Cognitive Fatigue Influences Students’ Performance on Standardized Tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sievertsen, Hans Henrik; Gino, Francesca; Piovesan, Marco

2016-01-01

We identify one potential source of bias that influences children’s performance on standardized tests and that is predictable based on psychological theory: the time at which students take the test. Using test data for all children attending Danish public schools between school years 2009....../10 and 2012/13, we find that, for every hour later in the day, test scores decrease by 0.9% of an SD. In addition, a 20- to 30-minute break improves average test scores. Time of day affects students’ test performance because, over the course of a regular day, students’ mental resources get taxed. Thus......, as the day wears on, students become increasingly fatigued and consequently more likely to underperform on a standardized test....

12 CFR 345.26 - Small bank performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Small bank performance standards. 345.26... GENERAL POLICY COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT Standards for Assessing Performance § 345.26 Small bank performance standards. (a) Performance criteria—(1) Small banks that are not intermediate small banks. The FDIC...

Performance Measurement Implementation Of Minimum Service Standards For Basic Education Based On The Balanced Scorecard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Budiman Rusli

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Policies Minimum Service Standards for Basic Education has rolled out since 2002 by the minister in accordance with the Decree No. 129a U 2004 About Minimum Service Standards Education is continually updated and lastly Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 23 of 2013. All of the district government town should achieve the target of achieving 100 per cent in each of the indicators listed in the minimum service standards for the end of 2014. achievement pad on each indicator is just one measure of the performance of the local government department of education. Unfortunately from the announced target for 27 indicators that exist almost all regions including local governments do not reach Tangerang Regency. It is necessary for measuring the performance of local authorities particularly the education department. One performance measure modern enough that measurements can be done that The Balance Scorecard BSc. In the Balanced Scorecard is a management tool contemporare complete measure company performance not only of the financial perspective but also non-financial performance such as Customer Perspective Internal Business Processes and Learning and Growth. This approach is actually ideally suited for multinational companies because this approach requires very expensive but can be used to measure the profit performance of the company in addition to the combination of a long-term strategic and short-strategic. Balanced Scorecard it can also be done in measuring the performance of public sector services as well by modifying a few things so it can be used to measure the performance of the public sector including the Performance Measurement Minimum Service Standards for Basic Education.

Performance Standards': Utility for Different Uses of Assessments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert L. Linn

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Performance standards are arguably one of the most controversial topics in educational measurement. There are uses of assessments such as licensure and certification where performance standards are essential. There are many other uses, however, where performance standards have been mandated or become the preferred method of reporting assessment results where the standards are not essential to the use. Distinctions between essential and nonessential uses of performance standards are discussed. It is argued that the insistence on reporting in terms of performance standards in situations where they are not essential has been more harmful than helpful. Variability in the definitions of proficient academic achievement by states for purposes of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is discussed and it is argued that the variability is so great that characterizing achievement is meaningless. Illustrations of the great uncertainty in standards are provided.

A pro-forma design for car-carriers: Low-speed performance-based standards

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Benade R, Berman R

2015-07-01

Full Text Available the constraints of the pro-forma design met the Level 1 requirements of the low-speed PBS. Future work will ensure compliance with the full set of twelve performance standards. It is estimated that the pro-forma approach as compared to doing full assessments would...

Intelligence Level Performance Standards Research for Autonomous Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Bostelman, Roger B; Hong, Tsai H; Messina, Elena

2015-01-01

United States and European safety standards have evolved to protect workers near Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV's). However, performance standards for AGV's and mobile robots have only recently begun development. Lessons can be learned from research and standards efforts for mobile robots applied to emergency response and military applications. Research challenges, tests and evaluations, and programs to develop higher intelligence levels for vehicles can also used to guide industrial AGV developments towards more adaptable and intelligent systems. These other efforts also provide useful standards development criteria for AGV performance test methods. Current standards areas being considered for AGVs are for docking, navigation, obstacle avoidance, and the ground truth systems that measure performance. This paper provides a look to the future with standards developments in both the performance of vehicles and the dynamic perception systems that measure intelligent vehicle performance.

Factors Contributing to SMEs Failure in Meeting Supplier Performance Standards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Scheers Louise

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study sought to determine the factors that contribute to the failure of small and medium enterprises (SMEs in meeting supplier performance standards. Suppliers are faced with the challenge of SMEs failing to meet supplier performance standards because they rely on these providers of products and services, mainly SMEs, for their operations and to ultimately achieve their mandate. The researchers were able to establish the main factors contributing to SME failure in meeting supplier performance standards. These are as follows: unclear specifications and terms of references from suppliers; insufficient information provided to SME suppliers to ensure understanding of requirements; insufficient feedback and support; no support of SME suppliers based on their Black Economic Empowerment (BEE status; limited or no use of business support programs by SME suppliers; and external factors such as access to finance, changes in the economy, and location.

Standards for Lithotripter Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Schultheiss, Reiner; Doerffel, Michael

2008-09-01

Standards for lithotripsy have been developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the FDA. In addition to the existing regulations and norms for the manufacturers, special standards were developed to address a treatment method developed in the early 1980's using extracorporeal shock waves. Initially, the FDA regulated the premarket approval process for lithotripters as a Class III device but reclassified lithotripters in 2000 to a Class II device. The corresponding guidance document for showing the substantial equivalence of new devices with predicate devices will be described in detail. The FDA guidance document is very useful in helping device manufacturers: (i) develop technical performance testing for a shock wave lithotripter within the parameters of an FDA submission, and (ii) conduct clinical performance testing via at least one clinical confirmation study with a small number of subjects. Unfortunately although the submitted data are available at the FDA they are not available in the marketplace and this causes difficulties for physicians in deciding which device to use. The results of the technical performance testing of the LithoGold™ are provided.

32 CFR 1656.11 - Job performance standards and sanctions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Job performance standards and sanctions. 1656.11... ALTERNATIVE SERVICE § 1656.11 Job performance standards and sanctions. (a) Standards of Performance. An ASW is..., appearance or performance violates reasonable employer standards; or (4) He quits or leaves his job without...

12 CFR 228.26 - Small bank performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Small bank performance standards. 228.26... bank performance standards. (a) Performance criteria—(1) Small banks that are not intermediate small... performance is evaluated pursuant to the following criteria: (1) The bank's loan-to-deposit ratio, adjusted...

12 CFR 25.26 - Small bank performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Small bank performance standards. 25.26 Section... § 25.26 Small bank performance standards. (a) Performance criteria—(1) Small banks that are not... lending performance is evaluated pursuant to the following criteria: (1) The bank's loan-to-deposit ratio...

CHAOS-BASED ADVANCED ENCRYPTION STANDARD

KAUST Repository

Abdulwahed, Naif B.

2013-05-01

This thesis introduces a new chaos-based Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The AES is a well-known encryption algorithm that was standardized by U.S National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) in 2001. The thesis investigates and explores the behavior of the AES algorithm by replacing two of its original modules, namely the S-Box and the Key Schedule, with two other chaos- based modules. Three chaos systems are considered in designing the new modules which are Lorenz system with multiplication nonlinearity, Chen system with sign modules nonlinearity, and 1D multiscroll system with stair case nonlinearity. The three systems are evaluated on their sensitivity to initial conditions and as Pseudo Random Number Generators (PRNG) after applying a post-processing technique to their output then performing NIST SP. 800-22 statistical tests. The thesis presents a hardware implementation of dynamic S-Boxes for AES that are populated using the three chaos systems. Moreover, a full MATLAB package to analyze the chaos generated S-Boxes based on graphical analysis, Walsh-Hadamard spectrum analysis, and image encryption analysis is developed. Although these S-Boxes are dynamic, meaning they are regenerated whenever the encryption key is changed, the analysis results show that such S-Boxes exhibit good properties like the Strict Avalanche Criterion (SAC) and the nonlinearity and in the application of image encryption. Furthermore, the thesis presents a new Lorenz-chaos-based key expansion for the AES. Many researchers have pointed out that there are some defects in the original key expansion of AES and thus have motivated such chaos-based key expansion proposal. The new proposed key schedule is analyzed and assessed in terms of confusion and diffusion by performing the frequency and SAC test respectively. The obtained results show that the new proposed design is more secure than the original AES key schedule and other proposed designs in the literature. The proposed

Utility and performance relative to consumer product energy efficiency standards. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coggins, J.L.

1979-12-14

An investigation of the relative utility and performance of nine major household consumer products covered by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act is summarized. The objective was to define the terms utility and performance, to recommend methods for quantifying these two concepts, and to recommend an approach for dealing with utility and performance issues in the energy efficiency standards program. The definitions developed are: performance of a consumer product is the objective measure of how well, with the expected level of consumer input (following the manufacturer's instructions for installation and operation), the product does its intended job; and utility of a consumer product is a subjective measure, based on the consumer's perception, of the capability of the product to satisfy human needs. Quantification is based on test procedures and consumer survey methods which are largely already in use by industry. Utility and performance issues are important in product classification for prescribing energy efficiency standards. The recommended approach to utility and performance issues and classification is: prior to setting standards, evaluate utility and performance issues in the most quantitative way allowed by resources and schedules in order to develop classification guidelines. This approach requires no changes in existing Department of Energy test procedures.

77 FR 52553 - Standards of Performance for Stationary Gas Turbines; Standards of Performance for Stationary...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-29

... still perform the traditional reconstruction analysis, i.e., the owner/operator would compare the total... blending to achieve the applicable SO 2 standard. Under the proposed language, an owner/operator of an...

Hearing protector performance and standard deviation.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, W; Dillon, H

2005-01-01

The attenuation performance of a hearing protector is used to estimate the protected exposure level of the user. The aim is to reduce the exposed level to an acceptable value. Users should expect the attenuation to fall within a reasonable range of values around a norm. However, an analysis of extensive test data indicates that there is a negative relationship between attenuation performance and the standard deviation. This result is deduced using a variation in the method of calculating a single number rating of attenuation that is more amenable to drawing statistical inferences. As performance is typically specified as a function of the mean attenuation minus one or two standard deviations from the mean to ensure that greater than 50% of the wearer population are well protected, the implication of increasing standard deviation with decreasing attenuation found in this study means that a significant number of users are, in fact, experiencing over-protection. These users may be disinclined to use their hearing protectors because of an increased feeling of acoustic isolation. This problem is exacerbated in areas with lower noise levels.

Motivational Implications of Faculty Performance Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Hardre, Patricia L.; Kollmann, Sherry L.

2012-01-01

Expectations and how they are communicated influence employees' motivation, effort, goals, efficacy and performance. This study examined faculty performance evaluation standards and processes of 60 academic departments in research universities for motivationally relevant elements. Characteristics were systematically analysed to understand their…

Technical evaluation of draft ANSI Standard N13.30, ''performance criteria for radiobioassay''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLellan, J.A.; Traub, R.J.

1986-03-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is conducting a research program to evaluate the appropriateness of criteria in the ANSI draft Standard N13.30, ''Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay.'' The evaluation has progressed parallel with the preparation of the Standard by evaluating the performance of existing bioassay laboratories against the criteria specified. Recommendations for revision of the Standard and implementation of a testing/accreditation program have been formulated based on study results. The current performance testing program includes both in-vivo counting and in-vitro sample measurements. Test criteria specified in the Standard include relative bias, relative precision, and acceptable minimum detectable activity (AMDA). Results to date have indicated that the acceptance criteria in the Standard are appropriate for the existing state of the industry and are achievable by a majority of the participating laboratories. Specific conclusions are that the AMDA criteria are most difficult for the laboratories to achieve; the relative bias criterion is second in difficulty, and the precision criterion presents no problem for the laboratories; most of the participating laboratories can meet the Standard; and failure rates may decrease as the laboratories become more knowledgeable of the performance criteria. 3 refs., 11 figs., 6 tabs

40 CFR 428.15 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards of performance for new...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Tire and Inner Tube Plants Subcategory § 428.15 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of performance...

48 CFR 970.1100-1 - Performance-based contracting.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Federal Procurement Policy's Seven Steps to Performance-Based Acquisition located at Web site http://www...) performance standards and objectives and quality assurance surveillance plans; provide performance incentives... planning processes. Measurable performance criteria, objective measures, and where appropriate, performance...

PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACTING IN CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND MAINTENANCE PHASE OF PAVEMENT

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Takeshi

Performance-based contracting for pavement in Japan started as performance warranties in construction phase, in 1999. Recently, road agencies have recognized the applicability of this type of contracting in outsourcing of maintenance activities. The objectives of this study are to clarify the issues of performance specifying in construction phase and maintenance phase of pavement, and to propose measures to be taken. This paper, with the recognition that the life of each pavement depends on performance standards for various attributes, reviews domestic and foreign examples of performance-based contracting. A performance standard based on the average of current practices can enhance product quality and service life with a warranty contract. Repair thresholds and response time for each deficiency should be considered as performance standards in maintenance phase.

40 CFR 415.645 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS INORGANIC CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Cadmium Pigments and Salts Production Subcategory § 415.645 New source performance standards (NSPS). (a) Any new source subject to this subpart and producing cadmium pigments must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS...

A Gold Standards Approach to Training Instructors to Evaluate Crew Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, David P.; Dismukes, R. Key

2003-01-01

The Advanced Qualification Program requires that airlines evaluate crew performance in Line Oriented Simulation. For this evaluation to be meaningful, instructors must observe relevant crew behaviors and evaluate those behaviors consistently and accurately against standards established by the airline. The airline industry has largely settled on an approach in which instructors evaluate crew performance on a series of event sets, using standardized grade sheets on which behaviors specific to event set are listed. Typically, new instructors are given a class in which they learn to use the grade sheets and practice evaluating crew performance observed on videotapes. These classes emphasize reliability, providing detailed instruction and practice in scoring so that all instructors within a given class will give similar scores to similar performance. This approach has value but also has important limitations; (1) ratings within one class of new instructors may differ from those of other classes; (2) ratings may not be driven primarily by the specific behaviors on which the company wanted the crews to be scored; and (3) ratings may not be calibrated to company standards for level of performance skill required. In this paper we provide a method to extend the existing method of training instructors to address these three limitations. We call this method the "gold standards" approach because it uses ratings from the company's most experienced instructors as the basis for training rater accuracy. This approach ties the training to the specific behaviors on which the experienced instructors based their ratings.

Inquiry-based laboratory investigations and student performance on standardized tests in biological science

Science.gov (United States)

Patke, Usha

Achievement data from the 3rd International Mathematics and Sciences Study and Program for International Student Assessment in science have indicated that Black students from economically disadvantaged families underachieve at alarming rates in comparison to White and economically advantaged peer groups. The study site was a predominately Black, urban school district experiencing underachievement. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between students' use of inquiry-based laboratory investigations and their performance on the Biology End of Course Test, as well as to examine the relationship while partialling out the effects of student gender. Constructivist theory formed the theoretical foundation of the study. Students' perceived levels of experience with inquiry-based laboratory investigations were measured using the Laboratory Program Variable Inventory (LPVI) survey. LPVI scores of 256 students were correlated with test scores and were examined by student gender. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a small direct correlation between students' experience in inquiry-based laboratory investigation classes and standardized test scores on the Biology EOCT. A partial correlational analysis indicated that the correlation remained after controlling for gender. This study may prompt a change from teacher-centered to student-centered pedagogy at the local site in order to increase academic achievement for all students. The results of this study may also influence administrators and policy makers to initiate local, state, or nationwide curricular development. A change in curriculum may promote social change as students become more competent, and more able, to succeed in life beyond secondary school.

Technical evaluation of draft ANSI Standard N13.30, ''Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLellan, J.A.; Traub, R.J.

1986-01-01

To evaluate the appropriateness of the draft Standard, a research program, entitled Technical Evaluation of Draft ANSI Standard N13.30, ''Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay,'' was initiated at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). This program incorporates a number of tasks including a nationwide, two-round intercomparison study to test the analytical performance of both in-vitro and in-vivo bioassay laboratories and determine their ability to meet the minimum performance criteria specified in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) draft Standard, and other tasks related to the establishment of an accreditation laboratory. Based on two rounds of in-vitro testing and the in-vivo pilot study, the project staff has concluded that the criteria selected are appropriate for the existing state of the industry and achievable by most participating laboratories. Specific conclusions are as follows: the AMDA criteria are most difficult for the laboratories to achieve, the relative bias criterion is second in difficulty, and the precision criterion presents no problem for the laboratories, most of the participating laboratories can meet the Standard, and failure rates may decrease as the laboratories become knowledgeable of the performance criteria

40 CFR 406.35 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 406.35 Section 406.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... § 406.35 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of performance establish the...

40 CFR 406.45 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 406.45 Section 406.45 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... § 406.45 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of performance establish the...

Department of Energy standard for the performance testing of personnel dosimetry systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

This standard is intended to be used in the Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) for personnel dosimetry systems. It is based on the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) ''Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance,'' ANSI N13.11-1983, recommendations made to DOE in ''Guidelines for the Calibration of Personnel Dosimeters,'' Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL)-4515 and comments received during peer review by DOE and DOE contractor personnel. The recommendations contained in PNL-4515 were based on an evaluation of ANSI N13.11 conducted for the Office of Nuclear Safety, DOE, by PNL. Parts of ANSI N13.11 that did not require modification were used essentially intact in this standard to maintain consistency with nationally recognized standards. Modifications to this standard have resulted from several DOE/DOE contractor reviews and a pilot testing session. An initial peer review by selected DOE and DOE contractor representatives on technical content was conducted in 1983. A review by DOE field offices, program offices, and contractors was conducted in mid-1984. A pilot performance testing session sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Safety was conducted in early 1985 by the Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory, Idaho Falls. Results of the pilot test were reviewed in late 1985 by a DOE and DOE contractor committee. 11 refs., 4 tabs

20 CFR 404.1643 - Performance accuracy standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Determinations of Disability Performance Standards § 404.1643 Performance... have been in the file but was not included, even though its inclusion does not change the result in the...

Performance of a radio link between a base station and a medical implant utilising the MICS standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Anders J

2004-01-01

Modern medical implants are of increasing complexity and with that, the need for fast and flexible communication with them grows. A wireless system is preferable and an inductive link is the most commonly used. But it has the drawback of a very short range, essentially limited to having the external transceiver touching the patient. The Medical Implant Communication System, MICS, is a standard aimed at improving the communication distance. It operates at a higher frequency band between 402 MHz and 405 MHz. We have by simulations and measurements investigated the channel properties of this band and calculated the link performance for a typical implant application. The result is a link speed between a base station and a bedridden patient of 600 kbit bits per second with a bit error rate of 2% in the downlink to the implant and 1 % in the uplink to the base station. Conclusions on the necessary complexity of the base station are also given.

10 CFR 435.4 - Energy efficiency performance standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Energy efficiency performance standard. 435.4 Section 435.4 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR NEW FEDERAL LOW-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS Mandatory Energy Efficiency Standards for Federal Low-Rise Residential...

Performance Standards for Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative

Science.gov (United States)

Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

A comparative study of performance measurement standards of railway operator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pongjirawut Siripong

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The European standard (EN 13816, is one of the widely accepted standards for measuring the quality of public passenger transport (PPT service. EN 13816 indicates 8 measurement criteria, 29 sub-criteria and 193 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs to be used to measure the performance of railway operators. Nowadays, there are other addition criteria beyond EN13816, developed by various organisations. This research firstly aims to explore the service performance measurement of railway operators used by actual railway operators at international level and in Thailand. After an intensive review of performance measurement standards, 9 standards are compiled and compared in terms of criteria, sub-criteria and KPIs using a cluster analysis methodology. The result found additional performance measurement aspects at 2 sub-criteria and 91 KPIs in addition to EN 13816. This research summarized and compared different performance measurement standards to measure service quality of metro rail line.

Performance Analysis of Video PHY Controller Using Unidirection and Bi-directional IO Standard via 7 Series FPGA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Das, Bhagwan; Abdullah, M F L; Hussain, Dil muhammed Akbar

2017-01-01

graphics consumes more power, this creates a need of designing the low power design for Video PHY controller. In this paper, the performance of Video PHY controller is analyzed by comparing the power consumption of unidirectional and bi-directional IO Standard over 7 series FPGA. It is determined...... that total on-chip power is reduced for unidirectional IO Standard based Video PHY controller compared to bidirectional IO Standard based Video PHY controller. The most significant achievement of this work is that it is concluded that unidirectional IO Standard based Video PHY controller consume least...... standby power compared to bidirectional IO Standard based Video PHY controller. It is defined that for 6 GHz operated frequency Video PHY controller, the 32% total on-chip power is reduced using unidirectional IO Standard based Video PHY controller is less compared to bidirectional IO Standard based Video...

Guidelines for performance-based supplier audits (NCIG-16)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauderdale, J.R.; Mattu, R.K.; Roman, W.S.

1990-06-01

This document provides guidelines for planning and conducting performance-based audits of suppliers of items used in nuclear power plants. A common purpose of audits is to provide a basis for confidence in the supplier's controls to ensure that products received will perform their intended functions satisfactorily. Performance-based audits offer means of raising the level of confidence. This confidence comes from evaluation of important features of the product and the processes and activities that produce it. This document does not add requirements to those in existing codes, standards, or regulations. The guidance herein is intended to complement the information in existing industry standards and practices. Performance-based audits are one element of an effective procurement program. A companion EPRI/NCIG document, EPRI NP-6629, Guidelines for the Procurement and Receipt of Items for Nuclear Power Plants (NCIG-15), provides guidance for other elements of an effective procurement program

Radiological Evaluation Standards in the Radiology Department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital (RAH) YASUJ Based on Radiology standards in 92

OpenAIRE

A َKalantari; SAM Khosravani

2014-01-01

Background & aim: Radiology personnel’s working in terms of performance and safety is one of the most important functions in order to increase the quality and quantity. This study aimed to evaluate the radiological standards in Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Yasuj, Iran, in 2013. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was based on a 118 randomly selected graphs and the ranking list, with full knowledge of the standards in radiology was performed two times. Data were analyzed using descri...

Considerations in the development of subsurface containment barrier performance standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunstan, S.; Zdinak, A.P.; Lodman, D.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting subsurface barriers as an alternative remedial option for management of contamination problems at their facilities. Past cleanup initiatives have sometimes proven ineffective or extremely expensive. Economic considerations coupled with changing public and regulatory philosophies regarding remediation techniques makes subsurface barriers a promising technology for future cleanup efforts. As part of the initiative to develop subsurface containment barriers as an alternative remedial option, DOE funded MSE Technology Applications, Inc. (MSE) to conduct a comprehensive review to identify performance considerations for the acceptability of subsurface barrier technologies as a containment method. Findings from this evaluation were intended to provide a basis for selection and application of containment technologies to address waste problems at DOE sites. Based on this study, the development of performance standards should consider: (1) sustainable low hydraulic conductivity; (2) capability to meet applicable regulations; (3) compatibility with subsurface environmental conditions; (4) durability and long-term stability; (5) repairability; and (6) verification and monitoring. This paper describes the approach for determining considerations for performance standards

Toward the establishment of standardized in vitro tests for lipid-based formulations, part 4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Williams, Hywel D; Sassene, Philip; Kleberg, Karen

2014-01-01

The Lipid Formulation Classification System Consortium looks to develop standardized in vitro tests and to generate much-needed performance criteria for lipid-based formulations (LBFs). This article highlights the value of performing a second, more stressful digestion test to identify LBFs near...... a performance threshold and to facilitate lead formulation selection in instances where several LBF prototypes perform adequately under standard digestion conditions (but where further discrimination is necessary). Stressed digestion tests can be designed based on an understanding of the factors that affect LBF...... development, and facilitate dialogue with the regulatory authorities. This classification system is based on the concept that performance evaluations across three in vitro tests, designed to subject a LBF to progressively more challenging conditions, will enable effective LBF discrimination and performance...

Business School's Performance Management System Standards Design

Science.gov (United States)

Azis, Anton Mulyono; Simatupang, Togar M.; Wibisono, Dermawan; Basri, Mursyid Hasan

2014-01-01

This paper aims to compare various Performance Management Systems (PMS) for business school in order to find the strengths of each standard as inputs to design new model of PMS. There are many critical aspects and gaps notified for new model to improve performance and even recognized that self evaluation performance management is not well…

Setting Performance Standards for Technical and Nontechnical Competence in General Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Szasz, Peter; Bonrath, Esther M; Louridas, Marisa; Fecso, Andras B; Howe, Brett; Fehr, Adam; Ott, Michael; Mack, Lloyd A; Harris, Kenneth A; Grantcharov, Teodor P

2017-07-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) create a technical and nontechnical performance standard for the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, (2) assess the classification accuracy and (3) credibility of these standards, (4) determine a trainees' ability to meet both standards concurrently, and (5) delineate factors that predict standard acquisition. Scores on performance assessments are difficult to interpret in the absence of established standards. Trained raters observed General Surgery residents performing laparoscopic cholecystectomies using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) and the Objective Structured Assessment of Non-Technical Skills (OSANTS) instruments, while as also providing a global competent/noncompetent decision for each performance. The global decision was used to divide the trainees into 2 contrasting groups and the OSATS or OSANTS scores were graphed per group to determine the performance standard. Parametric statistics were used to determine classification accuracy and concurrent standard acquisition, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to delineate predictive factors. Thirty-six trainees were observed 101 times. The technical standard was an OSATS of 21.04/35.00 and the nontechnical standard an OSANTS of 22.49/35.00. Applying these standards, competent/noncompetent trainees could be discriminated in 94% of technical and 95% of nontechnical performances (P < 0.001). A 21% discordance between technically and nontechnically competent trainees was identified (P < 0.001). ROC analysis demonstrated case experience and trainee level were both able to predict achieving the standards with an area under the curve (AUC) between 0.83 and 0.96 (P < 0.001). The present study presents defensible standards for technical and nontechnical performance. Such standards are imperative to implementing summative assessments into surgical training.

Reliability evaluation of high-performance, low-power FinFET standard cells based on mixed RBB/FBB technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tian; Cui, Xiaoxin; Ni, Yewen; Liao, Kai; Liao, Nan; Yu, Dunshan; Cui, Xiaole

2017-04-01

With shrinking transistor feature size, the fin-type field-effect transistor (FinFET) has become the most promising option in low-power circuit design due to its superior capability to suppress leakage. To support the VLSI digital system flow based on logic synthesis, we have designed an optimized high-performance low-power FinFET standard cell library based on employing the mixed FBB/RBB technique in the existing stacked structure of each cell. This paper presents the reliability evaluation of the optimized cells under process and operating environment variations based on Monte Carlo analysis. The variations are modelled with Gaussian distribution of the device parameters and 10000 sweeps are conducted in the simulation to obtain the statistical properties of the worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage for each cell. For comparison, a set of non-optimal cells that adopt the same topology without employing the mixed biasing technique is also generated. Experimental results show that the optimized cells achieve standard deviation reduction of 39.1% and 30.7% at most in worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage respectively while the normalized deviation shrinking in worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage can be up to 98.37% and 24.13%, respectively, which demonstrates that our optimized cells are less sensitive to variability and exhibit more reliability. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61306040), the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (No. 2015CB057201), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 4152020), and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (No. 2015A030313147).

CHAOS-BASED ADVANCED ENCRYPTION STANDARD

KAUST Repository

Abdulwahed, Naif B.

2013-01-01

This thesis introduces a new chaos-based Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). The AES is a well-known encryption algorithm that was standardized by U.S National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) in 2001. The thesis investigates and explores

Method and platform standardization in MRM-based quantitative plasma proteomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Percy, Andrew J; Chambers, Andrew G; Yang, Juncong; Jackson, Angela M; Domanski, Dominik; Burkhart, Julia; Sickmann, Albert; Borchers, Christoph H

2013-12-16

There exists a growing demand in the proteomics community to standardize experimental methods and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) platforms in order to enable the acquisition of more precise and accurate quantitative data. This necessity is heightened by the evolving trend of verifying and validating candidate disease biomarkers in complex biofluids, such as blood plasma, through targeted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-based approaches with stable isotope-labeled standards (SIS). Considering the lack of performance standards for quantitative plasma proteomics, we previously developed two reference kits to evaluate the MRM with SIS peptide approach using undepleted and non-enriched human plasma. The first kit tests the effectiveness of the LC/MRM-MS platform (kit #1), while the second evaluates the performance of an entire analytical workflow (kit #2). Here, these kits have been refined for practical use and then evaluated through intra- and inter-laboratory testing on 6 common LC/MS platforms. For an identical panel of 22 plasma proteins, similar concentrations were determined, regardless of the kit, instrument platform, and laboratory of analysis. These results demonstrate the value of the kit and reinforce the utility of standardized methods and protocols. The proteomics community needs standardized experimental protocols and quality control methods in order to improve the reproducibility of MS-based quantitative data. This need is heightened by the evolving trend for MRM-based validation of proposed disease biomarkers in complex biofluids such as blood plasma. We have developed two kits to assist in the inter- and intra-laboratory quality control of MRM experiments: the first kit tests the effectiveness of the LC/MRM-MS platform (kit #1), while the second evaluates the performance of an entire analytical workflow (kit #2). In this paper, we report the use of these kits in intra- and inter-laboratory testing on 6 common LC/MS platforms. This

Performance evaluation of grid-enabled registration algorithms using bronze-standards

CERN Document Server

Glatard, T; Montagnat, J

2006-01-01

Evaluating registration algorithms is difficult due to the lack of gold standard in most clinical procedures. The bronze standard is a real-data based statistical method providing an alternative registration reference through a computationally intensive image database registration procedure. We propose in this paper an efficient implementation of this method through a grid-interfaced workflow enactor enabling the concurrent processing of hundreds of image registrations in a couple of hours only. The performances of two different grid infrastructures were compared. We computed the accuracy of 4 different rigid registration algorithms on longitudinal MRI images of brain tumors. Results showed an average subvoxel accuracy of 0.4 mm and 0.15 degrees in rotation.

12 CFR 563e.26 - Small savings association performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Small savings association performance standards. 563e.26 Section 563e.26 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT Standards for Assessing Performance § 563e.26 Small savings association performance...

40 CFR 415.115 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS INORGANIC CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Potassium Metal Production... achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS): There shall be no discharge of process...

Definition of a process standardization framework for a scientific journal based on a literature review and its performance objectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Augusto Campos Garcia

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This work presents the results of a study that aimed to establish a framework to standardize the process of a scientific journal. It has a team that performs operational routines regulated by standards (external and patterns (internal and external. The high turnover rate of the supportive team has generated information loss and increased service variability. The research started from the assumption that the process standardization (which includes the formalization could be a way to reduce this secondary effect. Standardization techniques were identified through a literature review of the main national and international databases of journals and congresses. The identified standardization techniques were analyzed considering the number of times they appeared in the papers analyzed and performance objectives proposed by Slack et al. (2009. As result of this research, a framework was obtained for the standardization of processes adapted to the needs of the journal studied. The model is feasible to be used more widely, given its structural similarity to the one proposed by Campos (2004, a Brazilian model that is a reference in the field.

Performance, compliance and reliability of Waste stabilization pond: Effluent discharge quality and environmental protection agency standards in Ghana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Owusu-Ansah, Emmanuel de-Graft Johnson; Sampson, Angelina; Amponsah, Samuel K.

2015-01-01

function to establish the relationship between the statistical coefficient of variation and the coefficient of reliability based on rth moment about the origin in the moment of generation function to generate the functions of the mean and standard deviation, properties of the standard Z normal distribution...... were used to establish the coefficient of reliability relationship depending on the coefficient of variation influenced by the standard of deviation. Discharge values of Physico-chemical Parameters measured from the WSP were found be performing acceptably based on the EPA standards, whereas only four......Measuring performance has been arguerably, one of the metric with many facets with different school of thoughts, as there exist different approaches of measuring it. Several of the existing approaches measure such metric by comparison with standards esherined in policy documents and as a result...

40 CFR 427.45 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ASBESTOS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Asbestos Paper (Elastomeric Binder) Subcategory § 427.45 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of...

40 CFR 427.35 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ASBESTOS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Asbestos Paper (Starch Binder) Subcategory § 427.35 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of...

Efficient Lattice-Based Signcryption in Standard Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianhua Yan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Signcryption is a cryptographic primitive that can perform digital signature and public encryption simultaneously at a significantly reduced cost. This advantage makes it highly useful in many applications. However, most existing signcryption schemes are seriously challenged by the booming of quantum computations. As an interesting stepping stone in the post-quantum cryptographic community, two lattice-based signcryption schemes were proposed recently. But both of them were merely proved to be secure in the random oracle models. Therefore, the main contribution of this paper is to propose a new lattice-based signcryption scheme that can be proved to be secure in the standard model.

40 CFR 417.85 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Manufacture of Liquid Soaps Subcategory § 417.85 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards of...

10 CFR 433.4 - Energy efficiency performance standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Energy efficiency performance standard. 433.4 Section 433.4 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ENERGY CONSERVATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR THE DESIGN AND... consumption level at or better than the maximum level of energy efficiency that is life-cycle cost-effective...

Extended substitution-diffusion based image cipher using chaotic standard map

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Anil; Ghose, M. K.

2011-01-01

This paper proposes an extended substitution-diffusion based image cipher using chaotic standard map [1] and linear feedback shift register to overcome the weakness of previous technique by adding nonlinearity. The first stage consists of row and column rotation and permutation which is controlled by the pseudo-random sequences which is generated by standard chaotic map and linear feedback shift register, second stage further diffusion and confusion is obtained in the horizontal and vertical pixels by mixing the properties of the horizontally and vertically adjacent pixels, respectively, with the help of chaotic standard map. The number of rounds in both stage are controlled by combination of pseudo-random sequence and original image. The performance is evaluated from various types of analysis such as entropy analysis, difference analysis, statistical analysis, key sensitivity analysis, key space analysis and speed analysis. The experimental results illustrate that performance of this is highly secured and fast.

Grain Elevators: New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

Science.gov (United States)

The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Grain Elevators aims to reduce particulate matter pollution. The new amendments seek to clarify definitions, and requirements, as well as propose new regulations on particulate matter emissions

Performance-Based Evaluation and School Librarians

Science.gov (United States)

Church, Audrey P.

2015-01-01

Evaluation of instructional personnel is standard procedure in our Pre-K-12 public schools, and its purpose is to document educator effectiveness. With Race to the Top and No Child Left Behind waivers, states are required to implement performance-based evaluations that demonstrate student academic progress. This three-year study describes the…

24 CFR 902.43 - Management operations performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Management operations performance... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM PHAS Indicator #3: Management Operations § 902.43 Management operations performance standards. (a) Management operations sub-indicators. The following sub...

20 CFR 901.20 - Standards of performance of actuarial services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... services. 901.20 Section 901.20 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES REGULATIONS... Standards of Performance for Enrolled Actuaries § 901.20 Standards of performance of actuarial services. In the discharge of duties required by ERISA of enrolled actuaries with respect to any plan to which the...

The case for improved HEPA-filter mechanical performance standards revisited

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricketts, C.I.; Smith, P.R. [New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States)

1997-08-01

Under benign operating conditions, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter units serve as reliable and relatively economical components in the air cleaning systems of nuclear facilities worldwide. Despite more than four decades of filter-unit evaluation and improvements, however, the material strength characteristics of the glass fiber filter medium continue to ultimately limit filter functional reliability. In worst-case scenarios involving fire suppression, loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA`s), or exposure to shock waves or tornado induced flows, rupture of the filter medium of units meeting current qualification standards cannot be entirely ruled out. Even under so-called normal conditions of operation, instances of filter failure reported in the literature leave open questions of filter-unit reliability. Though developments of filter units with improved burst strengths have been pursued outside the United States, support for efforts in this country has been comparatively minimal. This despite user requests for filters with greater moisture resistance, for example. Or the fact that conventional filter designs result in not only the least robust component to be found in a nuclear air cleaning system, but also the one most sensitive to the adverse effects of conditions deviating from those of normal operation. Filter qualification-test specifications of current codes, standards, and regulatory guidelines in the United States are based primarily upon research performed in a 30-year period beginning in the 1950`s. They do not seem to reflect the benefits of the more significant developments and understanding of filter failure modes and mechanisms achieved since that time. One overseas design, based on such knowledge, has proven reliability under adverse operating conditions involving combined and serial challenges. Its widespread use, however, has faltered on a lack of consensus in upgrading filter performance standards. 34 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.

Student Collaboration and Standards-Based Music Learning: A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Cangro, Richard

2016-01-01

This article is a review of relevant literature on collaborative, standards-based music learning. The review is organized as follows: (a) historical perspective, (b) collaborative music learning, (c) collaboration and creating, (d) collaboration and performing, (e) collaboration and responding, and (f) conclusions. In an effort to bridge the gap…

26 CFR 1.23-4 - Performance and quality standards. [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Performance and quality standards. [Reserved] 1.23-4 Section 1.23-4 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY INCOME TAX INCOME TAXES Changes in Rates During A Taxable Year § 1.23-4 Performance and quality standards. [Reserved...

The impact of laboratory quality assurance standards on laboratory operational performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Ratseou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It has become a trend for companies to implement and be certified to various quality management systems so as to improve consistency, reliability, and quality of product delivery to customers. The most common quality management systems adopted are the ISO 9000 series of standards for manufacturing and services related organisations, with ISO 17025 and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP standards adopted specifically by laboratories as quality assurance initiatives. There are various reports on the impact of the ISO 9000 series on organisational performance but no studies or reports have been done on the performance of laboratory standards. Therefore this article reports on a study conducted to investigate the impact of ISO 17025 and GLP on the operational performance of both commercial and non-commercial laboratories. A qualitative research study was conducted to examine the impact standards on the aspects of health and safety, supplier selection and performance, human resources, customer satisfaction and profitability of the laboratory. The data collected suggest that there is no difference in laboratory operational performance with or without the standards. In other words it appears that the basic fundamental requirements inherent with laboratories are sufficient to perform both operationally and optimally. This leads to the view that standards are implemented as a customer requirement and not as an operational requirement.

40 CFR 417.165 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS SOAP AND DETERGENT MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Manufacture of Liquid Detergents Subcategory § 417.165 Standards of performance for new sources. The following standards...) For normal liquid detergent operations the following values pertain: Effluent characteristic Effluent...

