The application of mixed methods designs to trauma research.

Science.gov (United States)

Creswell, John W; Zhang, Wanqing

2009-12-01

Despite the use of quantitative and qualitative data in trauma research and therapy, mixed methods studies in this field have not been analyzed to help researchers designing investigations. This discussion begins by reviewing four core characteristics of mixed methods research in the social and human sciences. Combining these characteristics, the authors focus on four select mixed methods designs that are applicable in trauma research. These designs are defined and their essential elements noted. Applying these designs to trauma research, a search was conducted to locate mixed methods trauma studies. From this search, one sample study was selected, and its characteristics of mixed methods procedures noted. Finally, drawing on other mixed methods designs available, several follow-up mixed methods studies were described for this sample study, enabling trauma researchers to view design options for applying mixed methods research in trauma investigations.

Biomimetic design method for innovation and sustainability

CERN Document Server

Helfman Cohen, Yael

2017-01-01

Presenting a novel biomimetic design method for transferring design solutions from nature to technology, this book focuses on structure-function patterns in nature and advanced modeling tools derived from TRIZ, the theory of inventive problem-solving. The book includes an extensive literature review on biomimicry as an engine of both innovation and sustainability, and discusses in detail the biomimetic design process, current biomimetic design methods and tools. The structural biomimetic design method for innovation and sustainability put forward in this text encompasses (1) the research method and rationale used to develop and validate this new design method; (2) the suggested design algorithm and tools including the Findstructure database, structure-function patterns and ideality patterns; and (3) analyses of four case studies describing how to use the proposed method. This book offers an essential resource for designers who wish to use nature as a source of inspiration and knowledge, innovators and sustain...

Contextualizing and assessing the social capital of seniors in congregate housing residences: study design and methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riley Therese

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This article discusses the study design and methods used to contextualize and assess the social capital of seniors living in congregate housing residences in Calgary, Alberta. The project is being funded as a pilot project under the Institute of Aging, Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Design/Methods Working with seniors living in 5 congregate housing residencies in Calgary, the project uses a mixed method approach to develop grounded measures of the social capital of seniors. The project integrates both qualitative and quantitative methods in a 3-phase research design: 1 qualitative, 2 quantitative, and 3 qualitative. Phase 1 uses gender-specific focus groups; phase 2 involves the administration of individual surveys that include a social network module; and phase 3 uses anamolous-case interviews. Not only does the study design allow us to develop grounded measures of social capital but it also permits us to test how well the three methods work separately, and how well they fit together to achieve project goals. This article describes the selection of the study population, the multiple methods used in the research and a brief discussion of our conceptualization and measurement of social capital.

The INTERPHONE study: design, epidemiological methods, and description of the study population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cardis, Elisabeth; Richardson, Lesley; Deltour, Isabelle

2007-01-01

. This paper describes the study design and methods and the main characteristics of the study population. INTERPHONE is the largest case-control study to date investigating risks related to mobile phone use and to other potential risk factors for the tumours of interest and includes 2,765 glioma, 2......The very rapid worldwide increase in mobile phone use in the last decade has generated considerable interest in the possible health effects of exposure to radio frequency (RF) fields. A multinational case-control study, INTERPHONE, was set-up to investigate whether mobile phone use increases...... the risk of cancer and, more specifically, whether the RF fields emitted by mobile phones are carcinogenic. The study focused on tumours arising in the tissues most exposed to RF fields from mobile phones: glioma, meningioma, acoustic neurinoma and parotid gland tumours. In addition to a detailed history...

Educating Instructional Designers: Different Methods for Different Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowland, Gordon; And Others

1994-01-01

Suggests new methods of teaching instructional design based on literature reviews of other design fields including engineering, architecture, interior design, media design, and medicine. Methods discussed include public presentations, visiting experts, competitions, artifacts, case studies, design studios, and internships and apprenticeships.…

Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS: rationale, design, and methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waslick Bruce D

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective To present the design, methods, and rationale of the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS, a recently completed federally-funded, multi-site, randomized placebo-controlled trial that examined the relative efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT, sertraline (SRT, and their combination (COMB against pill placebo (PBO for the treatment of separation anxiety disorder (SAD, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD and social phobia (SoP in children and adolescents. Methods Following a brief review of the acute outcomes of the CAMS trial, as well as the psychosocial and pharmacologic treatment literature for pediatric anxiety disorders, the design and methods of the CAMS trial are described. Results CAMS was a six-year, six-site, randomized controlled trial. Four hundred eighty-eight (N = 488 children and adolescents (ages 7-17 years with DSM-IV-TR diagnoses of SAD, GAD, or SoP were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: CBT, SRT, COMB, or PBO. Assessments of anxiety symptoms, safety, and functional outcomes, as well as putative mediators and moderators of treatment response were completed in a multi-measure, multi-informant fashion. Manual-based therapies, trained clinicians and independent evaluators were used to ensure treatment and assessment fidelity. A multi-layered administrative structure with representation from all sites facilitated cross-site coordination of the entire trial, study protocols and quality assurance. Conclusions CAMS offers a model for clinical trials methods applicable to psychosocial and psychopharmacological comparative treatment trials by using state-of-the-art methods and rigorous cross-site quality controls. CAMS also provided a large-scale examination of the relative and combined efficacy and safety of the best evidenced-based psychosocial (CBT and pharmacologic (SSRI treatments to date for the most commonly occurring pediatric anxiety disorders. Primary and secondary results

Comparative Studies of Core Thermal Hydraulic Design Methods for the Prototype Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sun Rock; Lim, Jae Yong; Kim, Sang Ji

2013-01-01

In this work, various core thermal-hydraulic design methods, which have arisen during the development of a prototype SFR, are compared to establish a proper design procedure. Comparative studies have been performed to determine the appropriate design method for the prototype SFR. The results show that the minimization method show a lower cladding midwall temperature than the fixed outlet temperature methods and superior thermal safety margin with the same coolant flow. The Korea Atomic energy Research Institute (KAERI) has performed a conceptual SFR design with the final goal of constructing a prototype plant by 2028. The main objective of the SFR prototype plant is to verify the TRU metal fuel performance, reactor operation, and transmutation ability of high-level wastes. The core thermal-hydraulic design is used to ensure the safe fuel performance during the whole plant operation. Compared to the critical heat flux in typical light water reactors, nuclear fuel damages in SFR subassemblies are arisen from a creep induced failure. The creep limit is evaluated based on both the maximum cladding temperature and the uncertainties of the design parameters. Therefore, the core thermalhydraulic design method, which eventually determines the cladding temperature, is highly important to assure a safe and reliable operation of the reactor systems

The Innovative Bike Conceptual Design by Using Modified Functional Element Design Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nien-Te Liu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to propose a new design process by modifying functional element design approach which can commence a large amount of innovative concepts within a short period of time. Firstly, the original creative functional elements design method is analyzed and the drawbacks are discussed. Then, the modified is proposed and is divided into 6 steps. The creative functional element representations, generalization, specialization, and particularization are used in this method. Every step is described clearly, and users could design by following the process easily. In this paper, a clear and accurate design process is proposed based on the creative functional element design method. By following this method, a lot of innovative bicycles will be created quickly.

Curiosity and Pedagogy: A Mixed-Methods Study of Student Experiences in the Design Studio

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Korydon H.

2010-01-01

Curiosity is often considered the foundation of learning. There is, however, little understanding of how (or if) pedagogy in higher education affects student curiosity, especially in the studio setting of architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. This study used mixed-methods to investigate curiosity among design students in the…

A cookbook method for Persuasive Game Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panote Siriaraya

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Despite the growing interest in persuasive game design, there have been few methods which cover the complete process of game design that designers could draw upon in their practice. In this paper, the Persuasive Game Design method(PGD is presented as a non-directive approach for designing persuasive games including a practical hand-out. To better fit with the practical constraints encountered in game design, this method adopts a “cookbook” approach. A set of essential PGD components and tools are provided from which game designers can choose from, given their specific context and resources. Designers first consider the game design steps(“dishes” to use in creating their game and in each step, select which components(“ingredients” to take into account and tools(“utensils” to use. The proposed method, based on our experience as persuasive game researchers and design practitioners, is further refined using feedback from professional game designers. The paper concludes with a case study illustrating how to put the meal into practice. Overall, the method provides a useful contribution to the existing research domain by combining knowledge from game theory, game design and design methodology to create a structured yet flexible approach which covers the complete persuasive game design process for researchers, students and practitioners. 

Mechatronic Systems Design Methods, Models, Concepts

CERN Document Server

Janschek, Klaus

2012-01-01

In this textbook, fundamental methods for model-based design of mechatronic systems are presented in a systematic, comprehensive form. The method framework presented here comprises domain-neutral methods for modeling and performance analysis: multi-domain modeling (energy/port/signal-based), simulation (ODE/DAE/hybrid systems), robust control methods, stochastic dynamic analysis, and quantitative evaluation of designs using system budgets. The model framework is composed of analytical dynamic models for important physical and technical domains of realization of mechatronic functions, such as multibody dynamics, digital information processing and electromechanical transducers. Building on the modeling concept of a technology-independent generic mechatronic transducer, concrete formulations for electrostatic, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, and electrodynamic transducers are presented. More than 50 fully worked out design examples clearly illustrate these methods and concepts and enable independent study of th...

Design theory methods and organization for innovation

CERN Document Server

Le Masson, Pascal; Hatchuel, Armand

2017-01-01

This textbook presents the core of recent advances in design theory and its implications for design methods and design organization. Providing a unified perspective on different design methods and approaches, from the most classic (systematic design) to the most advanced (C-K theory), it offers a unique and integrated presentation of traditional and contemporary theories in the field. Examining the principles of each theory, this guide utilizes numerous real life industrial applications, with clear links to engineering design, industrial design, management, economics, psychology and creativity. Containing a section of exams with detailed answers, it is useful for courses in design theory, engineering design and advanced innovation management. "Students and professors, practitioners and researchers in diverse disciplines, interested in design, will find in this book a rich and vital source for studying fundamental design methods and tools as well as the most advanced design theories that work in practice". Pro...

Design study of fuel circulating system using Pd alloy membrane isotope separation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, T.; Yamada, T.; Aizawa, T.; Kasahara, T.; Yamanaka, T.

1981-01-01

It is expected that the method of permeating through Pd-alloy membrances is effective for isotope separation and the refining of fuel gas. In this paper, the design study of the Fuel Circulating System (FCS) using Pb-alloy membranes is described. The study is mainly focused on the main vacuum, fuel gas refining, isotope separating, and tritium containment systems. In the fuel gas refining system, impurities are effectively removed by using Pd-alloy membranes. For the isotope separation system, the diffusion method through Pd-alloy membranes was adopted. From the standpoint of the safety and economy, a three-stage tritium containment system was adopted to control tritium release to the environment as low as possible. The principal conclusion drawn from the design study was as follows. In the FCS, while cryogenic distillation method appears to be practicable, Pd-alloy membrane method is attractive for isotope separation and the refining of fuel gas. For a large amount of tritium inventory, handling and control technologies should be completed by the experimental evaluation and development of the components and materials used for the FCS. A three-stage containment system was adopted to control tritium release to environment as low as possible. Consideration to prevent tritium escape will be necessary for fuel gas refiners and isotope separators. (Kato, T.)

Development of probabilistic fast reactor fuel design method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozawa, Takayuki

1997-01-01

Under the current method of evaluating fuel robustness in FBR fuel rod design, a variety of uncertain quantities including fuel production tolerance and power density are estimated conservatively. In the future, in order to proceed with improvements in the FBR core's performance and optimize the fuel's specifications, a rationalization of fuel design tolerance is required. Among the measures aimed at realizing this rationalization, the introduction of a probabilistic fast reactor fuel design method is currently under consideration. I have developed a probabilistic fast reactor fuel design code named BORNFREE, in order to make use of this method in FBR fuel design. At the same time, I have carried out a trial calculation of the cladding stress using this code and made a study and an evaluation of the possibility of employing tolerance rationalization in fuel rod design. In this paper, I provide an outline description of BORNFREE and report the results of the above study and evaluation. After performing cladding stress trial calculations using the probabilistic method, I was able to confirm that this method promises more rational design evaluation results than the conventional deterministic method. (author)

Protocol design and implementation using formal methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Sinderen, Marten J.; Ferreira Pires, Luis; Pires, L.F.; Vissers, C.A.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on a number of formal methods that support correct protocol design and implementation. These methods are placed in the framework of a design methodology for distributed systems that was studied and developed within the ESPRIT II Lotosphere project (2304). The paper focuses on

How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoonenboom, Judith; Johnson, R Burke

2017-01-01

This article provides researchers with knowledge of how to design a high quality mixed methods research study. To design a mixed study, researchers must understand and carefully consider each of the dimensions of mixed methods design, and always keep an eye on the issue of validity. We explain the seven major design dimensions: purpose, theoretical drive, timing (simultaneity and dependency), point of integration, typological versus interactive design approaches, planned versus emergent design, and design complexity. There also are multiple secondary dimensions that need to be considered during the design process. We explain ten secondary dimensions of design to be considered for each research study. We also provide two case studies showing how the mixed designs were constructed.

Problem Solving Methods in Engineering Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartvig, Susanne C

1999-01-01

This short paper discusses typical engineering tasks and problem solving methods, based on a field study of engineering tasks at a Danish engineering firm. The field study has identified ten classes of design tasks and in this paper these classes are related to problem solving methods. The descri...

Method card design dimensions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wölfel, Christiane; Merritt, T.

2013-01-01

There are many examples of cards used to assist or provide structure to the design process, yet there has not been a thorough articulation of the strengths and weaknesses of the various examples. We review eighteen card-based design tools in order to understand how they might benefit designers....... The card-based tools are explained in terms of five design dimensions including the intended purpose and scope of use, duration of use, methodology, customization, and formal/material qualities. Our analysis suggests three design patterns or archetypes for existing card-based design method tools...... and highlights unexplored areas in the design space. The paper concludes with recommendations for the future development of card-based methods for the field of interaction design....

Design study of fuel circulating system using Pd-alloy membrane isotope separation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, T.; Yamada, T.; Yamanaka, T.; Aizawa, T.; Kasahara, T.; Nishikawa, M.; Asami, N.

1980-01-01

Design study on the fuel circulating system (FCS) for a tokamak experimental fusion reactor (JXFR) has been carried out to establish the system concept, to plan the development program, and to evaluate the feasibility of diffusion system. The FCS consists of main vacuum system, fuel gas refiners, isotope separators, fuel feeders, and auxiliary systems. In the system design, Pd-alloy membrane permeation method is adopted for fuel refining and isotope separating. All impurities are effectively removed and hydrogen isotopes are sufficiently separated by Pd-alloy membrane. The isotope separation system consists of 1st (47 separators) and 2nd (46 separators) cascades for removing protium and separating deuterium, respectively. In the FCS, while cryogenic distillation method appears to be practicable, Pd-alloy membrane diffusion method is attractive for isotope separation and refining of fuel gas. The choice will have to be based on reliability, economic, and safety analyses

Comparing early design methods for children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sluis - Thiescheffer, R.J.W.; Bekker, M.M.; Eggen, J.H.; Robertson, J.; Skov, M.B.; Bekker, M.M.

2007-01-01

This paper describes a study which compares the outcome of two early design methods for children: brainstorming and prototyping. The hypothesis is that children will uncover more design ideas when prototyping than when brainstorming, because prototyping requires the use of a wider range of

Application of a Novel Collaboration Engineering Method for Learning Design: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Xusen; Li, Yuanyuan; Sun, Jianshan; Huang, Jianqing

2016-01-01

Collaborative case studies and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) play an important role in the modern education environment. A number of researchers have given significant attention to learning design in order to improve the satisfaction of collaborative learning. Although collaboration engineering (CE) is a mature method widely…

How to Construct a Mixed Methods Research Design

OpenAIRE

Schoonenboom, Judith; Johnson, R. Burke

2017-01-01

This article provides researchers with knowledge of how to design a high quality mixed methods research study. To design a mixed study, researchers must understand and carefully consider each of the dimensions of mixed methods design, and always keep an eye on the issue of validity. We explain the seven major design dimensions: purpose, theoretical drive, timing (simultaneity and dependency), point of integration, typological versus interactive design approaches, planned versus emergent desig...

Creativity Methods in Interaction Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biskjaer, Michael Mose; Dalsgaard, Peter; Halskov, Kim

2010-01-01

The field of interaction design encompasses a variety of methods for fostering innovation and creativity. In this paper, we present a selection of such methods that scaffold ideation and concept development in the early phases of design. As a conceptual frame for discussing these methods, we...... introduce four aspects that are particularly salient in the field of interaction design: tradition and transcendence, convergence and divergence, degree of structure, and sources of inspiration. We then outline how the methods relate to each of these aspects. The paper contributes to design practitioners...

A foundational observation method for studying design situations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cash, Philip; Hicks, Ben; Culley, Steve

2015-01-01

Observational studies of designers play an important role in engineering design research, yet there is currently no accepted standard approach for comparing, combining, or contrasting studies. Consequentially, reuse, reanalysis, replication, and aggregation of data are limited and the potential...... that covers capture, coding, and analysis. The capture step defines overall and situational context as well as multiple capture streams, generating a broad data-set that can be examined from multiple perspectives. The coding step employs a multi-level approach that seeks to minimise workload while describing...

Study on Feasibility of Applying Function Approximation Moment Method to Achieve Reliability-Based Design Optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huh, Jae Sung; Kwak, Byung Man

2011-01-01

Robust optimization or reliability-based design optimization are some of the methodologies that are employed to take into account the uncertainties of a system at the design stage. For applying such methodologies to solve industrial problems, accurate and efficient methods for estimating statistical moments and failure probability are required, and further, the results of sensitivity analysis, which is needed for searching direction during the optimization process, should also be accurate. The aim of this study is to employ the function approximation moment method into the sensitivity analysis formulation, which is expressed as an integral form, to verify the accuracy of the sensitivity results, and to solve a typical problem of reliability-based design optimization. These results are compared with those of other moment methods, and the feasibility of the function approximation moment method is verified. The sensitivity analysis formula with integral form is the efficient formulation for evaluating sensitivity because any additional function calculation is not needed provided the failure probability or statistical moments are calculated

Deficiency of the Space Syntax method as an urban design tool in designing traditional urban space and the need for some supplementary methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Bahrainy

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Urban design problems have become so complex that no single designer is able to consider all aspects of a design area simultaneously. Lately the application of computerized and scientific methods have helped designers analyze complex problems. One of these new methods is Space Syntax. The purpose of this study is to first investigate the strengths and weaknesses of this method and then suggest some supplementary methods to cover its pitfalls. On the next phase Space Syntax and supplementary methods will be used to design a pedestrian pathway in the Imamzade Ghasem neighborhood as a traditional context. Space Syntax will identify the existing spatial structure and direct future changes toward its strengthening. The case study reveals that Space Syntax can be successfully used in analysis of traditional spaces, but in order to successfully design a neighborhood in such a complex context, it involves logistical shortcomings which could be eliminated through supplementary methods.

Case Study of CPT-based Design Methods for Axial Capacity of Driven Piles in Sand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomassen, Kristina; Ibsen, Lars Bo; Andersen, Lars Vabbersgaard

2012-01-01

loaded offshore driven piles in cohesionless soil has until now been the β-method given in API. The API-method is based on the effective overburden pressure at the depth in question. Previous studies show deviations between full-scale load test measurements of the axial pile capacity and the predictions...... found by means of the API-method. Compared to the test measurements, the API-method under-estimates the capacity of short piles (piles in loose sand, and gives a shaft capacity less conservative for piles in tension than for piles in compression......Today the design of onshore axially loaded driven piles in cohesionless soil is commonly made on basis of CPT-based methods because field investigations have shown strong correlation between the local shaft friction and the CPT cone resistance. However, the recommended design method for axially...

Designing satisfaction studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Kai; Eskildsen, Jacob Kjær

2007-01-01

In the effect sampling method, presentation of researcher, the intro text, the order of questions in the questionnaire along with the number of categories in the rating scale is tested in relation to the design of satisfaction studies. Based on the analyses specific recommendations for designing...... satisfaction studies are given....

Visual Design Principles: An Empirical Study of Design Lore

Science.gov (United States)

Kimball, Miles A.

2013-01-01

Many books, designers, and design educators talk about visual design principles such as balance, contrast, and alignment, but with little consistency. This study uses empirical methods to explore the lore surrounding design principles. The study took the form of two stages: a quantitative literature review to determine what design principles are…

Understanding Creativity Methods in Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biskjaer, Michael Mose; Dalsgaard, Peter; Halskov, Kim

2017-01-01

This paper contributes an analytical framework to improve understanding of the composition of recognized creativity methods used in design. Based on an extensive literature review, our framework synthesizes key concepts from design and particularly creativity research, and is further supported...... by significant experience with creativity methods in design. We propose that nine concepts are relevant for analyzing creativity methods in design: process structure, materials, tools, combination, metaphor, analogy, framing, divergence, and convergence. To test their relevance as components of an analytical...... are composed, how and why they work, and how they potentially may be tweaked or refined for enhanced deployment in design....

Application of analytical target cascading method in multidisciplinary design optimization of ship conceptual design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WANG Jian

2017-10-01

Full Text Available [Objectives] Ship conceptual design requires the coordination of many different disciplines for comprehensive optimization, which presents a complicated system design problem affecting several fields of technology. However, the development of overall ship design is relatively slow compared with other subjects. [Methods] The decomposition and coordination strategy of ship design is presented, and the analytical target cascading (ATC method is applied to the multidisciplinary design optimization of the conceptual design phase of ships on this basis. A tank ship example covering the 5 disciplines of buoyancy and stability, rapidity, maneuverability, capacity and economy is established to illustrate the analysis process in the present study. [Results] The results demonstrate the stability, convergence and validity of the ATC method in dealing with the complex coupling effect occurring in ship conceptual design.[Conclusions] The proposed method provides an effective basis for optimization of ship conceptual design.

A comparison of a 3 dimensional probabilistic method of berthing structure design and the traditional method of a berthing structure design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kool, J.J.; De Gijt, J.G.; Groenewegen, L.

2013-01-01

Finite element method (FEM) is increasingly applied as a first choice tool for designing structures. The same trend is seen in probabilistic designing. Consequently, the application of the combination of these two methods is discussed in this paper.In this study the presence of potential

Intimate partner violence in Europe: design and methods of a multinational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Diogo; Soares, Joaquim J F; Lindert, Jutta; Hatzidimitriadou, Eleni; Karlsso, Andreas; Sundin, Örjan; Toth, Olga; Ioannidi-Kapolou, Ellisabeth; Degomme, Olivier; Cervilla, Jorge; Barros, Henrique

2013-01-01

To describe the design, methods, procedures and characteristics of the population involved in a study designed to compare Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in eight European countries. Women and men aged 18-65, living in Ghent-Belgium (n = 245), Stuttgart-Germany (n = 546), Athens-Greece (n = 548), Budapest-Hungary (n = 604), Porto-Portugal (n = 635), Granada-Spain (n = 138), Östersund-Sweden (n = 592), London-United Kingdom (n = 571), were sampled and administered a common questionnaire. Chi-square goodness of fit and five-age strata population fractions ratios for sex and education were computed to evaluate samples' representativeness. Differences in the age distributions were found among women from Sweden and Portugal and among men from Belgium, Hungary, Portugal and Sweden. Over-recruitment of more educated respondents was noted in all sites. The use of a common research protocol with the same structured questionnaire is likely to provide accurate estimates of the general population IPV frequency, despite limitations in probabilistic sampling and restrictions in methods of administration. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Embodied Design Ideation methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilde, Danielle; Vallgårda, Anna; Tomico, Oscar

2017-01-01

Embodied design ideation practices work with relationships between body, material and context to enliven design and research potential. Methods are often idiosyncratic and – due to their physical nature – not easily transferred. This presents challenges for designers wishing to develop and share ...

The Internet and HIV study: design and methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elford Jonathan

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Internet provides a new meeting ground, especially for gay men, that did not exist in the early 1990s. Several studies have found increased levels of high risk sexual behaviour and sexually transmissible infections (STI among gay men who seek sex on the Internet, although the underlying processes are not fully understood. Research funded by the UK Medical Research Council (2002–2004 provided the opportunity to consider whether the Internet represents a new sexual risk environment for gay and bisexual men living in London. Methods The objectives of the Internet and HIV study are to: (i measure the extent to which gay men living in London seek sexual partners on the Internet; (ii compare the characteristics of London gay men who do and do not seek sex on the Internet; (iii examine whether sex with Internet-partners is less safe than with other sexual partners; (iv compare use of the Internet with other venues where men meet sexual partners; (v establish whether gay men use the Internet to actively seek partners for unprotected anal intercourse; (vi determine the potential for using the Internet for HIV prevention. These objectives have been explored using quantitative and qualitative research methods in four samples of London gay men recruited and interviewed both online and offline. The four samples were: (i gay men recruited through Internet chat rooms and profiles; (ii HIV positive gay men attending an NHS hospital outpatients clinic; (iii gay men seeking an HIV test in an NHS HIV testing or sexual health clinic; (iv gay men recruited in the community. Results Quantitative data were collected by means of confidential, anonymous self-administered questionnaires (n>4000 completed on-line by the Internet sample. Qualitative data were collected by means of one-to-one interviews (n = 128 conducted either face-to-face or on-line. Conclusion The strength of the Internet and HIV study is its methodological plurality, drawing

Valve cam design using numerical step-by-step method

OpenAIRE

Vasilyev, Aleksandr; Bakhracheva, Yuliya; Kabore, Ousman; Zelenskiy, Yuriy

2014-01-01

This article studies the numerical step-by-step method of cam profile design. The results of the study are used for designing the internal combustion engine valve gear. This method allows to profile the peak efficiency of cams in view of many restrictions, connected with valve gear serviceability and reliability.

Method for control-room display design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montmayeul, R.

1988-01-01

This document describes a method for control-room displays design. It can be used either for isolated display to add to an existing system either for the design of a full system of operator aids. The method is a top-down design with steps of possible iteration. The emphasis is put on display design rather than on system design; system aspects are just mentioned. Advantages of using a method are described [fr

Culture, Interface Design, and Design Methods for Mobile Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kun-Pyo

Aesthetic differences and similarities among cultures are obviously one of the very important issues in cultural design. However, ever since products became knowledge-supporting tools, the visible elements of products have become more universal so that the invisible parts of products such as interface and interaction are getting more important. Therefore, the cultural design should be extended to the invisible elements of culture like people's conceptual models beyond material and phenomenal culture. This chapter aims to explain how we address the invisible cultural elements in interface design and design methods by exploring the users' cognitive styles and communication patterns in different cultures. Regarding cultural interface design, we examined users' conceptual models while interacting with mobile phone and website interfaces, and observed cultural difference in performing tasks and viewing patterns, which appeared to agree with cultural cognitive styles known as Holistic thoughts vs. Analytic thoughts. Regarding design methods for culture, we explored how to localize design methods such as focus group interview and generative session for specific cultural groups, and the results of comparative experiments revealed cultural difference on participants' behaviors and performance in each design method and led us to suggest how to conduct them in East Asian culture. Mobile Observation Analyzer and Wi-Pro, user research tools we invented to capture user behaviors and needs especially in their mobile context, were also introduced.

Mixed Methods Research Designs in Counseling Psychology

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, William E.; Creswell, John W.; Clark, Vicki L. Plano; Petska, Kelly S.; Creswell, David J.

2005-01-01

With the increased popularity of qualitative research, researchers in counseling psychology are expanding their methodologies to include mixed methods designs. These designs involve the collection, analysis, and integration of quantitative and qualitative data in a single or multiphase study. This article presents an overview of mixed methods…

A Comparative Study on Recently-Introduced Nature-Based Global Optimization Methods in Complex Mechanical System Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulbaset El Hadi Saad

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Advanced global optimization algorithms have been continuously introduced and improved to solve various complex design optimization problems for which the objective and constraint functions can only be evaluated through computation intensive numerical analyses or simulations with a large number of design variables. The often implicit, multimodal, and ill-shaped objective and constraint functions in high-dimensional and “black-box” forms demand the search to be carried out using low number of function evaluations with high search efficiency and good robustness. This work investigates the performance of six recently introduced, nature-inspired global optimization methods: Artificial Bee Colony (ABC, Firefly Algorithm (FFA, Cuckoo Search (CS, Bat Algorithm (BA, Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA and Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO. These approaches are compared in terms of search efficiency and robustness in solving a set of representative benchmark problems in smooth-unimodal, non-smooth unimodal, smooth multimodal, and non-smooth multimodal function forms. In addition, four classic engineering optimization examples and a real-life complex mechanical system design optimization problem, floating offshore wind turbines design optimization, are used as additional test cases representing computationally-expensive black-box global optimization problems. Results from this comparative study show that the ability of these global optimization methods to obtain a good solution diminishes as the dimension of the problem, or number of design variables increases. Although none of these methods is universally capable, the study finds that GWO and ABC are more efficient on average than the other four in obtaining high quality solutions efficiently and consistently, solving 86% and 80% of the tested benchmark problems, respectively. The research contributes to future improvements of global optimization methods.

New or improved computational methods and advanced reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagawa, Masayuki; Takeda, Toshikazu; Ushio, Tadashi

1997-01-01

Nuclear computational method has been studied continuously up to date, as a fundamental technology supporting the nuclear development. At present, research on computational method according to new theory and the calculating method thought to be difficult to practise are also continued actively to find new development due to splendid improvement of features of computer. In Japan, many light water type reactors are now in operations, new computational methods are induced for nuclear design, and a lot of efforts are concentrated for intending to more improvement of economics and safety. In this paper, some new research results on the nuclear computational methods and their application to nuclear design of the reactor were described for introducing recent trend of the nuclear design of the reactor. 1) Advancement of the computational method, 2) Reactor core design and management of the light water reactor, and 3) Nuclear design of the fast reactor. (G.K.)

Forming a method mindset: The role of knowledge and preference in facilitating heuristic method usage in design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Daalhuizen, Jaap; Person, Oscar; Gattol, Valentin

2013-01-01

Both systematic and heuristic methods are common practice when designing. Yet, in teaching students how to design, heuristic methods are typically only granted a secondary role. So, how do designers and students develop a mindset for using heuristic methods? In this paper, we study how prior...... knowledge (about heuristic methods and their usage) and preference (for using heuristic methods) relate to the reported use of heuristic methods when designing. Drawing on a survey among 304 students enrolled in a master-level course on design theory and methodology, we investigated method usage for five...... indirectly influenced method usage through a 'complementary' mediation of method preference....

Using network screening methods to determine locations with specific safety issues: A design consistency case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Butsick, Andrew J; Wood, Jonathan S; Jovanis, Paul P

2017-09-01

The Highway Safety Manual provides multiple methods that can be used to identify sites with promise (SWiPs) for safety improvement. However, most of these methods cannot be used to identify sites with specific problems. Furthermore, given that infrastructure funding is often specified for use related to specific problems/programs, a method for identifying SWiPs related to those programs would be very useful. This research establishes a method for Identifying SWiPs with specific issues. This is accomplished using two safety performance functions (SPFs). This method is applied to identifying SWiPs with geometric design consistency issues. Mixed effects negative binomial regression was used to develop two SPFs using 5 years of crash data and over 8754km of two-lane rural roadway. The first SPF contained typical roadway elements while the second contained additional geometric design consistency parameters. After empirical Bayes adjustments, sites with promise (SWiPs) were identified. The disparity between SWiPs identified by the two SPFs was evident; 40 unique sites were identified by each model out of the top 220 segments. By comparing sites across the two models, candidate road segments can be identified where a lack design consistency may be contributing to an increase in expected crashes. Practitioners can use this method to more effectively identify roadway segments suffering from reduced safety performance due to geometric design inconsistency, with detailed engineering studies of identified sites required to confirm the initial assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary optimization methods for accelerator design

Science.gov (United States)

Poklonskiy, Alexey A.

Many problems from the fields of accelerator physics and beam theory can be formulated as optimization problems and, as such, solved using optimization methods. Despite growing efficiency of the optimization methods, the adoption of modern optimization techniques in these fields is rather limited. Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) form a relatively new and actively developed optimization methods family. They possess many attractive features such as: ease of the implementation, modest requirements on the objective function, a good tolerance to noise, robustness, and the ability to perform a global search efficiently. In this work we study the application of EAs to problems from accelerator physics and beam theory. We review the most commonly used methods of unconstrained optimization and describe the GATool, evolutionary algorithm and the software package, used in this work, in detail. Then we use a set of test problems to assess its performance in terms of computational resources, quality of the obtained result, and the tradeoff between them. We justify the choice of GATool as a heuristic method to generate cutoff values for the COSY-GO rigorous global optimization package for the COSY Infinity scientific computing package. We design the model of their mutual interaction and demonstrate that the quality of the result obtained by GATool increases as the information about the search domain is refined, which supports the usefulness of this model. We Giscuss GATool's performance on the problems suffering from static and dynamic noise and study useful strategies of GATool parameter tuning for these and other difficult problems. We review the challenges of constrained optimization with EAs and methods commonly used to overcome them. We describe REPA, a new constrained optimization method based on repairing, in exquisite detail, including the properties of its two repairing techniques: REFIND and REPROPT. We assess REPROPT's performance on the standard constrained

Design study on dose evaluation method for employees at severe accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Yoshitaka; Irie, Takashi; Kohriyama, Tamio; Kudo, Seiichi; Nishimura, Kazuya

2002-01-01

If a severe accident occurs in a pressurized water reactor plant, it is required to estimate dose values of operators engaged in emergency such as accident management, repair of failed parts. However, it might be difficult to measure radiation dose rate during the progress of an accident, because radiation monitors are not always installed in areas where the emergency activities are required. In this study, we analyzed the transport of radioactive materials in case of a severe accident, investigated a method to obtain radiation dose rate in the plant from estimated radioactive sources, made up a prototype analyzing system from this design study, and then evaluated its availability. As a result, we obtained the following: (1) A new dose evaluation method was established to predict the radiation dose rate at any point in the plant during a severe accident scenario. (2) This evaluation of total dose including access route and time for emergency activities is useful for estimating radiation dose limit for these employee actions. (3) The radiation dose rate map is effective for identifying high radiation areas and for choosing a route with lower radiation dose rate. (author)

Forming a method mindset : The role of knowledge and preference in facilitating heuristic method usage in design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daalhuizen, J.J.; Person, F.E.O.K.; Gattol, V.

2013-01-01

Both systematic and heuristic methods are common practice when designing. Yet, in teaching students how to design, heuristic methods are typically only granted a secondary role. So, how do designers and students develop a mindset for using heuristic methods? In this paper, we study how prior

Design of large Francis turbine using optimal methods

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, E.; Bornard, L.; Tomas, L.; Liu, J.; Couston, M.

2012-11-01

Among a high number of Francis turbine references all over the world, covering the whole market range of heads, Alstom has especially been involved in the development and equipment of the largest power plants in the world : Three Gorges (China -32×767 MW - 61 to 113 m), Itaipu (Brazil- 20x750 MW - 98.7m to 127m) and Xiangjiaba (China - 8x812 MW - 82.5m to 113.6m - in erection). Many new projects are under study to equip new power plants with Francis turbines in order to answer an increasing demand of renewable energy. In this context, Alstom Hydro is carrying out many developments to answer those needs, especially for jumbo units such the planned 1GW type units in China. The turbine design for such units requires specific care by using the state of the art in computation methods and the latest technologies in model testing as well as the maximum feedback from operation of Jumbo plants already in operation. We present in this paper how a large Francis turbine can be designed using specific design methods, including the global and local optimization methods. The design of the spiral case, the tandem cascade profiles, the runner and the draft tube are designed with optimization loops involving a blade design tool, an automatic meshing software and a Navier-Stokes solver, piloted by a genetic algorithm. These automated optimization methods, presented in different papers over the last decade, are nowadays widely used, thanks to the growing computation capacity of the HPC clusters: the intensive use of such optimization methods at the turbine design stage allows to reach very high level of performances, while the hydraulic flow characteristics are carefully studied over the whole water passage to avoid any unexpected hydraulic phenomena.

