Pre-commercial procurement : regulatory effectiveness?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Apostol, Anca Ramona

2014-01-01

Is public procurement of research and development (‘R&D’) services the key to European Union (‘EU’)’s sustainable welfare? Is it being regulated in accordance with economic prescripts for effectiveness? Is the regulatory and policy setting clear and comprehensive in order to stimulate a widespread

As to achieve regulatory action, regulatory approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cid, R.; Encinas, D.

2014-01-01

The achievement of the effectiveness in the performance of a nuclear regulatory body has been a permanent challenge in the recent history of nuclear regulation. In the post-Fukushima era this challenge is even more important. This article addresses the subject from two complementary points of view: the characteristics of an effective regulatory body and the regulatory approaches. This work is based on the most recent studies carried out by the Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities, CNRA (OECD/NEA), as well as on the experience of the Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN, the Spanish regulatory body. Rafael Cid is the representative of CSN in these project: Diego Encinas has participated in the study on regulatory approaches. (Author)

Technical performance and match-to-match variation in elite football teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hongyou; Gómez, Miguel-Angel; Gonçalves, Bruno; Sampaio, Jaime

2016-01-01

Recent research suggests that match-to-match variation adds important information to performance descriptors in team sports, as it helps measure how players fine-tune their tactical behaviours and technical actions to the extreme dynamical environments. The current study aims to identify the differences in technical performance of players from strong and weak teams and to explore match-to-match variation of players' technical match performance. Performance data of all the 380 matches of season 2012-2013 in the Spanish First Division Professional Football League were analysed. Twenty-one performance-related match actions and events were chosen as variables in the analyses. Players' technical performance profiles were established by unifying count values of each action or event of each player per match into the same scale. Means of these count values of players from Top3 and Bottom3 teams were compared and plotted into radar charts. Coefficient of variation of each match action or event within a player was calculated to represent his match-to-match variation of technical performance. Differences in the variation of technical performances of players across different match contexts (team and opposition strength, match outcome and match location) were compared. All the comparisons were achieved by the magnitude-based inferences. Results showed that technical performances differed between players of strong and weak teams from different perspectives across different field positions. Furthermore, the variation of the players' technical performance is affected by the match context, with effects from team and opposition strength greater than effects from match location and match outcome.

Increasing the effectiveness of messages promoting responsible undergraduate drinking: tailoring to personality and matching to context.

Science.gov (United States)

York, Valerie K; Brannon, Laura A; Miller, Megan M

2012-01-01

This study addressed the serious problem of college student binge drinking by identifying factors that improve the effectiveness of messages encouraging responsible drinking presented through a website simulation. We tested schema matching (i.e., whether the message matches the person's self-schema type or not) and two types of context matching (i.e., whether the message matches the topic or values of the message context) to determine their relative influence on the effectiveness of the message. We expected that messages matched to any of these factors would be more effective than messages not matched. Schema matching reduced intentions to drink while staying in/home, but topic matching reduced intentions to drink when going out, suggesting that different factors are important for messages targeting drinking behavior in different locations. Significant interactions between topic matching and value matching on message evaluation variables indicated that the message should not match the message context too closely. That is, there appears to be a matching threshold: Increasing the number of factors the message matches does not increase message effectiveness, possibly because it makes the message too redundant with the surrounding content.

Effect of the Matching Circuit on the Electromechanical Characteristics of Sandwiched Piezoelectric Transducers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuyu Lin

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The input electrical impedance behaves as a capacitive when a piezoelectric transducer is excited near its resonance frequency. In order to increase the energy transmission efficiency, a series or parallel inductor should be used to compensate the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer. In this paper, the effect of the series matching inductor on the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer is analyzed. The dependency of the resonance/anti-resonance frequency, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient, the electrical quality factor and the electro-acoustical efficiency on the matching inductor is obtained. It is shown that apart from compensating the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer, the series matching inductor can also change the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer. When series matching inductor is increased, the resonance frequency is decreased and the anti-resonance unchanged; the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is increased. For the electrical quality factor and the electroacoustic efficiency, the dependency on the matching inductor is different when the transducer is operated at the resonance and the anti-resonance frequency. The electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer with series matching inductor are measured. It is shown that the theoretically predicted relationship between the electromechanical characteristics and the series matching inductor is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Effect of the Matching Circuit on the Electromechanical Characteristics of Sandwiched Piezoelectric Transducers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shuyu; Xu, Jie

2017-02-10

The input electrical impedance behaves as a capacitive when a piezoelectric transducer is excited near its resonance frequency. In order to increase the energy transmission efficiency, a series or parallel inductor should be used to compensate the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer. In this paper, the effect of the series matching inductor on the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer is analyzed. The dependency of the resonance/anti-resonance frequency, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient, the electrical quality factor and the electro-acoustical efficiency on the matching inductor is obtained. It is shown that apart from compensating the capacitive impedance of the piezoelectric transducer, the series matching inductor can also change the electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer. When series matching inductor is increased, the resonance frequency is decreased and the anti-resonance unchanged; the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient is increased. For the electrical quality factor and the electroacoustic efficiency, the dependency on the matching inductor is different when the transducer is operated at the resonance and the anti-resonance frequency. The electromechanical characteristics of the piezoelectric transducer with series matching inductor are measured. It is shown that the theoretically predicted relationship between the electromechanical characteristics and the series matching inductor is in good agreement with the experimental results.

Comparison of regulatory framework among bench marking countries for improving regulatory effectiveness in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairuddin, Nik Mohd Faiz Bin; Choi, Kwang Sik

2010-01-01

Nowadays some of developing countries in Asian region are announcing their planning to embark the nuclear power program. This progression are rising due to four factor: increasing political instabilities in fossil-fuel exporting countries; declining domestic natural energy resources; growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions; and increasing demand for electricity. This paper gives a study on the comparison between Canada, Republic of South Korea and Malaysia regarding to their regulatory framework as well as the licensing procedures in controlling the nuclear power plants establishment. Canada and Korea were selected to study because of both of the countries have different system in controlling the nuclear power plants in terms of its regulatory framework as well as the licensing process. The idea is to compare these countries along with the guidelines by the IAEA and to find out what Malaysia could be learn to start the nuclear power program and find out the best practice in nuclear licensing. Factors taken into consideration are the regulatory framework, especially the nature of the licensing authority, the licensing process and enforcement actions. Together, these give a way to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulatory body due to the licensing authorization of nuclear power plant

Comparison of regulatory framework among bench marking countries for improving regulatory effectiveness in Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khairuddin, Nik Mohd Faiz Bin [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Kwang Sik [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-05-15

Nowadays some of developing countries in Asian region are announcing their planning to embark the nuclear power program. This progression are rising due to four factor: increasing political instabilities in fossil-fuel exporting countries; declining domestic natural energy resources; growing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions; and increasing demand for electricity. This paper gives a study on the comparison between Canada, Republic of South Korea and Malaysia regarding to their regulatory framework as well as the licensing procedures in controlling the nuclear power plants establishment. Canada and Korea were selected to study because of both of the countries have different system in controlling the nuclear power plants in terms of its regulatory framework as well as the licensing process. The idea is to compare these countries along with the guidelines by the IAEA and to find out what Malaysia could be learn to start the nuclear power program and find out the best practice in nuclear licensing. Factors taken into consideration are the regulatory framework, especially the nature of the licensing authority, the licensing process and enforcement actions. Together, these give a way to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulatory body due to the licensing authorization of nuclear power plant

Transit Matching for International Safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilligan, K.; Whitaker, M.; Oakberg, J.

2015-01-01

In 2013 the U.S. Department of Energy / National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Non-proliferation and International Security (NIS) supported a study of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) processes and procedures for ensuring that shipments of nuclear material correspond to (match) their receipts (i.e., transit matching). Under Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements, Member States are obliged to declare such information within certain time frames. Nuclear weapons states voluntarily declare such information under INFCIRC/207. This study was funded by the NIS Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) Concepts and Approaches program. Oak Ridge National Laboratory led the research, which included collaboration with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the U.S. Nuclear Material Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS), and the IAEA Section for Declared Information Analysis within the Department of Safeguards. The project studied the current transit matching methodologies, identified current challenges (e.g., level of effort and timeliness), and suggested improvements. This paper presents the recommendations that resulted from the study and discussions with IAEA staff. In particular, it includes a recommendation to collaboratively develop a set of best reporting practices for nuclear weapons states under INFCIRC/207. (author)

Quantity precommitment and price matching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tumennasan, Norovsambuu

We revisit the question of whether price matching is anti-competitive in a capacity constrained duopoly setting. We show that the effect of price matching depends on capacity. Specifically, price matching has no effect when capacity is relatively low, but it benefits the firms when capacity...... is relatively high. Interestingly, when capacity is in an intermediate range, price matching benefits only the small firm but does not affect the large firm in any way. Therefore, one has to consider capacity seriously when evaluating if price matching is anti-competitive. If the firms choose their capacities...... simultaneously before pricing decisions, then the effect of price matching is either pro-competitive or ambiguous. We show that if the cost of capacity is high, then price matching can only (weakly) decrease the market price. On the other hand, if the cost of capacity is low, then the effect of price matching...

Common market but divergent regulatory practices: exploring European regulation and the effect on regulatory uncertainty in the marketing authorization of medical products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chowdhury, Nupur

2013-01-01

The medical product sector is characterised by a regulatory patchwork of European and national laws and guidelines operating concurrently with each other. Each of these sectors are characterised by different levels of regulatory uncertainty that may undermine the effectiveness of the regulatory

The effect of football matches on crime patterns in Barcelona

OpenAIRE

Struse, Simon Planells; Montolio, Daniel

2014-01-01

Given the actual debate, in many European countries, about the need for public administrations to raise their revenues through taxing the crime externalities generated by some private leisure activities, this article analyzes the effect of football matches on crime focusing both on property crimes and interpersonal violent crimes. Our aim is to determine up to what extent a private leisure activity, such as football matches, induces negative crime externalities to the whole society. Using dat...

T-regulatory cells in chronic rejection versus stable grafts.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Wedaie, Fatima; Farid, Eman; Tabbara, Khaled; El-Agroudy, Amgad E; Al-Ghareeb, Sumaya M

2015-04-01

Studying regulatory T cells in kidney allograft acceptance versus chronic rejection may help in the understanding of more mechanisms of immune tolerance and, in the future, may enable clinicians to induce immune tolerance and decrease the use of immunosuppressive drugs. The aim of the current study was to evaluate regulatory T cells in kidney transplant patients with stable graft versus transplant with biopsy-proven chronic rejection. The 3 groups that were studied included: kidney transplanted patients with no rejection episodes (n = 43); transplanted patients with biopsy-proven renal rejection (n = 27); and healthy age-matched nontransplanted individuals as controls (n = 42).The percentage of regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) in blood was determined by flow cytometry. The regulatory T cell percentage was significantly lower in chronic rejection patients than control or stable graft groups. No significant difference was observed in regulatory T cell percentage between the stable graft and control groups. In the stable graft group, patients on rapamycin had a significantly higher regulatory T cell percentage than patients on cyclosporine. No effect of donor type, infection, or duration after transplant was observed on regulatory T cell percentage. The results of the current study are consistent with previous studies addressing the function of regulatory T cells in inducing immunotolerance after kidney transplant. Considering the established role of regulatory T cells in graft maintenance and our observation of high regulatory T cell percentage in patients receiving rapamycin than cyclosporine, we recommend including rapamycin when possible in immunosuppressive protocols. The findings from the current study on the chronic rejection group support ongoing research of having treatment with regulatory T cells, which may constitute a novel, efficient antirejection therapy in the future.

Individual differences and self-regulatory fatigue: optimism, conscientiousness, and self-consciousness

OpenAIRE

Nes, Lise Solberg; Carlson, Charles R.; Crofford, Leslie J.; de Leeuw, Reny; Segerstrom, Suzanne C.

2011-01-01

Ability to self-regulate varies and self-regulatory strength is a limited source that can be depleted or fatigued. Research on the impact of individual differences on self-regulatory capacity is still scarce, and this study aimed to examine whether personality factors such as dispositional optimism, conscientiousness, and self-consciousness can impact or buffer self-regulatory fatigue. Participants were patients diagnosed with chronic multi-symptom illnesses (N = 50), or pain free matched con...

The role of effective communications in Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Counsil, W.G.

1991-01-01

Communications are essential to the licensing and general regulatory program of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This paper attempts to identify and address certain aspects of, and approaches to, maintaining effective and efficient communications. It considers, from the perspective of the high-level radioactive waste repository program, both internal communication within the DOE itself and external communication with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and interested parties. Many of the points presented are based on lessons learned from electric utility experience with nuclear plants

Effects of natalizumab treatment on Foxp3+ T regulatory cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenner, Max-Philipp; Waschbisch, Anne; Buck, Dorothea; Doerck, Sebastian; Einsele, Hermann; Toyka, Klaus V; Wiendl, Heinz

2008-10-06

Natalizumab, a monoclonal humanized antibody targeting the alpha-4 chain of very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4) exerts impressive therapeutic effects in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Our objective was to study impacts of Natalizumab therapy on Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A combined approach of in vitro and ex vivo experiments using T cells isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors and Natalizumab treated MS patients was chosen. We determined binding of Natalizumab and its effects on the frequency, transmigratory behaviour and suppressive function of Tregs. Binding of Natalizumab and expression of CD49d (alpha-4 chain of VLA-4) differed between non-regulatory and regulatory cells. Albeit Foxp3+ Tregs had lower levels of CD49d, Natalizumab blocked the transmigration of Foxp3+ Tregs similar to non-regulatory T cells. The frequency of peripheral blood Tregs was unaffected by Natalizumab treatment. Natalizumab does not alter the suppressive capacity of CD4+CD25(high)CD127(low)Foxp3+ Tregs under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, the impaired function of Tregs in MS patients is not restored by Natalizumab treatment. We provide a first detailed analysis of Natalizumab effects on the regulatory T cell population. Our prospective study shows that Foxp3+ Tregs express lower levels of VLA-4 and bind less Natalizumab. We further the understanding of the mechanisms of action of Natalizumab by demonstrating that unlike other immunomodulatory drugs the beneficial therapeutic effects of the monoclonal antibody are largely independent of alterations in Treg frequency or function.

Politically Induced Regulatory Risk and Independent Regulatory Agencies

OpenAIRE

Strausz, Roland

2015-01-01

Uncertainty in election outcomes generates politically induced regulatory risk. Political parties' risk attitudes towards such risk depend on a fluctuation effect that hurts both parties and an output--expansion effect that benefits at least one party. Notwithstanding the parties' risk attitudes, political parties have incentives to negotiate away all regulatory risk by pre-electoral bargaining. Efficient pre-electoral bargaining outcomes fully eliminate politically induced regulatory risk. P...

The influence of regulatory fit on evaluation and intentions to buy genetically modified foods: The mediating role of social identification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fransen, M.L.; Reinders, M.J.; Bartels, J.; Maassen, R.L.

2010-01-01

The present study examines how communicated messages could be effective in affecting consumers' attitudes and behavioural intentions regarding genetically modified (GM) foods. Based on Regulatory Focus Theory, it was hypothesized that exposure to a communication message matching a consumer's

Employment Effects of Service Offshoring: Evidence from Matched Firms

OpenAIRE

Rosario Crinò

2009-01-01

This paper studies the effects of service offshoring on the level and skill composition of domestic employment, using a rich data set of Italian firms and propensity score matching techniques. The results show that service offshoring has no effect on the level of employment but changes its composition in favor of high skilled workers.

MatchingTools: A Python library for symbolic effective field theory calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Criado, Juan C.

2018-06-01

MatchingTools is a Python library for doing symbolic calculations in effective field theory. It provides the tools to construct general models by defining their field content and their interaction Lagrangian. Once a model is given, the heavy particles can be integrated out at the tree level to obtain an effective Lagrangian in which only the light particles appear. After integration, some of the terms of the resulting Lagrangian might not be independent. MatchingTools contains functions for transforming these terms to rewrite them in terms of any chosen set of operators.

Individuation instructions decrease the Cross-Race Effect in a face matching task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2015-09-01

Conclusions: Individuation instructions are an effective moderator of the CRE even within a face matching paradigm. Since unfamiliar face matching tasks most closely simulate document verification tasks, specifically passport screening, instructional techniques such as these may improve task performance within applied settings of significant practical importance.

Effects of natalizumab treatment on Foxp3+ T regulatory cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max-Philipp Stenner

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Natalizumab, a monoclonal humanized antibody targeting the alpha-4 chain of very late activation antigen 4 (VLA-4 exerts impressive therapeutic effects in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Our objective was to study impacts of Natalizumab therapy on Foxp3+ T regulatory cells (Tregs in multiple sclerosis (MS patients. METHODOLOGY: A combined approach of in vitro and ex vivo experiments using T cells isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors and Natalizumab treated MS patients was chosen. We determined binding of Natalizumab and its effects on the frequency, transmigratory behaviour and suppressive function of Tregs. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Binding of Natalizumab and expression of CD49d (alpha-4 chain of VLA-4 differed between non-regulatory and regulatory cells. Albeit Foxp3+ Tregs had lower levels of CD49d, Natalizumab blocked the transmigration of Foxp3+ Tregs similar to non-regulatory T cells. The frequency of peripheral blood Tregs was unaffected by Natalizumab treatment. Natalizumab does not alter the suppressive capacity of CD4+CD25(highCD127(lowFoxp3+ Tregs under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, the impaired function of Tregs in MS patients is not restored by Natalizumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a first detailed analysis of Natalizumab effects on the regulatory T cell population. Our prospective study shows that Foxp3+ Tregs express lower levels of VLA-4 and bind less Natalizumab. We further the understanding of the mechanisms of action of Natalizumab by demonstrating that unlike other immunomodulatory drugs the beneficial therapeutic effects of the monoclonal antibody are largely independent of alterations in Treg frequency or function.

Alcohol and cannabis: Comparing their adverse health effects and regulatory regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Wayne

2017-04-01

The claim that the adverse health effects of cannabis are much less serious than those of alcohol has been central to the case for cannabis legalisation. Regulators in US states that have legalised cannabis have adopted regulatory models based on alcohol. This paper critically examines the claim about adverse health effects and the wisdom of regulating cannabis like alcohol. First, it compares what we know about the adverse health effects of alcohol and cannabis. Second, it discusses the uncertainties about the long term health effects of sustained daily cannabis use. Third, it speculates about how the adverse health effects of cannabis may change after legalisation. Fourth, it questions the assumption that alcohol provides the best regulatory model for a legal cannabis market. Fifth, it outlines the major challenges in regulating cannabis under the liberal alcohol-like regulatory regimes now being introduced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of visual information regarding allocentric processing in haptic parallelity matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Mier, Hanneke I

2013-10-01

Research has revealed that haptic perception of parallelity deviates from physical reality. Large and systematic deviations have been found in haptic parallelity matching most likely due to the influence of the hand-centered egocentric reference frame. Providing information that increases the influence of allocentric processing has been shown to improve performance on haptic matching. In this study allocentric processing was stimulated by providing informative vision in haptic matching tasks that were performed using hand- and arm-centered reference frames. Twenty blindfolded participants (ten men, ten women) explored the orientation of a reference bar with the non-dominant hand and subsequently matched (task HP) or mirrored (task HM) its orientation on a test bar with the dominant hand. Visual information was provided by means of informative vision with participants having full view of the test bar, while the reference bar was blocked from their view (task VHP). To decrease the egocentric bias of the hands, participants also performed a visual haptic parallelity drawing task (task VHPD) using an arm-centered reference frame, by drawing the orientation of the reference bar. In all tasks, the distance between and orientation of the bars were manipulated. A significant effect of task was found; performance improved from task HP, to VHP to VHPD, and HM. Significant effects of distance were found in the first three tasks, whereas orientation and gender effects were only significant in tasks HP and VHP. The results showed that stimulating allocentric processing by means of informative vision and reducing the egocentric bias by using an arm-centered reference frame led to most accurate performance on parallelity matching. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food safety regulatory systems in Europe and China：A study of how co-regulation can improve regulatory effectiveness

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Kevin Chen; WANG Xin-xin; SONG Hai-ying

2015-01-01

Food safety has received a great deal of attention in both developed and developing countries in recent years. In China, the numerous food scandals and scares that have struck over the past decade have spurred signiifcant food safety regulatory reform, which has been increasingly oriented towards the public-private partnership model adopted by the Europe Union’s (EU) food safety regulatory system. This paper analyzes the development of both the EU’s and China’s food safety regu-latory systems, identiifes the current chalenges for China and additionaly considers the role of public-private partnership. The success of co-regulation in the food regulatory system would bring signiifcant beneifts and opportunities for China. Finaly, this paper recommends additional measures like training and grants to improve the private’s sector effectiveness in co-regulating China’s food safety issues.

Forecasting the Student-Professor Matches That Result in Unusually Effective Teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Jennifer; Lakey, Brian; Lucas, Jessica L.; LaCross, Ryan; Plotkowski, Andrea R.; Winegard, Bo

2015-01-01

Background: Two important influences on students' evaluations of teaching are relationship and professor effects. Relationship effects reflect unique matches between students and professors such that some professors are unusually effective for some students, but not for others. Professor effects reflect inter-rater agreement that some professors…

Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline; will matching institutional and regulatory contexts lead to an effective bargaining and eventual consensus?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menegaki, Angeliki N.

2011-01-01

This paper employs Muthoo's bargaining principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result (. A Non-Technical Introduction to Bargaining Theory, World Economics 1(2): 145-166) to decide whether Greece and Bulgaria can form a successful energy coalition. Motivation for this is the proposed construction of the crude oil pipeline from the Bulgarian port Burgas to the Greek Aegean port of Alexandroupolis. The reason Turkey is the third country in the analysis despite its current non-membership in this venture, is that: (i) Turkey offers to host a competitive route of the pipeline, (ii) It is a transit, neighboring country to Greece forming an important geopolitical triangle together with Greece and Bulgaria and (iii) co-operates separately with Bulgaria and Greece in other energy pipelines. Therefore, the three countries engage to interwining energy and geopolitical futures. Whether B-A oil pipeline will be implemented or not, will be due to a mix of bargaining procedures. The paper shows that Muthoo's principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result, through their constituents (selected economy and energy figures and characteristics), are fulfilled by Greece and Bulgaria. A broader coalition with the inclusion of Turkey might also be permissible and promising based on this theory. - Research Highlights: →The B-A oil pipeline project is currently at a junction point. Bargaining and public discussion is ongoing. →Muthoo's principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result, through their constituents (selected economy, energy, socio-demographic and E-governance figures and characteristics as well as environmental effects and construction characteristics of the pipeline), are fulfilled by Greece and Bulgaria. Therefore the two countries match in all parameters and remains pending the last but not least point of agreement, namely citizens' consensus. →A broader coalition with the inclusion of Turkey might also be permissible and promising

Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline; will matching institutional and regulatory contexts lead to an effective bargaining and eventual consensus?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menegaki, Angeliki N., E-mail: amenegaki@her.forthnet.g [Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Languages, Literature and Civilization of Black Sea Countries, Polytechniou 7A, 69100 Komotini (Greece)

2011-03-15

This paper employs Muthoo's bargaining principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result (. A Non-Technical Introduction to Bargaining Theory, World Economics 1(2): 145-166) to decide whether Greece and Bulgaria can form a successful energy coalition. Motivation for this is the proposed construction of the crude oil pipeline from the Bulgarian port Burgas to the Greek Aegean port of Alexandroupolis. The reason Turkey is the third country in the analysis despite its current non-membership in this venture, is that: (i) Turkey offers to host a competitive route of the pipeline, (ii) It is a transit, neighboring country to Greece forming an important geopolitical triangle together with Greece and Bulgaria and (iii) co-operates separately with Bulgaria and Greece in other energy pipelines. Therefore, the three countries engage to interwining energy and geopolitical futures. Whether B-A oil pipeline will be implemented or not, will be due to a mix of bargaining procedures. The paper shows that Muthoo's principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result, through their constituents (selected economy and energy figures and characteristics), are fulfilled by Greece and Bulgaria. A broader coalition with the inclusion of Turkey might also be permissible and promising based on this theory. - Research Highlights: {yields}The B-A oil pipeline project is currently at a junction point. Bargaining and public discussion is ongoing. {yields}Muthoo's principles/prerequisites for an effective bargaining result, through their constituents (selected economy, energy, socio-demographic and E-governance figures and characteristics as well as environmental effects and construction characteristics of the pipeline), are fulfilled by Greece and Bulgaria. Therefore the two countries match in all parameters and remains pending the last but not least point of agreement, namely citizens' consensus. {yields}A broader coalition with the inclusion of Turkey might

Vortex lattice matching effects in a washboard pinning potential induced by Co nanostripe arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrovolskiy, Oleksandr V.; Begun, Evgeniya; Huth, Michael; Shklovskij, Valerij A.; Tsindlekht, Menachem I.

2011-01-01

We furnish superconducting Nb thin films with linearly-extended uniaxial pinning nanostructures. An array of Co stripes is deposited by focused electron beam-induced deposition. Nanostructures are designed to be commensurate with the vortex lattice at small magnetic fields. We investigate vortex lattice matching effects by magneto-transport measurements. Drops in ρ(B) are observed only when the vortex lattice parameter matches the nanostructure period. No matching effects corresponding to the Co stripe width have been observed. Drops in ρ(B) are more pronounced for the vortex motion perpendicular to the Co stripes. An advanced mask-less nanofabrication technique, focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID), has been employed on epitaxial Nb thin films to prepare ferromagnetic decorations in the form of an array of Co stripes. These substantially modify the non-patterned films' superconducting properties, providing a washboard-like pinning potential landscape for the vortex motion. At small magnetic fields B ≤ 0.1 T, vortex lattice matching effects have been investigated by magneto-transport measurements. Step-like drops in the field dependencies of the films resistivity ρ(B) have been observed in particular for the vortex motion perpendicular to the Co stripes. The field values, corresponding to the middle points of these drops in ρ(B), meet the vortex lattice parameter matching the pinning structure's period. These disagree with the results of Jaque et al. (2002) , who observed matching effects corresponding to the stripe width in Nb films grown on periodically distributed submicrometric lines of Ni.

Strengthening Regulatory Competence in a Changing Nuclear Regulatory Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Illizastigui, P.F.

2016-01-01

The paper addresses the approach followed by the Cuban National Center for Nuclear Safety for the management of current and new competences of its regulatory staff with the aim of allowing those staff to effectively fulfill their core regulatory functions. The approach is realized through an Integrated System for Competence Building, which is based on the IAEA recommendations, shown to be effective in ensuring the necessary competence in the relevant areas. In the author’s opinion, competence of the regulatory staff in the area of human and organizational factors is of paramount importance and needs to be further strengthened in order to be able to assess safety performance at the facilities and detect early signs of deteriorating safety performance. The former is defined by the author as the core regulatory function “Analysis” which covers the entire spectrum of assessment tasks carried out by the regulatory staff to: a) detect declining safety performance, b) diagnose latent weaknesses (root causes) and c) make effective safety culture interventions. The author suggests that competence associated with the fulfillment of the analysis function is distinctly identified and dealt with separately in the current system of managing regulatory competence. (author)

Principles of resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness for risk-informed applications: Reducing burdens by improving effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vesely, W.E.

1999-01-01

Principles of resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness are presented which systematically compare the resources expended on a requirement or activity versus its risk importance. To evaluate resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness, cost-benefit analysis principles are generalized to resource versus risk importance principles. It is shown that by applying resource-importance analyses, current requirements and activities can be systematically evaluated for their resource-effectiveness and their risk-consistency. Strategies can then be developed to maximize both resource-effectiveness and risk-consistency which reduces unnecessary burdens while maintaining risk or reducing risk. The principles, approaches, and implementation schemes which are presented provide a systematic process for evaluating and optimizing resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness. The illustrations that are presented show that current NRC and industry actions are not resource-effective. By improving their resource-effectiveness and risk-consistency, significant burden reductions are achievable while risk, e.g. core damage frequency, is maintained or is reduced. The illustrations show that by optimizing industry resources and NRC resources with regard to their risk-effectiveness, significant burden reductions are achievable for both the industry and NRC. Algorithms and software exist for broad-scale implementations. Because of the burden reductions which are identified and the improvements in risk-consistency which result, resource-importance analysis should be the first step in risk-informed applications. Resource-importance analysis is so important and can provide such large benefits that it needs to be carried out on all current requirements that are addressed by risk-informed applications

International Conference on Effective Nuclear Regulatory Systems: Sustaining Improvements Globally. Book of Abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

The objective of this conference is to review and assess ways of further improving the effectiveness of regulatory systems for nuclear facilities and activities for both nuclear safety and nuclear security. The action items in the summary presented by the President of the conference held in 2013 in Ottawa, the lessons of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, the discussions at other international conferences and at international experts’ meetings conducted within the framework of the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, as well as the CNS and the principles outlined in the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety, will continue to have a significant impact on regulatory systems. All the aforementioned need to be taken into account to sustain improvements to regulatory systems. The expected outcomes of the conference are: - Enhanced safety and security of nuclear installations worldwide; - Challenges in regulating radiation sources and radioactive waste addressed; - Enhanced international cooperation for sustaining regulatory effectiveness; - Strengthened and sustained regulatory competence for nuclear safety and security; and - Strategies and actions for the future identified, as well as issues for consideration by governments, regulatory bodies and international organizations.