A reference standard-based quality assurance program for radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Patrick T; Johnson, C Daniel; Miranda, Rafael; Patel, Maitray D; Phillips, Carrie J

2010-01-01

The authors have developed a comprehensive radiology quality assurance (QA) program that evaluates radiology interpretations and procedures by comparing them with reference standards. Performance metrics are calculated and then compared with benchmarks or goals on the basis of published multicenter data and meta-analyses. Additional workload for physicians is kept to a minimum by having trained allied health staff members perform the comparisons of radiology reports with the reference standards. The performance metrics tracked by the QA program include the accuracy of CT colonography for detecting polyps, the false-negative rate for mammographic detection of breast cancer, the accuracy of CT angiography detection of coronary artery stenosis, the accuracy of meniscal tear detection on MRI, the accuracy of carotid artery stenosis detection on MR angiography, the accuracy of parathyroid adenoma detection by parathyroid scintigraphy, the success rate for obtaining cortical tissue on ultrasound-guided core biopsies of pelvic renal transplants, and the technical success rate for peripheral arterial angioplasty procedures. In contrast with peer-review programs, this reference standard-based QA program minimizes the possibilities of reviewer bias and erroneous second reviewer interpretations. The more objective assessment of performance afforded by the QA program will provide data that can easily be used for education and management conferences, research projects, and multicenter evaluations. Additionally, such performance data could be used by radiology departments to demonstrate their value over nonradiology competitors to referring clinicians, hospitals, patients, and third-party payers. Copyright 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 415.345 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true New source performance standards (NSPS). 415.345 Section 415.345 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS INORGANIC CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Chrome Pigments Production...

20 CFR 404.1641 - Standards of performance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... appropriate Regional Commissioner after negotiation with each State agency. The intermediate goals are... considering the State agency to be substantially failing to comply with the performance standards. However... 404.1641 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY...

20 CFR 416.1041 - Standards of performance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... appropriate Regional Commissioner after negotiation with each State agency. The intermediate goals are... considering the State agency to be substantially failing to comply with the performance standards. However... 416.1041 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED...

Evaluation of a draft standard on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation: results for environmental tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kenoyer, J.L.; Swinth, K.L.; Mashburn, K.R.; Selby, J.M.

1984-06-01

Draft ANSI Standard N42.17 on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation is currently being evaluated by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Evaluation is performed by testing a cross-section of currently available instruments with testing procedures based on specifications of the standard and then determining the degree of conformance to the various elements of the proposed standard. Data will be presented on the performance of a cross-section of beta-gamma survey instruments under various environmental tests. Test results that will be presented include temperature effects, humidity effects, radio frequency (r.f.) susceptibility, ambient pressure effects, vibration effects, and shock effects. Tests performed to date show that most instruments will meet the temperature, humidity, and ambient pressure tests. A large variability is noted among instruments from the same or different vendors. Preliminary r.f. susceptibility tests have shown large artificial responses at some frequencies for specific instruments. The presentation will also include a discussion of procedures used in the testing and weaknesses identified in the proposed standard

40 CFR 471.103 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS). The mass of pollutants in the metal powder process wastewater shall not exceed the following values: (a) Metal powder production atom-ization... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS NONFERROUS METALS FORMING AND METAL POWDERS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Metals Powders...

40 CFR 425.74 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.74 Section 425.74 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Shearling Subcategory § 425.74...

40 CFR 425.44 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.44 Section 425.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Retan-Wet Finish-Sides...

40 CFR 425.94 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.94 Section 425.94 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Retan-Wet Finish-Splits...

40 CFR 425.64 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.64 Section 425.64 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Through-the-Blue Subcategory...

40 CFR 425.54 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.54 Section 425.54 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY No Beamhouse Subcategory § 425...

Standard cell-based implementation of a digital optoelectronic neural-network hardware.

Science.gov (United States)

Maier, K D; Beckstein, C; Blickhan, R; Erhard, W

2001-03-10

A standard cell-based implementation of a digital optoelectronic neural-network architecture is presented. The overall structure of the multilayer perceptron network that was used, the optoelectronic interconnection system between the layers, and all components required in each layer are defined. The design process from VHDL-based modeling from synthesis and partly automatic placing and routing to the final editing of one layer of the circuit of the multilayer perceptrons are described. A suitable approach for the standard cell-based design of optoelectronic systems is presented, and shortcomings of the design tool that was used are pointed out. The layout for the microelectronic circuit of one layer in a multilayer perceptron neural network with a performance potential 1 magnitude higher than neural networks that are purely electronic based has been successfully designed.

78 FR 38735 - Autopsy Performance Criteria: Standards, Guidelines and Best Practices

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-27

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Justice Programs [OJP (NIJ) Docket No. 1626] Autopsy Performance Criteria: Standards, Guidelines and Best Practices AGENCY: National Institute of Justice, DOJ. ACTION... entitled, ``Autopsy Performance Criteria: Standards, Guidelines and Best Practices''. The opportunity to...

ADEpedia: a scalable and standardized knowledge base of Adverse Drug Events using semantic web technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Guoqian; Solbrig, Harold R; Chute, Christopher G

2011-01-01

A source of semantically coded Adverse Drug Event (ADE) data can be useful for identifying common phenotypes related to ADEs. We proposed a comprehensive framework for building a standardized ADE knowledge base (called ADEpedia) through combining ontology-based approach with semantic web technology. The framework comprises four primary modules: 1) an XML2RDF transformation module; 2) a data normalization module based on NCBO Open Biomedical Annotator; 3) a RDF store based persistence module; and 4) a front-end module based on a Semantic Wiki for the review and curation. A prototype is successfully implemented to demonstrate the capability of the system to integrate multiple drug data and ontology resources and open web services for the ADE data standardization. A preliminary evaluation is performed to demonstrate the usefulness of the system, including the performance of the NCBO annotator. In conclusion, the semantic web technology provides a highly scalable framework for ADE data source integration and standard query service.

Autonomy and Accountability in Standards-Based Reform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Watson

2001-08-01

Full Text Available In this article we discuss the effects of one urban school district's efforts to increase the autonomy and accountability of schools and teams of teachers through a standards-based reform known as team- based schooling. Team-based schooling is designed to devolve decision-making authority down to the school level by increasing teachers' autonomy to make decisions. Increased accountability is enacted in the form of a state-level standards-based initiative. Based on our evaluation over a two-year period involving extensive fieldwork and quantitative analysis, we describe the ways that teachers, teams and school administrators responded to the implementation of team-based schooling. What are the effects of increasing school-level autonomy and accountability in the context of standards- based reform? Our analysis highlights several issues: the "lived reality" of teaming as it interacts with the existing culture within schools, the ways that teachers respond to the pressures created by increased internal and external accountability, and the effects of resource constraints on the effectiveness of implementation. We conclude by using our findings to consider more broadly the trade-off between increased autonomy and accountability on which standards-based reforms like team-based schooling are based.

40 CFR 425.24 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.24 Section 425.24 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Hair Save, Chrome Tan, Retan-Wet...

40 CFR 425.34 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.34 Section 425.34 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Hair Save or Pulp, Non-Chrome...

40 CFR 425.84 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.84 Section 425.84 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pigskin Subcategory § 425.84 New...

40 CFR 425.14 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards (NSPS). 425.14 Section 425.14 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS LEATHER TANNING AND FINISHING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Hair Pulp, Chrome Tan, Retan-Wet...

Radioactive material package test standards and performance requirements - public perception

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, R.B.; Shappert, L.B.; Rawl, R.R.

1992-01-01

This paper addresses issues related to the public perception of the regulatory test standards and performance requirements for packaging and transporting radioactive material. Specifically, it addresses the adequacy of the package performance standards and testing for Type B packages, which are those packages designed for transporting the most hazardous quantities and forms of radioactive material. Type B packages are designed to withstand accident conditions in transport. To improve public perception, the public needs to better understand: (a) the regulatory standards and requirements themselves, (b) the extensive history underlying their development, and (c) the soundness of the technical foundation. The public needs to be fully informed on studies, tests, and analyses that have been carried out worldwide and form the basis of the regulatory standards and requirements. This paper provides specific information aimed at improving the public perception of packages test standards

40 CFR 1700.14 - Marine Pollution Control Device (MPCD) Performance Standards. [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Marine Pollution Control Device (MPCD... UNIFORM NATIONAL DISCHARGE STANDARDS FOR VESSELS OF THE ARMED FORCES Marine Pollution Control Device (MPCD) Performance Standards § 1700.14 Marine Pollution Control Device (MPCD) Performance Standards. [Reserved] ...

Telemetry Standards, IRIG Standard 106-17, Chapter 22, Network Based Protocol Suite

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-01

requirements. 22.2 Network Access Layer 22.2.1 Physical Layer Connectors and cable media should meet the electrical or optical properties required by the...Telemetry Standards, IRIG Standard 106-17 Chapter 22, July 2017 i CHAPTER 22 Network -Based Protocol Suite Acronyms...iii Chapter 22. Network -Based Protocol Suite

Preliminary results of testing bioassay analytical performance standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, D.R.; Robinson, A.V.; Hadley, R.T.

1983-08-01

The analytical performance of both in vivo and in vitro bioassay laboratories is being studied to determine the capability of these laboratories to meet the minimum criteria for accuracy and precision specified in the draft ANSI Standard N13.30, Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay. This paper presents preliminary results of the first round of testing

The Impact of Data-Based Science Instruction on Standardized Test Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Herrington, Tia W.

Increased teacher accountability efforts have resulted in the use of data to improve student achievement. This study addressed teachers' inconsistent use of data-driven instruction in middle school science. Evidence of the impact of data-based instruction on student achievement and school and district practices has been well documented by researchers. In science, less information has been available on teachers' use of data for classroom instruction. Drawing on data-driven decision making theory, the purpose of this study was to examine whether data-based instruction impacted performance on the science Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) and to explore the factors that impeded its use by a purposeful sample of 12 science teachers at a data-driven school. The research questions addressed in this study included understanding: (a) the association between student performance on the science portion of the CRCT and data-driven instruction professional development, (b) middle school science teachers' perception of the usefulness of data, and (c) the factors that hindered the use of data for science instruction. This study employed a mixed methods sequential explanatory design. Data collected included 8th grade CRCT data, survey responses, and individual teacher interviews. A chi-square test revealed no improvement in the CRCT scores following the implementation of professional development on data-driven instruction (chi 2 (1) = .183, p = .67). Results from surveys and interviews revealed that teachers used data to inform their instruction, indicating time as the major hindrance to their use. Implications for social change include the development of lesson plans that will empower science teachers to deliver data-based instruction and students to achieve identified academic goals.

40 CFR 471.73 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS NONFERROUS METALS FORMING AND METAL POWDERS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Uranium Forming... achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS). The mass of pollutants in the uranium... mg/off-kg (pounds per million off-pounds) of uranium extruded Cadmium 0.007 0.003 Chromium 0.013 0...

Refocusing acute psychiatry, performance management, standards and accountability, a new context for mental health nursing.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Harnett, P J

2009-06-01

The term \\'performance management\\' has an aversive \\'managerial\\' aspect, is unappealing to many public sector staff and has an \\'image problem\\'. Perhaps as a consequence, it has failed to make a significant impact on Irish public sector workers, notably mental health nurses. In this paper, performance management is introduced and examined within an Irish healthcare context and with reference to its use in other countries. Some of the challenges faced by Irish mental health nurses and the potential benefits of working within a performance managed workplace are discussed. The paper concludes that performance management is likely to increasingly affect nurses, either as active agents or as passive recipients of a change that is thrust on them. The authors anticipate that the performance management \\'image problem\\' will give way to recognition that this is a fundamental change which has the potential to enable health services to change. This change will bring high standards of transparency, worker involvement in decision making, an explicit value base for health services and individual teams. It provides the potential for clear practice standards and high standards of transparency as well as worker welfare in all aspects, including supporting employment and career progression.

Standardizing the performance evaluation of short-term wind prediction models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Henrik; Pinson, Pierre; Kariniotakis, G.

2005-01-01

Short-term wind power prediction is a primary requirement for efficient large-scale integration of wind generation in power systems and electricity markets. The choice of an appropriate prediction model among the numerous available models is not trivial, and has to be based on an objective...... evaluation of model performance. This paper proposes a standardized protocol for the evaluation of short-term wind-poser preciction systems. A number of reference prediction models are also described, and their use for performance comparison is analysed. The use of the protocol is demonstrated using results...... from both on-shore and off-shore wind forms. The work was developed in the frame of the Anemos project (EU R&D project) where the protocol has been used to evaluate more than 10 prediction systems....

Standard specification for agencies performing nondestructive testing

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This specification covers minimum requirements for agencies performing nondestructive testing (NDT). 1.2 When using this specification to assess the capability of, or to accredit NDT agencies, Guide E 1359 shall be used as a basis for the survey. It can be supplemented as necessary with more detail in order to meet the auditor's specific needs. 1.3 This specification can be used as a basis to evaluate testing or inspection agencies, or both, and is intended for use for the qualifying or accrediting, or both, of testing or inspection agencies, public or private. 1.4 The use of SI or inch-pound units, or combination thereof, will be the responsibility of the technical committee whose standards are referred to in this standard. 1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to...

Technical bases for criticality safety standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton, E.D.

1980-01-01

An American National Standard implies a consensus of those substantially concerned with its scope and provisions. The technical basis, or foundation, on which the consensus rests, must in turn, be firmly established and documented for public review. The technical bases are discussed and reviewed of several standards in different stages of completion and acceptance: ANSI/ANS-8.12, 1978, Nuclear Criticality Control and Safety of Homogeneous Plutonium - Uranium Mixtures Outside Reactors (Approved July 17, 1978); ANS-815, Nuclear Criticality Control of Special Actinide Elements (Draft No. 5 of newly proposed standard); ANS-8.14, Use of Solutions of Neutron Absorbers for Criticality Control (Draft No. 4 of newly proposed standard); ANS-8.5 (Revision of N16.4, 1971), Use of Borosilicate-Glass Raschig Rings as a Neutron Absorber in Solutions of Fissile Material (Draft No. 5 as a result of prescribed five-year review and update of old standard). In each of the preceding, the newly proposed (or revised) limits are based on the extension of experimental data via well established calculations, or by means of independent calculations with adequate margins for uncertainties. The four cases serve to illustrate the insight of the work group members in the establishment of the technical bases for the limits and the level of activity required on their part in the preparation of ANSI Standards. A time span of from four up to seven years has not been uncommon for the preparation, review, and acceptance of an ANSI Standard. 8 figures. 7 tables

Performance Evaluation of Five Turbidity Sensors in Three Primary Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Snazelle, Teri T.

2015-10-28

Open-File Report 2015-1172 is temporarily unavailable.Five commercially available turbidity sensors were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey, Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) for accuracy and precision in three types of turbidity standards; formazin, StablCal, and AMCO Clear (AMCO–AEPA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes all three turbidity standards as primary standards, meaning they are acceptable for reporting purposes. The Forrest Technology Systems (FTS) DTS-12, the Hach SOLITAX sc, the Xylem EXO turbidity sensor, the Yellow Springs Instrument (YSI) 6136 turbidity sensor, and the Hydrolab Series 5 self-cleaning turbidity sensor were evaluated to determine if turbidity measurements in the three primary standards are comparable to each other, and to ascertain if the primary standards are truly interchangeable. A formazin 4000 nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU) stock was purchased and dilutions of 40, 100, 400, 800, and 1000 NTU were made fresh the day of testing. StablCal and AMCO Clear (for Hach 2100N) standards with corresponding concentrations were also purchased for the evaluation. Sensor performance was not evaluated in turbidity levels less than 40 NTU due to the unavailability of polymer-bead turbidity standards rated for general use. The percent error was calculated as the true (not absolute) difference between the measured turbidity and the standard value, divided by the standard value.The sensors that demonstrated the best overall performance in the evaluation were the Hach SOLITAX and the Hydrolab Series 5 turbidity sensor when the operating range (0.001–4000 NTU for the SOLITAX and 0.1–3000 NTU for the Hydrolab) was considered in addition to sensor accuracy and precision. The average percent error in the three standards was 3.80 percent for the SOLITAX and -4.46 percent for the Hydrolab. The DTS-12 also demonstrated good accuracy with an average percent error of 2.02 percent and a maximum relative standard

Performance characterization of structured light-based fingerprint scanner

Science.gov (United States)

Hassebrook, Laurence G.; Wang, Minghao; Daley, Raymond C.

2013-05-01

Our group believes that the evolution of fingerprint capture technology is in transition to include 3-D non-contact fingerprint capture. More specifically we believe that systems based on structured light illumination provide the highest level of depth measurement accuracy. However, for these new technologies to be fully accepted by the biometric community, they must be compliant with federal standards of performance. At present these standards do not exist for this new biometric technology. We propose and define a set of test procedures to be used to verify compliance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's image quality specification for Personal Identity Verification single fingerprint capture devices. The proposed test procedures include: geometric accuracy, lateral resolution based on intensity or depth, gray level uniformity and flattened fingerprint image quality. Several 2-D contact analogies, performance tradeoffs and optimization dilemmas are evaluated and proposed solutions are presented.

Reconcilable Differences: Standards-based Teaching and Differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, Carol Ann

2000-01-01

There is no contradiction between effective standards-based instruction and differentiation. Curriculum tells teachers what to teach; differentiation tells how. Teachers can challenge all learners by providing standards-based materials and tasks calling for varied difficulty levels, scaffolding, instructional styles, and learning times. (MLH)

FACTORS AFFECTING THE COMPLIANCE OF MYANMAR NURSES IN PERFORMING STANDARD PRECAUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sa Sa Aung

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Exposure to pathogens is a serious issue for nurses. The literature explains that standard precaution have not consistently done in nursing. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the compliance of nurses in Myanmar in performing standard precautions. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Samples included 34 nurses in Waibagi Specialist Hospital (SHW, Myanmar. The independent variables were the characteristics of nurses, knowledge of standard precaution, and exposure to blood / body fluids and needle puncture wounds. The dependent variable was the performance of standard prevention. Data analyzed using descriptive analysis and logistic regression. Results: The result showed that almost respondents (91.18% had a good knowledge about prevention standards and 73.5% of respondents had good adherence in performing standard precaution. However, in practice nurses have not been consistent in closing the needles that have been used correctly. The results showed that nurse characteristics did not significantly affect adherence to standard precaution with statistical test results as follows: age (p = 0.97, gender (p = 1.00, religion (p = 0.72, education (p = 0.85, work experience at SHW (p = 0, 84, education training program (p = 0.71, knowledge (p = 0.76, and needle stick injury (p = 0,17. But, there was a significant influence between adherence to standard precaution on the incidence of injury due to puncture needle with p value = 0.01. Discussion: The barriers to applying standard precautions by Myanmar nurses can be reduced by providing basic training, supervision and improvement of operational standard procedures.

Neutron Sources for Standard-Based Testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radev, Radoslav [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); McLean, Thomas [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-11-10

The DHS TC Standards and the consensus ANSI Standards use ²⁵²Cf as the neutron source for performance testing because its energy spectrum is similar to the ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu fission sources used in nuclear weapons. An emission rate of 20,000 ± 20% neutrons per second is used for testing of the radiological requirements both in the ANSI standards and the TCS. Determination of the accurate neutron emission rate of the test source is important for maintaining consistency and agreement between testing results obtained at different testing facilities. Several characteristics in the manufacture and the decay of the source need to be understood and accounted for in order to make an accurate measurement of the performance of the neutron detection instrument. Additionally, neutron response characteristics of the particular instrument need to be known and taken into account as well as neutron scattering in the testing environment.

40 CFR 407.25 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 407.25 Section 407.25 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CANNED AND PRESERVED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROCESSING POINT SOURCE...

40 CFR 407.35 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 407.35 Section 407.35 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CANNED AND PRESERVED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROCESSING POINT SOURCE...

40 CFR 407.45 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 407.45 Section 407.45 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CANNED AND PRESERVED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROCESSING POINT SOURCE...

40 CFR 407.15 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 407.15 Section 407.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CANNED AND PRESERVED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PROCESSING POINT SOURCE...

40 CFR 428.65 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standards of performance for new sources. 428.65 Section 428.65 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Medium-Sized General Molded...

MRI/TRUS fusion software-based targeted biopsy: the new standard of care?

Science.gov (United States)

Manfredi, M; Costa Moretti, T B; Emberton, M; Villers, A; Valerio, M

2015-09-01

The advent of multiparametric MRI has made it possible to change the way in which prostate biopsy is done, allowing to direct biopsies to suspicious lesions rather than randomly. The subject of this review relates to a computer-assisted strategy, the MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy, and to its performance compared to the other sampling methods. Different devices with different methods to register MR images to live TRUS are currently in use to allow software-based targeted biopsy. Main clinical indications of MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy are re-biopsy in men with persistent suspicious of prostate cancer after first negative standard biopsy and the follow-up of patients under active surveillance. Some studies have compared MRI/US fusion software-based targeted versus standard biopsy. In men at risk with MRI-suspicious lesion, targeted biopsy consistently detects more men with clinically significant disease as compared to standard biopsy; some studies have also shown decreased detection of insignificant disease. Only two studies directly compared MRI/US fusion software-based targeted biopsy with MRI/US fusion visual targeted biopsy, and the diagnostic ability seems to be in favor of the software approach. To date, no study comparing software-based targeted biopsy against in-bore MRI biopsy is available. The new software-based targeted approach seems to have the characteristics to be added in the standard pathway for achieving accurate risk stratification. Once reproducibility and cost-effectiveness will be verified, the actual issue will be to determine whether MRI/TRUS fusion software-based targeted biopsy represents anadd-on test or a replacement to standard TRUS biopsy.

Experience with local lymph node assay performance standards using standard radioactivity and nonradioactive cell count measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Basketter, David; Kolle, Susanne N; Schrage, Arnhild; Honarvar, Naveed; Gamer, Armin O; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard; Landsiedel, Robert

2012-08-01

The local lymph node assay (LLNA) is the preferred test for identification of skin-sensitizing substances by measuring radioactive thymidine incorporation into the lymph node. To facilitate acceptance of nonradioactive variants, validation authorities have published harmonized minimum performance standards (PS) that the alternative endpoint assay must meet. In the present work, these standards were applied to a variant of the LLNA based on lymph node cell counts (LNCC) run in parallel as a control with the standard LLNA with radioactivity measurements, with threshold concentrations (EC3) being determined for the sensitizers. Of the 22 PS chemicals tested in this study, 21 yielded the same results from standard radioactivity and cell count measurements; only 2-mercaptobenzothiazole was positive by LLNA but negative by LNCC. Of the 16 PS positives, 15 were positive by LLNA and 14 by LNCC; methylmethacrylate was not identified as sensitizer by either of the measurements. Two of the six PS negatives tested negative in our study by both LLNA and LNCC. Of the four PS negatives which were positive in our study, chlorobenzene and methyl salicylate were tested at higher concentrations than the published PS, whereas the corresponding concentrations resulted in consistent negative results. Methylmethacrylate and nickel chloride tested positive within the concentration range used for the published PS. The results indicate cell counts and radioactive measurements are in good accordance within the same LLNA using the 22 PS test substances. Comparisons with the published PS results may, however, require balanced analysis rather than a simple checklist approach. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Influence of Adaptation and Standardization of the Marketing Mix on Performance: a Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinícius Andrade Brei

2011-07-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the relationship between strategies of standardization and adaptation of the marketing mix and performance in an international context. We carried out a meta-analysis on a sample of 23 studies published between 1992 and 2010. The sample was analyzed based on measures of the effect size (ES – or the strength of the relation (Wolf, 1986 – between standardization/adaptation and performance. The results suggest the existence of a medium strength (ES ranging from .133 to .209 for the relationship considered. The results support the existence of a positive impact of both marketing mix adaptation and standardization on performance. However, our results suggest that companies should slightly emphasize the marketing mix adaptation (ES mean = .168 instead of standardizing it (ES mean = .134 when entering in a new international market. Results also indicate that, among the adaptation choices, price (ES = .209 should be the first element of the marketing mix to be adapted, followed by promotion (ES = .155, product (ES = .154, and distribution (ES = .141. Finally, we suggest some new research paths, such as the use of quantitative methods to compare degrees of adaptation to be applied to different segments, regions, and sectors, among other suggestions.

Performance Measurement of Management System Standards Using the Balanced Scorecard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Kopia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Management system standards (MSS, such as ISO standards, TQM, etc. are widely-used standards adopted by millions of organizations worldwide. It is still an unclear question whether these standards are beneficial for an organization, besides the fact that they might be required or expected by law or customers. The question, whether MSS increase the efficiency, the output, or the performance of an organization is still discussed in scientific research. One reason might be that performance measurement itself is not fully understood or in constant development ranging from pure financial evaluations over intellectual capital rating to calculating of levels of environmental, social or economic expectations known as the Trible Bottom Line. The Balanced Scorecard is one possible solution for performance measurement on a strategic and operational level and therefore useful for the measurement of the influence of MSS within organizations. This study summarized current research in the field of performance measurement in the context of MSS and IMS and the use of BSC and quantitatively and qualitatively tests the usefulness of BSC in measuring the effect of MSSs using the Execution Premium. It was found that BSC is often used, that an average number of companies integrate their measurement initiatives of their MSSs into the BSC-process, and that a high integration of MSS into the BSC improves the organizational performance. This research is useful for researchers and practitioners in order to understand the benefits of the usage of the BSC in the context of MSS or Integrated Management Systems.

Standardized computer-based organized reporting of EEG

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beniczky, Sándor; Aurlien, Harald; Brøgger, Jan C.

2017-01-01

Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted in the se......Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted...... in the second, revised version of SCORE (Standardized Computer-based Organized Reporting of EEG), which is presented in this paper. The revised terminology was implemented in a software package (SCORE EEG), which was tested in clinical practice on 12,160 EEG recordings. Standardized terms implemented in SCORE....... In the end, the diagnostic significance is scored, using a standardized list of terms. SCORE has specific modules for scoring seizures (including seizure semiology and ictal EEG patterns), neonatal recordings (including features specific for this age group), and for Critical Care EEG Terminology. SCORE...

40 CFR 421.274 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... times. (e) Sodium hypochlorite filter backwash. NSPS for the Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS NONFERROUS METALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Primary Rare Earth Metals Subcategory § 421.274 Standards of performance for new sources. Any new source subject to this...

Use of performance standards in behavioral health carve-out contracts among Fortune 500 firms.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrick, E L; Garnick, D W; Horgan, C M; Goldin, D; Hodgkin, D; Sciegaj, M

1999-06-25

To determine the prevalence and nature of performance standards in specialty managed behavioral healthcare contracts among Fortune 500 companies. This was a cross-sectional survey of all companies listed on the Fortune 500 during 1994, 1995, or both. From April 1997 to May 1998 we conducted a mailed survey with phone follow-up. Of the 68% of firms that responded, over one third reported carve-out contracts. The survey focused on whether companies had behavioral health carve-out contracts with specialty vendors and characteristics of these contracts, including the use of performance standards. More than three quarters of the Fortune 500 companies reporting specialty behavioral healthcare contracts used at least one performance standard. Most common were administrative standards (70.2%) and customer service standards (69.4%). About half of the companies used quality standards, whereas only a third used provider-related standards. Most (58.8%) companies using performance standards also specified financial consequences. Larger Fortune 500 firms were significantly more likely to use performance standards. Risk contracts and contracts that included all covered employees were also more likely to include some categories of standards. Administrative and customer service standards may be most common because companies find it easier to specify those standards, especially compared with clinical quality measures. To the extent that employers want to obtain the most value from their behavioral healthcare purchasing, we expect that more will begin to adopt quality standards in their contracts, especially as performance measures become more refined. Reliance on accreditation, however, is an alternative approach for employers.

40 CFR 406.25 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 406.25 Section 406.25 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS GRAIN MILLS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Corn Dry Milling Subcategory § 406.25...

40 CFR 406.15 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Standards of performance for new sources. 406.15 Section 406.15 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS GRAIN MILLS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Corn Wet Milling Subcategory § 406.15...

30 CFR 820.11 - Performance standards: Anthracite mines in Pennsylvania.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Pennsylvania. 820.11 Section 820.11 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT... STANDARDS-ANTHRACITE MINES IN PENNSYLVANIA § 820.11 Performance standards: Anthracite mines in Pennsylvania. Anthracite mines in Pennsylvania, as specified in section 529 of the Act, shall comply with its approved...

Standards Performance Continuum: Development and Validation of a Measure of Effective Pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Doherty, R. William; Hilberg, R. Soleste; Epaloose, Georgia; Tharp, Roland G.

2002-01-01

Describes the development and validation of the Standards Performance Continuum (SPC) for assessing teacher performance of the Standards for Effective Pedagogy. Three studies involving Florida, California, and New Mexico public school teachers provided evidence of inter-rater reliability, concurrent validity, and criterion-related validity…

Vocational and Technical Education Performance Standards and Competencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Connecticut State Board of Education, Hartford.

These Connecticut vocational and technical performance standards and competencies are a guide for overall quality attainment in these seven vocational and technical program areas: agricultural science technology education; business and finance technology education; cooperative work education; family and consumer sciences education; marketing…

Do School-Based Tutoring Programs Significantly Improve Student Performance on Standardized Tests?

Science.gov (United States)

Rothman, Terri; Henderson, Mary

2011-01-01

This study used a pre-post, nonequivalent control group design to examine the impact of an in-district, after-school tutoring program on eighth grade students' standardized test scores in language arts and mathematics. Students who had scored in the near-passing range on either the language arts or mathematics aspect of a standardized test at the…

Radiological Evaluation Standards in the Radiology Department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital (RAH YASUJ Based on Radiology standards in 92

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A َKalantari

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Radiology personnel’s working in terms of performance and safety is one of the most important functions in order to increase the quality and quantity. This study aimed to evaluate the radiological standards in Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Yasuj, Iran, in 2013. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was based on a 118 randomly selected graphs and the ranking list, with full knowledge of the standards in radiology was performed two times. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 87.3% of the students chose the cassette, 76.3%, patients chose the position, 87.3%, member state, the central ray 83.9%, and the distance between the tube and the patient 68.6% had been operated in accordance with the standards practice. Among all the factors and variables, between view with cassette, view with SID, sex with position patients, grid with central ray, grid with SID, Request with positioning the patient and between density with patient position and member position significant relationship were observed p<0.05 . Conclusions: Staff and students in terms of performance were at high levels, but in the levels of protection were in poor condition. Therefore, in order to promote their conservation, education and periodical monitoring should be carried out continuously.

Self-assessment: Strategy for higher standards, consistency, and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ide, W.E.

1996-01-01

In late 1994, Palo Verde operations underwent a transformation from a unitized structure to a single functional unit. It was necessary to build consistency in watchstanding practices and create a shared mission. Because there was a lack of focus on actual plant operations and because personnel were deeply involved with administrative tasks, command and control of evolutions were weak. Improvement was needed. Consistent performance standards have been set for all three operating units. These expectation focus on nuclear, radiological, and industrial safety. Straightforward descriptions of watchstanding and monitoring practices have been provided to all department personnel. The desired professional and leadership qualities for employee conduct have been defined and communicated thoroughly. A healthy and competitive atmosphere developed with the successful implementation of these standards. Overall performance improved. The auxiliary operators demonstrated increased pride and ownership in the performance of their work activities. In addition, their morale improved. Crew teamwork improved as well as the quality of shift briefs. There was a decrease in the noise level and the administrative functions in the control room. The use of self-assessment helped to anchor and define higher and more consistent standards. The proof of Palo Verde's success was evident when an Institute of Nuclear Power Operations finding was turned into a strength within 1 yr

Brain-Based Learning and Standards-Based Elementary Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Konecki, Loretta R.; Schiller, Ellen

This paper explains how brain-based learning has become an area of interest to elementary school science teachers, focusing on the possible relationships between, and implications of, research on brain-based learning to the teaching of science education standards. After describing research on the brain, the paper looks at three implications from…

Science and art of setting performance standards and cutoff scores in kinesiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Weimo

2013-12-01

Setting standards and cutoff scores is essential to any measurement and evaluation practice. Two evaluation frameworks, norm-referenced (NR) and criterion-referenced (CR), have often been used for setting standards. Although setting fitness standards based on the NR evaluation is relatively easy as long as a nationally representative sample can be obtained and regularly updated, it has several limitations-namely, time dependency, population dependence, discouraging low-level performers, and favoring advantaged or punishing disadvantaged individuals. Fortunately, these limitations can be significantly eliminated by employing the CR evaluation, which was introduced to kinesiology by Safrit and colleagues in the 1980s and has been successfully applied to some practical problems (e.g., set health-related fitness standards for FITNESSGRAM). Yet, the CR evaluation has its own challenges, e.g., selecting an appropriate measure for a criterion behavior, when the expected relationship between the criterion behavior and a predictive measure is not clear, and when standards are not consistent among multiple field measures. Some of these challenges can be addressed by employing the latest statistical methods (e.g., test equating). This article provides a comprehensive review of the science and art of setting standards and cutoff scores in kinesiology. After a brief historical overview of the standard-setting practice in kinesiology is presented, a case analysis of a successful CR evaluation, along with related challenges, is described. Lessons learned from past and current practice as well as how to develop a defendable standard are described. Finally, future research needs and directions are outlined.

77 FR 39385 - Receipts-Based, Small Business Size Standard

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-03

.... The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million...-based, small business size standard increasing from $6.5 million to $7.0 million. This adjustment is to... regulatory programs. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million...

Effects of setting new source performance standards for fluidized-bed combustion systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-02-01

This study was undertaken for the US Environmental Protection Agency to examine the potential consequences of revisions in New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) on fluidized-bed combustor-based steam electric generators of greater than 250,000,000 Btu. A study of the appropriateness and differential effects of alternate regulatory approaches to the standards-setting process was made. Problems dealing with an emerging technology such as fluidized-bed combustion were emphasized. Finally, an examination was made of the potential benefits of fluidized-bed combustion (FBC) systems relative to conventional coal-fired systems equipped with scrubbers. Information is included on the relative advantages and disadvantages of utility-sized fluidized-bed combustors, the technical consequences of NSPS alternatives, policy implications concerning NSPS for steam-electric generators, and cost models for atmospheric and pressurized FBC systems. (LCL)

Standard Establishment Through Scenarios (SETS): A new technique for occupational fitness standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Blacklock, R E; Reilly, T J; Spivock, M; Newton, P S; Olinek, S M

2015-01-01

An objective and scientific task analysis provides the basis for establishing legally defensible Physical Employment Standards (PES), based on common and essential occupational tasks. Infrequent performance of these tasks creates challenges when developing PES based on criterion, or content validity. Develop a systematic approach using Subject Matter Experts (SME) to provide tasks with 1) an occupationally relevant scenario considered common to all personnel; 2) a minimum performance standard defined by time, distance, load or work. Examples provided here relate to the development of a new PES for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). SME of various experience are selected based on their eligibility criteria. SME are required to define a reasonable scenario for each task from personal experience, provide occupational performance requirements of the scenario in sub-groups, and discuss and agree by consensus vote on the final standard based on the definition of essential. A common and essential task for the CAF is detailed as a case example of process application. Techniques to avoid common SME rating errors are discussed and advantages to the method described. The SETS method was developed as a systematic approach to setting occupational performance standards and qualifying information from SME.

Performance-based analysis of current South African semi-trailer designs

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Thorogood, R

2009-07-01

Full Text Available , performance based standards, dynamic stability, tractor semi- trailers, directional response, static rollover threshold Introduction South African heavy vehicles are currently designed according to prescriptive standards designed and enforced... productivity. These include Central Tyre Inflation (CTI), on-board weighing, new materials such as Domex and vehicle satellite tracking, all leading towards increased payloads and reduced costs. There have also been improvements in technology...

45 CFR 305.33 - Determination of applicable percentages based on performance levels.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM PERFORMANCE MEASURES, STANDARDS, FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, AND PENALTIES § 305.33 Determination of applicable percentages based on performance levels. (a) A State's... performance levels. 305.33 Section 305.33 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare OFFICE OF...

Responding to hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions: performance standards, imaginative suggestibility, and response expectancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Eric C; Lynn, Steven Jay

2011-07-01

This study examined the relative impact of hypnotic inductions and several other variables on hypnotic and nonhypnotic responsiveness to imaginative suggestions. The authors examined how imaginative suggestibility, response expectancies, motivation to respond to suggestions, and hypnotist-induced performance standards affected participants' responses to both hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions and their suggestion-related experiences. Suggestions were administered to 5 groups of participants using a test-retest design: (a) stringent performance standards; (b) lenient performance standards; (c) hypnosis test-retest; (d) no-hypnosis test-retest; and (e) no-hypnosis/hypnosis control. The authors found no support for the influence of a hypnotic induction or performance standards on responding to suggestions but found considerable support for the role of imaginative suggestibility and response expectancies in predicting responses to both hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggestions.

Proposal for Standard Index and Analysis of Financial Performance in 2014 of Brazilian Soccer Clubs of Serie A

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael da Costa Jahara

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study aims to develop a standard index for analysis of the financial performance of the football clubs of Brazil who participated in the series in the year 2014. To prepare the standard index are used economic and financial indicators of liquidity, profitability and debt, as well solvency analysis of the clubs by using the Kanitz model. Based on studies on standard indices to compare the performance of companies were selected for the analysis of balance sheets and statements of income twenty clubs. This study is classified as a descriptive exploratory research, multicases and quantitative approach because the document analysis, on the information that was extracted from financial reports, published on the websites of the respective soccer clubs. As a result, you can see that the clubs generally have poor performance when individually analyzed in both the analysis of liquidity indicators, indebtedness, profitability and solvency. However, such a result can not explain the competitive performance of the teams in that league.