Design of large Francis turbine using optimal methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores, E; Bornard, L; Tomas, L; Couston, M; Liu, J

2012-01-01

Among a high number of Francis turbine references all over the world, covering the whole market range of heads, Alstom has especially been involved in the development and equipment of the largest power plants in the world : Three Gorges (China −32×767 MW - 61 to 113 m), Itaipu (Brazil- 20x750 MW - 98.7m to 127m) and Xiangjiaba (China - 8x812 MW - 82.5m to 113.6m - in erection). Many new projects are under study to equip new power plants with Francis turbines in order to answer an increasing demand of renewable energy. In this context, Alstom Hydro is carrying out many developments to answer those needs, especially for jumbo units such the planned 1GW type units in China. The turbine design for such units requires specific care by using the state of the art in computation methods and the latest technologies in model testing as well as the maximum feedback from operation of Jumbo plants already in operation. We present in this paper how a large Francis turbine can be designed using specific design methods, including the global and local optimization methods. The design of the spiral case, the tandem cascade profiles, the runner and the draft tube are designed with optimization loops involving a blade design tool, an automatic meshing software and a Navier-Stokes solver, piloted by a genetic algorithm. These automated optimization methods, presented in different papers over the last decade, are nowadays widely used, thanks to the growing computation capacity of the HPC clusters: the intensive use of such optimization methods at the turbine design stage allows to reach very high level of performances, while the hydraulic flow characteristics are carefully studied over the whole water passage to avoid any unexpected hydraulic phenomena.

Adopting an Evidence-Based Lifestyle Physical Activity Program: Dissemination Study Design and Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Andrea L; Buller, David B; Dearing, James W; Cutter, Gary; Guerra, Michele; Wilcox, Sara; Bettinghaus, Erwin P

2012-06-01

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of research studies that have examined academic-commercial partnerships to disseminate evidence-based physical activity programs. Understanding this approach to dissemination is essential because academic-commercial partnerships are increasingly common. Private companies have used dissemination channels and strategies to a degree that academicians have not, and declining resources require academicians to explore these partnerships. PURPOSE: This paper describes a retrospective case-control study design including the methods, demographics, organizational decision-making, implementation rates, and marketing strategy for Active Living Every Day (ALED), an evidence-based lifestyle physical activity program that has been commercially available since 2001. Evidence-based public health promotion programs rely on organizations and targeted sectors to disseminate these programs although relatively little is known about organizational-level and sector-level influences that lead to their adoption and implementation. METHODS: Cases (n=154) were eligible if they had signed an ALED license agreement with Human Kinetics (HK), publisher of the program's textbooks and facilitator manuals, between 2001 and 2008. Two types of controls were matched (2:2:1) and stratified by sector and region. Active controls (Control 1; n=319) were organizations that contacted HK to consider adopting ALED. Passive controls (Control 2; n=328) were organizations that received unsolicited marketing materials and did not initiate contact with HK. We used Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) constructs as the basis for developing the survey of cases and controls. RESULTS: Using the multi-method strategy recommended by Dillman, a total of n=801 cases and controls were surveyed. Most organizations were from the fitness sector followed by medical, nongovernmental, governmental, educational, worksite and other sectors with significantly higher response rates from government

Participatory design methods in telemedicine research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danbjørg, Dorthe Boe; Clemensen, Jane; Rothmann, Mette Juel

together with the patients. Participatory design is a research design and methodology that encourages the participation of users in the design process of technological solutions. Therefore, it has a potential for designing technologies that actually reflect the needs of the users, why it is relevant within...... telemedicine. The aim of this presentation is to explain the process and theoretical framework of a PD project; give an example of a project including the applied methods, and to determine its application to telemedicine with focus on the rationale for genuine participation. Theory: Participation implies....... Methods: Key activities of a Participatory Design project comprise methods such as fieldwork; literature reviewing; development and testing, and user activities as workshops. Methods that support telling, making, enacting. For instance telling activities as drivers for participation, where practitioners...

Algebraic Methods to Design Signals

Science.gov (United States)

2015-08-27

to date on designing signals using algebraic and combinatorial methods. Mathematical tools from algebraic number theory, representation theory and... combinatorial objects in designing signals for communication purposes. Sequences and arrays with desirable autocorrelation properties have many...multiple access methods in mobile radio communication systems. We continue our mathematical framework based on group algebras, character theory

A Systematic Optimization Design Method for Complex Mechatronic Products Design and Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Jiang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Designing a complex mechatronic product involves multiple design variables, objectives, constraints, and evaluation criteria as well as their nonlinearly coupled relationships. The design space can be very big consisting of many functional design parameters, structural design parameters, and behavioral design (or running performances parameters. Given a big design space and inexplicit relations among them, how to design a product optimally in an optimization design process is a challenging research problem. In this paper, we propose a systematic optimization design method based on design space reduction and surrogate modelling techniques. This method firstly identifies key design parameters from a very big design space to reduce the design space, secondly uses the identified key design parameters to establish a system surrogate model based on data-driven modelling principles for optimization design, and thirdly utilizes the multiobjective optimization techniques to achieve an optimal design of a product in the reduced design space. This method has been tested with a high-speed train design. With comparison to others, the research results show that this method is practical and useful for optimally designing complex mechatronic products.

A systematic design method for robust synthetic biology to satisfy design specifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bor-Sen; Wu, Chih-Hung

2009-06-30

Synthetic biology is foreseen to have important applications in biotechnology and medicine, and is expected to contribute significantly to a better understanding of the functioning of complex biological systems. However, the development of synthetic gene networks is still difficult and most newly created gene networks are non-functioning due to intrinsic parameter uncertainties, external disturbances and functional variations of intra- and extra-cellular environments. The design method for a robust synthetic gene network that works properly in a host cell under these intrinsic parameter uncertainties and external disturbances is the most important topic in synthetic biology. In this study, we propose a stochastic model that includes parameter fluctuations and external disturbances to mimic the dynamic behaviors of a synthetic gene network in the host cell. Then, based on this stochastic model, four design specifications are introduced to guarantee that a synthetic gene network can achieve its desired steady state behavior in spite of parameter fluctuations, external disturbances and functional variations in the host cell. We propose a systematic method to select a set of appropriate design parameters for a synthetic gene network that will satisfy these design specifications so that the intrinsic parameter fluctuations can be tolerated, the external disturbances can be efficiently filtered, and most importantly, the desired steady states can be achieved. Thus the synthetic gene network can work properly in a host cell under intrinsic parameter uncertainties, external disturbances and functional variations. Finally, a design procedure for the robust synthetic gene network is developed and a design example is given in silico to confirm the performance of the proposed method. Based on four design specifications, a systematic design procedure is developed for designers to engineer a robust synthetic biology network that can achieve its desired steady state behavior

Designing Health Websites Based on Users’ Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-01-01

Background Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for “exploring” health information. Objective The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information–seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Methods Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Results Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information–seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity

Technical program to study the benefits of nonlinear analysis methods in LWR component designs. Technical report TR-3723-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raju, P.P.

1980-05-01

This report summarizes the results of the study program to assess the benefits of nonlinear analysis methods in Light Water Reactor (LWR) component designs. The current study reveals that despite its increased cost and other complexities, nonlinear analysis is a practical and valuable tool for the design of LWR components, especially under ASME Level D service conditions (faulted conditions) and it will greatly assist in the evaluation of ductile fracture potential of pressure boundary components. Since the nonlinear behavior is generally a local phenomenon, the design of complex components can be accomplished through substructuring isolated localized regions and evaluating them in detail using nonlinear analysis methods

International manufacturing and logistics: application of a design method in five case studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, G.C.J.M.

1993-01-01

International manufacturing and logistics has become an important topic for an increasing number of industrial firms. In this paper, a design method will be described which is aimed at supporting managers in decisions regarding the (re)design of international logistic structures. The heart of this

Study for the design method of multi-agent diagnostic system to improve diagnostic performance for similar abnormality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minowa, Hirotsugu; Gofuku, Akio

2014-01-01

Accidents on industrial plants cause large loss on human, economic, social credibility. In recent, studies of diagnostic methods using techniques of machine learning such as support vector machine is expected to detect the occurrence of abnormality in a plant early and correctly. There were reported that these diagnostic machines has high accuracy to diagnose the operating state of industrial plant under mono abnormality occurrence. But the each diagnostic machine on the multi-agent diagnostic system may misdiagnose similar abnormalities as a same abnormality if abnormalities to diagnose increases. That causes that a single diagnostic machine may show higher diagnostic performance than one of multi-agent diagnostic system because decision-making considering with misdiagnosis is difficult. Therefore, we study the design method for multi-agent diagnostic system to diagnose similar abnormality correctly. This method aimed to realize automatic generation of diagnostic system where the generation process and location of diagnostic machines are optimized to diagnose correctly the similar abnormalities which are evaluated from the similarity of process signals by statistical method. This paper explains our design method and reports the result evaluated our method applied to the process data of the fast-breeder reactor Monju

Simulation methods to estimate design power: an overview for applied research.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Benjamin F; Hogan, Daniel R; Colford, John M; Hubbard, Alan E

2011-06-20

Estimating the required sample size and statistical power for a study is an integral part of study design. For standard designs, power equations provide an efficient solution to the problem, but they are unavailable for many complex study designs that arise in practice. For such complex study designs, computer simulation is a useful alternative for estimating study power. Although this approach is well known among statisticians, in our experience many epidemiologists and social scientists are unfamiliar with the technique. This article aims to address this knowledge gap. We review an approach to estimate study power for individual- or cluster-randomized designs using computer simulation. This flexible approach arises naturally from the model used to derive conventional power equations, but extends those methods to accommodate arbitrarily complex designs. The method is universally applicable to a broad range of designs and outcomes, and we present the material in a way that is approachable for quantitative, applied researchers. We illustrate the method using two examples (one simple, one complex) based on sanitation and nutritional interventions to improve child growth. We first show how simulation reproduces conventional power estimates for simple randomized designs over a broad range of sample scenarios to familiarize the reader with the approach. We then demonstrate how to extend the simulation approach to more complex designs. Finally, we discuss extensions to the examples in the article, and provide computer code to efficiently run the example simulations in both R and Stata. Simulation methods offer a flexible option to estimate statistical power for standard and non-traditional study designs and parameters of interest. The approach we have described is universally applicable for evaluating study designs used in epidemiologic and social science research.

Comparison of Traditional Design Nonlinear Programming Optimization and Stochastic Methods for Structural Design

Science.gov (United States)

Patnaik, Surya N.; Pai, Shantaram S.; Coroneos, Rula M.

2010-01-01

Structural design generated by traditional method, optimization method and the stochastic design concept are compared. In the traditional method, the constraints are manipulated to obtain the design and weight is back calculated. In design optimization, the weight of a structure becomes the merit function with constraints imposed on failure modes and an optimization algorithm is used to generate the solution. Stochastic design concept accounts for uncertainties in loads, material properties, and other parameters and solution is obtained by solving a design optimization problem for a specified reliability. Acceptable solutions were produced by all the three methods. The variation in the weight calculated by the methods was modest. Some variation was noticed in designs calculated by the methods. The variation may be attributed to structural indeterminacy. It is prudent to develop design by all three methods prior to its fabrication. The traditional design method can be improved when the simplified sensitivities of the behavior constraint is used. Such sensitivity can reduce design calculations and may have a potential to unify the traditional and optimization methods. Weight versus reliabilitytraced out an inverted-S-shaped graph. The center of the graph corresponded to mean valued design. A heavy design with weight approaching infinity could be produced for a near-zero rate of failure. Weight can be reduced to a small value for a most failure-prone design. Probabilistic modeling of load and material properties remained a challenge.

Modification of design methods to suit computer aided design of pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumaraswamy, S.

1994-01-01

Engineering designs involve a large number of repetitive calculations to achieve optimisation. So, computers which are fast and accurate lend themselves as an aid for the design process. However, certain modifications in the steps of conventional design method become necessary for easier adaptation. In addition, it will be advantageous if the empirical coefficients of design are allowed to be chosen by the designer with prompting of ranges taken from design charts by the program itself. This paper describes two examples of modification in pump design. In the first case Anderson's area ratio method and Pfleiderer's Slip power methods are combined to achieve an integrated design of impeller and casing. The second case is the design of a Mixed flow pump impeller by considering it as an assembly of a number of radial flow pump impellers called part impellers. In addition, these modifications are useful in redesign for a different operating condition or in matching of impellers to existing casings. (author). 13 refs., 4 figs

Study on nuclear analysis method for high temperature gas-cooled reactor and its nuclear design (Thesis)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, Minoru

2015-03-01

An appropriate configuration of fuel and reactivity control equipment in a nuclear reactor core, which allows the design of the nuclear reactor core for low cost and high performance, is performed by nuclear design with high accuracy. The accuracy of nuclear design depends on a nuclear data library and a nuclear analysis method. Additionally, it is one of the most important issues for the nuclear design of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) that an insertion depth of control rods into the reactor core should be retained shallow by reducing excess reactivity with a different method to keep fuel temperature below its limitation thorough a burn-up period. In this study, using experimental data of the High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), which is a Japan's HTGR with 30 MW of thermal power, the following issues were investigated: applicability of nuclear data libraries to nuclear analysis for HTGRs; applicability of the improved nuclear analysis method for HTGRs; and effectiveness of a rod-type burnable poison on HTGR reactivity control. A nuclear design of a small-sized HTGR with 50 MW of thermal power (HTR50S) was performed using these results. In the nuclear design of the HTR50S, we challenged to decrease the kinds of the fuel enrichments and to increase the power density compared with the HTTR. As a result, the nuclear design was completed successfully by reducing the kinds of the fuel enrichment to only three from twelve of the HTTR and increasing the power density by 1.4 times as much as that of the HTTR. (author)

The use of systematic and heuristic methods in the basic design cycle: A comparative survey of students' method usage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Person, O.; Daalhuizen, Jaap; Gattol, V.

2013-01-01

) synthesis, (3) simulation, (4) evaluation, and (5) decision-making. The results of our study suggest that systematic and heuristic methods fulfil different roles for the students when designing. The students reported to use heuristic methods significantly more for synthesis, while they reported to use...... systematic methods significantly more for evaluation and decision-making. In understanding the potential origin of these use practices, we call for more in-depth studies on method usage in design, for instance related to the role of preference and knowledge on systematic and heuristic methods usage.......In the present paper, we study the reported use of systematic and heuristic methods for 304 students enrolled in a master-level course on design theory and methodology. What to teach design and engineering students about methods is an important topic for discussion. One reason...

A flexible layout design method for passive micromixers.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yongbo; Liu, Zhenyu; Zhang, Ping; Liu, Yongshun; Gao, Qingyong; Wu, Yihui

2012-10-01

This paper discusses a flexible layout design method of passive micromixers based on the topology optimization of fluidic flows. Being different from the trial and error method, this method obtains the detailed layout of a passive micromixer according to the desired mixing performance by solving a topology optimization problem. Therefore, the dependence on the experience of the designer is weaken, when this method is used to design a passive micromixer with acceptable mixing performance. Several design disciplines for the passive micromixers are considered to demonstrate the flexibility of the layout design method for passive micromixers. These design disciplines include the approximation of the real 3D micromixer, the manufacturing feasibility, the spacial periodic design, and effects of the Péclet number and Reynolds number on the designs obtained by this layout design method. The capability of this design method is validated by several comparisons performed between the obtained layouts and the optimized designs in the recently published literatures, where the values of the mixing measurement is improved up to 40.4% for one cycle of the micromixer.

Designing a qualitative methods syllabus

OpenAIRE

Kier, Elizabeth

2003-01-01

After some initial trepidation, I was excited about teaching a graduate seminar in qualitative methods. It could hardly be a more interesting time. The publication of King, Keohane, and Verba’s Designing Social Inquiry reinvigorated interest in qualitative methods, and I wanted to design the course to profit from this emerging debate. Whereas KKV appealed to qualitative researchers to do their best to adopt quantitative methodological guidelines, I wanted to encourage students to think about ...

Gear hot forging process robust design based on finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xuewen, Chen; Won, Jung Dong

2008-01-01

During the hot forging process, the shaping property and forging quality will fluctuate because of die wear, manufacturing tolerance, dimensional variation caused by temperature and the different friction conditions, etc. In order to control this variation in performance and to optimize the process parameters, a robust design method is proposed in this paper, based on the finite element method for the hot forging process. During the robust design process, the Taguchi method is the basic robust theory. The finite element analysis is incorporated in order to simulate the hot forging process. In addition, in order to calculate the objective function value, an orthogonal design method is selected to arrange experiments and collect sample points. The ANOVA method is employed to analyze the relationships of the design parameters and design objectives and to find the best parameters. Finally, a case study for the gear hot forging process is conducted. With the objective to reduce the forging force and its variation, the robust design mathematical model is established. The optimal design parameters obtained from this study indicate that the forging force has been reduced and its variation has been controlled

Mixed methods research: a design for emergency care research?

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Simon; Porter, Jo; Endacott, Ruth

2011-08-01

This paper follows previous publications on generic qualitative approaches, qualitative designs and action research in emergency care by this group of authors. Contemporary views on mixed methods approaches are considered, with a particular focus on the design choice and the amalgamation of qualitative and quantitative data emphasising the timing of data collection for each approach, their relative 'weight' and how they will be mixed. Mixed methods studies in emergency care are reviewed before the variety of methodological approaches and best practice considerations are presented. The use of mixed methods in clinical studies is increasing, aiming to answer questions such as 'how many' and 'why' in the same study, and as such are an important and useful approach to many key questions in emergency care.

Computer-Aided Design Method of Warp-Knitted Jacquard Spacer Fabrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Xinxin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Based on a further study on knitting and jacquard principles, this paper presents a mathematical design model to make computer-aided design of warp-knitted jacquard spacer fabrics more efficient. The mathematical model with matrix method employs three essential elements of chain notation, threading and Jacquard designing. With this model, the processing to design warp-knitted jacquard spacer fabrics with CAD software is also introduced. In this study, the sports shoes which have separated functional areas according to the feet structure and characteristics of movement are analysed. The results show the different patterns on Jacquard spacer fabrics that are seamlessly stitched with jacquard technics. The computer-aided design method of warp-knitted jacquard spacer fabrics is efficient and simple.

Repository design sensitivity study: Engineering study report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

A preliminary sensitivity study of the salt repository design has been performed to identify critical site and design parameters to help guide future site characterization and design optimization activities. The study considered the SCP-conceptual design at the Deaf Smith County site in Texas with the horizontal waste package emplacement mode as the base case. Relative to this base case, parameter variations were compared. Limited studies were performed which considered the vertical emplacement mode geometry. The report presents the reference data base and design parameters on which the study was based (including the range of parameters that might be expected). Detailed descriptions of the numerical modeling methods and assumptions are included for the thermal, thermomechanical and hydrogeological analyses. The impacts of parameter variations on the sensitivity of the rock mass response are discussed. Recommendations are provided to help guide site characterization activities and advanced conceptual design optimization activities. 47 refs., 119 refs., 22 tabs

Development of inelastic design method for liquid metal reactor plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Yukio; Take, Kohji; Kaguchi, Hitoshi; Fukuda, Yoshio; Uno, Tetsuro.

1991-01-01

Effective utilization of inelastic analysis in structural design assessment is expected to play an important role for avoiding too conservative design of liquid metal reactor plants. Studies have been conducted by the authors to develop a guideline for application of detailed inelastic analysis in design assessment. Both fundamental material characteristics tests and structural failure tests were conducted. Fundamental investigations were made on inelastic analysis method and creep-fatigue life prediction method based on the results of material characteristics tests. It was demonstrated through structural failure tests that the design method constructed based on these fundamental investigations can predict failure lives in structures subjected to cyclic thermal loadings with sufficient accuracy. (author)

General method for designing wave shape transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Hua; Qu, Shaobo; Xu, Zhuo; Wang, Jiafu

2008-12-22

An effective method for designing wave shape transformers (WSTs) is investigated by adopting the coordinate transformation theory. Following this method, the devices employed to transform electromagnetic (EM) wave fronts from one style with arbitrary shape and size to another style, can be designed. To verify this method, three examples in 2D spaces are also presented. Compared with the methods proposed in other literatures, this method offers the general procedure in designing WSTs, and thus is of great importance for the potential and practical applications possessed by such kinds of devices.

Methodical Design of Software Architecture Using an Architecture Design Assistant (ArchE)

Science.gov (United States)

2005-04-01

PA 15213-3890 Methodical Design of Software Architecture Using an Architecture Design Assistant (ArchE) Felix Bachmann and Mark Klein Software...DATES COVERED 00-00-2005 to 00-00-2005 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Methodical Design of Software Architecture Using an Architecture Design Assistant...important for architecture design – quality requirements and constraints are most important Here’s some evidence: If the only concern is

A systematic composite service design modeling method using graph-based theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Elhag, Arafat Abdulgader Mohammed; Mohamad, Radziah; Aziz, Muhammad Waqar; Zeshan, Furkh

2015-01-01

The composite service design modeling is an essential process of the service-oriented software development life cycle, where the candidate services, composite services, operations and their dependencies are required to be identified and specified before their design. However, a systematic service-oriented design modeling method for composite services is still in its infancy as most of the existing approaches provide the modeling of atomic services only. For these reasons, a new method (ComSDM) is proposed in this work for modeling the concept of service-oriented design to increase the reusability and decrease the complexity of system while keeping the service composition considerations in mind. Furthermore, the ComSDM method provides the mathematical representation of the components of service-oriented design using the graph-based theoryto facilitate the design quality measurement. To demonstrate that the ComSDM method is also suitable for composite service design modeling of distributed embedded real-time systems along with enterprise software development, it is implemented in the case study of a smart home. The results of the case study not only check the applicability of ComSDM, but can also be used to validate the complexity and reusability of ComSDM. This also guides the future research towards the design quality measurement such as using the ComSDM method to measure the quality of composite service design in service-oriented software system.

Empirical pillar design methods review report: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-02-01

This report summarizes and evaluates empirical pillar design methods that may be of use during the conceptual design of a high-level nuclear waste repository in salt. The methods are discussed according to category (i.e, main, submain, and panel pillars; barrier pillars; and shaft pillars). Of the 21 identified for main, submain, and panel pillars, one method, the Confined Core Method, is evaluated as being most appropriate for conceptual design. Five methods are considered potentially applicable. Of six methods identified for barrier pillars, one method based on the Load Transfer Distance concept is considered most appropriate for design. Based on the evaluation of 25 methods identified for shaft pillars, an approximate sizing criterion is proposed for use in conceptual design. Aspects of pillar performance relating to creep, ground deformation, interaction with roof and floor rock, and response to high temperature environments are not adequately addressed by existing empirical design methods. 152 refs., 22 figs., 14 tabs

Optimization methods applied to hybrid vehicle design

Science.gov (United States)

Donoghue, J. F.; Burghart, J. H.

1983-01-01

The use of optimization methods as an effective design tool in the design of hybrid vehicle propulsion systems is demonstrated. Optimization techniques were used to select values for three design parameters (battery weight, heat engine power rating and power split between the two on-board energy sources) such that various measures of vehicle performance (acquisition cost, life cycle cost and petroleum consumption) were optimized. The apporach produced designs which were often significant improvements over hybrid designs already reported on in the literature. The principal conclusions are as follows. First, it was found that the strategy used to split the required power between the two on-board energy sources can have a significant effect on life cycle cost and petroleum consumption. Second, the optimization program should be constructed so that performance measures and design variables can be easily changed. Third, the vehicle simulation program has a significant effect on the computer run time of the overall optimization program; run time can be significantly reduced by proper design of the types of trips the vehicle takes in a one year period. Fourth, care must be taken in designing the cost and constraint expressions which are used in the optimization so that they are relatively smooth functions of the design variables. Fifth, proper handling of constraints on battery weight and heat engine rating, variables which must be large enough to meet power demands, is particularly important for the success of an optimization study. Finally, the principal conclusion is that optimization methods provide a practical tool for carrying out the design of a hybrid vehicle propulsion system.

Software Design Methods for Real-Time Systems

Science.gov (United States)

1989-12-01

This module describes the concepts and methods used in the software design of real time systems . It outlines the characteristics of real time systems , describes...the role of software design in real time system development, surveys and compares some software design methods for real - time systems , and

Study of spectral response of a neutron filter. Design of a method to adjust spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colomb-Dolci, F.

1999-02-01

The first part of this thesis describes an experimental method which intends to determine a neutron spectrum in the epithermal range [1 eV -10 keV]. Based on measurements of reaction rates provided by activation foils, it gives flux level in each energy range corresponding to each probe. This method can be used in any reactor location or in a neutron beam. It can determine scepter on eight energy groups, five groups in the epithermal range. The second part of this thesis presents a study of an epithermal neutron beam design, in the frame of Neutron Capture Therapy. A beam tube was specially built to test filters made up of different materials. Its geometry was designed to favour epithermal neutron crossing and to cut thermal and fast neutrons. A code scheme was validated to simulate the device response with a Monte Carlo code. Measurements were made at ISIS reactor and experimental spectra were compared to calculated ones. This validated code scheme was used to simulate different materials usable as shields in the tube. A study of these shields is presented at the end of this thesis. (author)

Addressing Research Design Problem in Mixed Methods Research

Science.gov (United States)

Alavi, Hamed; Hąbek, Patrycja

2016-03-01

Alongside other disciplines in social sciences, management researchers use mixed methods research more and more in conduct of their scientific investigations. Mixed methods approach can also be used in the field of production engineering. In comparison with traditional quantitative and qualitative research methods, reasons behind increasing popularity of mixed research method in management science can be traced in different factors. First of all, any particular discipline in management can be theoretically related to it. Second is that concurrent approach of mixed research method to inductive and deductive research logic provides researchers with opportunity to generate theory and test hypothesis in one study simultaneously. In addition, it provides a better justification for chosen method of investigation and higher validity for obtained answers to research questions. Despite increasing popularity of mixed research methods among management scholars, there is still need for a comprehensive approach to research design typology and process in mixed research method from the perspective of management science. The authors in this paper try to explain fundamental principles of mixed research method, its typology and different steps in its design process.

Parametric study on design fractors for the SCS heat exchanger using the Taguchi method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. H.; Choi, B. S.; Yoon, J. H.; Jang, M. H.

2002-01-01

Using Taguchi method, design factors, i.e. control factors of the shutdown cooling heat exchanger were investigated to qualify the effect for the time elapsed after the beginning of the system operation. Levels of the control factors were selected from calculations based on the effectiveness-NTU method. From 18 simulations with the KDESCENT program, it was found that the performance of the system is greatly influenced by inlet temperature from the component cooling water at the shell side and mass flow rate of the reactor coolant at the tube side. The Taguchi method makes it possible to select the control factor that has to be controlled and designed with caution. The method gives the effective way to estimate the influence of each control factor to the system performance

The Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study II: rationale, design and methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

March John S

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper presents the rationale, design, and methods of the Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Treatment Study II (POTS II, which investigates two different cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT augmentation approaches in children and adolescents who have experienced a partial response to pharmacotherapy with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor for OCD. The two CBT approaches test a "single doctor" versus "dual doctor" model of service delivery. A specific goal was to develop and test an easily disseminated protocol whereby child psychiatrists would provide instructions in core CBT procedures recommended for pediatric OCD (e.g., hierarchy development, in vivo exposure homework during routine medical management of OCD (I-CBT. The conventional "dual doctor" CBT protocol consists of 14 visits over 12 weeks involving: (1 psychoeducation, (2, cognitive training, (3 mapping OCD, and (4 exposure with response prevention (EX/RP. I-CBT is a 7-session version of CBT that does not include imaginal exposure or therapist-assisted EX/RP. In this study, we compared 12 weeks of medication management (MM provided by a study psychiatrist (MM only with two types of CBT augmentation: (1 the dual doctor model (MM+CBT; and (2 the single doctor model (MM+I-CBT. The design balanced elements of an efficacy study (e.g., random assignment, independent ratings with effectiveness research aims (e.g., differences in specific SRI medications, dosages, treatment providers. The study is wrapping up recruitment of 140 youth ages 7–17 with a primary diagnosis of OCD. Independent evaluators (IEs rated participants at weeks 0,4,8, and 12 during acute treatment and at 3,6, and 12 month follow-up visits. Trial registration NCT00074815

Service life and sustainable design methods: a case study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mc Duling, J

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The design life of hospitals normally varies between 50 to 60 years. This paper presents a case study of a major academic hospital that reached the end of its service life only 30 years after commissioning due to a combination of unsustainable...

The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS): 1. Study design and methods and baseline characteristics of study patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ederer, F; Gaasterland, D E; Sullivan, E K

1994-08-01

Medical therapy has been the standard initial treatment for open-angle glaucoma. When some visual field has been lost and maximum tolerated and effective medical therapy does not succeed in controlling the disease, the patient is considered to have advanced glaucoma, and the first of a potential sequence of surgical treatments is usually indicated. Little is known about the long-term course and prognosis of advanced glaucoma or about the long-term effectiveness of sequential surgical treatments in controlling the disease and preventing vision loss and blindness. The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study was designed to study, in advanced glaucoma, the long-term clinical course and prognosis, and, in a randomized trial, the comparative outcomes of two sequences of surgical treatments. Toward these goals, 789 eyes in 591 patients were enrolled at 11 clinical centers between 1988 and 1992. Follow-up will continue until 1996. Eyes were randomly assigned to one of two sequences of surgical treatments. One sequence begins with argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT), is followed by trabeculectomy, an incisional surgical filtering procedure, should ALT fail to control the disease, and by a second trabeculectomy should the first trabeculectomy fail. The other sequence begins with trabeculectomy, is followed by ALT should the trabeculectomy fail, and by a second trabeculectomy should ALT fail. The main outcome of interest is visual function (visual field and visual acuity). Other important outcomes are intraocular pressure, complications of surgery, time to treatment failure, and extent of need for additional medical therapy. We present in this paper the rationale, objectives, design and methods of the study, and the baseline characteristics of study patients and eyes.

Implementing Quality Criteria in Designing and Conducting a Sequential Quan [right arrow] Qual Mixed Methods Study of Student Engagement with Learning Applied Research Methods Online

Science.gov (United States)

Ivankova, Nataliya V.

2014-01-01

In spite of recent methodological developments related to quality assurance in mixed methods research, practical examples of how to implement quality criteria in designing and conducting sequential QUAN [right arrow] QUAL mixed methods studies to ensure the process is systematic and rigorous remain scarce. This article discusses a three-step…

Designing Excellence and Quality Model for Training Centers of Primary Health Care: A Delphi Method Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabrizi, Jafar-Sadegh; Farahbakhsh, Mostafa; Shahgoli, Javad; Rahbar, Mohammad Reza; Naghavi-Behzad, Mohammad; Ahadi, Hamid-Reza; Azami-Aghdash, Saber

2015-10-01

Excellence and quality models are comprehensive methods for improving the quality of healthcare. The aim of this study was to design excellence and quality model for training centers of primary health care using Delphi method. In this study, Delphi method was used. First, comprehensive information were collected using literature review. In extracted references, 39 models were identified from 34 countries and related sub-criteria and standards were extracted from 34 models (from primary 39 models). Then primary pattern including 8 criteria, 55 sub-criteria, and 236 standards was developed as a Delphi questionnaire and evaluated in four stages by 9 specialists of health care system in Tabriz and 50 specialists from all around the country. Designed primary model (8 criteria, 55 sub-criteria, and 236 standards) were concluded with 8 criteria, 45 sub-criteria, and 192 standards after 4 stages of evaluations by specialists. Major criteria of the model are leadership, strategic and operational planning, resource management, information analysis, human resources management, process management, costumer results, and functional results, where the top score was assigned as 1000 by specialists. Functional results had the maximum score of 195 whereas planning had the minimum score of 60. Furthermore the most and the least sub-criteria was for leadership with 10 sub-criteria and strategic planning with 3 sub-criteria, respectively. The model that introduced in this research has been designed following 34 reference models of the world. This model could provide a proper frame for managers of health system in improving quality.

Melanocortin-1 receptor, skin cancer and phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP project: study design and methods for pooling results of genetic epidemiological studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raimondi Sara

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For complex diseases like cancer, pooled-analysis of individual data represents a powerful tool to investigate the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors to the development of a disease. Pooled-analysis of epidemiological studies has many advantages over meta-analysis, and preliminary results may be obtained faster and with lower costs than with prospective consortia. Design and methods Based on our experience with the study design of the Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R gene, SKin cancer and Phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP project, we describe the most important steps in planning and conducting a pooled-analysis of genetic epidemiological studies. We then present the statistical analysis plan that we are going to apply, giving particular attention to methods of analysis recently proposed to account for between-study heterogeneity and to explore the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors in the development of a disease. Within the M-SKIP project, data on 10,959 skin cancer cases and 14,785 controls from 31 international investigators were checked for quality and recoded for standardization. We first proposed to fit the aggregated data with random-effects logistic regression models. However, for the M-SKIP project, a two-stage analysis will be preferred to overcome the problem regarding the availability of different study covariates. The joint contribution of MC1R variants and phenotypic characteristics to skin cancer development will be studied via logic regression modeling. Discussion Methodological guidelines to correctly design and conduct pooled-analyses are needed to facilitate application of such methods, thus providing a better summary of the actual findings on specific fields.

Melanocortin-1 receptor, skin cancer and phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP) project: study design and methods for pooling results of genetic epidemiological studies

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background For complex diseases like cancer, pooled-analysis of individual data represents a powerful tool to investigate the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors to the development of a disease. Pooled-analysis of epidemiological studies has many advantages over meta-analysis, and preliminary results may be obtained faster and with lower costs than with prospective consortia. Design and methods Based on our experience with the study design of the Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene, SKin cancer and Phenotypic characteristics (M-SKIP) project, we describe the most important steps in planning and conducting a pooled-analysis of genetic epidemiological studies. We then present the statistical analysis plan that we are going to apply, giving particular attention to methods of analysis recently proposed to account for between-study heterogeneity and to explore the joint contribution of genetic, phenotypic and environmental factors in the development of a disease. Within the M-SKIP project, data on 10,959 skin cancer cases and 14,785 controls from 31 international investigators were checked for quality and recoded for standardization. We first proposed to fit the aggregated data with random-effects logistic regression models. However, for the M-SKIP project, a two-stage analysis will be preferred to overcome the problem regarding the availability of different study covariates. The joint contribution of MC1R variants and phenotypic characteristics to skin cancer development will be studied via logic regression modeling. Discussion Methodological guidelines to correctly design and conduct pooled-analyses are needed to facilitate application of such methods, thus providing a better summary of the actual findings on specific fields. PMID:22862891

Relationships between the generalized functional method and other methods of nonimaging optical design.

Science.gov (United States)

Bortz, John; Shatz, Narkis

2011-04-01

The recently developed generalized functional method provides a means of designing nonimaging concentrators and luminaires for use with extended sources and receivers. We explore the mathematical relationships between optical designs produced using the generalized functional method and edge-ray, aplanatic, and simultaneous multiple surface (SMS) designs. Edge-ray and dual-surface aplanatic designs are shown to be special cases of generalized functional designs. In addition, it is shown that dual-surface SMS designs are closely related to generalized functional designs and that certain computational advantages accrue when the two design methods are combined. A number of examples are provided. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Launch Vehicle Design and Optimization Methods and Priority for the Advanced Engineering Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Rowell, Lawrence F.; Korte, John J.

2003-01-01

NASA's Advanced Engineering Environment (AEE) is a research and development program that will improve collaboration among design engineers for launch vehicle conceptual design and provide the infrastructure (methods and framework) necessary to enable that environment. In this paper, three major technical challenges facing the AEE program are identified, and three specific design problems are selected to demonstrate how advanced methods can improve current design activities. References are made to studies that demonstrate these design problems and methods, and these studies will provide the detailed information and check cases to support incorporation of these methods into the AEE. This paper provides background and terminology for discussing the launch vehicle conceptual design problem so that the diverse AEE user community can participate in prioritizing the AEE development effort.