Regulatory supply and market demand of risk management: Match or clash?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Van der Elst

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The paper raises questions as to whether the new risk governance requirements will be able to match the prerequisites for more balanced risk governance as part of the decision making process while fostering business entrepreneurship. Further, to comfort the market it will be necessary to report in accordance with market expectations adequate information about the financial and non-financial risks internal and external risks the companies is coping. Both questions will be addressed in this paper.

Comparative effect of clopidogrel plus aspirin and aspirin monotherapy on hematological parameters using propensity score matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayasaka M

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Masatoshi Hayasaka,1 Yasuo Takahashi,2 Yayoi Nishida,2 Yoshikazu Yoshida,1 Shinji Hidaka,3 Satoshi Asai41Department of Pharmacy, Nihon University Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo, 2Division of Genomic Epidemiology and Clinical Trials, Clinical Trials Research Center, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 3Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science, Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Chiba, 4Division of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JapanBackground: Clopidogrel and aspirin are antiplatelet agents that are recommended to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke and other cardiovascular events. Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin has been shown to increase the risk of hemorrhage, but the effects of the drugs on laboratory parameters have not been well studied in real-world clinical settings. Therefore, we evaluated and compared the effects of combination therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin and aspirin monotherapy on laboratory parameters.Methods: We used data from the Nihon University School of Medicine Clinical Data Warehouse obtained between November 2004 and May 2011 to identify cohorts of new users (n = 130 of clopidogrel (75 mg/day plus aspirin (100 mg/day and a propensity score matched sample of new users (n = 130 of aspirin alone (100 mg/day. We used a multivariate regression model to compare serum levels of creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, as well as hematological parameters including hemoglobin level, hematocrit, and white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts up to 2 months after the start of administration of the study drugs.Results: There were no significant differences for any characteristics and baseline laboratory parameters between users of clopidogrel plus aspirin and users of aspirin alone. Reductions in white blood cell and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels, and

Spatial Solitons and Induced Kerr Effects in Quasi-Phase-Matched Quadratic Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Carl A. Balslev; Bang, Ole; Kivshar, Yu.S.

1997-01-01

We show that the evolution of the average intensity of cw beams in a quasi-phase-matched quadratic (or chi((2))) medium is strongly influenced by induced Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation. We prove the existence of rapidly oscillating solitary waves (a spatial analog of the g......We show that the evolution of the average intensity of cw beams in a quasi-phase-matched quadratic (or chi((2))) medium is strongly influenced by induced Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation. We prove the existence of rapidly oscillating solitary waves (a spatial analog...

Effects of a lighter, smaller football on Acute match injuries in adolescent female football

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zebis, Mette K.; Thorborg, Kristian; Andersen, Lars L.

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: The high injury incidence during match-play in female adolescent football is a major concern. In football, males and females play matches with the same football size. No studies have investigated the effect of football size on injury incidence in female adolescent football. Thus......, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of introducing a lighter, smaller football on the injury pattern in female adolescent football. METHODS We conducted a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial including 26 football teams representing 346 adolescent female football players (age...... 15-18 years). The teams were randomized to a new lighter, smaller football (INT, N.=12 teams) or a traditional FIFA size 5 football (CON, N.=14 teams) during a full match-season. Acute time-loss injuries and football-exposure during match-play were reported weekly by text-message questions...

The future regulatory environment - a South African perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Woude, S.; Leaver, J.; Metcalf, P.E.

2000-01-01

The South African nuclear regulatory authority, the National Nuclear Regulator, regulates nuclear fuel cycle facilities as well as a large variety of mining and minerals processing activities. The future political, social, economical and technological environment, within which these facilities operate, will present numerous challenges to those who will be regulating them. In our presentation the challenges to be fulfilled in discharging the regulatory function are discussed, particularly in the context of a country with a small nuclear programme and a substantial developing component. Amongst the challenges discussed are: As part of the growing internationalization, the need to harmonize standards applied in different countries and the need to balance standards and practice applied in developed countries with resources available in developing countries; The need to consider the impact on the environment and not only on human beings; The impact of rapid advances in information technology on regulation; The maintenance and development of the appropriate expertise in the face of uncertainties regarding the future of the nuclear industry; Public involvement; The demands by society for greater standards of safety but at the same time for more effective and cost-effective regulation; The need for regulators to match customer demands on operators in terms of quality, speed, flexibility and costs; The privatization of nuclear fuel cycle facilities; The increased trend for larger facilities to outsource work to smaller companies; and, The need to balance good practice considerations with quantitatively determined risks in regulatory decision-making. (author)

The future regulatory environment - a South African perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van der Woude, S.; Leaver, J.; Metcalf, P.E. [National Nuclear Regulator, Centurion (South Africa)

2000-07-01

The South African nuclear regulatory authority, the National Nuclear Regulator, regulates nuclear fuel cycle facilities as well as a large variety of mining and minerals processing activities. The future political, social, economical and technological environment, within which these facilities operate, will present numerous challenges to those who will be regulating them. In our presentation the challenges to be fulfilled in discharging the regulatory function are discussed, particularly in the context of a country with a small nuclear programme and a substantial developing component. Amongst the challenges discussed are: As part of the growing internationalization, the need to harmonize standards applied in different countries and the need to balance standards and practice applied in developed countries with resources available in developing countries; The need to consider the impact on the environment and not only on human beings; The impact of rapid advances in information technology on regulation; The maintenance and development of the appropriate expertise in the face of uncertainties regarding the future of the nuclear industry; Public involvement; The demands by society for greater standards of safety but at the same time for more effective and cost-effective regulation; The need for regulators to match customer demands on operators in terms of quality, speed, flexibility and costs; The privatization of nuclear fuel cycle facilities; The increased trend for larger facilities to outsource work to smaller companies; and, The need to balance good practice considerations with quantitatively determined risks in regulatory decision-making. (author)

POEM: Identifying joint additive effects on regulatory circuits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maya eBotzman

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Motivation: Expression Quantitative Trait Locus (eQTL mapping tackles the problem of identifying variation in DNA sequence that have an effect on the transcriptional regulatory network. Major computational efforts are aimed at characterizing the joint effects of several eQTLs acting in concert to govern the expression of the same genes. Yet, progress towards a comprehensive prediction of such joint effects is limited. For example, existing eQTL methods commonly discover interacting loci affecting the expression levels of a module of co-regulated genes. Such ‘modularization’ approaches, however, are focused on epistatic relations and thus have limited utility for the case of additive (non-epistatic effects.Results: Here we present POEM (Pairwise effect On Expression Modules, a methodology for identifying pairwise eQTL effects on gene modules. POEM is specifically designed to achieve high performance in the case of additive joint effects. We applied POEM to transcription profiles measured in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells across a population of genotyped mice. Our study reveals widespread additive, trans-acting pairwise effects on gene modules, characterizes their organizational principles, and highlights high-order interconnections between modules within the immune signaling network. These analyses elucidate the central role of additive pairwise effect in regulatory circuits, and provide computational tools for future investigations into the interplay between eQTLs.Availability: The software described in this article is available at csgi.tau.ac.il/POEM/.

Effects of Regulatory Self-Questioning on Secondary-Level Students' Problem-Solving Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Pate, Michael L.; Miller, Greg

2011-01-01

A randomized posttest-only control group experimental design was used to determine the effects of regulatory self-questioning on secondary-level career and technical education students' electrical circuit theory test scores. Students who participated in the self-questioning group were asked to answer a list of regulatory questions as they solved…

RNAPattMatch: a web server for RNA sequence/structure motif detection based on pattern matching with flexible gaps

Science.gov (United States)

Drory Retwitzer, Matan; Polishchuk, Maya; Churkin, Elena; Kifer, Ilona; Yakhini, Zohar; Barash, Danny

2015-01-01

Searching for RNA sequence-structure patterns is becoming an essential tool for RNA practitioners. Novel discoveries of regulatory non-coding RNAs in targeted organisms and the motivation to find them across a wide range of organisms have prompted the use of computational RNA pattern matching as an enhancement to sequence similarity. State-of-the-art programs differ by the flexibility of patterns allowed as queries and by their simplicity of use. In particular—no existing method is available as a user-friendly web server. A general program that searches for RNA sequence-structure patterns is RNA Structator. However, it is not available as a web server and does not provide the option to allow flexible gap pattern representation with an upper bound of the gap length being specified at any position in the sequence. Here, we introduce RNAPattMatch, a web-based application that is user friendly and makes sequence/structure RNA queries accessible to practitioners of various background and proficiency. It also extends RNA Structator and allows a more flexible variable gaps representation, in addition to analysis of results using energy minimization methods. RNAPattMatch service is available at http://www.cs.bgu.ac.il/rnapattmatch. A standalone version of the search tool is also available to download at the site. PMID:25940619

Monitoring the effect of football match congestion on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wollin, Martin; Thorborg, Kristian; Pizzari, Tania

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of competitive football match congestion on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility. DESIGN: Repeated measures. SETTING: Elite male youth football. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen male elite youth football players from the national football association centre of ....... CONCLUSION: Isometric hamstring strength and pain can be considered for inclusion in-season to monitor player's post-match hamstring recovery characteristics during congested match fixtures.......OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of competitive football match congestion on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility. DESIGN: Repeated measures. SETTING: Elite male youth football. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen male elite youth football players from the national football association centre...... of excellence were included (age = 15.81 ±0.65 years, height = 171.95 ±6.89 cm, weight = 65.93 ±7.53 kg). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hamstring strength and pain, ankle dorsiflexion, hip extension, knee extension and flexion range of motion. RESULTS: Hamstring strength was highest at baseline and significantly...

77 FR 61463 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-09

... entry of erroneous orders. In addition, the Market Access Rule requires certain regulatory risk... authorized by the broker-dealer. These regulatory risk management controls also include measures designed to...-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Body Water Status Markers after a Rugby Sevens Match

OpenAIRE

Trabelsi, Khaled; Rebai, Haithem; el-Abed, Kais; Stannard, Stephen R.; Khannous, Hamdi; Masmoudi, Liwa; Sahnoun, Zouheir; Hakim, Ahmed; Fellman, Nicole; Tabka, Zouhair

2011-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on body water status markers of rugby players at basal condition and following a simulation of rugby sevens match. Methods Twelve recreational rugby sevens players played three matches: one day before Ramadan (before Ramadan), at the end of the first week of Ramadan (Beg-R) and at the end of Ramadan (End-R). Before and immediately after each match, body weight was determined and blood samples were taken for the measurement of body water status...

Improvement of the effectiveness of regulatory management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

The project ARCAL LXVI has as its objective strengthening the national capabilities of the regulatory authorities to achieve an adequate level of radiation safety by training their staff in the implementation of the safety guidelines developed by a prior TC regional project under the framework of the ARCAL Programme and to measure its effectiveness. Detailed program of activities for the years 2001/2002 is presented at this meeting

Effect of ramadan fasting on body water status markers after a rugby sevens match.

Science.gov (United States)

Trabelsi, Khaled; Rebai, Haithem; El-Abed, Kais; Stannard, Stephen R; Khannous, Hamdi; Masmoudi, Liwa; Sahnoun, Zouheir; Hakim, Ahmed; Fellman, Nicole; Tabka, Zouhair

2011-09-01

To evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on body water status markers of rugby players at basal condition and following a simulation of rugby sevens match. TWELVE RECREATIONAL RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS PLAYED THREE MATCHES: one day before Ramadan (before Ramadan), at the end of the first week of Ramadan (Beg-R) and at the end of Ramadan (End-R). Before and immediately after each match, body weight was determined and blood samples were taken for the measurement of body water status markers. Total body water was measured with an impedancemeter only before matches. At rest, an increase in hematocrit (+4.4%, P=0.03), hemoglobin (+3.4%, P=0.01) and plasma osmolarity (+2.8%, PRamadan. Total body water measured before Ramadan did not differ significantly from that of Ramadan. After the match, values of hematocrit and plasma osmolarity increased significantly at End-R (+1.4%, P=0.02; +3.1%, PRamadan. Although, hemoglobin measured after matches occurring during Ramadan did not differ from those of before Ramadan. In response to matches, the change of percentage of body water status markers did not differ during each period of the investigation. The present results show that Ramadan fasting induces dehydration at basal conditions. Also, rugby sevens match played during Ramadan did not exacerbate the magnitude of responses to matches of blood and body water status markers.

Effect of 2 soccer matches in a week on physical performance and injury rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Dupont, Gregory; Nedelec, Mathieu; McCall, Alan; McCormack, Derek; Berthoin, Serge; Wisløff, Ulrik

2010-09-01

Recovery duration may be too short during the congested fixtures of professional soccer players with regard to maintaining physical performance and a low injury rate. To analyze the effects of 2 matches per week on physical performance and injury rate in male elite soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Match results, match-related physical performance, and injuries were monitored during 2 seasons (2007-2008 and 2008-2009) for 32 professional soccer players in a top-level team participating in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League. Total distance, high-intensity distance, sprint distance, and number of sprints were collected for 52 home matches. Injuries and player participation in matches and training were recorded throughout the full season. Physical performance, as characterized by total distance covered, high-intensity distance, sprint distance, and number of sprints, was not significantly affected by the number of matches per week (1 versus 2), whereas the injury rate was significantly higher when players played 2 matches per week versus 1 match per week (25.6 versus 4.1 injuries per 1000 hours of exposure; P physical performance tested but is not long enough to maintain a low injury rate. The present data highlight the need for player rotation and for improved recovery strategies to maintain a low injury rate among athletes during periods with congested match fixtures.

The acute effect of match play on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility in elite youth football players

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wollin, M; Thorborg, K; Pizzari, T

2017-01-01

. Competitive football match play has a significant acute and transient effect on isometric hamstring strength and associated pain levels during resisted knee flexion in male international youth players. Range of motion measures appear to remain relatively unaffected by match play. Isometric hamstring strength......The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of competitive football match play on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility. Fifteen male international youth football players were included. Hamstring strength and associated pain ratings, ankle dorsiflexion, hip extension, knee extension...... and flexion range of motion were evaluated immediately post-match and at intervals of 24, 48, and 72 h post-match. Strength significantly reduced post-match (P

The Effects of Client-Counselor Racial Matching on Therapeutic Outcome

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eunha; Kang, Minchul

2018-01-01

This study explored the effects of ethnic/racial matching on psychotherapy outcomes via the number of counseling sessions attended by clients, using clinical data collected from a university's counseling center. A total sample of 644 clients (193 men, 448 women) was selected and the ethnic/racial distribution of the sample comprised 499…

Strengthening Regulatory Effectiveness in India – Lessons Learnt from Fukushima Accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solanki, R.

2016-01-01

Following the Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan, one of the most important lessons learnt, among other things, was the issue of strengthening the effectiveness of the regulatory bodies. Immediately after the Fukushima accident, National level safety audits were conducted on all operating NPPs in India to review safety of NPPs in India. A national action plan has been prepared to implement the identified short term, midterm and long term measures. The assessment indicates that national response to the Fukushima Accident for safety assessment of NPPs and subsequent actions and initiatives taken for safety enhancement of the NPPs in India are in-line with the objectives of the IAEA Action plan. This paper highlights the actions taken by India in the light of Fukushima Daiichi accident in order to strengthen the regulatory effectiveness through improvements in the existing core processes, challenges faced, Insights gained from the recent initiatives on safety performance indicators and assessment of safety culture, relevant observations of IRRS mission report and Indian perspectives on the further cooperation among the member states for enhancing the regulatory effectiveness for nuclear oversight of regulated organizations. (author)

Characterizing the D2 statistic: word matches in biological sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Forêt, Sylvain; Wilson, Susan R; Burden, Conrad J

2009-01-01

Word matches are often used in sequence comparison methods, either as a measure of sequence similarity or in the first search steps of algorithms such as BLAST or BLAT. The D2 statistic is the number of matches of words of k letters between two sequences. Recent advances have been made in the characterization of this statistic and in the approximation of its distribution. Here, these results are extended to the case of approximate word matches. We compute the exact value of the variance of the D2 statistic for the case of a uniform letter distribution, and introduce a method to provide accurate approximations of the variance in the remaining cases. This enables the distribution of D2 to be approximated for typical situations arising in biological research. We apply these results to the identification of cis-regulatory modules, and show that this method detects such sequences with a high accuracy. The ability to approximate the distribution of D2 for both exact and approximate word matches will enable the use of this statistic in a more precise manner for sequence comparison, database searches, and identification of transcription factor binding sites.

Induced Kerr effects and self-guided beams in quasi-phase-matched quadratic media [CBC4

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Carl A. Balslev; Bang, Ole; Kivshar, Yuri S.

1997-01-01

We show that quasi-phase-matching of quadratic media induces Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation, and leads to the existence of a novel class of solitary waves, QPM-solitons......We show that quasi-phase-matching of quadratic media induces Kerr effects, such as self- and cross-phase modulation, and leads to the existence of a novel class of solitary waves, QPM-solitons...

The effect of sociodemographic (mis)match between interviewers and respondents on unit and item nonresponse in Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

Vercruyssen, Anina; Wuyts, Celine; Loosveldt, Geert

2017-09-01

Interviewer characteristics affect nonresponse and measurement errors in face-to-face surveys. Some studies have shown that mismatched sociodemographic characteristics - for example gender - affect people's behavior when interacting with an interviewer at the door and during the survey interview, resulting in more nonresponse. We investigate the effect of sociodemographic (mis)matching on nonresponse in two successive rounds of the European Social Survey in Belgium. As such, we replicate the analyses of the effect of (mis)matching gender and age on unit nonresponse on the one hand, and of gender, age and education level (mis)matching on item nonresponse on the other hand. Recurring effects of sociodemographic (mis)match are found for both unit and item nonresponse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of successive matches on match-running performance during an under-23 international soccer tournament: The necessity of individual analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Varley, Matthew C; Di Salvo, Valter; Modonutti, Mattia; Gregson, Warren; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effects of successive matches on match-running in elite under-23 soccer players during an international tournament. Match-running data was collected using a semi-automated multi-camera tracking system during an international under-23 tournament from all participating outfield players. Players who played 100% of all group stage matches were included (3 matches separated by 72 h, n = 44). Differences in match-running performance between matches were identified using a generalised linear mixed model. There were no clear effects for total, walking, jogging, running, high-speed running and sprinting distance between matches 1 and 3 (effect size (ES); -0.32 to 0.05). Positional analysis found that sprint distance was largely maintained from matches 1 to 3 across all positions. Attackers had a moderate decrease in total, jogging and running distance between matches 1 and 3 (ES; -0.72 to -0.66). Classifying players as increasers or decreasers in match-running revealed that match-running changes are susceptible to individual differences. Sprint performance appears to be maintained over successive matches regardless of playing position. However, reductions in other match-running categories vary between positions. Changes in match-running over successive matches affect individuals differently; thus, players should be monitored on an individual basis.

The match-to-match variation of match-running in elite female soccer.

Science.gov (United States)

Trewin, Joshua; Meylan, César; Varley, Matthew C; Cronin, John

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the match-to-match variation of match-running in elite female soccer players utilising GPS, using full-match and rolling period analyses. Longitudinal study. Elite female soccer players (n=45) from the same national team were observed during 55 international fixtures across 5 years (2012-2016). Data was analysed using a custom built MS Excel spreadsheet as full-matches and using a rolling 5-min analysis period, for all players who played 90-min matches (files=172). Variation was examined using co-efficient of variation and 90% confidence limits, calculated following log transformation. Total distance per minute exhibited the smallest variation when both the full-match and peak 5-min running periods were examined (CV=6.8-7.2%). Sprint-efforts were the most variable during a full-match (CV=53%), whilst high-speed running per minute exhibited the greatest variation in the post-peak 5-min period (CV=143%). Peak running periods were observed as slightly more variable than full-match analyses, with the post-peak period very-highly variable. Variability of accelerations (CV=17%) and Player Load (CV=14%) was lower than that of high-speed actions. Positional differences were also present, with centre backs exhibiting the greatest variation in high-speed movements (CV=41-65%). Practitioners and researchers should account for within player variability when examining match performances. Identification of peak running periods should be used to assist worst case scenarios. Whilst micro-sensor technology should be further examined as to its viable use within match-analyses. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effects of Special Education Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Paul L; Frisco, Michelle; Farkas, George; Hibel, Jacob

2010-02-01

We sought to quantify the effectiveness of special education services as naturally delivered in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examined whether children receiving special education services displayed (a) greater reading or mathematics skills, (b) more frequent learning-related behaviors, or (c) less frequent externalizing or internalizing problem behaviors than closely matched peers not receiving such services. To do so, we used propensity score matching techniques to analyze data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal-Study Kindergarten Cohort, 1998-1999, a large scale, nationally representative sample of U.S. schoolchildren. Collectively, results indicate that receipt of special education services has either a negative or statistically non-significant impact on children's learning or behavior. However, special education services do yield a small, positive effect on children's learning-related behaviors.

75 FR 63878 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-18

...-Regulatory Organizations; Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...(b)(1). \\2\\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance... Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory...

Matching faces with emotional expressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenfeng eChen

2011-08-01

Full Text Available There is some evidence that faces with a happy expression are recognized better than faces with other expressions. However, little is known about whether this happy face advantage also applies to perceptual face matching, and whether similar differences exist among other expressions. Using a sequential matching paradigm, we systematically compared the effects of seven basic facial expressions on identity recognition. Identity matching was quickest when a pair of faces had an identical happy/sad/neutral expression, poorer when they had a fearful/surprise/angry expression, and poorest when they had a disgust expression. Faces with a happy/sad/fear/surprise expression were matched faster than those with an anger/disgust expression when the second face in a pair had a neutral expression. These results demonstrate that effects of facial expression on identity recognition are not limited to happy faces when a learned face is immediately tested. The results suggest different influences of expression in perceptual matching and long-term recognition memory.

On "feeling right" in cultural contexts: how person-culture match affects self-esteem and subjective well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Fulmer, C Ashley; Gelfand, Michele J; Kruglanski, Arie W; Kim-Prieto, Chu; Diener, Ed; Pierro, Antonio; Higgins, E Tory

2010-11-01

Whether one is in one's native culture or abroad, one's personality can differ markedly from the personalities of the majority, thus failing to match the "cultural norm." Our studies examined how the interaction of individual- and cultural-level personality affects people's self-esteem and well-being. We propose a person-culture match hypothesis that predicts that when a person's personality matches the prevalent personalities of other people in a culture, culture functions as an important amplifier of the positive effect of personality on self-esteem and subjective well-being at the individual level. Across two studies, using data from more than 7,000 individuals from 28 societies, multilevel random-coefficient analyses showed that when a relation between a given personality trait and well-being or self-esteem exists at the individual level, the relation is stronger in cultures characterized by high levels of that personality dimension. Results were replicated across extraversion, promotion focus, and locomotive regulatory mode. Our research has practical implications for the well-being of both cultural natives and migrants.

The trade in human organs in Tamil Nadu: the anatomy of regulatory failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraleedharan, Vangal R; Jan, Stephen; Ram Prasad, S

2006-01-01

There has been much recent interest in the trade in human organs in India. This paper examines both the extent to which regulatory controls through the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (1994) are effective in curbing commercialization and the nature of the constraints on the effective implementation of this Act. The study, a politico-economic analysis of health sector regulation, is based on a stakeholder analysis drawing on the views of key decision makers, service providers, organ donors and recipients. The findings indicate widespread acknowledgement of an organs trade and highlight four major constraints on the effective implementation of the Act: the commercial interests of middlemen and service providers, the ambiguities and loopholes in the Act; the low monitoring capacity of the regulatory authorities, and the pressures and responsibilities exerted upon the Authorizing Committees. A feature of the Act is that its implementation is subject to a major incentive compatibility constraint - it is seemingly not in the interests of any of the key players, including the regulatory authorities, to restrict the organ trade. To some extent, this institutional problem is created by the specific nature of the regulatory intervention, and, as a consequence, measures involving straightforward redrafting of the regulation might go some way to addressing this incentive problem. Another solution may entail a 'harm-reduction' strategy involving a controlled trade where procurement and organ matching is carried out by a government agency (this would require, however, the prior resolution of the broader ethical question concerning the legitimacy of such trade).

Matching therapists' predicates: an in vivo test of effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowd, E T; Hingst, A G

1983-08-01

The theory of neurolinguistic programming predicts that a therapist's matching of a client's primary representational system, as expressed in the client's predicates, should result in increased therapist's rapport and social influence. This hypothesis was tested in an actual interview situation. Six relatively inexperienced therapists, two each in predicate matching, predicate mismatching, and predicate no-matching conditions, conducted a 30-min. interview with nine undergraduate student volunteers each, for a total of 54 subjects. After the appropriate interview condition was completed, subjects rated ther therapists on the Counselor Rating Form and the Counseling Evaluation Inventory. No significant differences among the three conditions on any of the measures were found. Results are compared with those of previous research on assessment and primary representational matching in analogue situations.

Enhancing regulatory effectiveness by improving the process for identifying and resolving generic issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vander Molen, Harold J.

2001-01-01

The Generic Issues Program first began formally in response to a Commission directive in October of 1976. In 1983, it became one of the first programs to make successful use of probabilistic risk information to aid in regulatory decision-making. In the 16 years since the program became quantitative, 836 issues have been processed. Of these, 106 reactor safety issues were prioritized as requiring further evaluation to determine the final resolution. Approximately a dozen generic issues remain unresolved. Although there is far less reactor licensing activity than in the 1970s, new issues continue to be identified from research and operational experience. These issues often involve complex and controversial questions of safety and regulation, and an efficient and effective means of addressing these issues is essential for regulatory effectiveness. Issues that involve a significant safety question require swift, effective, enforceable, and cost-effective regulatory actions. Issues that are of little safety significance must be quickly shown to be so and dismissed in an expeditious manner so as to avoid unnecessary expenditure of limited resources and to reduce regulatory uncertainty. Additionally, in the time since the generic issue program began, probabilistic risk assessment techniques have advanced significantly while agency resources have continued to diminish. Accordingly, the paper discusses the steps that have been taken to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the generic issue resolution process. Additionally, four resolved issues are discussed, along with key elements of a proposed new procedure for resolving potential generic issues

A Propensity Score Matching Analysis of the Effects of Special Education Services

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Paul L.; Frisco, Michelle; Farkas, George; Hibel, Jacob

2013-01-01

We sought to quantify the effectiveness of special education services as naturally delivered in U.S. schools. Specifically, we examined whether children receiving special education services displayed (a) greater reading or mathematics skills, (b) more frequent learning-related behaviors, or (c) less frequent externalizing or internalizing problem behaviors than closely matched peers not receiving such services. To do so, we used propensity score matching techniques to analyze data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal—Study Kindergarten Cohort, 1998–1999, a large scale, nationally representative sample of U.S. schoolchildren. Collectively, results indicate that receipt of special education services has either a negative or statistically non-significant impact on children’s learning or behavior. However, special education services do yield a small, positive effect on children’s learning-related behaviors. PMID:23606759

77 FR 1545 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-10

....15c3-5. Because these are NYSE Arca proprietary firms, the regulatory risk of extending the time to...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule... Trail System Rules, for Equity Trading Permit Holders That Are Not Financial Industry Regulatory...

Causality analysis detects the regulatory role of maternal effect genes in the early Drosophila embryo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zara Ghodsi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In developmental studies, inferring regulatory interactions of segmentation genetic network play a vital role in unveiling the mechanism of pattern formation. As such, there exists an opportune demand for theoretical developments and new mathematical models which can result in a more accurate illustration of this genetic network. Accordingly, this paper seeks to extract the meaningful regulatory role of the maternal effect genes using a variety of causality detection techniques and to explore whether these methods can suggest a new analytical view to the gene regulatory networks. We evaluate the use of three different powerful and widely-used models representing time and frequency domain Granger causality and convergent cross mapping technique with the results being thoroughly evaluated for statistical significance. Our findings show that the regulatory role of maternal effect genes is detectable in different time classes and thereby the method is applicable to infer the possible regulatory interactions present among the other genes of this network.