A standards-based approach to quality improvement for HIV services at Zambia Defence Force facilities: results and lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Kols, Adrienne; Kim, Young-Mi; Bazant, Eva; Necochea, Edgar; Banda, Joseph; Stender, Stacie

2015-07-01

The Zambia Defence Force adopted the Standards-Based Management and Recognition approach to improve the quality of the HIV-related services at its health facilities. This quality improvement intervention relies on comprehensive, detailed assessment tools to communicate and verify adherence to national standards of care, and to test and implement changes to improve performance. A quasi-experimental evaluation of the intervention was conducted at eight Zambia Defence Force primary health facilities (four facilities implemented the intervention and four did not). Data from three previous analyses are combined to assess the effect of Standards-Based Management and Recognition on three domains: facility readiness to provide services; observed provider performance during antiretroviral therapy (ART) and antenatal care consultations; and provider perceptions of the work environment. Facility readiness scores for ART improved on four of the eight standards at intervention sites, and one standard at comparison sites. Facility readiness scores for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV increased by 15 percentage points at intervention sites and 7 percentage points at comparison sites. Provider performance improved significantly at intervention sites for both ART services (from 58 to 84%; P improved at intervention sites and declined at comparison sites; differences in trends between study groups were significant for eight items. A standards-based approach to quality improvement proved effective in supporting healthcare managers and providers to deliver ART and PMTCT services in accordance with evidence-based standards in a health system suffering from staff shortages.

Standardized computer-based organized reporting of EEG

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beniczky, Sándor; Aurlien, Harald; Brøgger, Jan C.

2017-01-01

Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted in the se......Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted...... in the second, revised version of SCORE (Standardized Computer-based Organized Reporting of EEG), which is presented in this paper. The revised terminology was implemented in a software package (SCORE EEG), which was tested in clinical practice on 12,160 EEG recordings. Standardized terms implemented in SCORE...... are used to report the features of clinical relevance, extracted while assessing the EEGs. Selection of the terms is context sensitive: initial choices determine the subsequently presented sets of additional choices. This process automatically generates a report and feeds these features into a database...

Comparing Performance Standards on the Retention of Words Read Correctly per Minute

Science.gov (United States)

Kubina, Richard M., Jr.; Amato, Janelle; Schwilk, Christopher L.; Therrien, William J.

2008-01-01

To measure retention of oral reading fluency, three students attending a learning support classroom used a repeating reading strategy with two passages. Each student read one passage to a high performance standard and the other passage to a lower performance standard. Results show it took the students more practice to reach the higher performance…

Marker based standardization of polyherbal formulation (SJT-DI-02 by high performance thin layer chromatography method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhakti J Ladva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Preparation of highly standardized herbal products with respect to chemical composition and biological activity is considered to be a valuable approach in this field. SJT-DI-02 polyherbal formulation was successfully developed at our institute and filed for patent at Mumbai patent office. Objective: The present work was marker based standardization of patented, novel and efficacious polyherbal formulation namely SJT-DI-02 for the treatment of diabetes. The SJT-DI-02 was comprised of dried extracts of rhizomes of Acorus calamus, leaves of Aegle marmelose, fruits of Benincasa hispida, roots of Chlorophytum arendinaceum, seeds of Eugenia jambolana, leaves of Ocimum sanctum, pericarp of Punica granatum, seeds of Tamarindus indica. Selected plants were collected, dried and extracted with suitable solvents. The formulation was prepared by mixing different fractions of extracts. Materials and Methods: For successful and best standardization, first of all selection and procurement was carried out. Selection is done on the basis of therapeutic efficacy and amount of the marker present in the particular plant part. At the time of procurement side by side phytochemical screening and estimation of phytoconstituents was carried out. After completion of preliminary screening using characterized markers, we tried to develop best TLC systems using selected solvent composition. Finally well-developed TLC systems were applied in HPTLC. In the present study polyherbal formulation was standardized by using different four markers. TLC Densitometric methods were developed using HPTLC for the quantification of these marker compounds. Solvent systems were optimized to achieve best resolution of the marker compounds from other components of the sample extract. The identity of the bands in the sample extracts were confirmed by comparing the Rf and the absorption spectra by overlaying their UV absorption spectra with those of their respective standards. The

Post-LOCA long term cooling performance in Korean standard nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, Young Seok; Jung, Jae Won; Seul, Kwang Won; Kim, Hho Jung

1999-01-01

The post-LOCA long term cooling (LTC) performance of the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNPP) is analyzed for both small break LOCA and large break LOCA. The RELAP5/MOD3.2.2 code is used to calculate the LTC sequences based on the LTC plan of the KSNPP. A standard input model is developed such that LOCA and the followed LTC sequence can be calculated in a single run for both small break LOCA and large break LOCA. A spectrum of small break LOCA ranging from 0.02 to 0.5 ft 2 of break area and a double-ended guillotine break are analyzed. Through the code calculations, the thermal-hydraulic behavior and the boron behavior are evaluated and the effect of the important manual action including the safety injection tank isolation in LTC procedure is investigated

Comparison of exertion required to perform standard and active compression-decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shultz, J J; Mianulli, M J; Gisch, T M; Coffeen, P R; Haidet, G C; Lurie, K G

1995-02-01

Active compression-decompression (ACD) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) utilizes a hand-held suction device with a pressure gauge that enables the operator to compress as well as actively decompress the chest. This new CPR method improves hemodynamic and ventilatory parameters when compared with standard CPR. ACD-CPR is easy to perform but may be more labor intensive. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the work required to perform ACD and standard CPR. Cardiopulmonary testing was performed on six basic cardiac life support- and ACD-trained St. Paul, MN fire-fighter personnel during performance of 10 min each of ACD and standard CPR on a mannequin equipped with a compression gauge. The order of CPR techniques was determined randomly with > 1 h between each study. Each CPR method was performed at 80 compressions/min (timed with a metronome), to a depth of 1.5-2 inches, and with a 50% duty cycle. Baseline cardiopulmonary measurements were similar at rest prior to performance of both CPR methods. During standard and ACD-CPR, respectively, rate-pressure product was 18.2 +/- 3.0 vs. 23.8 +/- 1.7 (x 1000, P CPR compared with standard CPR. Both methods require subanaerobic energy expenditure and can therefore be sustained for a sufficient length of time by most individuals to optimize resuscitation efforts. Due to the slightly higher work requirement, ACD-CPR may be more difficult to perform compared with standard CPR for long periods of time, particularly by individuals unaccustomed to the workload requirement of CPR, in general.

Standards of performance and aesthetics in counselling and beyond

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nissen, Morten

2016-01-01

The article discusses performance standards in relation to Danish experiments with expanding drug counselling into ‘aesthetic documentation’ which is a hybrid of art with narrative practice. This relation is problematic, since the instrumental use defies the point in art, and since ‘aesthetic...... subjectivity. Then five claims are made about ‘aesthetic documentation’ as an alternative: The art works can be seen as prototypes rather than rigid standardizations; they represent collaboration rather than individualized performance; they work as staging or display in close connection with the substantial...... meaning of activities and their products; they objectify and thus achieve social recognition of clients and professionals; as art, they open to flexible, diverse and transforming attributions of meaning and value; and they address social problems rather than individualized malfunctions. In conclusion...

Review of UCN 5,6 Fire PSA Model based on ANS Fire PRA Standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Joon Eon; Lee, Yoon Hwan

2006-12-01

Recently, under the de-regulation environment, nuclear industry has attempted various approaches to improve the economics of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). This approach uses the fire risk and performance information to manage the resources effectively and efficiently that are used in the operation of NPP. In fire risk informed/performance-based decision/operation, fire PSA quality is one of the most important things. The nuclear industry and regulatory body of U.S.A have developed a measure to evaluate the quality of fire PSA. ANS (American Nuclear Society) has developed a guidance called 'ANS Fire PRA Methodology Standard'. However, in Korea, there have been no attempts to evaluate the quality of fire PSA model itself. Therefore, we cannot be sure about the quality of fire PSA whether or not the present fire PSA model can be used for the risk-informed applications such as mentioned above. We can say that the evaluation of fire PSA model quality is the basis for the fire risk informed/performance-based decision/operation. In this report, we have evaluated the quality of fire PSA model for Ulchin 5 and 6 units based on the ANS Fire PRA Standard. We, also, have derived what items are to be improved to upgrade the quality of fire PSA model and how it can be improved. This report can be used as the base of the fire risk informed/performance-based decision/operation work in Korea

Medicaid management information systems performance standards: Health Care Financing Administration. Notice with comment period.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-06-30

This notice contains performance standards (review elements and factors). We are required by section 1903(r)(6)(E) of the Social Security Act to notify all States of proposed procedures, standards, and other requirements at least one quarter prior to the fiscal year in which the procedures, standards, and other requirements will be used for Medicaid Management Information Systems reapproval reviews. This Notice meets that statutory requirements. By October 1, 1981, we will use the performance standards and existing systems requirements when conducting the annual review of State system performance.

Achieving mask order processing automation, interoperability and standardization based on P10

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, B.; Filies, O.; Sadran, D.; Tissier, Michel; Albin, D.; Stavroulakis, S.; Voyiatzis, E.

2007-02-01

Last year the MUSCLE (Masks through User's Supply Chain: Leadership by Excellence) project was presented. Here is the project advancement. A key process in mask supply chain management is the exchange of technical information for ordering masks. This process is large, complex, company specific and error prone, and leads to longer cycle times and higher costs due to missing or wrong inputs. Its automation and standardization could produce significant benefits. We need to agree on the standard for mandatory and optional parameters, and also a common way to describe parameters when ordering. A system was created to improve the performance in terms of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as cycle time and cost of production. This tool allows us to evaluate and measure the effect of factors, as well as the effect of implementing the improvements of the complete project. Next, a benchmark study and a gap analysis were performed. These studies show the feasibility of standardization, as there is a large overlap in requirements. We see that the SEMI P10 standard needs enhancements. A format supporting the standard is required, and XML offers the ability to describe P10 in a flexible way. Beyond using XML for P10, the semantics of the mask order should also be addressed. A system design and requirements for a reference implementation for a P10 based management system are presented, covering a mechanism for the evolution and for version management and a design for P10 editing and data validation.

An automation of physics research on base of open standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smirnov, V.A.

1997-01-01

A wide range of problems is considered concerning an automation of Laboratory of High Energies, JINR set-ups oriented to carry out the experimental researches in high energy and relativistic nuclear physics. Electronics of discussed automation systems is performed in open standards. Main peculiarities in the creation process of automation tools for experimental set-ups, stands and accelerators are shown. Some possibilities to build some accelerator control subsystems on base of industrial automation methods and techniques are discussed

Review of Consensus Standard Spectra for Flat Plate and Concentrating Photovoltaic Performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Myers, D.

2011-09-01

Consensus standard reference terrestrial solar spectra are used to establish nameplate ratings for photovoltaic device performance at standard reporting conditions. This report describes reference solar spectra developed in the United States and international consensus standards community which are widely accepted as of this writing (June 2011).

77 FR 39442 - Receipts-Based, Small Business Size Standard

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-03

... RIN 3150-AJ14 [NRC-2012-0062] Receipts-Based, Small Business Size Standard AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory... Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended. The NRC is proposing to increase its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million to conform to the standard set by the Small Business...

Performance-based training: from job and task analysis to training materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, L.T.; Spinney, R.W.

1983-01-01

Historically, the smoke filled room approach has been used to revise training programs: instructors would sit down and design a program based on existing training materials and any federal requirements that applied. This failure to reflect a systematic definition of required job functions, responsibilities and performance standards in training programs has resulted in generic program deficiencies: they do not provide complete training of required skills and knowledge. Recognition of this need for change, coupled with a decrease in experienced industry personnel inputs and long training pipelines, has heightened the need for efficient performance-based training programs which are derived from and referenced to job performance criteria. This paper presents the process for developing performance-based training materials based on job and task analysis products

30 CFR 827.13 - Coal preparation plants: Interim performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coal preparation plants: Interim performance...-COAL PREPARATION PLANTS NOT LOCATED WITHIN THE PERMIT AREA OF A MINE § 827.13 Coal preparation plants: Interim performance standards. (a) Persons operating or who have operated coal preparation plants after...

77 FR 68717 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSH-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. SUMMARY: With this notice, OSHA is withdrawing the proposed rule that...

Testing of camera performance standards at steady and local overloading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keszthelyine Landori, S.; Adorjanne Farkas, M.; Csirik, J.

1983-01-01

Camera performance standards are usually given for low count rates and uniform irradiation. A conventional analog gamma camera system (Gamma MB 9100 manufactured under the know-how of Picker DC 4/12 in Hungary) was studied on the basis of the Picker test procedure and the NEMA standard system. Uniformity, linearity, spatial and energy resolution were measured at high count rates and uniform irradiation (steady overloading). Linearity was studied at local overloading. Linearity, spatial and energy resolution were measured by a 1024-channel analyzer-computer system of KFKI, Hungary. The data were evaluated on the basis of NEMA standards, while uniformity was measured by the Gamma data processing system and evaluated by special SEGAMS programs. Performance variations were studied between 7500 cps and 75.000 cps pulse rates. Spatial and energy resolution were influenced strongly, uniformity slightly by pulse rates, while linearity did not change at all. Linearity was not influenced even by local overloading. (author)

EMPLACEMENT GANTRY ITS STANDARDS IDENTIFICATION STUDY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voegele, M.

2005-01-01

To date, the project has established ITS performance requirements for SSCs based on identification and categorization of event sequences that may result in a radiological release. These performance requirements are defined within the NSDB. Further, SSCs credited with performing safe functions are classified as ITS. In turn, perform confirmation for these SSCs is sought through the use of consensus code and standards. The purpose of this study is to identify applicable codes and standards for the WP Emplacement Gantry ITS SSCs. Further, this study will form the basis for selection and the extent of applicability of each code and standard. This study is based on the design development completed for LA only. Accordingly, identification of ITS SSCs beyond those defined within the NSDB are based on designs that may be subject to further development during detail design. Furthermore, several design alternatives may still be under consideration to satisfy certain safety functions, and that final selection will not be determined until further design development has occurred. Therefore, for completeness, throughout this study alternative designs currently under considered will be discussed. Further, the results of this study will be subject to evaluation as part of a follow-on GAP analysis study. Based on the results of this study the GAP analysis will evaluate each code and standard to ensure each ITS performance requirement is fully satisfied. When a performance requirement is not fully satisfied a ''gap'' is highlighted. Thereafter, the study will identify supplemental requirements to augment the code or standard to meet performance requirements. Further, the GAP analysis will identify non-standard areas of the design that will be subject to a Development Plan. Non-standard components and non-standard design configurations are defined as areas of the design that do not follow standard industry practices or codes and standards. Whereby, performance confirmation cannot be

Seismic Performance Comparison of a High-Content SDA Frame and Standard RC Frame

OpenAIRE

van de Lindt, John W.; Rechan, R. Karthik

2011-01-01

This study presents the method and results of an experiment to study the seismic behavior of a concrete portal frame with fifty percent of its cement content replaced with a spray dryer ash (SDA). Based on multiple-shake-table tests, the high content SDA frame was found to perform as well as the standard concrete frame for two earthquakes exceeding design-level intensity earthquakes. Hence, from a purely seismic/structural standpoint, it may be possible to replace approximately fifty percen...

77 FR 68684 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Final rule; confirmation of effective date. SUMMARY: OSHA is confirming the effective date of its...

A Note on the Determination of "Acceptable" Performance in Thorndike's Standard of Fair Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Charles

1980-01-01

The determination of acceptable performance in Thorndike's constant ratio standard of fair selection is considered. It is shown that suitable choice of acceptable performance can make any minority-majority selection disparity consistent with Thorndike's standard. A rule for determining acceptable performance which avoids the Petersen-Novick…

A study on the implementation of the performance of electrical products standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berkowitz, M A

1984-03-01

The Steering Committee on Electrical Products (SCOPEP) has developed a number of performance standards for selected electrical products and product attributes, under the direction of the Canadian Standards Association. Although the development of these standards shows that a successful standards writing process is in place, the initiation and implementation has been achieved by one or more stakeholder groups spearheading the requirement for the standard. As a result, SCOPEP has been unable to achieve its full potential in its role of developing peformance standards for electrical products. A study was undertaken with the aim of developing a strategic plan for SCOPEP which would be supported by marketing and other strategies. The major elements of the strategy include: selecting those products for which the benefits of a standards program significantly outweigh the costs; agreeing on the use of a framework which rigorously evaluates the cost-benefits of developing performance standards; producing a critical mass of products through the selection process so that revenues from label fees will ultimately balance program costs and support a full time SCOPEP secretariat; aggressively marketing the standards in all sectors, using a balanced push-and-pull strategy; and developing a protagonist attitude so that standards programs implemented are credible to all SCOPEP stakeholders. Detailed cost-benefit tables are appended. 11 figs., 18 tabs.

THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (EMSs AND ISO 14001 STANDARDS ON CORPORATE PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dajana Grandic

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper is based on the systematic literature review method and investigates the impacts of the EMS and ISO 14001 Standards towards corporate performance. Two units are considered through the methodology of research; firm size and market orientation. The evidence comes from the analysed dataset of 19 papers. Aggregated search results show that global firms orientated towards export have a higher probability to achieve product and process innovation than companies who focus primarily on regional and local markets due to higher competition in the global market. Moreover, firms who adopted EMS and ISO 14001 standard have a greater impact on performance, a positive influence on innovation and commitment to the environment related to company targets than those firms who did not apply it. The results of this research could be interesting for both investors and academics to know how the voluntary adoption of these two standards affects corporate performance.

Multi-focus image fusion based on area-based standard deviation in dual tree contourlet transform domain

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Min; Dong, Chenghui; Guo, Miao; Wang, Zhe; Mu, Xiaomin

2018-04-01

Multiresolution-based methods, such as wavelet and Contourlet are usually used to image fusion. This work presents a new image fusion frame-work by utilizing area-based standard deviation in dual tree Contourlet trans-form domain. Firstly, the pre-registered source images are decomposed with dual tree Contourlet transform; low-pass and high-pass coefficients are obtained. Then, the low-pass bands are fused with weighted average based on area standard deviation rather than the simple "averaging" rule. While the high-pass bands are merged with the "max-absolute' fusion rule. Finally, the modified low-pass and high-pass coefficients are used to reconstruct the final fused image. The major advantage of the proposed fusion method over conventional fusion is the approximately shift invariance and multidirectional selectivity of dual tree Contourlet transform. The proposed method is compared with wavelet- , Contourletbased methods and other the state-of-the art methods on common used multi focus images. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed fusion framework is feasible and effective, and it performs better in both subjective and objective evaluation.

Development of measurement standards for verifying functional performance of surface texture measuring instruments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujii, A [Life and Industrial Product Development Department Olympus Corporation, 2951 Ishikawa-machi, Hachiouji-shi, Tokyo (Japan); Suzuki, H [Industrial Marketing and Planning Department Olympus Corporation, Shinjyuku Monolith, 3-1 Nishi-Shinjyuku 2-chome, Tokyo (Japan); Yanagi, K, E-mail: a_fujii@ot.olympus.co.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka-machi, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata (Japan)

2011-08-19

A new measurement standard is proposed for verifying overall functional performance of surface texture measuring instruments. Its surface is composed of sinusoidal surface waveforms of chirp signals along horizontal cross sections of the material measure. One of the notable features is that the amplitude of each cycle in the chirp signal form is geometrically modulated so that the maximum slope is kept constant. The maximum slope of the chirp-like signal is gradually decreased according to movement in the lateral direction. We fabricated the measurement standard by FIB processing, and it was calibrated by AFM. We tried to evaluate the functional performance of Laser Scanning Microscope by this standard in terms of amplitude response with varying slope angles. As a result, it was concluded that the proposed standard can easily evaluate the performance of surface texture measuring instruments.

76 FR 42395 - Business Conduct Standards for Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-18

... Business Conduct Standards for Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap Participants...-11] RIN 3235-AL10 Business Conduct Standards for Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based...'') relating to external business conduct standards for security-based swap dealers (``SBS Dealers'') and major...

Do Simulation-Based Skill Exercises and Post-Encounter Notes Add Additional Value to a Standardized Patient-Based Clinical Skills Examination?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael D. Prislin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Standardized patient (SP clinical assessments have limited utility in assessing higher-level clinical competencies. This study explores the value of including simulation exercises and postencounter notes in an SP clinical skills examination. Methods. Two exercises involving cardiac auscultation and ophthalmic funduscopy simulations along with written post encounter notes were added to an SP-based performance examination. Descriptive analyses of students' performance and correlations with SP-based performance measures were obtained. Results. Students' abilities to detect abnormalities on physical exam were highly variable. There were no correlations between SP-based and simulation-derived measures of physical examination competency. Limited correlations were found between students' abilities to perform and document physical examinations and their formulation of appropriate differential diagnoses. Conclusions. Clinical simulation exercises add depth to SP-based assessments of performance. Evaluating the content of post encounter notes offers some insight into students' integrative abilities, and this appears to be improved by the addition of simulation-based post encounter skill exercises. However, further refinement of this methodology is needed.

[Establishment of database with standard 3D tooth crowns based on 3DS MAX].

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Xiaosheng; An, Tao; Liao, Wenhe; Dai, Ning; Yu, Qing; Lu, Peijun

2009-08-01

The database with standard 3D tooth crowns has laid the groundwork for dental CAD/CAM system. In this paper, we design the standard tooth crowns in 3DS MAX 9.0 and create a database with these models successfully. Firstly, some key lines are collected from standard tooth pictures. Then we use 3DS MAX 9.0 to design the digital tooth model based on these lines. During the design process, it is important to refer to the standard plaster tooth model. After some tests, the standard tooth models designed with this method are accurate and adaptable; furthermore, it is very easy to perform some operations on the models such as deforming and translating. This method provides a new idea to build the database with standard 3D tooth crowns and a basis for dental CAD/CAM system.

75 FR 68296 - Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-05

... Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Sewage... ``Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Sewage... performance standards for new units and emission guidelines for existing units for specific categories of...

76 FR 18407 - Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-04

... Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Hospital... performance standards and emissions guidelines for hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators by the U.S... amendments to the new source performance standards and emissions guidelines, correcting inadvertent drafting...

Performances of cutting fluids in turning. Vegetable based oil - RV

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axinte, Dragos Aurelian; Belluco, Walter

1999-01-01

Scope of the present measurement campaign is the evaluation of the cutting fluid performance. The report presents the standard routine and the results obtained when turning stainless steel and brass with a commercial vegetable based oil called RV. The methods were developed to be applicable...

A tool for standardized collector performance calculations including PVT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perers, Bengt; Kovacs, Peter; Olsson, Marcus

2012-01-01

A tool for standardized calculation of solar collector performance has been developed in cooperation between SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, DTU Denmark and SERC Dalarna University. The tool is designed to calculate the annual performance of solar collectors at representative locations...... can be tested and modeled as a thermal collector, when the PV electric part is active with an MPP tracker in operation. The thermal collector parameters from this operation mode are used for the PVT calculations....

Standard Guide for Specifying Thermal Performance of Geothermal Power Systems

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2000-01-01

1.1 This guide covers power plant performance terms and criteria for use in evaluation and comparison of geothermal energy conversion and power generation systems. The special nature of these geothermal systems makes performance criteria commonly used to evaluate conventional fossil fuel-fired systems of limited value. This guide identifies the limitations of the less useful criteria and defines an equitable basis for measuring the quality of differing thermal cycles and plant equipment for geothermal resources. 1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Development of web based performance analysis program for nuclear power plant turbine cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hoon; Yu, Seung Kyu; Kim, Seong Kun; Ji, Moon Hak; Choi, Kwang Hee; Hong, Seong Ryeol

2002-01-01

Performance improvement of turbine cycle affects economic operation of nuclear power plant. We developed performance analysis system for nuclear power plant turbine cycle. The system is based on PTC (Performance Test Code), that is estimation standard of nuclear power plant performance. The system is developed using Java Web-Start and JSP(Java Server Page)

Whole-genome-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis surveillance: a standardized, portable, and expandable approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohl, Thomas A; Diel, Roland; Harmsen, Dag; Rothgänger, Jörg; Walter, Karen Meywald; Merker, Matthias; Weniger, Thomas; Niemann, Stefan

2014-07-01

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) allows for effective tracing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) (tuberculosis pathogens) transmission. However, it is difficult to standardize and, therefore, is not yet employed for interlaboratory prospective surveillance. To allow its widespread application, solutions for data standardization and storage in an easily expandable database are urgently needed. To address this question, we developed a core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme for clinical MTBC isolates using the Ridom SeqSphere(+) software, which transfers the genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diversity into an allele numbering system that is standardized, portable, and not computationally intensive. To test its performance, we performed WGS analysis of 26 isolates with identical IS6110 DNA fingerprints and spoligotyping patterns from a longitudinal outbreak in the federal state of Hamburg, Germany (notified between 2001 and 2010). The cgMLST approach (3,041 genes) discriminated the 26 strains with a resolution comparable to that of SNP-based WGS typing (one major cluster of 22 identical or closely related and four outlier isolates with at least 97 distinct SNPs or 63 allelic variants). Resulting tree topologies are highly congruent and grouped the isolates in both cases analogously. Our data show that SNP- and cgMLST-based WGS analyses facilitate high-resolution discrimination of longitudinal MTBC outbreaks. cgMLST allows for a meaningful epidemiological interpretation of the WGS genotyping data. It enables standardized WGS genotyping for epidemiological investigations, e.g., on the regional public health office level, and the creation of web-accessible databases for global TB surveillance with an integrated early warning system. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

California teachers' perceptions of standards-based reform in middle school science: A mixed-methods study

Science.gov (United States)

Leggett, Allison Gail Wilson

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 presented one of the most significant and comprehensive literacy reforms in many years (McDonnell, 2005; U.S. Department of Education, 2006). The era of school accountability and standards based reform has brought many challenges and changes to public schools. Increasingly, public officials and educational administrators are asked to use standards based assessments to make high-stakes decisions, such as whether a student will move on to the next grade level or receive a diploma (American Psychological Association, 2005). It is important to understand any shifts in teachers' perceptions and to identify the changes teachers are making as they implement standards-based reform. This mixed-methods study was designed to assess teachers' perceptions of changes related to standards-based reform as supported by Fullan's (2001) change theory and transformational leadership theory. Survey questions sought to identify teacher perceptions of changes in curriculum, instruction and daily practice as schools documented and incorporated standards-based reform and began focusing on preparing students for the California Standards Test in Science (CSTS). Using descriptive statistical analysis and in-depth interviews, results show favorable insight towards standards-based reform. The survey was distributed to 30 middle school science teachers from 10 low-performing schools in Los Angeles, California. Results were analyzed using Spearman rank-ordered correlations. Interviews were conducted on middle school teachers represented by each grade level. Teachers who receive more support from administrators have more positive attitudes toward all aspects of SBR and the CSTS as measured in this study. No school should overlook the potential of a supportive administration in its effort to improve school programs.

30 CFR 941.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 941.819 Section 941.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE SOUTH DAKOTA...

30 CFR 921.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 921.819 Section 921.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE MASSACHUSETTS...

30 CFR 922.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 922.819 Section 922.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE MICHIGAN...

30 CFR 942.819 - Special performance standards-Auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-Auger mining. 942.819 Section 942.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE TENNESSEE...

30 CFR 905.819 - Special performance standards-Auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-Auger mining. 905.819 Section 905.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE CALIFORNIA...

30 CFR 933.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 933.819 Section 933.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE NORTH...

30 CFR 939.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 939.819 Section 939.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE RHODE ISLAND...

30 CFR 947.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 947.819 Section 947.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE WASHINGTON...

Developing a Standard Method of Test for Packaged, Solid-Desiccant Based Dehumidification Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sand, J.R.

2001-01-01

A draft Method of Test (MOT) has been proposed for packaged, air-to-air, desiccant-based dehumidifier systems that incorporate a thermally-regenerated desiccant material for dehumidification. This MOT is intended to function as the ''system'' testing and rating compliment to the desiccant ''component'' (desiccant wheels and/or cassettes) MOT (ASHRAE 1998) and rating standard (ARI 1998) already adopted by industry. This draft standard applies to ''packaged systems'' that: Use desiccants for dehumidification of conditioned air for buildings; Use heated air for regeneration of the desiccant material; Include fans for moving process and regeneration air; May include other system components for filtering, pre-cooling, post-cooling, or heating conditioned air; and May include other components for humidification of conditioned air. The proposed draft applies to four different system operating modes depending on whether outdoor or indoor air is used for process air and regeneration air streams . Only the ''ventilation'' mode which uses outdoor air for both process and regeneration inlets is evaluated in this paper. Performance of the dehumidification system is presented in terms that would be most familiar and useful to designers of building HVAC systems to facilitate integration of desiccant equipment with more conventional hardware. Parametric performance results from a modified, commercial desiccant dehumidifier undergoing laboratory testing were used as data input to evaluate the draft standard. Performance results calculated from this experimental input, results from an error-checking/heat-balance verification test built into the standard, and estimated comparisons between desiccant and similarly performing conventional dehumidification equipment are calculated and presented. Some variations in test procedures are suggested to aid in analytical assessment of individual component performance

Putting the Focus on Student Engagement: The Benefits of Performance-Based Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Barlowe, Avram; Cook, Ann

2016-01-01

For more than two decades, the New York Performance Standards Consortium, a coalition of 38 public high schools, has steered clear of high-stakes testing, which superficially assess student learning. Instead, the consortium's approach relies on performance-based assessments--essays, research papers, science experiments, and high-level mathematical…

An hourly based performance comparison of an integrated micro-structural perforated shading screen with standard shading systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Appelfeld, David; McNeil, Andrew; Svendsen, Svend

2012-01-01

This article evaluates the performance of an integrated micro structural perforated shading screen (MSPSS). Such a system maintains a visual connection with the outdoors while imitating the shading functionality of a venetian blind. Building energy consumption is strongly influenced by the solar...... gains and heat transfer through the transparent parts of the fenestration systems. MSPSS is angular-dependent shading device that provides an effective strategy in the control of daylight, solar gains and overheating through windows. The study focuses on using direct experimental methods to determine bi......-directional transmittance properties of shading systems that are not included as standard shading options in readily available building performance simulation tools. The impact on the indoor environment, particularly temperature and daylight were investigated and compared to three other static complex fenestration systems...

Performance study of coal-base charcoals for removing radioiodine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yuying; Wu Yanwei; Guo Liangtian; Jia Ming; Lu Xueshi; Zhang Hong

1988-01-01

In authos' laboratory sveral types of domestic coal-base charcoals are selected and impregnated and examined for their main physical and chemical performances. The results show that under the test conditions the iodine-removing efficiencies of these impregnated coal-base charcoals charcoals are not poorer than that of the impregnated fruit-shell base charcoals (such as coconut shell charcoal) and most of their physical properties can satisfy the requirements of the nuclear grade charcoals assigned in USA standards. More detailed studies will be made in the next programme

Transmission control unit drive based on the AUTOSAR standard

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiucai; Qin, Zhen

2018-03-01

It is a trend of automotive electronics industry in the future that automotive electronics embedded system development based on the AUTOSAR standard. AUTOSAR automotive architecture standard has proposed the transmission control unit (TCU) development architecture and designed its interfaces and configurations in detail. This essay has discussed that how to drive the TCU based on AUTOSAR standard architecture. The results show that driving the TCU with the AUTOSAR system improves reliability and shortens development cycles.

40 CFR 430.25 - New source performance standards (NSPS).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Soda Subcategory § 430.25 New source performance standards (NSPS). New sources subject to this subpart... fine papers are produced and soda facilities where pulp and paper are produced] Pollutant or pollutant... that does not use an exclusively TCF bleaching process, as disclosed by the discharger in its NPDES...

30 CFR 827.12 - Coal preparation plants: Performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coal preparation plants: Performance standards...-COAL PREPARATION PLANTS NOT LOCATED WITHIN THE PERMIT AREA OF A MINE § 827.12 Coal preparation plants..., modification, reclamation, and removal activities at coal preparation plants shall comply with the following...

30 CFR 903.819 - Special performance standards-Auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-Auger mining. 903.819 Section 903.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE ARIZONA § 903...

30 CFR 937.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 937.819 Section 937.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE OREGON § 937...

30 CFR 910.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 910.819 Section 910.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE GEORGIA § 910...

30 CFR 912.819 - Special performance standards-auger mining.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Special performance standards-auger mining. 912.819 Section 912.819 Mineral Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE IDAHO § 912...

Performance Evaluation of Air-Based Heat Rejection Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannes Fugmann

2015-01-01

Full Text Available On the basis of the Number of Transfer Units (NTU method a functional relation between electric power for fans/pumps and effectiveness in dry coolers and wet cooling towers is developed. Based on this relation, a graphical presentation method of monitoring and simulation data of heat rejection units is introduced. The functional relation allows evaluating the thermodynamic performance of differently sized heat rejection units and comparing performance among them. The method is used to evaluate monitoring data of dry coolers of different solar cooling field projects. The novelty of this approach is that performance rating is not limited by a design point or standardized operating conditions of the heat exchanger, but is realizable under flexible conditions.

HSTL IO Standard Based Energy Efficient Multiplier Design using Nikhilam Navatashcaramam Dashatah on 28nm FPGA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madhok, Shivani; Pandey, Bishwajeet; Kaur, Amanpreet

2015-01-01

standards. Frequency scaling is one of the best energy efficient techniques for FPGA based VLSI design and is used in this paper. At the end we can conclude that we can conclude that there is 23-40% saving of total power dissipation by using SSTL IO standard at 25 degree Celsius. The main reason for power...... consumption is leakage power at different IO Standards and at different frequencies. In this research work only FPGA work has been performed not ultra scale FPGA....

Performance of an extrapolation chamber in computed tomography standard beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castro, Maysa C.; Silva, Natália F.; Caldas, Linda V.E.

2017-01-01

Among the medical uses of ionizing radiations, the computed tomography (CT) diagnostic exams are responsible for the highest dose values to the patients. The dosimetry procedure in CT scanner beams makes use of pencil ionization chambers with sensitive volume lengths of 10 cm. The aim of its calibration is to compare the values that are obtained with the instrument to be calibrated and a standard reference system. However, there is no primary standard system for this kind of radiation beam. Therefore, an extrapolation ionization chamber built at the Calibration Laboratory (LCI), was used to establish a CT primary standard. The objective of this work was to perform some characterization tests (short- and medium-term stabilities, saturation curve, polarity effect and ion collection efficiency) in the standard X-rays beams established for computed tomography at the LCI. (author)

Performance of an extrapolation chamber in computed tomography standard beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, Maysa C.; Silva, Natália F.; Caldas, Linda V.E., E-mail: mcastro@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Among the medical uses of ionizing radiations, the computed tomography (CT) diagnostic exams are responsible for the highest dose values to the patients. The dosimetry procedure in CT scanner beams makes use of pencil ionization chambers with sensitive volume lengths of 10 cm. The aim of its calibration is to compare the values that are obtained with the instrument to be calibrated and a standard reference system. However, there is no primary standard system for this kind of radiation beam. Therefore, an extrapolation ionization chamber built at the Calibration Laboratory (LCI), was used to establish a CT primary standard. The objective of this work was to perform some characterization tests (short- and medium-term stabilities, saturation curve, polarity effect and ion collection efficiency) in the standard X-rays beams established for computed tomography at the LCI. (author)

International performance-oriented packaging standards adopted in the united states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCall, D.L.

1993-01-01

On January 1, 1991, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) initiated a transition to adopting a modified version of current international standards for packaging and transporting hazardous materials and hazardous wastes. This transition permits a 5-year phase-in period that will impact all phases of hazardous material transportation including material classification and description, packaging for shipment, and hazard communication standards. These changes are being enacted through the DOT Federal Docket HM-181, 'Performance-Oriented Packaging Standards.' These regulatory standards will have dramatic impact on nearly 5 billion tons of hazardous materials transported within the United States each year. This paper summarizes the principal elements of the new DOT regulations, the latest implementation schedule and impacts on U.S. shipping activities, and discusses outstanding issues that remain to be solved through the next 5 years. (author)

40 CFR 60.2035 - How are these new source performance standards structured?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... standards structured? 60.2035 Section 60.2035 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... source performance standards contain the eleven major components listed in paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section. (a) Preconstruction siting analysis. (b) Waste management plan. (c) Operator training and...

Competency-based assessment in surgeon-performed head and neck ultrasonography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Todsen, Tobias; Melchiors, Jacob; Charabi, Birgitte

2017-01-01

and to establish validity evidence for an objective structured assessment of ultrasound skills (OSAUS) used for competency-based assessment. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective experimental study. METHODS: Six otolaryngologists and 11 US novices were included in a standardized test setup for which they had to perform...... and the diagnostic accuracy was found (Spearman's ρ, 0.85; P competence with good reliability, significant discrimination between US competence levels, and a strong...... correlation of assessment score to diagnostic accuracy. An OSAUS pass/fail score was established and could be used for competence-based assessment in surgeon-performed HNUS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA. Laryngoscope, 2017....

Using SWE Standards for Ubiquitous Environmental Sensing: A Performance Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joaquín Huerta

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Although smartphone applications represent the most typical data consumer tool from the citizen perspective in environmental applications, they can also be used for in-situ data collection and production in varied scenarios, such as geological sciences and biodiversity. The use of standard protocols, such as SWE, to exchange information between smartphones and sensor infrastructures brings benefits such as interoperability and scalability, but their reliance on XML is a potential problem when large volumes of data are transferred, due to limited bandwidth and processing capabilities on mobile phones. In this article we present a performance analysis about the use of SWE standards in smartphone applications to consume and produce environmental sensor data, analysing to what extent the performance problems related to XML can be alleviated by using alternative uncompressed and compressed formats.

Performance evaluation of emerging JPEGXR compression standard for medical images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basit, M.A.

2012-01-01

Medical images require loss less compression as a small error due to lossy compression may be considered as a diagnostic error. JPEG XR is the latest image compression standard designed for variety of applications and has a support for lossy and loss less modes. This paper provides in-depth performance evaluation of latest JPEGXR with existing image coding standards for medical images using loss less compression. Various medical images are used for evaluation and ten images of each organ are tested. Performance of JPEGXR is compared with JPEG2000 and JPEGLS using mean square error, peak signal to noise ratio, mean absolute error and structural similarity index. JPEGXR shows improvement of 20.73 dB and 5.98 dB over JPEGLS and JPEG2000 respectively for various test images used in experimentation. (author)

Draft American National Standard N42.17A: performance specifications for health physics instrumentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selby, J.M.