HTGR analytical methods and design verification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neylan, A.J.; Northup, T.E.

1982-05-01

Analytical methods for the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) include development, update, verification, documentation, and maintenance of all computer codes for HTGR design and analysis. This paper presents selected nuclear, structural mechanics, seismic, and systems analytical methods related to the HTGR core. This paper also reviews design verification tests in the reactor core, reactor internals, steam generator, and thermal barrier

Advances on geometric flux optical design method

Science.gov (United States)

García-Botella, Ángel; Fernández-Balbuena, Antonio Álvarez; Vázquez, Daniel

2017-09-01

Nonimaging optics is focused on the study of methods to design concentrators or illuminators systems. It can be included in the area of photometry and radiometry and it is governed by the laws of geometrical optics. The field vector method, which starts with the definition of the irradiance vector E, is one of the techniques used in nonimaging optics. Called "Geometrical flux vector" it has provide ideal designs. The main property of this model is, its ability to estimate how radiant energy is transferred by the optical system, from the concepts of field line, flux tube and pseudopotential surface, overcoming traditional raytrace methods. Nevertheless this model has been developed only at an academic level, where characteristic optical parameters are ideal not real and the studied geometries are simple. The main objective of the present paper is the application of the vector field method to the analysis and design of real concentration and illumination systems. We propose the development of a calculation tool for optical simulations by vector field, using algorithms based on Fermat`s principle, as an alternative to traditional tools for optical simulations by raytrace, based on reflection and refraction law. This new tool provides, first, traditional simulations results: efficiency, illuminance/irradiance calculations, angular distribution of light- with lower computation time, photometrical information needs about a few tens of field lines, in comparison with million rays needed nowadays. On the other hand the tool will provides new information as vector field maps produced by the system, composed by field lines and quasipotential surfaces. We show our first results with the vector field simulation tool.

A study on the design method of the laminated rubber bearing for FBR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazda, T.; Ishida, K.; Ikeuchi, K.; Yashiro, T.

1994-01-01

The Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Japan) has been carrying out the Demonstration Test and Research Program of the Seismic Isolation System for the Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) under contract with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (FY1987--FY1993). In this research program, development of the seismic isolation element, reliability evaluation of the seismic isolation system, and examination of a design-based earthquake have been conducted in order to develop and propose design guidelines of seismic isolation system for FBR plant. The purpose of this paper is to describe the test results concerned with structural design of the laminated rubber bearing, and to explain the construction of the design method for the laminated rubber bearing, which is one of the most important factors in the design guidelines of the seismic isolation system

QUALITATIVE METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertel, Frederik

2015-01-01

In this article we will focus on developing a qualitative research design suitable for conducting case study in creativity. The case is a team of workers (See Hertel, 2015) doing industrial cleaning in the Danish food industry. The hypothesis is that these workers are both participating in......-specific methods, involving a discussion of creativity test, divergent and convergent thinking, for studying creativity in this specific setting. Beside from that we will develop a research design involving a combination of methods necessary for conducting a case study in the setting mentioned....

The order and priority of research and design method application within an assistive technology new product development process: a summative content analysis of 20 case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Torrens, George Edward

2018-01-01

Summative content analysis was used to define methods and heuristics from each case study. The review process was in two parts: (1) A literature review to identify conventional research methods and (2) a summative content analysis of published case studies, based on the identified methods and heuristics to suggest an order and priority of where and when were used. Over 200 research and design methods and design heuristics were identified. From the review of the 20 case studies 42 were identified as being applied. The majority of methods and heuristics were applied in phase two, market choice. There appeared a disparity between the limited numbers of methods frequently used, under 10 within the 20 case studies, when hundreds were available. Implications for Rehabilitation The communication highlights a number of issues that have implication for those involved in assistive technology new product development: •The study defined over 200 well-established research and design methods and design heuristics that are available for use by those who specify and design assistive technology products, which provide a comprehensive reference list for practitioners in the field; •The review within the study suggests only a limited number of research and design methods are regularly used by industrial design focused assistive technology new product developers; and, •Debate is required within the practitioners working in this field to reflect on how a wider range of potentially more effective methods and heuristics may be incorporated into daily working practice.

Design study on dose evaluation method for employees at severe accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshida, Yoshitaka; Irie, Takashi; Kohriyama, Tamio [Institute of Nuclear Safety Systems Inc., Mihama, Fukui (Japan); Kudo, Seiichi [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Nishimura, Kazuya [Computer Software Development Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

2001-09-01

When we assume a severe accident in a nuclear power plant, it is required for rescue activity in the plant, accident management, repair work of failed parts and evaluation of employees to obtain radiation dose rate distribution or map in the plant and estimated dose value for the above works. However it might be difficult to obtain them accurately along the progress of the accident, because radiation monitors are not always installed in the areas where the accident management is planned or the repair work is thought for safety-related equipments. In this work, we analyzed diffusion of radioactive materials in case of a severe accident in a pressurized water reactor plant, investigated a method to obtain radiation dose rate in the plant from estimated radioactive sources, made up a prototype analyzing system by modeling a specific part of components and buildings in the plant from this design study on dose evaluation method for employees at severe accident, and then evaluated its availability. As a result, we obtained the followings: (1) A new dose evaluation method was established to predict the radiation dose rate in any point in the plant during a severe accident scenario. (2) This evaluation of total dose including moving route and time for the accident management and the repair work is useful for estimating radiation dose limit for these actions of the employees. (3) The radiation dose rate map is effective for identifying high radiation areas and for choosing a route with lower radiation dose rate. (author)

Design study on dose evaluation method for employees at severe accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Yoshitaka; Irie, Takashi; Kohriyama, Tamio; Kudo, Seiichi; Nishimura, Kazuya

2001-01-01

When we assume a severe accident in a nuclear power plant, it is required for rescue activity in the plant, accident management, repair work of failed parts and evaluation of employees to obtain radiation dose rate distribution or map in the plant and estimated dose value for the above works. However it might be difficult to obtain them accurately along the progress of the accident, because radiation monitors are not always installed in the areas where the accident management is planned or the repair work is thought for safety-related equipments. In this work, we analyzed diffusion of radioactive materials in case of a severe accident in a pressurized water reactor plant, investigated a method to obtain radiation dose rate in the plant from estimated radioactive sources, made up a prototype analyzing system by modeling a specific part of components and buildings in the plant from this design study on dose evaluation method for employees at severe accident, and then evaluated its availability. As a result, we obtained the followings: (1) A new dose evaluation method was established to predict the radiation dose rate in any point in the plant during a severe accident scenario. (2) This evaluation of total dose including moving route and time for the accident management and the repair work is useful for estimating radiation dose limit for these actions of the employees. (3) The radiation dose rate map is effective for identifying high radiation areas and for choosing a route with lower radiation dose rate. (author)

A case study on the design and development of minigames for research methods and statistics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Van Rosmalen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Research methodology involves logical reasoning and critical thinking skills which are core competences in developing a more sophisticated understanding of the world. Acquiring expertise in research methods and statistics is not easy and poses a significant challenge for many students. The subject material is challenging because it is highly abstract and complex and requires the coordination of different but inter-related knowledge and skills that are all necessary to develop a coherent and usable skills base in this area. Additionally, while many students embrace research methods enthusiastically, others find the area dry, abstract and boring. In this paper we discuss the design and the first evaluation of a set of mini-games to practice research methods. Games are considered to be engaging and allow students to test out scenarios which provide concrete examples in a way that they typically only do once they are out in the field. The design of a game is a complex task. First, we describe how we used cognitive task analysis to identify the knowledge and competences required to develop a comprehensive and usable understanding of research methods. Next, we describe the games designed and how 4C-ID, an instructional design model, was used to underpin the games with a sound instructional design basis. Finally, the evaluation approach is discussed and how the findings of the first evaluation phase were used to improve the games.

Filipino women's diet and health study (FiLWHEL): design and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Abris, Grace P; Hong, Sangmo; Provido, Sherlyn Mae P; Lee, Jung Eun; Lee, Chang Beom

2017-02-01

Immigration to South Korea from neighboring Asian countries has risen dramatically, primarily due to marriage between Korean men and foreign women. Although Filipino women rank fourth among married immigrant women, little is known about the health condition of this population. This manuscript focuses on the design and methods of Filipino women's diet and health study (FiLWHEL). FiLWHEL is a cohort of Filipino women married to Korean men, aged 19 years old or over. The data collection comprised three parts: questionnaire, physical examination, and biospecimen collection. Questionnaires focused on demographic factors, diet, other health-related behaviors, acculturation and immigration-related factors, medical history, quality of life, and children's health information. Participants visited the recruitment site and answered the structured questionnaires through a face-to-face interview. We also measured their anthropometric features and collected fasting blood samples, toenails, and DNA samples. Recruitment started in 2014. Collection of data is ongoing, and we plan to prospectively follow our cohort participants. We expect that our study, which is focused on married Filipino women immigrants, can elucidate nutritional/health status and the effects of transitional experiences from several lifestyle factors.

Consumers' Kansei Needs Clustering Method for Product Emotional Design Based on Numerical Design Structure Matrix and Genetic Algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yan-Pu; Chen, Deng-Kai; Gu, Rong; Gu, Yu-Feng; Yu, Sui-Huai

2016-01-01

Consumers' Kansei needs reflect their perception about a product and always consist of a large number of adjectives. Reducing the dimension complexity of these needs to extract primary words not only enables the target product to be explicitly positioned, but also provides a convenient design basis for designers engaging in design work. Accordingly, this study employs a numerical design structure matrix (NDSM) by parameterizing a conventional DSM and integrating genetic algorithms to find optimum Kansei clusters. A four-point scale method is applied to assign link weights of every two Kansei adjectives as values of cells when constructing an NDSM. Genetic algorithms are used to cluster the Kansei NDSM and find optimum clusters. Furthermore, the process of the proposed method is presented. The details of the proposed approach are illustrated using an example of electronic scooter for Kansei needs clustering. The case study reveals that the proposed method is promising for clustering Kansei needs adjectives in product emotional design.

A Review of Design Optimization Methods for Electrical Machines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gang Lei

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Electrical machines are the hearts of many appliances, industrial equipment and systems. In the context of global sustainability, they must fulfill various requirements, not only physically and technologically but also environmentally. Therefore, their design optimization process becomes more and more complex as more engineering disciplines/domains and constraints are involved, such as electromagnetics, structural mechanics and heat transfer. This paper aims to present a review of the design optimization methods for electrical machines, including design analysis methods and models, optimization models, algorithms and methods/strategies. Several efficient optimization methods/strategies are highlighted with comments, including surrogate-model based and multi-level optimization methods. In addition, two promising and challenging topics in both academic and industrial communities are discussed, and two novel optimization methods are introduced for advanced design optimization of electrical machines. First, a system-level design optimization method is introduced for the development of advanced electric drive systems. Second, a robust design optimization method based on the design for six-sigma technique is introduced for high-quality manufacturing of electrical machines in production. Meanwhile, a proposal is presented for the development of a robust design optimization service based on industrial big data and cloud computing services. Finally, five future directions are proposed, including smart design optimization method for future intelligent design and production of electrical machines.

Study designs may influence results

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Christoffer; Schüz, Joachim; Andreasen, Anne-Marie Serena

2017-01-01

appeared to show an inverse association, whereas nested case-control and cohort studies showed no association. For allergies, the inverse association was observed irrespective of study design. We recommend that the questionnaire-based case-control design be placed lower in the hierarchy of studies...... for establishing cause-and-effect for diseases such as glioma. We suggest that a state-of-the-art case-control study should, as a minimum, be accompanied by extensive validation of the exposure assessment methods and the representativeness of the study sample with regard to the exposures of interest. Otherwise...

Using mixed methods effectively in prevention science: designs, procedures, and examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wanqing; Watanabe-Galloway, Shinobu

2014-10-01

There is growing interest in using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to generate evidence about the effectiveness of health prevention, services, and intervention programs. With the emerging importance of mixed methods research across the social and health sciences, there has been an increased recognition of the value of using mixed methods for addressing research questions in different disciplines. We illustrate the mixed methods approach in prevention research, showing design procedures used in several published research articles. In this paper, we focused on two commonly used mixed methods designs: concurrent and sequential mixed methods designs. We discuss the types of mixed methods designs, the reasons for, and advantages of using a particular type of design, and the procedures of qualitative and quantitative data collection and integration. The studies reviewed in this paper show that the essence of qualitative research is to explore complex dynamic phenomena in prevention science, and the advantage of using mixed methods is that quantitative data can yield generalizable results and qualitative data can provide extensive insights. However, the emphasis of methodological rigor in a mixed methods application also requires considerable expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods. Besides the necessary skills and effective interdisciplinary collaboration, this combined approach also requires an open-mindedness and reflection from the involved researchers.

Breaking from binaries - using a sequential mixed methods design.

Science.gov (United States)

Larkin, Patricia Mary; Begley, Cecily Marion; Devane, Declan

2014-03-01

To outline the traditional worldviews of healthcare research and discuss the benefits and challenges of using mixed methods approaches in contributing to the development of nursing and midwifery knowledge. There has been much debate about the contribution of mixed methods research to nursing and midwifery knowledge in recent years. A sequential exploratory design is used as an exemplar of a mixed methods approach. The study discussed used a combination of focus-group interviews and a quantitative instrument to obtain a fuller understanding of women's experiences of childbirth. In the mixed methods study example, qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data using regression analysis. Polarised debates about the veracity, philosophical integrity and motivation for conducting mixed methods research have largely abated. A mixed methods approach can contribute to a deeper, more contextual understanding of a variety of subjects and experiences; as a result, it furthers knowledge that can be used in clinical practice. The purpose of the research study should be the main instigator when choosing from an array of mixed methods research designs. Mixed methods research offers a variety of models that can augment investigative capabilities and provide richer data than can a discrete method alone. This paper offers an example of an exploratory, sequential approach to investigating women's childbirth experiences. A clear framework for the conduct and integration of the different phases of the mixed methods research process is provided. This approach can be used by practitioners and policy makers to improve practice.

Concurrent semantics for structured design methods

OpenAIRE

Nixon, Patrick

1996-01-01

Also in Jelly, I., Gordon, I., & Groll, P. Software Engineering for Parallel and Distributed Systems. London: Chapman Hall. Design methods can be ambiguous due to di#11;erent interpretations of symbols or concepts. This paper presents a formal semantics for the Ward/Mellor Structured Analysis Method for Real Time systems. These semantics ensures that an unambiguous meaning can be attributed to a particular design. Speci#12;cally, it ensures that concurrent and real-time propert...

Achieving integration in mixed methods designs-principles and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Fetters, Michael D; Curry, Leslie A; Creswell, John W

2013-12-01

Mixed methods research offers powerful tools for investigating complex processes and systems in health and health care. This article describes integration principles and practices at three levels in mixed methods research and provides illustrative examples. Integration at the study design level occurs through three basic mixed method designs-exploratory sequential, explanatory sequential, and convergent-and through four advanced frameworks-multistage, intervention, case study, and participatory. Integration at the methods level occurs through four approaches. In connecting, one database links to the other through sampling. With building, one database informs the data collection approach of the other. When merging, the two databases are brought together for analysis. With embedding, data collection and analysis link at multiple points. Integration at the interpretation and reporting level occurs through narrative, data transformation, and joint display. The fit of integration describes the extent the qualitative and quantitative findings cohere. Understanding these principles and practices of integration can help health services researchers leverage the strengths of mixed methods. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Drafting method of electricity and electron design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gungbon, Junchun

1989-11-01

This book concentrates on drafting of electricity and electron design. It deals with The meaning of electricity and electron drafting JIS standard regulation the types of drafting and line and letter, basics drafting with projection drafting method, plan projection and development elevation, Drafting method of shop drawing, practical method of design and drafting, Design and drafting of technic and illustration, Connection diagram, Drafting of wiring diagram for light and illumination, Drafting of development connection diagram for sequence control, Drafting of logic circuit sign of flow chart and manual, drafting for a electron circuit diagram and Drawing of PC board.

Designing waveforms for temporal encoding using a frequency sampling method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gran, Fredrik; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

2007-01-01

was compared to a linear frequency modulated signal with amplitude tapering, previously used in clinical studies for synthetic transmit aperture imaging. The latter had a relatively flat spectrum which implied that the waveform tried to excite all frequencies including ones with low amplification. The proposed......In this paper a method for designing waveforms for temporal encoding in medical ultrasound imaging is described. The method is based on least squares optimization and is used to design nonlinear frequency modulated signals for synthetic transmit aperture imaging. By using the proposed design method...... waveform, on the other hand, was designed so that only frequencies where the transducer had a large amplification were excited. Hereby, unnecessary heating of the transducer could be avoided and the signal-tonoise ratio could be increased. The experimental ultrasound scanner RASMUS was used to evaluate...

Study on the Contra-Rotating Propeller system design and full-scale performance prediction method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keh-Sik Min

2009-09-01

Full Text Available A ship's screw-propeller produces thrust by rotation and, at the same time, generates rotational flow behind the propeller. This rotational flow has no contribution to the generation of thrust, but instead produces energy loss. By recovering part of the lost energy in the rotational flow, therefore, it is possible to improve the propulsion efficiency. The contra-rotating propeller (CRP system is the representing example of such devices. Unfortunately, however, neither a design method nor a full-scale performance prediction procedure for the CRP system has been well established yet. The authors have long performed studies on the CRP system, and some of the results from the authors’ studies shall be presented and discussed.

NetWorking News - A Method for Engaging Children Actively In Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørregaard, Peter; Dindler, Christian; Fritsch, Jonas

2003-01-01

For many years cooperative design was primarily concerned with the development of IT supported systems for professional users. However, the cooperative design approach can embrace other social practices such as children’s everyday life. At a methodological level there is no difference in designing...... the Networking News workshop, offers an opportunity to make first hand studies of children’s IT supported social activities in an informal classroom setting....... with adults or children. However there is a need for new methods to support communication and collaboration between designers and children. This article proposes a new method for understandings children’s appropriation of new technology in an interactive workshop setting. The method, which we call...

The South Asian heart lifestyle intervention (SAHELI) study to improve cardiovascular risk factors in a community setting: Design and methods

OpenAIRE

Kandula, Namratha R.; Patel, Yasin; Dave, Swapna; Seguil, Paola; Kumar, Santosh; Baker, David W.; Spring, Bonnie; Siddique, Juned

2013-01-01

Disseminating and implementing evidence-based, cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention lifestyle interventions in community settings and in ethnic minority populations is a challenge. We describe the design and methods for the South Asian heart lifestyle intervention (SAHELI) study, a pilot study designed to determine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a culturally-targeted, community-based lifestyle intervention to improve physical activity and diet behaviors among medically underserved...

Designing adaptive intensive interventions using methods from engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Lagoa, Constantino M; Bekiroglu, Korkut; Lanza, Stephanie T; Murphy, Susan A

2014-10-01

Adaptive intensive interventions are introduced, and new methods from the field of control engineering for use in their design are illustrated. A detailed step-by-step explanation of how control engineering methods can be used with intensive longitudinal data to design an adaptive intensive intervention is provided. The methods are evaluated via simulation. Simulation results illustrate how the designed adaptive intensive intervention can result in improved outcomes with less treatment by providing treatment only when it is needed. Furthermore, the methods are robust to model misspecification as well as the influence of unobserved causes. These new methods can be used to design adaptive interventions that are effective yet reduce participant burden. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Bifurcation-free design method of pulse energy converter controllers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolokolov, Yury; Ustinov, Pavel; Essounbouli, Najib; Hamzaoui, Abdelaziz

2009-01-01

In this paper, a design method of pulse energy converter (PEC) controllers is proposed. This method develops a classical frequency domain design, based on the small signal modeling, by means of an addition of a nonlinear dynamics analysis stage. The main idea of the proposed method consists in fact that the PEC controller, designed with an application of the small signal modeling, is tuned after with taking into the consideration an essentially nonlinear nature of the PEC that makes it possible to avoid bifurcation phenomena in the PEC dynamics at the design stage (bifurcation-free design). Also application of the proposed method allows an improvement of the designed controller performance. The application of this bifurcation-free design method is demonstrated on an example of the controller design of direct current-direct current (DC-DC) buck converter with an input electromagnetic interference filter.

Single-Case Designs and Qualitative Methods: Applying a Mixed Methods Research Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Hitchcock, John H.; Nastasi, Bonnie K.; Summerville, Meredith

2010-01-01

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe a design that mixes single-case (sometimes referred to as single-subject) and qualitative methods, hereafter referred to as a single-case mixed methods design (SCD-MM). Minimal attention has been given to the topic of applying qualitative methods to SCD work in the literature. These two…

Improving Battery Reactor Core Design Using Optimization Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Hyung M.; Suh, Kune Y.

2011-01-01

The Battery Omnibus Reactor Integral System (BORIS) is a small modular fast reactor being designed at Seoul National University to satisfy various energy demands, to maintain inherent safety by liquid-metal coolant lead for natural circulation heat transport, and to improve power conversion efficiency with the Modular Optimal Balance Integral System (MOBIS) using the supercritical carbon dioxide as working fluid. This study is focused on developing the Neutronics Optimized Reactor Analysis (NORA) method that can quickly generate conceptual design of a battery reactor core by means of first principle calculations, which is part of the optimization process for reactor assembly design of BORIS

Design of A Cyclone Separator Using Approximation Method

Science.gov (United States)

Sin, Bong-Su; Choi, Ji-Won; Lee, Kwon-Hee

2017-12-01

A Separator is a device installed in industrial applications to separate mixed objects. The separator of interest in this research is a cyclone type, which is used to separate a steam-brine mixture in a geothermal plant. The most important performance of the cyclone separator is the collection efficiency. The collection efficiency in this study is predicted by performing the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis. This research defines six shape design variables to maximize the collection efficiency. Thus, the collection efficiency is set up as the objective function in optimization process. Since the CFD analysis requires a lot of calculation time, it is impossible to obtain the optimal solution by linking the gradient-based optimization algorithm. Thus, two approximation methods are introduced to obtain an optimum design. In this process, an L18 orthogonal array is adopted as a DOE method, and kriging interpolation method is adopted to generate the metamodel for the collection efficiency. Based on the 18 analysis results, the relative importance of each variable to the collection efficiency is obtained through the ANOVA (analysis of variance). The final design is suggested considering the results obtained from two optimization methods. The fluid flow analysis of the cyclone separator is conducted by using the commercial CFD software, ANSYS-CFX.

Review of design optimization methods for turbomachinery aerodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhihui; Zheng, Xinqian

2017-08-01

In today's competitive environment, new turbomachinery designs need to be not only more efficient, quieter, and ;greener; but also need to be developed at on much shorter time scales and at lower costs. A number of advanced optimization strategies have been developed to achieve these requirements. This paper reviews recent progress in turbomachinery design optimization to solve real-world aerodynamic problems, especially for compressors and turbines. This review covers the following topics that are important for optimizing turbomachinery designs. (1) optimization methods, (2) stochastic optimization combined with blade parameterization methods and the design of experiment methods, (3) gradient-based optimization methods for compressors and turbines and (4) data mining techniques for Pareto Fronts. We also present our own insights regarding the current research trends and the future optimization of turbomachinery designs.

The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Study: Design and Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Rejeski, W. Jack; Blair, Steven; Church, Tim; Espeland, Mark A.; Gill, Thomas M.; Guralnik, Jack M.; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Katula, Jeffrey; King, Abby C.; Kritchevsky, Stephen B.; McDermott, Mary M.; Miller, Michael E.; Nayfield, Susan; Newman, Anne B.; Williamson, Jeff D.; Bonds, Denise; Romashkan, Sergei; Hadley, Evan; Pahor, Marco

2011-01-01

Background. As the number of older adults in the United States rises, maintaining functional independence among older Americans has emerged as a major clinical and public health priority. Older people who lose mobility are less likely to remain in the community; demonstrate higher rates of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalizations; and experience a poorer quality of life. Several studies have shown that regular physical activity improves functional limitations and intermediate functional outcomes, but definitive evidence showing that major mobility disability can be prevented is lacking. A Phase 3 randomized controlled trial is needed to fill this evidence gap. Methods. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study is a Phase 3 multicenter randomized controlled trial designed to compare a supervised moderate-intensity physical activity program with a successful aging health education program in 1,600 sedentary older persons followed for an average of 2.7 years. Results. LIFE's primary outcome is major mobility disability, defined as the inability to walk 400 m. Secondary outcomes include cognitive function, serious fall injuries, persistent mobility disability, the combined outcome of major mobility disability or death, disability in activities of daily living, and cost-effectiveness. Conclusions. Results of this study are expected to have important public health implications for the large and growing population of older sedentary men and women. PMID:21825283

DESIGN OPTIMIZATION METHOD USED IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SCURTU Iacob Liviu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an optimization study in mechanical engineering. First part of the research describe the structural optimization method used, followed by the presentation of several optimization studies conducted in recent years. The second part of the paper presents the CAD modelling of an agricultural plough component. The beam of the plough is analysed using finite element method. The plough component is meshed in solid elements, and the load case which mimics the working conditions of agricultural equipment of this are created. The model is prepared to find the optimal structural design, after the FEA study of the model is done. The mass reduction of part is the criterion applied for this optimization study. The end of this research presents the final results and the model optimized shape.

The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA birth cohort study: design, methods, and study population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandel Megan T

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The incidence and morbidity of wheezing illnesses and childhood asthma is especially high in poor urban areas. This paper describes the study design, methods, and population of the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA study, which was established to investigate the immunologic causes of asthma among inner-city children. Methods and Results URECA is an observational prospective study that enrolled pregnant women in central urban areas of Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis and is following their offspring from birth through age 7 years. The birth cohort consists of 560 inner-city children who have at least one parent with an allergic disease or asthma, and all families live in areas in which at least 20% of the population has incomes below the poverty line. In addition, 49 inner-city children with no parental history of allergies or asthma were enrolled. The primary hypothesis is that specific urban exposures in early life promote a unique pattern of immune development (impaired antiviral and increased Th2 responses that increases the risk of recurrent wheezing and allergic sensitization in early childhood, and of asthma by age 7 years. To track immune development, cytokine responses of blood mononuclear cells stimulated ex vivo are measured at birth and then annually. Environmental assessments include allergen and endotoxin levels in house dust, pre- and postnatal maternal stress, and indoor air nicotine and nitrogen dioxide. Nasal mucous samples are collected from the children during respiratory illnesses and analyzed for respiratory viruses. The complex interactions between environmental exposures and immune development will be assessed with respect to recurrent wheeze at age 3 years and asthma at age 7 years. Conclusion The overall goal of the URECA study is to develop a better understanding of how specific urban exposures affect immune development to promote wheezing illnesses and asthma.

Designing Health Websites Based on Users' Web-Based Information-Seeking Behaviors: A Mixed-Method Observational Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Patrick Cheong-Iao; Chang, Shanton; Verspoor, Karin; Pearce, Jon

2016-06-06

Laypeople increasingly use the Internet as a source of health information, but finding and discovering the right information remains problematic. These issues are partially due to the mismatch between the design of consumer health websites and the needs of health information seekers, particularly the lack of support for "exploring" health information. The aim of this research was to create a design for consumer health websites by supporting different health information-seeking behaviors. We created a website called Better Health Explorer with the new design. Through the evaluation of this new design, we derive design implications for future implementations. Better Health Explorer was designed using a user-centered approach. The design was implemented and assessed through a laboratory-based observational study. Participants tried to use Better Health Explorer and another live health website. Both websites contained the same content. A mixed-method approach was adopted to analyze multiple types of data collected in the experiment, including screen recordings, activity logs, Web browsing histories, and audiotaped interviews. Overall, 31 participants took part in the observational study. Our new design showed a positive result for improving the experience of health information seeking, by providing a wide range of information and an engaging environment. The results showed better knowledge acquisition, a higher number of page reads, and more query reformulations in both focused and exploratory search tasks. In addition, participants spent more time to discover health information with our design in exploratory search tasks, indicating higher engagement with the website. Finally, we identify 4 design considerations for designing consumer health websites and health information-seeking apps: (1) providing a dynamic information scope; (2) supporting serendipity; (3) considering trust implications; and (4) enhancing interactivity. Better Health Explorer provides strong

Task-Based Method for Designing Underactuated Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoichiro Kamada

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper we introduce a task-based method for designing underactuated multi-joint prosthetic hands for specific grasping tasks. The designed robotic hands or prosthetic hands contain fewer independent actuators than joints. We chose a few specific grasping tasks that are frequently repeated in everyday life and analysed joint motions of the hand during the completion of each task and the level of participation of each joint. The information was used for the synthesis of dedicated underactuated mechanisms that can operate in a low dimensional task coordinate space. We propose two methods for reducing the actuators' number. The kinematic parameters of the synthesized mechanism are determined by using a numerical approach. In this study the joint angles of the synthesized hand are considered as linearly dependent on the displacements of the actuators. We introduced a special error index that allowed us to compare the original trajectory and the trajectory performed by the synthesized mechanism, and to select the kinematic parameters of the new kinematic structure as a way to reduce the error. The approach allows the design of simple gripper mechanisms with good accuracy for the preliminary defined tasks.

Function combined method for design innovation of children's bike

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoli; Qiu, Tingting; Chen, Huijuan

2013-03-01

As children mature, bike products for children in the market develop at the same time, and the conditions are frequently updated. Certain problems occur when using a bike, such as cycle overlapping, repeating function, and short life cycle, which go against the principles of energy conservation and the environmental protection intensive design concept. In this paper, a rational multi-function method of design through functional superposition, transformation, and technical implementation is proposed. An organic combination of frog-style scooter and children's tricycle is developed using the multi-function method. From the ergonomic perspective, the paper elaborates on the body size of children aged 5 to 12 and effectively extracts data for a multi-function children's bike, which can be used for gliding and riding. By inverting the body, parts can be interchanged between the handles and the pedals of the bike. Finally, the paper provides a detailed analysis of the components and structural design, body material, and processing technology of the bike. The study of Industrial Product Innovation Design provides an effective design method to solve the bicycle problems, extends the function problems, improves the product market situation, and enhances the energy saving feature while implementing intensive product development effectively at the same time.

Optimal design method for magnetization directions of a permanent magnet array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jae Seok [Center for Information Storage Device, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Yoo, Jeonghoon, E-mail: yoojh@yonsei.ac.k [School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2010-08-15

In many magnetic systems, the permanent magnet (PM) pattern has a great influence on their performance. This study proposes a systematic optimization method for designing discrete magnetization directions. While previous works have been mostly dependent on researchers' intuition, the developed method is systematic and can be applied to a two-dimensional PM-type eddy current brake model. The effectiveness of the method is confirmed, where the design's aim is to maximize the braking force on a moving conductor. The sensitivity analysis is accomplished by the adjoint variable method and the sequential linear programming is used as an optimizer. Several optimization results for various conditions through the proposed design method are compared to each other and the optimal magnet configuration for an eddy current brake is suggested.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship-Quasi-Experimental Designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweizer, Marin L; Braun, Barbara I; Milstone, Aaron M

2016-10-01

Quasi-experimental studies evaluate the association between an intervention and an outcome using experiments in which the intervention is not randomly assigned. Quasi-experimental studies are often used to evaluate rapid responses to outbreaks or other patient safety problems requiring prompt, nonrandomized interventions. Quasi-experimental studies can be categorized into 3 major types: interrupted time-series designs, designs with control groups, and designs without control groups. This methods paper highlights key considerations for quasi-experimental studies in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship, including study design and analytic approaches to avoid selection bias and other common pitfalls of quasi-experimental studies. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.

Applying formal method to design of nuclear power plant embedded protection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Hyun; Kim, Il Gon; Sung, Chang Hoon; Choi, Jin Young; Lee, Na Young

2001-01-01

Nuclear power embedded protection systems is a typical safety-critical system, which detects its failure and shutdowns its operation of nuclear reactor. These systems are very dangerous so that it absolutely requires safety and reliability. Therefore nuclear power embedded protection system should fulfill verification and validation completely from the design stage. To develop embedded system, various V and V method have been provided and especially its design using Formal Method is studied in other advanced country. In this paper, we introduce design method of nuclear power embedded protection systems using various Formal-Method in various respect following nuclear power plant software development guideline

Design of cooling towers by the effectiveness-NTU method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaber, H.; Webb, R.L.

1989-01-01

This paper develops the effectiveness-NTU, number of transfer units, design method for cooling towers. The definitions for effectiveness and NTU are totally consistent with the fundamental definitions used in heat exchanger design. Sample calculations are presented for counter and crossflow cooling towers. Using the proper definitions, a person competent in heat transfer design can easily use the same basic method to design a cooling tower of counter, cross, or parallel flow configuration. The problems associated with the curvature of the saturated air enthalpy line are also treated. A one-increment design ignores the effect of this curvature. Increased precision can be obtained by dividing the cooling range into two or more increments. The standard effectiveness-NYU method is then used for each of the increments. Calculations are presented to define the error associated with different numbers of increments. This defines the number of increments required to attain a desired degree of precision. The authors also summarize the LMED method introduced by Berman, and show that this is totally consistent with the effectiveness-NTU method. Hence, using proper and consistent terms, heat exchanger designers are shown how to use either the standard Log-Mean Enthalpy Method (LMED) or effectiveness-NTU design methods to design cooling towers

Study on inelastic analysis method for structural design (1). Estimation method of loading history effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Yoshihiko; Kasahara, Naoto

2003-05-01

The advanced loop-type reactor system, one of the promising concepts in the Feasibility study of the FBR Cycle, adopts many innovative ideas to meet the challenging requirements for safety and economy. As a results, it seems that the structures of the reactor system would be subjected to severer loads than the predecessors. One of the countermeasures to them is the design by inelastic analysis. In the past, many studies showed that structural design by inelastic analysis is much more reasonable than one by conservative elastic analysis. However, inelastic analysis has hardly been adopted in nuclear design so far. One of the reasons is that inelastic analysis has loading history effect, that is, the analysis result would differ depending on the order of loads. It seems to be difficult to find the general solution for the loading history effect. Consequently, inelastic analysis output from the four deferent thermal load histories which consists of the thermal load cycle including the severest cold shock ('C') and the one including the severest hot shock ('H') were compared with each other. From this comparison, it was revealed that the thermal load history with evenly distributed 'H's among 'C's tend to give the most conservative damage estimation derived from inelastic analysis output. Therefore, such thermal load history pattern is proposed for the structural design by inelastic analysis. (author)

Probabilistic Design Storm Method for Improved Flood Estimation in Ungauged Catchments

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, Mario; Å pačková, Olga; Straub, Daniel

2017-12-01

The design storm approach with event-based rainfall-runoff models is a standard method for design flood estimation in ungauged catchments. The approach is conceptually simple and computationally inexpensive, but the underlying assumptions can lead to flawed design flood estimations. In particular, the implied average recurrence interval (ARI) neutrality between rainfall and runoff neglects uncertainty in other important parameters, leading to an underestimation of design floods. The selection of a single representative critical rainfall duration in the analysis leads to an additional underestimation of design floods. One way to overcome these nonconservative approximations is the use of a continuous rainfall-runoff model, which is associated with significant computational cost and requires rainfall input data that are often not readily available. As an alternative, we propose a novel Probabilistic Design Storm method that combines event-based flood modeling with basic probabilistic models and concepts from reliability analysis, in particular the First-Order Reliability Method (FORM). The proposed methodology overcomes the limitations of the standard design storm approach, while utilizing the same input information and models without excessive computational effort. Additionally, the Probabilistic Design Storm method allows deriving so-called design charts, which summarize representative design storm events (combinations of rainfall intensity and other relevant parameters) for floods with different return periods. These can be used to study the relationship between rainfall and runoff return periods. We demonstrate, investigate, and validate the method by means of an example catchment located in the Bavarian Pre-Alps, in combination with a simple hydrological model commonly used in practice.

