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Sample records for receiver evaluation method

  1. Calibration method for direct conversion receiver front-ends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Müller

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Technology induced process tolerances in analog circuits cause device characteristics different from specification. For direct conversion receiver front-ends a system level calibration method is presented. The malfunctions of the devices are compensated by tuning dominant circuit parameters. Thereto optimization techniques are applied which use measurement values and special evaluation functions.

  2. Evaluating methods to improve safeguards training courses of ISCN

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okumura, Yukiko; Nakamura, Yo; Kawata, Norio

    2014-01-01

    Although questionnaires were used to receive feedbacks from participants at the end of each training course, Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) did not establish a structured evaluation method. To this end, ISCN has started to study on methods to accurately evaluate the courses since April and started to introduce the evaluation method on trial, according to the Donald Kirkpatrick's Four-Level Training Evaluation Model, so as to better develop and conduct more effective courses. This paper will focus on how ISCN has modified the Kirkpatrick's Four-level to adapt to its safeguards training courses. This will then be followed by two particular cases of how the evaluation method functioned for the Additional Protocol training courses held in Malaysia in 2014, and the feedbacks received to improve future training courses. (author)

  3. Statistical Evaluation of the Azimuth and Elevation Angles Seen at the Output of the Receiving Antenna

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziolkowski, Cezary; Kelner, Jan M.

    2018-04-01

    A method to evaluate the statistical properties of the reception angle seen at the input receiver that considers the receiving antenna pattern is presented. In particular, the impact of the direction and beamwidth of the antenna pattern on distribution of the reception angle is shown on the basis of 3D simulation studies. The obtained results show significant differences between distributions of angle of arrival and angle of reception. This means that the presented new method allows assessing the impact of the receiving antenna pattern on the correlation and spectral characteristics at the receiver input in simulation studies of wireless channel. The use of this method also provides an opportunity for analysis of a co-existence between small cells and wireless backhaul, what is currently a significant problem in designing 5G networks.

  4. Double-transmitting and Sextuple-receiving Borehole Transient Electromagnetic Method and Experimental Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Wang

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available With the continuous improvement of precision requirements for borehole geophysical exploration, the application of transient electromagnetic method (from now on referred to as TEM in a borehole has become a hot spot. The conventional borehole TEM can only determine the longitudinal depth of the geological anomaly, the radial azimuth and depth cannot be resolved. A double-transmitting and sextuple-receiving borehole TEM is proposed, through which the radial anomaly is excited by the electromagnetic field generated by the double-emitting loops, and the azimuth and depth of the anomaly will be identified by the difference characteristics of the six receiving loops signals. In this paper, the response equations of the transmitting-receiving mode of double-transmitting and sextuple-receiving borehole TEM are deduced, and the response characteristics of the induction segment and the attenuation segment of the receiving loops are obtained based on the response equations under ramp function turn-off condition, providing the basis for theoretical analysis. Due to the negative value of the double-transmitting and sextuple-receiving transient electromagnetic response signals, a negative transformation algorithm under the double logarithmic coordinate system is proposed to provide the essential method for the analysis of two kinds of physical simulation experimental data of the radial azimuth and radial depth detection of the anomaly. The results show that the double-transmitting and sextuple-receiving borehole TEM has decent resolution ability in detecting the radial azimuth of the anomaly, and the effective resolution is 30°. The geometric difference among induced voltages of different measuring points can be used to evaluate the radial depth of the anomaly qualitatively. It is expected that the double-transmitting and sextuple-receiving borehole TEM can provide technical guidance for little borehole geophysical exploration in the fields of oil, natural

  5. Performance Evaluation of Irbene RT-16 Radio Telescope Receiving System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bleiders M.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper, recent measurement results of refurbished Irbene RT-16 radio telescope receiving system performance are presented. The aim of the research is to evaluate characteristics of RT-16, which will allow carrying out necessary amplitude calibration in both single dish and VLBI observations, to improve the performance of existing system as well as to monitor, control and compare performance if possible changes in the receiving system will occur in future. The evaluated receiving system is 16 m Cassegrain antenna equipped with a cryogenic receiver with frequency range from 4.5 to 8.8 GHz, which is divided into four sub-bands. Multiple calibration sessions have been carried out by observing stable astronomical sources with known flux density by using in-house made total power registration backend. First, pointing offset calibration has been carried out and pointing model coefficients calculated and applied. Then, amplitude calibration, namely antenna sensitivity, calibration diode equivalent flux density and gain curve measurements have been carried out by observing calibration sources at different antenna elevations at each of the receiver sub-bands. Beam patterns have also been evaluated at different frequency bands. As a whole, acquired data will serve as a reference point for comparison in future performance evaluation of RT-16.

  6. Receiver-operating characteristic curves and likelihood ratios: improvements over traditional methods for the evaluation and application of veterinary clinical pathology tests

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gardner, Ian A.; Greiner, Matthias

    2006-01-01

    Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves provide a cutoff-independent method for the evaluation of continuous or ordinal tests used in clinical pathology laboratories. The area under the curve is a useful overall measure of test accuracy and can be used to compare different tests (or...... different equipment) used by the same tester, as well as the accuracy of different diagnosticians that use the same test material. To date, ROC analysis has not been widely used in veterinary clinical pathology studies, although it should be considered a useful complement to estimates of sensitivity...... and specificity in test evaluation studies. In addition, calculation of likelihood ratios can potentially improve the clinical utility of such studies because likelihood ratios provide an indication of how the post-test probability changes as a function of the magnitude of the test results. For ordinal test...

  7. Performance evaluation of GPS receiver under equatorial scintillation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison de Oliveira Moraes

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Equatorial scintillation is a phenomenon that occurs daily in the equatorial region after the sunset and affects radio signals that propagate through the ionosphere. Depending on the temporal and spatial situation, equatorial scintillation can represent a problem in the availability and precision of the Global Positioning System (GPS. This work is concerned with evaluating the impact of equatorial scintillation on the performance of GPS receivers. First, the morphology and statistical model of equatorial scintillation is briefly presented. A numerical model that generates synthetic scintillation data to simulate the effects of equatorial scintillation is presented. An overview of the main theoretical principles on GPS receivers is presented. The analytical models that describe the effects of scintillation at receiver level are presented and compared with numerical simulations using a radio software receiver and synthetic data. The results achieved by simulation agreed quite well with those predicted by the analytical models. The only exception is for links with extreme levels of scintillation and when weak signals are received.

  8. Evaluation of RTKLIB's Positioning Accuracy Using low-cost GNSS Receiver and ASG-EUPOS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bartosz Wisniewski

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper focuses on a comparison of different positioning methods provided by free and open source software (FOSS package called RTKLIB. The RTKLIB supports real-time and post-processed positioning. The most important modes of operation tested by the authors are Kinematic, Static, Fixed and Precise Point Positioning (PPP. The data for evaluation were obtained from low-cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS receiver. The tested receiver was based on the u-blox's LEA-6T GNSS module. This receiver provides different types of information including raw carrier phase measurements. It gives the possibility for centimeter-level precision of positioning. As the supporting source of data ASG-EUPOS system was used. ASG-EUPOS is a Polish network of GNSS reference stations providing the real-time corrections and post processing services for the entire territory of Poland.

  9. Evaluation of Therapy Management and Patient Compliance in Postmenopausal Patients with Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer Receiving Letrozole Treatment: The EvaluateTM Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fasching, P. A.; Fehm, T.; Kellner, S.; de Waal, J.; Rezai, M.; Baier, B.; Baake, G.; Kolberg, H.-C.; Guggenberger, M.; Warm, M.; Harbeck, N.; Würstlein, R.; Deuker, J.-U.; Dall, P.; Richter, B.; Wachsmann, G.; Brucker, C.; Siebers, J. W.; Fersis, N.; Kuhn, T.; Wolf, C.; Vollert, H.-W.; Breitbach, G.-P.; Janni, W.; Landthaler, R.; Kohls, A.; Rezek, D.; Noesslet, T.; Fischer, G.; Henschen, S.; Praetz, T.; Heyl, V.; Kühn, T.; Krauß, T.; Thomssen, C.; Kümmel, S.; Hohn, A.; Tesch, H.; Mundhenke, C.; Hein, A.; Rauh, C.; Bayer, C. M.; Jacob, A.; Schmidt, K.; Belleville, E.; Hadji, P.; Wallwiener, D.; Grischke, E.-M.; Beckmann, M. W.; Brucker, S. Y.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: The EvaluateTM study (Evaluation of therapy management and patient compliance in postmenopausal hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients receiving letrozole treatment) is a prospective, non-interventional study for the assessment of therapy management and compliance in the routine care of postmenopausal women with invasive hormone receptor-positive breast cancer receiving letrozole. The parameters for inclusion in the study are presented and discussed here. Material and Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2009 a total of 5045 patients in 310 study centers were recruited to the EvaluateTM study. Inclusion criteria were hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and adjuvant treatment or metastasis. 373 patients were excluded from the analysis for various reasons. Results: A total of 4420 patients receiving adjuvant treatment and 252 patients with metastasis receiving palliative treatment were included in the study. For 4181 patients receiving adjuvant treatment, treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole commenced immediately after surgery (upfront). Two hundred patients had initially received tamoxifen and started aromatase inhibitor treatment with letrozole at 1–5 years after diagnosis (switch), und 39 patients only commenced letrozole treatment 5–10 years after diagnosis (extended endocrine therapy). Patient and tumor characteristics were within expected ranges, as were comorbidities and concurrent medication. Conclusion: The data from the EvaluateTM study will offer a good overview of therapy management in the routine care of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Planned analyses will look at therapy compliance and patient satisfaction with how information is conveyed and the contents of the conveyed information. PMID:25568468

  10. Performance and Complexity Evaluation of Iterative Receiver for Coded MIMO-OFDM Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rida El Chall

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO technology in combination with channel coding technique is a promising solution for reliable high data rate transmission in future wireless communication systems. However, these technologies pose significant challenges for the design of an iterative receiver. In this paper, an efficient receiver combining soft-input soft-output (SISO detection based on low-complexity K-Best (LC-K-Best decoder with various forward error correction codes, namely, LTE turbo decoder and LDPC decoder, is investigated. We first investigate the convergence behaviors of the iterative MIMO receivers to determine the required inner and outer iterations. Consequently, the performance of LC-K-Best based receiver is evaluated in various LTE channel environments and compared with other MIMO detection schemes. Moreover, the computational complexity of the iterative receiver with different channel coding techniques is evaluated and compared with different modulation orders and coding rates. Simulation results show that LC-K-Best based receiver achieves satisfactory performance-complexity trade-offs.

  11. Selection of the signal synchronization method in software GPS receivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlada S. Sokolović

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction This paper presents a critical analysis of the signal processing flow carried out in a software GPS receiver and a critical comparison of different architectures for signal processing within the GPS receiver. A model of software receivers is shown. Based on the displayed model, a receiver has been realized in the MATLAB software package, in which the simulations of signal processing were carried out. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of different methods of the synchronization of signals in the receiver, and to propose a solution acceptable for possible implementation. The signal processing flow was observed from the input circuit to the extraction of the bits of the navigation message. The entire signal processing was performed on the L1 signal and the data collected by the input circuit SE4110. A radio signal from the satellite was accepted with the input circuit, filtered and translated into a digital form. The input circuit ends with the hardware of the receiver. A digital signal from the input circuit is brought into the PC Pentium 4 (AMD 3000 + where the receiver is realized in Matlab. Model of software GPS receiver The first level of processing is signal acquisition. Signal acquisition was realized using the cyclic convolution. The acquisition process was carried out by measuring signals from satellites, and these parameters are passed to the next level of processing. The next level was done by monitoring the synchronization signal and extracting the navigation message bits. On the basis of the detection of the navigation message the receiver calculates the position of a satellite and then, based on the position of the satellite, its own position. Tracking of GPS signal synchronization In order to select the most acceptable method of signal synchronization in the receiver, different methods of signal synchronization are compared. The early-late-DLL (Delay Lock Loop, TDL (Tau Dither Loop

  12. Assessment of refinery effluents and receiving waters using biologically-based effect methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    Within the EU it is apparent that the regulatory focus on the use of biologically-based effects methods in the assessment of refinery effluents and receiving waters has increased in the past decade. This has been reflected in a recent refinery survey which revealed an increased use of such methods for assessing the quality of refinery effluents and their receiving waters. This report provides an overview of recent techniques used for this purpose. Several case studies provided by CONCAWE member companies describe the application of biological methods to effluent discharge assessment and surface water monitoring. The case studies show that when biological methods are applied to refinery effluents and receiving waters they raise different questions compared with those obtained using physical and chemical methods. Although direct measurement of the toxicity of effluent and receiving to aquatic organisms is the most cited technique, more recent efforts include tests that also address the persistence of effluent toxicity once discharged into the receiving water. Similarly, ecological monitoring of receiving waters can identify effects of effluent inputs arising from species interactions and other secondary effects that would not always be apparent from the results of biological tests conducted on single aquatic organisms. In light of recent and proposed regulatory developments the objectives of this report are therefore to: Discuss the application of biologically-based effects methods (including ecological monitoring) to refinery discharges and receiving waters; Assess the implications of such methods for future regulation of refinery discharges; and Provide guidance on good practice that can be used by refineries and the downstream oil industry to carry out and interpret data obtained using biologically-based effects methods. While the emphasis is on the toxic effects of effluents, other properties will also be covered because of their interdependency in determining

  13. Assessment of refinery effluents and receiving waters using biologically-based effect methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-01-15

    Within the EU it is apparent that the regulatory focus on the use of biologically-based effects methods in the assessment of refinery effluents and receiving waters has increased in the past decade. This has been reflected in a recent refinery survey which revealed an increased use of such methods for assessing the quality of refinery effluents and their receiving waters. This report provides an overview of recent techniques used for this purpose. Several case studies provided by CONCAWE member companies describe the application of biological methods to effluent discharge assessment and surface water monitoring. The case studies show that when biological methods are applied to refinery effluents and receiving waters they raise different questions compared with those obtained using physical and chemical methods. Although direct measurement of the toxicity of effluent and receiving to aquatic organisms is the most cited technique, more recent efforts include tests that also address the persistence of effluent toxicity once discharged into the receiving water. Similarly, ecological monitoring of receiving waters can identify effects of effluent inputs arising from species interactions and other secondary effects that would not always be apparent from the results of biological tests conducted on single aquatic organisms. In light of recent and proposed regulatory developments the objectives of this report are therefore to: Discuss the application of biologically-based effects methods (including ecological monitoring) to refinery discharges and receiving waters; Assess the implications of such methods for future regulation of refinery discharges; and Provide guidance on good practice that can be used by refineries and the downstream oil industry to carry out and interpret data obtained using biologically-based effects methods. While the emphasis is on the toxic effects of effluents, other properties will also be covered because of their interdependency in determining

  14. Blind method of clustering for the evaluation of the dose received by personnel in two methods of administration of radiopharmaceuticals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    VerdeVelasco, J. M.; Gonzalez Gonzalez, M.; Montes Fuentes, C.; Verde Velasco, J.; Gonzalez Blanco, F. J.; Ramos Pacho, J. A.

    2013-01-01

    The difficulty for the injection of drugs marked with radioactive isotopes while syringe is located within the lead protector does that in many cases staff do it chooses to use the syringe outside the lead protector, increasing therefore the dose of radiation received. In our service raises the possibility of using a different methodology, channeling a pathway through a catheter, which allows administer, in all cases, with the syringe within the lead guard. We will check if significant differences can be seen both in the dose absorbed by the staff as in the time it takes to perform the administration of the drug using the method proposed compared injection without guard. (Author)

  15. Reclaiming Joy: Pilot Evaluation of a Mental Health Peer Support Program for Older Adults Who Receive Medicaid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapin, Rosemary K.; Sergeant, Julie F.; Landry, Sarah; Leedahl, Skye N.; Rachlin, Roxanne; Koenig, Terry; Graham, Annette

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Stigma and lack of access to providers create barriers to mental health treatment for older adults living in the community. In order to address these barriers, we developed and evaluated a peer support intervention for older adults receiving Medicaid services. Design and Methods: Reclaiming Joy is a mental health intervention that pairs…

  16. An evaluation of the whole effluent toxicity test method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osteen, D.V.

    1999-01-01

    Whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing has become increasingly more important to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the States in the permitting of wastewater discharges from industry and municipalities. The primary purpose of the WET test is to protect aquatic life by predicting the effect of an effluent on the receiving stream. However, there are both scientific and regulatory concerns that using WET tests to regulate industrial effluents may result in either false positives and/or false negatives. In order to realistically predict the effect of an effluent on the receiving stream, the test should be as representative as possible of the conditions in the receiving stream. Studies (Rand and Petrocelli 1985) suggested several criteria for an ideal aquatic toxicity test organism, one of which is that the organism be indigenous to, or representative of, the ecosystem receiving the effluent. The other component needed in the development of a predictive test is the use of the receiving stream water or similar synthetic water as the control and dilution water in the test method. Use of an indigenous species and receiving water in the test should help reduce the variability in the method and allow the test to predict the effect of the effluent on the receiving stream. The experience with toxicity testing at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has yielded inconclusive data because of the inconsistency and unreliability of the results. The SRS contention is that the WET method in its present form does not adequately mimic actual biological/chemical conditions of the receiving streams and is neither reasonable nor accurate. This paper discusses the rationale for such a position by SRS on toxicity testing in terms of historical permitting requirements, outfall effluent test results, standard test method evaluation, scientific review of alternate test species, and concerns over the test method expressed by other organizations. This paper presents the Savannah River Site

  17. Tell me the gossip: the self-evaluative function of receiving gossip about others.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinescu, Elena; Janssen, Onne; Nijstad, Bernard A

    2014-12-01

    We investigate the self-evaluative function of competence-related gossip for individuals who receive it. Using the Self-Concept Enhancing Tactician (SCENT) model, we propose that individuals use evaluative information about others (i.e., gossip) to improve, promote, and protect themselves. Results of a critical incident study and an experimental study showed that positive gossip had higher self-improvement value than negative gossip, whereas negative gossip had higher self-promotion value and raised higher self-protection concerns than positive gossip. Self-promotion mediated the relationship between gossip valence and pride, while self-protection mediated the relationship between gossip valence and fear, although the latter mediated relationship emerged for receivers with mastery goals rather than performance goals. These results suggest that gossip serves self-evaluative functions for gossip receivers and triggers self-conscious emotions. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  18. Evaluation of the use of low-cost GPS receivers in the autonomous guidance of agricultural tractors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alonso-Garcia, S.; Gomez-Gil, J.; Arribas, J. I.

    2011-07-01

    This paper evaluates the use of low-cost global positioning system (GPS) receivers in the autonomous guidance of agricultural tractors. An autonomous guidance system was installed in a 6400 John Deere agricultural tractor. A low cost GPS receiver was used as positioning sensor. Three different control laws were implemented in order to evaluate the autonomous guidance of the tractor with the low-cost receiver. The guidance was experimentally tested with the tracking of straight trajectories and with the step response. The total guidance error was obtained from the receiver accuracy and from the guidance error. For the evaluation of the receivers accuracy, positioning data from several low cost receivers were recorded and analyzed. For the evaluation of the guidance error, tests were performed with each control law at three different speeds. The conclusions obtained were that relative accuracy of low-cost receivers decreases with the time; that for an interval lower than 15 min, the error usually remains below 1 m; that all the control laws have a similar behavior and it is conditioned by the control law adjustment; that automatic guidance with low cost receivers is possible with speeds that went up to 9 km h{sup -}1; and finally, that the total error in the guidance is mainly determined by the receivers accuracy. (Author) 46 refs.

  19. INTEGRATED SENSOR EVALUATION CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAID CIRCUIT

    OpenAIRE

    Krüger, Jens; Gausa, Dominik

    2015-01-01

    WO15090426A1 Sensor evaluation device and method for operating said device Integrated sensor evaluation circuit for evaluating a sensor signal (14) received from a sensor (12), having a first connection (28a) for connection to the sensor and a second connection (28b) for connection to the sensor. The integrated sensor evaluation circuit comprises a configuration data memory (16) for storing configuration data which describe signal properties of a plurality of sensor control signals (26a-c). T...

  20. Evaluation of the neutron dose received by personnel at the LLNL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hankins, D.E.

    1982-01-01

    This report was prepared to document the techniques being used to evaluate the neutron exposures received by personnel at the LLNL. Two types of evaluations are discussed covering the use of the routine personnel dosimeter and of the albedo neutron dosimeter. Included in the report are field survey results which were used to determine the calibration factors being applied to the dosimeter readings. Calibration procedures are discussed and recommendations are made on calibration and evaluation procedures

  1. Thermal Performance Evaluation of the 200 kWth Sol Air Volumetric Solar Receiver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tellez Sufrategui, F. M.

    2003-01-01

    The goal of the Solair project is the design and test of a fully modular, high efficient and durable open volumetric high-flux receiver, which can be easily and safely operated at mean air outlet temperatures of up to 800 degree centigree. The project was thought in two phases, in the first one an advanced 200 kW HitRec receiver called Solair 200 was designed and tested. The Solair 200 was built like one single receiver module (subassembly), to test the thermal performance of the receiver as well as the receiver module behavior. Out of a set of these receiver modules have been developed to assemble the 3 MW t h receiver in the second phase of the project. This report describes the used procedure or methodology for data processing for thermal performance evaluation purposes and the data processing results for the first phase of the project. Test campaign started in March 2002 and produced fifty data sheets (each corresponding to a test day) and ended in February 2003. During the test phase three absorber material types (or configurations) have been tested during the test campaign. The data processing and evaluation results show that performance goals for the receiver have been fluffy accomplished: Temperatures of more than 800 degree centigree were achieved for the first two configurations in five test days. For the two absorber configurations for which incident solar power was measured the estimated efficiency at 700 degree centigree was 81 (±6)% for configuration 1 and 83 (±6) % for configuration 2 of the absorber. (Author) 20 refs

  2. Thermal Performance Evaluation of the 200kWth SolAir Volumetric Solar Receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tellez Sufrategui, F. M.

    2003-07-01

    The goal of the Solair project the design and test of a fully modular, high efficient and durable open volumetric high-flux receiver, which can be easily and safety operated at mean air outlet temperatures of up to 800 degree centigree. The project was thought in two phases, in the first one an advanced 200 kW Hitrec receiver called Solair 200 was designed and tested. The Solair 200 was built like one single receiver module (subassembly), to test the thermal performance of the receiver as well as the receiver module behavior. Out of a set of these receiver modules have been developed to assemble the 3 MWth receiver in the second phase of the project. This report describes the used procedure or methodology for data processing for thermal performance evaluation purposes and the data processing results for the first phase of the project. Test campaign started in March 2002 and produced fifty data sheets (each corresponding to a test day) and ended in February 2003. During the test phase three absorber material types (or configurations) have been tested during the test campaign. The data processing and evaluation results show that performance goals for the receiver have been fully accomplished. Temperatures of more than 800 degree centigree were achieved for the first two configurations in five test days. For the two absorber configurations for which incident solar power was measured the estimated efficiency at 700 degree centigree was 81 ({+-}6)% for configuration 1 and 83({+-}6)% for configuration 2 of the absorber. (Author). 20 refs.

  3. Methods for evaluation of industry training programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morisseau, D.S.; Roe, M.L.; Persensky, J.J.

    1987-01-01

    The NRC Policy Statement on Training and Qualification endorses the INPO-managed Training Accreditation Program in that it encompasses the elements of effective performance-based training. Those elements are: analysis of the job, performance-based learning objectives, training design and implementation, trainee evaluation, and program evaluation. As part of the NRC independent evaluation of utilities implementation of training improvement programs, the staff developed training review criteria and procedures that address all five elements of effective performance-based training. The staff uses these criteria to perform reviews of utility training programs that have already received accreditation. Although no performance-based training program can be said to be complete unless all five elements are in place, the last two, trainee and program evaluation, are perhaps the most important because they determine how well the first three elements have been implemented and ensure the dynamic nature of training. This paper discusses the evaluation elements of the NRC training review criteria. The discussion will detail the elements of evaluation methods and techniques that the staff expects to find as integral parts of performance-based training programs at accredited utilities. Further, the review of the effectiveness of implementation of the evaluation methods is discussed. The paper also addresses some of the qualitative differences between what is minimally acceptable and what is most desirable with respect to trainee and program evaluation mechanisms and their implementation

  4. A Fast Adaptive Receive Antenna Selection Method in MIMO System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaowei Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Antenna selection has been regarded as an effective method to acquire the diversity benefits of multiple antennas while potentially reduce hardware costs. This paper focuses on receive antenna selection. According to the proportion between the numbers of total receive antennas and selected antennas and the influence of each antenna on system capacity, we propose a fast adaptive antenna selection algorithm for wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO systems. Mathematical analysis and numerical results show that our algorithm significantly reduces the computational complexity and memory requirement and achieves considerable system capacity gain compared with the optimal selection technique in the same time.

  5. Global Positioning System receiver evaluation results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Byrne, R.H.

    1993-09-01

    A Sandia project currently uses an outdated Magnavox 6400 Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver as the core of its navigation system. The goal of this study was to analyze the performance of the current GPS receiver compared to newer, less expensive models and to make recommendations on how to improve the performance of the overall navigation system. This paper discusses the test methodology used to experimentally analyze the performance of different GPS receivers, the test results, and recommendations on how an upgrade should proceed. Appendices contain detailed information regarding the raw data, test hardware, and test software.

  6. Flight Performance Evaluation of Three GPS Receivers for Sounding Rocket Tracking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bull, Barton; Diehl, James; Montenbruck, Oliver; Markgraf, Markus; Bauer, Frank (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    In preparation for the European Space Agency Maxus-4 mission, a sounding rocket test flight was carried out at Esrange, near Kiruna, Sweden on February 19, 2001 to validate existing ground facilities and range safety installations. Due to the absence of a dedicated scientific payload, the flight offered the opportunity to test multiple GPS receivers and assess their performance for the tracking of sounding rockets. The receivers included an Ashtech G12 HDMA receiver, a BAE (Canadian Marconi) Allstar receiver and a Mitel Orion receiver. All of them provide C/A code tracking on the L1 frequency to determine the user position and make use of Doppler measurements to derive the instantaneous velocity. Among the receivers, the G12 has been optimized for use under highly dynamic conditions and has earlier been flown successfully on NASA sounding rockets. The Allstar is representative of common single frequency receivers for terrestrial applications and received no particular modification, except for the disabling of the common altitude and velocity constraints that would otherwise inhibit its use for space application. The Orion receiver, finally, employs the same Mitel chipset as the Allstar, but has received various firmware modifications by DLR to safeguard it against signal losses and improve its tracking performance. While the two NASA receivers were driven by a common wrap-around antenna, the DLR experiment made use of a switchable antenna system comprising a helical antenna in the tip of the rocket and two blade antennas attached to the body of the vehicle. During the boost a peak acceleration of roughly l7g's was achieved which resulted in a velocity of about 1100 m/s at the end of the burn. At apogee, the rocket reached an altitude of over 80 km. A detailed analysis of the attained flight data is given together with a evaluation of different receiver designs and antenna concepts.

  7. Tell Me the Gossip : The Self-Evaluative Function of Receiving Gossip About Others

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martinescu, Elena; Janssen, Onne; Nijstad, Bernard A.

    2014-01-01

    We investigate the self-evaluative function of competence-related gossip for individuals who receive it. Using the Self-Concept Enhancing Tactician (SCENT) model, we propose that individuals use evaluative information about others (i.e., gossip) to improve, promote, and protect themselves. Results

  8. Distributed Iterative Processing for Interference Channels with Receiver Cooperation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Badiu, Mihai Alin; Manchón, Carles Navarro; Bota, Vasile

    2012-01-01

    We propose a method for the design and evaluation of distributed iterative algorithms for receiver cooperation in interference-limited wireless systems. Our approach views the processing within and collaboration between receivers as the solution to an inference problem in the probabilistic model...

  9. Spread Spectrum Receiver Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Test Guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, M. L.

    1998-01-01

    The objective of this test guide is to document appropriate unit level test methods and techniques for the performance of EMI testing of Direct Sequence (DS) spread spectrum receivers. Consideration of EMI test methods tailored for spread spectrum receivers utilizing frequency spreading, techniques other than direct sequence (such as frequency hopping, frequency chirping, and various hybrid methods) is beyond the scope of this test guide development program and is not addressed as part of this document EMI test requirements for NASA programs are primarily developed based on the requirements contained in MIL-STD-46 1 D (or earlier revisions of MIL-STD-46 1). The corresponding test method guidelines for the MIL-STD-461 D tests are provided in MIL-STD-462D. These test methods are well documented with the exception of the receiver antenna port susceptibility tests (intermodulation, cross modulation, and rejection of undesired signals) which must be tailored to the specific type of receiver that is being tested. Thus, test methods addressed in this guide consist only of antenna port tests designed to evaluate receiver susceptibility characteristics. MIL-STD-462D should be referred for guidance pertaining to test methods for EMI tests other than the antenna port tests. The scope of this test guide includes: (1) a discussion of generic DS receiver performance characteristics; (2) a summary of S-band TDRSS receiver operation; (3) a discussion of DS receiver EMI susceptibility mechanisms and characteristics; (4) a summary of military standard test guidelines; (5) recommended test approach and methods; and (6) general conclusions and recommendations for future studies in the area of spread spectrum receiver testing.

  10. Evaluating changes in stable chromosomal translocation frequency in patients receiving radioimmunotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Jeffrey Y.C.; Wang Jianyi; Liu An; Odom-Maryon, Tamara; Shively, John E.; Raubitschek, Andrew A.; Williams, Lawrence E.

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: The lack of any consistent correlation between radioimmunotherapy (RIT) dose and observed hematologic toxicity has made it difficult to validate RIT radiation dose estimates to marrow. Stable chromosomal translocations (SCT) which result after radiation exposure may be a biologic parameter that more closely correlates with RIT radiation dose. Increases in the frequency of SCT are observed after radiation exposure and are highly correlated with absorbed radiation dose. SCT are cumulative after multiple radiation doses and conserved through an extended number of cell divisions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether increases in SCT frequency were detectable in peripheral lymphocytes after RIT and whether the magnitude of these increases correlated with estimated radiation dose to marrow and whole body. Methods and Materials: Patients entered in a Phase I dose escalation therapy trial each received 1-3 intravenous cycles of the radiolabeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monoclonal antibody, 90 Y-chimeric T84.66. Five mCi of 111 In-chimeric T84.66 was co-administered for imaging and biodistribution purposes. Blood samples were collected immediately prior to the start of therapy and 5-6 weeks after each therapy cycle. Peripheral lymphocytes were harvested after 72 hours of phytohemagglutinin stimulation and metaphase spreads prepared. Spreads were then stained by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using commercially available chromosome paint probes to chromosomes 3 and 4. Approximately 1000 spreads were evaluated for each chromosome sample. Red marrow radiation doses were estimated using the AAPM algorithm and blood clearance curves. Results: Eighteen patients were studied, each receiving at least one cycle of therapy ranging from 5-22 mCi/m 2 . Three patients received 2 cycles and two patients received 3 cycles of therapy. Cumulative estimated marrow doses ranged from 9.2 to 310 cGy. Increases in SCT frequencies were observed after

  11. Method of public support evaluation for advanced NPP deployment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zezula, L.; Hermansky, B.

    2005-01-01

    Public support of nuclear power could be fully recovered only if the public would, from the very beginning of the new power source selection process, receive transparent information and was made a part of interactive dialogue. The presented method was developed with the objective to facilitate the complex process of the utilities - public interaction. Our method of the public support evaluation allows to classify designs of new nuclear power plants taking into consideration the public attitude to continued nuclear power deployment in the Czech Republic as well as the preference of a certain plant design. The method is based on the model with a set of probabilistic input metrics, which permits to compare the offered concepts with the reference one, with a high degree of objectivity. This method is a part of the more complex evaluation procedure applicable for the new designs assessment that uses the computer code ''Potencial'' developed at the NRI Rez plc. The metrics of the established public support criteria are discussed. (author)

  12. Comparative Evaluation of Serotonin Toxicity among Veterans Affairs Patients Receiving Linezolid and Vancomycin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, N.; Rivera, A.; Tristani, L.; Lazariu, V.; Vandewall, H.; McNutt, L. A.

    2013-01-01

    Despite the theoretical risk of serotonin toxicity (ST) with linezolid, “real-world” clinical evaluations of the risk of ST in patients receiving linezolid have been limited to case reports and noncomparator studies. An observational, matched-cohort study was conducted to evaluate the risk of ST among hospitalized patients who received linezolid or vancomycin at the Upstate New York Veterans Affairs Healthcare Network (Veterans Integrated Service Network 2 [VISN-2]). Matching criteria included VISN-2 hospital, hospital ward, prior hospital length of stay, age, and baseline platelet counts. The patients' electronic medical records were evaluated for symptoms consistent with ST and the Hunter serotonin toxicity criteria (HSTC) using an intensive, natural word search algorithm. The study included 251 matched pairs. Demographics and comorbidities were similar between groups. Over half of the study population received at least one concurrent medication with serotonergic activity. Receipt of agents with serotonergic activity was more pronounced in the vancomycin group, and the higher frequency was due to concomitant antihistamine and antiemetic use. Antidepressant use, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), was similar between groups. No patients in either group were found to meet the criteria using the word search algorithm for ST. Fewer linezolid patients than vancomycin patients met the HSTC overall (3.2% versus 8.8%) and when stratified by receipt of a concurrent serotonergic agent (4.3% versus 12.4%). Of the patients meeting the HSTC, most had past or present comorbidities that may have contributed to or overlapped the HSTC. This study of hospitalized patients revealed comparably low frequencies of adverse events potentially related to ST among patients who received linezolid or vancomycin. PMID:24041888

  13. Method and device for fast code acquisition in spread spectrum receivers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coenen, A.J.R.M.

    1993-01-01

    Abstract of NL 9101155 (A) Method for code acquisition in a satellite receiver. The biphase-modulated high-frequency carrier transmitted by a satellite is converted via a fixed local oscillator frequency down to the baseband, whereafter the baseband signal is fed via a bandpass filter, which has an

  14. Relationship between Counseling Students' Childhood Memories and Current Negative Self-Evaluations When Receiving Corrective Feedback

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroud, Daniel; Olguin, David; Marley, Scott

    2016-01-01

    This article entails a study focused on the relationship between counseling students' negative childhood memories of receiving corrective feedback and current negative self-evaluations when receiving similar feedback in counselor education programs. Participants (N = 186) completed the Corrective Feedback Instrument-Revised (CFI-R; Hulse-Killacky…

  15. Experimental Evaluation of Interference Suppression Receivers and Rank Adaptation in 5G Small Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Assefa, Dereje; Berardinelli, Gilberto; Catania, Davide

    2015-01-01

    Advanced receivers are a key component of the 5th Generation (5G) ultra-dense small cells concept given their capability of efficiently dealing with the ever-increasing problem of inter-cell interference. In this paper, we evaluate the potential of interference suppression receivers in real network...... the Interference Rejection Combining (IRC) and Successive Interference Cancellation (SIC) receivers and different rank adaptation approaches. Each node in our software defined radio (SDR) testbed features a 22 MIMO transceiver built with the USRP N200 hardware by Ettus Research. Our experimental results confirm...

  16. Performance of human fecal anaerobe-associated PCR-based assays in a multi-laboratory method evaluation study

    Science.gov (United States)

    A number of PCR-based methods for detecting human fecal material in environmental waters have been developed over the past decade, but these methods have rarely received independent comparative testing. Here, we evaluated ten of these methods (BacH, BacHum-UCD, B. thetaiotaomic...

  17. Effects of source and receiver locations in predicting room transfer functions by a phased beam tracing method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeong, Cheol-Ho; Ih, Jeong-Guon

    2012-01-01

    The accuracy of a phased beam tracing method in predicting transfer functions is investigated with a special focus on the positions of the source and receiver. Simulated transfer functions for various source-receiver pairs using the phased beam tracing method were compared with analytical Green’s...

  18. Evaluation of Cases Applying to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic to Receive Medical Board Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sibelnur Avcil

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics, application reasons and diagnoses of cases applying to child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic in order to receive a medical board report. Materials and Methods: File data of 405 cases in the child and adolescent group (0-18 years, who applied to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient clinics of Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine between 1 November 2014 and 31 October 2015 in order to receive a medical board report, were retrospectively examined. Results: Average age of the cases was determined as 6.32±4.62 years, and 42.7% (173 were female and 57.3% (232 were male. When reasons of applications to medical board for the disabled were examined, it was found that the most frequent reason of application is to make them receive special education or to continue their special education at the rate of 66%; when diagnosis distribution of the cases was examined, the most frequent diagnoses included mild mental retardation (28.3%, borderline intellectual functioning (23.5%, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (13.6%, and learning disorder (12.6%. Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that the most frequent diagnosis in children applying to receive a medical board report was mild mental retardation and the most frequent reason of application was to receive special education report. The studies to be conducted with relation to cases applying to medical board for the disabled will help in formation of healthy demographic data about pathologies in our field and in approaching clinically to such cases.

  19. Direct Heat-Flux Measurement System (MDF) for Solar central Receiver Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ballestrin, J.

    2001-07-01

    A direct flux measurement system, MDF, has been designed, constructed and mounted on top of the SSPS-CRS tower at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA) in addition to an indirect flux measurement system based on a CCD camera. It's one of the main future objectives to compare systematically both measurements of the concentrated solar power, increasing in this way the confidence in the estimate of this quantity. Today everything is prepared to perform the direct flux measurement on the aperture of solar receivers: calorimeter array, data acquisition system and software. the geometry of the receiver determines the operation and analysis procedures to obtain the indecent power onto the defined area. The study of previous experiences with direct flux measurement systems ha been useful to define a new simpler and more accurate system. A description of each component of the MDF system is included, focusing on the heat-flux sensors or calorimeters, which enables these measurements to be done in a few seconds without water-cooling. The incident solar power and the spatial flux distribution on the aperture of the volumetric receiver Hitrec II are supplied by the above-mentioned MDF system. The first results obtained during the evaluation of this solar receiver are presented including a sunrise-sunset test. All these measurements have been concentrated in one coefficient that describes the global behavior of the Solar Power Plant. (Author) 18 refs.

  20. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis without truth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henkelman, R.M.; Kay, I.; Bronskill, M.J.

    1990-01-01

    Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, the preferred method of evaluating diagnostic imaging tests, requires an independent assessment of the true state of disease, which can be difficult to obtain and is often of questionable accuracy. A new method of analysis is described which does not require independent truth data and which can be used when several accurate tests are being compared. This method uses correlative information to estimate the underlying model of multivariate normal distributions of disease-positive and disease-negative patients. The method is shown to give results equivalent to conventional ROC analysis in a comparison of computed tomography, radionuclide scintigraphy, and magnetic resonance imaging for liver metastasis. When independent truth is available, the method can be extended to incorporate truth data or to evaluate the consistency of the truth data with the imaging data

  1. The Evaluation of Minimal Erythema Dose For Narrowband UVB in Patients Receiving Isotretinoin Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuba Çetiner

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Background and Design: Although photosensitivity is considered as one of the side effects of retinoids, there is no consensus on this issue. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the minimal erythema dose (MED for narrowband ultraviolet B in patients receiving isotretinoin treatmentMaterial and Method: Phototesting was done by narrowband ultraviolet B irradiation on fifty patients for whom isotretinoin treatment was planned. MED values were calculated before treatment (MED1 and during treatment after reaching half of the target dose (kgx120 mg (MED2, and it was evaluated whether there was statistically significant difference between the two MED values. In addition, the patients were assessed according to their skin phototypes in this respect. Results: When the mean values of MED1 and MED2 were compared in all patients who were treated with 0.5-0.7 mg/kg/day isotretinoin, the mean of MED2 values was found to be lower than the mean of MED1 values. Clinically, sunburn erythema was seen in only 3 (6% patients during the treatment. When the patients were evaluated according to their skin phototypes, significant difference between the means of MED 1 and MED 2 values was not determined. Conclusion: Although isotretinoin treatment does not cause clinically sunburn erythema, it was associated with decrease in MED values.

  2. Evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin in rat receiving nilotinib

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Zhi-yong [Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Sixth People' s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233 Shanghai (China); School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai (China); Wan, Li-li; Yang, Quan-jun; Han, Yong-long; Li, Yan; Yu, Qi [Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Sixth People' s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233 Shanghai (China); Guo, Cheng, E-mail: guochengphd@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Sixth People' s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233 Shanghai (China); School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai (China); Li, Xiao, E-mail: lixiao3326@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Hematology, Affiliated Sixth people' s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200233 Shanghai (China)

    2013-10-01

    Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapy drug with a narrow therapeutic window. Nilotinib, a small-molecule Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was reported to reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transmembrane transporters. The present study aimed to investigate nilotinib's affection on the steady-state pharmacokinetics, disposition and cardiotoxicity of DOX. A total of 24 male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into four groups (6 in each) and received the following regimens: saline, intravenous DOX (5 mg/kg) alone, and DOX co-administrated with either 20 or 40 mg/kg nilotinib. Blood was withdrawn at 12 time points till 72 h after DOX injection and the concentrations of DOX and its metabolite doxorubicinol (DOXol) in serum and cardiac tissue were assayed by LC–MS–MS method. To determine the cardiotoxicity, the following parameters were investigated: creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase. Histopathological examination of heart section was carried out to evaluate the extent of cardiotoxicity after treatments. The results showed that pretreatment of 40 mg/kg nilotinib increased the AUC{sub 0–t} and C{sub max} of DOX and DOXol. However, their accumulation in cardiac tissue was significantly decreased when compared with the group that received DOX alone. In addition, biochemical and histopathological results showed that 40 mg/kg nilotinib reduced the cardiotoxicity induced by DOX administration. In conclusion, co-administration of nilotinib increased serum exposure, but significantly decreased the accumulation of DOX in cardiac tissue. Consistent with in vitro profile, oral dose of 40 mg/kg nilotinib significantly decreased the cardiotoxicity of DOX in rat by enhancing P-gp activity in the heart.

  3. Evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin in rat receiving nilotinib

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Zhi-yong; Wan, Li-li; Yang, Quan-jun; Han, Yong-long; Li, Yan; Yu, Qi; Guo, Cheng; Li, Xiao

    2013-01-01

    Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapy drug with a narrow therapeutic window. Nilotinib, a small-molecule Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was reported to reverse multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transmembrane transporters. The present study aimed to investigate nilotinib's affection on the steady-state pharmacokinetics, disposition and cardiotoxicity of DOX. A total of 24 male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into four groups (6 in each) and received the following regimens: saline, intravenous DOX (5 mg/kg) alone, and DOX co-administrated with either 20 or 40 mg/kg nilotinib. Blood was withdrawn at 12 time points till 72 h after DOX injection and the concentrations of DOX and its metabolite doxorubicinol (DOXol) in serum and cardiac tissue were assayed by LC–MS–MS method. To determine the cardiotoxicity, the following parameters were investigated: creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase. Histopathological examination of heart section was carried out to evaluate the extent of cardiotoxicity after treatments. The results showed that pretreatment of 40 mg/kg nilotinib increased the AUC 0–t and C max of DOX and DOXol. However, their accumulation in cardiac tissue was significantly decreased when compared with the group that received DOX alone. In addition, biochemical and histopathological results showed that 40 mg/kg nilotinib reduced the cardiotoxicity induced by DOX administration. In conclusion, co-administration of nilotinib increased serum exposure, but significantly decreased the accumulation of DOX in cardiac tissue. Consistent with in vitro profile, oral dose of 40 mg/kg nilotinib significantly decreased the cardiotoxicity of DOX in rat by enhancing P-gp activity in the heart

  4. Nuclear data evaluation method and evaluation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Tingjin

    1995-01-01

    The evaluation methods and Nuclear Data Evaluation System have been developed in China. A new version of the system has been established on Micro-VAX2 computer, which is supported by IAEA under the technology assistance program. The flow chart of Chinese Nuclear Data Evaluation System is shown out. For last ten years, the main efforts have been put on the double differential cross section, covariance data and evaluated data library validation. The developed evaluation method and Chinese Nuclear Data Evaluation System have been widely used at CNDC and in Chinese Nuclear Data Network for CENDL. (1 tab., 15 figs.)

  5. Performance Evaluation of Received Signal Strength Based Hard Handover for UTRAN LTE

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anas, Mohmmad; Calabrese, Francesco Davide; Mogensen, Preben

    2007-01-01

    This paper evaluates the hard handover performance for UTRAN LTE system. The focus is on the impact that received signal strength based hard handover algorithm have on the system performance measured in terms of number of handovers, time between two consecutive handovers and uplink SINR for a user...... about to experience a handover. A handover algorithm based on received signal strength measurements has been designed and implemented in a dynamic system level simulator and has been studied for different parameter sets in a 3GPP UTRAN LTE recommended simulation scenario. The results suggest...... that a downlink measurement bandwidth of 1.25 MHz and a handover margin of 2 dB to 6 dB are the parameters that will lead to the best compromise between average number of handovers and average uplink SINR for user speeds of 3 kmph to 120 kmph....

  6. Comparison and application study on cosmic radiation dose calculation received by air crew

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Qiang; Xu Cuihua; Ren Tianshan; Li Wenhong; Zhang Jing; Lu Xu

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To facilitate evaluation on Cosmic radiation dose received by flight crew by developing a convenient and effective measuring method. Methods: In comparison with several commonly used evaluating methods, this research employs CARI-6 software issued by FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to measure Cosmic radiation dose for flight crew members exposed to. Results: Compared with other methods, CARI-6 is capable of providing reliable calculating results on radiation dose and applicable to all flight crew of different airlines. Conclusion: Cosmic radiation received by flight crew is on the list of occupational radiation. For a smooth running of Standards for controlling exposure to cosmic radiation of air crew, CARI software may be a widely applied tool in radiation close estimation of for flight crew. (authors)

  7. Evaluation and Error Analysis for a Solar thermal Receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pfander, M.

    2001-07-01

    In the following study a complete balance over the REFOS receiver module, mounted on the tower power plant CESA-1 at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA), is carried out. Additionally an error inspection of the various measurement techniques used in the REFOS project is made. Especially the flux measurement system Prohermes that is used to determine the total entry power of the receiver module and known as a major error source is analysed in detail. Simulations and experiments on the particular instruments are used to determine and quantify possible error sources. After discovering the origin of the errors they are reduced and included in the error calculation. the ultimate result is presented as an overall efficiency of the receiver module in dependence on the flux density at the receiver module's entry plane and the receiver operating temperature. (Author) 26 refs.

  8. Evaluation and Error Analysis for a Solar Thermal Receiver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfander, M.

    2001-01-01

    In the following study a complete balance over the REFOS receiver module, mounted on the tower power plant CESA-1 at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria (PSA), is carried out. Additionally an error inspection of the various measurement techniques used in the REFOS project is made. Especially the flux measurement system Pro hermes that is used to determine the total entry power of the receiver module and known as a major error source is analysed in detail. Simulations and experiments on the particular instruments are used to determine and quantify possible error sources. After discovering the origin of the errors they are reduced and included in the error calculation. The ultimate result is presented as an overall efficiency of the receiver module in dependence on the flux density at the receiver modules entry plane and the receiver operating temperature. (Author) 26 refs

  9. Evaluation of Range-based Methods for Localization in Grain Storages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juul, Jakob Pilegaard; Green, Ole; Jacobsen, Rune Hylsberg

    2016-01-01

    sensor nodes embedded in a grain storage. A path loss model that takes into account the temperature and moisture content of the grain at each sensor node was used for estimating distance based on received signal strength. The average error of the position estimates was 6.3 m. Tests using near......-field electromagnetic ranging were performed to evaluate the performance of the method. It was found that the experimental setup worked best between 2 - 7 m where the average error was 4.9% of the actual distance....

  10. Integration of Monte-Carlo ray tracing with a stochastic optimisation method: application to the design of solar receiver geometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asselineau, Charles-Alexis; Zapata, Jose; Pye, John

    2015-06-01

    A stochastic optimisation method adapted to illumination and radiative heat transfer problems involving Monte-Carlo ray-tracing is presented. A solar receiver shape optimisation case study illustrates the advantages of the method and its potential: efficient receivers are identified using a moderate computational cost.

  11. Evaluation of several methods for assessing the effects of occupational exposure to radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilbert, E.S.

    1980-05-01

    The evaluation of health effects in populations occupationally exposed to low-level ionizing radiation is a matter of considerable current controversy. The analysis of data on such exposures presents a variety of problems resulting from the time dependent nature of the exposure data, certain selective biases found in working populations, and particularly limits imposed by the size of the populations, and the magnitudes of exposures received. In this paper, several methods of analysis are presented and evaluated using data from the Hanford plant for illustration. Questions of interest include whether or not to utilize an external control, and how to handle the highly skewed exposure data most effectively. Expressions for the power of various procedures are used not only to compare methods but also to evaluate the potential for detecting effects in occupationally exposed populations

  12. Patient satisfaction after receiving dental treatment among patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Patient satisfaction is one of the indicators of the quality of care. Therefore it is one of the tools for evaluating the quality of care. Aim: To determine patient satisfaction after receiving dental treatment among patients attending public dental clinics in Dar-Es-Salaam. Material and methods: Five public dental clinics ...

  13. Thermal Model of a Dish Stirling Cavity-Receiver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubén Gil

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a thermal model for a dish Stirling cavity based on the finite differences method. This model is a theoretical tool to optimize the cavity in terms of thermal efficiency. One of the main outcomes of this work is the evaluation of radiative exchange using the radiosity method; for that purpose, the view factors of all surfaces involved have been accurately calculated. Moreover, this model enables the variation of the cavity and receiver dimensions and the materials to determine the optimal cavity design. The tool has been used to study the cavity optimization regarding geometry parameters and material properties. Receiver absorptivity has been identified as the most influential property of the materials. The optimal aperture height depends on the minimum focal space.

  14. Evaluation methods for hospital facilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fronczek-Munter, Aneta

    2013-01-01

    according to focus areas and proposes which evaluation methods to use in different building phases of healthcare facilities. Hospital evaluations with experts and users are also considered; their subjective view on space, function, technology, usability and aesthetics. Results & solutions: This paper...... presents the different methods for evaluating buildings in use in a new model, the Evaluation Focus Flower, and proposes which evaluation methods are suitable for various aims and building phases, i.e. which is giving best input for the initial briefing process of new hospital facilities with ambition...... of creating buildings with enhanced usability. Additionally various evaluation methods used in hospital cases in Denmark and Norway are presented. Involvement of users is proposed, not just in defining requirements but also in co-creation/design and evaluation of solutions. The theories and preliminary...

  15. Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toftmann Hansen, Charlotte; Pedersen, Per T.; Jensen, Bo Amdi

    Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy.......Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy....

  16. Evaluation of second-generation central receiver technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolb, G.L.; Chavez, J.M.; Klimas, P.; Meinecke, W.; Becker, M.; Kiera, M.

    1993-01-01

    This paper summarizes the results of a study performed by the US and Germany to assess the technical and economic potential of central receiver power plants and to identify the necessary research and development (R ampersand D) activities required to reach demonstration and commercialization. Second generation power plant designs, employing molten-salt and volumetric-air receivers, were assessed at the size of 30 and 100 MWe. The study developed a common guideline and used data from previous system tests and studies. The levelized-energy costs for the second generation plants were estimated and found to be competitive with costs from fossil-fueled power plants. Potential for further cost reductions exists if technical improvements can be introduced successfully in the long term. Additionally, the study presents results of plant reliability and uncertainty analyses. Mid- and long-term technical potentials are described, as well as recommendations for the R ampersand D activities needed to reach the goal of large-scale commercialization. The results of this study have already helped direct research in the US and Europe. For example, the favorable potential for these technologies has led to the Solar Two molten-salt project in the US and the TSA volumetric receiver test in Spain. In addition, early analysis conducted within this study indicated that an advanced thermal storage medium was necessary to achieve favorable economics for the air plant. This led to the design of the thermal storage system currently being tested in Spain. In summary, each of the investigated receiver technologies has mid- and long-term potential for improving plant performance and reducing capital and energy costs (resulting in less than 10 cts/kWh given excellent insolation conditions) in an environmentally safe way and largely independent of fossil-fuel prices

  17. Performance Evaluation of Large Aperture 'Polished Panel' Optical Receivers Based on Experimental Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilnrotter, Victor

    2013-01-01

    Recent interest in hybrid RF/Optical communications has led to the development and installation of a "polished-panel" optical receiver evaluation assembly on the 34-meter research antenna at Deep-Space Station 13 (DSS-13) at NASA's Goldstone Communications Complex. The test setup consists of a custom aluminum panel polished to optical smoothness, and a large-sensor CCD camera designed to image the point-spread function (PSF) generated by the polished aluminum panel. Extensive data has been obtained via realtime tracking and imaging of planets and stars at DSS-13. Both "on-source" and "off-source" data were recorded at various elevations, enabling the development of realistic simulations and analytic models to help determine the performance of future deep-space communications systems operating with on-off keying (OOK) or pulse-position-modulated (PPM) signaling formats with photon-counting detection, and compared with the ultimate quantum bound on detection performance for these modulations. Experimentally determined PSFs were scaled to provide realistic signal-distributions across a photon-counting detector array when a pulse is received, and uncoded as well as block-coded performance analyzed and evaluated for a well-known class of block codes.

  18. Methods for evaluating imaging methods of limited reproducibility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krummenauer, F.

    2005-01-01

    Just like new drugs, new or modified imaging methods must be subjected to objective clinical tests, including tests on humans. In this, it must be ensured that the principle of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) are followed with regard to medical, administrative and methodical quality. Innovative methods fo clinical epidemiology and medical biometry should be applied from the planning stage to the final statistical evaluation. The author presents established and new methods for planning, evaluation and reporting of clinical tests of diagnostic methods, and especially imaging methods, in clinical medicine and illustrates these by means of current research projects in the various medical disciplines. The strategies presented are summarized in a recommendation based on the concept of phases I - IV of clinical drug testing in order to enable standardisation of the clinical evaluation of imaging methods. (orig.)

  19. Method of steering the gain of a multiple antenna global positioning system receiver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Alan G.; Hermann, Bruce R.

    1992-06-01

    A method for steering the gain of a multiple antenna Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver toward a plurality of a GPS satellites simultaneously is provided. The GPS signals of a known wavelength are processed digitally for a particular instant in time. A range difference or propagation delay between each antenna for GPS signals received from each satellite is first resolved. The range difference consists of a fractional wavelength difference and an integer wavelength difference. The fractional wavelength difference is determined by each antenna's tracking loop. The integer wavelength difference is based upon the known wavelength and separation between each antenna with respect to each satellite position. The range difference is then used to digitally delay the GPS signals at each antenna with respect to a reference antenna. The signal at the reference antenna is then summed with the digitally delayed signals to generate a composite antenna gain. The method searches for the correct number of integer wavelengths to maximize the composite gain. The range differences are also used to determine the attitude of the array.

  20. Geometrical exploration of a flux-optimised sodium receiver through multi-objective optimisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asselineau, Charles-Alexis; Corsi, Clothilde; Coventry, Joe; Pye, John

    2017-06-01

    A stochastic multi-objective optimisation method is used to determine receiver geometries with maximum second law efficiency, minimal average temperature and minimal surface area. The method is able to identify a set of Pareto optimal candidates that show advantageous geometrical features, mainly in being able to maximise the intercepted flux within the geometrical boundaries set. Receivers with first law thermal efficiencies ranging from 87% to 91% are also evaluated using the second law of thermodynamics and found to have similar efficiencies of over 60%, highlighting the influence that the geometry can play in the maximisation of the work output of receivers by influencing the distribution of the flux from the concentrator.

  1. The methods of receiving coal water suspension and its use as the modifying additive in concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buyantuyev, S. L.; Urkhanova, L. A.; Lkhasaranov, S. A.; Stebenkova, Y. Y.; Khmelev, A. B.; Kondratenko, A. S.

    2017-01-01

    Results of research of the coal water suspension (CWS) from a cake received in the electrodigit ways in the fluid environment and gas are given in article and also the possibilities of its use as the modifying additive in concrete are considered. Use of a coal cake is perspective as it is a withdrawal of the coal and concentrating enterprises and has extremely low cost. Methods of receiving CWS and possibility of formation of carbon nanomaterials (CNM) are given in their structure. Research and the analysis of a microstructure of a surface of exemplars before electrodigit processing, their element structure, dependence of durability of a cement stone on a look and quantity of an additive of CWS is conducted. For modification of cement the carbon nanomaterials received from the following exemplars of water coal suspensions were used: foams from a cake from a scrubber of the plasma modular reactor, coal water suspension from a cake from electrodigit installation. The product which can find further application for a power engineering as fuel for combustion, and also in structural materials science, in particular, as the modifying additive in concrete allows to receive these methods.

  2. Safeguards Evaluation Method for evaluating vulnerability to insider threats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Ayat, R.A.; Judd, B.R.; Renis, T.A.

    1986-01-01

    As protection of DOE facilities against outsiders increases to acceptable levels, attention is shifting toward achieving comparable protection against insiders. Since threats and protection measures for insiders are substantially different from those for outsiders, new perspectives and approaches are needed. One such approach is the Safeguards Evaluation Method. This method helps in assessing safeguards vulnerabilities to theft or diversion of special nuclear meterial (SNM) by insiders. The Safeguards Evaluation Method-Insider Threat is a simple model that can be used by safeguards and security planners to evaluate safeguards and proposed upgrades at their own facilities. The method is used to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguards in both timely detection (in time to prevent theft) and late detection (after-the-fact). The method considers the various types of potential insider adversaries working alone or in collusion with other insiders. The approach can be used for a wide variety of facilities with various quantities and forms of SNM. An Evaluation Workbook provides documentation of the baseline assessment; this simplifies subsequent on-site appraisals. Quantitative evaluation is facilitated by an accompanying computer program. The method significantly increases an evaluation team's on-site analytical capabilities, thereby producing a more thorough and accurate safeguards evaluation

  3. Evaluation of Flammable Gas Monitoring and Ventilation System Alternatives for Double-Contained Receiver Tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    GUSTAVSON, R.D.