1984-07-01

The report describes the history of the development of the N42.17 standard on instrument performance, describes the standard itself and its relationship to other standards, and discusses ways the standards might be used on either a voluntary or semi-voluntary basis

40 CFR 51.352 - Basic I/M performance standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... following model I/M program inputs and local characteristics, such as vehicle mix and local fuel controls... current version of the EPA mobile source emission model, and shall meet the minimum performance standard... specified in 40 CFR part 85, subpart W. (8) Emission control device inspections. None. (9) Stringency. A 20...

Standardized quality in MOOC based learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maiorescu Irina

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Quality in the field of e-learning and, particularly, in the field of MOOC( Massive Open Online Courses, is a topic of growing importance in both academic institutions and in the private sector as it has generally been proved that quality management can contribute to improving the performance of organizations, regardless of their object of activity. Despite the fact that there are standards relating to quality management in a general manner, professionals, academic staff, specialists and bodies felt the need for having a standardized approach of the quality in the sector of e-learning. Therefore, in the last years, in different countries quality guidelines have been developed and used for e-Learning or distance education (for example the ASTD criteria for e- Learning, the BLA Quality Mark, Quality Platform Learning by D-ELAN etc.. The current paper aims to give insights to this new form of online education provided by MOOC platforms using the specific quality standard approach.

ACCESS, Absolute Color Calibration Experiment for Standard Stars: Integration, Test, and Ground Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Mary Elizabeth; Morris, Matthew; Aldoroty, Lauren; Kurucz, Robert; McCandliss, Stephan; Rauscher, Bernard; Kimble, Randy; Kruk, Jeffrey; Wright, Edward L.; Feldman, Paul; Riess, Adam; Gardner, Jonathon; Bohlin, Ralph; Deustua, Susana; Dixon, Van; Sahnow, David J.; Perlmutter, Saul

2018-01-01

Establishing improved spectrophotometric standards is important for a broad range of missions and is relevant to many astrophysical problems. Systematic errors associated with astrophysical data used to probe fundamental astrophysical questions, such as SNeIa observations used to constrain dark energy theories, now exceed the statistical errors associated with merged databases of these measurements. ACCESS, “Absolute Color Calibration Experiment for Standard Stars”, is a series of rocket-borne sub-orbital missions and ground-based experiments designed to enable improvements in the precision of the astrophysical flux scale through the transfer of absolute laboratory detector standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to a network of stellar standards with a calibration accuracy of 1% and a spectral resolving power of 500 across the 0.35‑1.7μm bandpass. To achieve this goal ACCESS (1) observes HST/ Calspec stars (2) above the atmosphere to eliminate telluric spectral contaminants (e.g. OH) (3) using a single optical path and (HgCdTe) detector (4) that is calibrated to NIST laboratory standards and (5) monitored on the ground and in-flight using a on-board calibration monitor. The observations are (6) cross-checked and extended through the generation of stellar atmosphere models for the targets. The ACCESS telescope and spectrograph have been designed, fabricated, and integrated. Subsystems have been tested. Performance results for subsystems, operations testing, and the integrated spectrograph will be presented. NASA sounding rocket grant NNX17AC83G supports this work.

Research-based standards for accessible housing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, Tina; Iwarsson, Susanne; Brandt, Åse

Since standards for accessible housing seldom are manifestly based on research and vary cross nationally, it is important to examine if there exists any scientific evidence, supporting these standards. Thus, one aim of this study was to review the literature in search of such scientific evidence...... data on older citizens and their housing environment in Sweden, Germany and Latvia (n=1150), collected with the Housing Enabler instrument. Applying statistical simulation we explored how different national standards for housing design influenced the prevalence of common environmental barriers. Kaplan...... by the database search (n= 2,577), resulting in the inclusion of one publication. Contacts to leading researchers in the field identified five publications. The hand search of 22 journals led to one publication. We have exemplified how the prevalence of common environmental problems in housing environments...

Study on a Threat-Countermeasure Model Based on International Standard Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillermo Horacio Ramirez Caceres

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Many international standards exist in the field of IT security. This research is based on the ISO/IEC 15408, 15446, 19791, 13335 and 17799 standards. In this paper, we propose a knowledge base comprising a threat countermeasure model based on international standards for identifying and specifying threats which affect IT environments. In addition, the proposed knowledge base system aims at fusing similar security control policies and objectives in order to create effective security guidelines for specific IT environments. As a result, a knowledge base of security objectives was developed on the basis of the relationships inside the standards as well as the relationships between different standards. In addition, a web application was developed which displays details about the most common threats to information systems, and for each threat presents a set of related security control policies from different international standards, including ISO/IEC 27002.

Non_standard Wood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tamke, Martin

. Using parametric design tools and computer controlled production facilities Copenhagens Centre for IT and Architecture undertook a practice based research into performance based non-standard element design and mass customization techniques. In close cooperation with wood construction software......, but the integration of traditional wood craft techniques. The extensive use of self adjusting, load bearing wood-wood joints contributed to ease in production and assembly of a performance based architecture....

The status of ANSI N13.11 - The dosimeter performance test standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sims, C.S.

1991-01-01

The standard designated ANSI N13.11 was issued in 1983 and is the basis for the dosimeter performance test associated with the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). The standard is important because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires that all licensees use personnel dosimeters processed by NVLAP-accredited processors. The standard has undergone review and modifications have been recommended. Historical information concerning the development and utilization of the present standard, ANSI N13.11-1983, is presented. Details associated with the review of the standard (e.g., policy, group selection) are then given. Finally, the modifications recommended by the review group are discussed

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016 Performance Rating Method Reference Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goel, Supriya [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rosenberg, Michael I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Eley, Charles [Eley and Associates, Hobe Sound, FL (United States)

2017-09-29

This document is intended to be a reference manual for the Appendix G Performance Rating Method (PRM) of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016 (Standard 90.1-2016). The PRM can be used to demonstrate compliance with the standard and to rate the energy efficiency of commercial and high-rise residential buildings with designs that exceed the requirements of Standard 90.1. Use of the PRM for demonstrating compliance with Standard 90.1 is a new feature of the 2016 edition. The procedures and processes described in this manual are designed to provide consistency and accuracy by filling in gaps and providing additional details needed by users of the PRM.

Small drinking water systems under spatiotemporal water quality variability: a risk-based performance benchmarking framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Bereskie, Ty; Haider, Husnain; Rodriguez, Manuel J; Sadiq, Rehan

2017-08-23

Traditional approaches for benchmarking drinking water systems are binary, based solely on the compliance and/or non-compliance of one or more water quality performance indicators against defined regulatory guidelines/standards. The consequence of water quality failure is dependent on location within a water supply system as well as time of the year (i.e., season) with varying levels of water consumption. Conventional approaches used for water quality comparison purposes fail to incorporate spatiotemporal variability and degrees of compliance and/or non-compliance. This can lead to misleading or inaccurate performance assessment data used in the performance benchmarking process. In this research, a hierarchical risk-based water quality performance benchmarking framework is proposed to evaluate small drinking water systems (SDWSs) through cross-comparison amongst similar systems. The proposed framework (R WQI framework) is designed to quantify consequence associated with seasonal and location-specific water quality issues in a given drinking water supply system to facilitate more efficient decision-making for SDWSs striving for continuous performance improvement. Fuzzy rule-based modelling is used to address imprecision associated with measuring performance based on singular water quality guidelines/standards and the uncertainties present in SDWS operations and monitoring. This proposed R WQI framework has been demonstrated using data collected from 16 SDWSs in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec, Canada, and compared to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment WQI, a traditional, guidelines/standard-based approach. The study found that the R WQI framework provides an in-depth state of water quality and benchmarks SDWSs more rationally based on the frequency of occurrence and consequence of failure events.

Proprietary, standard, and government-supported nuclear data bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poncelet, C.G.; Ozer, O.; Harris, D.R.

1975-07-01

This study presents an assessment of the complex situation surrounding nuclear data bases for nuclear power technology. Requirements for nuclear data bases are identified as regards engineering functions and system applications for the many and various user groups that rely on nuclear data bases. Current practices in the development and generation of nuclear data sets are described, and the competitive aspect of design nuclear data set development is noted. The past and current role of the federal government in nuclear data base development is reviewed, and the relative merits of continued government involvement are explored. National policies of the United States and other industrial countries regarding the availability of nationally supported nuclear data information are reviewed. Current proprietary policies of reactor vendors regarding design library data sets are discussed along with the basis for such proprietary policies. The legal aspects of protective policies are explored as are their impacts on the nuclear power industry as a whole. The effect of the regulatory process on the availability and documentation of nuclear data bases is examined. Current nuclear data standard developments are reviewed, including a discussion of the standard preparation process. Standards currently proposed or in preparation that directly relate to nuclear data bases are discussed in some detail. (auth)

75 FR 63259 - Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-14

... Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Sewage... performance standards for new units and emission guidelines for existing units for specific categories of... standards and emission guidelines for large municipal waste combustion units, small municipal waste...

How Can High-Biodiversity Coffee Make It to the Mainstream Market? The Performativity of Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Outcomes for Coffee Diversification.

Science.gov (United States)

Solér, Cecilia; Sandström, Cecilia; Skoog, Hanna

2017-02-01

This article investigates the outcomes of mainstream coffee voluntary sustainability standards for high-biodiversity coffee diversification. By viewing voluntary sustainability standards certifications as performative marketing tools, we address the question of how such certification schemes affect coffee value creation based on unique biodiversity conservation properties in coffee farming. To date, the voluntary sustainability standards literature has primarily approached biodiversity conservation in coffee farming in the context of financial remuneration to coffee farmers. The performative analysis of voluntary sustainability standards certification undertaken in this paper, in which such certifications are analyzed in terms of their effect on mutually reinforcing representational, normalizing and exchange practices, provides an understanding of coffee diversification potential as dependent on standard criteria and voluntary sustainability standards certification as branding tools. We draw on a case of high-biodiversity, shade-grown coffee-farming practice in Kodagu, South-West India, which represents one of the world's biodiversity "hotspots".

How Can High-Biodiversity Coffee Make It to the Mainstream Market? The Performativity of Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Outcomes for Coffee Diversification

Science.gov (United States)

Solér, Cecilia; Sandström, Cecilia; Skoog, Hanna

2017-02-01

This article investigates the outcomes of mainstream coffee voluntary sustainability standards for high-biodiversity coffee diversification. By viewing voluntary sustainability standards certifications as performative marketing tools, we address the question of how such certification schemes affect coffee value creation based on unique biodiversity conservation properties in coffee farming. To date, the voluntary sustainability standards literature has primarily approached biodiversity conservation in coffee farming in the context of financial remuneration to coffee farmers. The performative analysis of voluntary sustainability standards certification undertaken in this paper, in which such certifications are analyzed in terms of their effect on mutually reinforcing representational, normalizing and exchange practices, provides an understanding of coffee diversification potential as dependent on standard criteria and voluntary sustainability standards certification as branding tools. We draw on a case of high-biodiversity, shade-grown coffee-farming practice in Kodagu, South-West India, which represents one of the world's biodiversity "hotspots".

POTENTIAL OF UAV BASED CONVERGENT PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN MONITORING REGENERATION STANDARDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Vepakomma

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Several thousand hectares of forest blocks are regenerating after harvest in Canada. Monitoring their performance over different stages of growth is critical in ensuring future productivity and ecological balance. Tools for rapid evaluation can support timely and reliable planning of interventions. Conventional ground surveys or visual image assessments are either time intensive or inaccurate, while alternate operational remote sensing tools are unavailable. In this study, we test the feasibility and strength of UAV-based photogrammetry with an EO camera on a UAV platform in assessing regeneration performance. Specifically we evaluated stocking, spatial density and height distribution of naturally growing (irregularly spaced stems or planted (regularly spaced stems conifer regeneration in different phases of growth. Standard photogrammetric workflow was applied on the 785 acquired images for 3D reconstruction of the study sites. The required parameters were derived based on automated single stem detection algorithm developed in-house. Comparing with field survey data, preliminary results hold promise. Future studies are planned to expand the scope to larger areas and different stand conditions.

Evaluation of linear accelerator performance standards using an outcome oriented approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangel, Alejandra; Ploquin, Nicolas; Kay, Ian; Dunscombe, Peter

2008-01-01

Radiation therapy, along with other branches of medicine, is moving towards a firmer basis in evidence to optimally utilize resources. As new treatment technology and strategies place greater demands on quality assurance resources, the need to objectively evaluate equipment and process performance standards from the perspective of predicted clinical impact becomes more urgent. This study evaluates the appropriateness of recommended quality control tolerance and action levels for linear accelerators based on the calculated dosimetric impact of suboptimal equipment performance. A method is described to quantify the dosimetric changes, as reflected by the changes in the outcome surrogate, equivalent uniform dose (EUD), of machine performance deviations from the optimal, specifically in the range of tolerance and action levels promulgated by the Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies (CAPCA). Linear accelerator performance deviations were simulated for the treatment of prostate, breast, lung, and brain using 3D conformal techniques, and the impact evaluated in terms of the changes in the EUD of the target volumes and two principal organs at risk (OARs) per site. The eight key performance characteristics examined are: Output constancy, beam flatness, gantry angle, collimator angle, field size indicator, laser alignment (three directions) and, by inference, the optical distance indicator. Currently accepted CAPCA tolerance levels for these eight performance characteristics are shown to maintain average EUD deviations to within 2% for the targets and 2 Gy for the OARs. However, within the 2% or 2 Gy range, the recommended tolerance levels are found to have markedly different effects on the EUDs of the structures of interest

Do field position and playing standard influence athlete performance in wheelchair basketball?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Witte, A.M.H.; Hoozemans, M.J.M.; Berger, M.A.; van der Woude, L.H.V.; Veeger, H.E.J.

2016-01-01

Improved understanding of mobility performance in wheelchair basketball is required to increase game performance. The aim of this study was to quantify the wheelchair-athlete activities of players in different field positions and of different playing standard during wheelchair basketball matches.

AUDIT OF FINANCIAL REPORTS, BASED ON INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

OpenAIRE

Islom Kuziev

2011-01-01

In this article are given main notion about international standard of financial reporting, order of the auditing on the base of IFRS, scheduling the report of the auditor, auditor conclusions and are given analysis of reporting based on the auditor procedures. At the audit of financial reporting are taken into account international standard to financial reporting 29 "Financial reporting in hyperinflationary economies".

The case for regime-based water quality standards

Science.gov (United States)

G.C. Poole; J.B. Dunham; D.M. Keenan; S.T. Sauter; D.A. McCullough; C. Mebane; J.C. Lockwood; D.A. Essig; M.P. Hicks; D.J. Sturdevant; E.J. Materna; S.A. Spalding; J. Risley; M. Deppman

2004-01-01

Conventional water quality standards have been successful in reducing the concentration of toxic substances in US waters. However, conventional standards are based on simple thresholds and are therefore poorly structured to address human-caused imbalances in dynamic, natural water quality parameters, such as nutrients, sediment, and temperature. A more applicable type...

Standards-based teaching and educational digital libraries as innovations: Undergraduate science faculty in the adoption process

Science.gov (United States)

Ridgway, Judith Sulkes

This study describes undergraduate science faculty in terms of their feelings of preparedness for and their use of standards-based teaching methods, their stages of concern related to Educational Digital Libraries (EDLs), and their adoption and diffusion of both innovations. These innovations may have a synergistic relationship that may result in enhanced adoption of both. The investigation began with a series of group meetings with life science, chemistry, physics, and geology faculty from a 2-year and a 4-year institution. Faculty were introduced to dimensions of standards-based teaching and examples of EDLs. Faculty completed the Demographics and Experience Questionnaire, the Standards-Based Teaching Instrument, and the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ). Semi-structured interviews containing literature-based questions were conducted with one faculty member from each discipline from the 2-year and 4-year institutions. Document analyses were performed on mission/goal web-based statements for the institutions and their science departments. Triangulated data were used to construct individual faculty case studies based on four facets: background, standards-based teaching profile, EDLs profile, and rate of innovation diffusion. The individual case studies were used to perform cross-case analyses by type of institution, discipline, and locus of control. Individual case studies and cross-case analyses suggest the following conclusions: (a) faculty felt prepared to use and frequently used textbooks as a reference, (b) feelings of preparedness and frequency of use of standards-based teaching categories may be related to discipline, (c) all faculty had relatively high awareness and informational EDL concerns, and (d) faculty central to the locus of control were more likely to use methods to develop student conceptual understanding, use inquiry methods, and be agents of change. A grounded theoretical model connects study results with literature related to educational

Promoting Culturally Responsive Standards-Based Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Saifer, Steffen; Barton, Rhonda

2007-01-01

Culturally responsive standards-based (CRSB) teaching can help bring diverse school communities together and make learning meaningful. Unlike multicultural education--which is an important way to incorporate the world's cultural and ethnic diversity into lessons--CRSB teaching draws on the experiences, understanding, views, concepts, and ways of…

Proposed performance standards for the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order certification training program.

Science.gov (United States)

French, B F; Field, W E; Tormoehlen, R

2007-07-01

The performance standards that accompany Gearing Up for Safety, the agricultural production safety training curriculum for youth, were designed to meet the certification testing requirements of the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order (AgHOs) certification training program. The AgHOs requires that certain youth who are older than 13 and younger than 16 years of age complete a prescribed training program before being eligible for employment on farms to perform certain tasks considered hazardous. These training resources will be available for implementation and can be accessed by contacting the second author. To our knowledge, up until this time, few, if any, standardized testing procedures or instruments have had the necessary psychometric evidence to support use of the resulting scores to assess the readiness of youth to meet the basic certification requirements contained in the AgHOs. This article describes the rationale, methods, and key findings from a standard-setting session held to establish minimum passing scores for a proposed testing process. The test will be used as a component of the Gearing Up for Safety certification process for youth workers seeking employment to perform job functions as specified under the AgHOs. Readers may be able to apply this standardized testing process, or similarly accepted processes, to other or future testing and certification projects involving agricultural safety and health.

Accessing the Common Core Standards for Students with Learning Disabilities: Strategies for Writing Standards-Based IEP Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Caruana, Vicki

2015-01-01

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, standards-based individualized education plans (IEPs) have been an expectation for serving students with disabilities in the K-12 public school setting. Nearly a decade after the mandates calling for standards-based IEPs, special educators still struggle…

Evaluating Faculty Work: Expectations and Standards of Faculty Performance in Research Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Hardre, Patricia; Cox, Michelle

2009-01-01

Expectations and the way they are communicated can influence employees' motivation and performance. Previous research has demonstrated individual effects of workplace climate and individual differences on faculty productivity. The present study focused on the characteristics of institutional performance standards, evaluation processes and…

Performance Analysis of a Utility Helicopter with Standard and Advanced Rotors

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Yeo, Hyeonsoo; Bousman, William G; Johnson, Wayne

2002-01-01

Flight test measurements of the performance of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with both standard and advanced rotors are compared with calculations obtained using the comprehensive helicopter analysis CAMRAD II...

The ASEAN community-based tourism standards: looking beyond certification

OpenAIRE

Novelli, M.; Klatte, N.; Dolezal, C.

2017-01-01

This paper reports findings from an opportunity study on the appropriateness of implementing community-based tourism standards (CBTS) certification through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) criteria, as a way to improve sustainable tourism provision in the region. Framed by critical reflections on community-based tourism (CBT) literature and existing sustainable tourism standards (STS) practices, qualitative research consisting of interviews with six key industry experts prov...

40 CFR 450.24 - New source performance standards reflecting the best available demonstrated control technology...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... performance standards reflecting the best available demonstrated control technology (NSPS). Any new source... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false New source performance standards reflecting the best available demonstrated control technology (NSPS). 450.24 Section 450.24 Protection of...

Design and validation of a standards-based science teacher efficacy instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Patricia Reda

National standards for K--12 science education address all aspects of science education, with their main emphasis on curriculum---both science subject matter and the process involved in doing science. Standards for science teacher education programs have been developing along a parallel plane, as is self-efficacy research involving classroom teachers. Generally, studies about efficacy have been dichotomous---basing the theoretical underpinnings on the work of either Rotter's Locus of Control theory or on Bandura's explanations of efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancy. This study brings all three threads together---K--12 science standards, teacher education standards, and efficacy beliefs---in an instrument designed to measure science teacher efficacy with items based on identified critical attributes of standards-based science teaching and learning. Based on Bandura's explanation of efficacy being task-specific and having outcome expectancy, a developmental, systematic progression from standards-based strategies and activities to tasks to critical attributes was used to craft items for a standards-based science teacher efficacy instrument. Demographic questions related to school characteristics, teacher characteristics, preservice background, science teaching experience, and post-certification professional development were included in the instrument. The instrument was completed by 102 middle level science teachers, with complete data for 87 teachers. A principal components analysis of the science teachers' responses to the instrument resulted in two components: Standards-Based Science Teacher Efficacy: Beliefs About Teaching (BAT, reliability = .92) and Standards-Based Science Teacher Efficacy: Beliefs About Student Achievement (BASA, reliability = .82). Variables that were characteristic of professional development activities, science content preparation, and school environment were identified as members of the sets of variables predicting the BAT and BASA

49 CFR 179.400-4 - Insulation system and performance standard.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... specification— (1) Standard Heat Transfer Rate (SHTR), expressed in Btu/day/lb of water capacity, means the rate of heat transfer used for determining the satisfactory performance of the insulation system of a..., whichever is greater. (5) Calculated heat transfer rate. The calculated heat transfer rate (CHTR) is...

Reverse translated and gold standard continuous performance tests predict global cognitive performance in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bismark, Andrew W; Thomas, Michael L; Tarasenko, Melissa; Shiluk, Alexandra L; Rackelmann, Sonia Y; Young, Jared W; Light, Gregory A

2018-04-12

Attentional dysfunction contributes to functional impairments in schizophrenia (SZ). Sustained attention is typically assessed via continuous performance tasks (CPTs), though many CPTs have limited cross-species translational validity and place demands on additional cognitive domains. A reverse-translated 5-Choice Continuous Performance Task (5C-CPT) for human testing-originally developed for use in rodents-was designed to minimize demands on perceptual, visual learning, processing speed, or working memory functions. To-date, no studies have validated the 5C-CPT against gold standard attentional measures nor evaluated how 5C-CPT scores relate to cognition in SZ. Here we examined the relationship between the 5C-CPT and the CPT-Identical Pairs (CPT-IP), an established and psychometrically robust measure of vigilance from the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) in a sample of SZ patients (n = 35). Relationships to global and individual subdomains of cognition were also assessed. 5C-CPT and CPT-IP measures of performance (d-prime) were strongly correlated (r = 0.60). In a regression model, the 5C-CPT and CPT-IP collectively accounted for 54% of the total variance in MCCB total scores, and 27.6% of overall cognitive variance was shared between the 5C-CPT and CPT-IP. These results indicate that the reverse translated 5C-CPT and the gold standard CPT-IP index a common attentional construct that also significantly overlaps with variance in general cognitive performance. The use of simple, cross-species validated behavioral indices of attentional/cognitive functioning such as the 5C-CPT could accelerate the development of novel generalized pro-cognitive therapeutics for SZ and related neuropsychiatric disorders.

Relative resilience to noise of standard and sequential approaches to measurement-based quantum computation

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, C. B.; Ferraro, A.

2018-05-01

A possible alternative to the standard model of measurement-based quantum computation (MBQC) is offered by the sequential model of MBQC—a particular class of quantum computation via ancillae. Although these two models are equivalent under ideal conditions, their relative resilience to noise in practical conditions is not yet known. We analyze this relationship for various noise models in the ancilla preparation and in the entangling-gate implementation. The comparison of the two models is performed utilizing both the gate infidelity and the diamond distance as figures of merit. Our results show that in the majority of instances the sequential model outperforms the standard one in regard to a universal set of operations for quantum computation. Further investigation is made into the performance of sequential MBQC in experimental scenarios, thus setting benchmarks for possible cavity-QED implementations.

Differential standard deviation of log-scale intensity based optical coherence tomography angiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Weisong; Gao, Wanrong; Chen, Chaoliang; Yang, Victor X D

2017-12-01

In this paper, a differential standard deviation of log-scale intensity (DSDLI) based optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is presented for calculating microvascular images of human skin. The DSDLI algorithm calculates the variance in difference images of two consecutive log-scale intensity based structural images from the same position along depth direction to contrast blood flow. The en face microvascular images were then generated by calculating the standard deviation of the differential log-scale intensities within the specific depth range, resulting in an improvement in spatial resolution and SNR in microvascular images compared to speckle variance OCT and power intensity differential method. The performance of DSDLI was testified by both phantom and in vivo experiments. In in vivo experiments, a self-adaptive sub-pixel image registration algorithm was performed to remove the bulk motion noise, where 2D Fourier transform was utilized to generate new images with spatial interval equal to half of the distance between two pixels in both fast-scanning and depth directions. The SNRs of signals of flowing particles are improved by 7.3 dB and 6.8 dB on average in phantom and in vivo experiments, respectively, while the average spatial resolution of images of in vivo blood vessels is increased by 21%. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Traceable working standards with SI units of radiance for characterizing the measurement performance of investigational clinical NIRF imaging devices

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Banghe; Rasmussen, John C.; Litorja, Maritoni; Sevick-Muraca, Eva M.

2017-03-01

All medical devices for Food and Drug market approval require specifications of performance based upon International System of Units (SI) or units derived from SI for reasons of traceability. Recently, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging devices of a variety of designs have emerged on the market and in investigational clinical studies. Yet the design of devices used in the clinical studies vary widely, suggesting variable device performance. Device performance depends upon optimal excitation of NIRF imaging agents, rejection of backscattered excitation and ambient light, and selective collection of fluorescence emanating from the fluorophore. There remains no traceable working standards with SI units of radiance to enable prediction that a given molecular imaging agent can be detected in humans by a given NIRF imaging device. Furthermore, as technologies evolve and as NIRF imaging device components change, there remains no standardized means to track device improvements over time and establish clinical performance without involving clinical trials, often costly. In this study, we deployed a methodology to calibrate luminescent radiance of a stable, solid phantom in SI units of mW/cm2/sr for characterizing the measurement performance of ICCD and IsCMOS camera based NIRF imaging devices, such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast. The methodology allowed determination of superior SNR of the ICCD over the IsCMOS system; comparable contrast of ICCD and IsCMOS depending upon binning strategies.

The IEEE 1355 Standard. Developments, performance and application in high energy physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haas, S.

1998-12-01

The data acquisition systems of the next generation High Energy Physics experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will rely on high-speed point-to-point links and switching networks for their higher level trigger and event building systems. This thesis provides a detailed evaluation of the DS-Link and switch technology, which is based on the IEEE 1355 standard for Heterogeneous Interconnect (HIC). The DS-Link is a bidirectional point-to-point serial interconnect, operating at speeds up to 200 MBaud. The objective of this thesis was to study the performance of the IEEE 1355 link and switch technology and to demonstrate that switching networks using this technology would scale to meet the requirements of the High Energy Physics applications

40 CFR 417.155 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...: (a) For normal operation of spray drying towers as defined above, the following values pertain... operation of a spray drying tower, but only when a high rate of wet scrubbing is in operation which produces... Spray Dried Detergents Subcategory § 417.155 Standards of performance for new sources. The following...

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010 Performance Rating Method Reference Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goel, Supriya [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rosenberg, Michael I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-05-01

This document is intended to be a reference manual for the Appendix G Performance Rating Method (PRM) of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1- 2010 (Standard 90.1-2010).The PRM is used for rating the energy efficiency of commercial and high-rise residential buildings with designs that exceed the requirements of Standard 90.1. The procedures and processes described in this manual are designed to provide consistency and accuracy by filling in gaps and providing additional details needed by users of the PRM. It should be noted that this document is created independently from ASHRAE and SSPC 90.1 and is not sanctioned nor approved by either of those entities . Potential users of this manual include energy modelers, software developers and implementers of “beyond code” energy programs. Energy modelers using ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010 for beyond code programs can use this document as a reference manual for interpreting requirements of the Performance Rating method. Software developers, developing tools for automated creation of the baseline model can use this reference manual as a guideline for developing the rules for the baseline model.

Academy of nutrition and dietetics: revised 2014 standards of practice and standards of professional performance for registered dietitian nutritionists (competent, proficient, and expert) in sports nutrition and dietetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinmuller, Patricia L; Kruskall, Laura J; Karpinski, Christine A; Manore, Melinda M; Macedonio, Michele A; Meyer, Nanna L

2014-04-01

Sports nutrition and dietetics addresses relationships of nutrition with physical activity, including weight management, exercise, and physical performance. Nutrition plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of obesity and chronic disease and for maintenance of health, and the ability to engage in physical activity, sports, and other aspects of physical performance. Thus, the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has developed the Revised 2014 Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance as a resource for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists working in sports nutrition and dietetics to assess their current skill levels and to identify areas for further professional development in this emerging practice area. The revised document reflects advances in sports nutrition and dietetics practice since the original standards were published in 2009 and replaces those standards. The Standards of Practice represents the four steps in the Nutrition Care Process as applied to the care of patients/clients. The Standards of Professional Performance covers six standards of professional performance: quality in practice, competence and accountability, provision of services, application of research, communication and application of knowledge, and utilization and management of resources. Within each standard, specific indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate how the standards can be applied to practice. The indicators describe three skill levels (competent, proficient, and expert) for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists working in sports nutrition and dietetics. The Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance are complementary resources for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in sports nutrition and dietetics practice. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc

Citizen Observatories: A Standards Based Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Simonis, Ingo

2015-04-01

A number of large-scale research projects are currently under way exploring the various components of citizen observatories, e.g. CITI-SENSE (http://www.citi-sense.eu), Citclops (http://citclops.eu), COBWEB (http://cobwebproject.eu), OMNISCIENTIS (http://www.omniscientis.eu), and WeSenseIt (http://www.wesenseit.eu). Common to all projects is the motivation to develop a platform enabling effective participation by citizens in environmental projects, while considering important aspects such as security, privacy, long-term storage and availability, accessibility of raw and processed data and its proper integration into catalogues and international exchange and collaboration systems such as GEOSS or INSPIRE. This paper describes the software architecture implemented for setting up crowdsourcing campaigns using standardized components, interfaces, security features, and distribution capabilities. It illustrates the Citizen Observatory Toolkit, a software suite that allows defining crowdsourcing campaigns, to invite registered and unregistered participants to participate in crowdsourcing campaigns, and to analyze, process, and visualize raw and quality enhanced crowd sourcing data and derived products. The Citizen Observatory Toolkit is not a single software product. Instead, it is a framework of components that are built using internationally adopted standards wherever possible (e.g. OGC standards from Sensor Web Enablement, GeoPackage, and Web Mapping and Processing Services, as well as security and metadata/cataloguing standards), defines profiles of those standards where necessary (e.g. SWE O&M profile, SensorML profile), and implements design decisions based on the motivation to maximize interoperability and reusability of all components. The toolkit contains tools to set up, manage and maintain crowdsourcing campaigns, allows building on-demand apps optimized for the specific sampling focus, supports offline and online sampling modes using modern cell phones with

Performance-Based Funding Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2011

2011-01-01

A number of states have made progress in implementing performance-based funding (PFB) and accountability. This policy brief summarizes main features of performance-based funding systems in three states: Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana. The brief also identifies key issues that states considering performance-based funding must address, as well as…

Medicaid program; Medicaid Management Information Systems; performance standards--HCFA. General notice.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-05-31

The purpose of this notice is to respond to the comments we received on the Medicaid Management Information Systems Performance Standards that we published in a notice with comment period on June 30, 1981 (46 FR 33653).

Teachers' Perceptions of the Efficacy of Standards-Based IEP Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Traci Nicole

2013-01-01

Although standards-based IEP goals have been mandated in many states for almost a decade, their effectiveness is unknown. Standards-based IEP goals were first created to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, which increased accountability for all students as well as those with…

Analyzing Reliability and Performance Trade-Offs of HLS-Based Designs in SRAM-Based FPGAs Under Soft Errors

Science.gov (United States)

Tambara, Lucas Antunes; Tonfat, Jorge; Santos, André; Kastensmidt, Fernanda Lima; Medina, Nilberto H.; Added, Nemitala; Aguiar, Vitor A. P.; Aguirre, Fernando; Silveira, Marcilei A. G.

2017-02-01

The increasing system complexity of FPGA-based hardware designs and shortening of time-to-market have motivated the adoption of new designing methodologies focused on addressing the current need for high-performance circuits. High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tools can generate Register Transfer Level (RTL) designs from high-level software programming languages. These tools have evolved significantly in recent years, providing optimized RTL designs, which can serve the needs of safety-critical applications that require both high performance and high reliability levels. However, a reliability evaluation of HLS-based designs under soft errors has not yet been presented. In this work, the trade-offs of different HLS-based designs in terms of reliability, resource utilization, and performance are investigated by analyzing their behavior under soft errors and comparing them to a standard processor-based implementation in an SRAM-based FPGA. Results obtained from fault injection campaigns and radiation experiments show that it is possible to increase the performance of a processor-based system up to 5,000 times by changing its architecture with a small impact in the cross section (increasing up to 8 times), and still increasing the Mean Workload Between Failures (MWBF) of the system.

Standardized computer-based organized reporting of EEG SCORE - Second version

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beniczky, Sándor; Aurlien, Harald; Brøgger, Jan C

2017-01-01

Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted in the se......Standardized terminology for computer-based assessment and reporting of EEG has been previously developed in Europe. The International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology established a taskforce in 2013 to develop this further, and to reach international consensus. This work resulted...... in the second, revised version of SCORE (Standardized Computer-based Organized Reporting of EEG), which is presented in this paper. The revised terminology was implemented in a software package (SCORE EEG), which was tested in clinical practice on 12,160 EEG recordings. Standardized terms implemented in SCORE....... In the end, the diagnostic significance is scored, using a standardized list of terms. SCORE has specific modules for scoring seizures (including seizure semiology and ictal EEG patterns), neonatal recordings (including features specific for this age group), and for Critical Care EEG Terminology. SCORE...

Tissue-Based MRI Intensity Standardization: Application to Multicentric Datasets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Robitaille

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Intensity standardization in MRI aims at correcting scanner-dependent intensity variations. Existing simple and robust techniques aim at matching the input image histogram onto a standard, while we think that standardization should aim at matching spatially corresponding tissue intensities. In this study, we present a novel automatic technique, called STI for STandardization of Intensities, which not only shares the simplicity and robustness of histogram-matching techniques, but also incorporates tissue spatial intensity information. STI uses joint intensity histograms to determine intensity correspondence in each tissue between the input and standard images. We compared STI to an existing histogram-matching technique on two multicentric datasets, Pilot E-ADNI and ADNI, by measuring the intensity error with respect to the standard image after performing nonlinear registration. The Pilot E-ADNI dataset consisted in 3 subjects each scanned in 7 different sites. The ADNI dataset consisted in 795 subjects scanned in more than 50 different sites. STI was superior to the histogram-matching technique, showing significantly better intensity matching for the brain white matter with respect to the standard image.

State-of-the art comparability of corrected emission spectra. 2. Field laboratory assessment of calibration performance using spectral fluorescence standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Resch-Genger, Ute; Bremser, Wolfram; Pfeifer, Dietmar; Spieles, Monika; Hoffmann, Angelika; DeRose, Paul C; Zwinkels, Joanne C; Gauthier, François; Ebert, Bernd; Taubert, R Dieter; Voigt, Jan; Hollandt, Jörg; Macdonald, Rainer

2012-05-01

In the second part of this two-part series on the state-of-the-art comparability of corrected emission spectra, we have extended this assessment to the broader community of fluorescence spectroscopists by involving 12 field laboratories that were randomly selected on the basis of their fluorescence measuring equipment. These laboratories performed a reference material (RM)-based fluorometer calibration with commercially available spectral fluorescence standards following a standard operating procedure that involved routine measurement conditions and the data evaluation software LINKCORR developed and provided by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM). This instrument-specific emission correction curve was subsequently used for the determination of the corrected emission spectra of three test dyes, X, QS, and Y, revealing an average accuracy of 6.8% for the corrected emission spectra. This compares well with the relative standard uncertainties of 4.2% for physical standard-based spectral corrections demonstrated in the first part of this study (previous paper in this issue) involving an international group of four expert laboratories. The excellent comparability of the measurements of the field laboratories also demonstrates the effectiveness of RM-based correction procedures.

Simulation-based estimation of mean and standard deviation for meta-analysis via Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC).

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Deukwoo; Reis, Isildinha M

2015-08-12

When conducting a meta-analysis of a continuous outcome, estimated means and standard deviations from the selected studies are required in order to obtain an overall estimate of the mean effect and its confidence interval. If these quantities are not directly reported in the publications, they must be estimated from other reported summary statistics, such as the median, the minimum, the maximum, and quartiles. We propose a simulation-based estimation approach using the Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) technique for estimating mean and standard deviation based on various sets of summary statistics found in published studies. We conduct a simulation study to compare the proposed ABC method with the existing methods of Hozo et al. (2005), Bland (2015), and Wan et al. (2014). In the estimation of the standard deviation, our ABC method performs better than the other methods when data are generated from skewed or heavy-tailed distributions. The corresponding average relative error (ARE) approaches zero as sample size increases. In data generated from the normal distribution, our ABC performs well. However, the Wan et al. method is best for estimating standard deviation under normal distribution. In the estimation of the mean, our ABC method is best regardless of assumed distribution. ABC is a flexible method for estimating the study-specific mean and standard deviation for meta-analysis, especially with underlying skewed or heavy-tailed distributions. The ABC method can be applied using other reported summary statistics such as the posterior mean and 95 % credible interval when Bayesian analysis has been employed.