Design methods for high temperature power plant structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Townley, C.H.A.

1984-01-01

The subject is discussed under the headings: introduction (scope of paper - reviews of design methods and design criteria currently in use for both nuclear and fossil fuelled power plant; examples chosen are (a) BS 1113, representative of design codes employed for power station boiler plant; (b) ASME Code Case N47, which is being developed for high temperature nuclear reactors, especially the liquid metal fast breeder reactor); design codes for power station boilers; Code Case N47 (design in the absence of thermal shock and thermal fatigue; design against cyclic loading at high temperature; further research in support of high temperature design methods and criteria for LMFBRs); concluding remarks. (U.K.)

Recruiting Black Americans in a Large Cohort Study: The Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) Design, Methods and Participant Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Herring, R. Patti; Butler, Terry; Hall, Sonja; Montgomery, Susanne B.; Fraser, Gary E.

2011-01-01

Objective The goal of the prospective Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) was to examine the relationship between diet and risk of breast, prostate and colon cancers in Black and White participants. This paper describes the study design, recruitment methods, response rates, and characteristics of Blacks in the AHS-2, thus providing insights about effective strategies to recruit Blacks to participate in research studies. Design We designed a church-based recruitment model and trained local recruiters who used various strategies to recruit participants in their churches. Participants completed a 50-page self-administered dietary and lifestyle questionnaire. Participants Participants are Black Seventh-day Adventists, aged 30–109 years, and members of 1,209 Black churches throughout the United States and Canada. Results Approximately 48,328 Blacks from an estimated target group of over 90,000 signed up for the study and 25,087 completed the questionnaire, comprising about 26% of the larger 97,000 AHS-2-member cohort. Participants were diverse in age, geographic location, education, and income. Seventy percent were female with a median age of 59 years. Conclusion In spite of many recruitment challenges and barriers, we successfully recruited a large cohort whose data should provide some answers as to why Blacks have poorer health outcomes than several other ethnic groups, and help explain existing health disparities. PMID:21305834

Airfoils and method for designing airfoils

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2010-01-01

The present invention relates to airfoils and design and design optimization of airfoils, in particular airfoils of rotor blades for wind turbines. One aspect of the invention relates to an airfoil with an external shape provided by an airfoil profile defined by a limited number of parameters......, such as a set of parameters. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for designing an airfoil by means of an analytical airfoil profile, said method comprising the step of applying a conformal mapping to a near circle in a near circle plane, wherein the near circle is at least partly expressed...... by means of an analytical function, said conformal mapping transforming the near circle in the near circle plane to the airfoil profile in an airfoil plane. L...

Using a mixed-methods design to examine nurse practitioner integration in British Columbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sangster-Gormley, Esther; Griffith, Janessa; Schreiber, Rita; Borycki, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

To discuss and provide examples of how mixed-methods research was used to evaluate the integration of nurse practitioners (NPs) into a Canadian province. Legislation enabling NPs to practise in British Columbia (BC) was enacted in 2005. This research evaluated the integration of NPs and their effect on the BC healthcare system. Data were collected using surveys, focus groups, participant interviews and case studies over three years. Data sources and methods were triangulated to determine how the findings addressed the research questions. The challenges and benefits of using the multiphase design are highlighted in the paper. The multiphase mixed-methods research design was selected because of its applicability to evaluation research. The design proved to be robust and flexible in answering research questions. As sub-studies within the multiphase design are often published separately, it can be difficult for researchers to find examples. This paper highlights ways that a multiphase mixed-methods design can be conducted for researchers unfamiliar with the process.

The dialysis outcomes and practice patterns study phase 5 in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Design and study methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald L Pisoni

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS is an international prospective cohort study of the relationships between hemodialysis (HD care practices and HD patient outcomes. The DOPPS began in 1996, in the United States, and has since expanded to 21 countries, collecting detailed data from >75,000 HD patients, with >200 scientific publications, focused on describing HD practices associated with improved HD patient outcomes. The goal of DOPPS is to help HD patients "live better and live longer." Starting in 2012, the DOPPS was able to expand to all six of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC countries, namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The DOPPS study design consists of selecting HD facilities for study participation in each country to represent the different types of HD facilities and geographic regions within each GCC country. Within each study site, HD patients were randomly selected for detailed data collection to represent the HD practices within each participating HD facility. Altogether, 41 HD facilities have participated in the GCC-DOPPS Phase 5 study including 20 facilities from Saudi Arabia, nine from the United Arab Emirates, four each from Kuwait and Oman, two from Qatar, and one from Bahrain. Herein, we provide a detailed description of the study design and methods, data collection, study management, scientific investigator oversight and guidance, and study governance and support for the GCCDOPPS Phase 5 study.

The co-constructing stories method : feedback of designers on use of the method in real design cases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buskermolen, D.; Terken, J.M.B.; Eggen, J.H.

2015-01-01

In this paper we present the "Co-constructing Stories" method, aiming to elicit feedback from end-users on novel design concepts in the early phases of the design process. In sessions of less than an hour, participants are prompted by a storyboard depicting the current situation to recollect

Designing, Teaching, and Evaluating Two Complementary Mixed Methods Research Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Christ, Thomas W.

2009-01-01

Teaching mixed methods research is difficult. This longitudinal explanatory study examined how two classes were designed, taught, and evaluated. Curriculum, Research, and Teaching (EDCS-606) and Mixed Methods Research (EDCS-780) used a research proposal generation process to highlight the importance of the purpose, research question and…

The use of systematic and heuristic methods in the basic design cycle : A comparative survey of students' method usage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Person, F.E.O.K.; Daalhuizen, J.J.; Gattol, V.

2013-01-01

In the present paper, we study the reported use of systematic and heuristic methods for 304 students enrolled in a master-level course on design theory and methodology. What to teach design and engineering students about methods is an important topic for discussion. One reason for this is that the

Invisibility problem in acoustics, electromagnetism and heat transfer. Inverse design method

Science.gov (United States)

Alekseev, G.; Tokhtina, A.; Soboleva, O.

2017-10-01

Two approaches (direct design and inverse design methods) for solving problems of designing devices providing invisibility of material bodies of detection using different physical fields - electromagnetic, acoustic and static are discussed. The second method is applied for solving problems of designing cloaking devices for the 3D stationary thermal scattering model. Based on this method the design problems under study are reduced to respective control problems. The material parameters (radial and tangential heat conductivities) of the inhomogeneous anisotropic medium filling the thermal cloak and the density of auxiliary heat sources play the role of controls. A unique solvability of direct thermal scattering problem in the Sobolev space is proved and the new estimates of solutions are established. Using these results, the solvability of control problem is proved and the optimality system is derived. Based on analysis of optimality system, the stability estimates of optimal solutions are established and numerical algorithms for solving particular thermal cloaking problem are proposed.

Behavior Space Design and Expression by the Theories and Methods of Urban Design—The Yan Dao ancient town of design practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Wei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the ancient town of update and development has become a new hot spot, the study of old town renewal of concern is gradually warming. And again there are a lot of space in the middle of the old town renewal design and traditional style, space activities and use the contradiction between population, which becomes a problem urgently to be solved in design stage. The purpose of this study was to explore old town design space and behavior, traditional and modern conflict resolution methods, and to present the town development and design with a design concept. This paper’ uses three theories of urban design (The relationship between figure and ground, Contact theory and Place theory as a real-time monitoring, assessment, comparison of methods, to study Yan Dao Ancient Town, and the space for analysis. In the research, this paper based on the design theory of the three major city as a starting point, detailedly describes the different types in a certain area of difference in the behavior and the properties of space, and the ancient town of Hubei Shennongjia forest region salt path planning and design practice, the ancient town of updating the connotation of the historical context and space behavior of connection. The conclusion of this thesis put forward the method of that based on the space shape of ancient design method of its application in practice.

Numerical methods for metamaterial design

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

This book describes a relatively new approach for the design of electromagnetic metamaterials.  Numerical optimization routines are combined with electromagnetic simulations to tailor the broadband optical properties of a metamaterial to have predetermined responses at predetermined wavelengths. After a review of both the major efforts within the field of metamaterials and the field of mathematical optimization, chapters covering both gradient-based and derivative-free design methods are considered.  Selected topics including surrogate-base optimization, adaptive mesh search, and genetic algorithms are shown to be effective, gradient-free optimization strategies.  Additionally, new techniques for representing dielectric distributions in two dimensions, including level sets, are demonstrated as effective methods for gradient-based optimization.  Each chapter begins with a rigorous review of the optimization strategy used, and is followed by numerous examples that combine the strategy with either electromag...

Method of test signal design for estimating the aircraft aerodynamic parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Belokon', S. A.; Zolotukhin, Yu. N.; Filippov, M. N.

2017-07-01

A method of test signal design is proposed for studying the aircraft aerodynamic characteristics with the use of the technology of dynamically scaled free-flight models. Simultaneous excitation of all input channels in a prescribed frequency band by a set of mutually orthogonal signals is applied to increase the efficiency. A modified method of calculating the set of mutually orthogonal sinusoidal signals with a small normalized peak factor is presented. Results of simulating the aircraft motion in the MATLAB/Simulink environment with the use of the developed method of test signal design are reported.

Subjective memory impairment in general practice : Short overview and design of a mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pentzek, Michael; Leve, Verena; Leucht, Verena

2017-05-01

Public awareness for dementia is rising and patients with concerns about forgetfulness are not uncommon in general practice. For the general practitioner (GP) subjectively perceived memory impairment (SMI) also offers a chance to broach the issue of cognitive function with the patient. This may support GPs' patient-centered care in terms of a broader frailty concept. What is SMI (definition, operationalization, prevalence and burden)? Which conceptions and approaches do GPs have regarding SMI? Narrative overview of recent SMI criteria and results, selective utilization of results from a systematic literature search on GP dementia care, non-systematic search regarding SMI in general practice, deduction of a study design from the overview and development according to international standards. Studies revealed that approximately 60% of GP patients aged >74 reported a declining memory, every sixth person had concerns about this aspect and only relatively few seek medical advice. Concerns about SMI are considered a risk factor for future dementia. Specific general practice conceptions about SMI could not be identified in the literature. Using guidelines for mixed methods research, the design of an exploratory sequential mixed methods study is presented, which should reveal different attitudes of GPs towards SMI. Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is a common feature and troubles a considerable proportion of patients. Neuropsychiatric research is progressing, but for the transfer of the SMI concept into routine practice, involvement of GP research is necessary. A new study aims to make a contribution to this.

Research Methods in Healthcare Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship – Quasi-Experimental Designs

Science.gov (United States)

Schweizer, Marin L.; Braun, Barbara I.; Milstone, Aaron M.

2016-01-01

Quasi-experimental studies evaluate the association between an intervention and an outcome using experiments in which the intervention is not randomly assigned. Quasi-experimental studies are often used to evaluate rapid responses to outbreaks or other patient safety problems requiring prompt non-randomized interventions. Quasi-experimental studies can be categorized into three major types: interrupted time series designs, designs with control groups, and designs without control groups. This methods paper highlights key considerations for quasi-experimental studies in healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship including study design and analytic approaches to avoid selection bias and other common pitfalls of quasi-experimental studies. PMID:27267457

3.6 simplified methods for design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickell, R.E.; Yahr, G.T.

1981-01-01

Simplified design analysis methods for elevated temperature construction are classified and reviewed. Because the major impetus for developing elevated temperature design methodology during the past ten years has been the LMFBR program, considerable emphasis is placed upon results from this source. The operating characteristics of the LMFBR are such that cycles of severe transient thermal stresses can be interspersed with normal elevated temperature operational periods of significant duration, leading to a combination of plastic and creep deformation. The various simplified methods are organized into two general categories, depending upon whether it is the material, or constitutive, model that is reduced, or the geometric modeling that is simplified. Because the elastic representation of material behavior is so prevalent, an entire section is devoted to elastic analysis methods. Finally, the validation of the simplified procedures is discussed

Novel TMS coils designed using an inverse boundary element method

Science.gov (United States)

Cobos Sánchez, Clemente; María Guerrero Rodriguez, Jose; Quirós Olozábal, Ángel; Blanco-Navarro, David

2017-01-01

In this work, a new method to design TMS coils is presented. It is based on the inclusion of the concept of stream function of a quasi-static electric current into a boundary element method. The proposed TMS coil design approach is a powerful technique to produce stimulators of arbitrary shape, and remarkably versatile as it permits the prototyping of many different performance requirements and constraints. To illustrate the power of this approach, it has been used for the design of TMS coils wound on rectangular flat, spherical and hemispherical surfaces, subjected to different constraints, such as minimum stored magnetic energy or power dissipation. The performances of such coils have been additionally described; and the torque experienced by each stimulator in the presence of a main magnetic static field have theoretically found in order to study the prospect of using them to perform TMS and fMRI concurrently. The obtained results show that described method is an efficient tool for the design of TMS stimulators, which can be applied to a wide range of coil geometries and performance requirements.

Design methods in solid rocket motors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-03-01

A compilation of lectures summarizing the current state-of-the-art in designing solid rocket motors and and their components is presented. The experience of several countries in the use of new technologies and methods is represented. Specific sessions address propellant grains, cases, nozzles, internal thermal insulation, and the general optimization of solid rocket motor designs.

A design method for process design kit based on an SMIC 65 nm process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Haiyan; Chen Lan; Yin Minghui

2010-01-01

The frame structure of a process design kit (PDK) is described in detail, and a practical design method for PDK is presented. Based on this method, a useful SMIC 65 nm PDK has been successfully designed and realized, which is applicable to native EDA software of Zeni. The design process and difficulties of PDK are introduced by developing and analyzing these parameterized cell (Pcell) devices (MOS, resistor, etc.). A structured design method was proposed to implement Pcell, which makes thousands upon thousands of source codes of Pcell concise, readable, easy-to-upkeep and transplantable. Moreover, a Pcase library for each Pcell is designed to verify the Pcell in batches. By this approach, the Pcell can be verified efficiently and the PDK will be more reliable and steady. In addition, the component description format parameters and layouts of the Pcell are optimized by adding flexibility and improving performance, which benefits analog and custom IC designers to satisfy the demand of design. Finally, the SMIC 65 nm PDK was applied to IC design. The results indicate that the SMIC 65 nm PDK is competent to support IC design. (semiconductor integrated circuits)

CREATIVITY METHODS IN TEACHING THE ARCH-DESIGN STUDIO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EIGBEONAN Andrew B.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to search and find methods of fostering creativity or ideas relating to creativity in teaching the arch-design studio. Teaching creativity through its methods will be making the students grounded in designing with creativity ideas and therefore we can have professionals that design and build with satisfaction, safety and complementary. It means we can have real buildings and places that satisfy our clients, the society and in harmony with the environment. Although there are similarities in the curricula of training architects all over the world, but educators go about it in their own convenient and suitable ways and styles. The ideas of creativity have been part of architecture from the onset, but are not deligently applied and also not formally incorporated in the curricula of training. The topic is also very relevant and timely as arch-educators and other stakeholders are of the opinion that something has to be done to improve the ways and methods of training architects, especially the teaching of the arch-design studio with regards to creativity. Through exploration of literature and interviews (physical and telephone call this paper finds methods of stimulating creativity ideas in the teaching of arch-design studio. Some of the methods of motivating creativity found in teaching the arch-design studio are: analogy, metaphors, biomimicry, brainstorming, attribute listing, mental map, TRIZ, restrictions, charrette, browsing, excursions, focus groups, other peoples viewpoints, using crazy ideas, using experts, visualizing a goal, working with dreams and images and giving students design tools such as drawings CAD and model making.

New knowledge network evaluation method for design rationale management

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Shikai; Zhan, Hongfei; Liu, Jihong; Wang, Kuan; Jiang, Hao; Zhou, Jingtao

2015-01-01

Current design rationale (DR) systems have not demonstrated the value of the approach in practice since little attention is put to the evaluation method of DR knowledge. To systematize knowledge management process for future computer-aided DR applications, a prerequisite is to provide the measure for the DR knowledge. In this paper, a new knowledge network evaluation method for DR management is presented. The method characterizes the DR knowledge value from four perspectives, namely, the design rationale structure scale, association knowledge and reasoning ability, degree of design justification support and degree of knowledge representation conciseness. The DR knowledge comprehensive value is also measured by the proposed method. To validate the proposed method, different style of DR knowledge network and the performance of the proposed measure are discussed. The evaluation method has been applied in two realistic design cases and compared with the structural measures. The research proposes the DR knowledge evaluation method which can provide object metric and selection basis for the DR knowledge reuse during the product design process. In addition, the method is proved to be more effective guidance and support for the application and management of DR knowledge.

78 FR 67360 - Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and Equivalent Methods: Designation of Five New Equivalent Methods

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-12

... Methods: Designation of Five New Equivalent Methods AGENCY: Office of Research and Development; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of the designation of five new equivalent methods for...) has designated, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53, five new equivalent methods, one for measuring...

Using mixed methods research designs in health psychology: an illustrated discussion from a pragmatist perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Felicity L

2015-02-01

To outline some of the challenges of mixed methods research and illustrate how they can be addressed in health psychology research. This study critically reflects on the author's previously published mixed methods research and discusses the philosophical and technical challenges of mixed methods, grounding the discussion in a brief review of methodological literature. Mixed methods research is characterized as having philosophical and technical challenges; the former can be addressed by drawing on pragmatism, the latter by considering formal mixed methods research designs proposed in a number of design typologies. There are important differences among the design typologies which provide diverse examples of designs that health psychologists can adapt for their own mixed methods research. There are also similarities; in particular, many typologies explicitly orient to the technical challenges of deciding on the respective timing of qualitative and quantitative methods and the relative emphasis placed on each method. Characteristics, strengths, and limitations of different sequential and concurrent designs are identified by reviewing five mixed methods projects each conducted for a different purpose. Adapting formal mixed methods designs can help health psychologists address the technical challenges of mixed methods research and identify the approach that best fits the research questions and purpose. This does not obfuscate the need to address philosophical challenges of mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Mixed methods research poses philosophical and technical challenges. Pragmatism in a popular approach to the philosophical challenges while diverse typologies of mixed methods designs can help address the technical challenges. Examples of mixed methods research can be hard to locate when component studies from mixed methods projects are published separately. What does this study add? Critical

Human-centred Methods of Social and Technical Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard

Different inderstandings of design are presented.The historical background of human-centred designis described.Methods of social shaping are described in detailand the author's research experiences with using these methods in differentinternational projects presented and a model tointegrate...... technical and social perspective of design is suggested....

Towards a culturally independent participatory design method: Fusing game elements into the design process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Mika Yasuoka; Nakatani, Momoko; Ohno, Takehiko

2013-01-01

Historically, Participatory Design (PD) was introduced and applied in the Scandinavian and American context as a practical design method for collective creativity and stakeholder involvement. In this paper, by fusing game elements into PD, we suggest a first step towards a culturally independent ...... imply that the introduction of game elements allows PD to be effectively utilized in culturally diverse settings.......Historically, Participatory Design (PD) was introduced and applied in the Scandinavian and American context as a practical design method for collective creativity and stakeholder involvement. In this paper, by fusing game elements into PD, we suggest a first step towards a culturally independent PD...... method called the ICT Service Design Game to ease the prevailing concern that PD has limited applicability in other cultural settings. We conduct four experiments on ICT Service Design Game in Scandinavia and Asia to evaluate its feasibility. The experiments identify some differences in the PD process...

A rapid method for soil cement design : Louisiana slope value method.

Science.gov (United States)

1964-03-01

The current procedure used by the Louisiana Department of Highways for laboratory design of cement stabilized soil base and subbase courses is taken from standard AASHO test methods, patterned after Portland Cement Association criteria. These methods...

Design for a sustainable society utilizing information and communication technologies (ICT) - proposal: a new EcoDesign method and its application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujimoto, J. [Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the Univ. of Tokyo (Japan); Matsumoto, M. [Fundamental and Environment Labs., NEC Corp. (Japan)

2004-07-01

We discuss a new EcoDesign method, with a goal of improving the economy, and its application to a sustainable networked society. The new EcoDesign method differs from conventional EcoDesign in three respects: it utilizes a top-down approach, project-style research, and fact-finding and benchmarking. We systematize EcoDesign for a networked society from the viewpoint of technology and divide it into four components. Feasibility studies of the individual components reveal that if we promote ICT diffusion with EcoDesign in mind, we can suppress CO2 emissions and move towards a more sustainable society. (orig.)

A Review of Research Methods in Children's Technology Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Janne Jul; Skov, Mikael B.

2005-01-01

Research methods have been objects of discussions for dec-ades and defining research methods is still a quite substan-tial challenge. However, it is important to understand how research methods have been adapted in different disciplines as it potentially informs us on future directions and influ......-ences on the discipline. Inspired by previous studies from other disciplines, we conduct a survey of research methods in paper publications. 105 papers on children's technology design are classified on a two-dimensional matrix on research method and pur-pose. Our results show a strong focus on engineering of products...... as applied research and on evaluation of devel-oped products in the field or in the lab. Also, we find that much research is conducted in natural setting environments with strong focus on field studies....

Study protocol: developing a decision system for inclusive housing: applying a systematic, mixed-method quasi-experimental design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Zeeman

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Identifying the housing preferences of people with complex disabilities is a much needed, but under-developed area of practice and scholarship. Despite the recognition that housing is a social determinant of health and quality of life, there is an absence of empirical methodologies that can practically and systematically involve consumers in this complex service delivery and housing design market. A rigorous process for making effective and consistent development decisions is needed to ensure resources are used effectively and the needs of consumers with complex disability are properly met. Methods/Design This 3-year project aims to identify how the public and private housing market in Australia can better respond to the needs of people with complex disabilities whilst simultaneously achieving key corporate objectives. First, using the Customer Relationship Management framework, qualitative (Nominal Group Technique and quantitative (Discrete Choice Experiment methods will be used to quantify the housing preferences of consumers and their carers. A systematic mixed-method, quasi-experimental design will then be used to quantify the development priorities of other key stakeholders (e.g., architects, developers, Government housing services etc. in relation to inclusive housing for people with complex disabilities. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 1 (experimental group will participate in a series of focus groups employing Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP methodology. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 2 (control group will participate in focus groups employing existing decision making processes to inclusive housing development (e.g., Risk, Opportunity, Cost, Benefit considerations. Using comparative stakeholder analysis, this research design will enable the AHP methodology (a proposed tool to guide inclusive housing development decisions to be tested. Discussion It is anticipated that the findings of this study

Fuel cell design using a new heuristic method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perusquia, R.; Montes T, J. L.; Ortiz S, J. J.; Castillo M, A.

2014-10-01

In this paper a new method for the pre-design of a typical fuel cell with a structural array of 10 x 10 fuel elements for a BWR is presented. The method is based on principles of maximum dispersion and minimum peaks of local power within the array of fuel elements. The pre-design of the fuel cells is made by simulation in two dimensions (2-D) through the cells physics code CASMO-4. For this purpose of pre-design the search process is guided by an objective function which is a combination of the main neutronic parameters of the fuel cell. The results show that the method is a promising tool that could be used for the design of fuel cells for use in a nuclear plant BWR. (Author)

Inverse design-momentum, a method for the preliminary design of horizontal axis wind turbines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Battisti, L; Soraperra, G; Fedrizzi, R; Zanne, L

2007-01-01

Wind turbine rotor prediction methods based on generalized momentum theory BEM routinely used in industry and vortex wake methods demand the use of airfoil tabulated data and geometrical specifications such as the blade spanwise chord distribution. They belong to the category of 'direct design' methods. When, on the other hand, the geometry is deduced from some design objective, we refer to 'inverse design' methods. This paper presents a method for the preliminary design of wind turbine rotors based on an inverse design approach. For this purpose, a generalized theory was developed without using classical tools such as BEM. Instead, it uses a simplified meridional flow analysis of axial turbomachines and is based on the assumption that knowing the vortex distribution and appropriate boundary conditions is tantamount to knowing the velocity distribution. The simple conservation properties of the vortex components consistently cope with the forces and specific work exchange expressions through the rotor. The method allows for rotor arbitrarily radial load distribution and includes the wake rotation and expansion. Radial pressure gradient is considered in the wake. The capability of the model is demonstrated first by a comparison with the classical actuator disk theory in investigating the consistency of the flow field, then the model is used to predict the blade planform of a commercial wind turbine. Based on these validations, the authors postulate the use of a different vortex distribution (i.e. not-uniform loading) for blade design and discuss the effect of such choices on blade chord and twist, force distribution and power coefficient. In addition to the method's straightforward application to the pre-design phase, the model clearly shows the link between blade geometry and performance allowing quick preliminary evaluation of non uniform loading on blade structural characteristics

Developing an Engineering Design Process Assessment using Mixed Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Wind, Stefanie A; Alemdar, Meltem; Lingle, Jeremy A; Gale, Jessica D; Moore, Roxanne A

Recent reforms in science education worldwide include an emphasis on engineering design as a key component of student proficiency in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. However, relatively little attention has been directed to the development of psychometrically sound assessments for engineering. This study demonstrates the use of mixed methods to guide the development and revision of K-12 Engineering Design Process (EDP) assessment items. Using results from a middle-school EDP assessment, this study illustrates the combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques to inform item development and revisions. Overall conclusions suggest that the combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence provides an in-depth picture of item quality that can be used to inform the revision and development of EDP assessment items. Researchers and practitioners can use the methods illustrated here to gather validity evidence to support the interpretation and use of new and existing assessments.

Formal methods in design and verification of functional specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaelisuo, H.

1995-01-01

It is claimed that formal methods should be applied already when specifying the functioning of the control/monitoring system, i.e. when planning how to implement the desired operation of the plant. Formal methods are seen as a way to mechanize and thus automate part of the planning. All mathematical methods which can be applied on related problem solving should be considered as formal methods. Because formal methods can only support the designer, not replace him/her, they must be integrated into a design support tool. Such a tool must also aid the designer in getting the correct conception of the plant and its behaviour. The use of a hypothetic design support tool is illustrated to clarify the requirements such a tool should fulfill. (author). 3 refs, 5 figs

The 'Antiretrovirals, Sexual Transmission Risk and Attitudes' (ASTRA study. Design, methods and participant characteristics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Speakman

Full Text Available Life expectancy for people diagnosed with HIV has improved dramatically however the number of new infections in the UK remains high. Understanding patterns of sexual behaviour among people living with diagnosed HIV, and the factors associated with having condom-less sex, is important for informing HIV prevention strategies and clinical care. In addition, in view of the current interest in a policy of early antiretroviral treatment (ART for all people diagnosed with HIV in the UK, it is of particular importance to assess whether ART use is associated with increased levels of condom-less sex. In this context the ASTRA study was designed to investigate current sexual activity, and attitudes to HIV transmission risk, in a large unselected sample of HIV-infected patients under care in the UK. The study also gathered background information on demographic, socio-economic, lifestyle and disease-related characteristics, and physical and psychological symptoms, in order to identify other key factors impacting on HIV patients and the behaviours which underpin transmission. In this paper we describe the study rationale, design, methods, response rate and the demographic characteristics of the participants. People diagnosed with HIV infection attending 8 UK HIV out-patient clinics in 2011-2012 were invited to participate in the study. Those who agreed to participate completed a confidential, self-administered pen-and-paper questionnaire, and their latest CD4 count and viral load test results were recorded. During the study period, 5112 eligible patients were invited to take part in the study and 3258 completed questionnaires were obtained, representing a response rate of 64% of eligible patients. The study includes 2248 men who have sex with men (MSM, 373 heterosexual men and 637 women. Future results from ASTRA will be a key resource for understanding HIV transmission within the UK, targeting prevention efforts, and informing clinical care of individuals

First-order design of geodetic networks using the simulated annealing method

Science.gov (United States)

Berné, J. L.; Baselga, S.

2004-09-01

The general problem of the optimal design for a geodetic network subject to any extrinsic factors, namely the first-order design problem, can be dealt with as a numeric optimization problem. The classic theory of this problem and the optimization methods are revised. Then the innovative use of the simulated annealing method, which has been successfully applied in other fields, is presented for this classical geodetic problem. This method, belonging to iterative heuristic techniques in operational research, uses a thermodynamical analogy to crystalline networks to offer a solution that converges probabilistically to the global optimum. Basic formulation and some examples are studied.

Prediction and evaluation method of wind environment in the early design stage using BIM-based CFD simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sumi; Song, Doosam

2010-01-01

Drastic urbanization and manhattanization are causing various problems in wind environment. This study suggests a CFD simulation method to evaluate wind environment in the early design stage of high-rise buildings. The CFD simulation of this study is not a traditional in-depth simulation, but a method to immediately evaluate wind environment for each design alternative and provide guidelines for design modification. Thus, the CFD simulation of this study to evaluate wind environments uses BIM-based CFD tools to utilize building models in the design stage. This study examined previous criteria to evaluate wind environment for pedestrians around buildings and selected evaluation criteria applicable to the CFD simulation method of this study. Furthermore, proper mesh generation method and CPU time were reviewed to find a meaningful CFD simulation result for determining optimal design alternative from the perspective of wind environment in the design stage. In addition, this study is to suggest a wind environment evaluation method through a BIM-based CFD simulation.

Multi-objective optimization design method of radiation shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Shouhai; Wang Weijin; Lu Daogang; Chen Yixue

2012-01-01

Due to the shielding design goals of diversification and uncertain process of many factors, it is necessary to develop an optimization design method of intelligent shielding by which the shielding scheme selection will be achieved automatically and the uncertainties of human impact will be reduced. For economical feasibility to achieve a radiation shielding design for automation, the multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization of screening code which combines the genetic algorithm and discrete-ordinate method was developed to minimize the costs, size, weight, and so on. This work has some practical significance for gaining the optimization design of shielding. (authors)

Application of Monte Carlo filtering method in regional sensitivity analysis of AASHTOWare Pavement ME design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Wu

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Since AASHTO released the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG for public review in 2004, many highway research agencies have performed sensitivity analyses using the prototype MEPDG design software. The information provided by the sensitivity analysis is essential for design engineers to better understand the MEPDG design models and to identify important input parameters for pavement design. In literature, different studies have been carried out based on either local or global sensitivity analysis methods, and sensitivity indices have been proposed for ranking the importance of the input parameters. In this paper, a regional sensitivity analysis method, Monte Carlo filtering (MCF, is presented. The MCF method maintains many advantages of the global sensitivity analysis, while focusing on the regional sensitivity of the MEPDG model near the design criteria rather than the entire problem domain. It is shown that the information obtained from the MCF method is more helpful and accurate in guiding design engineers in pavement design practices. To demonstrate the proposed regional sensitivity method, a typical three-layer flexible pavement structure was analyzed at input level 3. A detailed procedure to generate Monte Carlo runs using the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software was provided. The results in the example show that the sensitivity ranking of the input parameters in this study reasonably matches with that in a previous study under a global sensitivity analysis. Based on the analysis results, the strengths, practical issues, and applications of the MCF method were further discussed.

Project Lifespan-based Nonstationary Hydrologic Design Methods for Changing Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, L.

2017-12-01

Under changing environment, we must associate design floods with the design life period of projects to ensure the hydrologic design is really relevant to the operation of the hydrologic projects, because the design value for a given exceedance probability over the project life period would be significantly different from that over other time periods of the same length due to the nonstationarity of probability distributions. Several hydrologic design methods that take the design life period of projects into account have been proposed in recent years, i.e. the expected number of exceedances (ENE), design life level (DLL), equivalent reliability (ER), and average design life level (ADLL). Among the four methods to be compared, both the ENE and ER methods are return period-based methods, while DLL and ADLL are risk/reliability- based methods which estimate design values for given probability values of risk or reliability. However, the four methods can be unified together under a general framework through a relationship transforming the so-called representative reliability (RRE) into the return period, i.e. m=1/1(1-RRE), in which we compute the return period m using the representative reliability RRE.The results of nonstationary design quantiles and associated confidence intervals calculated by ENE, ER and ADLL were very similar, since ENE or ER was a special case or had a similar expression form with respect to ADLL. In particular, the design quantiles calculated by ENE and ADLL were the same when return period was equal to the length of the design life. In addition, DLL can yield similar design values if the relationship between DLL and ER/ADLL return periods is considered. Furthermore, ENE, ER and ADLL had good adaptability to either an increasing or decreasing situation, yielding not too large or too small design quantiles. This is important for applications of nonstationary hydrologic design methods in actual practice because of the concern of choosing the emerging

How Learning Designs, Teaching Methods and Activities Differ by Discipline in Australian Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Leanne

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the learning designs, teaching methods and activities most commonly employed within the disciplines in six universities in Australia. The study sought to establish if there were significant differences between the disciplines in learning designs, teaching methods and teaching activities in the current Australian context, as…

Comprehensive evaluation method in application of nuclear DCS product design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Weixin; Zhao Zhemin; Shi Yingbin

2014-01-01

In order to select the best design proposal in short time, the TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method in the nuclear power plant DCS product design was introduced. It can intuitively show the different design proposals good or not good by data and shorten the time of the design proposal optimization. The design proposal selected by this method will be more reasonable and has good comprehensive performance indexes. The TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method achieves good result in one of the nuclear power plant DCS cabinet design proposal optimization. (authors)

Design and methodology of a mixed methods follow-up study to the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Staveteig, Sarah; Aryeetey, Richmond; Anie-Ansah, Michael; Ahiadeke, Clement; Ortiz, Ladys

2017-01-01

The intended meaning behind responses to standard questions posed in large-scale health surveys are not always well understood. Systematic follow-up studies, particularly those which pose a few repeated questions followed by open-ended discussions, are well positioned to gauge stability and consistency of data and to shed light on the intended meaning behind survey responses. Such follow-up studies require extensive coordination and face challenges in protecting respondent confidentiality during the process of recontacting and reinterviewing participants. We describe practical field strategies for undertaking a mixed methods follow-up study during a large-scale health survey. The study was designed as a mixed methods follow-up study embedded within the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS). The study was implemented in 13 clusters. Android tablets were used to import reference data from the parent survey and to administer the questionnaire, which asked a mixture of closed- and open-ended questions on reproductive intentions, decision-making, and family planning. Despite a number of obstacles related to recontacting respondents and concern about respondent fatigue, over 92 percent of the selected sub-sample were successfully recontacted and reinterviewed; all consented to audio recording. A confidential linkage between GDHS data, follow-up tablet data, and audio transcripts was successfully created for the purpose of analysis. We summarize the challenges in follow-up study design, including ethical considerations, sample size, auditing, filtering, successful use of tablets, and share lessons learned for future such follow-up surveys.

Improving metabolic parameters of antipsychotic child treatment (IMPACT) study: rationale, design, and methods

OpenAIRE

Reeves, Gloria M; Keeton, Courtney; Correll, Christoph U; Johnson, Jacqueline L; Hamer, Robert M; Sikich, Linmarie; Hazzard, Lindsey; Alderman, Cheryl; Scheer, Abigail; Mabe, Micah; Kapoor, Sandeep; Sheridan, Eva; Borner, Irmgard; Bussell, Kristin; Pirmohamed, Sara

2013-01-01

Background Youth with serious mental illness may experience improved psychiatric stability with second generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication treatment, but unfortunately may also experience unhealthy weight gain adverse events. Research on weight loss strategies for youth who require ongoing antipsychotic treatment is quite limited. The purpose of this paper is to present the design, methods, and rationale of the Improving Metabolic Parameters in Antipsychotic Child Treatment (IMPACT) stu...

Revision of South African pavement design method

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kannemeyer, L

2015-08-01

Full Text Available an improved mechanistic-empirical design method has been developed, based on the latest available local and international research and design trends. The process followed during revision as well as some of the key outcomes of this process are presented...