    1999-01-01

    This study identifies possible flammable gas monitoring and ventilation system alternatives to ensure adequate removal of flammable gases from the Double-Contained Receiver Tank (DCRT) primary tanks during temporary storage of small amounts of waste. The study evaluates and compares these alternatives to support closure of the Flammable Gas Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ TF-96-04330)

  4. 96-Channel receive-only head coil for 3 Tesla: design optimization and evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiggins, Graham C; Polimeni, Jonathan R; Potthast, Andreas; Schmitt, Melanie; Alagappan, Vijay; Wald, Lawrence L

    2009-09-01

    The benefits and challenges of highly parallel array coils for head imaging were investigated through the development of a 3T receive-only phased-array head coil with 96 receive elements constructed on a close-fitting helmet-shaped former. We evaluated several designs for the coil elements and matching circuitry, with particular attention to sources of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss, including various sources of coil loading and coupling between the array elements. The SNR and noise amplification (g-factor) in accelerated imaging were quantitatively evaluated in phantom and human imaging and compared to a 32-channel array built on an identical helmet-shaped former and to a larger commercial 12-channel head coil. The 96-channel coil provided substantial SNR gains in the distal cortex compared to the 12- and 32-channel coils. The central SNR for the 96-channel coil was similar to the 32-channel coil for optimum SNR combination and 20% lower for root-sum-of-squares combination. There was a significant reduction in the maximum g-factor for 96 channels compared to 32; for example, the 96-channel maximum g-factor was 65% of the 32-channel value for acceleration rate 4. The performance of the array is demonstrated in highly accelerated brain images.

  5. Pre- and post-flight radiation performance evaluation of the space GPS receiver (SGR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oldfield, M.K.; Underwood, C.I.; Unwin, M.J.; Asenek, V.; Harboe-Sorensen, R.

    1999-01-01

    SSTL (Survey Satellite Technology Ltd), in collaboration with ESA/ESTEC, recently developed a state-of-the-art low cost GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver payload for use on small satellites. The space GPS Receiver (SGR), will be flown on the TiungSAT-1 micro-satellite, UoSAT-12 mini-satellite and ESA's PROBA satellite. The SGR payload is currently flying on the TMSAT micro-satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) and has carried out autonomous on-board positioning whilst also providing an experimental test-bed for evaluating spacecraft attitude determination algorithms. In order to reduce development time and costs, the SGR consists solely of industry standard COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) devices. This paper describes the ground-based radiation testing of several payload-critical COTS devices used in the SGR payload and describes its on-orbit performance. (authors)

  6. Compressed Sensing Methods in Radio Receivers Exposed to Noise and Interference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pierzchlewski, Jacek

    , there is a problem of interference, which makes digitization of radio receivers even more dicult. High-order low-pass lters are needed to remove interfering signals and secure a high-quality reception. In the mid-2000s a new method of signal acquisition, called compressed sensing, emerged. Compressed sensing...... the downconverted baseband signal and interference, may be replaced by low-order lters. Additional digital signal processing is a price to pay for this feature. Hence, the signal processing is moved from the analog to the digital domain. Filtering compressed sensing, which is a new application of compressed sensing...

  7. Novel Received Signal Strength-Based Indoor Location System: Development and Testing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Álvarez Yuri

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A received signal strength- (RSS-based indoor location method (ILS for person/assets location in indoor scenarios is presented in this paper. Theoretical bases of the method are the integral equations relating the electromagnetic (EM fields with their sources, establishing a cost function relating the measured field at the receivers and the unknown position of the transmitter. The aim is to improve the EM characterization of the scenario yielding in a more accurate indoor location method. Regarding network infrastructure implementation, a set of receivers are deployed through the coverage area, measuring the RSS value from a transmitter node which is attached to the asset to be located. The location method is evaluated in several indoor scenarios using portable measurement equipment. The next step has been the network hardware implementation using a wireless sensor network: for this purpose, ZigBee nodes have been selected. Finally, RSS measurements variability due to multipath effects and nonline-of-sight between transmitter and receiver nodes is mitigated using calibration and a correction based on the difference between the free space field decay law and the measured RSS.

  8. Method for the evaluation of a average glandular dose in mammography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okunade, Akintunde Akangbe

    2006-01-01

    This paper concerns a method for accurate evaluation of average glandular dose (AGD) in mammography. At different energies, the interactions of photons with tissue are not uniform. Thus, optimal accuracy in the estimation of AGD is achievable when the evaluation is carried out using the normalized glandular dose values, g(x,E), that are determined for each (monoenergetic) x-ray photon energy, E, compressed breast thickness (CBT), x, breast glandular composition, and data on photon energy distribution of the exact x-ray beam used in breast imaging. A generalized model for the values of g(x,E) that is for any arbitrary CBT ranging from 2 to 9 cm (with values that are not whole numbers inclusive, say, 4.2 cm) was developed. Along with other dosimetry formulations, this was integrated into a computer software program, GDOSE.FOR, that was developed for the evaluation of AGD received from any x-ray tube/equipment (irrespective of target-filter combination) of up to 50 kVp. Results are presented which show that the implementation of GDOSE.FOR yields values of normalized glandular dose that are in good agreement with values obtained from methodologies reported earlier in the literature. With the availability of a portable device for real-time acquisition of spectra, the model and computer software reported in this work provide for the routine evaluation of AGD received by a specific woman of known age and CBT

  9. Discount method for programming language evaluation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kurtev, Svetomir; Christensen, Tommy Aagaard; Thomsen, Bent

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents work in progress on developing a Discount Method for Programming Language Evaluation inspired by the Discount Usability Evaluation method (Benyon 2010) and the Instant Data Analysis method (Kjeldskov et al. 2004). The method is intended to bridge the gap between small scale...... internal language design evaluation methods and large scale surveys and quantitative evaluation methods. The method is designed to be applicable even before a compiler or IDE is developed for a new language. To test the method, a usability evaluation experiment was carried out on the Quorum programming...... language (Stefik et al. 2016) using programmers with experience in C and C#. When comparing our results with previous studies of Quorum, most of the data was comparable though not strictly in agreement. However, the discrepancies were mainly related to the programmers pre-existing expectations...

  10. Centimeter-Level Positioning Using an Efficient New Baseband Mixing and Despreading Method for Software GNSS Receivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Lachapelle

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an efficient new method for performing the baseband mixing and despreading operations in a software-based GNSS receiver, and demonstrates that the method is capable of providing measurements for centimeter-level positioning accuracy. The method uses a single frequency carrier replica for the baseband mixing process, enabling all satellites to perform mixing simultaneously and yielding considerable computational savings. To compensate for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR losses caused by using a single frequency carrier replica, the integration interval after despreading is divided into subintervals, and the output from each subinterval then compensated for the known frequency error. Using this approach, receiver processing times are shown to be reduced by approximately 21% relative to the next fastest method when tracking seven satellites. The paper shows the mathematical derivation of the new algorithm, discusses practical considerations, and demonstrates its performance using simulations and real data. Results show that the new method is able to generate pseudorange and carrier phase measurements with the same accuracy as traditional methods. Stand-alone positioning accuracy is at the meter level, while differential processing can produce fixed ambiguity carrier phase positions accurate to the centimeter level.

  11. 2-GHz band man-made noise evaluation for cryogenic receiver front-end

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Narahashi, S; Satoh, K; Suzuki, Y [Research Laboratories, NTT DoCoMo, Inc., 3-5 Hikari-no-oka, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-8536 (Japan); Mimura, T [Intellectual Property Department, NTT DoCoMo, Inc., 2-11-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-6150 (Japan); Nojima, T [Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Hokkaido University, Nishi 9, Kita 14, Kita, Sapporo 060-0808 (Japan)], E-mail: narahashi@nttdocomo.co.jp

    2008-02-01

    This paper presents measured results of man-made noise in urban and suburban areas in the 2-GHz band with amplitude probability distribution (APD) in order to evaluate the impact of man-made noise on an experimental cryogenic receiver front-end (CRFE). The CRFE comprises a high-temperature superconducting filter, cryogenically-cooled low-noise amplifier, and highly reliable cryostat that is very compact. The CRFE is anticipated to be an effective way to achieve efficient frequency utilization and to improve the sensitivity of mobile base station receivers. It is important to measure the characteristics of the man-made noise in typical cellular base station antenna environments and confirm their impact on the CRFE reception with APD because if man-made noise has a stronger effect than thermal noise, the CRFE would fail to offer any improvement in sensitivity. The measured results suggest that the contribution of man-made noise in the 2-GHz band can be ignored as far as the wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) system is concerned.

  12. Evaluation of clinical methods for peroneal muscle testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarig-Bahat, Hilla; Krasovsky, Andrei; Sprecher, Elliot

    2013-03-01

    Manual muscle testing of the peroneal muscles is well accepted as a testing method in musculoskeletal physiotherapy for the assessment of the foot and ankle. The peroneus longus and brevis are primary evertors and secondary plantar flexors of the ankle joint. However, some international textbooks describe them as dorsi flexors, when instructing peroneal muscle testing. The identified variability raised a question whether these educational texts are reflected in the clinical field. The purposes of this study were to investigate what are the methods commonly used in the clinical field for peroneal muscle testing and to evaluate their compatibility with functional anatomy. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using an electronic questionnaire sent to 143 Israeli physiotherapists in the musculoskeletal field. The survey questioned on the anatomical location of manual resistance and the combination of motions resisted. Ninety-seven responses were received. The majority (69%) of respondents related correctly to the peronei as evertors, but asserted that resistance should be located over the dorsal aspect of the fifth metatarsus, thereby disregarding the peroneus longus. Moreover, 38% of the respondents described the peronei as dorsi flexors, rather than plantar flexors. Only 2% selected the correct method of resisting plantarflexion and eversion at the base of the first metatarsus. We consider this technique to be the most compatible with the anatomy of the peroneus longus and brevis. The Fisher-Freeman-Halton test indicated that there was a significant relationship between responses on the questions (P = 0.0253, 95% CI 0.0249-0.0257), thus justifying further correspondence analysis. The correspondence analysis found no clustering of the answers that were compatible with anatomical evidence and were applied in the correct technique, but did demonstrate a common error, resisting dorsiflexion rather than plantarflexion, which was in agreement with the described

  13. Evaluation of neonate squirrel monkeys receiving tritiated water throughout gestation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, D.C.L.

    1978-01-01

    The effect of receiving tritiated water (HTO) throughout gestation on the developing primate was assessed by administering HTO to adult female squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) as the only source of drinking water beginning with the day of insemination and continuing throughout pregnancy. For the control (tap water) and six experimental groups, the mean urinary tritium concentrations in females delivering full-term progeny were <0.004, 0.05, 0.16, 0.33, 0.75, 1.61, and 3.09 microcuries/ml. Positive bioassays for pregnancy were observed in about half of 277 inseminated females. Among pregnant females, the full-term delivery rate was 36%, the abortion rate was 7%, and the resorption rate was 58% with no discernible effect of HTO administration on any of these parameters. The 46 full-term progeny were evaluated within 2 days of birth. No effects of HTO administration were observed in terms of gestation period (median 153 days, range 141-158 days), sex distribution, body weight, body dimensions, selected organ weights, histology (except gonads), or hematologic pattern. The number of primary oocytes in female progeny decreased markedly within increasing concentrations of tritium. Specific quantification of this effect and evaluation of the neonate testes is in progress

  14. Pragmatism, Evidence, and Mixed Methods Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Jori N.

    2013-01-01

    Mixed methods evaluation has a long-standing history of enhancing the credibility of evaluation findings. However, using mixed methods in a utilitarian way implicitly emphasizes convenience over engaging with its philosophical underpinnings (Denscombe, 2008). Because of this, some mixed methods evaluators and social science researchers have been…

  15. Performance Evaluation of Block Acquisition and Tracking Algorithms Using an Open Source GPS Receiver Platform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramachandran, Ganesh K.; Akopian, David; Heckler, Gregory W.; Winternitz, Luke B.

    2011-01-01

    Location technologies have many applications in wireless communications, military and space missions, etc. US Global Positioning System (GPS) and other existing and emerging Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are expected to provide accurate location information to enable such applications. While GNSS systems perform very well in strong signal conditions, their operation in many urban, indoor, and space applications is not robust or even impossible due to weak signals and strong distortions. The search for less costly, faster and more sensitive receivers is still in progress. As the research community addresses more and more complicated phenomena there exists a demand on flexible multimode reference receivers, associated SDKs, and development platforms which may accelerate and facilitate the research. One of such concepts is the software GPS/GNSS receiver (GPS SDR) which permits a facilitated access to algorithmic libraries and a possibility to integrate more advanced algorithms without hardware and essential software updates. The GNU-SDR and GPS-SDR open source receiver platforms are such popular examples. This paper evaluates the performance of recently proposed block-corelator techniques for acquisition and tracking of GPS signals using open source GPS-SDR platform.

  16. Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young

    2016-01-01

    The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety

  17. Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-11-15

    The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety.

  18. Digital-data receiver synchronization method and apparatus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Stephen F [Loudon, TN; Turner, Gary W [Clinton, TN

    2009-09-08

    Digital data receiver synchronization is provided with composite phase-frequency detectors, mutually cross-connected comparison feedback or both to provide robust reception of digital data signals. A single master clock can be used to provide frequency signals. Advantages can include fast lock-up time in moderately to severely noisy conditions, greater tolerance to noise and jitter when locked, and improved tolerance to clock asymmetries.

  19. In vitro evaluation of an alternative method to bond molar tubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Célia Regina Maio Pinzan-Vercelino

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Despite the advances in bonding materials, many clinicians today still prefer to place bands on molar teeth. Molar bonding procedures need improvement to be widely accepted clinically. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength when an additional adhesive layer was applied on the occlusal tooth/tube interface to provide reinforcement to molar tubes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty third molars were selected and allocated to the 3 groups: group 1 received a conventional direct bond followed by the application of an additional layer of adhesive on the occlusal tooth/tube interface, group 2 received a conventional direct bond, and group 3 received a conventional direct bond and an additional cure time of 10 s. The specimens were debonded in a universal testing machine. The results were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test (α=0.05. RESULTS: Group 1 had a significantly higher (p0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The present in vitro findings indicate that the application of an additional layer of adhesive on the tooth/tube interface increased the shear bond strength of the bonded molar tubes.

  20. Cement bond evaluation method in horizontal wells using segmented bond tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Ruolong; He, Li

    2018-06-01

    Most of the existing cement evaluation technologies suffer from tool eccentralization due to gravity in highly deviated wells and horizontal wells. This paper proposes a correction method to lessen the effects of tool eccentralization on evaluation results of cement bond using segmented bond tool, which has an omnidirectional sonic transmitter and eight segmented receivers evenly arranged around the tool 2 ft from the transmitter. Using 3-D finite difference parallel numerical simulation method, we investigate the logging responses of centred and eccentred segmented bond tool in a variety of bond conditions. From the numerical results, we find that the tool eccentricity and channel azimuth can be estimated from measured sector amplitude. The average of the sector amplitude when the tool is eccentred can be corrected to the one when the tool is centred. Then the corrected amplitude will be used to calculate the channel size. The proposed method is applied to both synthetic and field data. For synthetic data, it turns out that this method can estimate the tool eccentricity with small error and the bond map is improved after correction. For field data, the tool eccentricity has a good agreement with the measured well deviation angle. Though this method still suffers from the low accuracy of calculating channel azimuth, the credibility of corrected bond map is improved especially in horizontal wells. It gives us a choice to evaluate the bond condition for horizontal wells using existing logging tool. The numerical results in this paper can provide aids for understanding measurements of segmented tool in both vertical and horizontal wells.

  1. Comparison of Two Methods for Evaluation of the Image Quality of Lumbar Spine Radiographs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tingberg, A.; Herrmann, C.; Lanhede, B.; Almn, A.; Besjakov, J.; Mattsson, S.; Sund, P.; Kheddache, S.; Maasson, L.G.

    2000-01-01

    Two methods for visual evaluation of image quality of clinical radiographs have been compared. In visual grading analysis (VGA) specified anatomical structures in an image are visually compared with the same structures in a reference image, and in a free-response forced error (FFE) experiment - an extension of conventional ROC (receiver operating characteristics) analysis - the objective is to localise known lesions correctly. The spatial resolution and noise of digitised clinical radiographs of the lumbar spine were altered by image processing, and pathological structures were added to the images for the FFE experiment. The images were printed to film and evaluated by seven European expert radiologists using VGA and FFE. The results of these two different methods showed a very good agreement. VGA methodology can be made as solid as the FFE experiment for evaluating image quality. The simplicity of VGA makes it very suitable for implementation in clinical practice. (author)

  2. Evaluation of imaging methods in the diagnosis of urolithiasis: review of the literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freitas, Ricardo Miguel Costa de; Silva, Luciana Costa; Santos, Jovita Lane Soares; Tavares Junior, Wilson Campos

    2004-01-01

    The aim of this study is to compare helical computed tomography with imaging studies currently used to evaluate patients with acute low back pain. In addition, we briefly review the pathophysiology of urolithiasis. The literature published in the last 30 years was reviewed, and the following methods were discussed: plain abdominal radiographs, intravenous pyelography, ultrasound of the urinary tract, and helical computed tomography. Helical computed tomography showed high sensitivity and specificity for detecting urolithiasis, virtually showing all stones, except in patients receiving indinavir. The accuracy of plain abdominal radiographs associated with ultrasound was similar to helical computed tomography, although the latter showed superiority as an isolated method. Data from literature suggest that whenever helical computed tomography is available, it is helpful in the evaluation of low back pain and also allows differential diagnosis between conditions that mimic the symptoms of urolithiasis.(author)

  3. Empirical evaluation methods in computer vision

    CERN Document Server

    Christensen, Henrik I

    2002-01-01

    This book provides comprehensive coverage of methods for the empirical evaluation of computer vision techniques. The practical use of computer vision requires empirical evaluation to ensure that the overall system has a guaranteed performance. The book contains articles that cover the design of experiments for evaluation, range image segmentation, the evaluation of face recognition and diffusion methods, image matching using correlation methods, and the performance of medical image processing algorithms. Sample Chapter(s). Foreword (228 KB). Chapter 1: Introduction (505 KB). Contents: Automate

  4. The Proposal to “Snapshot” Raim Method for Gnss Vessel Receivers Working in Poor Space Segment Geometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nowak Aleksander

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, we can observe an increase in research on the use of small unmanned autonomous vessel (SUAV to patrol and guiding critical areas including harbours. The proposal to “snapshot” RAIM (Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring method for GNSS receivers mounted on SUAV operating in poor space segment geometry is presented in the paper. Existing “snapshot” RAIM methods and algorithms which are used in practical applications have been developed for airborne receivers, thus two main assumptions have been made. The first one is that the geometry of visible satellites is strong. It means that the exclusion of any satellite from the positioning solution don’t cause significant deterioration of Dilution of Precision (DOP coefficients. The second one is that only one outlier could appear in pseudorange measurements. In case of SUAV operating in harbour these two assumptions cannot be accepted. Because of their small dimensions, GNSS antenna is only a few decimetres above sea level and regular ships, buildings and harbour facilities block and reflect satellite signals. Thus, different approach to “snapshot” RAIM is necessary. The proposal to method based on analyses of allowable maximal separation of positioning sub-solutions with using some information from EGNOS messages is described in the paper. Theoretical assumptions and results of numerical experiments are presented.

  5. Evaluation of Data Transfer Performance Between Moving Sender and Receiver in Mobile Communication Networks for Heterogeneous Service Support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dalė Dzemydienė

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Vehicular communication networks are acquiring more and more commercial relevance because of recent advances in inter-vehicular communications via the DSRC/WAVE standard, which stimulates a brand new family of visionary services for vehicles, from road safety to entertainment and multimedia applications. After deep analysis of the literature it was decided to investigate evaluation of data transfer performance between moving sender and receiver in mobile communication network for heterogeneous service support. After careful analysis of the simulation tools the NCTUns 6.0 software package was chosen for planned investigations. The results illustrate that the longest communication can be maintained at the maximum number of vehicles participating on the network, but the quality of communication is inversely proportional to the number of vehicles. On this changing topology network when growing number of nodes (vehicles increases flooding of network with the data packages and it determines many collisions. The number of rejected packages increases directly in proportion to the number of vehicles. When the number of nodes (vehicle increases—it is increasing the number of the received same packages which are received from different nodes in the recipient node. On the sender node, the packages are rejected because the collisions occur due to improperly functioning access channel allocation mechanisms. It can be concluded that the routing protocols created for a normal MANET networks is useless in a fast-changing topology large-scale vehicle communication network. To provide heterogeneous services new routing protocols and channel access methods are needed, specifically for vehicle communication networks.

  6. Evaluation of Data Transfer Performance Between Moving Sender and Receiver in Mobile Communication Networks for Heterogeneous Service Support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dalė Dzemydienė

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Vehicular communication networks are acquiring more and more commercial relevance because of recent advances in inter-vehicular communications via the DSRC/WAVE standard, which stimulates a brand new family of visionary services for vehicles, from road safety to entertainment and multimedia applications. After deep analysis of the literature it was decided to investigate evaluation of data transfer performance between moving sender and receiver in mobile communication network for heterogeneous service support. After careful analysis of the simulation tools the NCTUns 6.0 software package was chosen for planned investigations. The results illustrate that the longest communication can be maintained at the maximum number of vehicles participating on the network, but the quality of communication is inversely proportional to the number of vehicles. On this changing topology network when growing number of nodes (vehicles increases flooding of network with the data packages and it determines many collisions. The number of rejected packages increases directly in proportion to the number of vehicles. When the number of nodes (vehicle increases—it is increasing the number of the received same packages which are received from different nodes in the recipient node. On the sender node, the packages are rejected because the collisions occur due to improperly functioning access channel allocation mechanisms. It can be concluded that the routing protocols created for a normal MANET networks is useless in a fast-changing topology large-scale vehicle communication network. To provide heterogeneous services new routing protocols and channel access methods are needed, specifically for vehicle communication networks.

  7. An experimental study of thermal characterization of parabolic trough receivers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lei, Dongqiang; Li, Qiang; Wang, Zhifeng; Li, Jian; Li, Jianbin

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A new test stand of heat loss has been developed at IEECAS. ► A correlation between heat loss and absorber temperature is presented, 270 W/m 400 °C. ► The ratio of end loss in total heat loss increases with decreasing the temperature. ► The emittance test stand using a high vacuum system and vacuum gauge is built. ► Emittance first decreases, then rapidly increases with increasing the temperature. - Abstract: The receiver is a key component of the parabolic trough solar station. The receiver requires the most challenging technology and has a decisive influence on the thermal and economic performance of a power plant. The Institute of Electrical Engineering Chinese Academy Sciences (IEECAS) and Himin Solar Co., Ltd. (HSC) cooperated to develop solar receivers for the first 50 MW parabolic trough project in Inner Mongolia, China. This paper examines overall heat loss, end loss and thermal emittance of the coating of a newly designed receiver in order to evaluate its thermal characterization. A series of heat loss tests are conducted in a newly developed test stand following the steady state equilibrium method. The tests provide a correlation between heat loss and the absorber temperature. This paper presents a new testing method to accurately test the coating emittance. The method uses a receiver with a high vacuum system and a vacuum gauge to maintain continuous exhaust and high vacuum throughout the heat loss testing. A heat loss comparison between the receiver and other existing receivers provides a reference that enabled further optimization. Theoretical and experimental analysis examines the effects of end loss both with and without a heat insulator and a coil heater. The emittance curves of different coatings are acquired and the reasons for initial emittance decrease and then remarkable increase versus temperature are analyzed

  8. Multifunction waveform generator for EM receiver testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kai; Jin, Sheng; Deng, Ming

    2018-01-01

    In many electromagnetic (EM) methods - such as magnetotelluric, spectral-induced polarization (SIP), time-domain-induced polarization (TDIP), and controlled-source audio magnetotelluric (CSAMT) methods - it is important to evaluate and test the EM receivers during their development stage. To assess the performance of the developed EM receivers, controlled synthetic data that simulate the observed signals in different modes are required. In CSAMT and SIP mode testing, the waveform generator should use the GPS time as the reference for repeating schedule. Based on our testing, the frequency range, frequency precision, and time synchronization of the currently available function waveform generators on the market are deficient. This paper presents a multifunction waveform generator with three waveforms: (1) a wideband, low-noise electromagnetic field signal to be used for magnetotelluric, audio-magnetotelluric, and long-period magnetotelluric studies; (2) a repeating frequency sweep square waveform for CSAMT and SIP studies; and (3) a positive-zero-negative-zero signal that contains primary and secondary fields for TDIP studies. In this paper, we provide the principles of the above three waveforms along with a hardware design for the generator. Furthermore, testing of the EM receiver was conducted with the waveform generator, and the results of the experiment were compared with those calculated from the simulation and theory in the frequency band of interest.

  9. Consumer behavior changing: methods of evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elīna Gaile-Sarkane

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted to methods of analyses of consumer buying behavior as well as to evaluation of most important factors what influences consumer behavior. This research aims at investigations about the changes in consumer behavior caused by globalization and development of information technologies; it helps to understand the specific factors what should be taken into account in evaluation of consumer behavior. The authors employ well-established quantitative and qualitative methods of research: grouping, analysis, synthesis, expert method, statistic method, etc. Research findings disclosed that there is possibility to introduce new methods for evaluation of changing consumer behavior.

  10. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves: review of methods with applications in diagnostic medicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obuchowski, Nancy A.; Bullen, Jennifer A.

    2018-04-01

    Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis is a tool used to describe the discrimination accuracy of a diagnostic test or prediction model. While sensitivity and specificity are the basic metrics of accuracy, they have many limitations when characterizing test accuracy, particularly when comparing the accuracies of competing tests. In this article we review the basic study design features of ROC studies, illustrate sample size calculations, present statistical methods for measuring and comparing accuracy, and highlight commonly used ROC software. We include descriptions of multi-reader ROC study design and analysis, address frequently seen problems of verification and location bias, discuss clustered data, and provide strategies for testing endpoints in ROC studies. The methods are illustrated with a study of transmission ultrasound for diagnosing breast lesions.

  11. Method for automatically evaluating a transition from a batch manufacturing technique to a lean manufacturing technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivezic, Nenad; Potok, Thomas E.

    2003-09-30

    A method for automatically evaluating a manufacturing technique comprises the steps of: receiving from a user manufacturing process step parameters characterizing a manufacturing process; accepting from the user a selection for an analysis of a particular lean manufacturing technique; automatically compiling process step data for each process step in the manufacturing process; automatically calculating process metrics from a summation of the compiled process step data for each process step; and, presenting the automatically calculated process metrics to the user. A method for evaluating a transition from a batch manufacturing technique to a lean manufacturing technique can comprise the steps of: collecting manufacturing process step characterization parameters; selecting a lean manufacturing technique for analysis; communicating the selected lean manufacturing technique and the manufacturing process step characterization parameters to an automatic manufacturing technique evaluation engine having a mathematical model for generating manufacturing technique evaluation data; and, using the lean manufacturing technique evaluation data to determine whether to transition from an existing manufacturing technique to the selected lean manufacturing technique.

  12. A human-machine interface evaluation method: A difficulty evaluation method in information searching (DEMIS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

    2009-01-01

    A human-machine interface (HMI) evaluation method, which is named 'difficulty evaluation method in information searching (DEMIS)', is proposed and demonstrated with an experimental study. The DEMIS is based on a human performance model and two measures of attentional-resource effectiveness in monitoring and detection tasks in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Operator competence and HMI design are modeled to be most significant factors to human performance. One of the two effectiveness measures is fixation-to-importance ratio (FIR) which represents attentional resource (eye fixations) spent on an information source compared to importance of the information source. The other measure is selective attention effectiveness (SAE) which incorporates FIRs for all information sources. The underlying principle of the measures is that the information source should be selectively attended to according to its informational importance. In this study, poor performance in information searching tasks is modeled to be coupled with difficulties caused by poor mental models of operators or/and poor HMI design. Human performance in information searching tasks is evaluated by analyzing the FIR and the SAE. Operator mental models are evaluated by a questionnaire-based method. Then difficulties caused by a poor HMI design are evaluated by a focused interview based on the FIR evaluation and then root causes leading to poor performance are identified in a systematic way.

  13. Economic Evaluation of a Patient-Directed Music Intervention for ICU Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chlan, Linda L; Heiderscheit, Annette; Skaar, Debra J; Neidecker, Marjorie V

    2018-05-04

    Music intervention has been shown to reduce anxiety and sedative exposure among mechanically ventilated patients. Whether music intervention reduces ICU costs is not known. The aim of this study was to examine ICU costs for patients receiving a patient-directed music intervention compared with patients who received usual ICU care. A cost-effectiveness analysis from the hospital perspective was conducted to determine if patient-directed music intervention was cost-effective in improving patient-reported anxiety. Cost savings were also evaluated. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses determined the influence of input variation on the cost-effectiveness. Midwestern ICUs. Adult ICU patients from a parent clinical trial receiving mechanical ventilatory support. Patients receiving the experimental patient-directed music intervention received a MP3 player, noise-canceling headphones, and music tailored to individual preferences by a music therapist. The base case cost-effectiveness analysis estimated patient-directed music intervention reduced anxiety by 19 points on the Visual Analogue Scale-Anxiety with a reduction in cost of $2,322/patient compared with usual ICU care, resulting in patient-directed music dominance. The probabilistic cost-effectiveness analysis found that average patient-directed music intervention costs were $2,155 less than usual ICU care and projected that cost saving is achieved in 70% of 1,000 iterations. Based on break-even analyses, cost saving is achieved if the per-patient cost of patient-directed music intervention remains below $2,651, a value eight times the base case of $329. Patient-directed music intervention is cost-effective for reducing anxiety in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.

  14. Real-time GPS seismology using a single receiver: method comparison, error analysis and precision validation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xingxing

    2014-05-01

    Earthquake monitoring and early warning system for hazard assessment and mitigation has traditional been based on seismic instruments. However, for large seismic events, it is difficult for traditional seismic instruments to produce accurate and reliable displacements because of the saturation of broadband seismometers and problematic integration of strong-motion data. Compared with the traditional seismic instruments, GPS can measure arbitrarily large dynamic displacements without saturation, making them particularly valuable in case of large earthquakes and tsunamis. GPS relative positioning approach is usually adopted to estimate seismic displacements since centimeter-level accuracy can be achieved in real-time by processing double-differenced carrier-phase observables. However, relative positioning method requires a local reference station, which might itself be displaced during a large seismic event, resulting in misleading GPS analysis results. Meanwhile, the relative/network approach is time-consuming, particularly difficult for the simultaneous and real-time analysis of GPS data from hundreds or thousands of ground stations. In recent years, several single-receiver approaches for real-time GPS seismology, which can overcome the reference station problem of the relative positioning approach, have been successfully developed and applied to GPS seismology. One available method is real-time precise point positioning (PPP) relied on precise satellite orbit and clock products. However, real-time PPP needs a long (re)convergence period, of about thirty minutes, to resolve integer phase ambiguities and achieve centimeter-level accuracy. In comparison with PPP, Colosimo et al. (2011) proposed a variometric approach to determine the change of position between two adjacent epochs, and then displacements are obtained by a single integration of the delta positions. This approach does not suffer from convergence process, but the single integration from delta positions to

  15. Digital image envelope: method and evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, H. K.; Cao, Fei; Zhou, Michael Z.; Mogel, Greg T.; Liu, Brent J.; Zhou, Xiaoqiang

    2003-05-01

    Health data security, characterized in terms of data privacy, authenticity, and integrity, is a vital issue when digital images and other patient information are transmitted through public networks in telehealth applications such as teleradiology. Mandates for ensuring health data security have been extensively discussed (for example The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA) and health informatics guidelines (such as the DICOM standard) are beginning to focus on issues of data continue to be published by organizing bodies in healthcare; however, there has not been a systematic method developed to ensure data security in medical imaging Because data privacy and authenticity are often managed primarily with firewall and password protection, we have focused our research and development on data integrity. We have developed a systematic method of ensuring medical image data integrity across public networks using the concept of the digital envelope. When a medical image is generated regardless of the modality, three processes are performed: the image signature is obtained, the DICOM image header is encrypted, and a digital envelope is formed by combining the signature and the encrypted header. The envelope is encrypted and embedded in the original image. This assures the security of both the image and the patient ID. The embedded image is encrypted again and transmitted across the network. The reverse process is performed at the receiving site. The result is two digital signatures, one from the original image before transmission, and second from the image after transmission. If the signatures are identical, there has been no alteration of the image. This paper concentrates in the method and evaluation of the digital image envelope.

  16. Color image definition evaluation method based on deep learning method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Di; Li, YingChun

    2018-01-01

    In order to evaluate different blurring levels of color image and improve the method of image definition evaluation, this paper proposed a method based on the depth learning framework and BP neural network classification model, and presents a non-reference color image clarity evaluation method. Firstly, using VGG16 net as the feature extractor to extract 4,096 dimensions features of the images, then the extracted features and labeled images are employed in BP neural network to train. And finally achieve the color image definition evaluation. The method in this paper are experimented by using images from the CSIQ database. The images are blurred at different levels. There are 4,000 images after the processing. Dividing the 4,000 images into three categories, each category represents a blur level. 300 out of 400 high-dimensional features are trained in VGG16 net and BP neural network, and the rest of 100 samples are tested. The experimental results show that the method can take full advantage of the learning and characterization capability of deep learning. Referring to the current shortcomings of the major existing image clarity evaluation methods, which manually design and extract features. The method in this paper can extract the images features automatically, and has got excellent image quality classification accuracy for the test data set. The accuracy rate is 96%. Moreover, the predicted quality levels of original color images are similar to the perception of the human visual system.

  17. Systems and methods for direct thermal receivers using near blackbody configurations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wagner, Michael; Ma, Zhiwen; Martinek, Janna; Neises, Ty; Turchi, Craig

    2018-04-17

    An aspect of the present disclosure is a receiver for receiving radiation from a heliostat array that includes at least one external panel configured to form an internal cavity and an open face. The open face is positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis and forms an entrance to the internal cavity. The receiver also includes at least one internal panel positioned within the cavity and aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the at least one internal panel includes at least one channel configured to distribute a heat transfer medium.

  18. Decision support system for determining Bantuan Siswa Miskin (BSM) receivers with profile matching method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Situmorang, B. H.; Pibriana, E.; Tosida, E. T.

    2018-03-01

    Bantuan Siswa Miskin (BSM) is a National Programs aimed at eliminating the barriers of poor students participating to school by helping poor students gain access to appropriate education services, prevent dropping out of school, attract poor students back to school, assis students in providing for learning activities, support the Nine Years Basic Education (and even up to senior high school) program, as well as helping to smooth the school programs [1]. Decision Support System is made by applying Profile Matching method to assist teachers or school operators in SMP PGRI Ciasmara in selecting prospective recipients of BSM program and providing recommendations in decision making. Profile Matching is used to compare the actual data value of a profile to be assessed by the expected profile value, so that it can be known the difference of competence (also called GAP). If the resulting value of GAP is smaller then the weight of value will be greater, which means it has a greater chance to be recommended as a potential recipient of the BSM program. Decision Support System for determining BSM receivers is only choosing the right alternatives to receive BSM according to the BSM quota given to SMP PGRI Ciasmara. The right alternatives to receive this BSM is the highest ranking alternatives.

  19. "System evaluates system": method for evaluating the efficiency of IS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dita Blazkova

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In paper I deal with the possible solution of evaluating the efficiency of information systems in companies. The large number of existing methods used to address the efficiency of information systems is dependent on the subjective responses of the user that may distort output evaluation. Therefore, I propose a method that eliminates the subjective opinion of a user as the primary data source. Applications, which I suggests as part of the method, collects relevant data. In this paper I describe the application in detail. This is a follow-on program on any system that runs parallel with it. The program automatically collects data for evaluation. Data include mainly time data, positions the mouse cursor, printScreens, i-grams of previous, etc. I propose a method of evaluation of the data, which identifies the degree of the friendliness of the information system to the user. Thus, the output of the method is the conclusion whether users, who work with the information system, can handle effectively work with it.

  20. Receiver Gain Modulation Circuit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Hollis; Racette, Paul; Walker, David; Gu, Dazhen

    2011-01-01

    A receiver gain modulation circuit (RGMC) was developed that modulates the power gain of the output of a radiometer receiver with a test signal. As the radiometer receiver switches between calibration noise references, the test signal is mixed with the calibrated noise and thus produces an ensemble set of measurements from which ensemble statistical analysis can be used to extract statistical information about the test signal. The RGMC is an enabling technology of the ensemble detector. As a key component for achieving ensemble detection and analysis, the RGMC has broad aeronautical and space applications. The RGMC can be used to test and develop new calibration algorithms, for example, to detect gain anomalies, and/or correct for slow drifts that affect climate-quality measurements over an accelerated time scale. A generalized approach to analyzing radiometer system designs yields a mathematical treatment of noise reference measurements in calibration algorithms. By treating the measurements from the different noise references as ensemble samples of the receiver state, i.e. receiver gain, a quantitative description of the non-stationary properties of the underlying receiver fluctuations can be derived. Excellent agreement has been obtained between model calculations and radiometric measurements. The mathematical formulation is equivalent to modulating the gain of a stable receiver with an externally generated signal and is the basis for ensemble detection and analysis (EDA). The concept of generating ensemble data sets using an ensemble detector is similar to the ensemble data sets generated as part of ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) with exception of a key distinguishing factor. EEMD adds noise to the signal under study whereas EDA mixes the signal with calibrated noise. It is mixing with calibrated noise that permits the measurement of temporal-functional variability of uncertainty in the underlying process. The RGMC permits the evaluation of EDA by

  1. Classes evaluation: Methods and tools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grabiński Tadeusz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study presents a method, tools, course and results of foreign language classes evaluation conducted in the summer semester 2012/2013 in the Andrzej Frycz - Modrzewski Krakow University. Because a new evaluation procedure has been implemented at the University, the former method - based on paper forms filled in by the students - was abandoned. On the surveyanyplace.com website, a free account has been registered and the form of the evaluation questionnaire has been inserted. This coverage presents results of a taxometric analysis aimed at checking the degree of mutual correspondence (correlation between certain criteria and instancing a graphic presentation of the evaluation results in a multidimensional perspective. In order to classify the grading criteria, the Ward's agglomerative method, along with Euclidean metric as a measure of criteria similarity, have been used. Calculations have been made with the use of Statistica package. Results of the questionnaire show that foreign language teaching at the Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University is conducted professionally and on a high factual level.

  2. Nutritional evaluation of patients receiving dialysis for the management of protein-energy wasting: what is old and what is new?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riella, Miguel C

    2013-05-01

    Advances in the nutritional support of hospitalized patients in the early 1970s led to the recognition that tools were needed to evaluate the nutritional status of patients. The observation that malnutrition in patients receiving dialysis was associated with increased morbidity and mortality prompted many expert groups to develop nutritional scoring systems to be applied in these patients. Given the diverse and confusing terminologies that emerged from these publications, the International Society of Renal Nutritional and Metabolism convened an expert panel to recommend a new nomenclature and preferred methods to evaluate the nutritional status of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The new and inclusive term protein-energy wasting (PEW) refers to a systematically defined condition based on certain criteria and reflects malnutrition and wasting caused not only by inadequate nutrient intake but also by depletion resulting from the inflammatory and noninflammatory conditions that prevail in this population. Serial assessment of nutritional status for detection and management of PEW is recommended using old and new scoring tools, including the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), malnutrition inflammation score (MIS), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and PEW definition criteria. These tools, which are reliable methods and predictors of outcomes, are reviewed in this article. Copyright © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Using Crowdsourcing to Evaluate Published Scientific Literature: Methods and Example

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Andrew W.; Allison, David B.

    2014-01-01

    Systematically evaluating scientific literature is a time consuming endeavor that requires hours of coding and rating. Here, we describe a method to distribute these tasks across a large group through online crowdsourcing. Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, crowdsourced workers (microworkers) completed four groups of tasks to evaluate the question, “Do nutrition-obesity studies with conclusions concordant with popular opinion receive more attention in the scientific community than do those that are discordant?” 1) Microworkers who passed a qualification test (19% passed) evaluated abstracts to determine if they were about human studies investigating nutrition and obesity. Agreement between the first two raters' conclusions was moderate (κ = 0.586), with consensus being reached in 96% of abstracts. 2) Microworkers iteratively synthesized free-text answers describing the studied foods into one coherent term. Approximately 84% of foods were agreed upon, with only 4 and 8% of ratings failing manual review in different steps. 3) Microworkers were asked to rate the perceived obesogenicity of the synthesized food terms. Over 99% of responses were complete and usable, and opinions of the microworkers qualitatively matched the authors' expert expectations (e.g., sugar-sweetened beverages were thought to cause obesity and fruits and vegetables were thought to prevent obesity). 4) Microworkers extracted citation counts for each paper through Google Scholar. Microworkers reached consensus or unanimous agreement for all successful searches. To answer the example question, data were aggregated and analyzed, and showed no significant association between popular opinion and attention the paper received as measured by Scimago Journal Rank and citation counts. Direct microworker costs totaled $221.75, (estimated cost at minimum wage: $312.61). We discuss important points to consider to ensure good quality control and appropriate pay for microworkers. With good reliability and

  4. Using crowdsourcing to evaluate published scientific literature: methods and example.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew W Brown

    Full Text Available Systematically evaluating scientific literature is a time consuming endeavor that requires hours of coding and rating. Here, we describe a method to distribute these tasks across a large group through online crowdsourcing. Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, crowdsourced workers (microworkers completed four groups of tasks to evaluate the question, "Do nutrition-obesity studies with conclusions concordant with popular opinion receive more attention in the scientific community than do those that are discordant?" 1 Microworkers who passed a qualification test (19% passed evaluated abstracts to determine if they were about human studies investigating nutrition and obesity. Agreement between the first two raters' conclusions was moderate (κ = 0.586, with consensus being reached in 96% of abstracts. 2 Microworkers iteratively synthesized free-text answers describing the studied foods into one coherent term. Approximately 84% of foods were agreed upon, with only 4 and 8% of ratings failing manual review in different steps. 3 Microworkers were asked to rate the perceived obesogenicity of the synthesized food terms. Over 99% of responses were complete and usable, and opinions of the microworkers qualitatively matched the authors' expert expectations (e.g., sugar-sweetened beverages were thought to cause obesity and fruits and vegetables were thought to prevent obesity. 4 Microworkers extracted citation counts for each paper through Google Scholar. Microworkers reached consensus or unanimous agreement for all successful searches. To answer the example question, data were aggregated and analyzed, and showed no significant association between popular opinion and attention the paper received as measured by Scimago Journal Rank and citation counts. Direct microworker costs totaled $221.75, (estimated cost at minimum wage: $312.61. We discuss important points to consider to ensure good quality control and appropriate pay for microworkers. With good

  5. The Strathclyde Evaluation of Children's Active Travel (SE-CAT: study rationale and methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McMinn David

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The school commute is a prime opportunity to increase children's physical activity levels. However, active commuting has decreased over the past 40 years. Strategies that increase walking to school are therefore needed. Travelling Green (TG is a school-based active travel resource aimed at increasing children's walking to school. The resource consists of a curriculum-based program of lessons and goal setting activities. A previous study found that children who received the TG intervention increased self-reported distance travelled to school by active modes and reduced the distance travelled by inactive modes. This study was limited by self-reported outcome measures, a small sample, and no follow-up measures. A more robust evaluation of TG is required to address these limitations. This paper describes the rationale and methods for such an evaluation of Travelling Green, and describes the piloting of various active commuting measures in primary school children. Methods/Design Measures of active commuting were piloted in a sample of 26 children (aged 8-9 years over one school week. These measures were subsequently used in an 18-month quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effect of TG on commuting behaviour. Participants were 166 children (60% male aged 8-9 years from 5 primary schools. Two schools (n = 79 children received TG in September/October 2009. Three schools (n = 87 children acted as a comparison group, and subsequently received TG at a later date. Physical activity was measured using Actigraph GT1M accelerometers. Personal and environmental determinants of active commuting were measured via parent and child questionnaires, as were factors related to the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the construct of habit. Measures were taken pre- and post-intervention and at 5 and 12 months follow-up. Discussion The piloted protocol was practical and feasible and piloted measures were reliable and valid. All study data, including

  6. MR-based conductivity imaging using multiple receiver coils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Joonsung; Shin, Jaewook; Kim, Dong-Hyun

    2016-08-01

    To propose a signal combination method for MR-based tissue conductivity mapping using a standard clinical scanner with multiple receiver coils. The theory of the proposed method is presented with two practical approaches, a coil-specific approach and a subject-specific approach. Conductivity maps were reconstructed using the transceive phase of the combined signal. The sensitivities of the coefficients used for signal combination were analyzed and the method was compared with other signal combination methods. For validation, multiple receiver brain coils and multiple receiver breast coils were used in phantom, in vivo brain, and in vivo breast studies. The variation among the conductivity estimates was conductivity estimates. MR-based tissue conductivity mapping is feasible when using a standard clinical MR scanner with multiple receiver coils. The proposed method reduces systematic errors in phase-based conductivity mapping that can occur due to the inhomogeneous magnitude of the combined receive profile. Magn Reson Med 76:530-539, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Success tree method of resources evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Qinglan; Sun Wenpeng

    1994-01-01

    By applying the reliability theory in system engineering, the success tree method is used to transfer the expert's recognition on metallogenetic regularities into the form of the success tree. The aim of resources evaluation is achieved by means of calculating the metallogenetic probability or favorability of the top event of the success tree. This article introduces in detail, the source, principle of the success tree method and three kinds of calculation methods, expounds concretely how to establish the success tree of comprehensive uranium metallogenesis as well as the procedure from which the resources evaluation is performed. Because this method has not restrictions on the number of known deposits and calculated area, it is applicable to resources evaluation for different mineral species, types and scales and possesses good prospects of development

  8. LNG Safety Assessment Evaluation Methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muna, Alice Baca [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); LaFleur, Angela Christine [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2015-05-01

    Sandia National Laboratories evaluated published safety assessment methods across a variety of industries including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), hydrogen, land and marine transportation, as well as the US Department of Defense (DOD). All the methods were evaluated for their potential applicability for use in the LNG railroad application. After reviewing the documents included in this report, as well as others not included because of repetition, the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Safety Plan Checklist is most suitable to be adapted to the LNG railroad application. This report was developed to survey industries related to rail transportation for methodologies and tools that can be used by the FRA to review and evaluate safety assessments submitted by the railroad industry as a part of their implementation plans for liquefied or compressed natural gas storage ( on-board or tender) and engine fueling delivery systems. The main sections of this report provide an overview of various methods found during this survey. In most cases, the reference document is quoted directly. The final section provides discussion and a recommendation for the most appropriate methodology that will allow efficient and consistent evaluations to be made. The DOE Hydrogen Safety Plan Checklist was then revised to adapt it as a methodology for the Federal Railroad Administration’s use in evaluating safety plans submitted by the railroad industry.

  9. A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Chenggang; Woo, Hyung Jun; Yu, Xueping; Oyama, Tatsuya; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

    2017-10-13

    Researchers have previously developed a multitude of methods designed to identify biological pathways associated with specific clinical or experimental conditions of interest, with the aim of facilitating biological interpretation of high-throughput data. Before practically applying such pathway analysis (PA) methods, we must first evaluate their performance and reliability, using datasets where the pathways perturbed by the conditions of interest have been well characterized in advance. However, such 'ground truths' (or gold standards) are often unavailable. Furthermore, previous evaluation strategies that have focused on defining 'true answers' are unable to systematically and objectively assess PA methods under a wide range of conditions. In this work, we propose a novel strategy for evaluating PA methods independently of any gold standard, either established or assumed. The strategy involves the use of two mutually complementary metrics, recall and discrimination. Recall measures the consistency of the perturbed pathways identified by applying a particular analysis method to an original large dataset and those identified by the same method to a sub-dataset of the original dataset. In contrast, discrimination measures specificity-the degree to which the perturbed pathways identified by a particular method to a dataset from one experiment differ from those identifying by the same method to a dataset from a different experiment. We used these metrics and 24 datasets to evaluate six widely used PA methods. The results highlighted the common challenge in reliably identifying significant pathways from small datasets. Importantly, we confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed dual-metric strategy by showing that previous comparative studies corroborate the performance evaluations of the six methods obtained by our strategy. Unlike any previously proposed strategy for evaluating the performance of PA methods, our dual-metric strategy does not rely on any ground truth

  10. Evaluation of Altered Drug Pharmacokinetics in Critically Ill Adults Receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Michael A; Sieg, Adam C

    2017-02-01

    Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-support modality used in patients with refractory cardiac and/or respiratory failure. A significant resurgence in the use ECMO has been seen in recent years as a result of substantial improvements in technology and survival benefit. With expanding ECMO use, a better understanding of how ECMO affects drug pharmacokinetics (PK) is necessary. The vast majority of PK studies in patients receiving ECMO have been conducted within neonatal or pediatric populations or within a controlled environment (e.g., in vitro or ex vivo). Because of significant differences in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, it may be inappropriate to extrapolate these PK data to adults. Thus, the aims of this review are to evaluate the changes in drug PK during ECMO and to summarize the available PK data for common drugs used in the adult critically ill patients during ECMO support. A search of the PubMed (1965-July 2016), EMBASE (1965-July 2016), and Cochrane Controlled Trial Register databases was performed. All relevant studies describing PK alterations during ECMO in ex vivo experiments and in adults were included. Evaluation of the data indicated that drug PK in adults receiving ECMO support may be significantly altered. Factors influencing these alterations are numerous and have intricate relationships with each other but can generally be classified as ECMO circuit factors, drug factors, and patient factors. Commonly used drugs in these patients include antimicrobials, sedatives, and analgesics. PK data for most of these drugs are generally lacking; however, recent research efforts in this patient population have provided some limited guidance in drug dosing. With an improved understanding of altered drug PK secondary to ECMO therapy, optimization of pharmacotherapy within this critically ill population continues to move forward. © 2016 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  11. Evaluation Methods for Prevention Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blue, Amy V.; Barnette, J. Jackson; Ferguson, Kristi J.; Garr, David R.

    2000-01-01

    Discusses the importance of assessing medical students' competence in prevention knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Provides general guidance for programs interested in evaluating their prevention instructional efforts, and gives specific examples of possible methods for evaluating prevention education. Stresses the need to tailor assessment…

  12. The stability of a terahertz receiver based on a superconducting integrated receiver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozhegov, R V; Gorshkov, K N; Gol'tsman, G N; Kinev, N V; Koshelets, V P

    2011-01-01

    We present the results of stability testing of a terahertz radiometer based on a superconducting receiver with a SIS tunnel junction as the mixer and a flux-flow oscillator as the local oscillator. In the continuum mode, the receiver with a noise temperature of 95 K at 510 GHz measured over the intermediate frequency (IF) passband of 4-8 GHz offered a noise equivalent temperature difference of 10 ± 1 mK at an integration time of 1 s. We offer a method to significantly increase the integration time without the use of complex measurement equipment. The receiver observed a strong signal over a final detection bandwidth of 4 GHz and offered an Allan time of 5 s.

  13. The stability of a terahertz receiver based on a superconducting integrated receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozhegov, R V; Gorshkov, K N; Gol' tsman, G N [Department of Physics, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow 119992 (Russian Federation); Kinev, N V; Koshelets, V P, E-mail: Ozhegov@rplab.ru [Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics, 125009 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2011-03-15

    We present the results of stability testing of a terahertz radiometer based on a superconducting receiver with a SIS tunnel junction as the mixer and a flux-flow oscillator as the local oscillator. In the continuum mode, the receiver with a noise temperature of 95 K at 510 GHz measured over the intermediate frequency (IF) passband of 4-8 GHz offered a noise equivalent temperature difference of 10 {+-} 1 mK at an integration time of 1 s. We offer a method to significantly increase the integration time without the use of complex measurement equipment. The receiver observed a strong signal over a final detection bandwidth of 4 GHz and offered an Allan time of 5 s.

  14. A hybrid method for evaluating enterprise architecture implementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikpay, Fatemeh; Ahmad, Rodina; Yin Kia, Chiam

    2017-02-01

    Enterprise Architecture (EA) implementation evaluation provides a set of methods and practices for evaluating the EA implementation artefacts within an EA implementation project. There are insufficient practices in existing EA evaluation models in terms of considering all EA functions and processes, using structured methods in developing EA implementation, employing matured practices, and using appropriate metrics to achieve proper evaluation. The aim of this research is to develop a hybrid evaluation method that supports achieving the objectives of EA implementation. To attain this aim, the first step is to identify EA implementation evaluation practices. To this end, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted. Second, the proposed hybrid method was developed based on the foundation and information extracted from the SLR, semi-structured interviews with EA practitioners, program theory evaluation and Information Systems (ISs) evaluation. Finally, the proposed method was validated by means of a case study and expert reviews. This research provides a suitable foundation for researchers who wish to extend and continue this research topic with further analysis and exploration, and for practitioners who would like to employ an effective and lightweight evaluation method for EA projects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Electronic warfare receivers and receiving systems

    CERN Document Server

    Poisel, Richard A

    2014-01-01

    Receivers systems are considered the core of electronic warfare (EW) intercept systems. Without them, the fundamental purpose of such systems is null and void. This book considers the major elements that make up receiver systems and the receivers that go in them.This resource provides system design engineers with techniques for design and development of EW receivers for modern modulations (spread spectrum) in addition to receivers for older, common modulation formats. Each major module in these receivers is considered in detail. Design information is included as well as performance tradeoffs o

  16. Research into real-option evaluation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiba, Tsuyoshi; Wakamatsu, Hitoshi

    2002-03-01

    As an evaluational method for valuation of a corporation, an investment project, a research and development, or the evaluation technique of an enterprise strategy, a real option analysis attracts attention instead of conventional Discount Cash Flow method. The reason is that it can divert the technique for the option valuation in financial engineering to the decision-making process performed according to change in investment environment. Related references, the analysis tools, the application examples, etc. were investigated about the decision-making technique using real option analysis, and this investigation considered the application method to decision-making of the research and development at Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute. Consequently, since the feature is in real option analysis being the evaluation technique on condition of that business conditions and business itself also change, the real option analysis fits for evaluation of a research and development that business conditions were opaque and it turns out that the businesses are highly flexible. Moreover, it turns out that it fits also for evaluation of a capital concentration type investment issue like power plants. (author)

  17. Teaching cross-cultural communication skills online: a multi-method evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Amy L; Mader, Emily M; Morley, Christopher P

    2015-04-01

    Cultural competency education is an important and required part of undergraduate medical education. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether an online cross-cultural communication module could increase student use of cross-cultural communication questions that assess the patient's definition of the problem, the way the problem affects their life, their concerns about the problem, and what the treatment should be (PACT). We used multi-method assessment of students assigned to family medicine clerkship blocks that were randomized to receive online cultural competency and PACT training added to their standard curriculum or to a control group receiving the standard curriculum only. Outcomes included comparison, via analysis of variance, of number of PACT questions used during an observed Standardized Patient Exercise, end-of-year OSCE scores, and qualitative analysis of student narratives. Students (n=119) who participated in the online module (n=60) demonstrated increased use of cross-cultural communication PACT questions compared to the control group (n=59) and generally had positive themes emerge from their reflective writing. The module had the biggest impact on students who later went on to match in high communication specialties. Online teaching of cross-cultural communication skills can be effective at changing medical student behavior.

  18. Evaluation of the dose received in the tissues of the neck during quantification of iodine in the thyroid by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portararo, Antonio; Licour, Caroline; Gerardy, Isabelle; Pozuelo Navarro, Fausto

    2018-04-01

    The determination of the iodine content in the thyroid is of great interest for many investigations of this gland. The conventional scintigraphic method, using radionuclides, is efficient but delivers a significant dose to the patient. The X-ray fluorescence spectrometry could give information about the iodine content in the thyroid. The measured signal is obtained after stimulation of the stable iodine contained in the gland by X-rays. The advantage of this technique is the complete absence of radioactive isotope injected into the patient body. By applying this, a decrease in effective dose to the patient should be obtained. In this work, the study of the dose received by a thyroid phantom (surrounded by the different tissues of the neck) was performed. The phantom is made of PLA. The dose is measured in optimised conditions defined for the analytical technique. A total head-neck phantom was also used in order to consider the absorbed dose in each different tissues and organs as spinal cord or eyes. Thermo-luminescence dosimeters were chosen for their small size, their sensitivity and the easy positioning on the surface of the phantom but also inside of it to evaluate dose to internal organs. Those LiF 100 dosimeters have been calibrated within the X-ray beam also used for the analysis of iodine. The repeatability and reproducibility of the method has been evaluated. The influence of parameters as concentration of iodine in the thyroid, distance between the X-ray generator and the neck, thickness of the tissues surrounding the thyroid, has been investigated in terms of modifying parameters of the dose received by different tissues situated in the neck and the head.

  19. Evaluation of local corrosion life by statistical method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Shunji; Kurosawa, Tatsuo; Takaku, Hiroshi; Kusanagi, Hideo; Hirano, Hideo; Kimura, Hideo; Hide, Koichiro; Kawasaki, Masayuki

    1987-01-01

    In this paper, for the purpose of achievement of life extension of light water reactor, we examined the evaluation of local corrosion by satistical method and its application of nuclear power plant components. There are many evaluation examples of maximum cracking depth of local corrosion by dowbly exponential distribution. This evaluation method has been established. But, it has not been established that we evaluate service lifes of construction materials by satistical method. In order to establish of service life evaluation by satistical method, we must strive to collect local corrosion dates and its analytical researchs. (author)

  20. A new method used to evaluate organic working fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xinxin; He, Maogang; Wang, Jingfu

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a method named “Weight Classification-Hasse Dominance” to evaluate organic working fluids. This new method combines the advantages of both the method of weight determination and the Hasse Diagram Technique (HDT). It can be used to evaluate the thermodynamic performance, environmental protection indicator, and safety requirement of organic working fluid simultaneously. This evaluation method can offer good reference for working fluid selection. Using this method, the organic working fluids which have been phased out and will be phased out by the Montreal Protocol including CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons), and HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) were evaluated. Moreover, HCs (hydrocarbons) can be considered as a completely different kind of organic working fluid from CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs according to the comparison based on this new evaluation method. - Highlights: • We propose a new method used to evaluate organic working fluids. • This evaluation method can offer good reference for working fluid selection. • CFC, HCFC, and HFC working fluids were evaluated using this evaluation method. • HC can be considered as a totally different working fluid from CFC, HCFC, and HFC

  1. Computational methods for data evaluation and assimilation

    CERN Document Server

    Cacuci, Dan Gabriel

    2013-01-01

    Data evaluation and data combination require the use of a wide range of probability theory concepts and tools, from deductive statistics mainly concerning frequencies and sample tallies to inductive inference for assimilating non-frequency data and a priori knowledge. Computational Methods for Data Evaluation and Assimilation presents interdisciplinary methods for integrating experimental and computational information. This self-contained book shows how the methods can be applied in many scientific and engineering areas. After presenting the fundamentals underlying the evaluation of experiment

  2. Tracking method of small receiver coil using MR scanner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Onogi, Shinya; Liao, Hongen; Kobayashi, Etsuko; Sakuma, Ichiro; Watanabe, Sigeru

    2007-01-01

    MR guided surgery is quite effective in realizing accurate and safe minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The combination of intra-operative MRI, surgical navigation system, and surgical robot should be of practical use in the field of MIS in the future. When we use flexible endoscope type robotic manipulator, the position and the orientation of the tip point of the flexible forceps should be navigated and controlled by a robotic manipulator. However, the conventional position sensor can not be used because of the strong magnetic field and the limited workspace. We propose a novel tracking method named extended active tracking (EAT), which is based on the active tracking algorithm. EAT can measure the position and the orientation of the tracking coils synchronically. The principle of EAT is three points measurement by three series inductance. We can calculate the orientation of three coils using the measured 3-D positions of coils. In this paper, three experiments was conducted to evaluate the basic performance of the EAT. First experiment is the flip angle adjustment for the reduction of background noise, which is caused by the proton around each inductance. The experimental results shown that the inductance positions could be clearly observed without background noise at 6-deg flip angle with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal peaks. Second experiment is the reproducibility evaluation. The fluctuation of measurement position and orientation were less than 0.3 mm (SD) and 1.0 deg (SD) at various positions and orientations. And standard deviation of the distance between the inductances at various positions and orientations is less than resolution (0.78 mm). Third experiment is an accuracy evaluation. The position measurement accuracy was 0.39 mm (RMS) using an optical tracking device. The orientation measurement accuracy was 3.5 deg (RMS) when the tracking coil was rotated 30 degree. Evaluation result suggests that EAT is possible to be used inside a patient body

  3. Structural analysis of a reflux pool-boiler solar receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoffman, E.L.; Stone, C.M.