Assessing the performance and satisfaction of medical residents utilizing standardized patient versus mannequin-simulated training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alsaad AA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Ali A Alsaad,1 Swetha Davuluri,2 Vandana Y Bhide,3 Amy M Lannen,4 Michael J Maniaci3 1Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 2University of Miami, Coral Gables, 3Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, 4J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Simulation Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA Background: Conducting simulations of rapidly decompensating patients are a key part of internal medicine (IM residency training. Traditionally, mannequins have been the simulation tool used in these scenarios. Objective: To compare IM residents’ performance and assess realism in specific-simulated decompensating patient scenarios using standardized patients (SPs as compared to mannequin. Methods: Nineteen IM residents were randomized to undergo simulations using either a mannequin or an SP. Each resident in the two groups underwent four different simulation scenarios (calcium channel blocker overdose, severe sepsis, severe asthma exacerbation, and acute bacterial meningitis. Residents completed pretest and post-test evaluations as well as a questionnaire to assess the reality perception (realism score. Results: Nine residents completed mannequin-based scenarios, whereas 10 completed SP-based scenarios. Improvement in the post-test scores was seen in both groups. However, there were significantly higher post-test scores achieved with SP simulations in three out of the four scenarios (P=0.01. When compared with the mannequin group, the SP simulation group showed a significantly higher average realism score (P=0.002. Conclusions: Applying SP-based specific-simulation scenarios in IM residency training may result in better performance and a higher sense of a realistic experience by medical residents. Keywords: simulation, standardized patient, satisfaction, mannequin, assessment, resident education

A lack of standardization: the basis for the ethical issues surrounding quality and performance reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Suchy, Kirsten

2010-01-01

Consumers in the United States are taking advantage of the proliferation of publicly available, internet-based performance reports and quality appraisals of health plans, healthcare organizations, hospitals, and physicians to aid in their healthcare decision making. However, these appraisal practices have given rise to controversy and debate over certain distinctive ethical issues. This article advocates a standardized ethical framework to guide current and future development and implementation of performance reports. This framework, which would resolve a number of the major issues, includes the following ethical principles to guide the practice of public reporting on the Internet and facilitate enhanced quality improvement in the healthcare industry: legitimacy, data integrity and quality, transparency, informed understanding, equity, privacy and confidentiality, collaboration, accountability, and evaluation and continuous improvement.

"Circumstance and Proper Timing": Context and the Construction of a Standards Framework for School Principals' Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Louden, William; Wildy, Helen

1999-01-01

Professional standards for school principals typically describe an ideal performance in a generalized context. This article describes an alternative method of developing a standards framework, combining qualitative vignettes with probabilistic measurement techniques to provide essential or ideal performance qualities with contextually rich…

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: standards of practice and standards of professional performance for registered dietitian nutritionists (competent, proficient, and expert) in adult weight management.

Science.gov (United States)

Jortberg, Bonnie; Myers, Eileen; Gigliotti, Linda; Ivens, Barbara J; Lebre, Monica; Burke March, Susan; Nogueira, Isadora; Nwankwo, Robin; Parkinson, Meredith R; Paulsen, Barbara; Turner, Tonya

2015-04-01

Weight management encompasses the inter-relationship of nutrition, physical activity, and health behavior change. Nutrition is key for the prevention and treatment of obesity and chronic disease and maintenance of overall health. Thus, the Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has developed Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in Adult Weight Management as a resource for RDNs working in weight management. This document allows RDNs to assess their current skill levels and to identify areas for further professional development in this expanding practice area. This document describes the current standards for weight management practice for RDNs. The Standards of Practice represent the four steps in the Nutrition Care Process as applied to the care of patients/clients. The Standards of Professional Performance consist of six domains of professionalism: Quality in Practice, Competence and Accountability, Provision of Services, Application of Research, Communication and Application of Knowledge, and Utilization and Management of Resources. Within each standard, specific indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate how the standard can be applied to practice. The indicators describe three skill levels (competent, proficient, and expert) for RDNs working in weight management. The Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance are complementary resources for the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in weight management. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 421.334 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (d) SiC14 purification wet air pollution control. NSPS for the... this subpart shall achieve the following new source performance standards: (a) Sand drying wet air... the range of 7.5 to 10.0 at all times. (b) Sand chlorination off-gas wet air pollution control. NSPS...

Fire-safety engineering and performance-based codes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Lars Schiøtt

project administrators, etc. The book deals with the following topics: • Historical presentation on the subject of fire • Legislation and building project administration • European fire standardization • Passive and active fire protection • Performance-based Codes • Fire-safety Engineering • Fundamental......Fire-safety Engineering is written as a textbook for Engineering students at universities and other institutions of higher education that teach in the area of fire. The book can also be used as a work of reference for consulting engineers, Building product manufacturers, contractors, building...... thermodynamics • Heat exchange during the fire process • Skin burns • Burning rate, energy release rate and design fires • Proposal to Risk-based design fires • Proposal to a Fire scale • Material ignition and flame spread • Fire dynamics in buildings • Combustion products and toxic gases • Smoke inhalation...

The use of customised versus population-based birthweight standards in predicting perinatal mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, X; Platt, R W; Cnattingius, S; Joseph, K S; Kramer, M S

2007-04-01

The objective of this study was to critically examine potential artifacts and biases underlying the use of 'customised' standards of birthweight for gestational age (GA). Population-based cohort study. Sweden. A total of 782,303 singletons > or =28 weeks of gestation born in 1992-2001 to Nordic mothers with complete data on birthweight; GA; and maternal age, parity, height, and pre-pregnancy weight. We compared perinatal mortality in four groups of infants based on the following classification of small for gestational age (SGA): non-SGA based on either population-based or customised standards (the reference group), SGA based on the population-based standard only, SGA based on the customised standard only, and SGA according to both standards. We used graphical methods to compare GA-specific birthweight cutoffs for SGA using the two standards and also used logistic regression to control for differences in GA and maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) in the four groups. Perinatal mortality, including stillbirth and neonatal death. Customisation led to a large artifactual increase in the proportion of SGA infants born preterm. Adjustment for differences in GA and maternal BMI markedly reduced the excess risk among infants classified as SGA by customised standards only. The large increase in perinatal mortality risk among infants classified as SGA based on customised standards is largely an artifact due to inclusion of more preterm births.

Codes and Standards Technical Team Roadmap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2013-06-01

The Hydrogen Codes and Standards Tech Team (CSTT) mission is to enable and facilitate the appropriate research, development, & demonstration (RD&D) for the development of safe, performance-based defensible technical codes and standards that support the technology readiness and are appropriate for widespread consumer use of fuel cells and hydrogen-based technologies with commercialization by 2020. Therefore, it is important that the necessary codes and standards be in place no later than 2015.

UK key performance indicators and quality assurance standards for colonoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Colin J; Thomas Gibson, Siwan; Rutter, Matt D; Baragwanath, Phil; Pullan, Rupert; Feeney, Mark; Haslam, Neil

2016-12-01

Colonoscopy should be delivered by endoscopists performing high quality procedures. The British Society of Gastroenterology, the UK Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy, and the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland have developed quality assurance measures and key performance indicators for the delivery of colonoscopy within the UK. This document sets minimal standards for delivery of procedures along with aspirational targets that all endoscopists should aim for. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

TRANSPORT LOCOMOTIVE AND WASTE PACKAGE TRANSPORTER ITS STANDARDS IDENTIFICATION STUDY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draper, K.D.

2005-01-01

To date, the project has established important to safety (ITS) performance requirements for structures, systems and components (SSCs) based on identification and categorization of event sequences that may result in a radiological release. These performance requirements are defined within the ''Nuclear Safety Design Basis for License Application'' (NSDB) (BSC 2005). Further, SSCs credited with performing safe functions are classified as ITS. In turn, performance confirmation for these SSCs is sought through the use of consensus code and standards. The purpose of this study is to identify applicable codes and standards for the waste package (WP) transporter and transport locomotive ITS SSCs. Further, this study will form the basis for selection and the extent of applicability of each code and standard. This study is based on the design development completed for License Application only. Accordingly, identification of ITS SSCs beyond those defined within the NSDB are based on designs that may be subject to further development during detail design. Furthermore, several design alternatives may still be under consideration to satisfy certain safety functions, and that final selection will not be determined until further design development has occurred. Therefore, for completeness, throughout this study alternative designs currently under consideration will be discussed. Further, the results of this study will be subject to evaluation as part of a follow-on gap analysis study. Based on the results of this study the gap analysis will evaluate each code and standard to ensure each ITS performance requirement is fully satisfied. When a performance requirement is not fully satisfied a ''gap'' is highlighted. Thereafter, the study will identify supplemental requirements to augment the code or standard to meet performance requirements. Further, the gap analysis will identify non-standard areas of the design that will be subject to a Development Plan. Non-standard components and

The influence of anthropometrics on physical employment standard performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Reilly, T; Spivock, M; Prayal-Brown, A; Stockbrugger, B; Blacklock, R

2016-10-01

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) recently implemented the Fitness for Operational Requirements of CAF Employment (FORCE), a new physical employment standard (PES). Data collection throughout development included anthropometric profiles of the CAF. To determine if anthropometric measurements and demographic information would predict the performance outcomes of the FORCE and/or Common Military Task Fitness Evaluation (CMTFE). We conducted a secondary analysis of data from FORCE research. We obtained bioelectrical impedance and segmental analysis. Statistical analysis included correlation and linear regression analyses. Among the 668 study subjects, as predicted, any task requiring lifting, pulling or moving of an object was significantly and positively correlated (r > 0.67) to lean body mass (LBM) measurements. LBM correlated with stretcher carry (r = 0.78) and with lifting actions such as sand bag drag (r = 0.77), vehicle extrication (r = 0.71), sand bag fortification (r = 0.68) and sand bag lift time (r = -0.67). The difference between the correlation of dead mass (DM) with task performance compared with LBM was not statistically significant. DM and LBM can be used in a PES to predict success on military tasks such as casualty evacuation and manual material handling. However, there is no minimum LBM required to perform these tasks successfully. These data direct future research on how we should diversify research participants by anthropometrics, in addition to the traditional demographic variables of gender and age, to highlight potential important adverse impact with PES design. In addition, the results can be used to develop better training regimens to facilitate passing a PES. © All rights reserved. ‘The Influence of Anthropometrics on Physical Employment Standard Performance’ has been reproduced with the permission of DND, 2016.

[Performance based regulation: a strategy to increase breastfeeding rates].

Science.gov (United States)

Cobo-Armijo, Fernanda; Charvel, Sofía; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

2017-01-01

The decreasing breastfeeding rate in México is of public health concern. In this paper we discus an innovative regulatory approach -Performance Based Regulation- and its application to improve breastfeeding rates. This approach, forces industry to take responsibility for the lack of breastfeeding and its consequences. Failure to comply with this targets results in financial penalties. Applying performance based regulation as a strategy to improve breastfeeding is feasible because: the breastmilk substitutes market is an oligopoly, hence it is easy to identify the contribution of each market participant; the regulation's target population is clearly defined; it has a clear regulatory standard which can be easily evaluated, and sanctions to infringement can be defined under objective parameters. modify public policy, celebrate concertation agreements with the industry, create persuasive sanctions, strengthen enforcement activities and coordinate every action with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Performance-based contracting for maintaining transportation assets with emphasis on bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alsharqawi Mohammed

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With a large number of aging transportation infrastructure assets in North America and the growing problem of deterioration across the globe, managing these assets have been the subject of ongoing research. There is an overwhelming amount of maintenance and rehabilitation works to be done and selecting a suitable maintenance, repair or replacement (MRR strategy is one of the most challenging tasks for decision makers. Limited budget and resources are even making the decision making process more challenging. Maintaining infrastructure to the highest possible condition while investing the minimal amount of money has promoted innovative contracting approaches. Transportation agencies have increased private sector involvement through long term performance-based maintenance contracts or what is called Performance-Based Contracting. PBC is a type of contract that pays a contractor based on the results achieved, not on the methods for performing the maintenance work. By looking into the literature, it is observed that agencies are expanding the amount of contracting they do in order to maintain and achieve a better standard of infrastructure facilities. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to study and review performance-based contracting for transportation infrastructure with emphasis on bridge assets.

Polarization properties and microfacet-based modelling of white, grey and coloured matte diffuse reflection standards

Science.gov (United States)

Quast, T.; Schirmacher, A.; Hauer, K.-O.; Koo, A.

2018-02-01

To elucidate the influence of polarization in diffuse reflectometry, we performed a series of measurements in several bidirectional geometries and determined the Stokes parameters of the diffusely reflected radiation. Different types of matte reflection standards were used, including several common white standards and ceramic colour standards. The dependence of the polarization on the sample type, wavelength and geometry have been studied systematically, the main influence factors have been identified: The effect is largest at large angles of incidence or detection and at wavelengths where the magnitude of the reflectance is small. The results for the colour standards have been modelled using a microfacet-based reflection theory which is derived from the well-known model of Torrance and Sparrow. Although the theory is very simple and only has three free parameters, the agreement with the measured data is very good, all essential features of the data can be reproduced by the model.

Evaluation of post-LOCA long term cooling performance in Korean standard nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, Young Seok; Jung, Jae Won; Seul, Kwang Won; Kim, Hho Jung

2001-01-01

The post-LOCA long term cooling (LTC) performance of the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNPP) is analyzed for both small break loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA) and large break LOCA at cold leg. The RELAP5/MOD3.2.2 beta code is used to calculate the LTC sequences based on the LTC plan of the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plants (KSNPP). A standard input model is developed such that LOCA and the followed LTC sequence can be calculated in a single run for both small break LOCA and large break LOCA. A spectrum of small break LOCA ranging from 0.02 to 0.5 ft 2 of break area and a double-ended guillotine break are analyzed. Through the code calculations, the thermal-hydraulic behavior and the boron behavior are evaluated and the effect of the important action including the safety injection tank (SIT) isolation and the simultaneous injection in LTC procedure is investigated. As a result, it is found that the sufficient margin is available in avoiding the boron precipitation in the core. It is also found that a further specific condition for the SIT isolation action need to be setup and it is recommended that the early initiation of the simultaneous injection be taken for larger break LTC sequences. (author)

Maintenance Staffing Standards for Zero-Based Budgeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Matthew C.; And Others

1998-01-01

Discusses school preventive maintenance and the variables associated with maintenance staffing standards that address a zero-based budgeting environment. Explores preventive-maintenance measurement for staffing requirements, defines staffing levels and job descriptions, and outlines the factors to consider when creating a maintenance program and…

Defining nuclear medical file formal based on DICOM standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Bin; Jin Yongjie; Li Yulan

2001-01-01

With the wide application of computer technology in medical area, DICOM is becoming the standard of digital imaging and communication. The author discusses how to define medical imaging file formal based on DICOM standard. It also introduces the format of ANMIS system the authors defined the validity and integrality of this format

Shifting Gears: Standards, Assessments, Curriculum, & Instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dougherty, Eleanor

This book is designed to help educators move from a system that measures students against students to one that values mastery of central concepts and skills, striving for proficiency in publicly acknowledged standards of academic performance. It aims to connect the operative parts of standards-based education (standards, assessment, curriculum,…

Performance assessment of different STPs based on UASB followed by aerobic post treatment systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Abid Ali; Gaur, Rubia Zahid; Mehrotra, Indu; Diamantis, Vasileios; Lew, Beni; Kazmi, Absar Ahmad

2014-01-27

This paper present the experiences gained from the study of ten up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) based sewage treatment plants (STPs) of different cities of India. Presently 37 UASB based STPs were under operation and about 06 UASB based STPs are under construction and commissioning phase at different towns. The nature of sewage significantly varied at each STP. Two STP were receiving sewage with high sulfate and heavy metals due to the mixing of industrial waste. The treatment performance of all UASB reactors in terms of BOD, COD and TSS were observed between 55 to 70% respectively. The post treatment units down flow hanging sponge (DHS) and Aeration followed by activated sludge process (ASP) at two STPs were performing well and enable to achieve the required disposal standards. Results indicate the effluent quality in terms of BOD and SS were less than 30 and 50 mg/L and well below the discharging standards.

Evaluation of a draft standard on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation - program overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kathren, R.L.; Selby, J.M.; Kenoyer, J.L.; Swinth, K.L.

1983-01-01

The draft ANSI Standard N42.17 on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation was written in 1981 by a task group that included both manufacturers and users of these instruments as well as representation from the regulatory bodies; the second draft of this standard is currently being evaluated by Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Objectives of this project include the evaluation of the applicability and practicality of the proposed standard and the determination of the degree of conformance of a cross-section of currently available commercial instruments to the proposed standard. This standard is being tested against such instruments as ionization chambers. G.M. detectors, alpha survey meters, and neutron dose equivalent survey meters. Radiological, electrical, mechanical, safety, and environmental performance criteria are specified and tests to evaluate conformance are detailed. Specific criteria which are discussed in this draft standard include inspection tests (e.g., readout units, scaling and zero set, decontamination, moisture protection, alarm threshold, battery status indication), AC and battery power requirements, alarm reset, stability, geotropism, response time, accuracy, precision, IER, beta, and neutron energy dependence, radiation overloads, angular dependence, extracameral response, nonionizing electromagnetic radiations, magnetic fields, interfering ionizing radiations, and effect of temperature, humidity, ambient pressure, shock, and vibration. The testing procedures were developed with emphasis on the requirements found in ANSI N42.17 with additional criteria from other draft and current ANSI and IEC standards

Development of a LED based standard for luminous flux

Science.gov (United States)

Sardinha, André; Ázara, Ivo; Torres, Miguel; Menegotto, Thiago; Grieneisen, Hans Peter; Borghi, Giovanna; Couceiro, Iakyra; Zim, Alexandre; Muller, Filipe

2018-03-01

Incandescent lamps, simple artifacts with radiation spectrum very similar to a black-body emitter, are traditional standards in photometry. Nowadays LEDs are broadly used in lighting, with great variety of spectra, and it is convenient to use standards for photometry with spectral distribution similar to that of the measured artifact. Research and development of such standards occur in several National Metrology Institutes. In Brazil, Inmetro is working on a practical solution for providing a LED based standard to be used for luminous flux measurements in the field of general lighting. This paper shows the measurements made for the developing of a prototype, that in sequence will be characterized in photometric quantities.

Best practices in selecting performance measures and standards for effective asset management.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

"This report assesses and provides guidance on best practices in performance measurement, management and standards : setting for effective Transportation Asset Management (TAM). The study is conducted through a literature review, a : survey of the 50...

A real-time standard parts inspection based on deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Kuan; Li, XuDong; Jiang, Hongzhi; Zhao, Huijie

2017-10-01

Since standard parts are necessary components in mechanical structure like bogie and connector. These mechanical structures will be shattered or loosen if standard parts are lost. So real-time standard parts inspection systems are essential to guarantee their safety. Researchers would like to take inspection systems based on deep learning because it works well in image with complex backgrounds which is common in standard parts inspection situation. A typical inspection detection system contains two basic components: feature extractors and object classifiers. For the object classifier, Region Proposal Network (RPN) is one of the most essential architectures in most state-of-art object detection systems. However, in the basic RPN architecture, the proposals of Region of Interest (ROI) have fixed sizes (9 anchors for each pixel), they are effective but they waste much computing resources and time. In standard parts detection situations, standard parts have given size, thus we can manually choose sizes of anchors based on the ground-truths through machine learning. The experiments prove that we could use 2 anchors to achieve almost the same accuracy and recall rate. Basically, our standard parts detection system could reach 15fps on NVIDIA GTX1080 (GPU), while achieving detection accuracy 90.01% mAP.

[Precautions of physical performance requirements and test methods during product standard drafting process of medical devices].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jin-Zi; Wan, Min; Xu, Hui; Yao, Xiu-Jun; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Jin-Hong

2009-09-01

The major idea of this article is to discuss standardization and normalization for the product standard of medical devices. Analyze the problem related to the physical performance requirements and test methods during product standard drafting process and make corresponding suggestions.

Standard Test Method for Electrical Performance of Photovoltaic Cells Using Reference Cells Under Simulated Sunlight

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the electrical performance of a photovoltaic cell under simulated sunlight by means of a calibrated reference cell procedure. 1.2 Electrical performance measurements are reported with respect to a select set of standard reporting conditions (SRC) (see Table 1) or to user-specified conditions. 1.2.1 The SRC or user-specified conditions include the cell temperature, the total irradiance, and the reference spectral irradiance distribution. 1.3 This test method is applicable only to photovoltaic cells with a linear response over the range of interest. 1.4 The cell parameters determined by this test method apply only at the time of test, and imply no past or future performance level. 1.5 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard. 1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this s...

Accounting standards and earnings management : The role of rules-based and principles-based accounting standards and incentives on accounting and transaction decisions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beest, van F.

2012-01-01

This book examines the effect that rules-based and principles-based accounting standards have on the level and nature of earnings management decisions. A cherry picking experiment is conducted to test the hypothesis that a substitution effect is expected from accounting decisions to transaction

Accounting for the NCEA : Has the Transition to Standards-based Assessment Achieved its Objectives?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen Agnew

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper identifies trends in secondary school accounting participation and achievement during the firstfive years of the full implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA in NewZealand schools. NCEA marks a shift from a norm-referenced assessment regime to standards-basedassessment. Literature suggests that standards-based assessment increases the academic performance ofminority ethnic groups (such as Maori and Pacific Island students, and low socio-economic status (SESstudents. The author pays particular attention to these groups and his analysis reveals some interestingresults: in accounting, the NCEA has not met expectations for these students. From 2004 to 2008, thenumber of low SES accounting students has dropped, as has the number of accounting standards entered andthe rates of achievement. Likewise, there has been no significant improvement in the academic performanceof Maori students taking accounting standards, while Pacific Island students have experienced a significantdecrease in achievement. The author also discusses how studying high school accounting impacts on tertiarylevel study and offers some future implications of this research.

An Investigation of the Engagement of Elementary Students in the NCTM Process Standards after One Year of Standards-Based Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Fillingim, Jennifer Gale

2010-01-01

Contemporary mathematics education reform has placed increased emphasis on K-12 mathematics curriculum. Reform-based curricula, often referred to as "Standards-based" due to philosophical alignment with the NCTM Process Standards, have generated controversy among families, educators, and researchers. The mathematics education research…

Image standards in Tissue-Based Diagnosis (Diagnostic Surgical Pathology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vollmer Ekkehard

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Progress in automated image analysis, virtual microscopy, hospital information systems, and interdisciplinary data exchange require image standards to be applied in tissue-based diagnosis. Aims To describe the theoretical background, practical experiences and comparable solutions in other medical fields to promote image standards applicable for diagnostic pathology. Theory and experiences Images used in tissue-based diagnosis present with pathology – specific characteristics. It seems appropriate to discuss their characteristics and potential standardization in relation to the levels of hierarchy in which they appear. All levels can be divided into legal, medical, and technological properties. Standards applied to the first level include regulations or aims to be fulfilled. In legal properties, they have to regulate features of privacy, image documentation, transmission, and presentation; in medical properties, features of disease – image combination, human – diagnostics, automated information extraction, archive retrieval and access; and in technological properties features of image acquisition, display, formats, transfer speed, safety, and system dynamics. The next lower second level has to implement the prescriptions of the upper one, i.e. describe how they are implemented. Legal aspects should demand secure encryption for privacy of all patient related data, image archives that include all images used for diagnostics for a period of 10 years at minimum, accurate annotations of dates and viewing, and precise hardware and software information. Medical aspects should demand standardized patients' files such as DICOM 3 or HL 7 including history and previous examinations, information of image display hardware and software, of image resolution and fields of view, of relation between sizes of biological objects and image sizes, and of access to archives and retrieval. Technological aspects should deal with image

A study of science leadership and science standards in exemplary standards-based science programs

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Wendy Renae

The purpose for conducting this qualitative study was to explore best practices of exemplary standards-based science programs and instructional leadership practices in a charter high school and in a traditional high school. The focus of this study included how twelve participants aligned practices to National Science Education Standards to describe their science programs and science instructional practices. This study used a multi-site case study qualitative design. Data were obtained through a review of literature, interviews, observations, review of educational documents, and researcher's notes collected in a field log. The methodology used was a multi-site case study because of the potential, through cross analysis, for providing greater explanation of the findings in the study (Merriam, 1988). This study discovered six characteristics about the two high school's science programs that enhance the literature found in the National Science Education Standards; (a) Culture of expectations for learning-In exemplary science programs teachers are familiar with a wide range of curricula. They have the ability to examine critically and select activities to use with their students to promote the understanding of science; (b) Culture of varied experiences-In exemplary science programs students are provided different paths to learning, which help students, take in information and make sense of concepts and skills that are set forth by the standards; (c) Culture of continuous feedback-In exemplary science programs teachers and students work together to engage students in ongoing assessments of their work and that of others as prescribed in the standards; (d) Culture of Observations-In exemplary science programs students, teachers, and principals reflect on classroom instructional practices; teachers receive ongoing evaluations about their teaching and apply feedback towards improving practices as outlined in the standards; (e) Culture of continuous learning-In exemplary

Predicting standard-dose PET image from low-dose PET and multimodal MR images using mapping-based sparse representation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yan; Zhou, Jiliu; Zhang, Pei; An, Le; Ma, Guangkai; Kang, Jiayin; Shi, Feng; Shen, Dinggang; Wu, Xi; Lalush, David S; Lin, Weili

2016-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been widely used in clinical diagnosis for diseases and disorders. To obtain high-quality PET images requires a standard-dose radionuclide (tracer) injection into the human body, which inevitably increases risk of radiation exposure. One possible solution to this problem is to predict the standard-dose PET image from its low-dose counterpart and its corresponding multimodal magnetic resonance (MR) images. Inspired by the success of patch-based sparse representation (SR) in super-resolution image reconstruction, we propose a mapping-based SR (m-SR) framework for standard-dose PET image prediction. Compared with the conventional patch-based SR, our method uses a mapping strategy to ensure that the sparse coefficients, estimated from the multimodal MR images and low-dose PET image, can be applied directly to the prediction of standard-dose PET image. As the mapping between multimodal MR images (or low-dose PET image) and standard-dose PET images can be particularly complex, one step of mapping is often insufficient. To this end, an incremental refinement framework is therefore proposed. Specifically, the predicted standard-dose PET image is further mapped to the target standard-dose PET image, and then the SR is performed again to predict a new standard-dose PET image. This procedure can be repeated for prediction refinement of the iterations. Also, a patch selection based dictionary construction method is further used to speed up the prediction process. The proposed method is validated on a human brain dataset. The experimental results show that our method can outperform benchmark methods in both qualitative and quantitative measures. (paper)

Performance based regulation: a strategy to increase breastfeeding rates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Cobo-Armijo

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The decreasing breastfeeding rate in México is of public health concern. In this paper we discus an innovative regulatory ap­proach -Performance Based Regulation- and its application to improve breastfeeding rates. This approach, forces industry to take responsibility for the lack of breastfeeding and its consequences. Failure to comply with this targets results in financial penalties. Applying performance based regulation as a strategy to improve breastfeeding is feasible because: the breastmilk substitutes market is an oligopoly, hence it is easy to identify the contribution of each market participant; the regulation’s target population is clearly defined; it has a clear regulatory standard which can be easily evaluated, and sanctions to infringement can be defined under objective parameters. Recommendations: modify public policy, celebrate concertation agreements with the industry, create persuasive sanctions, strengthen enforcement activities and coordinate every action with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Standard compliance - NDE performance demonstration/inspection in the CANDU industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, E.

2011-01-01

CANDU nuclear power plants are operated in 3 provinces in Canada for electric power generation. A table in the paper will show the built and operating plants in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and overseas. The regulator for nuclear power in Canada is the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The CNSC holds the plant licensees accountable for compliance to CSA N285.4 for periodic inspections. The Standard basically specifies the 'what, when, where, how, how much and how frequently' NDE is to be done on pressure retaining systems and components in CANDU nuclear power plants. In inspection methods, the Standard specifies they must be non-destructive. The NDE methods were grouped into visual, dimensional, surface, volumetric and integrative. The Standard also specifies that the licensees are responsible for the performance demonstration (PD) of the adequacy of the procedures and the proficiency of the personnel. This paper describes the Standard's requirement in NDE qualification and presents a joint project participated by Canadian and overseas CANDU owners. The sub-project for NDE included providing evidence and technical justification on the adequacy of the procedures and the proficiency of the personnel. The paper describes the qualification methodology followed by the participants. This will be followed by how the participants produced Inspection Specification, tools and procedures, personnel training and qualification programs, test and qualification samples, independent peer reviews and Technical Justification. (author)

The radiation performance standard. A presentation model for ionizing radiation in the living environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaap, L.E.J.J.; Bosmans, G.; Van der Graaf, E.R.; Hendriks, Ch.F.

1998-01-01

By means of the so-called radiation performance standard (SPN, abbreviated in Dutch) the total radioactivity from building constructions which contributes to the indoor radiation dose can be calculated. The SPN is implemented with related boundary values and is part of the Building Decree ('Bouwbesluit') in the Netherlands. The model, presented in this book, forms the basis of a new Dutch radiation protection standard, to be published by the Dutch Institute for Standardization NEN (formerly NNI). 14 refs

Alternate performance standard project: Interpreting the post-construction test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williamson, A.D.; McDonough, S.E.

1993-01-01

The paper describes the results of a project commissioned by the State of Florida, in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency, as one portion of the Florida Radon Research Program (FRRP). The purpose of the FRRP is to provide technical support for a statewide Building Standard for Radon-Resistant Construction currently in the rulemaking process. In this case the information provides technical background for a post-construction radon test specified as a performance element of the code which accompanies the prescriptive alternative that does not incorporate active radon reduction systems

Monitoring maternal and newborn health outcomes in Bauchi State, Nigeria: an evaluation of a standards-based quality improvement intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabo, Ibrahim; Otolorin, Emmanuel; Williams, Emma; Orobaton, Nosa; Abdullahi, Hannatu; Sadauki, Habib; Abdulkarim, Masduk; Abegunde, Dele

2016-10-01

This study assessed the correlation between compliance with set performance standards and maternal and neonatal deaths in health facilities. Baseline and three annual follow-up assessments were conducted, and each was followed by a quality improvement initiative using the Standards Based Management and Recognition (SBM-R) approach. Twenty-three secondary health facilities of Bauchi state, Nigeria. Health care workers and maternity unit patients. We examined trends in: (i) achievement of SBM-R set performance standards based on annual assessment data, (ii) the use of maternal and newborn health (MNH) service delivery practices based on data from health facility registers and supportive supervision and (iii) MNH outcomes based on routine service statistics. At the baseline assessment in 2010, the facilities achieved 4% of SBM-R standards for MNH, on average, and this increased to 86% in 2013. Over the same time period, the study measured an increase in the administration of uterotonic for active management of third stage of labor from 10% to 95% and a decline in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage from 3.3% to 1.9%. Institutional neonatal mortality rate decreased from 9 to 2 deaths per 1000 live births, while the institutional maternal mortality ratio dropped from 4113 to 1317 deaths per 100 000 live births. Scaling up SBM-R for quality improvement has the potential to prevent maternal and neonatal deaths in Nigeria and similar settings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care.

77 FR 43018 - Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-23

.... OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus... Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; correction. SUMMARY: OSHA is correcting a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) with regard to the construction...

Causes of failing the draft ANSI Standard N13.30 radiobioassay performance criterion for minimum detectable amount

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacLellan, J.A.

1990-02-01

The test methods used for PNL bioassay performance tests were evaluated by comparing the MDA based on performance tests results with MDA calculated by PNL using the bioassay laboratory's own quality control (QC) data. Two in vitro laboratories and two in vivo laboratories were studied and a correlation between the performance test MDA estimates and QC data was demonstrated. However, it was often necessary to examine the QC data to identify important characteristics of the blank distribution that affect the MDA calculation. Since the MDA equation must be based on the specific analysis and calculational methods of the procedure evaluated. Even when the correct MDA equation is applied, the MDA calculated will have a relatively large confidence interval when only a few replicates are used to estimate the standard deviation. For this reason, a relatively precise estimate of the MDA is generally only available when Poisson statistics may be applied. It was concluded that performance testing alone cannot provide all the information necessary to make an accurate estimate of the measurement process MDA. Review of the laboratory's QC data and the entire measurement procedure will be necessary. Specific recommendations for changes to draft ANSI N13.30 ''Performance Criteria for Radiobioassay'' are given. 10 refs., 18 figs., 11 tabs

Planning for risk-informed/performance-based fire protection at nuclear power plants. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najafi, B.; Parkinson, W.J.; Lee, J.A.

1997-12-01

This document presents a framework for discussing issues and building consensus towards use of fire modeling and risk technology in nuclear power plant fire protection program implementation. The plan describes a three-phase approach: development of core technologies, implementation of methods, and finally, case studies and pilot applications to verify viability of such methods. The core technologies are defined as fire modeling, fire and system tests, use of operational data, and system and risk techniques. The implementation phase addresses the programmatic issues involved in implementing a risk-informed/performance-based approach in an integrated approach with risk/performance measures. The programmatic elements include: (1) a relationship with fire codes and standards development as defined by the ongoing effort of NFPA for development of performance-based standards; (2) the ability for NRC to undertake inspection and enforcement; and (3) the benefit to utilities in terms of cost versus safety. The case studies are intended to demonstrate applicability of single issue resolution while pilot applications are intended to check the applicability of the integrated program as a whole

Seismic Performance Comparison of a High-Content SDA Frame and Standard RC Frame

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John W. van de Lindt

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This study presents the method and results of an experiment to study the seismic behavior of a concrete portal frame with fifty percent of its cement content replaced with a spray dryer ash (SDA. Based on multiple-shake-table tests, the high content SDA frame was found to perform as well as the standard concrete frame for two earthquakes exceeding design-level intensity earthquakes. Hence, from a purely seismic/structural standpoint, it may be possible to replace approximately fifty percent of cement in a concrete mix with SDA for the construction of structural members in high seismic zones. This would help significantly redirect spray dryer ash away from landfills, thus, providing a sustainable greener alternative to concrete that uses only Portland cement, or only a small percentage of SDA or fly ash.

77 FR 53769 - Receipts-Based, Small Business Size Standard; Confirmation of Effective Date

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-04

... Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended. The NRC is increasing its receipts-based, small business size standard from $6.5 million to $7 million to conform to the standard set by the Small Business Administration...-Based, Small Business Size Standard; Confirmation of Effective Date AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory...

A Standardized Generalized Dimensionality Discrepancy Measure and a Standardized Model-Based Covariance for Dimensionality Assessment for Multidimensional Models

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Roy; Xu, Yuning; Yel, Nedim; Svetina, Dubravka

2015-01-01

The standardized generalized dimensionality discrepancy measure and the standardized model-based covariance are introduced as tools to critique dimensionality assumptions in multidimensional item response models. These tools are grounded in a covariance theory perspective and associated connections between dimensionality and local independence.…

Collectivism versus individualism: performance-related pay and union coverage for non-standard workers in Britain

OpenAIRE

Booth, Alison L.; Francesconi, Marco

2000-01-01

This paper documents the extent of union coverage and performance-related pay (PRP) - the latter representing one aspect of pay flexibility - across standard and non-standard workers in Britain, using the first seven waves of the British Household Panel Survey, 1991-1997. We find there is no evidence of expansion of either union coverage or PRP towards any type of non-standard employment in the 1990s. Thus union rhetoric about a 'strategy of enlargement' towards non-standard workers remains j...

Findings and recommendations of the competency based standards project for radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egan, Ingrid

1993-01-01

In February 1992, the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition funded a $150,000 research project for the development of Competency Based Standards for the professions of Medical Radiation Science (MRS). The four professions of MRS are now considered to be: Radiography, Radiation Therapy, Nuclear Medicine Science and Sonography. The four national documents have aimed at describing the performances of the MRS practitioner at entry level to the profession. Findings from survey and interviews indicate that the existing structure of the undergraduate courses should be reviewed with emphasis on: problem solving skills, theater radiography, paediatric radiography, image interpretation or radiography pathology as well as venepuncture, if accepted nationally. . 5 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs

ABINIT: Plane-Wave-Based Density-Functional Theory on High Performance Computers

Science.gov (United States)

Torrent, Marc

2014-03-01

For several years, a continuous effort has been produced to adapt electronic structure codes based on Density-Functional Theory to the future computing architectures. Among these codes, ABINIT is based on a plane-wave description of the wave functions which allows to treat systems of any kind. Porting such a code on petascale architectures pose difficulties related to the many-body nature of the DFT equations. To improve the performances of ABINIT - especially for what concerns standard LDA/GGA ground-state and response-function calculations - several strategies have been followed: A full multi-level parallelisation MPI scheme has been implemented, exploiting all possible levels and distributing both computation and memory. It allows to increase the number of distributed processes and could not be achieved without a strong restructuring of the code. The core algorithm used to solve the eigen problem (``Locally Optimal Blocked Congugate Gradient''), a Blocked-Davidson-like algorithm, is based on a distribution of processes combining plane-waves and bands. In addition to the distributed memory parallelization, a full hybrid scheme has been implemented, using standard shared-memory directives (openMP/openACC) or porting some comsuming code sections to Graphics Processing Units (GPU). As no simple performance model exists, the complexity of use has been increased; the code efficiency strongly depends on the distribution of processes among the numerous levels. ABINIT is able to predict the performances of several process distributions and automatically choose the most favourable one. On the other hand, a big effort has been carried out to analyse the performances of the code on petascale architectures, showing which sections of codes have to be improved; they all are related to Matrix Algebra (diagonalisation, orthogonalisation). The different strategies employed to improve the code scalability will be described. They are based on an exploration of new diagonalization

A comparison of two standard-setting approaches in high-stakes clinical performance assessment using generalizability theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter Lagha, Regina A; Boscardin, Christy K; May, Win; Fung, Cha-Chi

2012-08-01

Scoring clinical assessments in a reliable and valid manner using criterion-referenced standards remains an important issue and directly affects decisions made regarding examinee proficiency. This generalizability study of students' clinical performance examination (CPX) scores examines the reliability of those scores and of their interpretation, particularly according to a newly introduced, "critical actions" criterion-referenced standard and scoring approach. The authors applied a generalizability framework to the performance scores of 477 third-year students attending three different medical schools in 2008. The norm-referenced standard included all station checklist items. The criterion-referenced standard included only those items deemed critical to patient care by a faculty panel. The authors calculated and compared variance components and generalizability coefficients for each standard across six common stations. Norm-referenced scores had moderate generalizability (ρ = 0.51), whereas criterion-referenced scores showed low dependability (φ = 0.20). The estimated 63% of measurement error associated with the person-by-station interaction suggests case specificity. Increasing the number of stations on the CPX from 6 to 24, an impractical solution both for cost and time, would still yield only moderate dependability (φ = 0.50). Though the performance assessment of complex skills, like clinical competence, seems intrinsically valid, careful consideration of the scoring standard and approach is needed to avoid misinterpretation of proficiency. Further study is needed to determine how best to improve the reliability of criterion-referenced scores, by implementing changes to the examination structure, the process of standard-setting, or both.