Theory and design methods of special space orbits

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Yasheng; Zhou, Haijun

2017-01-01

This book focuses on the theory and design of special space orbits. Offering a systematic and detailed introduction to the hovering orbit, spiral cruising orbit, multi-target rendezvous orbit, initiative approaching orbit, responsive orbit and earth pole-sitter orbit, it also discusses the concept, theory, design methods and application of special space orbits, particularly the design and control method based on kinematics and astrodynamics. In addition the book presents the latest research and its application in space missions. It is intended for researchers, engineers and postgraduates, especially those working in the fields of orbit design and control, as well as space-mission planning and research.

Recruiting black Americans in a large cohort study: the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) design, methods and participant characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Herring, R Patti; Butler, Terry; Hall, Sonja; Montgomery, Susanne B; Fraser, Gary E

2010-01-01

The goal of the prospective Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) was to examine the relationship between diet and risk of breast, prostate and colon cancers in Black and White participants. This paper describes the study design, recruitment methods, response rates, and characteristics of Blacks in the AHS-2, thus providing insights about effective strategies to recruit Blacks to participate in research studies. We designed a church-based recruitment model and trained local recruiters who used various strategies to recruit participants in their churches. Participants completed a 50-page self-administered dietary and lifestyle questionnaire. Participants are Black Seventh-day Adventists, aged 30-109 years, and members of 1,209 Black churches throughout the United States and Canada. Approximately 48,328 Blacks from an estimated target group of over 90,000 signed up for the study and 25,087 completed the questionnaire, comprising about 26% of the larger 97,000 AHS-2-member cohort. Participants were diverse in age, geographic location, education, and income. Seventy percent were female with a median age of 59 years. In spite of many recruitment challenges and barriers, we successfully recruited a large cohort whose data should provide some answers as to why Blacks have poorer health outcomes than several other ethnic groups, and help explain existing health disparities.

Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chi, Lin

1996-12-31

This thesis on underwater control systems is written with the designer in mind, assuming that the reader has some knowledge of control theory. It can be used as a text for undergraduate students and engineers. To help readers better understand the system they will be working with, the thesis is organised in a stepwise way. The reader will gain basic knowledge about underwater operations, equipment and control systems. Then the reader will be able to follow the steps to develop a required control system for an underwater equipment by first understanding the characteristics of the design problem, customer requirement, functional requirement, and possible solution, and then to present a mathematical model of the control problem. Having developed the concept, the thesis guides the reader to develop evaluation criteria and different ways to make the decision. The thesis gives an overview of how to achieve a successful design rather than giving the techniques for detailed control system design. Chapter 1 describes underwater operations and systems. Chapter 2 discusses issues of underwater control systems and control methods. Chapter 3 deals with design method and control systems theory, focusing on human-centered control. Chapter 4 discusses methods used to evaluate and rank products, and chapter 5 applies the methods to an example. 113 refs., 115 figs., 80 tabs.

Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chi, Lin

1997-12-31

This thesis on underwater control systems is written with the designer in mind, assuming that the reader has some knowledge of control theory. It can be used as a text for undergraduate students and engineers. To help readers better understand the system they will be working with, the thesis is organised in a stepwise way. The reader will gain basic knowledge about underwater operations, equipment and control systems. Then the reader will be able to follow the steps to develop a required control system for an underwater equipment by first understanding the characteristics of the design problem, customer requirement, functional requirement, and possible solution, and then to present a mathematical model of the control problem. Having developed the concept, the thesis guides the reader to develop evaluation criteria and different ways to make the decision. The thesis gives an overview of how to achieve a successful design rather than giving the techniques for detailed control system design. Chapter 1 describes underwater operations and systems. Chapter 2 discusses issues of underwater control systems and control methods. Chapter 3 deals with design method and control systems theory, focusing on human-centered control. Chapter 4 discusses methods used to evaluate and rank products, and chapter 5 applies the methods to an example. 113 refs., 115 figs., 80 tabs.

Innovative design method of automobile profile based on Fourier descriptor

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Shuyong; Fu, Chaoxing; Xia, Fan; Shen, Wei

2017-10-01

Aiming at the innovation of the contours of automobile side, this paper presents an innovative design method of vehicle side profile based on Fourier descriptor. The design flow of this design method is: pre-processing, coordinate extraction, standardization, discrete Fourier transform, simplified Fourier descriptor, exchange descriptor innovation, inverse Fourier transform to get the outline of innovative design. Innovative concepts of the innovative methods of gene exchange among species and the innovative methods of gene exchange among different species are presented, and the contours of the innovative design are obtained separately. A three-dimensional model of a car is obtained by referring to the profile curve which is obtained by exchanging xenogeneic genes. The feasibility of the method proposed in this paper is verified by various aspects.

Design of a micro-irrigation system based on the control volume method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chasseriaux G.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available A micro-irrigation system design based on control volume method using the back step procedure is presented in this study. The proposed numerical method is simple and consists of delimiting an elementary volume of the lateral equipped with an emitter, called « control volume » on which the conservation equations of the fl uid hydrodynamicʼs are applied. Control volume method is an iterative method to calculate velocity and pressure step by step throughout the micro-irrigation network based on an assumed pressure at the end of the line. A simple microcomputer program was used for the calculation and the convergence was very fast. When the average water requirement of plants was estimated, it is easy to choose the sum of the average emitter discharge as the total average fl ow rate of the network. The design consists of exploring an economical and effi cient network to deliver uniformly the input fl ow rate for all emitters. This program permitted the design of a large complex network of thousands of emitters very quickly. Three subroutine programs calculate velocity and pressure at a lateral pipe and submain pipe. The control volume method has already been tested for lateral design, the results from which were validated by other methods as fi nite element method, so it permits to determine the optimal design for such micro-irrigation network

SSFI and SSOMI new method of evaluating design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolson, G.M.

1992-01-01

The NRC has developed a new inspection method which has proven its effectiveness in evaluating design organizations. The new method is used in two types of NRC inspections, Safety System Functional Inspection (SSFI), and Safety System Outage Modification Inspection (SSOMI). The SSFI/SSOMI audits were developed following an event which brought a nuclear power plant close to a core meltdown. That event was caused by a series of problems which would not have been found using conventional methods. The SSFI and SSOMI audits involve intense technical evaluation of a nuclear system to determine wheter the system will function as designed. The SSFI/SSOMI method normally uses eight to fifteen engineers with different fields of expertise to evaluate a system, or a change to a system in the case of a SSOMI. The effectiveness of each engineer's input is amplified in a series of open, questioning, free-wheeling, brainstorming-type team meetings. During the team meetings, all aspects of the audit are controlled by a consensus of the team members. The findings from these new methods are surprisingly consistent, regardless of which organization is audited or which organization performs the audit. This consistency implies a widespread generic weakness in the manner design is being performed. This paper addresses generic findings and recommends increased use of these new methods to evaluate design organizations. These audit methods can be readily used to evaluate any process or system. (orig.)

A new long-term care facilities model in nova scotia, Canada: protocol for a mixed methods study of care by design.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Emily Gard; Boudreau, Michelle Anne; Jensen, Jan L; Edgecombe, Nancy; Clarke, Barry; Burge, Frederick; Archibald, Greg; Taylor, Anthony; Andrew, Melissa K

2013-11-29

Prior to the implementation of a new model of care in long-term care facilities in the Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia, residents entering long-term care were responsible for finding their own family physician. As a result, care was provided by many family physicians responsible for a few residents leading to care coordination and continuity challenges. In 2009, Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) implemented a new model of long-term care called "Care by Design" which includes: a dedicated family physician per floor, 24/7 on-call physician coverage, implementation of a standardized geriatric assessment tool, and an interdisciplinary team approach to care. In addition, a new Emergency Health Services program was implemented shortly after, in which specially trained paramedics dedicated to long-term care responses are able to address urgent care needs. These changes were implemented to improve primary and emergency care for vulnerable residents. Here we describe a comprehensive mixed methods research study designed to assess the impact of these programs on care delivery and resident outcomes. The results of this research will be important to guide primary care policy for long-term care. We aim to evaluate the impact of introducing a new model of a dedicated primary care physician and team approach to long-term care facilities in the CDHA using a mixed methods approach. As a mixed methods study, the quantitative and qualitative data findings will inform each other. Quantitatively we will measure a number of indicators of care in CDHA long-term care facilities pre and post-implementation of the new model. In the qualitative phase of the study we will explore the experience under the new model from the perspectives of stakeholders including family doctors, nurses, administration and staff as well as residents and family members. The proposed mixed method study seeks to evaluate and make policy recommendations related to primary care in long

The synthesis method for design of electron flow sources

Science.gov (United States)

Alexahin, Yu I.; Molodozhenzev, A. Yu

1997-01-01

The synthesis method to design a relativistic magnetically - focused beam source is described in this paper. It allows to find a shape of electrodes necessary to produce laminar space charge flows. Electron guns with shielded cathodes designed with this method were analyzed using the EGUN code. The obtained results have shown the coincidence of the synthesis and analysis calculations [1]. This method of electron gun calculation may be applied for immersed electron flows - of interest for the EBIS electron gun design.

DIETFITS study (diet intervention examining the factors interacting with treatment success) - Study design and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Michael V; Robinson, Jennifer L; Kirkpatrick, Susan M; Farzinkhou, Sarah; Avery, Erin C; Rigdon, Joseph; Offringa, Lisa C; Trepanowski, John F; Hauser, Michelle E; Hartle, Jennifer C; Cherin, Rise J; King, Abby C; Ioannidis, John P A; Desai, Manisha; Gardner, Christopher D

2017-02-01

Numerous studies have attempted to identify successful dietary strategies for weight loss, and many have focused on Low-Fat vs. Low-Carbohydrate comparisons. Despite relatively small between-group differences in weight loss found in most previous studies, researchers have consistently observed relatively large between-subject differences in weight loss within any given diet group (e.g., ~25kg weight loss to ~5kg weight gain). The primary objective of this study was to identify predisposing individual factors at baseline that help explain differential weight loss achieved by individuals assigned to the same diet, particularly a pre-determined multi-locus genotype pattern and insulin resistance status. Secondary objectives included discovery strategies for further identifying potential genetic risk scores. Exploratory objectives included investigation of an extensive set of physiological, psychosocial, dietary, and behavioral variables as moderating and/or mediating variables and/or secondary outcomes. The target population was generally healthy, free-living adults with BMI 28-40kg/m 2 (n=600). The intervention consisted of a 12-month protocol of 22 one-hour evening instructional sessions led by registered dietitians, with ~15-20 participants/class. Key objectives of dietary instruction included focusing on maximizing the dietary quality of both Low-Fat and Low-Carbohydrate diets (i.e., Healthy Low-Fat vs. Healthy Low-Carbohydrate), and maximally differentiating the two diets from one another. Rather than seeking to determine if one dietary approach was better than the other for the general population, this study sought to examine whether greater overall weight loss success could be achieved by matching different people to different diets. Here we present the design and methods of the study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design of nuclear power generation plants adopting model engineering method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waki, Masato

1983-01-01

The utilization of model engineering as the method of design has begun about ten years ago in nuclear power generation plants. By this method, the result of design can be confirmed three-dimensionally before actual production, and it is the quick and sure method to meet the various needs in design promptly. The adoption of models aims mainly at the improvement of the quality of design since the high safety is required for nuclear power plants in spite of the complex structure. The layout of nuclear power plants and piping design require the model engineering to arrange rationally enormous quantity of things in a limited period. As the method of model engineering, there are the use of check models and of design models, and recently, the latter method has been mainly taken. The procedure of manufacturing models and engineering is explained. After model engineering has been completed, the model information must be expressed in drawings, and the automation of this process has been attempted by various methods. The computer processing of design is in progress, and its role is explained (CAD system). (Kako, I.)

Sardasht-Iran cohort study of chemical warfare victims: design and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazanfari, Tooba; Faghihzadeh, Soghrat; Aragizadeh, Hassan; Soroush, Mohammad-Reza; Yaraee, Roya; Mohammad Hassan, Zuhair; Foroutan, Abbas; Vaez-Mahdavi, Mohammad-Reza; Javadi, Mohammad-Ali; Moaiedmohseni, Sakine; Azizi, Fereidoun; Panahi, Yunes; Mostafaie, Ali; Ghasemi, Hassan; Shams, Jalaleddin; Pourfarzam, Shahryar; Jalali-Nadoushan, Mohammad-Reza; Fallahi, Faramarz; Ebtekar, Massoumeh; Davoudi, Seyyed-Masoud; Ghazanfari, Zeinab; Ardestani, Sussan K; Shariat-Panahi, Shamsa; Moin, Athar; Rezaei, Abbas; Kariminia, Amina; Ajdary, Soheila; Mahmoudi, Mahmoud; Roshan, Rasoul; Ghaderi, Sulayman; Babai, Mahmoud; Naghizadeh, Mohammad-Mehdi; Ghanei, Mohammad-Mostafa

2009-01-01

Insights into long-term clinical consequences of sulfur mustard have emerged from some investigations but less is known about the basic and molecular mechanisms of these complications. Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study is a comprehensive historical cohort study on Sardasht chemical victims' population which was designed to find out the long-term complications of sulfur mustard exposure and the basic mechanisms underlying clinical manifestations. This paper describes the design and methodology of Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study. In Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study, 500 individuals including 372 subjects from Sardasht, as the exposed group, and 128 subjects from Rabat, as the unexposed age-matched control group were evaluated. The exposed group was divided into two groups based on the severity of clinical complications at the time of exposure. Different samples including blood, sputum, saliva, tear, urine, and semen were collected for immunologic, hematologic, biochemical, and other laboratory analysis. Data were gathered from medical records, clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and questionnaires for psychological and lifestyle situations. The important distinctions setting this study apart from the previous ones are discussed. The Sardasht-Iran Cohort Study provides important information on various aspects of long-term consequences of sulfur mustard exposure. This database will provide a better position to suggest guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of delayed complications in the patients exposed to sulfur mustard.

Integration of educational methods and physical settings: Design ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... setting without having an architectural background. The theoretical framework of the research allows designers to consider key features and users' possible activities in High/ Scope settings and shape their designs accordingly. Keywords: daily activity; design; High/Scope education; interior space; teaching method ...

Development of New Bituminous Pavement Design Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ullidtz, Per

The report and work of COST Action 333 sets in place the foundation for a coherent, cost-effective and harmonised European pavement design method. In order to do this, the work programme focused on information gathering, identification of requirements and the selection of the necessary design...

Engineering design of systems models and methods

CERN Document Server

Buede, Dennis M

2009-01-01

The ideal introduction to the engineering design of systems-now in a new edition. The Engineering Design of Systems, Second Edition compiles a wealth of information from diverse sources to provide a unique, one-stop reference to current methods for systems engineering. It takes a model-based approach to key systems engineering design activities and introduces methods and models used in the real world. Features new to this edition include: * The addition of Systems Modeling Language (SysML) to several of the chapters, as well as the introduction of new terminology * Additional material on partitioning functions and components * More descriptive material on usage scenarios based on literature from use case development * Updated homework assignments * The software product CORE (from Vitech Corporation) is used to generate the traditional SE figures and the software product MagicDraw UML with SysML plugins (from No Magic, Inc.) is used for the SysML figures This book is designed to be an introductory reference ...

Rationale, design and methods of the HEALTHY study nutrition intervention component.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillis, B; Mobley, C; Stadler, D D; Hartstein, J; Virus, A; Volpe, S L; El ghormli, L; Staten, M A; Bridgman, J; McCormick, S

2009-08-01

The HEALTHY study was a randomized, controlled, multicenter and middle school-based, multifaceted intervention designed to reduce risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes. The study randomized 42 middle schools to intervention or control, and followed students from the sixth to the eighth grades. Here we describe the design of the HEALTHY nutrition intervention component that was developed to modify the total school food environment, defined to include the following: federal breakfast, lunch, after school snack and supper programs; a la carte venues, including snack bars and school stores; vending machines; fundraisers; and classroom parties and celebrations. Study staff implemented the intervention using core and toolbox strategies to achieve and maintain the following five intervention goals: (1) lower the average fat content of foods, (2) increase the availability and variety of fruits and vegetables, (3) limit the portion sizes and energy content of dessert and snack foods, (4) eliminate whole and 2% milk and all added sugar beverages, with the exception of low fat or nonfat flavored milk, and limit 100% fruit juice to breakfast in small portions and (5) increase the availability of higher fiber grain-based foods and legumes. Other nutrition intervention component elements were taste tests, cafeteria enhancements, cafeteria line messages and other messages about healthy eating, cafeteria learning laboratory (CLL) activities, twice-yearly training of food service staff, weekly meetings with food service managers, incentives for food service departments, and twice yearly local meetings and three national summits with district food service directors. Strengths of the intervention design were the integration of nutrition with the other HEALTHY intervention components (physical education, behavior change and communications), and the collaboration and rapport between the nutrition intervention study staff members and food service personnel at both school

Design Method for Channel Diffusers of Centrifugal Compressors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mykola Kalinkevych

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The design method for channel diffusers of centrifugal compressors, which is based on the solving of the inverse problem of gas dynamics, is presented in the paper. The concept of the design is to provide high pressure recovery of the diffuser by assuming the preseparation condition of the boundary layer along one of the channel surfaces. The channel diffuser was designed with the use of developed method to replace the vaned diffuser of the centrifugal compressor model stage. The numerical simulation of the diffusers was implemented by means of CFD software. Obtained gas dynamic characteristics of the designed diffuser were compared to the base vaned diffuser of the compressor stage.

Rock riprap design methods and their applicability to long-term protection of uranium mill tailings impoundments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, W.H.

1982-08-01

This report reviews the more accepted or recommended riprap design methods currently used to design rock riprap protection against soil erosion by flowing water. The basic theories used to develop the various methods are presented. The Riprap Design with Safety Factors Method is identified as the logical choice for uranium mill tailings impoundments. This method is compared to the other methods and its applicability to the protection requirements of tailings impoundments is discussed. Other design problems are identified and investigative studies recommended

Rotational Critique System as a Method of Culture Change in an Architecture Design Studio: Urban Design Studio as Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Fasli, Mukaddes; Hassanpour, Badiossadat

2017-01-01

In this century, all educational efforts strive to achieve quality assurance standards. Therefore, it will be naive to deny the existence of problems in architectural education. The current design studio critique method has been developed upon generations of students and educators. Architectural education is changing towards educating critical…

Studies on Hepa filter test methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.H.; Jon, K.S.; Park, W.J.; Ryoo, R.

1981-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare testing methods of the HEPA filter adopted in other countries with each other, and to design and construct a test duct system to establish testing methods. The American D.O.P. test method, the British NaCl test method and several other independently developed methods are compared. It is considered that the D.O.P. method is most suitable for in-plant and leak tests

Demystifying Mixed Methods Research Design: A Review of the Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Caruth, Gail D.

2013-01-01

Mixed methods research evolved in response to the observed limitations of both quantitative and qualitative designs and is a more complex method. The purpose of this paper was to examine mixed methods research in an attempt to demystify the design thereby allowing those less familiar with its design an opportunity to utilize it in future research.…

Considerations in the rationale, design and methods of the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) study

Science.gov (United States)

Babiker, Abdel G; Emery, Sean; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Gordin, Fred M; Grund, Birgit; Lundgren, Jens D; Neaton, James D; Pett, Sarah L; Phillips, Andrew; Touloumi, Giota; Vjecha, Michael J

2012-01-01

Background Untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) count leading to the development of opportunistic diseases (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)), and more recent data suggest that HIV is also associated with an increased risk of serious non-AIDS (SNA) diseases including cardiovascular, renal, and liver diseases and non-AIDS-defining cancers. Although combination antiretroviral treatment (ART) has resulted in a substantial decrease in morbidity and mortality in persons with HIV infection, viral eradication is not feasible with currently available drugs. The optimal time to start ART for asymptomatic HIV infection is controversial and remains one of the key unanswered questions in the clinical management of HIV-infected individuals. Purpose In this article, we outline the rationale and methods of the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) study, an ongoing multicenter international trial designed to assess the risks and benefits of initiating ART earlier than is currently practiced. We also describe some of the challenges encountered in the design and implementation of the study and how these challenges were addressed. Methods A total of 4000 study participants who are HIV type 1 (HIV-1) infected, ART naïve with CD4 count > 500 cells/μL are to be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to start ART immediately (early ART) or defer treatment until CD4 count is AIDS, SNA, or death. The study had a pilot phase to establish feasibility of accrual, which was set as the enrollment of at least 900 participants in the first year. Results Challenges encountered in the design and implementation of the study included the limited amount of data on the risk of a major component of the primary endpoint (SNA) in the study population, changes in treatment guidelines when the pilot phase was well underway, and the complexities of conducting the trial in a geographically wide

METHODS ADVANCEMENT FOR MILK ANALYSIS: THE MAMA STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

The Methods Advancement for Milk Analysis (MAMA) study was designed by US EPA and CDC investigators to provide data to support the technological and study design needs of the proposed National Children=s Study (NCS). The NCS is a multi-Agency-sponsored study, authorized under the...

The efficacy of permethrin-treated bed nets on child mortality and morbidity in western Kenya II. Study design and methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Phillips-Howard, Penelope A.; ter Kuile, Feiko O.; Nahlen, Bernard L.; Alaii, Jane A.; Gimnig, John E.; Kolczak, Margarette S.; Terlouw, Dianne J.; Kariuki, Simon K.; Shi, Ya Ping; Kachur, S. Patrick; Hightower, Allen W.; Vulule, John M.; Hawley, William A.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the study design and methods used in a large community-based, group-randomized, controlled trial of permethrin-treated bed nets (ITNs) in an area with intense, perennial malaria transmission in western Kenya conducted between 1996 and 1999. A multi-disciplinary framework was

Design method of general-purpose driving circuit for CCD based on CPLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yong; Tang Benqi; Xiao Zhigang; Wang Zujun; Huang Shaoyan

2005-01-01

It is very important for studying the radiation damage effects and mechanism systematically about CCD to develop a general-purpose test platform. The paper discusses the design method of general-purpose driving circuit for CCD based on CPLD and the realization approach. A main controller has being designed to read the data file from the outer memory, setup the correlative parameter registers and produce the driving pulses according with parameter request strictly, which is based on MAX7000S by using MAX-PLUS II software. The basic driving circuit module has being finished based on this method. The output waveform of the module is the same figure as the simulation waveform. The result indicates that the design method is feasible. (authors)

A Review of Study Designs and Statistical Methods for Genomic Epidemiology Studies using Next Generation Sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian eWang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Results from numerous linkage and association studies have greatly deepened scientists’ understanding of the genetic basis of many human diseases, yet some important questions remain unanswered. For example, although a large number of disease-associated loci have been identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS in the past 10 years, it is challenging to interpret these results as most disease-associated markers have no clear functional roles in disease etiology, and all the identified genomic factors only explain a small portion of disease heritability. With the help of next-generation sequencing (NGS, diverse types of genomic and epigenetic variations can be detected with high accuracy. More importantly, instead of using linkage disequilibrium to detect association signals based on a set of pre-set probes, NGS allows researchers to directly study all the variants in each individual, therefore promises opportunities for identifying functional variants and a more comprehensive dissection of disease heritability. Although the current scale of NGS studies is still limited due to the high cost, the success of several recent studies suggests the great potential for applying NGS in genomic epidemiology, especially as the cost of sequencing continues to drop. In this review, we discuss several pioneer applications of NGS, summarize scientific discoveries for rare and complex diseases, and compare various study designs including targeted sequencing and whole-genome sequencing using population-based and family-based cohorts. Finally, we highlight recent advancements in statistical methods proposed for sequencing analysis, including group-based association tests, meta-analysis techniques, and annotation tools for variant prioritization.

A STUDY ON THE EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE AND EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT DESIGN METHOD OF AN OPEN TYPE WHARF WITH PNEUMATIC CAISSONS

Science.gov (United States)

Oishi, Masahiko; Nagao, Takashi; Shigeki, Kouji; Ouchi, Masatoshi; Sato, Yuske; Kinomiya, Osamu

Seismic response of an open type wharf with pneumatic caisson was clarified using a dynamic finite element method. As a result, rocking behavior of caisson foundations were observed and applicability of a frame model analysis to the earthquake resistant design of a wharf was suggested. Authors proposed the framework of earthquake resistant design method of the wharf including the evaluation method of response acceleration of the wharf.

A Comparison of Multidimensional Item Selection Methods in Simple and Complex Test Designs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eren Halil ÖZBERK

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In contrast with the previous studies, this study employed various test designs (simple and complex which allow the evaluation of the overall ability score estimations across multiple real test conditions. In this study, four factors were manipulated, namely the test design, number of items per dimension, correlation between dimensions and item selection methods. Using the generated item and ability parameters, dichotomous item responses were generated in by using M3PL compensatory multidimensional IRT model with specified correlations. MCAT composite ability score accuracy was evaluated using absolute bias (ABSBIAS, correlation and the root mean square error (RMSE between true and estimated ability scores. The results suggest that the multidimensional test structure, number of item per dimension and correlation between dimensions had significant effect on item selection methods for the overall score estimations. For simple structure test design it was found that V1 item selection has the lowest absolute bias estimations for both long and short tests while estimating overall scores. As the model gets complex KL item selection method performed better than other two item selection method.

Demystifying Mixed Methods Research Design: A Review of the Literature

OpenAIRE

Gail D. Caruth

2013-01-01

Mixed methods research evolved in response to the observed limitations of both quantitative and qualitative designs and is a more complex method. The purpose of this paper was to examine mixed methods research in an attempt to demystify the design thereby allowing those less familiar with its design an opportunity to utilize it in future research. A review of the literature revealed that it has been gaining acceptance among researchers, researchers have begun using mixed methods research, it ...

Towards non-conventional methods of designing register-based epidemiological studies: An application to pediatric research.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Tong; Brew, Bronwyn; Sjölander, Arvid; Almqvist, Catarina

2017-07-01

Various epidemiological designs have been applied to investigate the causes and consequences of fetal growth restriction in register-based observational studies. This review seeks to provide an overview of several conventional designs, including cohort, case-control and more recently applied non-conventional designs such as family-based designs. We also discuss some practical points regarding the application and interpretation of family-based designs. Definitions of each design, the study population, the exposure and the outcome measures are briefly summarised. Examples of study designs are taken from the field of low birth-weight research for illustrative purposes. Also examined are relative advantages and disadvantages of each design in terms of assumptions, potential selection and information bias, confounding and generalisability. Kinship data linkage, statistical models and result interpretation are discussed specific to family-based designs. When all information is retrieved from registers, there is no evident preference of the case-control design over the cohort design to estimate odds ratios. All conventional designs included in the review are prone to bias, particularly due to residual confounding. Family-based designs are able to reduce such bias and strengthen causal inference. In the field of low birth-weight research, family-based designs have been able to confirm a negative association not confounded by genetic or shared environmental factors between low birth weight and the risk of asthma. We conclude that there is a broader need for family-based design in observational research as evidenced by the meaningful contributions to the understanding of the potential causal association between low birth weight and subsequent outcomes.

77 FR 60985 - Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and Equivalent Methods: Designation of Three New Equivalent Methods

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-05

... Methods: Designation of Three New Equivalent Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice of the designation of three new equivalent methods for monitoring ambient air quality. SUMMARY... equivalent methods, one for measuring concentrations of PM 2.5 , one for measuring concentrations of PM 10...

Design Fixation and Cooperative Learning in Elementary Engineering Design Project: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yi

2015-01-01

This paper presents a case study examining 3rd, 4th and 5th graders' design fixation and cooperative learning in an engineering design project. A mixed methods instrument, the Cooperative Learning Observation Protocol (CLOP), was adapted to record frequency and class observation on cooperative learning engagement through detailed field notes.…

Methods to enable the design of bioactive small molecules targeting RNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Disney, Matthew D; Yildirim, Ilyas; Childs-Disney, Jessica L

2014-02-21

RNA is an immensely important target for small molecule therapeutics or chemical probes of function. However, methods that identify, annotate, and optimize RNA-small molecule interactions that could enable the design of compounds that modulate RNA function are in their infancies. This review describes recent approaches that have been developed to understand and optimize RNA motif-small molecule interactions, including structure-activity relationships through sequencing (StARTS), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), chemical similarity searching, structure-based design and docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Case studies described include the design of small molecules targeting RNA expansions, the bacterial A-site, viral RNAs, and telomerase RNA. These approaches can be combined to afford a synergistic method to exploit the myriad of RNA targets in the transcriptome.

A method of network topology optimization design considering application process characteristic

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunlin; Huang, Ning; Bai, Yanan; Zhang, Shuo

2018-03-01

Communication networks are designed to meet the usage requirements of users for various network applications. The current studies of network topology optimization design mainly considered network traffic, which is the result of network application operation, but not a design element of communication networks. A network application is a procedure of the usage of services by users with some demanded performance requirements, and has obvious process characteristic. In this paper, we first propose a method to optimize the design of communication network topology considering the application process characteristic. Taking the minimum network delay as objective, and the cost of network design and network connective reliability as constraints, an optimization model of network topology design is formulated, and the optimal solution of network topology design is searched by Genetic Algorithm (GA). Furthermore, we investigate the influence of network topology parameter on network delay under the background of multiple process-oriented applications, which can guide the generation of initial population and then improve the efficiency of GA. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness and validity of our proposed method. Network topology optimization design considering applications can improve the reliability of applications, and provide guidance for network builders in the early stage of network design, which is of great significance in engineering practices.

A new method for designing dual foil electron beam forming systems. I. Introduction, concept of the method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adrich, Przemysław, E-mail: Przemyslaw.Adrich@ncbj.gov.pl

2016-05-01

In Part I of this work existing methods and problems in dual foil electron beam forming system design are presented. On this basis, a new method of designing these systems is introduced. The motivation behind this work is to eliminate the shortcomings of the existing design methods and improve overall efficiency of the dual foil design process. The existing methods are based on approximate analytical models applied in an unrealistically simplified geometry. Designing a dual foil system with these methods is a rather labor intensive task as corrections to account for the effects not included in the analytical models have to be calculated separately and accounted for in an iterative procedure. To eliminate these drawbacks, the new design method is based entirely on Monte Carlo modeling in a realistic geometry and using physics models that include all relevant processes. In our approach, an optimal configuration of the dual foil system is found by means of a systematic, automatized scan of the system performance in function of parameters of the foils. The new method, while being computationally intensive, minimizes the involvement of the designer and considerably shortens the overall design time. The results are of high quality as all the relevant physics and geometry details are naturally accounted for. To demonstrate the feasibility of practical implementation of the new method, specialized software tools were developed and applied to solve a real life design problem, as described in Part II of this work.

A new method for designing dual foil electron beam forming systems. I. Introduction, concept of the method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adrich, Przemysław

2016-01-01

In Part I of this work existing methods and problems in dual foil electron beam forming system design are presented. On this basis, a new method of designing these systems is introduced. The motivation behind this work is to eliminate the shortcomings of the existing design methods and improve overall efficiency of the dual foil design process. The existing methods are based on approximate analytical models applied in an unrealistically simplified geometry. Designing a dual foil system with these methods is a rather labor intensive task as corrections to account for the effects not included in the analytical models have to be calculated separately and accounted for in an iterative procedure. To eliminate these drawbacks, the new design method is based entirely on Monte Carlo modeling in a realistic geometry and using physics models that include all relevant processes. In our approach, an optimal configuration of the dual foil system is found by means of a systematic, automatized scan of the system performance in function of parameters of the foils. The new method, while being computationally intensive, minimizes the involvement of the designer and considerably shortens the overall design time. The results are of high quality as all the relevant physics and geometry details are naturally accounted for. To demonstrate the feasibility of practical implementation of the new method, specialized software tools were developed and applied to solve a real life design problem, as described in Part II of this work.

Lightweight hull surface self-design vertical parameterization method based on NURBS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHANG Yanru

2017-10-01

Full Text Available [Objectives] At present, conventional design is limited to parent ship design space, and cannot drive ship hull design using as few parameters as possible. In order to solve the above problems, [Methods] by combining the draught function with NURBS, a ship hull surface self-design method based on vertical parameterization is proposed. In this method, the waterline is designated as the basic design unit; the bottom flat end line, designed waterline, stem and stern contours, side flat end line and maximum section line are designated as the characteristic constraints of the ship hull; and the draught function values corresponding to the characteristic parameters are designated as the design objectives. In this way, a waterline approximation model is built, and an evolutionary algorithm can be used to solve the approximation model. Finally, the ship hull surface is generated on the basis of the waterline using the NURBS skinning technique.[Results] The design examples of the characteristic curves of the full-scale ship hull surface indicate the practicable and advanced nature of this method.[Conclusions] The hull surface can be designed with as little data as possible using this method, making it much more suitable for the self-design of new ship forms.

Introducing the Collaborative E-Learning Design Method (CoED)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryberg, Thomas; Buus, Lillian; Nyvang, Tom

2015-01-01

In this chapter, a specific learning design method is introduced and explained, namely the Collaborative E-learning Design method (CoED), which has been developed through various projects in “e-Learning Lab – Centre for User Driven Innovation, Learning and Design” (Nyvang & Georgsen, 2007). We br...

Adaptive designs based on the truncated product method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neuhäuser Markus

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Adaptive designs are becoming increasingly important in clinical research. One approach subdivides the study into several (two or more stages and combines the p-values of the different stages using Fisher's combination test. Methods Alternatively to Fisher's test, the recently proposed truncated product method (TPM can be applied to combine the p-values. The TPM uses the product of only those p-values that do not exceed some fixed cut-off value. Here, these two competing analyses are compared. Results When an early termination due to insufficient effects is not appropriate, such as in dose-response analyses, the probability to stop the trial early with the rejection of the null hypothesis is increased when the TPM is applied. Therefore, the expected total sample size is decreased. This decrease in the sample size is not connected with a loss in power. The TPM turns out to be less advantageous, when an early termination of the study due to insufficient effects is possible. This is due to a decrease of the probability to stop the trial early. Conclusion It is recommended to apply the TPM rather than Fisher's combination test whenever an early termination due to insufficient effects is not suitable within the adaptive design.

The Innovation Blaze-Method of Development Professional Thinking Designers in the Modern Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Alekseeva, Irina V.; Barsukova, Natalia I.; Pallotta, Valentina I.; Skovorodnikova, Nadia A.

2017-01-01

This article proved the urgency of the problem of development of professional thinking of students studying design in modern conditions of higher education. The authors substantiate for the need of an innovative Blaise-method development of professional design thinking of students in higher education. "Blaise-method" named by us in…

Novel ergonomic postural assessment method (NERPA) using product-process computer aided engineering for ergonomic workplace design.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Lite, Alberto; Garcia, Manuel; Domingo, Rosario; Angel Sebastian, Miguel

2013-01-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that result from poor ergonomic design are one of the occupational disorders of greatest concern in the industrial sector. A key advantage in the primary design phase is to focus on a method of assessment that detects and evaluates the potential risks experienced by the operative when faced with these types of physical injuries. The method of assessment will improve the process design identifying potential ergonomic improvements from various design alternatives or activities undertaken as part of the cycle of continuous improvement throughout the differing phases of the product life cycle. This paper presents a novel postural assessment method (NERPA) fit for product-process design, which was developed with the help of a digital human model together with a 3D CAD tool, which is widely used in the aeronautic and automotive industries. The power of 3D visualization and the possibility of studying the actual assembly sequence in a virtual environment can allow the functional performance of the parts to be addressed. Such tools can also provide us with an ergonomic workstation design, together with a competitive advantage in the assembly process. The method developed was used in the design of six production lines, studying 240 manual assembly operations and improving 21 of them. This study demonstrated the proposed method's usefulness and found statistically significant differences in the evaluations of the proposed method and the widely used Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method.

Control system design method

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, David G [Tijeras, NM; Robinett, III, Rush D.

2012-02-21

A control system design method and concomitant control system comprising representing a physical apparatus to be controlled as a Hamiltonian system, determining elements of the Hamiltonian system representation which are power generators, power dissipators, and power storage devices, analyzing stability and performance of the Hamiltonian system based on the results of the determining step and determining necessary and sufficient conditions for stability of the Hamiltonian system, creating a stable control system based on the results of the analyzing step, and employing the resulting control system to control the physical apparatus.

