzed. The export potential of a hypothetical enterprise has been calculated by the selected methodologies of assessment. The urgency of improving and refining existing methods to implement more detailed and quantitative analysis has been substantiated. It has been suggested to implement a prognosis assessment of export potential of enterprises by combining the results of several methodologies in the aggregate indicator of export potential efficiency. A prognosis model for the dynamics of export potential of a hypothetical enterprise has been built, value of the aggregate indicator has been calculated on the basis of three selected valuation methodologies.

Social and economic vulnerability indicators for oil exporting countries: methodology and comparison analysis; Indicadores de vulnerabilidade socioeconomica para paises exportadores de petroleo: metodologia e analise comparativa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jesus, Fernanda Delgado de

2009-04-15

The oil exporting countries can be vulnerable to this row-material as the oil importing ones, due to their social economic dependence of the revenues generated by the oil and gas sector. So, it is also important for those countries the analysis of their social economic vulnerability in order to contribute for the comprehension of their real actions related to their production strategies, aiming to affect oil price and market-share. Due to that, this thesis proposes a methodology based on social economic indicators of oil exporting countries, which will enclose the following aspects: physical, productive, commercial, macro economic, fiscal and social. These indicators will be applied to the OPEC members, Norway and Mexico, and orientated through a normalized scale as in a multicriteria methodology (AHP - Analytic Hierarchy Process). The analyzed results will drive the social economic implications, and the studied countries will be classified in a scale that goes from very favorable to very unfavorable. The results point the main social economic fragilities of the oil exporting countries, designing pathways to Brazil and their possible exporting ambitions. The most important considerations that became from the vulnerable oil export countries experiences refers to the necessity to straight and increases their macro economic foundations, industrial diversification incentives and the creation of an stabilization fund (based on oil revenues) for the future generations, or to severe oil prices oscillations periods in the international market (author)

Methodologies for 2011 economic reports

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus

STECF’s Expert Working Group 11-03 convened in Athens (28th March – 1st April, 2011) to discuss and seek agreement on the content, indicators, methodologies and format of the 2011 Annual Economic Reports (AER) on the EU fishing fleet, the fish processing and the aquaculture sectors. Proposals...... for improved contents and the overall structure were discussed. Templates for the national and EU overview chapters for the EU the fish processing and the aquaculture sectors were produced. Indicators for the EU fishing fleet and fish processing reports were reviewed; new indicators for the fish processing...... and the aquaculture sector reports were proposed. And topics of special interest were proposed for all three reports....

Advanced techniques using the plant as indicator of irrigation management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara dos Santos Esteves

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The methodologies which are considered the most promising for irrigation management are those based on the analysis of the water status of the plants themselves. This justifies the study and improvement of indicators based on automatic and continuous measures to enable real-time monitoring data, as indices from sap flow, dendrometry and leaf turgor pressure techniques. The aim of this paper is to analyze such methodologies in order to demonstrate their principles, advantages and challenges. In conclusion, the methodologies analyzed still have many technological advances and challenges before being presented to the final user. The future research should work these tools for elaboration of technical indexes that allow their simplification, on the instrumental point of view, and the interpretation of their results.

A framework for assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of software development methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Arthur, James D.; Nance, Richard E.

1990-01-01

Tools, techniques, environments, and methodologies dominate the software engineering literature, but relatively little research in the evaluation of methodologies is evident. This work reports an initial attempt to develop a procedural approach to evaluating software development methodologies. Prominent in this approach are: (1) an explication of the role of a methodology in the software development process; (2) the development of a procedure based on linkages among objectives, principles, and attributes; and (3) the establishment of a basis for reduction of the subjective nature of the evaluation through the introduction of properties. An application of the evaluation procedure to two Navy methodologies has provided consistent results that demonstrate the utility and versatility of the evaluation procedure. Current research efforts focus on the continued refinement of the evaluation procedure through the identification and integration of product quality indicators reflective of attribute presence, and the validation of metrics supporting the measure of those indicators. The consequent refinement of the evaluation procedure offers promise of a flexible approach that admits to change as the field of knowledge matures. In conclusion, the procedural approach presented in this paper represents a promising path toward the end goal of objectively evaluating software engineering methodologies.

Selected Banks Economic Efficiency Indicators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Szafarczyk

2007-04-01

Full Text Available There are a lot of economic efficiency indicators in theory. It is necessary to choice some of them for concrete purposes. ROA, ROE and C/I play important role due to last experience of polish banks.Cost to Income Ratio plays very important role affecting not only efficiency monitoring process in the banks but also becoming a very important target in strategy or finance plan. There are several methodological approaches to construct this index in detail. Results are differing due to implementing methodology. This article describes trends C/I concerning both polish and foreign banks. It is difficult to compare banks in emerging country and real giants in finance mature economies.

Civil migration and risk assessment methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onishi, Y.; Brown, S.M.; Olsen, A.R.; Parkhurst, M.A.

1981-01-01

To provide a scientific basis for risk assessment and decision making, the Chemical Migration and Risk Assessment (CMRA) Methodology was developed to simulate overland and instream toxic containment migration and fate, and to predict the probability of acute and chronic impacts on aquatic biota. The simulation results indicated that the time between the pesticide application and the subsequent runoff producing event was the most important factor determining the amount of the alachlor. The study also revealed that sediment transport has important effects on contaminant migration when sediment concentrations in receiving streams are high or contaminants are highly susceptible to adsorption by sediment. Although the capabilities of the CMRA methodology were only partially tested in this study, the results demonstrate that methodology can be used as a scientific decision-making tool for toxic chemical regulations, a research tool to evaluate the relative significance of various transport and degradation phenomena, as well as a tool to examine the effectiveness of toxic chemical control practice

Résumé sur l'eau : Une stratégie adaptive au changement ...

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

4 janv. 2011 ... Historiquement parlant, le climat de la Terre a changé plusieurs fois et plusieurs événements climatiques se sont succédés au fil des âges, tels que des périodes glaciaires et de longues périodes de réchauffement. Les changements climatiques sont dûs à de causes variées, tant naturelles qu'humaines.

Indicators for Monitoring Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: A Systematic Review of Indicator Selection Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie Schwemlein

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Monitoring water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH is important to track progress, improve accountability, and demonstrate impacts of efforts to improve conditions and services, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Indicator selection methods enable robust monitoring of WaSH projects and conditions. However, selection methods are not always used and there are no commonly-used methods for selecting WaSH indicators. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of indicator selection methods used in WaSH-related fields. We present a summary of indicator selection methods for environment, international development, and water. We identified six methodological stages for selecting indicators for WaSH: define the purpose and scope; select a conceptual framework; search for candidate indicators; determine selection criteria; score indicators against criteria; and select a final suite of indicators. This summary of indicator selection methods provides a foundation for the critical assessment of existing methods. It can be used to inform future efforts to construct indicator sets in WaSH and related fields.

A Metadata based Knowledge Discovery Methodology for Seeding Translational Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Kothari, Cartik R; Payne, Philip R O

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present a semantic, metadata based knowledge discovery methodology for identifying teams of researchers from diverse backgrounds who can collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects: projects in areas that have been identified as high-impact areas at The Ohio State University. This methodology involves the semantic annotation of keywords and the postulation of semantic metrics to improve the efficiency of the path exploration algorithm as well as to rank the results. Results indicate that our methodology can discover groups of experts from diverse areas who can collaborate on translational research projects.

Governance matters II - updated indicators for 2000-01

OpenAIRE

Kaufmann, Daniel; Kraay, Aart; Zoido-Lobaton, Pablo

2002-01-01

The authors construct aggregate governance indicators for six dimensions of governance, covering 175 countries in 2000-01. They apply the methodology developed in Kaufmann, Kraay, and Zoido-Lobaton ("Aggregating Governance Indicators", Policy Research Working Paper 2195, and "Governance Matters", Policy Research Working Paper 2196, October 1999) to newly available data at governance indica...

Collective Trust: A Social Indicator of Instructional Capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Curt M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test the validity of using collective trust as a social indicator of instructional capacity. Design/methodology/approach: A hypothesized model was advanced for the empirical investigation. Collective trust was specified as a latent construct with observable indicators being principal trust in faculty (PTF),…

Identifying individual changes in performance with composite quality indicators while accounting for regression to the mean.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajewski, Byron J; Dunton, Nancy

2013-04-01

Almost a decade ago Morton and Torgerson indicated that perceived medical benefits could be due to "regression to the mean." Despite this caution, the regression to the mean "effects on the identification of changes in institutional performance do not seem to have been considered previously in any depth" (Jones and Spiegelhalter). As a response, Jones and Spiegelhalter provide a methodology to adjust for regression to the mean when modeling recent changes in institutional performance for one-variable quality indicators. Therefore, in our view, Jones and Spiegelhalter provide a breakthrough methodology for performance measures. At the same time, in the interests of parsimony, it is useful to aggregate individual quality indicators into a composite score. Our question is, can we develop and demonstrate a methodology that extends the "regression to the mean" literature to allow for composite quality indicators? Using a latent variable modeling approach, we extend the methodology to the composite indicator case. We demonstrate the approach on 4 indicators collected by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. A simulation study further demonstrates its "proof of concept."

Etude de l'effet de la date de semis et de l'Age des plantules au

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Les périmètres irrigués villageois (PIV) sont utilisés pour atténuer les effets néfastes des changements climatiques. Les variétés cultivées dans les PIV sont d'origine asiatique et souffrent des conditions agro climatiques des régions nord du Mali. Les expérimentations ont été conduites en milieu paysan dans les. PIV de ...

Indices of soil contamination by heavy metals - methodology of calculation for pollution assessment (minireview).

Science.gov (United States)

Weissmannová, Helena Doležalová; Pavlovský, Jiří

2017-11-07

This article provides the assessment of heavy metal soil pollution with using the calculation of various pollution indices and contains also summarization of the sources of heavy metal soil pollution. Twenty described indices of the assessment of soil pollution consist of two groups: single indices and total complex indices of pollution or contamination with relevant classes of pollution. This minireview provides also the classification of pollution indices in terms of the complex assessment of soil quality. In addition, based on the comparison of metal concentrations in soil-selected sites of the world and used indices of pollution or contamination in soils, the concentration of heavy metal in contaminated soils varied widely, and pollution indices confirmed the significant contribution of soil pollution from anthropogenic activities mainly in urban and industrial areas.

Logistic indicators measurement in two assembly operations feeded by supply-chains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Morais Menezes

2008-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a methodology for the measurement of logistic indicators. The methodology was applied in two cases: a shoewear assembling manufacture and a air conditioning assembling operation, both feeded by supply-chains. The study of the assembling operation can be useful in synchronizing the supply-chain and reducing variability in order arrivals by forming an assembly buffer. The methodology applies quantitative and graphic analysis to evaluate leadtime, inventory, performance and buffer. The first case was an exploration of the model, testing and refine its quantitative part. The second case, more extended, studied, in quantitative and graphically modes, two serial processes: standard assembling of items delivered by a supply-chain and customized services. The case was discussed and the implications analyzed. With the so calculated indicators, we suggest inventory reduction in assembling and increase in customization, so the total leadtime can also be reduced. Key words:, Logistic indicators, Queues in manufacture, Manufacturing Control; Variability in Supply Chains, Supply Chain management.

An Innovative Fuzzy-Logic-Based Methodology for Trend Identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xin; Tsoukalas, Lefteri H.; Wei, Thomas Y.C.; Reifman, Jaques

2001-01-01

A new fuzzy-logic-based methodology for on-line signal trend identification is introduced. The methodology may be used for detecting the onset of nuclear power plant (NPP) transients at the earliest possible time and could be of great benefit to diagnostic, maintenance, and performance-monitoring programs. Although signal trend identification is complicated by the presence of noise, fuzzy methods can help capture important features of on-line signals, integrate the information included in these features, and classify incoming NPP signals into increasing, decreasing, and steady-state trend categories. A computer program named PROTREN is developed and tested for the purpose of verifying this methodology using NPP and simulation data. The results indicate that the new fuzzy-logic-based methodology is capable of detecting transients accurately, it identifies trends reliably and does not misinterpret a steady-state signal as a transient one

EEA core set of indicators. Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

This guide provides information on the quality of the 37 indicators in the EEA core set. Its primary role is to support improved implementation of the core set in the EEA, European topic centres and the European environment information and observation network (Eionet). In parallel, it is aimed at helping users outside the EEA/Eionet system make best use of the indicators in their own work. It is hoped that the guide will promote cooperation on improving indicator methodologies and data quality as part of the wider process to streamline and improve environmental reporting in the European Union and beyond. (au)

AGR core safety assessment methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLachlan, N.; Reed, J.; Metcalfe, M.P.

1996-01-01

To demonstrate the safety of its gas-cooled graphite-moderated AGR reactors, nuclear safety assessments of the cores are based upon a methodology which demonstrates no component failures, geometrical stability of the structure and material properties bounded by a database. All AGRs continue to meet these three criteria. However, predictions of future core behaviour indicate that the safety case methodology will eventually need to be modified to deal with new phenomena. A new approach to the safety assessment of the cores is currently under development, which can take account of these factors while at the same time providing the same level of protection for the cores. This approach will be based on the functionality of the core: unhindered movement of control rods, continued adequate cooling of the fuel and the core, continued ability to charge and discharge fuel. (author). 5 figs

Safety indicators as a tool for operational safety evaluation of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, Jefferson Borges; Melo, Paulo Fernando Ferreira Frutuoso e; Schirru, Roberto

2009-01-01

Performance indicators have found a wide use in the conventional and nuclear industries. For the conventional industry, the goal is to optimize production, reducing loss of time with accidents, human error and equipment downtimes. In the nuclear industry, nuclear safety is an additional goal. This paper presents a general methodology to the establishment, selection and use of safety indicators for a two loop PWR plant, as Angra 1. The use of performance indicators is not new. The NRC has its own methodology and the IAEA presents methodology suggestions, but there is no detailed documentation about indicators selection, criteria and bases used. Additionally, only the NRC methodology performs a limited integrated evaluation. The study performed identifies areas considered critical for the plant operational safety. For each of these areas, strategic sub-areas are defined. For each strategic sub-area, specific safety indicators are defined. These proposed Safety Indicators are based on the contribution to risk considering a quantitative risk analysis. For each safety indicator, a goal, a bounded interval and proper bases are developed, to allow for a clear and comprehensive individual behavior evaluation. On the establishment of the intervals and boundaries, a probabilistic safety study, operational experience, international and national standards and technical specifications were used. Additionally, an integrated evaluation of the indicators, using expert systems, was done to obtain an overview of the plant general safety. This evaluation uses well-defined and clear rules and weights for each indicator to be considered. These rules were implemented by means of a computational language, on a friendly interface, so that it is possible to obtain a quick response about operational safety. This methodology can be used to identify situations where the plant safety is challenged, by giving a general overview of the plant operational condition. Additionally, this study can

Interfacing system LOCA risk assessment: Methodology and application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galyean, W.J.; Schroeher, J.A.; Hanson, D.J.

1991-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is sponsoring a research program to develop an improved understanding of the human factors hardware, and accident consequence issues that dominate the risk from an Interfacing Systems Loss-of-Coolant Accident (ISLOCA) at a nuclear power plant. To accomplish this program, a methodology has been developed for estimating the core damage frequency and risk associated with an ISLOCA. The steps of the methodology are described with emphasis on one step which is unique, estimation of the probability of rupture of the low pressure systems. A trial application of the methodology was made for a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The results are believed to be plant specific and indicate that human errors during startup and shutdown could be significant contributors to ISLOCA risk at the plant evaluated. 10 refs

Economic sentiment indicator and its information capability in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radka Martináková

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the indicators of economic agents’ perceptions in the Czech Republic. We assume that these information are provided by economic sentiment indicator surveys based on the Joint Harmonised EU Programme. The aim of this paper is to offer the alternate methodology of qualitative data transformation (balance statistic data in relation with the macroeconomic quantitative indicators. In the empirical analysis we distinguished between the indicators of confidence in industry, construction, retail and consumer confidence indicator. We found link between the aggregate economic sentiment indicator and economic activity. Especially, aggregate economic sentiment indicator copies the development of the GDP. However, partial indicators does not follow changes in the specific sectors of the economy. We also found that economic agents underestimate the intensity of the economic recession after the year 2007.Finally, we cannot recommend the economic sentiment indicator as the leading indicator of the future economic activity in the Czech Republic. Our methodological contribution is in quantifying of the consumer survey results by standardization.

A Generalizable Methodology for Quantifying User Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Te-Yuan; Chen, Kuan-Ta; Huang, Polly; Lei, Chin-Laung

Quantifying user satisfaction is essential, because the results can help service providers deliver better services. In this work, we propose a generalizable methodology, based on survival analysis, to quantify user satisfaction in terms of session times, i. e., the length of time users stay with an application. Unlike subjective human surveys, our methodology is based solely on passive measurement, which is more cost-efficient and better able to capture subconscious reactions. Furthermore, by using session times, rather than a specific performance indicator, such as the level of distortion of voice signals, the effects of other factors like loudness and sidetone, can also be captured by the developed models. Like survival analysis, our methodology is characterized by low complexity and a simple model-developing process. The feasibility of our methodology is demonstrated through case studies of ShenZhou Online, a commercial MMORPG in Taiwan, and the most prevalent VoIP application in the world, namely Skype. Through the model development process, we can also identify the most significant performance factors and their impacts on user satisfaction and discuss how they can be exploited to improve user experience and optimize resource allocation.

Methodology applied to develop the DHIE: applied methodology

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Herselman, Marlien

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This section will address the methodology that was applied to develop the South African Digital Health Innovation Ecosystem (DHIE). Each chapter under Section B represents a specific phase in the methodology....

Energy use in the Greek manufacturing sector: A methodological framework based on physical indicators with aggregation and decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salta, Myrsine; Polatidis, Heracles; Haralambopoulos, Dias

2009-01-01

A bottom-up methodological framework was developed and applied for the period 1985-2002, to selected manufacturing sub-sectors in Greece namely, food, beverages and tobacco, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, non-metallic minerals and paper. Disaggregate physical data were aggregated according to their specific energy consumption (SEC) values and physical energy efficiency indicators were estimated. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia index method was also used and the effects of the production, structure and energy efficiency to changes in sub-sectoral manufacturing energy use were further assessed. Primary physical energy efficiency improved by 28% for the iron and steel and by 9% for the non-metallic minerals industries, compared to the base year 1990. For the food, beverages and tobacco and the paper sub-sectors, primary efficiency deteriorated by 20% and by 15%, respectively; finally electricity efficiency deteriorated by 7% for the non-ferrous metals. Sub-sectoral energy use is mainly driven by production output and energy efficiency changes. Sensitivity analysis showed that alternative SEC values do not influence the results whereas the selected base year is more critical for this analysis. Significant efficiency improvements refer to 'heavy' industry; 'light' industry needs further attention by energy policy to modernize its production plants and improve its efficiency

Energy use in the Greek manufacturing sector: A methodological framework based on physical indicators with aggregation and decomposition analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salta, Myrsine; Polatidis, Heracles; Haralambopoulos, Dias [Energy Management Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene 81100 (Greece)

2009-01-15

A bottom-up methodological framework was developed and applied for the period 1985-2002, to selected manufacturing sub-sectors in Greece namely, food, beverages and tobacco, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, non-metallic minerals and paper. Disaggregate physical data were aggregated according to their specific energy consumption (SEC) values and physical energy efficiency indicators were estimated. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia index method was also used and the effects of the production, structure and energy efficiency to changes in sub-sectoral manufacturing energy use were further assessed. Primary physical energy efficiency improved by 28% for the iron and steel and by 9% for the non-metallic minerals industries, compared to the base year 1990. For the food, beverages and tobacco and the paper sub-sectors, primary efficiency deteriorated by 20% and by 15%, respectively; finally electricity efficiency deteriorated by 7% for the non-ferrous metals. Sub-sectoral energy use is mainly driven by production output and energy efficiency changes. Sensitivity analysis showed that alternative SEC values do not influence the results whereas the selected base year is more critical for this analysis. Significant efficiency improvements refer to ''heavy'' industry; ''light'' industry needs further attention by energy policy to modernize its production plants and improve its efficiency. (author)

Uncertainty in Odyssee indicators and energy savings. Development of a methodology and first results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boonekamp, P.G.M.; Gerdes, J. [ECN Policy Studies, Petten (Netherlands); Faberi, S. [Institute of Studies for the Integration of Systems ISIS, Rome (Italy)

2013-12-15

The ODYSSEE database on energy efficiency indicators (www.odyssee-indicators.org) has been set up to enable the monitoring and evaluation of realised energy efficiency improvements and related energy savings. The database covers the 27 EU countries as well as Norway and Croatia. Energy indicators that relate energy consumption to a physical output (ton of steel), a performance (person-km driven per car) or the number of energy using devices (refrigerators) can show the increase in energy efficiency realised, and the amount of energy saved. By aggregating indicators, Odyssee calculates energy efficiency indices by sector and for the whole economy (so-called ODEX), in order to evaluate overall energy efficiency progress. This work contributes to the growing need for quantitative monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of energy policies and measures, both at the EU and national level, e.g. due to the Energy Service Directive. Because of the central role of Odyssee indicators in policy evaluations it becomes more important to know how reliable the Odyssee figures are, or in other words, what is the uncertainty margin for the indicator values and the related savings. This report presents a first analysis of uncertainty margins in the indicators and savings figures. The work builds on earlier work in the preceding Odyssee project with regard to the quality of input data used in Odyssee.

L’environnement naturel et le changement climatique pendant les années Bush : la pertinence d’une différenciation des échelles territoriales Climate Change and the Natural Environment in the Bush Years: The Relevance of Territorial Scale Differentiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia Ghorra-Gobin

2010-03-01

Full Text Available L’attitude de l’administration fédérale au cours des huit années de l’administration Bush contraste avec celle du contexte des années 1960-1970 pour ce qui concerne la prise en compte de l’environnement naturel dans les décisions économiques. Toutefois, cet engagement limité du président Bush sur la question du changement climatique dans les débats internationaux n’a pas pour autant réduit les capacités de mobilisation des États et des villes sur ce thème.On the issue of whether climate change should be taken into account in economic decisions, the federal administration’s attitude during the Bush Presidency sharply contrasted with the attitudes of earlier administrations, particularly in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The limited concern for climate change which the federal government exhibited in the international arena did not reduce, however, the mobilization of states and local communities on this issue.

Sustainability of melon cultivation in São Romão settlement in Mossoró/RN: determination of indicators by the MESMIS methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivanildo Martins Formiga Júnior

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Currently, agriculture is one of the most discussed topics in the theoretical field of sustainability. Debates regarding this issue are increasingly recurrent and put in question the model adopted from the post-war, the so-called green revolution. In the state of Rio Grande do Norte, the agricultural potential lies mainly in irrigated horticulture, where stands the agropolo Acu-Mossoró as one of the greatest watermelon producing regions of Brazil. The cultivation of watermelon, once dominated by large agricultural companies, is currently developed by agroecosystems whose management is characterized by family participation, including small farmers of rural settlements created by Incra. Aiming to assess the sustainability of this type of cultivation, was used the MESMIS methodology in the in São Romão settlement in Mossoró-RN, which is primarily engaged in the cultivation of irrigated melon. Seven critical points were determined and selected twenty-three indicators that directly affect the sustainability of the researched area.

Methodology is more than research design and technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, Robert W

2005-05-01

The Society for Computers in Psychology has been at the forefront of disseminating information about advances in computer technology and their applications for psychologists. Although technological advances, as well as clean research designs, are key contributors to progress in psychological research, the justification of methodological rules for interpreting data and making theory choices is at least as important. Historically, methodological beliefs and practices have been justified through intuition and logic, an approach known as foundationism. However, naturalism, a modern approach in the philosophy of science inspired by the work of Thomas S. Kuhn, indicates that all aspects of scientific practice, including its methodology, should be evaluated empirically. This article examines implications of the naturalistic approach for psychological research methods in general and for the current debate that is often framed as one of qualitative versus quantitative methods.

Assessing the Ability of Vegetation Indices to Identify Shallow Subsurface Water Flow Pathways from Hyperspectral Imagery Using Machine Learning: Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Byers, J. M.; Doctor, K.

2017-12-01

A common application of the satellite and airborne acquired hyperspectral imagery in the visible and NIR spectrum is the assessment of vegetation. Various absorption features of plants related to both water and chlorophyll content can be used to measure the vigor and access to underlying water sources of the vegetation. The typical strategy is to form hand-crafted features from the hyperspectral data cube by selecting two wavelengths to form difference or ratio images in the pixel space. The new image attempts to provide greater contrast for some feature of the vegetation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a widely used example formed from the ratio of differences and sums at two different wavelengths. There are dozens of these indices that are ostensibly formed using insights about the underlying physics of the spectral absorption with claims to efficacy in representing various properties of vegetation. In the language of machine learning these vegetation indices are features that can be used as a useful data representation within an algorithm. In this work we use a powerful approach from machine learning, probabilistic graphical models (PGM), to balance the competing needs of using existing hydrological classifications of terrain while finding statistically reliable features within hyperspectral data for identifying the generative process of the data. The algorithm in its simplest form is called a Naïve Bayes (NB) classifier and can be constructed in a data-driven estimation procedure of the conditional probability distributions that form the PGM. The Naïve Bayes model assumes that all vegetation indices (VI) are independent of one another given the hydrological class label. We seek to test its validity in a pilot study of detecting subsurface water flow pathways from VI. A more sophisticated PGM will also be explored called a tree-augmented NB that accounts for the probabilistic dependence between VI features. This methodology provides a

Revised INPRO Methodology in the Area of Proliferation Resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J.H.; Lee, Y.D.; Yang, M.S.; Kim, J.K.; Haas, E.; Depisch, F.

2008-01-01

The official INPRO User Manual in the area of proliferation resistance is being processed for the evaluation of innovative nuclear energy systems. Proliferation resistance is one of the goals to be satisfied for future nuclear energy systems in INPRO. The features of currently updated and released INPRO methodology were introduced on basic principles, user requirements and indicators. The criteria for an acceptance limit were specified. The DUPIC fuel cycle was evaluated based on the updated INPRO methodology for the applicability of the INPRO User Manual. However, the INPRO methodology has some difficulty in quantifying the multiplicity and robustness as well as the total cost to improve proliferation resistance. Moreover, the integration method for the evaluation results still needs to be improved.

Sustainability Indicators for the Use of Resources—The Exergy Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koroneos, Christopher J.; Nanaki, Evanthia A.; Xydis, George

2012-01-01

, trends, and impacts. New thinking and research with regard to indicator frameworks, methodologies, and actual indicators are also needed. The value of the overall indicators depends on the production procedure of each material, and indicates their environmental impact. The use of “exergy indicators......” based on the exergy content of materials and the use of the second law of thermodynamics in this work presents the relationship between exergy content and environmental impact....

Systematic review of communication partner training in aphasia: methodological quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherney, Leora R; Simmons-Mackie, Nina; Raymer, Anastasia; Armstrong, Elizabeth; Holland, Audrey

2013-10-01

Twenty-three studies identified from a previous systematic review examining the effects of communication partner training on persons with aphasia and their communication partners were evaluated for methodological quality. Two reviewers rated the studies on defined methodological quality criteria relevant to each study design. There were 11 group studies, seven single-subject participant design studies, and five qualitative studies. Quality scores were derived for each study. The mean inter-rater reliability of scores for each study design ranged from 85-93%, with Cohen's Kappa indicating substantial agreement between raters. Methodological quality of research on communication partner training in aphasia was highly varied. Overall, group studies employed the least rigorous methodology as compared to single subject and qualitative research. Only two of 11 group studies complied with more than half of the quality criteria. No group studies reported therapist blinding and only one group study reported participant blinding. Across all types of studies, the criterion of treatment fidelity was most commonly omitted. Failure to explicitly report certain methodological quality criteria may account for low ratings. Using methodological rating scales specific to the type of study design may help improve the methodological quality of aphasia treatment studies, including those on communication partner training.

Scenario development methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eng, T.; Hudson, J.; Stephansson, O.

1994-11-01

In the period 1981-1994, SKB has studied several methodologies to systematize and visualize all the features, events and processes (FEPs) that can influence a repository for radioactive waste in the future. All the work performed is based on the terminology and basic findings in the joint SKI/SKB work on scenario development presented in the SKB Technical Report 89-35. The methodologies studied are a) Event tree analysis, b) Influence diagrams and c) Rock Engineering Systems (RES) matrices. Each one of the methodologies is explained in this report as well as examples of applications. One chapter is devoted to a comparison between the two most promising methodologies, namely: Influence diagrams and the RES methodology. In conclusion a combination of parts of the Influence diagram and the RES methodology is likely to be a promising approach. 26 refs

Methodology and integrated studies for the strategic regional uranium prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade Tolentino, J. de.

1984-01-01

An integrated methodology alternative to the traditional one used for uranium prospecting is presented. For this purpose a detailed revision of some methods for finding uranium was made. Then a geological unit located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, was chosen due to its geographical proximity to the Lagoa Real deposit in the Brazilian Bahia State. The methodology applied to this unit gave a preliminary indications of areas to be prospected in detail. 36 refs, 44 figs, 20 tabs

A dose to curie conversion methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stowe, P.A.

1987-01-01

Development of the computer code RadCAT (Radioactive waste Classification And Tracking) has led to the development of a simple dose rate to curie content conversion methodology for containers with internally distributed radioactive material. It was determined early on that, if possible, the computerized dose rate to curie evaluation model employed in RadCAT should yield the same results as the hand method utilized and specified in plant procedures. A review of current industry practices indicated two distinct types of computational methodologies are presently in use. The most common methods are computer based calculations utilizing complex mathematical models specifically established for various containers geometries. This type of evaluation is tedious, however, and does not lend itself to repetition by hand. The second method of evaluation, therefore, is simplified expressions that sacrifice accuracy for ease of computation, and generally over estimate container curie content. To meet the aforementioned criterion current computer based models were deemed unacceptably complex and hand computational methods to be too inaccurate for serious consideration. The contact dose rate/curie content analysis methodology presented herein provides an equation that is easy to use in hand calculations yet provides accuracy equivalent to other computer based computations

ON IMPROVEMENT OF METHODOLOGY FOR CALCULATING THE INDICATOR «AVERAGE WAGE»

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oksana V. Kuchmaeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the approaches to the calculation of the indicator of average wages in Russia with the use of several sources of information. The proposed method is based on data collected by Rosstat and the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation. The proposed approach allows capturing data on the wages of almost all groups of employees. Results of experimental calculations on the developed technique are present in this article.

Navigating the Process of Ethical Approval: A methodological note

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eileen Carey, RNID, BSc. (hons, MSc.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Classic grounded theory (CGT methodology is a general methodology whereby the researcher aims to develop an emergent conceptual theory from empirical data collected by the researcher during the research study. Gaining ethical approval from relevant ethics committees to access such data is the starting point for processing a CGT study. The adoption of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights (UNESCO, 2005 is an indication of global consensus on the importance of research ethics. There is, however, a wide variation of health research systems across countries and disciplines (Hearnshaw 2004. Institutional Research Boards (IRB or Research Ethics Committees (REC have been established in many countries to regulate ethical research ensuring that researchers agree to, and adhere to, specific ethical and methodological conditions prior to ethical approval being granted. Interestingly, both the processes and outcomes through which the methodological aspects pertinent to CGT studies are agreed between the researcher and ethics committee remain largely ambiguous and vague. Therefore, meeting the requirements for ethical approval from ethics committees, while enlisting the CGT methodology as a chosen research approach, can be daunting for novice researchers embarking upon their first CGT study.

Indicator development methodology for volunteer tourism in host communities: creating a low-cost, locally applicable, rapid assessment tool

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher A. Lupoli; Wayde C. Morse; Conner Bailey; John Schelhas

2015-01-01

Two prominent critiques of volunteer tourism are that it is a top-down imposed form of development treating host communities as passive recipients of international aid, and that the impacts of volunteer tourism in host communities are not systematically evaluated. To address this we identified a pre-existing participatory methodology for assessing community...