Internationally Standardized Reporting (Checklist) on the Sustainable Development Performance of Uranium Mining and Processing Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, Frank

2014-01-01

The Internationally Standardized Reporting Checklist on the Sustainable Development Performance of Uranium Mining and Processing Sites: • A mutual and beneficial work between a core group of uranium miners and nuclear utilities; • An approach based on an long term experience, international policies and sustainable development principles; • A process to optimize the reporting mechanism, tools and efforts; • 11 sections focused on the main sustainable development subject matters known at an operational and headquarter level. The WNA will make available the sustainable development checklist for member utilities and uranium suppliers. Utilities and suppliers are encouraged to use the checklist for sustainable development verification.

Virtual standards of vibration-based defects diagnostics in railway industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir TETTER

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The issues related to testing the functionality stated by producers of vibration-based diagnostic equipment have been considered. The introduction of virtual standards of defects found in bearing and geared assemblies of rolling stock is offered. The variants of virtual standards realization have been considered.

Query Health: standards-based, cross-platform population health surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

Klann, Jeffrey G; Buck, Michael D; Brown, Jeffrey; Hadley, Marc; Elmore, Richard; Weber, Griffin M; Murphy, Shawn N

2014-01-01

Understanding population-level health trends is essential to effectively monitor and improve public health. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Query Health initiative is a collaboration to develop a national architecture for distributed, population-level health queries across diverse clinical systems with disparate data models. Here we review Query Health activities, including a standards-based methodology, an open-source reference implementation, and three pilot projects. Query Health defined a standards-based approach for distributed population health queries, using an ontology based on the Quality Data Model and Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture, Health Quality Measures Format (HQMF) as the query language, the Query Envelope as the secure transport layer, and the Quality Reporting Document Architecture as the result language. We implemented this approach using Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) and hQuery for data analytics and PopMedNet for access control, secure query distribution, and response. We deployed the reference implementation at three pilot sites: two public health departments (New York City and Massachusetts) and one pilot designed to support Food and Drug Administration post-market safety surveillance activities. The pilots were successful, although improved cross-platform data normalization is needed. This initiative resulted in a standards-based methodology for population health queries, a reference implementation, and revision of the HQMF standard. It also informed future directions regarding interoperability and data access for ONC's Data Access Framework initiative. Query Health was a test of the learning health system that supplied a functional methodology and reference implementation for distributed population health queries that has been validated at three sites. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under

Developing safety performance functions incorporating reliability-based risk measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Shewkar El-Bassiouni; Sayed, Tarek

2011-11-01

Current geometric design guides provide deterministic standards where the safety margin of the design output is generally unknown and there is little knowledge of the safety implications of deviating from these standards. Several studies have advocated probabilistic geometric design where reliability analysis can be used to account for the uncertainty in the design parameters and to provide a risk measure of the implication of deviation from design standards. However, there is currently no link between measures of design reliability and the quantification of safety using collision frequency. The analysis presented in this paper attempts to bridge this gap by incorporating a reliability-based quantitative risk measure such as the probability of non-compliance (P(nc)) in safety performance functions (SPFs). Establishing this link will allow admitting reliability-based design into traditional benefit-cost analysis and should lead to a wider application of the reliability technique in road design. The present application is concerned with the design of horizontal curves, where the limit state function is defined in terms of the available (supply) and stopping (demand) sight distances. A comprehensive collision and geometric design database of two-lane rural highways is used to investigate the effect of the probability of non-compliance on safety. The reliability analysis was carried out using the First Order Reliability Method (FORM). Two Negative Binomial (NB) SPFs were developed to compare models with and without the reliability-based risk measures. It was found that models incorporating the P(nc) provided a better fit to the data set than the traditional (without risk) NB SPFs for total, injury and fatality (I+F) and property damage only (PDO) collisions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 42988 - Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-23

.... OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Construction Standards Based on National Consensus... Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Direct final rule; correction. SUMMARY: OSHA is correcting a... confusion resulting from a drafting error. OSHA published the DFR on June 22, 2012 (77 FR 37587). OSHA also...

Performance standard-based validation study for local lymph node assay: 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine-flow cytometry method.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Ilyoung; Kim, Tae-Sung; Jung, Eun-Sun; Yi, Jung-Sun; Jang, Won-Hee; Jung, Kyoung-Mi; Park, Miyoung; Jung, Mi-Sook; Jeon, Eun-Young; Yeo, Kyeong-Uk; Jo, Ji-Hoon; Park, Jung-Eun; Kim, Chang-Yul; Park, Yeong-Chul; Seong, Won-Keun; Lee, Ai-Young; Chun, Young Jin; Jeong, Tae Cheon; Jeung, Eui Bae; Lim, Kyung-Min; Bae, SeungJin; Sohn, Soojung; Heo, Yong

2016-10-01

Local lymph node assay: 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine-flow cytometry method (LLNA: BrdU-FCM) is a modified non-radioisotopic technique with the additional advantages of accommodating multiple endpoints with the introduction of FCM, and refinement and reduction of animal use by using a sophisticated prescreening scheme. Reliability and accuracy of the LLNA: BrdU-FCM was determined according to OECD Test Guideline (TG) No. 429 (Skin Sensitization: Local Lymph Node Assay) performance standards (PS), with the participation of four laboratories. Transferability was demonstrated through successfully producing stimulation index (SI) values for 25% hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (HCA) consistently greater than 3, a predetermined threshold, by all participating laboratories. Within- and between-laboratory reproducibility was shown using HCA and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, in which EC2.7 values (the estimated concentrations eliciting an SI of 2.7, the threshold for LLNA: BrdU-FCM) fell consistently within the acceptance ranges, 0.025-0.1% and 5-20%, respectively. Predictive capacity was tested using the final protocol version 1.3 for the 18 reference chemicals listed in OECD TG 429, of which results showed 84.6% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 88.9% accuracy compared with the original LLNA. The data presented are considered to meet the performance criteria for the PS, and its predictive capacity was also sufficiently validated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cardboard Based Packaging Materials as Renewable Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Thermal and Life Cycle Performance

OpenAIRE

Čekon, Miroslav; Struhala, Karel; Slávik, Richard

2017-01-01

Cardboard based packaging components represent a material with a significant potential of renewable exploitation in buildings. This study presents the results of thermal and environmental analysis of existing packaging materials compared with standard conventional thermal insulations. Experimental measurements were performed to identify the thermal performance of studied cardboard packaging materials. Real-size samples were experimentally tested in laboratory measurements. The thermal resi...

Pharmacists performing quality spirometry testing: an evidence based review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cawley, Michael J; Warning, William J

2015-10-01

The scope of pharmacist services for patients with pulmonary disease has primarily focused on drug related outcomes; however pharmacists have the ability to broaden the scope of clinical services by performing diagnostic testing including quality spirometry testing. Studies have demonstrated that pharmacists can perform quality spirometry testing based upon international guidelines. The primary aim of this review was to assess the published evidence of pharmacists performing quality spirometry testing based upon American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) guidelines. In order to accomplish this, the description of evidence and type of outcome from these services were reviewed. A literature search was conducted using five databases [PubMed (1946-January 2015), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970 to January 2015), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews] with search terms including pharmacy, spirometry, pulmonary function, asthma or COPD was conducted. Searches were limited to publications in English and reported in humans. In addition, Uniform Resource Locators and Google Scholar searches were implemented to include any additional supplemental information. Eight studies (six prospective multi-center trials, two retrospective single center studies) were included. Pharmacists in all studies received specialized training in performing spirometry testing. Of the eight studies meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria, 8 (100%) demonstrated acceptable repeatability of spirometry testing based upon standards set by the ATS/ERS guidelines. Acceptable repeatability of seven studies ranged from 70 to 99% consistent with published data. Available evidence suggests that quality spirometry testing can be performed by pharmacists. More prospective studies are needed to add to the current evidence of quality spirometry testing performed by

Performance of the standard FAIR equipment controller prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauch, S.; Baer, R.C.; Panschow, W.; Thieme, M.

2012-01-01

For the control system of the new FAIR accelerator facility a standard equipment controller, the Scalable Control Unit (SCU), is presently under development. First prototypes have already been tested in real applications. The controller combines an *86 COM Express TM Board and an Altera Arria TM II FPGA. Over a parallel bus interface called the SCU bus, up to 12 slave boards can be controlled. Communication between CPU and FPGA is done by a PCIe link. We discuss the real time behaviour between the Linux OS and the FPGA Hardware. For the test, a Front-End Software Architecture (FESA) class, running under Linux, communicates with the PCIe bridge in the FPGA. Although we are using PCIe only for single 32 bit wide accesses to the FPGA address space, the performance still seems sufficient. The tests showed an average response time to IRQs of 50 μs with a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU. This includes the context change to the FESA user space application and the reply back to the FPGA. Further topics are the bandwidth of the PCIe link for single/burst transfers and the performance of the SCU bus communication. (authors)

WE-G-BRD-07: Automated MR Image Standardization and Auto-Contouring Strategy for MRI-Based Adaptive Brachytherapy for Cervix Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleh, H Al; Erickson, B; Paulson, E

2015-01-01

Purpose: MRI-based adaptive brachytherapy (ABT) is an emerging treatment modality for patients with gynecological tumors. However, MR image intensity non-uniformities (IINU) can vary from fraction to fraction, complicating image interpretation and auto-contouring accuracy. We demonstrate here an automated MR image standardization and auto-contouring strategy for MRI-based ABT of cervix cancer. Methods: MR image standardization consisted of: 1) IINU correction using the MNI N3 algorithm, 2) noise filtering using anisotropic diffusion, and 3) signal intensity normalization using the volumetric median. This post-processing chain was implemented as a series of custom Matlab and Java extensions in MIM (v6.4.5, MIM Software) and was applied to 3D T2 SPACE images of six patients undergoing MRI-based ABT at 3T. Coefficients of variation (CV=σ/µ) were calculated for both original and standardized images and compared using Mann-Whitney tests. Patient-specific cumulative MR atlases of bladder, rectum, and sigmoid contours were constructed throughout ABT, using original and standardized MR images from all previous ABT fractions. Auto-contouring was performed in MIM two ways: 1) best-match of one atlas image to the daily MR image, 2) multi-match of all previous fraction atlas images to the daily MR image. Dice’s Similarity Coefficients (DSCs) were calculated for auto-generated contours relative to reference contours for both original and standardized MR images and compared using Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Significant improvements in CV were detected following MR image standardization (p=0.0043), demonstrating an improvement in MR image uniformity. DSCs consistently increased for auto-contoured bladder, rectum, and sigmoid following MR image standardization, with the highest DSCs detected when the combination of MR image standardization and multi-match cumulative atlas-based auto-contouring was utilized. Conclusion: MR image standardization significantly improves MR image

WE-G-BRD-07: Automated MR Image Standardization and Auto-Contouring Strategy for MRI-Based Adaptive Brachytherapy for Cervix Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saleh, H Al; Erickson, B; Paulson, E [Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: MRI-based adaptive brachytherapy (ABT) is an emerging treatment modality for patients with gynecological tumors. However, MR image intensity non-uniformities (IINU) can vary from fraction to fraction, complicating image interpretation and auto-contouring accuracy. We demonstrate here an automated MR image standardization and auto-contouring strategy for MRI-based ABT of cervix cancer. Methods: MR image standardization consisted of: 1) IINU correction using the MNI N3 algorithm, 2) noise filtering using anisotropic diffusion, and 3) signal intensity normalization using the volumetric median. This post-processing chain was implemented as a series of custom Matlab and Java extensions in MIM (v6.4.5, MIM Software) and was applied to 3D T2 SPACE images of six patients undergoing MRI-based ABT at 3T. Coefficients of variation (CV=σ/µ) were calculated for both original and standardized images and compared using Mann-Whitney tests. Patient-specific cumulative MR atlases of bladder, rectum, and sigmoid contours were constructed throughout ABT, using original and standardized MR images from all previous ABT fractions. Auto-contouring was performed in MIM two ways: 1) best-match of one atlas image to the daily MR image, 2) multi-match of all previous fraction atlas images to the daily MR image. Dice’s Similarity Coefficients (DSCs) were calculated for auto-generated contours relative to reference contours for both original and standardized MR images and compared using Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Significant improvements in CV were detected following MR image standardization (p=0.0043), demonstrating an improvement in MR image uniformity. DSCs consistently increased for auto-contoured bladder, rectum, and sigmoid following MR image standardization, with the highest DSCs detected when the combination of MR image standardization and multi-match cumulative atlas-based auto-contouring was utilized. Conclusion: MR image standardization significantly improves MR image

Performance test for implantation of a primary standard of low energy X-ray beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoso, Ricardo de Souza; Bossio, Francisco; Peixoto, Jose Guilherme P.

2005-01-01

The implementation of a standard laboratory of calibration chambers that will serve to radiotherapy activities, radiodiagnosis and radioprotection, depends on the knowledge of physical and dosimetric parameters that characterize the quality of the radiation beam. With the aim of verifying the reliability of the ionizing free-air chamber with variable volume manufactured by Victoreen Instruments, model 481, as a primary standard, a study of the performance of the chamber to x-rays qualities of low energy was developed in this work. These qualities are the ones recommended by 'Bureau International des Poids et Mesures' - BIPM, for daily routine of the calibration service performed by the 'Laboratorio Nacional de Metrologia das Radiacoes Ionizantes - LNMRI/IRD, for calibration of this secondary standard chambers that serve to the control in hospitals, clinics and industries. The results obtained at the present work show that the Victoreen chamber model 481 behaves as a primary standard, being easy to handle and having simple mechanical construction, and showing an expanded uncertainty equal to 0,26%, regarding the quality of the radiation beam of 30 kV. However, some of the equipment used at the present study need to be submitted to a strict routine calibration, in order for the laboratory to be in accordance with the recommendations of the standard ABNT -NBR ISO/IEC 17025 (2003). (author)

Cloud-Based Collaborative Writing and the Common Core Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Yim, Soobin; Warschauer, Mark; Zheng, Binbin; Lawrence, Joshua F.

2014-01-01

The Common Core State Standards emphasize the integration of technology skills into English Language Arts (ELA) instruction, recognizing the demand for technology-based literacy skills to be college- and career- ready. This study aims to examine how collaborative cloud-based writing is used in in a Colorado school district, where one-to-one…

Thermal-Diffusivity-Based Frequency References in Standard CMOS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kashmiri, S.M.

2012-01-01

In recent years, a lot of research has been devoted to the realization of accurate integrated frequency references. A thermal-diffusivity-based (TD) frequency reference provides an alternative method of on-chip frequency generation in standard CMOS technology. A frequency-locked loop locks the

75 FR 10438 - Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-08

... Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source Category... technology-based Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Construction... technology-based Effluent Limitations Guidelines and New Source Performance Standards for the Construction...

12 CFR 563e.21 - Performance tests, standards, and ratings, in general.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... flexible underwriting standards for loans that benefit low- or moderate-income geographies or individuals... collects and reports the data required for other savings associations under § 563e.42. (4) Strategic plan. The OTS evaluates the performance of a savings association under a strategic plan if the savings...

Hydrogen Field Test Standard: Laboratory and Field Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Jodie G.; Wright, John D.

2015-01-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a prototype field test standard (FTS) that incorporates three test methods that could be used by state weights and measures inspectors to periodically verify the accuracy of retail hydrogen dispensers, much as gasoline dispensers are tested today. The three field test methods are: 1) gravimetric, 2) Pressure, Volume, Temperature (PVT), and 3) master meter. The FTS was tested in NIST's Transient Flow Facility with helium gas and in the field at a hydrogen dispenser location. All three methods agree within 0.57 % and 1.53 % for all test drafts of helium gas in the laboratory setting and of hydrogen gas in the field, respectively. The time required to perform six test drafts is similar for all three methods, ranging from 6 h for the gravimetric and master meter methods to 8 h for the PVT method. The laboratory tests show that 1) it is critical to wait for thermal equilibrium to achieve density measurements in the FTS that meet the desired uncertainty requirements for the PVT and master meter methods; in general, we found a wait time of 20 minutes introduces errors methods, respectively and 2) buoyancy corrections are important for the lowest uncertainty gravimetric measurements. The field tests show that sensor drift can become a largest component of uncertainty that is not present in the laboratory setting. The scale was calibrated after it was set up at the field location. Checks of the calibration throughout testing showed drift of 0.031 %. Calibration of the master meter and the pressure sensors prior to travel to the field location and upon return showed significant drifts in their calibrations; 0.14 % and up to 1.7 %, respectively. This highlights the need for better sensor selection and/or more robust sensor testing prior to putting into field service. All three test methods are capable of being successfully performed in the field and give equivalent answers if proper sensors without drift are

A Lattice-Based Identity-Based Proxy Blind Signature Scheme in the Standard Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lili Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A proxy blind signature scheme is a special form of blind signature which allowed a designated person called proxy signer to sign on behalf of original signers without knowing the content of the message. It combines the advantages of proxy signature and blind signature. Up to date, most proxy blind signature schemes rely on hard number theory problems, discrete logarithm, and bilinear pairings. Unfortunately, the above underlying number theory problems will be solvable in the postquantum era. Lattice-based cryptography is enjoying great interest these days, due to implementation simplicity and provable security reductions. Moreover, lattice-based cryptography is believed to be hard even for quantum computers. In this paper, we present a new identity-based proxy blind signature scheme from lattices without random oracles. The new scheme is proven to be strongly unforgeable under the standard hardness assumption of the short integer solution problem (SIS and the inhomogeneous small integer solution problem (ISIS. Furthermore, the secret key size and the signature length of our scheme are invariant and much shorter than those of the previous lattice-based proxy blind signature schemes. To the best of our knowledge, our construction is the first short lattice-based identity-based proxy blind signature scheme in the standard model.

Transformative Shifts in Art History Teaching: The Impact of Standards-Based Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Ormond, Barbara

2011-01-01

This article examines pedagogical shifts in art history teaching that have developed as a response to the implementation of a standards-based assessment regime. The specific characteristics of art history standards-based assessment in the context of New Zealand secondary schools are explained to demonstrate how an exacting form of assessment has…

School Sector and Student Achievement in the Era of Standards Based Reforms

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonaro, William; Covay, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

The authors examine whether standards based accountability reforms of the past two decades have closed the achievement gap among public and private high school students. They analyzed data from the Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) to examine sector differences in high school achievement in the era of standards based reforms. The authors found…

Reference Material Properties and Standard Problems to Verify the Fuel Performance Models Ver 1.0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yong Sik; Kim, Jae Yong; Koo, Yang Hyun

2010-12-01

All fuel performance models must be validated by in-pile and out-pile tests. However, the model validation requires much efforts and times to confirm its exactness. In many fields, new performance models and codes are confirmed by code-to-code benchmarking process under simplified standard problem analysis. At present, the DUOS, which is the steady state fuel performance analysis code for dual cooled annular fuel, development project is progressing and new FEM module is developed to analyze the fuel performance during transient period. In addition, the verification process is planning to examine the new models and module's rightness by comparing with commercial finite element analysis such as a ADINA, ABAQUS and ANSYS. This reports contains the result of unification of material properties and establishment of standard problem to verify the newly developed models with commercial FEM code

Standardized Procedure Content And Data Structure Based On Human Factors Requirements For Computer-Based Procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bly, Aaron; Oxstrand, Johanna; Le Blanc, Katya L

2015-01-01

Most activities that involve human interaction with systems in a nuclear power plant are guided by procedures. Traditionally, the use of procedures has been a paper-based process that supports safe operation of the nuclear power industry. However, the nuclear industry is constantly trying to find ways to decrease the human error rate, especially the human errors associated with procedure use. Advances in digital technology make computer-based procedures (CBPs) a valid option that provides further enhancement of safety by improving human performance related to procedure use. The transition from paper-based procedures (PBPs) to CBPs creates a need for a computer-based procedure system (CBPS). A CBPS needs to have the ability to perform logical operations in order to adjust to the inputs received from either users or real time data from plant status databases. Without the ability for logical operations the procedure is just an electronic copy of the paper-based procedure. In order to provide the CBPS with the information it needs to display the procedure steps to the user, special care is needed in the format used to deliver all data and instructions to create the steps. The procedure should be broken down into basic elements and formatted in a standard method for the CBPS. One way to build the underlying data architecture is to use an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema, which utilizes basic elements to build each step in the smart procedure. The attributes of each step will determine the type of functionality that the system will generate for that step. The CBPS will provide the context for the step to deliver referential information, request a decision, or accept input from the user. The XML schema needs to provide all data necessary for the system to accurately perform each step without the need for the procedure writer to reprogram the CBPS. The research team at the Idaho National Laboratory has developed a prototype CBPS for field workers as well as the

Standardized Procedure Content And Data Structure Based On Human Factors Requirements For Computer-Based Procedures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bly, Aaron; Oxstrand, Johanna; Le Blanc, Katya L

2015-02-01

Most activities that involve human interaction with systems in a nuclear power plant are guided by procedures. Traditionally, the use of procedures has been a paper-based process that supports safe operation of the nuclear power industry. However, the nuclear industry is constantly trying to find ways to decrease the human error rate, especially the human errors associated with procedure use. Advances in digital technology make computer-based procedures (CBPs) a valid option that provides further enhancement of safety by improving human performance related to procedure use. The transition from paper-based procedures (PBPs) to CBPs creates a need for a computer-based procedure system (CBPS). A CBPS needs to have the ability to perform logical operations in order to adjust to the inputs received from either users or real time data from plant status databases. Without the ability for logical operations the procedure is just an electronic copy of the paper-based procedure. In order to provide the CBPS with the information it needs to display the procedure steps to the user, special care is needed in the format used to deliver all data and instructions to create the steps. The procedure should be broken down into basic elements and formatted in a standard method for the CBPS. One way to build the underlying data architecture is to use an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema, which utilizes basic elements to build each step in the smart procedure. The attributes of each step will determine the type of functionality that the system will generate for that step. The CBPS will provide the context for the step to deliver referential information, request a decision, or accept input from the user. The XML schema needs to provide all data necessary for the system to accurately perform each step without the need for the procedure writer to reprogram the CBPS. The research team at the Idaho National Laboratory has developed a prototype CBPS for field workers as well as the

Risk assessment based on current release standards for radioactive surface contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.Y.

1993-09-01

Standards for uncontrolled releases of radioactive surface contamination have been in existence in the United States for about two decades. Such standards have been issued by various agencies, including the US Department of Energy. This paper reviews the technical basis of published standards, identifies areas in need of revision, provides risk interpretations based on current technical knowledge and the regulatory environment, and offers suggestions for improvements

A GPS Phase-Locked Loop Performance Metric Based on the Phase Discriminator Output.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevanovic, Stefan; Pervan, Boris

2018-01-19

We propose a novel GPS phase-lock loop (PLL) performance metric based on the standard deviation of tracking error (defined as the discriminator's estimate of the true phase error), and explain its advantages over the popular phase jitter metric using theory, numerical simulation, and experimental results. We derive an augmented GPS phase-lock loop (PLL) linear model, which includes the effect of coherent averaging, to be used in conjunction with this proposed metric. The augmented linear model allows more accurate calculation of tracking error standard deviation in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) as compared to traditional linear models. The standard deviation of tracking error, with a threshold corresponding to half of the arctangent discriminator pull-in region, is shown to be a more reliable/robust measure of PLL performance under interference conditions than the phase jitter metric. In addition, the augmented linear model is shown to be valid up until this threshold, which facilitates efficient performance prediction, so that time-consuming direct simulations and costly experimental testing can be reserved for PLL designs that are much more likely to be successful. The effect of varying receiver reference oscillator quality on the tracking error metric is also considered.

A new standard for core training in radiation safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinoskey, P.A.

1997-02-01

A new American National Standard for radiation worker training was recently developed. The standard emphasizes performance-based training and establishing a training program rather than simply prescribing objectives. The standard also addresses basic criteria, including instructor qualifications. The standard is based on input from a wide array of regulatory agencies, universities, national laboratories, and nuclear power entities. This paper presents an overview of the new standard and the philosophy behind it. The target audience includes radiation workers, management and supervisory personnel, contractors, students, emergency personnel, and visitors

Evaluation of a draft standard on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation. Initial results for radiological tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swinth, K.L.; Kenoyer, J.L.; Mileham, A.P.; Kathren, R.L.; Selby, J.M.

1983-06-01

The draft ANSI standard N42.17D2 on performance specifications for health physics instrumentation is currently being evaluated by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The primary objective of the project is the evaluation of the applicability and practicality of the proposed standard through testing of a cross-section of currently available commercial instruments to determine how well they conform to the standard. The standard is being tested against instruments such as ionization chambers, G.M. detectors, alpha survey meters, and neutron dose equivalent survey meters. This paper presents results of the preliminary radiological performance tests on ionization chambers and G.M. detectors. This includes both the data generated during the tests and a discussion of procedures developed to perform the testing. Results are reported for response time, accuracy, precision, radiation overloads, and angular dependence. In addition, results are reported for parameters that affect instrument performance including battery lifetime, geotropism and stability. Initial test indicates that some of the instruments will not meet the criteria specified in ANSI N42.17D2. Results cover approximately 40 instruments that have been obtained by direct purchase, by loan from instrument vendors or by loan from others including DOE licensees

Review of KSNP LPSD PSA model based of ANS LPSD PRA standard, rev.0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, S. C.; Park, J. H.; Kim, T. W.; Lim, H. G.; Yang, J. E.; Ha, J. J.

2004-02-01

Recently, under the de-regulation environment, nuclear industry has attempted various approaches to improve the economics of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). One of these efforts is the Risk Informed/Performance-based Operation (RIPBO). This approach uses the risk and performance information to manage the resources effectively and efficiently that are used in the operation of NPP. In RIPBO, PSA quality is one of the most important things. The nuclear industry and regulatory body of U.S.A have developed a measure to evaluate the quality of PSA. NEI (Nuclear Energy Institute) has developed a guidance called 'NEI PRA Peer Review Guidance,' and NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Committee) and ASME have developed the 'PRA Standard.' In Korea, several projects are on going now, such as the extension of AOT/STI of RPS/ESFAS, Risk-informed In-service Inspection (RI-ISI). However, in Korea, there have been no attempts to evaluate the quality of PSA model itself. Therefore, we cannot be sure about the quality of PSA whether or not the present PSA model can be used for the risk-informed applications such as mentioned above. We can say that the evaluation of PSA model quality is the basis for the RIPBO. In this report, we have evaluated the quality of PSA model at Low power and Shutdown operation model for Yongkwang 5 and 6 units based on the ANS LPSD PRA Standard. We, also, have derived what items are to be improved to upgrade the quality of LPSD PSA model and how it can be improved. This report can be used as the base of RIPBO work in Korea

FIRE SAFETY IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS: A RISK-INFORMED AND PERFORMANCE-BASED APPROACH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AZARM, M.A.; TRAVIS, R.J.

1999-01-01

The consideration of risk in regulatory decision-making has long been a part of NRC's policy and practice. Initially, these considerations were qualitative and were based on risk insights. The early regulations relied on good practices, past insights, and accepted standards. As a result, most NRC regulations were prescriptive and were applied uniformly to all areas within the regulatory scope. Risk technology is changing regulations by prioritizing the areas within regulatory scope based on risk, thereby focusing on the risk-important areas. Performance technology, on the other hand, is changing the regulations by allowing requirements to be adjusted based on the specific performance expected and manifested, rather than a prior prescriptive requirement. Consistent with the objectives of risk-informed and performance-based regulatory requirements, BNL evaluated the feasibility of applying risk- and performance-technologies to modifying NRC's current regulations on fire protection for nuclear power plants. This feasibility study entailed several case studies (trial applications). This paper describes the results of two of them. Besides the case studies, the paper discusses an overall evaluation of methodologies for fire-risk analysis to support the risk-informed regulation. It identifies some current shortcomings and proposes some near-term solutions

A standard protocol for describing individual-based and agent-based models

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Volker; Berger, Uta; Bastiansen, Finn; Eliassen, Sigrunn; Ginot, Vincent; Giske, Jarl; Goss-Custard, John; Grand, Tamara; Heinz, Simone K.; Huse, Geir; Huth, Andreas; Jepsen, Jane U.; Jorgensen, Christian; Mooij, Wolf M.; Muller, Birgit; Pe'er, Guy; Piou, Cyril; Railsback, Steven F.; Robbins, Andrew M.; Robbins, Martha M.; Rossmanith, Eva; Ruger, Nadja; Strand, Espen; Souissi, Sami; Stillman, Richard A.; Vabo, Rune; Visser, Ute; DeAngelis, Donald L.

2006-01-01

Simulation models that describe autonomous individual organisms (individual based models, IBM) or agents (agent-based models, ABM) have become a widely used tool, not only in ecology, but also in many other disciplines dealing with complex systems made up of autonomous entities. However, there is no standard protocol for describing such simulation models, which can make them difficult to understand and to duplicate. This paper presents a proposed standard protocol, ODD, for describing IBMs and ABMs, developed and tested by 28 modellers who cover a wide range of fields within ecology. This protocol consists of three blocks (Overview, Design concepts, and Details), which are subdivided into seven elements: Purpose, State variables and scales, Process overview and scheduling, Design concepts, Initialization, Input, and Submodels. We explain which aspects of a model should be described in each element, and we present an example to illustrate the protocol in use. In addition, 19 examples are available in an Online Appendix. We consider ODD as a first step for establishing a more detailed common format of the description of IBMs and ABMs. Once initiated, the protocol will hopefully evolve as it becomes used by a sufficiently large proportion of modellers.

A standards-based method for compositional analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry using multivariate statistical analysis: application to multicomponent alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathi, Monika; Ahrenkiel, S P; Carapella, J J; Wanlass, M W

2013-02-01

Given an unknown multicomponent alloy, and a set of standard compounds or alloys of known composition, can one improve upon popular standards-based methods for energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry to quantify the elemental composition of the unknown specimen? A method is presented here for determining elemental composition of alloys using transmission electron microscopy-based EDX with appropriate standards. The method begins with a discrete set of related reference standards of known composition, applies multivariate statistical analysis to those spectra, and evaluates the compositions with a linear matrix algebra method to relate the spectra to elemental composition. By using associated standards, only limited assumptions about the physical origins of the EDX spectra are needed. Spectral absorption corrections can be performed by providing an estimate of the foil thickness of one or more reference standards. The technique was applied to III-V multicomponent alloy thin films: composition and foil thickness were determined for various III-V alloys. The results were then validated by comparing with X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence analysis, demonstrating accuracy of approximately 1% in atomic fraction.

Determination of bovine lactoferrin in dairy products by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry based on tryptic signature peptides employing an isotope-labeled winged peptide as internal standard

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jingshun [Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051 (China); Lai, Shiyun [Beingmate Research Institute, Beingmate Baby and Child Food Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310007 (China); Cai, Zengxuan [Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051 (China); Chen, Qi [Beingmate Research Institute, Beingmate Baby and Child Food Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310007 (China); Huang, Baifen [Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051 (China); Ren, Yiping, E-mail: renyiping@263.net [Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051 (China)

2014-06-01

Highlights: • A UHPLC–MS/MS method for quantification of bovine lactoferrin was developed. • Tryptic fragment LRPVAAEIYGTK was chosen as signature peptide of bovine lactoferrin. • A winged peptide containing isotopically-labeled signature peptide was designed as internal standard. • The method for determining lactoferrin does not discriminate between the different forms of lactoferrin. • Meet the growing demand to quantify bovine lactoferrin in different dairy products. Abstract: A new and sensitive determination method was developed for bovine lactoferrin in dairy products including infant formulas based on the signature peptide by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry under the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The simple pretreatment procedures included the addition of a winged peptide containing the isotope-labeled signature peptide as internal standard, followed by an enzymatic digestion with trypsin. The signature peptide was chosen and identified from the tryptic hydrolyzates of bovine lactoferrin by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry based on sequence database search. Analytes were separated on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH 300 C18 column and monitored by MS/MS in seven minutes. Quantitative result bias due to matrix effect and tryptic efficiency was corrected through the use of synthetic isotope-labeled standards. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.3 mg/100 g and 1.0 mg/100 g, respectively. Bovine lactoferrin within the concentration range of 10–1000 nmol L⁻¹ showed a strong linear relationship with a linear correlation coefficient (r) of >0.998. The intra- and inter-day precision of the method were RSD < 6.5% and RSD < 7.1%, respectively. Excellent repeatability (RSD < 6.4%) substantially supported the application of this method for the determination of bovine lactoferrin in dairy samples. The present method

Determination of bovine lactoferrin in dairy products by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry based on tryptic signature peptides employing an isotope-labeled winged peptide as internal standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jingshun; Lai, Shiyun; Cai, Zengxuan; Chen, Qi; Huang, Baifen; Ren, Yiping

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A UHPLC–MS/MS method for quantification of bovine lactoferrin was developed. • Tryptic fragment LRPVAAEIYGTK was chosen as signature peptide of bovine lactoferrin. • A winged peptide containing isotopically-labeled signature peptide was designed as internal standard. • The method for determining lactoferrin does not discriminate between the different forms of lactoferrin. • Meet the growing demand to quantify bovine lactoferrin in different dairy products. - Abstract: A new and sensitive determination method was developed for bovine lactoferrin in dairy products including infant formulas based on the signature peptide by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry under the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The simple pretreatment procedures included the addition of a winged peptide containing the isotope-labeled signature peptide as internal standard, followed by an enzymatic digestion with trypsin. The signature peptide was chosen and identified from the tryptic hydrolyzates of bovine lactoferrin by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole-time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry based on sequence database search. Analytes were separated on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH 300 C18 column and monitored by MS/MS in seven minutes. Quantitative result bias due to matrix effect and tryptic efficiency was corrected through the use of synthetic isotope-labeled standards. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.3 mg/100 g and 1.0 mg/100 g, respectively. Bovine lactoferrin within the concentration range of 10–1000 nmol L −1 showed a strong linear relationship with a linear correlation coefficient (r) of >0.998. The intra- and inter-day precision of the method were RSD < 6.5% and RSD < 7.1%, respectively. Excellent repeatability (RSD < 6.4%) substantially supported the application of this method for the determination of bovine lactoferrin in dairy samples. The present

Developing evidence-based prescriptive ventilation rate standards for commercial buildings in California: a proposed framework

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendell, Mark J.; Fisk, William J.

2014-02-01

Background - The goal of this project, with a focus on commercial buildings in California, was to develop a new framework for evidence-based minimum ventilation rate (MVR) standards that protect occupants in buildings while also considering energy use and cost. This was motivated by research findings suggesting that current prescriptive MVRs in commercial buildings do not provide occupants with fully safe and satisfactory indoor environments. Methods - The project began with a broad review in several areas ? the diverse strategies now used for standards or guidelines for MVRs or for environmental contaminant exposures, current knowledge about adverse human effects associated with VRs, and current knowledge about contaminants in commercial buildings, including their their presence, their adverse human effects, and their relationships with VRs. Based on a synthesis of the reviewed information, new principles and approaches are proposed for setting evidence-based VRs standards for commercial buildings, considering a range of human effects including health, performance, and acceptability of air. Results ? A review and evaluation is first presented of current approaches to setting prescriptive building ventilation standards and setting acceptable limits for human contaminant exposures in outdoor air and occupational settings. Recent research on approaches to setting acceptable levels of environmental exposures in evidence-based MVR standards is also described. From a synthesis and critique of these materials, a set of principles for setting MVRs is presented, along with an example approach based on these principles. The approach combines two sequential strategies. In a first step, an acceptable threshold is set for each adverse outcome that has a demonstrated relationship to VRs, as an increase from a (low) outcome level at a high reference ventilation rate (RVR, the VR needed to attain the best achievable levels of the adverse outcome); MVRs required to meet each

Combinatorics of transformations from standard to non-standard bases in Brauer algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chilla, Vincenzo

2007-01-01

Transformation coefficients between standard bases for irreducible representations of the Brauer centralizer algebra B f (x) and split bases adapted to the B f 1 (x) x B f 2 (x) subset of B f (x) subalgebra (f 1 + f 2 = f) are considered. After providing the suitable combinatorial background, based on the definition of the i-coupling relation on nodes of the subduction grid, we introduce a generalized version of the subduction graph which extends the one given in Chilla (2006 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39 7657) for symmetric groups. Thus, we can describe the structure of the subduction system arising from the linear method and give an outline of the form of the solution space. An ordering relation on the grid is also given and then, as in the case of symmetric groups, the choices of the phases and of the free factors governing the multiplicity separations are discussed

Performance-based regulation. Panel Discussion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youngblood, Robert; Bier, Vicki M.; Bukowski, Richard W.; Prasad Kadambi, N.; Koonce, James F.

2001-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Performance-based regulation is a part of the NRC's Strategic Plan and is realizing steady progress in conceptual development for actual applications. For example, high-level, conceptual guidelines have been proposed that would apply to reactors, materials, and waste areas. Performance-based approaches are also being applied in other regulated industries such as FAA and OSHA. The discussion will include comments from speakers from different parts of the nuclear industry and other industries regarding benefits and weaknesses of performance-based regulation. (authors)

Applying open source data visualization tools to standard based medical data.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopanitsa, Georgy; Taranik, Maxim

2014-01-01

Presentation of medical data in personal health records (PHRs) requires flexible platform independent tools to ensure easy access to the information. Different backgrounds of the patients, especially elder people require simple graphical presentation of the data. Data in PHRs can be collected from heterogeneous sources. Application of standard based medical data allows development of generic visualization methods. Focusing on the deployment of Open Source Tools, in this paper we applied Java Script libraries to create data presentations for standard based medical data.