    1991-06-01

    Coupled thermal-structural finite element calculations of a reflux pool-boiler solar receiver were performed to characterize the operating stresses and to address issues affecting the service life of the receiver. Analyses performed using shell elements provided information for receiver material selection and design optimization. Calculations based on linear elastic fracture mechanics principles were performed using continuum elements to assess the vulnerability of a seam-weld to fatigue crack growth. All calculations were performed using ABAQUS, a general purpose finite element code, and elements specifically formulated for coupled thermal-structural analysis. Two materials were evaluated: 316L SS and Haynes 230 alloys. The receiver response was simulated for a combination of structural and thermal loads that represent the startup and operating conditions of the receiver. For both materials, maximum stresses in the receiver developed shortly after startup due to uneven temperature distribution across the receiver surface. The largest effective stress was near yield in the 316L SS receiver and below 39 percent of yield in the Haynes 230 receiver. The calculations demonstrated that stress reductions of over 25 percent could be obtained by reducing the aft dome thickness to one closer to the absorber. The fatigue calculations demonstrated that the stress distribution near the seam-weld notch depends primarily on the structural load created by internal pressurization of the receiver rather than the thermal, indicating that the thermal loads can be neglected when assessing the stress intensity near the seam-weld notch. The stress intensity factor, computed using the J-integral method and crack opening-displacement field equations, was significantly below the fatigue threshold for most steels. The calculations indicated that the weld notch was always loaded in compression, a condition which is not conducive to fatigue crack growth. 15 refs., 30 figs., 3 tabs.

  4. RF subsystem design for microwave communication receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bickford, W. J.; Brodsky, W. G.

    A system review of the RF subsystems of (IFF) transponders, tropscatter receivers and SATCOM receivers is presented. The quantity potential for S-band and X-band IFF transponders establishes a baseline requirement. From this, the feasibility of a common design for these and other receivers is evaluated. Goals are established for a GaAs MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) device and related local oscillator preselector and self-test components.

  5. Improved H-κ Method by Harmonic Analysis on Ps and Crustal Multiples in Receiver Functions with respect to Dipping Moho and Crustal Anisotropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, J.; Song, X.; Wang, P.; Zhu, L.

    2017-12-01

    The H-κ method (Zhu and Kanamori, 2000) has been widely used to estimate the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio with receiver functions. However, in regions where the crustal structure is complicated, the method may produce uncertain or even unrealistic results, arising particularly from dipping Moho and/or crustal anisotropy. Here, we propose an improved H-κ method, which corrects for these effects first before stacking. The effect of dipping Moho and crustal anisotropy on Ps receiver function has been well studied, but not as much on crustal multiples (PpPs and PpSs+PsPs). Synthetic tests show that the effect of crustal anisotropy on the multiples are similar to Ps, while the effect of dipping Moho on the multiples is 5 times that on Ps (same cosine trend but 5 times in time shift). A Harmonic Analysis (HA) method for dipping/anisotropy was developed by Wang et al. (2017) for crustal Ps receiver functions to extract parameters of dipping Moho and crustal azimuthal anisotropy. In real data, the crustal multiples are much more complicated than the Ps. Therefore, we use the HA method (Wang et al., 2017), but apply separately to Ps and the multiples. It shows that although complicated, the trend of multiples can still be reasonably well represented by the HA. We then perform separate azimuthal corrections for Ps and the multiples and stack to obtain a combined receiver function. Lastly, the traditional H-κ procedure is applied to the stacked receiver function. We apply the improved H-κ method on 40 CNDSN (Chinese National Digital Seismic Network) stations distributed in a variety of geological setting across the Chinese continent. The results show apparent improvement compared to the traditional H-κ method, with clearer traces of multiples and stronger stacking energy in the grid search, as well as more reliable H-κ values.

  6. An Evaluation of Hepatotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hanumantp

    investigation was a prospective study that was conducted in cancer patients receiving Inj. Doxorubicin .... patients. Pre-Chem o. I - Cycle. II - Cycle III - Cycle. IV - Cycle. 0. 1. 2. 3. 4 .... vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, antioxidant components.

  7. Receiver operating characteristic curve evaluation on computed radiography: an experimental study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Zixi; Wang Changyuan; Xu Yue; Xie Jindong; Zhang Menglong; Wang Jian

    2003-01-01

    Objective: To get the maximum information from computed radiography (CR) output images by changing post-processing parameters. Methods: Six experimental photos of polypropylene balls of 2.0 mm in diameter were taken by means of one time X-ray exposing on an imaging plate (IP) with different post-processing parameters including rotation amount (GA), gray gradation type (GT), rotation center (GC), shifting amount (GS), frequency rank (RN), frequency type (RT), and degree of enhancement (RE). 6 photos were viewed by three students and one radiologist on a 6000 lx illuminance viewbox. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were made by means of 5-value-differentiation method. Results: The largest mean area value (Az) below ROC curves of a low contrast experimental photo with post-processing parameters GA=1.0, GT=A, GC=1.6, GS=0.3, RN=4.0, RT=R and RE=3.0 was 0.96, and the maximum information was obtained. The smallest mean area value (Az) was 0.78 with changed post-processing parameters GA=0.8, GS=-0.2 and RE=0.5 while other parameters were not changed. The minimum information was obtained from this photo. Conclusion: In order to get the maximum information from a CR output image, the post-processing parameters should be suitably selected

  8. Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users’ Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howson, Moira; Ritchie, Linda; Carter, Philip D; Parry, David Tudor; Koziol-McLain, Jane

    2016-01-01

    Background The use of Web-based interventions to deliver mental health and behavior change programs is increasingly popular. They are cost-effective, accessible, and generally effective. Often these interventions concern psychologically sensitive and challenging issues, such as depression or anxiety. The process by which a person receives and experiences therapy is important to understanding therapeutic process and outcomes. While the experience of the patient or client in traditional face-to-face therapy has been evaluated in a number of ways, there appeared to be a gap in the evaluation of patient experiences of therapeutic interventions delivered online. Evaluation of Web-based artifacts has focused either on evaluation of experience from a computer Web-design perspective through usability testing or on evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Neither of these methods focuses on the psychological experience of the person while engaged in the therapeutic process. Objective This study aimed to investigate what methods, if any, have been used to evaluate the in situ psychological experience of users of Web-based self-help psychosocial interventions. Methods A systematic literature review was undertaken of interdisciplinary databases with a focus on health and computer sciences. Studies that met a predetermined search protocol were included. Results Among 21 studies identified that examined psychological experience of the user, only 1 study collected user experience in situ. The most common method of understanding users’ experience was through semistructured interviews conducted posttreatment or questionnaires administrated at the end of an intervention session. The questionnaires were usually based on standardized tools used to assess user experience with traditional face-to-face treatment. Conclusions There is a lack of methods specified in the literature to evaluate the interface between Web-based mental health or behavior change artifacts and users. Main

  9. Evaluation of modified boehm titration methods for use with biochars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fidel, Rivka B; Laird, David A; Thompson, Michael L

    2013-11-01

    The Boehm titration, originally developed to quantify organic functional groups of carbon blacks and activated carbons in discrete pK ranges, has received growing attention for analyzing biochar. However, properties that distinguish biochar from carbon black and activated carbon, including greater carbon solubility and higher ash content, may render the original Boehm titration method unreliable for use with biochars. Here we use seven biochars and one reference carbon black to evaluate three Boehm titration methods that use (i) acidification followed by sparging (sparge method), (ii) centrifugation after treatment with BaCl (barium method), and (iii) a solid-phase extraction cartridge followed by acidification and sparging (cartridge method) to remove carbonates and dissolved organic compounds (DOC) from the Boehm extracts before titration. Our results for the various combinations of Boehm reactants and methods indicate that no one method was free of bias for all three Boehm reactants and that the cartridge method showed evidence of bias for all pK ranges. By process of elimination, we found that a combination of the sparge method for quantifying functional groups in the lowest pK range (∼5 to 6.4), and the barium method for quantifying functional groups in the higher pK ranges (∼6.4 to 10.3 and ∼10.3 to 13) to be free of evidence for bias. We caution, however, that further testing is needed and that all Boehm titration results for biochars should be considered suspect unless efforts were undertaken to remove ash and prevent interference from DOC. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  10. A Pattern-Oriented Approach to a Methodical Evaluation of Modeling Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Amberg

    1996-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes a pattern-oriented approach to evaluate modeling methods and to compare various methods with each other from a methodical viewpoint. A specific set of principles (the patterns is defined by investigating the notations and the documentation of comparable modeling methods. Each principle helps to examine some parts of the methods from a specific point of view. All principles together lead to an overall picture of the method under examination. First the core ("method neutral" meaning of each principle is described. Then the methods are examined regarding the principle. Afterwards the method specific interpretations are compared with each other and with the core meaning of the principle. By this procedure, the strengths and weaknesses of modeling methods regarding methodical aspects are identified. The principles are described uniformly using a principle description template according to descriptions of object oriented design patterns. The approach is demonstrated by evaluating a business process modeling method.

  11. An Evaluation of Hepatotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Hepatic dysfunction in the cancer unit has a significant impact on patient outcomes. The therapeutic application of anthracycline antibiotics are limited by side‑effects mainly myelosuppression, chronic cardiotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity. Aim: To assess the risk of Hepatotoxicity in breast cancer patients receiving ...

  12. Flexible receiver adapter formal design review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krieg, S.A.

    1995-01-01

    This memo summarizes the results of the Formal (90%) Design Review process and meetings held to evaluate the design of the Flexible Receiver Adapters, support platforms, and associated equipment. The equipment is part of the Flexible Receiver System used to remove, transport, and store long length contaminated equipment and components from both the double and single-shell underground storage tanks at the 200 area tank farms

  13. Optimizing Usability Studies by Complementary Evaluation Methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schmettow, Martin; Bach, Cedric; Scapin, Dominique

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines combinations of complementary evaluation methods as a strategy for efficient usability problem discovery. A data set from an earlier study is re-analyzed, involving three evaluation methods applied to two virtual environment applications. Results of a mixed-effects logistic

  14. Evaluation of the efficiency of different methods of personal dosimetry in vascular interventional radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bacchim Neto, F.A.; Alves, A.F.F.; Rosa, M.E.D.; Pina, D.R.

    2017-01-01

    Interventional Radiology - IR is the area of medicine that provides the largest occupational exposures. The dose values to which interventionists are exposed are difficult to standardize. The objective of the study is to perform a complete evaluation of occupational exposures and to determine the efficiency of different personal dosimetry methods used in IR. We evaluated the efficiencies of 6 different personal dosimetry methodologies used internationally to estimate the effective dose received by interventional professionals. And, based on this analysis, determine the characteristics of each methodology. One of the methods of personal dosimetry recommended by Brazilian legislation was the most conservative, overestimating, on average, the effective dose of professionals by up to 200%, reaching maximum values close to 400%. The most accurate method was that used in North America. This method did not overestimate the effective dose of the professionals more than a few percent and their standard deviation relative to the effective reference dose were the lowest. Based on these results, the choice of methodologies employing at least two dosimeters, one under and above protective aprons is recommended. In addition, in some situations where the dose in the hands may be high, additional dosimeters for this region are also recommended

  15. Evaluation of radiation dose received in skull radiographic examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omer, Noora Elshiekh

    2014-12-01

    Diagnostic X-ray examination play an important role in the health care of the population. These examinations may involve significant irradiation of the patient and probably represent the largest mam-made source of radiation exposure for the population. This study was performed in Khartoum Teaching Hospital in period of January to June 2014. This study was performed to assess the effective dose (ED) received in skull radiographic examination and to analyze effective dose distributions among radiological department under study. The study was performed in Khartoum Teaching Hospital, covering two x-ray units and a sample of 50 patients. The following parameters were recorded: age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI) derived from weight (kg) and (height (m)) and exposure factors. The dose was measured for skull x-ray examinations. For effective dose calculation, the entrance surface dose (ESD) values were estimated from the x-ray tube output parameters for skull AP and lateral examinations. The ED values were then calculated from the obtained ESD values using IAEA calculation methods. Effective doses were calculated from energy imparted using ED conversion factors proposed were within the normal range of exposure. The mean ED values calculated were 3.03±0.08 and 4.23±0.61 for skull AP and lateral examination, respectively. Further studies are recommended with more number of patients and using more than two modalities for comparison. (Author)

  16. Geophysical methods for evaluation of plutonic rocks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibb, R.A.; Scott, J.S.

    1986-04-01

    Geophysical methods are systematically described according to the physical principle and operational mode of each method, the type of information produced, limitations of a technical and/or economic nature, and the applicability of the method to rock-mass evaluation at Research Areas of the Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. The geophysical methods fall into three categories: (1) airborne and other reconnaissance surveys, (2) detailed or surface (ground) surveys, and (3) borehole or subsurface surveys. The possible roles of each method in the site-screening and site-evaluation processes of disposal vault site selection are summarized

  17. Materials and methods for higher performance screen-printed flexible MRI receive coils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corea, Joseph R; Lechene, P Balthazar; Lustig, Michael; Arias, Ana C

    2017-08-01

    To develop methods for characterizing materials used in screen-printed MRI coils and improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with new lower-loss materials. An experimental apparatus was created to characterize dielectric properties of plastic substrates used in receive coils. Coils were fabricated by screen printing conductive ink onto several plastic substrates. Unloaded and sample loaded quality factor (Q Unloaded /Q Loaded ) measurements and scans on a 3T scanner were used to characterize coil performance. An experimental method was developed to describe the relationship between a coil's Q Unloaded and the SNR it provides in images of a phantom. In addition, 3T scans of a phantom and the head of a volunteer were obtained with a proof-of-concept printed eight-channel array, and the results were compared with a commercial 12-channel array. Printed coils with optimized substrates exhibited up to 97% of the image SNR when compared with a traditional coil on a loading phantom. Q Unloaded and the SNR of coils were successfully correlated. The printed array resulted in images comparable to the quality given by the commercial array. Using the proposed methods and materials, the SNR of printed coils approached that of commercial coils while using a new fabrication technique that provided more flexibility and close contact with the patient's body. Magn Reson Med 78:775-783, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  18. Analysis of signal acquisition in GPS receiver software

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlada S. Sokolović

    2011-01-01

    . the whole receiver is software implemented in a MATLAB software package. One of the processes during the signal processing is the initial synchronization (acquisition, where a signal is detected and the carrier frequency is determined as well as the phase sequence code and the carrier Doppler frequency. The acquisition aim is to determine, in the shortest time possible, the parameters of the detected signals and forward them to the next block in synchronization. Depending on the speed and accuracy of the signal parameter determination, different methods of acquisition are applied in practice. The paper presents the methods of serial, parallel and cyclic convolution. For comparison purposes, the architectures of signal processing of particular methods for implementation in receiver software are shown. All measurements were performed on the same signal under the same conditions. On the basis of the tests performed, a detailed analysis of the collected data was carried out and the most acceptable acquisition method for implementation in software GPS receiver was proposed. Because of a relatively high level of noise at the receiver entrance and the received signal interference, the comparison of the results has been done on the basis of the analytical results and the mean time of signal synchronization. The measurement results are shown in tables for easy comparison. The results of measurements using the proposed method are presented as well. The technology of receiver software allows the user to access easily to the architecture of the receiver and therefore allows a simple change of parameters. The influence of the parameters on the process of signal acquisition is also shown in the paper. The graphic presentation shows how and to what extent some of the parameters affect the process of the receiver signal processing. All listed acquisition methods are used in practice. The proposed method is the most suitable for application in software receivers. Based on the analysis

  19. An air-based corrugated cavity-receiver for solar parabolic trough concentrators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bader, Roman; Pedretti, Andrea; Barbato, Maurizio; Steinfeld, Aldo

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We analyze a novel tubular cavity-receiver for solar parabolic trough collectors. • Four-fold solar concentration ratio is reached compared to conventional receivers. • Efficient operation at up to 500 °C is possible. • The pumping power requirement is found to be acceptably low. - Abstract: A tubular cavity-receiver that uses air as the heat transfer fluid is evaluated numerically using a validated heat transfer model. The receiver is designed for use on a large-span (9 m net concentrator aperture width) solar parabolic trough concentrator. Through the combination of a parabolic primary concentrator with a nonimaging secondary concentrator, the collector reaches a solar concentration ratio of 97.5. Four different receiver configurations are considered, with smooth or V-corrugated absorber tube and single- or double-glazed aperture window. The collector’s performance is characterized by its optical efficiency and heat loss. The optical efficiency is determined with the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method. Radiative heat exchange inside the receiver is calculated with the net radiation method. The 2D steady-state energy equation, which couples conductive, convective, and radiative heat transfer, is solved for the solid domains of the receiver cross-section, using finite-volume techniques. Simulations for Sevilla/Spain at the summer solstice at solar noon (direct normal solar irradiance: 847 W m −2 , solar incidence angle: 13.9°) yield collector efficiencies between 60% and 65% at a heat transfer fluid temperature of 125 °C and between 37% and 42% at 500 °C, depending on the receiver configuration. The optical losses amount to more than 30% of the incident solar radiation and constitute the largest source of energy loss. For a 200 m long collector module operated between 300 and 500 °C, the isentropic pumping power required to pump the HTF through the receiver is between 11 and 17 kW

  20. Finding function: evaluation methods for functional genomic data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barrett Daniel R

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Accurate evaluation of the quality of genomic or proteomic data and computational methods is vital to our ability to use them for formulating novel biological hypotheses and directing further experiments. There is currently no standard approach to evaluation in functional genomics. Our analysis of existing approaches shows that they are inconsistent and contain substantial functional biases that render the resulting evaluations misleading both quantitatively and qualitatively. These problems make it essentially impossible to compare computational methods or large-scale experimental datasets and also result in conclusions that generalize poorly in most biological applications. Results We reveal issues with current evaluation methods here and suggest new approaches to evaluation that facilitate accurate and representative characterization of genomic methods and data. Specifically, we describe a functional genomics gold standard based on curation by expert biologists and demonstrate its use as an effective means of evaluation of genomic approaches. Our evaluation framework and gold standard are freely available to the community through our website. Conclusion Proper methods for evaluating genomic data and computational approaches will determine how much we, as a community, are able to learn from the wealth of available data. We propose one possible solution to this problem here but emphasize that this topic warrants broader community discussion.

  1. Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users' Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feather, Jacqueline Susan; Howson, Moira; Ritchie, Linda; Carter, Philip D; Parry, David Tudor; Koziol-McLain, Jane

    2016-06-30

    The use of Web-based interventions to deliver mental health and behavior change programs is increasingly popular. They are cost-effective, accessible, and generally effective. Often these interventions concern psychologically sensitive and challenging issues, such as depression or anxiety. The process by which a person receives and experiences therapy is important to understanding therapeutic process and outcomes. While the experience of the patient or client in traditional face-to-face therapy has been evaluated in a number of ways, there appeared to be a gap in the evaluation of patient experiences of therapeutic interventions delivered online. Evaluation of Web-based artifacts has focused either on evaluation of experience from a computer Web-design perspective through usability testing or on evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Neither of these methods focuses on the psychological experience of the person while engaged in the therapeutic process. This study aimed to investigate what methods, if any, have been used to evaluate the in situ psychological experience of users of Web-based self-help psychosocial interventions. A systematic literature review was undertaken of interdisciplinary databases with a focus on health and computer sciences. Studies that met a predetermined search protocol were included. Among 21 studies identified that examined psychological experience of the user, only 1 study collected user experience in situ. The most common method of understanding users' experience was through semistructured interviews conducted posttreatment or questionnaires administrated at the end of an intervention session. The questionnaires were usually based on standardized tools used to assess user experience with traditional face-to-face treatment. There is a lack of methods specified in the literature to evaluate the interface between Web-based mental health or behavior change artifacts and users. Main limitations in the research were the nascency of the topic

  2. Comparison of two heuristic evaluation methods for evaluating the usability of health information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khajouei, Reza; Hajesmaeel Gohari, Sadrieh; Mirzaee, Moghaddameh

    2018-04-01

    In addition to following the usual Heuristic Evaluation (HE) method, the usability of health information systems can also be evaluated using a checklist. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of these two methods in identifying usability problems of health information systems. Eight evaluators independently evaluated different parts of a Medical Records Information System using two methods of HE (usual and with a checklist). The two methods were compared in terms of the number of problems identified, problem type, and the severity of identified problems. In all, 192 usability problems were identified by two methods in the Medical Records Information System. This was significantly higher than the number of usability problems identified by the checklist and usual method (148 and 92, respectively) (p information systems. The results demonstrated that the checklist method had significantly better performance in terms of the number of identified usability problems; however, the performance of the usual method for identifying problems of higher severity was significantly better. Although the checklist method can be more efficient for less experienced evaluators, wherever usability is critical, the checklist should be used with caution in usability evaluations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Evaluation methods for neutron cross section standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhat, M.R.

    1980-01-01

    Methods used to evaluate the neutron cross section standards are reviewed and their relative merits, assessed. These include phase-shift analysis, R-matrix fit, and a number of other methods by Poenitz, Bhat, Kon'shin and the Bayesian or generalized least-squares procedures. The problems involved in adopting these methods for future cross section standards evaluations are considered, and the prospects for their use, discussed. 115 references, 5 figures, 3 tables

  4. Transceivers and receivers for quantum key distribution and methods pertaining thereto

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeRose, Christopher; Sarovar, Mohan; Soh, Daniel B.S.; Lentine, Anthony; Davids, Paul; Camacho, Ryan

    2018-02-27

    Various technologies for performing continuous-variable (CV) and discrete-variable (DV) quantum key distribution (QKD) with integrated electro-optical circuits are described herein. An integrated DV-QKD system uses Mach-Zehnder modulators to modulate a polarization of photons at a transmitter and select a photon polarization measurement basis at a receiver. An integrated CV-QKD system uses wavelength division multiplexing to send and receive amplitude-modulated and phase-modulated optical signals with a local oscillator signal while maintaining phase coherence between the modulated signals and the local oscillator signal.

  5. Evaluation of registration methods on thoracic CT

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Murphy, K.; van Ginneken, B.; Reinhardt, J.

    2011-01-01

    method and the evaluation is independent, using the same criteria for all participants. All results are published on the EMPIRE10 website (http://empire10.isi.uu.nl). The challenge remains ongoing and open to new participants. Full results from 24 algorithms have been published at the time of writing......EMPIRE10 (Evaluation of Methods for Pulmonary Image REgistration 2010) is a public platform for fair and meaningful comparison of registration algorithms which are applied to a database of intra-patient thoracic CT image pairs. Evaluation of non-rigid registration techniques is a non trivial task....... This article details the organisation of the challenge, the data and evaluation methods and the outcome of the initial launch with 20 algorithms. The gain in knowledge and future work are discussed....

  6. Receiver gain function: the actual NMR receiver gain

    OpenAIRE

    Mo, Huaping; Harwood, John S.; Raftery, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    The observed NMR signal size depends on the receiver gain parameter. We propose a receiver gain function to characterize how much the raw FID is amplified by the receiver as a function of the receiver gain setting. Although the receiver is linear for a fixed gain setting, the actual gain of the receiver may differ from what the gain setting suggests. Nevertheless, for a given receiver, we demonstrate that the receiver gain function can be calibrated. Such a calibration enables accurate compar...

  7. An Evaluation Method of Equipment Reliability Configuration Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Feng, Weijia; Zhang, Wei; Li, Yuan

    2018-01-01

    At present, many equipment development companies have been aware of the great significance of reliability of the equipment development. But, due to the lack of effective management evaluation method, it is very difficult for the equipment development company to manage its own reliability work. Evaluation method of equipment reliability configuration management is to determine the reliability management capabilities of equipment development company. Reliability is not only designed, but also managed to achieve. This paper evaluates the reliability management capabilities by reliability configuration capability maturity model(RCM-CMM) evaluation method.

  8. Recommendation for a contouring method and atlas of organs at risk in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Ying; Yu, Xiao-Li; Luo, Wei; Lee, Anne W.M.; Wee, Joseph Tien Seng; Lee, Nancy; Zhou, Guan-Qun; Tang, Ling-Long; Tao, Chang-Juan; Guo, Rui; Mao, Yan-Ping; Zhang, Rong; Guo, Ying; Ma, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Background and purpose: To recommend contouring methods and atlas of organs at risk (OARs) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy, in order to help reach a consensus on interpretations of OARs delineation. Methods and materials: Two to four contouring methods for the middle ear, inner ear, temporal lobe, parotid gland and spinal cord were identified via systematic literature review; their volumes and dosimetric parameters were compared in 41 patients. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for temporal lobe contouring were compared in 21 patients with unilateral temporal lobe necrosis (TLN). Results: Various contouring methods for the temporal lobe, middle ear, inner ear, parotid gland and spinal cord lead to different volumes and dosimetric parameters (P < 0.05). For TLN, D1 of PRV was the most relevant dosimetric parameter and 64 Gy was the critical point. We suggest contouring for the temporal lobe, middle ear, inner ear, parotid gland and spinal cord. A CT–MRI fusion atlas comprising 33 OARs was developed. Conclusions: Different dosimetric parameters may hinder the dosimetric research. The present recommendation and atlas, may help reach a consensus on subjective interpretation of OARs delineation to reduce inter-institutional differences in NPC patients

  9. Experimental Evaluation of the "Polished Panel Optical Receiver" Concept on the Deep Space Network's 34 Meter Antenna

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilnrotter, Victor A.

    2012-01-01

    The potential development of large aperture ground-based "photon bucket" optical receivers for deep space communications has received considerable attention recently. One approach currently under investigation proposes to polish the aluminum reflector panels of 34-meter microwave antennas to high reflectance, and accept the relatively large spotsize generated by even state-of-the-art polished aluminum panels. Here we describe the experimental effort currently underway at the Deep Space Network (DSN) Goldstone Communications Complex in California, to test and verify these concepts in a realistic operational environment. A custom designed aluminum panel has been mounted on the 34 meter research antenna at Deep-Space Station 13 (DSS-13), and a remotely controlled CCD camera with a large CCD sensor in a weather-proof container has been installed next to the subreflector, pointed directly at the custom polished panel. Using the planet Jupiter as the optical point-source, the point-spread function (PSF) generated by the polished panel has been characterized, the array data processed to determine the center of the intensity distribution, and expected communications performance of the proposed polished panel optical receiver has been evaluated.

  10. Challenges in Using Mix Methods in Evaluation

    OpenAIRE

    Stefan COJOCARU

    2010-01-01

    This article explores the debates between quantitative and qualitative methods in the evaluation process, analyzes the challenges about methodological mix in terms of credibility and validity of data and tools, and the evaluation findings. Beyond the epistemological contradictions, it seems that, in terms of usefulness, the mixing of methods is a practical solution, along with hybrids theories, able to provide information to improve the sufficiency of the program. Mixing methods is also a wa...

  11. Use Case Evaluation (UCE): A Method for Early Usability Evaluation in Software Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stage, Jan; Høegh, Rune Thaarup; Hornbæk, K.

    2007-01-01

    t is often argued that usability problems should be identified as early as possible during software development, but many usability evaluation methods do not fit well in early development activities. We propose a method for usability evaluation of use cases, a widely used representation of design...... ideas produced early in software development processes. The method proceeds by systematic inspection of use cases with reference to a set of guidelines for usable design. To validate the method, four evaluators inspected a set of use cases for a health care application....

  12. A structured expert evaluation method for the evaluation of children's computer games

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baauw, E.; Bekker, M.M.; Barendregt, W.; Costabile, M.F.; Paternò, F.

    2005-01-01

    Inspection-based evaluation methods predicting usability problems can be applied for evaluating products without involving users. A new method (named SEEM), inspired by Norman’s theory-of-action model [18] and Malone’s concepts of fun [15], is described for predicting usability and fun problems in

  13. Nondestructive evaluation ultrasonic methods for construction materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chilibon, I.; Zisu, T.; Raetchi, V.

    2002-01-01

    The paper presents some ultrasonic methods for evaluation of physical-mechanical properties of construction materials (bricks, concrete, BCA), such as: pulse method, examination methods, and direct measurement of the propagation velocity and impact-echo method. Utilizing these nondestructive evaluation ultrasonic methods it can be determined the main material parameters and material characteristics (elasticity coefficients, density, propagation velocity, ultrasound attenuation, etc.) of construction materials. These method are suitable for construction materials because the defectoscopy methods for metallic materials cannot be utilized, due to its rugged and non-homogeneous structures and grate attenuation coefficients of ultrasound propagation through materials. Also, the impact-echo method is a technique for flaw detection in concrete based on stress wave propagation. Studies have shown that the impact-echo method is effective for locating voids, honeycombing, delaminating, depth of surface opening cracks, and measuring member thickness

  14. Methods of ecological capability evaluation of forest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosseini, M.; Makhdoum, M.F.; Akbarnia, M.; Saghebtalebi, Kh.

    2000-01-01

    In this research common methods of ecological capability evaluation of forests were reviewed and limitations for performance were analysed. Ecological capability of forests is an index that show site potential in several role of wood production, soil conservation, flood control, biodiversity, conservation and water supply. This index is related to ecological characteristics of land, such as soil, micro climate, elevation, slope and aspect that affect potential of sites. Suitable method of ecological capability evaluation must be chosen according to the objective of forestry. Common methods for ecological capability evaluation include plant and animal diversity, site index curve, soil and land form, inter branches, index plants, leave analyses, analyses regeneration and ecological mapping

  15. Evaluation of diagnostic thresholds dependability for tribologic signals received in the environment disturbed by vibroacoustic and functional signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindstedt Paweł

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Determination of dependable diagnostic thresholds for tribologic signals received e.g. from antifriction bearings (in particular for insufficient number of measurements, only 4÷5 is a really difficult task due to complexity of working environment where such bearings are operated. Typical working environment for such objects must take account for operation time under various working conditions and accompanying (and disturbing signals, e.g. vibroacoustic ones. The sought assessment of the relationship between diagnostic signals and environmental noise can be determined from convolution of both diagnostic and environments signals that make up the complete set of received information. The convolution of these two series of signals can be obtained from an algorithm based on the Cauchy product. Then one has to find the coherence factor and the square of amplitude gain for the set of diagnostic signals with reference to various sets of signals received from environment, which makes it possible to evaluate cohesion of the investigated series of signals, thus their suitability to determine diagnostic threshold for tribologic signals intended for the analysis.

  16. Development of a Novel Nuclear Safety Culture Evaluation Method for an Operating Team Using Probabilistic Safety Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Sangmin; Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    IAEA defined safety culture as follows: 'Safety Culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance'. Also, celebrated behavioral scientist, Cooper, defined safety culture as,'safety culture is that observable degree of effort by which all organizational members direct their attention and actions toward improving safety on a daily basis' with his internal psychological, situational, and behavioral context model. With these various definitions and criteria of safety culture, several safety culture assessment methods have been developed to improve and manage safety culture. To develop a new quantitative safety culture evaluation method for an operating team, we unified and redefined safety culture assessment items. Then we modeled a new safety culture evaluation by adopting level 1 PSA concept. Finally, we suggested the criteria to obtain nominal success probabilities of assessment items by using 'operational definition'. To validate the suggested evaluation method, we analyzed the collected audio-visual recording data collected from a full scope main control room simulator of a NPP in Korea.

  17. Development of a Novel Nuclear Safety Culture Evaluation Method for an Operating Team Using Probabilistic Safety Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Sangmin; Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun

    2015-01-01

    IAEA defined safety culture as follows: 'Safety Culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted by their significance'. Also, celebrated behavioral scientist, Cooper, defined safety culture as,'safety culture is that observable degree of effort by which all organizational members direct their attention and actions toward improving safety on a daily basis' with his internal psychological, situational, and behavioral context model. With these various definitions and criteria of safety culture, several safety culture assessment methods have been developed to improve and manage safety culture. To develop a new quantitative safety culture evaluation method for an operating team, we unified and redefined safety culture assessment items. Then we modeled a new safety culture evaluation by adopting level 1 PSA concept. Finally, we suggested the criteria to obtain nominal success probabilities of assessment items by using 'operational definition'. To validate the suggested evaluation method, we analyzed the collected audio-visual recording data collected from a full scope main control room simulator of a NPP in Korea

  18. Evaluation of the vaginal flora in pregnant women receiving opioid maintenance therapy: a matched case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farr, Alex; Kiss, Herbert; Hagmann, Michael; Holzer, Iris; Kueronya, Verena; Husslein, Peter W; Petricevic, Ljubomir

    2016-08-05

    Vaginal infections are a risk factor for preterm delivery. In this study, we sought to evaluate the vaginal flora of pregnant women receiving opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) in comparison to non-dependent, non-maintained controls. A total of 3763 women with singleton pregnancies who underwent routine screening for asymptomatic vaginal infections between 10 + 0 and 16 + 0 gestational weeks were examined. Vaginal smears were Gram-stained, and microscopically evaluated for bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. In a retrospective manner, data of 132 women receiving OMT (cases) were matched for age, ethnicity, parity, education, previous preterm delivery, and smoking status to the data of 3631 controls. The vaginal flora at antenatal screening served as the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were gestational age and birth weight. In the OMT group, 62/132 (47 %) pregnant women received methadone, 39/132 (29.5 %) buprenorphine, and 31/132 (23.5 %) slow-release oral morphine. Normal or intermediate flora was found in 72/132 OMT women (54.5 %) and 2865/3631 controls [78.9 %; OR 0.49 (95 % CI, 0.33-0.71); p Candidiasis occurred more frequently in OMT women than in controls [OR 2.11 (95 % CI, 1.26-3.27); p candidiasis) and trichomoniasis. Compared to infants of the control group, those of women with OMT had a lower mean birth weight [MD -165.3 g (95 % CI, -283.6 to -46.9); p = 0.006]. Pregnant women with OMT are at risk for asymptomatic vaginal infections. As recurrent candidiasis is associated with preterm delivery, the vulnerability of this patient population should lead to consequent antenatal infection screening at early gestation.

  19. Land management planning: a method of evaluating alternatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andres Weintraub; Richard Adams; Linda Yellin

    1982-01-01

    A method is described for developing and evaluating alternatives in land management planning. A structured set of 15 steps provides a framework for such an evaluation. when multiple objectives and uncertainty must be considered in the planning process. The method is consistent with other processes used in organizational evaluation, and allows for the interaction of...

  20. Evaluation of winter pothole patching methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of the tow-behind combination : infrared asphalt heater/reclaimer patching method and compare it to the throw and roll and spray injection methods. To : achieve t...

  1. Intellectual Data Analysis Method for Evaluation of Virtual Teams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Strigūnaitė

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to present a method for virtual team performance evaluation based on intelligent team member collaboration data analysis. The motivation for the research is based on the ability to create an evaluation method that is similar to ambiguous expert evaluations. The concept of the hierarchical fuzzy rule based method aims to evaluate the data from virtual team interaction instances related to implementation of project tasks. The suggested method is designed for project managers or virtual team leaders to help in virtual teamwork evaluation that is based on captured data analysis. The main point of the method is the ability to repeat human thinking and expert valuation process for data analysis by applying fuzzy logic: fuzzy sets, fuzzy signatures and fuzzy rules. The fuzzy set principle used in the method allows evaluation criteria numerical values to transform into linguistic terms and use it in constructing fuzzy rules. Using a fuzzy signature is possible in constructing a hierarchical criteria structure. This structure helps to solve the problem of exponential increase of fuzzy rules including more input variables. The suggested method is aimed to be applied in the virtual collaboration software as a real time teamwork evaluation tool. The research shows that by applying fuzzy logic for team collaboration data analysis it is possible to get evaluations equal to expert insights. The method includes virtual team, project task and team collaboration data analysis. The advantage of the suggested method is the possibility to use variables gained from virtual collaboration systems as fuzzy rules inputs. Information on fuzzy logic based virtual teamwork collaboration evaluation has evidence that can be investigated in the future. Also the method can be seen as the next virtual collaboration software development step.

  2. Sustainable Supplier Performance Evaluation and Selection with Neofuzzy TOPSIS Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaharsooghi, S K; Ashrafi, Mehdi

    2014-01-01

    Supplier selection plays an important role in the supply chain management and traditional criteria such as price, quality, and flexibility are considered for supplier performance evaluation in researches. In recent years sustainability has received more attention in the supply chain management literature with triple bottom line (TBL) describing the sustainability in supply chain management with social, environmental, and economic initiatives. This paper explores sustainability in supply chain management and examines the problem of identifying a new model for supplier selection based on extended model of TBL approach in supply chain by presenting fuzzy multicriteria method. Linguistic values of experts' subjective preferences are expressed with fuzzy numbers and Neofuzzy TOPSIS is proposed for finding the best solution of supplier selection problem. Numerical results show that the proposed model is efficient for integrating sustainability in supplier selection problem. The importance of using complimentary aspects of sustainability and Neofuzzy TOPSIS concept in sustainable supplier selection process is shown with sensitivity analysis.

  3. The effectiveness of RECIST on survival in patients with NSCLC receiving chemotherapy with or without target agents as first-line treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ting; Zheng, Lie; Hu, Zhihuang; Zhang, Yang; Fang, Wenfeng; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Ge, Jieying; Zhao, Hongyun; Zhang, Li

    2015-01-08

    We analyzed the correlation between survival and antitumor effect evaluated by RECIST in advanced NSCLC patients with chemotherapy plus target therapy or not as first-line treatment, to examine the applicability of RECIST in this population. The patients were screened from 4 clinical trials (12621, 12006, FASTACT-I, and FASTACT-II), and those who received chemotherapy plus target therapy or chemotherapy alone were eligible. Among the 59 enrolled patients, 29 received combination therapy, while the other 30 received chemotherapy only. In the combination therapy group, patients with PR or SD had longer overall survival (OS) than those with PD (P chemotherapy alone group, compared with PD patients, either PR or SD group had no significant overall survival benefit (P = 0.690 and P = 0.528, respectively). In summary, for advanced NSCLC patients receiving chemotherapy plus target therapy as first-line treatment and evaluated by RECIST criteria, SD has the same overall survival benefit as PR, suggesting that antitumor effective evaluation by RECIST criteria cannot be translated to overall survival benefit especially for this kind of patients. Therefore, developing a more comprehensive evaluation method to perfect RECIST criteria is thus warranted for patients received target therapy in NSCLC.

  4. ZigBee’s Received Signal Strength and Latency Evaluation under Varying Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. H. R. Sherazi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Being self-configured, self-organized, and self-healing low power technology, ZigBee has obtained significant attention in last few years for achieving ubiquitous communication among various devices within a Personal Area Network (PAN. Even after a decade of its emergence, it has been well serving the communication needs of numerous modern applications belonging to multiple industries and is still a spotlight for the researchers working on certain aspects to enhance productivity along with a major cost reduction. Despite its robust communication nature, it heavily depends upon the context and is prone to the external effects that may cause a serious threat to prospective applications. This paper presents the novel experimental analysis conducted on real test beds to evaluate the impact of continuously changing communication environment on various parameters, for example, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator and latency in the presence of multiple obstacles that may lead to severe degradation in the overall performance. Eventually, we suggest a suitable frame size for ZigBee based on our results deduced from the experimental study.

  5. Evaluation of an improved method of simulating lung nodules in chest tomosynthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svalkvist, Angelica; Allansdotter Johnsson, Aase; Vikgren, Jenny

    2012-01-01

    Background Simulated pathology is a valuable complement to clinical images in studies aiming at evaluating an imaging technique. In order for a study using simulated pathology to be valid, it is important that the simulated pathology in a realistic way reflect the characteristics of real pathology. Purpose To perform a thorough evaluation of a nodule simulation method for chest tomosynthesis, comparing the detection rate and appearance of the artificial nodules with those of real nodules in an observer performance experiment. Material and Methods A cohort consisting of 64 patients, 38 patients with a total of 129 identified pulmonary nodules and 26 patients without identified pulmonary nodules, was used in the study. Simulated nodules, matching the real clinically found pulmonary nodules by size, attenuation, and location, were created and randomly inserted into the tomosynthesis section images of the patients. Three thoracic radiologists and one radiology resident reviewed the images in an observer performance study divided into two parts. The first part included nodule detection and the second part included rating of the visual appearance of the nodules. The results were evaluated using a modified receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results The sensitivities for real and simulated nodules were comparable, as the area under the modified ROC curve (AUC) was close to 0.5 for all observers (range, 0.43-0.55). Even though the ratings of visual appearance for real and simulated nodules overlapped considerably, the statistical analysis revealed that the observers to were able to separate simulated nodules from real nodules (AUC values range 0.70-0.74). Conclusion The simulation method can be used to create artificial lung nodules that have similar detectability as real nodules in chest tomosynthesis, although experienced thoracic radiologists may be able to distinguish them from real nodules

  6. Food Insecurity and Food Choices in Rural Older Adults with Diabetes Receiving Nutrition Education via Telemedicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Homenko, Daria R.; Morin, Philip C.; Eimicke, Joseph P.; Teresi, Jeanne A.; Weinstock, Ruth S.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate differences between rural older adults with diabetes reporting the presence or absence of food insecurity with respect to meal planning, preparation, shopping, obesity, and glycemic control after receiving nutrition counseling through telemedicine. Methods: Food insecurity data were obtained by telephone survey (n = 74).…

  7. Creating Alternative Methods for Educational Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Nick L.

    1981-01-01

    A project supported by the National Institute of Education is adapting evaluation procedures from such areas as philosophy, geography, operations research, journalism, film criticism, and other areas. The need for such methods is reviewed, as is the context in which they function, and their contributions to evaluation methodology. (Author/GK)

  8. Concentrated solar power generation using solar receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Bruce N.; Treece, William Dean; Brown, Dan; Bennhold, Florian; Hilgert, Christoph

    2017-08-08

    Inventive concentrated solar power systems using solar receivers, and related devices and methods, are generally described. Low pressure solar receivers are provided that function to convert solar radiation energy to thermal energy of a working fluid, e.g., a working fluid of a power generation or thermal storage system. In some embodiments, low pressure solar receivers are provided herein that are useful in conjunction with gas turbine based power generation systems.

  9. Study on a Quality Evaluation Method for College English Classroom Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mao-hua Sun

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available A quality evaluation method is an important means and the main basis on which to evaluate the college English classroom teaching quality of teachers. To overcome the one-sided subjectivity and resulting imprecision of the traditional classroom teaching quality evaluation method, a scientific and reasonable quality evaluation index system for college English classroom teaching is constructed. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and the analytic hierarchy process method are combined to propose an improved multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model for obtaining a new college English classroom teaching quality evaluation method. In the proposed method, according to the fuzzy characteristics of a college English classroom teaching quality evaluation, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to transform the qualitative evaluation indexes into limited quantitative evaluation indexes, then a judgment matrix is constructed to determine the weights among different levels by using the analytic hierarchy process method. Additionally, the college English classroom teaching quality is evaluated in detail. Finally, an actual case of college English classroom teaching is used to verify the effectiveness of the college English classroom teaching quality evaluation method. The results show that the proposed college English classroom teaching method can overcome the subjectivity and randomness shortcomings of the traditional classroom teaching quality evaluation methods, and improve the reliability, accuracy, and objectivity of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. It is an effective method to evaluate college English classroom teaching quality.

  10. Investment Portfolio Formation Using Multi-criteria evaluation Method MULTIMOORA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vilius Vaišvilas

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Information that has to be analyzed by investors is complicated and can be interpreted differently by different people, which is why choosing what should be added to the investment portfolio is complicated task. Complexity grows substantially when there are more alternatives to choose from. Multi – criteria evaluation method can be used to choose the best alternatives. Multi–criteria evaluation method MULTIMOORA is not subjective because there is no need to decide ratio of any given variable that is evaluated. MULTIMOORA consists of: formation of ratio system, application of multi – criteria evaluation method as well as investment evaluation and ranking. Purpose of this article is to apply multi – criteria evaluation method MULTIMOORA for the formation and management of investment portfolio from stocks of the Baltic stock market companies. Methods used in the analysis for the article: analysis of scientific literature, statistical analysis, organization and comparison of data, idealization, calculations of MULTIMOORA.

  11. Newly developed non-destructive testing method for evaluation of irradiation brittleness of structural materials using ultrasonic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Toshimitsu; Ooka, Norikazu; Kato, Yoshiaki; Saito, Junichi; Hoshiya, Taiji; Shibata, Saburo; Kobayashi, Hideo

    1999-01-01

    Surveillance testing is important to evaluate neutron irradiation embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel material for long life operation. An alternative test method for evaluating the irradiation embrittlement of the pressure vessel material will have to be proposed to support the limited number of surveillance test specimens in order to manage the plant life to be extended. In this study, ultrasonic testing for irradiated A533B-1 steel and weld metal was applied to examine material degradation nondestructively. With increasing the shift of Charpy 41 J transition temperature, ultrasonic velocity decreased and attenuation coefficient of ultrasonic wave increased. Especially, the difference of ultrasonic velocity for 5 MHz shear wave between as-received and irradiated material is corresponding to the shift of transition temperature showing material degradation. (author)

  12. Evaluation of Low-Cost, Centimeter-Level Accuracy OEM GNSS Receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-02

    This report discusses the results of a study to quantify the performance of low-cost, centimeter-level accurate Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers that have appeared on the market in the last few years. Centimeter-level accuracy is ...

  13. Methods of evaluating market transformation programmes: experience in Sweden

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neij, L.

    2001-01-01

    The evaluation of market transformation programmes requires the development of new methods, relative to methods used for the evaluation of traditional energy efficiency programmes. In this paper, a model for the evaluation of market transformation programmes is proposed, based in part on evaluation methods discussed in the literature. The proposed model entails an extensive evaluation process, including the evaluation of market transformation effects, the impact of these effects, and the evaluation of the outline of the programme. Furthermore, evaluations of Swedish market transformation programmes have been analysed in relation to the proposed model. The analysis shows that not all of the evaluations have been focused on market transformation, and those that have, are only partly consistent with the evaluation model proposed here. It is concluded that future evaluations of Swedish market transformation programmes should be extended and improved in accordance with the proposed model. (author)

  14. Evaluation of the formation and information received by teachers about nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvo, M.

    1994-01-01

    The secondary school teachers in Spain have not received the necessary training about nuclear energy, so the pupils do not receive the information the teachers cannot transmit. The Spanish Atomic Forum is engaged in the training and information of teachers and provides books, audio-visual tools, seminars, etc. Experience shows that nuclear acceptance or knowledge is based on information and confidence

  15. EVALUATION METHODS USED FOR TANGIBLE ASSETS BY ECONOMIC ENTITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Csongor CSŐSZ

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available At many entities the net asset value is influenced by the evaluation methods applied for tangible assets, because the value of intangible assets and financial assets is small in most cases. The objective of this paper is to analyze the differences between the procedures / methods of evaluation applied by micro and small entities and medium and large entities for tangible assets in Romania and Hungary. Furthermore, we analyze the differences between the procedures / methods of evaluation applied by micro and small entities in Romania and Hungary, respectively the differences between medium and large entities regarding de evaluation methods for tangible assets in Romania and Hungary. For this empirical study the questionnaire is used – as research technique, and to demonstrate the significant differences between the evaluation methods we used the Kolmogorov – Smirnov Z test.

  16. Learning while evaluating: the use of an electronic evaluation portfolio in a geriatric medicine clerkship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duque, Gustavo; Finkelstein, Adam; Roberts, Ayanna; Tabatabai, Diana; Gold, Susan L; Winer, Laura R

    2006-01-01

    Background Electronic evaluation portfolios may play a role in learning and evaluation in clinical settings and may complement other traditional evaluation methods (bedside evaluations, written exams and tutor-led evaluations). Methods 133 third-year medical students used the McGill Electronic Evaluation Portfolio (MEEP) during their one-month clerkship rotation in Geriatric Medicine between September 2002 and September 2003. Students were divided into two groups, one who received an introductory hands-on session about the electronic evaluation portfolio and one who did not. Students' marks in their portfolios were compared between both groups. Additionally, students self-evaluated their performance and received feedback using the electronic portfolio during their mandatory clerkship rotation. Students were surveyed immediately after the rotation and at the end of the clerkship year. Tutors' opinions about this method were surveyed once. Finally, the number of evaluations/month was quantified. In all surveys, Likert scales were used and were analyzed using Chi-square tests and t-tests to assess significant differences in the responses from surveyed subjects. Results The introductory session had a significant effect on students' portfolio marks as well as on their comfort using the system. Both tutors and students reported positive notions about the method. Remarkably, an average (± SD) of 520 (± 70) evaluations/month was recorded with 30 (± 5) evaluations per student/month. Conclusion The MEEP showed a significant and positive effect on both students' self-evaluations and tutors' evaluations involving an important amount of self-reflection and feedback which may complement the more traditional evaluation methods. PMID:16409640

  17. SSFI and SSOMI new method of evaluating design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tolson, G.M.

    1992-01-01

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

  18. Systematization of simplified J-integral evaluation method for flaw evaluation at high temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miura, Naoki; Takahashi, Yukio; Nakayama, Yasunari; Shimakawa, Takashi

    2000-01-01

    J-integral is an effective inelastic fracture parameter for the flaw evaluation of cracked components at high temperature. The evaluation of J-integral for an arbitrary crack configuration and an arbitrary loading condition can be generally accomplished by detailed numerical analysis such as finite element analysis, however, it is time-consuming and requires a high degree of expertise for its implementation. Therefore, it is important to develop simplified J-integral estimation techniques from the viewpoint of industrial requirements. In this study, a simplified J-integral evaluation method is proposed to estimate two types of J-integral parameters. One is the fatigue J-integral range to describe fatigue crack propagation behavior, and the other is the creep J-integral to describe creep crack propagation behavior. This paper presents the systematization of the simplified J-integral evaluation method incorporated with the reference stress method and the concept of elastic follow-up, and proposes a comprehensive evaluation procedure. The verification of the proposed method is presented in Part II of this paper. (author)

  19. An Evaluation Method for Team Competencies to Enhance Nuclear Safety Culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hang, S. M.; Seong, P. H.; Kim, A. R.

    2016-01-01

    Safety culture has received attention in safety-critical industries, including nuclear power plants (NPPs), due to various prominent accidents such as concealment of a Station Blackout (SBO) of Kori NPP unit 1 in 2012, the Sewol ferry accident in 2014, and the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Analysis reports have pointed out that one of the major contributors to the cause of the accidents is ‘the lack of safety culture’. The term, nuclear safety culture, was firstly defined after the Chernobyl accident by the IAEA in INSAG report no. 4, as follows “Safety culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organizations and individuals which establishes that, as an overriding priority, nuclear plant safety issues receive the attention warranted their significance.” Afterwards, a wide consensus grew among researchers and nuclear-related organizations, that safety culture should be evaluated and managed in a certain manner. Consequently, each nuclear-related organization defined and developed their own safety culture definitions and assessment methods. However, none of these methods provides a way for an individual or a team to enhance the safety culture of an organization. Especially for a team, which is the smallest working unit in NPPs, team members easily overlook their required practices to improve nuclear safety culture. Therefore in this study, we suggested a method to estimate nuclear safety culture of a team, by approaching with the ‘competency’ point of view. The competency is commonly focused on individuals, and defined as, “underlying characteristics of an individual that are causally related to effective or superior performance in a job.” Similar to safety culture, the definition of competency focuses on characteristics and attitudes of individuals. Thus, we defined ‘safety culture competency’ as “underlying characteristics and outward attitudes of individuals that are causally related to a healthy and strong nuclear safety

  20. Evaluation of Abiotic Resource LCIA Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo A. F. Alvarenga

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available In a life cycle assessment (LCA, the impacts on resources are evaluated at the area of protection (AoP with the same name, through life cycle impact assessment (LCIA methods. There are different LCIA methods available in literature that assesses abiotic resources, and the goal of this study was to propose recommendations for that impact category. We evaluated 19 different LCIA methods, through two criteria (scientific robustness and scope, divided into three assessment levels, i.e., resource accounting methods (RAM, midpoint, and endpoint. In order to support the assessment, we applied some LCIA methods to a case study of ethylene production. For RAM, the most suitable LCIA method was CEENE (Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment (but SED (Solar Energy Demand and ICEC (Industrial Cumulative Exergy Consumption/ECEC (Ecological Cumulative Exergy Consumption may also be recommended, while the midpoint level was ADP (Abiotic Depletion Potential, and the endpoint level was both the Recipe Endpoint and EPS2000 (Environmental Priority Strategies. We could notice that the assessment for the AoP Resources is not yet well established in the LCA community, since new LCIA methods (with different approaches and assessment frameworks are showing up, and this trend may continue in the future.

  1. Receiving more than data - a signal model, theory and implementation of a cognitive IEEE 802.15.4 receiver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tim Esemann

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Standard medium access schemes sense the channel immediately prior transmission, but are blind during the transmission. Therefore, standard transceivers have limited cognitive capabilities which are important for operation in heterogeneous radio environments. Specifically, mobile interferers move gradually into the reception range before actually causing collisions. These gradual interferences cannot yet be detected, and upcoming collisions cannot be predicted. We present a theoretical analysis of the received and demodulated signal. This analysis and the derived signal model verifies that the received signal contains more than transmitted data exclusively. Enhanced signal processing extracts signal components of an interference at the receiver and enables advanced interference detection to provide information about approaching mobile interferers. Our theoretical analysis is evaluated by simulations and experiments with an IEEE 802.15.4 transmitter and an extended cognitive receiver.

  2. Effects of Accounts Receivable Financing Practices on Growth of SMEs in Kakamega County, Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Nelima LYANI SINDANI

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Accounts receivable financing practice is the act of exchanging Accounts Receivables with money, and is defined as any type of financing which distinctly relies on AR, either as collateral or as eligibility requirement. Financing firm operations through Accounts receivables is gaining prominence world over which enables firms access finances easily. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of Accounts receivable financing practice on growth of SMEs in Kenya. Descriptive survey design and purposive random sampling were used. A sample size of 359 out of 5401 was used. Secondary data was obtained from Kakamega County Revenue Department, for the period under study. The assumptions which form a basis for use of the regression model were tested using homoscedasticity and autocorrelation. Ordinary Least Square method was used to determine the cause effect relationship between variables while hypothesis was tested at 5% significance level. The overall model was found to be significant with F=31.692 and p-value (0.00 < 0.05. The findings revealed that Accounts receivable financing practice when adopted by SMEs lead to growth. The study recommended that owners and managers should be enlightened on the importance of the various methods and practices of financing accounts receivables in order to enhance growth. The findings would form a basis for government and policy makers to formulate strategies and policies that would help reduce the levels of tied up capital in form of accounts receivable. The study also forms a basis for further research and adds to the existing body of knowledge.

  3. Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care

    OpenAIRE

    Joslin, Jeremy D.; Lloyd, Jarem B.; Copeli, Nikoli; Cooney, Derek R.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction. We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. Methods. Participants of the 2011 Ironman Syracuse 70.3 (Syracuse, NY) who sought evaluation and care at the designated finish line medical tent were contacted by telephone approximately 3 months after the initial encounter to measure adherence with the recommendation to seek follow-up care after event. Results. Out of 750 race participants, 35 (4.6%) ...

  4. Methods of evaluating SPECT images. The usefulness of the Matsuda`s method by the Patlak plot method in children

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takaishi, Yasuko [Nippon Medical School, Tokyo (Japan); Hashimoto, Kiyoshi; Fujino, Osamu [and others

    1998-11-01

    Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a tool to study cerebral blood flow (CBF) kinetics. There are three methods of evaluating SPECT images: visual, semi-quantitative (evaluation of the radioactivity ratio of the cerebral region to the cerebellum (R/CE) or to the thalamus (R/TH)) and quantitative (Matsuda`s method by Patlak plot method using {sup 99m}Tc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime radionuclide angiography). We evaluated SPECT images by the quantitative method in 14 patients with neurological disorders and examined the correlation of the results to those obtained by the semi-quantitative method. There was no significant correlation between the R/CE or R/TH ratio and regional CBF except two regions. The evaluation by the semi-quantitative method may have been inappropriate, probably because the cerebellar or thalamic blood flow was not constant in each case. Evaluation by the quantitative method, on the other hand, seemed to be useful not only for the comparison of CBF among normal subjects, but also in the demonstration of progressive changes of CBF in the same case. The Matsuda`s method by the Patlak plot method is suitable for examination of children, since it dose not require aortic blood sampling. (author)

  5. Books Received

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education. Books Received. Articles in Resonance – Journal of Science Education. Volume 1 Issue 1 January 1996 pp 118-118 Books Received. Books Received · More Details Fulltext PDF. Volume 1 Issue 2 February 1996 pp 120-120 Books Received. Books Received.

  6. Optimum quantum receiver for detecting weak signals in PAM communication systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Navneet; Rawat, Tarun Kumar; Parthasarathy, Harish; Gautam, Kumar

    2017-09-01

    This paper deals with the modeling of an optimum quantum receiver for pulse amplitude modulator (PAM) communication systems. The information bearing sequence {I_k}_{k=0}^{N-1} is estimated using the maximum likelihood (ML) method. The ML method is based on quantum mechanical measurements of an observable X in the Hilbert space of the quantum system at discrete times, when the Hamiltonian of the system is perturbed by an operator obtained by modulating a potential V with a PAM signal derived from the information bearing sequence {I_k}_{k=0}^{N-1}. The measurement process at each time instant causes collapse of the system state to an observable eigenstate. All probabilities of getting different outcomes from an observable are calculated using the perturbed evolution operator combined with the collapse postulate. For given probability densities, calculation of the mean square error evaluates the performance of the receiver. Finally, we present an example involving estimating an information bearing sequence that modulates a quantum electromagnetic field incident on a quantum harmonic oscillator.