An Application of the Methodology for Assessment of the Sustainability of Air Transport System

Science.gov (United States)

Janic, Milan

2003-01-01

An assessment and operationalization of the concept of sustainable air transport system is recognized as an important but complex research, operational and policy task. In the scope of the academic efforts to properly address the problem, this paper aims to assess the sustainability of air transport system. It particular, the paper describes the methodology for assessment of sustainability and its potential application. The methodology consists of the indicator systems, which relate to the air transport system operational, economic, social and environmental dimension of performance. The particular indicator systems are relevant for the particular actors such users (air travellers), air transport operators, aerospace manufacturers, local communities, governmental authorities at different levels (local, national, international), international air transport associations, pressure groups and public. In the scope of application of the methodology, the specific cases are selected to estimate the particular indicators, and thus to assess the system sustainability under given conditions.

Archetype modeling methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Moner, David; Maldonado, José Alberto; Robles, Montserrat

2018-03-01

Clinical Information Models (CIMs) expressed as archetypes play an essential role in the design and development of current Electronic Health Record (EHR) information structures. Although there exist many experiences about using archetypes in the literature, a comprehensive and formal methodology for archetype modeling does not exist. Having a modeling methodology is essential to develop quality archetypes, in order to guide the development of EHR systems and to allow the semantic interoperability of health data. In this work, an archetype modeling methodology is proposed. This paper describes its phases, the inputs and outputs of each phase, and the involved participants and tools. It also includes the description of the possible strategies to organize the modeling process. The proposed methodology is inspired by existing best practices of CIMs, software and ontology development. The methodology has been applied and evaluated in regional and national EHR projects. The application of the methodology provided useful feedback and improvements, and confirmed its advantages. The conclusion of this work is that having a formal methodology for archetype development facilitates the definition and adoption of interoperable archetypes, improves their quality, and facilitates their reuse among different information systems and EHR projects. Moreover, the proposed methodology can be also a reference for CIMs development using any other formalism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A framework for the establishment of organizational risk indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oien, K.

2001-01-01

Organizational risk indicators are proposed as a tool for risk control during operation of offshore installations, as a complement to QRA-based indicators. An organizational factor framework is developed based on a review of existing organizational factor frameworks, research on safety performance indicators, and previous work on QRA-based indicators. The results comprise a qualitative organizational model, proposed organizational risk indicators, and a quantification methodology for assessing the impact of the organization on risk. The risk indicators, when validated, will aid in a frequent control of the risk in the periods between the updating of the quantitative risk assessments

Toward Paradigmatic Change in TESOL Methodologies: Building Plurilingual Pedagogies from the Ground Up

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Angel

2013-01-01

Contemporary TESOL methodologies have been characterized by compartmentalization of languages in the classroom. However, recent years have seen the beginning signs of paradigmatic change in TESOL methodologies that indicate a move toward plurilingualism. In this article, the author draws on the case of Hong Kong to illustrate how, in the past four…

Analysis of offsite dose calculation methodology for a nuclear power reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, D.M.

1995-01-01

This technical study reviews the methodology for calculating offsite dose estimates as described in the offsite dose calculation manual (ODCM) for Pennsylvania Power and Light - Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (SSES). An evaluation of the SSES ODCM dose assessment methodology indicates that it conforms with methodology accepted by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Using 1993 SSES effluent data, dose estimates are calculated according to SSES ODCM methodology and compared to the dose estimates calculated according to SSES ODCM and the computer model used to produce the reported 1993 dose estimates. The 1993 SSES dose estimates are based on the axioms of Publication 2 of the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP). SSES Dose estimates based on the axioms of ICRP Publication 26 and 30 reveal the total body estimates to be the most affected

Methodological exploratory study applied to occupational epidemiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carneiro, Janete C.G. Gaburo; Vasques, MOnica Heloisa B.; Fontinele, Ricardo S.; Sordi, Gian Maria A. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mail: janetegc@ipen.br

2007-07-01

The utilization of epidemiologic methods and techniques has been object of practical experimentation and theoretical-methodological reflection in health planning and programming process. Occupational Epidemiology is the study of the causes and prevention of diseases and injuries from exposition and risks in the work environment. In this context, there is no intention to deplete such a complex theme but to deal with basic concepts of Occupational Epidemiology, presenting the main characteristics of the analysis methods used in epidemiology, as investigate the possible determinants of exposition (chemical, physical and biological agents). For this study, the social-demographic profile of the IPEN-CNEN/SP work force was used. The knowledge of this reference population composition is based on sex, age, educational level, marital status and different occupations, aiming to know the relation between the health aggravating factors and these variables. The methodology used refers to a non-experimental research based on a theoretical methodological practice. The work performed has an exploratory character, aiming a later survey of indicators in the health area in order to analyze possible correlations related to epidemiologic issues. (author)

Methodological exploratory study applied to occupational epidemiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneiro, Janete C.G. Gaburo; Vasques, MOnica Heloisa B.; Fontinele, Ricardo S.; Sordi, Gian Maria A.

2007-01-01

The utilization of epidemiologic methods and techniques has been object of practical experimentation and theoretical-methodological reflection in health planning and programming process. Occupational Epidemiology is the study of the causes and prevention of diseases and injuries from exposition and risks in the work environment. In this context, there is no intention to deplete such a complex theme but to deal with basic concepts of Occupational Epidemiology, presenting the main characteristics of the analysis methods used in epidemiology, as investigate the possible determinants of exposition (chemical, physical and biological agents). For this study, the social-demographic profile of the IPEN-CNEN/SP work force was used. The knowledge of this reference population composition is based on sex, age, educational level, marital status and different occupations, aiming to know the relation between the health aggravating factors and these variables. The methodology used refers to a non-experimental research based on a theoretical methodological practice. The work performed has an exploratory character, aiming a later survey of indicators in the health area in order to analyze possible correlations related to epidemiologic issues. (author)

Measures and Indicators of Vgi Quality: AN Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniou, V.; Skopeliti, A.

2015-08-01

The evaluation of VGI quality has been a very interesting and popular issue amongst academics and researchers. Various metrics and indicators have been proposed for evaluating VGI quality elements. Various efforts have focused on the use of well-established methodologies for the evaluation of VGI quality elements against authoritative data. In this paper, a number of research papers have been reviewed and summarized in a detailed report on measures for each spatial data quality element. Emphasis is given on the methodology followed and the data used in order to assess and evaluate the quality of the VGI datasets. However, as the use of authoritative data is not always possible many researchers have turned their focus on the analysis of new quality indicators that can function as proxies for the understanding of VGI quality. In this paper, the difficulties in using authoritative datasets are briefly presented and new proposed quality indicators are discussed, as recorded through the literature review. We classify theses new indicators in four main categories that relate with: i) data, ii) demographics, iii) socio-economic situation and iv) contributors. This paper presents a dense, yet comprehensive overview of the research on this field and provides the basis for the ongoing academic effort to create a practical quality evaluation method through the use of appropriate quality indicators.

MEASURES AND INDICATORS OF VGI QUALITY: AN OVERVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Antoniou

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The evaluation of VGI quality has been a very interesting and popular issue amongst academics and researchers. Various metrics and indicators have been proposed for evaluating VGI quality elements. Various efforts have focused on the use of well-established methodologies for the evaluation of VGI quality elements against authoritative data. In this paper, a number of research papers have been reviewed and summarized in a detailed report on measures for each spatial data quality element. Emphasis is given on the methodology followed and the data used in order to assess and evaluate the quality of the VGI datasets. However, as the use of authoritative data is not always possible many researchers have turned their focus on the analysis of new quality indicators that can function as proxies for the understanding of VGI quality. In this paper, the difficulties in using authoritative datasets are briefly presented and new proposed quality indicators are discussed, as recorded through the literature review. We classify theses new indicators in four main categories that relate with: i data, ii demographics, iii socio-economic situation and iv contributors. This paper presents a dense, yet comprehensive overview of the research on this field and provides the basis for the ongoing academic effort to create a practical quality evaluation method through the use of appropriate quality indicators.

76 FR 34270 - Federal-State Extended Benefits Program-Methodology for Calculating “on” or “off” Total...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-13

... requirement. The Department plans to promulgate regulations about this methodology in the near future. In the...--Methodology for Calculating ``on'' or ``off'' Total Unemployment Rate Indicators for Purposes of Determining..., Labor. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: UIPL 16-11 informs states of the methodology used to calculate the ``on...

Life cycle assessment. Specific indicators for Italy in impact evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masoni, P.

1999-01-01

After a brief recall and a short description of the LCA (life cycle assessment) methodology, the work is focused on the impact assessment step, discussing the state of the art and a critical identification of environmental indicators, of normalization and weighting principles for the different environmental categories specific for Italy. The application methodology to a case study concerning the production of butter by the Consorzio Granterre of Modena (Italy) is also described [it

Para-Quantitative Methodology: Reclaiming Experimentalism in Educational Research

Science.gov (United States)

Shabani Varaki, Bakhtiar; Floden, Robert E.; Javidi Kalatehjafarabadi, Tahereh

2015-01-01

This article focuses on the criticisms of current approaches in educational research methodology. It summarizes rationales for mixed methods and argues that the mixing quantitative paradigm and qualitative paradigm is problematic due to practical and philosophical arguments. It is also indicated that the current rise of mixed methods work has…

Methodology for the collection and application of information on food ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

S Blignaut

ISSN 0378-5254 Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences, Vol 26: No 2, 1998. 89. Methodology .... Food preference therefore indicates an individual's personal motivation ...... food behavior in Sanjur, D. Social and cultural perspec-.

Measuring the impact of methodological research: a framework and methods to identify evidence of impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Brueton, Valerie C; Vale, Claire L; Choodari-Oskooei, Babak; Jinks, Rachel; Tierney, Jayne F

2014-11-27

Providing evidence of impact highlights the benefits of medical research to society. Such evidence is increasingly requested by research funders and commonly relies on citation analysis. However, other indicators may be more informative. Although frameworks to demonstrate the impact of clinical research have been reported, no complementary framework exists for methodological research. Therefore, we assessed the impact of methodological research projects conducted or completed between 2009 and 2012 at the UK Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit Hub for Trials Methodology Research Hub, with a view to developing an appropriate framework. Various approaches to the collection of data on research impact were employed. Citation rates were obtained using Web of Science (http://www.webofknowledge.com/) and analyzed descriptively. Semistructured interviews were conducted to obtain information on the rates of different types of research output that indicated impact for each project. Results were then pooled across all projects. Finally, email queries pertaining to methodology projects were collected retrospectively and their content analyzed. Simple citation analysis established the citation rates per year since publication for 74 methodological publications; however, further detailed analysis revealed more about the potential influence of these citations. Interviews that spanned 20 individual research projects demonstrated a variety of types of impact not otherwise collated, for example, applications and further developments of the research; release of software and provision of guidance materials to facilitate uptake; formation of new collaborations and broad dissemination. Finally, 194 email queries relating to 6 methodological projects were received from 170 individuals across 23 countries. They provided further evidence that the methodologies were impacting on research and research practice, both nationally and internationally. We have used the information

Environmental indicators for the nuclear area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, Cezar Braga; Mattiolo, Sandra Regina, E-mail: cezar.braga@ctmsp.mar.mil.br [Centro Tecnologico da Marinha em Sao Paujo (CTMSP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Environmental indicators are tools utilized for measuring the industrial environmental performance and are globally used to provide the company and other stakeholders with information concerning its effectiveness and sustainability. Furthermore, the environmental indicators are an important methodological tool used for monitoring the effectiveness of Environmental Management System goals, as well as its compliance with the established environmental policies. Currently, major companies have reported their environmental indicators based on specialized guides, such as the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), enumerating the most important indicators for the company activities. However, the GRI as other bibliographies of this subject does not include specific indicators for the nuclear area, leaving a significant gap to be considered for the measurement of environmental performance of this industry. Therefore, it becomes relevant to raise the following questions. May the nuclear sector use the same indicators of the non-nuclear industry? Are these indicators effective in demonstrating environmental commitment? In this work, a discussion of the indicators for the nuclear area and the CTMSP will take place. (author)

Environmental indicators for the nuclear area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Cezar Braga; Mattiolo, Sandra Regina

2013-01-01

Environmental indicators are tools utilized for measuring the industrial environmental performance and are globally used to provide the company and other stakeholders with information concerning its effectiveness and sustainability. Furthermore, the environmental indicators are an important methodological tool used for monitoring the effectiveness of Environmental Management System goals, as well as its compliance with the established environmental policies. Currently, major companies have reported their environmental indicators based on specialized guides, such as the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), enumerating the most important indicators for the company activities. However, the GRI as other bibliographies of this subject does not include specific indicators for the nuclear area, leaving a significant gap to be considered for the measurement of environmental performance of this industry. Therefore, it becomes relevant to raise the following questions. May the nuclear sector use the same indicators of the non-nuclear industry? Are these indicators effective in demonstrating environmental commitment? In this work, a discussion of the indicators for the nuclear area and the CTMSP will take place. (author)

Load shape development for Swedish commercial and public buildings - methodologies and results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noren, C.

1999-06-01

The knowledge concerning electricity consumption, and especially load demand, in Swedish commercial buildings is very limited. The current study deals with methods for electricity consumption indicator development and application of the different methodologies on measured data. Typical load shapes and consumption indicators are developed for four different types of commercial buildings: schools, hotels, grocery stores and department stores. Two different methodologies for consumption indicator development are presented and discussed. The influence on load demand from different factors such as, installations, outdoor temperature and building activities is studied. It is suggested that building floor area is not an accurate determinant of building electricity consumption and it is necessary to consider other factors as those just mentioned to understand commercial building electricity consumption. The application of the two methodologies on measured data shows that typical load shapes can be developed with reasonable accuracy. For most of the categories it is possible to use the typical load shapes for approximation of whole-building load shapes with error rates about 10-25% depending on day-type and building type. Comparisons of the developed load shapes with measured data show good agreement 49 refs, 22 figs, 3 tabs

Methodology for Assessing the Degree of Internationalization of Business Academic Study Programmes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan-Cristian Dabija

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology for assessing the degree of internationalization of undergraduate, Master’s and doctoral business programmes with the aid of complex indicators designed to capture the vast array of characteristics displayed by these programmes and contribute to their promotion in the international academic competition. The methodology should include both general indicators applicable to any study programme and some indicators that are specifically developed for business study programmes. No consensus exists in the internationalization literature and practice over the actual scope and the indicators to be considered in the implementation of such a study. Researchers rather propose methods for assessing and prioritizing universities and/or faculties and lay down a lot of criteria according to which rankings are developed. These rankings are mainly focused on the level of internationalization of socioeconomic and engineering study programmes. Being aware of the limits of theory and practice, the authors develop a scoring model that measures the degree of internationalization of business education curricula according to stringent criteria. The research originality lies in the attempt to describe the avenues of a new methodology for measuring and assessing realistically the economic study programmes so that these may be better positioned on the educational market and become more attractive to the future candidates. Based on a synergistic approach to indicators, the model may contribute to creating competitive advantage in relation to other programmes from the same university or from partner institutions.

Amalgamation of performance indicators to support NRC senior management reviews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wreathall, J.; Schurman, D.; Modarres, M.; Mosleh, A.; Anderson, N.; Reason, J.

1991-01-01

The purpose of this project is to develop a methodology for amalgamating performance indicators to provide an overall perspective on plant safety, as one input to Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) senior management reviews of plant safety. These reviews are used to adjust the level of oversight by NRC. Work completed to date includes the development of frameworks for relating indicator measures to safety, a classification scheme for performance indicators, and a mapping process to portray indicators in the frameworks

Assessing potential health effects from municipal sludge incinerators: screening methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradkin, L.; Bruins, J.F.; Lutkenhoff, S.D.; Stara, J.F.; Lomnitz, E.; Rubin, A.

1987-04-01

This paper describes a risk assessment methodology for preliminary assessment of municipal sludge incineration. The methodology is a valuable tool in that it can be used for determining the hazard indices of chemical contaminants that might be present in sewage sludge used in incineration. The paper examines source characteristics (i.e., facility design), atmospheric dispersion of emission, and resulting human exposure and risk from sludge incinerators. Seven of the ten organics were screened for further investigation. An example of the calculations are presented for cadmium.

Towards more sustainable management of European food waste: Methodological approach and numerical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Manfredi, Simone; Cristobal, Jorge

2016-09-01

Trying to respond to the latest policy needs, the work presented in this article aims at developing a life-cycle based framework methodology to quantitatively evaluate the environmental and economic sustainability of European food waste management options. The methodology is structured into six steps aimed at defining boundaries and scope of the evaluation, evaluating environmental and economic impacts and identifying best performing options. The methodology is able to accommodate additional assessment criteria, for example the social dimension of sustainability, thus moving towards a comprehensive sustainability assessment framework. A numerical case study is also developed to provide an example of application of the proposed methodology to an average European context. Different options for food waste treatment are compared, including landfilling, composting, anaerobic digestion and incineration. The environmental dimension is evaluated with the software EASETECH, while the economic assessment is conducted based on different indicators expressing the costs associated with food waste management. Results show that the proposed methodology allows for a straightforward identification of the most sustainable options for food waste, thus can provide factual support to decision/policy making. However, it was also observed that results markedly depend on a number of user-defined assumptions, for example on the choice of the indicators to express the environmental and economic performance. © The Author(s) 2016.

A methodology to enlarge narrow stability windows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo, Ewerton M.P.; Pastor, Jorge A.S.C.; Fontoura, Sergio A.B. [Pontificia Univ. Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Civil. Grupo de Tecnologia e Engenharia de Petroleo

2004-07-01

The stability window in a wellbore design is defined by the difference between fracture pressure and collapse pressure. Deep water environments typically present narrow stability windows, because rocks have low strength due to under-compaction process. Often also, horizontal wells are drilled to obtain a better development of reservoirs placed in thin layers of sandstone. In this scenario, several challenges are faced when drilling in deep water. The traditional approach for predicting instabilities is to determine collapses and fractures at borehole wall. However, the initiation of rupture does not indicate that the borehole fails to perform its function as a wellbore. Thus, a methodology in which the stability window may be enlarged is desirable. This paper presents one practical analytical methodology that consists in allowing wellbore pressures smaller than the conventional collapse pressure, i.e., based upon failure on the borehole wall. This means that a collapse region (shear failure) will be developed around the borehole wall. This collapse region is pre-defined and to estimate its size is used a failure criterion. The aforementioned methodology is implemented in a user-friendly software, which can perform analyses of stress, pore pressure, formation failure, mud weight and mud salinity design for drilling in shale formations. Simulations of a wellbore drilling in a narrow stability window environment are performed to demonstrate the improvements of using the methodology. (author)

Monitoring Human Development Goals: A Straightforward (Bayesian) Methodology for Cross-National Indices

Science.gov (United States)

Abayomi, Kobi; Pizarro, Gonzalo

2013-01-01

We offer a straightforward framework for measurement of progress, across many dimensions, using cross-national social indices, which we classify as linear combinations of multivariate country level data onto a univariate score. We suggest a Bayesian approach which yields probabilistic (confidence type) intervals for the point estimates of country…

Can citizen science produce good science? Testing the OPAL Air Survey methodology, using lichens as indicators of nitrogenous pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Tregidgo, Daniel J; West, Sarah E; Ashmore, Mike R

2013-11-01

Citizen science is having increasing influence on environmental monitoring as its advantages are becoming recognised. However methodologies are often simplified to make them accessible to citizen scientists. We tested whether a recent citizen science survey (the OPAL Air Survey) could detect trends in lichen community composition over transects away from roads. We hypothesised that the abundance of nitrophilic lichens would decrease with distance from the road, while that of nitrophobic lichens would increase. The hypothesised changes were detected along strong pollution gradients, but not where the road source was relatively weak, or background pollution relatively high. We conclude that the simplified OPAL methodology can detect large contrasts in nitrogenous pollution, but it may not be able to detect more subtle changes in pollution exposure. Similar studies are needed in conjunction with the ever-growing body of citizen science work to ensure that the limitations of these methods are fully understood. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deriving Multidimensional Poverty Indicators: Methodological Issues and an Empirical Analysis for Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Coromaldi, Manuela; Zoli, Mariangela

2012-01-01

Theoretical and empirical studies have recently adopted a multidimensional concept of poverty. There is considerable debate about the most appropriate degree of multidimensionality to retain in the analysis. In this work we add to the received literature in two ways. First, we derive indicators of multiple deprivation by applying a particular…

A Review on the research and practice of city sustainable development indicators and indices

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Ning

2017-10-01

City sustainable development indicators and indices have become a hot issue in academic research and practical application, alongside the high-speed worldwide urbanization and driven by the actual managing demand. This article is aimed at a clear understanding of the progress in relevant research and practice. This is done by collecting common indicators and indices for city sustainable development and making comparison of the assessment process and contents, so as to find out main obstacles for the development of this research field and explore the direction for efforts to be made next step. The article divides these indicators and indices into two categories: ① indicators serving as single index which can provide an explicit description on the relationship between economic activities and environmental carrying capacity, but have a narrow scope of assessment and use complicated methods to collect and calculate data; ② indices based on indicator systems which can represent multiple processes, could reflect the view of strong sustainability and are easy to use, but can hardly depict the responding relationship between social, environmental and economic changes for city sustainable development or assure the scientific rigor of weight setting. Practices on indicators and indices for city sustainable development was summarized, and its problems were reviewed with China being representative of transitioning countries. According to the review, great progress has been achieved in the research and practice of indicators and indices for city sustainable development, but consistency of theories, rationality of indicators and scientific rigor of methodology are to be improved significantly.

Sustainability, Indicators, and Institutions of Higher Education. Chapter 42

Science.gov (United States)

Indicators of commitment to sustainability commonly applied to institutions of higher education provide no estimate of the actual effects that these institutions have on the persistence or prevalence of the socioecological systems that encompass them. Emergy methodology provides ...

Application of Lean Healthcare methodology in a urology department of a tertiary hospital as a tool for improving efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Boronat, F; Budia, A; Broseta, E; Ruiz-Cerdá, J L; Vivas-Consuelo, D

To describe the application of the Lean methodology as a method for continuously improving the efficiency of a urology department in a tertiary hospital. The implementation of the Lean Healthcare methodology in a urology department was conducted in 3 phases: 1) team training and improvement of feedback among the practitioners, 2) management by process and superspecialisation and 3) improvement of indicators (continuous improvement). The indicators were obtained from the Hospital's information systems. The main source of information was the Balanced Scorecard for health systems management (CUIDISS). The comparison with other autonomous and national urology departments was performed through the same platform with the help of the Hospital's records department (IASIST). A baseline was established with the indicators obtained in 2011 for the comparative analysis of the results after implementing the Lean Healthcare methodology. The implementation of this methodology translated into high practitioner satisfaction, improved quality indicators reaching a risk-adjusted complication index (RACI) of 0.59 and a risk-adjusted mortality rate (RAMR) of 0.24 in 4 years. A value of 0.61 was reached with the efficiency indicator (risk-adjusted length of stay [RALOS] index), with a savings of 2869 stays compared with national Benchmarking (IASIST). The risk-adjusted readmissions index (RARI) was the only indicator above the standard, with a value of 1.36 but with progressive annual improvement of the same. The Lean methodology can be effectively applied to a urology department of a tertiary hospital to improve efficiency, obtaining significant and continuous improvements in all its indicators, as well as practitioner satisfaction. Team training, management by process, continuous improvement and delegation of responsibilities has been shown to be the fundamental pillars of this methodology. Copyright © 2017 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Methodological approach to organizational performance improvement process

OpenAIRE

Buble, Marin; Dulčić, Želimir; Pavić, Ivan

2017-01-01

Organizational performance improvement is one of the fundamental enterprise tasks. This especially applies to the case when the term “performance improvement” implies efficiency improvement measured by indicators, such as ROI, ROE, ROA, or ROVA/ROI. Such tasks are very complex, requiring implementation by means of project management. In this paper, the authors propose a methodological approach to improving the organizational performance of a large enterprise.

Energy index decomposition methodology at the plant level

Science.gov (United States)

Kumphai, Wisit

Scope and method of study. The dissertation explores the use of a high level energy intensity index as a facility-level energy performance monitoring indicator with a goal of developing a methodology for an economically based energy performance monitoring system that incorporates production information. The performance measure closely monitors energy usage, production quantity, and product mix and determines the production efficiency as a part of an ongoing process that would enable facility managers to keep track of and, in the future, be able to predict when to perform a recommissioning process. The study focuses on the use of the index decomposition methodology and explored several high level (industry, sector, and country levels) energy utilization indexes, namely, Additive Log Mean Divisia, Multiplicative Log Mean Divisia, and Additive Refined Laspeyres. One level of index decomposition is performed. The indexes are decomposed into Intensity and Product mix effects. These indexes are tested on a flow shop brick manufacturing plant model in three different climates in the United States. The indexes obtained are analyzed by fitting an ARIMA model and testing for dependency between the two decomposed indexes. Findings and conclusions. The results concluded that the Additive Refined Laspeyres index decomposition methodology is suitable to use on a flow shop, non air conditioned production environment as an energy performance monitoring indicator. It is likely that this research can be further expanded in to predicting when to perform a recommissioning process.

Reliability modelling of repairable systems using Petri nets and fuzzy Lambda-Tau methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knezevic, J.; Odoom, E.R.

2001-01-01

A methodology is developed which uses Petri nets instead of the fault tree methodology and solves for reliability indices utilising fuzzy Lambda-Tau method. Fuzzy set theory is used for representing the failure rate and repair time instead of the classical (crisp) set theory because fuzzy numbers allow expert opinions, linguistic variables, operating conditions, uncertainty and imprecision in reliability information to be incorporated into the system model. Petri nets are used because unlike the fault tree methodology, the use of Petri nets allows efficient simultaneous generation of minimal cut and path sets

Theory and methodology of social, political and economic processes risks determining in different countries of the world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yashina Nadezhda, I.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The study deals with the problems of the theory and methodology of social, political and economic processes risks in different countries with relative indicators of the socio-economic development level, as well as the size and condition of the public debt. Developed by the authors the methodology of determining the risks of social, political and economic processes of public policy around the world revealed close relationship between socio-economic situation of the countries and their public debt. Within the framework of this methodology two groups of factors characterizing the socio-political and economic processes in the country are being developed. After that each exponent and indicator are being processed, using expert procedures. Maximum statutory values for tentatively referenced countries with effective and ineffective government policies are identified. Then standardization (specification and definition of integral (generalized indexes of socio-political and economic processes in the country are taking place. After that the ranking of countries by aggregated standardized ratio is arranged, taking into account the significance of the developed indicators. The final phase of implementation methodology is identifying risks of social, political and economic processes of public policy around the world. This is the ranking of countries by ratio of stability in public policy (stability of economic and socio-political processes in the country. As the result of implementation methodology the following output was received: what really makes a difference is not the amount of the country's debt, but how effectively it manages this debt, whether it has a goal to improve social and economic indicators. Practical testing methodology has proven that studied indicators fully characterize the development of the countries, their political, social and economic situation on the world stage.

Sustainability indicators for the assessment of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamford, Laurence; Azapagic, Adisa

2011-01-01

Electricity supplies an increasing share of the world's total energy demand and that contribution is set to increase. At the same time, there is increasing socio-political will to mitigate impacts of climate change as well as to improve energy security. This, in combination with the desire to ensure social and economic prosperity, creates a pressing need to consider the sustainability implications of future electricity generation. However, approaches to sustainability assessment differ greatly in their scope and methodology as currently there is no standardised approach. With this in mind, this paper reviews sustainability indicators that have previously been used to assess energy options and proposes a new sustainability assessment methodology based on a life cycle approach. In total, 43 indicators are proposed, addressing the techno-economic, environmental and social sustainability issues associated with energy systems. The framework has been developed primarily to address concerns associated with nuclear power in the UK, but is applicable to other energy technologies as well as to other countries. -- Highlights: → New framework for life cycle sustainability assessment of nuclear power developed. → The framework comprises 43 indicators addressing techno-economic, environmental and social sustainability. → Completely new indicators developed to address different sustainability issues, including nuclear proliferation, energy supply diversity and intergenerational equity. → The framework enables sustainability comparisons of nuclear and other electricity technologies. → Indicators can be used by various stakeholders, including industry, policy makers and NGOs to help identify more sustainable electricity options.

Materials selection as an interdisciplinary technical activity: basic methodology and case studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ferrante

2000-04-01

Full Text Available The technical activity known as Materials Selection is reviewed in its concepts and methodologies. Objectives and strategies are briefly presented and two important features are introduced and discussed; (i Merit Indices: a combination of materials properties, which maximises the objectives chosen by the designer and (ii Materials Properties Maps: a bi-dimensional space whose coordinates are pairs of properties in which materials can be plotted and compared directly in terms of their merit indices. A general strategy for the deduction of these indices is explained and a formal methodology to establish a ranking of candidate materials when multiple constraints intervene is presented. Finally, two case studies are discussed in depth, one related to materials substitution in the context of mechanical design and a less conventional case linking material selection to physical comfort in the home furniture industry.

Destination brands and website evaluation: a research methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Fernández-Cavia

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction:The World Wide Web has become the primary instrument used by tourists in order to search for information. As a result, tourism websites pertaining to destinations need to be appealing and must convey their brand image in an appropriate, effective manner. However, there is no methodology in place to assess the quality and communicative effectiveness of destination websites that is scientifically sound and universally accepted. The development of such a methodology is one of the tasks we have proposed within the framework of the research project: “New strategies for advertising and promoting Spanish tourism brands online” (CSO2008-02627, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Method: The project team have developed an interdisciplinary, all-embracing analysis template combining certain automated analyses with other qualitative and quantitative ones. The template comprises a total of 12 subject areas and 154 indicators prepared on the basis of contributions from prominent experts in each of the fields of work. This article sets out the analysis methodology drawn up and possible applications are given. Results: The primary aim of the project is to provide an assessment methodology that would make it possible to optimise destination brand websites, thus providing a tool to support the work of public tourism destination managers.

AEGIS methodology and a perspective from AEGIS methodology demonstrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dove, F.H.

1981-03-01

Objectives of AEGIS (Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems) are to develop the capabilities needed to assess the post-closure safety of waste isolation in geologic formation; demonstrate these capabilities on reference sites; apply the assessment methodology to assist the NWTS program in site selection, waste package and repository design; and perform repository site analyses for the licensing needs of NWTS. This paper summarizes the AEGIS methodology, the experience gained from methodology demonstrations, and provides an overview in the following areas: estimation of the response of a repository to perturbing geologic and hydrologic events; estimation of the transport of radionuclides from a repository to man; and assessment of uncertainties

Evaluating Urban Quality: Indicators and Assessment Tools for Smart Sustainable Cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiara Garau

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The analysis of urban sustainability is key to urban planning, and its usefulness extends to smart cities. Analyses of urban quality typically focus on applying methodologies that evaluate quality objectives at environmental, urban, and building levels. Research has shown that a system of indicators can be useful for developing qualitative and quantitative descriptors of urban environments. The first step in this study was to formulate a methodology to measure the quality of urban life based on investigative checklists and objective and subjective indicators, aggregated to develop an index to evaluate a city’s level of smart urban quality. The second step was to apply this methodology to evaluate the city of Cagliari (Italy at the neighbourhood scale, which is considered by literature the most suitable as a self-sufficient spatial unit for showing redevelopment results. In addition to sharing its research findings, this study aims to verify whether the methodology can be applied to similar urban contexts. The main outcomes of this research pertain to opportunities to numerically measure both objective and subjective aspects that affect urban quality. In this way, the most critical areas to be requalified have been highlighted in order to prepare policies congruent with the local context.

Big Data Analytics Methodology in the Financial Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Lawler, James; Joseph, Anthony

2017-01-01

Firms in industry continue to be attracted by the benefits of Big Data Analytics. The benefits of Big Data Analytics projects may not be as evident as frequently indicated in the literature. The authors of the study evaluate factors in a customized methodology that may increase the benefits of Big Data Analytics projects. Evaluating firms in the…

Clinical trial methodology

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Peace, Karl E; Chen, Ding-Geng

2011-01-01

... in the pharmaceutical industry, Clinical trial methodology emphasizes the importance of statistical thinking in clinical research and presents the methodology as a key component of clinical research...

Theoretical and methodological approaches to economic competitiveness (Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Macari Vadim

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article is based on study of several representative bibliographical sources,it is tried to examine, to order from logical and scientific point of view some of the most common theoretical and methodological understandings of the essence, definition, phenomenon, types, haracteristics and indices of economic competitiveness.