A Template for Design for eXcellence (DfX) methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jauregui Becker, Juan Manuel; Wits, Wessel Willems; Abramovici, Michael; Stark, Rainer

2013-01-01

Design for eXcellence (DfX) entails a wide range of goal specific design methods targeting different phases of a product’s lifecycle. These methods are often not standardized and sometimes even have contradicting rules among them. As a consequence, design processes experience an increase in

The Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-Up (CHIS.FU Study: design, methods, and response rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perez Gloria

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this report is to describe the main characteristics of the design, including response rates, of the Cornella Health Interview Survey Follow-up Study. Methods The original cohort consisted of 2,500 subjects (1,263 women and 1,237 men interviewed as part of the 1994 Cornella Health Interview Study. A record linkage to update the address and vital status of the cohort members was carried out using, first a deterministic method, and secondly a probabilistic one, based on each subject's first name and surnames. Subsequently, we attempted to locate the cohort members to conduct the phone follow-up interviews. A pilot study was carried out to test the overall feasibility and to modify some procedures before the field work began. Results After record linkage, 2,468 (98.7% subjects were successfully traced. Of these, 91 (3.6% were deceased, 259 (10.3% had moved to other towns, and 50 (2.0% had neither renewed their last municipal census documents nor declared having moved. After using different strategies to track and to retain cohort members, we traced 92% of the CHIS participants. From them, 1,605 subjects answered the follow-up questionnaire. Conclusion The computerized record linkage maximized the success of the follow-up that was carried out 7 years after the baseline interview. The pilot study was useful to increase the efficiency in tracing and interviewing the respondents.

Complex Method Mixed with PSO Applying to Optimization Design of Bridge Crane Girder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Yan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In engineer design, basic complex method has not enough global search ability for the nonlinear optimization problem, so it mixed with particle swarm optimization (PSO has been presented in the paper,that is the optimal particle evaluated from fitness function of particle swarm displacement complex vertex in order to realize optimal principle of the largest complex central distance.This method is applied to optimization design problems of box girder of bridge crane with constraint conditions.At first a mathematical model of the girder optimization has been set up,in which box girder cross section area of bridge crane is taken as the objective function, and its four sizes parameters as design variables, girder mechanics performance, manufacturing process, border sizes and so on requirements as constraint conditions. Then complex method mixed with PSO is used to solve optimization design problem of cane box girder from constrained optimization studying approach, and its optimal results have achieved the goal of lightweight design and reducing the crane manufacturing cost . The method is reliable, practical and efficient by the practical engineer calculation and comparative analysis with basic complex method.

Making Design Decisions Visible: Applying the Case-Based Method in Designing Online Instruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heng Luo,

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The instructional intervention in this design case is a self-directed online tutorial that applies the case-based method to teach educators how to design and conduct entrepreneurship programs for elementary school students. In this article, the authors describe the major decisions made in each phase of the design and development process, explicate the rationales behind them, and demonstrate their effect on the production of the tutorial. Based on such analysis, the guidelines for designing case-based online instruction are summarized for the design case.

Mixed-Methods Design in Biology Education Research: Approach and Uses

Science.gov (United States)

Warfa, Abdi-Rizak M.

2016-01-01

Educational research often requires mixing different research methodologies to strengthen findings, better contextualize or explain results, or minimize the weaknesses of a single method. This article provides practical guidelines on how to conduct such research in biology education, with a focus on mixed-methods research (MMR) that uses both quantitative and qualitative inquiries. Specifically, the paper provides an overview of mixed-methods design typologies most relevant in biology education research. It also discusses common methodological issues that may arise in mixed-methods studies and ways to address them. The paper concludes with recommendations on how to report and write about MMR. PMID:27856556

Study, design and manufacture eddy current probes for industry applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Phuc; Nguyen Van Thuy; Vuong Binh Duong; Do Minh Duc; Trinh Dinh Truong; Tran Trong Duc; Do Tung Khanh; Dang Quang Trung

2016-01-01

This study is based on the studying, designing and manufacturing of eddy current probes for industry applications. The main tasks of this study include: i) Describes the overview and classification of eddy current probes (which can be classified into three categories based on the mode of operation: absolute eddy current probe, differential eddy current probe and reflect eddy current probe); ii) Describes the three methods of probe designing and manufacturing (including experimental, analytical and numerical designs); iii) Describes the designing and manufacturing of eddy current probes for industry applications, which based on experimental and analytical methods. Based on this study, we have successfully manufactured some current probes (including absolute eddy current probe, differential eddy current probe and reflect eddy current probe) for surface and tube inspections. (author)

Wind turbine airfoil design method with low noise and experimental analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Quan; Chen, Jin; Cheng, Jiangtao

2015-01-01

In order to study the noise characteristic of wind turbine airfoils, the airfoil optimal design mathematic model was built based on airfoil functional integrated theory and noise calculated model. The new optimized objective function of maximizing lift/drag to noise was developed on the design......, though there is a certain difference between the theory results and experiment data. Compared with NACA-64-618 airfoil, the CQU-DTU-B18 airfoil exhibits lower noise, which validates the feasibility of this design method. It is a guide to design wind turbine airfoil with lower noise and to reduce airfoil...

Evaluation of Information Requirements of Reliability Methods in Engineering Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marini, Vinicius Kaster; Restrepo-Giraldo, John Dairo; Ahmed-Kristensen, Saeema

2010-01-01

This paper aims to characterize the information needed to perform methods for robustness and reliability, and verify their applicability to early design stages. Several methods were evaluated on their support to synthesis in engineering design. Of those methods, FMEA, FTA and HAZOP were selected...

Study on integrated design and analysis platform of NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Dongsen; Gao Zuying; Zhou Zhiwei

2001-01-01

Many calculation software have been developed to nuclear system's design and safety analysis, such as structure design software, fuel design and manage software, thermal hydraulic analysis software, severe accident simulation software, etc. This study integrates those software to a platform, develops visual modeling tool for Retran, NGFM90. And in this platform, a distribution calculation method is also provided for couple calculation between different software. The study will improve the design and analysis of NPP

Detecting Low Incidents Effects: The Value of Mixed Methods Research Designs in Low-N Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Isadore; Ridenour, Carolyn S.; Newman, Carole; Smith, Shannon; Brown, Russell C.

2013-01-01

Many important educational situations such as traumatic brain injury among preschoolers, school gun violence, preadolescent eating disorders, and adolescent suicide happen relatively infrequently. In this article, the authors explain why mixed methods research designs offer more meaningful empirical results than do qualitative or quantitative…

Simple design of slanted grating with simplified modal method.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shubin; Zhou, Changhe; Cao, Hongchao; Wu, Jun

2014-02-15

A simplified modal method (SMM) is presented that offers a clear physical image for subwavelength slanted grating. The diffraction characteristic of the slanted grating under Littrow configuration is revealed by the SMM as an equivalent rectangular grating, which is in good agreement with rigorous coupled-wave analysis. Based on the equivalence, we obtained an effective analytic solution for simplifying the design and optimization of a slanted grating. It offers a new approach for design of the slanted grating, e.g., a 1×2 beam splitter can be easily designed. This method should be helpful for designing various new slanted grating devices.

The EDIE method – towards an approach to collaboration-based persuasive design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Sandra Burri Gram

2016-01-01

This paper presents the initial steps towards a collaboration-based method for persuasive design – the EDIE method (Explore, Design, Implement, Evaluate). The method is inspired by Design-Based Research, but developed to combine different design approaches that have dominated the persuasive...... technology field over the past decade. The rhetorical notion of Kairos is considered a key element in the EDIE method, resulting in a distinct focus on participatory design and constructive ethics. The method is explained through a practical example of developing persuasive learning designs in collaboration...

Interactive methods to involve users into workspace design process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Souza da Conceição, Carolina; Broberg, Ole; Banke, Palle

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the question of whether the use of a combination of interactive methods involving workers can lead to a useful input to the (re)design of their workspace. The workbook and the layout design game methods were tested, and a comparison between their use and the ergonomic analysi...

Motivational Interviewing Tailored Interventions for Heart Failure (MITI-HF): study design and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Masterson Creber, Ruth; Patey, Megan; Dickson, Victoria Vaughan; DeCesaris, Marissa; Riegel, Barbara

2015-03-01

Lack of engagement in self-care is common among patients needing to follow a complex treatment regimen, especially patients with heart failure who are affected by comorbidity, disability and side effects of poly-pharmacy. The purpose of Motivational Interviewing Tailored Interventions for Heart Failure (MITI-HF) is to test the feasibility and comparative efficacy of an MI intervention on self-care, acute heart failure physical symptoms and quality of life. We are conducting a brief, nurse-led motivational interviewing randomized controlled trial to address behavioral and motivational issues related to heart failure self-care. Participants in the intervention group receive home and phone-based motivational interviewing sessions over 90-days and those in the control group receive care as usual. Participants in both groups receive patient education materials. The primary study outcome is change in self-care maintenance from baseline to 90-days. This article presents the study design, methods, plans for statistical analysis and descriptive characteristics of the study sample for MITI-HF. Study findings will contribute to the literature on the efficacy of motivational interviewing to promote heart failure self-care. We anticipate that using an MI approach can help patients with heart failure focus on their internal motivation to change in a non-confrontational, patient-centered and collaborative way. It also affirms their ability to practice competent self-care relevant to their personal health goals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel design method for ground source heat pump

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Xing-Jie

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a novel design method for ground source heat pump. The ground source heat pump operation is controllable by using several parameters, such as the total meters of buried pipe, the space between wells, the thermal properties of soil, thermal resistance of the well, the initial temperature of soil, and annual dynamic load. By studying the effect of well number and well space, we conclude that with the increase of the well number, the inlet and outlet water temperatures decrease in summer and increase in winter, which enhance the efficiency of ground source heat pump. The well space slightly affects the water temperatures, but it affects the soil temperature to some extent. Also the ground source heat pump operations matching with cooling tower are investigated to achieve the thermal balance. This method greatly facilitates ground source heat pump design.

Space systems conceptual design : Analysis methods for engineering-team support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ridolfi, G.

2013-01-01

The research can be placed in the framework of designing methods for complex systems focused on the conceptual design phase of the systems’ life-cycle. More specifically, the methods presented in the dissertation belong to the category of Operational Research methods. They aim at the creation of

Detailed Design and Fabrication Method of the ITER Vacuum Vessel Ports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hee-Jae Ahn; Kwon, T.H.; Hong, Y.S.

2006-01-01

The engineering design of the ITER vacuum vessel (VV) has been progressed by the ITER International Team (IT) with the cooperation of several participant teams (PT). The VV and ports are the components allocated to Korea for the construction of the ITER. Hyundai Heavy Industries has been involved in the structural analysis, detailed design and development of the fabrication method of the upper and lower ports within the framework of the ITER transitional arrangements (ITA). The design of the port structures has been investigated to validate and to improve the conceptual designs of the ITER IT and other PT. The special emphasis was laid on the flange joint between the port extension and the in-port plug to develop the design of the upper port. The modified design with a pure friction type flange with forty-eight pieces of bolts instead of the tangential key is recommended. Furthermore, the alternative flange designs developed by the ITER IT have been analyzed in detail to simplify the lip seal maintenance into the port flange. The structural analyses of the lower RH port have been also performed to verify the capacity for supporting the VV. The maximum stress exceeds the allowable value at the reinforcing block and basement. More elaborate local models have been developed to mitigate the stress concentration and to modify the component design. The fabrication method and the sequence of the detailed fabrication for the ports are developed focusing on the cost reduction as well as the simplification. A typical port structure includes a port stub, a stub extension and a port extension with a connecting duct. The fabrication sequence consists of surface treatment, cutting, forming, cleaning, welding, machining, and non-destructive inspection and test. Tolerance study has been performed to avoid the mismatch of each fabricated component and to obtain the suitable tolerances in the assembly at the shop and site. This study is based on the experience in the fabrication of

DU-AGG pilot plant design study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lessing, P.A.; Gillman, H.

1996-07-01

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) is developing new methods to produce high-density aggregate (artificial rock) primarily consisting of depleted uranium oxide. The objective is to develop a low-cost method whereby uranium oxide powder (UO[sub 2], U[sub 3]O[sub ]8, or UO[sub 3]) can be processed to produce high-density aggregate pieces (DU-AGG) having physical properties suitable for disposal in low-level radioactive disposal facilities or for use as a component of high-density concrete used as shielding for radioactive materials. A commercial company, G-M Systems, conducted a design study for a manufacturing pilot plant to process DU-AGG. The results of that study are included and summarized in this report. Also explained are design considerations, equipment capacities, the equipment list, system operation, layout of equipment in the plant, cost estimates, and the proposed plan and schedule

F.E.M. of PWR's control rod cluster. Parametrical study of vibrating behavior by an Experiment Design method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosselut, D.; Soulier, B.

1997-03-01

Some finite element models have been performed at EDF to simulate the vibrations of rod cluster and to analyse the wear phenomenon of rods using parametrical studies. In the first part, one of the finite element models is presented. The location of excitation sources is described. The calculated values are: rod displacement in the guiding cards, shock forces on the guiding cards and wear power produced. In the second part, a parametrical study is presented for a given computer experiment domain with an Experimental Design method. The building of the computer experiment design is described. The used polynomial model has all linear, quadratic and interactive terms for each of the 6 parameters (26 coefficients), 34 polynomials have been built to approach the effective shock forces and the mean wear power at each of the 17 guiding points. In the last part, the influence of parameters on calculated mean wear power is shown along rods and some responses surfaces are visualized. Systematism and closeness of experiment design technique is underlined. Easy simulation of all the response domain by polynomial approach, allows comparison with experiment feedback. (author)

Conceptual design of krypton recovery plant by porous membrane method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Hiroshi; Fujine, Sachio; Shimizu, Toku; Saito, Keiichiro; Ouchi, Misao

1979-10-01

A conceptual design of a krypton recovery plant by porous membrane method was made to study feasibility of treating fuel reprocessing off-gas. Specifications of the plant could be clarified, such as off-gas pretreatment system, first cascade system of gaseous diffusion Hertz cascade composed of two-compartment diffusers, storage system, shield and housing and operating conditions. Capital costs and operating costs of the plant were estimated for different operating conditions and cost parameters. Technical and economic feasibility of the method compares favorably with those of the cryogenic distillation or the solvent absorption method. (author)

Monte Carlo methods for shield design calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimstone, M.J.

1974-01-01

A suite of Monte Carlo codes is being developed for use on a routine basis in commercial reactor shield design. The methods adopted for this purpose include the modular construction of codes, simplified geometries, automatic variance reduction techniques, continuous energy treatment of cross section data, and albedo methods for streaming. Descriptions are given of the implementation of these methods and of their use in practical calculations. 26 references. (U.S.)

Knowledge acquisition in ecological poduct design: the effects of computer-mediated communication and elicitation method

OpenAIRE

Sauer, J.; Schramme, S.; Rüttinger, B.

2000-01-01

This article presents a study that examines multiple effects of using different means of computer-mediated communication and knowledge elicitation methods during a product design process. The experimental task involved a typical scenario in product design, in which a knowledge engineer consults two experts to generate knowledge about a design issue. Employing a 3x2 between-subjects design, three conference types (face-to-face, computer, multivedia) and two knowledge elicitation methods (struc...

Guidance for using mixed methods design in nursing practice research.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang-Hanisko, Lenny; Newman, David; Dyess, Susan; Piyakong, Duangporn; Liehr, Patricia

2016-08-01

The mixed methods approach purposefully combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques, enabling a multi-faceted understanding of nursing phenomena. The purpose of this article is to introduce three mixed methods designs (parallel; sequential; conversion) and highlight interpretive processes that occur with the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings. Real world examples of research studies conducted by the authors will demonstrate the processes leading to the merger of data. The examples include: research questions; data collection procedures and analysis with a focus on synthesizing findings. Based on experience with mixed methods studied, the authors introduce two synthesis patterns (complementary; contrasting), considering application for practice and implications for research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A fresh recipe for designers: HCI approach to explore the nexus between design techniques and formal methods in software development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julian Galindo Losada

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Emerging companies involved in design and implementation of innovative products demand multidisciplinary teams to be competitive in the market. This need mainly exposes designers to extend their knowledge not only in User Interface elements of the design process but also in software methodologies to cover the lack of resources and expertise in start-ups. It raises the question of how designers can line up HCI techniques with best practices in software development while preserving usability and easy-to-use principles. To explore this gap, this paper proposes an approach which combines existing technology and methods by studying the nexus between HCI prototyping and software engineering. The approach is applied into a case study in the design of a virtual shop harmonizing the use of storyboards and the spiral. A comprehensive analysis is performed by using a Technology acceptance model (TAM regarding with two variables: usability and easy-to-use. The present finding underlines the positive integration of HCI techniques and formal methods without compromising user satisfaction with a potential benefit for small companies in a formation stage.

DIETFITS Study (Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success) – Study Design and Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Michael; Robinson, Jennifer; Kirkpatrick, Susan; Farzinkhou, Sarah; Avery, Erin; Rigdon, Joseph; Offringa, Lisa; Trepanowski, John; Hauser, Michelle; Hartle, Jennifer; Cherin, Rise; King, Abby C.; Ioannidis, John P.A.; Desai, Manisha; Gardner, Christopher D.

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have attempted to identify successful dietary strategies for weight loss, and many have focused on Low-Fat vs. Low-Carbohydrate comparisons. Despite relatively small between-group differences in weight loss found in most previous studies, researchers have consistently observed relatively large between-subject differences in weight loss within any given diet group (e.g., ~25 kg weight loss to ~5 kg weight gain). The primary objective of this study was to identify predisposing individual factors at baseline that help explain differential weight loss achieved by individuals assigned to the same diet, particularly a pre-determined multi-locus genotype pattern and insulin resistance status. Secondary objectives included discovery strategies for further identifying potential genetic risk scores. Exploratory objectives included investigation of an extensive set of physiological, psychosocial, dietary, and behavioral variables as moderating and/or mediating variables and/or secondary outcomes. The target population was generally healthy, free-living adults with BMI 28-40 kg/m2 (n=600). The intervention consisted of a 12-month protocol of 22 one-hour evening instructional sessions led by registered dietitians, with ~15-20 participants/class. Key objectives of dietary instruction included focusing on maximizing the dietary quality of both Low-Fat and Low-Carbohydrate diets (i.e., Healthy Low-Fat vs. Healthy Low-Carbohydrate), and maximally differentiating the two diets from one another. Rather than seeking to determine if one dietary approach was better than the other for the general population, this study sought to examine whether greater overall weight loss success could be achieved by matching different people to different diets. Here we present the design and methods of the study. PMID:28027950

Advances in product family and product platform design methods & applications

CERN Document Server

Jiao, Jianxin; Siddique, Zahed; Hölttä-Otto, Katja

2014-01-01

Advances in Product Family and Product Platform Design: Methods & Applications highlights recent advances that have been made to support product family and product platform design and successful applications in industry. This book provides not only motivation for product family and product platform design—the “why” and “when” of platforming—but also methods and tools to support the design and development of families of products based on shared platforms—the “what”, “how”, and “where” of platforming. It begins with an overview of recent product family design research to introduce readers to the breadth of the topic and progresses to more detailed topics and design theory to help designers, engineers, and project managers plan, architect, and implement platform-based product development strategies in their companies. This book also: Presents state-of-the-art methods and tools for product family and product platform design Adopts an integrated, systems view on product family and pro...

Creative design inspired by biological knowledge: Technologies and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Runhua; Liu, Wei; Cao, Guozhong; Shi, Yuan

2018-05-01

Biological knowledge is becoming an important source of inspiration for developing creative solutions to engineering design problems and even has a huge potential in formulating ideas that can help firms compete successfully in a dynamic market. To identify the technologies and methods that can facilitate the development of biologically inspired creative designs, this research briefly reviews the existing biological-knowledge-based theories and methods and examines the application of biological-knowledge-inspired designs in various fields. Afterward, this research thoroughly examines the four dimensions of key technologies that underlie the biologically inspired design (BID) process. This research then discusses the future development trends of the BID process before presenting the conclusions.

Optimum study designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, C; Rao, D C

2001-01-01

Because simplistic designs will lead to prohibitively large sample sizes, the optimization of genetic study designs is critical for successfully mapping genes for complex diseases. Creative designs are necessary for detecting and amplifying the usually weak signals for complex traits. Two important outcomes of a study design--power and resolution--are implicitly tied together by the principle of uncertainty. Overemphasis on either one may lead to suboptimal designs. To achieve optimality for a particular study, therefore, practical measures such as cost-effectiveness must be used to strike a balance between power and resolution. In this light, the myriad of factors involved in study design can be checked for their effects on the ultimate outcomes, and the popular existing designs can be sorted into building blocks that may be useful for particular situations. It is hoped that imaginative construction of novel designs using such building blocks will lead to enhanced efficiency in finding genes for complex human traits.

A Conceptual Design and Analysis Method for Conventional and Unconventional Airplanes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elmendorp, R.J.M.; Vos, R.; La Rocca, G.

2014-01-01

A design method is presented that has been implemented in a software program to investigate the merits of conventional and unconventional transport airplanes. Design and analysis methods are implemented in a design tool capable of creating a conceptual design based on a set of toplevel requirements.

Design and Methods for a Pilot Study of a Phone-Delivered, Mindfulness-Based Intervention in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Meditation practices are associated with a reduction in adrenergic activity that may benefit patients with severe cardiac arrhythmias. This paper describes the design and methods of a pilot study testing the feasibility of a phone-delivered mindfulness-based intervention (MBI for treatment of anxiety in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs. Design and Methods. Consecutive, clinically stable outpatients (n=52 will be screened for study eligibility within a month of an ICD-related procedure or ICD shock and will be randomly assigned to MBI or to usual care. MBI patients will receive eight weekly individual phone sessions based on two mindfulness practices (awareness of breath and body scan plus home practice with a CD for 20 minutes daily. Patients assigned to usual care will be offered the standard care planned by the hospital. Assessments will occur at baseline and at the completion of the intervention (between 9 and 12 weeks after randomization. The primary study outcome is feasibility; secondary outcomes include anxiety, mindfulness, and number of administered shocks during the intervention period. Conclusions. If proven feasible and effective, phone-delivered mindfulness-based interventions could improve psychological distress in ICD outpatients with serious cardiovascular conditions.

Design Analysis Method for Multidisciplinary Complex Product using SysML

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Jihong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the design of multidisciplinary complex products, model-based systems engineering methods are widely used. However, the methodologies only contain only modeling order and simple analysis steps, and lack integrated design analysis methods supporting the whole process. In order to solve the problem, a conceptual design analysis method with integrating modern design methods has been proposed. First, based on the requirement analysis of the quantization matrix, the user’s needs are quantitatively evaluated and translated to system requirements. Then, by the function decomposition of the function knowledge base, the total function is semi-automatically decomposed into the predefined atomic function. The function is matched into predefined structure through the behaviour layer using function-structure mapping based on the interface matching. Finally based on design structure matrix (DSM, the structure reorganization is completed. The process of analysis is implemented with SysML, and illustrated through an aircraft air conditioning system for the system validation.

Design thinking for website optimization. A case study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Somoza Sanchez, Vella Veronica; Andersen, Frederik; Schneider-Kamp, Peter

This paper presents results from a pilot study, which is part of a larger research project where we study the process innovation of website optimization as a service through the use of big data. Over a process of design thinking we investigate which type of website design best addresses the needs...... for observing the users in their native environment. Furthermore, we use the method of Digital Anthropology to complete the loop between the human-centric designs and the possibilities offered by the analysis of big data....

Development of an evaluation method for seismic isolation systems of nuclear power facilities. Seismic design analysis methods for crossover piping system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tai, Koichi; Sasajima, Keisuke; Fukushima, Shunsuke; Takamura, Noriyuki; Onishi, Shigenobu

2014-01-01

This paper provides seismic design analysis methods suitable for crossover piping system, which connects between seismic isolated building and non-isolated building in the seismic isolated nuclear power plant. Through the numerical study focused on the main steam crossover piping system, seismic response spectrum analysis applying ISM (Independent Support Motion) method with SRSS combination or CCFS (Cross-oscillator, Cross-Floor response Spectrum) method has found to be quite effective for the seismic design of multiply supported crossover piping system. (author)

Interactive design optimization of magnetorheological-brake actuators using the Taguchi method

Science.gov (United States)

Erol, Ozan; Gurocak, Hakan

2011-10-01

This research explored an optimization method that would automate the process of designing a magnetorheological (MR)-brake but still keep the designer in the loop. MR-brakes apply resistive torque by increasing the viscosity of an MR fluid inside the brake. This electronically controllable brake can provide a very large torque-to-volume ratio, which is very desirable for an actuator. However, the design process is quite complex and time consuming due to many parameters. In this paper, we adapted the popular Taguchi method, widely used in manufacturing, to the problem of designing a complex MR-brake. Unlike other existing methods, this approach can automatically identify the dominant parameters of the design, which reduces the search space and the time it takes to find the best possible design. While automating the search for a solution, it also lets the designer see the dominant parameters and make choices to investigate only their interactions with the design output. The new method was applied for re-designing MR-brakes. It reduced the design time from a week or two down to a few minutes. Also, usability experiments indicated significantly better brake designs by novice users.

Interactive design optimization of magnetorheological-brake actuators using the Taguchi method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erol, Ozan; Gurocak, Hakan

2011-01-01

This research explored an optimization method that would automate the process of designing a magnetorheological (MR)-brake but still keep the designer in the loop. MR-brakes apply resistive torque by increasing the viscosity of an MR fluid inside the brake. This electronically controllable brake can provide a very large torque-to-volume ratio, which is very desirable for an actuator. However, the design process is quite complex and time consuming due to many parameters. In this paper, we adapted the popular Taguchi method, widely used in manufacturing, to the problem of designing a complex MR-brake. Unlike other existing methods, this approach can automatically identify the dominant parameters of the design, which reduces the search space and the time it takes to find the best possible design. While automating the search for a solution, it also lets the designer see the dominant parameters and make choices to investigate only their interactions with the design output. The new method was applied for re-designing MR-brakes. It reduced the design time from a week or two down to a few minutes. Also, usability experiments indicated significantly better brake designs by novice users

A Method of Numerical Control Equipment Appearance Design Based on Product Identity

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhijuan; Zhou, Qi; Li, Bin; Visser, Steve

Research on numerical control (NC) equipment has been more and more abundant; however, there are few existing studies in the field of appearance design for NC equipments. This paper provided a method to generate new appearance design of NC equipments based on product identity (PI). For the purpose of providing guidelines to generate new concept of NC equipment design, this paper, therefore, took the DMG Company (a Germen NC equipment company) as a case, examined the total products of this company from two aspects: Product Image and Product Family. Task 1 was an evaluate task about the Product Image by using the semantic differential (SD) evaluation method; Task 2 was a study task about Product Family to find out features of the products and classify these features. During the Task 2, several features have been found out and summarized, and these features were classified into 3 different levels according to their frequency and importance. In the end, two appearance design samples have been generated based on the analysis above to prove the application of the research.

New trends in reactor physics design methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jagannathan, V.

1993-01-01

Reactor physics design methods are aimed at safe and efficient management of nuclear materials in a reactor core. The design methodologies require a high level of integration of different calculational modules of many a key areas like neutronics, thermal hydraulics, radiation transport etc in order to follow different 3-D phenomena under normal and transient operating conditions. The evolution of computer hardware technology is far more rapid than the software development and has rendered such integration a meaningful and realizable proposition. The aim of this paper is to assess the state of art of the physics design codes used in Indian thermal power reactor applications with respect to meeting the design, operational and safety requirements. (author). 50 refs

Postmodern Software Design with NYAM: Not Yet Another Method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wieringa, Roelf J.; Broy, M.; Rumpe, B.

1998-01-01

This paper presents a conceptual toolbox for software specification and design that contains techniques from structured and object-oriented specification and design methods. The toolbox is called TRADE (Toolkit for Requirements and Design Engineering). The TRADE tools are used in teaching

Main flexible pavement and mix design methods in Europe and challenges for the development of an European method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Pereira

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Pavement and mix design represent one of the key components within the life cycle of a road infrastructure, with links to political, economic, technical, societal and environmental issues. Recent researches related to the characteristics of materials and associated behavior models both for materials and pavement, made it appropriate to consider updating current pavement design methods, and especially in the USA this has already been in process while in Europe uses of the methods developed in the early 1970s. Thus, this paper firstly presents a brief historical overview of pavement design methods, highlighting early limitations of old empirical methods. Afterwards, French, UK and Shell methods currently in use in Europe will be presented, underlining their main components in terms of methodology, traffic, climatic conditions and subgrade. The asphalt mix design and modeling in Europe are presented with their inclusion in the pavement design methods. Finally, the main challenges for the development of a European pavement design method are presented as well as the recent research developments that can be used for that method.

Climate-conscious architecture. Design and wind testing method for climates in change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuismanen, K.

2008-07-01

The main objective of this research was to develop practical tools with which it is possible to improve the environment, micro-climate and energy economy of buildings and plans in different climate zones, and take the climate change into account. The parts of the study are: State of art study into existing know-how about climate and planning. Study of the effects of climate change on the built environment. Development of simple micro-climate, nature and built environment analysis methods. Defining the criteria of an acceptable micro-climatic environment. Development of the wind test blower. Presenting ways to interpret test results and draw conclusions. Development of planning and design guidelines for different climate zones. An important part of the research is the development of the CASE wind test instrument, different wind simulation techniques, and the methods of observing the results. Bioclimatic planning and architectural design guidelines for different climate zones are produced. The analyse tools developed give a qualitative overall view, which can be deepened towards a quantitative analyse with wind testing measurements and roughness calculations. No mechanical rules are suggested, but complementary viewpoints and practices introduced to a normal planning process as well as improvement of consultative knowledge. The 'method' is that there is no strict mechanical method, but a deeper understanding of bioclimatic matters. Climate-conscious planning with the developed CASE method, make it possible to design a better micro-climate for new or old built-up areas. Winds can be used in to ventilate exhaust fumes and other pollutants, which improves the quality of air and the healthiness of the urban environment. The analyses and scale-model tests make it possible to shield cold windy areas and to diminish the cooling effect of wind on facades. According to studies in Scandinavian countries this will bring energy savings of 5-15 per cent. The method can

Designing a questionnaire on physical activity habits and lifestyle from the Delphi method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estefanía Castillo Viera

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Nowadays there are numerous questionnaires studying physical activity habits, lifestyle and health (IPAQ, SF-36, EQ-5D. The problem arises when trying to design a new tool for use in a specific population that has specific characteristics and which seeks to explore aspects related to the area in which it develops. The main objective of this study was to design a questionnaire on physical activity and lifestyle of the university population. To prepare this Delphi method was used, a procedure based on expert consultation through a steering group and a group of experts to cast their opinions on a cyclical basis of the topic until they reach a consensus. In our case, a questionnaire was developed with seven dimensions and 55 items. The results lead us to make a positive assessment of the use of the Delphi method to design the questionnaire and ensuring greater validity.Key words: Physical activity habits, lifestyle, Delphi method.

The Sources and Methods of Engineering Design Requirement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xuemeng; Zhang, Zhinan; Ahmed-Kristensen, Saeema

2014-01-01

to be defined in a new context. This paper focuses on understanding the design requirement sources at the requirement elicitation phase. It aims at proposing an improved design requirement source classification considering emerging markets and presenting current methods for eliciting requirement for each source...

An improved design method of a tuned mass damper for an in-service footbridge

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Weixing; Wang, Liangkun; Lu, Zheng

2018-03-01

Tuned mass damper (TMD) has a wide range of applications in the vibration control of footbridges. However, the traditional engineering design method may lead to a mistuned TMD. In this paper, an improved TMD design method based on the model updating is proposed. Firstly, the original finite element model (FEM) is studied and the natural characteristics of the in-service or newly built footbridge is identified by field test, and then the original FEM is updated. TMD is designed according to the new updated FEM, and it is optimized according to the simulation on vibration control effects. Finally, the installation and field measurement of TMD are carried out. The improved design method can be applied to both in-service and newly built footbridges. This paper illustrates the improved design method with an engineering example. The frequency identification results of field test and original FEM show that there is a relatively large difference between them. The TMD designed according to the updated FEM has better vibration control effect than the TMD designed according to the original FEM. The site test results show that TMD has good effect on controlling human-induced vibrations.

Optimization methods in structural design

CERN Document Server

Rothwell, Alan

2017-01-01

This book offers an introduction to numerical optimization methods in structural design. Employing a readily accessible and compact format, the book presents an overview of optimization methods, and equips readers to properly set up optimization problems and interpret the results. A ‘how-to-do-it’ approach is followed throughout, with less emphasis at this stage on mathematical derivations. The book features spreadsheet programs provided in Microsoft Excel, which allow readers to experience optimization ‘hands-on.’ Examples covered include truss structures, columns, beams, reinforced shell structures, stiffened panels and composite laminates. For the last three, a review of relevant analysis methods is included. Exercises, with solutions where appropriate, are also included with each chapter. The book offers a valuable resource for engineering students at the upper undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as others in the industry and elsewhere who are new to these highly practical techniques.Whi...

An Empirical Comparison of Five Linear Equating Methods for the NEAT Design

Science.gov (United States)

Suh, Youngsuk; Mroch, Andrew A.; Kane, Michael T.; Ripkey, Douglas R.

2009-01-01

In this study, a data base containing the responses of 40,000 candidates to 90 multiple-choice questions was used to mimic data sets for 50-item tests under the "nonequivalent groups with anchor test" (NEAT) design. Using these smaller data sets, we evaluated the performance of five linear equating methods for the NEAT design with five levels of…

Generic methods for design of small-bore pipe supports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, G.L.; LaSalle, F.R.

1981-01-01

Large numbers of supports for small-bore, low-temperature pipe are utilized in nuclear power plants. These supports often must meet ASME code and project seismic design requirements. Detailed analysis for each support is time consuming and costly. This paper describes some economical generic methods developed to design and qualify supports for two-inch and smaller pipe operating at temperatures less than 300 0 F (185 0 C), on the Fast Flux Test Facility. Use of standard designs, standard support spacing tables, anchor bolt and baseplate considerations, and field qualification methods are discussed

Design of a nitrogen purification system with cryogenic method for neutrino detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Zhang; Zhongjun, Hu; Bingming, Wang; Qing, Li

2018-04-04

In order to detect the neutrino with liquid scintillation detector, high-purity nitrogen is essential for gas stripping in this detector. Therefore, it is necessary to design a purification system for the detector to purify nitrogen. Using the method of low temperature adsorption for the purification system, the key designs including the flow path, the adsorber and the selection of activated carbon, are introduced in this study. In these designs, the selection of activated carbon is the most important because the adsorption characteristic of the carbon is related to the performance of the purification system. The method of grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo is adopted to simulate the adsorption of radon by the activated carbon with its slit pore model. Using this method, the working temperature and the key characteristic of the activated carbon are obtained. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenomenological Research Method, Design and Procedure: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phenomenological Research Method, Design and Procedure: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Phenomenon of Being-in-Community as Experienced by Two Individuals Who Have Participated in a Community Building Workshop.

Rhetorical Design Studies: The Art of Making Design Choices Explicit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halstrøm, Per L.

2017-01-01

Design has the potential to affect the situations we are in, the choices we make and the beliefs we live by. Being such an affective field, one might expect that canonized design thinking models and methods would be much concerned with how designers can discover arguments for their design choices...