Effects of gender-matching and racial self-labeling on paranoia in African-American men with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Whaley, Arthur L

2006-04-01

The present study examined the effects of gender-matching and racial self-labeling on the paranoid symptoms of African-American men with severe mental illness. It was hypothesized that gender matching would: 1) reduce self-reports of both interpersonal and cultural paranoia in these male participants with severe mental illness, and 2) the gender effect would be strongest among those patients who racially self-label as African-American. One-hundred-twenty-four African-American male psychiatric patients were interviewed by a male or female black psychologist. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted with the Fenigstein Paranoia Scale (FPS) and Cultural Mistrust Inventory (CMI) as dependent variables, and the male gender-matched group (0=no, 1=yes) and racial self-labeling as the independent variables controlling for age; education; never married (0=no, 1=yes); diagnosis of schizophrenia (0=no, 1=yes); need for approval; self-esteem; and the scales of Distrust, Perceived Hostility of Others, and False Beliefs and Perceptions from the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Interview. There was a significant main effect for male gender-matching on the FPS. Participants in the male gender-matched group scored lower than the other group on the FPS. For the CMI, there was a significant interaction of male gender match by racial self-labeling effect. Participants who were male gender-matched and self-labeled as African-American reported the highest scores on the CMI. The findings provide partial support for the hypotheses. Both gender-matching and racial identity together may be important considerations for black males needing mental health services.

Regulatory difficulties in a developing country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, W.R. Jr.

1978-01-01

The regulatory agency assigned the task of regulating the initial entry into the field of nuclear power generation by a developing country has a very difficult job. Based on the authors' experience during the start-up and initial operation of Ko-Ri Unit I, the first power reactor in the Republic of Korea, observations on regulatory difficulties and recommendations for improved regulatory effectiveness are offered. The problem areas can be loosely grouped into three general categories: (1) Lack of adequate technical knowledge which is the basis for all effective regulation; (2) Difficulties with understanding and utilization of the required regulatory documentation; (3) Failure to establish the proper regulatory environment. Examples are cited from actual experience during the Ko-Ri Unit I start-up to demonstrate the impact that regulatory activities can have on a plant construction and testing programme. The problems encountered are not unique to developing countries but also exist in the United States of America. Recommendations are offered which should be beneficial to either newly formed regulatory agencies or agencies wishing to improve their abilities and effectiveness. These include: (1) Additional training of regulatory inspectors in plant operations; (2) Additional experience gained by participation in regulatory activities in other countries; (3) Increased attention given to regulatory documents, especially plant technical specifications; (4) Establishment of formal lines of communication between the utility and the regulatory agency; (5) Clear definition of regulatory responsibilities to avoid areas of overlapping jurisdiction; (6) Active participation by the regulatory staff very early in the project. It is hoped that these and other recommendations offered will greatly improve regulatory effectiveness and at the same time demonstrate that when the decision is made to 'go nuclear', a strong commitment must be made to develop and support a technically

The Effect of Focal Distance, Age, and Brightness on Near-Field Augmented Reality Depth Matching

OpenAIRE

Singh, Gujot; Ellis, Stephen R.; Swan II, J. Edward

2017-01-01

Many augmented reality (AR) applications operate within near-field reaching distances, and require matching the depth of a virtual object with a real object. The accuracy of this matching was measured in three experiments, which examined the effect of focal distance, age, and brightness, within distances of 33.3 to 50 cm, using a custom-built AR haploscope. Experiment I examined the effect of focal demand, at the levels of collimated (infinite focal distance), consistent with other depth cues...

Forecasting the student–professor matches that result in unusually effective teaching

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Jennifer; Lakey, Brian; Lucas, Jessica L; LaCross, Ryan; R Plotkowski, Andrea; Winegard, Bo

2015-01-01

Background Two important influences on students' evaluations of teaching are relationship and professor effects. Relationship effects reflect unique matches between students and professors such that some professors are unusually effective for some students, but not for others. Professor effects reflect inter-rater agreement that some professors are more effective than others, on average across students. Aims We attempted to forecast students' evaluations of live lectures from brief, video-recorded teaching trailers. Sample Participants were 145 college students (74% female) enrolled in introductory psychology courses at a public university in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Methods Students viewed trailers early in the semester and attended live lectures months later. Because subgroups of students viewed the same professors, statistical analyses could isolate professor and relationship effects. Results Evaluations were influenced strongly by relationship and professor effects, and students' evaluations of live lectures could be forecasted from students' evaluations of teaching trailers. That is, we could forecast the individual students who would respond unusually well to a specific professor (relationship effects). We could also forecast which professors elicited better evaluations in live lectures, on average across students (professor effects). Professors who elicited unusually good evaluations in some students also elicited better memory for lectures in those students. Conclusions It appears possible to forecast relationship and professor effects on teaching evaluations by presenting brief teaching trailers to students. Thus, it might be possible to develop online recommender systems to help match students and professors so that unusually effective teaching emerges. PMID:24953773

Regulatory focus and burnout in nurses: The mediating effect of perception of transformational leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Rui; Zhang, Shilei; Xu, Hang; Liu, Xufeng; Miao, Danmin

2015-12-01

This correlation study investigated the relationship between nurses' regulatory focus and burnout, as mediated by their perceptions of transformational leadership, using a cross-sectional research design with anonymous questionnaires. In July-August 2012, data were collected from 378 nurses from three hospitals in Shaanxi Province, China, using self-report questionnaires for measuring the nurses' regulatory focus, their level of burnout and their perception of whether the leadership of their supervisor was transformational. Structural equation modelling and bootstrapping procedures were used to identify the mediating effect of their perceptions of transformational leadership. The results supported our hypothesized model. The type of regulatory focus emerged as a significant predictor of burnout. Having a perception of transformational leadership partially mediated the relationship between regulatory focus and burnout. Having a promotion focus reduced burnout when the participants perceived transformational leadership, whereas having a prevention focus exhibited the opposite pattern. The mediating effect of the perception of transformational leadership suggests that a promotion focus may help diminish burnout, directly and indirectly. Nurse managers must be aware of the role of a regulatory focus and cultivate promotion focus in their followers. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Football match spectator sound exposure and effect on hearing: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This was a one-group pretest–post-test design of football spectators attending a premier soccer league match at a designated FIFA 2010 training stadium in Gauteng, South Africa. Individual spectator noise exposure for the duration of the football match and post-match changes in hearing thresholds were measured with ...

75 FR 30839 - Privacy Act of 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2010-03, HHS Computer Match No. 1003, SSA Computer...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-02

... 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2010-03, HHS Computer Match No. 1003, SSA Computer Match No. 1048, IRS... Services (CMS). ACTION: Notice of renewal of an existing computer matching program (CMP) that has an...'' section below for comment period. DATES: Effective Dates: CMS filed a report of the Computer Matching...

76 FR 50796 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

...-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Increase the Position Limit for Options on the Standard and Poor's... Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission...

Effects of a shade-matching light and background color on reliability in tooth shade selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi-Abrandabadi, Siamak; Vahidi, Farhad; Janal, Malvin N

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a shade-matching light (Rite-Lite-2, AdDent) and different viewing backgrounds on reliability in a test of shade tab matching. Four members of the Prosthodontic faculty matched 10 shade tabs selected for a range of shades against the shade guide. All raters were tested for color blindness and were calibrated prior to the study. Matching took place under four combinations of conditions: with operatory light or the shade-matching light, and using either a pink or a blue background. Reliability was quantified with the kappa statistic, separately for agreement of value, hue, and chroma for each shade tab. In general, raters showed fair to moderate levels of agreement when judging the value of the shade tabs, but could not agree on the hue and chroma of the stimuli. The pink background led to higher levels of agreement than the blue background, and the shade-matching light improved agreement when used in conjunction with the pink but not the blue background. Moderate levels of agreement were found in matching shade tab value. Agreement was generally better when using the pink rather than the blue background, regardless of light source. The use of the shade-matching light tended to amplify the advantage of the pink background.

Platform pricing in matching markets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goos, M.; van Cayseele, P.; Willekens, B.

2011-01-01

This paper develops a simple model of monopoly platform pricing accounting for two pertinent features of matching markets. 1) The trading process is characterized by search and matching frictions implying limits to positive cross-side network effects and the presence of own-side congestion.

Regulatory agencies and regulatory risk

OpenAIRE

Knieps, Günter; Weiß, Hans-Jörg

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to show that regulatory risk is due to the discretionary behaviour of regulatory agencies, caused by a too extensive regulatory mandate provided by the legislator. The normative point of reference and a behavioural model of regulatory agencies based on the positive theory of regulation are presented. Regulatory risk with regard to the future behaviour of regulatory agencies is modelled as the consequence of the ex ante uncertainty about the relative influence of inter...

Matching theory

CERN Document Server

Plummer, MD

1986-01-01

This study of matching theory deals with bipartite matching, network flows, and presents fundamental results for the non-bipartite case. It goes on to study elementary bipartite graphs and elementary graphs in general. Further discussed are 2-matchings, general matching problems as linear programs, the Edmonds Matching Algorithm (and other algorithmic approaches), f-factors and vertex packing.

The Political Economy of Regulatory Risk

OpenAIRE

Strausz, Roland

2009-01-01

I investigate the argument that, in a two–party system with different regulatory objectives, political uncertainty generates regulatory risk. I show that this risk has a fluctuation effect that hurts both parties and an output–expansion effect that benefits one party. Consequently, at least one party dislikes regulatory risk. Moreover, both political parties gain from eliminating regulatory risk when political divergence is small or the winning probability of the regulatory–risk–averse party ...

Color memory matching: time effect and other factors

OpenAIRE

Pérez Carpinell, Jaime; Baldoví, Rosa; Fez Saiz, Dolores de; Castro, José

1998-01-01

The methods of simultaneous and successive, or memory, color matching have been compared for 10 color reference samples distributed in two groups each performed by 50 observers (25 men and 25 women). Our results, obtained with a total of 200 Munsell color chips arrayed on 10 gray cardboard panels, indicated that: a)while by simultaneous matching the mean color differences obtained are, in most cases, lower than 1 Cielab unit, those obtained by memory are generally higer; b) the worst remember...

75 FR 53998 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-02

... characteristics and risks of security futures. \\6\\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-3(b)(6). B. Self-Regulatory Organization's...-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend the Security Futures Risk Disclosure Statement August 27, 2010...

Compensation of matrix effects in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of pesticides using a combination of matrix matching and multiple isotopically labeled internal standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuchiyama, Tomoyuki; Katsuhara, Miki; Nakajima, Masahiro

2017-11-17

In the multi-residue analysis of pesticides using GC-MS, the quantitative results are adversely affected by a phenomenon known as the matrix effect. Although the use of matrix-matched standards is considered to be one of the most practical solutions to this problem, complete removal of the matrix effect is difficult in complex food matrices owing to their inconsistency. As a result, residual matrix effects can introduce analytical errors. To compensate for residual matrix effects, we have developed a novel method that employs multiple isotopically labeled internal standards (ILIS). The matrix effects of ILIS and pesticides were evaluated in spiked matrix extracts of various agricultural commodities, and the obtained data were subjected to simple statistical analysis. Based on the similarities between the patterns of variation in the analytical response, a total of 32 isotopically labeled compounds were assigned to 338 pesticides as internal standards. It was found that by utilizing multiple ILIS, residual matrix effects could be effectively compensated. The developed method exhibited superior quantitative performance compared with the common single-internal-standard method. The proposed method is more feasible for regulatory purposes than that using only predetermined correction factors and is considered to be promising for practical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 73577 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-06

...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Modify the Risk Monitoring Functionality Offered by the Exchange December 2, 2013....19b-4(f)(6)(iii). I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the...

78 FR 4502 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-22

... certainty with respect to execution fees at groups of away options exchanges. Under its flat fee structure...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange...

Effect of yield stress matching on ductile fracture behavior of girth welds for X line pipe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motohashi, Hiroyuki; Hagiwara, Naoto [Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (Japan)

2005-07-01

This paper describes the effects of yield stress matching on the ductile fracture behavior of girth welded joints for X linepipes. Three welded joints were made on an X line pipe using several consumables to obtain about a 20% overmatched, even matched and about a 20% under matched weld metal. For these three welded joints, curved wide plate tensile tests were then conducted with a surface notch in the weld metal. To determine the ductile crack initiation from the surface notch, these tests employed a direct-current electric potential (d-c E P) method. Crack opening displacement, gauge length strain and local strain adjacent to the surface notch were also measured. The ductile crack initiation was successfully detected using the d-c E P method. The yield stress matching significantly affected the ductile crack initiation and fracture behavior, that is, the overmatched welded joint had a higher resistance to ductile fracture than that of the under matched welded joint. The allowable strength matching level was determined from the relationship between the strength matching and the gauge length strain at the ductile crack initiation detected using the d-c E P method. (author)

Techniques Used in String Matching for Network Security

OpenAIRE

Jamuna Bhandari

2014-01-01

String matching also known as pattern matching is one of primary concept for network security. In this area the effectiveness and efficiency of string matching algorithms is important for applications in network security such as network intrusion detection, virus detection, signature matching and web content filtering system. This paper presents brief review on some of string matching techniques used for network security.

FORECAST: Regulatory effects cost analysis software annual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, B.; Sciacca, F.W.

1991-11-01

Over the past several years the NRC has developed a generic cost methodology for the quantification of cost/economic impacts associated with a wide range of new or revised regulatory requirements. This methodology has been developed to aid the NRC in preparing Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs). These generic costing methods can be useful in quantifying impacts both to industry and to the NRC. The FORECAST program was developed to facilitate the use of the generic costing methodology. This PC program integrates the major cost considerations that may be required because of a regulatory change. FORECAST automates much of the calculations typically needed in an RIA and thus reduces the time and labor required to perform these analysis. More importantly, its integrated and consistent treatment of the different cost elements should help assure comprehensiveness, uniformity, and accuracy in the preparation of needed cost estimates

Effects of age and spa treatment on match running performance over two consecutive games in highly trained young soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchheit, Martin; Horobeanu, Cosmin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto; Simpson, Ben M; Bourdon, Pitre C

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of age and spa treatment (i.e. combined sauna, cold water immersion, and jacuzzi) on match running performance over two consecutive matches in highly trained young soccer players. Fifteen pre- (age 12.8 ± 0.6 years) and 13 post- (15.9 ± 1 y) peak height velocity (PHV) players played two matches (Matches 1 and 2) within 48 h against the same opposition, with no specific between-match recovery intervention (control). Five post-PHV players also completed another set of two consecutive matches, with spa treatment implemented after the first match. Match running performance was assessed using a global positioning system with very-high-intensity running (> 16.1-19.0 km · h(-1)), sprinting distance (>19 km · h(-1)), and peak match speed determined. Match 2 very-high-intensity running was "possibly" impaired in post-PHV players (-9 ± 33%; ± 90% confidence limits), whereas it was "very likely" improved for the pre-PHV players (+27 ± 22%). The spa treatment had a beneficial impact on Match 2 running performance, with a "likely" rating for sprinting distance (+30 ± 67%) and "almost certain" for peak match speed (+6.4 ± 3%). The results suggest that spa treatment is an effective recovery intervention for post-PHV players, while its value in pre-PHV players is questionable.

Physiological responses and match characteristics in professional tennis players during a one-hour simulated tennis match

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kilit Bülent

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of serve and return game situations on physiological responses and match characteristics in professional male tennis players during one hour-long simulated singles tennis matches. Ten internationally ranked tennis players (age 22.2 ± 2.8 years; body height 180.7 ± 4.4 cm; body mass 75.9 ± 8.9 kg participated in this study. Their physiological responses were measured using two portable analyzers during indoor hard court matches. Ratings of perceived exertion were also determined at the end of the game. The variables describing the characteristics of the matches determined from video recordings were: (a duration of rallies; (b rest time; (c work-to-rest ratio; (d effective playing time; and (d strokes per rally. Significant differences (p<0.05 were found between serving and returning conditions in an hour-long simulated singles tennis match in terms of oxygen uptake, a heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, pulmonary ventilation, respiration frequency and a respiratory gas exchange ratio. In addition, both the heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion responses were moderately correlated with the duration of rallies and strokes per rally (r = 0.60 to 0.26; p<0.05. Taken together, these results indicate that the serve game situation has a significant effect on the physiological response in an hour-long simulated tennis match between professional male tennis players. These findings might be used for the physiological adaptations required for tennis-specific aerobic endurance.

Assessment of factors that affect the effectiveness of regulatory bodies: an application to the nuclear area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, Ivan Pedro Salati de

2005-09-01

This work examines the main factors that affect the effectiveness of the non-economic regulatory process and establishes a model to propose actions to improve the regulation and the role of the regulatory body. The Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is used and some tools for analysis, derived from the expectations of the stake holders, are added to the methodology. The stake holders taken into account are the public, the licensees, the supervisory bodies, other regulatory bodies, international organizations, concerned groups, and the regulatory body staff. The proposed actions aim to gradually change the organization, and the adopted methodology sees the organizational evolution as a continuum. Some elements of the Theory of Complexity are compared to the SSM concepts in order to validate the evolutionary approach. The model is applied to the specific case of,the nuclear regulation and the Brazilian regulatory body. Situations perceived as 'problem situations' are listed and some actions are proposed for improvement, including the establishment of performance indicators for effectiveness in nuclear regulation. (author)

Approaches for Stereo Matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takouhi Ozanian

1995-04-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on the last decade's development of the computational stereopsis for recovering three-dimensional information. The main components of the stereo analysis are exposed: image acquisition and camera modeling, feature selection, feature matching and disparity interpretation. A brief survey is given of the well known feature selection approaches and the estimation parameters for this selection are mentioned. The difficulties in identifying correspondent locations in the two images are explained. Methods as to how effectively to constrain the search for correct solution of the correspondence problem are discussed, as are strategies for the whole matching process. Reasons for the occurrence of matching errors are considered. Some recently proposed approaches, employing new ideas in the modeling of stereo matching in terms of energy minimization, are described. Acknowledging the importance of computation time for real-time applications, special attention is paid to parallelism as a way to achieve the required level of performance. The development of trinocular stereo analysis as an alternative to the conventional binocular one, is described. Finally a classification based on the test images for verification of the stereo matching algorithms, is supplied.

High magnetic field matching effects in NbN films induced by template grown dense ferromagnetic nanowires arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hallet, X.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Mária; Michotte, S.

2009-01-01

magnetic nanowires. Matching effects have been observed up to 2.5 T (11th matching field) and are maintained at low temperature. An appreciable enhancement of the superconducting properties is observed. At low fields, a hysteretic behavior in the magnetoresistance is found, directly related...

Approach for assessing the effectiveness of regulatory control in Peru using performance indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez Quijada, R.

1998-01-01

The paper is intended to make an approach for assessing the effectiveness of regulatory activities in Peru by using of performance indicators for each of the activities developed pursuant their responsibilities. So inspections, authorizations, enforcement and regulation activities are qualified by levels of attainments and then assessed independently to rise specific issues. The general conclusion is that regulatory activities seems to be acceptable but some improvements are needed in order to reach a good level of performance. (author)

European Union International Cooperation to Improve Regulatory Effectiveness in Nuclear Safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stockmann, Y.

2016-01-01

The European Union (EU) promotes a high level of nuclear safety worldwide, through the ''Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation'' (INSC) since 2007. The INSC builds on the experience gained under the completed ''Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States'' Programme (TACIS) from 1991. Development and strengthening of national Regulatory Authorities’ capabilities is a key activity in achieving the INSC goals, in particular in countries with or embarking on nuclear power. Specific partner countries under INSC include countries of all types of maturity in the nuclear technology, with mature countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Ukraine, countries with waste and mining issues, but no direct intention of embarking on nuclear power such as Georgia, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tanzania and countries planning to embark on nuclear power such as Belarus, Egypt, Jordan and Vietnam. For new projects, the main focus is on the neighbourhood of the EU. The EU cooperation within INSC encompasses measures to support the promotion of high standards in radiation protection, radioactive waste management, decommissioning, remediation of contaminated sites, and efficient and effective safeguards of nuclear material. The INSC regulatory support is aimed at continuous assistance to Nuclear Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), including their technical support organisations (TSOs), in order to reinforce the regulatory framework, notably concerning licensing activities.

Developing self-regulation for dietary temptations: intervention effects on physical, self-regulatory and psychological outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, Heather C; Ntoumanis, Nikos

2014-12-01

We aimed to investigate whether a self-regulatory skills intervention can improve weight loss-related outcomes. Fifty-five participants (M BMI = 32.60 ± 4.86) were randomized into self-regulation training and advice groups and received two training workshops and weekly practice tasks. The self-regulation training group was trained to use six self-regulatory skills: Delayed gratification, thought control, goal setting, self-monitoring, mindfulness, and coping. The advice group received dietary and physical activity advice for weight loss. Physical, self-regulatory, and psychological measures were taken at baseline, end of intervention (week 8) and at follow-up (week 12). Using intention-to-treat analysis, weight, waist circumference, body fat and body mass index (BMI) were significantly reduced at follow-up for both groups. There were significant increases in all six self-regulatory skills and the psychological measures of self-efficacy, self-regulatory success, and physical self-worth for both groups. Results indicate that self-regulatory skills training might be as effective as dietary and physical activity advice in terms of weight loss and related outcomes.

Effects of international football matches on ambulance call profiles and volumes during the 2006 World Cup.

Science.gov (United States)

Deakin, Charles D; Thompson, Fizz; Gibson, Caroline; Green, Mark

2007-06-01

Prompt ambulance attendance is aimed at improving patient care. With finite resources struggling to meet performance targets, unforeseen demand precludes the ability to tailor resources to cope with increased call volumes, and can have a marked detrimental effect on performance and hence patient care. The effects of the 2006 World Cup football matches on call volumes and profiles were analysed to understand how public events can influence demands on the ambulance service. All emergency calls to the Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (currently the Hampshire Division of South Central Ambulance Service, Winchester, UK) during the first weekend of the 2006 World Cup football matches were analysed by call volume and classification of call (call type). On the day of the first football match, call volume was over 50% higher than that on a typical Saturday, with distinct peaks before and after the inaugural match. Call profile analysis showed increases in alcohol-related emergencies, including collapse, unconsciousness, assault and road traffic accidents. The increase in assaults was particularly marked at the end of each match and increased again into the late evening. A detailed mapping of call volumes and profiles during the World Cup football shows a significant increase in overall emergency calls, mostly alcohol related. Mapping of limited resources to these patterns will allow improved responses to emergency calls.

Scoring on the stock exchange? The effect of football matches on stock market returns : an event study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholtens, B.; Peenstra, W.

2009-01-01

We analyse the effect of results of football matches on the stock market performance of football teams. We analyse 1274 matches of eight teams in the national and European competition during 2000-2004. We find that the stock market response is significant and positive for victories and negative for

Research and regulatory review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macleod, J.S.; Fryer, D.R.H.

1979-01-01

To enable the regulatory review to be effectively undertaken by the regulatory body, there is a need for it to have ready access to information generated by research activities. Certain advantages have been seen to be gained by the regulatory body itself directly allocating and controlling some portion of these activities. The princial reasons for reaching this conclusion are summarised and a brief description of the Inspectorates directly sponsored programme outlined. (author)

Effects of a Red Card on Goal-Scoring in World Cup Football Matches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cervený, Jakub; van Ours, Jan; van Tuijl, Martin

2016-01-01

We examine the effect of the sending-o of a player on the goal-scoring rates in FIFA World Cup matches in tournaments from 1998 to 2014. We use a hazard rate framework in which the effect of a red card is modeled as a shift in the goal-scoring rate. A red card may harm the team that receives a red

The independent effects of match location, match result and the quality of opposition on subjective wellbeing in under 23 soccer players: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, Will; Brownlee, Thomas E; Harper, Liam D; Naughton, Robert J; Clifford, Tom

2018-03-04

This study examined if subjective wellbeing in soccer players was affected by match location, match result and opposition quality before a match (PRE), 1 day after (POST-1), and 3 days after a match (POST-3). Eleven professional male soccer players from the under 23 squad playing in the Premier League 2 division completed a wellbeing questionnaire before and after 17 matches. Match training load (session-rating perceived exertion) was not different, regardless of the location, result, or quality of opposition faced (P > 0.05). Subjective wellbeing was not different at PRE (P > 0.05); however, at POST-1 and POST-3, stress and mood were ≥20% lower after playing away from home or losing (P sleep were ≥12% worse after playing against a higher-level opposition at POST-1. Coaches need to be aware that match location, match result and the quality of the opposition can influence post-match wellbeing, irrespective of match load.

The regulatory effects of interleukin-12 on interleukin-18 and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Soheir R. Demian

2011-08-24

Aug 24, 2011 ... Objective: To investigate the regulatory effects of IL-12 on IL-18 and IFN-c production in patients with breast cancer. ... IL-18 and IFN-c levels assessed using ELISA before and after ... Multiple factors are associated with increased risk of its ... role in the manifestations of T cell mediated immunity in cancer.

76 FR 5235 - Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; Computer Matching Program (SSA Internal Match)-Match Number 1014

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-28

...; Computer Matching Program (SSA Internal Match)--Match Number 1014 AGENCY: Social Security Administration... regarding protections for such persons. The Privacy Act, as amended, regulates the use of computer matching....C. 552a, as amended, and the provisions of the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988...

Multi-image Matching of Airborne SAR Imagery by SANCC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DING Hao

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In order to improve accuracy of SAR matching, a multi-image matching method based on sum of adaptive normalized cross-correlation (SANCC is proposed. It utilizes geometrical and radiometric information of multi-baselinesynthetic aperture radar (SARimages effectively. Firstly, imaging parameters, platform parameters and approximate digital surface model (DSM are used to predict matching line. Secondly, similarity and proximity in Gestalt theory are introduced to SANCC, and SANCC measures of potential matching points along the matching line are calculated. Thirdly, multi-image matching results and object coordinates of matching points are obtained by winner-take-all (WTA optimization strategy. The approach has been demonstrated with airborne SAR images acquired by a Chinese airborne SAR system (CASMSAR system. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm is effective for providing dense and accuracy matching points, reducing the number of mismatches caused by repeated textures, and offering a better solution to match in poor textured areas.

On Beam Matching and the Space-Charge Effect in protoDUNE-SP

CERN Document Server

Mandalia, Jesal Paresh

2017-01-01

In this project simulations using LArSoft have been analysed in particular looking at how the space-charge effect will affect the matching of particle tracks from the beam line monitor to the TPC and the TPC's performance measuring $\\frac{dE}{dx}$ in protoDUNE-SP. The analysis here provides some preliminary calibrations for protoDUNE-SP to account for the impact the space charge effect will have. Many areas of pion cross section analysis will be affected by the space charge effect so it is vital for a calibration to be developed.

Effectively identifying regulatory hotspots while capturing expression heterogeneity in gene expression studies

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping is a tool that can systematically identify genetic variation affecting gene expression. eQTL mapping studies have shown that certain genomic locations, referred to as regulatory hotspots, may affect the expression levels of many genes. Recently, studies have shown that various confounding factors may induce spurious regulatory hotspots. Here, we introduce a novel statistical method that effectively eliminates spurious hotspots while retaining genuine hotspots. Applied to simulated and real datasets, we validate that our method achieves greater sensitivity while retaining low false discovery rates compared to previous methods. PMID:24708878

78 FR 12803 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-25

... certainty with respect to execution fees at groups of away options exchanges. Under its flat fee structure...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule... 240.19b-4. \\3\\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii). \\4\\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2). I. Self-Regulatory Organization...

Caffeine supplementation does not affect match activities and fatigue resistance during match play in young football players

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pettersen, Svein Arne; Krustrup, Peter; Bendiksen, Mads

2014-01-01

The study examined the effect of caffeine supplementation on match activities and development of fatigue during a football match. In a randomised, double-blind cross-over design, two experimental football games separated by 7 days were organised between the junior teams of two professional footba...

Team structure and regulatory focus: the impact of regulatory fit on team dynamic.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimotakis, Nikolaos; Davison, Robert B; Hollenbeck, John R

2012-03-01

We report a within-teams experiment testing the effects of fit between team structure and regulatory task demands on task performance and satisfaction through average team member positive affect and helping behaviors. We used a completely crossed repeated-observations design in which 21 teams enacted 2 tasks with different regulatory focus characteristics (prevention and promotion) in 2 organizational structures (functional and divisional), resulting in 84 observations. Results suggested that salient regulatory demands inherent in the task interacted with structure to determine objective and subjective team-level outcomes, such that functional structures were best suited to (i.e., had best fit with) tasks with a prevention regulatory focus and divisional structures were best suited to tasks with a promotion regulatory focus. This contingency finding integrates regulatory focus and structural contingency theories, and extends them to the team level with implications for models of performance, satisfaction, and team dynamics.