Theoretical and methodological approaches to economic competitiveness (part II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Macari Vadim

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This article, on the basis of the study of many representative bibliographic sources, examines and tries to order from logical and scientific point of view some of the most common theoretical and methodological treatments of the essence, definition, phenomenon, types, characteristics and indices of economic competitiveness.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS (Part II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vadim MACARI

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This article, on the basis of the study of many representative bibliographic sources, examines and tries to order from logical and scientific point of view some of the most common theoretical and methodological treatments of the essence, definition, phenomenon, types, characteristics and indices of economic competitiveness.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS (Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vadim MACARI

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article is based on study of several representative bibliographical sources,it is tried to examine, to order from logical and scientific point of view some of the most common theoretical and methodological understandings of the essence, definition, phenomenon, types, characteristics and indices of economic competitiveness.

Meta-Analytical Studies in Transport Economics. Methodology and Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brons, M.R.E.

2006-05-18

Vast increases in the external costs of transport in the late twentieth century have caused national and international governmental bodies to worry about the sustainability of their transport systems. In this thesis we use meta-analysis as a research method to study various topics in transport economics that are relevant for sustainable transport policymaking. Meta-analysis is a research methodology that is based on the quantitative summarisation of a body of previously documented empirical evidence. In several fields of economic, meta-analysis has become a well-accepted research tool. Despite the appeal of the meta-analytical approach, there are methodological difficulties that need to be acknowledged. We study a specific methodological problem which is common in meta-analysis in economics, viz., within-study dependence caused by multiple sampling techniques. By means of Monte Carlo analysis we investigate the effect of such dependence on the performance of various multivariate estimators. In the applied part of the thesis we use and develop meta-analytical techniques to study the empirical variation in indicators of the price sensitivity of demand for aviation transport, the price sensitivity of demand for gasoline, the efficiency of urban public transport and the valuation of the external costs of noise from rail transport. We focus on the estimation of mean values for these indicators and on the identification of the impact of conditioning factors.

Development of a simplified statistical methodology for nuclear fuel rod internal pressure calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyu Tae; Kim, Oh Hwan

1999-01-01

A simplified statistical methodology is developed in order to both reduce over-conservatism of deterministic methodologies employed for PWR fuel rod internal pressure (RIP) calculation and simplify the complicated calculation procedure of the widely used statistical methodology which employs the response surface method and Monte Carlo simulation. The simplified statistical methodology employs the system moment method with a deterministic statistical methodology employs the system moment method with a deterministic approach in determining the maximum variance of RIP. The maximum RIP variance is determined with the square sum of each maximum value of a mean RIP value times a RIP sensitivity factor for all input variables considered. This approach makes this simplified statistical methodology much more efficient in the routine reload core design analysis since it eliminates the numerous calculations required for the power history-dependent RIP variance determination. This simplified statistical methodology is shown to be more conservative in generating RIP distribution than the widely used statistical methodology. Comparison of the significances of each input variable to RIP indicates that fission gas release model is the most significant input variable. (author). 11 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs

Indicators validation for the improvement of environmental and social impact quantitative assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cloquell-Ballester, Vicente-Agustin; Cloquell-Ballester, Victor-Andres; Monterde-Diaz, Rafael; Santamarina-Siurana, Maria-Cristina

2006-01-01

Environmental and social impact quantitative assessment is an essential tool for the correct location of economic activities within the territory. The main problem of impact quantification lies in establishing the appropriateness of the instruments (indicators) utilised, such that their level of objectivity is the highest possible. To improve the quality of this kind of studies, the present contribution discusses this problematic question and its consequences and proposes a methodology for the validation of indicators. Finally, the methodology proposed is subjected to an observational and experimental test to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal. The test is performed on four indicators, which are designed ad hoc to assess alternatives in industrial facility location problems where the decision-making process has to be supported by an environmental and social impact assessment

Productivity in Academia: An Assessment of Causal Linkages between Output and Outcome Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Wamala, Robert; Ssembatya, Vincent A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate causal linkages between output and outcome indicators of productivity in academia. Design/methodology/approach: The duration of teaching service and the number of graduate students supervised to completion were adopted as output indicators of productivity. Equivalent outcome indicators were the…

Challenges in dental statistics: survey methodology topics

OpenAIRE

Pizzo, Giuseppe; Milani, Silvano; Spada, Elena; Ottolenghi, Livia

2013-01-01

This paper gathers some contributions concerning survey methodology in dental research, as discussed during the first Workshop of the SISMEC STATDENT working group on statistical methods and applications in dentistry, held in Ancona on the 28th September 2011.The first contribution deals with the European Global Oral Health Indicators Development (EGOHID) Project which proposed a comprehensive and standardized system of epidemiological tools (questionnaires and clinical forms) for national da...

Methodological approach to organizational performance improvement process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marin Buble

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Organizational performance improvement is one of the fundamental enterprise tasks. This especially applies to the case when the term “performance improvement” implies efficiency improvement measured by indicators, such as ROI, ROE, ROA, or ROVA/ROI. Such tasks are very complex, requiring implementation by means of project management. In this paper, the authors propose a methodological approach to improving the organizational performance of a large enterprise.

Methodology for the insecticide potential evaluation of forest species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales Soto, Leon; Garcia P, Carlos Mario

2000-01-01

The flora diversity of Colombia has an enormous potential in the rational use of its forest resources. Trees with biocides effects to pest control and diseases need to be investigated. The objective of this research was to develop a methodology with low costs, easy application and quick results. The methodology employed was as follows: selection of tree species based on bibliography, ancestral reports and personal observations. The process was as follows: field collection of plants, preparation of plants extracts, and test with Artemia Salina, leach to detect biological activity of the extracts using LC50. Bioassays with those extract more promising (LC50 less than 1000 ppm). The methodology was employed with 5 forest tree species: Guarea guidonia (L.) Sleumer and Trichia hirta L. (Meliaceae), machaerium moritzianum Benth. (Fabaceae), Swinglea glutinosa Merrill. (Rutaceae) and Mammea americana L. (Clusiaceae). Using Artemia salina Leach as indicator of biocidal potential, two species were selected as the most promising, those were: Swinglea glutinosa Merril and Machaerium moritzianum Benth. In addition bioassays were made to evaluate fagoinhibition on Atta cephalotes (L.) and control of Alconeura. This methodology is recommended for this kind of research

EnergiTools. A methodology for performance monitoring and diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2000-01-01

EnergiTools is a performance monitoring and diagnostic tool that combines the power of on-line process data acquisition with advanced diagnosis methodologies. Analytical models based on thermodynamic principles are combined with neural networks to validate sensor data and to estimate missing or faulty measurements. Advanced diagnostic technologies are then applied to point out potential faults and areas to be investigated further. The diagnosis methodologies are based on Bayesian belief networks. Expert knowledge is captured in the form of the fault-symptom relationships and includes historical information as the likelihood of faults and symptoms. The methodology produces the likelihood of component failure root causes using the expert knowledge base. EnergiTools is used at Ringhals nuclear power plants. It has led to the diagnosis of various performance issues. Three case studies based on this plant data and model are presented and illustrate the diagnosis support methodologies implemented in EnergiTools . In the first case, the analytical data qualification technique points out several faulty measurements. The application of a neural network for the estimation of the nuclear reactor power by interpreting several plant indicators is then illustrated. The use of the Bayesian belief networks is finally described. (author)

Indicators for Nuclear Power Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

Considering the scale of nuclear power aspirations, the number of planned nuclear new builds and the prospects of a number of countries constructing their first nuclear power plants, there is a need to assess the broader context of nuclear energy programmes in areas of macro-and socioeconomic conditions, energy systems and nuclear power, and the environment. It is important to assess the degree to which introduction or expansion of nuclear power is beneficial under these specific circumstances. This publication provides a set of indicators for nuclear power development that can serve as a tool to help explore these issues. The indicators are meant to provide a first order assessment of the situation and identify the issues that present the benefits and challenges in a balanced and objective manner and thereby help guide more detailed evaluations in the next stage of planning and preparations. Methodology sheets are provided to help users in data collection, quantification and interpretation of the indicators. The application of the indicators set is flexible. Users can select a subset of indicators that are most relevant for the questions they wish to explore in a given study or decision making process

Organ Donation European Quality System: ODEQUS project methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Manyalich, M; Guasch, X; Gomez, M P; Páez, G; Teixeira, L

2013-01-01

Differences in the number of organ donors among hospitals cannot be explained only by the number of intensive care unit beds used or neurologic patients treated. The figures obtained are influenced by the organizational structure of the donation process and how efficient it is. The Organ Donation European Quality System (ODEQUS) is a 3-year project (from October 2010 to September 2013) co-financed by the European Agency for Health and Consumers (EAHC20091108) which aims to define a methodology to evaluate organ procurement performance at the hospital level. ODEQUS's specific objectives are to identify quality criteria and to develop quality indicators in three types of organ donation (after brain death, after cardiac death, and living donation). Those tools will be useful for hospitals' self-assessment as well as for developing an international auditing model. A consortium has been established involving 14 associated partners from Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as five collaborating partners from Greece, Hungary, Malta, Slovenia, and Turkey. The project has been established in three steps: 1) Design of a survey about the use of quality tools in a wide sample of European hospitals; 2) Development of quality criteria and quality indicators by the project experts. The main fields considered have been organizational structures, clinical procedures, and outcomes; and 3) Elaboration of an evaluation system to test the quality indicators in 11 European hospitals. Two types of training have been designed and performed: one concerns the development of quality criteria and quality indicators, whereas another is focused on how to use evaluation tools. Following this methodology, the project has so far identified 131 quality criteria and developed 31 quality indicators. Currently, the quality indicators are being tested in 11 selected hospitals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Mapping flood and flooding potential indices: a methodological approach to identifying areas susceptible to flood and flooding risk. Case study: the Prahova catchment (Romania)

Science.gov (United States)

Zaharia, Liliana; Costache, Romulus; Prăvălie, Remus; Ioana-Toroimac, Gabriela

2017-04-01

Given that floods continue to cause yearly significant worldwide human and material damages, flood risk mitigation is a key issue and a permanent challenge in developing policies and strategies at various spatial scales. Therefore, a basic phase is elaborating hazard and flood risk maps, documents which are an essential support for flood risk management. The aim of this paper is to develop an approach that allows for the identification of flash-flood and flood-prone susceptible areas based on computing and mapping of two indices: FFPI (Flash-Flood Potential Index) and FPI (Flooding Potential Index). These indices are obtained by integrating in a GIS environment several geographical variables which control runoff (in the case of the FFPI) and favour flooding (in the case of the FPI). The methodology was applied in the upper (mountainous) and middle (hilly) catchment of the Prahova River, a densely populated and socioeconomically well-developed area which has been affected repeatedly by water-related hazards over the past decades. The resulting maps showing the spatialization of the FFPI and FPI allow for the identification of areas with high susceptibility to flashfloods and flooding. This approach can provide useful mapped information, especially for areas (generally large) where there are no flood/hazard risk maps. Moreover, the FFPI and FPI maps can constitute a preliminary step for flood risk and vulnerability assessment.

A methodological proposal for ancient kiln simulation analyzed by Moessbauer spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores, E.; Fernandes, B.; Flores, E.; Fernandez, B.

1988-01-01

In previous papers scientistis from different countries have reported simulating incomplete methodologies for ancient kiln firing conditions. Results from clays fired in a first working hypothesis are presented to end as a methodological proposal for simulation. This study was done through Moessbauer spectroscopy. The fired clay used presented a Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ spectrum in octahedric sites. Moessbauer parameters complemented by other studies indicate illite is the predominant clay mineral. A trait of the parameters behaviour in presence of temperature is reported. (author)

Screening methodology for assessing potential health effects from municipal sludge incinerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradkin, L.; Bruins, R.J.F.; Lutkenhoff, S.D.; Stara, J.F.; Lomnitz, E.

1987-01-01

This paper describes a risk assessment methodology for preliminary assessment of municipal sludge incineration. The methodology is a valuable tool in that it can be used for determining the hazard indices of chemical contaminants that might be present in sewage sludge used in incineration. The paper examines source characteristics (i.e., facility design), atmospheric dispersion of emission, and resulting human exposure and risk from sludge incinerators. Seven of the ten organics were screened for further investigation. An example of the calculations are presented for cadmium.

Polyfactorial corruption index in the Russian regions: methodology of estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elina L. Sidorenko

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objective to summarize criminological social and economic indicators of development of the Russian Federation subjects to identify and assess the hidden system dependencies between social indicators and levels of corruption to define the links between individual indicators and to develop the methodology of anticorruption ranking of the regions. Methods comparison analysis synthesis mathematical modeling correlation comparisons and extrapolation. Results in the work the author describes the methodology of the complex analysis of corruption in the Russian Federation subjects and elaborates forecasts for its development short term and medium term. Scientific novelty for the first time in domestic criminology the algorithm is proposed of studying and forecasting regional corruption on the basis of polyfactorial analysis of criminological social and political indicators. For profound and comprehensive study of the regional aspects of corruption a model was developed to monitor and forecast on the basis of measuring the polyfactorial corruption index PCI. PCI consists of two groups of parameters corruption potential of the region of the country CPR and corruption risk in the region CRR. Practical significance the research results can be used in the process of developing regional strategies of corruption counteraction as well as in adjustment of the existing methods of corruption prevention.

Development of probabilistic assessment methodology for geologic disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Takahashi, T.

1998-01-01

The probabilistic assessment methodology is essential to evaluate uncertainties of long-term radiological consequences associated with geologic disposal of radioactive wastes. We have developed a probabilistic assessment methodology to estimate the influences of parameter uncertainties/variabilities. An exposure scenario considered here is based on a groundwater migration scenario. A computer code system GSRW-PSA thus developed is based on a non site-specific model, and consists of a set of sub modules for sampling of model parameters, calculating the release of radionuclides from engineered barriers, calculating the transport of radionuclides through the geosphere, calculating radiation exposures of the public, and calculating the statistical values relating the uncertainties and sensitivities. The results of uncertainty analyses for α-nuclides quantitatively indicate that natural uranium ( 238 U) concentration is suitable for an alternative safety indicator of long-lived radioactive waste disposal, because the estimated range of individual dose equivalent due to 238 U decay chain is narrower that that due to other decay chain ( 237 Np decay chain). It is internationally necessary to have detailed discussion on the PDF of model parameters and the PSA methodology to evaluated the uncertainties due to conceptual models and scenarios. (author)

Reliability Centered Maintenance - Methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Kammerer, Catherine C.

2009-01-01

Journal article about Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) methodologies used by United Space Alliance, LLC (USA) in support of the Space Shuttle Program at Kennedy Space Center. The USA Reliability Centered Maintenance program differs from traditional RCM programs because various methodologies are utilized to take advantage of their respective strengths for each application. Based on operational experience, USA has customized the traditional RCM methodology into a streamlined lean logic path and has implemented the use of statistical tools to drive the process. USA RCM has integrated many of the L6S tools into both RCM methodologies. The tools utilized in the Measure, Analyze, and Improve phases of a Lean Six Sigma project lend themselves to application in the RCM process. All USA RCM methodologies meet the requirements defined in SAE JA 1011, Evaluation Criteria for Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) Processes. The proposed article explores these methodologies.

Evaluation of didactic suitability indicators from curricular orientations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Arteaga

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Assessment of didactic suitability of mathematics teaching and learning processes requires suitable instruments to guide and support it. This paper presents a methodology for progressive improvement of such instruments to evaluate the suitability of mathematical instruction processes based on the analysis of curricular orientations. Analysis units are classifi ed according to the facets and components proposed by the Didactic Suitability Theory to identify norms and suitability indicators,which are compared with the system proposed by this theory, in order to point out agreements and complementarities. This methodology is exemplified through its application to the principles and standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM in the statistics content area at the level K-8.

Methodological Reporting in Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Health Services Research Articles

Science.gov (United States)

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Cavaleri, Mary A; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J; Green, Carla A

2012-01-01

Objectives Methodologically sound mixed methods research can improve our understanding of health services by providing a more comprehensive picture of health services than either method can alone. This study describes the frequency of mixed methods in published health services research and compares the presence of methodological components indicative of rigorous approaches across mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative articles. Data Sources All empirical articles (n = 1,651) published between 2003 and 2007 from four top-ranked health services journals. Study Design All mixed methods articles (n = 47) and random samples of qualitative and quantitative articles were evaluated to identify reporting of key components indicating rigor for each method, based on accepted standards for evaluating the quality of research reports (e.g., use of p-values in quantitative reports, description of context in qualitative reports, and integration in mixed method reports). We used chi-square tests to evaluate differences between article types for each component. Principal Findings Mixed methods articles comprised 2.85 percent (n = 47) of empirical articles, quantitative articles 90.98 percent (n = 1,502), and qualitative articles 6.18 percent (n = 102). There was a statistically significant difference (χ2(1) = 12.20, p = .0005, Cramer's V = 0.09, odds ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1,27, 1.74]) in the proportion of quantitative methodological components present in mixed methods compared to quantitative papers (21.94 versus 47.07 percent, respectively) but no statistically significant difference (χ2(1) = 0.02, p = .89, Cramer's V = 0.01) in the proportion of qualitative methodological components in mixed methods compared to qualitative papers (21.34 versus 25.47 percent, respectively). Conclusion Few published health services research articles use mixed methods. The frequency of key methodological components is variable. Suggestions are provided to increase the

Développement d'une approche intégrée pour la gestion de l'eau en production de canneberges

OpenAIRE

Pelletier, Vincent

2016-01-01

Dans un contexte évolutif où les changements climatiques entraîneront une augmentation du nombre d’événements climatiques extrêmes, la gestion de l’eau devra être optimisée afin d’éviter l’impact des stress environnementaux sur le rendement agronomique des cultures. Bien que les seuils où surviennent ces stress soient connus pour la majorité des espèces agricoles, ils demeurent pour la plupart inconnus pour la canneberge. Leur détermination est donc un prérequis à l’établissement d’une gestio...

Document de base d'un nouveau projet régional : Réduction des émissions de polluants dans le secteur du transport dans trois pays du Maghreb (Algérie, Maroc, Tunisie)

OpenAIRE

Joumard , Robert; BOUGHEDAOUI , Ménouèr

2003-01-01

présenté lors du Forum régional sur les changements climatiques, Les pays du Maghreb face aux changements climatiques : bilan et perspectives (Algérie, Maroc, Tunisie), Marrakech, 27-28 mars 2003; Pour répondre à une demande croissante de la mobilité des personnes et des marchandises, le transport routier évolue rapidement alors que les infrastructures, la réglementation et plus généralement les politiques n'intègrent guère la problématique de réduction des gaz polluants et à effet de serre, ...

Les chemins infinis de la décarbonisation. Neuf questions clés pour la COP21

OpenAIRE

Berta, Nathalie

2015-01-01

Introduction L’ouvrage de Michel Damian offre une analyse fine, à la fois riche et synthétique, des négociations climatiques internationales depuis la Convention-Cadre des Nations Unies de Rio en 1992. Ce détour historique est nécessaire si l’on veut comprendre les enjeux de la COP21 de Paris. Il permet de souligner l’évolution des thèmes abordés lors des négociations — de la réduction des émissions à l’adaptation, de la compensation des dommages liés au changement climatique au maintien du c...

Screening methodology for assessing potential health effects from municipal sludge incinerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fradkin, L.; Bruins, R.J.F.; Lutkenhoff, S.D.; Stara, J.F.; Lomnitz, E.; Rubin, A.

1987-04-01

This paper describes a risk assessment of methodology for preliminary assessment of municipal sludge incineration. The methodology is a valuable tool in that it can be used for determining the hazard indices of chemical contaminants that might be present in sewage sludge used in incineration. The paper examines source characteristics (i.e. facility design), atmospheric dispersion of emission, and resulting human exposure and risk from sludge incinerators. Seven of the ten organics were screened for further investigation. An example of the calculations are presented for cadmium. (Refs. 5).

Region-Specific Indicators for Assessing the Sustainability of Biomass Utilisation in East Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuki Kudoh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the findings of an expert working group of researchers from East Asian countries. The group was tasked with developing a theoretically sound and practically implementable methodology for assessing the sustainability of biomass utilisation in East Asian countries based on the needs and potential of biomass resources in this region. Building on six years of research conducted between 2007 and 2013, the working group formulated a set of main and secondary indicators for biomass utilisation under three pillars of sustainability. For the environmental pillar, the main indicator was life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and secondary indicators were water consumption and soil quality. For the economic pillar, the main indicator was total value added and secondary indicators were net profit, productivity, and net energy balance. For the social pillar, the main indicators were employment generation and access to modern energy, and the secondary indicator was the human development index. The application of the working group methodology and indicators in sustainability assessments of biomass utilisation will enable decision makers in East Asian countries to compare the sustainability of biomass utilisation options and to make decisions on whether or not to launch or sustain biomass utilisation initiatives.

Meeting report: development of environmental health indicators in Brazil and other countries in the americas.

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, Fernando F; Oliveira, Mara Lúcia C; Netto, Guilherme F; Galvão, Luis A C; Cancio, Jacira A; Bonini, Estela M; Corvalan, Carlos F

2006-09-01

This report summarizes the Brazilian experience on the design and implementation of environmental health, with contributions from Argentina, Canada, and Cuba, presented at the International Symposium on the Development of Indicators for Environmental Health Integrated Management, held in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, on 17-18 June 2004. The methodology for the development of environmental health indicators has been used as a reference in the implementation of environmental health surveillance in Brazil. This methodology has provided tools and processes to facilitate the understanding and to measure the determinants of risks to environmental health, to help decision makers control those risks. Key words: environmental health indicators, environmental health surveillance, integrated management.

Feasability study for waterway infrastructure: International overview and methodological recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos Fontes Pereira, L. dos; Brandão, R.; Yamashita, Y.; Guilherme de Aragão, J.J.

2016-07-01

The context in which the waterway transportation is in Brazil makes clear the development need of specific methodologies for the sector planning. This paper aims to compare the methods of analysis of technical, economic and environmental viability, adopted in Europe, United States and Brazil, listing the best practices and possible improvements of the method adopted in Brazil. The analysis of the documents was based on comparative method, seeking the common elements from its attributes. Each document was analysed in terms of: its structure; type of impacts; required indicators on each impact analysis; reference values for classification of indicators; and the form of integrated analysis of different impacts. The study suggests the inclusion of certain changes in the methodology of calculation and in its combination of tools and parameters used in the measurement of fiscal impacts on the comparative analysis of standard models usually adopted in the United States, Europe and the World Bank. (Author)

Situating methodology within qualitative research.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer-Kile, Marnie L

2012-01-01

Qualitative nurse researchers are required to make deliberate and sometimes complex methodological decisions about their work. Methodology in qualitative research is a comprehensive approach in which theory (ideas) and method (doing) are brought into close alignment. It can be difficult, at times, to understand the concept of methodology. The purpose of this research column is to: (1) define qualitative methodology; (2) illuminate the relationship between epistemology, ontology and methodology; (3) explicate the connection between theory and method in qualitative research design; and 4) highlight relevant examples of methodological decisions made within cardiovascular nursing research. Although there is no "one set way" to do qualitative research, all qualitative researchers should account for the choices they make throughout the research process and articulate their methodological decision-making along the way.

An EPRI methodology for determining and monitoring simulator operating limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eichelberg, R.; Pellechi, M.; Wolf, B.; Colley, R.

1989-01-01

Of paramount concern to nuclear utilities today is whether their plant-referenced simulator(s) comply with ANSI/ANS 3.5-1985. Of special interest is Section 4.3 of the Standard which requires, in part, that a means be provided to alert the instructor when certain parameters approach values indicative of events beyond the implemented model or known plant behavior. EPRI established Research Project 2054-2 to develop a comprehensive plan for determining, monitoring, and implementing simulator operating limits. As part of the project, a survey was conducted to identify the current/anticipated approach each of the sampled utilities was using to meet the requirements of Section 4.3. A preliminary methodology was drafted and host utilities interviewed. The interview process led to redefining the methodology. This paper covers the objectives of the EPRI project, survey responses, overview of the methodology, resource requirements and conclusions

ECU@Risk, a methodology for risk management applied to MSMEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esteban Crespo Martínez

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Information is the most valuable element for any organization or person in this new century, which, for many companies, is a competitive advantage asset (Vásquez & Gabalán, 2015. However, despite the lack of knowledge about how to protect it properly or the complexity of international standards that indicate procedures to achieve an adequate level of protection, many organizations, especially the MSMEs sector, fails to achieve this goal.Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for information security risk management, which is applicable to the business and organizational environment of the Ecuadorian MSME sector. For this purpose, we analyze several methodologies as Magerit, CRAMM (CCTA Risk Analysis and Management Method, OCTAVE-S, Microsoft Risk Guide, COBIT 5 COSO III. These methodologies are internationally used in risk management of information; in the light of the frameworks of the industry: ISO 27001, 27002, 27005 and 31000.

Ecodesign of cosmetic formulae: methodology and application.

Science.gov (United States)

L'Haridon, J; Martz, P; Chenéble, J-C; Campion, J-F; Colombe, L

2018-04-01

This article describes an easy-to-use ecodesign methodology developed and applied since 2014 by the L'Oréal Group to improve the sustainable performance of its new products without any compromise on their cosmetic efficacy. Cosmetic products, after being used, are often discharged into the sewers and the aquatic compartment. This discharge is considered as dispersive and continuous. A consistent progress in reducing the environmental impact of cosmetic products can be achieved through focusing upon three strategic indicators: biodegradability, grey water footprint adapted for ecodesign (GWFE) and a global indicator, complementary to these two endpoints. Biodegradability represents the key process in the removal of organic ingredients from the environment. GWFE is defined herein as the theoretical volume of natural freshwater required to dilute a cosmetic formula after being used by the consumer, down to a concentration without any foreseeable toxic effects upon aquatic species. Finally, the complementary indicator highlights a possible alert on formula ingredients due to an unfavourable environmental profile based on hazard properties: for example Global Harmonization System/Classification, Labelling and Packaging (GHS/CLP) H410 classification or potential very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) classification. The ecodesign of a new cosmetic product can be a challenge as the cosmetic properties and quality of this new product should at least match the benchmark reference. As shown in the case studies described herein, new methodologies have been developed to maximize the biodegradability of cosmetic formulae, to minimize their GWFE and to limit the use of ingredients that present an unfavourable environmental profile, while reaching the highest standards in terms of cosmetic efficacy. By applying these methodologies, highly biodegradable products (≥ 95% based on ingredient composition) have been developed and marketed, with a low GWFE. This new

Lean Methodology Reduces Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotics for Agitation at a Psychiatric Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Goga, Joshana K; Depaolo, Antonio; Khushalani, Sunil; Walters, J Ken; Roca, Robert; Zisselman, Marc; Borleis, Christopher

2017-01-01

To Evaluate the Effects of Applying Lean Methodology-Improving Quality Increasing Efficiency by Eliminating Waste and Reducing Costs-An Approach To Decrease the Prescribing Frequency of Antipsychotics for The Indication of Agitation. Historically Controlled Study. Bheppard Pratt Health System is the Largest Private Provider of Psychiatric Care in Maryland With a Total Bed Capacity of 300. There Were 4 337 Patient Days From November 1 2012 to October 31 2013 on the Dementia Unit. All Patients Admitted on the Dementia Unit Were 65 Years of Age and Older with a Primary Diagnosis of Dementia. our Multidisciplinary Team Used Lean Methodology to Identify the Root Causes and Interventions Necessary to Reduce Inappropriate Antipsychotic Use. The Primary Outcome Was Rate of Inappropriately Indicating Agitation as the Rationale When Prescribing Antipsychotic Medications. There Was a 90% (P Agitation. The Lean Methodology Interventions Led To A 90% (P Agitation and a 10% Rate Reduction in Overall Antipsychotic Prescribing. Key Words: Agitation Alzheimer's Antipsychotics Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services Dementia Root-cause Analysis. BPSD = Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia CATIE-AD = Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness in Alzheimer's Disease EMR = Electronic Medical Records GAO = Government Accountability Office GNCIS = Geriatric Neuropsychiatric Clinical Indicator Scale.

Review of evaluation on ecological carrying capacity: The progress and trend of methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. F.; Xu, Y.; Liu, T. J.; Ye, J. M.; Pan, B. L.; Chu, C.; Peng, Z. L.

2018-02-01

The ecological carrying capacity (ECC) has been regarded as an important reference to indicate the level of regional sustainable development since the very beginning of twenty-first century. By a brief review of the main progress in ECC evaluation methodologies in recent five years, this paper systematically discusses the features and differences of these methods and expounds the current states and future development trend of ECC methodology. The result shows that further exploration in terms of the dynamic, comprehensive and intelligent assessment technologies needs to be provided in order to form a unified and scientific ECC methodology system and to produce a reliable basis for environmental-economic decision-makings.

Methodology of sustainability accounting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O.H. Sokil

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Modern challenges of the theory and methodology of accounting are realized through the formation and implementation of new concepts, the purpose of which is to meet the needs of users in standard and unique information. The development of a methodology for sustainability accounting is a key aspect of the management of an economic entity. The purpose of the article is to form the methodological bases of accounting for sustainable development and determine its goals, objectives, object, subject, methods, functions and key aspects. The author analyzes the theoretical bases of the definition and considers the components of the traditional accounting methodology. Generalized structural diagram of the methodology for accounting for sustainable development is offered in the article. The complex of methods and principles of sustainable development accounting for systematized and non-standard provisions has been systematized. The new system of theoretical and methodological provisions of accounting for sustainable development is justified in the context of determining its purpose, objective, subject, object, methods, functions and key aspects.

Comparison Of Irms Delhi Methodology With Who Methodology On Immunization Coverage

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Singh Padam

1996-01-01

Full Text Available Research question: What are the merits of IRMS Model over WHO Model for Coverage Evaluation Survey? Which method is superior and appropriate for coverage evolution survey of immunization in our setting? Objective: To compare IRMS Delhi methodology with WHO methodology on Immunization Coverage. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Setting: Urban and Rural both. Participants: Mothers& Children Sample Size: 300 children between 1-2 years and 300 mothers in rural areas and 75 children and 75 mothers in urban areas. Study Variables: Rural, Urban, Cast-Group, Size of the stratum, Literacy, Sex and Cost effectiveness. Outcome Variables: Coverage level of immunization. Analysis: Routine Statistical Analysis. Results: IRMS developed methodology scores better rating over WHO methodology, especially when coverage evolution is attempted in medium size villages with existence of socio-economic seggregation-which remains the main characteristic of the Indian villages.

Insights into PRA methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallagher, D.; Lofgren, E.; Atefi, B.; Liner, R.; Blond, R.; Amico, P.

1984-08-01

Probabilistic Risk Assessments (PRAs) for six nuclear power plants were examined to gain insight into how the choice of analytical methods can affect the results of PRAs. The PRA sreflectope considered was limited to internally initiated accidents sequences through core melt. For twenty methodological topic areas, a baseline or minimal methodology was specified. The choice of methods for each topic in the six PRAs was characterized in terms of the incremental level of effort above the baseline. A higher level of effort generally reflects a higher level of detail or a higher degree of sophistication in the analytical approach to a particular topic area. The impact on results was measured in terms of how additional effort beyond the baseline level changed the relative importance and ordering of dominant accident sequences compared to what would have been observed had methods corresponding to the baseline level of effort been employed. This measure of impact is a more useful indicator of how methods affect perceptions of plant vulnerabilities than changes in core melt frequency would be. However, the change in core melt frequency was used as a secondary measure of impact for nine topics where availability of information permitted. Results are presented primarily in the form of effort-impact matrices for each of the twenty topic areas. A suggested effort-impact profile for future PRAs is presented

Jordan Banks Financial Soundness Indicators

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Imad Kutum

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research paper is to examine the Jordanian banks using financial soundness indicators. This is to establish if Jordanian banks were affected because of the 2007/2008 financial crisis and determine the underlying reasons. The research paper was conducted on 25 banks in Jordan listed in the countries securities exchange. The research methodology used consisted of examining the banks financial records in order to derive four crucial Basel III ratio such as the capital adequacy ratio, the leverage ratio, the liquidity ratio and finally the Total Provisions (As % Of Non-Performing Loans %. The results revealed that out of the four hypotheses under examination Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Capital Adequacy Ratio, Jordan Banks does not meet Basel financial Indicators for Liquidity Ratio , Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Leverage Ratio and Jordan Banks do not meet Basel financial Indicators for Total Provisions (As % Of Non-Performing Loans ratio. Only one hypothesis was accepted based on the research outcomes. The rest of the hypothesis was rejected since the average trend line did not go below the Basel III required ratio level. The general outcome of the research revealed that Jordanian banks were not affected significantly by the financial crisis.