Novel Methods for Electromagnetic Simulation and Design

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-03

modeling software that can handle complicated, electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow design by simulation. 15. SUBJECT...electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow design by simulation. We also developed new methods for scattering from cavities in a...basis for high fidelity modeling software that can handle complicated, electrically large objects in a manner that is sufficiently fast to allow

Medicinal Chemistry Projects Requiring Imaginative Structure-Based Drug Design Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Moitessier, Nicolas; Pottel, Joshua; Therrien, Eric; Englebienne, Pablo; Liu, Zhaomin; Tomberg, Anna; Corbeil, Christopher R

2016-09-20

Computational methods for docking small molecules to proteins are prominent in drug discovery. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of documented examples-and several pertinent cases within our research program. Fifteen years ago, our first docking-guided drug design project yielded nanomolar metalloproteinase inhibitors and illustrated the potential of structure-based drug design. Subsequent applications of docking programs to the design of integrin antagonists, BACE-1 inhibitors, and aminoglycosides binding to bacterial RNA demonstrated that available docking programs needed significant improvement. At that time, docking programs primarily considered flexible ligands and rigid proteins. We demonstrated that accounting for protein flexibility, employing displaceable water molecules, and using ligand-based pharmacophores improved the docking accuracy of existing methods-enabling the design of bioactive molecules. The success prompted the development of our own program, Fitted, implementing all of these aspects. The primary motivation has always been to respond to the needs of drug design studies; the majority of the concepts behind the evolution of Fitted are rooted in medicinal chemistry projects and collaborations. Several examples follow: (1) Searching for HDAC inhibitors led us to develop methods considering drug-zinc coordination and its effect on the pKa of surrounding residues. (2) Targeting covalent prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) inhibitors prompted an update to Fitted to identify reactive groups and form bonds with a given residue (e.g., a catalytic residue) when the geometry allows it. Fitted-the first fully automated covalent docking program-was successfully applied to the discovery of four new classes of covalent POP inhibitors. As a result, efficient stereoselective syntheses of a few screening hits were prioritized rather than synthesizing large chemical libraries-yielding nanomolar inhibitors. (3) In order to study the metabolism of POP inhibitors by

Multivariable control in nuclear power stations -survey of design methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mcmorran, P.D.

1979-12-01

The development of larger nuclear generating stations increases the importance of dynamic interaction between controllers, because each control action may affect several plant outputs. Multivariable control provides the techniques to design controllers which perform well under these conditions. This report is a foundation for further work on the application of multivariable control in AECL. It covers the requirements of control and the fundamental mathematics used, then reviews the most important linear methods, based on both state-space and frequency-response concepts. State-space methods are derived from analysis of the system differential equations, while frequency-response methods use the input-output transfer function. State-space methods covered include linear-quadratic optimal control, pole shifting, and the theory of state observers and estimators. Frequency-response methods include the inverse Nyquist array method, and classical non-interactive techniques. Transfer-function methods are particularly emphasized since they can incorporate ill-defined design criteria. The underlying concepts, and the application strengths and weaknesses of each design method are presented. A review of significant applications is also given. It is concluded that the inverse Nyquist array method, a frequency-response technique based on inverse transfer-function matrices, is preferred for the design of multivariable controllers for nuclear power plants. This method may be supplemented by information obtained from a modal analysis of the plant model. (auth)

Novel Ergonomic Postural Assessment Method (NERPA) Using Product-Process Computer Aided Engineering for Ergonomic Workplace Design

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Lite, Alberto; Garcia, Manuel; Domingo, Rosario; Angel Sebastian, Miguel

2013-01-01

Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that result from poor ergonomic design are one of the occupational disorders of greatest concern in the industrial sector. A key advantage in the primary design phase is to focus on a method of assessment that detects and evaluates the potential risks experienced by the operative when faced with these types of physical injuries. The method of assessment will improve the process design identifying potential ergonomic improvements from various design alternatives or activities undertaken as part of the cycle of continuous improvement throughout the differing phases of the product life cycle. Methodology/Principal Findings This paper presents a novel postural assessment method (NERPA) fit for product-process design, which was developed with the help of a digital human model together with a 3D CAD tool, which is widely used in the aeronautic and automotive industries. The power of 3D visualization and the possibility of studying the actual assembly sequence in a virtual environment can allow the functional performance of the parts to be addressed. Such tools can also provide us with an ergonomic workstation design, together with a competitive advantage in the assembly process. Conclusions The method developed was used in the design of six production lines, studying 240 manual assembly operations and improving 21 of them. This study demonstrated the proposed method’s usefulness and found statistically significant differences in the evaluations of the proposed method and the widely used Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method. PMID:23977340

A concept for a usability focused design method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoolhorst, F.W.B.; van der Voort, Mascha C.

2009-01-01

Many user-centered design methods (UCDM) have been developed within the last decades. However, industry increasingly demands for a new-generation UCDM since only few of the existing UCDM seem to be applicable to the daily design practice. This paper first discusses the main criteria regarding such

Comparative study for the design of optimal composite pressure vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butt, A.M.; Haq, S.W.U.

2009-01-01

Composite pressure vessels require special design attention to the dome region because of the varying wind angles generated using the filament winding process. Geometric variations in the dome region cause the fiber to change angels and thickness and hence offer difficulty to acquire a constant stress profile (isotensoid). Therefore a dome contour which allows an isotensoid behavior is the required structure. Two design methods to generate dome profiles for similar dome openings were investigated namely Netting Analysis and Optimal Design method. Both methods assume that loads are carried by the fiber alone (monotropic) ignoring the complete composite behavior. Former method produced a lower dome internal volume and a higher fiber thickness as compared to the later optimal design method when studied against different normalized dome opening radiuses. The optimal dome contour was studied in ANSYS with a trial design. The dome was considered to have transversely isotropic property with a dome contour based on monotropic model. While investigating the dome with non linear large displacement finite element analysis, the dome still exhibited isotensoid behavior with transverse isotropic material assignment. Elliptic integrals were used to generate the optimal dome contours and hence elliptic dome contours were formed which were isotensoid in nature with complete composite representation. (author)

Enhancing user experience design with an integrated storytelling method

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peng, Qiong; Matterns, Jean Bernard; Marcus, A.

2016-01-01

Storytelling has been known as a service design method and been used broadly not only in service design but also in the context of user experience design. However, practitioners cannot yet fully appreciate the benefits of storytelling, and often confuse storytelling with storyboarding and scenarios.

A Frequency Domain Design Method For Sampled-Data Compensators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niemann, Hans Henrik; Jannerup, Ole Erik

1990-01-01

A new approach to the design of a sampled-data compensator in the frequency domain is investigated. The starting point is a continuous-time compensator for the continuous-time system which satisfy specific design criteria. The new design method will graphically show how the discrete...

Receptor-based 3D-QSAR in Drug Design: Methods and Applications in Kinase Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Cheng; Xiao, Zhiyan

2016-01-01

Receptor-based 3D-QSAR strategy represents a superior integration of structure-based drug design (SBDD) and three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) analysis. It combines the accurate prediction of ligand poses by the SBDD approach with the good predictability and interpretability of statistical models derived from the 3D-QSAR approach. Extensive efforts have been devoted to the development of receptor-based 3D-QSAR methods and two alternative approaches have been exploited. One associates with computing the binding interactions between a receptor and a ligand to generate structure-based descriptors for QSAR analyses. The other concerns the application of various docking protocols to generate optimal ligand poses so as to provide reliable molecular alignments for the conventional 3D-QSAR operations. This review highlights new concepts and methodologies recently developed in the field of receptorbased 3D-QSAR, and in particular, covers its application in kinase studies.

Development of computational methods of design by analysis for pressure vessel components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao Shiyi; Zhou Yu; He Shuyan; Wu Honglin

2005-01-01

Stress classification is not only one of key steps when pressure vessel component is designed by analysis, but also a difficulty which puzzles engineers and designers at all times. At present, for calculating and categorizing the stress field of pressure vessel components, there are several computation methods of design by analysis such as Stress Equivalent Linearization, Two-Step Approach, Primary Structure method, Elastic Compensation method, GLOSS R-Node method and so on, that are developed and applied. Moreover, ASME code also gives an inelastic method of design by analysis for limiting gross plastic deformation only. When pressure vessel components design by analysis, sometimes there are huge differences between the calculating results for using different calculating and analysis methods mentioned above. As consequence, this is the main reason that affects wide application of design by analysis approach. Recently, a new approach, presented in the new proposal of a European Standard, CEN's unfired pressure vessel standard EN 13445-3, tries to avoid problems of stress classification by analyzing pressure vessel structure's various failure mechanisms directly based on elastic-plastic theory. In this paper, some stress classification methods mentioned above, are described briefly. And the computational methods cited in the European pressure vessel standard, such as Deviatoric Map, and nonlinear analysis methods (plastic analysis and limit analysis), are depicted compendiously. Furthermore, the characteristics of computational methods of design by analysis are summarized for selecting the proper computational method when design pressure vessel component by analysis. (authors)

New evaluation methods for conceptual design selection using computational intelligence techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Hong Zhong; Liu, Yu; Li, Yanfeng; Wang, Zhonglai [University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu (China); Xue, Lihua [Higher Education Press, Beijing (China)

2013-03-15

The conceptual design selection, which aims at choosing the best or most desirable design scheme among several candidates for the subsequent detailed design stage, oftentimes requires a set of tools to conduct design evaluation. Using computational intelligence techniques, such as fuzzy logic, neural network, genetic algorithm, and physical programming, several design evaluation methods are put forth in this paper to realize the conceptual design selection under different scenarios. Depending on whether an evaluation criterion can be quantified or not, the linear physical programming (LPP) model and the RAOGA-based fuzzy neural network (FNN) model can be utilized to evaluate design alternatives in conceptual design stage. Furthermore, on the basis of Vanegas and Labib's work, a multi-level conceptual design evaluation model based on the new fuzzy weighted average (NFWA) and the fuzzy compromise decision-making method is developed to solve the design evaluation problem consisting of many hierarchical criteria. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is demonstrated via several illustrative examples.

New evaluation methods for conceptual design selection using computational intelligence techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Hong Zhong; Liu, Yu; Li, Yanfeng; Wang, Zhonglai; Xue, Lihua

2013-01-01

The conceptual design selection, which aims at choosing the best or most desirable design scheme among several candidates for the subsequent detailed design stage, oftentimes requires a set of tools to conduct design evaluation. Using computational intelligence techniques, such as fuzzy logic, neural network, genetic algorithm, and physical programming, several design evaluation methods are put forth in this paper to realize the conceptual design selection under different scenarios. Depending on whether an evaluation criterion can be quantified or not, the linear physical programming (LPP) model and the RAOGA-based fuzzy neural network (FNN) model can be utilized to evaluate design alternatives in conceptual design stage. Furthermore, on the basis of Vanegas and Labib's work, a multi-level conceptual design evaluation model based on the new fuzzy weighted average (NFWA) and the fuzzy compromise decision-making method is developed to solve the design evaluation problem consisting of many hierarchical criteria. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is demonstrated via several illustrative examples.

Linking Symbolic Interactionism and Grounded Theory Methods in a Research Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Chamberlain-Salaun

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on Corbin and Strauss’ evolved version of grounded theory. In the third edition of their seminal text, Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, the authors present 16 assumptions that underpin their conception of grounded theory methodology. The assumptions stem from a symbolic interactionism perspective of social life, including the themes of meaning, action and interaction, self and perspectives. As research design incorporates both methodology and methods, the authors aim to expose the linkages between the 16 assumptions and essential grounded theory methods, highlighting the application of the latter in light of the former. Analyzing the links between symbolic interactionism and essential grounded theory methods provides novice researchers and researchers new to grounded theory with a foundation from which to design an evolved grounded theory research study.

Mixed-methods designs in mental health services research: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Horwitz, Sarah M; Chamberlain, Patricia; Hurlburt, Michael S; Landsverk, John

2011-03-01

Despite increased calls for use of mixed-methods designs in mental health services research, how and why such methods are being used and whether there are any consistent patterns that might indicate a consensus about how such methods can and should be used are unclear. Use of mixed methods was examined in 50 peer-reviewed journal articles found by searching PubMed Central and 60 National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded projects found by searching the CRISP database over five years (2005-2009). Studies were coded for aims and the rationale, structure, function, and process for using mixed methods. A notable increase was observed in articles published and grants funded over the study period. However, most did not provide an explicit rationale for using mixed methods, and 74% gave priority to use of quantitative methods. Mixed methods were used to accomplish five distinct types of study aims (assess needs for services, examine existing services, develop new or adapt existing services, evaluate services in randomized controlled trials, and examine service implementation), with three categories of rationale, seven structural arrangements based on timing and weighting of methods, five functions of mixed methods, and three ways of linking quantitative and qualitative data. Each study aim was associated with a specific pattern of use of mixed methods, and four common patterns were identified. These studies offer guidance for continued progress in integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in mental health services research consistent with efforts by NIH and other funding agencies to promote their use.

Participatory Design Methods for Collaboration and Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tara Wood

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Website redesigns can be contentious and fraught in any type of organization, and libraries are no exception. Coming to consensus on priorities and design decisions is nearly impossible, as different groups compete to ensure their subject or specialty area is represented. To keep projects on track and on time, libraries may give a few staff members the authority to make all of the decisions, while keeping user research limited to a small number of usability tests. While these tactics are sometimes necessary, at best they can leave many feeling left out of the process, and at worst, can result in major oversights in the final design. Participatory design methods can bring users and stakeholders into the design process and ultimately lead to a better design and less friction in the project. The authors share their experience and lessons learned using participatory design techniques in a website redesign project at a large, multi-location academic library, and how these techniques facilitated communication, shaped design decisions, and kept a complex, difficult project on track.

Bionic Design Methods - A practical approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kepler, Jørgen Asbøll; Stokholm, Marianne Denise J.

2004-01-01

Nature has served as inspiration for product design throughout history. Applications range from poetic translations of form to utilization of primary functional principles. This paper describes a generally applicable design methodology for transforming natural functional principles to feasible...... product design. From a formulation of design demands, which need not necessarily be very precise, the approach continues with a study of natural objects (anaimals, plants) which are subject to the same demands. From this study, the working principle(s) are derived. This (these) are then clarified through...... illustrative models, which should be simplified as much as possible. The simplified principle may now be evaluated and transformed into practical design. The methodology is clarified through examples, taken from a series of extended workshops held atAalborg University ....

Design and methods in a survey of living conditions in the Arctic - the SLiCA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Eliassen, Bent-Martin; Melhus, Marita; Kruse, Jack; Poppel, Birger; Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild

2012-03-19

The main objective of this study is to describe the methods and design of the survey of living conditions in the Arctic (SLiCA), relevant participation rates and the distribution of participants, as applicable to the survey data in Alaska, Greenland and Norway. This article briefly addresses possible selection bias in the data and also the ways to tackle it in future studies. Population-based cross-sectional survey. Indigenous individuals aged 16 years and older, living in Greenland, Alaska and in traditional settlement areas in Norway, were invited to participate. Random sampling methods were applied in Alaska and Greenland, while non-probability sampling methods were applied in Norway. Data were collected in 3 periods: in Alaska, from January 2002 to February 2003; in Greenland, from December 2003 to August 2006; and in Norway, in 2003 and from June 2006 to June 2008. The principal method in SLiCA was standardised face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. A total of 663, 1,197 and 445 individuals were interviewed in Alaska, Greenland and Norway, respectively. Very high overall participation rates of 83% were obtained in Greenland and Alaska, while a more conventional rate of 57% was achieved in Norway. A predominance of female respondents was obtained in Alaska. Overall, the Sami cohort is older than the cohorts from Greenland and Alaska. Preliminary assessments suggest that selection bias in the Sami sample is plausible but not a major threat. Few or no threats to validity are detected in the data from Alaska and Greenland. Despite different sampling and recruitment methods, and sociocultural differences, a unique database has been generated, which shall be used to explore relationships between health and other living conditions variables.

Research on conflict resolution of collaborative design with fuzzy case-based reasoning method

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HOU Jun-ming; SU Chong; LIANG Shuang; WANG Wan-shan

2009-01-01

Collaborative design is a new style for modern mechanical design to meet the requirement of increasing competition. Designers of different places complete the same work, but the conflict appears in the process of design which may interface the design. Case-based reasoning (CBR) method is applied to the problem of conflict resolution, which is in the artificial intelligence field. However, due to the uncertainties in knowledge representation, attribute description, and similarity measures of CBR, it is very difficult to find the similar cases from case database. A fuzzy CBR method was proposed to solve the problem of conflict resolution in collaborative design. The process of fuzzy CBR was introduced. Based on the feature attributes and their relative weights determined by a fuzzy technique, a fuzzy CBR retrieving mechanism was developed to retrieve conflict resolution cases that tend to enhance the functions of the database. By indexing, calculating the weight and defuzzicating of the cases, the case similarity can be obtained. Then the case consistency was measured to keep the right result. Finally, the fuzzy CBR method for conflict resolution was demonstrated by means of a case study. The prototype system based on web is developed to illustrate the methodology.

Design of Normal Concrete Mixtures Using Workability-Dispersion-Cohesion Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisham Qasrawi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The workability-dispersion-cohesion method is a new proposed method for the design of normal concrete mixes. The method uses special coefficients called workability-dispersion and workability-cohesion factors. These coefficients relate workability to mobility and stability of the concrete mix. The coefficients are obtained from special charts depending on mix requirements and aggregate properties. The method is practical because it covers various types of aggregates that may not be within standard specifications, different water to cement ratios, and various degrees of workability. Simple linear relationships were developed for variables encountered in the mix design and were presented in graphical forms. The method can be used in countries where the grading or fineness of the available materials is different from the common international specifications (such as ASTM or BS. Results were compared to the ACI and British methods of mix design. The method can be extended to cover all types of concrete.

Study protocol: developing a decision system for inclusive housing: applying a systematic, mixed-method quasi-experimental design.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeeman, Heidi; Kendall, Elizabeth; Whitty, Jennifer A; Wright, Courtney J; Townsend, Clare; Smith, Dianne; Lakhani, Ali; Kennerley, Samantha

2016-03-15

Identifying the housing preferences of people with complex disabilities is a much needed, but under-developed area of practice and scholarship. Despite the recognition that housing is a social determinant of health and quality of life, there is an absence of empirical methodologies that can practically and systematically involve consumers in this complex service delivery and housing design market. A rigorous process for making effective and consistent development decisions is needed to ensure resources are used effectively and the needs of consumers with complex disability are properly met. This 3-year project aims to identify how the public and private housing market in Australia can better respond to the needs of people with complex disabilities whilst simultaneously achieving key corporate objectives. First, using the Customer Relationship Management framework, qualitative (Nominal Group Technique) and quantitative (Discrete Choice Experiment) methods will be used to quantify the housing preferences of consumers and their carers. A systematic mixed-method, quasi-experimental design will then be used to quantify the development priorities of other key stakeholders (e.g., architects, developers, Government housing services etc.) in relation to inclusive housing for people with complex disabilities. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 1 (experimental group) will participate in a series of focus groups employing Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methodology. Stakeholders randomly assigned to Group 2 (control group) will participate in focus groups employing existing decision making processes to inclusive housing development (e.g., Risk, Opportunity, Cost, Benefit considerations). Using comparative stakeholder analysis, this research design will enable the AHP methodology (a proposed tool to guide inclusive housing development decisions) to be tested. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will enable stakeholders to incorporate consumer housing

A study on the automated design system for gear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, H. Y.; Nam, G. J.; Oh, B. K. [Chungbuk National Univ., Cheongju (Korea, Republic of)

2001-07-01

A computer aided design system for spur, helical, bevel and worm gears by using AutoCAD system and its AutoLISP computer language was newly developed in this study. Two methods are available for a designer to draw a gear. The first method needs the gear design parameters such as pressure, module, number of tooth, shaft angle, velocity, materials, etc. When the gear design parameters are inputted, a gear is drawn in AutoCAD system and maximum allowable power and shaft diameter are calculated additionally. The second method calculates all dimensions and gear design parameters to draw a gear when the information such as transmission, reduction ratio, rpm, materials and pressure are inputted. The system includes four programs. Each program is composed of a data input module, a database module, a strength calculation module, a drawing module, a text module and a drawing edit module. In conclusion, the CAD system would be widely used in companies to find the geometric data and manufacturing course.

A study on the automated design system for gear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, H. Y.; Nam, G. J.; Oh, B. K.

2001-01-01

A computer aided design system for spur, helical, bevel and worm gears by using AutoCAD system and its AutoLISP computer language was newly developed in this study. Two methods are available for a designer to draw a gear. The first method needs the gear design parameters such as pressure, module, number of tooth, shaft angle, velocity, materials, etc. When the gear design parameters are inputted, a gear is drawn in AutoCAD system and maximum allowable power and shaft diameter are calculated additionally. The second method calculates all dimensions and gear design parameters to draw a gear when the information such as transmission, reduction ratio, rpm, materials and pressure are inputted. The system includes four programs. Each program is composed of a data input module, a database module, a strength calculation module, a drawing module, a text module and a drawing edit module. In conclusion, the CAD system would be widely used in companies to find the geometric data and manufacturing course

A standardized method for beam design in neutron capture therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storr, G.J.: Harrington, B.V.

1993-01-01

A desirable end point for a given beam design for Neutron Capture Therapy (NCT) should be quantitative description of tumour control probability and normal tissue damage. Achieving this goal will ultimately rely on data from NCT human clinical trials. Traditional descriptions of beam designs have used a variety of assessment methods to quantify proposed or installed beam designs. These methods include measurement and calculation of open-quotes free fieldclose quotes parameters, such as neutron and gamma flux intensities and energy spectra, and figures-of-merit in tissue equivalent phantoms. The authors propose here a standardized method for beam design in NCT. This method would allow all proposed and existing NCT beam facilities to be compared equally. The traditional approach to determining a quantitative description of tumour control probability and normal tissue damage in NCT research may be described by the following path: Beam design → dosimetry → macroscopic effects → microscopic effects. Methods exist that allow neutron and gamma fluxes and energy dependence to be calculated and measured to good accuracy. By using this information and intermediate dosimetric quantities such as kerma factors for neutrons and gammas, macroscopic effect (absorbed dose) in geometries of tissue or tissue-equivalent materials can be calculated. After this stage, for NCT the data begins to become more sparse and in some areas ambiguous. Uncertainties in the Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) of some NCT dose components means that beam designs based on assumptions considered valid a few years ago may have to be reassessed. A standard method is therefore useful for comparing different NCT facilities

Design of heat exchangers by numerical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konuk, A.A.

1981-01-01

Differential equations describing the heat tranfer in shell - and tube heat exchangers are derived and solved numerically. The method of ΔT sub(lm) is compared with the proposed method in cases where the specific heat at constant pressure, Cp and the overall heat transfer coefficient, U, vary with temperature. The error of the method of ΔT sub (lm) for the computation of the exchanger lenght is less than + 10%. However, the numerical method, being more accurate and at the same time easy to use and economical, is recommended for the design of shell-and-tube heat exchangers. (Author) [pt

A design method of oscillatory De-Qing circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Wenquan

1988-01-01

With some particular advantages the oscillatory De-Qing circuit now is widely used. However its design is very complex. By means of a quantitative analysis for this circuit a group of design formulas is obtained. According to these design formulas the maximum allowable charging inductance L c , the De-Qing network resistance R and capacitance C can easily be determined, if the PFN capacitance C N , the maximum pulse frequency F max , and percentage regulation η are given. Simple and direct formulas for specific situation are listed. Finally, a design example is given and a comparison with experimental result is made, which shows that the design method is feasible and reliable

Research on design method of main control room intake air radioactive monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Lei; Sun Yu; Wang Jiaoya; Liu Hongtao

2014-01-01

According to the design of the main control room intake gamma radiation dose rate monitoring channels in CPR1000 project and the study of relevant regulations and standards, a design method of main control room air inlet radioactive monitoring was presented. The measured object, equipment layout and chain operation were described. The threshold setting was explored using a calculation model established by MCNP software. The advantages, disadvantages and improvement ideas of this design were presented on the basis of calculation results. (authors)

New method for designing serial resonant power converters

Science.gov (United States)

Hinov, Nikolay

2017-12-01

In current work is presented one comprehensive method for design of serial resonant energy converters. The method is based on new simplified approach in analysis of such kind power electronic devices. It is grounded on supposing resonant mode of operation when finding relation between input and output voltage regardless of other operational modes (when controlling frequency is below or above resonant frequency). This approach is named `quasiresonant method of analysis', because it is based on assuming that all operational modes are `sort of' resonant modes. An estimation of error was made because of the a.m. hypothesis and is compared to the classic analysis. The `quasiresonant method' of analysis gains two main advantages: speed and easiness in designing of presented power circuits. Hence it is very useful in practice and in teaching Power Electronics. Its applicability is proven with mathematic modelling and computer simulation.

Using service design methods for B2b service brand concept development: Case company

OpenAIRE

Molina Escalante, Hugo

2014-01-01

A short time before this study was initiated, a small B2b service company had just began op-erating its business without a brand of it’s own. The company owners were looking to design an innovative brand for their business. The purpose of this thesis was to develop the brand for this service Company in the B2b context, using practical service design and Strategic design research methods. This thesis report represents a framework for developing a B2b service brand using research methods c...

Comparing two methods of education (virtual versus traditional) on learning of Iranian dental students: a post-test only design study.

Science.gov (United States)

Moazami, Fariborz; Bahrampour, Ehsan; Azar, Mohammad Reza; Jahedi, Farzad; Moattari, Marzieh

2014-03-05

The importance of using technologies such as e-learning in different disciplines is discussed in the literature. Researchers have measured the effectiveness of e-learning in a number of fields.Considering the lack of research on the effectiveness of online learning in dental education particularly in Iran, the advantages of these learning methods and the positive university atmosphere regarding the use of online learning. This study, therefore, aims to compare the effects of two methods of teaching (virtual versus traditional) on student learning. This post-test only design study approached 40, fifth year dental students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. From this group, 35 students agreed to participate. These students were randomly allocated into two groups, experimental (virtual learning) and comparison (traditional learning). To ensure similarity between groups, we compared GPAs of all participants by the Mann-Whitney U test (P > 0.05). The experimental group received a virtual learning environment courseware package specifically designed for this study, whereas the control group received the same module structured in a traditional lecture form. The virtual learning environment consisted of online and offline materials. Two identical valid, reliable post-tests that consisted of 40 multiple choice questions (MCQs) and 4 essay questions were administered immediately (15 min) after the last session and two months later to assess for knowledge retention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20. A comparison of the mean knowledge score of both groups showed that virtual learning was more effective than traditional learning (effect size = 0.69). The newly designed virtual learning package is feasible and will result in more effective learning in comparison with lecture-based training. However further studies are needed to generalize the findings of this study.

Review of methods for the integration of reliability and design engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reilly, J.T.

1978-03-01

A review of methods for the integration of reliability and design engineering was carried out to establish a reliability program philosophy, an initial set of methods, and procedures to be used by both the designer and reliability analyst. The report outlines a set of procedures which implements a philosophy that requires increased involvement by the designer in reliability analysis. Discussions of each method reviewed include examples of its application

Design Methods in the Emergent City

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samson, Kristine

The paper seeks to define urban design in relation to the specific challenges of emerging cities. Through a case study of Mudo Coletivos temporary structure, Bolha Imobiliaria, and the making of it, I wish to outline a design approach for urban design in cities lacking public spaces. Urban design...... is understood in a broad sense, not as architectural design but as spatial design and artistic interventions in public space. Through the paper I will address how the designer can co-create and reassemble existing urban spaces through design acts. The approach suggests a situated design methodology but is based...... on a theoretical understanding. It is my belief that the designer, by looking into the emergent properties of urban spaces, instead of its physical and cartographical outlines, can see her work as a processual intervention in the city rather than durable object design....

A method optimization study for atomic absorption ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A sensitive, reliable and relative fast method has been developed for the determination of total zinc in insulin by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. This designed study was used to optimize the procedures for the existing methods. Spectrograms of both standard and sample solutions of zinc were recorded by measuring ...

Precision die design by the die expansion method

CERN Document Server

Ibhadode, A O Akii

2009-01-01

This book presents a new method for the design of the precision dies used in cold-forging, extrusion and drawing processes. The method is based upon die expansion, and attempts to provide a clear-cut theoretical basis for the selection of critical die dimensions for this group of precision dies when the tolerance on product diameter (or thickness) is specified. It also presents a procedure for selecting the minimum-production-cost die from among a set of design alternatives. The mathematical content of the book is relatively simple and will present no difficulty to those who have taken basic c

Variation in choice of study design: findings from the Epidemiology Design Decision Inventory and Evaluation (EDDIE) survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Stang, Paul E; Ryan, Patrick B; Overhage, J Marc; Schuemie, Martijn J; Hartzema, Abraham G; Welebob, Emily

2013-10-01

Researchers using observational data to understand drug effects must make a number of analytic design choices that suit the characteristics of the data and the subject of the study. Review of the published literature suggests that there is a lack of consistency even when addressing the same research question in the same database. To characterize the degree of similarity or difference in the method and analysis choices made by observational database research experts when presented with research study scenarios. On-line survey using research scenarios on drug-effect studies to capture method selection and analysis choices that follow a dependency branching based on response to key questions. Voluntary participants experienced in epidemiological study design solicited for participation through registration on the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership website, membership in particular professional organizations, or links in relevant newsletters. Description (proportion) of respondents selecting particular methods and making specific analysis choices based on individual drug-outcome scenario pairs. The number of questions/decisions differed based on stem questions of study design, time-at-risk, outcome definition, and comparator. There is little consistency across scenarios, by drug or by outcome of interest, in the decisions made for design and analyses in scenarios using large healthcare databases. The most consistent choice was the cohort study design but variability in the other critical decisions was common. There is great variation among epidemiologists in the design and analytical choices that they make when implementing analyses in observational healthcare databases. These findings confirm that it will be important to generate empiric evidence to inform these decisions and to promote a better understanding of the impact of standardization on research implementation.

WSDM : A user-centred design method for web sites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Troyer, O.M.F.; Leune, C.J.

1998-01-01

WSDM is a user-centered method for the design of kiosk Web Sites. By explicitly starting from the requirements of the users or visitors, WSDM solves Web site problems that are primarily caused by that fact that a site has no underlying design at all, or that the design is mostly data-driven.

Harbourscape Aalborg - Design Based Methods in Waterfront Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiib, Hans

2012-01-01

How can city planners and developers gain knowledge and develop new sustainable concepts for water front developments? The waterfront is far too often threatened by new privatisation, lack of public access and bad architecture. And in a time where low growth rates and crises in the building...... industry is leaving great parts of the harbour as urban voids planners are in search of new tools for bridging the time gap until new projects can be a reality. This chapter presents the development of waterfront regeneration concepts that resulted from design based workshops, Harbourscape Aalborg in 2005...... and Performative Architecture Workshop in 2008, and evaluates the method and the thinking behind this. The design workshops provide different design-based development methods which can be tested with the purpose of developing new concepts for the relationship between the city and its harbour, and in addition...

Methods of designing and manufacturing a heat exchanger for the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The article describes the method of calculation, design and manufacture of the the plate heat exchanger for the gas turbine plants with heat recovery. We represented the method of threedimensional calculation, which allowed conducting a virtual experiment and clarifying the design of the heat exchanger for the given ...

When are night shifts effective for nursing student clinical learning? Findings from a mixed-method study design.

Science.gov (United States)

Palese, Alvisa; Basso, Felix; Del Negro, Elena; Achil, Illarj; Ferraresi, Annamaria; Morandini, Marzia; Moreale, Renzo; Mansutti, Irene

2017-05-01

Some nursing programmes offer night shifts for students while others do not, mainly due to the lack of evidence regarding their effectiveness on clinical learning. The principal aims of the study were to describe nursing students' perceptions and to explore conditions influencing effectiveness on learning processes during night shifts. An explanatory mixed-method study design composed of a cross-sectional study (primary method, first phase) followed by a descriptive phenomenological study design (secondary method, second phase) in 2015. Two bachelor of nursing degree programmes located in Northern Italy, three years in length and requiring night shifts for students starting in the second semester of the 1st year, were involved. First phase: all nursing students ending their last clinical placement of the academic year attended were eligible; 352 out the 370 participated. Second phase: a purposeful sample of nine students among those included in the first phase and who attended the highest amount of night shifts were interviewed. First phase: a questionnaire composed of closed and open-ended questions was adopted; data was analyzed through descriptive statistical methods. Second phase: an open-ended face-to-face audio-recorded interview was adopted and data was analyzed through content analysis. Findings from the quantitative phase, showed that students who attended night shifts reported satisfaction (44.7%) less frequently than those who attended only day shifts (55.9%). They also reported boredom (23.5%) significantly more often compared to day shift students (p=0001). Understanding of the nursing role and learning competence was significantly inferior among night shift students as compared to day shift students, while the perception of wasting time was significantly higher among night shift students compared to their counterparts. Night shift students performed nursing rounds (288; 98.2%), non-nursing tasks (247; 84.3%) and/or less often managed clinical problems

Financial methods for waterflooding injectate design

Science.gov (United States)

Heneman, Helmuth J.; Brady, Patrick V.

2017-08-08

A method of selecting an injectate for recovering liquid hydrocarbons from a reservoir includes designing a plurality of injectates, calculating a net present value of each injectate, and selecting a candidate injectate based on the net present value. For example, the candidate injectate may be selected to maximize the net present value of a waterflooding operation.

Urban and Building Design Methods for Resource Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sattrup, Peter Andreas

2014-01-01

. Having a structured approach to design methods, a design methodology, is a fundamental aid in decisionmaking and resource management through design. At DTU Civil Engineering experiments are made in crossdisciplinary collaboration between engineers of different specializations and outside collaborators...... but a fewdimensions. Engineers may influence decision making at all levels, and do in many instances have directresponsibility for decision making, - however many (Civil) engineers don’t really think of themselves asdesigners. However this perception is changing. Engineering is fundamentally a design discipline...... management and decision support regardingthe development of the built environment towards a sustainable future....

OLP embedment design method research for AP1000 nuclear plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Cheng; Li Shaoping; Liu Jianwei

2013-01-01

Background: One of the most advanced nuclear power technology, the first AP1000 reactor is under construction in China. Modularization is one of the main characteristics for AP1000 nuclear plant building. Module wall with steel face plate is used instead of reinforced concrete structure wall. A number of OLP embedments need to be installed into the module wall to connect other structures such as pipes, equipment, operation platforms and any other component attached to the module wall. Therefore, the design of embedment is very important in AP1000 structural design. Purpose: A finite element analysis method and tool for embedment design is needed for convenience. Methods: This paper applies the self-developed GTStrudl command template and VBA macro program for embedment capacity calculation and evaluation based on Microsoft Excel to the embedment design. Results: A Microsoft Excel template for embedment design is developed. Conclusions: The analysis method and template brings reasonable results and may provide some help and use for reference for the engineering practice. (authors)

Shoreline ecology program for Prince William Sound, Alaska, following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Part 1: Study design and methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Page, D.S.; Gilfillan, E.S.; Boehm, P.D.; Harner, E.J.

1995-01-01

This paper describes the design and analysis of a large field and laboratory program to assess shoreline recovery in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The study was designed so that results could be generalized area-wide (biology, chemistry) or habitat-wide (toxicology) and projected forward in time (chemistry). It made use of the sediment quality triad approach, combining biological, chemical, and toxicological measurements to assess shoreline recovery. Key aspects of the study include the following: coordinated field sampling for chemical, toxicological, and biological studies; stratified random sampling (SRS) as a basis for spatial generalization; periodic sampling to assess trends, including sites with worst-case conditions; analysis of oil-spill effects on hundreds of species; statistical methods based on normal and non-normal theory, consistent with the structure of the data, including generalized linear models and multivariate correspondence analysis. 45 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

Rationale, design, and methods for Canadian alliance for healthy hearts and minds cohort study (CAHHM – a Pan Canadian cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia S. Anand

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds (CAHHM is a pan-Canadian, prospective, multi-ethnic cohort study being conducted in Canada. The overarching objective of the CAHHM is to understand the association of socio-environmental and contextual factors (such as societal structure, activity, nutrition, social and tobacco environments, and access to health services with cardiovascular risk factors, subclinical vascular disease, and cardiovascular and other chronic disease outcomes. Methods/Design Participants between 35 and 69 years of age are being recruited from existing cohorts and a new First Nations Cohort to undergo a detailed assessment of health behaviours (including diet and physical activity, cognitive function, assessment of their local home and workplace environments, and their health services access and utilization. Physical measures including weight, height, waist/hip circumference, body fat percentage, and blood pressure are collected. In addition, eligible participants undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI of the brain, heart, carotid artery and abdomen to detect early subclinical vascular disease and ectopic fat deposition. Discussion CAHHM is a prospective cohort study designed to investigate the impact of community level factors, individual health behaviours, and access to health services, on cognitive function, subclinical vascular disease, fat distribution, and the development of chronic diseases among adults living in Canada.