Development of measures to assess the safety of existing NPPs and the effectiveness of regulations and regulatory actions (including 'prescriptive' and 'performance based' approaches). Peer discussions on regulatory practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-09-01

This report arises from the fourth series of peer discussions on regulatory practices entitled D evelopment of measures to assess the safety of existing nuclear power plants and the effectiveness of regulations and regulatory actions (including 'prescriptive' and 'performance based' approaches) . Senior regulators from 23 Member States participated in four peer group discussions during 1995-1996. This report presents the outcome of these meetings and recommendations of good practices identified by these senior regulators. The purpose of this report is to disseminate the views which the senior regulators presented at the meetings relating to measures used for assessing the safety of existing nuclear power plants and evaluating the effectiveness of regulators and regulatory actions. The intention in doing this is to assist Member States in the enhancement of their regulatory practices by identifying commonly accepted good practices. This report is structured so that it covers the subject matter under the following main headings: 'Prescriptive and Performance Based' Approaches to Regulation; Common Features of Regulatory Approaches; Effectiveness of the Regulator and Regulatory Actions; Recommendations of Good Practice. It is important to note that recommendations of good practice are included if they have been identified by at least one of the groups. It does not follow that all of the groups or individual Member States would necessarily endorse all of the recommendations. However, it is considered that if a single group of senior regulators judge that a particular practice is worthy of recommendation then it should be included for serious consideration. In some cases the same recommendations arise from all of the Groups

Anti-regulatory T cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mads Hald

2017-01-01

responses to tumours or inhibiting autoimmunity development. However, recent studies report the discovery of self-reactive pro-inflammatory T cells—termed anti-regulatory T cells (anti-Tregs)—that target immune-suppressive cells. Thus, regulatory cells can now be defined as both cells that suppress immune...... reactions as well as effector cells that counteract the effects of suppressor cells and support immune reactions. Self-reactive anti-Tregs have been described that specifically recognize human leukocyte antigen-restricted epitopes derived from proteins that are normally expressed by regulatory immune cells......Our initial understanding of immune-regulatory cells was based on the discovery of suppressor cells that assure peripheral T-cell tolerance and promote immune homeostasis. Research has particularly focused on the importance of regulatory T cells (Tregs) for immune modulation, e.g. directing host...

THE EFFECT OF IMAGE ENHANCEMENT METHODS DURING FEATURE DETECTION AND MATCHING OF THERMAL IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Akcay

2017-05-01

Full Text Available A successful image matching is essential to provide an automatic photogrammetric process accurately. Feature detection, extraction and matching algorithms have performed on the high resolution images perfectly. However, images of cameras, which are equipped with low-resolution thermal sensors are problematic with the current algorithms. In this paper, some digital image processing techniques were applied to the low-resolution images taken with Optris PI 450 382 x 288 pixel optical resolution lightweight thermal camera to increase extraction and matching performance. Image enhancement methods that adjust low quality digital thermal images, were used to produce more suitable images for detection and extraction. Three main digital image process techniques: histogram equalization, high pass and low pass filters were considered to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, sharpen image, remove noise, respectively. Later on, the pre-processed images were evaluated using current image detection and feature extraction methods Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER and Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF algorithms. Obtained results showed that some enhancement methods increased number of extracted features and decreased blunder errors during image matching. Consequently, the effects of different pre-process techniques were compared in the paper.

State of otolaryngology match: has competition increased since the "early" match?

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrera-Muffly, Cristina; Sheeder, Jeanelle; Abaza, Mona

2015-05-01

To examine fluctuations in supply and demand of otolaryngology residency positions after the shift from an "early match" coordinated by the San Francisco match to a "conventional" matching process through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). To determine whether competition among otolaryngology residency positions have changed during this time frame. Database analysis. Matching statistics from 1998 to 2013 were obtained for all first-year residency positions through the NRMP. Matching statistics from 1998 to 2005 were obtained for otolaryngology residency positions through the San Francisco match. Univariate analysis was performed, with a P value less than .05 determined as significant. The number of otolaryngology positions and applicants remained proportional to the overall number of positions and applicants in the NRMP match. Otolaryngology applicants per position and the matching rate of all applicants did not change between the 2 time periods studied. The overall match rate of US seniors applying to otolaryngology did not change, while the match rate of non-US seniors decreased significantly following initiation of the conventional match. There was no significant change in United States Medical Licensing Exam step 1 scores or percentage of unfilled otolaryngology residency positions between the 2 time periods. When comparing the early versus conventional otolaryngology match time periods, the only major change was the decreased percentage of matching among non-US senior applicants. Despite a significant shift in match timing after 2006, the supply, demand, and competitiveness of otolaryngology residency positions have not changed significantly. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Sequential effects in pigeon delayed matching-to-sample performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Roitblat, H L; Scopatz, R A

1983-04-01

Pigeons were tested in a three-alternative delayed matching-to-sample task in which second-choices were permitted following first-choice errors. Sequences of responses both within and between trials were examined in three experiments. The first experiment demonstrates that the sample information contained in first-choice errors is not sufficient to account for the observed pattern of second choices. This result implies that second-choices following first-choice errors are based on a second examination of the contents of working memory. Proactive interference was found in the second experiment in the form of a dependency, beyond that expected on the basis of trial independent response bias, of first-choices from one trial on the first-choice emitted on the previous trial. Samples from the previous trial were not found to exert a significant influence on later trials. The magnitude of the intertrial association (Experiment 3) did not depend on the duration of the intertrial interval. In contrast, longer intertrial intervals and longer sample durations did facilitate choice accuracy, by strengthening the association between current samples and choices. These results are incompatible with a trace-decay and competition model; they suggest strongly that multiple influences act simultaneously and independently to control delayed matching-to-sample responding. These multiple influences include memory for the choice occurring on the previous trial, memory for the sample, and general effects of trial spacing.

The association between Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration and Regulatory T cells in peripheral blood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madelung, Christopher Fugl; Falk, Mads; Sørensen, Torben Lykke

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: To investigate regulatory T cells (Tregs) and subsets of the Treg population in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one neovascular AMD cases and 12 age-matched controls without retinal pathology were selected. Patients were...

Matched and mismatched appraisals of the effectiveness of communication strategies by family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Savundranayagam, Marie Y; Orange, J B

2014-01-01

Communication problems stemming from Alzheimer's disease (AD) often result in misunderstandings that can be linked with problem behaviours and increased caregiver stress. Moreover, these communication breakdowns also can result either from caregivers' use of ineffective communication strategies, which paradoxically are perceived as helpful, or can occur as a result of not using effective communication strategies that are perceived as unhelpful. The two primary aims were to determine the effectiveness of strategies used to resolve communication breakdowns and to examine whether caregivers' ratings of strategy effectiveness were consistent with evidence from video-recorded conversations and with effective communication strategies documented in the literature. Twenty-eight mealtime conversations were recorded using a sample of 15 dyads consisting of individuals with early, middle and late clinical-stage AD and their family caregivers. Conversations were analysed using the trouble-source repair paradigm to identify the communication strategies used by caregivers to resolve breakdowns. Family caregivers also rated the helpfulness of communication strategies used to resolve breakdowns. Analyses were conducted to assess the overlap or match between the use and appraisals of the helpfulness of communication strategies. Matched and mismatched appraisals of communication strategies varied across stages of AD. Matched appraisals by caregivers of persons with early-stage AD were observed for 68% of 22 communication strategies, whereas caregivers of persons with middle- and late-stage AD had matched appraisals for 45% and 55% of the strategies, respectively. Moreover, caregivers of persons with early-stage AD had matched appraisals over and above making matched appraisals by chance alone, compared with caregivers of persons in middle- and late-stage AD. Mismatches illustrate the need for communication education and training, particularly to establish empirically derived

Price-Matching leads to the Cournot Outcome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Batsaikhan, Mongoljin; Tumennasan, Norovsambuu

Bertrand competition that the market price in the presence of a price-matching option ranges from the monopolistic price to the Bertrand price. Our result suggests that the effect of price-matching depends on whether the output is a choice variable for the firms.......We study the effects of price-matching in a duopoly setting in which each firm selects both its price and output, simultaneously. We show that the availability of a pricematching option leads to the Cournot outcome in this setting. This result is a stark contrast to the one obtained in the standard...

Low doses of ionizing radiation: Biological effects and regulatory control. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-11-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization, in cooperation with the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, organized an international conference on Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: Biological Effects and Regulatory Control, held in seville, Spain, from 17 to 21 November 1997. This technical document contains concise papers submitted to the conference

Intervention-engagement and its role in the effectiveness of stage-matched interventions promoting physical exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Richert, Jana; Lippke, Sonia; Ziegelmann, Jochen P

2011-01-01

Intervention-engagement has received little attention in sports medicine as well as research and promotion of physical exercise. The construct is important, however, in the understanding of why interventions work. This study aimed at shedding more light on the interplay of engagement and the subsequent effectiveness of physical exercise interventions. A three-stage model differentiating among nonintenders, intenders, and actors informed the intervention design in this study. In an Internet-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two measurement points, N = 326 participants received a stage-matched, stage-mismatched, or control treatment. Assessed variables were goal setting, planning, behavior, and intervention-engagement. It was found that regarding goal setting, nonintenders in the stage-matched intervention and those who engaged highly in the stage-matched intervention improved significantly over time. Regarding planning, intenders in the matched condition as well as all actors increased their levels over time. Regarding behavior, nonintenders and intenders having engaged highly in the intervention improved more than those having engaged little. In order to help nonintenders progress on their way toward goal behavior, it is necessary that they engage highly in a stage-matched intervention. Implications for exercise promotion are that interventions should also aim at increasing participants' intervention-engagement.

The Regulatory Effects of Long Noncoding RNA-ANCR on Dental Tissue-Derived Stem Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Jia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA have been recognized as important regulators in diverse biological processes, such as transcriptional regulation, stem cell proliferation, and differentiation. Previous study has demonstrated that lncRNA-ANCR (antidifferentiation ncRNA plays a key role in regulating the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs. However, little is known about the role of ANCR in regulating other types of dental tissue-derived stem cells (DTSCs behaviours (including proliferation and multiple-potential of differentiation. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects of lncRNA-ANCR on the proliferation and differentiation (including osteogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic differentiation of DTSCs, including dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs, PDLSCs, and stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP by downregulation of lncRNA-ANCR. We found that downregulation of ANCR exerted little effect on proliferation of DPSCs and SCAP but promoted the osteogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic differentiation of DTSCs. These data provide an insight into the regulatory effects of long noncoding RNA-ANCR on DTSCs and indicate that ANCR is a very important regulatory factor in stem cell differentiation.

Hippocampal lesions impair performance on a conditional delayed matching and non-matching to position task in the rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, Hazel L; Döbrössy, Màtè; Dunnett, Stephen B

2006-08-10

The hippocampus is thought to be involved in a range of cognitive processes, from the ability to acquire new memories, to the ability to learn about spatial relationships. Humans and monkeys with damage to the hippocampus are typically impaired on delayed matching to sample tasks, of which the operant delayed matching to position task (DMTP) is a rat analogue. The reported effects of hippocampal damage on DMTP vary, ranging from delay-dependent deficits to no deficit whatsoever. The present study investigates a novel memory task; the conditional delayed matching/non-matching to position task (CDM/NMTP) in the Skinner box. CDM/NMTP uses the presence of specific stimulus cues to signify whether a particular trial is matching or non-matching in nature. Thus, it incorporates both the task contingencies within one session, and supplements the requirement for remembering the side of the lever in the sample phase with attending to the stimulus and remembering the conditional discrimination for the rule. Rats were trained preoperatively and the effects of bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the hippocampus were examined on postoperative retention of the task. Rats with lesions of the hippocampus incurred a significant impairment on the task that was manifest at all delays intervals. Despite a bias towards matching during training, trials of either type were performed with equivalent accuracy and neither rule was affected differentially by the lesion. This task may prove useful in determining the cognitive roles of a range of brain areas.

77 FR 4077 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-26

...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending the Real-Time Risk Management Fee and Other Clarifying Amendments January 20, 2012.... \\1\\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). \\2\\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the...

The Interaction Between Schema Matching and Record Matching in Data Integration

KAUST Repository

Gu, Binbin

2016-09-20

Schema Matching (SM) and Record Matching (RM) are two necessary steps in integrating multiple relational tables of different schemas, where SM unifies the schemas and RM detects records referring to the same real-world entity. The two processes have been thoroughly studied separately, but few attention has been paid to the interaction of SM and RM. In this work, we find that, even alternating them in a simple manner, SM and RM can benefit from each other to reach a better integration performance (i.e., in terms of precision and recall). Therefore, combining SM and RM is a promising solution for improving data integration. To this end, we define novel matching rules for SM and RM, respectively, that is, every SM decision is made based on intermediate RM results, and vice versa, such that SM and RM can be performed alternately. The quality of integration is guaranteed by a Matching Likelihood Estimation model and the control of semantic drift, which prevent the effect of mismatch magnification. To reduce the computational cost, we design an index structure based on q-grams and a greedy search algorithm that can reduce around 90 percent overhead of the interaction. Extensive experiments on three data collections show that the combination and interaction between SM and RM significantly outperforms previous works that conduct SM and RM separately.

Job Searchers, Job Matches and the Elasticity of Matching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broersma, L.; van Ours, J.C.

1998-01-01

This paper stresses the importance of a specification of the matching function in which the measure of job matches corresponds to the measure of job searchers. In many empirical studies on the matching function this requirement has not been fulfilled because it is difficult to find information about

Broadband electrical impedance matching for piezoelectric ultrasound transducers.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Haiying; Paramo, Daniel

2011-12-01

This paper presents a systematic method for designing broadband electrical impedance matching networks for piezoelectric ultrasound transducers. The design process involves three steps: 1) determine the equivalent circuit of the unmatched piezoelectric transducer based on its measured admittance; 2) design a set of impedance matching networks using a computerized Smith chart; and 3) establish the simulation model of the matched transducer to evaluate the gain and bandwidth of the impedance matching networks. The effectiveness of the presented approach is demonstrated through the design, implementation, and characterization of impedance matching networks for a broadband acoustic emission sensor. The impedance matching network improved the power of the acquired signal by 9 times.

Reducing the likelihood of long tennis matches.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Tristan; Alan, Brown; Pollard, Graham

2006-01-01

Long matches can cause problems for tournaments. For example, the starting times of subsequent matches can be substantially delayed causing inconvenience to players, spectators, officials and television scheduling. They can even be seen as unfair in the tournament setting when the winner of a very long match, who may have negative aftereffects from such a match, plays the winner of an average or shorter length match in the next round. Long matches can also lead to injuries to the participating players. One factor that can lead to long matches is the use of the advantage set as the fifth set, as in the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon. Another factor is long rallies and a greater than average number of points per game. This tends to occur more frequently on the slower surfaces such as at the French Open. The mathematical method of generating functions is used to show that the likelihood of long matches can be substantially reduced by using the tiebreak game in the fifth set, or more effectively by using a new type of game, the 50-40 game, throughout the match. Key PointsThe cumulant generating function has nice properties for calculating the parameters of distributions in a tennis matchA final tiebreaker set reduces the length of matches as currently being used in the US OpenA new 50-40 game reduces the length of matches whilst maintaining comparable probabilities for the better player to win the match.

Low doses of ionizing radiation: Biological effects and regulatory control. Contributed papers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-11-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Health Organization, in cooperation with the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, organized an international conference on Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation: Biological Effects and Regulatory Control, held in seville, Spain, from 17 to 21 November 1997. This technical document contains concise papers submitted to the conference. Refs, figs, tabs.

Infant Functional Regulatory Problems and Gender Moderate Bidirectional Effects Between Externalizing Behavior and Maternal Depressive Symptoms

Science.gov (United States)

Choe, Daniel Ewon; Sameroff, Arnold J.; McDonough, Susan C.

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study of 251 families examined bidirectional associations between maternal depressive symptoms and toddler behavioral problems. Functional regulatory problems in infancy and gender were examined as moderators. Mothers rated children’s regulatory problems of crying, feeding, and sleeping in infancy, toddler-age externalizing behavior, and their own depressive symptoms when children were ages 7, 15, and 33 months. Using a structural equation model we found that exposure to maternal depressive symptoms at 7 months predicted high levels of child externalizing behavior at 15 and 33 months. Gender moderated the effect, such that maternal depressive symptoms only predicted boys’ externalizing behavior at 33 months. Toddler-age externalizing behavior predicted high levels of maternal depressive symptoms at 33 months, only among those who had relatively few regulatory problems as infants. Infancy seems to be a period of heightened vulnerability to effects of maternal depression and boys are more likely than girls to develop resulting externalizing problems. Mothers of infants with few regulatory problems may develop worse depressive symptoms in response to their children’s preschool-age behavioral problems. PMID:23545078

78 FR 73195 - Privacy Act of 1974: CMS Computer Matching Program Match No. 2013-01; HHS Computer Matching...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-05

... 1974: CMS Computer Matching Program Match No. 2013-01; HHS Computer Matching Program Match No. 1312 AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS... Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended, this notice announces the renewal of a CMP that CMS plans...

Reduction of regulatory risk: a network economic approach

OpenAIRE

Knieps, Günter; Weiß, Hans-Jörg

2007-01-01

Several definitions of regulatory risk are known from the literature. From the perspective of regulatory reform it is important to differentiate between the impact of a given regulatory scheme on the firm's risk exposure and the risk arising from discretionary behavior of regulatory agencies. Whereas the conse-quences of effective regulation in principle are known and accepted, excessive regulatory discretion may cause a strong need for regulatory reform. Regulatory reform focussing on the re...

The Influence of the Self-Regulatory Focus on the Effectiveness of Stop-Smoking Campaigns for Young Smokers

OpenAIRE

L. ADAMS; T. FASEUR; M. GEUENS

2010-01-01

People’s self-regulatory focus may determine the effectiveness of stop-smoking campaigns. An experiment with 226 young smokers investigated the persuasiveness of different emotional appeals (fear-relief versus sadness-joy) for different self-regulatory foci (prevention versus promotion). A congruency effect emerges for attitude toward the advertisement and behavioral intentions: Young smokers with a promotion focus are more persuaded by sadness-joy than fear-relief campaigns, and the opposite...

Time perspective and social preference in older and younger adults: Effects of self-regulatory fatigue.

Science.gov (United States)

Segerstrom, Suzanne C; Geiger, Paul J; Combs, Hannah L; Boggero, Ian A

2016-09-01

Socioemotional selectivity theory predicts that when perceived time in life is limited, people will prefer emotionally close social partners over less emotionally rewarding partners. Regulating social choices with regard to time perspective can make the best use of time with regard to well-being. However, doing so may depend on the self-regulatory capacity of the individual. Two studies, 1 with younger adults (N = 101) and 1 with younger (N = 42) and older (N = 39) adults, experimentally tested the effects of time perspective and self-regulatory fatigue on preferences for emotionally close partners and knowledgeable partners. In both studies and across younger and older adults, when self-regulatory fatigue was low, the perception of limited time resulted in a greater preference for close social partners relative to knowledgeable social partners. However, this shift was eliminated by self-regulatory fatigue. In Study 2, when fatigued, younger adults preferred close social partners to knowledgeable partners across time perspectives; older adults preferred close and knowledgeable partners more equally across time perspectives. These findings have implications for social decision-making and satisfaction among people who experience chronic self-regulatory fatigue. They also contradict previous suggestions that only younger adults are susceptible to self-regulatory fatigue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Strong human leukocyte antigen matching effect in nonsensitized kidney recipients with high pretransplant soluble CD30.

Science.gov (United States)

Süsal, Caner; Pelzl, Steffen; Opelz, Gerhard

2003-10-27

The influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching on graft survival is greater in patients with preformed lymphocytotoxic antibodies than in nonsensitized patients. Pretransplant serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) affects graft outcome independently of presensitization status. The impact of HLA compatibility on kidney transplant survival was analyzed in 3980 nonsensitized first cadaveric kidney recipients in relation to the pretransplant serum sCD30 content. Although HLA compatibility influenced graft outcome only marginally in nonsensitized recipients with low sCD30 (at 3 years: P=0.0095; at 5 years: P=0.1033), a strong HLA matching effect was observed in nonsensitized recipients with high sCD30 (at 3 years: PsCD30 benefit from an HLA well-matched kidney. Patients should be tested for sCD30 while on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, and HLA well-matched kidneys should be allocated to patients with high sCD30.

Regulatory approach of the monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear power plants program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vajgel, Stefan

2009-03-01

The electrical power generation using nuclear power plants requires this installation being safety, reliable and available for the working periods. For this purpose, an adequate, effective and well conducted maintenance program makes an essential and useful tool to the owner of the plant. However, it is necessary to follow the regulatory requirements for this program implementation which monitories this maintenance effectiveness. There are Brazilian norms requirements which must be followed. The international regulatory guides establish these requirements in good details but it is necessary to verify if this methodology for implementing can be totally applied here in Brazil. Then, the american guide NUMARC 93-01 which details how can be implemented a program for this monitoring, shows some methods for using. In this thesis, the Delphi and Probabilistic Safety Analysis were briefly included because they were preferred for implementing this monitoring.in a Brazilian plant. The results which are being obtained show that, looking the regulatory aspects, the NUMARC 93-01 follows our regulations and gives good results for the plant management. (author)

Adapting to an initial self-regulatory task cancels the ego depletion effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Junhua; Dewitte, Siegfried; Mao, Lihua; Xiao, Shanshan; Shi, Yucai

2013-09-01

The resource-based model of self-regulation provides a pessimistic view of self-regulation that people are destined to lose their self-control after having engaged in any act of self-regulation because these acts deplete the limited resource that people need for successful self-regulation. The cognitive control theory, however, offers an alternative explanation and suggests that the depletion effect reflects switch costs between different cognitive control processes recruited to deal with demanding tasks. This account implies that the depletion effect will not occur once people have had the opportunity to adapt to the self-regulatory task initially engaged in. Consistent with this idea, the present study showed that engaging in a demanding task led to performance deficits on a subsequent self-regulatory task (i.e. the depletion effect) only when the initial demanding task was relatively short but not when it was long enough for participants to adapt. Our results were unrelated to self-efficacy, mood, and motivation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

77 FR 45401 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-31

... change. All such Regulatory Bulletins will contain information regarding changes to the risk settings in...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule... Applicable to the Market Maker Risk Limitation Mechanism Will Be Between One and 100 Executions per Second...

Probability matching in perceptrons: Effects of conditional dependence and linear nonseparability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael R W Dawson

Full Text Available Probability matching occurs when the behavior of an agent matches the likelihood of occurrence of events in the agent's environment. For instance, when artificial neural networks match probability, the activity in their output unit equals the past probability of reward in the presence of a stimulus. Our previous research demonstrated that simple artificial neural networks (perceptrons, which consist of a set of input units directly connected to a single output unit learn to match probability when presented different cues in isolation. The current paper extends this research by showing that perceptrons can match probabilities when presented simultaneous cues, with each cue signaling different reward likelihoods. In our first simulation, we presented up to four different cues simultaneously; the likelihood of reward signaled by the presence of one cue was independent of the likelihood of reward signaled by other cues. Perceptrons learned to match reward probabilities by treating each cue as an independent source of information about the likelihood of reward. In a second simulation, we violated the independence between cues by making some reward probabilities depend upon cue interactions. We did so by basing reward probabilities on a logical combination (AND or XOR of two of the four possible cues. We also varied the size of the reward associated with the logical combination. We discovered that this latter manipulation was a much better predictor of perceptron performance than was the logical structure of the interaction between cues. This indicates that when perceptrons learn to match probabilities, they do so by assuming that each signal of a reward is independent of any other; the best predictor of perceptron performance is a quantitative measure of the independence of these input signals, and not the logical structure of the problem being learned.

Probability matching in perceptrons: Effects of conditional dependence and linear nonseparability

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Probability matching occurs when the behavior of an agent matches the likelihood of occurrence of events in the agent’s environment. For instance, when artificial neural networks match probability, the activity in their output unit equals the past probability of reward in the presence of a stimulus. Our previous research demonstrated that simple artificial neural networks (perceptrons, which consist of a set of input units directly connected to a single output unit) learn to match probability when presented different cues in isolation. The current paper extends this research by showing that perceptrons can match probabilities when presented simultaneous cues, with each cue signaling different reward likelihoods. In our first simulation, we presented up to four different cues simultaneously; the likelihood of reward signaled by the presence of one cue was independent of the likelihood of reward signaled by other cues. Perceptrons learned to match reward probabilities by treating each cue as an independent source of information about the likelihood of reward. In a second simulation, we violated the independence between cues by making some reward probabilities depend upon cue interactions. We did so by basing reward probabilities on a logical combination (AND or XOR) of two of the four possible cues. We also varied the size of the reward associated with the logical combination. We discovered that this latter manipulation was a much better predictor of perceptron performance than was the logical structure of the interaction between cues. This indicates that when perceptrons learn to match probabilities, they do so by assuming that each signal of a reward is independent of any other; the best predictor of perceptron performance is a quantitative measure of the independence of these input signals, and not the logical structure of the problem being learned. PMID:28212422

Probability matching in perceptrons: Effects of conditional dependence and linear nonseparability.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Michael R W; Gupta, Maya

2017-01-01

Probability matching occurs when the behavior of an agent matches the likelihood of occurrence of events in the agent's environment. For instance, when artificial neural networks match probability, the activity in their output unit equals the past probability of reward in the presence of a stimulus. Our previous research demonstrated that simple artificial neural networks (perceptrons, which consist of a set of input units directly connected to a single output unit) learn to match probability when presented different cues in isolation. The current paper extends this research by showing that perceptrons can match probabilities when presented simultaneous cues, with each cue signaling different reward likelihoods. In our first simulation, we presented up to four different cues simultaneously; the likelihood of reward signaled by the presence of one cue was independent of the likelihood of reward signaled by other cues. Perceptrons learned to match reward probabilities by treating each cue as an independent source of information about the likelihood of reward. In a second simulation, we violated the independence between cues by making some reward probabilities depend upon cue interactions. We did so by basing reward probabilities on a logical combination (AND or XOR) of two of the four possible cues. We also varied the size of the reward associated with the logical combination. We discovered that this latter manipulation was a much better predictor of perceptron performance than was the logical structure of the interaction between cues. This indicates that when perceptrons learn to match probabilities, they do so by assuming that each signal of a reward is independent of any other; the best predictor of perceptron performance is a quantitative measure of the independence of these input signals, and not the logical structure of the problem being learned.

The regulatory effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on Ikaros-autotaxin interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Hana; Cho, Seong Jun; Kim, Sung Jin; Nam, Seon Young; Yang, Kwang Hee [KHNP Radiation Health Institute, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

Ikaros, a transcription factor containing zinc-finger motif, has known as a critical regulator of hematopoiesis in immune system. Ikaros protein modulates the transcription of target genes via binding to the regulatory elements of the genes promoters. However the regulatory function of Ikaros in other organelle except nuclear remains to be determined. This study explored radiation-induced modulatory function of Ikaros in cytoplasm. The results showed that Ikaros protein lost its DNA binding ability after LDIR (low-dose ionizing radiation) exposure. Cell fractionation and Western blot analysis showed that Ikaros protein was translocated into cytoplasm from nuclear by LDIR. This was confirmed by immunofluorescence assay. We identified Autotaxin as a novel protein which potentially interacts with Ikaros through in vitro protein-binding screening. Co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed that Ikaros and Autotaxin are able to bind each other. Autotaxin is a crucial enzyme generating lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a phospholipid mediator, which has potential regulatory effects on immune cell growth and motility. Our results indicate that LDIR potentially regulates immune system via protein-protein interaction of Ikaros and Autotaxin.

77 FR 38694 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-28

... matrix will be an effective means of assessing related fees. For instance, the proposed fee structure...-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate... Organization's Statement of the Terms of the Substance of the Proposed Rule Change FINRA is proposing to amend...

Virginia Power's regulatory reduction program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, G.D.