Challenges to the Indicators on Science, Technology and Innovation Development

OpenAIRE

Chobanova, Rossitsa

2006-01-01

The paper attempts to define the challenges to the indicators on science, technology and innovation development which result from the contemporary dynamics of the global knowledge based economy progress and the pursued challenges of identification of the specific national priority dimensions for public funding research and innovation projects on the case of Bulgaria. It is argued that recent the most widespread methodologies of positioning science, technology and innovation indicators do not ...

Integrated Management System - Scope, Possibilities And Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Čekanová, Katarína

2015-06-01

Organizations are becoming more aware of the importance of integrated management systems (IMS). Interest in this subject indicates that IMS are seen as "management systems of the future". Based on this, the aim of this articles characterizes the possibility of building IMS through the identification of common elements and specific requirements in accordance with the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 professional references. Part of the article is the methodology of building IMS in the organization.

Selection methodology for LWR safety programs and proposals. Volume 2. Methodology application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritzman, R.L.; Husseiny, A.A.

1980-08-01

The results of work done to update and apply a methodology for selecting (prioritizing) LWR safety technology R and D programs are described. The methodology is based on multiattribute utility (MAU) theory. Application of the methodology to rank-order a group of specific R and D programs included development of a complete set of attribute utility functions, specification of individual attribute scaling constants, and refinement and use of an interactive computer program (MAUP) to process decision-maker inputs and generate overall (multiattribute) program utility values. The output results from several decision-makers are examined for consistency and conclusions and recommendations regarding general use of the methodology are presented. 3 figures, 18 tables

Methodology for the integral comparison of nuclear reactors: selecting a reactor for Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes R, R.; Martin del Campo M, C.

2006-01-01

In this work it was built a methodology to compare nuclear reactors of third generation that can be contemplated for future electric planning in Mexico. This methodology understands the selection of the reactors to evaluate eliminating the reactors that still are not sufficiently mature at this time of the study. A general description of each reactor together with their main ones characteristic is made. It was carried out a study for to select the group of parameters that can serve as evaluation indicators, which are the characteristics of the reactors with specific values for each considered technology, and it was elaborated an evaluation matrix indicators including the reactors in the columns and those indicators in the lines. Since that none reactor is the best in all the indicators were necessary to use a methodology for multi criteria taking decisions that we are presented. It was used the 'Fuzzy Logic' technique, the which is based in those denominated diffuse groups and in a system of diffuse inference based on heuristic rules in the way 'If Then consequence> ', where the linguistic values of the condition and of the consequence is defined by diffuse groups, it is as well as the rules always they transform a diffuse group into another. Later on they combine all the diffuse outputs to create a single output and an inverse transformation is made that it transfers the output from the diffuse domain to the real one. They were carried out two studies one with the entirety of the indicators and another in which the indicators were classified in three approaches: the first one refers to indicators related with the planning of the plants inside the context of the general electric sector, the second approach includes indicators related with the characteristics of the fuel and the third it considers indicators related with the acting of the plant in safety and environmental impact. This second study allowed us to know the qualities of each reactor in each one of the

[Progress in methodological characteristics of clinical practice guideline for osteoarthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, D; Wang, B; Lin, J H

2017-06-01

At present, several clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of osteoarthritis have been developed by institutes or societies. The ultimate purpose of developing clinical practice guidelines is to formulate the process in the treatment of osteoarthritis effectively. However, the methodologies used in developing clinical practice guidelines may place an influence on the transformation and application of that in treating osteoarthritis. The present study summarized the methodological features of individual clinical practice guideline and presented the tools for quality evaluation of clinical practice guideline. The limitations of current osteoarthritis guidelines of China are also indicated. The review article might help relevant institutions improve the quality in developing guide and clinical transformation.

A long-scale biodiversity monitoring methodology for Spanish national forest inventory. Application to Álava region

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Iciar Alberdi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: In this study, a methodology has been designed to assess biodiversity in the frame of the Spanish National Forest Inventory with the aim of evaluating the conservation status of Spanish forests and their future evolution. This methodology takes into account the different national and international initiatives together with the different types and characteristics of forests in Spain. Area of study: Álava province (Basque country, Spain.Material and methods: To analyse the contribution of each of the different indices to the biodiversity assessment, a statistical analysis using PCA multivariate techniques was performed for structure, composition and dead wood indicators. Main Results: The selected biodiversity indicators (based on field measurements are presented along with an analysis of the results from four representative forest types in Álava by way of an example of the potential of this methodology. Research highlights: The statistical analysis revealed the important information contribution of Mingling index to the composition indicators. Regarding the structure indicators, it is remarkable the interest of using standard deviations and skewness of height and diameter as indicators. Finally it is interesting to point out the interest of assessing dead saplings since they provide additional information and their volume is a particularly useful parameter for analyzing the success of regeneration.Keywords: species richness; structural diversity; dead wood; NFI; PCA.

A methodology for strain-based fatigue reliability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Y.X.

2000-01-01

A significant scatter of the cyclic stress-strain (CSS) responses should be noted for a nuclear reactor material, 1Cr18Ni9Ti pipe-weld metal. Existence of the scatter implies that a random cyclic strain applied history will be introduced under any of the loading modes even a deterministic loading history. A non-conservative evaluation might be given in the practice without considering the scatter. A methodology for strain-based fatigue reliability analysis, which has taken into account the scatter, is developed. The responses are approximately modeled by probability-based CSS curves of Ramberg-Osgood relation. The strain-life data are modeled, similarly, by probability-based strain-life curves of Coffin-Manson law. The reliability assessment is constructed by considering interference of the random fatigue strain applied and capacity histories. Probability density functions of the applied and capacity histories are analytically given. The methodology could be conveniently extrapolated to the case of deterministic CSS relation as the existent methods did. Non-conservative evaluation of the deterministic CSS relation and availability of present methodology have been indicated by an analysis of the material test results

Indications for fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prayer, D.

2006-01-01

Indications to perform fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are composed of common ones related to methodological problems of ultrasound (US) assessment (such as for instance hydramnios) and special ones. The latter are related to MR capability of high-resolution soft tissue contrast and an extended field of view that allows visualization of the whole fetus, even in later stages of pregnancy. The most important indications include confirmation of US findings, work-up of malformations with respect to individual prognosis and genetic background, differentiation between acquired conditions and malformations, visualization of pathologies that have to be treated surgically immediately after birth, and morphological changes of the placenta. (orig.) [de

Determining the hydrodynamic indices of contractions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blagov, Eh.E.

2002-01-01

The new dependences, making it possible only by measuring the flow rate and pressure drop on the contraction device (CD) with the known geometry, including the regulatory organ, in the non-crisis mode of the turbulent flow to calculate all the hydrodynamic indices of this device, including the pressure reduction in the jet contraction, are obtained. This simplifies and accelerates the CD hydraulic tests of all types. The new methodology for determining the cavitation factual start on the CD is proposed [ru

The operation quality indicator at the CNOS/COSR-N - a new methodological concept for the process control; O indicador de qualidade da operacao no CNOS/COSR-N (Centro Nacional de Operacao do Sistema e Centro Regional de Operacao Norte), um novo conceito metodologico e de controle de processo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Adel Mendonca Souza de; Zaroni, Delfim Maduro [ONS - Operador Nacional do Sistema Eletrico, Brasilia, DF (Brazil). Centro Nacional de Operacao do Sistema. Centro Regional de Operacao Norte]. E-mails: adel@ons.org.br; delfim@ons.org.br

2000-07-01

This work presents a new methodological concept of the performance indicator developed at the System Operation National Center and at the North Operation Regional Center, in accordance with the ISO-9002 norm. The paper also presents the completely computerized Indicator Calculation Process Control, and the good results obtained with the implantation of the Operation Quality Indicator.

Kaupapa Maori Methodology: Trusting the Methodology through Thick and Thin

Science.gov (United States)

Hiha, Anne Aroha

2016-01-01

Kaupapa Maori is thoroughly theorised in academia in Aotearoa and those wishing to use it as their research methodology can find support through the writing of a number of Maori academics. What is not so well articulated, is the experiential voice of those who have used Kaupapa Maori as research methodology. My identity as a Maori woman…

Methodology to evaluate the insecticide potential of forest tree species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales Soto, Leon; Garcia P, Carlos Mario

2000-01-01

The flora diversity of Colombia has an enormous potential in the rational use of its forest resources. Trees with biocidal effects to control pests and diseases need to be investigated. The objective of this research was to develop a methodology with low costs, easy application and quick results. The methodology employed was as follows: selection of tree species based on bibliography, ancestral reports and personal observations. The process was as follows: field collection of plants, preparation of plants extracts and test with Artemia salina Leach to detect biological activity of the extracts using LC50. Bioassays with those extract more promising (LC50 less than 1000 ppm) Determination of active compounds. The methodology was employed with 5 forest tree species: guarea guidonia (L) Sleumer and trichia hirta L. (Meliaceae), Machaerium Moritzianum Benth. (Fabaceae), Swinglea glutinosa Merrill (rutaceae) and Mammea americana L. (Clusiaceae). Using Artemia salina Leach as indicator of biocidal potential, two species were selected as the most promising, those were: Swinglea glutinosa Merril and Machaerium moritzianum Benth. In addition bioassays were made to evaluate fagoinhibition on Atta cephalotes (L.) (Hym: Formicidae) and control of Alconeura. This methodology is recommended for this kind of research

National Certification Methodology for the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodwin, B T; Juzaitis, R J

2006-01-01

and December of 2001 and continued in 2002 have proven useful in developing the methodology, and future workshops should prove useful in further refining this framework. Each laboratory developed an approach to certification with some differences in detailed implementation. The general methodology introduces specific quantitative indicators for assessing confidence in our nuclear weapon stockpile. The quantitative indicators are based upon performance margins for key operating characteristics and components of the system, and these are compared to uncertainties in these factors. These criteria can be summarized in a quantitative metric (for each such characteristic) expressed as: (i.e., confidence in warhead performance depends upon CR significantly exceeding unity for all these characteristics). These Confidence Ratios are proposed as a basis for guiding technical and programmatic decisions on stockpile actions. This methodology already has been deployed in certifying weapons undergoing current life extension programs or component remanufacture. The overall approach is an adaptation of standard engineering practice and lends itself to rigorous, quantitative, and explicit criteria for judging the robustness of weapon system and component performance at a detailed level. There are, of course, a number of approaches for assessing these Confidence Ratios. The general certification methodology was publicly presented for the first time to a meeting of Strategic Command SAG in January 2002 and met with general approval. At that meeting, the Laboratories committed to further refine and develop the methodology through the implementation process. This paper reflects the refinement and additional development to date. There will be even further refinement at a joint laboratory workshop later in FY03. A common certification methodology enables us to engage in peer reviews and evaluate nuclear weapon systems on the basis of explicit and objective metrics. The clarity provided by

Review of methodologies and polices for evaluation of energy efficiency in high energy-consuming industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Ming-Jia; Tao, Wen-Quan

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The classification of the industrial energy efficiency index has been summarized. • The factors of energy efficiency and their implement in industries are discussed. • Four main evaluation methodologies of energy efficiency in industries are concluded. • Utilization of the methodologies in energy efficiency evaluations are illustrated. • Related polices and suggestions based on energy efficiency evaluations are provided. - Abstract: Energy efficiency of high energy-consuming industries plays a significant role in social sustainability, economic performance and environmental protection of any nation. In order to evaluate the energy efficiency and guide the sustainability development, various methodologies have been proposed for energy demand management and to measure the energy efficiency performance accurately in the past decades. A systematical review of these methodologies are conducted in the present paper. First, the classification of the industrial energy efficiency index has been summarized to track the previous application studies. The single measurement indicator and the composite index benchmarking are highly recognized as the modeling tools for power industries and policy-making in worldwide countries. They are the pivotal figures to convey the fundamental information in energy systems for improving the performance in fields such as economy, environment and technology. Second, the six factors that influence the energy efficiency in industry are discussed. Third, four major evaluation methodologies of energy efficiency are explained in detail, including stochastic frontier analysis, data envelopment analysis, exergy analysis and benchmarking comparison. The basic models and the developments of these methodologies are introduced. The recent utilization of these methodologies in the energy efficiency evaluations are illustrated. Some drawbacks of these methodologies are also discussed. Other related methods or influential indicators

Integral Indicator of Ecological Footprint for Croatian Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strijov, V.; Granic, G.; Juric, Z.; Jelavic, B.; Antesevic Maricic, S.

2009-01-01

The main goal of this paper is to present the methodology of construction of the Integral Indicator for Croatian Thermal Power Plants and Combined Heat and Power Plants. The Integral Indicator is necessary to compare Power Plants selected according to a certain criterion. The criterion of the Ecological Footprint is chosen. The following features of the Power Plants are used: generated electricity and heat; consumed coal and liquid fuel; sulphur content in fuel; emitted CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x and particles. To construct the Integral Indicator the linear model is used. The model parameters are tuned by the Principal Component Analysis algorithm. The constructed Integral Indicator is compared with several others, such as Pareto-Optimal Slicing Indicator and Metric Indicator. The Integral Indicator keeps as much information about features of the Power Plants as possible; it is simple and robust.(author).

Effects of methodology and analysis strategy on robustness of pestivirus phylogeny.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lihong; Xia, Hongyan; Baule, Claudia; Belák, Sándor; Wahlberg, Niklas

2010-01-01

Phylogenetic analysis of pestiviruses is a useful tool for classifying novel pestiviruses and for revealing their phylogenetic relationships. In this study, robustness of pestivirus phylogenies has been compared by analyses of the 5'UTR, and complete N(pro) and E2 gene regions separately and combined, performed by four methods: neighbour-joining (NJ), maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML), and Bayesian inference (BI). The strategy of analysing the combined sequence dataset by BI, ML, and MP methods resulted in a single, well-supported tree topology, indicating a reliable and robust pestivirus phylogeny. By contrast, the single-gene analysis strategy resulted in 12 trees of different topologies, revealing different relationships among pestiviruses. These results indicate that the strategies and methodologies are two vital aspects affecting the robustness of the pestivirus phylogeny. The strategy and methodologies outlined in this paper may have a broader application in inferring phylogeny of other RNA viruses.

Methodology for Monitoring Sustainable Development of Isolated Microgrids in Rural Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Rahmann

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Microgrids are a rapidly evolving and increasingly common form of local power generation used to serve the needs of both rural and urban communities. In this paper, we present a methodology to evaluate the evolution of the sustainability of stand-alone microgrids projects. The proposed methodology considers a composite sustainability index (CSI that includes both positive and negative impacts of the operation of the microgrid in a given community. The CSI is constructed along environmental, social, economic and technical dimensions of the microgrid. The sub-indexes of each dimension are aggregated into the CSI via a set of adaptive weighting factors, which indicate the relative importance of the corresponding dimension in the sustainability goals. The proposed methodology aims to be a support instrument for policy makers especially when defining sound corrective measures to guarantee the sustainability of small, isolated microgrid projects. To validate the performance of the proposed methodology, a microgrid installed in the northern part of Chile (Huatacondo has been used as a benchmarking project.

Indicators System for Poverty Measurement

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Constantin Mitrut

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Poverty represents a life aspect which is focusing the attention of both the macroeconomic analysis and the international comparisons. In order to measure the level being recorded by this phenomenon, there is a system of indicators which are used in order to underline, in a correlated manner, a number of aspects which are characterizing, quality and quantity wise, the evolution of the poverty in a specific country or, to a larger extent, through comparative surveys, at international level. Despite the fact that they are not the only instrument being used within the process of comparison of the stages of social and economic development at the international level, however the poverty indicators are providing a clear significance to the worked out surveys. In fact, the very purpose of the economic activity consists of increasing welfare and, as much as possible, at least reducing, if not eradicating, the poverty. The present work is broadly presenting the methodology as well as, both theoretical and practical, the way of computing the poverty, making a synthesis of the specific used indicators.

The Societal Nature of Subjectivity: An Interdisciplinary Methodological Challenge

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Henning Salling Olesen

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The thematic issue presents a psycho-societal approach to qualitative empirical research in several areas of everyday social life. It is an approach which integrates a theory of subjectivity and an interpretation methodology which integrates hermeneutic experiences from text analysis and psychoanalysis. Its particular focus is on subjectivity—as an aspect of the research object and as an aspect of the research process. By the term "approach" is indicated the intrinsic connection between the theorizing of an empirical object and the reflection of the research process and the epistemic subject. In terms of methodology it revives the themes originally launched in FQS exactly ten years ago: "Subjectivity and Reflectivity in Qualitative Research" (BREUER, MRUCK & ROTH, 2002; MRUCK & BREUER, 2003. This editorial introduction presents the intellectual background of the psycho-societal methodology, reflects on its relevance and critical perspectives in a contemporary landscape of social science, and comments the way in which an international and interdisciplinary research group has developed this approach to profane empirical research. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs120345

On methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cheesman, Robin; Faraone, Roque

2002-01-01

This is an English version of the methodology chapter in the authors' book "El caso Berríos: Estudio sobre información errónea, desinformación y manipulación de la opinión pública".......This is an English version of the methodology chapter in the authors' book "El caso Berríos: Estudio sobre información errónea, desinformación y manipulación de la opinión pública"....

« L’Amazonie – victime des changements climatiques ? » « The Amazon forest – victim of climate change? » « A Amazônia – vítima das mudanças climáticas ? »

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delaine Sampaio da Silva

2010-12-01

Full Text Available La forêt d’Amazonie est un des biomes les plus riches et les plus importants de la Terre. Cependant, son avenir est gravement menacé par les changements climatiques. L’effet de ces changements est indissociable de celui des activités humaines. Ainsi, la déforestation est responsable de plus de la moitié des émissions de gaz à effet de serre du Brésil. La lutte contre les changements climatique au Brésil passe donc en premier lieu par la lutte contre la déforestation. Cette lutte fait face aux enjeux actuels du développement en Amazonie, en premier lieu l’élevage et l’agriculture à grande échelle. Certains éléments des politiques récentes du Brésil vont dans le sens d’un développement moins « sauvage » en Amazonie, mais se heurtent à des intérêts économiques et politiques. Les initiatives internationales comme Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD, dans le cadre d’un accord climatique, peuvent fournir des incitatifs économiques cruciaux. Il est dans tous les cas primordial qu’un tel développement soit adapté à la réalité amazonienne et se fasse en collaboration avec les populations locales dans une optique de développement social autant qu’écologique ou économique.The Amazon rainforest is one of most important ecosystems on earth and a biodiversity hotspot. Its future is however in peril due to the effects of climate change and human activities. Climate models predict a severe die-back of the Amazon forest by the end of this century, accompanied by the release of vast quantities of carbon actually stored in the vegetation. Deforestation is currently responsible for over one half of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions. Fighting deforestation is therefore Brazil’s most efficient way to reduce its emissions. This is however contrary to current development schemes in the Amazon region, and in particular large scale agricultural and cattle raising farms. However, Brazil

Assessment of indicators and collection methodology to estimate nutrient digestibility in buffaloes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Felizardo Pereira Soares

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Dry fecal matter production was estimated from neutral detergent indicators on indigestible fiber, indigestible acid detergent fiber, indigestible dry matter, incubated for 144 hours and 288 hours, as well as chromium oxide (Cr2O3 and enriched and purified isolated lignin (LIPE® in two sampling schemes (3 and 5 days on buffaloes. Sample consisted of five castrated animals with average weight of 300 ± 0.6 kg fed on elephant grass cv Cameroon (Pennisetum purpureum. Experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in subdivided plots. Production of dry fecal matter was overestimated when using Cr2O3, indigestible acid detergent fiber 144 hours, indigestible neutral detergent fiber 144 hours, indigestible neutral detergent fiber 288 hours and indigestible dry matter 144 hours, while indigestible acid detergent fiber 288 hours, indigestible dry matter 288 hours and LIPE® did not differ from total collection. The same result was observed for apparent digestibility of nutrients. There was no difference in dry fecal matter production and digestibility between both collection periods of 3 and 5 days, demonstrating that a collection period of three days can be used to estimate dry fecal matter production in buffaloes. A three-day period of sample collection, in order to estimate dry fecal matter production and apparent digestibility coefficients, is therefore recommended. The use of LIPE®, fibers in indigestible acid detergent and indigestible dry matter as indicators, both latter incubated for 288 hours, result in accurate estimates of dry fecal matter production in confined buffaloes, fed on a forage based diet.

Using HABIT to Establish the Chemicals Analysis Methodology for Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant

OpenAIRE

J. R. Wang; S. W. Chen; Y. Chiang; W. S. Hsu; J. H. Yang; Y. S. Tseng; C. Shih

2017-01-01

In this research, the HABIT analysis methodology was established for Maanshan nuclear power plant (NPP). The Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR), reports, and other data were used in this study. To evaluate the control room habitability under the CO2 storage burst, the HABIT methodology was used to perform this analysis. The HABIT result was below the R.G. 1.78 failure criteria. This indicates that Maanshan NPP habitability can be maintained. Additionally, the sensitivity study of the paramet...

A Methodology for Comparative Assessment of Energy Options: The Case of Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin-del-Campo, Cecilia; Francois, Juan-Luis

2008-01-01

This paper presents the development of a methodology to measure the sustainability of alternatives for electricity generation. It is based on the evaluation of indicators in three dimensions of sustainability. No single technology exhibited superior performance on the basis of all indicators and it was necessary the application of a method to make the aggregation of all the indicators, taking into account the relative importance in the decision. In this study, a fuzzy logic inference system was developed to build a decision function that depends on all the indicators. The purpose is to rank the energy options in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. All the decision elements are combined and integrated in an inference logic system that takes into account weights of different indicators. The methodology was applied to evaluate the sustainability of nuclear, wind, natural gas, coal, hydro and oil technologies under Mexican conditions. When only the economic dimension is considered nuclear is the best option, if the environmental dimension is also considered the nuclear option is the best alternative too. When the social dimension is also taken into account the nuclear option is the worst. These results are obtained using the same weight to each dimension to accomplish with the equilibrium principle of the sustainability. (authors)

Using Quality Tools and Methodologies to Improve a Hospital's Quality Position.

Science.gov (United States)

Branco, Daniel; Wicks, Angela M; Visich, John K

2017-01-01

The authors identify the quality tools and methodologies most frequently used by quality-positioned hospitals versus nonquality hospitals. Northeastern U.S. hospitals in both groups received a brief, 12-question survey. The authors found that 93.75% of the quality hospitals and 81.25% of the nonquality hospitals used some form of process improvement methodologies. However, there were significant differences between the groups regarding the impact of quality improvement initiatives on patients. The findings indicate that in quality hospitals the use of quality improvement initiatives had a significantly greater positive impact on patient satisfaction and patient outcomes when compared to nonquality hospitals.

Performance-based methodology for assessing seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Shibin, Lin; Lili, Xie; Maosheng, Gong; Ming, Li

2010-06-01

This paper presents a performance-based methodology for the assessment of seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings. The vulnerability assessment methodology is based on the HAZUS methodology and the improved capacitydemand-diagram method. The spectral displacement ( S d ) of performance points on a capacity curve is used to estimate the damage level of a building. The relationship between S d and peak ground acceleration (PGA) is established, and then a new vulnerability function is expressed in terms of PGA. Furthermore, the expected value of the seismic capacity index (SCev) is provided to estimate the seismic capacity of buildings based on the probability distribution of damage levels and the corresponding seismic capacity index. The results indicate that the proposed vulnerability methodology is able to assess seismic damage of a large number of building stock directly and quickly following an earthquake. The SCev provides an effective index to measure the seismic capacity of buildings and illustrate the relationship between the seismic capacity of buildings and seismic action. The estimated result is compared with damage surveys of the cities of Dujiangyan and Jiangyou in the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, revealing that the methodology is acceptable for seismic risk assessment and decision making. The primary reasons for discrepancies between the estimated results and the damage surveys are discussed.

Development of a methodology for the detection of hospital financial outliers using information systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Sachiko; Nagase, Keisuke; Ito, Ayako; Ando, Fumihiko; Nakagawa, Yoshiaki; Okamoto, Kazuya; Kume, Naoto; Takemura, Tadamasa; Kuroda, Tomohiro; Yoshihara, Hiroyuki

2014-01-01

Comparison of financial indices helps to illustrate differences in operations and efficiency among similar hospitals. Outlier data tend to influence statistical indices, and so detection of outliers is desirable. Development of a methodology for financial outlier detection using information systems will help to reduce the time and effort required, eliminate the subjective elements in detection of outlier data, and improve the efficiency and quality of analysis. The purpose of this research was to develop such a methodology. Financial outliers were defined based on a case model. An outlier-detection method using the distances between cases in multi-dimensional space is proposed. Experiments using three diagnosis groups indicated successful detection of cases for which the profitability and income structure differed from other cases. Therefore, the method proposed here can be used to detect outliers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Robust and predictive fuzzy key performance indicators for condition-based treatment of squats in railway infrastructures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jamshidi, A.; Nunez Vicencio, Alfredo; Dollevoet, R.P.B.J.; Li, Z.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a condition-based treatment methodology for a type of rail surface defect called squat. The proposed methodology is based on a set of robust and predictive fuzzy key performance indicators. A fuzzy Takagi-Sugeno interval model is used to predict squat evolution for different

Coal resources available for development; a methodology and pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Eggleston, Jane R.; Carter, M. Devereux; Cobb, James C.

1990-01-01

Coal accounts for a major portion of our Nation's energy supply in projections for the future. A demonstrated reserve base of more than 475 billion short tons, as the Department of Energy currently estimates, indicates that, on the basis of today's rate of consumption, the United States has enough coal to meet projected energy needs for almost 200 years. However, the traditional procedures used for estimating the demonstrated reserve base do not account for many environmental and technological restrictions placed on coal mining. A new methodology has been developed to determine the quantity of coal that might actually be available for mining under current and foreseeable conditions. This methodology is unique in its approach, because it applies restrictions to the coal resource before it is mined. Previous methodologies incorporated restrictions into the recovery factor (a percentage), which was then globally applied to the reserve (minable coal) tonnage to derive a recoverable coal tonnage. None of the previous methodologies define the restrictions and their area and amount of impact specifically. Because these restrictions and their impacts are defined in this new methodology, it is possible to achieve more accurate and specific assessments of available resources. This methodology has been tested in a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Kentucky Geological Survey on the Matewan 7.5-minute quadrangle in eastern Kentucky. Pertinent geologic, mining, land-use, and technological data were collected, assimilated, and plotted. The National Coal Resources Data System was used as the repository for data, and its geographic information system software was applied to these data to eliminate restricted coal and quantify that which is available for mining. This methodology does not consider recovery factors or the economic factors that would be considered by a company before mining. Results of the pilot study indicate that, of the estimated

Definition of a short-cut methodology for assessing earthquake-related Na-Tech risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busini, Valentina; Marzo, Enrico; Callioni, Andrea; Rota, Renato

2011-01-01

Highlights: → In industrial sites located in natural hazard-prone areas technological accidents may be triggered by natural events, generating the so-called Na-Tech accidents. → In this paper, a qualitative screening methodology for assessing the earthquake Na-Tech risk has been developed with the aim of identifying which situations deserve a much more expensive Quantitative Risk Analysis. → The simple procedure developed, which summarizes in a suitable Key Hazard Indicator the Na-Tech risk level, has been validated by comparing its results with those of some Quantitative Risk Analyses involving also Na-Tech events and previously presented in the literature. - Abstract: Na-Tech (Natural and Technological) refers to industrial accidents triggered by natural events such as storms, earthquakes, flooding, and lightning. Herein, a qualitative methodology for the initial assessment of earthquake Na-Tech risk has been developed as a screening tool to identify which situations require a much more expensive Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA). The proposed methodology, through suitable Key Hazard Indicators (KHIs), identifies the Na-Tech risk level associated with a given situation (i.e., a process plant located in a given territory), using the Analytical Hierarchy Process as a multi-criteria decision tool for the evaluation of such KHIs. The developed methodology was validated by comparing its computational results with QRA results that involved Na-Tech events previously presented in literature.

Does Metformin Reduce Cancer Risks? Methodologic Considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Golozar, Asieh; Liu, Shuiqing; Lin, Joeseph A; Peairs, Kimberly; Yeh, Hsin-Chieh

2016-01-01

The substantial burden of cancer and diabetes and the association between the two conditions has been a motivation for researchers to look for targeted strategies that can simultaneously affect both diseases and reduce their overlapping burden. In the absence of randomized clinical trials, researchers have taken advantage of the availability and richness of administrative databases and electronic medical records to investigate the effects of drugs on cancer risk among diabetic individuals. The majority of these studies suggest that metformin could potentially reduce cancer risk. However, the validity of this purported reduction in cancer risk is limited by several methodological flaws either in the study design or in the analysis. Whether metformin use decreases cancer risk relies heavily on the availability of valid data sources with complete information on confounders, accurate assessment of drug use, appropriate study design, and robust analytical techniques. The majority of the observational studies assessing the association between metformin and cancer risk suffer from methodological shortcomings and efforts to address these issues have been incomplete. Future investigations on the association between metformin and cancer risk should clearly address the methodological issues due to confounding by indication, prevalent user bias, and time-related biases. Although the proposed strategies do not guarantee a bias-free estimate for the association between metformin and cancer, they will reduce synthesis of and reporting of erroneous results.

Formation of a Methodological Approach to Evaluating the State of Management of Enterprise Flow Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dzobko Iryna P.

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The formation of a methodological approach to evaluating management of the state of enterprise flow processes has been considered. Proceeding from the developed and presented in literary sources theoretical propositions on organization of management of enterprise flow processes, the hypothesis of the study is correlation of quantitative and qualitative evaluations of management effectiveness and formation of the integral index on their basis. The article presents stages of implementation of a methodological approach to evaluating the state of management of enterprise flow processes, which implies indicating the components, their characteristics and methods of research. The composition of indicators, on the basis of which it is possible to evaluate effectiveness of management of enterprise flow processes, has been determined. Grouping of such indicators based on the flow nature of enterprise processes has been performed. The grouping of indicators is justified by a pairwise determination of canonical correlations between the selected groups (the obtained high correlation coefficients confirmed the author’s systematization of indicators. It is shown that a specificity of the formation of a methodological approach to evaluating the state of management of enterprise flow processes requires expansion in the direction of aggregation of the results and determination of factors that influence effectiveness of flow processes management. The article carries out such aggregation using the factor analysis. Distribution of a set of objects into different classes according to the results of the cluster analysis has been presented. To obtain an integral estimation of effectiveness of flow processes management, the taxonomic index of a multidimensional object has been built. A peculiarity of the formed methodological approach to evaluating the state of management of enterprise flow processes is in the matrix correlation of integral indicators calculated on

Is the Readmission Rate a Valid Quality Indicator? A Review of the Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Claudia; Lingsma, Hester F.; Marang-van de Mheen, Perla J.; Kringos, Dionne S.; Klazinga, Niek S.; Steyerberg, Ewout W.