  7. Evaluation of the Slope of Amplitude Growth Function Changes of the Electrically Evoked Action Potential in Three Months after Receiving the Device in Children with Cochlear Implant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Reza Pourjavid

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: In neural response telemetry, intracochlear electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve and record the neural responses. The electrical stimulation is sent to the auditory nerve by an electrode and the resulted response, called electrically evoked compound action potential, is recorded by an adjacent electrode. The most important clinical applications of this test are evaluation and monitoring the intra and postoperative responses of auditory nerve and help to primary setting of speech processor. The aim of this study was evaluating the potential's slope of amplitude growth function changes three monthes after receiving the devise in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. Materials & Methods: This longitudinal study evaluated the potentials' slope of amplitude growth function changes in four given electrodes in four sessions after receiving the devise by approximately one month's intervals in all of the children who implanted in Amir Alam and Hazrat-e-Rasoul hospitals in 2007, July to December. Friedman test was used to analyse the results. Results: Electrically evoked compound action potential's mean slope of each electrode was more in later sessions relative to first session, while there was significant difference between the 1st and the other electrodes’ responses in every session (P<0.05. Conclusion: The reliabiliy of the responses results in more assurance of clinician to fit the speech processor for along time. Better responses in apical electrodes may lead to develope an effective coding strategy.

  8. Receiver function estimated by maximum entropy deconvolution

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    吴庆举; 田小波; 张乃铃; 李卫平; 曾融生

    2003-01-01

    Maximum entropy deconvolution is presented to estimate receiver function, with the maximum entropy as the rule to determine auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions. The Toeplitz equation and Levinson algorithm are used to calculate the iterative formula of error-predicting filter, and receiver function is then estimated. During extrapolation, reflective coefficient is always less than 1, which keeps maximum entropy deconvolution stable. The maximum entropy of the data outside window increases the resolution of receiver function. Both synthetic and real seismograms show that maximum entropy deconvolution is an effective method to measure receiver function in time-domain.

  9. Evaluation of binding energies by using quantum mechanical methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Postolache, Cristian; Matei, Lidia; Postolache, Carmen

    2002-01-01

    Evaluation of binding energies (BE) in molecular structure is needed for modelling chemical and radiochemical processes by quantum-chemical methods. An important field of application is evaluation of radiolysis and autoradiolysis stability of organic and inorganic compounds as well as macromolecular structures. The current methods of calculation do not allow direct determination of BE but only of total binding energies (TBE) and enthalpies. BEs were evaluated indirectly by determining the homolytic dissociation energies. The molecular structures were built and geometrically optimized by the molecular mechanics methods MM+ and AMBER. The energy minimizations were refined by semi-empirical methods. Depending on the chosen molecular structure, the CNDO, INDO, PM3 and AM1 methods were used. To reach a high confidence level the minimizations were done for gradients lower than 10 -3 RMS. The energy values obtained by the difference of the fragment TBLs, of the transition states and initial molecular structures, respectively, were associated to the hemolytic fragmentation energy and BE, respectively. In order to evaluate the method's accuracy and to establish the application fields of the evaluation methods, the obtained values of BEs were compared with the experimental data taken from literature. To this goal there were built, geometrically optimized by semi-empirical methods and evaluated the BEs for 74 organic and inorganic compounds (alkanes, alkene, alkynes, halogenated derivatives, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, nitrogen and sulfur compounds, water, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, hydrazine, etc. (authors)

  10. Equitable Financial Evaluation Method for Public-Private Partnership Projects

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    KE Yongjian; LIU Xinping; WANG Shouqing

    2008-01-01

    The feasibility study of a public-private partnership (PPP) project is regarded as one of the critical factors for successful implementation,but unfortunately the common financial evaluation methods currently used only represent the benefits of the private sector.There is,therefore,an urgent need to develop an equitable financial evaluation method for PPP projects.This paper presents a comprehensive literature review that examines international practices.An equitable financial evaluation method was then developed taking into account the inherent characteristics of PPP projects using six separate indicators and Monte Carlo simulations.The result for a bridge project in Romania shows that the method combines the viewpoints of all the relevant stakeholders to achieve an equitable financial evaluation of PPP projects.

  11. Eddy Current Signal Analysis for Transmit-Receive Pancake Coil on ECT Array Probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hyang Beom

    2006-01-01

    In this paper, the eddy current signals come from a pair of transmit-receive (T/R) pancake coil on ECT array Probe are analyzed with the variations of the lift-of and of the distance between transmit and receive coils. To obtain the electromagnetic characteristics of the probes, the governing equation describing the eddy current problems is derived from Maxwell's equation and is solved using three-dimensional finite element method. Eddy current signals from T/R coils on ECT array probe have quite different characteristics compared with ones from impedance coil on rotating pancake coil probe. The results in this paper ran be helpful when the field eddy current signals from ECT array probe are evaluated

  12. Evaluation method of offensive odor. Shuki no hyoka hoho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iwasaki, Y [The Tokyo Metropolitan Research Institute for Environmental Protection, Tokyo (Japan)

    1991-06-01

    As the evaluation method of offensive odor, two kinds of methods were outlined, a concentration measurement method for compounds emitting offensive odors and a sensory method by human olfactory organ. On the former, the method for measuring separately odors of twelve compounds controlled by the regulation act such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide was outlined as well as the method for measuring odors of compound groups such as total reduced sulfur and total hydrocarbon. On the later, the evaluation scale of essential properties of odor such as quality, intensity, acceptability and pervasiveness was discussed. As typical sensory techniques, a scentometer, syringe method, odorless chamber method and olfactometer were outlined, and a triangle odor bag method widely used for the evaluation at present was described in detail which was developed to reduce demerits of a syringe method such as adsorption of odorants on a syringe surface. 24 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.

  13. Evaluating the effectiveness of methods for capturing meetings

    OpenAIRE

    Hall, Mark John; Bermell-Garcia, Pablo; McMahon, Chris A.; Johansson, Anders; Gonzalez-Franco, Mar

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of commonly used methods to capture synchronous meetings for information and knowledge retrieval. Four methods of capture are evaluated in the form of a case study whereby a technical design meeting was captured by; (i) transcription; (ii) diagrammatic argumentation; (iii) meeting minutes; and (iv) video. The paper describes an experiment where participants undertook an information retrieval task and provided feedback on the methods. ...

  14. Empirical evaluation of humpback whale telomere length estimates; quality control and factors causing variability in the singleplex and multiplex qPCR methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Morten Tange; Bérubé, Martine; Robbins, Jooke

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND:Telomeres, the protective cap of chromosomes, have emerged as powerful markers of biological age and life history in model and non-model species. The qPCR method for telomere length estimation is one of the most common methods for telomere length estimation, but has received recent...... steps of qPCR. In order to evaluate the utility of the qPCR method for telomere length estimation in non-model species, we carried out four different qPCR assays directed at humpback whale telomeres, and subsequently performed a rigorous quality control to evaluate the performance of each assay. RESULTS...... to 40% depending on assay and quantification method, however this variation only affected telomere length estimates in the worst performing assays. CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that seemingly well performing qPCR assays may contain biases that will only be detected by extensive quality control...

  15. Evaluation Using Sequential Trials Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Mark E.; Ralls, Stephen A.

    1986-01-01

    Although dental school faculty as well as practitioners are interested in evaluating products and procedures used in clinical practice, research design and statistical analysis can sometimes pose problems. Sequential trials methods provide an analytical structure that is both easy to use and statistically valid. (Author/MLW)

  16. Evaluation of extrapolation methods for actual state expenditures on health care in Russian Federation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. A. Banin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Forecasting methods, extrapolation ones in particular, are used in health care for medical, biological and clinical research. The author, using accessible internet space, has not met a single publication devoted to extrapolation of financial parameters of health care activities. This determined the relevance of the material presented in the article: based on health care financing dynamics in Russia in 2000–2010 the author examined possibility of application of basic perspective extrapolation methods - moving average, exponential smoothing and least squares. It is hypothesized that all three methods can equally forecast actual public expenditures on health care in medium term in Russia’s current financial and economic conditions. The study result was evaluated in two time periods: within the studied interval and a five-year period. It was found that within the study period all methods have an average relative extrapolation error of 3–5%, which means high precision of the forecast. The study shown a specific feature of the least squares method which were gradually accumulating results so their economic interpretation became possible only in the end of the studied period. That is why the extrapolating results obtained by least squares method are not applicable in an entire study period and rather have a theoretical value. Beyond the study period, however, this feature was found to be the most corresponding to the real situation. It was the least squares method that proved to be the most appropriate for economic interpretation of the forecast results of actual public expenditures on health care. The hypothesis was not confirmed, the author received three differently directed results, while each method had independent significance and its application depended on evaluation study objectives and real social, economic and financial situation in Russian health care system.

  17. Fundamentals of GPS Receivers A Hardware Approach

    CERN Document Server

    Doberstein, Dan

    2012-01-01

    While much of the current literature on GPS receivers is aimed at those intimately familiar with their workings, this volume summarizes the basic principles using as little mathematics as possible, and details the necessary specifications and circuits for constructing a GPS receiver that is accurate to within 300 meters. Dedicated sections deal with the features of the GPS signal and its data stream, the details of the receiver (using a hybrid design as exemplar), and more advanced receivers and topics including time and frequency measurements. Later segments discuss the Zarlink GPS receiver chip set, as well as providing a thorough examination of the TurboRogue receiver, one of the most accurate yet made. Guiding the reader through the concepts and circuitry, from the antenna to the solution of user position, the book’s deployment of a hybrid receiver as a basis for discussion allows for extrapolation of the core ideas to more complex, and more accurate designs. Digital methods are used, but any analogue c...

  18. GIVING AND RECEIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ірина Олійник

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The article scrutinizes the notion of feedback applicable in classrooms where team teaching is provided. The experience of giving and receiving feedback has been a good practice in cooperation between a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer and a Ukrainian counterpart. Giving and receiving feedback is an effective means of classroom observation that provides better insight into the process of teaching a foreign language. The article discusses the stages of feedback and explicates the notion of sharing experience between two teachers working simultaneously in the same classroom. The guidelines for giving and receiving feedback have been provided as well as the most commonly used vocabulary items have been listed. It has been proved that mutual feedback leads to improving teaching methods and using various teaching styles and techniques.

  19. Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors among Adolescents Receiving Bariatric Surgery: A Case-Control Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPhee, Jeanne; Freidl, Eve Khlyavich; Eicher, Julia; Zitsman, Jeffrey L.; Devlin, Michael J.; Hildebrandt, Tom; Sysko, Robyn

    2015-01-01

    Objective This study examined the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation and behavior (SI/B) among adolescents receiving bariatric surgery. Method Charts of 206 adolescents receiving bariatric surgery were reviewed. Cases with SI/B (current/lifetime reported at baseline or event occurring in the program n= 31, 15%) were case-matched on gender, age, and surgery type to 31 adolescents reporting current or past psychiatric treatment, and 31 adolescents denying lifetime SI/B or psychiatric treatment. Results Before surgery, adolescents with SI/B reported significantly lower total levels of health-related quality of life (p=0.01) and greater depressive symptoms (p=0.004) in comparison to candidates who never received psychiatric treatment. No significant differences were found between groups for the change in depressive symptoms or body mass index following surgery. Conclusions As in studies of adults, a notable subset of adolescents receiving bariatric surgery indicated pre- or post-operative SI/B. It is critical that clinicians evaluate and monitor adolescent patients undergoing bariatric surgery for risk of SI/B. PMID:26377705

  20. Electronic Warfare (EW) Receiver and Processing Concepts Evaluation Program (RAPCEval 2)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bass, W

    1999-01-01

    .... Tasks initiated under OPTION 1 of the contract of this program provided analysis for inputs and countermeasures for electronic receivers of radar, electro-optic, infrared, and ultraviolet systems...

  1. Electronic Warfare (EW) Receiver and Processing Concepts Evaluation Program (RAPCEval2)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bass, W

    1999-01-01

    .... Tasks initiated under OPTION 1 of the contract of this program provided analysis for inputs and countermeasures for electronic receivers of radar, electro-optic, infrared, and ultraviolet systems...

  2. A method for evaluating discoverability and navigability of recommendation algorithms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamprecht, Daniel; Strohmaier, Markus; Helic, Denis

    2017-01-01

    Recommendations are increasingly used to support and enable discovery, browsing, and exploration of items. This is especially true for entertainment platforms such as Netflix or YouTube, where frequently, no clear categorization of items exists. Yet, the suitability of a recommendation algorithm to support these use cases cannot be comprehensively evaluated by any recommendation evaluation measures proposed so far. In this paper, we propose a method to expand the repertoire of existing recommendation evaluation techniques with a method to evaluate the discoverability and navigability of recommendation algorithms. The proposed method tackles this by means of first evaluating the discoverability of recommendation algorithms by investigating structural properties of the resulting recommender systems in terms of bow tie structure, and path lengths. Second, the method evaluates navigability by simulating three different models of information seeking scenarios and measuring the success rates. We show the feasibility of our method by applying it to four non-personalized recommendation algorithms on three data sets and also illustrate its applicability to personalized algorithms. Our work expands the arsenal of evaluation techniques for recommendation algorithms, extends from a one-click-based evaluation towards multi-click analysis, and presents a general, comprehensive method to evaluating navigability of arbitrary recommendation algorithms.

  3. Quantitative Efficiency Evaluation Method for Transportation Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Qin

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available An effective evaluation of transportation network efficiency/performance is essential to the establishment of sustainable development in any transportation system. Based on a redefinition of transportation network efficiency, a quantitative efficiency evaluation method for transportation network is proposed, which could reflect the effects of network structure, traffic demands, travel choice, and travel costs on network efficiency. Furthermore, the efficiency-oriented importance measure for network components is presented, which can be used to help engineers identify the critical nodes and links in the network. The numerical examples show that, compared with existing efficiency evaluation methods, the network efficiency value calculated by the method proposed in this paper can portray the real operation situation of the transportation network as well as the effects of main factors on network efficiency. We also find that the network efficiency and the importance values of the network components both are functions of demands and network structure in the transportation network.

  4. [Reconstituting evaluation methods based on both qualitative and quantitative paradigms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyata, Hiroaki; Okubo, Suguru; Yoshie, Satoru; Kai, Ichiro

    2011-01-01

    Debate about the relationship between quantitative and qualitative paradigms is often muddled and confusing and the clutter of terms and arguments has resulted in the concepts becoming obscure and unrecognizable. In this study we conducted content analysis regarding evaluation methods of qualitative healthcare research. We extracted descriptions on four types of evaluation paradigm (validity/credibility, reliability/credibility, objectivity/confirmability, and generalizability/transferability), and classified them into subcategories. In quantitative research, there has been many evaluation methods based on qualitative paradigms, and vice versa. Thus, it might not be useful to consider evaluation methods of qualitative paradigm are isolated from those of quantitative methods. Choosing practical evaluation methods based on the situation and prior conditions of each study is an important approach for researchers.

  5. New approach to equipment quality evaluation method with distinct functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milisavljević Vladimir M.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents new approach for improving method for quality evaluation and selection of equipment (devices and machinery by applying distinct functions. Quality evaluation and selection of devices and machinery is a multi-criteria problem which involves the consideration of numerous parameters of various origins. Original selection method with distinct functions is based on technical parameters with arbitrary evaluation of each parameter importance (weighting. Improvement of this method, presented in this paper, addresses the issue of weighting of parameters by using Delphi Method. Finally, two case studies are provided, which included quality evaluation of standard boilers for heating and evaluation of load-haul-dump (LHD machines, to demonstrate applicability of this approach. Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP is used as a control method.

  6. New knowledge network evaluation method for design rationale management

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  7. Methods for evaluating information sources

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjørland, Birger

    2012-01-01

    The article briefly presents and discusses 12 different approaches to the evaluation of information sources (for example a Wikipedia entry or a journal article): (1) the checklist approach; (2) classical peer review; (3) modified peer review; (4) evaluation based on examining the coverage...... of controversial views; (5) evidence-based evaluation; (6) comparative studies; (7) author credentials; (8) publisher reputation; (9) journal impact factor; (10) sponsoring: tracing the influence of economic, political, and ideological interests; (11) book reviews and book reviewing; and (12) broader criteria....... Reading a text is often not a simple process. All the methods discussed here are steps on the way on learning how to read, understand, and criticize texts. According to hermeneutics it involves the subjectivity of the reader, and that subjectivity is influenced, more or less, by different theoretical...

  8. Benchmark calculations for evaluation methods of gas volumetric leakage rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asano, R.; Aritomi, M.; Matsuzaki, M.

    1998-01-01

    A containment function of radioactive materials transport casks is essential for safe transportation to prevent the radioactive materials from being released into environment. Regulations such as IAEA standard determined the limit of radioactivity to be released. Since is not practical for the leakage tests to measure directly the radioactivity release from a package, as gas volumetric leakages rates are proposed in ANSI N14.5 and ISO standards. In our previous works, gas volumetric leakage rates for several kinds of gas from various leaks were measured and two evaluation methods, 'a simple evaluation method' and 'a strict evaluation method', were proposed based on the results. The simple evaluation method considers the friction loss of laminar flow with expansion effect. The strict evaluating method considers an exit loss in addition to the friction loss. In this study, four worked examples were completed for on assumed large spent fuel transport cask (Type B Package) with wet or dry capacity and at three transport conditions; normal transport with intact fuels or failed fuels, and an accident in transport. The standard leakage rates and criteria for two kinds of leak test were calculated for each example by each evaluation method. The following observations are made based upon the calculations and evaluations: the choked flow model of ANSI method greatly overestimates the criteria for tests ; the laminar flow models of both ANSI and ISO methods slightly overestimate the criteria for tests; the above two results are within the design margin for ordinary transport condition and all methods are useful for the evaluation; for severe condition such as failed fuel transportation, it should pay attention to apply a choked flow model of ANSI method. (authors)

  9. Radiochemistry methods in DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fadeff, S.K.; Goheen, S.C.

    1994-08-01

    Current standard sources of radiochemistry methods are often inappropriate for use in evaluating US Department of Energy environmental and waste management (DOE/EW) samples. Examples of current sources include EPA, ASTM, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater and HASL-300. Applicability of these methods is limited to specific matrices (usually water), radiation levels (usually environmental levels), and analytes (limited number). Radiochemistry methods in DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) attempt to fill the applicability gap that exists between standard methods and those needed for DOE/EM activities. The Radiochemistry chapter in DOE Methods includes an ''analysis and reporting'' guidance section as well as radiochemistry methods. A basis for identifying the DOE/EM radiochemistry needs is discussed. Within this needs framework, the applicability of standard methods and targeted new methods is identified. Sources of new methods (consolidated methods from DOE laboratories and submissions from individuals) and the methods review process will be discussed. The processes involved in generating consolidated methods add editing individually submitted methods will be compared. DOE Methods is a living document and continues to expand by adding various kinds of methods. Radiochemistry methods are highlighted in this paper. DOE Methods is intended to be a resource for methods applicable to DOE/EM problems. Although it is intended to support DOE, the guidance and methods are not necessarily exclusive to DOE. The document is available at no cost through the Laboratory Management Division of DOE, Office of Technology Development

  10. Ultrasound sounding in air by fast-moving receiver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sukhanov, D.; Erzakova, N.

    2018-05-01

    A method of ultrasound imaging in the air for a fast receiver. The case, when the speed of movement of the receiver can not be neglected with respect to the speed of sound. In this case, the Doppler effect is significant, making it difficult for matched filtering of the backscattered signal. The proposed method does not use a continuous repetitive noise-sounding signal. generalized approach applies spatial matched filtering in the time domain to recover the ultrasonic tomographic images.

  11. Estimate of absorbed dose received by individuals irradiated with neutrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonseca, E.S. da; Mauricio, C.L.P.

    1995-01-01

    An innovating methodology is proposed to estimate the absorbed dose received by individuals irradiated with neutrons in an accident, even in the case that the victim is not using any kind of neutron dosemeter. The method combines direct measurements of 24 Na and 32 P activated in the human body. The calculation method was developed using data taken from previously published papers and experimental measurements. Other irradiations results in different neutron spectra prove the validity of the methodology here proposed. Using a whole body counter to measure 24 Na activity, it is possible to evaluate neutron absorbed doses in the order of 140 μGy of very soft (thermal) spectra. For fast neutron fields, the lower limit for neutron dose detection increases, but the present method continues to be very useful in accidents, with higher neutron doses. (author). 5 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

  12. HIGH-EFFICIENCY INFRARED RECEIVER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. K. Esman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent research and development show promising use of high-performance solid-state receivers of the electromagnetic radiation. These receivers are based on the low-barrier Schottky diodes. The approach to the design of the receivers on the basis of delta-doped low-barrier Schottky diodes with beam leads without bias is especially actively developing because for uncooled receivers of the microwave radiation these diodes have virtually no competition. The purpose of this work is to improve the main parameters and characteristics that determine the practical relevance of the receivers of mid-infrared electromagnetic radiation at the operating room temperature by modifying the electrodes configuration of the diode and optimizing the distance between them. Proposed original design solution of the integrated receiver of mid-infrared radiation on the basis of the low-barrier Schottky diodes with beam leads allows to effectively adjust its main parameters and characteristics. Simulation of the electromagnetic characteristics of the proposed receiver by using the software package HFSS with the basic algorithm of a finite element method which implemented to calculate the behavior of electromagnetic fields on an arbitrary geometry with a predetermined material properties have shown that when the inner parts of the electrodes of the low-barrier Schottky diode is performed in the concentric elliptical convex-concave shape, it can be reduce the reflection losses to -57.75 dB and the standing wave ratio to 1.003 while increasing the directivity up to 23 at a wavelength of 6.09 μm. At this time, the rounded radii of the inner parts of the anode and cathode electrodes are equal 212 nm and 318 nm respectively and the gap setting between them is 106 nm. These parameters will improve the efficiency of the developed infrared optical-promising and electronic equipment for various purposes intended for work in the mid-infrared wavelength range. 

  13. Improved timing recovery in wireless mobile receivers

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Olwal, TO

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available are transmitted to the receiver. In the proposed method, the receiver exploits the soft decisions computed at each turbo decoding iteration to provide reliable estimates of a soft timing signal, which in turn, improves the decoding time. The derived method... as ( ) ( )( )1 2 1 2, ,..., , ,...,Q Qk k k k k k k k ka a x x x P a x x xη∗ ∗∈Β= ∑ (29) where ( )1 2, ,..., Qk k kx x x are the Q coded bits in a multilevel symbol modulation scheme [32]. According to [29], the soft information demapper computes posteriori...

  14. A method to evaluate process performance by integrating time and resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yu; Wei, Qingjie; Jin, Shuang

    2017-06-01

    The purpose of process mining is to improve the existing process of the enterprise, so how to measure the performance of the process is particularly important. However, the current research on the performance evaluation method is still insufficient. The main methods of evaluation are mainly using time or resource. These basic statistics cannot evaluate process performance very well. In this paper, a method of evaluating the performance of the process based on time dimension and resource dimension is proposed. This method can be used to measure the utilization and redundancy of resources in the process. This paper will introduce the design principle and formula of the evaluation algorithm. Then, the design and the implementation of the evaluation method will be introduced. Finally, we will use the evaluating method to analyse the event log from a telephone maintenance process and propose an optimization plan.

  15. Comparative study of heuristic evaluation and usability testing methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thyvalikakath, Thankam Paul; Monaco, Valerie; Thambuganipalle, Himabindu; Schleyer, Titus

    2009-01-01

    Usability methods, such as heuristic evaluation, cognitive walk-throughs and user testing, are increasingly used to evaluate and improve the design of clinical software applications. There is still some uncertainty, however, as to how those methods can be used to support the development process and evaluation in the most meaningful manner. In this study, we compared the results of a heuristic evaluation with those of formal user tests in order to determine which usability problems were detected by both methods. We conducted heuristic evaluation and usability testing on four major commercial dental computer-based patient records (CPRs), which together cover 80% of the market for chairside computer systems among general dentists. Both methods yielded strong evidence that the dental CPRs have significant usability problems. An average of 50% of empirically-determined usability problems were identified by the preceding heuristic evaluation. Some statements of heuristic violations were specific enough to precisely identify the actual usability problem that study participants encountered. Other violations were less specific, but still manifested themselves in usability problems and poor task outcomes. In this study, heuristic evaluation identified a significant portion of problems found during usability testing. While we make no assumptions about the generalizability of the results to other domains and software systems, heuristic evaluation may, under certain circumstances, be a useful tool to determine design problems early in the development cycle.

  16. Study on comprehensive evaluation methods for nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arie, Kazuo

    1999-03-01

    This investigation on comprehensive-evaluation-methods for nuclear fuel cycle has been performed through open-literature search. As the results, no proper comprehensive-evaluation-method has been found which integrate several factors to be considered into only one factor. In the evaluation of future advanced nuclear energy systems, it is required to evaluate from both view points of natural resources and natural environment, in addition to the other factors such as safety, economy, and proliferation resistance. It is recommended that clarification of specific items or targets to be evaluated is most important as the first thing to be done. Second, methodology for the evaluation should be discussed. (author)

  17. Reliable clarity automatic-evaluation method for optical remote sensing images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Bangyong; Shang, Ren; Li, Shengyang; Hei, Baoqin; Liu, Zhiwen

    2015-10-01

    Image clarity, which reflects the sharpness degree at the edge of objects in images, is an important quality evaluate index for optical remote sensing images. Scholars at home and abroad have done a lot of work on estimation of image clarity. At present, common clarity-estimation methods for digital images mainly include frequency-domain function methods, statistical parametric methods, gradient function methods and edge acutance methods. Frequency-domain function method is an accurate clarity-measure approach. However, its calculation process is complicate and cannot be carried out automatically. Statistical parametric methods and gradient function methods are both sensitive to clarity of images, while their results are easy to be affected by the complex degree of images. Edge acutance method is an effective approach for clarity estimate, while it needs picking out the edges manually. Due to the limits in accuracy, consistent or automation, these existing methods are not applicable to quality evaluation of optical remote sensing images. In this article, a new clarity-evaluation method, which is based on the principle of edge acutance algorithm, is proposed. In the new method, edge detection algorithm and gradient search algorithm are adopted to automatically search the object edges in images. Moreover, The calculation algorithm for edge sharpness has been improved. The new method has been tested with several groups of optical remote sensing images. Compared with the existing automatic evaluation methods, the new method perform better both in accuracy and consistency. Thus, the new method is an effective clarity evaluation method for optical remote sensing images.

  18. Simplified method evaluation for piping elastic follow-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Severud, L.K.

    1983-05-01

    A proposed simplified method for evaluating elastic follow-up effects in high temperature pipelines is presented. The method was evaluated by comparing the simplified analysis results with those obtained from detailed inelastic solutions. Nine different pipelines typical of a nuclear breeder reactor power plant were analyzed; the simplified method is attractive because it appears to give fairly accurate and conservative results. It is easy to apply and inexpensive since it employs iterative elastic solutions for the pipeline coupled with the readily available isochronous stress-strain data provided in the ASME Code

  19. Methods of evaluating the consequences of irradiation of populations. Final report 1976-1980

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-01-01

    The present state of scientific knowledge does not make it possible to set a threshold for the effects of ionizing radiation on the health of individuals or of populations. The pessimistic assumption whereby any exposure is liable to have a harmful effect therefore remains the basis for the evaluation of standards. The resulting recommendations formulated by the ICRP (Publication No. 26) consist in a system of dose limits, which constitute the new foundation of radiation protection, the aim being to ensure that: - no source of exposure is unjustified, with due regard to the benefits occurring therefrom, - all necessary exposure is kept as low as reasonable achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account, - the dose equivalents received do not exceed certain specified limits. In order to attain this objective, it appeared necessary to have at our disposal, in the context of any project for an installation that is liable to cause exposure to ionizing radiation, means of evaluating the following: 1. the levels of exposure to the individuals and population groups concerned, 2. the resulting radiological detriment to man, 3. the economic and social impacts thereof. In view of the foregoing, therefore, methods for making such evaluation had to be developed. The aim of the Contract of Association concluded in 1976 between the European Atomic Energy Community and the French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique is to develop methodology for evaluating the consequence of the irradiation of populations. It appeared necessary to have such methods for the purpose of implementing the latest recommendations of the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Community Directives, in particular as regards the justification of exposure levels and the optimization of protection measures

  20. Research on psychological evaluation method for nuclear power plant operators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang Xiang; He Xuhong; Zhao Bingquan

    2007-01-01

    The qualitative and quantitative psychology evaluation methods to the nuclear power plant operators were analyzed and discussed in the paper. The comparison analysis to the scope and result of application was carried out between method of outline figure fitted and method of fuzzy synthetic evaluation. The research results can be referenced to the evaluation of nuclear power plant operators. (authors)

  1. Sustainable Supplier Performance Evaluation and Selection with Neofuzzy TOPSIS Method

    OpenAIRE

    Chaharsooghi, S. K.; Ashrafi, Mehdi

    2014-01-01

    Supplier selection plays an important role in the supply chain management and traditional criteria such as price, quality, and flexibility are considered for supplier performance evaluation in researches. In recent years sustainability has received more attention in the supply chain management literature with triple bottom line (TBL) describing the sustainability in supply chain management with social, environmental, and economic initiatives. This paper explores sustainability in supply chain...

  2. Quantitative Assessment of Blood Pressure Measurement Accuracy and Variability from Visual Auscultation Method by Observers without Receiving Medical Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Yong; Chen, Aiqing

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to quantify blood pressure (BP) measurement accuracy and variability with different techniques. Thirty video clips of BP recordings from the BHS training database were converted to Korotkoff sound waveforms. Ten observers without receiving medical training were asked to determine BPs using (a) traditional manual auscultatory method and (b) visual auscultation method by visualizing the Korotkoff sound waveform, which was repeated three times on different days. The measurement error was calculated against the reference answers, and the measurement variability was calculated from the SD of the three repeats. Statistical analysis showed that, in comparison with the auscultatory method, visual method significantly reduced overall variability from 2.2 to 1.1 mmHg for SBP and from 1.9 to 0.9 mmHg for DBP (both p auscultation methods). In conclusion, the visual auscultation method had the ability to achieve an acceptable degree of BP measurement accuracy, with smaller variability in comparison with the traditional auscultatory method. PMID:29423405

  3. Lower mortality is observed among low birth weight young infants who have received home-based care by female community health volunteers in rural Nepal

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neupane, Dinesh; Dawson, Penny; Houston, Robin

    2017-01-01

    and in many other developing countries. This is a cohort study to evaluate the risk of deaths among LBW infants who received FCHV follow up visit for home-based care compared to those who did not receive in Rural Nepal. Methods A cohort study design was used with data from the Morang Innovative Neonatal...

  4. Noise and intercept point calculation for modern radio receiver planning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Christian Rye; Kolding, T. E.

    2001-01-01

    The paper presents analytical expressions for determining noise and intercept points for cascaded radio receiver stages. The theory allows for active receiver stages with frequency selectivity and flexible impedance levels. This makes the method highly usable for planning of modem receivers where...

  5. Uncertainty In Measuring Noise Parameters Of a Communication Receiver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korcz, Karol; Palczynska, Beata; Spiralski, Ludwik

    2005-01-01

    The paper presents the method of assessing uncertainty in measuring the usable sensitivity Es of communication receiver. The influence of partial uncertainties of measuring the noise factor F and the energy pass band of the receiver Δf on the combined standard uncertainty level is analyzed. The method to assess the uncertainty in measuring the noise factor on the basis of the systematic component of uncertainty, assuming that the main source of measurement uncertainty is the hardware of the measuring system, is proposed. The assessment of uncertainty in measuring the pass band of the receiver is determined with the assumption that input quantities of the measurement equation are not correlated. They are successive, discrete values of the spectral power density of the noise on the output of receiver. The results of the analyses of particular uncertainties components of measuring the sensitivity, which were carried out for a typical communication receiver, are presented

  6. [Comparison of two quantitative methods of endobronchial ultrasound real-time elastography for evaluating intrathoracic lymph nodes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, X W; Yang, J Y; Zheng, X X; Wang, L; Zhu, L; Li, Y; Xiong, H K; Sun, J Y

    2017-06-12

    Objective: To compare the clinical value of two quantitative methods in analyzing endobronchial ultrasound real-time elastography (EBUS-RTE) images for evaluating intrathoracic lymph nodes. Methods: From January 2014 to April 2014, EBUS-RTE examination was performed in patients who received EBUS-TBNA examination in Shanghai Chest Hospital. Each intrathoracic lymph node had a selected EBUS-RTE image. Stiff area ratio and mean hue value of region of interest (ROI) in each image were calculated respectively. The final diagnosis of lymph node was based on the pathologic/microbiologic results of EBUS-TBNA, pathologic/microbiologic results of other examinations and clinical following-up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were evaluated for distinguishing malignant and benign lesions. Results: Fifty-six patients and 68 lymph nodes were enrolled in this study, of which 35 lymph nodes were malignant and 33 lymph nodes were benign. The stiff area ratio and mean hue value of benign and malignant lesions were 0.32±0.29, 0.62±0.20 and 109.99±28.13, 141.62±17.52, respectively, and statistical differences were found in both of those two methods ( t =-5.14, P methods can be used for analyzing EBUS-RTE images quantitatively, having the value of differentiating benign and malignant intrathoracic lymph nodes, and the stiff area ratio is better than the mean hue value between the two methods.

  7. Evaluation of Dynamic Methods for Earthwork Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlček Jozef

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Rapid development of road construction imposes requests on fast and quality methods for earthwork quality evaluation. Dynamic methods are now adopted in numerous civil engineering sections. Especially evaluation of the earthwork quality can be sped up using dynamic equipment. This paper presents the results of the parallel measurements of chosen devices for determining the level of compaction of soils. Measurements were used to develop the correlations between values obtained from various apparatuses. Correlations show that examined apparatuses are suitable for examination of compaction level of fine-grained soils with consideration of boundary conditions of used equipment. Presented methods are quick and results can be obtained immediately after measurement, and they are thus suitable in cases when construction works have to be performed in a short period of time.

  8. Participatory Training Evaluation Method (PATEM) as a Collaborative Evaluation Capacity Building Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzmin, Alexey

    2012-01-01

    This article describes Participatory Training Evaluation Method (PATEM) of measuring participants' reaction to the training. PATEM provides rich information; allows to document evaluation findings; becomes organic part of the training that helps participants process their experience individually and as a group; makes sense to participants; is an…

  9. Sideband characterization and atmospheric observations with various 340 GHz heterodyne receivers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Renker, Matthias, E-mail: renker@iap.unibe.ch; Murk, Axel [Institute of Applied Physics, University of Bern, Bern (Switzerland); Rea, Simon P. [STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom); Emrich, A.; Frisk, U. [OMNISYS Instruments, Västra Frölunda (Sweden)

    2014-08-15

    This paper describes sideband response measurements and atmospheric observations with a double sideband and two Single Sideband (SSB) receiver prototypes developed for the multi-beam limb sounder instrument stratosphere-troposphere exchange and climate monitor radiometer. We first show an advanced Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) method for sideband response and spurious signal characterization. We then present sideband response measurements of the different prototype receivers and we compare the results of the SSB receivers with sideband measurements by injecting a continuous wave signal into the upper and lower sidebands. The receivers were integrated into a total-power radiometer and atmospheric observations were carried out. The observed spectra were compared to forward model spectra to conclude on the sideband characteristics of the different receivers. The two sideband characterization methods show a high degree of agreement for both SSB receivers with various local oscillator settings. The measured sideband response was used to correct the forward model simulations. This improves the agreement with the atmospheric observations and explains spectral features caused by an unbalanced sideband response. The FTS method also allows to quantify the influence of spurious harmonic responses of the receiver.

  10. MIMO Terminal Performance Evaluation with a Novel Wireless Cable Method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fan, Wei; Kyösti, Pekka; Hentilä, Lassi

    2017-01-01

    chamber, which might be impractical and expensive. In this paper, a novel wireless cable method is proposed and experimentally validated. By recording the average power (i.e. reference signal received power (RSRP) in the LTE) per DUT antenna port and selecting optimal complex weights at the channel...... emulator output ports, a wireless cable connection can be achieved. The proposed method can be executed in a small RF shielded anechoic box, and offers low system cost, high measurement reliability and repeatability....

  11. Evaluating the potential energy of a heliostat field and solar receiver of solar tower power plants in the southern region of Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raad Kadhim Al-Dualimi

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available A prior study on the performance of high-efficient models for a heliostat field and solar receiver at various candidate locations (e.g., certain regions in the south of Turkey helped determine suitable locations for installing solar tower power plant units. This study considered the fact that solar tower power plants are affected by the working conditions of a particular site, which helps realize the highest performance of the solar power tower plant. An optimized heliostat field consisting of 2650 SENER heliostats and a model of a solar receiver based on the data obtained using Gemasolar in Seville, Spain, was used as a reference in this work. Each heliostat position is specified using an optimization algorithm that refines previously proposed models, and two parameters are added to this model to further optimize the heliostat layout. Then, a sample analytical thermal model is used for predicting the radiative and convective heat losses from the receiver system. Article History: Received March 13rd 2016; Received in revised form Jun 22nd 2016; Accepted July 3rd 2016; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Ra'ad, K, M, A. and Mehmet, S, S. (2016, Evaluating the potential energy of a heliostat field and solar receiver of solar tower power plants in the southern region of Turkey. Int. Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 5(2, 151-161, http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/ijred.5.2.151-161

  12. Safety evaluations required in the safety regulations for Monju and the validity confirmation of safety evaluation methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    The purposes of this study are to perform the safety evaluations of the fast breeder reactor 'Monju' and to confirm the validity of the safety evaluation methods. In JFY 2012, the following results were obtained. As for the development of safety evaluation methods needed in the safety examination achieved for the reactor establishment permission, development of the analysis codes, such as a core damage analysis code, were carried out according to the plan. As for the development of the safety evaluation method needed for the risk informed safety regulation, the quantification technique of the event tree using the Continuous Markov chain Monte Carlo method (CMMC method) were studied. (author)

  13. Comparison of the dose evaluation methods for criticality accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimizu, Yoshio; Oka, Tsutomu

    2004-01-01

    The improvement of the dose evaluation method for criticality accidents is important to rationalize design of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The source spectrums of neutron and gamma ray of a criticality accident depend on the condition of the source, its materials, moderation, density and so on. The comparison of the dose evaluation methods for a criticality accident is made. Some methods, which are combination of criticality calculation and shielding calculation, are proposed. Prompt neutron and gamma ray doses from nuclear criticality of some uranium systems have been evaluated as the Nuclear Criticality Slide Rule. The uranium metal source (unmoderated system) and the uranyl nitrate solution source (moderated system) in the rule are evaluated by some calculation methods, which are combinations of code and cross section library, as follows: (a) SAS1X (ENDF/B-IV), (b) MCNP4C (ENDF/B-VI)-ANISN (DLC23E or JSD120), (c) MCNP4C-MCNP4C (ENDF/B-VI). They have consisted of criticality calculation and shielding calculation. These calculation methods are compared about the tissue absorbed dose and the spectrums at 2 m from the source. (author)

  14. A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of trainee opinions of four methods of personality disorder diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Sharon M; Huprich, Steven K; Shankar, Sneha; Sohnleitner, Aimee; Paggeot, Amy V

    2017-07-01

    Four methods of how to assess and diagnose personality disorders have received much attention within the literature: the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (Shedler & Westen, 1998), the DSM-5 Section III Personality Disorders section (APA, 2011), the DSM-5 Section III trait model (APA, 2013), and the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM; PDM Task Force, 2006) descriptions of 15 personality disorders. Given that much of the debate has been driven by clinician concerns, it is important to consider clinical utility when evaluating the usefulness of each method. The present study compares the 4 models on ratings of several dimensions of clinical utility provided by 329 graduate student clinicians and psychology interns from across the United States. Findings suggest that participants rated the DSM-5 trait model significantly higher in most clinical utility domains. Additionally, qualitative analyses of the open-ended responses provided by participants indicated that each method had strengths and weaknesses. Most notably, participants commented positively on the PDM's level of comprehensiveness and appreciated the SWAP-II's inclusion of a health category, despite the ease of use not being as highly rated for these methods. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Evaluation of evapotranspiration methods for model validation in a semi-arid watershed in northern China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Schneider

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluates the performance of four evapotranspiration methods (Priestley-Taylor, Penman-Monteith, Hargreaves and Makkink of differing complexity in a semi-arid environment in north China. The results are compared to observed water vapour fluxes derived from eddy flux measurements. The analysis became necessary after discharge simulations using an automatically calibrated version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT failed to reproduce runoff measurements. Although the study area receives most of the annual rainfall during the vegetation period, high temperatures can cause water scarcity. We investigate which evapotranspiration method is most suitable for this environment and whether the model performance of SWAT can be improved with the most adequate evapotranspiration method.

    The evapotranspiration models were tested in two consecutive years with different rainfall amounts. In general, the simple Hargreaves and Makkink equations outmatch the more complex Priestley-Taylor and Penman-Monteith methods, although their performance depended on water availability. Effects on the quality of SWAT runoff simulations, however, remained minor. Although evapotranspiration is an important process in the hydrology of this steppe environment, our analysis indicates that other driving factors still need to be identified to improve SWAT simulations.

  16. Validation of Land Cover Products Using Reliability Evaluation Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenzhong Shi

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Validation of land cover products is a fundamental task prior to data applications. Current validation schemes and methods are, however, suited only for assessing classification accuracy and disregard the reliability of land cover products. The reliability evaluation of land cover products should be undertaken to provide reliable land cover information. In addition, the lack of high-quality reference data often constrains validation and affects the reliability results of land cover products. This study proposes a validation schema to evaluate the reliability of land cover products, including two methods, namely, result reliability evaluation and process reliability evaluation. Result reliability evaluation computes the reliability of land cover products using seven reliability indicators. Process reliability evaluation analyzes the reliability propagation in the data production process to obtain the reliability of land cover products. Fuzzy fault tree analysis is introduced and improved in the reliability analysis of a data production process. Research results show that the proposed reliability evaluation scheme is reasonable and can be applied to validate land cover products. Through the analysis of the seven indicators of result reliability evaluation, more information on land cover can be obtained for strategic decision-making and planning, compared with traditional accuracy assessment methods. Process reliability evaluation without the need for reference data can facilitate the validation and reflect the change trends of reliabilities to some extent.

  17. Veterinary and human vaccine evaluation methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight-Jones, T. J. D.; Edmond, K.; Gubbins, S.; Paton, D. J.

    2014-01-01

    Despite the universal importance of vaccines, approaches to human and veterinary vaccine evaluation differ markedly. For human vaccines, vaccine efficacy is the proportion of vaccinated individuals protected by the vaccine against a defined outcome under ideal conditions, whereas for veterinary vaccines the term is used for a range of measures of vaccine protection. The evaluation of vaccine effectiveness, vaccine protection assessed under routine programme conditions, is largely limited to human vaccines. Challenge studies under controlled conditions and sero-conversion studies are widely used when evaluating veterinary vaccines, whereas human vaccines are generally evaluated in terms of protection against natural challenge assessed in trials or post-marketing observational studies. Although challenge studies provide a standardized platform on which to compare different vaccines, they do not capture the variation that occurs under field conditions. Field studies of vaccine effectiveness are needed to assess the performance of a vaccination programme. However, if vaccination is performed without central co-ordination, as is often the case for veterinary vaccines, evaluation will be limited. This paper reviews approaches to veterinary vaccine evaluation in comparison to evaluation methods used for human vaccines. Foot-and-mouth disease has been used to illustrate the veterinary approach. Recommendations are made for standardization of terminology and for rigorous evaluation of veterinary vaccines. PMID:24741009

  18. Remote tracking of a magnetic receiver using low frequency beacons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheinker, Arie; Ginzburg, Boris; Salomonski, Nizan; Frumkis, Lev; Kaplan, Ben-Zion

    2014-01-01

    Low frequency magnetic fields feature high penetration ability, which allows communication, localization, and tracking in environments where radio or acoustic waves are blocked or distorted by multipath interferences. In the present work, we propose a method for tracking a magnetic receiver using beacons of low frequency magnetic field, where the receiver includes a tri-axial search-coil magnetometer. Measuring the beacons’ magnetic fields and calculating the total-field signals enables localization without restrictions on magnetometer orientation, allowing on-the-move tracking. The total-field signals are used by a global search method, e.g., simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, to localize the receiver. The magnetic field produced by each beacon has a dipole structure and is governed by the beacon’s position and magnetic moment. We have investigated two different methods for estimating beacons’ magnetic moments prior to localization. The first method requires directional measurements, whereas for the second method the total-field signal is used. Effectiveness of these methods has been proved in numerous field tests. In the present work, we introduce a method for tracking a moving receiver by successive localizations. Using previous localization as a starting point of the search method for the next localization can reduce execution time and chances for divergence. The proposed method has been tested using numerous computer simulations. Successful system operation has been verified in field conditions. The good tracking capability together with simple implementation makes the proposed method attractive for real-time, low power field applications, such as mobile robots navigation. (paper)

  19. The effect of geriatric intervention in frail elderly patients receiving chemotherapy for colorectal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, C M; Vistisen, K K; Dehlendorff, C

    2017-01-01

    patients are offered inclusion and are then randomized to two groups (the intervention group and the control group). Patients in the intervention group receive a full geriatric assessment of comorbidity, medication, psycho-cognitive function, physical, functional and nutrition status, and interventions......BACKGROUND: Better surgical techniques, chemotherapy and biological therapy have improved survival in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), most markedly in younger patients. About half of patients over 70 years receive dose reductions or early treatment discontinuation of the planned adjuvant...... or first-line treatment due to side effects. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a multidisciplinary evaluation of an elderly individual's health status. This assessment in older patients with cancer can predict survival, chemotherapy toxicity and morbidity. METHODS: This randomized phase II...

  20. Neoplasia in beagles that received whole-body irradiation during prenatal or postnatal development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benjamin, S.A.; Angleton, G.M.; Lee, A.C.; Saunders, W.J.; Miller, G.K.; Jaenke, R.S.; Brewster, R.D.; Long, R.I.

    1986-01-01

    Sensitivity to radiation carcinogenesis is being studied in 1680 beagle dogs that received whole-body 60 Co gamma radiation exposures during development. Eight treatment groups of 120 dogs each received 0.16 or 0.83 Gy at one of three prenatal (8, 28, or 55 days postcoitus) ages or at one postnatal (2 days postpartum) age. One treatment group of 120 dogs received 0.83 Gy as juveniles at 70 days postpartum, and one treatment group of 240 young adult dogs received 0.83 Gy at 365 days postpartum. Three-hundred-sixty control dogs were sham irradiated. Of the 1680 dogs, 1058 are dead. Approximately 25% of these deaths were related to malignant neoplasia. The age-related incidence of neoplasia is being evaluated. While the incidence of all neoplasms is being studied, particular emphasis is being placed on types of cancer with known susceptibility to induction by radiation such as those of breast, thyroid, and hematopoietic tissues. Neoplasms are classed as (1) incidental, i.e., those found at necropsy in dogs that died of an unrelated cause; (2) mortality independent, i.e., those seen in live dogs and removed surgically, or (3) fatal, i.e., those directly or indirectly responsible for death. Analyses of incidental tumors are done by a prevalence method, whereas analyses of mortality-independent and fatal tumors use an onset-rate or death-rate method. The results of these methods are then combined to give a composite age-related incidence of specific neoplasms. Analyses also are done on disease subgroups to attempt to delineate the effect of intercurrent disease on tumor incidence. The results of such analyses support the concept that age at exposure is an important factor in radiation carcinogenesis. 28 refs., 7 tabs

  1. Computer-implemented security evaluation methods, security evaluation systems, and articles of manufacture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muller, George; Perkins, Casey J.; Lancaster, Mary J.; MacDonald, Douglas G.; Clements, Samuel L.; Hutton, William J.; Patrick, Scott W.; Key, Bradley Robert

    2015-07-28

    Computer-implemented security evaluation methods, security evaluation systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one aspect, a computer-implemented security evaluation method includes accessing information regarding a physical architecture and a cyber architecture of a facility, building a model of the facility comprising a plurality of physical areas of the physical architecture, a plurality of cyber areas of the cyber architecture, and a plurality of pathways between the physical areas and the cyber areas, identifying a target within the facility, executing the model a plurality of times to simulate a plurality of attacks against the target by an adversary traversing at least one of the areas in the physical domain and at least one of the areas in the cyber domain, and using results of the executing, providing information regarding a security risk of the facility with respect to the target.

  2. A Fuzzy method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grecco, Cláudio H.S.; Santos, Isaac J.A.L.; Farias, Marcos S.; Farias, Larissa P.; Filho, Alfredo M.V., E-mail: grecco@ien.gov.br, E-mail: luquetti@ien.gov.br, E-mail: msantana@ien.gov.br, E-mail: larissapfarias@ymail.com, E-mail: marques@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (DENN/IEN/CNEN/RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Nuclear

    2017-11-01

    To avoid errors when handling nuclear medical equipment, it is important to develop products with a high degree of usability. This can be achieved by performing usability evaluations in the product development process to detect and mitigate potential usability problems. Usability evaluation focuses on how well users can learn and use a product to achieve their goals. Thus, the usability evaluation has become recognized as a valuable complement to the established approaches to design good user interfaces, to reduce incidents and accidents as well the time required to learn how to use the equipment. To gather information about usability, practitioners use a variety of methods that gather feedback from users about an existing interface or plans related to a new interface. A wide range of usability evaluation methods have been proposed, but few methods focus on developing an objective and practical evaluation method for usability. Moreover, the usability evaluations are based on human judgments and most methods cannot fully solve the subjectivity of these evaluations. In order to remedy this deficiency, the purpose of this work is to adopt a Fuzzy Set Theory (FST) approach to establish a method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment based on usability heuristics for user interface design and international standards for ergonomics of human-system interaction. To exemplify the method we performed a usability evaluating of the Digital Spectrometer ESP 13004 by testing it with representative users. The results showed that the method is a proactive tool to provide a basis for checking usability of medical device interfaces. (author)

  3. A Fuzzy method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grecco, Cláudio H.S.; Santos, Isaac J.A.L.; Farias, Marcos S.; Farias, Larissa P.; Filho, Alfredo M.V.

    2017-01-01

    To avoid errors when handling nuclear medical equipment, it is important to develop products with a high degree of usability. This can be achieved by performing usability evaluations in the product development process to detect and mitigate potential usability problems. Usability evaluation focuses on how well users can learn and use a product to achieve their goals. Thus, the usability evaluation has become recognized as a valuable complement to the established approaches to design good user interfaces, to reduce incidents and accidents as well the time required to learn how to use the equipment. To gather information about usability, practitioners use a variety of methods that gather feedback from users about an existing interface or plans related to a new interface. A wide range of usability evaluation methods have been proposed, but few methods focus on developing an objective and practical evaluation method for usability. Moreover, the usability evaluations are based on human judgments and most methods cannot fully solve the subjectivity of these evaluations. In order to remedy this deficiency, the purpose of this work is to adopt a Fuzzy Set Theory (FST) approach to establish a method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment based on usability heuristics for user interface design and international standards for ergonomics of human-system interaction. To exemplify the method we performed a usability evaluating of the Digital Spectrometer ESP 13004 by testing it with representative users. The results showed that the method is a proactive tool to provide a basis for checking usability of medical device interfaces. (author)

  4. Numerical evaluation of an innovative cup layout for open volumetric solar air receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cagnoli, Mattia; Savoldi, Laura; Zanino, Roberto; Zaversky, Fritz

    2016-05-01

    This paper proposes an innovative volumetric solar absorber design to be used in high-temperature air receivers of solar power tower plants. The innovative absorber, a so-called CPC-stacked-plate configuration, applies the well-known principle of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) for the first time in a volumetric solar receiver, heating air to high temperatures. The proposed absorber configuration is analyzed numerically, applying first the open-source ray-tracing software Tonatiuh in order to obtain the solar flux distribution on the absorber's surfaces. Next, a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis of a representative single channel of the innovative receiver is performed, using the commercial CFD software ANSYS Fluent. The solution of the conjugate heat transfer problem shows that the behavior of the new absorber concept is promising, however further optimization of the geometry will be necessary in order to exceed the performance of the classical absorber designs.

  5. Evaluation of health promotion in schools: a realistic evaluation approach using mixed methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Schools are key settings for health promotion (HP) but the development of suitable approaches for evaluating HP in schools is still a major topic of discussion. This article presents a research protocol of a program developed to evaluate HP. After reviewing HP evaluation issues, the various possible approaches are analyzed and the importance of a realistic evaluation framework and a mixed methods (MM) design are demonstrated. Methods/Design The design is based on a systemic approach to evaluation, taking into account the mechanisms, context and outcomes, as defined in realistic evaluation, adjusted to our own French context using an MM approach. The characteristics of the design are illustrated through the evaluation of a nationwide HP program in French primary schools designed to enhance children's social, emotional and physical health by improving teachers' HP practices and promoting a healthy school environment. An embedded MM design is used in which a qualitative data set plays a supportive, secondary role in a study based primarily on a different quantitative data set. The way the qualitative and quantitative approaches are combined through the entire evaluation framework is detailed. Discussion This study is a contribution towards the development of suitable approaches for evaluating HP programs in schools. The systemic approach of the evaluation carried out in this research is appropriate since it takes account of the limitations of traditional evaluation approaches and considers suggestions made by the HP research community. PMID:20109202

  6. Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feher, M.P.; Moray, N.; Senders, J.W.; Biron, K.

    1995-03-01

    This report discusses the use of full scope nuclear power plant simulators in licensing examinations for Unit First Operators of CANDU reactors. The existing literature is reviewed, and an annotated bibliography of the more important sources provided. Since existing methods are judged inadequate, conceptual bases for designing a system for licensing are discussed, and a method proposed which would make use of objective scoring methods based on data collection in full-scope simulators. A field trial of such a method is described. The practicality of such a method is critically discussed and possible advantages of subjective methods of evaluation considered. (author). 32 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

  7. Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feher, M P; Moray, N; Senders, J W; Biron, K [Human Factors North Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

    1995-03-01

    This report discusses the use of full scope nuclear power plant simulators in licensing examinations for Unit First Operators of CANDU reactors. The existing literature is reviewed, and an annotated bibliography of the more important sources provided. Since existing methods are judged inadequate, conceptual bases for designing a system for licensing are discussed, and a method proposed which would make use of objective scoring methods based on data collection in full-scope simulators. A field trial of such a method is described. The practicality of such a method is critically discussed and possible advantages of subjective methods of evaluation considered. (author). 32 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

  8. Teaching and evaluation methods of medical ethics in the Saudi public medical colleges: cross-sectional questionnaire study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most influential Muslim countries being as the host of the two most holy places for Muslims, namely Makkah and Madina. This was reflected in the emphasis on teaching medical ethics in a lecture-based format as a part of the subject of Islamic culture taught to medical students. Over the last few years, both teaching and evaluation of medical ethics have been changing as more Saudi academics received specialized training and qualifications in bioethics from western universities. Methods This study aims at studying the current teaching methods and evaluation tools used by the Saudi public medical schools. It is done using a self-administered online questionnaire. Results Out of the 14 medical schools that responded, the majority of the responding schools (6; 42.8%), had no ethics departments; but all schools had a curriculum dedicated to medical ethics. These curricula were mostly developed by the faculty staff (12; 85.7%). The most popular teaching method was lecturing (13; 92.8%). The most popular form of student assessment was a paper-based final examination (6; 42.8%) at the end of the course that was allocated 40% or more of the total grade of the ethics course. Six schools (42.8%) allocated 15-30% of the total grade to research. Conclusion Although there is a growing interest and commitment in teaching ethics to medical students in Saudi schools; there is lack of standardization in teaching and evaluation methods. There is a need for a national body to provide guidance for the medical schools to harmonize the teaching methods, particularly introducing more interactive and students-engaging methods on the account of passive lecturing. PMID:24020917

  9. Effluent dispersion in natural water receivers (tracer examination)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szpilowski, S.; Owczarczyk, A.; Chmielewski, A.G.

    1993-01-01

    Tracer methods constitute very convenient means for observation and examination of effluent dispersion and dilution processes in natural water receivers. In the report there are presented methods developed and used by the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCT) to measure mixing parameters in natural streams to determine distances of complete transverse mixing as well as to assess and predict dispersion of sewage in large water reservoirs. There are also presented the methods of predicting initial stage of dispersion of sewage discharged into large water reservoirs through underwater out falls and the method for determining the decomposition rates of effluent entering a natural water receiver. The methods presented can be used in analysis of pollution in a given water region, in selection of optimal sewage out fall locations as well as in prediction of effluent dilution intensity at different hydro- and meteorological conditions. (author). 27 refs, 15 figs, 2 tabs

  10. Evaluating a method for automated rigid registration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Darkner, Sune; Vester-Christensen, Martin; Larsen, Rasmus

    2007-01-01

    to point distance. T-test for common mean are used to determine the performance of the two methods (supported by a Wilcoxon signed rank test). The performance influence of sampling density, sampling quantity, and norms is analyzed using a similar method.......We evaluate a novel method for fully automated rigid registration of 2D manifolds in 3D space based on distance maps, the Gibbs sampler and Iterated Conditional Modes (ICM). The method is tested against the ICP considered as the gold standard for automated rigid registration. Furthermore...