Radon and radon progeny in 70 houses in the Tennessee Valley area: study design and measurement methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudney, C.S.; Hawthorne, A.R.; Monar, K.P.; Quillen, J.L.; Clark, C. Jr.; Doane, R.W.; Wallace, R.G.; Reed, R.P.

1986-01-01

Levels of radon and its short-lived airborne progeny are being measured in a year-long study of 70 houses in four states in the Tennessee Valley. Various methods were used to solicit volunteers with differing degrees of success. Criteria for selection of houses in the study included presence of a lower level with cement floor and one or more block walls in contact with the soil, absence of obvious indications of technologically enhanced sources of radium, and proximity to one of four cities (Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, or Florence). By design, most houses in the study are in the same neighborhood as at least one other house in the study. Houses range in age from newly constructed to about 40 years old. Most of the houses have more than 2000 square feet of finished floor space. The lower level encompasses a garage in most cases. More complete information pertaining to house characteristics will be gathered in the course of the study. 19 refs., 1 fig

Developments of an Interactive Sail Design Method

OpenAIRE

S. M. Malpede; M. Vezza

2000-01-01

This paper presents a new tool for performing the integrated design and analysis of a sail. The features of the system are the geometrical definition of a sail shape, using the Bezier surface method, the creation of a finite element model for the non-linear structural analysis and a fluid-dynamic model for the aerodynamic analysis. The system has been developed using MATLAB(r). Recent sail design efforts have been focused on solving the aeroelastic behavior of the sail. The pressure dis...

Search for design intelligence: A field study on the role of emotional intelligence in architectural design studios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sajjad Nazidizaji

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The design studio is the core of the architecture curriculum. Interpersonal interactions have a key role during the processes of design and critique. The influence of emotional intelligence (EQ on interpersonal communication skills has been widely proven. This study examines the correlation between EQ and architectural design competence. To achieve this, 78 architecture students were selected via a simple random sampling method and tested using an EQ test questionnaire developed by Bradbury and Greaves (2006. The scores of five architectural design studio courses (ADS-1, ADS-2, ADS-3, ADS-4, and ADS-5 were used as indicators of the progress in design of the students. Descriptive and inferential statistics methods were both employed to analyze the research data. The methods included correlation analysis, mean comparison t-test for independent samples, and single sample t-test. Findings showed no significant relationship between EQ and any of the indicators.

Thermodynamic Studies for Drug Design and Screening

Science.gov (United States)

Garbett, Nichola C.; Chaires, Jonathan B.

2012-01-01

Introduction A key part of drug design and development is the optimization of molecular interactions between an engineered drug candidate and its binding target. Thermodynamic characterization provides information about the balance of energetic forces driving binding interactions and is essential for understanding and optimizing molecular interactions. Areas covered This review discusses the information that can be obtained from thermodynamic measurements and how this can be applied to the drug development process. Current approaches for the measurement and optimization of thermodynamic parameters are presented, specifically higher throughput and calorimetric methods. Relevant literature for this review was identified in part by bibliographic searches for the period 2004 – 2011 using the Science Citation Index and PUBMED and the keywords listed below. Expert opinion The most effective drug design and development platform comes from an integrated process utilizing all available information from structural, thermodynamic and biological studies. Continuing evolution in our understanding of the energetic basis of molecular interactions and advances in thermodynamic methods for widespread application are essential to realize the goal of thermodynamically-driven drug design. Comprehensive thermodynamic evaluation is vital early in the drug development process to speed drug development towards an optimal energetic interaction profile while retaining good pharmacological properties. Practical thermodynamic approaches, such as enthalpic optimization, thermodynamic optimization plots and the enthalpic efficiency index, have now matured to provide proven utility in design process. Improved throughput in calorimetric methods remains essential for even greater integration of thermodynamics into drug design. PMID:22458502

Thermodynamic studies for drug design and screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Garbett, Nichola C; Chaires, Jonathan B

2012-04-01

A key part of drug design and development is the optimization of molecular interactions between an engineered drug candidate and its binding target. Thermodynamic characterization provides information about the balance of energetic forces driving binding interactions and is essential for understanding and optimizing molecular interactions. This review discusses the information that can be obtained from thermodynamic measurements and how this can be applied to the drug development process. Current approaches for the measurement and optimization of thermodynamic parameters are presented, specifically higher throughput and calorimetric methods. Relevant literature for this review was identified in part by bibliographic searches for the period 2004 - 2011 using the Science Citation Index and PUBMED and the keywords listed below. The most effective drug design and development platform comes from an integrated process utilizing all available information from structural, thermodynamic and biological studies. Continuing evolution in our understanding of the energetic basis of molecular interactions and advances in thermodynamic methods for widespread application are essential to realize the goal of thermodynamically driven drug design. Comprehensive thermodynamic evaluation is vital early in the drug development process to speed drug development toward an optimal energetic interaction profile while retaining good pharmacological properties. Practical thermodynamic approaches, such as enthalpic optimization, thermodynamic optimization plots and the enthalpic efficiency index, have now matured to provide proven utility in the design process. Improved throughput in calorimetric methods remains essential for even greater integration of thermodynamics into drug design. © 2012 Informa UK, Ltd.

Schematic representation of case study research designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, John P; Yates, Patsy M

2007-11-01

The paper is a report of a study to demonstrate how the use of schematics can provide procedural clarity and promote rigour in the conduct of case study research. Case study research is a methodologically flexible approach to research design that focuses on a particular case - whether an individual, a collective or a phenomenon of interest. It is known as the 'study of the particular' for its thorough investigation of particular, real-life situations and is gaining increased attention in nursing and social research. However, the methodological flexibility it offers can leave the novice researcher uncertain of suitable procedural steps required to ensure methodological rigour. This article provides a real example of a case study research design that utilizes schematic representation drawn from a doctoral study of the integration of health promotion principles and practices into a palliative care organization. The issues discussed are: (1) the definition and application of case study research design; (2) the application of schematics in research; (3) the procedural steps and their contribution to the maintenance of rigour; and (4) the benefits and risks of schematics in case study research. The inclusion of visual representations of design with accompanying explanatory text is recommended in reporting case study research methods.

RF quadrupole beam dynamics design studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crandall, K.R.; Stokes, R.H.; Wangler, T.P.

1979-01-01

The radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerator structure is expected to permit considerable flexibility in achieving linac design objectives at low velocities. Calculational studies show that the RFQ can accept a high-current, low-velocity, dc beam, bunch it with high efficiency, and accelerate it to a velocity suitable for injection into a drift-tube linac. Although it is relatively easy to generate a satisfactory design for an RFQ linac for low beam currents, the space-charge effects produced by high currents dominate the design criteria. Methods have been developed to generate solutions that make suitable compromises between the effects of emittance growth, transmission efficiency, and overall structure length. Results are given for a test RFQ linac operating at 425 MHz

Validation of newly developed and redesigned key indicator methods for assessment of different working conditions with physical workloads based on mixed-methods design: a study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Klussmann, Andre; Liebers, Falk; Brandstädt, Felix; Schust, Marianne; Serafin, Patrick; Schäfer, Andreas; Gebhardt, Hansjürgen; Hartmann, Bernd; Steinberg, Ulf

2017-08-21

The impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is considerable. The assessment of work tasks with physical workloads is crucial to estimate the work-related health risks of exposed employees. Three key indicator methods are available for risk assessment regarding manual lifting, holding and carrying of loads; manual pulling and pushing of loads; and manual handling operations. Three further KIMs for risk assessment regarding whole-body forces, awkward body postures and body movement have been developed de novo. In addition, the development of a newly drafted combined method for mixed exposures is planned. All methods will be validated regarding face validity, reliability, convergent validity, criterion validity and further aspects of utility under practical conditions. As part of the joint project MEGAPHYS (multilevel risk assessment of physical workloads), a mixed-methods study is being designed for the validation of KIMs and conducted in companies of different sizes and branches in Germany. Workplaces are documented and analysed by observations, applying KIMs, interviews and assessment of environmental conditions. Furthermore, a survey among the employees at the respective workplaces takes place with standardised questionnaires, interviews and physical examinations. It is intended to include 1200 employees at 120 different workplaces. For analysis of the quality criteria, recommendations of the COSMIN checklist (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) will be taken into account. The study was planned and conducted in accordance with the German Medical Professional Code and the Declaration of Helsinki as well as the German Federal Data Protection Act. The design of the study was approved by ethics committees. We intend to publish the validated KIMs in 2018. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at international meetings and disseminated to actual users for practical application. © Article

A Comparison of underground opening support design methods in jointed rock mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharavi, M.; Shafiezadeh, N.

2008-01-01

It is of great importance to consider long-term stability of rock mass around the openings of underground structure. during design, construction and operation of the said structures in rock. In this context. three methods namely. empirical. analytical and numerical have been applied to design and analyze the stability of underground infrastructure at the Siah Bisheh Pumping Storage Hydro-Electric Power Project in Iran. The geological and geotechnical data utilized in this article were selected and based on the preliminary studies of this project. In the initial stages of design. it was recommended that, two methods of rock mass classification Q and rock mass rating should be utilized for the support system of the underground cavern. Next, based on the structural instability, the support system was adjusted by the analytical method. The performance of the recommended support system was reviewed by the comparison of the ground response curve and rock support interactions with surrounding rock mass, using FEST03 software. Moreover, for further assessment of the realistic rock mass behavior and support system, the numerical modeling was performed utilizing FEST03 software. Finally both the analytical and numerical methods were compared, to obtain satisfactory results complimenting each other

FLANDES, Flange Design for He Circuits by Taylor-Forge Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitchford, B.E.

1977-01-01

1 - Nature of the physical problem solved: Flange design for helium circuits. 2 - Method of solution: This is a flange design programme based on the Taylor forge method with an additional calculation of flange rotation and bolt load change during the application of internal pressure. The method relates only to the integral hub type of flange, with or without a secondary O-ring seal but will deal also with the flange and cover plate case

Advance of core design method for ATR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, Seiichirou; Ihara, Toshiteru; Iijima, Takashi; Seino, Hideaki; Kobayashi, Tetsurou; Takeuchi, Michio; Sugawara, Satoru; Matsumoto, Mitsuo.

1995-01-01

Core characteristics of ATR demonstration plant has been revised such as increasing the fuel burnup and the channel power, which is achieved by changing the number of fuel rod per fuel assembly from 28 to 36. The research and development concerning the core design method for ATR have been continued. The calculational errors of core analysis code have been evaluated using the operational data of FUGEN and the full scale simulated test results in DCA (Deuterium Critical Assembly) and HTL (Heat Transfer Loop) at O-arai engineering center. It is confirmed that the calculational error of power distribution is smaller than the design value of ATR demonstration plant. Critical heat flux correlation curve for 36 fuel rod cluster has been developed and the probability evaluation method based on its curve, which is more rational to evaluate the fuel dryout, has been adopted. (author)

Designation and verification of road markings detection and guidance method

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Runze; Jian, Yabin; Li, Xiyuan; Shang, Yonghong; Wang, Jing; Zhang, JingChuan

2018-01-01

With the rapid development of China's space industry, digitization and intelligent is the tendency of the future. This report is present a foundation research about guidance system which based on the HSV color space. With the help of these research which will help to design the automatic navigation and parking system for the frock transport car and the infrared lamp homogeneity intelligent test equipment. The drive mode, steer mode as well as the navigation method was selected. In consideration of the practicability, it was determined to use the front-wheel-steering chassis. The steering mechanism was controlled by the stepping motors, and it is guided by Machine Vision. The optimization and calibration of the steering mechanism was made. A mathematical model was built and the objective functions was constructed for the steering mechanism. The extraction method of the steering line was studied and the motion controller was designed and optimized. The theory of HSV, RGB color space and analysis of the testing result will be discussed Using the function library OPENCV on the Linux system to fulfill the camera calibration. Based on the HSV color space to design the guidance algorithm.

Design method for fluid viscous dampers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Jiuhong; Hua, Hongxing [Shanghai Jiaotong University, State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai (China); Du, Jianye; Wang, Yu [Naval Arming Academy, Institute of Naval Vessels, Beijing (China)

2008-09-15

A basic design method of doubly acting fluid viscous dampers with double guide bars is presented. The flow of the viscoelastic fluid between two parallel plates, one of which is started suddenly and the other of which is still, is analyzed. According to this solution, the velocity and the shear stress of the fluid at the fringe of the piston are solved approximately. A mathematical model of viscous dampers is derived, and the shock test is carried out. From experimental results, the parameters of the mathematical model are determined. Consequently, a semi-empirical design equation is obtained. Applying this equation to a certain practical damper, the damping material is chosen and the physical dimensions of the damper are determined. Shock tests using this damper are performed. Theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental results, which validates the reliability of the calculated physical dimensions of the specimen damper and the validity of the basic design equation. (orig.)

A study on the fusion reactor - A study on the design feature of fusion reactor divertor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyung Jin [Chosun University, Kwangju (Korea, Republic of); Paek, Won Pil; Jang, Soon Hong [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Sim, Young Jae [Kyungsang University, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

1996-09-01

The contents and scope of the project can be summarized as, - study on the trend of divertor design - study on characteristics of coolant materials - study on characteristics of divertor materials - study on the thermal analysis method of divertor design. 36 refs., 12 tabs., 16 figs. (author)

Implementation of evidence on the nurse-patient relationship in psychiatric wards through a mixed method design: study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-Poyato, Antonio R; Delgado-Hito, Pilar; Suárez-Pérez, Raquel; Leyva-Moral, Juan M; Aceña-Domínguez, Rosa; Carreras-Salvador, Regina; Roldán-Merino, Juan F; Lluch-Canut, Teresa; Montesó-Curto, Pilar

2017-01-01

Psychiatric nurses are aware of the importance of the therapeutic relationship in psychiatric units. Nevertheless, a review of the scientific evidence indicates that theoretical knowledge alone is insufficient to establish an adequate therapeutic alliance. Therefore, strategies are required to promote changes to enhance the establishment of the working relationship. The aims of the study are to generate changes in how nurses establish the therapeutic relationship in acute psychiatric units, based on participative action research and to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of evidence through this method. The study will use a mixed method design. Qualitative methodology, through participative action research, will be employed to implement scientific evidence on the therapeutic relationship. A quasi-experimental, one-group, pre-test/post-test design will also be used to quantitatively measure the effectiveness of the implementation of the evidence. Participants will consist of nurses and patients from two psychiatric units in Barcelona. Nurses will be selected by theoretical sampling, and patients assigned to each nurses will be selected by consecutive sampling. Qualitative data will be gathered through discussion groups and field diaries. Quantitative data will be collected through the Working Alliance Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Qualitative data will be analysed through the technique of content analysis and quantitative data through descriptive and inferential statistics. This study will help to understand the process of change in a nursing team working in an inpatient psychiatric ward and will allow nurses to generate knowledge, identify difficulties, and establish strategies to implement change, as well as to assess whether the quality of the care they provide shows a qualitative improvement.

Dynamic design method for deep hard rock tunnels and its application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xia-Ting Feng

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Numerous deep underground projects have been designed and constructed in China, which are beyond the current specifications in terms of scale and construction difficulty. The severe failure problems induced by high in situ stress, such as rockburst, spalling, damage of deep surrounding rocks, and time-dependent damage, were observed during construction of these projects. To address these problems, the dynamic design method for deep hard rock tunnels is proposed based on the disintegration process of surrounding rocks using associated dynamic control theories and technologies. Seven steps are basically employed: (i determination of design objective, (ii characteristics of site, rock mass and project, and identification of constraint conditions, (iii selection or development of global design strategy, (iv determination of modeling method and software, (v preliminary design, (vi comprehensive integrated method and dynamic feedback analysis, and (vii final design. This dynamic method was applied to the construction of the headrace tunnels at Jinping II hydropower station. The key technical issues encountered during the construction of deep hard rock tunnels, such as in situ stress distribution along the tunnels, mechanical properties and constitutive model of deep hard rocks, determination of mechanical parameters of surrounding rocks, stability evaluation of surrounding rocks, and optimization design of rock support and lining, have been adequately addressed. The proposed method and its application can provide guidance for deep underground projects characterized with similar geological conditions.

Pharmaceutical compounds in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota: study design, methods, and data, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Sarah M.; Erickson, Melinda L.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, completed a study on the occurrence of pharmaceutical compounds and other contaminants of emerging concern in shallow groundwater in non-agricultural areas of Minnesota during 2013. This report describes the study design and methods for the study on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern, and presents the data collected on pharmaceutical compounds. Samples were analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory for 110 pharmaceutical compounds using research method 9017. Samples from 21 of 45 wells had detectable concentrations of at least one of the 110 compounds analyzed. One sample contained detectable concentrations of nine compounds, which was the most detected in a single sample. Fewer than five compounds were detected in most samples. Among all samples, 27 of the 110 compounds were detected in groundwater from at least one well. Desmethyldiltiazem and nicotine were the most frequently detected compounds, each detected in 5 of 46 environmental samples (one well was sampled twice so a total of 46 environmental samples were collected from 45 wells). Caffeine had the highest detectable concentration of all the compounds at 2,060 nanograms per liter.

Kinoform design with an optimal-rotation-angle method.

Science.gov (United States)

Bengtsson, J

1994-10-10

Kinoforms (i.e., computer-generated phase holograms) are designed with a new algorithm, the optimalrotation- angle method, in the paraxial domain. This is a direct Fourier method (i.e., no inverse transform is performed) in which the height of the kinoform relief in each discrete point is chosen so that the diffraction efficiency is increased. The optimal-rotation-angle algorithm has a straightforward geometrical interpretation. It yields excellent results close to, or better than, those obtained with other state-of-the-art methods. The optimal-rotation-angle algorithm can easily be modified to take different restraints into account; as an example, phase-swing-restricted kinoforms, which distribute the light into a number of equally bright spots (so called fan-outs), were designed. The phase-swing restriction lowers the efficiency, but the uniformity can still be made almost perfect.

Computer Aided Flowsheet Design using Group Contribution Methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bommareddy, Susilpa; Eden, Mario R.; Gani, Rafiqul

2011-01-01

In this paper, a systematic group contribution based framework is presented for synthesis of process flowsheets from a given set of input and output specifications. Analogous to the group contribution methods developed for molecular design, the framework employs process groups to represent...... information of each flowsheet to minimize the computational load and information storage. The design variables for the selected flowsheet(s) are identified through a reverse simulation approach and are used as initial estimates for rigorous simulation to verify the feasibility and performance of the design....

Study of deep cavern stability design method in radioactive waste repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dewa, Katsuyuki; Kumasaka, Hiroo; Utsugida, Yoshizo

1991-01-01

This paper proposes a stability design method regarding the strain of rock and the strength of support, and discusses the result of stability analysis of the shafts and disposal tunnels. In the case of upper class crystalline rock, it is possible to excavate an arched tunnel without support at the depth of 1,000 m. However, support is necessary in the case of middle and lower class rocks. Moreover, if the concrete support of over 100 cm is impossible, it is necessary to change the depth of 1,000 m to 600 m for the lower class rock. In the case of sedimentary rock, a circular profile is necessary for drilling at the depth of 500 m, it is very difficult to drill without support in all classes of sedimentary rocks. Stress release ratios are small except for the upper class or 25 % in the middle class and 20 % in the lower class. This means that drilling by machine is necessary to prevent the loosening of rock as much as possible. (J.P.N.)

A method for extracting design rationale knowledge based on Text Mining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Jihong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Capture design rationale (DR knowledge and presenting it to designers by good form, which have great significance for design reuse and design innovation. Since the 1970s design rationality began to develop, many teams have developed their own design rational system. However, the DR acquisition system is not intelligent enough, and it still requires designers to do a lot of operations. In addition, the existing design documents contain a large number of DR knowledge, but it has not been well excavated. Therefore, a method and system are needed to better extract DR knowledge in design documents. We have proposed a DRKH (design rationale knowledge hierarchy model for DR representation. The DRKH model has three layers, respectively as design intent layer, design decision layer and design basis layer. In this paper, we use text mining method to extract DR from design documents and construct DR model. Finally, the welding robot design specification is taken as an example to demonstrate the system interface.

Microclimate design methods for energy-saving houses on various site conditions in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min Kyeong

2008-07-09

A small area can have several different microclimates depending on how much sunlight, shade or wind are exposed on the area. Microclimate can be influenced by inclined terrain, surfaces, and 3-dimensionally geometry such as combinations of architectural elements and annex buildings. This study investigates microclimate modification for energy-saving using design elements of Korean traditional and passive house. Microclimate analysis method in this study enables to predict temporal and spatial variances in the building geometry. A combination of passive solar heating, cold wind blocking, indoor air circulation, natural ventilation cooling and shading etc, seasonally help to form a comfort condition with less energy consumption. The passive heating and cooling controls with microclimate modification are efficient to accomplish the energy efficiency in the building. This work includes the microclimate modifications of the high-performance designs, microclimate energy-saving methods, Passive House design methods, and common physical bases in energy simulation methods. For hot and humid summer in Korea, ventilation is beneficial for convective or evaporative cooling. The air flow through a building geometry is generated by differences in air temperature and pressure. The layout of surrounding buildings acts as barriers and diverts the flow into narrower. The resulted patterns of airflow are affected more by building geometry and orientation than by air speed. A novel simulation method combining multi-zone and CFD energy simulations is used to analyze energy-saving aspects in passive and microclimate design elements. EnergyPlus is a multi-zone energy simulation tool that uses a parameterization to simplify the energy-saving problem for each zone. However, the model is not appropriate to handle variations in the building geometry since it estimates only the average value for each volume. On the contrary, CFD method with subdivided grid units is more suitable to estimate

OpenMDAO: Framework for Flexible Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis and Optimization Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Christopher M.; Gray, Justin S.

2012-01-01

The OpenMDAO project is underway at NASA to develop a framework which simplifies the implementation of state-of-the-art tools and methods for multidisciplinary design, analysis and optimization. Foremost, OpenMDAO has been designed to handle variable problem formulations, encourage reconfigurability, and promote model reuse. This work demonstrates the concept of iteration hierarchies in OpenMDAO to achieve a flexible environment for supporting advanced optimization methods which include adaptive sampling and surrogate modeling techniques. In this effort, two efficient global optimization methods were applied to solve a constrained, single-objective and constrained, multiobjective version of a joint aircraft/engine sizing problem. The aircraft model, NASA's nextgeneration advanced single-aisle civil transport, is being studied as part of the Subsonic Fixed Wing project to help meet simultaneous program goals for reduced fuel burn, emissions, and noise. This analysis serves as a realistic test problem to demonstrate the flexibility and reconfigurability offered by OpenMDAO.

Methods for design flood estimation in South Africa | Smithers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The estimation of design floods is necessary for the design of hydraulic structures and to quantify the risk of failure of the structures. Most of the methods used for design flood estimation in South Africa were developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s and are in need of updating with more than 40 years of additional data ...

The Design of Optimal PID Control Method for Quadcopter Movement Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanum Arrosida

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, quadcopter motion control has become a popular research topic because of its versatile ability as an unmanned aircraft can be used to alleviate human labor and also be able to reach dangerous areas or areas which is unreachable to humans. On the other hand, the Optimal PID control method, which incorporates PID and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR control methods, has also been widely used in industry and research field because it has advantages that are easy to operate, easy design, and a good level of precision. In the PID control method, the main problem to be solved is the accuracy of the gain value Kp, Ki, and Kd because the inappropriateness of those value will result in an imprecise control action. Based on these problems and referring to the previous study, the optimal PID control method was developed by using PID controller structure with tuning gain parameter of PID through Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR method. Through the integration of these two control methods, the optimum solutions can be obtained: easier controller design process for quadcopter control when crossing the determined trajectories, steady state error values less than 5% and a stable quadcopter movement with roll and pitch angle stabilization at position 0 radians with minimum energy function.

Study on design method and vibration reduction characteristic of floating raft with periodic structure

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yuanyuan; Zuo, Yanyan; Xia, Zhaowang

2018-03-01

The noise level is getting higher with the development of high-power marine power plant. Mechanical noise is one of the most obvious noise sources which not only affect equipment reliability, riding comfort and working environment, but also enlarge underwater noise. The periodic truss type device which is commonly applied in fields of aerospace and architectural is introduced to floating raft construction in ship. Four different raft frame structure are designed in the paper. The vibration transmissibility is taken as an evaluation index to measure vibration isolation effect. A design scheme with the best vibration isolation effect is found by numerical method. Plate type and the optimized periodic truss type raft frame structure are processed to experimental verify vibration isolation effect of the structure of the periodic raft. The experimental results demonstrate that the same quality of the periodic truss floating raft has better isolation effect than that of the plate type floating raft.

Comparative study of electromagnetic compatibility methods in printed circuit board design tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marinova, Galia

2002-01-01

The paper considers the state-of-the art in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) oriented printed circuit board (PCB) design. A general methodology of EMC oriented PCB design is synthesized. The main CAD tools available today are estimated and compared for their abilities to treat EMC oriented design. To help non experts a knowledge-base containing more than 50 basic rules for EMC-oriented PCB design is proposed. It can be applied in the PCB design CAD tools that possess rule-builders or it can help interactive design. Trends in this area of EMC-oriented PCB design are deduced. (Author)

A Study on the Spatial Abilities of Prospective Social Studies Teachers: A Mixed Method Research

Science.gov (United States)

Yurt, Eyüp; Tünkler, Vural

2016-01-01

This study investigated prospective social studies teachers' spatial abilities. It was conducted with 234 prospective teachers attending Social Studies Teaching departments at Education Faculties of two universities in Central and Southern Anatolia. This study, designed according to the explanatory-sequential design, is a mixed research method,…

Soft Computing Methods for Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Design Problems

CERN Document Server

Chauhan, Narendra; Mittal, Ankush

2012-01-01

The growing commercial market of Microwave/ Millimeter wave industry over the past decade has led to the explosion of interests and opportunities for the design and development of microwave components.The design of most microwave components requires the use of commercially available electromagnetic (EM) simulation tools for their analysis. In the design process, the simulations are carried out by varying the design parameters until the desired response is obtained. The optimization of design parameters by manual searching is a cumbersome and time consuming process. Soft computing methods such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Fuzzy Logic (FL) have been widely used by EM researchers for microwave design since last decade. The aim of these methods is to tolerate imprecision, uncertainty, and approximation to achieve robust and low cost solution in a small time frame.  Modeling and optimization are essential parts and powerful tools for the microwave/millimeter wave design. This boo...

A Simple Method for High-Lift Propeller Conceptual Design

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Michael; Borer, Nick; German, Brian

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a simple method for designing propellers that are placed upstream of the leading edge of a wing in order to augment lift. Because the primary purpose of these "high-lift propellers" is to increase lift rather than produce thrust, these props are best viewed as a form of high-lift device; consequently, they should be designed differently than traditional propellers. We present a theory that describes how these props can be designed to provide a relatively uniform axial velocity increase, which is hypothesized to be advantageous for lift augmentation based on a literature survey. Computational modeling indicates that such propellers can generate the same average induced axial velocity while consuming less power and producing less thrust than conventional propeller designs. For an example problem based on specifications for NASA's Scalable Convergent Electric Propulsion Technology and Operations Research (SCEPTOR) flight demonstrator, a propeller designed with the new method requires approximately 15% less power and produces approximately 11% less thrust than one designed for minimum induced loss. Higher-order modeling and/or wind tunnel testing are needed to verify the predicted performance.

Adaptive design methods in clinical trials – a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang Mark

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract In recent years, the use of adaptive design methods in clinical research and development based on accrued data has become very popular due to its flexibility and efficiency. Based on adaptations applied, adaptive designs can be classified into three categories: prospective, concurrent (ad hoc, and retrospective adaptive designs. An adaptive design allows modifications made to trial and/or statistical procedures of ongoing clinical trials. However, it is a concern that the actual patient population after the adaptations could deviate from the originally target patient population and consequently the overall type I error (to erroneously claim efficacy for an infective drug rate may not be controlled. In addition, major adaptations of trial and/or statistical procedures of on-going trials may result in a totally different trial that is unable to address the scientific/medical questions the trial intends to answer. In this article, several commonly considered adaptive designs in clinical trials are reviewed. Impacts of ad hoc adaptations (protocol amendments, challenges in by design (prospective adaptations, and obstacles of retrospective adaptations are described. Strategies for the use of adaptive design in clinical development of rare diseases are discussed. Some examples concerning the development of Velcade intended for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are given. Practical issues that are commonly encountered when implementing adaptive design methods in clinical trials are also discussed.

The Videographic Requirements Gathering Method for Adolescent-Focused Interaction Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara Peyton

2014-08-01

Full Text Available We present a novel method for conducting requirements gathering with adolescent populations. Called videographic requirements gathering, this technique makes use of mobile phone data capture and participant creation of media images. The videographic requirements gathering method can help researchers and designers gain intimate insight into adolescent lives while simultaneously reducing power imbalances. We provide rationale for this approach, pragmatics of using the method, and advice on overcoming common challenges facing researchers and designers relying on this technique.

Designing a Community Engagement Framework for a New Dengue Control Method: A Case Study from Central Vietnam

Science.gov (United States)

McNaughton, Darlene; Duong, Thi Thu Huong

2014-01-01

Background The Wolbachia strategy aims to manipulate mosquito populations to make them incapable of transmitting dengue viruses between people. To test its efficacy, this strategy requires field trials. Public consultation and engagement are recognized as critical to the future success of these programs, but questions remain regarding how to proceed. This paper reports on a case study where social research was used to design a community engagement framework for a new dengue control method, at a potential release site in central Vietnam. Methodology/Principal Findings The approach described here, draws on an anthropological methodology and uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to design an engagement framework tailored to the concerns, expectations, and socio-political setting of a potential trial release site for Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The process, research activities, key findings and how these were responded to are described. Safety of the method to humans and the environment was the most common and significant concern, followed by efficacy and impact on local lives. Residents expected to be fully informed and engaged about the science, the project, its safety, the release and who would be responsible should something go wrong. They desired a level of engagement that included regular updates and authorization from government and at least one member of every household at the release site. Conclusions/Significance Results demonstrate that social research can provide important and reliable insights into public concerns and expectations at a potential release site, as well as guidance on how these might be addressed. Findings support the argument that using research to develop more targeted, engagement frameworks can lead to more sensitive, thorough, culturally comprehensible and therefore ethical consultation processes. This approach has now been used successfully to seek public input and eventually support for releases Wolbachia

Improving Machining Accuracy of CNC Machines with Innovative Design Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Yemelyanov, N. V.; Yemelyanova, I. V.; Zubenko, V. L.

2018-03-01

The article considers achieving the machining accuracy of CNC machines by applying innovative methods in modelling and design of machining systems, drives and machine processes. The topological method of analysis involves visualizing the system as matrices of block graphs with a varying degree of detail between the upper and lower hierarchy levels. This approach combines the advantages of graph theory and the efficiency of decomposition methods, it also has visual clarity, which is inherent in both topological models and structural matrices, as well as the resiliency of linear algebra as part of the matrix-based research. The focus of the study is on the design of automated machine workstations, systems, machines and units, which can be broken into interrelated parts and presented as algebraic, topological and set-theoretical models. Every model can be transformed into a model of another type, and, as a result, can be interpreted as a system of linear and non-linear equations which solutions determine the system parameters. This paper analyses the dynamic parameters of the 1716PF4 machine at the stages of design and exploitation. Having researched the impact of the system dynamics on the component quality, the authors have developed a range of practical recommendations which have enabled one to reduce considerably the amplitude of relative motion, exclude some resonance zones within the spindle speed range of 0...6000 min-1 and improve machining accuracy.

A Framework for the Application of Robust Design Methods and Tools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Göhler, Simon Moritz; Howard, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

can deliver are not always clear. Expectations to the output are sometimes misleading and imply the incorrect utilization of tools. A categorization of tools, methods and techniques typically associated with robust design methodology in the literature is provided in this paper in terms of purpose...... and deliverables of the individual tool or method. The majority of tools aims for optimizing an existing design solution or give an indication of how robust a design is, which requires a somewhat settled design. Furthermore, the categorization presented in this paper shows a lack in the methodology for tools...... of the existing tools. When to apply, what tool or method, for which purpose can be concluded. The paper also contributes with a framework for researchers to derive a generic landscape or database for RDM build upon the main premises and deliverables of each method....

Iterative Refinement Methods for Time-Domain Equalizer Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evans Brian L

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Commonly used time domain equalizer (TEQ design methods have been recently unified as an optimization problem involving an objective function in the form of a Rayleigh quotient. The direct generalized eigenvalue solution relies on matrix decompositions. To reduce implementation complexity, we propose an iterative refinement approach in which the TEQ length starts at two taps and increases by one tap at each iteration. Each iteration involves matrix-vector multiplications and vector additions with matrices and two-element vectors. At each iteration, the optimization of the objective function either improves or the approach terminates. The iterative refinement approach provides a range of communication performance versus implementation complexity tradeoffs for any TEQ method that fits the Rayleigh quotient framework. We apply the proposed approach to three such TEQ design methods: maximum shortening signal-to-noise ratio, minimum intersymbol interference, and minimum delay spread.

Design method of large-diameter rock-socketed pile with steel casing

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ming-wei; Fang, Fang; Liang, Yue

2018-02-01

There is a lack of the design and calculation method of large-diameter rock-socketed pile with steel casing. Combined with the “twelfth five-year plan” of the National Science & Technology Pillar Program of China about “Key technologies on the ports and wharfs constructions of the mountain canalization channels”, this paper put forward the structured design requirements of concrete, steel bar distribution and steel casing, and a checking calculation method of the bearing capacity of the normal section of the pile and the maximum crack width at the bottom of the steel casing. The design method will have some degree of guiding significance for the design of large-diameter rock-socketed pile with steel casing.

Learning physics: A comparative analysis between instructional design methods

Science.gov (United States)

Mathew, Easow

The purpose of this research was to determine if there were differences in academic performance between students who participated in traditional versus collaborative problem-based learning (PBL) instructional design approaches to physics curricula. This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental design methodology to determine the significance of differences in pre- and posttest introductory physics exam performance between students who participated in traditional (i.e., control group) versus collaborative problem solving (PBL) instructional design (i.e., experimental group) approaches to physics curricula over a college semester in 2008. There were 42 student participants (N = 42) enrolled in an introductory physics course at the research site in the Spring 2008 semester who agreed to participate in this study after reading and signing informed consent documents. A total of 22 participants were assigned to the experimental group (n = 22) who participated in a PBL based teaching methodology along with traditional lecture methods. The other 20 students were assigned to the control group (n = 20) who participated in the traditional lecture teaching methodology. Both the courses were taught by experienced professors who have qualifications at the doctoral level. The results indicated statistically significant differences (p traditional (i.e., lower physics posttest scores and lower differences between pre- and posttest scores) versus collaborative (i.e., higher physics posttest scores, and higher differences between pre- and posttest scores) instructional design approaches to physics curricula. Despite some slight differences in control group and experimental group demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and age) there were statistically significant (p = .04) differences between female average academic improvement which was much higher than male average academic improvement (˜63%) in the control group which may indicate that traditional teaching methods