2014-01-01

Introduction Hospital readmission rates are increasingly used for both quality improvement and cost control. However, the validity of readmission rates as a measure of quality of hospital care is not evident. We aimed to give an overview of the different methodological aspects in the definition and measurement of readmission rates that need to be considered when interpreting readmission rates as a reflection of quality of care. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review, using the bibliographic databases Embase, Medline OvidSP, Web-of-Science, Cochrane central and PubMed for the period of January 2001 to May 2013. Results The search resulted in 102 included papers. We found that definition of the context in which readmissions are used as a quality indicator is crucial. This context includes the patient group and the specific aspects of care of which the quality is aimed to be assessed. Methodological flaws like unreliable data and insufficient case-mix correction may confound the comparison of readmission rates between hospitals. Another problem occurs when the basic distinction between planned and unplanned readmissions cannot be made. Finally, the multi-faceted nature of quality of care and the correlation between readmissions and other outcomes limit the indicator's validity. Conclusions Although readmission rates are a promising quality indicator, several methodological concerns identified in this study need to be addressed, especially when the indicator is intended for accountability or pay for performance. We recommend investing resources in accurate data registration, improved indicator description, and bundling outcome measures to provide a more complete picture of hospital care. PMID:25379675

Is the readmission rate a valid quality indicator? A review of the evidence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Fischer

Full Text Available Hospital readmission rates are increasingly used for both quality improvement and cost control. However, the validity of readmission rates as a measure of quality of hospital care is not evident. We aimed to give an overview of the different methodological aspects in the definition and measurement of readmission rates that need to be considered when interpreting readmission rates as a reflection of quality of care.We conducted a systematic literature review, using the bibliographic databases Embase, Medline OvidSP, Web-of-Science, Cochrane central and PubMed for the period of January 2001 to May 2013.The search resulted in 102 included papers. We found that definition of the context in which readmissions are used as a quality indicator is crucial. This context includes the patient group and the specific aspects of care of which the quality is aimed to be assessed. Methodological flaws like unreliable data and insufficient case-mix correction may confound the comparison of readmission rates between hospitals. Another problem occurs when the basic distinction between planned and unplanned readmissions cannot be made. Finally, the multi-faceted nature of quality of care and the correlation between readmissions and other outcomes limit the indicator's validity.Although readmission rates are a promising quality indicator, several methodological concerns identified in this study need to be addressed, especially when the indicator is intended for accountability or pay for performance. We recommend investing resources in accurate data registration, improved indicator description, and bundling outcome measures to provide a more complete picture of hospital care.

Energy indicators; Energiekennzahlen in der Industrie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauch, W. [Technische Univ. Muenchen (Germany); Forschungsstelle fuer Energiewirtschaft (FfE), Muenchen (Germany); Layer, G. [Forschungsstelle fuer Energiewirtschaft (FfE), Muenchen (Germany); Schneider, J. [Ogreb-Institut fuer Kraftwerke, Cottbus (Germany). Abt. Prozessforschung und Energetik; Ministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz, Energie und Reaktorsicherheit, Berlin (Germany); Bundeswirtschaftsministerium, Bonn (Germany). Energieabteilung

2004-07-01

Indicators of the energy requirements of industrial plants, production processes and products provide criteria for evaluating resource consumption, emissions and saving potential. Energy indicators are used as base data for energy concepts and holistic energy balances in the framework of the exchange of information on best available techniques. The following contribution describes a methodology for the determination of energy indicators for industrial production plants. On this basis, it then analyses a number of example processes, i.e. manufacture of mineral chips and asphalt, provision of compressed air, and flue gas dedusting. (orig.) [German] Kennzahlen ueber den Energiebedarf von industriellen Anlagen, Herstellungsverfahren und Erzeugnissen liefern Kriterien zur Beurteilung des Ressourcenaufwands, der Emissionen und Einsparpotenziale. Als Basisdaten fuer Energiekonzepte und ganzheitliche Bilanzierungen eingesetzt dienen Energiekennzahlen dem Informationsaustausch ueber die besten verfuegbaren Techniken. Nachfolgend wird die methodische Vorgehensweise zur Ermittlung von Kennzahlen fuer industrielle Produktionsanlagen beschrieben. Auf dieser Basis werden beispielhaft die Mineralsplitter- und Asphaltherstellung sowie die Druckluftbereitstellung und -entstaubung analysiert. (orig.)

The evaluation of new methodological approaches to lease reporting on the side of lessor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hana Bohušová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since 2002 the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB has begun significantly cooperate in the development of standards based on the same principles. The cooperation is realised through a series of short term or long term projects. Revenue recognition and lease reporting projects represent priority areas of convergence. The development of methodological approaches for lease reporting on the side of lessee and lessor that would eliminate the main weaknesses of the current system of reporting based on the classification of lease contracts in connection with the lease term and the transfer of risks and benefits associated with the lease to the lessee should be the result of the convergence activity in the area of lease reporting. The evaluation of the impact of the newly proposed methodological approaches to lease reporting in the field of operating leases into the financial statements of lessor that will be affected by this change of methodology (financial position, comprehensive income statement is the main aim of the paper. The impact into selected indicators of financial analysis with a focus on indicators, in whose construction are used items of statements that are significantly affected by the change of the methodological approach is evaluated as well.

Methodological reporting in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods health services research articles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisdom, Jennifer P; Cavaleri, Mary A; Onwuegbuzie, Anthony J; Green, Carla A

2012-04-01

Methodologically sound mixed methods research can improve our understanding of health services by providing a more comprehensive picture of health services than either method can alone. This study describes the frequency of mixed methods in published health services research and compares the presence of methodological components indicative of rigorous approaches across mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative articles. All empirical articles (n = 1,651) published between 2003 and 2007 from four top-ranked health services journals. All mixed methods articles (n = 47) and random samples of qualitative and quantitative articles were evaluated to identify reporting of key components indicating rigor for each method, based on accepted standards for evaluating the quality of research reports (e.g., use of p-values in quantitative reports, description of context in qualitative reports, and integration in mixed method reports). We used chi-square tests to evaluate differences between article types for each component. Mixed methods articles comprised 2.85 percent (n = 47) of empirical articles, quantitative articles 90.98 percent (n = 1,502), and qualitative articles 6.18 percent (n = 102). There was a statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 12.20, p = .0005, Cramer's V = 0.09, odds ratio = 1.49 [95% confidence interval = 1,27, 1.74]) in the proportion of quantitative methodological components present in mixed methods compared to quantitative papers (21.94 versus 47.07 percent, respectively) but no statistically significant difference (χ(2) (1) = 0.02, p = .89, Cramer's V = 0.01) in the proportion of qualitative methodological components in mixed methods compared to qualitative papers (21.34 versus 25.47 percent, respectively). Few published health services research articles use mixed methods. The frequency of key methodological components is variable. Suggestions are provided to increase the transparency of mixed methods studies and

Synthetic environmental indicators: A conceptual approach from the multivariate statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar J, Luis A

2008-01-01

This paper presents a general description of multivariate statistical analysis and shows two methodologies: analysis of principal components and analysis of distance, DP2. Both methods use techniques of multivariate analysis to define the true dimension of data, which is useful to estimate indicators of environmental quality.

Changement climatique et production cotonnière au Sénégal : concevoir autrement les stratégies de diffusion des variétés

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ndour, A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Climate change and cotton production in Senegal: alternate dissemination strategies of varieties. Description of the subject. Climate change challenges the strategy of varietal diffusion, employed by the Senegalese cotton company (SODEFITEX, based on the distinction of two cultivars: one adapted to humid conditions and the other to drought. Based on data collected in an experimental station and farmer plots from 2004 to 2011, the study provides an assessment of that strategy. Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate both the methodology used for varietal selection and the performance of released and candidate cultivars, under contrasted water environments due to variability in rainfall (spatial and temporal and crop management. Method. The methodology used allowed the identification of the occurrence of severe water stress during the critical cotton development phases (flowering and boll development and its effect on seed cotton yield and fiber quality. The resulting indicator of plant water status was then inserted into our statistical analysis as an environmental covariate. Results. The resulting indicator allowed the discrimination of seed cotton yield in the experimental station as well as in on-farm experiments. Despite an effect of cultivar on ginning outturn and fiber quality, all cultivars showed similar resilience to water status. Conclusions. Despite a lack of cultivar adaptation to water stress, results support the adoption of a single cultivar in the whole production basin. However, the diffusion strategy would benefit from a better consideration of farmer cropping conditions, which would thus allow for the evaluation of cultivars by the producers.

Seeking consensus on universal health coverage indicators in the sustainable development goals.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddock, Jennifer

2017-01-01

There is optimism that the inclusion of universal health coverage in the Sustainable Development Goals advances its prominence in global and national health policy. However, formulating indicators for Target 3.8 through the Inter-Agency Expert Group on Sustainable Development Indicators has been challenging. Achieving consensus on the conceptual and methodological aspects of universal health coverage is likely to take some time in multi-stakeholder fora compared with national efforts to select indicators.

Risk-based performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azarm, M.A.; Boccio, J.L.; Vesely, W.E.; Lofgren, E.

1987-01-01

The purpose of risk-based indicators is to monitor plant safety. Safety is measured by monitoring the potential for core melt (core-melt frequency) and the public risk. Targets for these measures can be set consistent with NRC safety goals. In this process, the performance of safety systems, support systems, major components, and initiating events can be monitored using measures such as unavailability, failure or occurrence frequency. The changes in performance measures and their trends are determined from the time behavior of monitored measures by differentiation between stochastical and actual variations. Therefore, degradation, as well as improvement in the plant safety performance, can be determined. The development of risk-based performance indicators will also provide the means to trace a change in the safety measures to specific problem areas which are amenable to root cause analysis and inspection audits. In addition, systematic methods will be developed to identify specific improvement policies using the plant information system for the identified problem areas. The final product of the performance indicator project will be a methodology, and an integrated and validated set of software packages which, if properly interfaced with the logic model software of a plant, can monitor the plant performance as plant information is provided as input

Development of an Improved Methodology to Assess Potential Unconventional Gas Resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salazar, Jesus; McVay, Duane A.; Lee, W. John

2010-01-01

Considering the important role played today by unconventional gas resources in North America and their enormous potential for the future around the world, it is vital to both policy makers and industry that the volumes of these resources and the impact of technology on these resources be assessed. To provide for optimal decision making regarding energy policy, research funding, and resource development, it is necessary to reliably quantify the uncertainty in these resource assessments. Since the 1970s, studies to assess potential unconventional gas resources have been conducted by various private and governmental agencies, the most rigorous of which was by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS employed a cell-based, probabilistic methodology which used analytical equations to calculate distributions of the resources assessed. USGS assessments have generally produced distributions for potential unconventional gas resources that, in our judgment, are unrealistically narrow for what are essentially undiscovered, untested resources. In this article, we present an improved methodology to assess potential unconventional gas resources. Our methodology is a stochastic approach that includes Monte Carlo simulation and correlation between input variables. Application of the improved methodology to the Uinta-Piceance province of Utah and Colorado with USGS data validates the means and standard deviations of resource distributions produced by the USGS methodology, but reveals that these distributions are not right skewed, as expected for a natural resource. Our investigation indicates that the unrealistic shape and width of the gas resource distributions are caused by the use of narrow triangular input parameter distributions. The stochastic methodology proposed here is more versatile and robust than the USGS analytic methodology. Adoption of the methodology, along with a careful examination and revision of input distributions, should allow a more realistic

Scrum methodology in banking environment

OpenAIRE

Strihová, Barbora

2015-01-01

Bachelor thesis "Scrum methodology in banking environment" is focused on one of agile methodologies called Scrum and description of the methodology used in banking environment. Its main goal is to introduce the Scrum methodology and outline a real project placed in a bank focused on software development through a case study, address problems of the project, propose solutions of the addressed problems and identify anomalies of Scrum in software development constrained by the banking environmen...

Definition of a shortcut methodology for assessing flood-related Na-Tech risk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Marzo

2012-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper a qualitative methodology for the initial assessment of flood-related Na-Tech risk was developed as a screening tool to identify which situations require a much more expensive quantitative risk analysis (QRA. Through the definition of some suitable key hazard indicators (KHIs, the proposed methodology allows the identification of the Na-Tech risk level associated with a given situation; the analytical hierarchy process (AHP was used as a multi-criteria decision tool for the evaluation of such qualitative KHIs. The developed methodology was validated through two case studies by comparing the predicted risk levels with the results of much more detailed QRAs previously presented in literature and then applied to the real flood happened at Spolana a.s., Neratovice, Czech Republic in August 2002.

Grounded theory methodology - has it become a movement?

OpenAIRE

Berterö, Carina

2012-01-01

There is an ongoing debate regarding the nature of grounded theory, and an examination of many studies claiming to follow grounded theory indicates a wide range of approaches. In 1967 Glaser and Strauss’s ‘‘The Discovery of Grounded Theory; Strategies for Qualitative Research’’ was published and represented a breakthrough in qualitative research; it offered methodological consensus and systematic strategies for qualitative research practice. The defining characteristics of grounded theory inc...

A New Collaborative Methodology for Assessment and Management of Ecosystem Services

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Marina Segura

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Collaborative management is a new framework to help implement programmes in protected areas. Within this context, the aim of this work is twofold. First, to propose a robust methodology to implement collaborative management focused on ecosystem services. Second, to develop indicators for the main functions of ecosystem services. Decision makers, technical staff and other stakeholders are included in the process from the beginning, by identifying ecosystem services and eliciting preferences using the AHP method. Qualitative and quantitative data are then integrated into a PROMETHEE based method in order to obtain indicators for provisioning, maintenance and direct to citizens services. This methodology, which has been applied in a forest area, provides a tool for exploiting available technical and social data in a continuous process, as well as providing easy to understand graphical results. This approach also overcomes the difficulties found in prioritizing management objectives in a multiple criteria context with limited resources and facilitates consensus between all of the people involved. The new indicators define an innovative approach to assessing the ecosystem services from the supply perspective and provide basic information to help establish payment systems for environmental services and compensation for natural disasters.

Methodology of life cycle cost with risk expenditure for offshore process at conceptual design stage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Kiil; Chang, Daejun; Chang, Kwangpil; Rhee, Taejin; Lee, In-Beum

2011-01-01

This study proposed a new LCC (life cycle cost) methodology with the risk expenditure taken into account for comparative evaluation of offshore process options at their conceptual design stage. The risk expenditure consisted of the failure risk expenditure and the accident risk expenditure. The former accounted for the production loss and the maintenance expense due to equipment failures while the latter reflected the asset damage and the fatality worth caused by disastrous accidents such as fire and explosion. It was demonstrated that the new LCC methodology was capable of playing the role of a process selection basis in choosing the best of the liquefaction process options including the power generation systems for a floating LNG (Liquefied natural gas) production facility. Without the risk expenditure, a simple economic comparison apparently favored the mixed refrigerant cycle which had the better efficiency. The new methodology with the risk expenditure, however, indicated that the nitrogen expansion cycle driven by steam turbines should be the optimum choice, mainly due to its better availability and safety. -- Highlights: → The study presented the methodology of the LCC with the risk expenditure for the conceptual design of offshore processes. → The proposed methodology demonstrated the applicability of the liquefaction unit with the power generation system of LNG FPSO. → Without the risk expenditure, a simple economic comparison apparently favored the mixed refrigerant cycle which had the better efficiency. → The new methodology indicated that the nitrogen expansion cycle driven by steam turbines is the optimum choice due to its better availability and safety.

EVALUATION OF INVESTMENT ATTRACTIVENESS INDICATORS OF REGIONS IN UKRAINE

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Vira Vartsaba

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The theoretical and methodological principles for assessing the investment attractiveness of the regions are the subject of the research. The aims of the research consist in improving the existing approach for measuring the level of investment attractiveness of territorial systems in the direction of taking into account the possible multicollinearity and determining the share of investment attractiveness factors in the aggregate indicator on the basis of calculated values of determination coefficients, which respectively provide to distinguish the priority directions in the formation of regional investment policy aimed at raising the level of investment attractiveness of regions of Ukraine. Methodology. The article deals with the research of theoretical and methodological approaches to the definition of investment attractiveness of Ukrainian regions by means of general scientific methods of analysis: systematization and generalization, induction, deduction. Results. To assess the investment climate in the regions of Ukraine, an improved existing approach for measuring the level of investment attractiveness of territorial systems is proposed in the direction of taking into account possible multicollinearity and determining the share of factors of investment attractiveness, which is based, in particular, on the selected indicators, in particular: the volume of direct foreign investments per capita (FORINV; per capita net exports (NETEXP; the number of economically active enterprises per 10 000 population (ENTRP; volumes of industrial production (PROM; population income (REV; volume of retail trade turnover per capita (TOV; volume of completed construction work (BUD. It is proved that the priority and intensity of influence on the indicator of investment into fixed capital per capita of factors of investment attractiveness varies for different regions of Ukraine, therefore, according to the conducted analysis, the investment attractiveness of the

Optimal energy management of urban rail systems: Key performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

González-Gil, A.; Palacin, R.; Batty, P.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • An overall picture of urban rail energy use is provided. • Performance indicators are developed for urban rail system energy optimisation. • A multi-level methodology for assessing energy efficiency measures is presented. - Abstract: Urban rail systems are facing increasing pressure to minimise their energy consumption and thusly reduce their operational costs and environmental impact. However, given the complexity of such systems, this can only be effectively achieved through a holistic approach which considers the numerous interdependences between subsystems (i.e. vehicles, operations and infrastructure). Such an approach requires a comprehensive set of energy consumption-related Key Performance Indicators (KEPIs) that enable: a multilevel analysis of the actual energy performance of the system; an assessment of potential energy saving strategies; and the monitoring of the results of implemented measures. This paper proposes an original, complete list of KEPIs developed through a scientific approach validated by different stakeholders. It consists of a hierarchical list of 22 indicators divided into two levels: 10 key performance indicators, to ascertain the performance of the whole system and complete subsystems; and 12 performance indicators, to evaluate the performance of single units within subsystems, for example, a single rail vehicle or station. Additionally, the paper gives a brief insight into urban rail energy usage by providing an adequate context in which to understand the proposed KEPIs, together with a methodology describing their application when optimising the energy consumption of urban rail systems

Experimental Economics: Some Methodological Notes

OpenAIRE

Fiore, Annamaria

2009-01-01

The aim of this work is presenting in a self-contained paper some methodological aspects as they are received in the current experimental literature. The purpose has been to make a critical review of some very influential papers dealing with methodological issues. In other words, the idea is to have a single paper where people first approaching experimental economics can find summarised (some) of the most important methodological issues. In particular, the focus is on some methodological prac...

Proposal of methodology of tsunami accident sequence analysis induced by earthquake using DQFM methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muta, Hitoshi; Muramatsu, Ken

2017-01-01

Since the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station accident, the Japanese regulatory body has improved and upgraded the regulation of nuclear power plants, and continuous effort is required to enhance risk management in the mid- to long term. Earthquakes and tsunamis are considered as the most important risks, and the establishment of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methodologies for these events is a major issue of current PRA. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) addressed the PRA methodology for tsunamis induced by earthquakes, which is one of the methodologies that should be enhanced step by step for the improvement and maturity of PRA techniques. The AESJ standard for the procedure of seismic PRA for nuclear power plants in 2015 provides the basic concept of the methodology; however, details of the application to the actual plant PRA model have not been sufficiently provided. This study proposes a detailed PRA methodology for tsunamis induced by earthquakes using the DQFM methodology, which contributes to improving the safety of nuclear power plants. Furthermore, this study also states the issues which need more research. (author)

Composite Indices of Development and Poverty: An Application to MDGs

Science.gov (United States)

De Muro, Pasquale; Mazziotta, Matteo; Pareto, Adriano

2011-01-01

The measurement of development or poverty as multidimensional phenomena is very difficult because there are several theoretical, methodological and empirical problems involved. The literature of composite indicators offers a wide variety of aggregation methods, all with their pros and cons. In this paper, we propose a new, alternative composite…

Country's image as judged by international indices: Case of Tanzania

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper presented various international indices and how Tanzania is judged by them. The purpose was to reveal to different stakeholders and policy makers how this country is perceived by outsiders such as foreign donor countries, investors, tourist or international bodies. The methodology involved empirical review of ...

Evaluation of indicators for desertification risk assessment in part of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

47

The proposed methodology provides a series of effective indicators that would .... was made in the context of the 'MEDALUS' research project (Kosmas et al. 1999). ... The district experiences arid to semi-arid type of climate with average annual rainfall ..... In the present study qualitative desertification risk assessment has.

LOFT uncertainty-analysis methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassahn, G.D.

1983-01-01

The methodology used for uncertainty analyses of measurements in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) nuclear-reactor-safety research program is described and compared with other methodologies established for performing uncertainty analyses

LOFT uncertainty-analysis methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lassahn, G.D.

1983-01-01

The methodology used for uncertainty analyses of measurements in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) nuclear reactor safety research program is described and compared with other methodologies established for performing uncertainty analyses

Climate change and the development of mountain areas: what do we need to know and for what types of action?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Didier Richard

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Climate change is today a reality at both the international and more local levels. Recent studies have focussed mainly on analysing the consequences of climate change. The present article seeks to examine and qualify the impact of climate change in the mountain areas of the Alps. A first line of enquiry concerns the changing level of danger in the mountain environment. Are mountain areas becoming more dangerous and, if so, in terms of what types of risks and to what degree? However, adopting an approach based on an analysis of natural hazards and their dynamics in response to climate change cannot ignore the economic activities and types of development that already exist in these areas. In this respect, the tourism economy is predominant in mountain regions. Its durability and vitality undoubtedly constitute a priority for local actors. It is not surprising therefore that the latter have set up strategies for adapting to climate change. For planners and decision-makers to ensure integrated approaches in dealing with climate change, it is important that the complex links between natural risks and the types of development in mountain areas are better understood, which calls for a more detailed analysis of the environment in terms of territorial vulnerability.Le changement climatique est aujourd’hui une réalité au niveau international comme à celui des territoires locaux. Les travaux récents mettent préférentiellement l’accent sur l’analyse des conséquences du changement climatique. Cet article se propose de questionner et de qualifier l’impact du changement climatique dans les territoires montagnards des Alpes. Un premier axe de réflexion concerne l’évolution de la dangerosité de la montagne. Une montagne plus dangereuse se profile-t-elle ? Selon quels types de risques et avec quelles intensités ? Cependant, l’approche des risques naturels et de leur dynamique face au changement climatique ne saurait occulter le type d�

Groundwater vulnerability to climate change: A review of the assessment methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Rana Ammar; Shrestha, Sangam; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad

2018-01-15

Impacts of climate change on water resources, especially groundwater, can no longer be hidden. These impacts are further exacerbated under the integrated influence of climate variability, climate change and anthropogenic activities. The degree of impact varies according to geographical location and other factors leading systems and regions towards different levels of vulnerability. In the recent past, several attempts have been made in various regions across the globe to quantify the impacts and consequences of climate and non-climate factors in terms of vulnerability to groundwater resources. Firstly, this paper provides a structured review of the available literature, aiming to critically analyse and highlight the limitations and knowledge gaps involved in vulnerability (of groundwater to climate change) assessment methodologies. The effects of indicator choice and the importance of including composite indicators are then emphasised. A new integrated approach for the assessment of groundwater vulnerability to climate change is proposed to successfully address those limitations. This review concludes that the choice of indicator has a significant role in defining the reliability of computed results. The effect of an individual indicator is also apparent but the consideration of a combination (variety) of indicators may give more realistic results. Therefore, in future, depending upon the local conditions and scale of the study, indicators from various groups should be chosen. Furthermore, there are various assumptions involved in previous methodologies, which limit their scope by introducing uncertainty in the calculated results. These limitations can be overcome by implementing the proposed approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resource selection for an interdisciplinary field: a methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacoby, Beth E; Murray, Jane; Alterman, Ina; Welbourne, Penny

2002-10-01

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library of the University of Maryland developed and implemented a methodology to evaluate print and digital resources for social work. Although this methodology was devised for the interdisciplinary field of social work, the authors believe it may lend itself to resource selection in other interdisciplinary fields. The methodology was developed in response to the results of two separate surveys conducted in late 1999, which indicated improvement was needed in the library's graduate-level social work collections. Library liaisons evaluated the print collection by identifying forty-five locally relevant Library of Congress subject headings and then using these subjects or synonymous terms to compare the library's titles to collections of peer institutions, publisher catalogs, and Amazon.com. The collection also was compared to social work association bibliographies, ISI Journal Citation Reports, and major social work citation databases. An approval plan for social work books was set up to assist in identifying newly published titles. The library acquired new print and digital social work resources as a result of the evaluation, thus improving both print and digital collections for its social work constituents. Visibility of digital resources was increased by cataloging individual titles in aggregated electronic journal packages and listing each title on the library Web page.

Methodological procedures and analytical instruments to evaluate an indicators integrated archive for urban management; Guida metodologica per la costruzione di un archivio integrato di indicatori urbani

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Ciello, R; Napoleoni, S [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dipt. Ambiente

1998-07-01

This guide provides the results of a research developed at ENEA (National Agency for new Technology, Energy and the Environment) Casaccia center (Rome, Italy) aimed to define methodological procedures and analytical instruments needed to carry out an indicators integrated archive for urban management. The guide also defines the scheme of a negotiation process aimed to reach and exchange data and information among governmental and local administrations, non-governmental organizations and scientific bodies. [Italian] Il lavoro presenta una sintesi dei risultati di una ricerca condotta presso il C.R. Casaccia dell'ENEA, relativia alla definizione di procedure metodologiche e strumenti di analisi ed elaborazione per realizzare un archivio integrato di indicatori per la gestione dei sistemi urbani. La guida, rivolta ai responsabili delle politiche urbane, deifinisce uno schema dei processi di condivisione degli indicatori urbani attraverso l'organizzazione di opportuni tavoli negoziali, costituiti da rappresentanti delle amministrazioni locali, dell'amministrazione centrale, delle categorie produttive e sociali e delle strutture tecniche operanti sul territorio.

Methodological procedures and analytical instruments to evaluate an indicators integrated archive for urban management; Guida metodologica per la costruzione di un archivio integrato di indicatori urbani

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Del Ciello, R.; Napoleoni, S. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Rome (Italy). Dipt. Ambiente

1998-07-01

This guide provides the results of a research developed at ENEA (National Agency for new Technology, Energy and the Environment) Casaccia center (Rome, Italy) aimed to define methodological procedures and analytical instruments needed to carry out an indicators integrated archive for urban management. The guide also defines the scheme of a negotiation process aimed to reach and exchange data and information among governmental and local administrations, non-governmental organizations and scientific bodies. [Italian] Il lavoro presenta una sintesi dei risultati di una ricerca condotta presso il C.R. Casaccia dell'ENEA, relativia alla definizione di procedure metodologiche e strumenti di analisi ed elaborazione per realizzare un archivio integrato di indicatori per la gestione dei sistemi urbani. La guida, rivolta ai responsabili delle politiche urbane, deifinisce uno schema dei processi di condivisione degli indicatori urbani attraverso l'organizzazione di opportuni tavoli negoziali, costituiti da rappresentanti delle amministrazioni locali, dell'amministrazione centrale, delle categorie produttive e sociali e delle strutture tecniche operanti sul territorio.

A new indicator mineral methodology based on a generic Bi-Pb-Te-S mineral inclusion signature in detrital gold from porphyry and low/intermediate sulfidation epithermal environments in Yukon Territory, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, R. J.; Allan, M. M.; Mortensen, J. K.; Wrighton, T. M.; Grimshaw, M. R.

2017-12-01

Porphyry-epithermal and orogenic gold are two of the most important styles of gold-bearing mineralization within orogenic belts. Populations of detrital gold resulting from bulk erosion of such regions may exhibit a compositional continuum wherein Ag, Cu, and Hg in the gold alloy may vary across the full range exhibited by natural gold. This paper describes a new methodology whereby orogenic and porphyry-epithermal gold may be distinguished according to the mineralogy of microscopic inclusions observed within detrital gold particles. A total of 1459 gold grains from hypogene, eluvial, and placer environments around calc-alkaline porphyry deposits in Yukon (Nucleus-Revenue, Casino, Sonora Gulch, and Cyprus-Klaza) have been characterized in terms of their alloy compositions (Au, Ag, Cu, and Hg) and their inclusion mineralogy. Despite differences in the evolution of the different magmatic hydrothermal systems, the gold exhibits a clear Bi-Pb-Te-S mineralogy in the inclusion suite, a signature which is either extremely weak or (most commonly) absent in both Yukon orogenic gold and gold from orogenic settings worldwide. Generic systematic compositional changes in ore mineralogy previously identified across the porphyry-epithermal transition have been identified in the corresponding inclusion suites observed in samples from Yukon. However, the Bi-Te association repeatedly observed in gold from the porphyry mineralization persists into the epithermal environment. Ranges of P-T-X conditions are replicated in the geological environments which define generic styles of mineralization. These parameters influence both gold alloy composition and ore mineralogy, of which inclusion suites are a manifestation. Consequently, we propose that this methodology approach can underpin a widely applicable indicator methodology based on detrital gold.

Development and Current Status of Skull-Image Superimposition - Methodology and Instrumentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Y

1992-12-01

This article presents a review of the literature and an evaluation on the development and application of skull-image superimposition technology - both instrumentation and methodology - contributed by a number of scholars since 1935. Along with a comparison of the methodologies involved in the two superimposition techniques - photographic and video - the author characterized the techniques in action and the recent advances in computer image superimposition processing technology. The major disadvantage of conventional approaches is its relying on subjective interpretation. Through painstaking comparison and analysis, computer image processing technology can make more conclusive identifications by direct testing and evaluating the various programmed indices. Copyright © 1992 Central Police University.

Security Testing in Agile Web Application Development - A Case Study Using the EAST Methodology

CERN Document Server

Erdogan, Gencer

2010-01-01

There is a need for improved security testing methodologies specialized for Web applications and their agile development environment. The number of web application vulnerabilities is drastically increasing, while security testing tends to be given a low priority. In this paper, we analyze and compare Agile Security Testing with two other common methodologies for Web application security testing, and then present an extension of this methodology. We present a case study showing how our Extended Agile Security Testing (EAST) performs compared to a more ad hoc approach used within an organization. Our working hypothesis is that the detection of vulnerabilities in Web applications will be significantly more efficient when using a structured security testing methodology specialized for Web applications, compared to existing ad hoc ways of performing security tests. Our results show a clear indication that our hypothesis is on the right track.

Hybrid analysis for indicating patients with breast cancer using temperature time series.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Lincoln F; Santos, Alair Augusto S M D; Bravo, Renato S; Silva, Aristófanes C; Muchaluat-Saade, Débora C; Conci, Aura

2016-07-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Diagnosis and treatment in early stages increase cure chances. The temperature of cancerous tissue is generally higher than that of healthy surrounding tissues, making thermography an option to be considered in screening strategies of this cancer type. This paper proposes a hybrid methodology for analyzing dynamic infrared thermography in order to indicate patients with risk of breast cancer, using unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques, which characterizes the methodology as hybrid. The dynamic infrared thermography monitors or quantitatively measures temperature changes on the examined surface, after a thermal stress. In the dynamic infrared thermography execution, a sequence of breast thermograms is generated. In the proposed methodology, this sequence is processed and analyzed by several techniques. First, the region of the breasts is segmented and the thermograms of the sequence are registered. Then, temperature time series are built and the k-means algorithm is applied on these series using various values of k. Clustering formed by k-means algorithm, for each k value, is evaluated using clustering validation indices, generating values treated as features in the classification model construction step. A data mining tool was used to solve the combined algorithm selection and hyperparameter optimization (CASH) problem in classification tasks. Besides the classification algorithm recommended by the data mining tool, classifiers based on Bayesian networks, neural networks, decision rules and decision tree were executed on the data set used for evaluation. Test results support that the proposed analysis methodology is able to indicate patients with breast cancer. Among 39 tested classification algorithms, K-Star and Bayes Net presented 100% classification accuracy. Furthermore, among the Bayes Net, multi-layer perceptron, decision table and random forest classification algorithms, an

SG39 Deliverables. Summary of Methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokoyama, Kenji

2015-01-01

For providing useful and physical feedback to nuclear data evaluators from cross section adjustment results, it is necessary to assess the reliability of the adjustment results. For instance, the adjustment results may include so-called 'compensation effects' which cause fictitious alterations of adjusted cross-sections by the cancellation of two or more reactions of cross sections. Typical compensation effects are possible in the following reactions: - Pu-239 fission spectrum and inelastic in general: Equivalent effect through neutron spectrum changes - Capture and (n,2n) for irradiation experiments: Same impact of disappearing the associated isotope - Capture and fission for spectral indices: e.g. U-238 capture (C28) and Pu-239 fission (F49) for C28/F49; Compensation between numerator and denominator - Many reactions for criticalities: Capture, fission, ν, χ, inelastic, elastic,... In addition, useless and unphysical systematic effects may occur in the cross section adjustments. To avoid the compensation effects and to point out systematic effects, several criteria with parameters/indices are recommended to use. This document summarizes the methodology with the definitions of the parameters/indices. Although a lot of parameters/indices are reported in the intermediate report of Subgroup 33, many institutions use their own different nomenclature to describe the parameters/indices about the cross section adjustment. Therefore, Subgroup 39 proposes a common nomenclature for convenience. (author)

Transmission pricing: paradigms and methodologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shirmohammadi, Dariush [Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Francisco, CA (United States); Vieira Filho, Xisto; Gorenstin, Boris [Centro de Pesquisas de Energia Eletrica (CEPEL), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Pereira, Mario V.P. [Power System Research, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1994-12-31

In this paper we describe the principles of several paradigms and methodologies for pricing transmission services. The paper outlines some of the main characteristics of these paradigms and methodologies such as where they may be used for best results. Due to their popularity, power flow based MW-mile and short run marginal cost pricing methodologies will be covered in some detail. We conclude the paper with examples of the application of these two pricing methodologies for pricing transmission services in Brazil. (author) 25 refs., 2 tabs.