  11. Utilities' nuclear fuel economic evaluation methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sonz, L.A.

    1987-01-01

    This paper presents the typical perceptions, methods, considerations, and procedures used by an operating electric utility in the economic evaluation of nuclear fuel preparation and utilization scenarios. The means given are probably not an exclusive review of those available, but are the author's recollection of systems employed to select and recommend preferable courses of action. Economic evaluation of proposed nuclear fuel scenarios is an important, but not exclusive, means of deciding on corporate action. If the economic evaluation is performed and coordinated with the other corporate considerations, such as technical and operational ability, electrical system operations management, tax effects, capital management, rates impact, etc., then the resultant recommendation may be employed to the benefit of the customers and, consequently, to the corporation

  12. Investigation of Evaluation method of chemical runaway reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Yoshihiko; Sasaya, Shinji; Kurakata, Koichiro; Nojiri, Ichiro

    2002-02-01

    Safety study 'Study of evaluation of abnormal occurrence for chemical substances in the nuclear fuel facilities' will be carried out from 2001 to 2005. In this study, the prediction of thermal hazards of chemical substances will be investigated and prepared. The hazard prediction method of chemical substances will be constructed from these results. Therefore, the hazard prediction methods applied in the chemical engineering in which the chemical substances with the hazard of fire and explosion were often treated were investigated. CHETAH (The ASTM Computer Program for Chemical Thermodynamic and Energy Release Evaluation) developed by ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and TSS (Thermal Safety Software) developed by CISP (ChemInform St. Petersburg) were introduced and the fire and explosion hazards of chemical substances and reactions in the reprocessing process were evaluated. From these evaluated results, CHETAH could almost estimate the heat of reaction at 10% accuracy. It was supposed that CHETAH was useful as a screening for the hazards of fire and explosion of the new chemical substances and so on. TSS could calculate the reaction rate and the reaction behavior from the data measured by the various calorimeters rapidly. It was supposed that TSS was useful as an evaluation method for the hazards of fire and explosion of the new chemical reactions and so on. (author)

  13. Evaluation of and Feedback for Academic Medicine Leaders: Developing and Implementing the Memorial Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rourke, James; Bornstein, Stephen; Vardy, Cathy; Speed, David; White, Tyrone; Corbett, Paula

    2017-11-01

    Giving and receiving honest and helpful feedback for leadership development is a common challenge in all types of organizations but particularly in academic medicine. At Memorial University of Newfoundland, in 2014, a consensus emerged to develop a new method for evaluating the leadership performance of the discipline chairs, dean, and vice dean, and to provide these leaders with the evaluation results to help them improve their performance. The leaders responsible for developing and implementing this method (called the Memorial Method) decided to use a survey to obtain faculty members' perceptions about their leader's performance. Beginning in October 2014, a portion of several regular meetings of the discipline chairs with the dean and vice dean was used to develop the survey, by first discussing the broad dimensions of leadership performance, then discussing these dimensions in more detail and drafting specific questions. The resulting survey included 44 quantitative questions addressing eight leadership dimensions. In March-April 2015, the survey was administered electronically to full-time faculty members on a confidential basis. The results were compiled and reported to each discipline chair and to the dean and vice dean. In total, 144/249 faculty responded to the survey (response rate: 58%). For the various dimensions, individual chairs' mean scores ranged from 2.82 to 4.70, and overall mean scores ranged from 3.57 to 4.24. Psychometric properties of the survey suggested it was both reliable and valid. The survey will be repeated, this time with part-time as well as full-time faculty included.

  14. DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K.

    1993-03-01

    DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) provides applicable methods in use by. the US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories for sampling and analyzing constituents of waste and environmental samples. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division (LMD) of the DOE. This document contains chapters and methods that are proposed for use in evaluating components of DOE environmental and waste management samples. DOE Methods is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities that will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or others

  15. DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goheen, S C; McCulloch, M; Thomas, B L; Riley, R G; Sklarew, D S; Mong, G M; Fadeff, S K [eds.; Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

    1994-04-01

    DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) provides applicable methods in use by. the US Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories for sampling and analyzing constituents of waste and environmental samples. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division (LMD) of the DOE. This document contains chapters and methods that are proposed for use in evaluating components of DOE environmental and waste management samples. DOE Methods is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities that will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or others.

  16. Evaluation of Kjeldahl digestion method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, M.; Flowers, T.H.

    2004-01-01

    The evaluation of the Kjeldahl digestion method was investigated by comparing measured values of total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium using three salt and catalyst mixture in Standard Kjeldahl digestion method and Salicyclic acid Modification method with certified values of plant material as well as comparison was made for determination of total nitrogen from steam distillation method verses the Technicon Auto-analyzer, and phosphorus Ascorbic acid/Molybdate method verses Molybdate/ Metavanadate method on the Technicon Auto-Analyzer. The 1 g salt/catalyst mixture recovered less nitrogen than the 2.5 g in the standard Kjeldahl method due to the lower temperature and incomplete digestion in both plant and soil samples. The 2.5 g catalyst mixture partially recovered nitrate in the standard Kjeldahl method and the salicylic acid modification fail to recover all over nitrate in plant material. Use of 2.5 g salt catalyst mixture and selenium appears to promote nitrogen losses in salicylic acid modification method but not in the standard Kjeldahl method of digestion for soil samples. No interference of selenium or copper was observed in Nitrogen and Phosphorus on calorimetric determination. The standard Kjeldahl method with 2.5 g of salt/catalyst mixture of sodium sulphate copper sulphate (10:1) in 5 ml sulfuric acid were found suitable for determination of total Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The steam distillation and the Technicon Auto-Analyzer technique measure similar amounts of ammonium nitrogen. However, the Technicon Auto analyzer technique is easier, rapid, higher degree of reproducibility, precise, accurate, reliable and free from human error. The amount of phosphorus measured by the Ascorbic acid/Molybdate method was more accurate than by the Molybdate/Metavanadate method on Technicon Auto-Analyzer. (author)

  17. Evaluations of Three Methods for Remote Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolford, B.; Chmielewski, C.; Pandya, A.; Adolf, J.; Whitmore, M.; Berman, A.; Maida, J.

    1999-01-01

    Long duration space missions require a change in training methods and technologies. For Shuttle missions, crew members could train for all the planned procedures, and carry documentation of planned procedures for a variety of contingencies. As International Space Station (ISS) missions of three months or longer are carried out, many more tasks will need to be performed for which little or no training was received prior to launch. Eventually, exploration missions will last several years, and communications with Earth will have long time delays or be impossible at times. This series of three studies was performed to identify the advantages and disadvantages of three types of training for self-instruction: video-conferencing; multimedia; and virtual reality. These studies each compared two types of training methods, on two different types of tasks. In two of the studies, the subject's were in an isolated, confined environment analogous to space flight; the third study was performed in a laboratory.

  18. How to Reach Evidence-Based Usability Evaluation Methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marcilly, Romaric; Peute, Linda

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses how and why to build evidence-based knowledge on usability evaluation methods. At each step of building evidence, requisites and difficulties to achieve it are highlighted. Specifically, the paper presents how usability evaluation studies should be designed to allow capitalizing

  19. Assessing and evaluating multidisciplinary translational teams: a mixed methods approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wooten, Kevin C; Rose, Robert M; Ostir, Glenn V; Calhoun, William J; Ameredes, Bill T; Brasier, Allan R

    2014-03-01

    A case report illustrates how multidisciplinary translational teams can be assessed using outcome, process, and developmental types of evaluation using a mixed-methods approach. Types of evaluation appropriate for teams are considered in relation to relevant research questions and assessment methods. Logic models are applied to scientific projects and team development to inform choices between methods within a mixed-methods design. Use of an expert panel is reviewed, culminating in consensus ratings of 11 multidisciplinary teams and a final evaluation within a team-type taxonomy. Based on team maturation and scientific progress, teams were designated as (a) early in development, (b) traditional, (c) process focused, or (d) exemplary. Lessons learned from data reduction, use of mixed methods, and use of expert panels are explored.

  20. A comparison of methods to evaluate gray scale response of tomosynthesis systems using a software breast phantom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Maria A. Z.; Bakic, Predrag R.; Schiabel, Homero; Maidment, Andrew D. A.

    2017-03-01

    Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has been shown to be an effective imaging tool for breast cancer diagnosis as it provides three-dimensional images of the breast with minimal tissue overlap. The quality of the reconstructed image depends on many factors that can be assessed using uniform or realistic phantoms. In this paper, we created four models of phantoms using an anthropomorphic software breast phantom and compared four methods to evaluate the gray scale response in terms of the contrast, noise and detectability of adipose and glandular tissues binarized according to phantom ground truth. For each method, circular regions of interest (ROIs) were selected with various sizes, quantity and positions inside a square area in the phantom. We also estimated the percent density of the simulated breast and the capability of distinguishing both tissues by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results shows a sensitivity of the methods to the ROI size, placement and to the slices considered.

  1. Understanding Older People's Readiness for Receiving Telehealth: Mixed-Method Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Houwelingen, Cornelis Tm; Ettema, Roelof Ga; Antonietti, Michelangelo Gef; Kort, Helianthe Sm

    2018-04-06

    The Dutch Ministry of Health has formulated ambitious goals concerning the use of telehealth, leading to subsequent changes compared with the current health care situation, in which 93% of care is delivered face-to-face. Since most care is delivered to older people, the prospect of telehealth raises the question of whether this population is ready for this new way of receiving care. To study this, we created a theoretical framework consisting of 6 factors associated with older people's intention to use technology. The objective of this study was to understand community-dwelling older people's readiness for receiving telehealth by studying their intention to use videoconferencing and capacities for using digital technology in daily life as indicators. A mixed-method triangulation design was used. First, a cross-sectional survey study was performed to investigate older people's intention to use videoconferencing, by testing our theoretical framework with a multilevel path analysis (phase 1). Second, for deeper understanding of older people's actual use of digital technology, qualitative observations of older people executing technological tasks (eg, on a computer, cell phone) were conducted at their homes (phase 2). In phase 1, a total of 256 people aged 65 years or older participated in the survey study (50.0% male; median age, 70 years; Q1-Q3: 67-76). Using a significance level of .05, we found seven significant associations regarding older people's perception of videoconferencing. Older people's (1) intention to use videoconferencing was predicted by their performance expectancy (odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.39), effort expectancy (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.07-1.39), and perceived privacy and security (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.17-1.43); (2) their performance expectancy was predicted by their effort expectancy (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.24-1.52); and (3) their effort expectancy was predicted by their self-efficacy (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.42-1.68). In phase 2, a total of 6 men and 9

  2. CEPIAH, a method for Evaluation and Design of Pedagogical Hypermedia

    OpenAIRE

    Trigano , Philippe; Pacurar Giacomini , Ecaterina

    2004-01-01

    We are working on a method, called CEPIAH. We propose a web based system used to help teachers to design multimedia documents and to evaluate their prototypes. Our tool integrates two modules such as EMPI (Evaluation of Multimedia Pedagogical and Interactive software), and SP/UL/FC, a method for designing pedagogical hypermedia. The EMPI module is used to evaluate multimedia software used in educational context. We structured a knowledge base composed of a list of evaluation criteria, grouped...

  3. Evaluation of the isotopic dilution method with addition of 15 N fertilizer to the soil, for quantification of BNF by legumes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morales, E.R.B.

    1990-01-01

    Two pot experiments were carried out in greenhouse, with the objective of evaluating the isotopic dilution method with the addition of 15 N fertilizer to the soil for evaluation of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by legumes. Experiment I: with addition of 15 N-fertilizer, according to FRIED and MIDDELBOE (1977), and Experiment II: Without adding the fertilizer, by natural variation of 15 N (δ 15 N). In experiment I, the following crops were utilized as test plants: soybean, bean and cowpea and for the control plants: non nodulating soybean, rice and wheat, with distinct number of plants per pot. The pots containing 8 Kg a Dark red latossol (LE) of Sao Paulo state, Brazil, received the same rate of nitrogen fertilizer with same 15 N enrichment. In experiment II, bean was utilized as test crop and non nodulating soybean and rice as controls, and they did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer. The experiments lasted 81 days, from July to October 1989. The above ground parts of the plants were harvested, for which dry matter weight, total-N and 15 N were determined. (author)

  4. Investigation of the fuel temperature evaluation method at BOL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Tetsuya; Asaga, Takeo; Nemoto, Junichi

    1999-06-01

    It is one of the major subjects in the improvement of the design method for determining the thermal conditions of the solid type Mixed - Oxide (MOX) fuels in FBR to evaluate the fuel temperature at BOL as precisely as possible. Therefore, we have planned to modify the fuel temperature evaluation method 'FEVER', which was developed by JNC in 1988, as one of the investigation for the establishment of the precise fuel temperature evaluation method. And, we also have planned to use the modified FEVER, named FEVER-M', for estimation of the irradiation conditions of the PTM test in Joyo, called 'B10 test', planning to perform in 2000. In this work, the following results were obtained; 1) As a result of the modification, the uncertainty in the fuel temperature evaluation of 'FEVER-M' is reduced to about ±60 K. 2) Estimating the irradiation conditions of 'B10' test using the method 'FEVER-M', it is found that the appropriate maximum linear heat rate for the test is 620 W/cm. The detail plans of the 'B10' test were also determined based on the results. 3) Based on the results of this work, it is found that one of the effective procedure for the improvement of the accuracy of the fuel temperature evaluation method seems to calculate the fuel temperature taking the pellet relocation phenomena into account. In future, although there are a lot of matters to be discussed in this phenomena, the design method for the thermal conditions of the MOX fuels in FBR should be performed with taking the pellet relocation phenomena into account. (author)

  5. Comparison of quantitative methods on FDG PET/CT for treatment response evaluation of metastatic colorectal cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bang, Ji In; Paeng, Jin Chul; Park, So Hyun [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); and others

    2017-06-15

    FDG PET is effective in treatment response evaluation of cancer. However, there is no standard method for quantitative evaluation of FDG PET, particularly regarding cytostatic drugs. We compared various FDG PET quantitative methods in terms of response determination. A total of 39 refractory metastatic colorectal cancer patients who received a multikinase inhibitor treatment were included. Baseline and posttreatment FDG PET/CT scans were performed before and two cycles after treatment. Standardized uptake value (SUV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) values using various margin thresholds (30–70 % of maximum SUV with increment 10 %, twice mean SUV of blood pool, SUV 3.0, and SUV 4.0) were measured, with measurement target of the hottest lesion or a maximum of five hottest lesions. Treatment response by the PERCIST criteria was also determined. Predictive values of the PET indexes were evaluated in terms of the treatment response determined by the RECIST 1.1 criteria. The agreement rate was 38 % between response determined by the PERCIST and the RECIST criteria (κ = 0.381). When patients were classified into disease control group (PR, SD) and non-control group (PD) by the RECIST criteria, percent changes of TLG with various margin thresholds (particularly, 30–50 % of maximum SUV) exhibited significant differences between the two groups, and high diagnostic power for the response by the RECIST criteria. TLG-based criteria, which used a margin threshold of 50 % of maximum SUV, exhibited a high agreement with the RECIST criteria compared with the PERCIST criteria (κ = 0.606). In metastatic colorectal cancer, FDG PET/CT could be effective for treatment response evaluation by using TLG measured by margin thresholds of 30–50 % of maximum SUV. Further studies are warranted regarding the optimal cutoff values for this method.

  6. Dogmas in the assessment of usability evaluation methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hornbæk, Kasper

    2010-01-01

    Usability evaluation methods (UEMs) are widely recognised as an essential part of systems development. Assessments of the performance of UEMs, however, have been criticised for low validity and limited reliability. The present study extends this critique by describing seven dogmas in recent work ...... research approaches that may help move beyond the dogmas. In particular, we emphasise detailed studies of evaluation processes, assessments of the impact of UEMs on design carried out in real-world systems development and analyses of how UEMs may be combined......Usability evaluation methods (UEMs) are widely recognised as an essential part of systems development. Assessments of the performance of UEMs, however, have been criticised for low validity and limited reliability. The present study extends this critique by describing seven dogmas in recent work...... on UEMs. The dogmas include using inadequate procedures and measures for assessment, focusing on win-lose outcomes, holding simplistic models of how usability evaluators work, concentrating on evaluation rather than on design and working from the assumption that usability problems are real. We discuss...

  7. Low proportion of high school senior athletes receiving recommended immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karpinos, Ashley Rowatt; Rizzone, Katherine H; Cribbs, Sarah P; Roumie, Christianne L

    2014-05-01

    The preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) often serves as the only preventive health care visit for athletes, but immunization status is not uniformly addressed in such visits. Thus, athletes may not be receiving recommended immunizations. Our aim was to determine the proportion of high school senior athletes who received all recommended immunizations. Our hypothesis was that females would be less likely than males to receive all recommended immunizations given suboptimal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake. We conducted a cross-sectional survey evaluation of the immunization status of high school senior athletes in Davidson County, TN. The primary composite outcome was receipt of recommended immunizations for tetanus, meningococcal, and seasonal influenza. For females, the primary outcome also included completion of the HPV series. A total of 162 participants, 104 males and 58 females, were included. More males than females received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 3.5%; P = 0.02). When HPV immunization was excluded from the composite outcome, there was no difference in the proportion of males and females who received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 15.5%; P = 0.98). The odds of receiving all recommended immunizations was 0.14 (95% CI, 0.03-0.72) for females compared with males when adjusted for covariates. Athletes seen at retail-based clinics for their PPE were less likely to receive all recommended immunizations compared with athletes seen in primary care (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.69). Only 1 in 6 high school senior athletes received the recommended tetanus, meningococcal, and influenza immunizations. A lower proportion of females, only 1 in 28, received all recommended immunizations due to the HPV series. Policy changes requiring a review of immunizations at the PPE would benefit many high school athletes.

  8. Comparison of evaluation results of piping thermal fatigue evaluation method based on equivalent stress amplitude

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Takafumi; Kasahara, Naoto

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, reports have increased about failure cases caused by high cycle thermal fatigue both at light water reactors and fast breeder reactors. One of the reasons of the cases is a turbulent mixing at a Tee-junction, where hot and cold temperature fluids are mixed, in a coolant system. In order to prevent thermal fatigue failures at Tee-junctions. The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers published the guideline which is an evaluation method of high cycle thermal fatigue damage at nuclear pipes. In order to justify safety margin and make the procedure of the guideline concise, this paper proposes a new evaluation method of thermal fatigue damage with use of the 'equivalent stress amplitude.' Because this new method makes procedure of evaluation clear and concise, it will contribute to improving the guideline for thermal fatigue evaluation. (author)

  9. Evaluation of methods to compare consequences from hazardous materials transportation accidents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rhoads, R.E.; Franklin, A.L.; Lavender, J.C.

    1986-10-01

    This report presents the results of a project to develop a framework for making meaningful comparisons of the consequences from transportation accidents involving hazardous materials. The project was conducted in two phases. In Phase I, methods that could potentially be used to develop the consequence comparisons for hazardous material transportation accidents were identified and reviewed. Potential improvements were identified and an evaluation of the improved methods was performed. Based on this evaluation, several methods were selected for detailed evaluation in Phase II of the project. The methods selected were location-dependent scenarios, figure of merit and risk assessment. This evaluation included application of the methods to a sample problem which compares the consequences of four representative hazardous materials - chlorine, propane, spent nuclear fuel and class A explosives. These materials were selected because they represented a broad class of hazardous material properties and consequence mechanisms. The sample case aplication relied extensively on consequence calculations performed in previous transportation risk assessment studies. A consultant was employed to assist in developing consequence models for explosives. The results of the detailed evaluation of the three consequence comparison methods indicates that methods are available to perform technically defensible comparisons of the consequences from a wide variety of hazardous materials. Location-dependent scenario and risk assessment methods are available now and the figure of merit method could be developed with additional effort. All of the methods require substantial effort to implement. Methods that would require substantially less effort were identified in the preliminary evaluation, but questions of technical accuracy preclude their application on a scale. These methods may have application to specific cases, however

  10. Single-Receiver GPS Phase Bias Resolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertiger, William I.; Haines, Bruce J.; Weiss, Jan P.; Harvey, Nathaniel E.

    2010-01-01

    Existing software has been modified to yield the benefits of integer fixed double-differenced GPS-phased ambiguities when processing data from a single GPS receiver with no access to any other GPS receiver data. When the double-differenced combination of phase biases can be fixed reliably, a significant improvement in solution accuracy is obtained. This innovation uses a large global set of GPS receivers (40 to 80 receivers) to solve for the GPS satellite orbits and clocks (along with any other parameters). In this process, integer ambiguities are fixed and information on the ambiguity constraints is saved. For each GPS transmitter/receiver pair, the process saves the arc start and stop times, the wide-lane average value for the arc, the standard deviation of the wide lane, and the dual-frequency phase bias after bias fixing for the arc. The second step of the process uses the orbit and clock information, the bias information from the global solution, and only data from the single receiver to resolve double-differenced phase combinations. It is called "resolved" instead of "fixed" because constraints are introduced into the problem with a finite data weight to better account for possible errors. A receiver in orbit has much shorter continuous passes of data than a receiver fixed to the Earth. The method has parameters to account for this. In particular, differences in drifting wide-lane values must be handled differently. The first step of the process is automated, using two JPL software sets, Longarc and Gipsy-Oasis. The resulting orbit/clock and bias information files are posted on anonymous ftp for use by any licensed Gipsy-Oasis user. The second step is implemented in the Gipsy-Oasis executable, gd2p.pl, which automates the entire process, including fetching the information from anonymous ftp

  11. A human reliability based usability evaluation method for safety-critical software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boring, R. L.; Tran, T. Q.; Gertman, D. I.; Ragsdale, A.

    2006-01-01

    Boring and Gertman (2005) introduced a novel method that augments heuristic usability evaluation methods with that of the human reliability analysis method of SPAR-H. By assigning probabilistic modifiers to individual heuristics, it is possible to arrive at the usability error probability (UEP). Although this UEP is not a literal probability of error, it nonetheless provides a quantitative basis to heuristic evaluation. This method allows one to seamlessly prioritize and identify usability issues (i.e., a higher UEP requires more immediate fixes). However, the original version of this method required the usability evaluator to assign priority weights to the final UEP, thus allowing the priority of a usability issue to differ among usability evaluators. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative approach to standardize the priority weighting of the UEP in an effort to improve the method's reliability. (authors)

  12. Method of safety evaluation in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuraszkiewicz, P.; Zahn, P.

    1988-01-01

    A novel quantitative technique for evaluating safety of subsystems of nuclear power plants based on expert estimations is presented. It includes methods of mathematical psychology recognizing the effect of subjective factors in the expert estimates and, consequently, contributes to further objectification of evaluation. It may be applied to complementing probabilistic safety assessment. As a result of such evaluations a characteristic 'safety of nuclear power plants' is obtained. (author)

  13. Skills methods to prevent smoking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schinke, S P; Gilchrist, L D; Schilling, R F; Snow, W H; Bobo, J K

    1986-01-01

    School health educators have devoted much attention to cigarette smoking. Recent years have seen the testing of interventions to prevent smoking. To date, controlled studies have not evaluated the added value of skills methods for preventing smoking. This article describes such an evaluation with sixth-grade students from two schools. Subjects were pretested and randomly assigned to receive conventional health education methods or to receive skills intervention. Both conditions included films, peer testimonials, discussions, and homework. Health education condition subjects additionally participated in oral quizzes, games, and debates. Skills condition subjects additionally learned problem-solving, self-instruction, and interpersonal communication methods. At postintervention, skills condition subjects, more than health education condition subjects, had better scores on measures of smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and intentions. In addition, reported cigarette use, validated by biochemical data collection, was lower in the skills condition than in the health education condition at all postintervention measurements, including a 24-month follow-up. The article discusses the strengths, limits, and implications of the study for other smoking prevention efforts in schools.

  14. Comparing the Effects of Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Traditional Method on Learning of Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansoorian, Mohammad Reza; Hosseiny, Marzeih Sadat; Khosravan, Shahla; Alami, Ali; Alaviani, Mehri

    2015-06-01

    Despite the benefits of the objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) and it appropriateness for evaluating clinical abilities of nursing students , few studies are available on the application of this method in nursing education. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of using OSATS and traditional methods on the students' learning. We also aimed to signify students' views about these two methods and their views about the scores they received in these methods in a medical emergency course. A quasi-experimental study was performed on 45 first semester students in nursing and medical emergencies passing a course on fundamentals of practice. The students were selected by a census method and evaluated by both the OSATS and traditional methods. Data collection was performed using checklists prepared based on the 'text book of nursing procedures checklists' published by Iranian nursing organization and a questionnaire containing learning rate and students' estimation of their received scores. Descriptive statistics as well as paired t-test and independent samples t-test were used in data analysis. The mean of students' score in OSATS was significantly higher than their mean score in traditional method (P = 0.01). Moreover, the mean of self-evaluation score after the traditional method was relatively the same as the score the students received in the exam. However, the mean of self-evaluation score after the OSATS was relatively lower than the scores the students received in the OSATS exam. Most students believed that OSATS can evaluate a wide range of students' knowledge and skills compared to traditional method. Results of this study indicated the better effect of OSATS on learning and its relative superiority in precise assessment of clinical skills compared with the traditional evaluation method. Therefore, we recommend using this method in evaluation of students in practical courses.

  15. Evaluation Methods on Usability of M-Learning Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Magal-Royo

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays there are different evaluation methods focused in the assessment of the usability of telematic methods. The assessment of 3rd generation web environments evaluates the effectiveness and usability of application with regard to the user needs. Wireless usability and, specifically in mobile phones, is concentrated in the validation of the features and tools management using conventional interactive environments. There is not a specific and suitable criterion to evaluate created environments and m-learning platforms, where the restricted and sequential representation is a fundamental aspect to be considered.The present paper exposes the importance of the conventional usability methods to verify both: the employed contents in wireless formats, and the possible interfaces from the conception phases, to the validations of the platform with such characteristics.The development of usability adapted inspection could be complemented with the Remote’s techniques of usability testing, which are being carried out these days in the mobile devices field and which pointed out the need to apply common criteria in the validation of non-located learning scenarios.

  16. Billing and accounts receivable: fundamentals for improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizon, M M

    1993-07-01

    If a healthcare facility's accounts receivable operation is experiencing problems, the patient accounts manager should survey all areas of his or her responsibility to determine the best method of resolving the difficulties. One effective technique to reduce billing problems is to take a proactive--not reactive--approach. If mistakes can be corrected before they get out of control, and if the patient accounts manager can ensure that claims will not be denied, a healthcare facility's accounts receivable should remain in good condition.

  17. Identifying drivers of overall satisfaction in patients receiving HIV primary care: a cross-sectional study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bich N Dang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to understand the drivers of overall patient satisfaction in a predominantly low-income, ethnic-minority population of HIV primary care patients. The study's primary aims were to determine 1 the component experiences which contribute to patients' evaluations of their overall satisfaction with care received, and 2 the relative contribution of each component experience in explaining patients' evaluation of overall satisfaction. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 489 adult patients receiving HIV primary care at two clinics in Houston, Texas, from January 13-April 21, 2011. The participation rate among eligible patients was 94%. The survey included 15 questions about various components of the care experience, 4 questions about the provider experience and 3 questions about overall care. To ensure that the survey was appropriately tailored to our clinic population and the list of component experiences reflected all aspects of the care experience salient to patients, we conducted in-depth interviews with key providers and clinic staff and pre-tested the survey instrument with patients. RESULTS: Patients' evaluation of their provider correlated the strongest with their overall satisfaction (standardized β = 0.445, p<0.001 and accounted for almost half of the explained variance. Access and availability, like clinic hours and ease of calling the clinic, also correlated with overall satisfaction, but less strongly. Wait time and parking, despite receiving low patient ratings, did not correlate with overall satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The patient-provider relationship far exceeds other component experiences of care in its association with overall satisfaction. Our study suggests that interventions to improve overall patient satisfaction should focus on improving patients' evaluation of their provider.

  18. Computational methods for planning and evaluating geothermal energy projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goumas, M.G.; Lygerou, V.A.; Papayannakis, L.E.

    1999-01-01

    In planning, designing and evaluating a geothermal energy project, a number of technical, economic, social and environmental parameters should be considered. The use of computational methods provides a rigorous analysis improving the decision-making process. This article demonstrates the application of decision-making methods developed in operational research for the optimum exploitation of geothermal resources. Two characteristic problems are considered: (1) the economic evaluation of a geothermal energy project under uncertain conditions using a stochastic analysis approach and (2) the evaluation of alternative exploitation schemes for optimum development of a low enthalpy geothermal field using a multicriteria decision-making procedure. (Author)

  19. A Method of Evaluating Operation of Electric Energy Meter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiangqun; Li, Tianyang; Cao, Fei; Chu, Pengfei; Zhao, Xinwang; Huang, Rui; Liu, Liping; Zhang, Chenglin

    2018-05-01

    The existing electric energy meter rotation maintenance strategy regularly checks the electric energy meter and evaluates the state. It only considers the influence of time factors, neglects the influence of other factors, leads to the inaccuracy of the evaluation, and causes the waste of resources. In order to evaluate the running state of the electric energy meter in time, a method of the operation evaluation of the electric energy meter is proposed. The method is based on extracting the existing data acquisition system, marketing business system and metrology production scheduling platform that affect the state of energy meters, and classified into error stability, operational reliability, potential risks and other factors according to the influencing factors, based on the above basic test score, inspecting score, monitoring score, score of family defect detection. Then, according to the evaluation model according to the scoring, we evaluate electric energy meter operating state, and finally put forward the corresponding maintenance strategy of rotation.

  20. Evaluation of Alternative Methods for Testing the Bioefficacy of Household Ambient Insecticide Products Against Aedes albopictus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassini, Rudi; Scremin, Mara; Contiero, Barbara; Drago, Andrea; Vettorato, Christian; Marcer, Federica; di Regalbono, Antonio Frangipane

    2016-06-01

    Ambient insecticides are receiving increasing attention in many developed countries because of their value in reducing mosquito nuisance. As required by the European Union Biocidal Products Regulation 528/2012, these devices require appropriate testing of their efficacy, which is based on estimating the knockdown and mortality rates of free-flying (free) mosquitoes in a test room. However, evaluations using free mosquitoes present many complexities. The performances of 6 alternative methods with mosquitoes held in 2 different cage designs (steel wire and gauze/plastic) with and without an operating fan for air circulation were monitored in a test room through a closed-circuit television system and were compared with the currently recommended method using free mosquitoes. Results for caged mosquitoes without a fan showed a clearly delayed knockdown effect, whereas outcomes for caged mosquitoes with a fan recorded higher mortality at 24 h, compared to free mosquitoes. Among the 6 methods, cages made of gauze and plastic operating with fan wind speed at 2.5-2.8 m/sec was the only method without a significant difference in results for free mosquitoes, and therefore appears as the best alternative to assess knockdown by ambient insecticides accurately.

  1. Fecal pollution source tracking toolbox for identification, evaluation and characterization of fecal contamination in receiving urban surface waters and groundwater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Ngoc Han; Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong; Ngo, Huu Hao

    2015-12-15

    The quality of surface waters/groundwater of a geographical region can be affected by anthropogenic activities, land use patterns and fecal pollution sources from humans and animals. Therefore, the development of an efficient fecal pollution source tracking toolbox for identifying the origin of the fecal pollution sources in surface waters/groundwater is especially helpful for improving management efforts and remediation actions of water resources in a more cost-effective and efficient manner. This review summarizes the updated knowledge on the use of fecal pollution source tracking markers for detecting, evaluating and characterizing fecal pollution sources in receiving surface waters and groundwater. The suitability of using chemical markers (i.e. fecal sterols, fluorescent whitening agents, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and artificial sweeteners) and/or microbial markers (e.g. F+RNA coliphages, enteric viruses, and host-specific anaerobic bacterial 16S rDNA genetic markers) for tracking fecal pollution sources in receiving water bodies is discussed. In addition, this review also provides a comprehensive approach, which is based on the detection ratios (DR), detection frequencies (DF), and fate of potential microbial and chemical markers. DR and DF are considered as the key criteria for selecting appropriate markers for identifying and evaluating the impacts of fecal contamination in surface waters/groundwater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. A new method for evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in colorectal cancer using hematoxylin and eosin (H-E)-stained tumor sections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iseki, Yasuhito; Shibutani, Masatsune; Maeda, Kiyoshi; Nagahara, Hisashi; Fukuoka, Tatsunari; Matsutani, Shinji; Kashiwagi, Shinichiro; Tanaka, Hiroaki; Hirakawa, Kosei; Ohira, Masaichi

    2018-01-01

    Numerous reports indicate that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prognostic factor in various cancers and that they must be good biomarkers. However, the methods of evaluating TILs differ in each study; thus, there is not yet a standardized methodology for evaluating TILs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) using the new method proposed by the International TILs Working Group in breast cancer and to standardize the method of evaluating TILs in CRC. We retrospectively reviewed a database of 160 patients with Stage II or III CRC. The density of TILs was assessed by measuring the area occupied by mononuclear cells over the stromal area on hematoxylin and eosin (H-E)-stained sections. We set 42% as the cut-off percentage of the area occupied by TILs according to the receiver operating characteristic curve, and we classified patients into the high-TILs and the low-TILs groups. The rates of relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in the high-TILs group were significantly higher than those in the low-TILs group. A multivariate analysis showed that the density of TILs was independently associated with RFS and OS. Moreover, the density of TILs assessed by an observer was significantly associated with the density of TILs assessed by the automated imaging software program. The new method for evaluating TILs, which was recommended by the International TILs Working Group in breast cancer, might be a useful predictive factor in colorectal cancer patients.

  3. Evaluation of adverse events noted in children receiving continuous infusions of dexmedetomidine in the intensive care unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honey, Brooke L; Harrison, Donald L; Gormley, Andrew K; Johnson, Peter N

    2010-01-01

    Dexmedetomidine is an α(2)-adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative and analgesic effects in mechanically ventilated adults and children. Safety and efficacy data are limited in children. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively identify the incidence and types of adverse events noted in children receiving continuous infusions of dexmedetomidine and evaluate potential risk factors for adverse events. Between July 1, 2006, and July 31, 2007, data were collected on all children (events. The primary endpoint was the total number of adverse events noted, including: transient hypertension, hypotension, neurological manifestations, apnea, and bradycardia. Secondary endpoints included categorization of each type of adverse event and an assessment of risk factors. A logistic regression model was used to assess the relationship of adverse events with independent variables including length of ICU stay, cumulative dose, peak infusion rate, duration of therapy, PRISM III score, and bolus dose. Thirty-six patients received dexmedetomidine representing 41 infusions. The median age was 16 months (range, 0.1-204 months) and median PRISM III score was 2 (range, 0-18). Eighteen (43.9%) patients received a bolus dose of dexmedetomidine. The median cumulative dose (mcg/kg) and peak dose (mcg/kg/hr) were 8.5 (range, 2.2-193.7) and 0.5 (range, 0.2-0.7), respectively. Dexmedetomidine was continued for a median of 20 (range, 3-263) hours. Six (14.6%) patients were slowly tapered off the continuous infusions. Twenty-one adverse events were noted in 17 patients, including 4 neurologic manifestations. Fourteen patients required interventions for adverse events. ICU length of stay was the only independent risk factor (p=0.036) for development of adverse events. Several potential adverse events were noted with dexmedetomidine continuous infusions including possible neurological manifestations. Further studies are needed looking at adverse events associated with dexmedetomidine use in

  4. Heat receivers for solar dynamic space power systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Davis, Marla Esther

    A review of state-of-the-art technology is presented and discussed for phase change materials. Some of the advanced solar dynamic designs developed as part of the Advanced Heat Receiver Conceptual Design Study performed for LeRC are discussed. The heat receivers are analyzed and several recommendations are proposed, including two new concepts. The first concept evaluated the effect of tube geometries inside the heat receiver. It was found that a triangular configuration would provide better heat transfer to the working fluid, although not necessarily with a reduction in receiver size. A sensible heat receiver considered in this study uses vapor grown graphite fiber-carbon (VGCF/C) composite as the thermal storage media and was designed for a 7 kW Brayton engine. The proposed heat receiver stores the required energy to power the system during eclipse in the VGCF/C composite. The heat receiver analysis was conducted through the Systems Improved Numerical Differencing Analyzer and Fluid Integrator (SINDA) software package. The proposed heat receiver compares well with other latent and advanced sensible heat receivers while avoiding the problems associated with latent heat storage salts and liquid metal heat pipes. The weight and size of the system can be optimized by changes in geometry and technology advances for this new material. In addition to the new concepts, the effect of atomic oxygen on several materials is reviewed. A test was conducted for atomic oxygen attack on boron nitride, which experienced a negligible mass loss when exposed to an atomic oxygen fluence of 5 x 10 exp 21 atoms/sq cm. This material could be used to substitute the graphite aperture plate of the heat receiver.

  5. A 3-5GHz UWB CMOS Receiver with Digital Control Technique

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Han, Bo; Liu, Mengmeng; Ge, Ning

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a CMOS receiver that works for 3-5GHz low band SC-UWB. The receiver contains PLL, Mixer, and VGA. Double down conversion is adopted in the receiver to overcome the orthogonal clock design difficulty; digital assisted RF control method is used to increase the stability...

  6. How group education impacts female factory workers' behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seven, Memnun; Bahar, Mine; Akyüz, Aygül; Erdoğan, Hatice

    2015-01-01

    The workplace has been deemed a suitable location for educating many women at once about cancer screening. To determine how group education about early diagnostic methods for breast and cervical cancer effects women's behavior and readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. This semi-interventional study was conducted at a textile factory in Istanbul, Turkey. Female workers (n= 125) were included in the study. A participant identification form and knowledge evaluation form developed for this study, along with the transtheoretical model, were used to collect data. A 45-min interactive group education was given to the participants. Upon contacting participants 3 months after group education, 15.4% (n = 11) stated that they had since received a mammogram and 9.8% (n = 7) a Pap smear. As suggested by the transtheoretical model, group education increased participants' readiness to receive cancer screening, along with their knowledge of breast and cervical cancer. Group education positively impacted women's knowledge of cancer and their readiness to receive mammography and Pap smear. Group education can potentially create awareness of cancer screening tests among women and improve their readiness to receive such tests.

  7. An improved cost-effective, reproducible method for evaluation of bone loss in a rodent model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fine, Daniel H; Schreiner, Helen; Nasri-Heir, Cibele; Greenberg, Barbara; Jiang, Shuying; Markowitz, Kenneth; Furgang, David

    2009-02-01

    This study was designed to investigate the utility of two "new" definitions for assessment of bone loss in a rodent model of periodontitis. Eighteen rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 was infected by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), group 2 was infected with an Aa leukotoxin knock-out, and group 3 received no Aa (controls). Microbial sampling and antibody titres were determined. Initially, two examiners measured the distance from the cemento-enamel-junction to alveolar bone crest using the three following methods; (1) total area of bone loss by radiograph, (2) linear bone loss by radiograph, (3) a direct visual measurement (DVM) of horizontal bone loss. Two "new" definitions were adopted; (1) any site in infected animals showing bone loss >2 standard deviations above the mean seen at that site in control animals was recorded as bone loss, (2) any animal with two or more sites in any quadrant affected by bone loss was considered as diseased. Using the "new" definitions both evaluators independently found that infected animals had significantly more disease than controls (DVM system; p<0.05). The DVM method provides a simple, cost effective, and reproducible method for studying periodontal disease in rodents.

  8. Entrepreneur environment management behavior evaluation method derived from environmental economy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lili; Hou, Xilin; Xi, Fengru

    2013-12-01

    Evaluation system can encourage and guide entrepreneurs, and impel them to perform well in environment management. An evaluation method based on advantage structure is established. It is used to analyze entrepreneur environment management behavior in China. Entrepreneur environment management behavior evaluation index system is constructed based on empirical research. Evaluation method of entrepreneurs is put forward, from the point of objective programming-theory to alert entrepreneurs concerned to think much of it, which means to take minimized objective function as comprehensive evaluation result and identify disadvantage structure pattern. Application research shows that overall behavior of Chinese entrepreneurs environmental management are good, specially, environment strategic behavior are best, environmental management behavior are second, cultural behavior ranks last. Application results show the efficiency and feasibility of this method. Copyright © 2013 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A new method to evaluate image quality of nuclear medicine tomographs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giannone, C.A.; Cabrejas, M.L.; Arashiro, J.A.

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of a new statistics, the Performance Index (PI), in order to make judgements about diagnostic accuracy of nuclear medicine tomographs (NMT). Methods: A phantom was designed for blind evaluation of device performance. It has 8 cold cylindrical inserts of different diameters. Acquisitions were performed in 40 labs following a defined protocol (under an International Atomic Energy Agency survey). Non-reconstructed set of views were processed and evaluated at a central lab using the same protocol for all the studies. Lesion detection was performed over eye-selected reconstructed slices applying a smoothing filter and a look up table (LUT) with fixed thresholds: counts/pixel = mean ± K . Standard deviation, with K=1,2,3 or >3. The number and location of the inserts was reported by blind observers, afterwards the true and false positive fractions was assessed by another observer. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis cannot be applied in our experiment where each image with multiple simulated lesions needs to be evaluated. A free-response ROC analysis, developed for observers' performance evaluation, has also flaws. Moreover, our goal was to assess device performance minimising the observer component. A new index, PI, that considers simultaneously the number of true and false positives (TP and FP) was evaluated to categorise NMT. PI is the ratio between the positive predictive value and the sensitivity, expressed as its complement adding a constant to avoid a singularity. Results: The smoothing filter and the selected LUT leads to observers-independent simulated lesion detection. Based on statistical analysis (bootstrapping), it is concluded that the number of observed false positives must be lower than the observed true positives (no. FP < no. TP) to accept an instrument for clinical purposes. Moreover, the number of observed TP must be considered in relation to a minimum tomographic resolution needed to achieve enough

  10. Evaluation of Residual Stresses using Ring Core Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holý S.

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The method for measuring residual stresses using ring-core method is described. Basic relations are given for residual stress measurement along the specimen depth and simplified method is described for average residual stress estimation in the drilled layer for known principal stress directions. The estimation of calculated coefficients using FEM is described. Comparison of method sensitivity is made with hole-drilling method. The device for method application is described and an example of experiment is introduced. The accuracy of method is discussed. The influence of strain gauge rosette misalignment to the evaluated residual stresses is performed using FEM.

  11. Evaluation of normalization methods in mammalian microRNA-Seq data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garmire, Lana Xia; Subramaniam, Shankar

    2012-01-01

    Simple total tag count normalization is inadequate for microRNA sequencing data generated from the next generation sequencing technology. However, so far systematic evaluation of normalization methods on microRNA sequencing data is lacking. We comprehensively evaluate seven commonly used normalization methods including global normalization, Lowess normalization, Trimmed Mean Method (TMM), quantile normalization, scaling normalization, variance stabilization, and invariant method. We assess these methods on two individual experimental data sets with the empirical statistical metrics of mean square error (MSE) and Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) statistic. Additionally, we evaluate the methods with results from quantitative PCR validation. Our results consistently show that Lowess normalization and quantile normalization perform the best, whereas TMM, a method applied to the RNA-Sequencing normalization, performs the worst. The poor performance of TMM normalization is further evidenced by abnormal results from the test of differential expression (DE) of microRNA-Seq data. Comparing with the models used for DE, the choice of normalization method is the primary factor that affects the results of DE. In summary, Lowess normalization and quantile normalization are recommended for normalizing microRNA-Seq data, whereas the TMM method should be used with caution. PMID:22532701

  12. Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) Facility Weight Scale Analysis Fairbanks Weight Scale Evaluation Results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    JOHNSON, M.D.

    1999-01-01

    Fairbanks Weight Scales are used at the Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) facility to determine the weight of waste drums as they are received, processed, and shipped. Due to recent problems, discovered during calibration, the WRAP Engineering Department has completed this document which outlines both the investigation of the infeed conveyor scale failure in September of 1999 and recommendations for calibration procedure modifications designed to correct deficiencies in the current procedures

  13. Intercomparison of measuring and evaluation methods for environmental radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Kimiaki; Nagaoka, Toshi; Sakamoto, Ryuichi; Tsutsumi, Masahiro; Moriuchi, Shigeru; Okano, Masaharu.

    1990-11-01

    This report presents the results of the cooperative research by IPCR and JAERI. In order to investigate the accuracy and characteristics of the measurement and evaluation methods for environmental radiations, developed independently by IPCR and by JAERI, field experiments were performed using the both methods under the same conditions at the same time. The experiments were performed at fixed points on the ground, in a moving car and in a flying helicopter. Discussion was made on the basis of the comparison of the results from the both methods. The exposure rates from the IPCR method agreed within 10% with those from the JAERI method, however the former were systematically higher than the latter. Since the evaluated exposure rate components due to 238 U-series, 232 Th-series and 40 K showed apparent differences between the IPCR method and the JAERI method, further investigation is necessary for the positions and widths of the applied energy bands and the coefficients in the equations to evaluate the components. In measurements in a moving vehicle, the sequential data should be gathered per sufficiently short distance to distinguish the local change of the radiation level when it changes greatly according to the location. The aerial data showed that the exposure rates from terrestrial gamma rays in the region west of the Abe river are apparently higher than those in the Kanto district. (author)

  14. Prevalence of Evaluation Method Courses in Education Leader Doctoral Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepperson, Tara L.

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study investigated the prevalence of single evaluation methods courses in doctoral education leadership programs. Analysis of websites of 132 leading U.S. university programs found 62 evaluation methods courses in 54 programs. Content analysis of 49 course catalog descriptions resulted in five categories: survey, planning and…

  15. Evaluation method of radon preventing effect in underground construction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo Shaodong; Deng Yuequan; Dong Faqin; Qu Ruixue; Xie Zhonglei

    2014-01-01

    Background: It's difficult to evaluate the radon prevention effect because of the short operating time of measuring instrument under the circumstances of high humidity in underground construction. Purpose: A new rapid method to evaluate the radon prevention efficiency of underground construction was introduced. Methods: The radon concentrations before and after shielding operation were determined, and according to the regularity of radon decay, the shielding rate can be calculated. Results: The results showed that radon shielding rate in underground construction remains generally stable with variation of time, and the actual relatively standard deviation was 3.95%. So the rapid determination and evaluation of radon preventing effect under special conditions in underground construction can be realized by taking shielding rate in a short time for the final shielding rate. Compared with those by the local static method in ground lab, the results were similar. Conclusion: This paper provided a prompt, accurate and practicable way for the evaluation of radon prevention in underground construction, having a certain reference value. (authors)

  16. Bridging the Gulf: Mixed Methods and Library Service Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haynes, Abby

    2004-01-01

    This paper explores library evaluation in Australia and proposes a return to research fundamentals in which evaluators are asked to consider the centrality of philosophical issues and the role of different research methods. A critique of current evaluation examples demonstrates a system-centred, quantitative, input/output focus which fails to…

  17. Method of duplicating film using the CR system. Evaluation of detectability in a simulated nodule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukuyama, Atsushi; Ando, Satoshi; Maeda, Kayoko; Ida, Kazushi; Suzuki, Tomoaki; Fukuyama, Kouichi; Hasegawa, Takeo

    2005-01-01

    Since film processors used for screen-film systems have been decreasing recently, it is becoming difficult to develop duplicating film (Dup film) used conventionally. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the method of duplicating film using a computed radiography (CR) system. The process of duplicating film using CR is to eliminate energy accumulated on the imaging plate (IP) using white light, to accumulate energy on the whole surface, and to place the original film in piles. After an exposure of white light, duplicated films can be obtained by CR system. In order to evaluate the reproducibiliy of our system, duplicated films were read by experienced observers and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was carried out. Observers read 50 images with a simulated nodule and 50 images without a simulated nodule. The average Az values were 0.94 for the original films, 0.91 for films duplicated using Dup film, and 0.90 for films duplicated using the CR system. When the two-tailed paired-T test was performed for each result, there were no statistically significant differences at p<0.05. The detectability of a simulated nodule for films duplicated using the CR system did not differ from the detectability of films duplicated using Dup film. This method may be a reasonable substitute for the conventional duplication system. (author)

  18. Ethnographic methods for process evaluations of complex health behaviour interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan-Trimmer, Sarah; Wood, Fiona

    2016-05-04

    This article outlines the contribution that ethnography could make to process evaluations for trials of complex health-behaviour interventions. Process evaluations are increasingly used to examine how health-behaviour interventions operate to produce outcomes and often employ qualitative methods to do this. Ethnography shares commonalities with the qualitative methods currently used in health-behaviour evaluations but has a distinctive approach over and above these methods. It is an overlooked methodology in trials of complex health-behaviour interventions that has much to contribute to the understanding of how interventions work. These benefits are discussed here with respect to three strengths of ethnographic methodology: (1) producing valid data, (2) understanding data within social contexts, and (3) building theory productively. The limitations of ethnography within the context of process evaluations are also discussed.

  19. What is the proper evaluation method: Some basic considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leeb, Helmut; Schnabel, Georg; Srdinko, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Recent developments and applications demand for an extension of the energy range and the inclusion of reliable uncertainty information in nuclear data libraries. Due to the scarcity of neutron-induced reaction data beyond 20 MeV the extension of the energy range up to at least 150 MeV is not trivial because the corresponding nuclear data evaluations depend heavily on nuclear models and proper evaluation methods are still under discussion. Restricting to evaluation techniques based on Bayesian statistics the influence of the a priori knowledge on the final result of the evaluation is considered. The study clearly indicates the need to account properly for the deficiencies of the nuclear model. Concerning the covariance matrices it is argued that they depend not only on the model, but also on the method of generation and an additional consent is required for the comparison of different evaluations of the same data sets. (authors)

  20. Methods for the Evaluation of Waste Treatment Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans-Joachim Gehrmann

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Decision makers for waste management are confronted with the problem of selecting the most economic, environmental, and socially acceptable waste treatment process. This paper elucidates evaluation methods for waste treatment processes for the comparison of ecological and economic aspects such as material flow analysis, statistical entropy analysis, energetic and exergetic assessment, cumulative energy demand, and life cycle assessment. The work is based on the VDI guideline 3925. A comparison of two thermal waste treatment plants with different process designs and energy recovery systems was performed with the described evaluation methods. The results are mainly influenced by the type of energy recovery, where the waste-to-energy plant providing district heat and process steam emerged to be beneficial in most aspects. Material recovery options from waste incineration were evaluated according to sustainability targets, such as saving of resources and environmental protection.

  1. Immunological Evaluation of -Thalassemia Major Patients Receiving Oral Iron Chelator Deferasirox

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleem, A.; Alsaleh, K.; Algahtani, F.; Momen, A. A.; Shakoor, Z.; Iqbal, Z.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To determine the immune abnormalities and occurrence of infections in transfusion-dependent -thalassemia major patients receiving oral iron chelator deferasirox (DFX). Study Design: An observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Hematology Clinics, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July to December 2010. Methodology: Seventeen patients with -thalassemia major (12 females, median age 26 years) receiving deferasirox (DFX) for a median duration of 27 months were observed for any infections and had their immune status determined. Immune parameters studied included serum immunoglobulins and IgG subclasses, serum complement (C3 and C4) and anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) level, total B and T-lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ counts, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and natural killer (NK) cells. Immunological parameters of the patients were compared with age, gender, serum ferritin level and splenectomy status. Lymphocyte subsets were also compared with age and gender matched normal controls. Results: A considerable reduction in serum ferritin was achieved by DFX from a median level of 2528 to 1875 mol/l. Serum IgG levels were increased in 7 patients. Low C4 levels were found in 9 patients. Total B and T-lymphocytes were increased in 14 patients each, while CD4+, CD8+ and NK cells were increased in 13, 12 and 11 patients respectively. Absolute counts for all lymphocyte subsets were significantly higher compared to the normal controls (p=0.05 for all parameters). Raised levels of IgG were associated with older age, female gender, splenectomized status and higher serum ferritin levels but this did not reach statistical significance except for the higher ferritin levels (p=0.044). Increased tendency to infections was not observed. Conclusion: Patients with -thalassemia major receiving DFX exhibited significant immune abnormalities. Changes observed have been described previously, but could be related to DFX. The immune abnormalities were not associated with

  2. A novel reliability evaluation method for large engineering systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reda Farag

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel reliability evaluation method for large nonlinear engineering systems excited by dynamic loading applied in time domain is presented. For this class of problems, the performance functions are expected to be function of time and implicit in nature. Available first- or second-order reliability method (FORM/SORM will be challenging to estimate reliability of such systems. Because of its inefficiency, the classical Monte Carlo simulation (MCS method also cannot be used for large nonlinear dynamic systems. In the proposed approach, only tens instead of hundreds or thousands of deterministic evaluations at intelligently selected points are used to extract the reliability information. A hybrid approach, consisting of the stochastic finite element method (SFEM developed by the author and his research team using FORM, response surface method (RSM, an interpolation scheme, and advanced factorial schemes, is proposed. The method is clarified with the help of several numerical examples.

  3. Method of evaluation of diagnostics reference levels in computerized tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vega, Walter Flores

    1999-04-01

    Computerized tomography is a complex technique with several selectable exposition parameters delivering high doses to the patient. In this work it was developed a simple methodology to evaluate diagnostic reference levels in computerized tomography, using the concept of Multiple Scan Average Dose (MSAD), recently adopted by the Health Ministry. For evaluation of the MSAD, a dose distribution was obtained through a measured dose profile on the axial axis of a water phantom with thermoluminescence dosemeters, TLD-100, for different exam technique. The MSAD was evaluated hrough two distinct methods. First, it was evaluated by the integration of the dose profile of a single slice and, second, obtained by the integration on central slice of the profile of several slices. The latter is in of accordance with the ionization chamber method, suggesting to be the most practical method of dose evaluation to be applied in the diagnostic reference level assessment routine for CT, using TLDs. (author)

  4. Usability Evaluation Method for Agile Software Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saad Masood Butt

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Agile methods are the best fit for tremendously growing software industry due to its flexible and dynamic nature. But the software developed using agile methods do meet the usability standards? To answer this question we can see that majority of agile software development projects currently involve interactive user interface designs, which can only be possible by following User Centered Design (UCD in agile methods. The question here is, how to integrate UCD with agile models. Both Agile models and UCD are iterative in nature but agile models focus on coding and development of software; whereas, UCD focuses on user interface of the software. Similarly, both of them have testing features where the agile model involves automated tested code while UCD involves an expert or a user to test the user interface. In this paper, a new agile usability model is proposed and the evaluation is of the proposed model is presented by practically implementing it in three real life projects. . Key results from these projects clearly show: the proposed agile model incorporates usability evaluation methods, improves the relationship between usability experts to work with agile software experts; in addition, allows agile developers to incorporate the result from UCD into subsequent interactions.

  5. Economic evaluations and Randomized trials in spinal disorders: Principles and methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korthals-de Bos, I; Van Tulder, M; Van Dieten, H

    2004-01-01

    Study Design. Descriptive methodologic recommendations. Objective. To help researchers designing, conducting, and reporting economic evaluations in the field of back and neck pain. Summary of Background Data. Economic evaluations of both existing and new therapeutic interventions are becoming...... increasingly important. There is a need to improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders. Materials and Methods. To improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders, this article describes the various steps in an economic evaluation, using as example...... a study on the cost-effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, and usual care provided by the general practitioner for patients with neck pain. Results. An economic evaluation is a study in which two or more interventions are systematically compared with regard to both costs and effects...

  6. A quantitative method for evaluating alternatives. [aid to decision making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forthofer, M. J.

    1981-01-01

    When faced with choosing between alternatives, people tend to use a number of criteria (often subjective, rather than objective) to decide which is the best alternative for them given their unique situation. The subjectivity inherent in the decision-making process can be reduced by the definition and use of a quantitative method for evaluating alternatives. This type of method can help decision makers achieve degree of uniformity and completeness in the evaluation process, as well as an increased sensitivity to the factors involved. Additional side-effects are better documentation and visibility of the rationale behind the resulting decisions. General guidelines for defining a quantitative method are presented and a particular method (called 'hierarchical weighted average') is defined and applied to the evaluation of design alternatives for a hypothetical computer system capability.

  7. Creep-fatigue evaluation method for weld joint of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel Part II: Plate bending test and proposal of a simplified evaluation method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ando, Masanori, E-mail: ando.masanori@jaea.go.jp; Takaya, Shigeru, E-mail: takaya.shigeru@jaea.go.jp

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Creep-fatigue evaluation method for weld joint of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel is proposed. • A simplified evaluation method is also proposed for the codification. • Both proposed evaluation method was validated by the plate bending test. • For codification, the local stress and strain behavior was analyzed. - Abstract: In the present study, to develop an evaluation procedure and design rules for Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints, a method for evaluating the creep-fatigue life of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints was proposed based on finite element analysis (FEA) and a series of cyclic plate bending tests of longitudinal and horizontal seamed plates. The strain concentration and redistribution behaviors were evaluated and the failure cycles were estimated using FEA by considering the test conditions and metallurgical discontinuities in the weld joints. Inelastic FEA models consisting of the base metal, heat-affected zone and weld metal were employed to estimate the elastic follow-up behavior caused by the metallurgical discontinuities. The elastic follow-up factors determined by comparing the elastic and inelastic FEA results were determined to be less than 1.5. Based on the estimated elastic follow-up factors obtained via inelastic FEA, a simplified technique using elastic FEA was proposed for evaluating the creep-fatigue life in Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints. The creep-fatigue life obtained using the plate bending test was compared to those estimated from the results of inelastic FEA and by a simplified evaluation method.

  8. Creep-fatigue evaluation method for weld joint of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel Part II: Plate bending test and proposal of a simplified evaluation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ando, Masanori; Takaya, Shigeru

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Creep-fatigue evaluation method for weld joint of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel is proposed. • A simplified evaluation method is also proposed for the codification. • Both proposed evaluation method was validated by the plate bending test. • For codification, the local stress and strain behavior was analyzed. - Abstract: In the present study, to develop an evaluation procedure and design rules for Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints, a method for evaluating the creep-fatigue life of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints was proposed based on finite element analysis (FEA) and a series of cyclic plate bending tests of longitudinal and horizontal seamed plates. The strain concentration and redistribution behaviors were evaluated and the failure cycles were estimated using FEA by considering the test conditions and metallurgical discontinuities in the weld joints. Inelastic FEA models consisting of the base metal, heat-affected zone and weld metal were employed to estimate the elastic follow-up behavior caused by the metallurgical discontinuities. The elastic follow-up factors determined by comparing the elastic and inelastic FEA results were determined to be less than 1.5. Based on the estimated elastic follow-up factors obtained via inelastic FEA, a simplified technique using elastic FEA was proposed for evaluating the creep-fatigue life in Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints. The creep-fatigue life obtained using the plate bending test was compared to those estimated from the results of inelastic FEA and by a simplified evaluation method.