A computer aided measurement method for unstable pelvic fractures based on standardized radiographs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Jing-xin; Zhao, Zhe; Zhang, Li-cheng; Su, Xiu-yun; Du, Hai-long; Zhang, Li-ning; Zhang, Li-hai; Tang, Pei-fu

2015-01-01

To set up a method for measuring radiographic displacement of unstable pelvic ring fractures based on standardized X-ray images and then test its reliability and validity using a software-based measurement technique. Twenty-five patients that were diagnosed as AO/OTA type B or C pelvic fractures with unilateral pelvis fractured and dislocated were eligible for inclusion by a review of medical records in our clinical centre. Based on the input pelvic preoperative CT data, the standardized X-ray images, including inlet, outlet, and anterior-posterior (AP) radiographs, were simulated using Armira software (Visage Imaging GmbH, Berlin, Germany). After representative anatomic landmarks were marked on the standardized X-ray images, the 2-dimensional (2D) coordinates of these points could be revealed in Digimizer software (Model: Mitutoyo Corp., Tokyo, Japan). Subsequently, we developed a formula that indicated the translational and rotational displacement patterns of the injured hemipelvis. Five separate observers calculated the displacement outcomes using the established formula and determined the rotational patterns using a 3D-CT model based on their overall impression. We performed 3D reconstruction of all the fractured pelvises using Mimics (Materialise, Haasrode, Belgium) and determined the translational and rotational displacement using 3-matic suite. The interobserver reliability of the new method was assessed by comparing the continuous measure and categorical outcomes using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa statistic, respectively. The interobserver reliability of the new method for translational and rotational measurement was high, with both ICCs above 0.9. Rotational outcome assessed by the new method was the same as that concluded by 3-matic software. The agreement for rotational outcome among orthopaedic surgeons based on overall impression was poor (kappa statistic, 0.250 to 0.426). Compared with the 3D reconstruction outcome, the

Functions of standard CPR training on performance qualities of medical volunteers for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival.

Science.gov (United States)

Fanshan, Meng; Lin, Zhao; Wenqing, Liu; Chunlei, Lu; Yongqiang, Liu; Naiyi, Li

2013-01-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a sudden emergency procedure that requires a rapid and efficient response, and personnel training in lifesaving procedures. Regular practice and training are necessary to improve resuscitation skills and reduce anxiety among the staff. As one of the most important skills mastered by medical volunteers serving for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival, we randomly selected some of them to evaluate the quality of CPR operation and compared the result with that of the untrained doctors and nurses. In order to evaluate the functions of repeating standard CPR training on performance qualities of medical volunteers for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival, their performance qualities of CPR were compared with those of the untrained medical workers working in emergency departments of hospitals in Taian. The CPR performance qualities of 52 medical volunteers (Standard Training Group), who had continually taken part in standard CPR technical training for six months, were tested at random and were compared with those of 68 medical workers (Compared Group) working in emergency departments of hospitals in Taian who hadn't attended CPR training within a year. The QCPR 3535 monitor (provided by Philips Company) was used to measure the standard degree of single simulated CPR performance, including the chest compression depth, frequency, released pressure between compressions and performance time of compression and ventilation, the results of which were recorded in the table and the number of practical compression per minute was calculated. The data were analyzed by x2 Test and t Test. The factors which would influence CPR performance, including gender, age, placement, hand skill, posture of compression and frequency of training, were classified and given parameters, and were put to Logistic repression analysis. The CPR performance qualities of volunteers were much higher than those of the compared group. The overall pass rates

The improvement of environmental performances by applying ISO 14001 standard: A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Živković Snežana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of the advantages of applying ISO 14001 system in an environmental protection management system. The environmental protection management system which is not licensed, i.e., compatible with the principles and standard pre-conditions considerably increases the plausibility for ecological risk. There are some issues that remain to be solved in the areas which are not expressed by financial values only but also have a non-financial character with the aim of expanding markets, company image improvement and improvement of the environmental performance indicators. By improving a company’s environmental management system efficiency we expect to achieve the minimization and elimination of damaging influences on the environment which are the consequence of company’s activities. A case study in the Oil Refinery Belgrade (RNB analyses the implementation of the standard ISO 14001:2004 into its environment protection management system, particularly emphasizing the company’s own way of evaluating the environment aspects with the aim of establishing results of ecological performances indicators improvement. The average values of the first ecological indicator of the plant, the total amount of the waste waters in m3 per a ton of product, clearly show the downturn trend, which is confirmed by the proportional reduction of the second ecological plant indicator, that is by the flocculants consumption (Al2(SO43, Na2CO3 in kg per m3 of the waste water of the Oil Refinery of Belgrade for the given period 2008-2010. Case study RNB confirms the improvement of environmental performances using the ISO 14001 standard.

Standards-based Content Resources: A Prerequisite for Content Integration and Content Interoperability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Galinski

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: to show how standards-based approaches for content standardization, content management, content related services and tools as well as the respective certification systems not only guarantee reliable content integration and content interoperability, but also are of particular benefit to people with special needs in eAccessibility/eInclusion. Method: document MoU/MG/05 N0221 ''Semantic Interoperability and the need for a coherent policy for a framework of distributed, possibly federated repositories for all kinds of content items on a world-wide scale''2, which was adopted in 2005, was a first step towards the formulation of global interoperability requirements for structured content. These requirements -based on advanced terminological principles- were taken up in EU-projects such as IN-SAFETY (INfrastructure and SAFETY and OASIS (Open architecture for Accessible Services Integration and Standardization. Results: Content integration and content interoperability are key concepts in connection with the emergence of state-of-the-art distributed and federated databases/repositories of structured content. Given the fact that linguistic content items are increasingly combined with or embedded in non-linguistic content items (and vice versa, a systemic and generic approach to data modelling and content management has become the order of the day. Fulfilling the requirements of capability for multilinguality and multimodality, based on open standards makes software and database design fit for eAccessibility/eInclusion from the outset. It also makes structured content capable for global content integration and content interoperability, because it enhances its potential for being re-used and re-purposed in totally different eApplications. Such content as well as the methods, tools and services applied can be subject to new kinds of certification schemes which also should be based on standards. Conclusions: Content must be totally reliable in some

Ontology-based information standards development

OpenAIRE

Heravi, Bahareh Rahmanzadeh

2012-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University. Standards may be argued to be important enablers for achieving interoperability as they aim to provide unambiguous specifications for error-free exchange of documents and information. By implication, therefore, it is important to model and represent the concept of a standard in a clear, precise and unambiguous way. Although standards development organisations usually provide guidelines for th...

AN EVALUATION OF SELECTED MOROCCAN ELT TEXTBOOKS: A STANDARDS-BASED APPROACH PERSPECTIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Ait Bouzid

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Standards-Based Approach to textbook evaluation has been blooming in recent decades. Nevertheless, this practice has received very little attention in Morocco.  The present study aims to bridge a gap in the literature of the Moroccan context by investigating the extent to which three locally designed ELT textbooks conform to the theoretical principles of the Standards-Based Approach which defines the teaching of English as a foreign language in the country (Ministry of National Education, 2007. Its objective is to examine whether and how these textbooks present contents that enable learners to meet the content standards included in the goal areas of Communications, Cultures, Connections and Comparisons. The study is informed by the theoretical framework of the Standards-Based Approach. It adopts a mixed-methods design that uses content analysis as a mixed data analysis method combining both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings reveal a number of shortcomings relevant to the representation of the content standards as several standards are not sufficiently addressed in the activities included in these textbooks. Eventually, some suggestions are addressed to policy makers, textbook designers and teachers to overcome the identified problems in current and future textbooks. The study is expected to sensitize ELT practitioners about the viability of using textbook evaluation in boosting both the quality of ELT textbooks and the quality of the teaching learning outcomes.

Hazardous materials package performance regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, N.A.; Glass, R.E.; McClure, J.D.; Finley, N.C.

1992-01-01

The hazardous materials (hazmat) packaging development and certification process is currently defined by two different regulatory philosophies, one based on specification packagings and the other based on performance standards. With specification packagings, a packaging is constructed according to an agreed set of design specifications. In contrast, performance standards do not specify the packaging design; they specify performance standards that a packaging design must be able to pass before it can be certified for transport. The packaging can be designed according to individual needs as long as it meets these performance standards. Performance standards have been used nationally and internationally for about 40 years to certify radioactive materials (RAM) packagings. It is reasonable to state that for RAM transport, performance specifications have maintained transport safety. A committee of United Nation's experts recommended the performance standard philosophy as the preferred regulation method for hazmat packaging. Performance standards for hazmat packagings smaller than 118 gallons have been adopted in 49CFR178. Packagings for materials that are classified as toxic-by-inhalation must comply with the performance standards by October 1, 1993, and packagings for all other classes of hazardous materials covered must comply by October 1, 1996. For packages containing bulk (in excess of 188 gallons) quantities of materials that are extremely toxic by inhalation, there currently are no performance requirements. This paper discusses a Hazmat Packaging Performance Evaluation (HPPE) project to look at the subset of bulk packagings that are larger than 2000 gallons. The objectives of this project are the evaluate current hazmat specification packagings and develop supporting documentation for determining performance requirements for packagings in excess of 2000 gallons that transport hazardous materials that have been classified as extremely toxic by inhalation (METBI)

Standardized assessment of infrared thermographic fever screening system performance

Science.gov (United States)

Ghassemi, Pejhman; Pfefer, Joshua; Casamento, Jon; Wang, Quanzeng

2017-03-01

Thermal modalities represent the only currently viable mass fever screening approach for outbreaks of infectious disease pandemics such as Ebola and SARS. Non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) and infrared thermographs (IRTs) have been previously used for mass fever screening in transportation hubs such as airports to reduce the spread of disease. While NCITs remain a more popular choice for fever screening in the field and at fixed locations, there has been increasing evidence in the literature that IRTs can provide greater accuracy in estimating core body temperature if appropriate measurement practices are applied - including the use of technically suitable thermographs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a battery of evaluation test methods for standardized, objective and quantitative assessment of thermograph performance characteristics critical to assessing suitability for clinical use. These factors include stability, drift, uniformity, minimum resolvable temperature difference, and accuracy. Two commercial IRT models were characterized. An external temperature reference source with high temperature accuracy was utilized as part of the screening thermograph. Results showed that both IRTs are relatively accurate and stable (<1% error of reading with stability of +/-0.05°C). Overall, results of this study may facilitate development of standardized consensus test methods to enable consistent and accurate use of IRTs for fever screening.

Raising the Bar on Faculty Productivity: Realigning Performance Standards to Enhance Quality Trajectories

Science.gov (United States)

Hardré, Patricia L.

2014-01-01

Many universities have observed needs and shared goals that include increasing faculty members' research productivity (in quantity or quality). Strategies for raising faculty performance include revising standards and supporting valued outcomes with rewards and incentives. One college at a research-extensive university received institutional…

Overview of North American Hydrogen Sensor Standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Malley, Kathleen [SRA International, Inc., Colorado Springs, CO (United States); Lopez, Hugo [UL LLC, Chicago, IL (United States); Cairns, Julie [CSA Group, Cleveland, OH (United States); Wichert, Richard [Professional Engineering, Inc.. Citrus Heights, CA (United States); Rivkin, Carl [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Burgess, Robert [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Buttner, William [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-08-11

An overview of the main North American codes and standards associated with hydrogen safety sensors is provided. The distinction between a code and a standard is defined, and the relationship between standards and codes is clarified, especially for those circumstances where a standard or a certification requirement is explicitly referenced within a code. The report identifies three main types of standards commonly applied to hydrogen sensors (interface and controls standards, shock and hazard standards, and performance-based standards). The certification process and a list and description of the main standards and model codes associated with the use of hydrogen safety sensors in hydrogen infrastructure are presented.

Facilitating Stewardship of scientific data through standards based workflows

Science.gov (United States)

Bastrakova, I.; Kemp, C.; Potter, A. K.

2013-12-01

scientific data acquisition and analysis requirements and effective interoperable data management and delivery. This includes participating in national and international dialogue on development of standards, embedding data management activities in business processes, and developing scientific staff as effective data stewards. Similar approach is applied to the geophysical data. By ensuring the geophysical datasets at GA strictly follow metadata and industry standards we are able to implement a provenance based workflow where the data is easily discoverable, geophysical processing can be applied to it and results can be stored. The provenance based workflow enables metadata records for the results to be produced automatically from the input dataset metadata.

76 FR 62074 - Proposed Revision of Performance Standards for State Medicaid Fraud Control Units

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-06

... familiar with, and adhere to, policies and procedures. In meeting this standard, the following performance... funding permits. E. Through cross-training or by other means, Unit staff receive training on the role and...

Standardization Documents

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

Specifications and Standards; Guide Specifications; CIDs; and NGSs . Learn. Perform. Succeed. STANDARDIZATION DOCUMENTS Federal Specifications Commercial...national or international standardization document developed by a private sector association, organization, or technical society that plans ...Maintain lessons learned • Examples: Guidance for application of a technology; Lists of options Learn. Perform. Succeed. DEFENSE HANDBOOK

Comparison of Simple Versus Performance-Based Fall Prediction Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shekhar K. Gadkaree BS

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To compare the predictive ability of standard falls prediction models based on physical performance assessments with more parsimonious prediction models based on self-reported data. Design: We developed a series of fall prediction models progressing in complexity and compared area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC across models. Setting: National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of Medicare enrollees (age ≥65 at baseline (Round 1: 2011-2012 and 1-year follow-up (Round 2: 2012-2013. Participants: In all, 6,056 community-dwelling individuals participated in Rounds 1 and 2 of NHATS. Measurements: Primary outcomes were 1-year incidence of “ any fall ” and “ recurrent falls .” Prediction models were compared and validated in development and validation sets, respectively. Results: A prediction model that included demographic information, self-reported problems with balance and coordination, and previous fall history was the most parsimonious model that optimized AUC for both any fall (AUC = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.67, 0.71] and recurrent falls (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI = [0.74, 0.79] in the development set. Physical performance testing provided a marginal additional predictive value. Conclusion: A simple clinical prediction model that does not include physical performance testing could facilitate routine, widespread falls risk screening in the ambulatory care setting.

Standardized reporting of functioning information on ICF-based common metrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Prodinger, Birgit; Tennant, Alan; Stucki, Gerold

2018-02-01

In clinical practice and research a variety of clinical data collection tools are used to collect information on people's functioning for clinical practice and research and national health information systems. Reporting on ICF-based common metrics enables standardized documentation of functioning information in national health information systems. The objective of this methodological note on applying the ICF in rehabilitation is to demonstrate how to report functioning information collected with a data collection tool on ICF-based common metrics. We first specify the requirements for the standardized reporting of functioning information. Secondly, we introduce the methods needed for transforming functioning data to ICF-based common metrics. Finally, we provide an example. The requirements for standardized reporting are as follows: 1) having a common conceptual framework to enable content comparability between any health information; and 2) a measurement framework so that scores between two or more clinical data collection tools can be directly compared. The methods needed to achieve these requirements are the ICF Linking Rules and the Rasch measurement model. Using data collected incorporating the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0), and the Stroke Impact Scale 3.0 (SIS 3.0), the application of the standardized reporting based on common metrics is demonstrated. A subset of items from the three tools linked to common chapters of the ICF (d4 Mobility, d5 Self-care and d6 Domestic life), were entered as "super items" into the Rasch model. Good fit was achieved with no residual local dependency and a unidimensional metric. A transformation table allows for comparison between scales, and between a scale and the reporting common metric. Being able to report functioning information collected with commonly used clinical data collection tools with ICF-based common metrics enables clinicians

Relating Standardized Visual Perception Measures to Simulator Visual System Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Mary K.; Sweet, Barbara T.

2013-01-01

Human vision is quantified through the use of standardized clinical vision measurements. These measurements typically include visual acuity (near and far), contrast sensitivity, color vision, stereopsis (a.k.a. stereo acuity), and visual field periphery. Simulator visual system performance is specified in terms such as brightness, contrast, color depth, color gamut, gamma, resolution, and field-of-view. How do these simulator performance characteristics relate to the perceptual experience of the pilot in the simulator? In this paper, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity will be related to simulator visual system resolution, contrast, and dynamic range; similarly, color vision will be related to color depth/color gamut. Finally, we will consider how some characteristics of human vision not typically included in current clinical assessments could be used to better inform simulator requirements (e.g., relating dynamic characteristics of human vision to update rate and other temporal display characteristics).

PERFORMANCE BASED PAY AS A DETERMINANT OF JOB SATISFACTION: A STUDY IN MALAYSIA GIATMARA CENTERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azman ISMAIL

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Compensation management literature highlights that performance based payhas two major characteristics: participation in pay systems and adequacy ofpay. The ability of management to properly implement such pay systems maylead to increased job satisfaction in organizations. Though, the nature of thisrelationship is interesting, little is known about the influence of performancebased pay on job satisfaction in compensation management literature.Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the relationship between payfor performance and job satisfaction in Malaysian GIATMARA centers. Theresults of exploratory factor analysis confirmed that measurement scalesused in this study satisfactorily met the standards of validity and reliabilityanalyses. An outcome of stepwise regression analysis shows thatdeterminant of job satisfaction is performance based pay. Further, this resultconfirms that pay for performance is an important antecedent for jobsatisfaction in the studied organizations.

Standards for space automation and robotics

Science.gov (United States)

Kader, Jac B.; Loftin, R. B.

1992-01-01

The AIAA's Committee on Standards for Space Automation and Robotics (COS/SAR) is charged with the identification of key functions and critical technologies applicable to multiple missions that reflect fundamental consideration of environmental factors. COS/SAR's standards/practices/guidelines implementation methods will be based on reliability, performance, and operations, as well as economic viability and life-cycle costs, simplicity, and modularity.

77 FR 76003 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request-Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Base...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-26

... Request--Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Base Station Antennas AGENCY: Consumer Product... information associated with the Commission's safety standard for omnidirectional citizens band base station... information required in the Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Base Station (16 CFR Part 1204...

Workshop : ACPSEM/ARPS competency based standards project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, L.

1996-01-01

The ACPSEM together with the Australian Radiation Protection Society has been working for nearly two years now on a competency based standards project for the professions of medical and health physicists. Competencies are being used increasingly in industry and the professions as a means of determining skill levels. For example, all the medical radiation technology streams have a CBS system in the final stages of development, and our engineering colleagues have completed theirs. Last year there was a draft document sent to all members asking for feedback. Following a vote of funding by both bodies, a project offect (Dr David Waggett) has been appointed, and has produced a very much improved set of competency standards covering all significant subspecialties in our profession. This workshop will detail the work done so far, and preview the draft document. A healthy discussion will be encouraged, as the project steering group will shortly be arranging the next steps in process. (author)

DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FOR NURSES BASED ON WEB IN INPATIENT UNIT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aprilia Nuryanti

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Performance assessment instrument will be problematic when it is not representative in describing the competency because it is not obvious indicators and inappropriate performance standard to nursing’s task. The purpose of this study is to develop nurses’ performance assessment instrument based on the web from multi sources assessment inpatient unit at SMC Hospital. Methods: This study had two phases. The first phase was an explanatory overview of the performance assessment system using questionnaires completed by 53 respondents of nurses, selected by purposive sampling. Instrument development based on FGD with six decision makers in the hospital. Validity was tested by Pearson Product Moment Correlation and reliability of instrument’s was tested by alpha Cronbach. The second phase was socialization and instrument test to observe the quality of instrument using a questionnaire by 47 respondents and recommendations made by 8 participants of FGD. The samples were selected by purposive sampling technique. Performance assessment system was moderate at 58.49%. All questions which aimed to measure the performance of nurses were valid and reliable. The quality of nurses’ performance assessment instruments based on the web was a good category, which was functionality: 81.60; reliability: 78.16; efficiency: 80.85; usability: 81.70 and portability: 81.70. Results: The result was a web-based assessment format, scoring with Likert scale, resource assessment by the direct supervisor which was a multisource evaluator, the development of performance graph, and confidentiality of data on the database server. Discussion: Recommendations for hospital is to make policy based on the final value of the performance assessment by the supervisor which was multisource feedback and it needs a global writing on a form of performance assessment result.

FIRE SAFETY IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS: A RISK-INFORMED AND PERFORMANCE-BASED APPROACH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

AZARM,M.A.; TRAVIS,R.J.

1999-11-14

The consideration of risk in regulatory decision-making has long been a part of NRC's policy and practice. Initially, these considerations were qualitative and were based on risk insights. The early regulations relied on good practices, past insights, and accepted standards. As a result, most NRC regulations were prescriptive and were applied uniformly to all areas within the regulatory scope. Risk technology is changing regulations by prioritizing the areas within regulatory scope based on risk, thereby focusing on the risk-important areas. Performance technology, on the other hand, is changing the regulations by allowing requirements to be adjusted based on the specific performance expected and manifested, rather than a prior prescriptive requirement. Consistent with the objectives of risk-informed and performance-based regulatory requirements, BNL evaluated the feasibility of applying risk- and performance-technologies to modifying NRC's current regulations on fire protection for nuclear power plants. This feasibility study entailed several case studies (trial applications). This paper describes the results of two of them. Besides the case studies, the paper discusses an overall evaluation of methodologies for fire-risk analysis to support the risk-informed regulation. It identifies some current shortcomings and proposes some near-term solutions.

CrowdMapping: A Crowdsourcing-Based Terminology Mapping Method for Medical Data Standardization.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Huajian; Chi, Chenyang; Huang, Boyu; Meng, Haibin; Yu, Jinghui; Zhao, Dongsheng

2017-01-01

Standardized terminology is the prerequisite of data exchange in analysis of clinical processes. However, data from different electronic health record systems are based on idiosyncratic terminology systems, especially when the data is from different hospitals and healthcare organizations. Terminology standardization is necessary for the medical data analysis. We propose a crowdsourcing-based terminology mapping method, CrowdMapping, to standardize the terminology in medical data. CrowdMapping uses a confidential model to determine how terminologies are mapped to a standard system, like ICD-10. The model uses mappings from different health care organizations and evaluates the diversity of the mapping to determine a more sophisticated mapping rule. Further, the CrowdMapping model enables users to rate the mapping result and interact with the model evaluation. CrowdMapping is a work-in-progress system, we present initial results mapping terminologies.

Earth Science for Educators: Preparing 7-12 Teachers for Standards-based, Inquiry Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, H.

2002-05-01

"Earth Science for Educators" is an innovative, standards-based, graduate level teacher education curriculum that presents science content and pedagogic technique in parallel. The curriculum calls upon the resources and expertise of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to prepare novice New York City teachers for teaching Earth Science. One of the goals of teacher education is to assure and facilitate science education reform through preparation of K-12 teachers who understand and are able to implement standard-based instruction. Standards reflect not only the content knowledge students are expected to attain but also the science skills and dispositions towards science they are expected to develop. Melding a list of standards with a curriculum outline to create inquiry-based classroom instruction that reaches a very diverse population of learners is extremely challenging. "Earth Science for Educators" helps novice teachers make the link between standards and practice by constantly connecting standards with instruction they receive and activities they carry out. Development of critical thinking and enthusiasm for inquiry is encouraged through engaging experience and contact with scientists and their work. Teachers are taught Earth systems science content through modeling of a wide variety of instruction and assessment methods based upon authentic scientific inquiry and aimed at different learning styles. Use of fieldwork and informal settings, such as the Museum, familiarizes novice teachers with ways of drawing on community resources for content and instructional settings. Metacognitive reflection that articulates standards, practice, and the teachers' own learning experience help draw out teachers' insights into their students' learning. The innovation of bring science content together with teaching methods is key to preparing teachers for standards-based, inquiry instruction. This curriculum was successfully piloted with a group of 28 novice teachers as

On-the-field performance of quintuple-play long-reach OFDM-based WDM-PON optical access networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Llorente, Roberto; Morant, Maria; Pellicer, Eloy; Herman, Milan; Nagy, Zsolt; Alves, Tiago; Cartaxo, Adolfo; Herrera, Javier; Correcher, Jose; Quinlan, Terence; Walker, Stuart; Rodrigues, Cláudio; Cluzeaud, Pierre; Schmidt, Axel; Piesiewicz, Radoslaw; Sambaraju, Rakesh

2014-03-24

In this paper the on-the-field performance of a WDM-PON optical access providing quintuple-play services using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation is evaluated in a real fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network deployed by Towercom operator in Bratislava (Slovakia). A bundle of quintuple-play services comprising full-standard OFDM-based signals (LTE, WiMAX, UWB and DVB-T) and an ad-hoc OFDM-GbE signal is transmitted in coexistence per single user. Both downstream and upstream transmission performances are evaluated in different on-the-field long-reach optical link distance configurations. Four wavelength multi-user transmission of quintuple-play OFDM services is demonstrated exceeding 60.8 km reach in standard single mode fiber.

Spectral responsivity-based calibration of photometer and colorimeter standards

Science.gov (United States)

Eppeldauer, George P.

2013-08-01

Several new generation transfer- and working-standard illuminance meters and tristimulus colorimeters have been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) [1] to measure all kinds of light sources with low uncertainty. The spectral and broad-band (illuminance) responsivities of the photometer (Y) channels of two tristimulus meters were determined at both the Spectral Irradiance and Radiance Responsivity Calibrations using Uniform Sources (SIRCUS) facility and the Spectral Comparator Facility (SCF) [2]. The two illuminance responsivities agreed within 0.1% with an overall uncertainty of 0.2% (k = 2), which is a factor of two improvement over the present NIST photometric scale. The first detector-based tristimulus color scale [3] was realized. All channels of the reference tristimulus colorimeter were calibrated at the SIRCUS. The other tristimulus meters were calibrated at the SCF and also against the reference meter on the photometry bench in broad-band measurement mode. The agreement between detector- and source-based calibrations was within 3 K when a tungsten lamp-standard was measured at 2856 K and 3100 K [4]. The color-temperature uncertainty of tungsten lamp measurements was 4 K (k = 2) between 2300 K and 3200 K, which is a factor of two improvement over the presently used NIST source-based color temperature scale. One colorimeter was extended with an additional (fifth) channel to apply software implemented matrix corrections. With this correction, the spectral mismatch caused color difference errors were decreased by a factor of 20 for single-color LEDs.

Updating OSHA standards based on national consensus standards. Direct final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-14

In this direct final rule, the Agency is removing several references to consensus standards that have requirements that duplicate, or are comparable to, other OSHA rules; this action includes correcting a paragraph citation in one of these OSHA rules. The Agency also is removing a reference to American Welding Society standard A3.0-1969 ("Terms and Definitions") in its general-industry welding standards. This rulemaking is a continuation of OSHA's ongoing effort to update references to consensus and industry standards used throughout its rules.

Radiological Control Technician: Standardized technician Qualification Standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

The Qualification Standard states and defines the knowledge and skill requirements necessary for successful completion of the Radiological Control Technician Training Program. The standard is divided into three phases: Phase I concerns RCT Academic training. There are 13 lessons associated with the core academics program and 19 lessons associated with the site academics program. The staff member should sign the appropriate blocks upon successful completion of the examination for that lesson or group of lessons. In addition, facility specific lesson plans may be added to meet the knowledge requirements in the Job Performance Measures (JPM) of the practical program. Phase II concerns RCT core/site practical (JPMs) training. There are thirteen generic tasks associated with the core practical program. Both the trainer/evaluator and student should sign the appropriate block upon successful completion of the JPM. In addition, facility specific tasks may be added or generic tasks deleted based on the results of the facility job evaluation. Phase III concerns the oral examination board successful completion of the oral examination board is documented by the signature of the chairperson of the board. Upon completion of all of the standardized technician qualification requirements, final qualification is verified by the student and the manager of the Radiological Control Department and acknowledged by signatures on the qualification standard. The completed Qualification Standard shall be maintained as an official training record

A strategy for implementation of experience based seismic equipment qualification in IEEE and ASME industry standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, T.M.

1996-01-01

In the past 20 years, extensive data on the performance of mechanical and electric equipment during actual strong motion earthquakes and seismic qualification tests has been accumulated. Recognizing that an experience based approach provides a technically sound and cost effective method for the seismic qualification of some or certain equipment, the IEEE Nuclear Power Engineering Committee and the ASME Committee on Qualification of Mechanical Equipment established a Special Working Group to investigate the incorporation of experienced based methods into the industry consensus codes and standards currently used in the seismic qualification of Seismic Category Nuclear Power Plant equipment. This paper presents the strategy (course of action) which was developed by the Special Working Group for meeting this objective of incorporation of experience based seismic qualification standards used in the design and seismic qualification of seismic category nuclear power plant equipment. This strategy was recommended to both chartering organizations, the IEEE Nuclear Power Engineering Committee and the ASME Committee on Qualification of Mechanical Equipment for their consideration and implementation. The status of the review and implementation of the Special Working Group's recommended strategy by the sponsoring organization is also discussed

Rethinking Game Based Learning: applying pedagogical standards to educational games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmitz, Birgit; Kelle, Sebastian

2010-01-01

Schmitz, B., & Kelle, S. (2010, 1-6 February). Rethinking Game Based Learning: applying pedagogical standards to educational games. Presentation at JTEL Winter School 2010 on Advanced Learning Technologies, Innsbruck, Austria.

TAP 2: Performance-Based Training Manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-08-01

Cornerstone of safe operation of DOE nuclear facilities is personnel performing day-to-day functions which accomplish the facility mission. Performance-based training is fundamental to the safe operation. This manual has been developed to support the Training Accreditation Program (TAP) and assist contractors in efforts to develop performance-based training programs. It provides contractors with narrative procedures on performance-based training that can be modified and incorporated for facility-specific application. It is divided into sections dealing with analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation

Polytomous diagnosis of ovarian tumors as benign, borderline, primary invasive or metastatic: development and validation of standard and kernel-based risk prediction models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Testa Antonia C

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hitherto, risk prediction models for preoperative ultrasound-based diagnosis of ovarian tumors were dichotomous (benign versus malignant. We develop and validate polytomous models (models that predict more than two events to diagnose ovarian tumors as benign, borderline, primary invasive or metastatic invasive. The main focus is on how different types of models perform and compare. Methods A multi-center dataset containing 1066 women was used for model development and internal validation, whilst another multi-center dataset of 1938 women was used for temporal and external validation. Models were based on standard logistic regression and on penalized kernel-based algorithms (least squares support vector machines and kernel logistic regression. We used true polytomous models as well as combinations of dichotomous models based on the 'pairwise coupling' technique to produce polytomous risk estimates. Careful variable selection was performed, based largely on cross-validated c-index estimates. Model performance was assessed with the dichotomous c-index (i.e. the area under the ROC curve and a polytomous extension, and with calibration graphs. Results For all models, between 9 and 11 predictors were selected. Internal validation was successful with polytomous c-indexes between 0.64 and 0.69. For the best model dichotomous c-indexes were between 0.73 (primary invasive vs metastatic and 0.96 (borderline vs metastatic. On temporal and external validation, overall discrimination performance was good with polytomous c-indexes between 0.57 and 0.64. However, discrimination between primary and metastatic invasive tumors decreased to near random levels. Standard logistic regression performed well in comparison with advanced algorithms, and combining dichotomous models performed well in comparison with true polytomous models. The best model was a combination of dichotomous logistic regression models. This model is available online

Analysis of Minimum Efficiency Performance Standards for Residential General Service Lighting in Chile

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Letschert, Virginie E.; McNeil, Michael A.; Leiva Ibanez, Francisco Humberto; Ruiz, Ana Maria; Pavon, Mariana; Hall, Stephen

2011-06-01

Minimum Efficiency Performance Standards (MEPS) have been chosen as part of Chile's national energy efficiency action plan. As a first MEPS, the Ministry of Energy has decided to focus on a regulation for lighting that would ban the sale of inefficient bulbs, effectively phasing out the use of incandescent lamps. Following major economies such as the US (EISA, 2007) , the EU (Ecodesign, 2009) and Australia (AS/NZS, 2008) who planned a phase out based on minimum efficacy requirements, the Ministry of Energy has undertaken the impact analysis of a MEPS on the residential lighting sector. Fundacion Chile (FC) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) collaborated with the Ministry of Energy and the National Energy Efficiency Program (Programa Pais de Eficiencia Energetica, or PPEE) in order to produce a techno-economic analysis of this future policy measure. LBNL has developed for CLASP (CLASP, 2007) a spreadsheet tool called the Policy Analysis Modeling System (PAMS) that allows for evaluation of costs and benefits at the consumer level but also a wide range of impacts at the national level, such as energy savings, net present value of savings, greenhouse gas (CO2) emission reductions and avoided capacity generation due to a specific policy. Because historically Chile has followed European schemes in energy efficiency programs (test procedures, labelling program definitions), we take the Ecodesign commission regulation No 244/2009 as a starting point when defining our phase out program, which means a tiered phase out based on minimum efficacy per lumen category. The following data were collected in order to perform the techno-economic analysis: (1) Retail prices, efficiency and wattage category in the current market, (2) Usage data (hours of lamp use per day), and (3) Stock data, penetration of efficient lamps in the market. Using these data, PAMS calculates the costs and benefits of efficiency standards from two distinct but related perspectives: (1) The

Asymptotic performance of regularized quadratic discriminant analysis based classifiers

KAUST Repository

Elkhalil, Khalil

2017-12-13

This paper carries out a large dimensional analysis of the standard regularized quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) classifier designed on the assumption that data arise from a Gaussian mixture model. The analysis relies on fundamental results from random matrix theory (RMT) when both the number of features and the cardinality of the training data within each class grow large at the same pace. Under some mild assumptions, we show that the asymptotic classification error converges to a deterministic quantity that depends only on the covariances and means associated with each class as well as the problem dimensions. Such a result permits a better understanding of the performance of regularized QDA and can be used to determine the optimal regularization parameter that minimizes the misclassification error probability. Despite being valid only for Gaussian data, our theoretical findings are shown to yield a high accuracy in predicting the performances achieved with real data sets drawn from popular real data bases, thereby making an interesting connection between theory and practice.

Nitride fuels irradiation performance data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brozak, D.E.; Thomas, J.K.; Peddicord, K.L.

1987-01-01

An irradiation performance data base for nitride fuels has been developed from an extensive literature search and review that emphasized uranium nitride, but also included performance data for mixed nitrides [(U,Pu)N] and carbonitrides [(U,Pu)C,N] to increase the quantity and depth of pin data available. This work represents a very extensive effort to systematically collect and organize irradiation data for nitride-based fuels. The data base has many potential applications. First, it can facilitate parametric studies of nitride-based fuels to be performed using a wide range of pin designs and operating conditions. This should aid in the identification of important parameters and design requirements for multimegawatt and SP-100 fuel systems. Secondly, the data base can be used to evaluate fuel performance models. For detailed studies, it can serve as a guide to selecting a small group of pin specimens for extensive characterization. Finally, the data base will serve as an easily accessible and expandable source of irradiation performance information for nitride fuels

75 FR 66734 - Proposed Voluntary Product Standard PS 2-10, Structural Plywood

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-29

... acceptability of wood-based structural-use panels for construction sheathing and single-floor applications. It... acceptability of wood-based structural-use panels for construction sheathing and single- floor application, and... to Voluntary Product Standard (PS) 2-04, Performance Standard for Wood-Based Structural-Use Panels...

Pilot study: EatFit impacts sixth graders' academic performance on achievement of mathematics and english education standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Shilts, Mical Kay; Lamp, Cathi; Horowitz, Marcel; Townsend, Marilyn S

2009-01-01

Investigate the impact of a nutrition education program on student academic performance as measured by achievement of education standards. Quasi-experimental crossover-controlled study. California Central Valley suburban elementary school (58% qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch). All sixth-grade students (n = 84) in the elementary school clustered in 3 classrooms. 9-lesson intervention with an emphasis on guided goal setting and driven by the Social Cognitive Theory. Multiple-choice survey assessing 5 education standards for sixth-grade mathematics and English at 3 time points: baseline (T1), 5 weeks (T2), and 10 weeks (T3). Repeated measures, paired t test, and analysis of covariance. Changes in total scores were statistically different (P academic performance measured by achievement of specific mathematics and English education standards. Nutrition educators can show school administrators and wellness committee members that this program can positively impact academic performance, concomitant to its primary objective of promoting healthful eating and physical activity.

Value-Based Standards Guide Sexism Inferences for Self and Others.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitamura, Chelsea; Erickson, Lynnsey; Devine, Patricia G

2017-09-01

People often disagree about what constitutes sexism, and these disagreements can be both socially and legally consequential. It is unclear, however, why or how people come to different conclusions about whether something or someone is sexist. Previous research on judgments about sexism has focused on the perceiver's gender and attitudes, but neither of these variables identifies comparative standards that people use to determine whether any given behavior (or person) is sexist. Extending Devine and colleagues' values framework (Devine, Monteith, Zuwerink, & Elliot, 1991; Plant & Devine, 1998), we argue that, when evaluating others' behavior, perceivers rely on the morally-prescriptive values that guide their own behavior toward women. In a series of 3 studies we demonstrate that (1) people's personal standards for sexism in their own and others' behavior are each related to their values regarding sexism, (2) these values predict how much behavioral evidence people need to infer sexism, and (3) people with stringent, but not lenient, value-based standards get angry and try to regulate a sexist perpetrator's behavior to reduce sexism. Furthermore, these personal values are related to all outcomes in the present work above and beyond other person characteristics previously used to predict sexism inferences. We discuss the implications of differing value-based standards for explaining and reconciling disputes over what constitutes sexist behavior.

Setting Standards for Medically-Based Running Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Heather K.; Herman, Daniel C.; Lear-Barnes, Leslie; Barnes, Robert; Chen, Cong; Greenberg, Scott; Vincent, Kevin R.

2015-01-01

Setting standards for medically based running analyses is necessary to ensure that runners receive a high-quality service from practitioners. Medical and training history, physical and functional tests, and motion analysis of running at self-selected and faster speeds are key features of a comprehensive analysis. Self-reported history and movement symmetry are critical factors that require follow-up therapy or long-term management. Pain or injury is typically the result of a functional deficit above or below the site along the kinematic chain. PMID:25014394

76 FR 3517 - Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-20

... Standards of Performance for Fossil-Fuel-Fired, Electric Utility, Industrial-Commercial-Institutional, and... following: Category NAICS \\1\\ Examples of regulated entities Industry 221112 Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam generating units. Federal Government 22112 Fossil fuel-fired electric utility steam...