DEA-Risk Efficiency and Stochastic Dominance Efficiency of Stock Indices

OpenAIRE

Martin Branda; Miloš Kopa

2012-01-01

In this article, the authors deal with the efficiency of world stock indices. Basically, they compare three approaches: mean-risk, data envelopment analysis (DEA), and stochastic dominance (SD) efficiency. In the DEA methodology, efficiency is defined as a weighted sum of outputs compared to a weighted sum of inputs when optimal weights are used. In DEA-risk efficiency, several risk measures and functionals which quantify the risk of the indices (var, VaR, CVaR, etc.) as DEA inputs are used. ...

Feminist Methodologies and Engineering Education Research

Science.gov (United States)

Beddoes, Kacey

2013-01-01

This paper introduces feminist methodologies in the context of engineering education research. It builds upon other recent methodology articles in engineering education journals and presents feminist research methodologies as a concrete engineering education setting in which to explore the connections between epistemology, methodology and theory.…

On the methodology of feeding ecology in fish

OpenAIRE

Saikia Surjya Kumar

2016-01-01

Feeding ecology explains predator’s preference to some preys over others in their habitat and their competitions thereof. The subject, as a functional and applied biology, is highly neglected, and in case of fish, a uniform and consistent methodology is absent. The currently practiced methods are largely centred on mathematical indices and highly erroneous because of non-uniform outcomes. Therefore, it requires a relook into the subject to elucidate functional contributions and to make it mor...

Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodology Committee: an international survey of priorities for future work.

Science.gov (United States)

Levack, William M; Meyer, Thorsten; Negrini, Stefano; Malmivaara, Antti

2017-10-01

Cochrane Rehabilitation aims to improve the application of evidence-based practice in rehabilitation. It also aims to support Cochrane in the production of reliable, clinically meaningful syntheses of evidence related to the practice of rehabilitation, while accommodating the many methodological challenges facing the field. To this end, Cochrane Rehabilitation established a Methodology Committee to examine, explore and find solutions for the methodological challenges related to evidence synthesis and knowledge translation in rehabilitation. We conducted an international online survey via Cochrane Rehabilitation networks to canvass opinions regarding the future work priorities for this committee and to seek information on people's current capabilities to assist with this work. The survey findings indicated strongest interest in work on how reviewers have interpreted and applied Cochrane methods in reviews on rehabilitation topics in the past, and on gathering a collection of existing publications on review methods for undertaking systematic reviews relevant to rehabilitation. Many people are already interested in contributing to the work of the Methodology Committee and there is a large amount of expertise for this work in the extended Cochrane Rehabilitation network already.

Energy indicators for sustainable development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vera, Ivan; Langlois, Lucille

2007-01-01

Energy is an essential factor in overall efforts to achieve sustainable development. Countries striving to this end are seeking to reassess their energy systems with a view toward planning energy programmes and strategies in line with sustainable development goals and objectives. This paper summarizes the outcome of an international partnership initiative on indicators for sustainable energy development that aims to provide an analytical tool for assessing current energy production and use patterns at a national level. The proposed set of energy indicators represents a first step of a consensus reached on this subject by five international agencies-two from the United Nations system (the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the International Atomic Energy Agency), two from the European Union (Eurostat and the European Environment Agency) and one from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the International Energy Agency). Energy and environmental experts including statisticians, analysts, policy makers and academics have started to implement general guidelines and methodologies in the development of national energy indicators for use in their efforts to monitor the effects of energy policies on the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development

Methodological progress and substantial insights in the field of internet research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Faulbaum, F.; Matzat, U.; Deutschmann, M.

2006-01-01

We are pleased to present the first issue of the International Journal of Internet Science (IJIS). As the mission statement indicates the journal is intended to cover two kinds of related research. On the one hand it presents methodological research that shows how the Internet can be used as a tool

Review on Suitability of Available LCIA Methodologies for Assessing Environmental Impact of the Food Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pegah Amani

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Production, processing, distribution, and consumption of a wide variety of products in the food sector have different ranges of environmental impacts. Methodologies used in environmental impact assessment differ in which set of impact categories is covered and which models are used to assess them. In the food sector, life cycle assessment results are mostly presented without any clear distinction of the principles applied to selecting the relevant methodology. In this paper, the most relevant life cycle impact assessment methodologies are determined from the list of recommended methodologies published recently in the international reference life cycle data system (ILCD handbook. The range of the relevant impacts covered is considered as the main indicator decisive in selecting a methodology. The selection of the relevant set of impact categories is performed through an overview of more than 50 recent LCA case studies of different products in the sector. The result of the research is a short list of three LCIA methodologies recommended to be used for environmental impact assessment of products in the food sector.

Methodology for evaluating pattern transfer completeness in inkjet printing with irregular edges

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bo-Cin; Chan, Hui-Ju; Hong, Jian-Wei; Lo, Cheng-Yao

2016-06-01

A methodology for quantifying and qualifying pattern transfer completeness in inkjet printing through examining both pattern dimensions and pattern contour deviations from reference design is proposed, which enables scientifically identifying and evaluating inkjet-printed lines, corners, circles, ellipses, and spirals with irregular edges of bulging, necking, and unpredictable distortions resulting from different process conditions. This methodology not only avoids differences in individual perceptions of ambiguous pattern distortions but also indicates the systematic effects of mechanical stresses applied in different directions to a polymer substrate, and is effective for both optical and electrical microscopy in direct and indirect lithography or lithography-free patterning.

Methodology for evaluating pattern transfer completeness in inkjet printing with irregular edges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Bo-Cin; Chan, Hui-Ju; Lo, Cheng-Yao; Hong, Jian-Wei

2016-01-01

A methodology for quantifying and qualifying pattern transfer completeness in inkjet printing through examining both pattern dimensions and pattern contour deviations from reference design is proposed, which enables scientifically identifying and evaluating inkjet-printed lines, corners, circles, ellipses, and spirals with irregular edges of bulging, necking, and unpredictable distortions resulting from different process conditions. This methodology not only avoids differences in individual perceptions of ambiguous pattern distortions but also indicates the systematic effects of mechanical stresses applied in different directions to a polymer substrate, and is effective for both optical and electrical microscopy in direct and indirect lithography or lithography-free patterning. (paper)

The development of a checklist to enhance methodological quality in intervention programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvador Chacón-Moscoso

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The methodological quality of primary studies is an important issue when performing meta-analyses or systematic reviews. Nevertheless, there are no clear criteria for how methodological quality should be analyzed. Controversies emerge when considering the various theoretical and empirical definitions, especially in relation to three interrelated problems: the lack of representativeness, utility, and feasibility. In this article, we (a systematize and summarize the available literature about methodological quality in primary studies; (b propose a specific, parsimonious, 12-item checklist to empirically define the methodological quality of primary studies based on a content validity study; and (c present an inter-coder reliability study for the resulting 12 items. This paper provides a precise and rigorous description of the development of this checklist, highlighting the clearly specified criteria for the inclusion of items and a substantial inter-coder agreement in the different items. Rather than simply proposing another checklist, however, it then argues that the list constitutes an assessment tool with respect to the representativeness, utility, and feasibility of the most frequent methodological quality items in the literature, one that provides practitioners and researchers with clear criteria for choosing items that may be adequate to their needs. We propose individual methodological features as indicators of quality, arguing that these need to be taken into account when designing, implementing, or evaluating an intervention program. This enhances methodological quality of intervention programs and fosters the cumulative knowledge based on meta-analyses of these interventions. Future development of the checklist is discussed.

A cost-effective methodology to internalize nuclear safety in nuclear reactor conceptual design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimenez, M.; Grinblat, P.; Schlamp, M.

2003-01-01

A new methodology to perform nuclear reactor design, balancing safety and economics at the conceptual engineering stage, is presented in this work. The goal of this integral methodology is to take into account safety aspects in an optimization design process where the design variables are balanced in order to obtain a better figure of merit related with reactor economic performance. Design parameter effects on characteristic or critical safety variables, chosen from reactor behavior during accidents (safety performance indicators), are synthesized on Design Maps. These maps allow one to compare the safety indicator with limits, which are determined by design criteria or regulations, and to transfer these restrictions to the design parameters. In this way, reactor dynamic response and other safety aspects are integrated in a global optimization process, by means of additional rules to the neutronic, thermal-hydraulic, and mechanical calculations. An application of the methodology, implemented in Integrated Reactor Evaluation Program 3 (IREP3) code, to optimize safety systems of CAREM prototype is presented. It consists in balancing the designs of the Emergency Injection System (EIS), the Residual Heat Removal System (RHRS), the primary circuit water inventory and the containment height, to cope with loss of coolant and loss of heat sink (LOHS) accidental sequences, taking into account cost and reactor performance. This methodology turns out to be promising to internalize cost-efficiently safety issues. It also allows one to evaluate the incremental costs of implementing higher safety levels

Environmental impact statement analysis: dose methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, M.A.; Strenge, D.L.; Napier, B.A.

1981-01-01

Standardized sections and methodologies are being developed for use in environmental impact statements (EIS) for activities to be conducted on the Hanford Reservation. Five areas for standardization have been identified: routine operations dose methodologies, accident dose methodology, Hanford Site description, health effects methodology, and socioeconomic environment for Hanford waste management activities

Using and reporting the Delphi method for selecting healthcare quality indicators: a systematic review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rym Boulkedid

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Delphi technique is a structured process commonly used to developed healthcare quality indicators, but there is a little recommendation for researchers who wish to use it. This study aimed 1 to describe reporting of the Delphi method to develop quality indicators, 2 to discuss specific methodological skills for quality indicators selection 3 to give guidance about this practice. METHODOLOGY AND MAIN FINDING: Three electronic data bases were searched over a 30 years period (1978-2009. All articles that used the Delphi method to select quality indicators were identified. A standardized data extraction form was developed. Four domains (questionnaire preparation, expert panel, progress of the survey and Delphi results were assessed. Of 80 included studies, quality of reporting varied significantly between items (9% for year's number of experience of the experts to 98% for the type of Delphi used. Reporting of methodological aspects needed to evaluate the reliability of the survey was insufficient: only 39% (31/80 of studies reported response rates for all rounds, 60% (48/80 that feedback was given between rounds, 77% (62/80 the method used to achieve consensus and 57% (48/80 listed quality indicators selected at the end of the survey. A modified Delphi procedure was used in 49/78 (63% with a physical meeting of the panel members, usually between Delphi rounds. Median number of panel members was 17(Q1:11; Q3:31. In 40/70 (57% studies, the panel included multiple stakeholders, who were healthcare professionals in 95% (38/40 of cases. Among 75 studies describing criteria to select quality indicators, 28 (37% used validity and 17(23% feasibility. CONCLUSION: The use and reporting of the Delphi method for quality indicators selection need to be improved. We provide some guidance to the investigators to improve the using and reporting of the method in future surveys.

Regional Shelter Analysis Methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dillon, Michael B. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Dennison, Deborah [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Kane, Jave [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Walker, Hoyt [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Miller, Paul [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-08-01

The fallout from a nuclear explosion has the potential to injure or kill 100,000 or more people through exposure to external gamma (fallout) radiation. Existing buildings can reduce radiation exposure by placing material between fallout particles and exposed people. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was tasked with developing an operationally feasible methodology that could improve fallout casualty estimates. The methodology, called a Regional Shelter Analysis, combines the fallout protection that existing buildings provide civilian populations with the distribution of people in various locations. The Regional Shelter Analysis method allows the consideration of (a) multiple building types and locations within buildings, (b) country specific estimates, (c) population posture (e.g., unwarned vs. minimally warned), and (d) the time of day (e.g., night vs. day). The protection estimates can be combined with fallout predictions (or measurements) to (a) provide a more accurate assessment of exposure and injury and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of various casualty mitigation strategies. This report describes the Regional Shelter Analysis methodology, highlights key operational aspects (including demonstrating that the methodology is compatible with current tools), illustrates how to implement the methodology, and provides suggestions for future work.

Methodological Aspects in Forecasting Innovation Development of Dairy Cattle Breeding in the Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natal’ya Aleksandrovna Medvedeva

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Due to the fact that Russia is now a member of the World Trade Organization, long-term forecasting becomes an objectively necessary condition that helps choose an effective science-based long-term strategy for development of dairy cattle breeding that would take into consideration intellectual and innovative characteristics. Current structure of available statistical information does not meet modern challenges of innovation development and does not reflect adequately the trends of ongoing changes. The paper suggests a system of indicators to analyze the status, development and prospects of dairy cattle breeding in the region; this system provides timely identification of emerging risks and threats of deviation from the specified parameters. The system included indicators contained in the current statistical reporting and new indicators of innovation development of the industry, the quality of human capital and the level of government support. When designing the system of indicators, we used several methodological aspects of the Oslo Manual, which the Federal State Statistics Service considers to be an official methodological document concerning the collection of information about innovation activities. A structured system of indicators shifts the emphasis in the analysis of the final results to the conditions and prerequisites that help achieve forecast performance indicators in the functioning of Russia’s economy under WTO rules and make substantiated management decisions

Methodology for qualitative content analysis with the technique of mind maps using Nvivo and FreeMind softwares

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Leonardo Oliveira Lima

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In a survey it is not enough choosing tools, resources and procedures. It is important to understand the method beyond the technics and their relationship with philosophy, epistemology and methodology. Objective: To discuss theoretical and methodological concerns on Qualitative Research in Information Science and the process of Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA at User Studies field and to show a followed path of QCA integrated with Mind Maps technic for developing categories and indicators, by using Qualitative Data Analysis Software (QDAS and Mind Maps designing tools. Methodology: The research was descriptive, methodological, bibliographical and fieldwork conducted with open interviews that were processed using the QCA method with the support of QDAS Nvivo and FreeMind Software for Mind Map design. Results: It is shown the theory of qualitative research and QCA and a methodological path of QCA by using techniques and software mentioned above. Conclusions: When it comes to qualitative researches, the theoretical framework suggests the need of more dialogue among Information Science and other disciplines. The process of QCA evidenced: a viable path that might help further related investigations using the QDAS; the contribution of Mind Maps and their design softwares to develop the indicators and categories of QCA.

A methodology for the transfer of probabilities between accident severity categories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitlow, J.D.; Neuhauser, K.S.

1993-01-01

This paper will describe a methodology which has been developed to allow accident probabilities associated with one severity category scheme to be transferred to another severity category scheme, permitting some comparisons of different studies at the category level. In this methodology, the severity category schemes to be compared are mapped onto a common set of axes. The axes represent critical accident environments (e.g., impact, thermal, crush, puncture) and indicate the range of accident parameters from zero (no accident) to the most sever credible forces. The choice of critical accident environments for the axes depends on the package being transported and the mode of transportation. The accident probabilities associated with one scheme are then transferred to the other scheme. This transfer of category probabilities is based on the relationships of the critical accident parameters to probability of occurrence. The methodology can be employed to transfer any quantity between category schemes if the appropriate supporting information is available. (J.P.N.)

Nuclear power plant system environmental design and decision methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zendehrouh, Z.; Shinozuka, M.; Schauer, F.P.

1975-01-01

The methodology described is concerned with a system reliability analysis by which the correlation among the level of design for the environmental and natural phenomena (earthquake, flood, tornado, etc.), reasonable practical measure of safety (such as conventional safety factor), and damage (radioactivity release) probability are established. In fact, the methodology indicates how the risk of environmental and natural hazard is combined with a specific design in order to evaluate damage probability associated with the design. This leads to the optimum design decision when combined further with the cost considerations involving the radioactivity release. This fundamental approach is essential in the design of nuclear plant structures, because, unlike the convential structures, the architectural considerations and structural analysis requirements alone cannot, by themselves, result in a balanced design in the framework of social requirements. The proposed methodology incorporates the different methods of environmental load determinations with their respective probabilistic formulations as well as detailed and advanced multi-discipline (structural, mechanical, soil, nuclear physics, biology, etc.) theoretical and empirical analysis including the effect of probabilistic nature of design variables, to establish a sound and reasonable design decision model for nuclear power plants. The information required for the analysis is also described and the areas for which further research is desirable are pointed out. Furthermore, the proposed methodology can very well be utilized to determine the requirements of standardized plants to facilitate the speed of their design and review process

Methodological challenges in assessing the environmental status of a marine ecosystem: case study of the Baltic Sea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henn Ojaveer

Full Text Available Assessments of the environmental status of marine ecosystems are increasingly needed to inform management decisions and regulate human pressures to meet the objectives of environmental policies. This paper addresses some generic methodological challenges and related uncertainties involved in marine ecosystem assessment, using the central Baltic Sea as a case study. The objectives of good environmental status of the Baltic Sea are largely focusing on biodiversity, eutrophication and hazardous substances. In this paper, we conduct comparative evaluations of the status of these three segments, by applying different methodological approaches. Our analyses indicate that the assessment results are sensitive to a selection of indicators for ecological quality objectives that are affected by a broad spectrum of human activities and natural processes (biodiversity, less so for objectives that are influenced by a relatively narrow array of drivers (eutrophications, hazardous substances. The choice of indicator aggregation rule appeared to be of essential importance for assessment results for all three segments, whereas the hierarchical structure of indicators had only a minor influence. Trend-based assessment was shown to be a useful supplement to reference-based evaluation, being independent of the problems related to defining reference values and indicator aggregation methodologies. Results of this study will help in setting priorities for future efforts to improve environmental assessments in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere, and to ensure the transparency of the assessment procedure.

An alternative methodology for the mathematical treatment of GPS positioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aly M. El-naggar

2011-12-01

In this paper a simple alternative method is developed to solve the GPS navigation equations directly without linearization and iteration. A practical study was done to evaluate the new model. Performance analysis was conducted using data collected by Trimble 4000SSE dual frequency receiver. The results indicated that the alternative methodology is simple, fast, and accurate as compared to Taylor method.

Stable isotope methodology and its application to nutrition and gastroenterology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, P.D.; Hachey, D.L.; Wong, W.W.; Abrams, S.A.

1993-01-01

This report describes the activities of the Stable Isotope Laboratory in its function as a core resource facility for stable isotope applications in human nutrition research. Three aspects are covered: Training of visitors, assessment of new instrumentation, and development of new methodology. The research achievements of the laboratory are indicated in the publications that appeared during this period. (author). 23 refs

Climats, territoires, environnements

OpenAIRE

Cohen, Marianne; Desruelles, Stéphane; Giusti, Christian; Gramond, Delphine; Mercier, Denis

2018-01-01

Du 30 novembre au 12 décembre 2015 s’est tenue au Bourget la Conférence de Paris sur le climat, 21e conférence des parties (COP 21) à la Convention-cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC). Chaque année, les participants de cette conférence se réunissent pour décider des mesures destinées à limiter le réchauffement climatique : la COP 20 s’était réunie en décembre 2014 à Lima (Pérou), la COP 22 se déroulera à Marrakech (Maroc) à partir du 7 novembre 2016. L’accord de P...

Les sirènes de Copenhague !

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martine Tabeaud

2010-01-01

Full Text Available La Convention Cadre des Nations Unies sur le Changement Climatique (CCNUCC instance de politique internationale créée à Rio de Janeiro en 1992 a défini les moyens de lutte contre le changement climatique. Le choix s'est porté sur la réduction du réchauffement futur par la baisse des émissions de gaz à effet de serre, d'où le Protocole de Kyoto. Fin 2009, la réunion de Copenhague chargée de penser l'après Kyoto, l'après 2012 a donc polarisé à tort les plus grandes espérances quant à la refondation d'une gouvernance mondiale.

Prioritising indicators in improving supply chain performance using fuzzy AHP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Govindan, Kannan; Mangla, Sachin Kumar; Luthra, Sunil

2017-01-01

In this contribution, we aim to prioritise the indicators to enhance the organisational supply chain’s (SC) effectiveness from an industrial perspective. It will help industries to develop strategies for managing the SC effectively and ensuring improvement in performance continuously. To achieve...... this, this work proposes to use a two-phase research methodology. First, 36 SC performance improvement indicators are recognised from a literature survey and from field and industrial expert’s inputs. Secondly, a structural model is proposed using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP...

Dosimetric methodology of the ICRP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckerman, K.F.

1994-01-01

Establishment of guidance for the protection of workers and members of the public from radiation exposures necessitates estimation of the radiation dose to tissues of the body at risk. The dosimetric methodology formulated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) is intended to be responsive to this need. While developed for radiation protection, elements of the methodology are often applied in addressing other radiation issues; e.g., risk assessment. This chapter provides an overview of the methodology, discusses its recent extension to age-dependent considerations, and illustrates specific aspects of the methodology through a number of numerical examples

Design Methodology - Design Synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Mogens Myrup

2003-01-01

Design Methodology is part of our practice and our knowledge about designing, and it has been strongly supported by the establishing and work of a design research community. The aim of this article is to broaden the reader¿s view of designing and Design Methodology. This is done by sketching...... the development of Design Methodology through time and sketching some important approaches and methods. The development is mainly forced by changing industrial condition, by the growth of IT support for designing, but also by the growth of insight into designing created by design researchers.......ABSTRACT Design Methodology shall be seen as our understanding of how to design; it is an early (emerging late 60ies) and original articulation of teachable and learnable methodics. The insight is based upon two sources: the nature of the designed artefacts and the nature of human designing. Today...

Integrated Management System – Scope, Possibilities And Methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čekanová Katarína

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Organizations are becoming more aware of the importance of integrated management systems (IMS. Interest in this subject indicates that IMS are seen as “management systems of the future”. Based on this, the aim of this articles characterizes the possibility of building IMS through the identification of common elements and specific requirements in accordance with the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 professional references. Part of the article is the methodology of building IMS in the organization.

Multi-indicator assessment of water environment in government environmental auditing

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HE Gui-zhen; LU Yong-long; MA Hua; WANG Xiao-long

2007-01-01

This study focuses on a multi-indicator assessment methodology for governmental environmental auditing of water protection programs. The environmental status of Wuli Lake in China was assessed using the global indicators (driver-status-response) developed by the CSD, and four additional indicators proposed by the author- water quality, pollution load, aquatic ecosystem status and lake sediment deposition. Various hydrological, chemical, biological and environmental parameters were used to estimate the values of the indicators for assessment of environmental status of the lake based on time series data sets for twenty years. The indicators proposed can be customized to meeting the needs for particular assessment of water protection programs. This method can be used to evaluate the performance of national environmental protection programs and provide technical support for environmental auditors.

VEM: Virtual Enterprise Methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tølle, Martin; Vesterager, Johan

2003-01-01

This chapter presents a virtual enterprise methodology (VEM) that outlines activities to consider when setting up and managing virtual enterprises (VEs). As a methodology the VEM helps companies to ask the right questions when preparing for and setting up an enterprise network, which works...

The Methodological Dynamism of Grounded Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas Ralph

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Variations in grounded theory (GT interpretation are the subject of ongoing debate. Divergences of opinion, genres, approaches, methodologies, and methods exist, resulting in disagreement on what GT methodology is and how it comes to be. From the postpositivism of Glaser and Strauss, to the symbolic interactionist roots of Strauss and Corbin, through to the constructivism of Charmaz, the field of GT methodology is distinctive in the sense that those using it offer new ontological, epistemological, and methodological perspectives at specific moments in time. We explore the unusual dynamism attached to GT’s underpinnings. Our view is that through a process of symbolic interactionism, in which generations of researchers interact with their context, moments are formed and philosophical perspectives are interpreted in a manner congruent with GT’s essential methods. We call this methodological dynamism, a process characterized by contextual awareness and moment formation, contemporaneous translation, generational methodology, and methodological consumerism.

Comparative study on software development methodologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihai Liviu DESPA

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the current state of knowledge in the field of software development methodologies. It aims to set the stage for the formalization of a software development methodology dedicated to innovation orientated IT projects. The paper starts by depicting specific characteristics in software development project management. Managing software development projects involves techniques and skills that are proprietary to the IT industry. Also the software development project manager handles challenges and risks that are predominantly encountered in business and research areas that involve state of the art technology. Conventional software development stages are defined and briefly described. Development stages are the building blocks of any software development methodology so it is important to properly research this aspect. Current software development methodologies are presented. Development stages are defined for every showcased methodology. For each methodology a graphic representation is illustrated in order to better individualize its structure. Software development methodologies are compared by highlighting strengths and weaknesses from the stakeholder's point of view. Conclusions are formulated and a research direction aimed at formalizing a software development methodology dedicated to innovation orientated IT projects is enunciated.

The Methodology of Magpies

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Susan

2014-01-01

Arts/Humanities researchers frequently do not explain methodology overtly; instead, they "perform" it through their use of language, textual and historic cross-reference, and theory. Here, methodologies from literary studies are shown to add to Higher Education (HE) an exegetical and critically pluralist approach. This includes…

Update of Part 61 Impacts Analysis Methodology. Methodology report. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oztunali, O.I.; Roles, G.W.

1986-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Envirosphere Company has expanded and updated the impacts analysis methodology used during the development of the 10 CFR Part 61 rule to allow improved consideration of the costs and impacts of treatment and disposal of low-level waste that is close to or exceeds Class C concentrations. The modifications described in this report principally include: (1) an update of the low-level radioactive waste source term, (2) consideration of additional alternative disposal technologies, (3) expansion of the methodology used to calculate disposal costs, (4) consideration of an additional exposure pathway involving direct human contact with disposed waste due to a hypothetical drilling scenario, and (5) use of updated health physics analysis procedures (ICRP-30). Volume 1 of this report describes the calculational algorithms of the updated analysis methodology

Update of Part 61 Impacts Analysis Methodology. Methodology report. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oztunali, O.I.; Roles, G.W.

1986-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Envirosphere Company has expanded and updated the impacts analysis methodology used during the development of the 10 CFR Part 61 rule to allow improved consideration of the costs and impacts of treatment and disposal of low-level waste that is close to or exceeds Class C concentrations. The modifications described in this report principally include: (1) an update of the low-level radioactive waste source term, (2) consideration of additional alternative disposal technologies, (3) expansion of the methodology used to calculate disposal costs, (4) consideration of an additional exposure pathway involving direct human contact with disposed waste due to a hypothetical drilling scenario, and (5) use of updated health physics analysis procedures (ICRP-30). Volume 1 of this report describes the calculational algorithms of the updated analysis methodology.

Status of Methodology Development for the Evaluation of Proliferation Resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Deok; Ko, Won Il; Lee, Jung Won

2010-01-01

Concerning the increasing energy demand and green house effect, nuclear energy is now the most feasible option. Therefore, recently, oil countries even have a plan to build the nuclear power plant for energy production. If nuclear systems are to make a major and sustainable contribution to the worlds energy supply, future nuclear energy systems must meet specific requirements. One of the requirements is to satisfy the proliferation resistance condition in an entire nuclear system. Therefore, from the beginning of future nuclear energy system development, it is important to consider a proliferation resistance to prevent the diversion of nuclear materials. The misuse of a nuclear system must be considered as well. Moreover, in the import and export of nuclear system, the evaluation of the proliferation resistance on the nuclear system becomes a key factor The INPRO (International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles) program initiated by the IAEA proposed proliferation resistance (PR) as a key component of a future innovative nuclear system (INS) with a sustainability, economics, safety of nuclear installation and waste management. The technical goal for Generation IV (Gen IV) nuclear energy systems (NESs) highlights a Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection (PR and PP), sustainability, safety, reliability and economics as well. Based on INPRO and Gen IV study, the methodology development for the evaluation of proliferation resistance has been carried out in KAERI. Finally, the systematic procedure for methodology was setup and the indicators for the procedure were decided. The methodology involves the evaluation from total nuclear system to individual process. Therefore, in this study, the detailed procedure for the evaluation of proliferation resistance and the newly proposed additional indicators are described and several conditions are proposed to increase the proliferation resistance in the future nuclear system. The assessment of PR

Exposure data and risk indicators for safety performance assessment in Europe.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papadimitriou, E. Yannis, G. Bijleveld, F.D. & Cardoso, J.L.

2013-01-01

The objective of this paper is the analysis of the state-of-the-art in risk indicators and exposure data for safety performance assessment in Europe, in terms of data availability, collection methodologies and use. More specifically, the concepts of exposure and risk are explored, as well as the

Introduction to LCA Methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hauschild, Michael Z.

2018-01-01

In order to offer the reader an overview of the LCA methodology in the preparation of the more detailed description of its different phases, a brief introduction is given to the methodological framework according to the ISO 14040 standard and the main elements of each of its phases. Emphasis...

Methodologies, languages and tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amako, Katsuya

1994-01-01

This is a summary of the open-quotes Methodologies, Languages and Toolsclose quotes session in the CHEP'94 conference. All the contributions to methodologies and languages are relevant to the object-oriented approach. Other topics presented are related to various software tools in the down-sized computing environment

Data Centric Development Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Khoury, Fadi E.

2012-01-01

Data centric applications, an important effort of software development in large organizations, have been mostly adopting a software methodology, such as a waterfall or Rational Unified Process, as the framework for its development. These methodologies could work on structural, procedural, or object oriented based applications, but fails to capture…

Nuclear reactor conceptual design: methodology for cost-effective internalisation of nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimenez, M.; Grinblat, P.; Schlamp, M.

2002-01-01

A novel and promising methodology to perform nuclear reactor design is presented in this work. It achieves to balance efficiently safety and economics at the conceptual engineering stage. The key to this integral approach is to take into account safety aspects in a design optimisation process where the design variables are balanced in order to obtain a better figure of merit related with reactor economic performance. Design parameter effects on characteristic or critical safety variables, chosen from reactor behaviour during accidents and from its probabilistic safety assessment -safety performance indicators-, are synthesised on Safety Design Maps. These maps allow one to compare these indicators with limit values, which are determined by design criteria or regulations, and to transfer these restrictions to the design parameters. In this way, reactor dynamic response and other safety aspects are integrated in a global optimisation process, by means of additional rules to the neutronic, thermal-hydraulic and mechanical calculations. This methodology turns out to be promising to balance and optimise reactor and safety system design in an early engineering stage, in order to internalise cost-efficiently safety issues. It also allows one to evaluate the incremental costs of implementing higher safety levels. Furthermore, through this methodology, a simplified design can be obtained, compared to the resultant complexity when these concepts are introduced in a later engineering stage. (author)

Quick Green Scan: A Methodology for Improving Green Performance in Terms of Manufacturing Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aldona Kluczek

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The heating sector has begun implementing technologies and practices to tackle the environmental and social–economic problems caused by their production process. The purpose of this paper is to develop a methodology, “the Quick-Green-Scan”, that caters for the need of quick assessment decision-makers to improve green manufacturing performance in companies that produce heating devices. The study uses a structured approach that integrates Life Cycle Assessment-based indicators, framework and linguistic scales (fuzzy numbers to evaluate the extent of greening of the enterprise. The evaluation criteria and indicators are closely related to the current state of technology, which can be improved. The proposed methodology has been created to answer the question whether a company acts on the opportunity to be green and whether these actions are contributing towards greening, maintaining the status quo or moving away from a green outcome. Results show that applying the proposed improvements in processes helps move the facility towards being a green enterprise. Moreover, the methodology, being particularly quick and simple, is a practical tool for benchmarking, not only in the heating industry, but also proves useful in providing comparisons for facility performance in other manufacturing sectors.