  9. ROC-ing along: Evaluation and interpretation of receiver operating characteristic curves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Jane V; Pan, Jianmin; Rai, Shesh N; Galandiuk, Susan

    2016-06-01

    It is vital for clinicians to understand and interpret correctly medical statistics as used in clinical studies. In this review, we address current issues and focus on delivering a simple, yet comprehensive, explanation of common research methodology involving receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. ROC curves are used most commonly in medicine as a means of evaluating diagnostic tests. Sample data from a plasma test for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer were used to generate a prediction model. These are actual, unpublished data that have been used to describe the calculation of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values, and accuracy. The ROC curves were generated to determine the accuracy of this plasma test. These curves are generated by plotting the sensitivity (true-positive rate) on the y axis and 1 - specificity (false-positive rate) on the x axis. Curves that approach closest to the coordinate (x = 0, y = 1) are more highly predictive, whereas ROC curves that lie close to the line of equality indicate that the result is no better than that obtained by chance. The optimum sensitivity and specificity can be determined from the graph as the point where the minimum distance line crosses the ROC curve. This point corresponds to the Youden index (J), a function of sensitivity and specificity used commonly to rate diagnostic tests. The area under the curve is used to quantify the overall ability of a test to discriminate between 2 outcomes. By following these simple guidelines, interpretation of ROC curves will be less difficult and they can then be interpreted more reliably when writing, reviewing, or analyzing scientific papers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Flammable gas issues in double-contained receiver tanks. Revision 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peurrung, L.M.; Mahoney, L.A.; Stewart, C.W.; Gauglitz, P.A.; Pederson, L.R.; Bryan, S.A.; Shepard, C.L.

    1998-06-01

    Four double-contained receiver tanks (DCRTs) at Hanford will be used to store salt-well pumped liquids from tanks on the Flammable Gas Watch List. This document was created to serve as a technical basis or reference document for flammable gas issues in DCRTs. The document identifies, describes, evaluates, and attempts to quantify potential gas carryover and release mechanisms. It estimates several key parameters needed for these calculations, such as initial aqueous concentrations and ventilation rate, and evaluates the uncertainty in those estimates. It justifies the use of the Schumpe model for estimating vapor-liquid equilibrium constants. It identifies several potential waste compatibility issues (such as mixing and pH or temperature changes) that could lead to gas release and provides a basis for calculating their effects. It evaluates the potential for gas retention in precipitated solids within a DCRT and whether retention could lead to a buoyant displacement instability (rollover) event. It discusses rates of radiolytic, thermal, and corrosive hydrogen generation within the DCRT. It also describes in detail the accepted method of calculating the lower flammability limit (LFL) for mixtures of flammable gases

  11. Flammable gas issues in double-contained receiver tanks. Revision 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peurrung, L.M.; Mahoney, L.A.; Stewart, C.W.; Gauglitz, P.A.; Pederson, L.R.; Bryan, S.A.; Shepard, C.L.

    1998-06-01

    Four double-contained receiver tanks (DCRTs) at Hanford will be used to store salt-well pumped liquids from tanks on the Flammable Gas Watch List. This document was created to serve as a technical basis or reference document for flammable gas issues in DCRTs. The document identifies, describes, evaluates, and attempts to quantify potential gas carryover and release mechanisms. It estimates several key parameters needed for these calculations, such as initial aqueous concentrations and ventilation rate, and evaluates the uncertainty in those estimates. It justifies the use of the Schumpe model for estimating vapor-liquid equilibrium constants. It identifies several potential waste compatibility issues (such as mixing and pH or temperature changes) that could lead to gas release and provides a basis for calculating their effects. It evaluates the potential for gas retention in precipitated solids within a DCRT and whether retention could lead to a buoyant displacement instability (rollover) event. It discusses rates of radiolytic, thermal, and corrosive hydrogen generation within the DCRT. It also describes in detail the accepted method of calculating the lower flammability limit (LFL) for mixtures of flammable gases.

  12. Evaluation of laboratory diagnostic methods for cryptosporidiosis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The conventional method of modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) is very laborious, and stool ... Objective: This research was set to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of ... 93.1% (MZN to ELISA) with ELISA techniques showing the highest sensitivity at ...

  13. The MIXED framework: A novel approach to evaluating mixed-methods rigor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckhardt, Ann L; DeVon, Holli A

    2017-10-01

    Evaluation of rigor in mixed-methods (MM) research is a persistent challenge due to the combination of inconsistent philosophical paradigms, the use of multiple research methods which require different skill sets, and the need to combine research at different points in the research process. Researchers have proposed a variety of ways to thoroughly evaluate MM research, but each method fails to provide a framework that is useful for the consumer of research. In contrast, the MIXED framework is meant to bridge the gap between an academic exercise and practical assessment of a published work. The MIXED framework (methods, inference, expertise, evaluation, and design) borrows from previously published frameworks to create a useful tool for the evaluation of a published study. The MIXED framework uses an experimental eight-item scale that allows for comprehensive integrated assessment of MM rigor in published manuscripts. Mixed methods are becoming increasingly prevalent in nursing and healthcare research requiring researchers and consumers to address issues unique to MM such as evaluation of rigor. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Research on consequence analysis method for probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear fuel facilities (5). Evaluation method and trial evaluation of criticality accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamane, Yuichi; Abe, Hitoshi; Nakajima, Ken; Hayashi, Yoshiaki; Arisawa, Jun; Hayami, Satoru

    2010-01-01

    A special committee of 'Research on the analysis methods for accident consequence of nuclear fuel facilities (NFFs)' was organized by the Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) under the entrustment of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The committee aims to research on the state-of-the-art consequence analysis method for the Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) of NFFs, such as fuel reprocessing and fuel fabrication facilities. The objectives of this research are to obtain information useful for establishing quantitative performance objectives and to demonstrate risk-informed regulation through qualifying issues needed to be resolved for applying PSA to NFFs. The research activities of the committee were mainly focused on the consequence analysis method for postulated accidents with potentially large consequences in NFFs, e.g., events of criticality, spill of molten glass, hydrogen explosion, boiling of radioactive solution and fire (including the rapid decomposition of TBP complexes), resulting in the release of radioactive materials to the environment. The results of the research were summarized in a series of six reports, which consist of a review report and five technical ones. In this report, the evaluation methods of criticality accident, such as simplified methods, one-point reactor kinetics codes and quasi-static method, were investigated and their features were summarized to provide information useful for the safety evaluation of NFFs. In addition, several trial evaluations were performed for a hypothetical scenario of criticality accident using the investigated methods, and their results were compared. The release fraction of volatile fission products in a criticality accident was also investigated. (author)

  15. Ingestive behavior of heifers in Alexandergrass pasture receiving different amounts of oat grain as supplement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria José de Oliveira Sichonany

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the ingestive behavior, displacement patterns and meal dynamics of beef heifers in Alexandergrass pasture (Urochloa plantaginea (Link. Hitch receiving different amounts of oat grain: 0, 0.80 and 1.12% of body weight (BW. The grazing method was continuous with put-and-take stocking. The experimental design was completely randomized following a repeated measure arrangement. The grazing time decreased and the idling time increased when beef heifers were supplemented, independently of supplement amount, while the rumination time was similar across supplement amounts. The number of feeding stations per minute and the number of steps taken between each feeding station were similar regardless of supplementation. When receiving 1.12% of BW of oat grain, heifers remained longer in each feeding station and took fewer steps per minute. The number of meals decreased and the duration of breaks between meals increased when heifers received oat grain. The duration of each meal was similar for heifers receiving supplement than for those that did not. Understanding how animals adjust their grazing behavior and cope with changing environmental dynamics is essential for the development of management strategies designed to optimize animal production.

  16. Evaluation of man-machine systems - methods and problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-01-01

    The symposium gives a survey of the methods of evaluation which permit as quantitive an assessment as possible of the collaboration between men and machines. This complex of problems is of great current significance in many areas of application. The systems to be evaluated are aircraft, land vehicles and watercraft as well as process control systems. (orig./GL) [de

  17. A Two-dimensional Sixteen Channel Transmit/Receive Coil Array for Cardiac MRI at 7.0 Tesla: Design, Evaluation and Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thalhammer, Christof; Renz, Wolfgang; Winter, Lukas; Hezel, Fabian; Rieger, Jan; Pfeiffer, Harald; Graessl, Andreas; Seifert, Frank; Hoffmann, Werner; von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Florian; Tkachenko, Valeriy; Schulz-Menger, Jeanette; Kellman, Peter; Niendorf, Thoralf

    2012-01-01

    Purpose To design, evaluate and apply a two-dimensional 16 channel transmit/receive coil array tailored for cardiac MRI at 7.0 Tesla. Material and Methods The cardiac coil array consists of 2 sections each using 8 elements arranged in a 2 × 4 array. RF safety was validated by SAR simulations. Cardiac imaging was performed using 2D CINE FLASH imaging, T2* mapping and fat-water separation imaging. The characteristics of the coil array were analyzed including parallel imaging performance, left ventricular chamber quantification and overall image quality. Results RF characteristics were found to be appropriate for all subjects included in the study. The SAR values derived from the simulations fall well in the limits of legal guidelines. The baseline SNR advantage at 7.0 T was put to use to acquire 2D CINE images of the heart with a very high spatial resolution of (1 × 1 × 4) mm3. The proposed coil array supports 1D acceleration factors of up to R=4 without impairing image quality significantly. Conclusions The 16 channel TX/RX coil has the capability to acquire high contrast and high spatial resolution images of the heart at 7.0 Tesla. PMID:22706727

  18. Evaluation of electrolyte imbalance among tuberculosis patients receiving treatments in Southwestern Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adebimpe Wasiu Olalekan

    2015-09-01

    Conclusion: Hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypochloremia characterized some of the electrolyte imbalance among TB patients receiving treatments. The raised level of bicarbonate may be attributed to overcorrection of respiratory acidosis often found in patients with tuberculosis. Monitoring electrolytes is therefore an important component of TB management.

  19. Investigation of evaluation methods for human factors education effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshimura, Seiichi; Fujimoto, Junzo; Sasou Kunihide; Hasegawa, Naoko

    2004-01-01

    Education effectiveness in accordance with investment is required in the steam of electric power regulation alleviation. Therefore, evaluation methods for human factors education effectiveness which can observe human factors culture pervading process were investigated through research activities on education effectiveness in universities and actual in house education in industry companies. As a result, the contents of evaluation were found to be the change of feeling for human factors and some improving proposals in work places when considering the purpose of human factors education. And, questionnaire is found to be suitable for the style of evaluation. In addition, the timing of evaluation is desirable for both just after education and after some period in work places. Hereafter, data will be collected using these two kinds of questionnaires in human factors education courses in CRIEPI and some education courses in utilities. Thus, education effectiveness evaluation method which is suitable for human factors will be established. (author)

  20. Joint IQ Skew and Chromatic Dispersion Estimation for Coherent Optical Communication Receivers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Medeiros Diniz, Júlio César; Porto da Silva, Edson; Piels, Molly

    2016-01-01

    A low-complexity scanning method for joint estimation of receiver IQ skew and chromatic dispersion is proposed. This method shows less than 1 ps skew error for a 1200-km 32-GBd DP-16QAM optical transmission experiment.......A low-complexity scanning method for joint estimation of receiver IQ skew and chromatic dispersion is proposed. This method shows less than 1 ps skew error for a 1200-km 32-GBd DP-16QAM optical transmission experiment....

  1. Study on evaluation methods for Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, L.; Tao, X.; Kayen, R.; Shi, H.; Yan, S.

    2005-01-01

    The evaluation of Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic is the key step for detecting S-wave velocity structure. By comparing the dispersion curves directly with the spectra analysis of surface waves (SASW) method, rather than comparing the S-wave velocity structure, the validity and precision of microtremor-array method (MAM) can be evaluated more objectively. The results from the China - US joint surface wave investigation in 26 sites in Tangshan, China, show that the MAM has the same precision with SASW method in 83% of the 26 sites. The MAM is valid for Rayleigh wave dispersion characteristic testing and has great application potentiality for site S-wave velocity structure detection.

  2. Unified Theoretical Frame of a Joint Transmitter-Receiver Reduced Dimensional STAP Method for an Airborne MIMO Radar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo Yiduo

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The unified theoretical frame of a joint transmitter-receiver reduced dimensional Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP method is studied for an airborne Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO radar. First, based on the transmitted waveform diverse characteristics of the transmitted waveform of the airborne MIMO radar, a uniform theoretical frame structure for the reduced dimensional joint adaptive STAP is constructed. Based on it, three reduced dimensional STAP fixed structures are established. Finally, three reduced rank STAP algorithms, which are suitable for a MIMO system, are presented corresponding to the three reduced dimensional STAP fixed structures. The simulations indicate that the joint adaptive algorithms have preferable clutter suppression and anti-interference performance.

  3. Evaluation on radioactive waste disposal amount of Kori Unit 1 reactor vessel considering cutting and packaging methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Yu Jong; Lee, Seong Cheol; Kim, Chang Lak

    2016-01-01

    Decommissioning of nuclear power plants has become a big issue in South Korea as some of the nuclear power plants in operation including Kori unit 1 and Wolsung unit 1 are getting old. Recently, Wolsung unit 1 received permission to continue operation while Kori unit 1 will shut down permanently in June 2017. With the consideration of segmentation method and disposal containers, this paper evaluated final disposal amount of radioactive waste generated from decommissioning of the reactor pressure vessel in Kori unit 1 which will be decommissioned as the first in South Korea. The evaluation results indicated that the final disposal amount from the top and bottom heads of the reactor pressure vessel with hemisphere shape decreased as they were cut in smaller more effectively than the cylindrical part of the reactor pressure vessel. It was also investigated that 200 L and 320 L radioactive waste disposal containers used in Kyung-Ju disposal facility had low payload efficiency because of loading weight limitation

  4. New method for evaluating liquefaction potential

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arulmoli, K.; Arulanandan, K.; Seed, H.B.

    1985-01-01

    A new method of indexing the grain and aggregate properties of sand using electrical parameters is described. Correlations are established between these parameters and relative density, D /sub r/ , cyclic stress ratio, /tau//sigma'/sub 0/, and K2 /sub max/ . An electrical probe, used to predict these parameters from in-situ electrical measurements, is described. Evaluations are made of D /sub r/ and /tau//sigma/sub 0/, which are compared with values measured independently from controlled laboratory tests. Reasonable agreement is found between predicted and measured values. The potential applicability of the electrical probe in the field is shown by evaluation of liquefaction and nonliquefaction at sites affected by the 1906 San Francisco, Niigata and Tangshan earthquakes.

  5. [Clinical evaluation of bedridden patients with pneumonia receiving home health care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuyama, Hajime; Ishida, Tadashi; Tachibana, Hiromasa; Iga, Chiya; Nakagawa, Hiroaki; Ito, Akihiro; Ubukata, Satoshi; Yoshioka, Hiroshige; Arita, Machiko; Hashimoto, Toru

    2010-12-01

    Pneumonia which develops in patients while living in their own home is categorized as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), even if these patients are bedridden and receiving home health care. However, because of the differences in patient backgrounds, we speculated that the clinical outcomes and pathogens of bedridden patients with pneumonia who are receiving home health care would be different from those of CAP. We conducted a prospective study of patients with CAP who were hospitalized at our hospital from April 2007 through September 2009. We compared home health care bedridden pneumonia (performance status 4, PS4-CAP) with non-PS4-CAP in a total of 505 enrolled patients in this study. Among these, 66 had PS4-CAP, mostly associated with aspiration. Severity scores, mortality rate, recurrence rate and length of hospital stay of those with PS4-CAP were significantly higher than those with non-PS4-CAP. Drug resistant pathogens were more frequently isolated from patients with PS4-CAP than from those of non-PS4-CAP. The results of patients with PS4-CAP were in agreement with those of previous health care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) reports. The present study suggested home health care bedridden pneumonia should be categorized as HCAP, not CAP.

  6. The discussion on the qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods for safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Kefu

    2005-01-01

    The fundamental methods for safely culture evaluation are described. Combining with the practice of the quantitative evaluation of safety culture in Daya Bay NPP, the quantitative evaluation method for safety culture are discussed. (author)

  7. A online credit evaluation method based on AHP and SPA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yingtao; Zhang, Ying

    2009-07-01

    Online credit evaluation is the foundation for the establishment of trust and for the management of risk between buyers and sellers in e-commerce. In this paper, a new credit evaluation method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the set pair analysis (SPA) is presented to determine the credibility of the electronic commerce participants. It solves some of the drawbacks found in classical credit evaluation methods and broadens the scope of current approaches. Both qualitative and quantitative indicators are considered in the proposed method, then a overall credit score is achieved from the optimal perspective. In the end, a case analysis of China Garment Network is provided for illustrative purposes.

  8. Development of source term evaluation method for Korean Next Generation Reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Keon Jae; Cheong, Jae Hak; Park, Jin Baek; Kim, Guk Gee [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1997-10-15

    This project had investigate several design features of radioactive waste processing system and method to predict nuclide concentration at primary coolant basic concept of next generation reactor and safety goals at the former phase. In this project several prediction methods of source term are evaluated conglomerately and detailed contents of this project are : model evaluation of nuclide concentration at Reactor Coolant System, evaluation of primary and secondary coolant concentration of reference Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), investigation of prediction parameter of source term evaluation, basic parameter of PWR, operational parameter, respectively, radionuclide removal system and adjustment values of reference NPP, suggestion of source term prediction method of next generation NPP.

  9. An evaluation method on seat comfort based on optical motion capture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qing TAO

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available To research the sitting posture comfort evaluation method, through the example of comfort evaluation of the ergonomic seat and standard office seat, a methodology is introduced to evaluate the sitting posture comfort combining ergonomics theory. The proposed method is based on optical motion capture system, pressure sensor and JACK software, and TRC file is acquired by using EVART real-time capture software for identifying the spatial motion trail of human body. Then MATLAB software is used to analyze the human body motion data, and the sitting posture angle difference data for human body in different seats is acquired. TRC file is loaded into JACK software, and with the TAT REPORTER of JACK software, muscle force, moment of force and fatigue data, etc. are output, which are compared with the actual measured data from experiments, and ergonomics method is used for the evaluation. The result shows that the method of considering joint angles combining JACK software for data output is effective for evaluating sitting comfort.

  10. Study of Bacterial Infections Among Patients Receiving Kidney Transplant in Mashhad, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansury, Davood; Khaledi, Azad; Ghazvini, Kiarash; Sabbagh, Mahin Ghorban; Zare, Hosna; Rokni-Hosseini, Mohammad Hossein; Vazini, Hossein

    2017-11-15

    Over the past 2 decades, significant advances have been made in the management of infections after transplant; however, transplant recipients are still at high risk of infectious complications. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance patterns in kidney transplant recipients. This cross-sectional study included 356 patients who received kidney transplants, regardless of the underlying disease, from 2013 to 2015 at the Montaserieh Transplant Hospital (Mashhad, Iran). Clinical samples collected from patients were sent to the microbiology laboratory for culture processing. Typing of bacteria was conducted, and susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guideline by use the of disk diffusion agar method. Data were then analyzed by SPSS software (SPSS: An IBM Company, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) using chi-square test. Among 356 kidney recipients (206 men and 150 women), 115 (32.3%) received transplants from living donors and 241 (67.7%) received transplants from deceased donors. Of 356 total patients, 112 patients (31.5%) had an infection at various times after transplant. The most common gram-negative and gram-positive isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, with prevalence rates of 66.1% and 48.6%. Most of the isolates were resistant against selected antibiotics. Because of the high prevalence of infection among transplant patients, infection prevention should receive more attention, and antibiotic susceptibility should be determined before treatment.

  11. Nutritional survey of neoplasm patients receiving radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xinli; Zhu Shengtao

    2001-01-01

    Objective: In order to know the nutriture of neoplasm patients receiving radiotherapy and give nutritional guidance properly, the authors make the following survey. Methods: A dietary survey of twenty-four-hour retrospective method was used; The patients' activity was recorded and their twenty-four hours caloric consumption was calculated. Results: Of all the patients, the intake of protein is more than recommended, percentage of calorific proportion is about 15%-19% of gross caloric. A larger portion of patients' caloric intake, especially female patients, is lower than caloric consumption. Among all the patients, the intake of vegetables is not enough; The consumption of milk and milky products is lower; it is common and serious that neoplasm patients receiving radiotherapy have vitamine and mineral's scarcity. Conclusions: Nutriture of neoplasm patients is not optimistic, it is imperative to improve their nutriture

  12. Nuclear medicine and imaging research (instrumentation and quantitative methods of evaluation)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.; Chen, C.T.

    1992-07-01

    This document is the annual progress report for project entitled ''Instrumentation and Quantitative Methods of Evaluation.'' Progress is reported in separate sections individually abstracted and indexed for the database. Subject areas reported include theoretical studies of imaging systems and methods, hardware developments, quantitative methods of evaluation, and knowledge transfer: education in quantitative nuclear medicine imaging

  13. Comparative study of receiver-side ghost wavefield attenuation on different marine acquisition configurations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hao; Liu, Qiancheng; Li, Hongyuan; Zhang, Yi

    2018-04-01

    In marine seismic exploration, the ghost energies (down-going waves), which arise from the reflection at the surface, are often treated as unwanted signals for data processing. The ghost wave fields interfere with the desired primary signals, leads to frequency notches and attenuation of low frequencies, which in turn downgrade the resolution of the recorded seismic data. There are two main categories of methods to solve the ghost or the so-called notch problem: the non-conventional acquisition configuration-based technique and a deghosting algorithm-based solution. The variable-depth streamer (VDS) acquisition solution is one of the most representative methods in the first category, which has become a popular solution for marine seismic acquisition to obtain broad data bandwidth. However, this approach is not as economic as the conventional constant depth streamer (CDS) acquisition, due to the precise control of the towing streamer. In addition, there are large quantities of conventionally-towed legacy data stored in the data library. Applying receiver deghosting to the CDS data thus becomes a more economical method. In theory, both types of data after deghosting should have the same bandwidth and S/N ratio, but in reality they are different. In this paper, we conduct a comparative study and evaluation to apply receiver deghosting to a set of real 2D marine data including both types of acquisition (CDS and VDS) corresponding to the same geology. The deghosting algorithm we employed is a self-sustained, inversion-based approach operated in the τ-p domain. This evaluation can help us to understand two questions: whether the VDS acquisition has more broadband characteristics compared to conventional CDS acquisition after deghosting, and whether we can achieve the identical or similar data quality (e.g., S/N ratio) through the proper deghosting algorithm for both types of data. The comparative results are illustrated and discussed.

  14. Methods of Identification and Evaluation of Brownfield Sites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safet Kurtović

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The basic objective of this paper was to determine the importance and potential restoration of brownfield sites in terms of economic prosperity of a particular region or country. In addition, in a theoretical sense, this paper presents the methods used in the identification of brownfield sites such as Smart Growth Network model and Thomas GIS model, and methods for evaluation of brownfield sites or the indexing method, cost-benefit and multivariate analysis.

  15. Systematization of the Methods for Evaluating the International Competitiveness of Enterprise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shtal Tetyana V.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at studying methods for evaluating competitiveness, identifying their practical relevance to domestic enterprises on example of the ОАО «Zavod «Yuzhkabel». A system of methods for evaluating international competitiveness of enterprises has been analyzed, the most frequently encountered in the economic literature methodologies for estimation have been considered. As a result, weaknesses of the individual elements of the system have been identified. Practical significance of the study has been disclosed, the most effective methods for evaluating the international competitiveness of enterprises have been identified. Using methods such as the method of rating estimation, the «4Р» matrix, the «McKinsey» matrix, the HirfindahlHirschman index and the polygon of competitiveness model, international competitiveness of the ОАО «Zavod «Yuzhkabel» has been evaluated. Conclusion about the extent of enterprise's presence at the international market has been made.

  16. Advanced evaluation method of SG TSP BEC hole blockage rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Izumida, Hiroyuki; Nagata, Yasuyuki; Harada, Yutaka; Murakami, Ryuji

    2003-01-01

    In spite of the control of the water chemistry of SG secondary feed-water in PWR-SG, SG TSP BEC holes, which are the flow path of secondary water, are often clogged. In the past, the trending of BEC hole blockage rate has conducted by evaluating ECT original signals and visual inspections. However, the ECT original signals of deposits are diversified, it becomes difficult to analyze them with the existing evaluation method using the ECT original signals. In this regard, we have developed the secondary side visual inspection system, which enables the high-accuracy evaluation of BEC hole blockage rate, and new ECT signal evaluation method. (author)

  17. Are three methods better than one? A comparative assessment of usability evaluation methods in an EHR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walji, Muhammad F; Kalenderian, Elsbeth; Piotrowski, Mark; Tran, Duong; Kookal, Krishna K; Tokede, Oluwabunmi; White, Joel M; Vaderhobli, Ram; Ramoni, Rachel; Stark, Paul C; Kimmes, Nicole S; Lagerweij, Maxim; Patel, Vimla L

    2014-05-01

    To comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of three different methods involving end-users for detecting usability problems in an EHR: user testing, semi-structured interviews and surveys. Data were collected at two major urban dental schools from faculty, residents and dental students to assess the usability of a dental EHR for developing a treatment plan. These included user testing (N=32), semi-structured interviews (N=36), and surveys (N=35). The three methods together identified a total of 187 usability violations: 54% via user testing, 28% via the semi-structured interview and 18% from the survey method, with modest overlap. These usability problems were classified into 24 problem themes in 3 broad categories. User testing covered the broadest range of themes (83%), followed by the interview (63%) and survey (29%) methods. Multiple evaluation methods provide a comprehensive approach to identifying EHR usability challenges and specific problems. The three methods were found to be complementary, and thus each can provide unique insights for software enhancement. Interview and survey methods were found not to be sufficient by themselves, but when used in conjunction with the user testing method, they provided a comprehensive evaluation of the EHR. We recommend using a multi-method approach when testing the usability of health information technology because it provides a more comprehensive picture of usability challenges. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Annual dose equivalents estimation received by Cienfuegos population due medical practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Usagaua R, Z.; Santander I, E.

    1996-01-01

    This study represents the first evaluation of the effective equivalent dose that receives the population of the Cienfuegos province in Cuba because of medical practice. The evaluation is based on the tables of doses depending on several parameters that influence over these ones, and also based on large diagnostic examinations statistics of all medical institutions over a 9 years period. Values of examinations frequency, contribution to total dose from radiography, fluoroscopy, dental radiography and nuclear medicine, and other characteristics of the last ones are offered. A comparative reflection dealing with received doses by radiography and fluoroscopy techniques is also included. (authors). 4 refs

  19. Usability Evaluation Methods for Gesture-Based Games: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simor, Fernando Winckler; Brum, Manoela Rogofski; Schmidt, Jaison Dairon Ebertz; Rieder, Rafael; De Marchi, Ana Carolina Bertoletti

    2016-10-04

    Gestural interaction systems are increasingly being used, mainly in games, expanding the idea of entertainment and providing experiences with the purpose of promoting better physical and/or mental health. Therefore, it is necessary to establish mechanisms for evaluating the usability of these interfaces, which make gestures the basis of interaction, to achieve a balance between functionality and ease of use. This study aims to present the results of a systematic review focused on usability evaluation methods for gesture-based games, considering devices with motion-sensing capability. We considered the usability methods used, the common interface issues, and the strategies adopted to build good gesture-based games. The research was centered on four electronic databases: IEEE, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Springer, and Science Direct from September 4 to 21, 2015. Within 1427 studies evaluated, 10 matched the eligibility criteria. As a requirement, we considered studies about gesture-based games, Kinect and/or Wii as devices, and the use of a usability method to evaluate the user interface. In the 10 studies found, there was no standardization in the methods because they considered diverse analysis variables. Heterogeneously, authors used different instruments to evaluate gesture-based interfaces and no default approach was proposed. Questionnaires were the most used instruments (70%, 7/10), followed by interviews (30%, 3/10), and observation and video recording (20%, 2/10). Moreover, 60% (6/10) of the studies used gesture-based serious games to evaluate the performance of elderly participants in rehabilitation tasks. This highlights the need for creating an evaluation protocol for older adults to provide a user-friendly interface according to the user's age and limitations. Through this study, we conclude this field is in need of a usability evaluation method for serious games, especially games for older adults, and that the definition of a methodology

  20. Modeling convection-diffusion-reaction systems for microfluidic molecular communications with surface-based receivers in Internet of Bio-Nano Things.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murat Kuscu

    Full Text Available We consider a microfluidic molecular communication (MC system, where the concentration-encoded molecular messages are transported via fluid flow-induced convection and diffusion, and detected by a surface-based MC receiver with ligand receptors placed at the bottom of the microfluidic channel. The overall system is a convection-diffusion-reaction system that can only be solved by numerical methods, e.g., finite element analysis (FEA. However, analytical models are key for the information and communication technology (ICT, as they enable an optimisation framework to develop advanced communication techniques, such as optimum detection methods and reliable transmission schemes. In this direction, we develop an analytical model to approximate the expected time course of bound receptor concentration, i.e., the received signal used to decode the transmitted messages. The model obviates the need for computationally expensive numerical methods by capturing the nonlinearities caused by laminar flow resulting in parabolic velocity profile, and finite number of ligand receptors leading to receiver saturation. The model also captures the effects of reactive surface depletion layer resulting from the mass transport limitations and moving reaction boundary originated from the passage of finite-duration molecular concentration pulse over the receiver surface. Based on the proposed model, we derive closed form analytical expressions that approximate the received pulse width, pulse delay and pulse amplitude, which can be used to optimize the system from an ICT perspective. We evaluate the accuracy of the proposed model by comparing model-based analytical results to the numerical results obtained by solving the exact system model with COMSOL Multiphysics.

  1. Modeling convection-diffusion-reaction systems for microfluidic molecular communications with surface-based receivers in Internet of Bio-Nano Things.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuscu, Murat; Akan, Ozgur B

    2018-01-01

    We consider a microfluidic molecular communication (MC) system, where the concentration-encoded molecular messages are transported via fluid flow-induced convection and diffusion, and detected by a surface-based MC receiver with ligand receptors placed at the bottom of the microfluidic channel. The overall system is a convection-diffusion-reaction system that can only be solved by numerical methods, e.g., finite element analysis (FEA). However, analytical models are key for the information and communication technology (ICT), as they enable an optimisation framework to develop advanced communication techniques, such as optimum detection methods and reliable transmission schemes. In this direction, we develop an analytical model to approximate the expected time course of bound receptor concentration, i.e., the received signal used to decode the transmitted messages. The model obviates the need for computationally expensive numerical methods by capturing the nonlinearities caused by laminar flow resulting in parabolic velocity profile, and finite number of ligand receptors leading to receiver saturation. The model also captures the effects of reactive surface depletion layer resulting from the mass transport limitations and moving reaction boundary originated from the passage of finite-duration molecular concentration pulse over the receiver surface. Based on the proposed model, we derive closed form analytical expressions that approximate the received pulse width, pulse delay and pulse amplitude, which can be used to optimize the system from an ICT perspective. We evaluate the accuracy of the proposed model by comparing model-based analytical results to the numerical results obtained by solving the exact system model with COMSOL Multiphysics.

  2. Sodium reflux pool-boiler solar receiver on-sun test results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andraka, C E; Moreno, J B; Diver, R B; Moss, T A [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

    1992-06-01

    The efficient operation of a Stirling engine requires the application of a high heat flux to the relatively small area occupied by the heater head tubes. Previous attempts to couple solar energy to Stirling engines generally involved directly illuminating the heater head tubes with concentrated sunlight. In this study, operation of a 75-kW{sub t} sodium reflux pool-boiler solar receiver has been demonstrated and its performance characterized on Sandia's nominal 75-kW{sub t} parabolic-dish concentrator, using a cold-water gas-gap calorimeter to simulate Stirling engine operation. The pool boiler (and more generally liquid-metal reflux receivers) supplies heat to the engine in the form of latent heat released from condensation of the metal vapor on the heater head tubes. The advantages of the pool boiler include uniform tube temperature, leading to longer life and higher temperature available to the engine, and decoupling of the design of the solar absorber from the engine heater head. The two-phase system allows high input thermal flux, reducing the receiver size and losses, therefore improving system efficiency. The receiver thermal efficiency was about 90% when operated at full power and 800{degree}C. Stable sodium boiling was promoted by the addition of 35 equally spaced artificial cavities in the wetted absorber surface. High incipient boiling superheats following cloud transients were suppressed passively by the addition of small amounts of xenon gas to the receiver volume. Stable boiling without excessive incipient boiling superheats was observed under all operating conditions. The receiver developed a leak during performance evaluation, terminating the testing after accumulating about 50 hours on sun. The receiver design is reported here along with test results including transient operations, steady-state performance evaluation, operation at various temperatures, infrared thermography, x-ray studies of the boiling behavior, and a postmortem analysis.

  3. Quantitative evaluation methods of skin condition based on texture feature parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Pang

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In order to quantitatively evaluate the improvement of the skin condition after using skin care products and beauty, a quantitative evaluation method for skin surface state and texture is presented, which is convenient, fast and non-destructive. Human skin images were collected by image sensors. Firstly, the median filter of the 3 × 3 window is used and then the location of the hairy pixels on the skin is accurately detected according to the gray mean value and color information. The bilinear interpolation is used to modify the gray value of the hairy pixels in order to eliminate the negative effect of noise and tiny hairs on the texture. After the above pretreatment, the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM is calculated. On the basis of this, the four characteristic parameters, including the second moment, contrast, entropy and correlation, and their mean value are calculated at 45 ° intervals. The quantitative evaluation model of skin texture based on GLCM is established, which can calculate the comprehensive parameters of skin condition. Experiments show that using this method evaluates the skin condition, both based on biochemical indicators of skin evaluation methods in line, but also fully consistent with the human visual experience. This method overcomes the shortcomings of the biochemical evaluation method of skin damage and long waiting time, also the subjectivity and fuzziness of the visual evaluation, which achieves the non-destructive, rapid and quantitative evaluation of skin condition. It can be used for health assessment or classification of the skin condition, also can quantitatively evaluate the subtle improvement of skin condition after using skin care products or stage beauty.

  4. Quantitative evaluation methods of skin condition based on texture feature parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Hui; Chen, Tianhua; Wang, Xiaoyi; Chang, Zhineng; Shao, Siqi; Zhao, Jing

    2017-03-01

    In order to quantitatively evaluate the improvement of the skin condition after using skin care products and beauty, a quantitative evaluation method for skin surface state and texture is presented, which is convenient, fast and non-destructive. Human skin images were collected by image sensors. Firstly, the median filter of the 3 × 3 window is used and then the location of the hairy pixels on the skin is accurately detected according to the gray mean value and color information. The bilinear interpolation is used to modify the gray value of the hairy pixels in order to eliminate the negative effect of noise and tiny hairs on the texture. After the above pretreatment, the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) is calculated. On the basis of this, the four characteristic parameters, including the second moment, contrast, entropy and correlation, and their mean value are calculated at 45 ° intervals. The quantitative evaluation model of skin texture based on GLCM is established, which can calculate the comprehensive parameters of skin condition. Experiments show that using this method evaluates the skin condition, both based on biochemical indicators of skin evaluation methods in line, but also fully consistent with the human visual experience. This method overcomes the shortcomings of the biochemical evaluation method of skin damage and long waiting time, also the subjectivity and fuzziness of the visual evaluation, which achieves the non-destructive, rapid and quantitative evaluation of skin condition. It can be used for health assessment or classification of the skin condition, also can quantitatively evaluate the subtle improvement of skin condition after using skin care products or stage beauty.

  5. Examining mixing methods in an evaluation of a smoking cessation program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betzner, Anne; Lawrenz, Frances P; Thao, Mao

    2016-02-01

    Three different methods were used in an evaluation of a smoking cessation study: surveys, focus groups, and phenomenological interviews. The results of each method were analyzed separately and then combined using both a pragmatic and dialectic stance to examine the effects of different approaches to mixing methods. Results show that the further apart the methods are philosophically, the more diverse the findings. Comparisons of decision maker opinions and costs of the different methods are provided along with recommendations for evaluators' uses of different methods. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Radiochemistry methods in DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples: Addressing new challenges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fadeff, S.K.; Goheen, S.C.; Riley, R.G.

    1994-01-01

    Radiochemistry methods in Department of Energy Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) add to the repertoire of other standard methods in support of U.S. Department of Energy environmental restoration and waste management (DOE/EM) radiochemical characterization activities. Current standard sources of radiochemistry methods are not always applicable for evaluating DOE/EM samples. Examples of current sources include those provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the American Society for Testing and Materials, Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, and Environmental Measurements Laboratory Procedures Manual (HASL-300). The applicability of these methods is generally limited to specific matrices (usually water), low-level radioactive samples, and a limited number of analytes. DOE Methods complements these current standard methods by addressing the complexities of EM characterization needs. The process for determining DOE/EM radiochemistry characterization needs is discussed. In this context of DOE/EM needs, the applicability of other sources of standard radiochemistry methods is defined, and gaps in methodology are identified. Current methods in DOE Methods and the EM characterization needs they address are discussed. Sources of new methods and the methods incorporation process are discussed. The means for individuals to participate in (1) identification of DOE/EM needs, (2) the methods incorporation process, and (3) submission of new methods are identified

  7. On Some Methods in Safety Evaluation in Geotechnics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puła, Wojciech; Zaskórski, Łukasz

    2015-06-01

    The paper demonstrates how the reliability methods can be utilised in order to evaluate safety in geotechnics. Special attention is paid to the so-called reliability based design that can play a useful and complementary role to Eurocode 7. In the first part, a brief review of first- and second-order reliability methods is given. Next, two examples of reliability-based design are demonstrated. The first one is focussed on bearing capacity calculation and is dedicated to comparison with EC7 requirements. The second one analyses a rigid pile subjected to lateral load and is oriented towards working stress design method. In the second part, applications of random field to safety evaluations in geotechnics are addressed. After a short review of the theory a Random Finite Element algorithm to reliability based design of shallow strip foundation is given. Finally, two illustrative examples for cohesive and cohesionless soils are demonstrated.

  8. Applying Hierarchical Task Analysis Method to Discovery Layer Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marlen Promann

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Libraries are implementing discovery layers to offer better user experiences. While usability tests have been helpful in evaluating the success or failure of implementing discovery layers in the library context, the focus has remained on its relative interface benefits over the traditional federated search. The informal site- and context specific usability tests have offered little to test the rigor of the discovery layers against the user goals, motivations and workflow they have been designed to support. This study proposes hierarchical task analysis (HTA as an important complementary evaluation method to usability testing of discovery layers. Relevant literature is reviewed for the discovery layers and the HTA method. As no previous application of HTA to the evaluation of discovery layers was found, this paper presents the application of HTA as an expert based and workflow centered (e.g. retrieving a relevant book or a journal article method to evaluating discovery layers. Purdue University’s Primo by Ex Libris was used to map eleven use cases as HTA charts. Nielsen’s Goal Composition theory was used as an analytical framework to evaluate the goal carts from two perspectives: a users’ physical interactions (i.e. clicks, and b user’s cognitive steps (i.e. decision points for what to do next. A brief comparison of HTA and usability test findings is offered as a way of conclusion.

  9. Logistics for evaluation of doses received by IOE due to handling 18FDG-radiopharmaceutical during processing (IEN/CNEN) and in radiodiagnostic (clinical)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Osvaldir P. dos; Silva, Joao Carlos P.; Silva, Luiz Carlos Reina P.; Cortines, Geraldo, E-mail: osvaldir@ien.gov.br, E-mail: jcarlos@ien.gov.br, E-mail: reina@ien.gov.br, E-mail: gcortines@ien.gov.br [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2013-07-01

    The objective of this study is to propose an improvement in radiological practices involving production, transportation and application of radiopharmaceutical {sup 18}F, by tracking the radiation doses received by occupationally exposed individuals (OEI) that develop production practices, transportation and application of some patients in hospitals and clinics in Rio de Janeiro, the radiopharmaceutical {sup 18}FDG. In light of the results and observations of how these practices are developed, it's necessary to evaluate and suggest a logistics to minimize the doses received by OEI during these practices, seeking improvements in the actions and procedures for radiological protection. In practice the production of the radiopharmaceutical, the study focuses on the time of withdrawal of {sup 18}FDG cell processing, where the technician is exposed to higher dose rates. At this stage, we take to accomplish, yet two other reviews: the first is the placement of electronic dosimeters inside and outside the lead apron, whose objective is to assess the attenuation capacity of the apron. This last procedure refers to the use of a phantom cylindrical containing TLD 700 dosimeter in order to evaluate, using a mathematical model (MCNP), the doses ends (hand) of the technician, the process of removing the radiopharmaceutical of the cell and to compare the dosimetric dose recorded in the ring. Regarding the transport of {sup 18}FDG, we take into account the doses recorded in the cabin of the vehicle and the doses recorded in the dosimeter of the carrier. Finally, the doses received by health professionals who handle {sup 18}FDG are analyzed, since its withdrawal from the packing until administration to the patient. (author)

  10. Quantitative prediction process and evaluation method for seafloor polymetallic sulfide resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mengyi Ren

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Seafloor polymetallic sulfide resources exhibit significant development potential. In 2011, China received the exploration rights for 10,000 km2 of a polymetallic sulfides area in the Southwest Indian Ocean; China will be permitted to retain only 25% of the area in 2021. However, an exploration of seafloor hydrothermal sulfide deposits in China remains in the initial stage. According to the quantitative prediction theory and the exploration status of seafloor sulfides, this paper systematically proposes a quantitative prediction evaluation process of oceanic polymetallic sulfide resources and divides it into three stages: prediction in a large area, prediction in the prospecting region, and the verification and evaluation of targets. The first two stages of the prediction process have been employed in seafloor sulfides prospecting of the Chinese contract area. The results of stage one suggest that the Chinese contract area is located in the high posterior probability area, which indicates good prospecting potential area in the Indian Ocean. In stage two, the Chinese contract area of 48°–52°E has the highest posterior probability value, which can be selected as the reserved region for additional exploration. In stage three, the method of numerical simulation is employed to reproduce the ore-forming process of sulfides to verify the accuracy of the reserved targets obtained from the three-stage prediction. By narrowing the exploration area and gradually improving the exploration accuracy, the prediction will provide a basis for the exploration and exploitation of seafloor polymetallic sulfide resources.

  11. Which Preschool Children with Specific Language Impairment Receive Language Intervention?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittke, Kacie; Spaulding, Tammie J.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: Potential biases in service provision for preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) were explored. Method: In Study 1, children with SLI receiving treatment (SLI-T) and those with SLI not receiving treatment (SLI-NT) were compared on demographic characteristics and developmental abilities. Study 2 recruited children with…

  12. Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

    2017-01-01

    In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method.

  13. Evaluate E-loyalty of sales website: a Fuzzy mathematics method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Ying; Liu, Zhen-Yu; Xiong, Ying-Zi

    The study about online consumer loyalty is limited, but how to evaluate the customers' E-loyalty to a sales website is always a noticeable question. By using some methods of fuzzy mathematics, we provide a more accurate way to evaluate E-loyalty of sales website. Moreover, this method can differentiate level and degree of each factor that influences E-loyalty.

  14. Evaluation of a group based cognitive behavioural therapy programme for menstrual pain management in young women with intellectual disabilities: protocol for a mixed methods controlled clinical trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Menstrual pain which is severe enough to impact on daily activities is very common amongst menstruating females. Research suggests that menstrual pain which impacts on daily functioning may be even more prevalent amongst those with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, little research attention has focused on pain management programmes for those with intellectual disabilities. The aims of this pilot study were to develop and evaluate a theory-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme for menstrual pain management in young women with intellectual disabilities. Methods/Design The study utilised a mixed methods controlled clinical trial to evaluate elements from a CBT programme called Feeling Better (McGuire & McManus, 2010). The Feeling Better programme is a modular, manualised intervention designed for people with an intellectual disability and their carers. The programme was delivered to 36 young women aged 12 – 30 years who have a Mild - Moderate Intellectual Disability, split between two conditions. The treatment group received the Feeling Better intervention and the control group received treatment as usual. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programme, measures were taken of key pain variables including impact, knowledge, self-efficacy and coping. Process evaluation was conducted to examine which elements of the programme were most successful in promoting change. Discussion Participants in the intervention group were expected to report the use of a greater number of coping strategies and have greater knowledge of pain management strategies following participation in the intervention and at three month follow-up, when compared to control group participants. A significant advantage of the study was the use of mixed methods and inclusion of process evaluation to determine which elements of a cognitive behavioural therapy programme work best for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials

  15. Design of coherent receiver optical front end for unamplified applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bo; Malouin, Christian; Schmidt, Theodore J

    2012-01-30

    Advanced modulation schemes together with coherent detection and digital signal processing has enabled the next generation high-bandwidth optical communication systems. One of the key advantages of coherent detection is its superior receiver sensitivity compared to direct detection receivers due to the gain provided by the local oscillator (LO). In unamplified applications, such as metro and edge networks, the ultimate receiver sensitivity is dictated by the amount of shot noise, thermal noise, and the residual beating of the local oscillator with relative intensity noise (LO-RIN). We show that the best sensitivity is achieved when the thermal noise is balanced with the residual LO-RIN beat noise, which results in an optimum LO power. The impact of thermal noise from the transimpedance amplifier (TIA), the RIN from the LO, and the common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) from a balanced photodiode are individually analyzed via analytical models and compared to numerical simulations. The analytical model results match well with those of the numerical simulations, providing a simplified method to quantify the impact of receiver design tradeoffs. For a practical 100 Gb/s integrated coherent receiver with 7% FEC overhead, we show that an optimum receiver sensitivity of -33 dBm can be achieved at GFEC cliff of 8.55E-5 if the LO power is optimized at 11 dBm. We also discuss a potential method to monitor the imperfections of a balanced and integrated coherent receiver.

  16. Evaluation of verification methods for input-accountability measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeck, W.J.

    1980-01-01

    As part of TASTEX related programs two independent methods have been evaluated for the purpose of providing verification of the amount of Pu charged to the head-end of a nuclear fuel processing plant. The first is the Pu/U (gravimetric method), TASTEX Task-L, and the second is the Tracer Method, designated Task-M. Summaries of the basic technology, results of various studies under actual plant conditions, future requirements, are given for each of the Tasks

  17. Comprehensive evaluation method in application of nuclear DCS product design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Weixin; Zhao Zhemin; Shi Yingbin

    2014-01-01

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

  18. Applicability of the proposed evaluation method for social infrastructures to nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ichimura, Tomiyasu

    2015-01-01

    This study proposes an evaluation method for social infrastructures, and verifies the applicability of the proposed evaluation method to social infrastructures by applying it to nuclear power plants, which belong to social infrastructures. In the proposed evaluation method for social infrastructures, the authors chose four evaluation viewpoints and proposed common evaluation standards for the evaluation indexes obtained from each viewpoint. By applying this system to the evaluation of nuclear power plants, the evaluation index examples were obtained from the evaluation viewpoints. Furthermore, when the level of the common evaluation standards of the proposed evaluation method was applied to the evaluation of the activities of nuclear power plants based on the regulations, it was confirmed that these activities are at the highest level. Through this application validation, it was clarified that the proposed evaluation method for social infrastructures had certain effectiveness. The four evaluation viewpoints are 'service,' 'environment,' 'action factor,' and 'operation and management.' Part of the application examples to a nuclear power plant are as follows: (1) in the viewpoint of service: the operation rate of the power plant, and operation costs, and (2) in the viewpoint of environment: external influence related to nuclear waste and radioactivity, and external effect related to cooling water. (A.O.)

  19. The study on evaluation method for primary stress of 3-D structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadahiro, Daisuke; Shibamoto, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Hideaki; Inoue, Kazuhiko; Kasahara, Naoto

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes an evaluation method of primary stress in 3-D structures. In 'Design by Analysis' for nuclear components, the stresses in structures are classified into the primary and the secondary stresses. The primary stress in axisymmetric structures can be evaluated by linearization of stress distribution in the specified section, but it is difficult to define the evaluation section in the 3-D structures, and to evaluate the primary stress with the conventional procedure. From this reason, the alternative evaluation method is needed. In this paper, the evaluation method of primary stress in 3-D structures is presented utilizing the feature of primary stress that is independent from stress re-distribution. (author)

  20. Bubble structure evaluation method of sponge cake by using image morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Kunihito; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Nonaka, Masahiko; Katsuta, Yukiyo; Kasamatsu, Chinatsu

    2007-01-01

    Nowadays, many evaluation methods for food industry by using image processing are proposed. These methods are becoming new evaluation method besides the sensory test and the solid-state measurement that have been used for the quality evaluation recently. The goal of our research is structure evaluation of sponge cake by using the image processing. In this paper, we propose a feature extraction method of the bobble structure in the sponge cake. Analysis of the bubble structure is one of the important properties to understand characteristics of the cake from the image. In order to take the cake image, first we cut cakes and measured that's surface by using the CIS scanner, because the depth of field of this type scanner is very shallow. Therefore the bubble region of the surface has low gray scale value, and it has a feature that is blur. We extracted bubble regions from the surface images based on these features. The input image is binarized, and the feature of bubble is extracted by the morphology analysis. In order to evaluate the result of feature extraction, we compared correlation with "Size of the bubble" of the sensory test result. From a result, the bubble extraction by using morphology analysis gives good correlation. It is shown that our method is as well as the subjectivity evaluation.

  1. Operator performance evaluation using multi criteria decision making methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rani, Ruzanita Mat; Ismail, Wan Rosmanira; Razali, Siti Fatihah

    2014-06-01

    Operator performance evaluation is a very important operation in labor-intensive manufacturing industry because the company's productivity depends on the performance of its operators. The aims of operator performance evaluation are to give feedback to operators on their performance, to increase company's productivity and to identify strengths and weaknesses of each operator. In this paper, six multi criteria decision making methods; Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), fuzzy AHP (FAHP), ELECTRE, PROMETHEE II, Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) are used to evaluate the operators' performance and to rank the operators. The performance evaluation is based on six main criteria; competency, experience and skill, teamwork and time punctuality, personal characteristics, capability and outcome. The study was conducted at one of the SME food manufacturing companies in Selangor. From the study, it is found that AHP and FAHP yielded the "outcome" criteria as the most important criteria. The results of operator performance evaluation showed that the same operator is ranked the first using all six methods.

  2. New evaluation methods for conceptual design selection using computational intelligence techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2013-03-15

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

  3. New evaluation methods for conceptual design selection using computational intelligence techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  4. Evaluation of left ventricular function by invasive and noninvasive methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kusukawa, R [Yamaguchi Univ., Ube (Japan). School of Medicine

    1982-06-01

    Noninvasive methods in cardiology have progressed very rapidly in recent years. Cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography are the standard methods for evaluating of cardiac performance, however, they need expensive apparatus and are time-consuming, arduous procedures which do not permit to repeat frequently, and sometimes risky. In this article, the indices of pump and muscle function of the heart obtained by invasive methods were compared to those indices obtained by noninvasive methods, and correlation between two groups and usefulness and limitation were discussed. Systolic time intervals are convenient and repeatable measures of left ventricular performance in clinical cardiology. There are significant correlations of PEP/LVET with stroke volume, ejection fraction and mean circumferential shortening velocity. Although some limitations are present in application of this method to certain diseases, these measures are useful in the evaluation of left ventricular performance. Echocardiography has made an era of the noninvasive cardiology. Left ventricular volume, ejection fraction, mean circumferential shortening velocity and PSP/ESVI are accurately calculated by echocardiographic measurement. Nuclear cardiology is also accurate noninvasive method in evaluation of cardiac performance. With this tremendous growth in this field, it will make next era of noninvasive cardiology.

  5. Smooth time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve estimators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Camblor, Pablo; Pardo-Fernández, Juan Carlos

    2018-03-01

    The receiver operating characteristic curve is a popular graphical method often used to study the diagnostic capacity of continuous (bio)markers. When the considered outcome is a time-dependent variable, two main extensions have been proposed: the cumulative/dynamic receiver operating characteristic curve and the incident/dynamic receiver operating characteristic curve. In both cases, the main problem for developing appropriate estimators is the estimation of the joint distribution of the variables time-to-event and marker. As usual, different approximations lead to different estimators. In this article, the authors explore the use of a bivariate kernel density estimator which accounts for censored observations in the sample and produces smooth estimators of the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves. The performance of the resulting cumulative/dynamic and incident/dynamic receiver operating characteristic curves is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Additionally, the influence of the choice of the required smoothing parameters is explored. Finally, two real-applications are considered. An R package is also provided as a complement to this article.

  6. Development of strength evaluation method for high-pressure ceramic components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takegami, Hiroaki, E-mail: takegami.hiroaki@jaea.go.jp; Terada, Atsuhiko; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki

    2014-05-01

    Japan Atomic Energy Agency is conducting R and D on nuclear hydrogen production by the Iodine-Sulfur (IS) process. Since highly corrosive materials such as sulfuric and hydriodic acids are used in the IS process, it is very important to develop components made of corrosion resistant materials. Therefore, we have been developing a sulfuric acid decomposer made of a ceramic material, that is, silicon carbide (SiC), which shows excellent corrosion resistance to sulfuric acid. One of the key technological challenges for the practical use of a ceramic sulfuric acid decomposer made of SiC is to be licensed in accordance with the High Pressure Gas Safety Act for high-pressure operations of the IS process. Since the strength of a ceramic material depends on its geometric form, etc., the strength evaluation method required for a pressure design is not established. Therefore, we propose a novel strength evaluation method for SiC structures based on the effective volume theory in order to extend the range of application of the effective volume. We also developed a design method for ceramic apparatus with the strength evaluation method in order to obtain a license in accordance with the High Pressure Gas Safety Act. In this paper, the minimum strength of SiC components was calculated by Monte Carlo simulation, and the minimum strength evaluation method of SiC components was developed by using the results of simulation. The method was confirmed by fracture test of tube model and reference data.

  7. Evaluation methods used for phosphate-solubilizing bacteria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This work aimed to evaluate the different selection methods and select inorganic phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria as potential plant-growth promoters. Bacterial isolates obtained from sugarcane roots and soil were tested using solid growth media containing bicalcium phosphate and Irecê Apatite ground rock phosphate as ...

  8. On Some Methods in Safety Evaluation in Geotechnics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puła Wojciech

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper demonstrates how the reliability methods can be utilised in order to evaluate safety in geotechnics. Special attention is paid to the so-called reliability based design that can play a useful and complementary role to Eurocode 7. In the first part, a brief review of first- and second-order reliability methods is given. Next, two examples of reliability-based design are demonstrated. The first one is focussed on bearing capacity calculation and is dedicated to comparison with EC7 requirements. The second one analyses a rigid pile subjected to lateral load and is oriented towards working stress design method. In the second part, applications of random field to safety evaluations in geotechnics are addressed. After a short review of the theory a Random Finite Element algorithm to reliability based design of shallow strip foundation is given. Finally, two illustrative examples for cohesive and cohesionless soils are demonstrated.

  9. Modified risk evaluation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Udell, C.J.; Tilden, J.A.; Toyooka, R.T.

    1993-08-01

    The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured and cost-oriented process to determine risks associated with nuclear material and other security interests. Financial loss is a continuing concern for US Department of Energy contractors. In this paper risk is equated with uncertainty of cost impacts to material assets or human resources. The concept provides a method for assessing the effectiveness of an integrated protection system, which includes operations, safety, emergency preparedness, and safeguards and security. The concept is suitable for application to sabotage evaluations. The protection of assets is based on risk associated with cost impacts to assets and the potential for undesirable events. This will allow managers to establish protection priorities in terms of the cost and the potential for the event, given the current level of protection

  10. Diversity receiver

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    2005-01-01

    The invention is directed to the reception of high rate radio signals (for example DVB-T signals) while the receiver is moving at a high speed (for example in or with a car). Two or more antennas (12, 16) are closely spaced and arranged behind each other in the direction of motion (v) for receiving

  11. A Preliminary Rubric Design to Evaluate Mixed Methods Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrows, Timothy J.

    2013-01-01

    With the increase in frequency of the use of mixed methods, both in research publications and in externally funded grants there are increasing calls for a set of standards to assess the quality of mixed methods research. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to conduct a multi-phase analysis to create a preliminary rubric to evaluate mixed…

  12. Survey of evaluation methods for thermal striping in FBR structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miura, Naoki; Nitta, Akito; Take, Kohji

    1988-01-01

    In the upper core structures or the sodium mixing tee of Fast Breeder Reactors, sodium mixing streams which are at different temperatures produce rapid temperature fluctuations, namely 'thermal striping', upon component surfaces, and it is apprehended that the high-cycle thermal fatigue causes the crack initiation and propagation. The thermal striping is one of the factors which is considered in FBR component design, however, the standard evaluation method has not built up yet because of the intricacy of that mechanism, the difficulty of an actual proof, the lack of data, and so on. In this report, it is intended to survey of the datails and the present situation of the evaluation method of crack initiation and propagation due to thermal striping, and study the appropriate method which will be made use of the rationalization of design. So it is ascertained that the method which use a quantitative prediction of crack propagation is optimum to evaluate the thermal striping phenomenon. (author)

  13. Long-Term Heating to Improve Receiver Performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Glatzmaier, Greg C.; Cable, Robert; Newmarker, Marc

    2017-06-27

    The buildup of hydrogen in the heat transfer fluid (HTF) that circulates through components of parabolic trough power plants decreases receiver thermal efficiency, and ultimately, it decreases plant performance and electricity output. The generation and occurrence of hydrogen in the HTF provides the driving force for hydrogen to permeate from the HTF through the absorber tube wall and into the receiver annulus. Getters adsorb hydrogen from the annulus volume until they saturate and are no longer able to maintain low hydrogen pressure. The increase in hydrogen pressure within the annulus significantly degrades thermal performance of the receiver and decreases overall power-plant efficiency. NREL and Acciona Energy North America (Acciona) are developing a method to control the levels of dissolved hydrogen in the circulating HTF. The basic approach is to remove hydrogen from the expansion tanks of the HTF subsystem at a rate that maintains hydrogen in the circulating HTF to a target level. Full-plant steady-state models developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) predict that if hydrogen is removed from the HTF within the expansion tanks, the HTF that circulates through the collector field remains essentially free of hydrogen until the HTF returns to the power block in the hot headers. One of the key findings of our modeling is the prediction that hydrogen will reverse-permeate out of the receiver annulus if dissolved hydrogen in the HTF is kept sufficiently low. To test this prediction, we performed extended heating of an in-service receiver that initially had high levels of hydrogen in its annulus. The heating was performed using NREL's receiver test stand. Results of our testing showed that receiver heat loss steadily decreased with daily heating, resulting in a corresponding improvement in receiver thermal efficiency.

  14. Development of source term evaluation method for Korean Next Generation Reactor(III)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Geon Jae; Park, Jin Baek; Lee, Yeong Il; Song, Min Cheonl; Lee, Ho Jin [Korea Advanced Institue of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1998-06-15

    This project had investigated irradiation characteristics of MOX fuel method to predict nuclide concentration at primary and secondary coolant using a core containing 100% of all MOX fuel and development of source term evaluation tool. In this study, several prediction methods of source term are evaluated. Detailed contents of this project are : an evaluation of model for nuclear concentration at Reactor Coolant System, evaluation of primary and secondary coolant concentration of reference Nuclear Power Plant using purely MOX fuel, suggestion of source term prediction method of NPP with a core using MOX fuel.