Influence of undergraduate nursing student teaching methods on learning standard precautions and transmission-based precautions: Experimental research.

Science.gov (United States)

Kappes Ramirez, Maria Soledad

2018-02-01

An experimental study was performed with undergraduate nursing students in order to determine, between two methodologies, which is the best for learning standard precautions and precautions based on disease transmission mechanisms. Students in the sample are stratified by performance, with the experimental group (49 students) being exposed to self-instruction and clinical simulation on the topic of standard precautions and special precautions according to disease transmission mechanisms. Conventional classes on the same topics were provided to the control group (49 students). The experimental group showed the best performance in the multiple-choice post-test of knowledge (p=0.002) and in the assessment of essay questions (p=0.043), as well as in the evaluation of a simulated scenario, in relation to the control group. This study demonstrates that it is possible to transfer some teaching subjects on the prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) to self-learning by means of virtual teaching strategies with good results. This allows greater efficiency in the allocation of teachers to clinical simulation or learning situations in the laboratory, where students can apply what they have learned in the self-instruction module. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional hindfoot alignment measurements based on biplanar radiographs: comparison with standard radiographic measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutter, Reto; Pfirrmann, Christian W.A.; Buck, Florian M.; Espinosa, Norman

2013-01-01

To establish a hindfoot alignment measurement technique based on low-dose biplanar radiographs and compare with hindfoot alignment measurements on long axial view radiographs, which is the current reference standard. Long axial view radiographs and low-dose biplanar radiographs of a phantom consisting of a human foot skeleton embedded in acrylic glass (phantom A) and a plastic model of a human foot in three different hindfoot positions (phantoms B1-B3) were imaged in different foot positions (20 internal to 20 external rotation). Two independent readers measured hindfoot alignment on long axial view radiographs and performed 3D hindfoot alignment measurements based on biplanar radiographs on two different occasions. Time for three-dimensional (3D) measurements was determined. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. Hindfoot alignment measurements on long axial view radiographs were characterized by a large positional variation, with a range of 14 /13 valgus to 22 /27 varus (reader 1/2 for phantom A), whereas the range of 3D hindfoot alignment measurements was 7.3 /6.0 to 9.0 /10.5 varus (reader 1/2 for phantom A), with a mean and standard deviation of 8.1 ± 0.6/8.7 ± 1.4 respectively. Interobserver agreement was high (ICC = 0.926 for phantom A, and ICC = 0.886 for phantoms B1-B3), and agreement between different readouts was high (ICC = 0.895-0.995 for reader 1, and ICC = 0.987-0.994 for reader 2) for 3D measurements. Mean duration of 3D measurements was 84 ± 15/113 ± 15 s for reader 1/2. Three-dimensional hindfoot alignment measurements based on biplanar radiographs were independent of foot positioning during image acquisition and reader independent. In this phantom study, the 3D measurements were substantially more precise than the standard radiographic measurements. (orig.)

78 FR 35559 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-13

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Direct... signage standards by adding references to the latest versions of the American National Standards Institute... earlier ANSI standards, ANSI Z53.1-1967, Z35.1-1968 and Z35.2-1968, in its signage standards, thereby...

Standards-Based Wireless Sensor Networking Protocols for Spaceflight Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Raymond S.

2010-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have the capacity to revolutionize data gathering in both spaceflight and terrestrial applications. WSNs provide a huge advantage over traditional, wired instrumentation since they do not require wiring trunks to connect sensors to a central hub. This allows for easy sensor installation in hard to reach locations, easy expansion of the number of sensors or sensing modalities, and reduction in both system cost and weight. While this technology offers unprecedented flexibility and adaptability, implementing it in practice is not without its difficulties. Recent advances in standards-based WSN protocols for industrial control applications have come a long way to solving many of the challenges facing practical WSN deployments. In this paper, we will overview two of the more promising candidates - WirelessHART from the HART Communication Foundation and ISA100.11a from the International Society of Automation - and present the architecture for a new standards-based sensor node for networking and applications research.

An Audit of Emergency Department Accreditation Based on Joint Commission International Standards (JCI).

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, Behrooz; Motamedi, Maryam; Etemad, Mania; Rahmati, Farhad; Forouzanfar, Mohammad Mehdi; Kaghazchi, Fatemeh

2014-01-01

Despite thousands of years from creation of medical knowledge, it not much passes from founding the health care systems. Accreditation is an effective mechanism for performance evaluation, quality enhancement, and the safety of health care systems. This study was conducted to assess the results of emergency department (ED) accreditation in Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Tehran, Iran, 2013 in terms of domesticated standards of joint commission international (JCI) standards. This cohort study with a four-month follow up was conducted in the ED of Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital in 2013. The standard evaluation checklist of Iran hospitals (based on JCI standards) included 24 heading and 337 subheading was used for this purpose. The effective possible causes of weak spots were found and their solutions considered. After correction, assessment of accreditation were repeated again. Finally, the achieved results of two periods were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Quality improvement, admission in department and patient assessment, competency and capability test for staffs, collection and analysis of data, training of patients, and facilities had the score of below 50%. The mean of total score for accreditation in ED in the first period was 60.4±30.15 percent and in the second period 68.9±22.9 (p=0.005). Strategic plans, head of department, head nurse, resident physician, responsible nurse for the shift, and personnel file achieved the score of 100%. Of total headings below 50% in the first period just in two cases, collection and analysis of data with growth of 40% as well as competency and capability test for staffs with growth of 17%, were reached to more than 50%. Based on findings of the present study, the ED of Shohadaye Tajrish hospital reached the score of below 50% in six heading of quality improvement, admission in department and patient assessment, competency and capability test for staffs, collection and analysis of data, training of patients, and facilities. While

Development of an international standard on instruments setpoints based on ISA S67.04 - 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, E.L.

1996-01-01

This is a summary of the application for and development of an international standard on instrument setpoints, based on the Instrument Society of America (ISA) Standard S67.04 - 1994. The forum this new standard was proposed in is the International Electrotechnique Commission (IEC), based in Geneva, Switzerland, which is the international commission which oversees electrical and instrumentation standards for all applications around the world. The Instrument Society of America (ISA) is a United States based Society for the advancement of instrumentation and controls related science and technology and has 30,000 members. A division within the ISA is the Standard and Practices board which has over 5000 members actively involved in standards development and approval. In 1994, the ISA SP67, Nuclear Power Plant Standards Committee authorized that the IEC be approached to develop and issue an IEC standard on Instrument Setpoints. This application was formally submitted in January, 1995 to the IEC and approved for ballot to member countries in June, 1995. Approval for standard development by IEC was received in October, 1995 and the first draft vas issued in February, 1996, and is currently under review by the IEC working group. It is very important to focus on the approach that the U.S. and other countries are taking toward development of IEC standards that can apply to all nuclear instrumentation applications around the world. By referencing IEC standards in design specification, vendors can be solicited from many different countries, thereby ensuring that the highest quality products can be used. This also offsets the need to specify individual standards in the specification, based on the country that each vendor solicited, represents. In summary, this standard development process, with support from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will assist U.S. suppliers in competing in the global market for products and services into the next century. (author)

Status of Recent Developments in the Technical Standards of Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Hyung-Joon; Ahn, Sang-Kyu; Koh, Jae-Dong; Kim, Chang-Bum

2006-01-01

Japan has systematically revamped its technical standards for nuclear reactor facilities by formulating various performance regulations. Being part of a trend toward deregulation, such efforts toward social regulation is aimed at effectively operating administrative procedural laws to keep pace with global trends and enhance the benefits of deregulation under the principle of self-responsibility. Based on the collection of public opinions in February and March 2005, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency(NISA) presented its position that it was required to promptly perform a flexible assessment of the technical feasibility of formulated society and association standards. Current, pressing issues are summarized as an early revision of technical standards regarding nuclear facilities for power generation, use of society and association standards, and the overhaul of nuclear safety regulations subject to performance regulations. Subjecting technical standards to performance regulations means stipulating the qualitative aspects of performance and the targets that certain facilities must achieve, which are not specific standards, but general compulsory standards. This study examines the early revision of technical standards on nuclear facilities for power generation and the status of the use of society and association standards, as well as introducing the details of revisions in the concrete containment vessel standards as specific examples

Energy management system based on standard 50001 in the company Feed Cienfuegos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteagudo Yanes, José P.; Crespo Sánchez, Gustavo; Montesino Pérez, Milagros; Cruz Virosa, Ibis; Cabrera Sánchez, Jorge Luis

2017-01-01

The energy management in manufacturing of balanced feed requires the Company Feed Cienfuegos to have systems and processes that enable efficiency and quality in production, improve energy performance and increase their competitiveness. Technology of Total Efficient Energy Management (TTEEM) and Cuban Standard ISO 50001 that are promoted and researched by the Center for Studies of Energy and Environment (CEEMA), of the University of Cienfuegos and the necessity and possibility of this Company to improve energy management allowed undertaking this project. Getting and use of energy performance indicator against production and the energy base line for daily control of energy consumption allowed decreasing from 12.8 kWh/t on average, to values below 10 kWh/t for the same production levels (500t/day). This result represents the reduction of energy consumption in the order of 364,000 kWh/year and consequently 15% of the energy item costs. This result is equivalent in cost of generation to 120 tons of oil/year, which at current oil prices mean a savings of $ 6,000 USD/year. (author)

Risk-based performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1987-01-01

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

Validation of Housing Standards Addressing Accessibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helle, Tina

2013-01-01

The aim was to explore the use of an activity-based approach to determine the validity of a set of housing standards addressing accessibility. This included examination of the frequency and the extent of accessibility problems among older people with physical functional limitations who used...... participant groups were examined. Performing well-known kitchen activities was associated with accessibility problems for all three participant groups, in particular those using a wheelchair. The overall validity of the housing standards examined was poor. Observing older people interacting with realistic...... environments while performing real everyday activities seems to be an appropriate method for assessing accessibility problems....

24 CFR 200.944 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... under the HUD building product standards and certification program for plywood and other performance... product standards and certification program for plywood and other performance rated wood-based structural... building product certification program. In the case of plywood and wood-based structural-use panels...

INCITS W1.1 development update: appearance-based image quality standards for printers

Science.gov (United States)

Zeise, Eric K.; Rasmussen, D. René; Ng, Yee S.; Dalal, Edul; McCarthy, Ann; Williams, Don

2008-01-01

In September 2000, INCITS W1 (the U.S. representative of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC28, the standardization committee for office equipment) was chartered to develop an appearance-based image quality standard. (1),(2) The resulting W1.1 project is based on a proposal (3) that perceived image quality can be described by a small set of broad-based attributes. There are currently six ad hoc teams, each working towards the development of standards for evaluation of perceptual image quality of color printers for one or more of these image quality attributes. This paper summarizes the work in progress of the teams addressing the attributes of Macro-Uniformity, Colour Rendition, Gloss & Gloss Uniformity, Text & Line Quality and Effective Resolution.

Measurement of mental attention: Assessing a cognitive component underlying performance on standardized intelligence tests

OpenAIRE

Steven J. Howard; Janice Johnson; Juan Pascual-Leone

2013-01-01

Despite the widespread use of standardized IQ tests to measure human intelligence, problems with such measures have led some to suggest that better indices may derive from measurement of cognitive processes underlying performance on IQ tests (e.g., working memory capacity). However, measures from both approaches may exhibit performance biases in favour of majority groups, due to the influence of prior learning and experience. Mental attentional (M-) capacity is proposed to be a causal factor ...

Digitized molecular diagnostics: reading disk-based bioassays with standard computer drives.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yunchao; Ou, Lily M L; Yu, Hua-Zhong

2008-11-01

We report herein a digital signal readout protocol for screening disk-based bioassays with standard optical drives of ordinary desktop/notebook computers. Three different types of biochemical recognition reactions (biotin-streptavidin binding, DNA hybridization, and protein-protein interaction) were performed directly on a compact disk in a line array format with the help of microfluidic channel plates. Being well-correlated with the optical darkness of the binding sites (after signal enhancement by gold nanoparticle-promoted autometallography), the reading error levels of prerecorded audio files can serve as a quantitative measure of biochemical interaction. This novel readout protocol is about 1 order of magnitude more sensitive than fluorescence labeling/scanning and has the capability of examining multiplex microassays on the same disk. Because no modification to either hardware or software is needed, it promises a platform technology for rapid, low-cost, and high-throughput point-of-care biomedical diagnostics.

Standardization of the energy performance of photovoltaic modules in real operating conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viganó Davide

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The performance of a PV module at STC [1] is a useful indicator for comparing the peak performance of different module types, but on its own is not sufficient to accurately predict how much energy a module will deliver in the field when subjected to a wide range of real operating conditions [2]. An Energy Rating approach has to be preferred for that aim. It is currently under development the standard series IEC 61853 on Energy Rating, for which only part 1 [3] has been issued. It describes methods to characterize the module performance as a function of irradiance and temperature. The reproducibility of the power matrix measurements obtained by the three different methods specified in the standard, namely: under natural sunlight using a tracking system; under natural sunlight without tracker; and a large area pulsed solar simulator of Class AAA were evaluated and discussed [4,5]. The work here presented is focused on the second method listed above, which explores the real working conditions for a PV device and therefore it represents the situation where Energy Rating procedures are expected to give the largest deviations from the STC predictions. The system for continuous monitoring of module performances, already implemented at ESTI, has been recently replaced with a new system having a number of improvements described in the following. The two system results have been compared showing a discrete compatibility. The two power matrices are then merged together using a weighted average and compared to those acquired with the other two remaining “ideal” systems. An interesting tendency seems to come up from this comparison, making the power rating under real operating conditions an essential procedure for energy rating purposes.

Performance tests of a CaSO4:Dy based thermoluminescence personal dosemeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azorin, J.; Gutierrez, A.; Niewiadomski, T.

1986-01-01

In order to replace LiF commercial thermoluminescence dosemeters (TLDs) now used in personnel monitoring, we developed a TLD personnel monitoring badge based on pellets of CaSO 4 :Dy bound in pure KBr placed in plastic holders provided with 0.8 mm Pb filters to compensate for the energy dependence of CaSO 4 :Dy. Performance tests, based on the proposals of international standards for TLDs intended to be used as general deep tissue personal dosemeters, were done by developing the detailed test methods both for the tests required by the International Atomic Energy Agency (fading, linearity, effect of fluorescent light and sunlight and stability under standard climatic conditions) and to meet the requirements of the International Electrotechnical Commission (batch homogeneity, detection threshold, stability of zero point repeatibility and residual). Initial tests showed a high residual and an increase of inhomogeneity. However, these drawbacks were overcome by changing the annealing procedure and the readout conditions. Using these new conditions TLDs met all the requirements for personal dosemeters. (author)

Development of an Information Delivery Manual for Early Stage BIM-based Energy Performance Assessment and Code Compliance as a Part of DGNB Pre-Certification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petrova, Ekaterina Aleksandrova; Romanska, Iva; Stamenov, Martin

2017-01-01

for all parties involved. However, the persistent lack of early collaboration and process standardization prevent reaching the full potential of BIM-based performance evaluation. By following buildingSMART’s methodology for development of Information Delivery Manual/Model View Definition, this paper...... presents a framework for BIM-based energy performance assessment and code compliance, as required by the Danish Building Regulations and the DGNB rating system. Standardization of the information exchange would increase efficiency and reduce manual data input, duplication of work and errors due...

Plant operator performance evaluation based on cognitive process analysis experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ujita, H.; Fukuda, M.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on an experiment to clarify plant operators' cognitive processes that has been performed, to improve the man-machine interface which supports their diagnoses and decisions. The cognitive processes under abnormal conditions were evaluated by protocol analyses interviews, etc. in the experiment using a plant training simulator. A cognitive process model is represented by a stochastic network, based on Rasmussen's decision making model. Each node of the network corresponds to an element of the cognitive process, such as observation, interpretation, execution, etc. Some observations were obtained as follows, by comparison of Monte Carlo simulation results with the experiment results: A process to reconfirm the plant parameters after execution of a task and feedback paths from this process to the observation and the task definition of next task were observed. The feedback probability average and standard deviation should be determined for each incident type to explain correctly the individual differences in the cognitive processes. The tendency for the operator's cognitive level to change from skill-based to knowledge-based via rule-based behavior was observed during the feedback process

Performance analysis of indigenous spectroscopy system based on Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr3(Ce)) scintillation detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulkarni, C.P.; Punnal, Mahesh; Vinod, M.; Padmini, S.; Bhatnagar, P.V.; Behere, Anita; Kulkarni, D.B.; Paranjape, D.B.

2018-01-01

This paper presents detailed performance analysis of LaBr 3 (Ce) based compact spectroscopy system indigenously developed in Electronics Division BARC. The system incorporates state of the art low power electronic components along-with advanced spectroscopy software. Performance parameters and spectral response are experimentally determined and the results are presented in comparison with a standard HPGe system under similar test conditions. These experiments are conducted in Radiation Standards Section, RSSD in BARC using calibration sources for acquiring gamma spectrums in various combinations of source-to-detector (S-D) distances and acquisition times. The acquired data is used for deriving energy calibration and computing FWHM, dead time, count-rate (cps) and efficiency to evaluate system performance; particularly with smaller acquisition times as necessitated by field applications. Self activity of the detector is also determined experimentally and presented along-with comments on its effect on low count-rate applications

40 CFR 463.24 - New source performance standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Cleaning Water Subcategory § 463... standards (i.e., mass of pollutant discharged) calculated by multiplying the average process water usage... process water usage flow rate for the new source cleaning water processes from the permittee. ...

ASTM Committee C28: International Standards for Properties and Performance of Advanced Ceramics-Three Decades of High-Quality, Technically-Rigorous Normalization

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Michael G.; Salem, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

Physical and mechanical properties and performance of advanced ceramics and glasses are difficult to measure correctly without the proper techniques. For over three decades, ASTM Committee C28 on Advanced Ceramics, has developed high-quality, technically-rigorous, full-consensus standards (e.g., test methods, practices, guides, terminology) to measure properties and performance of monolithic and composite ceramics that may be applied to glasses in some cases. These standards contain testing particulars for many mechanical, physical, thermal, properties and performance of these materials. As a result these standards are used to generate accurate, reliable, repeatable and complete data. Within Committee C28, users, producers, researchers, designers, academicians, etc. have written, continually updated, and validated through round-robin test programs, 50 standards since the Committee's founding in 1986. This paper provides a detailed retrospective of the 30 years of ASTM Committee C28 including a graphical pictogram listing of C28 standards along with examples of the tangible benefits of standards for advanced ceramics to demonstrate their practical applications.

ASTM Committee C28: International Standards for Properties and Performance of Advanced Ceramics, Three Decades of High-quality, Technically-rigorous Normalization

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Michael G.; Salem, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

Physical and mechanical properties and performance of advanced ceramics and glasses are difficult to measure correctly without the proper techniques. For over three decades, ASTM Committee C28 on Advanced Ceramics, has developed high quality, rigorous, full-consensus standards (e.g., test methods, practices, guides, terminology) to measure properties and performance of monolithic and composite ceramics that may be applied to glasses in some cases. These standards testing particulars for many mechanical, physical, thermal, properties and performance of these materials. As a result these standards provide accurate, reliable, repeatable and complete data. Within Committee C28 users, producers, researchers, designers, academicians, etc. have written, continually updated, and validated through round-robin test programs, nearly 50 standards since the Committees founding in 1986. This paper provides a retrospective review of the 30 years of ASTM Committee C28 including a graphical pictogram listing of C28 standards along with examples of the tangible benefits of advanced ceramics standards to demonstrate their practical applications.

Information Management of Web Application Based Environmental Performance Management in Concentrating Division of PTFI

Science.gov (United States)

Susanto, Arif; Mulyono, Nur Budi

2018-02-01

The changes of environmental management system standards into the latest version, i.e. ISO 14001:2015, may cause a change on a data and information need in decision making and achieving the objectives in the organization coverage. Information management is the organization's responsibility to ensure that effectiveness and efficiency start from its creating, storing, processing and distribution processes to support operations and effective decision making activity in environmental performance management. The objective of this research was to set up an information management program and to adopt the technology as the supporting component of the program which was done by PTFI Concentrating Division so that it could be in line with the desirable organization objective in environmental management based on ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system standards. Materials and methods used covered technical aspects in information management, i.e. with web-based application development by using usage centered design. The result of this research showed that the use of Single Sign On gave ease to its user to interact further on the use of the environmental management system. Developing a web-based through creating entity relationship diagram (ERD) and information extraction by conducting information extraction which focuses on attributes, keys, determination of constraints. While creating ERD is obtained from relational database scheme from a number of database from environmental performances in Concentrating Division.

Information Management of Web Application Based Environmental Performance Management in Concentrating Division of PTFI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanto Arif

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The changes of environmental management system standards into the latest version, i.e. ISO 14001:2015, may cause a change on a data and information need in decision making and achieving the objectives in the organization coverage. Information management is the organization’s responsibility to ensure that effectiveness and efficiency start from its creating, storing, processing and distribution processes to support operations and effective decision making activity in environmental performance management. The objective of this research was to set up an information management program and to adopt the technology as the supporting component of the program which was done by PTFI Concentrating Division so that it could be in line with the desirable organization objective in environmental management based on ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system standards. Materials and methods used covered technical aspects in information management, i.e. with web-based application development by using usage centered design. The result of this research showed that the use of Single Sign On gave ease to its user to interact further on the use of the environmental management system. Developing a web-based through creating entity relationship diagram (ERD and information extraction by conducting information extraction which focuses on attributes, keys, determination of constraints. While creating ERD is obtained from relational database scheme from a number of database from environmental performances in Concentrating Division.

41 CFR 102-85.190 - Can GSA Rent be adjusted when standard levels of service are performed by other customer agencies?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... when standard levels of service are performed by other customer agencies? 102-85.190 Section 102-85.190... perform or contract for such services must be obtained in advance by the customer agency from the... of Service § 102-85.190 Can GSA Rent be adjusted when standard levels of service are performed by...

Predicting failing performance on a standardized patient clinical performance examination: the importance of communication and professionalism skills deficits.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Anna; Boscardin, Christy; Chou, Calvin L; Loeser, Helen; Hauer, Karen E

2009-10-01

The purpose is to determine which assessment measures identify medical students at risk of failing a clinical performance examination (CPX). Retrospective case-control, multiyear design, contingency table analysis, n = 149. We identified two predictors of CPX failure in patient-physician interaction skills: low clerkship ratings (odds ratio 1.79, P = .008) and student progress review for communication or professionalism concerns (odds ratio 2.64, P = .002). No assessments predicted CPX failure in clinical skills. Performance concerns in communication and professionalism identify students at risk of failing the patient-physician interaction portion of a CPX. This correlation suggests that both faculty and standardized patients can detect noncognitive traits predictive of failing performance. Early identification of these students may allow for development of a structured supplemental curriculum with increased opportunities for practice and feedback. The lack of predictors in the clinical skills portion suggests limited faculty observation or feedback.

Protocol of the COSMIN study: COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick DL

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Choosing an adequate measurement instrument depends on the proposed use of the instrument, the concept to be measured, the measurement properties (e.g. internal consistency, reproducibility, content and construct validity, responsiveness, and interpretability, the requirements, the burden for subjects, and costs of the available instruments. As far as measurement properties are concerned, there are no sufficiently specific standards for the evaluation of measurement properties of instruments to measure health status, and also no explicit criteria for what constitutes good measurement properties. In this paper we describe the protocol for the COSMIN study, the objective of which is to develop a checklist that contains COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments, including explicit criteria for satisfying these standards. We will focus on evaluative health related patient-reported outcomes (HR-PROs, i.e. patient-reported health measurement instruments used in a longitudinal design as an outcome measure, excluding health care related PROs, such as satisfaction with care or adherence. The COSMIN standards will be made available in the form of an easily applicable checklist. Method An international Delphi study will be performed to reach consensus on which and how measurement properties should be assessed, and on criteria for good measurement properties. Two sources of input will be used for the Delphi study: (1 a systematic review of properties, standards and criteria of measurement properties found in systematic reviews of measurement instruments, and (2 an additional literature search of methodological articles presenting a comprehensive checklist of standards and criteria. The Delphi study will consist of four (written Delphi rounds, with approximately 30 expert panel members with different backgrounds in clinical medicine, biostatistics, psychology, and epidemiology. The final checklist will

Towards product design automation based on parameterized standard model with diversiform knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Zhang, Xiaobing

2017-04-01

Product standardization based on CAD software is an effective way to improve design efficiency. In the past, research and development on standardization mainly focused on the level of component, and the standardization of the entire product as a whole is rarely taken into consideration. In this paper, the size and structure of 3D product models are both driven by the Excel datasheets, based on which a parameterized model library is therefore established. Diversiform knowledge including associated parameters and default properties are embedded into the templates in advance to simplify their reuse. Through the simple operation, we can obtain the correct product with the finished 3D models including single parts or complex assemblies. Two examples are illustrated later to invalid the idea, which will greatly improve the design efficiency.

Standards - the common element in providing the safety, quality and performance of the medical practice

Science.gov (United States)

Greabu, Mihai

2009-01-01

Knowing and applying standards is an opportunity of the years 2007-2008 in any kind of field where a successful activity is intended and this assures a certain way towards competence and quality. The most recent German studies highlighted, to the surprise of the specialists, that standardization holds the second place, after the material means, in the row of the elements considered to be decisive for the success of a business. The existence of standards and the concern for their implementation in the activity provides a high technical and quality level of the products services offered to the clients and the increase in the level of competence of the personnel, who will be able to cope with all the challenges. This need comes from the process of Romania’s accession to the European Union. There are a lot of reasons why standards represent a fundamental part of our daily life. Practically, we are surrounded by standards. Everything is „working” well and it is efficient if the standards used as a base for manufacturing „things” have been correctly developed and applied. Standards open communication channels and commercial channels, promote the understanding of technical products, the compatibility of products and services, facilitate mass production and, most importantly, they are the necessary base for the achievement of the objectives in the fields of health and safety and a better quality of life. The transition towards the global market needs an instrument for the removal of the barriers to the application of the latest discoveries in the field of medical instruments, materials and manual labor. Each medical device, equipment and material used in the Dental and General Medicine is standardized, in fact that leads to their better knowing and provides controllable treatment for manual labor with predictable and repeatable results. This presentation intends to make a survey of some general aspects on standardization as well as a review of the standards in

Competitive Debate as Competency-Based Learning: Civic Engagement and Next-Generation Assessment in the Era of the Common Core Learning Standards

Science.gov (United States)

McIntosh, Jonathan; Milam, Myra

2016-01-01

As the adoption and execution of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have steadily increased, the debate community is presented with an opportunity to be more forward thinking and sustainable through the translation to curriculum planning and next-generation assessment as a movement towards Performance-Based Assessments. This paper focuses on…

Virginia Standards of Learning (Grades 6 through 12) That Are Covered When Students Attend Live Performances of Shakespeare's Plays.

Science.gov (United States)

Brookshire, Cathy A.

This paper outlines Standards of Learning for grades 6-12 students in Virginia that are covered when they attend live performances of William Shakespeare's plays. The paper details separate standards for each grade in English, subdivided into standards which fulfill requirements in Oral Language, Reading/Literature, Writing, and Research, along…

Standards, intercomparisons and performance evaluations for low-level and environmental radionuclide mass spectrometry and atom counting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inn, K.G.W.; McCurdy, D.; Bell III, T.; Loesch, R.; Barss, N.M.; Morton, J.S.; Povinec, P.; Burns, K.; Henry, R.

2001-01-01

Because of the demand for higher sensitivity radionuclide measurements, atom counting technology will become an increasingly used modality in geo-and bio-studies, and process control operations. It is anticipated that requests, intercomparisons and performance evaluations services will surge in near future. In anticipation of such requests, the state-of-the-art needed to be assessed for proactive planning purposes. The results of a workshop focused on these issues indicated that there are several ongoing standards, intercomparisons and performance evaluations thrusts which are expected to expand in the future. Furthermore, new projects were planned and the Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (Public and Environmental Radiation Protection subcommittee) ws proposed as an information coordinator. (author)

Base Station Performance Model

OpenAIRE

Walsh, Barbara; Farrell, Ronan

2005-01-01

At present the testing of power amplifiers within base station transmitters is limited to testing at component level as opposed to testing at the system level. While the detection of catastrophic failure is possible, that of performance degradation is not. This paper proposes a base station model with respect to transmitter output power with the aim of introducing system level monitoring of the power amplifier behaviour within the base station. Our model reflects the expe...

Performance Evaluation of Qom Shahid Beheshti Hospital based on EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmoud Parham

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: performance evaluation is an important tool for measuring achievement of an organization’ quality objectives and performance excellence. Among the models of organizational excellence currently used to evaluate the quality of services in hospitals, European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM have been more welcoming in hospitals. This study was done with the aim of evaluating the performance of Qom shahid beheshti hospital based on EFQM excellence model and identification of strengths and areas in need of improvement.Methods: This study was conducted using cross-sectional method during summer 2011. The Tool for data gathering was a standard self-assessment questionnaire based on EFQM excellence model. The study population was staff managers of Qom shahid beheshti hospital, who were selected through census method. Data were collected in the form of nonuplet criteria of EFQM model, and analyzed by descriptive tests.Result: The scores that were obtained based on nonuplet criteria of EFQM were as follows: 48.4% for leadership, 44.9% for policy and strategy, 48.6% for employees, 49.5% for resources and contributions, 46.4% for processes, 42.1% for the results of customer, 38.6% for the results of employees, 44% for society results, and 42.4% for key performance results. The highest and lowest scores were related to resources and contributions and results of employees, respectively. Total scores of the hospital were 447 out of 1000.Conclusion: Considering that the assessment process of board of trustees hospitals is using EFQM evaluation model in addition to accreditation standards, therefore, in this research, the strengths and weaknesses were identified using this model and some recommendations were given to the hospital.

Research on Standard and Automatic Judgment of Press-fit Curve of Locomotive Wheel-set Based on AAR Standard

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Jun; Xiao, Jun; Gao, Dong Jun; Zong, Shu Yu; Li, Zhu

2018-03-01

In the production of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) locomotive wheel-set, the press-fit curve is the most important basis for the reliability of wheel-set assembly. In the past, Most of production enterprises mainly use artificial detection methods to determine the quality of assembly. There are cases of miscarriage of justice appear. For this reason, the research on the standard is carried out. And the automatic judgment of press-fit curve is analysed and designed, so as to provide guidance for the locomotive wheel-set production based on AAR standard.

A standard curve based method for relative real time PCR data processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krause Andreas

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Currently real time PCR is the most precise method by which to measure gene expression. The method generates a large amount of raw numerical data and processing may notably influence final results. The data processing is based either on standard curves or on PCR efficiency assessment. At the moment, the PCR efficiency approach is preferred in relative PCR whilst the standard curve is often used for absolute PCR. However, there are no barriers to employ standard curves for relative PCR. This article provides an implementation of the standard curve method and discusses its advantages and limitations in relative real time PCR. Results We designed a procedure for data processing in relative real time PCR. The procedure completely avoids PCR efficiency assessment, minimizes operator involvement and provides a statistical assessment of intra-assay variation. The procedure includes the following steps. (I Noise is filtered from raw fluorescence readings by smoothing, baseline subtraction and amplitude normalization. (II The optimal threshold is selected automatically from regression parameters of the standard curve. (III Crossing points (CPs are derived directly from coordinates of points where the threshold line crosses fluorescence plots obtained after the noise filtering. (IV The means and their variances are calculated for CPs in PCR replicas. (V The final results are derived from the CPs' means. The CPs' variances are traced to results by the law of error propagation. A detailed description and analysis of this data processing is provided. The limitations associated with the use of parametric statistical methods and amplitude normalization are specifically analyzed and found fit to the routine laboratory practice. Different options are discussed for aggregation of data obtained from multiple reference genes. Conclusion A standard curve based procedure for PCR data processing has been compiled and validated. It illustrates that

Wireless Sensor Network Congestion Control Based on Standard Particle Swarm Optimization and Single Neuron PID.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoping; Chen, Xueying; Xia, Riting; Qian, Zhihong

2018-04-19

Aiming at the problem of network congestion caused by the large number of data transmissions in wireless routing nodes of wireless sensor network (WSN), this paper puts forward an algorithm based on standard particle swarm⁻neural PID congestion control (PNPID). Firstly, PID control theory was applied to the queue management of wireless sensor nodes. Then, the self-learning and self-organizing ability of neurons was used to achieve online adjustment of weights to adjust the proportion, integral and differential parameters of the PID controller. Finally, the standard particle swarm optimization to neural PID (NPID) algorithm of initial values of proportion, integral and differential parameters and neuron learning rates were used for online optimization. This paper describes experiments and simulations which show that the PNPID algorithm effectively stabilized queue length near the expected value. At the same time, network performance, such as throughput and packet loss rate, was greatly improved, which alleviated network congestion and improved network QoS.

Wireless Sensor Network Congestion Control Based on Standard Particle Swarm Optimization and Single Neuron PID

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoping; Chen, Xueying; Xia, Riting; Qian, Zhihong

2018-01-01

Aiming at the problem of network congestion caused by the large number of data transmissions in wireless routing nodes of wireless sensor network (WSN), this paper puts forward an algorithm based on standard particle swarm–neural PID congestion control (PNPID). Firstly, PID control theory was applied to the queue management of wireless sensor nodes. Then, the self-learning and self-organizing ability of neurons was used to achieve online adjustment of weights to adjust the proportion, integral and differential parameters of the PID controller. Finally, the standard particle swarm optimization to neural PID (NPID) algorithm of initial values of proportion, integral and differential parameters and neuron learning rates were used for online optimization. This paper describes experiments and simulations which show that the PNPID algorithm effectively stabilized queue length near the expected value. At the same time, network performance, such as throughput and packet loss rate, was greatly improved, which alleviated network congestion and improved network QoS. PMID:29671822

Mindfulness-based and acceptance-based interventions in sport and performance contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Frank L; Moore, Zella E

2017-08-01

Since mindfulness-based and acceptance-based practice models were first conceptualized and applied in sport in an attempt to enhance performance and overall well-being of athletes and performers, these state-of-the-art theoretical and practice models have substantially broadened our knowledge base and have been successfully incorporated into sport and performance practice domains worldwide. Evolving from a sound empirical foundation, mindfulness-based and acceptance-based models in sport psychology have accumulated a strong basic and applied empirical foundation. In the nearly 20 years since their incorporation in the context of sport, empirical findings have demonstrated efficacious outcomes associated with performance and personal well-being, as well as supported their theorized mechanisms of change. Particularly as sport and performance environments increasingly call upon practitioners to provide more comprehensive care to clientele, including a range of care from performance enhancement and maintenance, to general personal well-being, to subclinical and clinical issues, mindfulness-based and acceptance-based practitioners have the tools to offer robust, empirically informed interventions that can enhance skills and quality of life, and/or ameliorate personal struggles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological standards for the Knowledge-Based BioEconomy: What is at stake.

Science.gov (United States)

de Lorenzo, Víctor; Schmidt, Markus

2018-01-25

The contribution of life sciences to the Knowledge-Based Bioeconomy (KBBE) asks for the transition of contemporary, gene-based biotechnology from being a trial-and-error endeavour to becoming an authentic branch of engineering. One requisite to this end is the need for standards to measure and represent accurately biological functions, along with languages for data description and exchange. However, the inherent complexity of biological systems and the lack of quantitative tradition in the field have largely curbed this enterprise. Fortunately, the onset of systems and synthetic biology has emphasized the need for standards not only to manage omics data, but also to increase reproducibility and provide the means of engineering living systems in earnest. Some domains of biotechnology can be easily standardized (e.g. physical composition of DNA sequences, tools for genome editing, languages to encode workflows), while others might be standardized with some dedicated research (e.g. biological metrology, operative systems for bio-programming cells) and finally others will require a considerable effort, e.g. defining the rules that allow functional composition of biological activities. Despite difficulties, these are worthy attempts, as the history of technology shows that those who set/adopt standards gain a competitive advantage over those who do not. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 46668 - Business Conduct Standards for Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-03

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 17 CFR Part 240 [Release No. 34-64766; File No. S7-25-11] RIN 3235-AL10 Business Conduct Standards for Security-Based Swap Dealers and Major Security-Based Swap Participants Correction In proposed rule document number 2011-16758, appearing on pages 42396-42455 in the...

Fabricating defensible reference standards for the NDA lab

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ceo, R.N.; May, P.K. [Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, TN (United States)

1997-11-01

Nondestructive analysis (NDA) is performed at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant in support of the enriched uranium operations. Process materials are analyzed using gamma ray- and neutron-based instruments including segmented gamma scanners, solution assay systems, and an active well coincidence counter. Process wastes are also discarded based on results of these measurements. Good analytical practice, as well as applicable regulations, mandates that these analytical methods be calibrated using reference materials traceable to the national standards base. Reference standards for NDA instruments are not commercially available owing to the large quantities of special nuclear materials involved. Instead, representative materials are selected from each process stream, then thoroughly characterized by methods that are traceable to the national standards base. This paper discusses the process materials to be analyzed, reference materials selected for calibrating each NDA instrument, and details of their characterization and fabrication into working calibrations standards. Example calibration curves are also presented. 4 figs.

Fabricating defensible reference standards for the NDA lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceo, R.N.; May, P.K.

1997-01-01

Nondestructive analysis (NDA) is performed at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant in support of the enriched uranium operations. Process materials are analyzed using gamma ray- and neutron-based instruments including segmented gamma scanners, solution assay systems, and an active well coincidence counter. Process wastes are also discarded based on results of these measurements. Good analytical practice, as well as applicable regulations, mandates that these analytical methods be calibrated using reference materials traceable to the national standards base. Reference standards for NDA instruments are not commercially available owing to the large quantities of special nuclear materials involved. Instead, representative materials are selected from each process stream, then thoroughly characterized by methods that are traceable to the national standards base. This paper discusses the process materials to be analyzed, reference materials selected for calibrating each NDA instrument, and details of their characterization and fabrication into working calibrations standards. Example calibration curves are also presented. 4 figs

Building Standards based Science Information Systems: A Survey of ISO and other standards

Science.gov (United States)

King, Todd; Walker, Raymond