Strengthening European Food Chain Sustainability by Quality and Procurement Policy : Methods and indicators for measuring the social, environmental and economic impacts of food quality schemes

OpenAIRE

Bellassen , Valentin; Giraud , Georges; Hilal , Mohamed; Arfini , Filippo; Barczak , Aleksandra; Bodini , Antonio; Brennan , Mary; DRUT , Marion; Duboys de Labarre , Matthieu; Gorton , Matthew; Hartmann , Monika; Majewski , Edward; Muller , Paul; Monier-Dilhan , Sylvette; Poméon , Thomas

2016-01-01

The present methodological handbook provides the methodologies which will be applied in each work package of the Strength2Food project. In particular, it contains a list of indicators on how to assess sustainability in food and agro-food supply chains. This methodological handbook aims at facilitating the task for field studies, both proposing several prioritizations (indicator, variable, value chain level), detailing how we will combine relatively common variables (eg., number of animals per...

Proposed methodology for estimating the impact of highway improvements on urban air pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

1971-01-01

The aim of this methodology is to indicate the expected change in ambient air quality in the vicinity of a highway improvement and in the total background level of urban air pollution resulting from the highway improvement. Both the jurisdiction in w...

Carbon Impact Analytics - Designing low carbon indices based on Carbon Impact Analytics indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

Investors are increasingly exposed to carbon risks and now face the challenge of managing these risks and developing climate-resilient investment strategies. Carbon Impact Analytics (CIA), an innovative methodology for analyzing the full carbon impact of a portfolio or index, equips investors and asset managers with the tools necessary to reduce their climate-related risks but also to seize the opportunities offered by the ongoing energy transition. Investors, asset managers and other financial institutions may use CIA results to: - measure and manage risks, - optimize their contribution to the energy transition, - seize opportunities associated with climate change mitigation, - report on GHG emissions and savings (for regulatory purposes or voluntarily), - engage in dialogue with companies, - reallocate investment portfolios, - and build new low-carbon indices. In this report, Carbone 4 offers a detailed look into how CIA indicators can be used to either 1) reallocate an existing portfolio or index to achieve maximal carbon performance or 2) build new low carbon indices from the ground up, drawn from Carbone 4's ever-growing database of CIA-analyzed firms. Two main levers were used to optimize CIA output: 1. Sectorial reallocation: exclusion of fossil fuel-related sectors or insertion of low carbon pure players; 2. Intra-sectorial reallocation: best-in-class approach within a sector. Sectorial and intra-sectorial methods may be applied in conjunction with one another to maximize results. For example, a best-in-class + fossil fuel-free index may be constructed by first excluding the fossil fuel sector and then applying a CIA best-in-class approach to all remaining sectors. This report offers a detailed look into how CIA indicators can be used to rework portfolios or indices to maximize carbon performance or to build low carbon indices from the ground up. These methods are illustrated via two preliminary examples of indices designed by Carbone 4: the reallocated

Identifying the most significant indicators of the total road safety performance index.

Science.gov (United States)

Tešić, Milan; Hermans, Elke; Lipovac, Krsto; Pešić, Dalibor

2018-04-01

The review of the national and international literature dealing with the assessment of the road safety level has shown great efforts of the authors who tried to define the methodology for calculating the composite road safety index on a territory (region, state, etc.). The procedure for obtaining a road safety composite index of an area has been largely harmonized. The question that has not been fully resolved yet concerns the selection of indicators. There is a wide range of road safety indicators used to show a road safety situation on a territory. Road safety performance index (RSPI) obtained on the basis of a larger number of safety performance indicators (SPIs) enable decision makers to more precisely define the earlier goal- oriented actions. However, recording a broader comprehensive set of SPIs helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of a country's road safety system. Providing high quality national and international databases that would include comparable SPIs seems to be difficult since a larger number of countries dispose of a small number of identical indicators available for use. Therefore, there is a need for calculating a road safety performance index with a limited number of indicators (RSPI ln n ) which will provide a comparison of a sufficient quality, of as many countries as possible. The application of the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method and correlative analysis has helped to check if the RSPI ln n is likely to be of sufficient quality. A strong correlation between the RSPI ln n and the RSPI has been identified using the proposed methodology. Based on this, the most contributing indicators and methodologies for gradual monitoring of SPIs, have been defined for each country analyzed. The indicator monitoring phases in the analyzed countries have been defined in the following way: Phase 1- the indicators relating to alcohol, speed and protective systems; Phase 2- the indicators relating to roads and Phase 3- the indicators relating to

Economic evaluation studies in nuclear medicine. A methodological review of the literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambhir, S.S.; Schwimmer, J.

2000-01-01

The growing need for evaluation of the utility of new nuclear medicine technologies has spawned a few economic studies ranging from preliminary indications of cost savings to complete decision analysis models incorporating costs and quality of life. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the methodological quality of economic analyses of nuclear medicine procedures which targeted cost-effectiveness or cost-utility issues published in the medical literature during the years 1985-1999. A computerized literature search was used to identify original investigations from the medical literature which included an economic analysis of a nuclear medicine procedure. Each economic analysis article was evaluated by two independent reviewers for adherence to ten accepted methodological criteria. Of the 29 articles meeting the search criteria, only six (21%) conformed to all ten methodological criteria. Published economic analyses of nuclear medicine procedures usually do not meet accepted methodological standards and could be significantly improved to achieve overall better quality relative to similar analyses in the literature from other medical fields. Continued improvement in the number and quality of economic studies is critically needed for the future competitiveness of nuclear medicine studies

Introducing a methodology for estimating duration of surgery in health services research.

Science.gov (United States)

Redelmeier, Donald A; Thiruchelvam, Deva; Daneman, Nick

2008-09-01

The duration of surgery is an indicator for the quality, risks, and efficiency of surgical procedures. We introduce a new methodology for assessing the duration of surgery based on anesthesiology billing records, along with reviewing its fundamental logic and limitations. The validity of the methodology was assessed through a population-based cohort of patients (n=480,986) undergoing elective operations in 246 Ontario hospitals with 1,084 anesthesiologists between April 1, 1992 and March 31, 2002 (10 years). The weaknesses of the methodology relate to missing data, self-serving exaggerations by providers, imprecisions from clinical diversity, upper limits due to accounting regulations, fluctuations from updates over the years, national differences in reimbursement schedules, and the general failings of claims base analyses. The strengths of the methodology are in providing data that match clinical experiences, correspond to chart review, are consistent over time, can detect differences where differences would be anticipated, and might have implications for examining patient outcomes after long surgical times. We suggest that an understanding and application of large studies of surgical duration may help scientists explore selected questions concerning postoperative complications.

Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horton, D.G.

1998-01-01

The fundamental objective of this topical report is to present the planned risk-informed disposal criticality analysis methodology to the NRC to seek acceptance that the principles of the methodology and the planned approach to validating the methodology are sound. The design parameters and environmental assumptions within which the waste forms will reside are currently not fully established and will vary with the detailed waste package design, engineered barrier design, repository design, and repository layout. Therefore, it is not practical to present the full validation of the methodology in this report, though a limited validation over a parameter range potentially applicable to the repository is presented for approval. If the NRC accepts the methodology as described in this section, the methodology will be fully validated for repository design applications to which it will be applied in the License Application and its references. For certain fuel types (e.g., intact naval fuel), a ny processes, criteria, codes or methods different from the ones presented in this report will be described in separate addenda. These addenda will employ the principles of the methodology described in this report as a foundation. Departures from the specifics of the methodology presented in this report will be described in the addenda

Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D.G. Horton

1998-01-01

The fundamental objective of this topical report is to present the planned risk-informed disposal criticality analysis methodology to the NRC to seek acceptance that the principles of the methodology and the planned approach to validating the methodology are sound. The design parameters and environmental assumptions within which the waste forms will reside are currently not fully established and will vary with the detailed waste package design, engineered barrier design, repository design, and repository layout. Therefore, it is not practical to present the full validation of the methodology in this report, though a limited validation over a parameter range potentially applicable to the repository is presented for approval. If the NRC accepts the methodology as described in this section, the methodology will be fully validated for repository design applications to which it will be applied in the License Application and its references. For certain fuel types (e.g., intact naval fuel), any processes, criteria, codes or methods different from the ones presented in this report will be described in separate addenda. These addenda will employ the principles of the methodology described in this report as a foundation. Departures from the specifics of the methodology presented in this report will be described in the addenda

Innovation indices: the need for positioning them where they properly belong.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozłowski, Jan

A specific quality of the discussion about innovation indices (scoreboards) is that more often than not the subject is dealt with from a purely technical point of view. Such a narrow approach silently assumes that indices used as a policy tool are an accurate reflection of the phenomenon and should not be questioned, and also that the whole discussion concerning them should refer to methodological aspects and is best left to the statisticians. This author is of the opinion that for an accurate evaluation of the value of indices as a policy tool, it is necessary to consider the matter from the broader point of view and from the context in which such indices are generated and used. This article puts forward the thesis that progress in science and innovation policy studies depends on a diversity of issues, approaches and perspectives. If that is the case, maintaining thematic and methodological variety may be more important than creating coherent and closed analytical tools, i.e. indices. The advantage of indices is that they focus attention on those variables which are deemed to be key. Among their disadvantages, however, are their highly abstract nature (in order to understand innovation-related phenomena, it is necessary to study them in tangible, composite forms); their tendency to skip unmeasurable determinants; their prior acceptance of definitions and concepts of innovation (instead of searching for them); the way they apply a single yardstick to diverse countries and regions, assumed linearity and causality in a complex and non-linear world, the way they direct policy towards implementing indicators (rather than identifying and solving problems). It is suggested that big data revolution will allow the emergence of a new measurement tools that will replace innovation indices.

Methodology For Evaluation Of Regulatory Effectiveness In Physical Protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izmaylov, Alexander; Valente, John; Griggs, James R.; Rexroth, Paul; Piskarev, Alexander; Babkin, Vladimir; Sokolov, Egor; Melton, Ronald B.; Cunningham, Mitchel E.; Baker, Kathryn A.; Brothers, Alan J.

2005-01-01

Material protection, control, and accounting (MPC and A) regulatory documents play an important role in securing and protecting nuclear material by regulating a variety of activities at different hierarchical levels. The development, implementation, and practical application of these regulatory documents requires a significant investment of financial and material resources. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulatory development process and the extent to which regulations improve the effectiveness of MPC and A at nuclear sites. The joint Russian and U.S. Regulatory Development Project has a goal of evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory documents developed for MPC and A. As part of this joint Project, a methodology for evaluating effectiveness has been developed. This methodology was developed around physical protection objectives. The developed methodology specifies physical protection objectives to be accomplished through the implementation of a regulatory system based on the physical protection goals at the nuclear sites. It includes approaches to assessing regulatory effectiveness, the hierarchical structure of physical protection objectives to be accomplished through implementing regulations, a 'mapping' of the physical protection objectives to the regulatory framework, a list of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of physical protection regulations and effectiveness indicators, as well as means and methods for gathering information and implementation of this evaluation.

Safety analysis methodology for OPR 1000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang-Yong, Jun

2005-01-01

Full text: Korea Electric Power Research Institute (KEPRI) has been developing inhouse safety analysis methodology based on the delicate codes available to KEPRI to overcome the problems arising from currently used vendor oriented methodologies. For the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) analysis, the KREM (KEPRI Realistic Evaluation Methodology) has been developed based on the RELAP-5 code. The methodology was approved for the Westinghouse 3-loop plants by the Korean regulatory organization and the project to extent the methodology to the Optimized Power Reactor 1000 (OPR1000) has been ongoing since 2001. Also, for the Non-LOCA analysis, the KNAP (Korea Non-LOCA Analysis Package) has been developed using the UNICORN-TM code system. To demonstrate the feasibility of these codes systems and methodologies, some typical cases of the design basis accidents mentioned in the final safety analysis report (FSAR) were analyzed. (author)

A calculational methodology for comparing the accident, occupational, and waste-disposal hazards of fusion reactor designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fetter, S.

1985-01-01

A methodology has been developed for calculating indices of three classes of radiological hazards: reactor accidents, occupational exposures, and waste-disposal hazards. Radionuclide inventories, biological hazard potentials (BHP), and various dose-related indices are calculated. In the case of reactor accidents, the critical, 50-year and chronic dose are computed, as well as the number of early deaths and illnesses and late cancer fatalities. For occupational exposure, the contact dose rate is calculated for several times after reactor shutdown. In the case of waste-disposal hazards, the intruder dose and the intruder hazard potential (IHP) are calculated. Sample calculations for the MARS reactor design show the usefulness of the methodology in exploring design improvements

Performance Indicators in Spine Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

St-Pierre, Godefroy Hardy; Yang, Michael H; Bourget-Murray, Jonathan; Thomas, Ken C; Hurlbert, Robin John; Matthes, Nikolas

2018-02-15

Systematic review. To elucidate how performance indicators are currently used in spine surgery. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has given significant traction to the idea that healthcare must provide value to the patient through the introduction of hospital value-based purchasing. The key to implementing this new paradigm is to measure this value notably through performance indicators. MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched for studies reporting the use of performance indicators specific to spine surgery. We followed the Prisma-P methodology for a systematic review for entries from January 1980 to July 2016. All full text articles were then reviewed to identify any measure of performance published within the article. This measure was then examined as per the three criteria of established standard, exclusion/risk adjustment, and benchmarking to determine if it constituted a performance indicator. The initial search yielded 85 results among which two relevant studies were identified. The extended search gave a total of 865 citations across databases among which 15 new articles were identified. The grey literature search provided five additional reports which in turn led to six additional articles. A total of 27 full text articles and reports were retrieved and reviewed. We were unable to identify performance indicators. The articles presenting a measure of performance were organized based on how many criteria they lacked. We further examined the next steps to be taken to craft the first performance indicator in spine surgery. The science of performance measurement applied to spine surgery is still in its infancy. Current outcome metrics used in clinical settings require refinement to become performance indicators. Current registry work is providing the necessary foundation, but requires benchmarking to truly measure performance. 1.

Menopause and Methodological Doubt

Science.gov (United States)

Spence, Sheila

2005-01-01

Menopause and methodological doubt begins by making a tongue-in-cheek comparison between Descartes' methodological doubt and the self-doubt that can arise around menopause. A hermeneutic approach is taken in which Cartesian dualism and its implications for the way women are viewed in society are examined, both through the experiences of women…

Applying Quality Indicators to Single-Case Research Designs Used in Special Education: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Moeller, Jeremy D.; Dattilo, John; Rusch, Frank

2015-01-01

This study examined how specific guidelines and heuristics have been used to identify methodological rigor associated with single-case research designs based on quality indicators developed by Horner et al. Specifically, this article describes how literature reviews have applied Horner et al.'s quality indicators and evidence-based criteria.…

Evaluation Indicators for Analysis of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Sustainability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Chang Joon; Ko, Won Il; Chang, Hong Lae

2008-01-15

In this report, an attempt was made to derive indicators for the evaluation of the sustainability of the nuclear fuel cycle, using the methodologies developed by the INPRO, OECD/NEA and Gen-IV. In deriving the indicators, the three main elements of the sustainability, i.e., economics, environmental impact, and social aspect, as well as the technological aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle, considering the importance of the safety, were selected as the main criteria. An evaluation indicator for each criterion was determined, and the contents and evaluation method of each indicator were proposed. In addition, a questionnaire survey was carried out for the objectivity of the selection of the indicators in which participated some experts of the Korea Energy Technology and Emergency Management Institute (KETEMI) . Although the proposed indicators do not satisfy the characteristics and requirements of general indicators, it is presumed that they can be used in the analysis of the sustainability of the nuclear fuel cycle because those indicators incorporate various expert judgment and public opinions. On the other hand, the weighting factor of each indicator should be complemented in the future, using the AHP method and expert advice/consultations.

Information technology security system engineering methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Childs, D.

2003-01-01

A methodology is described for system engineering security into large information technology systems under development. The methodology is an integration of a risk management process and a generic system development life cycle process. The methodology is to be used by Security System Engineers to effectively engineer and integrate information technology security into a target system as it progresses through the development life cycle. The methodology can also be used to re-engineer security into a legacy system.

Daily House Price Indices: Construction, Modeling, and Longer-Run Predictions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bollerslev, Tim; Patton, Andrew J.; Wang, Wenjing

We construct daily house price indices for ten major U.S. metropolitan areas. Our calculations are based on a comprehensive database of several million residential property transactions and a standard repeat-sales method that closely mimics the methodology of the popular monthly Case-Shiller house...... price indices. Our new daily house price indices exhibit dynamic features similar to those of other daily asset prices, with mild autocorrelation and strong conditional heteroskedasticity of the corresponding daily returns. A relatively simple multivariate time series model for the daily house price...... index returns, explicitly allowing for commonalities across cities and GARCH effects, produces forecasts of monthly house price changes that are superior to various alternative forecast procedures based on lower frequency data....

Methodological practicalities in analytical generalization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halkier, Bente

2011-01-01

generalization. Theoretically, the argumentation in the article is based on practice theory. The main part of the article describes three different examples of ways of generalizing on the basis of the same qualitative data material. There is a particular focus on describing the methodological strategies......In this article, I argue that the existing literature on qualitative methodologies tend to discuss analytical generalization at a relatively abstract and general theoretical level. It is, however, not particularly straightforward to “translate” such abstract epistemological principles into more...... operative methodological strategies for producing analytical generalizations in research practices. Thus, the aim of the article is to contribute to the discussions among qualitatively working researchers about generalizing by way of exemplifying some of the methodological practicalities in analytical...

Laboratory infrastructure driven key performance indicator development using the smart grid architecture model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Syed, Mazheruddin H.; Guillo-Sansano, Efren; Blair, Steven M.

2017-01-01

This study presents a methodology for collaboratively designing laboratory experiments and developing key performance indicators for the testing and validation of novel power system control architectures in multiple laboratory environments. The contribution makes use of the smart grid architecture...

A Critique of Methodological Dualism in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jeong A.; Yoo, Jae-Bong

2018-01-01

This paper aims to critically examine the paradigm of methodological dualism and explore whether methodologies in social science currently are appropriate for educational research. There are two primary methodologies for studying education: quantitative and qualitative methods. This is what we mean by "methodological dualism". Is…

Des filets à nuages sur la crête d'El Tofo | CRDI - Centre de ...

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

adaptation aux changements climatiques que le CRDI subventionne. Entretien avec…propose des entrevues vidéos avec des chercheurs participant à des projets portant sur l'adaptation aux changements climati.

Translating Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Measures: Are There Alternative Methodologies?

Science.gov (United States)

Brondani, Mario; He, Sarah

2013-01-01

Translating existing sociodental indicators to another language involves a rigorous methodology, which can be costly. Free-of-charge online translator tools are available, but have not been evaluated in the context of research involving quality of life measures. To explore the value of using online translator tools to develop oral health-related…

Use of Balanced Indicators as a Management Tool in Nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neidamar Pedrini Arias Fugaça

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to develop a proposal for a nursing panel of indicators based on the guiding principles of Balanced Scorecard. Method: a single case study that ranked 200 medical records of patients, management reports and protocols, which are capable of generating indicators. Results: we identified 163 variables that resulted in 72 indicators; of these, 32 nursing-related: two financial indicators (patient's average revenue per day and patient's revenue per day by product used; two client indicators (overall satisfaction rate of patient with nursing care and adherence rate to the patient satisfaction survey; 23 process indicators, and five learning and growth indicators (average total hours of training, total of approved nursing professionals in the internal selection process, absenteeism rate, turnover rate and index of performance evaluation. Conclusion: although there is a limit related to the amount of data generated, the methodology of Balanced Scorecard has proved to be flexible and adaptable to incorporate nursing services. It was possible to identify indicators with adherence to more than one area. Internal processes was the area with the higher number of indicators.

Quality indicators for the analysis of communication in an online course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella Pezzotti

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This study describes the development and validation of quality indicators for analyzing forums interactions in an online course in biology teaching. The aim is to evaluate the quality of communication so as to strengthen the tutor’s role and help students learn fundamental biology concepts while enhancing their collaboration competencies. The indicators are used to analyze cognitive, metacognitive and relational aspects, drawing on a content analysis methodology. The model appears to have a wide range of possible applications in other online courses.

Territory development as economic and geographical activity (theory, methodology, practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vitaliy Nikolaevich Lazhentsev

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Accents in a description of theory and methodology of territory development are displaced from distribution of the national benefits on formation of territorial natural and economic systems and organization of economical and geographical activity. The author reveals theconcept of «territory development» and reviews its placein thetheory and methodology of human geography and regionaleconomy. In the articletheindividual directions ofeconomic activity areconsidered. The author has made an attempt to definethesubject matter of five levels of «ideal» territorial and economic systems as a part of objects of the nature, societies, population settlement, production, infrastructure and management. The author’s position of interpretation of sequences of mechanisms of territory development working according to a Nested Doll principle (mechanism of economy, economic management mechanism, controlling mechanism of economy is presented. The author shows the indicators, which authentically define territory development

A methodology for flood risk appraisal in Lithuania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kriščiukaitienė Irena

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a methodology for flood risk mapping as envisaged by the Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks [Directive 2007/60/EC]. Specifically, we aimed at identifying the types of flood damage that can be estimated given data availability in Lithuania. Furthermore, we present the main sources of data and the associated cost functions. The methodology covers the following main types of flood threats: risk to inhabitants, risk to economic activity, and social risk. A multi-criteria framework for aggregation of different risks is proposed to provide a comprehensive appraisal of flood risk. On the basis of the proposed research, flood risk maps have been prepared for Lithuania. These maps are available for each type of flood risk (i.e. inhabitants, economic losses, social risk as well as for aggregate risk. The results indicate that flood risk management is crucial for western and central Lithuania, whereas other parts of the country are not likely to suffer from significant losses due to flooding.

A development methodology for scientific software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cort, G.; Barrus, D.M.; Goldstone, J.A.; Miller, L.; Nelson, R.O.; Poore, R.V.

1985-01-01

We present the details of a software development methodology that addresses all phases of the software life cycle, yet is well suited for application by small projects with limited resources. The methodology has been developed at the Los Alamos Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) Facility and was utilized during the recent development of the WNR Data Acquisition Command Language. The methodology emphasizes the development and maintenance of comprehensive documentation for all software components. The impact of the methodology upon software quality and programmer productivity is assessed

Imaginative methodologies in the social sciences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Imaginative Methodologies develops, expands and challenges conventional social scientific methodology and language by way of literary, poetic and other alternative sources of inspiration. Sociologists, social workers, anthropologists, criminologists and psychologists all try to rethink, provoke...... and reignite social scientific methodology. Imaginative Methodologies challenges the mainstream social science methodological orthodoxy closely guarding the boundaries between the social sciences and the arts and humanities, pointing out that authors and artists are often engaged in projects parallel to those...... of the social sciences and vice versa, and that artistic and cultural productions today do not constitute a specialist field, but are integral to our social reality. The book will be of interest to scholars and students in the social sciences and across the arts and humanities working with questions...

[Medical indications for acupuncture: Systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz-Ortego, Juan; Solans-Domènech, Maite; Carrion, Carme

2016-09-16

Acupuncture is a medical procedure with a very wide range of indications according to the WHO. However the indications require robust scientific evidence to support them. We have conducted a systematic review (2010-2015) in order to define in which pathologies acupuncture can be an effective strategy, STRICTA criteria that aim to set up acupuncture clinical trials standard criteria were defined in 2010. Only systematic reviews and meta-analyses of good or very good methodological quality according to SIGN criteria were selected. Its main objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of any disease. Most of the final 31 selected reviews focus on chronic pain-related diseases, mainly in the disciplines of Neurology, Orthopaedics and Rheumatology. Current evidence supports the use of acupuncture in the treatment of headaches, migraines, back pain, cervical pain and osteoarthritis. The remaining pathologies still require further good quality studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Sustainability of sources of electric generation: indicators and global qualification using fuzzy logic; Sustentabilidad de fuentes de generacion electrica: indicadores y calificacion global empleando logica difusa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin del Campo M, C.; Francois L, J L [Facultad de Ingenieria, UNAM, Laboratorio de Analisis en Ingenieria de Reactores Nucleares, Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532, 62550 Jiutepec, Morelos (Mexico)

2005-07-01

A methodology developed to evaluate the sustainability of sources of electric generation but used in Mexico and in the World is presented. For it was applied one matrix of sustainability indicators that considers the principles and criteria of general sustainability as 'not exhaustion of natural resources', 'non production of non degradable waste', and 'not high sensibility to social and environmental factors'. The approaches to evaluate in a wide way these principles are numerous and to each approach associates an indicator, call sustainability indicator. The contribution of this work consists on the development of a methodology to qualify globally the sustainability of each option of electric generation, combining all the sustainability indicators. The methodology applies a system of diffuse control to build the function of global qualification of sustainability dependent of all the indicators. (Author)

Statistical methodology for exploring elevational differences in precipitation chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warren, W.G.; Boehm, M.; Link, D.

1992-01-01

A statistical methodology for exploring the relationships between elevation and precipitation chemistry is outlined and illustrated. The methodology utilizes maximum likelihood estimates and likelihood ratio tests with contour ellipses of assumed bivariate lognormal distributions used to assist in interpretation. The approach was illustrated using 12 NADP/NTN sites located in six study areas in the Wyoming and Colorado Rockies. These sites are part of the Rocky Mountain Deposition Monitoring Project (RMDMP), which was initiated in 1986 to investigate the relationships between elevation and the chemistry of precipitation. The results indicate differences in sulfate concentrations between airsheds, between snow and rain, and between higher and lower elevations. In general, sulfate concentrations in snow are greater at lower elevations and this difference is independent of concentration. A similar relationship for rain was not well established. In addition there is evidence that, overall, the sulfate concentrations differed between the six study areas, although pairwise differences were not always significant

Methodological approaches to assessing of country’s financial capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.Yu. Polchanov

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This research is devoted to the theoretical basis of country’s financial capacity assessment, its specificities and algorithm. The aim of the investigation is the generalization of methodological approaches to evaluating country’s financial capacity. The author determines that the assessment involves preparatory, analytical, and final stages. The special attention is paid to the information based on the analysis, demands on it, impact of changes in methodology, dynamics of macroeconomic indicators. The establishment of the united analytical center for assessment of financial capacity of the state for post-conflict recovery is proposed. The results of the critical review of the publications in this field have helped to improve the classification of country’s financial capacity assessment methods by providing some new attributes such as the focus of the evaluation and type of intelligence. The problem of using unlicensed software to assess the financial capacity of the state and the associated risk have not been left without attention.

Artistic creativity of martiros saryan as the indicator of national self ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Artistic creativity of martiros saryan as the indicator of national self-identification of the personality in a multicultural space: features of methodology of a ... In this article, the life and works of the famous Armenian artist, founder of the modern Armenian school of painting Martiros Saryan (1880-1972) are analyzed in the context ...

42 CFR 441.472 - Budget methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Budget methodology. 441.472 Section 441.472 Public... Self-Directed Personal Assistance Services Program § 441.472 Budget methodology. (a) The State shall set forth a budget methodology that ensures service authorization resides with the State and meets the...

Application and licensing requirements of the Framatome ANP RLBLOCA methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, R.P.; Dunn, B.M.

2004-01-01

The Framatome ANP Realistic Large-Break LOCA methodology (FANP RLBLOCA) is an analysis approach approved by the US NRC for supporting the licensing basis of 3- and 4-loop Westinghouse PWRs and CE 2x4 PWRs. It was developed consistent with the NRC's Code Scaling, Applicability, and Uncertainty (CSAU) methodology for performing best-estimate large-break LOCAs. The CSAU methodology consists of three key elements with the second and third element addressing uncertainty identification and application. Unique to the CSAU methodology is the use of engineering judgment and the Process Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) defined in the first element to lay the groundwork for achieving the ultimate goal of quantifying the total uncertainty in predicted measures of interest associated with the large-break LOCA. It is the PIRT that not only directs the methodology development, but also directs the methodology review. While the FANP RLBLOCA methodology was generically approved, a plant-specific application is customized in two ways addressing how the unique plant characterization 1) is translated to code input and 2) relates to the unique methodology licensing requirements. Related to the former, plants are required by 10 CFR 50.36 to define a technical specification limiting condition for operation based on the following criteria: 1. Installed instrumentation that is used in the control room to detect, and indicate, a significant abnormal degradation of the reactor coolant pressure boundary. 2. A process variable, design feature, or operating restriction that is an initial condition of a design basis accident or transient analysis that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a fission product barrier. 3. A structure, system, or component that is part of the primary success path and which functions or actuates to mitigate a design basis accident or transient that either assumes the failure of or presents a challenge to the integrity of a

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Developing, Implementing, and Using Winning KPIs

CERN Document Server

Parmenter, David

2010-01-01

An in-depth look at how to create and use key performance indicators (KPIs), from the King of KPIs â€" now updated and expanded! By exploring measures that have transformed businesses, David Parmenter has developed a methodology that is breathtaking in its simplicity and yet profound in its impact. Now in an updated and expanded Second Edition, Key Performance Indicators is a proactive guide representing a significant shift in the way KPIs are developed and used, with an abundance of implementation tools, including: The four foundation stones that lead the development and use of KPIs; A 12-ste

Propensity score methodology for confounding control in health care utilization databases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabetta Patorno

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Propensity score (PS methodology is a common approach to control for confounding in nonexperimental studies of treatment effects using health care utilization databases. This methodology offers researchers many advantages compared with conventional multivariate models: it directly focuses on the determinants of treatment choice, facilitating the understanding of the clinical decision-making process by the researcher; it allows for graphical comparisons of the distribution of propensity scores and truncation of subjects without overlapping PS indicating a lack of equipoise; it allows transparent assessment of the confounder balance achieved by the PS at baseline; and it offers a straightforward approach to reduce the dimensionality of sometimes large arrays of potential confounders in utilization databases, directly addressing the “curse of dimensionality” in the context of rare events. This article provides an overview of the use of propensity score methodology for pharmacoepidemiologic research with large health care utilization databases, covering recent discussions on covariate selection, the role of automated techniques for addressing unmeasurable confounding via proxies, strategies to maximize clinical equipoise at baseline, and the potential of machine-learning algorithms for optimized propensity score estimation. The appendix discusses the available software packages for PS methodology. Propensity scores are a frequently used and versatile tool for transparent and comprehensive adjustment of confounding in pharmacoepidemiology with large health care databases.

Legal basis for risk analysis methodology while ensuring food safety in the Eurasian Economic union and the Republic of Belarus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.V. Fedorenko

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Health risk analysis methodology is an internationally recognized tool for ensuring food safety. Three main elements of risk analysis are risk assessment, risk management and risk communication to inform the interested parties on the risk, are legislated and implemented in the Eurasian Economic Union and the Republic of Belarus. There is a corresponding organizational and functional framework for the application of risk analysis methodology as in the justification of production safety indicators and the implementation of public health surveillance. Common methodological approaches and criteria for evaluating public health risk are determined, which are used in the development and application of food safety requirements. Risk assessment can be used in justifying the indicators of safety (contaminants, food additives, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs on enrichment of food with micronutrients.

Indications and Warning Methodology for Strategic Intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

congestion and flaring tempers while New York City leadership began planning transportation alternatives. The tourism industry would be affected as well...revenue from the tourism industry that would have a ripple effect on the food service industry, among others. The financial district would not be

CRITICAL RADAR: TOOL AND METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING CURRENT PROJECTS USING MULTIPLE VARIABLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André M. Ferrari

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Many resources are invested in measurement processes of projects indicators without, however, give a clear view of which projects deserves the right attention at the right time. This paper proposes the use of statistics, through the analysis of multiple variables and their interrelationships, to give better basis to a critical assessment methodology of current projects used in a multinational mining company. The contribution of the research is to report the methodology called Critical Radar which is based on a graphical tool with simple operationalization that can support the decision making in complex environments, and has great flexibility across the different market scenarios and possible changes in companies guidelines. The tool has great potential to help evaluate current projects due to their characteristics of flexible use in different business areas; high degree of freedom for improvement; use of known market tool in its development; ease of viewing the results through charts and notes and user freedom to use any existing indicators in the company if complied with some statistical data quality characteristics.

'The methodology of positive economics' does not give us the methodology of positive economics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

U.I. Mäki (Uskali)

2003-01-01

textabstractIt is argued that rather than a well defined F-Twist, Milton Friedman's 'Methodology of positive economies' offers an F-Mix: a pool of ambiguous and inconsistent ingredients that can be used for putting together a number of different methodological positions. This concerns issues such as

Performance indicator system with application to NPP management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez, J.; Roldan, J.