  15. Use of commercial robotics in radioactive waste shipping and receiving

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berger, J.D.

    1985-01-01

    Radioactive waste shipping and receiving facilities presently planned for commercial and defense nuclear waste will handle waste packages at frequencies far in excess of those in common practice today. Unacceptable personnel exposure to ionizing radiation is projected to occur if current limits for radiation levels at the cask surface and current handling methods are used. To reduce these exposure levels, alternate handling methods are being developed and demonstrated. The production nature of cask receiving operations suggests commercial robotics be incorporated into a remote handling system to reduce predicted worker exposure to acceptable levels, while maintaining or increasing throughput. The first phase of cask handling system development culminated in a proof-of-principle test demonstrating the feasibility of performing cask receiving and unloading operations in a remote and partially automated manner. 6 refs., 12 figs

  16. Blind method of clustering for the evaluation of the dose received by personnel in two methods of administration of radiopharmaceuticals; Metodo ciego de clusterizacion para la evaluacion de la dosis recibida por el personal en dos metodos de administracion de radioformacos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    VerdeVelasco, J. M.; Gonzalez Gonzalez, M.; Montes Fuentes, C.; Verde Velasco, J.; Gonzalez Blanco, F. J.; Ramos Pacho, J. A.

    2013-07-01

    The difficulty for the injection of drugs marked with radioactive isotopes while syringe is located within the lead protector does that in many cases staff do it chooses to use the syringe outside the lead protector, increasing therefore the dose of radiation received. In our service raises the possibility of using a different methodology, channeling a pathway through a catheter, which allows administer, in all cases, with the syringe within the lead guard. We will check if significant differences can be seen both in the dose absorbed by the staff as in the time it takes to perform the administration of the drug using the method proposed compared injection without guard. (Author)

  17. Evaluation and comparison of mammalian subcellular localization prediction methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fink J Lynn

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Determination of the subcellular location of a protein is essential to understanding its biochemical function. This information can provide insight into the function of hypothetical or novel proteins. These data are difficult to obtain experimentally but have become especially important since many whole genome sequencing projects have been finished and many resulting protein sequences are still lacking detailed functional information. In order to address this paucity of data, many computational prediction methods have been developed. However, these methods have varying levels of accuracy and perform differently based on the sequences that are presented to the underlying algorithm. It is therefore useful to compare these methods and monitor their performance. Results In order to perform a comprehensive survey of prediction methods, we selected only methods that accepted large batches of protein sequences, were publicly available, and were able to predict localization to at least nine of the major subcellular locations (nucleus, cytosol, mitochondrion, extracellular region, plasma membrane, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum (ER, peroxisome, and lysosome. The selected methods were CELLO, MultiLoc, Proteome Analyst, pTarget and WoLF PSORT. These methods were evaluated using 3763 mouse proteins from SwissProt that represent the source of the training sets used in development of the individual methods. In addition, an independent evaluation set of 2145 mouse proteins from LOCATE with a bias towards the subcellular localization underrepresented in SwissProt was used. The sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each method and compared to a theoretical value based on what might be observed by random chance. Conclusion No individual method had a sufficient level of sensitivity across both evaluation sets that would enable reliable application to hypothetical proteins. All methods showed lower performance on the LOCATE

  18. Nurse educators’ perceptions of OSCE as a clinical evaluation method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MM Chabeli

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available The South African Qualifications Authority, and the South African Nursing Council are in pursuit of quality nursing education to enable the learners to practise as independent and autonomous practitioners. The educational programme should focus on the facilitation of critical and reflective thinking skills that will help the learner to make rational decisions and solve problems. A way of achieving this level of functioning is the use of assessment and evaluation methods that measure the learners’ clinical competence holistically. This article is focused on the perceptions of twenty nurse educators, purposively selected from three Nursing Colleges affiliated to a university in Gauteng, regarding the use of OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination as a clinical evaluation method within a qualitative and descriptive research strategy. Three focus group interviews were conducted in different sessions. A descriptive content analysis was used. Trustworthiness was ensured by using Lincoln and Guba’s model (1985. The results revealed both positive and negative aspects of OSCE as a clinical evaluation method with regard to: administrative aspects; evaluators; learners; procedures/instruments and evaluation. The conclusion drawn from the related findings is that OSCE does not measure the learners’ clinical competence holistically. It is therefore recommended that the identified negative perception be taken as challenges faced by nurse educators and that the positive aspects be strengthened. One way of meeting these recommendations is the use of varied alternative methods for clinical assessment and evaluation that focus on the holistic measurement of the learners’ clinical competence.

  19. Synthesis of two possible ligature for the receivers of the acid retinoic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coto Quintana, T.

    1997-01-01

    The retinoic acid and their similar, play an important part in the control of the growth of the cellular diferenciation. This biological activity is due to its interaction with the nuclear receivers of the retinoic acid (RARs and RXRs). In this work was synthesized two similar of the retinoic acid: the acid (E)-3-(3 - [(5,6,7,8-tetrathido-3,5,5,8,8-pentametil-2-naftil)cartonil] fenil)-2-butenoico (1) and the acid (AND) -3-(3 - [(5,6,7,8-tethahiddro-3,5,5,8,8-pentametil-2-naftil)etenil] enil)-2-butenoico (2). The elaboration of (1) required six synthetic steps and involved a study of the joining Heck with paladio being evaluated the use of two different methods, one direct and the other one indirect. The structural elucidation of (1), (2), the synthetic precursor (6) and the isolation of four secondary compounds were interesting, being reached conclusions with regard to regal aspects - and estereoquimical of the corresponding reactions. The ceto-acid (1) resulted active with the receiving RAR, showing selectivity for the subtypes β and γ [es

  20. Clinical Outcomes of Patients Receiving Integrated PET/CT-Guided Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vernon, Matthew R.; Maheshwari, Mohit; Schultz, Christopher J.; Michel, Michelle A.; Wong, Stuart J.; Campbell, Bruce H.; Massey, Becky L.; Wilson, J. Frank; Wang Dian

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: We previously reported the advantages of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET) fused with CT for radiotherapy planning over CT alone in head and neck carcinoma (HNC). The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and the predictive value of PET for patients receiving PET/CT-guided definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: From December 2002 to August 2006, 42 patients received PET/CT imaging as part of staging and radiotherapy planning. Clinical outcomes including locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, death, and treatment-related toxicities were collected retrospectively and analyzed for disease-free and overall survival and cumulative incidence of recurrence. Results: Median follow-up from initiation of treatment was 32 months. Overall survival and disease-free survival were 82.8% and 71.0%, respectively, at 2 years, and 74.1% and 66.9% at 3 years. Of the 42 patients, seven recurrences were identified (three LR, one DM, three both LR and DM). Mean time to recurrence was 9.4 months. Cumulative risk of recurrence was 18.7%. The maximum standard uptake volume (SUV) of primary tumor, adenopathy, or both on PET did not correlate with recurrence, with mean values of 12.0 for treatment failures vs. 11.7 for all patients. Toxicities identified in those patients receiving intensity modulated radiation therapy were also evaluated. Conclusions: A high level of disease control combined with favorable toxicity profiles was achieved in a cohort of HNC patients receiving PET/CT fusion guided radiotherapy plus/minus chemotherapy. Maximum SUV of primary tumor and/or adenopathy was not predictive of risk of disease recurrence

  1. Methods to evaluate fish freshness in research and industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olafsdottir, G.; Martinsdóttir, E.; Oehlenschläger, J.

    1997-01-01

    Current work in a European concerted action project 'Evaluation of Fish Freshness' (AIR3 CT94-2283) focuses on harmonizing research activities in the area of fish freshness evaluation in leading fish laboratories in Europe (see Box 1). The overall aim of the concerted action project is to validat...... measurements with respect to fish freshness evaluation. In this article, the different subgroups have summarized changes that occur in fish and methods to evaluate fish freshness as a first step towards the definition of criteria for fish freshness...

  2. An Efficient Numerical Method for Computing Synthetic Seismograms for a Layered Half-space with Sources and Receivers at Close or Same Depths

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, H.-m.; Chen, X.-f.; Chang, S.

    - It is difficult to compute synthetic seismograms for a layered half-space with sources and receivers at close to or the same depths using the generalized R/T coefficient method (Kennett, 1983; Luco and Apsel, 1983; Yao and Harkrider, 1983; Chen, 1993), because the wavenumber integration converges very slowly. A semi-analytic method for accelerating the convergence, in which part of the integration is implemented analytically, was adopted by some authors (Apsel and Luco, 1983; Hisada, 1994, 1995). In this study, based on the principle of the Repeated Averaging Method (Dahlquist and Björck, 1974; Chang, 1988), we propose an alternative, efficient, numerical method, the peak-trough averaging method (PTAM), to overcome the difficulty mentioned above. Compared with the semi-analytic method, PTAM is not only much simpler mathematically and easier to implement in practice, but also more efficient. Using numerical examples, we illustrate the validity, accuracy and efficiency of the new method.

  3. Evaluating co-creation of knowledge: from quality criteria and indicators to methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuck-Zöller, Susanne; Cortekar, Jörg; Jacob, Daniela

    2017-11-01

    Basic research in the natural sciences rests on a long tradition of evaluation. However, since the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) came out in 2012, there has been intense discussion in the natural sciences, above all amongst researchers and funding agencies in the different fields of applied research and scientific service. This discussion was intensified when climate services and other fields, used to make users participate in research and development activities (co-creation), demanded new evaluation methods appropriate to this new research mode. This paper starts by describing a comprehensive and interdisciplinary literature overview of indicators to evaluate co-creation of knowledge, including the different fields of integrated knowledge production. Then the authors harmonize the different elements of evaluation from literature in an evaluation cascade that scales down from very general evaluation dimensions to tangible assessment methods. They describe evaluation indicators already being documented and include a mixture of different assessment methods for two exemplary criteria. It is shown what can be deduced from already existing methodology for climate services and envisaged how climate services can further to develop their specific evaluation method.

  4. Efficacy of evaluation of rooster sperm morphology using different staining methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukaszewicz, E; Jerysz, A; Partyka, A; Siudzińska, A

    2008-12-01

    This work focused on inexpensive methods of evaluation fowl sperm morphology, based on eosin-nigrosin smears, which can determine disorders in spermatogenesis and can be recommended for evaluating the fertilising potency and selecting males in flocks reproduced by artificial insemination. Four fowl breeds (Black Minorca, Italian Partridge, Forwerk and Greenleg Partridge) were used to determine the efficacy of sperm morphology evaluation using four eosin-nigrosin staining methods (according to Blom, Bakst and Cecil, Morisson, Jaśkowski) and three examiners of different experience (high, medium, novice). There were significant (P< or = 0.01) differences in sperm morphology between Blom's staining method and those of Bakst and Cecil, Morisson or Jaśkowski, irrespective of fowl breed and examiners experience. Blom stain caused sperm head swelling and showed a drastic reduction in the proportion of live spermatozoa with normal morphology. The staining method had a greater influence on sperm morphology evaluation than the experience of the examiners.

  5. CHARACTERISTICS OF MIRR METHOD IN EVALUATION OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS' EFFECTIVENESS

    OpenAIRE

    P. Kukhta

    2014-01-01

    There were analyzed characteristics of the Modified Internal Rate of Return method in the evaluation of investment projects, restrictions connected with its application, advantages and disadvantages compared with indicators of the original Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value for projects with certain baseline characteristics. It was determined opportunities to adapt the method of Modified Internal Rate of Return to alternative computational approaches of the project cash flows evalu...

  6. Development of multilateral comparative evaluation method for fuel cycle system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamaki, Hitoshi; Ikushima, Takeshi; Nomura, Yasushi; Nakajima, Kiyoshi.

    1998-03-01

    In the near future, Japanese nuclear fuel cycle system will be promoted by national nuclear energy policy, and it''s options i.e. once through, thermal cycle and fast breeder cycle must be selected by multilateral comparative evaluation method from various aspects of safety, society, economy, and e.t.c. Therefore such a problem can be recognized as a social problem of decision making and applied for AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) that can multilaterally and comparatively evaluate the problem. On comparative evaluation, much information are needed for decision making, therefore two kinds of databases having these information have been constructed. And then, the multilateral comparative evaluation method consisting of two kinds of databases and AHP for optimum selection of fuel cycle system option have been developed. (author)

  7. Clinical trial of lutein in patients with retinitis pigmentosa receiving vitamin A treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    We sought to determine whether lutein supplementation will slow visual function decline in patients with retinitis pigmentosa receiving vitamin A. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, double-masked trial of 225 nonsmoking patients, aged 18 to 60 years, evaluated over a 4-year interval. Patients received ...

  8. ASTM test methods for composite characterization and evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masters, John E.

    1994-01-01

    A discussion of the American Society for Testing and Materials is given. Under the topic of composite materials characterization and evaluation, general industry practice and test methods for textile composites are presented.

  9. Fundamental characteristics and simplified evaluation method of dynamic earth pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nukui, Y.; Inagaki, Y.; Ohmiya, Y.

    1989-01-01

    In Japan, a method is commonly used in the evaluation of dynamic earth pressure acting on the underground walls of a deeply embedded nuclear reactor building. However, since this method was developed on the basis of the limit state of soil supported by retaining walls, the behavior of dynamic earth pressure acting on the embedded part of a nuclear reactor building may differ from the estimated by this method. This paper examines the fundamental characteristics of dynamic earth pressure through dynamic soil-structure interaction analysis. A simplified method to evaluate dynamic earth pressure for the design of underground walls of a nuclear reactor building is described. The dynamic earth pressure is fluctuating earth pressure during earthquake

  10. Methods of patient warming during abdominal surgery.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Shao

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Keeping abdominal surgery patients warm is common and warming methods are needed in power outages during natural disasters. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-cost, low-power warming methods for maintaining normothermia in abdominal surgery patients. METHODS: Patients (n = 160 scheduled for elective abdominal surgery were included in this prospective clinical study. Five warming methods were applied: heated blood transfusion/fluid infusion vs. unheated; wrapping patients vs. not wrapping; applying moist dressings, heated or not; surgical field rinse heated or not; and applying heating blankets or not. Patients' nasopharyngeal and rectal temperatures were recorded to evaluate warming efficacy. Significant differences were found in mean temperatures of warmed patients compared to those not warmed. RESULTS: When we compared temperatures of abdominal surgery patient groups receiving three specific warming methods with temperatures of control groups not receiving these methods, significant differences were revealed in temperatures maintained during the surgeries between the warmed groups and controls. DISCUSSION: The value of maintaining normothermia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia is accepted. Three effective economical and practically applicable warming methods are combined body wrapping and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and warmed surgical rinse fluid, with or without heating blanket. These methods are practically applicable when low-cost method is indeed needed.

  11. 8. Prevalence of Epistaxis among Patients Receiving ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    The aim of this study was thus to determine the prevalence, aetiology and treatment modalities of epistaxis among patients receiving otorhinolaryngology services at MNH and MOI. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital based study was done to 427 patients at Muhimbili. National Hospital (MNH) and Muhimbili.

  12. Managing inter-cell interference with advanced receivers and rank adaptation in 5G small cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tavares, Fernando Menezes Leitão; Berardinelli, Gilberto; Catania, Davide

    2015-01-01

    -cell interference management. In this paper, we evaluate whether it is possible to rely on such advanced receivers as the main tool to deal with the inter-cell interference problem. We present a system-level performance evaluation in three different dense indoor small cell scenarios using a receiver model...... that includes both interference rejection combining (IRC) and successive interference cancellation (SIC) principles, as well as different rank adaptation strategies. Our results confirm that interference suppression receivers with a supportive system design can indeed represent a valid alternative to frequency...

  13. Evaluation of team skills for control room crews

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaddy, C.D.; Koontz, J.L.

    1987-01-01

    Although team training has received considerable attention throughout industry, a systematic approach to team skills training has only recently been proposed for control room crews. One important step of the approach to team skills training is evaluation of team skills. This paper describes methods and resources, and program considerations in team skills evaluation. The three areas pertaining to methods and resources are: development of evaluation criteria, preparation of event scenarios, and instructor training and additional resources. The program considerations include sequencing and coordination of team skills evaluation in the context of an overall operator training program

  14. Technology transfer - insider protection workshop (Safeguards Evaluation Method - Insider Threat)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strait, R.S.; Renis, T.A.

    1986-01-01

    The Safeguards Evaluation Method - Insider Threat, developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is a field-applicable tool to evaluate facility safeguards against theft or diversion of special nuclear material (SNM) by nonviolent insiders. To ensure successful transfer of this technology from the laboratory to DOE field offices and contractors, LLNL developed a three-part package. The package includes a workbook, user-friendly microcomputer software, and a three-day training program. The workbook guides an evaluation team through the Safeguards Evaluation Method and provides forms for gathering data. The microcomputer software assists in the evaluation of safeguards effectiveness. The software is designed for safeguards analysts with no previous computer experience. It runs on an IBM Personal Computer or any compatible machine. The three-day training program is called the Insider Protection Workshop. The workshop students learn how to use the workbook and the computer software to assess insider vulnerabilities and to evaluate the benefits and costs of potential improvements. These activities increase the students' appreciation of the insider threat. The workshop format is informal and interactive, employing four different instruction modes: classroom presentations, small-group sessions, a practical exercise, and ''hands-on'' analysis using microcomputers. This approach to technology transfer has been successful: over 100 safeguards planners and analysts have been trained in the method, and it is being used at facilities through the DOE complex

  15. A new method to evaluate human-robot system performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, G.; Weisbin, C. R.

    2003-01-01

    One of the key issues in space exploration is that of deciding what space tasks are best done with humans, with robots, or a suitable combination of each. In general, human and robot skills are complementary. Humans provide as yet unmatched capabilities to perceive, think, and act when faced with anomalies and unforeseen events, but there can be huge potential risks to human safety in getting these benefits. Robots provide complementary skills in being able to work in extremely risky environments, but their ability to perceive, think, and act by themselves is currently not error-free, although these capabilities are continually improving with the emergence of new technologies. Substantial past experience validates these generally qualitative notions. However, there is a need for more rigorously systematic evaluation of human and robot roles, in order to optimize the design and performance of human-robot system architectures using well-defined performance evaluation metrics. This article summarizes a new analytical method to conduct such quantitative evaluations. While the article focuses on evaluating human-robot systems, the method is generally applicable to a much broader class of systems whose performance needs to be evaluated.

  16. Barriers to Receiving Long-acting Reversible Contraception in the Postpartum Period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zerden, Matthew L; Tang, Jennifer H; Stuart, Gretchen S; Norton, Deborah R; Verbiest, Sarah B; Brody, Seth

    2015-01-01

    To assess why postpartum women who desired long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) did not receive it in the postpartum period and to assess which contraceptive methods they were using instead. This was a subgroup analysis of 324 women enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial to receive or not receive an educational LARC script during their postpartum hospitalization. Participants in this subgroup analysis stated that they were either using LARC (n = 114) or interested in using LARC (n = 210) during a follow-up survey completed after their scheduled 6-week postpartum visit. Modified Poisson regression analysis was used to assess for characteristics associated with using LARC by the time of the follow-up survey. Women who were interested in LARC but not using it were more likely to be multiparous (relative risk [RR], 1.59; 95% CI, 1.19-2.11) and to have missed their postpartum visit (RR, 25.88; 95% CI, 3.75-178.44) compared with those using LARC. Among the interested 210 who were not using LARC, the most common reasons provided for non-use were that they were told to come back for another insertion visit (45%), missed the postpartum visit (26%), and could not afford LARC (11%). The most common contraceptive methods used instead of LARC were barrier methods (42%) and abstinence (19%); 18% used no contraceptive method. Two-thirds (65%) of postpartum women who desired to use LARC did not receive it in the postpartum period and used less effective contraceptive methods. Increasing access to immediate postpartum LARC and eliminating two-visit protocols for LARC insertion may increase postpartum LARC use. As the Affordable Care Act moves toward full implementation, it is necessary to understand the barriers that prevent interested patients from receiving LARC. Copyright © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Error evaluation method for material accountancy measurement. Evaluation of random and systematic errors based on material accountancy data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nidaira, Kazuo

    2008-01-01

    International Target Values (ITV) shows random and systematic measurement uncertainty components as a reference for routinely achievable measurement quality in the accountancy measurement. The measurement uncertainty, called error henceforth, needs to be periodically evaluated and checked against ITV for consistency as the error varies according to measurement methods, instruments, operators, certified reference samples, frequency of calibration, and so on. In the paper an error evaluation method was developed with focuses on (1) Specifying clearly error calculation model, (2) Getting always positive random and systematic error variances, (3) Obtaining probability density distribution of an error variance and (4) Confirming the evaluation method by simulation. In addition the method was demonstrated by applying real data. (author)

  18. Efficient Outage Probability Evaluation of Diversity Receivers Over Generalized Gamma Channels

    KAUST Repository

    Ben Issaid, Chaouki

    2016-10-01

    In this paper, we are interested in determining the cumulative distribution function of the sum of generalized Gamma in the setting of rare event simulations. To this end, we present an efficient importance sampling estimator. The main result of this work is the bounded relative property of the proposed estimator. This result is used to accurately estimate the outage probability of multibranch maximum ratio combining and equal gain combining diversity receivers over generalized Gamma fading channels. Selected numerical simulations are discussed to show the robustness of our estimator compared to naive Monte Carlo.

  19. Efficient Outage Probability Evaluation of Diversity Receivers Over Generalized Gamma Channels

    KAUST Repository

    Ben Issaid, Chaouki; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Tempone, Raul

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we are interested in determining the cumulative distribution function of the sum of generalized Gamma in the setting of rare event simulations. To this end, we present an efficient importance sampling estimator. The main result of this work is the bounded relative property of the proposed estimator. This result is used to accurately estimate the outage probability of multibranch maximum ratio combining and equal gain combining diversity receivers over generalized Gamma fading channels. Selected numerical simulations are discussed to show the robustness of our estimator compared to naive Monte Carlo.

  20. CHARACTERISTICS OF MIRR METHOD IN EVALUATION OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS' EFFECTIVENESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Kukhta

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available There were analyzed characteristics of the Modified Internal Rate of Return method in the evaluation of investment projects, restrictions connected with its application, advantages and disadvantages compared with indicators of the original Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value for projects with certain baseline characteristics. It was determined opportunities to adapt the method of Modified Internal Rate of Return to alternative computational approaches of the project cash flows evaluation.

  1. Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joslin, Jeremy D; Lloyd, Jarem B; Copeli, Nikoli; Cooney, Derek R

    2017-01-01

    Introduction . We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. Methods . Participants of the 2011 Ironman Syracuse 70.3 (Syracuse, NY) who sought evaluation and care at the designated finish line medical tent were contacted by telephone approximately 3 months after the initial encounter to measure adherence with the recommendation to seek follow-up care after event. Results . Out of 750 race participants, 35 (4.6%) athletes received event medical care. Of these 35, twenty-eight (28/35; 80%) consented to participate in the study and 17 (61%) were available on telephone follow-up. Of these 17 athletes, 11 (11/17; 65%) of participants reported that they had not followed up with a medical professional since the race. Only 5 (5/17; 29%) confirmed that they had seen a medical provider in some fashion since the race; of these, only 2 (2/17; 12%) sought formal medical follow-up resulting from the recommendation whereas the remaining athletes merely saw their medical providers coincidentally or as part of routine care. Conclusion . Only 2 (2/17; 12%) of athletes who received event medical care obtained postrace follow-up within a one-month time period following the race. Event medical care providers must be aware of potential nonadherence to follow-up recommendations.

  2. Adherence to Follow-Up Recommendations by Triathlon Competitors Receiving Event Medical Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy D. Joslin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. We sought to investigate triathlete adherence to recommendations for follow-up for participants who received event medical care. Methods. Participants of the 2011 Ironman Syracuse 70.3 (Syracuse, NY who sought evaluation and care at the designated finish line medical tent were contacted by telephone approximately 3 months after the initial encounter to measure adherence with the recommendation to seek follow-up care after event. Results. Out of 750 race participants, 35 (4.6% athletes received event medical care. Of these 35, twenty-eight (28/35; 80% consented to participate in the study and 17 (61% were available on telephone follow-up. Of these 17 athletes, 11 (11/17; 65% of participants reported that they had not followed up with a medical professional since the race. Only 5 (5/17; 29% confirmed that they had seen a medical provider in some fashion since the race; of these, only 2 (2/17; 12% sought formal medical follow-up resulting from the recommendation whereas the remaining athletes merely saw their medical providers coincidentally or as part of routine care. Conclusion. Only 2 (2/17; 12% of athletes who received event medical care obtained postrace follow-up within a one-month time period following the race. Event medical care providers must be aware of potential nonadherence to follow-up recommendations.

  3. Solar energy receiver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Jacob

    1978-01-01

    An improved long-life design for solar energy receivers provides for greatly reduced thermally induced stress and permits the utilization of less expensive heat exchanger materials while maintaining receiver efficiencies in excess of 85% without undue expenditure of energy to circulate the working fluid. In one embodiment, the flow index for the receiver is first set as close as practical to a value such that the Graetz number yields the optimal heat transfer coefficient per unit of pumping energy, in this case, 6. The convective index for the receiver is then set as closely as practical to two times the flow index so as to obtain optimal efficiency per unit mass of material.

  4. Method for evaluation of radiative properties of glass samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohelnikova, Jitka [Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Veveri 95, 602 00 Brno (Czech Republic)], E-mail: mohelnikova.j@fce.vutbr.cz

    2008-04-15

    The paper presents a simple calculation method which serves for an evaluation of radiative properties of window glasses. The method is based on a computer simulation model of the energy balance of a thermally insulated box with selected glass samples. A temperature profile of the air inside of the box with a glass sample exposed to affecting radiation was determined for defined boundary conditions. The spectral range of the radiation was considered in the interval between 280 and 2500 nm. This interval is adequate to the spectral range of solar radiation affecting windows in building facades. The air temperature rise within the box was determined in a response to the affecting radiation in the time between the beginning of the radiation exposition and the time of steady-state thermal conditions. The steady state temperature inside of the insulated box serves for the evaluation of the box energy balance and determination of the glass sample radiative properties. These properties are represented by glass characteristics as mean values of transmittance, reflectance and absorptance calculated for a defined spectral range. The data of the computer simulations were compared to experimental measurements on a real model of the insulated box. Results of both the calculations and measurements are in a good compliance. The method is recommended for preliminary evaluation of window glass radiative properties which serve as data for energy evaluation of buildings.

  5. Evaluation of Stress Loaded Steel Samples Using Selected Electromagnetic Methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chady, T.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper the magnetic leakage flux and eddy current method were used to evaluate changes of materials' properties caused by stress. Seven samples made of ferromagnetic material with different level of applied stress were prepared. First, the leakage magnetic fields were measured by scanning the surface of the specimens with GMR gradiometer. Next, the same samples were evaluated using an eddy current sensor. A comparison between results obtained from both methods was carried out. Finally, selected parameters of the measured signal were calculated and utilized to evaluate level of the applied stress. A strong coincidence between amount of the applied stress and the maximum amplitude of the derivative was confirmed

  6. Deterministic and fuzzy-based methods to evaluate community resilience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kammouh, Omar; Noori, Ali Zamani; Taurino, Veronica; Mahin, Stephen A.; Cimellaro, Gian Paolo

    2018-04-01

    Community resilience is becoming a growing concern for authorities and decision makers. This paper introduces two indicator-based methods to evaluate the resilience of communities based on the PEOPLES framework. PEOPLES is a multi-layered framework that defines community resilience using seven dimensions. Each of the dimensions is described through a set of resilience indicators collected from literature and they are linked to a measure allowing the analytical computation of the indicator's performance. The first method proposed in this paper requires data on previous disasters as an input and returns as output a performance function for each indicator and a performance function for the whole community. The second method exploits a knowledge-based fuzzy modeling for its implementation. This method allows a quantitative evaluation of the PEOPLES indicators using descriptive knowledge rather than deterministic data including the uncertainty involved in the analysis. The output of the fuzzy-based method is a resilience index for each indicator as well as a resilience index for the community. The paper also introduces an open source online tool in which the first method is implemented. A case study illustrating the application of the first method and the usage of the tool is also provided in the paper.

  7. Investigation of Transverse Oscillation Method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Udesen, Jesper; Jensen, Jørgen Arendt

    2006-01-01

    focus depth, receive apodization, pulse length, transverse wave length, number of emissions, signal to noise ratio, and type of echo canceling filter used. Using the experimental scanner RASMUS, the performance of the TO method is evaluated. An experimental flowrig is used to create laminar parabolic...... direction. Also the choice of echo canceling filter affects the performance significantly....

  8. Development of a transient criticality evaluation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pain, C.C.; Eaton, M.D.; Miles, B.; Ziver, A.K.; Gomes, J.L.M.A.; Umpleby, A.P.; Piggott, M.D.; Goddard, A.J.H.; Oliveira, C.R.E. de

    2005-01-01

    In developing a transient criticality evaluation method we model, in full spatial/temporal detail, the neutron fluxes and consequent power and the evolving material properties - their flows, energies, phase changes etc. These methods are embodied in the generic method FETCH code which is based as far as possible on basic principles and is capable of use in exploring safety-related situations somewhat beyond the range of experiment. FETCH is a general geometry code capable of addressing a range of criticality issues in fissile materials. The code embodies both transient radiation transport and transient fluid dynamics. Work on powders, granular materials, porous media and solutions is reviewed. The capability for modelling transient criticality for chemical plant, waste matrices and advanced reactors is also outlined. (author)

  9. Report of the methods for quantitative organ evaluation in nuclear medicine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakata, Shigeru; Akagi, Naoki; Mimura, Hiroaki; Nagaki, Akio; Takahashi, Yasuyuki

    1999-01-01

    The group for the methods in the title herein reported the summary of their investigations on literatures concerning the brain, heart, liver and kidney evaluation. The report consisted of the history, kinetics of the agents, methods for quantitative evaluation and summary for each organ. As for the brain, the quantitative evaluation of cerebral blood flow scintigraphy with 123 I-IMP and 99m Tc-HMPAO or -ECD were reviewed to conclude that the present convenient methods are of problems in precision, for which a novel method and/or tracer should be developed. For cardiac functions, there is a method based either on the behavior of tracer in the blood which is excellent in reproducibility, or on the morphology of cardiac wall of which images can be analyzed alternatively by CT and MRI. For these, 131 I-albumin, 99m Tc-albumin, -red blood cells, -MIBI and -tetrofosmin have been used. For myocardium, 201 Tl has been used to evaluate the ischemic region and, with simultaneous use of 99m Tc-MIBI or -tetrofosmin, the viability. 123 I-BMIPP and -MIBG have been developed for myocardial fatty acid metabolism and for cardiac sympathetic nerve functions. Liver functions have been evaluated by the blood elimination rate, hepatic uptake, hepatic elimination and hepatic blood flow with use of 99m Tc-labeled colloids, -PMT and -GSA. Quantitative evaluation of renal functions is now well established with high precision since the kinetic behavior of the tracers, like 99m Tc-DTPA, -MAG3, -DMSA and 131 I-OIH, is simple. (K.H.)

  10. Evaluation of Information Requirements of Reliability Methods in Engineering Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

    2010-01-01

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

  11. Research status and evaluation system of heat source evaluation method for central heating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yutong; Qi, Junfeng; Cao, Yi

    2018-02-01

    The central heating boiler room is a regional heat source heating center. It is also a kind of the urban environment pollution, it is an important section of building energy efficiency. This article through to the evaluation method of central heating boiler room and overviews of the researches during domestic and overseas, summarized the main influence factors affecting energy consumption of industrial boiler under the condition of stable operation. According to the principle of establishing evaluation index system. We can find that is great significance in energy saving and environmental protection for the content of the evaluation index system of the centralized heating system.

  12. Virtual Array Receiver Options for 64-ary Pulse Position Modulation (PPM)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendez, A J; Hernandez, V J; Gagliardi, R M; Bennett, C V

    2009-01-12

    NASA is developing technology for 64 64-ary PPM using relatively large PPM time slots (10 ns) an and relatively simple d electronic electronic-based receiver logic. In this paper we describe photonic photonics-based receiver options for the case of much higher data rates and inherently shorter decision times. The receivers take the form of virtual ( array or quadrant) arrays with associated comparison tests. Previously we explored this concept for 4-ary and 16-ary PPM at data rates of up to 10 Gb/s. The lessons learned are applied to the case of 64 64-ary PPM at 1.25 Gb/s s. Various receiver designs are compare, and t the optimum design, based on virtual array he arrays, is s, evaluated using numerical simulations.

  13. Determinants of Adult Functional Outcome in Adolescents Receiving Special Educational Assistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGeown, H. R.; Johnstone, E. C.; McKirdy, J.; Owens, D. C.; Stanfield, A. C.

    2013-01-01

    Background: This study investigates the role of IQ, autistic traits and challenging behaviours in affecting adult outcomes among adolescents who receive special educational assistance. Methods: A total of 58 participants were recruited from an ongoing longitudinal study. All received assessments of IQ, behavioural patterns (using the Childhood…

  14. 78 FR 26777 - Technological Advisory Council Recommendation for Improving Receiver Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-08

    ... being able to make claims of harmful interference. The TAC white paper focuses on this definition of... the method used today relative to receiver standards and specifications, the use of multi-stakeholder... stakeholder groups, especially the developers of wireless transmitters, receivers and components? What are the...

  15. Using a referee to resolve shipper-receiver differences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tietjen, G.L.

    1981-01-01

    Within the nuclear community, shipper-receiver differences generate considerable concern. Current methods of resolving these differences are discussed, prticularly the use of an umpire or referee. Numerous statistical problems connected with the present procedures are also considered

  16. Risk factors of thyroid abnormalities in bipolar patients receiving lithium: a case control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dehpour Ahmad Reza

    2003-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Lithium-induced thyroid abnormalities have been documented in many studies. They may occur despite normal plasma lithium levels. The objectives of this study were: 1 to determine possible relationship between lithium ratio, defined as erythrocyte lithium concentrations divided by plasma lithium concentrations, and thyroid abnormalities in bipolar patients receiving lithium and 2 to find other possible risk factors for developing thyroid abnormalities in the subjects. Methods Sixty-eight bipolar patients receiving lithium therapy were enrolled in a cross-sectional evaluation of thyroid function test and thyroid size. Patients were divided into two groups based on their thyroid function tests and thyroid sizes. Erythrocyte and plasma lithium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry for each patient. Lithium ratio was then calculated. Results No significant differences were found between age, positive family history of affective disorder, plasma lithium concentration, erythrocyte lithium concentration, and lithium ratio comparing the two groups. Thyroid abnormalities was significantly higher in women than in men (p Conclusions Lithium ratio does not appear to have a predictive role for thyroidal side effects of lithium therapy. Female gender was the main risk factor. We suggest more frequent thyroid evaluation of bipolar women who are treated with lithium.

  17. Empirical evaluation of data normalization methods for molecular classification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Huei-Chung; Qin, Li-Xuan

    2018-01-01

    Data artifacts due to variations in experimental handling are ubiquitous in microarray studies, and they can lead to biased and irreproducible findings. A popular approach to correct for such artifacts is through post hoc data adjustment such as data normalization. Statistical methods for data normalization have been developed and evaluated primarily for the discovery of individual molecular biomarkers. Their performance has rarely been studied for the development of multi-marker molecular classifiers-an increasingly important application of microarrays in the era of personalized medicine. In this study, we set out to evaluate the performance of three commonly used methods for data normalization in the context of molecular classification, using extensive simulations based on re-sampling from a unique pair of microRNA microarray datasets for the same set of samples. The data and code for our simulations are freely available as R packages at GitHub. In the presence of confounding handling effects, all three normalization methods tended to improve the accuracy of the classifier when evaluated in an independent test data. The level of improvement and the relative performance among the normalization methods depended on the relative level of molecular signal, the distributional pattern of handling effects (e.g., location shift vs scale change), and the statistical method used for building the classifier. In addition, cross-validation was associated with biased estimation of classification accuracy in the over-optimistic direction for all three normalization methods. Normalization may improve the accuracy of molecular classification for data with confounding handling effects; however, it cannot circumvent the over-optimistic findings associated with cross-validation for assessing classification accuracy.

  18. Multiple centroid method to evaluate the adaptability of alfalfa genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moysés Nascimento

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of multiple centroids to study the adaptability of alfalfa genotypes (Medicago sativa L.. In this method, the genotypes are compared with ideotypes defined by the bissegmented regression model, according to the researcher's interest. Thus, genotype classification is carried out as determined by the objective of the researcher and the proposed recommendation strategy. Despite the great potential of the method, it needs to be evaluated under the biological context (with real data. In this context, we used data on the evaluation of dry matter production of 92 alfalfa cultivars, with 20 cuttings, from an experiment in randomized blocks with two repetitions carried out from November 2004 to June 2006. The multiple centroid method proved efficient for classifying alfalfa genotypes. Moreover, it showed no unambiguous indications and provided that ideotypes were defined according to the researcher's interest, facilitating data interpretation.

  19. Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chi, Lin

    1996-12-31

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

  20. Design and Evaluation Methods for Underwater Control Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chi, Lin

    1997-12-31

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

  1. Evaluation of incompressible hydrodynamic mass methods in reactor applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, K.

    1981-01-01

    The hydrodynamic (or virtual) mass approach is evaluated by comparison of structural responses computed by the hydrodynamic mass method with those computed by MULTIFLEX code for a fluid/structure interaction problem with fluid compression effects taken into account. A sample problem used in that evaluation is a simplified 1-D PWR model which is first subjected to a LOCA type transient. The time history of structural displacement computed with the hydrodynamic mass approach is compared with MULTIFLEX results. The frequencies of structural oscillation of these two computations agree. The amplitudes disagree by more than 50%, which is attributed to the effect of fluid compressibility. For the seismic study, sinusoidal forces are applied to the floor at the vessel support. The system responses are expressed by the response functions or the maximum values of the barrel/vessel relative displacements as the applied frequency is varied. The response functions are computed by the hydrodynamic mass method and by MULTIFLEX for evaluation of the virtual mass method. For the pump pulsation study, sinusoidal pressure oscillations are applied at the pump outlet and the response functions are computed as above. 12 refs

  2. Simulation of the MRS receiving and handling facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triplett, M.B.; Imhoff, C.H.; Hostick, C.J.

    1984-02-01

    Monitored retrievable storage (MRS) will be required to handle a large volume of spent fuel or high-level waste (HLW) in case of delays in repository deployment. The quantities of materials to be received and repackaged for storage far exceed the requirements of existing waste mangement facilities. A computer simulation model of the MRS receiving and handling (R and H) fcility has been constructed and used to evaluate design alternatives. Studies have identified processes or activities which may constrain throughput performance. In addition, the model has helped to assess design tradeoffs such as those to be made among improved process times, redundant service lines, and improved component availability. 1 reference, 5 figures

  3. Application of least-squares method to decay heat evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmittroth, F.; Schenter, R.E.

    1976-01-01

    Generalized least-squares methods are applied to decay-heat experiments and summation calculations to arrive at evaluated values and uncertainties for the fission-product decay-heat from the thermal fission of 235 U. Emphasis is placed on a proper treatment of both statistical and correlated uncertainties in the least-squares method

  4. Simplified methods for evaluating road prism stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    William J. Elliot; Mark Ballerini; David Hall

    2003-01-01

    Mass failure is one of the most common failures of low-volume roads in mountainous terrain. Current methods for evaluating stability of these roads require a geotechnical specialist. A stability analysis program, XSTABL, was used to estimate the stability of 3,696 combinations of road geometry, soil, and groundwater conditions. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to...

  5. Delusional infestation is typically comorbid with other psychiatric diagnoses: review of 54 patients receiving psychiatric evaluation at Mayo Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hylwa, Sara A; Foster, Ashley A; Bury, Jessica E; Davis, Mark D P; Pittelkow, Mark R; Bostwick, J Michael

    2012-01-01

    Delusional infestation, which encompasses both delusions of parasitosis and delusions of infestation with inanimate objects (sometimes called Morgellons disease), has been said to represent a distinct and encapsulated delusion, that is, a stand-alone diagnosis. Anecdotally, we have observed that patients with delusional infestation often have one or more psychiatric comorbid conditions and that delusional infestation should not be regarded as a stand-alone diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to identify whether patients with delusional infestation have psychiatric comorbid conditions. We therefore identified patients who had been formally evaluated in the Department of Psychiatry during their visit to Mayo Clinic. We retrospectively searched for and reviewed the cases of all patients with delusional infestation seen from 2001 through 2007 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and who underwent psychiatric evaluation. The diagnoses resulting from psychiatric evaluation were analyzed. During the 7-year study period, 109 patients seen for delusional infestation at Mayo Clinic were referred to the Department of Psychiatry, 54 (50%) of whom actually followed through with psychiatric consultation. Of these 54 patients, 40 (74%) received additional active psychiatric diagnoses; 14 patients (26%) had delusional infestation alone. Abnormal personality traits were rarely documented. Most patients with delusional infestation have multiple coexisting or underlying psychiatric disorders. Therefore, evaluation by a psychiatrist, when possible, is advised for all patients with delusional infestation. Copyright © 2012 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Reception receiving new materials on a basis monotechtical alloys by methods of thermal processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aubakirova, R.K.; Zhumakanova, V.R.; Kudasova, D.K.

    2005-01-01

    Full text: Achievements of science and technique, the development of new technologies requires development and receiving of new materials with a complex of given properties satisfying to concrete conditions of operation. In this connection one of perspective materials are mono technical alloys of systems representing natural composites. At the moment there are materials about an opportunity, new materials from receiving of with the given complex of properties, such as anti-corrosive etc. As a result we chose mono technical alloys of systems such as Zn-Pb, Cu-Pb, Zn-Bi, each of which is characterized by rather extensive area of unmixed components in a liquid status, exposed thermodiffusion and thermal processing. The analysis of the received results has allowed us to open a number of features inherent in alloys of concrete system. So, in alloys of system Zn-Pb it was revealed, that after heat treatment at 690, 720, 750 deg. C brighter interaction between components expressing in proceeding on border of contact, of a proceeding of on borders, carrying liquid phase character proceeds, that, in turn, is shown in detection of an intermediate component and 'finger' of formations. In alloys of system Cu-Pb it was revealed, that most informed the data come to light after heat treatment within 5-15 minutes at 870 and 970 deg. C, that is expressed in more advanced dendritic structure of a leaden phase and fixing intermediate making on border of contact of two basic phases. At the same time, the realization of thermal processing on alloys of system Zn-Bi has allowed to find out a number of the interesting facts. The speed of display fixed before channels fast diffusion, essentially does not depend on a degree chemical relations in of components making diffusion a pair. And the choice of temperature-temporary parameters necessary for fixing of a beginning of interaction of components on channels fast diffusion should depend not only on a type of interaction of components, but

  7. Quantitative Evaluation of Heavy Duty Machine Tools Remanufacturing Based on Modified Catastrophe Progression Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    shunhe, Li; jianhua, Rao; lin, Gui; weimin, Zhang; degang, Liu

    2017-11-01

    The result of remanufacturing evaluation is the basis for judging whether the heavy duty machine tool can remanufacture in the EOL stage of the machine tool lifecycle management.The objectivity and accuracy of evaluation is the key to the evaluation method.In this paper, the catastrophe progression method is introduced into the quantitative evaluation of heavy duty machine tools’ remanufacturing,and the results are modified by the comprehensive adjustment method,which makes the evaluation results accord with the standard of human conventional thinking.Using the catastrophe progression method to establish the heavy duty machine tools’ quantitative evaluation model,to evaluate the retired TK6916 type CNC floor milling-boring machine’s remanufacturing.The evaluation process is simple,high quantification,the result is objective.

  8. Systematic evaluation of non-animal test methods for skin sensitisation safety assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reisinger, Kerstin; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Alépée, Nathalie; Ashikaga, Takao; Barroso, Joao; Elcombe, Cliff; Gellatly, Nicola; Galbiati, Valentina; Gibbs, Susan; Groux, Hervé; Hibatallah, Jalila; Keller, Donald; Kern, Petra; Klaric, Martina; Kolle, Susanne; Kuehnl, Jochen; Lambrechts, Nathalie; Lindstedt, Malin; Millet, Marion; Martinozzi-Teissier, Silvia; Natsch, Andreas; Petersohn, Dirk; Pike, Ian; Sakaguchi, Hitoshi; Schepky, Andreas; Tailhardat, Magalie; Templier, Marie; van Vliet, Erwin; Maxwell, Gavin

    2015-02-01

    The need for non-animal data to assess skin sensitisation properties of substances, especially cosmetics ingredients, has spawned the development of many in vitro methods. As it is widely believed that no single method can provide a solution, the Cosmetics Europe Skin Tolerance Task Force has defined a three-phase framework for the development of a non-animal testing strategy for skin sensitization potency prediction. The results of the first phase – systematic evaluation of 16 test methods – are presented here. This evaluation involved generation of data on a common set of ten substances in all methods and systematic collation of information including the level of standardisation, existing test data,potential for throughput, transferability and accessibility in cooperation with the test method developers.A workshop was held with the test method developers to review the outcome of this evaluation and to discuss the results. The evaluation informed the prioritisation of test methods for the next phase of the non-animal testing strategy development framework. Ultimately, the testing strategy – combined with bioavailability and skin metabolism data and exposure consideration – is envisaged to allow establishment of a data integration approach for skin sensitisation safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients.

  9. Pseudoneutropenia in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) patients receiving sirolimus: evaluation in a 100 patient cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalakrishnan, Vissagan; Jones, Amanda M; Julien-Williams, Patricia; Machado, Tania; Danner, Robert L; Swigris, Jeffrey J; Paine, Robert; Lozier, Jay N; Moss, Joel

    2018-01-01

    In lymphangioleiomyomatosis patients receiving sirolimus treatment, transient leukopenia in the morning may be due to circadian rhythm, with leukocyte counts recovering later in the day, indicating that a decrease in drug dose may not be warranted http://ow.ly/jPFz30iysgV.

  10. Method of levelized discounted costs applied in economic evaluation of nuclear power plant project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian Li; Wang Yongqing; Liu Jingquan; Guo Jilin; Liu Wei

    2000-01-01

    The main methods of economic evaluation of bid which are in common use are introduced. The characteristics of levelized discounted cost method and its application are presented. The method of levelized discounted cost is applied to the cost calculation of a 200 MW nuclear heating reactor economic evaluation. The results indicate that the method of levelized discounted costs is simple, feasible and which is considered most suitable for the economic evaluation of various case. The method is suggested which is used in the national economic evaluation

  11. DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K. [eds.

    1994-10-01

    DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities for the evaluation of environmental and waste management samples from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. DOE Methods is the result of extensive cooperation from all DOE analytical laboratories. All of these laboratories have contributed key information and provided technical reviews as well as significant moral support leading to the success of this document. DOE Methods is designed to encompass methods for collecting representative samples and for determining the radioisotope activity and organic and inorganic composition of a sample. These determinations will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or others. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Analytical Services Division of DOE. Unique methods or methods consolidated from similar procedures in the DOE Procedures Database are selected for potential inclusion in this document. Initial selection is based largely on DOE needs and procedure applicability and completeness. Methods appearing in this document are one of two types, {open_quotes}Draft{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}Verified{close_quotes}. {open_quotes}Draft{close_quotes} methods that have been reviewed internally and show potential for eventual verification are included in this document, but they have not been reviewed externally, and their precision and bias may not be known. {open_quotes}Verified{close_quotes} methods in DOE Methods have been reviewed by volunteers from various DOE sites and private corporations. These methods have delineated measures of precision and accuracy.

  12. DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K.

    1994-10-01

    DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities for the evaluation of environmental and waste management samples from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. DOE Methods is the result of extensive cooperation from all DOE analytical laboratories. All of these laboratories have contributed key information and provided technical reviews as well as significant moral support leading to the success of this document. DOE Methods is designed to encompass methods for collecting representative samples and for determining the radioisotope activity and organic and inorganic composition of a sample. These determinations will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or others. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Analytical Services Division of DOE. Unique methods or methods consolidated from similar procedures in the DOE Procedures Database are selected for potential inclusion in this document. Initial selection is based largely on DOE needs and procedure applicability and completeness. Methods appearing in this document are one of two types, open-quotes Draftclose quotes or open-quotes Verifiedclose quotes. open-quotes Draftclose quotes methods that have been reviewed internally and show potential for eventual verification are included in this document, but they have not been reviewed externally, and their precision and bias may not be known. open-quotes Verifiedclose quotes methods in DOE Methods have been reviewed by volunteers from various DOE sites and private corporations. These methods have delineated measures of precision and accuracy

  13. A Comparative Study on Evaluation Methods of Fluid Forces on Cartesian Grids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taku Nonomura

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigate the accuracy and the computational efficiency of the numerical schemes for evaluating fluid forces in Cartesian grid systems. A comparison is made between two different types of schemes, namely, polygon-based methods and mesh-based methods, which differ in the discretization of the surface of the object. The present assessment is intended to investigate the effects of the Reynolds number, the object motion, and the complexity of the object surface. The results show that the mesh-based methods work as well as the polygon-based methods, even if the object surface is discretized in a staircase manner. In addition, the results also show that the accuracy of the mesh-based methods is strongly dependent on the evaluation of shear stresses, and thus they must be evaluated by using a reliable method, such as the ghost-cell or ghost-fluid method.

  14. Exatidão de posicionamento de um receptor GPS, operando sob diferentes coberturas vegetais Evaluation of the accuracy of positioning a GPS receiver operating under different vegetation covers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubens Angulo Filho

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Para avaliar a exatidão de posicionamento planimétrico do receptor GPS Trimble/Pro-XL, operando sob diferentes condições de cobertura vegetal (pastagem, seringueira, eucalipto e pinus, o equipamento foi posicionado alternadamente sobre 6 pontos, locados ao acaso nas áreas de estudo, variando o tempo de permanência (1 , 5 e 10 min mas com a mesma taxa de aquisição de dados (1 s fazendo-se, posteriormente, a correção diferencial (DGPS pós-processada dos dados. Os pontos também tiveram suas coordenadas levantadas pelo método topográfico, segundo a NBR 13133 - Execução de Levantamento Topográfico, para fins de comparação. De acordo com o método empregado e os resultados obtidos, foi possível separar as exatidões de posicionamento planimétrico, conforme o tipo de cobertura vegetal, em dois grupos: sem e com cobertura arbórea confirmando, assim, a interferência do dossel na recepção dos sinais emitidos pelos satélites GPS. O aumento do tempo de permanência melhorou a exatidão de posicionamento planimétrico, o que ratifica a escolha da metodologia de levantamento como sendo fundamental para a obtenção de bons resultados de posicionamento.To evaluate planimetric positioning accuracy of a GPS receiver (Trimble/Pro-XL, operating under different conditions of vegetation cover (pasture, rubber trees, eucalyptus and pine trees, 6 control points were located randomly in the study area. For comparison, their coordinates were first obtained by a conventional surveying method, according to NBR 13133 of Brazilian Surveying Standards. Afterwards, the GPS receiver was positioned on those control points, maintaining the acquisition rate of 1 s while changing the time for 1, 5 and 10 min, the DGPS method was used to correct the positioning coordinate data. According to the methodology applied and the results obtained, it was possible to distinguish planimetric positioning accuracy, according to the vegetation cover, in two groups

  15. Low-Complexity Spatial-Temporal Filtering Method via Compressive Sensing for Interference Mitigation in a GNSS Receiver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chung-Liang Chang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A compressive sensing based array processing method is proposed to lower the complexity, and computation load of array system and to maintain the robust antijam performance in global navigation satellite system (GNSS receiver. Firstly, the spatial and temporal compressed matrices are multiplied with array signal, which results in a small size array system. Secondly, the 2-dimensional (2D minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR beamformer is employed in proposed system to mitigate the narrowband and wideband interference simultaneously. The iterative process is performed to find optimal spatial and temporal gain vector by MVDR approach, which enhances the steering gain of direction of arrival (DOA of interest. Meanwhile, the null gain is set at DOA of interference. Finally, the simulated navigation signal is generated offline by the graphic user interface tool and employed in the proposed algorithm. The theoretical analysis results using the proposed algorithm are verified based on simulated results.

  16. Applying the chronicle workshop as a method for evaluating participatory interventions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Signe; Ipsen, Christine; Gish, Liv

    2015-01-01

    Despite the growing interest for process evaluation in participatory interventions, studies examining specific methods for process evaluation are lacking. In this paper, we propose a new method for process evaluation – the chronicle workshop. The chronicle workshop has not previously been used...... productivity and well-being. In all cases, we saw that the chronicle workshop gave valuable information about the intervention process and that it initiated a joint reflection among participants from different departments. The chronicle workshop makes it possible to better understand the results...

  17. A method of rapidly evaluating image quality of NED optical system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Qi; Qiu, Chuankai; Yang, Huan

    2014-11-01

    In recent years, with the development of technology of micro-display, advanced optics and the software and hardware, near-to-eye display ( NED) optical system will have a wide range of potential applications in the fields of amusement and virtual reality. However, research on the evaluating image quality of this kind optical system is comparatively lagging behind. Although now there are some methods and equipment for evaluation, they can't be applied in commercial production because of their complex operation and inaccuracy. In this paper, an academic method is proposed and a Rapid Evaluation System (RES) is designed to evaluate the image of optical system rapidly and exactly. Firstly, a set of parameters that eyes are sensitive to and also express the quality of system should be extracted and quantized to be criterion, so the evaluation standards can be established. Then, some parameters can be detected by RES consisted of micro-display, CCD camera and computer and so on. By process of scaling, the measuring results of the RES are exact and creditable, relationship between object measurement, subjective evaluation and the RES will be established. After that, image quality of optical system can be evaluated just by detecting parameters of that. The RES is simple and the results of evaluation are exact and keeping with human vision. So the method can be used not only for optimizing design of optical system, but also for evaluation in commercial production.

  18. Laboratory-scale evaluations of alternative plutonium precipitation methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martella, L.L.; Saba, M.T.; Campbell, G.K.

    1984-01-01

    Plutonium(III), (IV), and (VI) carbonate; plutonium(III) fluoride; plutonium(III) and (IV) oxalate; and plutonium(IV) and (VI) hydroxide precipitation methods were evaluated for conversion of plutonium nitrate anion-exchange eluate to a solid, and compared with the current plutonium peroxide precipitation method used at Rocky Flats. Plutonium(III) and (IV) oxalate, plutonium(III) fluoride, and plutonium(IV) hydroxide precipitations were the most effective of the alternative conversion methods tested because of the larger particle-size formation, faster filtration rates, and the low plutonium loss to the filtrate. These were found to be as efficient as, and in some cases more efficient than, the peroxide method. 18 references, 14 figures, 3 tables

  19. Development of evaluation method for software hazard identification techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, H. W.; Chen, M. H.; Shih, C.; Yih, S.; Kuo, C. T.; Wang, L. H.; Yu, Y. C.; Chen, C. W.

    2006-01-01

    This research evaluated the applicable software hazard identification techniques nowadays, such as, Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Markov chain modeling, Dynamic Flow-graph Methodology (DFM), and simulation-based model analysis; and then determined indexes in view of their characteristics, which include dynamic capability, completeness, achievability, detail, signal/noise ratio, complexity, and implementation cost. By this proposed method, the analysts can evaluate various software hazard identification combinations for specific purpose. According to the case study results, the traditional PHA + FMEA + FTA (with failure rate) + Markov chain modeling (with transfer rate) combination is not competitive due to the dilemma for obtaining acceptable software failure rates. However, the systematic architecture of FTA and Markov chain modeling is still valuable for realizing the software fault structure. The system centric techniques, such as DFM and simulation-based model-analysis, show the advantage on dynamic capability, achievability, detail, signal/noise ratio. However, their disadvantages are the completeness complexity and implementation cost. This evaluation method can be a platform to reach common consensus for the stakeholders. Following the evolution of software hazard identification techniques, the evaluation results could be changed. However, the insight of software hazard identification techniques is much more important than the numbers obtained by the evaluation. (authors)

  20. Highly Sensitive Optical Receivers

    CERN Document Server

    Schneider, Kerstin

    2006-01-01

    Highly Sensitive Optical Receivers primarily treats the circuit design of optical receivers with external photodiodes. Continuous-mode and burst-mode receivers are compared. The monograph first summarizes the basics of III/V photodetectors, transistor and noise models, bit-error rate, sensitivity and analog circuit design, thus enabling readers to understand the circuits described in the main part of the book. In order to cover the topic comprehensively, detailed descriptions of receivers for optical data communication in general and, in particular, optical burst-mode receivers in deep-sub-µm CMOS are presented. Numerous detailed and elaborate illustrations facilitate better understanding.

  1. Receiver Test Selection Criteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-03-12

    The DOT requests that GPS manufacturers submit receivers for test in the following TWG categories: - Aviation (non-certified), cellular, general location/navigation, high precision, timing, networks, and space-based receivers - Each receiver should b...

  2. Methodological proposal for environmental impact evaluation since different specific methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leon Pelaez, Juan Diego; Lopera Arango Gabriel Jaime

    1999-01-01

    Some conceptual and practical elements related to environmental impact evaluation are described and related to the preparation of technical reports (environmental impact studies and environmental management plans) to be presented to environmental authorities for obtaining the environmental permits for development projects. In the first part of the document a summary of the main aspects of normative type is made that support the studies of environmental impact in Colombia. We propose a diagram for boarding and elaboration of the evaluation of environmental impact, which begins with the description of the project and of the environmental conditions in the area of the same. Passing then to identify the impacts through a method matricial and continuing with the quantitative evaluation of the same. For which we propose the use of the method developed by Arboleda (1994). Also we propose to qualify the activities of the project and the components of the environment in their relative importance, by means of a method here denominated agglomerate evaluation. Which allows finding those activities more impacting and the mostly impacted components. Lastly it is presented some models for the elaboration and presentation of the environmental management plans. The pursuit programs and those of environmental supervision

  3. Nondestructive methods for quality evaluation of livestock products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narsaiah, K; Jha, Shyam N

    2012-06-01

    The muscles derived from livestock are highly perishable. Rapid and nondestructive methods are essential for quality assurance of such products. Potential nondestructive methods, which can supplement or replace many of traditional time consuming destructive methods, include colour and computer image analysis, NIR spectroscopy, NMRI, electronic nose, ultrasound, X-ray imaging and biosensors. These methods are briefly described and the research work involving them for products derived from livestock is reviewed. These methods will be helpful in rapid screening of large number of samples, monitoring distribution networks, quick product recall and enhance traceability in the value chain of livestock products. With new developments in the areas of basic science related to these methods, colour, image processing, NIR spectroscopy, biosensors and ultrasonic analysis are expected to be widespread and cost effective for large scale meat quality evaluation in near future.