1996-01-01

Virginia Power has two nuclear plants, North Anna and Surry Power Stations, which have two units each for a total of four nuclear units. In 1992, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission solicited comments from the nuclear industry to obtain their ideas for reducing the regulatory burden on nuclear facilities. Pursuant to the new regulatory climate, Virginia Power developed an internal program to evaluate and assess the regulatory and self-imposed requirements to which they were committed, and to pursue regulatory relief or internal changes where possible and appropriate. The criteria were that public safety must be maintained, and savings must be significant. Up to the date of the conference, over US$22 million of one-time saving had been effected, and US$2.75 million in annual savings

Transcriptional profiling of five isolated size-matched stages of human preantral follicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Stine Gry; Ebbesen, Pernille; Andersen, Claus Yding

2015-01-01

Little is known of the early stages of human follicular development and the complex processes that regulate follicular growth. To identify genes of potential importance, we analysed follicle-related transcripts in five populations of isolated size-matched human preantral follicles by microarray...... factors of NOTCH signalling, IGF2, orphan nuclear receptor LRH-1, and homeobox gene HOXA7, indicating potentially important regulatory roles for these genes during early human folliculogenesis. We also found that FSHR mRNA and protein were present in the earliest stages of preantral follicles, whereas LHR...

Self-regulatory processes and exercise adherence in older adults: executive function and self-efficacy effects.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuley, Edward; Mullen, Sean P; Szabo, Amanda N; White, Siobhan M; Wójcicki, Thomas R; Mailey, Emily L; Gothe, Neha P; Olson, Erin A; Voss, Michelle; Erickson, Kirk; Prakash, Ruchika; Kramer, Arthur F

2011-09-01

Self-efficacy and the use of self-regulatory strategies are consistently associated with physical activity behavior. Similarly, behavioral inhibition and cognitive resource allocation-indices of executive control function-have also been associated with this health behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the hypothesis that self-efficacy mediates the relationship between self-regulatory processes, such as executive function, and sustained exercise behavior. Older adults (N=177, mean age=66.44 years) completed measures of executive function, self-reported use of self-regulatory strategies, and self-efficacy prior to and during the first month of a 12-month exercise intervention. Percentage of exercise classes attended over the following 11 months was used to represent adherence. Data were collected from 2007 to 2010 and analyzed in 2010-2011. Structural equation models were tested examining the effect of executive function and strategy use on adherence via efficacy. As hypothesized, results showed significant direct effects of two elements of executive function and of strategy use on self-efficacy and of efficacy on adherence. In addition, there were significant indirect effects of strategy use and executive function on adherence via self-efficacy. Higher levels of executive function and use of self-regulatory strategies at the start of an exercise program enhance beliefs in exercise capabilities, which in turn leads to greater adherence. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cis-regulatory somatic mutations and gene-expression alteration in B-cell lymphomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathelier, Anthony; Lefebvre, Calvin; Zhang, Allen W; Arenillas, David J; Ding, Jiarui; Wasserman, Wyeth W; Shah, Sohrab P

2015-04-23

With the rapid increase of whole-genome sequencing of human cancers, an important opportunity to analyze and characterize somatic mutations lying within cis-regulatory regions has emerged. A focus on protein-coding regions to identify nonsense or missense mutations disruptive to protein structure and/or function has led to important insights; however, the impact on gene expression of mutations lying within cis-regulatory regions remains under-explored. We analyzed somatic mutations from 84 matched tumor-normal whole genomes from B-cell lymphomas with accompanying gene expression measurements to elucidate the extent to which these cancers are disrupted by cis-regulatory mutations. We characterize mutations overlapping a high quality set of well-annotated transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), covering a similar portion of the genome as protein-coding exons. Our results indicate that cis-regulatory mutations overlapping predicted TFBSs are enriched in promoter regions of genes involved in apoptosis or growth/proliferation. By integrating gene expression data with mutation data, our computational approach culminates with identification of cis-regulatory mutations most likely to participate in dysregulation of the gene expression program. The impact can be measured along with protein-coding mutations to highlight key mutations disrupting gene expression and pathways in cancer. Our study yields specific genes with disrupted expression triggered by genomic mutations in either the coding or the regulatory space. It implies that mutated regulatory components of the genome contribute substantially to cancer pathways. Our analyses demonstrate that identifying genomically altered cis-regulatory elements coupled with analysis of gene expression data will augment biological interpretation of mutational landscapes of cancers.

78 FR 68893 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-15

... that the size of the BBO equals the minimum quote size. Number of market makers actively quoting...-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Extend the Tier Size Pilot of FINRA Rule 6433 (Minimum Quotation Size...

The Importance of Worker, Firm and Match Fixed Effects in the Formation of Wages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Torben; Vejlin, Rune Majlund

This paper estimates a Mincerian wage equation with worker, firm, and match specific fixed effects and thereby complements the growing empirical literature started by the seminal paper of Abowd, Kramarz and Margolis (1999). The analysis takes advantage of the extensive Danish IDA data, which...

The Effect of Self-Regulatory and Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on Impoverished Students' Assessment Achievement in Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Fouche, Jaunine

2013-01-01

The purpose of this nonequivalent control group design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognitive and self-regulatory strategy use on the assessment achievement of 215 9th-grade, residential physics students from low socioeconomic status (low-SES) backgrounds. Students from low-SES backgrounds often lack the self-regulatory habits…

Accumulative effects of regulatory actions. Exercise of analysis of CER, consideration of the cumulative Effects of regulation in the rulemaking process in Spanish NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez Ayestaran, P.; Castella, L.

2014-01-01

Through its interaction with the American industry, the NRC has been aware for a number of years of the concern about the impact of the accumulative effect of some regulatory actions. In response to this concern, which was highlighted by the industry, the NRC has carried out initiative to review a number of regulatory requirements order to ensure that NRC regulation and practices dno not lead to an unnecessary regulatory load. The foregoing was in response to what has become commonly known as the CER. Cumulative Effects of Regulation in the Rulemaking Process. In view of the regulatory actuation by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) and, in particular after the events which occurred in Japan, a pilot study has been carried out to examine the CER on a Spanish plant in order to analyse the cumulative effects of regulation and to propose improvements to the management of regulation in line with that set our by the NRC in various documents (SECY-02-081, SECY-11-0032 among others). (Authors)

The core to regulatory reform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partridge, J.W. Jr.

1993-01-01

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Orders 436, 500, and 636, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, Public Utility Holding Company Act reform, and the 1992 Energy Policy Act all can have significant effects on an LDC's operations. Such changes in an LDC's environments must be balanced by changes within the utility, its marketplace, and its state regulatory environment. The question is where to start. For Columbia Gas Distribution Cos., based in Columbus, OH, the new operating foundation begins with each employee. Internal strength is critical in designing initiatives that meet the needs of the marketplace and are well-received by regulators. Employees must understand not only the regulatory environment in which the LDC operates, but also how their work contributes to a positive regulatory relationship. To achieve this, Columbia initiated the COntinuing Regulatory Education program, or CORE, in 1991. CORE is a regulatory-focused, information-initiative program coordinated by Columbia's Regulatory Policy, Planning, and Government Affairs Department. The CORE programs can take many forms, such as emerging issue discussions, dialogues with regulators and key parties, updates on regulatory fillings, regulatory policy meetings, and formal training classes. The speakers and discussion facilitators can range from human resource department trainers to senior officers, from regulatory department staff members to external experts, or from state commissioners to executives from other LDCs. The goals of CORE initiatives are to: Support a professional level of regulatory expertise through employee participation in well-developed regulatory programs presented by credible experts. Encourage a constructive state regulatory environment founded on communication and cooperation. CORE achieves these goals via five program levels: introductory basics, advanced learning, professional expertise, crossfunctional dialogues, and external idea exchanges

Effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance in highly trained under-15 soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Buchheit, Martin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare, in 36 highly trained under-15 soccer players, the respective effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance. Maximal sprinting (MSS) and aerobic speeds were estimated. Match running performance was analysed with GPS (GPSport, 1 Hz) during 19 international friendly games (n = 115 player-files). Total distance and distance covered >16 km h(-1) (D > 16 km h(-1)) were collected. Players advanced in age and/or maturation, or having larger body dimensions presented greater locomotor (Cohen's d for MSS: 0.5-1.0, likely to almost certain) and match running performances (D > 16 km h(-1): 0.2-0.5, possibly to likely) than their younger, less mature and/or smaller teammates. These age-, maturation- and body size-related differences were of larger magnitude for field test measures versus match running performance. Compared with age and body size (unclear to likely), maturation (likely to almost certainly for all match variables) had the greatest impact on match running performance. The magnitude of the relationships between age, maturation and body dimensions and match running performance were position-dependent. Within a single age-group in the present player sample, maturation had a substantial impact on match running performance, especially in attacking players. Coaches may need to consider players' maturity status when assessing their on-field playing performance.

Cognitive and affective matching effects in persuasion: an amplification perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkson, Joshua J; Tormala, Zakary L; Rucker, Derek D

2011-11-01

Past research suggests that cognitive and affective attitudes are more open to change toward cognitive and affective (i.e., matched) persuasive attacks, respectively. The present research investigates how attitude certainty influences this openness. Although an extensive literature suggests that certainty generally reduces an attitude's openness to change, the authors explore the possibility that certainty might increase an attitude's openness to change in the context of affective or cognitive appeals. Based on the recently proposed amplification hypothesis, the authors posit that high (vs. low) attitude certainty will boost the resistance of attitudes to mismatched attacks (e.g., affective attitudes attacked by cognitive messages) but boost the openness of attitudes to matched attacks (e.g., affective attitudes attacked by affective messages). Two experiments provide support for this hypothesis. Implications for increasing the openness of attitudes to both matched and mismatched attacks are discussed.

Quality management of the nuclear regulatory body. Peer discussions on regulatory practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-09-01

This report is the outcome of the ninth series of peer discussions on regulatory practices entitled Nuclear Regulatory Body Quality Management, held in March and May 2001, and which involved the participation of senior nuclear regulators from 23 IAEA Member States. This report conveys the essence of two peer group discussions and highlights some good practices identified by the participating senior regulators. The objective of the discussions was to share experiences of regulatory bodies in implementing QM systems in their own work so as to ensure that the regulatory control over the licensees is effective and efficient and is commensurate with the mandate assigned by their governments. The shared experiences and good practices presented in the report, however, do not necessarily reflect the views of and good practices endorsed by the governments of the nominating Member States, the organizations to which the regulators belong, or the IAEA. The report sets down the peer group's experience in developing, implementing and evaluating QM within their regulatory bodies and identifies points to bear in mind when introducing such a system. This report is structured so that it covers the subject matter under the main headings of: application of quality management to regulatory work; development and implementation of quality management; assessment and improvement of performance; and good practices

Regulatory T cells ameliorate tissue plasminogen activator-induced brain haemorrhage after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Leilei; Li, Peiying; Zhu, Wen; Cai, Wei; Liu, Zongjian; Wang, Yanling; Luo, Wenli; Stetler, Ruth A; Leak, Rehana K; Yu, Weifeng; Gao, Yanqin; Chen, Jun; Chen, Gang; Hu, Xiaoming

2017-07-01

Delayed thrombolytic treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may exacerbate blood-brain barrier breakdown after ischaemic stroke and lead to lethal haemorrhagic transformation. The immune system is a dynamic modulator of stroke response, and excessive immune cell accumulation in the cerebral vasculature is associated with compromised integrity of the blood-brain barrier. We previously reported that regulatory T cells, which function to suppress excessive immune responses, ameliorated blood-brain barrier damage after cerebral ischaemia. This study assessed the impact of regulatory T cells in the context of tPA-induced brain haemorrhage and investigated the underlying mechanisms of action. The number of circulating regulatory T cells in stroke patients was dramatically reduced soon after stroke onset (84 acute ischaemic stroke patients with or without intravenous tPA treatment, compared to 115 age and gender-matched healthy controls). Although stroke patients without tPA treatment gradually repopulated the numbers of circulating regulatory T cells within the first 7 days after stroke, post-ischaemic tPA treatment led to sustained suppression of regulatory T cells in the blood. We then used the murine suture and embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion models of stroke to investigate the therapeutic potential of adoptive regulatory T cell transfer against tPA-induced haemorrhagic transformation. Delayed administration of tPA (10 mg/kg) resulted in haemorrhagic transformation in the ischaemic territory 1 day after ischaemia. When regulatory T cells (2 × 106/mouse) were intravenously administered immediately after delayed tPA treatment in ischaemic mice, haemorrhagic transformation was significantly decreased, and this was associated with improved sensorimotor functions. Blood-brain barrier disruption and tight junction damages were observed in the presence of delayed tPA after stroke, but were mitigated by regulatory T cell transfer. Mechanistic

Loregic: A Method to Characterize the Cooperative Logic of Regulatory Factors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Daifeng; Yan, Koon-Kiu; Sisu, Cristina; Cheng, Chao; Rozowsky, Joel; Meyerson, William; Gerstein, Mark B.

2015-01-01

The topology of the gene-regulatory network has been extensively analyzed. Now, given the large amount of available functional genomic data, it is possible to go beyond this and systematically study regulatory circuits in terms of logic elements. To this end, we present Loregic, a computational method integrating gene expression and regulatory network data, to characterize the cooperativity of regulatory factors. Loregic uses all 16 possible two-input-one-output logic gates (e.g. AND or XOR) to describe triplets of two factors regulating a common target. We attempt to find the gate that best matches each triplet’s observed gene expression pattern across many conditions. We make Loregic available as a general-purpose tool (github.com/gersteinlab/loregic). We validate it with known yeast transcription-factor knockout experiments. Next, using human ENCODE ChIP-Seq and TCGA RNA-Seq data, we are able to demonstrate how Loregic characterizes complex circuits involving both proximally and distally regulating transcription factors (TFs) and also miRNAs. Furthermore, we show that MYC, a well-known oncogenic driving TF, can be modeled as acting independently from other TFs (e.g., using OR gates) but antagonistically with repressing miRNAs. Finally, we inter-relate Loregic’s gate logic with other aspects of regulation, such as indirect binding via protein-protein interactions, feed-forward loop motifs and global regulatory hierarchy. PMID:25884877

Effects of a lighter, smaller football on acute match injuries in adolescent female football: a pilot cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Zebis, Mette K; Thorborg, Kristian; Andersen, Lars L; Møller, Merete; Christensen, Karl B; Clausen, Mikkel B; Hölmich, Per; Wedderkopp, Niels; Andersen, Thomas B; Krustrup, Peter

2018-05-01

The high injury incidence during match-play in female adolescent football is a major concern. In football, males and females play matches with the same football size. No studies have investigated the effect of football size on injury incidence in female adolescent football. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of introducing a lighter, smaller football on the injury pattern in female adolescent football. We conducted a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial including 26 football teams representing 346 adolescent female football players (age 15-18 years). The teams were randomized to a new lighter, smaller football (INT, N.=12 teams) or a traditional FIFA size 5 football (CON, N.=14 teams) during a full match-season. Acute time-loss injuries and football-exposure during match-play were reported weekly by text-message questions and verified subsequently by telephone interview. In total, 46 acute time-loss injuries were registered (5 severe injuries), yielding an incidence rate of 15.2 injuries per 1000 hours of match-play (95% CI: 8.5-27.2) in INT and 18.6 injuries per 1000 hours of match-play (95% CI: 14.0-24.8) in CON. The estimated 22% greater injury incidence rate risk (IRR: 1.22 [95% CI: 0.64-2.35]) in the CON group was not significant. With an IRR of 1.22, a future RCT main study would need to observe 793 acute time-loss injuries during match-play, in order to have a power of 80%. A large-scaled RCT is required to definitively test for beneficial or harmful effects of a lighter, smaller football in adolescent female football.

The effect of overnight sleep deprivation after competitive rugby league matches on postmatch physiological and perceptual recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Skein, Melissa; Duffield, Rob; Minett, Geoffrey M; Snape, Alanna; Murphy, Alistair

2013-09-01

This study examined the effects of overnight sleep deprivation on recovery after competitive rugby league matches. Eleven male amateur rugby league players played 2 competitive matches, followed by either a normal night's sleep (~8 h; CONT) or a sleep-deprived night (~0 h; SDEP) in a randomized fashion. Testing was conducted the morning of the match, immediately postmatch, 2 h postmatch, and the next morning (16 h postmatch). Measures included countermovement-jump (CMJ) distance, knee-extensor maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and voluntary activation (VA), venous-blood creatine kinase (CK) and C-reactive protein (CRP), perceived muscle soreness, and a word-color recognition cognitive-function test. Percent change between postmatch and 16-h postmatch was reported to determine the effect of the intervention the next morning. Large effects indicated a greater postmatch to 16-h-postmatch percentage decline in CMJ distance after SDEP than in CONT (P = .10-.16, d = 0.95-1.05). Similarly, the percentage decline in incongruent word-color reaction times was increased in SDEP trials (P = .007, d = 1.75). Measures of MVC did not differ between conditions (P = .40-.75, d = 0.13-0.33), although trends for larger percentage decline in VA were detected in SDEP (P = .19, d = 0.84). Furthermore, large effects indicated higher CK and CRP responses 16 h postmatch in SDEP than in CONT (P = .11-.87, d = 0.80-0.88). Sleep deprivation negatively affected recovery after a rugby league match, specifically impairing CMJ distance and cognitive function. Practitioners should promote adequate postmatch sleep patterns or adjust training demands the next day to accommodate the altered physical and cognitive state after sleep deprivation.

Regulatory authority infrastructure for Namibia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shangula, K.

2001-01-01

The Republic of Namibia is participating in the International Atomic Energy Agency's Model Project for the Improvement of National Regulatory Authority Infrastructures in Member States. The paper illustrates our experience in solving problems and difficulties confronted in establishing an effective regulatory authority operating within the existing national infrastructure that should be supported by the Government. An effective regulatory authority is seen as part of the wider administrative scope of our Government through ministerial mandates given by the State from time to time, guaranteeing its independence when implementing legal provisions under statutes. Sections of the report illustrate our experience in the following areas: 1. National radiation protection policy 2. Structure of our national regulatory authority 3. Laws and regulations 4. Provisions for notification, authorization and registration 5. In-depth security measures for radiation sources and radioactive material 6. Systems for the inspection of radiation sources, radioactive materials, enforcement of legal provisions 7. Extent of the applications of radiation sources and radioactive materials in the country. The paper provides information regarding existing Government policy on radiation protection; structure and legal aspects of the national regulatory, including statutes and regulations; the extent of application and uses of radiation sources and security of radioactive materials; human resources: strengths and constraints; management practices and financing of regulatory authority; and plans for emergency recovery of orphan sources. National plans for management of disused sources, recovery of orphan sources, abnormal emergencies, communication of information to affected persons on exposure effects, and the safety training of persons using these applications are discussed. the paper provides a summary and some suggestions of the way forward for Namibia. (author)

Mixed heavy–light matching in the Universal One-Loop Effective Action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, Sebastian A.R.; Quevillon, Jérémie; You, Tevong; Zhang, Zhengkang

2016-01-01

Recently, a general result for evaluating the path integral at one loop was obtained in the form of the Universal One-Loop Effective Action. It may be used to derive effective field theory operators of dimensions up to six, by evaluating the traces of matrices in this expression, with the mass dependence encapsulated in the universal coefficients. Here we show that it can account for loops of mixed heavy–light particles in the matching procedure. Our prescription for computing these mixed contributions to the Wilson coefficients is conceptually simple. Moreover it has the advantage of maintaining the universal structure of the effective action, which we illustrate using the example of integrating out a heavy electroweak triplet scalar coupling to a light Higgs doublet. Finally we also identify new structures that were previously neglected in the universal results.

Nuclear regulatory decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The fundamental objective of all nuclear safety regulatory bodies is to ensure that nuclear utilities operate their plants at all times in an acceptably safe manner. In meeting this objective, the regulatory body should strive to ensure that its regulatory decisions are technically sound, consistent from case to case, and timely. In addition, the regulator must be aware that its decisions and the circumstances surrounding those decisions can affect how its stakeholders, such as government policy makers, the industry it regulates, and the public, view it as an effective and credible regulator. In order to maintain the confidence of those stakeholders, the regulator should make sure that its decisions are transparent, have a clear basis in law and regulations, and are seen by impartial observers to be fair to all parties. Based on the work of a Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) expert group, this report discusses some of the basic principles and criteria that a regulatory body should consider in making decisions and describes the elements of an integrated framework for regulatory decision making. (author)

A strategy for regulatory action when new adverse effects of a licensed product emerge.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, Jeffrey K; Price, Deirdre; Ferner, Robin E

2009-01-01

Regulatory agencies grant product licences (marketing authorizations) for medicinal products in the light of evidence that the balance between benefit and harm in the population is favourable. Here we consider a framework for allowing regulatory agencies to make rational decisions when reviewing product licences in the light of new information about harms that change that balance. The regulator can revoke the product licence, restrict the product's availability or change the 'label' in different ways. We examine the features of the adverse effect that may be relevant in making the decision: namely, individual differences in susceptibility; the possibility of monitoring; and the availability of protective strategies. The balance of benefit and harm, and the time-course and dose relation of the adverse effect play important roles in the decision-making process. We set out how these factors can help determine the logical response to new information on the balance between benefit and harm, and provide a series of relevant examples. We believe that when regulatory agencies have to decide how to amend the product licence of a drug when new serious adverse effects cause concern, they would find it useful to adopt a framework of this kind, using different strategies for different cases. Our proposed framework could also be useful in risk management planning during drug development.

The effects of matching a persuasive message to a recipient's self-concept on attitude change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Branković Marija

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the question of whether matching a persuasive message to a recipient's self-concept can enhance message processing. A large body of experiments within the Elaboration likelihood model proved that framing a message so as to be perceived as selfrelevant led to more careful argument scrutiny. In this research, we matched the messages with previously assessed need for cognition - tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive tasks. Two possible sources of motivation to process a persuasive message were hereby confronted: dispositional (cognitive style and situational (matching. Results showed a significant attitude change, but the main hypothesis was not confirmed: matched messages did not produce more argument processing activity than the mismatched. Manipulations did not have any significant effects on message processing of the high need for cognition participants. Contrary to expectations, participants low in their need for cognition elaborated the message more carefully when it was mismatched, that is when the message addressed them as persons inclined to careful thinking. Results can be explained within the framework of self-affirmation theory, which argues that providing people with an opportunity to affirm their sense of selfworth makes them more open to persuasion attempts, as well as more objective. Results are discussed from a wider theoretical and empirical perspective of motivation.

The effect of an early dismissal on player work-rate in a professional soccer match.

Science.gov (United States)

Carling, Christopher; Bloomfield, Jonathan

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of an early dismissal (after 5-min play) on work-rate in a professional soccer match. A computerised player tracking system was used to assess the work-rates of seven players who completed the match on a team with 10 players. A minute-by-minute analysis of the remaining 91min following the dismissal was performed for the total distance covered, the distance covered in five categories of movement intensity and the recovery time between high-intensity efforts for each player. The data were calculated for each half and for three equal intervals within each half and profiled against normative data for the same players obtained from the analysis of 15 games in the same season. Following the dismissal, the players covered a greater total distance than normal (pplayers may not always utilise their full physical potential as this match illustrated an increase in overall work-rate when reduced to 10 players. However, as a team with 10 players is likely to incur higher levels of fatigue, tactical alterations may be necessary and/or players may adopt a pacing strategy to endure the remainder of the match. Copyright (c) 2008 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Matching strategies for a plasma booster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomassini, P; Rossi, A R

2016-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical study of a matching strategy for the laser-plasma wakefield accelerator where the injected electron beam is produced by an external source. The matching is achieved after an initial focusing using conventional beam optics, combining a linear tapering of plasma density and the increasing non linearity of the plasma wake due to the focusing of the laser driver. Both effects contribute in increasing the focusing strength from an initial relatively low value, to the considerably higher value present in the flat top plasma profile, where acceleration takes place. The same procedure is exploited to match the beam from plasma to vacuum once acceleration has occurred. Beam loading plays a crucial role both at the very beginning and end of the whole process. In the last stage, two more effects take place: a partial emittance compensation, reducing emittance value by a sizable amount, and a reduction of the energy spread, due to the relevant beam loading operating when the laser is defocused. (paper)

DREISS: Using State-Space Models to Infer the Dynamics of Gene Expression Driven by External and Internal Regulatory Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Gerstein, Mark

2016-01-01

Gene expression is controlled by the combinatorial effects of regulatory factors from different biological subsystems such as general transcription factors (TFs), cellular growth factors and microRNAs. A subsystem’s gene expression may be controlled by its internal regulatory factors, exclusively, or by external subsystems, or by both. It is thus useful to distinguish the degree to which a subsystem is regulated internally or externally–e.g., how non-conserved, species-specific TFs affect the expression of conserved, cross-species genes during evolution. We developed a computational method (DREISS, dreiss.gerteinlab.org) for analyzing the Dynamics of gene expression driven by Regulatory networks, both External and Internal based on State Space models. Given a subsystem, the “state” and “control” in the model refer to its own (internal) and another subsystem’s (external) gene expression levels. The state at a given time is determined by the state and control at a previous time. Because typical time-series data do not have enough samples to fully estimate the model’s parameters, DREISS uses dimensionality reduction, and identifies canonical temporal expression trajectories (e.g., degradation, growth and oscillation) representing the regulatory effects emanating from various subsystems. To demonstrate capabilities of DREISS, we study the regulatory effects of evolutionarily conserved vs. divergent TFs across distant species. In particular, we applied DREISS to the time-series gene expression datasets of C. elegans and D. melanogaster during their embryonic development. We analyzed the expression dynamics of the conserved, orthologous genes (orthologs), seeing the degree to which these can be accounted for by orthologous (internal) versus species-specific (external) TFs. We found that between two species, the orthologs have matched, internally driven expression patterns but very different externally driven ones. This is particularly true for genes with

DREISS: Using State-Space Models to Infer the Dynamics of Gene Expression Driven by External and Internal Regulatory Networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daifeng Wang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Gene expression is controlled by the combinatorial effects of regulatory factors from different biological subsystems such as general transcription factors (TFs, cellular growth factors and microRNAs. A subsystem's gene expression may be controlled by its internal regulatory factors, exclusively, or by external subsystems, or by both. It is thus useful to distinguish the degree to which a subsystem is regulated internally or externally-e.g., how non-conserved, species-specific TFs affect the expression of conserved, cross-species genes during evolution. We developed a computational method (DREISS, dreiss.gerteinlab.org for analyzing the Dynamics of gene expression driven by Regulatory networks, both External and Internal based on State Space models. Given a subsystem, the "state" and "control" in the model refer to its own (internal and another subsystem's (external gene expression levels. The state at a given time is determined by the state and control at a previous time. Because typical time-series data do not have enough samples to fully estimate the model's parameters, DREISS uses dimensionality reduction, and identifies canonical temporal expression trajectories (e.g., degradation, growth and oscillation representing the regulatory effects emanating from various subsystems. To demonstrate capabilities of DREISS, we study the regulatory effects of evolutionarily conserved vs. divergent TFs across distant species. In particular, we applied DREISS to the time-series gene expression datasets of C. elegans and D. melanogaster during their embryonic development. We analyzed the expression dynamics of the conserved, orthologous genes (orthologs, seeing the degree to which these can be accounted for by orthologous (internal versus species-specific (external TFs. We found that between two species, the orthologs have matched, internally driven expression patterns but very different externally driven ones. This is particularly true for genes with

Regulatory point of view of SAT application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juhasz, L.

2002-01-01

I present the regulatory system for monitoring operator training and check competency of operator personnel in Hungary and the effects of SAT to the regulatory framework/practice related to recruitment, training and authorisation of operating personnel. Also I introduce an application to manage the initial and refreshing training to regulatory bodies. (author)

Management of the Regulatory Authority Information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suman, H.

2003-01-01

Safe Management of the Regulatory Authority Information is one of the essential elements to ensure the effectiveness of the regulatory program as a whole. This paper briefly describes the information management basis in RNRO, which is in charge of the regulatory authority tasks in Syria. SINA-2, a computational tool prepared in RNRO for managing the information related to the inventory of radiation sources and users, is also introduced

Effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possessions in a random series of team possessions from Norwegian professional soccer matches.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenga, Albin; Holme, Ingar; Ronglan, Lars Tore; Bahr, Roald

2010-02-01

Methods of analysis that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid means of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possession by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer matches. We analysed a random series of 1703 team possessions from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the professional men's league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from ten ordered categorical variables were used. Offensive tactics were more effective in producing score-box possessions when playing against an imbalanced defence (28.5%) than against a balanced defence (6.5%) (P tactics on producing score-box possessions, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.

Indonesian name matching using machine learning supervised approach

Science.gov (United States)

Alifikri, Mohamad; Arif Bijaksana, Moch.