2001-01-01

The objective of the paper is to present the work that is being conducted in the scope of a research project between Cofrentes NPP and the polytechnic university of Valencia aimed to the development and implementation of a performance indicators system to support plant management. In developing this system, attention is being paid to the areas of safety, production and dependability. The first step in the project was the development of the performance indicator system (PIS), in order to help in assessing the effectiveness of the different activities in plant (i.e. maintenance, inspections, tests, etc.). It is suggested establishing the operational indicators set in 3 levels. The lowest level concerns indicators monitoring performance and maintenance characteristics of components. The next one involves a subset of indicators placed at system level with a similar goal. And finally, the highest level summarizes the impact of the global policy in the whole plant from safety and performance point of view. The definition of an indicator should comprise, at least, the following items: indicator's name, performance area, definition and data needed. A strategy should define what, when and how indicators have to be evaluated, analyzed and reported. This article gives an example application of the methodology at the Cofrentes NPP, collective dose as safety indicator, power production as production indicator and the number of work orders as maintenance indicator are considered and their time evolution is given. (A.C.)

: tous les projets | Page 364 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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

Sujet: CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION TO CHANGE, NATURAL DISASTERS, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, DISASTER PREVENTION, DISASTER MANAGEMENT, RESEARCH RESULTS, POLICY MAKING. Région: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, North of Sahara, South of Sahara. Programme: Changements climatiques.

: tous les projets | Page 340 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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

Sujet: CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION TO CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, NATURAL DISASTERS, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, DISASTER PREVENTION, DISASTER MANAGEMENT. Région: Ghana, North of Sahara, South of Sahara. Programme: Changements climatiques. Financement total : CA$ ...

The use of exergetic indicators in the food industry - A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Zisopoulos, Filippos K; Rossier-Miranda, Francisco J; van der Goot, Atze Jan; Boom, Remko M

2017-01-02

Assessment of sustainability will become more relevant for the food industry in the years to come. Analysis based on exergy, including the use of exergetic indicators and Grassmann diagrams, is a useful tool for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the efficiency of industrial food chains. In this paper, we review the methodology of exergy analysis and the exergetic indicators that are most appropriate for use in the food industry. The challenges of applying exergy analysis in industrial food chains and the specific features of food processes are also discussed.

Reconciling Anti-essentialism and Quantitative Methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mathias Fjællegaard

2017-01-01

Quantitative methodology has a contested role in feminist scholarship which remains almost exclusively qualitative. Considering Irigaray’s notion of mimicry, Spivak’s strategic essentialism, and Butler’s contingent foundations, the essentialising implications of quantitative methodology may prove...... the potential to reconcile anti-essentialism and quantitative methodology, and thus, to make peace in the quantitative/qualitative Paradigm Wars....

Methodology for the evaluation process in the director´s preparation from education.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Humberto Clemente Calderón Echevarría

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The presented work proposes a methodology oriented to the evaluation of the process of director´s preparation which may contribute to the improvement of the program. It explains the need of the evaluation, activity as such, indicators to evaluate, methods and techniques to be used and the steps in which have to be done. Until now doesn´t exist a methodology which can evaluate the process of directors’ preparation in the educational sector. The development of this methodology has as a background the result obtained by means of different investigations made in the Provincial Post Office and that later were applied in the Provincial Department of Education. Nowadays is perfected in the Pedagogical University "Capitán Silverio Blanco Núñez", thus, the employment opportunities in similar processes of other entities. In the proposed methodology is conceived that the process evaluation of the director’s preparation flows out in a cyclical manner, continuous, flexible, and interactive, away from the traditional linear formula, rigid and schematic. From the above idea it can be identify four stages, and the relevant procedures, the evaluation of the process of directors’ preparation in education.

Models of expected returns on the brazilian market: Empirical tests using predictive methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriano Mussa

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Predictive methodologies for test of the expected returns models are largely diffused on the international academic environment. However, these methods have not been used in Brazil in a systematic way. Generally, empirical studies proceeded with Brazilian stock market data are concentrated only in the first step of these methodologies. The purpose of this article was test and compare the models CAPM, 3-factors and 4-factors using a predictive methodology, considering two steps – temporal and cross-section regressions – with standard errors obtained by the techniques of Fama and Macbeth (1973. The results indicated the superiority of the 4-fators model as compared to the 3-fators model, and the superiority of the 3- factors model as compared to the CAPM, but no one of the tested models were enough on the explanation of the Brazilian stock returns. Contrary to some empirical evidences, that do not use predictive methodology, the size and momentum effect seem do not exist on the Brazilian capital markets, but there are evidences of the value effect and the relevance of the market for explanation of expected returns. These finds rise some questions, mainly caused by the originality of the methodology on the local market and by the fact that this subject is still incipient and polemic on the Brazilian academic environment.

Methodological issues of genetic association studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Simundic, Ana-Maria

2010-12-01

Genetic association studies explore the association between genetic polymorphisms and a certain trait, disease or predisposition to disease. It has long been acknowledged that many genetic association studies fail to replicate their initial positive findings. This raises concern about the methodological quality of these reports. Case-control genetic association studies often suffer from various methodological flaws in study design and data analysis, and are often reported poorly. Flawed methodology and poor reporting leads to distorted results and incorrect conclusions. Many journals have adopted guidelines for reporting genetic association studies. In this review, some major methodological determinants of genetic association studies will be discussed.

Risk Control of Offshore Installations. A Framework for the Establishment of Risk Indicators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oeien, Knut

2001-07-01

Currently quantitative risk assessments are carried out to analyze the risk level of offshore installations and to evaluate whether or not the risk level is acceptable. By way of the quantitative risk analysis the risk status of a given installation is obtained. However, the risk status is obtained so infrequently that it is inadequate for risk control. It can be compared to economic control having the economic status presented about each fifth year, which is obviously inadequate. It is important to know the risk status because this may provide an early warning about the need for remedial actions. Without frequent information about the risk status, control of risk cannot be claimed. The main objective of this thesis has been the development of a framework for the establishment of risk indicators. These risk indicators provide a status of the risk level through measuring of changes in technical, operational and organizational factors important to risk, and is thus a means to control risk during operation of offshore petroleum installations. The framework consists of a technical methodology using the quantitative risk assessment as a basis, an organizational model, and an organizational quantification methodology. Technical risk indicators are established from the technical methodology covering the risk factors explicitly included in the quantitative risk assessment. Organizational risk indicators measure changes in the organizational risk factors included in the organizational model, but not included in the quantitative risk assessment. The organizational model is an extension to the risk model in the quantitative risk assessment. The organizational quantification methodology calculates the effect of the changes measured by the organizational risk indicators. The organizational model may also be applied as a qualitative tool for root cause analysis of incidents (process leaks). Other results are an intermediate-level expert judgment procedure applicable for

Methodological guidelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halsnaes, K.; Callaway, J.M.; Meyer, H.J.

1999-04-01

The guideline document establishes a general overview of the main components of climate change mitigation assessment. This includes an outline of key economic concepts, scenario structure, common assumptions, modelling tools and country study assumptions. The guidelines are supported by Handbook Reports that contain more detailed specifications of calculation standards, input assumptions and available tools. The major objectives of the project have been provided a methodology, an implementing framework and a reporting system which countries can follow in meeting their future reporting obligations under the FCCC and for GEF enabling activities. The project builds upon the methodology development and application in the UNEP National Abatement Coasting Studies (UNEP, 1994a). The various elements provide countries with a road map for conducting climate change mitigation studies and submitting national reports as required by the FCCC. (au) 121 refs.

Methodological guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halsnaes, K.; Callaway, J.M.; Meyer, H.J.

1999-01-01

The guideline document establishes a general overview of the main components of climate change mitigation assessment. This includes an outline of key economic concepts, scenario structure, common assumptions, modelling tools and country study assumptions. The guidelines are supported by Handbook Reports that contain more detailed specifications of calculation standards, input assumptions and available tools. The major objectives of the project have been provided a methodology, an implementing framework and a reporting system which countries can follow in meeting their future reporting obligations under the FCCC and for GEF enabling activities. The project builds upon the methodology development and application in the UNEP National Abatement Coasting Studies (UNEP, 1994a). The various elements provide countries with a road map for conducting climate change mitigation studies and submitting national reports as required by the FCCC. (au) 121 refs

Cytological indicators: Haematopoetic effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fliedner, T.M.; Nothdurft, W.

1986-01-01

It is the aim of this paper, intended more as a general outline than a comprehensive review, to elucidate the most prominent events in the sequence of radiation induced cytological changes in the hemopoietic system taking its functional organisation and the cytokinetics of blood cell production into consideration. As could be shown, there are about ten different categories of quantitative and qualitative parameters based on methods ranging from stem cell determinations to tests for mature blood cell function that in principle are available for assessment of radiation damage to the bone marrow and that have been applied to men exposed to ionizing radiation. Some of these indicator systems have proven for a long period of time to be of essential value and to be quite feasible in practice under routine conditions. Considerable methodological progress, however, is needed for others before decisions about their practical applicability can be made. (orig.)

Wide Area Prosumption Control and Sensitivities of Aperiodic Small Signal Stability Indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wittrock, Martin Lindholm; Jóhannsson, Hjörtur; Nielsen, Arne Hejde

2014-01-01

and patterns, stability indicators for aperiodic small signal angular stability (ASSA) are examined, while the concept of prosumption is described. The methodology presented is shown to be able to assess the margin to instability and to predict how this margin can be affected if a load is changed in the grid...

Which Methodology Works Better? English Language Teachers' Awareness of the Innovative Language Learning Methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt, Mustafa

2015-01-01

The present study investigated whether English language teachers were aware of the innovative language learning methodologies in language learning, how they made use of these methodologies and the learners' reactions to them. The descriptive survey method was employed to disclose the frequencies and percentages of 175 English language teachers'…

Mechatronics methodology: 15 years of experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Efren Gorrostieta

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This article presents a methodology to teach students to develop mechatronic projects. It was taught in higher education schools, in different universities in Mexico, in courses such as: Robotics, Control Systems, Mechatronic Systems, Artificial Intelligence, etc. The intention of this methodology is not only to achieve the integration of different subjects but also to accomplish synergy between them so that the final result may be the best possible in quality, time and robustness. Since its introduction into the educational area, this methodology was evaluated and modified for approximately five years, were substantial characteristics were adopted. For the next ten years, only minor alterations were carried out. Fifteen years of experience have proven that the methodology is useful not only for training but also for real projects. In this article, we first explain the methodology and its main characteristics, as well as a brief history of its teaching in different educational programs. Then, we present two cases were the methodology was successfully applied. The first project consisted in the design, construction and evaluation of a mobile robotic manipulator which aims to be used as an explosives ordnance device. In the second case, we document the results of a project assignment for robotics tasks carried out by students which were formerly taught with the methodology.

Methods for the guideline-based development of quality indicators--a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Quality indicators (QIs) are used in many healthcare settings to measure, compare, and improve quality of care. For the efficient development of high-quality QIs, rigorous, approved, and evidence-based development methods are needed. Clinical practice guidelines are a suitable source to derive QIs from, but no gold standard for guideline-based QI development exists. This review aims to identify, describe, and compare methodological approaches to guideline-based QI development. Methods We systematically searched medical literature databases (Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL) and grey literature. Two researchers selected publications reporting methodological approaches to guideline-based QI development. In order to describe and compare methodological approaches used in these publications, we extracted detailed information on common steps of guideline-based QI development (topic selection, guideline selection, extraction of recommendations, QI selection, practice test, and implementation) to predesigned extraction tables. Results From 8,697 hits in the database search and several grey literature documents, we selected 48 relevant references. The studies were of heterogeneous type and quality. We found no randomized controlled trial or other studies comparing the ability of different methodological approaches to guideline-based development to generate high-quality QIs. The relevant publications featured a wide variety of methodological approaches to guideline-based QI development, especially regarding guideline selection and extraction of recommendations. Only a few studies reported patient involvement. Conclusions Further research is needed to determine which elements of the methodological approaches identified, described, and compared in this review are best suited to constitute a gold standard for guideline-based QI development. For this research, we provide a comprehensive groundwork. PMID:22436067

Sustainability of sources of electric generation: indicators and global qualification using fuzzy logic; Sustentabilidad de fuentes de generacion electrica: indicadores y calificacion global empleando logica difusa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin del Campo M, C.; Francois L, J.L. [Facultad de Ingenieria, UNAM, Laboratorio de Analisis en Ingenieria de Reactores Nucleares, Paseo Cuauhnahuac 8532, 62550 Jiutepec, Morelos (Mexico)]. e-mail: cmcm@fi-b.unam.mx

2005-07-01

A methodology developed to evaluate the sustainability of sources of electric generation but used in Mexico and in the World is presented. For it was applied one matrix of sustainability indicators that considers the principles and criteria of general sustainability as 'not exhaustion of natural resources', 'non production of non degradable waste', and 'not high sensibility to social and environmental factors'. The approaches to evaluate in a wide way these principles are numerous and to each approach associates an indicator, call sustainability indicator. The contribution of this work consists on the development of a methodology to qualify globally the sustainability of each option of electric generation, combining all the sustainability indicators. The methodology applies a system of diffuse control to build the function of global qualification of sustainability dependent of all the indicators. (Author)

Assessment of an isolation condenser performance in case of a LOHS using the RMPS+ Methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giménez, M; Mezio, F.; Zanocco, P.; Lorenzo, G.

2011-01-01

Conclusions: • It has been observed that in the original RMPS proposal the response surface may be poorly built, and therefore the system reliability. • The methodology was improved by means of an iterative process in order to build a response surface with new performance indicator values in the boundary failure domain, obtained trough the plant model. • The proposed methodology was useful: – To identify efficiently “odd events”; – To rank the influence of the parameters with uncertainties; – To estimate CAREM-like PRHRS “functional reliability” to verify a design criterion

Screening radon risks: A methodology for policymakers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisinger, D.S.; Simmons, R.A.; Lammering, M.; Sotiros, R.

1991-01-01

This paper provides an easy-to-use screening methodology to estimate potential excess lifetime lung cancer risk resulting from indoor radon exposure. The methodology was developed under U.S. EPA Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation sponsorship of the agency's Integrated Environmental Management Projects (IEMP) and State/Regional Comparative Risk Projects. These projects help policymakers understand and use scientific data to develop environmental problem-solving strategies. This research presents the risk assessment methodology, discusses its basis, and identifies appropriate applications. The paper also identifies assumptions built into the methodology and qualitatively addresses methodological uncertainties, the direction in which these uncertainties could bias analyses, and their relative importance. The methodology draws from several sources, including risk assessment formulations developed by the U.S. EPA's Office of Radiation Programs, the EPA's Integrated Environmental Management Project (Denver), the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. When constructed as a spreadsheet program, the methodology easily facilitates analyses and sensitivity studies (the paper includes several sensitivity study options). The methodology will be most helpful to those who need to make decisions concerning radon testing, public education, and exposure prevention and mitigation programs.26 references

Outcome mapping as methodology to monitor and evaluate community informatics projects: A case study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Herselman, M

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to indicate how Outcome Mapping (OM) can be used as a methodology to monitor and evaluate a specific developmental informatics project currently under way in the Meraka Institute. OM was applied in the Broadband for All...

[Assessing the balance of quality indicator sets of external quality assurance according to SGB V section 136].

Science.gov (United States)

Doebler, Klaus; Geraedts, Max

2017-12-20

The value and usefulness of the results of indicator-based performance measurement in healthcare for different purposes do not only depend on the methodological quality of the individual indicators but also on the composition of the indicator sets. So far, the balance of the currently used indicator sets of the German mandatory national performance measurement system for hospitals has not been systematically analyzed. Due to the lack of a methodological gold standard for the assessment of balance and orientation of indicator sets we adapted the OECD concept of quality dimensions and defined four categories: 1) "Achieving primary goals of treatment", 2) "Avoiding adverse events", 3) "Indication" and 4) "Patient-centeredness". We defined rules for the assignment to the categories and analyzed the distribution of the 239 indicators from 29 medical areas in relation to these categories. 63 indicators (26.4 %) were assigned to the category "Achieving primary goals of treatment", 153 (64.0 %) to the category "Avoiding adverse events", 18 (7.5 %) to the category "Indication", one indicator (0.4 %) to the category "Patient-centeredness". Four indicators (1.7 %) addressed documentation quality. 12 of the 29 indicator sets only covered one OECD quality dimension by at least one indicator. The current indicator sets seem to be unbalanced with a strong focus on the category "Avoiding adverse events". As regards the goal of monitoring the compliance with minimal safety standards and performing improvement interventions, the direction of the indicator sets seems to be appropriate. With respect to other goals, such as for example the identification of "excellence", further development efforts are required. One relevant reason for the dominant focus on the category "Avoiding adverse events" seems to be that data sources for a follow-up and for the inclusion of the patient perspective have not been available until recently. There is a strong demand for the consequent use of

Sénégal : tous les projets | Page 4 | CRDI - Centre de recherches ...

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

End Date: 24 octobre 2011. Sujet: CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION TO CHANGE, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, NEIGHBOURHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, LEADERSHIP. Région: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, North of Sahara, South of Sahara. Programme: Changements climatiques.

Methodological issues in studies of air pollution and reproductive health.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodruff, Tracey J; Parker, Jennifer D; Darrow, Lyndsey A; Slama, Rémy; Bell, Michelle L; Choi, Hyunok; Glinianaia, Svetlana; Hoggatt, Katherine J; Karr, Catherine J; Lobdell, Danelle T; Wilhelm, Michelle

2009-04-01

In the past decade there have been an increasing number of scientific studies describing possible effects of air pollution on perinatal health. These papers have mostly focused on commonly monitored air pollutants, primarily ozone (O(3)), particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), and various indices of perinatal health, including fetal growth, pregnancy duration, and infant mortality. While most published studies have found some marker of air pollution related to some types of perinatal outcomes, variability exists in the nature of the pollutants and outcomes associated. Synthesis of the findings has been difficult for various reasons, including differences in study design and analysis. A workshop was held in September 2007 to discuss methodological differences in the published studies as a basis for understanding differences in study findings and to identify priorities for future research, including novel approaches for existing data. Four broad topic areas were considered: confounding and effect modification, spatial and temporal exposure variations, vulnerable windows of exposure, and multiple pollutants. Here we present a synopsis of the methodological issues and challenges in each area and make recommendations for future study. Two key recommendations include: (1) parallel analyses of existing data sets using a standardized methodological approach to disentangle true differences in associations from methodological differences among studies; and (2) identification of animal studies to inform important mechanistic research gaps. This work is of critical public health importance because of widespread exposure and because perinatal outcomes are important markers of future child and adult health.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCENARIOS METHODOLOGY FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS DURING TIMES OF CRISIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Roberto Correa Leão

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Recently, the need to apply strategic planning methodologies in business has risen, since corporations are part of a globalized world in which technological change and economic dynamism are evolving at a faster pace. Thus, firms must perform not only efficiently but also effectively in adapting to changes as they occur in the political, economic, technological, legal and environmental dimensions. This dictates the need for new strategic organizational positioning. The potential usefulness of the scenarios methodology was investigated for a sample of financial institutions with assets in the Brazilian market, based on management reports and in accordance with strategic dimensions needed to cope with crises. Therefore, we propose a new methodology for the qualitative analysis of official management reports, which indicates a perception of scenario building within organizations. The results suggest a positive relationship between the quality of the process of generating scenarios and the financial results of the banking institution. Key-words: Scenarios. Financial institutions. Crisis. 

Review and evaluation of paleohydrologic methodologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foley, M.G.; Zimmerman, D.A.; Doesburg, J.M.; Thorne, P.D.

1982-12-01

A literature review was conducted to identify methodologies that could be used to interpret paleohydrologic environments. Paleohydrology is the study of past hydrologic systems or of the past behavior of an existing hydrologic system. The purpose of the review was to evaluate how well these methodologies could be applied to the siting of low-level radioactive waste facilities. The computer literature search queried five bibliographical data bases containing over five million citations of technical journals, books, conference papers, and reports. Two data-base searches (United States Geological Survey - USGS) and a manual search were also conducted. The methodologies were examined for data requirements and sensitivity limits. Paleohydrologic interpretations are uncertain because of the effects of time on hydrologic and geologic systems and because of the complexity of fluvial systems. Paleoflow determinations appear in many cases to be order-of-magnitude estimates. However, the methodologies identified in this report mitigate this uncertainty when used collectively as well as independently. That is, the data from individual methodologies can be compared or combined to corroborate hydrologic predictions. In this manner, paleohydrologic methodologies are viable tools to assist in evaluating the likely future hydrology of low-level radioactive waste sites.

Review and evaluation of paleohydrologic methodologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, M.G.; Zimmerman, D.A.; Doesburg, J.M.; Thorne, P.D.

1982-12-01

A literature review was conducted to identify methodologies that could be used to interpret paleohydrologic environments. Paleohydrology is the study of past hydrologic systems or of the past behavior of an existing hydrologic system. The purpose of the review was to evaluate how well these methodologies could be applied to the siting of low-level radioactive waste facilities. The computer literature search queried five bibliographical data bases containing over five million citations of technical journals, books, conference papers, and reports. Two data-base searches (United States Geological Survey - USGS) and a manual search were also conducted. The methodologies were examined for data requirements and sensitivity limits. Paleohydrologic interpretations are uncertain because of the effects of time on hydrologic and geologic systems and because of the complexity of fluvial systems. Paleoflow determinations appear in many cases to be order-of-magnitude estimates. However, the methodologies identified in this report mitigate this uncertainty when used collectively as well as independently. That is, the data from individual methodologies can be compared or combined to corroborate hydrologic predictions. In this manner, paleohydrologic methodologies are viable tools to assist in evaluating the likely future hydrology of low-level radioactive waste sites

Building ASIPS the Mescal methodology

CERN Document Server

Gries, Matthias

2006-01-01

A number of system designers use ASIP's rather than ASIC's to implement their system solutions. This book gives a comprehensive methodology for the design of these application-specific instruction processors (ASIPs). It includes demonstrations of applications of the methodologies using the Tipi research framework.

Ecological and methodological drivers of species’ distribution and phenology responses to climate change

KAUST Repository

Brown, Christopher J.

2015-12-10

Climate change is shifting species’ distribution and phenology. Ecological traits, such as mobility or reproductive mode, explain variation in observed rates of shift for some taxa. However, estimates of relationships between traits and climate responses could be influenced by how responses are measured. We compiled a global dataset of 651 published marine species’ responses to climate change, from 47 papers on distribution shifts and 32 papers on phenology change. We assessed the relative importance of two classes of predictors of the rate of change, ecological traits of the responding taxa and methodological approaches for quantifying biological responses. Methodological differences explained 22% of the variation in range shifts, more than the 7.8% of the variation explained by ecological traits. For phenology change, methodological approaches accounted for 4% of the variation in measurements, whereas 8% of the variation was explained by ecological traits. Our ability to predict responses from traits was hindered by poor representation of species from the tropics, where temperature isotherms are moving most rapidly. Thus, the mean rate of distribution change may be underestimated by this and other global syntheses. Our analyses indicate that methodological approaches should be explicitly considered when designing, analysing and comparing results among studies. To improve climate impact studies, we recommend that: (1) re-analyses of existing time-series state how the existing datasets may limit the inferences about possible climate responses; (2) qualitative comparisons of species’ responses across different studies be limited to studies with similar methodological approaches; (3) meta-analyses of climate responses include methodological attributes as covariates and; (4) that new time series be designed to include detection of early warnings of change or ecologically relevant change. Greater consideration of methodological attributes will improve the

Investigating on the Methodology Effect when Evaluating Lucid Dream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas RIBEIRO

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Lucid dreaming (LD is a state of consciousness in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming and can possibly control the content of his or her dream. To investigate the LD prevalence among different samples, researchers have used different types of methodologies. With regard to retrospective self-report questionnaire, two ways of proceeding seem to emerge. In one case, a definition of LD is given to participants (During lucid dreaming, one is – while dreaming – aware of the fact that one is dreaming. It is possible to deliberately wake up, to control the dream action, or to observe passively the course of the dream with this awareness, while in the other instances, participants are presented separate questions targeting specific LD indicators (dream awareness and dream control.In the present study, we measured LD frequency in a sample of French student in order to investigate for possible disparities in LD frequency depending on the type of questionnaire as outlined above. Moreover, we also study links between the prevalence of LD as assessed respectively by each questionnaire with various factors such as Vividness of Mental Imagery and Parasomnia.Results revealed no significant difference between LD frequencies across questionnaires. For the questionnaire with definition (DefQuest, 81.05% of participants reported experience of LD once or more. Concerning the questionnaire based on LD indicators (AwarContQuest, 73.38% of participants reported having experienced LD once or more. However, with regard to the correlations analysis, links between LD prevalence and factors such as Vividness of Mental Imagery and Parasomnia, varied across questionnaires. This result is an argument suggesting that researchers should be careful when investigating links between LD and other factors. The type of methodology may influence findings on LD research. Further studies are needed to investigate on the methodology effect in LD research namely on the

A performance assessment methodology for high-level radioactive waste disposal in unsaturated, fractured tuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallegos, D.P.

1991-07-01

Sandia National Laboratories, has developed a methodology for performance assessment of deep geologic disposal of high-level nuclear waste. The applicability of this performance assessment methodology has been demonstrated for disposal in bedded salt and basalt; it has since been modified for assessment of repositories in unsaturated, fractured tuff. Changes to the methodology are primarily in the form of new or modified ground water flow and radionuclide transport codes. A new computer code, DCM3D, has been developed to model three-dimensional ground-water flow in unsaturated, fractured rock using a dual-continuum approach. The NEFTRAN 2 code has been developed to efficiently model radionuclide transport in time-dependent velocity fields, has the ability to use externally calculated pore velocities and saturations, and includes the effect of saturation dependent retardation factors. In order to use these codes together in performance-assessment-type analyses, code-coupler programs were developed to translate DCM3D output into NEFTRAN 2 input. Other portions of the performance assessment methodology were evaluated as part of modifying the methodology for tuff. The scenario methodology developed under the bedded salt program has been applied to tuff. An investigation of the applicability of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques to non-linear models indicate that Monte Carlo simulation remains the most robust technique for these analyses. No changes have been recommended for the dose and health effects models, nor the biosphere transport models. 52 refs., 1 fig

Engendering Development: Some Methodological Perspectives on Child Labour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erica Burman

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In this article I address when and why it is useful to focus on gender in the design and conceptualisation of developmental psychological research. Since methodological debates treated in the abstract tend to lack both the specificity and rigour that application to a particular context or topic imports, I take a particular focus for my discussion: child labour. In doing so I hope to highlight the analytical and practical gains of bringing gendered agendas alongside, and into, developmental research. While child labour may seem a rather curious topic for discussion of developmental psychological research practice, this article will show how it indicates with particular clarity issues that mainstream psychological research often occludes or forgets. In particular, I explore analytical and methodological benefits of exploring the diverse ways gender structures notions of childhood, alongside the developmental commonalities and asymmetries of gender and age as categories. I suggest that the usual assumed elision between women and children is often unhelpful for both women and children. Instead, an analytical attention to the shifting forms and relations of children's work facilitates more differentiated perspectives on how its meanings reflect economic and cultural (including gendered conditions, and so attends better to social inequalities. These inequalities also structure the methodological conditions and paradigms for research with children, and so the article finishes by elaborating from this discussion of child labour four key principles for engendering psychological research with and about children, which also have broader implications for conceptualisations of the relations between gender, childhood, culture and families. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs060111

: tous les projets | Page 186 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

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

Sujet: WATER DISTRIBUTION, Natural Resources, WATER UTILIZATION, WATER SUPPLY, LAND REFORM, DATA COLLECTING, INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, Capacity building. Région: Chile, South America, North and Central America. Programme: Changements climatiques. Financement total : CA$ 0.00.

Preliminary safety analysis methodology for the SMART

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Kyoo Hwan; Chung, Y. J.; Kim, H. C.; Sim, S. K.; Lee, W. J.; Chung, B. D.; Song, J. H. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2000-03-01

This technical report was prepared for a preliminary safety analysis methodology of the 330MWt SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) which has been developed by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) since July 1996. This preliminary safety analysis methodology has been used to identify an envelope for the safety of the SMART conceptual design. As the SMART design evolves, further validated final safety analysis methodology will be developed. Current licensing safety analysis methodology of the Westinghouse and KSNPP PWRs operating and under development in Korea as well as the Russian licensing safety analysis methodology for the integral reactors have been reviewed and compared to develop the preliminary SMART safety analysis methodology. SMART design characteristics and safety systems have been reviewed against licensing practices of the PWRs operating or KNGR (Korean Next Generation Reactor) under construction in Korea. Detailed safety analysis methodology has been developed for the potential SMART limiting events of main steam line break, main feedwater pipe break, loss of reactor coolant flow, CEA withdrawal, primary to secondary pipe break and the small break loss of coolant accident. SMART preliminary safety analysis methodology will be further developed and validated in parallel with the safety analysis codes as the SMART design further evolves. Validated safety analysis methodology will be submitted to MOST as a Topical Report for a review of the SMART licensing safety analysis methodology. Thus, it is recommended for the nuclear regulatory authority to establish regulatory guides and criteria for the integral reactor. 22 refs., 18 figs., 16 tabs. (Author)

Background effects of emergencies on indicators of economic analysis of enterprise economic activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.Yu. Polyak

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the study of scientific works on the issue of formation and development of organizational and methodological regulations of accounting and analytical support of the economic activity of an enterprise in emergencies, which led to the conclusion about the complex character of the study of theory, methodology and economic analysis of enterprises in various sectors of national economy. The author studies the approaches to the nature and methods of economic analysis that resulted in the presentation of instructional techniques to the economic structure. In assessing the consequences of emergencies, it is necessary to determine their impact on the indices of economic analysis; so, there was the need to define areas resulting index changes as a result of emergency situations by identifying its components which may affect emergencies. After analyzing the data, it was found that the consequences of emergency situations affecting the indices of business analysis and can lead to changes in management decisions of internal and external users.

PETA: Methodology of Information Systems Security Penetration Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Klíma

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Current methodologies of information systems penetration testing focuses mainly on a high level and technical description of the testing process. Unfortunately, there is no methodology focused primarily on the management of these tests. It often results in a situation when the tests are badly planned, managed and the vulnerabilities found are unsystematically remediated. The goal of this article is to present new methodology called PETA which is focused mainly on the management of penetration tests. Development of this methodology was based on the comparative analysis of current methodologies. New methodology incorporates current best practices of IT governance and project management represented by COBIT and PRINCE2 principles. Presented methodology has been quantitatively evaluated.

Comparing Classic and Interval Analytical Hierarchy Process Methodologies for Measuring Area-Level Deprivation to Analyze Health Inequalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera-Barona, Pablo; Ghorbanzadeh, Omid

2018-01-16

Deprivation indices are useful measures to study health inequalities. Different techniques are commonly applied to construct deprivation indices, including multi-criteria decision methods such as the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is an index in which indicators are weighted by applying the AHP. In this research, a variation of this index is introduced that is calculated using interval AHP methodology. Both indices are compared by applying logistic generalized linear models and multilevel models, considering self-reported health as the dependent variable and deprivation and self-reported quality of life as the independent variables. The obtained results show that the multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is a meaningful measure to assess neighborhood effects on self-reported health and that the alternative deprivation index using the interval AHP methodology more thoroughly represents the local knowledge of experts and stakeholders. These differences could support decision makers in improving health planning and in tackling health inequalities in more deprived areas.

Development of assessment methodology for plant configuration control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Chang Hyun; You, Young Woo; Kim, Yoon Ik; Yang, Hui Chang; Huh, Byeong Gill; Lee, Dong Won; Ahn, Gwan Won [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2001-03-15

The purpose of this study IS the development of effective and overall assessment methodology which reflects the characteristics of plants for the surveillance, maintenance, repair and operation of nuclear power plants. In this study, recent researches are surveyed and concept definition, procedures, current PSA methodologies, implementation of various models are evaluated. Through this survey, systematic assessment methodology is suggested. Configuration control assessment methodology suggested in this study for the purpose of the development of configuration control methodology reflecting the characteristics of Korean NPPs, can be utilized as the supplement of current PSA methodologies.