  4. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and its potential role in evaluating the effect of head movement in PET of the brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patterson, H.; Clarke, G.H.; Lombardo, P.; McKay, W.J.; Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, VIC

    1999-01-01

    Full text: We outline an example of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in the assessment of image quality. ROC analysis is a measure of image quality that accounts for the consequences of the decision and the role of the observer. Kim and Haynie (Nuclear Diagnostic Imaging: Practical Clinical Applications. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1987) describe ROC analysis as an 'objective approach to the evaluation of diagnostic decision making'. ROC analysis is an ideal technique for evaluating images of a Hoffman brain phantom obtained using positron emission tomography. Images have been acquired with the phantom in different positions. The position of the phantom and the time the phantom remained in each position was based on the measurements of head movement during simulated brain imaging (Patterson et al., Technologists Symposium, ANZSNM, 1998). This study was undertaken to explore the potential of ROC analysis in determining the effect of movement on the ability to detect lesions of various sizes

  5. DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goheen, S.C.; McCulloch, M.; Thomas, B.L.; Riley, R.G.; Sklarew, D.S.; Mong, G.M.; Fadeff, S.K.

    1994-04-01

    DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste Management Samples (DOE Methods) is a resource intended to support sampling and analytical activities for the evaluation of environmental and waste management samples from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. DOE Methods is the result of extensive cooperation from all DOE analytical laboratories. All of these laboratories have contributed key information and provided technical reviews as well as significant moral support leading to the success of this document. DOE Methods is designed to encompass methods for collecting representative samples and for determining the radioisotope activity and organic and inorganic composition of a sample. These determinations will aid in defining the type and breadth of contamination and thus determine the extent of environmental restoration or waste management actions needed, as defined by the DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or others. The development of DOE Methods is supported by the Laboratory Management Division of the DOE. Methods are prepared for entry into DOE Methods as chapter editors, together with DOE and other participants in this program, identify analytical and sampling method needs. Unique methods or methods consolidated from similar procedures in the DOE Procedures Database are selected for potential inclusion in this document. Initial selection is based largely on DOE needs and procedure applicability and completeness. Methods appearing in this document are one of two types. open-quotes Draftclose quotes or open-quotes Verified.close quotes. open-quotes Draftclose quotes methods that have been reviewed internally and show potential for eventual verification are included in this document, but they have not been reviewed externally, and their precision and bias may not be known. open-quotes Verifiedclose quotes methods in DOE Methods have been reviewed by volunteers from various DOE sites and private corporations

  6. Evaluation of three methods of platelet labelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mortelmans, L; Verbruggen, A; De Roo, M; Vermylen, J

    1986-07-01

    The study of the kinetics of labelled platelets makes sense only when the platelets preserve their viability after separation and labelling. The separation and labelling procedures described in the manual of two producers of 111In-oxinate (Amersham, Mallinckrodt) have been evaluated by in vitro aggregation tests. The method of Mallinckrodt diminished the aggregation capacities of the thrombocytes. The labelled platelets with normal in vitro aggregation response (Amersham) were tested in vivo in 11 patients who underwent peripheral bypass surgery. The platelet half-life and the platelet accumulation on bypass grafts were checked one week post-operatively. Because of the poor in vivo response of both methods (exponential half-life curve and bad graft visualization), a third method was optimized in our laboratory with good in vitro and in vivo results in 12 patients.

  7. A new semiquantitative method for evaluation of metastasis progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volarevic, A; Ljujic, B; Volarevic, V; Milovanovic, M; Kanjevac, T; Lukic, A; Arsenijevic, N

    2012-01-01

    Although recent technical advancements are directed toward developing novel assays and methods for detection of micro and macro metastasis, there are still no reports of reliable, simple to use imaging software that could be used for the detection and quantification of metastasis in tissue sections. We herein report a new semiquantitative method for evaluation of metastasis progression in a well established 4T1 orthotopic mouse model of breast cancer metastasis. The new semiquantitative method presented here was implemented by using the Autodesk AutoCAD 2012 program, a computer-aided design program used primarily for preparing technical drawings in 2 dimensions. By using the Autodesk AutoCAD 2012 software- aided graphical evaluation we managed to detect each metastatic lesion and we precisely calculated the average percentage of lung and liver tissue parenchyma with metastasis in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. The data were highly specific and relevant to descriptive histological analysis, confirming reliability and accuracy of the AutoCAD 2012 software as new method for quantification of metastatic lesions. The new semiquantitative method using AutoCAD 2012 software provides a novel approach for the estimation of metastatic progression in histological tissue sections.

  8. Fast-Acquisition/Weak-Signal-Tracking GPS Receiver for HEO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wintemitz, Luke; Boegner, Greg; Sirotzky, Steve

    2004-01-01

    A report discusses the technical background and design of the Navigator Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver -- . a radiation-hardened receiver intended for use aboard spacecraft. Navigator is capable of weak signal acquisition and tracking as well as much faster acquisition of strong or weak signals with no a priori knowledge or external aiding. Weak-signal acquisition and tracking enables GPS use in high Earth orbits (HEO), and fast acquisition allows for the receiver to remain without power until needed in any orbit. Signal acquisition and signal tracking are, respectively, the processes of finding and demodulating a signal. Acquisition is the more computationally difficult process. Previous GPS receivers employ the method of sequentially searching the two-dimensional signal parameter space (code phase and Doppler). Navigator exploits properties of the Fourier transform in a massively parallel search for the GPS signal. This method results in far faster acquisition times [in the lab, 12 GPS satellites have been acquired with no a priori knowledge in a Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) scenario in less than one second]. Modeling has shown that Navigator will be capable of acquiring signals down to 25 dB-Hz, appropriate for HEO missions. Navigator is built using the radiation-hardened ColdFire microprocessor and housing the most computationally intense functions in dedicated field-programmable gate arrays. The high performance of the algorithm and of the receiver as a whole are made possible by optimizing computational efficiency and carefully weighing tradeoffs among the sampling rate, data format, and data-path bit width.

  9. Enhancing physical activity in older adults receiving hospital based rehabilitation: a phase II feasibility study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Said Catherine M

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Older adults receiving inpatient rehabilitation have low activity levels and poor mobility outcomes. Increased physical activity may improve mobility. The objective of this Phase II study was to evaluate the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT of enhanced physical activity in older adults receiving rehabilitation. Methods Patients admitted to aged care rehabilitation with reduced mobility were randomized to receive usual care or usual care plus additional physical activity, which was delivered by a physiotherapist or physiotherapy assistant. The feasibility and safety of the proposed RCT protocol was evaluated. The primary clinical outcome was mobility, which was assessed on hospital admission and discharge by an assessor blinded to group assignment. To determine the most appropriate measure of mobility, three measures were trialled; the Timed Up and Go, the Elderly Mobility Scale and the de Morton Mobility Index. Results The protocol was feasible. Thirty-four percent of people admitted to the ward were recruited, with 47 participants randomised to a control (n = 25 or intervention group (n = 22. The rates of adverse events (death, falls and readmission to an acute service did not differ between the groups. Usual care therapists remained blind to group allocation, with no change in usual practice. Physical activity targets were met on weekdays but not weekends and the intervention was acceptable to participants. The de Morton Mobility Index was the most appropriate measure of mobility. Conclusions The proposed RCT of enhanced physical activity in older adults receiving rehabilitation was feasible. A larger multi-centre RCT to establish whether this intervention is cost effective and improves mobility is warranted. Trial registration The trial was registered with the ANZTCR (ACTRN12608000427370.

  10. Language Profile in Congenital Hypothyroid Children Receiving Replacement Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soliman, Hend; Abdel Hady, Aisha Fawzy; Abdel Hamid, Asmaa; Mahmoud, Heba

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this work was to evaluate receptive and expressive language skills in children with congenital hypothyroidism receiving early hormonal replacement treatment before the age of 3 months and to identify any subtle areas of weaknesses in their language development to check the necessity for future language intervention. The study was conducted on 30 hypothyroid children receiving hormonal replacement. They were subdivided into group I (5-8 years 11 months; 12 cases) and group II (9-12 years 11 months; 18 cases). All patients were subjected to a protocol of assessment applied in the Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism Pediatric Unit (DEMPU) and evaluation of language skills by the REAL scale. The younger group reached average Arabic language scores, while the older group showed moderate language delay. Early replacement therapy supports language development in young children. However, longitudinal and follow-up studies are required to identify difficulties presenting at older ages that may affect children in the academic settings. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  11. Methods of evaluation of procurement of material resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dupina L.F.

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available the researchers of this article analyze some questions concerning the choice of methods of material resources evaluation, types and elements of the evaluation, organization of effective accounting and analytical support of material and production resources of enterprises.

  12. An Evaluation Method for Activation Analysis using Pre-evaluated Contribution of Nuclides with Impurity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Woo, Myeong Hyeon; Kim, Song Hyun; Kim, Do Hyun; Shin, Chang Ho [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Gee Suck [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    Nuclides in radiation facilities become unstable from nuclear reaction. It emits residual radiation to be stable. Some unstable nuclides remain after operation in the material. It continuously emits the radiation, which has a harmful effect to worker when they try maintenance and plant decommissioning. It is known that residual radiation from impurity occupies a large portion of the radiation dose. If impurity concentration is higher than expectation, the effects of residual radiation could be underestimated. Therefore, estimation of residual radiation is repeatedly calculated according to impurity concentration. In this study, an approach estimating the activation was proposed using pre-evaluated nuclide's contribution to reduce the calculation time and effort of worker. In this study, in order to reduce the calculation time and effort of worker, activation analysis method based on pre-evaluated nuclide contribution was proposed. This method was verified using concreate activation problem, which is located in nuclear power plant. The results show that our proposed method has good agreement with Bateman equation.

  13. A QFD-Based Evaluation Method for Business Models of Product Service Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tianyang Li

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Organizations have been approaching Product Service Systems (PSS in unoptimized business model fashions. This is partially because there is ineffective evaluation of PSS business models. Therefore, a more sufficient evaluation method might advance the evaluation of PSS business models and assist organizations that are considering a servitisation strategy. In this paper, we develop a value oriented method by using the Quality Function Deployment (QFD technique to employ correlations derived from the design information of PSS business models to evaluate these PSS business models. We describe the method applying steps and its practical application in a real life case study. This method improves the formulation of an evaluation step within a design process of PSS business models based on correlations of different dimensions of the PSS value and PSS business models; it allows a balance between the customer value and organization value that are delivered by PSS business models to be made quantitatively. Finally, it fosters the effective utilization of the design information accumulated in the earlier part of the design process to quantitatively evaluate whether a PSS business model is optimized for providing appropriate values for customers and organizations.

  14. Comparative Evaluations of Four Specification Methods for Real-Time Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-12-01

    December 1989 Comparative Evaluations of Four Specification Methods for Real - Time Systems David P. Wood William G. Wood Specification and Design Methods...Methods for Real - Time Systems Abstract: A number of methods have been proposed in the last decade for the specification of system and software requirements...and software specification for real - time systems . Our process for the identification of methods that meet the above criteria is described in greater

  15. Epoetin alfa improves anemia and anemia-related, patient-reported outcomes in patients with breast cancer receiving myelotoxic chemotherapy: Results of a european, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    P. Pronzato (Paolo); E. Cortesi (Enrico); C.C.D. van der Rijt (Carin); A. Bols (Alain); J.A. Moreno-Nogueira (José); C.F. de Oliveira; P. Barrett-Lee (Peter); P.J. Ostler (Peter); R. Rosso (Ricardo)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractPurpose. To evaluate the effects of epoetin alfa on patient- reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with breast cancer receiving myelotoxic chemotherapy. Materials and Methods. Women with hemoglobin concentrations ≤12.0 g/dl and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status

  16. Comparison of Two Different Methods Used for Semen Evaluation: Analysis of Semen Samples from 1,055 Men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinçer, Murat; Kucukdurmaz, Faruk; Salabas, Emre; Ortac, Mazhar; Aktan, Gulsan; Kadioglu, Ates

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is a difference between gravimetrically and volumetrically measured semen samples and to assess the impact of semen volume, density, and sperm count on the discrepancy between gravimetric and volumetric methods. This study was designed in an andrology laboratory setting and performed on semen samples of 1,055 men receiving infertility treatment. Semen volume was calculated by gravimetric and volumetric methods. The total sperm count, semen density and sperm viability were also examined according to recent version of World Health Organization manual. The median values for gravimetric and volumetric measurements were 3.44 g and 2.96 ml respectively. The numeric difference in semen volume between 2 methods was 0.48. The mean density of samples was 1.01 ± 0.46 g/ml (range 0.90-2.0 g/ml). The numeric difference between 2 methods gets higher as semen volume increases (p semen volume measurements were strongly correlated for all samples and for each subgroup of semen volume, semen density and sperm count, with minimum correlation coefficient of 0.895 (p semen volume increases. However, further studies are needed to offer the use of gravimetrical method, which was thought to minimize laboratory errors, particularly for a high amount of semen samples. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  17. An evaluation of a UAV guidance system with consumer grade GPS receivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Abigail Stella

    Remote sensing has been demonstrated an important tool in agricultural and natural resource management and research applications, however there are limitations that exist with traditional platforms (i.e., hand held sensors, linear moves, vehicle mounted, airplanes, remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites). Rapid technological advances in electronics, computers, software applications, and the aerospace industry have dramatically reduced the cost and increased the availability of remote sensing technologies. Remote sensing imagery vary in spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions and are available from numerous providers. Appendix A presented results of a test project that acquired high-resolution aerial photography with a RPV to map the boundary of a 0.42 km2 fire area. The project mapped the boundaries of the fire area from a mosaic of the aerial images collected and compared this with ground-based measurements. The project achieved a 92.4% correlation between the aerial assessment and the ground truth data. Appendix B used multi-objective analysis to quantitatively assess the tradeoffs between different sensor platform attributes to identify the best overall technology. Experts were surveyed to identify the best overall technology at three different pixel sizes. Appendix C evaluated the positional accuracy of a relatively low cost UAV designed for high resolution remote sensing of small areas in order to determine the positional accuracy of sensor readings. The study evaluated the accuracy and uncertainty of a UAV flight route with respect to the programmed waypoints and of the UAV's GPS position, respectively. In addition, the potential displacement of sensor data was evaluated based on (1) GPS measurements on board the aircraft and (2) the autopilot's circuit board with 3-axis gyros and accelerometers (i.e., roll, pitch, and yaw). The accuracies were estimated based on a 95% confidence interval or similar methods. The

  18. Application of Sol-Gel Method as a Protective Layer on a Specular Reflective Surface for Secondary Reflector in a Solar Receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Afrin, Samia; Dagdelen, John; Ma, Zhiwen; Kumar, Vinod

    2017-01-01

    Highly-specular reflective surfaces that can withstand elevated-temperatures are desirable for many applications including reflective heat shielding in solar receivers and secondary reflectors, which can be used between primary concentrators and heat collectors. A high-efficiency, high-temperature solar receiver design based on arrays of cavities needs a highly-specular reflective surface on its front section to help sunlight penetrate into the absorber tubes for effective flux spreading. Since this application is for high-temperature solar receivers, this surface needs to be durable and to maintain its optical properties through the usable life. Degradation mechanisms associated with elevated temperatures and thermal cycling, which include cracking, delamination, corrosion/oxidation, and environmental effects, could cause the optical properties of surfaces to degrade rapidly in these conditions. Protected mirror surfaces for these applications have been tested by depositing a thin layer of SiO2 on top of electrodeposited silver by means of the sol-gel method. To obtain an effective thin film structure, this sol-gel procedure has been investigated extensively by varying process parameters that affect film porosity and thickness. Endurance tests have been performed in a furnace at 150 degrees C for thousands of hours. This paper presents the sol-gel process for intermediate-temperature specular reflective coatings and provides the long-term reliability test results of sol-gel protected silver-coated surfaces.

  19. Advanced methods in evaluation of thermal power systems effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnak, N.; Jakubcek, P.; Zadrazil, J.

    1993-01-01

    The universal method for thermodynamic systems process irreversibility evaluation based on exergetic approach is elaborated in this article. The method uses the basic property of exergy as extensive state parameter -additivity. Division of the system onto some hierarchic levels is considered and relation between exergetic system characteristics and its parts is defined. There are system structure coefficients in common form expressed article they are analysed. The criteria for technical and economical optimization of the system using expressed structure coefficients are defined. In the article, there are common approaches defined for the method application in the area of nuclear power plant secondary circuits and the method is used for nuclear power plant WWER-1000 secondary circuit analysis. For this, individual exergetic characteristics of secondary circuit and its parts are expressed and some of secondary circuit parameters are optimized. Proposals for practical realisation of the results are stated in the conclusions of the article, mainly in the area of computerized evaluation of technical and economical parameters of nuclear power plant and effectiveness of its operation

  20. Durability evaluation method on rebar corrosion of reinforced concrete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitsutaka, Yoshinori

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, method on the durability evaluation in nuclear power plant concrete structures was investigated. In view of the importance of evaluating the degree of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures, relationships should be formulated among the number of years elapsed, t, the amount of action of a deteriorative factor, F, the degree of material deterioration, D, and the performance of the structure, P. Evaluation by PDFt diagrams combining these relationships may be effective. A detailed procedure of durability evaluation for a reinforced concrete structure using PDFt concept is presented for the deterioration of rebar corrosion caused by neutralization and penetration of salinity by referring to the recent papers. (author)

  1. Evaluation of adverse events in atomic bomb survivors receiving curative-intent radiation therapy from 2005 to 2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doi, Yoshiko; Murakami, Yuji; Kenjo, Masahiro; Imano, Nobuki; Kimura, Tomoki; Nagata, Yasushi

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the safety of radiation therapy (RT) in atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors (ABS), we evaluated the frequency of RT-associated adverse events (AEs) in ABS. We selected patients who underwent curative external-beam RT (EBRT) at Hiroshima University Hospital between January 2005 and December 2010 and were born before August 1946; the patients were divided into ABS and non-ABS groups, which groups received identical treatments without stratification. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 220 ABS and 753 non-ABS patients. The median age was 72 years. The median observation durations were 41 and 37 months for the ABS and non-ABS groups, respectively. The ABS group had higher frequencies of women, breast cancer patients, and concurrent chemotherapy and had a lower incidence of only acute hematological AEs. However this tendency disappeared when breast cancer patients were excluded, and no significant differences were observed between the ABS and non-ABS groups regarding Grade ⩾ 3 other acute and late AEs. The overall cumulative incidence of Grade ⩾ 3 late AEs did not significantly differ between the ABS and non-ABS groups. Notable increases in AEs were not observed during or after RT among ABS. This study clarified that stratification is not required when treating ABS with RT. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Field evaluation of personal sampling methods for multiple bioaerosols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chi-Hsun; Chen, Bean T; Han, Bor-Cheng; Liu, Andrew Chi-Yeu; Hung, Po-Chen; Chen, Chih-Yong; Chao, Hsing Jasmine

    2015-01-01

    Ambient bioaerosols are ubiquitous in the daily environment and can affect health in various ways. However, few studies have been conducted to comprehensively evaluate personal bioaerosol exposure in occupational and indoor environments because of the complex composition of bioaerosols and the lack of standardized sampling/analysis methods. We conducted a study to determine the most efficient collection/analysis method for the personal exposure assessment of multiple bioaerosols. The sampling efficiencies of three filters and four samplers were compared. According to our results, polycarbonate (PC) filters had the highest relative efficiency, particularly for bacteria. Side-by-side sampling was conducted to evaluate the three filter samplers (with PC filters) and the NIOSH Personal Bioaerosol Cyclone Sampler. According to the results, the Button Aerosol Sampler and the IOM Inhalable Dust Sampler had the highest relative efficiencies for fungi and bacteria, followed by the NIOSH sampler. Personal sampling was performed in a pig farm to assess occupational bioaerosol exposure and to evaluate the sampling/analysis methods. The Button and IOM samplers yielded a similar performance for personal bioaerosol sampling at the pig farm. However, the Button sampler is more likely to be clogged at high airborne dust concentrations because of its higher flow rate (4 L/min). Therefore, the IOM sampler is a more appropriate choice for performing personal sampling in environments with high dust levels. In summary, the Button and IOM samplers with PC filters are efficient sampling/analysis methods for the personal exposure assessment of multiple bioaerosols.

  3. Bayesian Recovery of Clipped OFDM Signals: A Receiver-based Approach

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Rabah, Abdullatif R.

    2013-05-01

    Recently, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) has been adopted for high-speed wireless communications due to its robustness against multipath fading. However, one of the main fundamental drawbacks of OFDM systems is the high peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR). Several techniques have been proposed for PAPR reduction. Most of these techniques require transmitter-based (pre-compensated) processing. On the other hand, receiver-based alternatives would save the power and reduce the transmitter complexity. By keeping this in mind, a possible approach is to limit the amplitude of the OFDM signal to a predetermined threshold and equivalently a sparse clipping signal is added. Then, estimating this clipping signal at the receiver to recover the original signal. In this work, we propose a Bayesian receiver-based low-complexity clipping signal recovery method for PAPR reduction. The method is able to i) effectively reduce the PAPR via simple clipping scheme at the transmitter side, ii) use Bayesian recovery algorithm to reconstruct the clipping signal at the receiver side by measuring part of subcarriers, iii) perform well in the absence of statistical information about the signal (e.g. clipping level) and the noise (e.g. noise variance), and at the same time iv is energy efficient due to its low complexity. Specifically, the proposed recovery technique is implemented in data-aided based. The data-aided method collects clipping information by measuring reliable 
data subcarriers, thus makes full use of spectrum for data transmission without the need for tone reservation. The study is extended further to discuss how to improve the recovery of the clipping signal utilizing some features of practical OFDM systems i.e., the oversampling and the presence of multiple receivers. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed technique over other recovery algorithms. The overall objective is to show that the receiver-based Bayesian technique is highly

  4. An Energy Efficiency Evaluation Method Based on Energy Baseline for Chemical Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong-mei Yao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the requirements and structure of ISO 50001 energy management system, this study proposes an energy efficiency evaluation method based on energy baseline for chemical industry. Using this method, the energy plan implementation effect in the processes of chemical production can be evaluated quantitatively, and evidences for system fault diagnosis can be provided. This method establishes the energy baseline models which can meet the demand of the different kinds of production processes and gives the general solving method of each kind of model according to the production data. Then the energy plan implementation effect can be evaluated and also whether the system is running normally can be determined through the baseline model. Finally, this method is used on cracked gas compressor unit of ethylene plant in some petrochemical enterprise; it can be proven that this method is correct and practical.

  5. Statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup standards

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gilbert, R.O.; Simpson, J.C.

    1992-12-01

    This document is the third volume in a series of volumes sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Statistical Policy Branch, that provide statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup Standards at Superfund sites. Volume 1 (USEPA 1989a) provides sampling designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for soils and solid media. Volume 2 (USEPA 1992) provides designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for groundwater. The purpose of this third volume is to provide statistical procedures for designing sampling programs and conducting statistical tests to determine whether pollution parameters in remediated soils and solid media at Superfund sites attain site-specific reference-based standards. This.document is written for individuals who may not have extensive training or experience with statistical methods. The intended audience includes EPA regional remedial project managers, Superfund-site potentially responsible parties, state environmental protection agencies, and contractors for these groups.

  6. User Experience Evaluation Methods in Product Development (UXEM'09)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roto, Virpi; Väänänen-Vainio-Mattila, Kaisa; Law, Effie; Vermeeren, Arnold

    High quality user experience (UX) has become a central competitive factor of product development in mature consumer markets [1]. Although the term UX originated from industry and is a widely used term also in academia, the tools for managing UX in product development are still inadequate. A prerequisite for designing delightful UX in an industrial setting is to understand both the requirements tied to the pragmatic level of functionality and interaction and the requirements pertaining to the hedonic level of personal human needs, which motivate product use [2]. Understanding these requirements helps managers set UX targets for product development. The next phase in a good user-centered design process is to iteratively design and evaluate prototypes [3]. Evaluation is critical for systematically improving UX. In many approaches to UX, evaluation basically needs to be postponed until the product is fully or at least almost fully functional. However, in an industrial setting, it is very expensive to find the UX failures only at this phase of product development. Thus, product development managers and developers have a strong need to conduct UX evaluation as early as possible, well before all the parts affecting the holistic experience are available. Different types of products require evaluation on different granularity and maturity levels of a prototype. For example, due to its multi-user characteristic, a community service or an enterprise resource planning system requires a broader scope of UX evaluation than a microwave oven or a word processor that is meant for a single user at a time. Before systematic UX evaluation can be taken into practice, practical, lightweight UX evaluation methods suitable for different types of products and different phases of product readiness are needed. A considerable amount of UX research is still about the conceptual frameworks and models for user experience [4]. Besides, applying existing usability evaluation methods (UEMs) without

  7. A biosegmentation benchmark for evaluation of bioimage analysis methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kvilekval Kristian

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background We present a biosegmentation benchmark that includes infrastructure, datasets with associated ground truth, and validation methods for biological image analysis. The primary motivation for creating this resource comes from the fact that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for an end-user to choose from a wide range of segmentation methods available in the literature for a particular bioimaging problem. No single algorithm is likely to be equally effective on diverse set of images and each method has its own strengths and limitations. We hope that our benchmark resource would be of considerable help to both the bioimaging researchers looking for novel image processing methods and image processing researchers exploring application of their methods to biology. Results Our benchmark consists of different classes of images and ground truth data, ranging in scale from subcellular, cellular to tissue level, each of which pose their own set of challenges to image analysis. The associated ground truth data can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of different methods, to improve methods and to compare results. Standard evaluation methods and some analysis tools are integrated into a database framework that is available online at http://bioimage.ucsb.edu/biosegmentation/. Conclusion This online benchmark will facilitate integration and comparison of image analysis methods for bioimages. While the primary focus is on biological images, we believe that the dataset and infrastructure will be of interest to researchers and developers working with biological image analysis, image segmentation and object tracking in general.

  8. A Web-based Alternative Non-animal Method Database for Safety Cosmetic Evaluations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seung Won; Kim, Bae-Hwan

    2016-07-01

    Animal testing was used traditionally in the cosmetics industry to confirm product safety, but has begun to be banned; alternative methods to replace animal experiments are either in development, or are being validated, worldwide. Research data related to test substances are critical for developing novel alternative tests. Moreover, safety information on cosmetic materials has neither been collected in a database nor shared among researchers. Therefore, it is imperative to build and share a database of safety information on toxicological mechanisms and pathways collected through in vivo, in vitro, and in silico methods. We developed the CAMSEC database (named after the research team; the Consortium of Alternative Methods for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics) to fulfill this purpose. On the same website, our aim is to provide updates on current alternative research methods in Korea. The database will not be used directly to conduct safety evaluations, but researchers or regulatory individuals can use it to facilitate their work in formulating safety evaluations for cosmetic materials. We hope this database will help establish new alternative research methods to conduct efficient safety evaluations of cosmetic materials.

  9. Sensitivity evaluation of dynamic speckle activity measurements using clustering methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Etchepareborda, Pablo; Federico, Alejandro; Kaufmann, Guillermo H.

    2010-01-01

    We evaluate and compare the use of competitive neural networks, self-organizing maps, the expectation-maximization algorithm, K-means, and fuzzy C-means techniques as partitional clustering methods, when the sensitivity of the activity measurement of dynamic speckle images needs to be improved. The temporal history of the acquired intensity generated by each pixel is analyzed in a wavelet decomposition framework, and it is shown that the mean energy of its corresponding wavelet coefficients provides a suited feature space for clustering purposes. The sensitivity obtained by using the evaluated clustering techniques is also compared with the well-known methods of Konishi-Fujii, weighted generalized differences, and wavelet entropy. The performance of the partitional clustering approach is evaluated using simulated dynamic speckle patterns and also experimental data.

  10. Study on Mechanism Experiments and Evaluation Methods for Water Eutrophication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiabin Yu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The process of water eutrophication involves the interaction of external factors, nutrients, microorganisms, and other factors. It is complex and has not yet been effectively studied. To examine the formation process of water eutrophication, a set of orthogonal experiments with three factors and four levels is designed to analyze the key factors. At the same time, with the help of a large amount of monitoring data, the principal component analysis method is used to extract the main components of water eutrophication and determine the effective evaluation indicators of eutrophication. Finally, the Bayesian theory of uncertainty is applied to the evaluation of the eutrophication process to evaluate the sample data. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the research method.

  11. Multi-centred mixed-methods PEPFAR HIV care & support public health evaluation: study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fayers Peter

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A public health response is essential to meet the multidimensional needs of patients and families affected by HIV disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to appraise curret provision of HIV care and support in East Africa, and to provide evidence-based direction to future care programming, and Public Health Evaluation was commissioned by the PEPFAR programme of the US Government. Methods/Design This paper described the 2-Phase international mixed methods study protocol utilising longitudinal outcome measurement, surveys, patient and family qualitative interviews and focus groups, staff qualitative interviews, health economics and document analysis. Aim 1 To describe the nature and scope of HIV care and support in two African countries, including the types of facilities available, clients seen, and availability of specific components of care [Study Phase 1]. Aim 2 To determine patient health outcomes over time and principle cost drivers [Study Phase 2]. The study objectives are as follows. 1 To undertake a cross-sectional survey of service configuration and activity by sampling 10% of the facilities being funded by PEPFAR to provide HIV care and support in Kenya and Uganda (Phase 1 in order to describe care currently provided, including pharmacy drug reviews to determine availability and supply of essential drugs in HIV management. 2 To conduct patient focus group discussions at each of these (Phase 1 to determine care received. 3 To undertake a longitudinal prospective study of 1200 patients who are newly diagnosed with HIV or patients with HIV who present with a new problem attending PEPFAR care and support services. Data collection includes self-reported quality of life, core palliative outcomes and components of care received (Phase 2. 4 To conduct qualitative interviews with staff, patients and carers in order to explore and understand service issues and care provision in more depth (Phase 2. 5 To undertake document

  12. Receiver operating characteristics of diagnostic efficacy of resting left ventricular performance (evaluating with a non-imaging ECG gated scintillation detector - nuclear stethoscope)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kotlyarov, E.V.; Reba, R.C.; Lindsay, J.

    1983-01-01

    Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of left ventricular performance at rest was applied to evaluate diagnostic utility of non-imaging nuclear detector (''Nuclear Stethoscope''), for screening patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Thirty-one patients without CAD and normal rest and stress radionuclide ventriculography (MUGA) were used as a control group. Another 62 patients with abnormal left ventricular reserve and segmental wall motion abnormalities at rest were also studied. All 93 patients were studied with the Nuclear Stethoscope (30 minutes after conventional MUGA testing) both in beat-to-beat and gated equilibrium modes. ROC analysis showed that along with ejection fraction, stroke and end-diastolic volumes, evaluation of the left ventricular filling phase has a great potential for the identification of patients with a segmental wall motion abnormality and, therefore, significant CAD

  13. Evaluation of the effect of various parameters on the amount of radiation dose received by family members after 131-I therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarkar, S.; Dehghanpour, M.; Saghari, M.; Ghiasinezhad, M.

    2001-01-01

    The main concern with respect to discharge of patients from hospital after 131-I therapy is contamination of their surroundings and exposure of people who are in close contact with them. In this study, we evaluated absorbed dose received by home mates of these patients within one week of discharge from hospital. This study was based on 100 patients (23 patients with thyroid cancer together with 70 members of their families and 2 hyperthyroid patients plus 5 of their family members). Measurements were performed by TLD. Patients were discharged from hospital if the dose rate from a meter distance of their thyroid was below 20 μSv/hr (ICRP-60). The hospitalization period for those patients with thyroid cancer varied between 2-3 days (depending on the amount of radioactivity received). Hyperthyroid patients were treated as outpatients. Our data indicate that although hyperthyroid patients received much less activity in comparison to those with thyroid cancer, but due to the slow iodine discharge rate from their bodies, they radiated more to their surroundings. For patients with thyroid cancer, when the given activity increased from 100 mCi to 150 mCi, the average dose absorbed by their family members increased by a factor of 3. The duration of hospitalization as well as the amount of activity given to the patients have a significant effect on the amount of radiation dose received by the family members. In a group of patients who received 100 mCi of 131-I, the average radiation dose received by the family members of those patients who were hospitalized for 2 days were 1.5 times more than of those patients who were hospitalized for 3 days, whereas following therapy with 150 mCi of 131-Iodine, the average radiation dose received by the family members of those patients who were hospitalized for 2 days were about 6.5 times more than that of those who were hospitalized for 3 days. The size of the patient's house and the time that family spends with the patient at house are

  14. A method for evaluating dynamical friction in linear ball bearings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Yusaku; Maru, Koichi; Jin, Tao; Yupapin, Preecha P; Mitatha, Somsak

    2010-01-01

    A method is proposed for evaluating the dynamical friction of linear bearings, whose motion is not perfectly linear due to some play in its internal mechanism. In this method, the moving part of a linear bearing is made to move freely, and the force acting on the moving part is measured as the inertial force given by the product of its mass and the acceleration of its centre of gravity. To evaluate the acceleration of its centre of gravity, the acceleration of two different points on it is measured using a dual-axis optical interferometer.

  15. Use of Thermoanalytic Methods in the Evaluation of Combusted Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    František Krepelka

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes possibilities of using thermoanalytic methods for the evaluation and comparison of materials designed for a direct combustion. Differential thermal analysis (DTA and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA were both used in the evaluation. The paper includes a description of methods of data processing from analyses for the purposes of comparison of used materials regarding their heating values. The following materials were analysed in the experiments: wooden coal of objectional grain size, fly ash from heating plant exhaust funnels, dendromass waste: spruce sawdust, micro-briquettes of spruce sawdust and fly-ash combined.

  16. Radiation doses received by premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thierry-Chef, I.; Maccia, C.; Thierry-Chef, I.; Laurier, D.; Tirmarche, M.; Costil, J.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose. Because of frequent radiological investigations performed in 1 neonatal intensive care unit, a dosimetry study was carried out to assess the level of doses received by premature babies. Materials and methods. In vivo measurements were performed and effective doses were evaluated for single radiographs. Individual cumulative doses received over the period of stay were then estimated, for each premature baby entering the intensive care unit in 2002, taking into account the number of radiographs they underwent. Results. On average, babies stayed for a week and more than one radio-graph was taken per day. Results showed that, even if average doses per radiograph were relatively low (25μSv), cumulative doses strongly depended on the length of stay, and can reach a few mSv. Conclusion. Even if doses per radiograph are in agreement with European recommendations, optimisation of doses is particularly important because premature babies are more sensitive to radiation than adults and because they usually undergo further radiological examinations in other services. On the basis of the results of this dosimetry study, the implementation of a larger study is being discussed. (author)

  17. Instrumentation and quantitative methods of evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beck, R.N.; Cooper, M.D.

    1991-01-01

    This report summarizes goals and accomplishments of the research program entitled Instrumentation and Quantitative Methods of Evaluation, during the period January 15, 1989 through July 15, 1991. This program is very closely integrated with the radiopharmaceutical program entitled Quantitative Studies in Radiopharmaceutical Science. Together, they constitute the PROGRAM OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND QUANTITATIVE IMAGING RESEARCH within The Franklin McLean Memorial Research Institute (FMI). The program addresses problems involving the basic science and technology that underlie the physical and conceptual tools of radiotracer methodology as they relate to the measurement of structural and functional parameters of physiologic importance in health and disease. The principal tool is quantitative radionuclide imaging. The objective of this program is to further the development and transfer of radiotracer methodology from basic theory to routine clinical practice. The focus of the research is on the development of new instruments and radiopharmaceuticals, and the evaluation of these through the phase of clinical feasibility. 234 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs

  18. Evaluation Methods of the Academic Achievement of Students Ilam University of Medical Sciences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirzaei AR

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Aims: Academic achievement exams have long played an important role in education and so have been always judged, reviewed and restudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of different types of academic achievement exams (evaluation methods by faculty of Ilam University of Medical Sciences. Instrument & Methods: In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, faculty members of Ilam University of Medical Sciences in the second semester of 2013-14 academic year (N=90 were studied by total counting. Data were gathered by a researcher made questionnaire by 29 questions that was assessing the application level of educational progress evaluation methods by faculty members. For data analysis, SPSS 16 software was used and descriptive and inferential statistics (Student T test and one-way ANOVA were performed. Findings: 76 of participants (93.8% placed a greater emphasis on the final exam. The most widely used methods for students' progress evaluation was multiple-choice questions (93.8% n=76, and low used assessment method was 360 degree evaluation (4.9% n=4. Comparing of mean scores of participants based on gender and academic degree, were not showed a significant differences, but comparison of the mean scores of participants based on faculty showed a significant difference (p<0.05. Conclusion: With respect to faculty member's emphasis on use and application of the final evaluation results and preferably less effort and common procedures, as well as less variety of evaluation methods of students' progress, paying attention to the new methods of educational achievement evaluation and implementation training courses for teachers is essential.

  19. Research on advancement of method for evaluating aseismatic ability of rock discontinuity plane in ground and surrounding slopes of nuclear power facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kusunose, Kinichiro; Cho, Akio; Takahashi, Manabu; Kamai, Toshitaka

    1997-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to carry out the technical development required for exploring with high accuracy the distribution and shapes of the discontinuity planes in rocks in the ground and surrounding cut-off slopes of nuclear power facilities, and to advance the techniques of interpreting and evaluating quantitatively the stability against earthquakes of the discontinuity planes. This research consists of two themes: the research on the method of investigating the three-dimensional distribution of the crevices in the ground and the research on the method of evaluating the aseismatic ability in the slopes. As for the first theme, one of the techniques for exploring underground structure with elastic waves, tomography, is explained, and the development of the 12 channel receiver and the program for the multi-channel analysis and processing of waveform are reported. As for the second theme, the stability analysis was carried out on three actual cases of landslide. The equation for stability analysis is shown, and the results are reported. The strength at the time of forming separation plane gives the most proper result. (K.I.)

  20. Evaluation of the Risk of Grade 3 Oral and Pharyngeal Dysphagia Using Atlas-Based Method and Multivariate Analyses of Individual Patient Dose Distributions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Otter, Sophie [Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton and London (United Kingdom); Schick, Ulrike; Gulliford, Sarah [Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton and London (United Kingdom); The Institute of Cancer Research, London (United Kingdom); Lal, Punita [Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow India (India); Franceschini, Davide [Department of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery, Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan (Italy); Newbold, Katie; Nutting, Christopher; Harrington, Kevin [Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton and London (United Kingdom); The Institute of Cancer Research, London (United Kingdom); Bhide, Shreerang, E-mail: shreerang.bhide@icr.ac.uk [Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton and London (United Kingdom); The Institute of Cancer Research, London (United Kingdom); Department of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery, Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan (Italy)

    2015-11-01

    Purpose: The study aimed to apply the atlas of complication incidence (ACI) method to patients receiving radical treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), to generate constraints based on dose-volume histograms (DVHs), and to identify clinical and dosimetric parameters that predict the risk of grade 3 oral mucositis (g3OM) and pharyngeal dysphagia (g3PD). Methods and Materials: Oral and pharyngeal mucosal DVHs were generated for 253 patients who received radiation (RT) or chemoradiation (CRT). They were used to produce ACI for g3OM and g3PD. Multivariate analysis (MVA) of the effect of dosimetry, clinical, and patient-related variables was performed using logistic regression and bootstrapping. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was also performed, and the Youden index was used to find volume constraints that discriminated between volumes that predicted for toxicity. Results: We derived statistically significant dose-volume constraints for g3OM over the range v28 to v70. Only 3 statistically significant constraints were derived for g3PD v67, v68, and v69. On MVA, mean dose to the oral mucosa predicted for g3OM and concomitant chemotherapy and mean dose to the inferior constrictor (IC) predicted for g3PD. Conclusions: We have used the ACI method to evaluate incidences of g3OM and g3PD and ROC analysis to generate constraints to predict g3OM and g3PD derived from entire individual patient DVHs. On MVA, the strongest predictors were radiation dose (for g3OM) and concomitant chemotherapy (for g3PD).

  1. Evaluation method for the drying performance of enzyme containing formulations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sloth, Jakob; Bach, P.; Jensen, Anker Degn

    2008-01-01

    A method is presented for fast and cheap evaluation of the performance of enzyme containing formulations in terms of preserving the highest enzyme activity during spray drying. The method is based on modeling the kinetics of the thermal inactivation reaction which occurs during the drying process....... Relevant kinetic parameters are determined from differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) experiments and the model is used to simulate the severity of the inactivation reaction for temperatures and moisture levels relevant for spray drying. After conducting experiments and subsequent simulations...... for a number of different formulations it may be deduced which formulation performs best. This is illustrated by a formulation design study where 4 different enzyme containing formulations are evaluated. The method is validated by comparison to pilot scale spray dryer experiments....

  2. Synthesis of digital locomotive receiver of automatic locomotive signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. V. Goncharov

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. Automatic locomotive signaling of continuous type with a numeric coding (ALSN has several disadvantages: a small number of signal indications, low noise stability, high inertia and low functional flexibility. Search for new and more advanced methods of signal processing for automatic locomotive signaling, synthesis of the noise proof digital locomotive receiver are essential. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of detection and identification locomotive signaling codes is based on the definition of mutual correlations of received oscillation and reference signals. For selecting threshold levels of decision element the following criterion has been formulated: the locomotive receiver should maximum set the correct solution for a given probability of dangerous errors. Findings. It has been found that the random nature of the ALSN signal amplitude does not affect the detection algorithm. However, the distribution law and numeric characteristics of signal amplitude affect the probability of errors, and should be considered when selecting a threshold levels According to obtained algorithm of detection and identification ALSN signals the digital locomotive receiver has been synthesized. It contains band pass filter, peak limiter, normalizing amplifier with automatic gain control circuit, analog to digital converter and digital signal processor. Originality. The ALSN system is improved by the way of the transfer of technical means to modern microelectronic element base, more perfect methods of detection and identification codes of locomotive signaling are applied. Practical value. Use of digital technology in the construction of the locomotive receiver ALSN will expand its functionality, will increase the noise immunity and operation stability of the locomotive signal system in conditions of various destabilizing factors.

  3. Conceptual Crossroads: Methods and Ethics in Ethnographic Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetterman, David M.

    1986-01-01

    The delicacy required of ethnographic work is nowhere more evident and more necessary than at the conceptual crossroads where methods and ethical decision making intersect. This paper addresses moments of decision and puts them into perspective by locating them within the lifecycle of ethnographic evaluation. (LMO)

  4. An integration weighting method to evaluate extremum coordinates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilyushchenko, V.I.

    1990-01-01

    The numerical version of the Laplace asymptotics has been used to evaluate the coordinates of extrema of multivariate continuous and discontinuous test functions. The performed computer experiments demonstrate the high efficiency of the integration method proposed. The saturating dependence of extremum coordinates on such parameters as a number of integration subregions and that of K going /theoretically/ to infinity has been studied in detail for the limitand being a ratio of two Laplace integrals with exponentiated K. The given method is an integral equivalent of that of weighted means. As opposed to the standard optimization methods of the zero, first and second order the proposed method can be successfully applied to optimize discontinuous objective functions, too. There are possibilities of applying the integration method in the cases, when the conventional techniques fail due to poor analytical properties of the objective functions near extremal points. The proposed method is efficient in searching for both local and global extrema of multimodal objective functions. 12 refs.; 4 tabs

  5. Microstructure analysis for quantification of Barkhausen noise method and nondestructive evaluation of fracture characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong Won; Kwon, Dong Il

    1999-01-01

    Barkhausen noise method as a magnetic nondestructive test has the advantages for evaluating the properties of magnetic material more precisely and high-sensitively compared to other magnetic NDT methods. For a long time Barkhausen noise method was applied to measure the bulk magnetic properties of magnetic materials and recently to evaluate microstructure, stress analysis, fatigue, creep, and fracture characteristics as a NDT method. But so far Barkhausen noise method has been used as evaluating orientation of material properties rather qualitatively. For this reason, many NDT testing methods have seldom been applied to industrial plants and laboratories. In this study we make experiments on the variation of Barkhausen noise as microstructure, and quantify Barkhausen noise(rms voltage) via formula of velocity of magnetic domain walls using coercive force as retarding force of domain wall movement. As a result, we could evaluate the microstructure of magnetic materials and trends of fracture toughness quantitatively by measuring Barkhausen noise, therefore directly evaluate microstructure and fracture toughness by Barkhausen noise method as accurate in-situ nondestructive testing method.

  6. Distributed sensing of ionospheric irregularities with a GNSS receiver array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Yang; Datta-Barua, Seebany; Bust, Gary S.; Deshpande, Kshitija B.

    2017-08-01

    We present analysis methods for studying the structuring and motion of ionospheric irregularities at the subkilometer scale sizes that produce L band scintillations. Spaced-receiver methods are used for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers' phase measurements over approximately subkilometer to kilometer length baselines for the first time. The quantities estimated by these techniques are plasma drift velocity, diffraction anisotropy magnitude and orientation, and characteristic velocity. Uncertainties are quantified by ensemble simulation of noise on the phase signals carried through to the observations of the spaced-receiver linear system. These covariances are then propagated through to uncertainties on drifts through linearization about the estimated values of the state. Five receivers of SAGA, the Scintillation Auroral Global Positioning System (GPS) Array, provide 100 Hz power and phase data for each channel at L1 frequency. The array is sited in the auroral zone at Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska. A case study of a single scintillating satellite observed by the array is used to demonstrate the spaced-receiver and uncertainty estimation process. A second case study estimates drifts as measured by multiple scintillating channels. These scintillations are correlated with auroral activity, based on all-sky camera images. Measurements and uncertainty estimates made over a 30 min period are compared to a collocated incoherent scatter radar and show good agreement in horizontal drift speed and direction during periods of scintillation for which the characteristic velocity is less than the drift velocity.

  7. Low-cost digital GPS receiver with software carrier detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, M. H.

    1988-08-01

    The satellite navigation system global positioning system (GPS) will play a major role in the field of navigation. It will be able to compete with all previously existing radio navigation systems. Low-cost receivers will be built for a number of civilian users, such as general aviation, sea and land navigation. To permit production at low cost for the civil market, a new technique for a C/A (course and acquisition) code receiver has been developed. All the signal detecting and processing is carried out with the digital signal processing software in a Texas Instruments TMS 320C10. The advantage of this method is that complex functions can be effected in a computer program instead of in analog or digital circuits. This reduces the costs of the parts used in the receiver and also avoids calibration. Taken together, these two features greatly reduce the price of a navigation set. This paper discusses the underlying principles leading to this new receiver.

  8. Simulation Pedagogy With Nurse Practitioner Students: Impact of Receiving Immediate Individualized Faculty Feedback.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossman, Sheila; Conelius, Jaclyn

    2015-01-01

    Family nurse practitioner (FNP) students must achieve basic competency in managing patients' primary care needs across the lifespan. Students in the FNP program have simulations integrated throughout their clinical theory courses to increase practice time with various patient cases. Students who received individualized faculty feedback immediately after self-evaluation of simulation performance showed statistically significantly increased knowledge (as evidenced by higher grades in course examinations and preceptor evaluations) than a control group of students who received feedback in a group class via a rubric grading guide 2-4 weeks after all students completed their individual simulations.

  9. A New Method for Fracturing Wells Reservoir Evaluation in Fractured Gas Reservoir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianchun Guo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Natural fracture is a geological phenomenon widely distributed in tight formation, and fractured gas reservoir stimulation effect mainly depends on the communication of natural fractures. Therefore it is necessary to carry out the evaluation of this reservoir and to find out the optimal natural fractures development wells. By analyzing the interactions and nonlinear relationships of the parameters, it establishes three-level index system of reservoir evaluation and proposes a new method for gas well reservoir evaluation model in fractured gas reservoir on the basis of fuzzy logic theory and multilevel gray correlation. For this method, the Gaussian membership functions to quantify the degree of every factor in the decision-making system and the multilevel gray relation to determine the weight of each parameter on stimulation effect. Finally through fuzzy arithmetic operator between multilevel weights and fuzzy evaluation matrix, score, rank, the reservoir quality, and predicted production will be gotten. Result of this new method shows that the evaluation of the production coincidence rate reaches 80%, which provides a new way for fractured gas reservoir evaluation.

  10. Evaluation and perceived results of moral case deliberation: A mixed methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janssens, Rien M J P A; van Zadelhoff, Ezra; van Loo, Ger; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Molewijk, Bert A C

    2015-12-01

    Moral case deliberation is increasingly becoming part of various Dutch healthcare organizations. Although some evaluation studies of moral case deliberation have been carried out, research into the results of moral case deliberation within aged care is scarce. How did participants evaluate moral case deliberation? What has moral case deliberation brought to them? What has moral case deliberation contributed to care practice? Should moral case deliberation be further implemented and, if so, how? Quantitative analysis of a questionnaire study among participants of moral case deliberation, both caregivers and team leaders. Qualitative analysis of written answers to open questions, interview study and focus group meetings among caregivers and team leaders. Caregivers and team leaders in a large organization for aged care in the Netherlands. A total of 61 moral case deliberation sessions, carried out on 16 care locations belonging to the organization, were evaluated and perceived results were assessed. Participants gave informed consent and anonymity was guaranteed. In the Netherlands, the law does not prescribe independent ethical review by an Institutional Review Board for this kind of research among healthcare professionals. Moral case deliberation was evaluated positively by the participants. Content and atmosphere of moral case deliberation received high scores, while organizational issues regarding the moral case deliberation sessions scored lower and merit further attention. Respondents indicated that moral case deliberation has the potential to contribute to care practice as relationships among team members improve, more openness is experienced and more understanding for different perspectives is fostered. If moral case deliberation is to be successfully implemented, top-down approaches should go hand in hand with bottom-up approaches. The relevance of moral case deliberation for care practice received wide acknowledgement from the respondents. It can contribute

  11. Alternative prediction methods of protein and energy evaluation of pig feeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Święch, Ewa

    2017-01-01

    Precise knowledge of the actual nutritional value of individual feedstuffs and complete diets for pigs is important for efficient livestock production. Methods of assessment of protein and energy values in pig feeds have been briefly described. In vivo determination of protein and energy values of feeds in pigs are time-consuming, expensive and very often require the use of surgically-modified animals. There is a need for more simple, rapid, inexpensive and reproducible methods for routine feed evaluation. Protein and energy values of pig feeds can be estimated using the following alternative methods: 1) prediction equations based on chemical composition; 2) animal models as rats, cockerels and growing pigs for adult animals; 3) rapid methods, such as the mobile nylon bag technique and in vitro methods. Alternative methods developed for predicting the total tract and ileal digestibility of nutrients including amino acids in feedstuffs and diets for pigs have been reviewed. This article focuses on two in vitro methods that can be used for the routine evaluation of amino acid ileal digestibility and energy value of pig feeds and on factors affecting digestibility determined in vivo in pigs and by alternative methods. Validation of alternative methods has been carried out by comparing the results obtained using these methods with those acquired in vivo in pigs. In conclusion, energy and protein values of pig feeds may be estimated with satisfactory precision in rats and by the two- or three-step in vitro methods providing equations for the calculation of standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids and metabolizable energy content. The use of alternative methods of feed evaluation is an important way for reduction of stressful animal experiments.

  12. Design of shielded encircling send-receive type pulsed eddy current probe using numerical analysis method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shin, Young Kil [Dept. of Electircal Engineeirng, Kunsan National University, Kunsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-12-15

    An encircling send-receive type pulsed eddy current (PEC) probe is designed for use in aluminum tube inspection. When bare receive coils located away from the exciter were used, the peak time of the signal did not change although the distance from the exciter increased. This is because the magnetic flux from the exciter coil directly affects the receive coil signal. Therefore, in this work, both the exciter and the sensor coils were shielded in order to reduce the influence of direct flux from the exciter coil. Numerical simulation with the designed shielded encircling PEC probe showed the corresponding increase of the peak time as the sensor distance increased. Ferrite and carbon steel shields were compared and results of the ferrite shielding showed a slightly stronger peak value and a quicker peak time than those of the carbon steel shielding. Simulation results showed that the peak value increased as the defect size (such as depth and length) increased regardless of the sensor location. To decide a proper sensor location, the sensitivity of the peak value to defect size variation was investigated and found that the normalized peak value was more sensitive to defect size variation when the sensor was located closer to the exciter.

  13. Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

    2017-01-01

    In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process.

  14. Graphene radio frequency receiver integrated circuit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Shu-Jen; Garcia, Alberto Valdes; Oida, Satoshi; Jenkins, Keith A; Haensch, Wilfried

    2014-01-01

    Graphene has attracted much interest as a future channel material in radio frequency electronics because of its superior electrical properties. Fabrication of a graphene integrated circuit without significantly degrading transistor performance has proven to be challenging, posing one of the major bottlenecks to compete with existing technologies. Here we present a fabrication method fully preserving graphene transistor quality, demonstrated with the implementation of a high-performance three-stage graphene integrated circuit. The circuit operates as a radio frequency receiver performing signal amplification, filtering and downconversion mixing. All circuit components are integrated into 0.6 mm(2) area and fabricated on 200 mm silicon wafers, showing the unprecedented graphene circuit complexity and silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process compatibility. The demonstrated circuit performance allow us to use graphene integrated circuit to perform practical wireless communication functions, receiving and restoring digital text transmitted on a 4.3-GHz carrier signal.

  15. Field evaluation of personal sampling methods for multiple bioaerosols.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chi-Hsun Wang

    Full Text Available Ambient bioaerosols are ubiquitous in the daily environment and can affect health in various ways. However, few studies have been conducted to comprehensively evaluate personal bioaerosol exposure in occupational and indoor environments because of the complex composition of bioaerosols and the lack of standardized sampling/analysis methods. We conducted a study to determine the most efficient collection/analysis method for the personal exposure assessment of multiple bioaerosols. The sampling efficiencies of three filters and four samplers were compared. According to our results, polycarbonate (PC filters had the highest relative efficiency, particularly for bacteria. Side-by-side sampling was conducted to evaluate the three filter samplers (with PC filters and the NIOSH Personal Bioaerosol Cyclone Sampler. According to the results, the Button Aerosol Sampler and the IOM Inhalable Dust Sampler had the highest relative efficiencies for fungi and bacteria, followed by the NIOSH sampler. Personal sampling was performed in a pig farm to assess occupational bioaerosol exposure and to evaluate the sampling/analysis methods. The Button and IOM samplers yielded a similar performance for personal bioaerosol sampling at the pig farm. However, the Button sampler is more likely to be clogged at high airborne dust concentrations because of its higher flow rate (4 L/min. Therefore, the IOM sampler is a more appropriate choice for performing personal sampling in environments with high dust levels. In summary, the Button and IOM samplers with PC filters are efficient sampling/analysis methods for the personal exposure assessment of multiple bioaerosols.

  16. Determining skeletal maturation stage using cervical vertebrae: evaluation of three diagnostic methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luci Mara Fachardo Jaqueira

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to compare the use of three cervical vertebral evaluation methods (Hassel-Farman, Baccetti et al., and Seedat-Forsberg for determinating skeletal maturation stage in orthodontic patients. Twenty-three radiographs were randomly selected from a private orthodontic practice. Each radiograph was analyzed on three separate occasions by four evaluators (one radiologist and three orthodontists, who determined the skeletal maturation stage using the references established by each of the three methods. Intraevaluator and interevaluator comparisons were performed, and the degree of agreement was established using the weighted Kappa coefficient (95% CI. Good agreement (Kappa between 0.61 and 0.80 was observed between the determinations of most of the evaluators. The three methods demonstrated clinical applicability. However, the method proposed by Baccetti et al. achieved the best results, followed by the Hassel-Farman and the Seedat-Forsberg methods.

  17. Reliability Evaluation of Bridges Based on Nonprobabilistic Response Surface Limit Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuyong Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to many uncertainties in nonprobabilistic reliability assessment of bridges, the limit state function is generally unknown. The traditional nonprobabilistic response surface method is a lengthy and oscillating iteration process and leads to difficultly solving the nonprobabilistic reliability index. This article proposes a nonprobabilistic response surface limit method based on the interval model. The intention of this method is to solve the upper and lower limits of the nonprobabilistic reliability index and to narrow the range of the nonprobabilistic reliability index. If the range of the reliability index reduces to an acceptable accuracy, the solution will be considered convergent, and the nonprobabilistic reliability index will be obtained. The case study indicates that using the proposed method can avoid oscillating iteration process, make iteration process stable and convergent, reduce iteration steps significantly, and improve computational efficiency and precision significantly compared with the traditional nonprobabilistic response surface method. Finally, the nonprobabilistic reliability evaluation process of bridge will be built through evaluating the reliability of one PC continuous rigid frame bridge with three spans using the proposed method, which appears to be more simple and reliable when lack of samples and parameters in the bridge nonprobabilistic reliability evaluation is present.

  18. Low-complexity video encoding method for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takizawa, Kenichi; Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a low-complexity video encoding method applicable for wireless image transmission in capsule endoscopes. This encoding method is based on Wyner-Ziv theory, in which side information available at a transmitter is treated as side information at its receiver. Therefore complex processes in video encoding, such as estimation of the motion vector, are moved to the receiver side, which has a larger-capacity battery. As a result, the encoding process is only to decimate coded original data through channel coding. We provide a performance evaluation for a low-density parity check (LDPC) coding method in the AWGN channel.

  19. A flexible WLAN receiver

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schiphorst, Roelof; Hoeksema, F.W.; Slump, Cornelis H.

    2003-01-01

    Flexible radio receivers are also called Software Defined Radios (SDRs) [1], [2]. The focus of our SDR project [3] is on designing the front end, from antenna to demodulation in bits, of a °exible, multi-standard WLAN receiver. We try to combine an instance of a (G)FSK receiver (Bluetooth) with an

  20. Evaluation of three methods of platelet labelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mortelmans, L.; Verbruggen, A.; Roo, M. de; Vermylen, J.

    1986-01-01

    The study of the kinetics of labelled platelets makes sense only when the platelets preserve their viability after separation and labelling. The separation and labelling procedures described in the manual of two producers of 111 In-oxinate (Amersham, Mallinckrodt) have been evaluated by in vitro aggregation tests. The method of Mallinckrodt diminished the aggregation capacities of the thrombocytes. The labelled platelets with normal in vitro aggregation response (Amersham) were tested in vivo in 11 patients who underwent peripheral bypass surgery. The platelet half-life and the platelet accumulation on bypass grafts were checked one week post-operatively. Because of the poor in vivo response of both methods (exponential half-life curve and bad graft visualization), a third method based on that described by W.A. Heaton et al. 1979 was optimized in the authors' laboratory with good in vitro and in vivo results in 12 patients. (author)