2018-03-01

Most existing name matching methods are developed for English language and so they cover the characteristics of this language. Up to this moment, there is no specific one has been designed and implemented for Indonesian names. The purpose of this thesis is to develop Indonesian name matching dataset as a contribution to academic research and to propose suitable feature set by utilizing combination of context of name strings and its permute-winkler score. Machine learning classification algorithms is taken as the method for performing name matching. Based on the experiments, by using tuned Random Forest algorithm and proposed features, there is an improvement of matching performance by approximately 1.7% and it is able to reduce until 70% misclassification result of the state of the arts methods. This improving performance makes the matching system more effective and reduces the risk of misclassified matches.

Magnetic safety matches

Science.gov (United States)

Lindén, J.; Lindberg, M.; Greggas, A.; Jylhävuori, N.; Norrgrann, H.; Lill, J. O.

2017-07-01

In addition to the main ingredients; sulfur, potassium chlorate and carbon, ordinary safety matches contain various dyes, glues etc, giving the head of the match an even texture and appealing color. Among the common reddish-brown matches there are several types, which after ignition can be attracted by a strong magnet. Before ignition the match head is generally not attracted by the magnet. An elemental analysis based on proton-induced x-ray emission was performed to single out iron as the element responsible for the observed magnetism. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used for identifying the various types of iron-compounds, present before and after ignition, responsible for the macroscopic magnetism: Fe2O3 before and Fe3O4 after. The reaction was verified by mixing the main chemicals in the match-head with Fe2O3 in glue and mounting the mixture on a match stick. The ash residue after igniting the mixture was magnetic.

How effective is the revised regulatory code for alcohol advertising in Australia?

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sandra C; Hall, Danika; Munro, Geoffrey

2008-01-01

Australia, like several other countries, has a self-regulatory approach to advertising. However, in recent years the effectiveness of the regulatory system has been questioned, and there have been increasing public calls for an overhaul of the system. Following a formal review in 2003, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy proposed a revised Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code (ABAC), which came into operation in 2004. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of this revised system. From May 2004 until March 2005 television and magazine advertising campaigns were monitored for alcohol products. Over this period 14 complaints against alcohol advertisements were lodged with the self-regulatory board, and the authors recruited an independent expert panel to assess the advertisements and complaints. In eight of the 14 cases a majority of the judges perceived the advertisement to be in breach of the code, and in no cases did a majority perceive no breach. Conversely, however, none of the complaints were upheld by the Advertising Standards Board (ASB) and only one by the ABAC Panel. The results of this study suggest that the decisions made by the ASB in relation to complaints against alcohol advertisements are not in harmony with the judgement of independent experts, and that the ASB may not be performing an adequate job of representing community standards or protecting the community from offensive or inappropriate advertisements. Further, it appears that the revisions to the ABAC code, and associated processes, have not reduced the problems associated with alcohol advertising in Australia.

Anticipated growth and business cycles in matching models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Haan, W.J.; Kaltenbrunner, G.

2009-01-01

In a business cycle model that incorporates a standard matching framework, employment increases in response to news shocks, even though the wealth effect associated with the increase in expected productivity reduces labor force participation. The reason is that the matching friction induces

A Simple Method to Estimate Large Fixed Effects Models Applied to Wage Determinants and Matching

OpenAIRE

Mittag, Nikolas

2016-01-01

Models with high dimensional sets of fixed effects are frequently used to examine, among others, linked employer-employee data, student outcomes and migration. Estimating these models is computationally difficult, so simplifying assumptions that are likely to cause bias are often invoked to make computation feasible and specification tests are rarely conducted. I present a simple method to estimate large two-way fixed effects (TWFE) and worker-firm match effect models without additional assum...

POOR TEXTURAL IMAGE MATCHING BASED ON GRAPH THEORY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Chen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Image matching lies at the heart of photogrammetry and computer vision. For poor textural images, the matching result is affected by low contrast, repetitive patterns, discontinuity or occlusion, few or homogeneous textures. Recently, graph matching became popular for its integration of geometric and radiometric information. Focused on poor textural image matching problem, it is proposed an edge-weight strategy to improve graph matching algorithm. A series of experiments have been conducted including 4 typical landscapes: Forest, desert, farmland, and urban areas. And it is experimentally found that our new algorithm achieves better performance. Compared to SIFT, doubled corresponding points were acquired, and the overall recall rate reached up to 68%, which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the algorithm.

Famous face recognition, face matching, and extraversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lander, Karen; Poyarekar, Siddhi

2015-01-01

It has been previously established that extraverts who are skilled at interpersonal interaction perform significantly better than introverts on a face-specific recognition memory task. In our experiment we further investigate the relationship between extraversion and face recognition, focusing on famous face recognition and face matching. Results indicate that more extraverted individuals perform significantly better on an upright famous face recognition task and show significantly larger face inversion effects. However, our results did not find an effect of extraversion on face matching or inverted famous face recognition.

Effectiveness of the polysaccharide hemostatic powder in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Using propensity score matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jun Chul; Kim, Yeong Jin; Kim, Eun Hye; Lee, Jinae; Yang, Hyun Su; Kim, Eun Hwa; Hahn, Kyu Yeon; Shin, Sung Kwan; Lee, Sang Kil; Lee, Yong Chan

2018-02-07

Recently, the application of hemostatic powder to the bleeding site has been used to treat active upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the polysaccharide hemostatic powder (PHP) in patients with non-variceal UGIB. We reviewed prospectively collected 40 patients with UGIB treated with PHP therapy between April 2016 and January 2017 (PHP group) and 303 patients with UGIB treated with conventional therapy between April 2012 and October 2014 (conventional therapy group). We compared the rate of successful hemostasis and the rebleeding between the two groups after as well as before propensity score matching using the Glasgow-Blatchford score and Forrest classification. Thirty patients treated with the PHP and 60 patients treated with conventional therapy were included in the matched groups. Baseline patient characteristics including comorbidities, vital signs, and bleeding scores were similar in the matched groups. The rate of immediate hemostasis and 7-day and 30-day rebleeding were also similar in the two groups before and after matching. In the subgroup analysis, no significant differences in immediate hemostasis or rebleeding rate were noted between PHP in monotherapy and PHP combined with a conventional hemostatic method. At 30 days after the therapy, there were no significant PHP-related complications or mortality. Given its safety, the PHP proved feasible for endoscopic treatment of UGIB, having similar effectiveness as that of conventional therapy. The PHP may become a promising hemostatic method for non-variceal UGIB. © 2018 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effectiveness of oral polio vaccination against paralytic poliomyelitis: a matched case-control study in Somalia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahamud, Abdirahman; Kamadjeu, Raoul; Webeck, Jenna; Mbaeyi, Chukwuma; Baranyikwa, Marie Therese; Birungi, Julianne; Nurbile, Yassin; Ehrhardt, Derek; Shukla, Hemant; Chatterjee, Anirban; Mulugeta, Abraham

2014-11-01

After the last case of type 1 wild poliovirus (WPV1) was reported in 2007, Somalia experienced another outbreak of WPV1 (189 cases) in 2013. We conducted a retrospective, matched case-control study to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of oral polio vaccine (OPV). We retrieved information from the Somalia Surveillance Database. A case was defined as any case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) with virological confirmation of WPV1. We selected two groups of controls for each case: non-polio AFP cases ("NPAFP controls") matched to WPV1 cases by age, date of onset of paralysis and region; and asymptomatic "neighborhood controls," matched by age. Using conditional logistic regression, we estimated the VE of OPV as (1-odds ratio)×100. We matched 99 WPV cases with 99 NPAFP controls and 134 WPV1 cases with 268 neighborhood controls. Using NPAFP controls, the overall VE was 70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37-86), 59% (2-83) among 1-3 dose recipients, 77% (95% CI, 46-91) among ≥4 dose recipients. In neighborhood controls, the overall VE was 95% (95% CI, 84-98), 92% (72-98) among 1-3 dose recipients, and 97% (89-99) among ≥4 dose recipients. When the analysis was limited to cases and controls ≤24 months old, the overall VE in NPAFP and neighborhood controls was 95% (95% CI, 65-99) and 97% (95% CI, 76-100), respectively. Among individuals who were fully vaccinated with OPV, vaccination was effective at preventing WPV1 in Somalia. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Regulatory Control of Radiation Sources. Safety Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This Safety Guide is intended to assist States in implementing the requirements established in Safety Standards Series No. GS-R-1, Legal and Governmental Infrastructure for Nuclear, Radiation, Radioactive Waste and Transport Safety, for a national regulatory infrastructure to regulate any practice involving radiation sources in medicine, industry, research, agriculture and education. The Safety Guide provides advice on the legislative basis for establishing regulatory bodies, including the effective independence of the regulatory body. It also provides guidance on implementing the functions and activities of regulatory bodies: the development of regulations and guides on radiation safety; implementation of a system for notification and authorization; carrying out regulatory inspections; taking necessary enforcement actions; and investigating accidents and circumstances potentially giving rise to accidents. The various aspects relating to the regulatory control of consumer products are explained, including justification, optimization of exposure, safety assessment and authorization. Guidance is also provided on the organization and staffing of regulatory bodies. Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Legal framework for a regulatory infrastructure; 3. Principal functions and activities of the regulatory body; 4. Regulatory control of the supply of consumer products; 5. Functions of the regulatory body shared with other governmental agencies; 6. Organization and staffing of the regulatory body; 7. Documentation of the functions and activities of the regulatory body; 8. Support services; 9. Quality management for the regulatory system.

A MATCHING METHOD TO REDUCE THE INFLUENCE OF SAR GEOMETRIC DEFORMATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Gao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available There are large geometrical deformations in SAR image, including foreshortening, layover, shade，which leads to SAR Image matching with low accuracy. Especially in complex terrain area, the control points are difficult to obtain, and the matching is difficult to achieve. Considering the impact of geometric distortions in SAR image pairs, a matching algorithm with a combination of speeded up robust features (SURF and summed of normalize cross correlation (SNCC was proposed, which can avoid the influence of SAR geometric deformation. Firstly, SURF algorithm was utilized to predict the search area. Then the matching point pairs was selected based on summed of normalized cross correlation. Finally, false match points were eliminated by the bidirectional consistency. SURF algorithm can control the range of matching points, and the matching points extracted from the deformation area are eliminated, and the matching points with stable and even distribution are obtained. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm had high precision, and can effectively avoid the effect of geometric distortion on SAR image matching. Meet accuracy requirements of the block adjustment with sparse control points.

Relative age effect in FIFA U17 Emirates 2013 World Cup: analysis of players who effectively participated in the matches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Amorim Andrade-Souza

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract The purpose of this study was to verify the date of birth is a decisive factor for the success of players selected by the coaches to participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup Emirates 2013. The players' date of birth were classified into four quartiles of three months each (Q1 to Q4. In the qualifying round, 46.5% of the selected players born in Q1, while 12.5% in Q4. This significantly different distribution occurred until the semi-finals. However, in the final match, there were no significant differences between Q1 and Q4. A similar relative age effect also occurred when analyzed only players who actually participated to the matches. Interestingly, despite there was birth date effect on performance in all World Cup stages except in the final, other issues should take into consideration for a team became champion.

NCI-MATCH Trial Links Targeted Drugs to Mutations

Science.gov (United States)

Investigators for the nationwide trial, NCI-MATCH: Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice, announced that the trial will seek to determine whether targeted therapies for people whose tumors have specific gene mutations will be effective regardless of their cancer type. NCI-MATCH will incorporate more than 20 different study drugs or drug combinations, each targeting a specific gene mutation, in order to match each patient in the trial with a therapy that targets a molecular abnormality in their tumor.

Effective and independent regulatory national infrastructure: Uruguay case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nader, A.V.

2003-01-01

Since inception in 1986 the National Direction of Nuclear Technology has fulfilled with the assignment known as 'Control of the ionizing radioactivity in its medical and industrial applications'. This strategic task as far as safety, was performed with significant and crucial deficiencies which they even motivated the users to question the reliability of the institution. The deficiencies were mainly as follows: 1) absence of a regulatory frame; 2) insufficient qualification of technical human resources and 3) lack of suitable equipment. From the use for Uruguay of the Model Project and the beginning of a new management of Dinaten (October 2000), a sensible and well-known increase in the quality and efficiency of the regulating function in the country, which we can summarize in the following landmarks: regulatory frame with the use of a basic norm and eight regulating norms according to the main practices that are developed in the country; intensive training of the regulatory body staff; permanent accomplished update of the inventory of sources; beginning of licensing activities; equipment of last generation; regulation of the personal dosimetry services and management of radioactive waste and establishment of a National Program of Radiological Emergencies. (author)

PIMR: Parallel and Integrated Matching for Raw Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenghao; Yang, Junying; Zhao, Jiaduo; Han, Peng; Chai, Zhi

2016-01-02

With the trend of high-resolution imaging, computational costs of image matching have substantially increased. In order to find the compromise between accuracy and computation in real-time applications, we bring forward a fast and robust matching algorithm, named parallel and integrated matching for raw data (PIMR). This algorithm not only effectively utilizes the color information of raw data, but also designs a parallel and integrated framework to shorten the time-cost in the demosaicing stage. Experiments show that compared to existing state-of-the-art methods, the proposed algorithm yields a comparable recognition rate, while the total time-cost of imaging and matching is significantly reduced.

Best matching theory & applications

CERN Document Server

Moghaddam, Mohsen

2017-01-01

Mismatch or best match? This book demonstrates that best matching of individual entities to each other is essential to ensure smooth conduct and successful competitiveness in any distributed system, natural and artificial. Interactions must be optimized through best matching in planning and scheduling, enterprise network design, transportation and construction planning, recruitment, problem solving, selective assembly, team formation, sensor network design, and more. Fundamentals of best matching in distributed and collaborative systems are explained by providing: § Methodical analysis of various multidimensional best matching processes § Comprehensive taxonomy, comparing different best matching problems and processes § Systematic identification of systems’ hierarchy, nature of interactions, and distribution of decision-making and control functions § Practical formulation of solutions based on a library of best matching algorithms and protocols, ready for direct applications and apps development. Design...

The effect of memory and context changes on color matches to real objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Allred, Sarah R; Olkkonen, Maria

2015-07-01

Real-world color identification tasks often require matching the color of objects between contexts and after a temporal delay, thus placing demands on both perceptual and memory processes. Although the mechanisms of matching colors between different contexts have been widely studied under the rubric of color constancy, little research has investigated the role of long-term memory in such tasks or how memory interacts with color constancy. To investigate this relationship, observers made color matches to real study objects that spanned color space, and we independently manipulated the illumination impinging on the objects, the surfaces in which objects were embedded, and the delay between seeing the study object and selecting its color match. Adding a 10-min delay increased both the bias and variability of color matches compared to a baseline condition. These memory errors were well accounted for by modeling memory as a noisy but unbiased version of perception constrained by the matching methods. Surprisingly, we did not observe significant increases in errors when illumination and surround changes were added to the 10-minute delay, although the context changes alone did elicit significant errors.

Numerical experiment on finite element method for matching data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, Shinji; Kumakura, Toshimasa; Yoshimura, Koichi.

1993-03-01

Numerical experiments are presented on the finite element method by Pletzer-Dewar for matching data of an ordinary differential equation with regular singular points by using model equation. Matching data play an important role in nonideal MHD stability analysis of a magnetically confined plasma. In the Pletzer-Dewar method, the Frobenius series for the 'big solution', the fundamental solution which is not square-integrable at the regular singular point, is prescribed. The experiments include studies of the convergence rate of the matching data obtained by the finite element method and of the effect on the results of computation by truncating the Frobenius series at finite terms. It is shown from the present study that the finite element method is an effective method for obtaining the matching data with high accuracy. (author)

Automated Identification of Core Regulatory Genes in Human Gene Regulatory Networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vipin Narang

Full Text Available Human gene regulatory networks (GRN can be difficult to interpret due to a tangle of edges interconnecting thousands of genes. We constructed a general human GRN from extensive transcription factor and microRNA target data obtained from public databases. In a subnetwork of this GRN that is active during estrogen stimulation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we benchmarked automated algorithms for identifying core regulatory genes (transcription factors and microRNAs. Among these algorithms, we identified K-core decomposition, pagerank and betweenness centrality algorithms as the most effective for discovering core regulatory genes in the network evaluated based on previously known roles of these genes in MCF-7 biology as well as in their ability to explain the up or down expression status of up to 70% of the remaining genes. Finally, we validated the use of K-core algorithm for organizing the GRN in an easier to interpret layered hierarchy where more influential regulatory genes percolate towards the inner layers. The integrated human gene and miRNA network and software used in this study are provided as supplementary materials (S1 Data accompanying this manuscript.

Unmatched U.S. Allopathic Seniors in the 2015 Main Residency Match: A Study of Applicant Behavior, Interview Selection, and Match Outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Mei; Curtin, Laurie S; Signer, Mona M; Savoia, Maria C

2017-07-01

The application and interview behaviors of unmatched U.S. allopathic medical school senior students (U.S. seniors) participating in the 2015 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main Residency Match were studied in conjunction with their United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores and ranking preferences to understand their effects on Match outcome. USMLE Step 1 score and preferred specialty information were reviewed for U.S. seniors who responded to the 2015 NRMP Applicant Survey. Unmatched U.S. seniors were categorized as "strong," "solid," "marginal," or "weak" based on the perceived competitiveness of their Step 1 scores compared with U.S. seniors who matched in the same preferred specialty. The numbers of applications sent, interviews obtained, and programs ranked also were examined by Match outcome. Strong unmatched U.S. seniors submitted significantly more applications to achieve and attend approximately the same number of interviews as strong matched U.S. seniors. Strong unmatched seniors ranked fewer programs than their matched counterparts. As a group, unmatched U.S. seniors were less likely than their matched counterparts to rank a mix of competitive and less competitive programs and more likely to rank programs based on their perceived likelihood of matching. A small number of unmatched U.S. seniors would have matched if they had ranked programs that ranked them. U.S. seniors' Match outcomes may be affected by applicant characteristics that negatively influence their selection for interviews, and their difficulties may be exacerbated by disadvantageous ranking behaviors.

Mapping regulatory models for medicinal cannabis: a matrix of options.

Science.gov (United States)

Belackova, Vendula; Shanahan, Marian; Ritter, Alison

2017-05-30

Objective The aim of the present study was to develop a framework for assessing regulatory options for medicinal cannabis in Australia. Methods International regulatory regimes for medicinal cannabis were reviewed with a qualitative policy analysis approach and key policy features were synthesised, leading to a conceptual framework that facilitates decision making across multiple dimensions. Results Two central organising dimensions of medicinal cannabis regulation were identified: cannabis supply and patient authorisation (including patient access). A number of the different supply options can be matched with a number of different patient authorisation options, leading to a matrix of possible regulatory regimes. Conclusions The regulatory options, as used internationally, involve different forms of cannabis (synthetic and plant-based pharmaceutical preparations or herbal cannabis) and the varying extent to which patient authorisation policies and procedures are stringently or more loosely defined. The optimal combination of supply and patient authorisation options in any jurisdiction that chooses to make medicinal cannabis accessible will depend on policy goals. What is known about the topic? Internationally, regulation of medicinal cannabis has developed idiosyncratically, depending on formulations that were made available and local context. There has been no attempt to date in the scientific literature to systematically document the variety of regulatory possibilities for medicinal cannabis. What does this paper add? This paper presents a new conceptual schema for considering options for the regulation of medicinal cannabis, across both supply and patient authorisation aspects. What are the implications for practitioners? The design of regulatory systems in Australia, whether for pharmaceutical or herbal products, is a vital issue for policy makers right now as federal and state and territory governments grapple with the complexities of medicinal cannabis

Stereo matching using epipolar distance transform.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qingxiong; Ahuja, Narendra

2012-10-01

In this paper, we propose a simple but effective image transform, called the epipolar distance transform, for matching low-texture regions. It converts image intensity values to a relative location inside a planar segment along the epipolar line, such that pixels in the low-texture regions become distinguishable. We theoretically prove that the transform is affine invariant, thus the transformed images can be directly used for stereo matching. Any existing stereo algorithms can be directly used with the transformed images to improve reconstruction accuracy for low-texture regions. Results on real indoor and outdoor images demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed transform for matching low-texture regions, keypoint detection, and description for low-texture scenes. Our experimental results on Middlebury images also demonstrate the robustness of our transform for highly textured scenes. The proposed transform has a great advantage, its low computational complexity. It was tested on a MacBook Air laptop computer with a 1.8 GHz Core i7 processor, with a speed of about 9 frames per second for a video graphics array-sized image.

Effect of vitamin E in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with metabolic syndrome: A propensity score-matched cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gi Hyun Kim

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background/AimsVitamin E improves the biochemical profiles and liver histology in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, but the role of vitamin E is not clearly defined in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD which includes both simple steatosis and steatohepatitis. Co-morbid metabolic syndrome increases the probability of steatohepatitis in NAFLD. In this study, we aimed to determine the short-term effects of vitamin E and off-treatment durability of response in a propensity-score matched cohort of NAFLD patients with metabolic syndrome.MethodsA retrospective cohort was constructed by retrieving 526 consecutive NAFLD patients from the electronic medical record data warehouse of a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. Among them, 335 patients (63.7% had metabolic syndrome and were eligible for vitamin E therapy. In order to assess the effect of vitamin E, propensity score matching was used by matching covariates between control patients (n=250 and patients who received vitamin E (n=85.ResultsThe PS-matched vitamin E group (n=58 and control group (n=58 exhibited similar baseline metabolic profiles. After 6 months of vitamin E therapy, the mean ALT levels decreased significantly compared to PS-matched control (P<0.01. The changes in metabolic profiles (body weight, lipid and glucose levels did not differ between control and vitamin E groups during the study period.ConclusionsShort-term vitamin E treatment significantly reduces ALT levels in NAFLD patients with metabolic syndrome, but metabolic profiles are not affected by vitamin E.

Application of Regulatory Focus Theory to Search Advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Mowle, Elyse N; Georgia, Emily J; Doss, Brian D; Updegraff, John A

The purpose of this paper is to test the utility of regulatory focus theory principles in a real-world setting; specifically, Internet hosted text advertisements. Effect of compatibility of the ad text with the regulatory focus of the consumer was examined. Advertisements were created using Google AdWords. Data were collected for the number of views and clicks each ad received. Effect of regulatory fit was measured using logistic regression. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that there was a strong main effect for keyword, such that users were almost six times as likely to click on a promotion advertisement as a prevention advertisement, as well as a main effect for compatibility, such that users were twice as likely to click on an advertisement with content that was consistent with their keyword. Finally, there was a strong interaction of these two variables, such that the effect of consistent advertisements was stronger for promotion searches than for prevention searches. The effect of ad compatibility had medium to large effect sizes, suggesting that individuals' state may have more influence on advertising response than do individuals' traits (e.g. personality traits). Measurement of regulatory fit was limited by the constraints of Google AdWords. The results of this study provide a possible framework for ad creation for Internet advertisers. This paper is the first study to demonstrate the utility of regulatory focus theory in online advertising.

The integration of the quality assurance approach into the regulatory review stages in Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maniori, D.

1979-01-01

The control activities of CNEN, the Italian Regulatory Body on Nuclear Power Plant Installations, are carried out on the basis of two main lines of action. These are a thorough and detailed examination of the project at different stages of its development, and a careful assessment of the reliability of the organizations involved in respect of their capability to perform their duties correctly. The paper illustrates in some detail the different stages in which the project examinations are carried out, the documents pertinent to each stage, and the way in which the organizational requirements match the different steps. The regulatory guides and documents prepared on this subject are also briefly presented. (author)

The causal effect of restrictive bank lending on employment growth: A matching approach

OpenAIRE

Kleemann, Michael; Wiegand, Manuel

2013-01-01

Does restrictive bank lending cause lower employment growth at the firm-level or does it reflect firm characteristics that drive the deterioration of employment figures? Applying propensity score matching, we estimate the treatment effect of restrictive bank lending on employment growth. Combining balance sheet information and survey data on a firm's current and expected future business situation, we rule out the impact of firm heterogeneity. We find that credit constraints have a significant...

An effective approach for iris recognition using phase-based image matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazawa, Kazuyuki; Ito, Koichi; Aoki, Takafumi; Kobayashi, Koji; Nakajima, Hiroshi

2008-10-01

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for iris recognition using phase-based image matching--an image matching technique using phase components in 2D Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFTs) of given images. Experimental evaluation using CASIA iris image databases (versions 1.0 and 2.0) and Iris Challenge Evaluation (ICE) 2005 database clearly demonstrates that the use of phase components of iris images makes possible to achieve highly accurate iris recognition with a simple matching algorithm. This paper also discusses major implementation issues of our algorithm. In order to reduce the size of iris data and to prevent the visibility of iris images, we introduce the idea of 2D Fourier Phase Code (FPC) for representing iris information. The 2D FPC is particularly useful for implementing compact iris recognition devices using state-of-the-art Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology.

Surface Area Distribution Descriptor for object matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed F. Gafar

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Matching 3D objects by their similarity is a fundamental problem in computer vision, computer graphics and many other fields. The main challenge in object matching is to find a suitable shape representation that can be used to accurately and quickly discriminate between similar and dissimilar shapes. In this paper we present a new volumetric descriptor to represent 3D objects. The proposed descriptor is used to match objects under rigid transformations including uniform scaling. The descriptor represents the object by dividing it into shells, acquiring the area distribution of the object through those shells. The computed areas are normalised to make the descriptor scale-invariant in addition to rotation and translation invariant. The effectiveness and stability of the proposed descriptor to noise and variant sampling density as well as the effectiveness of the similarity measures are analysed and demonstrated through experimental results.

Effect of anaesthesia type on postoperative mortality and morbidities: a matched analysis of the NSQIP database.

Science.gov (United States)

Saied, N N; Helwani, M A; Weavind, L M; Shi, Y; Shotwell, M S; Pandharipande, P P

2017-01-01

The anaesthetic technique may influence clinical outcomes, but inherent confounding and small effect sizes makes this challenging to study. We hypothesized that regional anaesthesia (RA) is associated with higher survival and fewer postoperative organ dysfunctions when compared with general anaesthesia (GA). We matched surgical procedures and type of anaesthesia using the US National Surgical Quality Improvement database, in which 264,421 received GA and 64,119 received RA. Procedures were matched according to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and ASA physical status classification. Our primary outcome was 30-day postoperative mortality and secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay, and postoperative organ system dysfunction. After matching, multiple regression analysis was used to examine associations between anaesthetic type and outcomes, adjusting for covariates. After matching and adjusting for covariates, type of anaesthesia did not significantly impact 30-day mortality. RA was significantly associated with increased likelihood of early discharge (HR 1.09; Ppatient characteristic confounders, RA was associated with significantly lower odds of several postoperative complications, decreased hospital length of stay, but not mortality when compared with GA. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effects of age, glucose ingestion and gluco-regulatory control on episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Riby, Leigh Martin; Meikle, Andrew; Glover, Cheryl

2004-09-01

Previous research has been inconclusive regarding the impact of glucose ingestion and gluco-regulatory control on cognitive performance in healthy older adults. The aim of this research was to determine whether glucose specifically enhanced episodic memory in an older population. In addition, the link between individual differences in glucose regulation and the magnitude of the enhancement effect was examined. A within subjects, counterbalanced, crossover design was used with 20 participants (60-80 year olds), each serving as his/her control. Episodic memory was tested by presenting unrelated paired associates followed by immediate and delayed cued recall, and delayed recognition, under single and dual task conditions. In addition, a battery of cognitive tests was administered, including tests of semantic memory, working memory and speed of processing. Glucose ingestion was found to largely facilitate performance of episodic memory. Furthermore, subsidiary analyses found that gluco-regulatory efficiency predicted episodic memory performance in both control and glucose conditions. A boost in performance after glucose ingestion was particularly seen in the episodic memory domain. Notably, strong evidence was provided for the utility of gluco-regulatory control measures as indicators of cognitive decline in the elderly.

The regulatory control of radioactive sources in Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojkind, Roberto Hector

1997-01-01

Argentina has been conducting nuclear activities for more than forty years, and as early as in 1956 established a Regulatory Authority. Procedures for compliance monitoring and enforcement have been in use in the regulatory control of radioactive sources, and regulatory standards and regulations had been set in Argentina, before the accident in Goiania. The conclusions drawn from that accident encouraged in Argentina the improvement of some regulatory procedures and helped to enhance the quality of the regulatory process. Therefore, the effectiveness of the control of spent radioactive sources has gradually increased, and enforcement actions to prevent radioactive sources ending up in the public domain improved. Some lessons learned in Argentina from the accident in Goiania and the main characteristics of an effective enforcement program helpful to prevent radiological accidents in industrial, medical, research and teaching uses of radioactive sources are presented. (author)

Monitoring the effect of football match congestion on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility: Potential for secondary injury prevention?

Science.gov (United States)

Wollin, Martin; Thorborg, Kristian; Pizzari, Tania

2018-01-01

To investigate the effect of competitive football match congestion on hamstring strength and lower limb flexibility. Repeated measures. Elite male youth football. Fifteen male elite youth football players from the national football association centre of excellence were included (age = 15.81 ±0.65 years, height = 171.95 ±6.89 cm, weight = 65.93 ±7.53 kg). Hamstring strength and pain, ankle dorsiflexion, hip extension, knee extension and flexion range of motion. Hamstring strength was highest at baseline and significantly reduced at 24 (p = 0.001, mean difference -0.19 Nm/Kg, CI 95  -0.28, -0.1) and 48 h post-match 1 (p = 0.002, mean difference -0.16 Nm/Kg, CI 95  -0.25, -0.07). Strength recovered by match day 2 before significantly reducing again 24 h post-match 2 (p = 0.012, mean difference -0.17 Nm/Kg, CI 95  -0.29, -0.04). Pain was lowest at baseline and increased in the post-match periods (p hamstring strength and pain can be considered for inclusion in-season to monitor player's post-match hamstring recovery characteristics during congested match fixtures. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unsupervised image matching based on manifold alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Yuru; Huang, Fengchun; Shi, Fuhao; Zha, Hongbin

2012-08-01

This paper challenges the issue of automatic matching between two image sets with similar intrinsic structures and different appearances, especially when there is no prior correspondence. An unsupervised manifold alignment framework is proposed to establish correspondence between data sets by a mapping function in the mutual embedding space. We introduce a local similarity metric based on parameterized distance curves to represent the connection of one point with the rest of the manifold. A small set of valid feature pairs can be found without manual interactions by matching the distance curve of one manifold with the curve cluster of the other manifold. To avoid potential confusions in image matching, we propose an extended affine transformation to solve the nonrigid alignment in the embedding space. The comparatively tight alignments and the structure preservation can be obtained simultaneously. The point pairs with the minimum distance after alignment are viewed as the matchings. We apply manifold alignment to image set matching problems. The correspondence between image sets of different poses, illuminations, and identities can be established effectively by our approach.

[Propensity score matching in SPSS].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Fuqiang; DU, Chunlin; Sun, Menghui; Ning, Bing; Luo, Ying; An, Shengli

2015-11-01

To realize propensity score matching in PS Matching module of SPSS and interpret the analysis results. The R software and plug-in that could link with the corresponding versions of SPSS and propensity score matching package were installed. A PS matching module was added in the SPSS interface, and its use was demonstrated with test data. Score estimation and nearest neighbor matching was achieved with the PS matching module, and the results of qualitative and quantitative statistical description and evaluation were presented in the form of a graph matching. Propensity score matching can be accomplished conveniently using SPSS software.

Improving nuclear regulation. NEA regulatory guidance booklets volumes 1-14

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

; Regulatory Effectiveness: 10. Improving Nuclear Regulatory Effectiveness, 11. Direct Indicators of Nuclear Regulatory Efficiency and Effectiveness, 12. Improving Versus Maintaining Nuclear Safety, Regulatory Assessment: 13. Nuclear Regulatory Decision Making; 14. The Regulatory Goal of Assuring Nuclear Safety. (authors)

Matching Students to Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dejan Trifunovic

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present the problem of matching students to schools by using different matching mechanisms. This market is specific since public schools are free and the price mechanism cannot be used to determine the optimal allocation of children in schools. Therefore, it is necessary to use different matching algorithms that mimic the market mechanism and enable us to determine the core of the cooperative game. In this paper, we will determine that it is possible to apply cooperative game theory in matching problems. This review paper is based on illustrative examples aiming to compare matching algorithms in terms of the incentive compatibility, stability and efficiency of the matching. In this paper we will present some specific problems that may occur in matching, such as improving the quality of schools, favoring minority students, the limited length of the list of preferences and generating strict priorities from weak priorities.

Consigned regulatory control and effect of the owner's welding quality under the EPC mode in Fangjiashan nuclear power project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Qun; Gu Tao; Wei Lianfeng; Li Hongjun

2012-01-01

Under EPC management mode, how to optimize resources allocation and realize effective management and control over key control points is a big difficulty facing the owner. From the owner's point of view, and through summary of practices, the paper introduces and analyses the mode and effect of consigned regulatory control over the weld quality of Fangjiashan nuclear power project. And some recognitions and point of views on popularization of specialized and consigned regulatory control are put forward. (authors)

The effect of an acute sleep hygiene strategy following a late-night soccer match on recovery of players.

Science.gov (United States)

Fullagar, Hugh; Skorski, Sabrina; Duffield, Rob; Meyer, Tim

2016-01-01

Elite soccer players are at risk of reduced recovery following periods of sleep disruption, particularly following late-night matches. It remains unknown whether improving sleep quality or quantity in such scenarios can improve post-match recovery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute sleep hygiene strategy (SHS) on physical and perceptual recovery of players following a late-night soccer match. In a randomised cross-over design, two highly-trained amateur teams (20 players) played two late-night (20:45) friendly matches against each other seven days apart. Players completed an SHS after the match or proceeded with their normal post-game routine (NSHS). Over the ensuing 48 h, objective sleep parameters (sleep duration, onset latency, efficiency, wake episodes), countermovement jump (CMJ; height, force production), YoYo Intermittent Recovery test (YYIR2; distance, maximum heart rate, lactate), venous blood (creatine kinase, urea and c-reactive protein) and perceived recovery and stress markers were collected. Sleep duration was significantly greater in SHS compared to NSHS on match night (P = 0.002, d = 1.50), with NSHS significantly less than baseline (P sleep onset latency (P = 0.12), efficiency (P = 0.39) or wake episode duration (P = 0.07). No significant differences were observed between conditions for any physical performance or venous blood marker (all P > 0.05); although maximum heart rate during the YYIR2 was significantly higher in NSHS than SHS at 36 h post-match (P = 0.01; d = 0.81). There were no significant differences between conditions for perceptual "overall recovery" (P = 0.47) or "overall stress" (P = 0.17). Overall, an acute SHS improved sleep quantity following a late-night soccer match; albeit without any improvement in physical performance, perceptual recovery or blood-borne markers of muscle damage and inflammation.

Delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Fang-Xiang

2011-11-01

Genetic regulatory networks can be described by nonlinear differential equations with time delays. In this paper, we study both locally and globally delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks, taking messenger ribonucleic acid alternative splicing into consideration. Based on nonnegative matrix theory, we first develop necessary and sufficient conditions for locally delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks with multiple time delays. Compared to the previous results, these conditions are easy to verify. Then we develop sufficient conditions for global delay-independent stability for genetic regulatory networks. Compared to the previous results, this sufficient condition is less conservative. To illustrate theorems developed in this paper, we analyze delay-independent stability of two genetic regulatory networks: a real-life repressilatory network with three genes and three proteins, and a synthetic gene regulatory network with five genes and seven proteins. The simulation results show that the theorems developed in this paper can effectively determine the delay-independent stability of genetic regulatory networks.

FORECAST: Regulatory effects cost analysis software manual -- Version 4.1. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, B.; Sciacca, F.W.

1996-07-01

The FORECAST program was developed to facilitate the preparation of the value-impact portion of NRC regulatory analyses. This PC program integrates the major cost and benefit considerations that may result from a proposed regulatory change. FORECAST automates much of the calculations typically needed in a regulatory analysis and thus reduces the time and labor required to perform these analyses. More importantly, its integrated and consistent treatment of the different value-impact considerations should help assure comprehensiveness, uniformity, and accuracy in the preparation of NRC regulatory analyses. The Current FORECAST Version 4.1 has been upgraded from the previous version and now includes an uncertainty package, an automatic cost escalation package, and other improvements. In addition, it now explicitly addresses public health impacts, occupational health impacts, onsite property damage, and government costs. Thus, FORECAST Version 4.1 can treat all attributes normally quantified in a regulatory analysis

Effective Field Theories and Matching for Codimension-2 Branes

CERN Document Server

Burgess, C P; De Rham, C; Tasinato, G

2009-01-01

It is generic for the bulk fields sourced by branes having codimension two and higher to diverge at the brane position, much as does the Coulomb potential at the position of its source charge. This complicates finding the relation between brane properties and the bulk geometries they source. (These complications do not arise for codimension-1 sources, such as in RS geometries, because of the special properties unique to codimension one.) Understanding these relations is a prerequisite for phenomenological applications involving higher-codimension branes. Using codimension-2 branes in extra-dimensional scalar-tensor theories as an example, we identify the classical matching conditions that relate the near-brane asymptotic behaviour of bulk fields to the low-energy effective actions describing how space-filling codimension-2 branes interact with the surrounding extra-dimensional bulk. We do so by carefully regulating the near-brane divergences, and show how these may be renormalized in a general way. Among the ...

Self and team prioritisation effects in perceptual matching: Evidence for a shared representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Enock, Florence; Sui, Jie; Hewstone, Miles; Humphreys, Glyn W

2018-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that in-group favouritism occurs not only in higher-level judgments such as reward allocation, but also in low-level perceptual and attentional tasks. Recently, Moradi, Sui, Hewstone, and Humphreys (2015) found a novel effect of in-group bias on a simple perceptual matching task in which football fans responded more efficiently to stimuli newly associated with their own football team than stimuli associated with rival or neutral teams. This result is consistent with a robust self-bias effect in which individuals show a large performance advantage in responding to stimuli associated with the self over stimuli associated with a close friend or a stranger (Sui, He, & Humphreys, 2012). The present research utilised a perceptual matching paradigm to investigate the relations between self and in-group prioritisation amongst a sample of college rowers. Across two experiments, we demonstrated a reliable performance advantage for self and team stimuli. We also found a relationship between the self and team advantage in RT, and demonstrated an overlap in the perception of self- and team-associated shapes that was stronger in participants who reported a greater sense of group identity with their team. Further, we found no relation between the team bias and positive valence implicitly associated with the team, showing that the team bias effects are unlikely to be driven by emotional significance. The results are consistent with an overlap between self and in-group representation, which may provide evidence for a common process driving both self and in-group perceptual advantage effects. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of carbohydrate ingestion on performance during a simulated soccer match.

Science.gov (United States)

Goedecke, Julia H; White, Nicholas J; Chicktay, Waheed; Mahomed, Hafsa; Durandt, Justin; Lambert, Michael I

2013-12-16

This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO) solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO) during a simulated soccer match. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min) completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81). Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11). Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass), such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87). The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO) did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match.

The Effect of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Performance during a Simulated Soccer Match

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia H. Goedecke

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO during a simulated soccer match. Methods: Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Results: Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81. Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11. Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass, such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87. Conclusions: The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match.

Application of Regulatory Focus Theory to Search Advertising

Science.gov (United States)

Mowle, Elyse N.; Georgia, Emily J.; Doss, Brian D.; Updegraff, John A.

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the utility of regulatory focus theory principles in a real-world setting; specifically, Internet hosted text advertisements. Effect of compatibility of the ad text with the regulatory focus of the consumer was examined. Design/methodology/approach Advertisements were created using Google AdWords. Data were collected for the number of views and clicks each ad received. Effect of regulatory fit was measured using logistic regression. Findings Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that there was a strong main effect for keyword, such that users were almost six times as likely to click on a promotion advertisement as a prevention advertisement, as well as a main effect for compatibility, such that users were twice as likely to click on an advertisement with content that was consistent with their keyword. Finally, there was a strong interaction of these two variables, such that the effect of consistent advertisements was stronger for promotion searches than for prevention searches. Research limitations/implications The effect of ad compatibility had medium to large effect sizes, suggesting that individuals’ state may have more influence on advertising response than do individuals’ traits (e.g. personality traits). Measurement of regulatory fit was limited by the constraints of Google AdWords. Practical implications The results of this study provide a possible framework for ad creation for Internet advertisers. Originality/value This paper is the first study to demonstrate the utility of regulatory focus theory in online advertising. PMID:26430293

A Sorting-to-Matching Method to Teach Compound Matching to Sample

OpenAIRE

Farber, Rachel S.; Dube, William V.; Dickson, Chata A.

2016-01-01

Individuals with developmental disabilities may fail to attend to multiple features in compound stimuli (e.g., arrays of pictures, letters within words) with detrimental effects on learning. Participants were 5 children with autism spectrum disorders who had low to intermediate accuracy scores (35% to 84%) on a computer-presented compound matching task. Sample stimuli were pairs of icons (e.g., chair-tree), the correct comparison was identical to the sample, and each incorrect comparison had ...

The regulatory control of radioactive sources in Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojkind, R.H.

1998-01-01

Argentina has been conducting nuclear activities for more than forty years, and had established a Regulatory Authority as early as in 1956. Procedures for compliance monitoring and enforcement have been in use in the regulatory control of radioactive sources, and regulatory standards and regulations were in force in Argentina before the accident in Goiania. The conclusions drawn from the Goiania accident encouraged the Argentine authorities to improve some regulatory procedures and helped to enhance the quality of the regulatory process. As a result, the effectiveness of the control of spent radioactive sources has gradually increased, and enforcement actions to prevent radioactive sources ending up in the public domain have improved. Lessons learned in Argentina from the accident in Goiania are presented as well as the main characteristics of an effective enforcement programme to prevent radiological accidents when radioactive sources are used for industrial, medical, research and teaching purposes. (author)

Effect of human leukocyte antigen-C and -DQ matching on pediatric heart transplant graft survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Butts, Ryan J; Savage, Andrew J; Nietert, Paul J; Kavarana, Minoo; Moussa, Omar; Burnette, Ali L; Atz, Andrew M

2014-12-01

A higher degree of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching at the A, B, and DR loci has been associated with improved long-term survival after pediatric heart transplantation in multiple International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation registry reports. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of HLA matching at the C and DQ loci with pediatric graft survival. The United Network of Organ Sharing database was queried for isolated heart transplants that occurred from 1988 to 2012 with a recipient age of 17 or younger and at least 1 postoperative follow-up encounter. When HLA matching at the C or DQ loci were analyzed, only transplants with complete typing of donor and recipient at the respective loci were included. Transplants were divided into patients with at least 1 match at the C locus (C-match) vs no match (C-no), and at least 1 match at the DQ (DQ-match) locus vs no match (DQ-no). Primary outcome was graft loss. Univariate analysis was performed with the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed with the following patient factors included in the model: recipient age, ischemic time; recipient on ventilator, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ventricular assist device, or inotropes at transplant; recipient serum bilirubin and creatinine closest to transplant, ratio of donor weight to recipient weight, underlying cardiac diagnosis, crossmatch results, transplant year, and HLA matching at the A, B, and DR loci. Complete typing at the C locus occurred in 2,429 of 4,731 transplants (51%), and complete typing at the DQ locus occurred in 3,498 of 4,731 transplants (74%). Patient factors were similar in C-match and C-no, except for year of transplant (median year, 2007 [interquartile range, 1997-2010] vs year 2005 [interquartile range, 1996-2009], respectively; p = 0.03) and the degree of HLA matching at the A, B, and DR loci (high level of HLA matching in 11.9% vs 3%, respectively; p HLA matching at the C locus or the DQ locus

78 FR 8633 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-06

...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule... alert are different. During the order exposure period, those orders are, in effect, advertising in a... liquidity, because they are adding liquidity to the advertised orders. Accordingly, the Exchange believes...

Regulatory activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This publication, compiled in 8 chapters, presents the regulatory system developed by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) of the Argentine Republic. The following activities and developed topics in this document describe: the evolution of the nuclear regulatory activity in Argentina; the Argentine regulatory system; the nuclear regulatory laws and standards; the inspection and safeguards of nuclear facilities; the emergency systems; the environmental systems; the environmental monitoring; the analysis laboratories on physical and biological dosimetry, prenatal irradiation, internal irradiation, radiation measurements, detection techniques on nuclear testing, medical program on radiation protection; the institutional relations with national and international organization; the training courses and meeting; the technical information

An Effective Semantic Event Matching System in the Internet of Things (IoT) Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhakbani, Noura; Hassan, Mohammed Mehedi; Ykhlef, Mourad

2017-09-02

IoT sensors use the publish/subscribe model for communication to benefit from its decoupled nature with respect to space, time, and synchronization. Because of the heterogeneity of communicating parties, semantic decoupling is added as a fourth dimension. The added semantic decoupling complicates the matching process and reduces its efficiency. Our proposed algorithm clusters subscriptions and events according to topic and performs the matching process within these clusters, which increases the throughput by reducing the matching time from the range of 16-18 ms to 2-4 ms. Moreover, the accuracy of matching is improved when subscriptions must be fully approximated, as demonstrated by an over 40% increase in F-score results. This work shows the benefit of clustering, as well as the improvement in the matching accuracy and efficiency achieved using this approach.

Environmental regulatory reform in Poland: lessons for industrializing economies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, H.S.; Angel, D. [Clark University, Worcester, MA (USA). George Perkins Marsh Institute

2000-09-01

This paper examines the environmental regulatory reform in Poland during the 1990s and uses the findings to consider the extent to which elements of successful regulatory systems are transferable across national boundaries. Drawing on five case studies of privatized firms, a mailed questionnaire, and policy and institutional analysis, it investigates how Poland developed an effective system for managing industrial pollution while also achieving considerable socioeconomic progress. The fundamental legitimacy of the regulators and regulatory process, the availability of information about firms and regulatory intents, and the capacity for case-specific decision-making are among the key explanatory factors. The study also shows how in Poland a good 'fit' between regulatory institutions and policies on one hand and their social context on the other hand has evolved, and how it contributes to the effectiveness of the regulatory system. Industrializing economies can indeed simultaneously pursue environmental protection and socioeconomic welfare, but elements of a proven regulatory system cannot be automatically adopted among countries and cultures. Learning from each other's experience must be sensitive to the cultural and institutional context of each regulatory system. 42 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

Marriage and Divorce in a Model of Matching

OpenAIRE

Mumcu, Ayse; Saglam, Ismail

2006-01-01

We study the problem of marriage formation and marital distribution in a two-period model of matching, extending the matching with bargaining framework of Crawford and Rochford (1986). We run simulations to find the effects of alimony rate, legal cost of divorce, initial endowments, couple and single productivity parameters on the payoffs and marital status in the society.

MATCH package for the ANL three-view geometry program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gieraltowski, G.F.

1976-02-01

The ANL MATCH package consists of a set of 13 subroutines which are linked to the current 12-foot and 15-foot versions of the ANL TVGP program. Their purpose is to match the tracks from the various measured views to obtain a proper matched set of tracks to be processed by TVGP. The MATCH package can effectively handle up to 20 tracks per event measured in 2 or 3 views and, in cases of ambiguous match solutions, allow up to 10 match ambiguities. A basic assumption made is that the same number of tracks is measured in each view. MATCH can work in either two or three measured views with the assumption that, if only two views are measured, the last point measured on each track is a good representation of the true end-point of the track. This is not to say that, if this assumption is false, that MATCH cannot obtain a match solution. It is true, however, that the probability of obtaining a match solution is inversely proportional both to the number of tracks per vertex and to the momentum of the tracks. Current uses of MATCH are in obtaining match solutions for two-view K - p (6.5 GeV/c) events measured on POLLY III and in obtaining match solutions for events with large numbers of tracks (3 to 10) produced by an anti ν p interaction in the FNAL 15-foot bubble chamber with a spectrum of momentum values ranging from 5 to 25 Gev/c

A comparison of immunotoxic effects of nanomedicinal products with regulatory immunotoxicity testing requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giannakou C

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Christina Giannakou,1,2 Margriet VDZ Park,1 Wim H de Jong,1 Henk van Loveren,1,2 Rob J Vandebriel,1 Robert E Geertsma1 1Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM, Bilthoven, 2Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands Abstract: Nanomaterials (NMs are attractive for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications because of their unique physicochemical and biological properties. A major application area of NMs is drug delivery. Many nanomedicinal products (NMPs currently on the market or in clinical trials are most often based on liposomal products or polymer conjugates. NMPs can be designed to target specific tissues, eg, tumors. In virtually all cases, NMPs will eventually reach the immune system. It has been shown that most NMs end up in organs of the mononuclear phagocytic system, notably liver and spleen. Adverse immune effects, including allergy, hypersensitivity, and immunosuppression, have been reported after NMP administration. Interactions of NMPs with the immune system may therefore constitute important side effects. Currently, no regulatory documents are specifically dedicated to evaluate the immunotoxicity of NMs or NMPs. Their immunotoxicity assessment is performed based on existing guidelines for conventional substances or medicinal products. Due to the unique properties of NMPs when compared with conventional medicinal products, it is uncertain whether the currently prescribed set of tests provides sufficient information for an adequate evaluation of potential immunotoxicity of NMPs. The aim of this study was therefore, to compare the current regulatory immunotoxicity testing requirements with the accumulating knowledge on immunotoxic effects of NMPs in order to identify potential gaps in the safety assessment. This comparison showed that immunotoxic effects, such as complement activation-related pseudoallergy, myelosuppression, inflammasome

Variability of Self-Regulatory Strategies in Children with Intellectual Disability and Typically Developing Children in Pretend Play Situations

Science.gov (United States)

Nader-Grosbois, N.; Vieillevoye, S.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study has examined whether or not self-regulatory strategies vary depending on pretend play situations in 40 children with intellectual disability and 40 typically developing children. Method: Their cognitive, linguistic and individual symbolic play levels were assessed in order to match the children of the two groups. During two…

The evolving regulation of uranium recovery operations in the United States: Inovative approaches are necessary for cost effective regulatory oversight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, A.J.; Lehrenbaum, W.U.; Lashway, D.C.

2000-01-01

The US domestic uranium industry is at a crossroads. Historic low prices for uranium, combined with stringent and often irrational regulatory requirements, pose a very real threat to the industry's continued viability. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has taken a number of innovative steps to reform and rationalize its regulatory program. However, if the domestic uranium recovery industry is to remain viable, additional steps toward innovation and reform are needed, and effective implementation of reforms adopted by the Commission is essential. (author)

An adaptive clustering algorithm for image matching based on corner feature

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhe; Dong, Min; Mu, Xiaomin; Wang, Song

2018-04-01

The traditional image matching algorithm always can not balance the real-time and accuracy better, to solve the problem, an adaptive clustering algorithm for image matching based on corner feature is proposed in this paper. The method is based on the similarity of the matching pairs of vector pairs, and the adaptive clustering is performed on the matching point pairs. Harris corner detection is carried out first, the feature points of the reference image and the perceived image are extracted, and the feature points of the two images are first matched by Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC) function. Then, using the improved algorithm proposed in this paper, the matching results are clustered to reduce the ineffective operation and improve the matching speed and robustness. Finally, the Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm is used to match the matching points after clustering. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively eliminate the most wrong matching points while the correct matching points are retained, and improve the accuracy of RANSAC matching, reduce the computation load of whole matching process at the same time.

Regulatory control, nuclear safety regulation and waste management in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, A.

2000-01-01

This article presents the challenges that faces the spanish regulatory authority. The deregulation of electricity industry imposes severe changes in nuclear power economics and forces nuclear power to compete with other sources of electricity. A pressure is perceived for regulatory effectiveness primarily since the cost of regulation is a component of the cost of the product. This effectiveness gain in regulatory control will be reached through systematic strategic analysis, formulation and implementation. The regulatory aspects of plant life extension and of waste management are examined

Effects of Internet and Smartphone Addictions on Depression and Anxiety Based on Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yeon-Jin; Jang, Hye Min; Lee, Youngjo; Lee, Donghwan; Kim, Dai-Jin

2018-04-25

The associations of Internet addiction (IA) and smartphone addiction (SA) with mental health problems have been widely studied. We investigated the effects of IA and SA on depression and anxiety while adjusting for sociodemographic variables. In this study, 4854 participants completed a cross-sectional web-based survey including socio-demographic items, the Korean Scale for Internet Addiction, the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, and the subscales of the Symptom Checklist 90 Items-Revised. The participants were classified into IA, SA, and normal use (NU) groups. To reduce sampling bias, we applied the propensity score matching method based on genetics matching. The IA group showed an increased risk of depression (relative risk 1.207; p smartphone use.

Ethics and Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities in Patient-Centered Comparative Effectiveness Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugarman, Jeremy

2016-04-01

The Affordable Care Act includes provisions for the conduct of large-scale, patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. Such efforts aim toward the laudable moral goal of having evidence to improve health care decision making. Nevertheless, these pragmatic clinical research efforts that typically pose minimal incremental risk and are enmeshed in routine care settings perhaps surprisingly encounter an array of ethics and regulatory challenges and opportunities for academic health centers. An emphasis on patient-centeredness forces an examination of the appropriateness of traditional methods used to protect the rights, interests, and welfare of participants. At the same time, meaningful collaboration with patients throughout the research process also necessitates ensuring that novel approaches to research (including recruitment and consent) entail necessary protections regarding such issues as privacy. As the scientific and logistical aspects of this research are being developed, substantial attention is being focused on the accompanying ethics and regulatory issues that have emerged, which should help to facilitate ethically appropriate research in a variety of contexts.

75 FR 58464 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-24

...--NYSE Amex Equities (Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program) replaced old Rule 445--NYSE Amex Equities...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change... solicited or received with respect to the proposed rule change. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed...

A study on improving the regulatory effectiveness and public participation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, B. S.; Choi, Y. G.; Cho, B. H.; Lee, H. W.

2006-02-01

The scope of this study is : review the theories about public participation in nuclear safety regulation, we develop an understanding of the concept and compare the effectiveness of different approaches to public participation. Reviews the cases of public participation in foreign countries and searches for important implications. To examine the current measures of public participation in nuclear safety regulatory process and to evaluate the present demand of the public including residents nearby nuclear facilities. Based upon the discussions on the above topics, examines prerequisites for success of public participation and presents alternatives of public participation in the concrete

Effect of alpha amylase on early childhood caries: a matched case-control study

OpenAIRE

Mojarad, Farzad; Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan; Fazlollahifar, Samira; Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan; Poorolajal, Jalal; Research Center for Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan; Hajilooi, Mehrdad; Department of Pathology, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan

2013-01-01

Objectives: There are a few studies addressing the relationship between salivary alpha-amylase and dental caries. This study was implemented in order to investigate the effect of salivary alpha-amylase level on early childhood caries (ECC).Materials and Methods: In this matched case-control study, which was carried out from November 2011 to March 2012 in Hamadan City, the west of Iran, mean levels of salivary alpha-amylase of 84 ECC-active cases were compared to that of 84 ECC-free controls u...

Bias with respect to socioeconomic status: A closer look at zip code matching in a pneumococcal vaccine effectiveness study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Link-Gelles

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In 2010, 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13 was introduced in the US for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children. Individual-level socioeconomic status (SES is a potential confounder of the estimated effectiveness of PCV13 and is often controlled for in observational studies using zip code as a proxy. We assessed the utility of zip code matching for control of SES in a post-licensure evaluation of the effectiveness of PCV13 (calculated as [1-matched odds ratio]*100. We used a directed acyclic graph to identify subsets of confounders and collected SES variables from birth certificates, geocoding, a parent interview, and follow-up with medical providers. Cases tended to be more affluent than eligible controls (for example, 48.3% of cases had private insurance vs. 44.6% of eligible controls, but less affluent than enrolled controls (52.9% of whom had private insurance. Control of confounding subsets, however, did not result in a meaningful change in estimated vaccine effectiveness (original estimate: 85.1%, 95% CI 74.8–91.9%; adjusted estimate: 82.5%, 95% CI 65.6–91.1%. In the context of a post-licensure vaccine effectiveness study, zip code appears to be an adequate, though not perfect, proxy for individual SES. Keywords: Socioeconomic status, PCV13, Pneumococcus, Pneumococcal vaccine, Vaccine effectiveness, Matched case-control

3-D FEATURE-BASED MATCHING BY RSTG APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-J. Jaw

2012-07-01

Full Text Available 3-D feature matching is the essential kernel in a fully automated feature-based LiDAR point cloud registration. After feasible procedures of feature acquisition, connecting corresponding features in different data frames is imperative to be solved. The objective addressed in this paper is developing an approach coined RSTG to retrieve corresponding counterparts of unsorted multiple 3-D features extracted from sets of LiDAR point clouds. RSTG stands for the four major processes, "Rotation alignment"; "Scale estimation"; "Translation alignment" and "Geometric check," strategically formulated towards finding out matching solution with high efficiency and leading to accomplishing the 3-D similarity transformation among all sets. The workable types of features to RSTG comprise points, lines, planes and clustered point groups. Each type of features can be employed exclusively or combined with others, if sufficiently supplied, throughout the matching scheme. The paper gives a detailed description of the matching methodology and discusses on the matching effects based on the statistical assessment which revealed that the RSTG approach reached an average matching rate of success up to 93% with around 6.6% of statistical type 1 error. Notably, statistical type 2 error, the critical indicator of matching reliability, was kept 0% throughout all the experiments.

Effective potentials from complex simulations: a potential-matching algorithm and remarks on coarse-grained potentials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, Gergely

2007-01-01

The projection of complex interactions onto simple distance-dependent or angle-dependent classical mechanical functions is a long-standing theoretical challenge in the field of computational sciences concerning biomolecules, colloids, aggregates and simple systems as well. The construction of an effective potential may be based on theoretical assumptions, on the application of fitting procedures on experimental data and on the simplification of complex molecular simulations. Recently, a force-matching method was elaborated to project the data of Car-Parrinello ab initio molecular dynamics simulations onto two-particle classical interactions (Izvekov et al 2004 J. Chem. Phys. 120 10896). We have developed a potential-matching algorithm as a practical analogue of this force-matching method. The algorithm requires a large number of configurations (particle positions) and a single value of the potential energy for each configuration. We show the details of the algorithm and the test calculations on simple systems. The test calculation on water showed an example in which a similar structure was obtained for qualitatively different pair interactions. The application of the algorithm on reverse Monte Carlo configurations was tried as well. We detected inconsistencies in a part of our calculations. We found that the coarse graining of potentials cannot be performed perfectly both for the structural and the thermodynamic data. For example, if one applies an inverse method with an input of the pair-correlation function, it provides energetics data for the configurations uniquely. These energetics data can be different from the desired ones obtained by all atom simulations, as occurred in the testing of our potential-matching method

The regulatory control of radioactive sources in Argentina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rojkind, Roberto Hector [Autoridade Regulatoria Nuclear, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

1997-12-31

Argentina has been conducting nuclear activities for more than forty years, and as early as in 1956 established a Regulatory Authority. Procedures for compliance monitoring and enforcement have been in use in the regulatory control of radioactive sources, and regulatory standards and regulations had been set in Argentina, before the accident in Goiania. The conclusions drawn from that accident encouraged in Argentina the improvement of some regulatory procedures and helped to enhance the quality of the regulatory process. Therefore, the effectiveness of the control of spent radioactive sources has gradually increased, and enforcement actions to prevent radioactive sources ending up in the public domain improved. Some lessons learned in Argentina from the accident in Goiania and the main characteristics of an effective enforcement program helpful to prevent radiological accidents in industrial, medical, research and teaching uses of radioactive sources are presented. (author) 9 refs; e-mail: rrojkind at sede.arn.gov.br

Using Multiple Control Groups and Matching to Address Unobserved Biases in Comparative Effectiveness Research: An Observational Study of the Effectiveness of Mental Health Parity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Frank B; Huskamp, Haiden A; Busch, Alisa B; Normand, Sharon-Lise T

2011-06-21

Studies of large policy interventions typically do not involve randomization. Adjustments, such as matching, can remove the bias due to observed covariates, but residual confounding remains a concern. In this paper we introduce two analytical strategies to bolster inferences of the effectiveness of policy interventions based on observational data. First, we identify how study groups may differ and then select a second comparison group on this source of difference. Second, we match subjects using a strategy that finely balances the distributions of key categorical covariates and stochastically balances on other covariates. An observational study of the effect of parity on the severely ill subjects enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program illustrates our methods.

Reducing the Effect of Stereotype Threat: The Role of Coaction Contexts and Regulatory Fit

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Fangfang; Zuo, Bin; Wu, Yang; Dong, Xuanhao; Wang, Wei

2016-01-01

Two experiments examined the effects of competition and cooperation contexts, as well as regulatory fit, on reducing the negative influence of stereotype threat. Experiment 1 demonstrated that in high stereotype threat conditions, participants in the cooperation context scored significantly higher on a math test than those in the competition…

Communication planning by the nuclear regulatory body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The national regulatory body, whose primary mission is to exercise regulatory control over nuclear facilities and the use of radiation sources, but not to promote their use, may be the most credible source of neutral, balanced and accurate information about issues relating to nuclear and radiation safety. It is therefore important for a regulatory body to establish and exercise an effective communication programme to acquaint the public with its oversight functions, capabilities and effectiveness. If the regulatory body is to maintain credibility and to deal promptly and effectively with nuclear or radiological accidents and any other events that may give rise to significant public concerns, and is to communicate clearly and effectively with the public, it must have adequate resources, including experts in nuclear safety. And if maintaining public confidence in the authorities and avoiding unnecessary concerns are among its principal objectives, it must be able to communicate understandably and truthfully about the known extent of any accident, the actions taken in response to it and its implications. In the past, psychological effects as a result of certain severe nuclear and radiological accidents have been compounded by a lack of candour with the public on the part of the authorities and an absence of an appropriate programme of public information. This publication describes good practices and gives practical examples of how the regulatory body can establish a systematic and structured programme for enhancing effective communication with various parties and under various circumstances. The report presupposes an adequate national infrastructure, including an independent regulatory body with sufficient authority and resources to discharge its responsibilities for the regulation of safety. This Safety Report covers the elements of a regulatory body's programme for communication with various audiences and under the different circumstances that may be encountered

Iris recognition using possibilistic fuzzy matching on local features.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Chung-Chih; Lin, Heng-Yi; Taur, Jinshiuh; Tao, Chin-Wang

2012-02-01

In this paper, we propose a novel possibilistic fuzzy matching strategy with invariant properties, which can provide a robust and effective matching scheme for two sets of iris feature points. In addition, the nonlinear normalization model is adopted to provide more accurate position before matching. Moreover, an effective iris segmentation method is proposed to refine the detected inner and outer boundaries to smooth curves. For feature extraction, the Gabor filters are adopted to detect the local feature points from the segmented iris image in the Cartesian coordinate system and to generate a rotation-invariant descriptor for each detected point. After that, the proposed matching algorithm is used to compute a similarity score for two sets of feature points from a pair of iris images. The experimental results show that the performance of our system is better than those of the systems based on the local features and is comparable to those of the typical systems.

Regulatory T cell effects in antitumor laser immunotherapy: a mathematical model and analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Dawkins, Bryan A.; Laverty, Sean M.

2016-03-01

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have tremendous influence on treatment outcomes in patients receiving immunotherapy for cancerous tumors. We present a mathematical model incorporating the primary cellular and molecular components of antitumor laser immunotherapy. We explicitly model developmental classes of dendritic cells (DCs), cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), primary and metastatic tumor cells, and tumor antigen. Regulatory T cells have been shown to kill antigen presenting cells, to influence dendritic cell maturation and migration, to kill activated killer CTLs in the tumor microenvironment, and to influence CTL proliferation. Since Tregs affect explicitly modeled cells, but we do not explicitly model dynamics of Treg themselves, we use model parameters to analyze effects of Treg immunosuppressive activity. We will outline a systematic method for assigning clinical outcomes to model simulations and use this condition to associate simulated patient treatment outcome with Treg activity.

Communication Regulatory Science: Mapping a New Field.

Science.gov (United States)

Noar, Seth M; Cappella, Joseph N; Price, Simani

2017-12-13

Communication regulatory science is an emerging field that uses validated techniques, tools, and models to inform regulatory actions that promote optimal communication outcomes and benefit the public. In the opening article to this special issue on communication and tobacco regulatory science, we 1) describe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of tobacco products in the US; 2) introduce communication regulatory science and provide examples in the tobacco regulatory science realm; and 3) describe the special issue process and final set of articles. Communication research on tobacco regulatory science is a burgeoning area of inquiry, and this work advances communication science, informs and potentially guides the FDA, and may help to withstand legal challenges brought by the tobacco industry. This research has the potential to have a major impact on the tobacco epidemic and population health by helping implement the most effective communications to prevent tobacco initiation and increase cessation. This special issue provides an example of 10 studies that exemplify tobacco regulatory science and demonstrate how the health communication field can affect regulation and benefit public health.

76 FR 75572 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-02

... rule change by December 31, 2011, Phlx will submit a further proposed rule change to reflect such delay...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Delay Implementation of a Recently Effective Modification to the Operation of the Minimum...

The effects of an increased calorie breakfast consumed prior to simulated match-play in Academy soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Marc A; Harper, Liam D; McNamee, Ged; Cockburn, Emma; Rumbold, Penny L S; Stevenson, Emma J; Russell, Mark

2017-08-01

Dietary analysis of Academy soccer players highlights that total energy and carbohydrate intakes are less than optimal, especially, on match-days. As UK Academy matches predominantly kick-off at ∼11:00 h, breakfast is likely the last pre-exercise meal and thus may provide an intervention opportunity on match-day. Accordingly, the physiological and performance effects of an increased calorie breakfast consumed ∼135-min before soccer-specific exercise was investigated. English Premier League Academy soccer players (n = 7) repeated a 90-min soccer match simulation on two occasions after consumption of habitual (B hab ; ∼1100 kJ) or increased (B inc ; ∼2100 kJ) energy breakfasts standardised for macronutrient contributions (∼60% carbohydrates, ∼15% proteins and ∼25% fats). Countermovement jump height, sprint velocities (15-m and 30-m), 30-m repeated sprint maintenance, gut fullness, abdominal discomfort and soccer dribbling performances were measured. Blood samples were taken at rest, pre-exercise, half-time and every 15-min during exercise. Although dribbling precision (P = .522; 29.9 ± 5.5 cm) and success (P = .505; 94 ± 8%) were unchanged throughout all time-points, mean dribbling speed was faster (4.3 ± 5.7%) in B inc relative to B hab (P = .023; 2.84 vs 2.75 m s -1 ). Greater feelings of gut fullness (67 ± 17%, P = .001) were observed in B inc without changes in abdominal discomfort (P = .595). All other physical performance measures and blood lactate and glucose concentrations were comparable between trials (all P > .05). Findings demonstrate that Academy soccer players were able to increase pre-match energy intake without experiencing abdominal discomfort; thus, likely contributing to the amelioration of energy deficits on match-days. Furthermore, whilst B inc produced limited benefits to physical performance, increased dribbling speed was identified, which may be of benefit to match-play.

Assessment by peer review of the effectiveness of a regulatory programme for radiation safety. Interim report for comment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

This document covers assessment of those aspects of a radiation protection and safety infrastructure that are implemented by the Regulatory Authority for radiation sources and practices using such sources and necessarily includes those ancillary technical services, such as dosimetry services, which directly affect the ability of the Regulatory Authority to discharge its responsibilities. The focus of the guidance in this TECDOC is on assessment of a regulatory programme intended to implement the BSS. The BSS address transportation and waste safety mainly by reference to other IAEA documents. When conducting an assessment, the Review Team members should be aware of the latest IAEA documents (or similar national documents) concerning transportation and waste safety and, if appropriate, nuclear safety, and take them into account to the extent applicable when assessing the effectiveness of the regulatory programme governing radiation protection and safety of radiation source practices in a particular State

Assessment by peer review of the effectiveness of a regulatory programme for radiation safety. Interim report for comment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-05-01

This document covers assessment of those aspects of a radiation protection and safety infrastructure that are implemented by the Regulatory Authority for radiation sources and practices using such sources and necessarily includes those ancillary technical services, such as dosimetry services, which directly affect the ability of the Regulatory Authority to discharge its responsibilities. The focus of the guidance in this TECDOC is on assessment of a regulatory programme intended to implement the BSS. The BSS address transportation and waste safety mainly by reference to other IAEA documents. When conducting an assessment, the Review Team members should be aware of the latest IAEA documents (or similar national documents) concerning transportation and waste safety and, if appropriate, nuclear safety, and take them into account to the extent applicable when assessing the effectiveness of the regulatory programme governing radiation protection and safety of radiation source practices in a particular State

Latent palmprint matching.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Anil K; Feng, Jianjiang

2009-06-01

The evidential value of palmprints in forensic applications is clear as about 30 percent of the latents recovered from crime scenes are from palms. While biometric systems for palmprint-based personal authentication in access control type of applications have been developed, they mostly deal with low-resolution (about 100 ppi) palmprints and only perform full-to-full palmprint matching. We propose a latent-to-full palmprint matching system that is needed in forensic applications. Our system deals with palmprints captured at 500 ppi (the current standard in forensic applications) or higher resolution and uses minutiae as features to be compatible with the methodology used by latent experts. Latent palmprint matching is a challenging problem because latent prints lifted at crime scenes are of poor image quality, cover only a small area of the palm, and have a complex background. Other difficulties include a large number of minutiae in full prints (about 10 times as many as fingerprints), and the presence of many creases in latents and full prints. A robust algorithm to reliably estimate the local ridge direction and frequency in palmprints is developed. This facilitates the extraction of ridge and minutiae features even in poor quality palmprints. A fixed-length minutia descriptor, MinutiaCode, is utilized to capture distinctive information around each minutia and an alignment-based minutiae matching algorithm is used to match two palmprints. Two sets of partial palmprints (150 live-scan partial palmprints and 100 latent palmprints) are matched to a background database of 10,200 full palmprints to test the proposed system. Despite the inherent difficulty of latent-to-full palmprint matching, rank-1 recognition rates of 78.7 and 69 percent, respectively, were achieved in searching live-scan partial palmprints and latent palmprints against the background database.

Kicking velocity and effect on match performance when using a smaller, lighter ball in women's football

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas B.; Krustrup, Peter; Bendiksen, Mads

2016-01-01

The present study evaluated the effect of a smaller, lighter ball on kicking speed and technical-tactical and physical match performance in high-level adult female footballers. In the laboratory test setting, the peak ball velocity was 6% higher with the new ball (NB) than the standard ball (SB...

Factors Affecting Match Outcome in Elite Australian Football: A 14-Year Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarus, Brendan H; Hopkins, William G; Stewart, Andrew M; Aughey, Robert J

2018-02-01

Effects of fixture and team characteristics on match outcome in elite Australian football were quantified using data accessed at AFLtables.com for 5109 matches for seasons 2000 to 2013. Aspects of each match included number of days' break between matches (≤7 d vs ≥8 d), location (home vs away), travel status (travel vs no travel), and differences between opposing teams' mean age, body mass, and height (expressed as quintiles). A logistic-regression version of the generalized mixed linear model estimated each effect, which was assessed with magnitude-based inference using 1 extra win or loss in every 10 matches as the smallest important change. For every 10 matches played, the effects were days' break, 0.1 ± 0.3 (90% CL) wins; playing away, 1.5 ± 0.6 losses; traveling, 0.7 ± 0.6 losses; and being in the oldest, heaviest, or shortest, quintile, 1.9 ± 0.4, 1.3 ± 0.4, and 0.4 ± 0.4 wins, respectively. The effects of age and body-mass difference were not reduced substantially when adjusted for each other. All effects were clear, mostly at the 99% level. The effects of playing away, travel, and age difference were not unexpected, but the trivial effect of days' break and the advantage of a heavier team will challenge current notions about balancing training with recovery and about team selection.

Quality assurance within regulatory bodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-06-01

The IAEA directed extensive efforts during the years 1991 to 1995 to the integral revision of all NUSS quality assurance publications, which were approved and issued as Safety Series No.50-C/SG-Q, Quality Assurance for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants and other Nuclear Installations (1996). When these quality assurance publications were developed, their prime focus was on requirements against which work performed by the licensees could be measured and assessed by the regulatory bodies. In this way, they only helped to facilitate the functions of regulators. No requirements or recommendations were provided on how the regulators should ensure the effective implementation of their own activities. The present publication is a first attempt to collect, integrate and offer available experience to directly support performance of regulatory activities. It presents a comprehensive compilation on the application of quality assurance principles and methods by regulatory bodies to their activities. The aim is consistent good performance of regulatory activities through a systematic approach

Covariant diagrams for one-loop matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhengkang

2016-10-01

We present a diagrammatic formulation of recently-revived covariant functional approaches to one-loop matching from an ultraviolet (UV) theory to a low-energy effective field theory. Various terms following from a covariant derivative expansion (CDE) are represented by diagrams which, unlike conventional Feynman diagrams, involve gaugecovariant quantities and are thus dubbed ''covariant diagrams.'' The use of covariant diagrams helps organize and simplify one-loop matching calculations, which we illustrate with examples. Of particular interest is the derivation of UV model-independent universal results, which reduce matching calculations of specific UV models to applications of master formulas. We show how such derivation can be done in a more concise manner than the previous literature, and discuss how additional structures that are not directly captured by existing universal results, including mixed heavy-light loops, open covariant derivatives, and mixed statistics, can be easily accounted for.

Covariant diagrams for one-loop matching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhengkang [Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics (MCTP), University of Michigan,450 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY),Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany)

2017-05-30

We present a diagrammatic formulation of recently-revived covariant functional approaches to one-loop matching from an ultraviolet (UV) theory to a low-energy effective field theory. Various terms following from a covariant derivative expansion (CDE) are represented by diagrams which, unlike conventional Feynman diagrams, involve gauge-covariant quantities and are thus dubbed “covariant diagrams.” The use of covariant diagrams helps organize and simplify one-loop matching calculations, which we illustrate with examples. Of particular interest is the derivation of UV model-independent universal results, which reduce matching calculations of specific UV models to applications of master formulas. We show how such derivation can be done in a more concise manner than the previous literature, and discuss how additional structures that are not directly captured by existing universal results, including mixed heavy-light loops, open covariant derivatives, and mixed statistics, can be easily accounted for.

Covariant diagrams for one-loop matching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Zhengkang [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics; Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2016-10-15

We present a diagrammatic formulation of recently-revived covariant functional approaches to one-loop matching from an ultraviolet (UV) theory to a low-energy effective field theory. Various terms following from a covariant derivative expansion (CDE) are represented by diagrams which, unlike conventional Feynman diagrams, involve gaugecovariant quantities and are thus dubbed ''covariant diagrams.'' The use of covariant diagrams helps organize and simplify one-loop matching calculations, which we illustrate with examples. Of particular interest is the derivation of UV model-independent universal results, which reduce matching calculations of specific UV models to applications of master formulas. We show how such derivation can be done in a more concise manner than the previous literature, and discuss how additional structures that are not directly captured by existing universal results, including mixed heavy-light loops, open covariant derivatives, and mixed statistics, can be easily accounted for.

Covariant diagrams for one-loop matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Zhengkang

2017-01-01

We present a diagrammatic formulation of recently-revived covariant functional approaches to one-loop matching from an ultraviolet (UV) theory to a low-energy effective field theory. Various terms following from a covariant derivative expansion (CDE) are represented by diagrams which, unlike conventional Feynman diagrams, involve gauge-covariant quantities and are thus dubbed “covariant diagrams.” The use of covariant diagrams helps organize and simplify one-loop matching calculations, which we illustrate with examples. Of particular interest is the derivation of UV model-independent universal results, which reduce matching calculations of specific UV models to applications of master formulas. We show how such derivation can be done in a more concise manner than the previous literature, and discuss how additional structures that are not directly captured by existing universal results, including mixed heavy-light loops, open covariant derivatives, and mixed statistics, can be easily accounted for.

The effect of regulatory mode on procrastination: Bi-stable parahippocampus connectivity with dorsal anterior cingulate and anterior prefrontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chenyan; Ni, Yan; Feng, Tingyong

2017-06-30

Previous research has elucidated that procrastination can be influenced by regulatory mode orientations. However, the neural mechanism of regulatory modes affecting procrastination is not well understood. To address this question, we employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) to test the influence of two regulatory modes (assessment and locomotion) on procrastination. The behavioral results showed that procrastination was positively correlated with assessment orientation but negatively correlated with locomotion orientation. Neuroimaging results indicated that the functional connectivity between parahippocampal cortex (PHC) and dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC) was negatively correlated with assessment scores, while the functional connectivity between anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) and parahippocampal cortex (PHC) was negatively correlated with locomotion scores. Critically, mediation analysis showed that the different effects of two distinct regulatory modes on procrastination were mediated by PHC-dACC and aPFC-PHC functional connectivity respectively. These results suggested that people's procrastination could be predicted by regulatory mode orientations, which is mediated by PHC connectivity with dACC and aPFC respectively. The present study extends our knowledge on procrastination and provides neural mechanism for understanding the link between regulatory mode orientations and procrastination. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fractured reservoir history matching improved based on artificial intelligent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayyed Hadi Riazi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a new robust approach based on Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM as a proxy model is used for an automatic fractured reservoir history matching. The proxy model is made to model the history match objective function (mismatch values based on the history data of the field. This model is then used to minimize the objective function through Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA. In automatic history matching, sensitive analysis is often performed on full simulation model. In this work, to get new range of the uncertain parameters (matching parameters in which the objective function has a minimum value, sensitivity analysis is also performed on the proxy model. By applying the modified ranges to the optimization methods, optimization of the objective function will be faster and outputs of the optimization methods (matching parameters are produced in less time and with high precision. This procedure leads to matching of history of the field in which a set of reservoir parameters is used. The final sets of parameters are then applied for the full simulation model to validate the technique. The obtained results show that the present procedure in this work is effective for history matching process due to its robust dependability and fast convergence speed. Due to high speed and need for small data sets, LSSVM is the best tool to build a proxy model. Also the comparison of PSO and ICA shows that PSO is less time-consuming and more effective.

Target matching based on multi-view tracking

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yahui; Zhou, Changsheng

2011-01-01

A feature matching method is proposed based on Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER) and Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) to solve the problem of the same target matching in multiple cameras. Target foreground is extracted by using frame difference twice and bounding box which is regarded as target regions is calculated. Extremal regions are got by MSER. After fitted into elliptical regions, those regions will be normalized into unity circles and represented with SIFT descriptors. Initial matching is obtained from the ratio of the closest distance to second distance less than some threshold and outlier points are eliminated in terms of RANSAC. Experimental results indicate the method can reduce computational complexity effectively and is also adapt to affine transformation, rotation, scale and illumination.

Anatomy Ontology Matching Using Markov Logic Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunhua Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The anatomy of model species is described in ontologies, which are used to standardize the annotations of experimental data, such as gene expression patterns. To compare such data between species, we need to establish relationships between ontologies describing different species. Ontology matching is a kind of solutions to find semantic correspondences between entities of different ontologies. Markov logic networks which unify probabilistic graphical model and first-order logic provide an excellent framework for ontology matching. We combine several different matching strategies through first-order logic formulas according to the structure of anatomy ontologies. Experiments on the adult mouse anatomy and the human anatomy have demonstrated the effectiveness of proposed approach in terms of the quality of result alignment.

A Fast and Robust Feature-Based Scan-Matching Method in 3D SLAM and the Effect of Sampling Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cihan Ulas

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM plays an important role in fully autonomous systems when a GNSS (global navigation satellite system is not available. Studies in both 2D indoor and 3D outdoor SLAM are based on the appearance of environments and utilize scan-matching methods to find rigid body transformation parameters between two consecutive scans. In this study, a fast and robust scan-matching method based on feature extraction is introduced. Since the method is based on the matching of certain geometric structures, like plane segments, the outliers and noise in the point cloud are considerably eliminated. Therefore, the proposed scan-matching algorithm is more robust than conventional methods. Besides, the registration time and the number of iterations are significantly reduced, since the number of matching points is efficiently decreased. As a scan-matching framework, an improved version of the normal distribution transform (NDT is used. The probability density functions (PDFs of the reference scan are generated as in the traditional NDT, and the feature extraction - based on stochastic plane detection - is applied to the only input scan. By using experimental dataset belongs to an outdoor environment like a university campus, we obtained satisfactory performance results. Moreover, the feature extraction part of the algorithm is considered as a special sampling strategy for scan-matching and compared to other sampling strategies, such as random sampling and grid-based sampling, the latter of which is first used in the NDT. Thus, this study also shows the effect of the subsampling on the performance of the NDT.

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-07-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter. The rules on which final action has been taken since March 31, 1993 are: Repeal of NRC standards of conduct; Fitness-for-duty requirements for licensees who possess, use, or transport Category I material; Training and qualification of nuclear power plant personnel; Monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear power plants; Licensing requirements for land disposal of radioactive wastes; and Licensees' announcements of safeguards inspections

Parton shower and NLO-matching uncertainties in Higgs boson pair production

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Stephen; Kuttimalai, Silvan

2018-02-01

We perform a detailed study of NLO parton shower matching uncertainties in Higgs boson pair production through gluon fusion at the LHC based on a generic and process independent implementation of NLO subtraction and parton shower matching schemes for loop-induced processes in the Sherpa event generator. We take into account the full top-quark mass dependence in the two-loop virtual corrections and compare the results to an effective theory approximation. In the full calculation, our findings suggest large parton shower matching uncertainties that are absent in the effective theory approximation. We observe large uncertainties even in regions of phase space where fixed-order calculations are theoretically well motivated and parton shower effects expected to be small. We compare our results to NLO matched parton shower simulations and analytic resummation results that are available in the literature.

Effectiveness of Regulatory Structure in the Power Sector of Pakistan

OpenAIRE

Afia Malik

2007-01-01

This paper is an attempt to study the regulatory environment in the electricity sector of Pakistan. NEPRA, a regulatory authority was formed in 1997 to protect consumer interests in the area of electricity provision, and to ensure an efficient and competitive environment for the electricity generators and distributors, but it has so far not been able to achieve anything. The power sector (dominated by WAPDA and KESC) is still affected by institutional and organisational weaknesses, with ineff...

76 FR 39960 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

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2011-07-07

...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule... Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the ``Act''). Upon effectiveness of a plan filed pursuant to Rule 17d-2...(a) through 9.25, which concern advertising and sales literature, would be deleted and the text of...

The tone from above: The effect of communicating a supportive regulatory strategy on reporting quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Duin, S.R.; Dekker, Henri; Mendoza Rodriguez, J.P.; Wielhouwer, J.L.

2018-01-01

As part of their regulatory strategy, authorities may request firms to periodically submit mandatory self-assessments. The effectiveness of such strategies depends on the quality of the information that firms provide. We conduct a field experiment to assess how official communications reflecting a

78 FR 54338 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-09-03

...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed..., Interactive Data Online Properties, Inc. (collectively ``IDC''), whereby the Exchange will make available... the Private Labeled Products and who first subscribe as a result of the Exchange's marketing...

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2010-08-18

...-Regulatory Organizations; EDGX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule.... * * * '' The rule includes an exception for any matter that is ``clearly distinguishable as paid advertising... beyond paid advertising to also include compensation paid in connection with research reports and...

The path of least resistance: Regulatory resource depletion and the effectiveness of social influence techniques

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, L.; Fennis, B.M.; Pruyn, Adriaan T.H.; Vohs, Kathleen D.

2008-01-01

Two experiments examine the role of regulatory resource depletion in the effectiveness of social influence techniques aimed at inducing consumer compliance. They test the two-step hypothesis that a) responding to the initial request stage of an influence technique requires self-control, thereby

Understanding the Effects of Users' Behaviors on Effectiveness of Different Exogenous Regulatory Common Pool Resource Management Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Madani, K.; Dinar, A.

2013-12-01

Tragedy of the commons is generally recognized as one of the possible destinies for common pool resources (CPRs). To avoid the tragedy of the commons and prolonging the life of CPRs, users may show different behavioral characteristics and use different rationales for CPR planning and management. Furthermore, regulators may adopt different strategies for sustainable management of CPRs. The effectiveness of different regulatory exogenous management institutions cannot be evaluated through conventional CPR models since they assume that either users base their behavior on individual rationality and adopt a selfish behavior (Nash behavior), or that the users seek the system's optimal solution without giving priority to their own interests. Therefore, conventional models fail to reliably predict the outcome of CPR problems in which parties may have a range of behavioral characteristics, putting them somewhere in between the two types of behaviors traditionally considered. This work examines the effectiveness of different regulatory exogenous CPR management institutions through a user-based model (as opposed to a system-based model). The new modeling framework allows for consideration of sensitivity of the results to different behavioral characteristics of interacting CPR users. The suggested modeling approach is applied to a benchmark groundwater management problem. Results indicate that some well-known exogenous management institutions (e.g. taxing) are ineffective in sustainable management of CPRs in most cases. Bankruptcy-based management can be helpful, but determination of the fair level of cutbacks remains challenging under this type of institution. Furthermore, some bankruptcy rules such as the Constrained Equal Award (CEA) method are more beneficial to wealthier users, failing to establish social justice. Quota-based and CPR status-based management perform as the most promising and robust regulatory exogenous institutions in prolonging the CPR's life and

Regulatory and licensee surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Prior to the workshop two CSNI/WGHOF surveys were distributed. One survey was directed at regulatory bodies and the other was directed at plant licensees. The surveys were: 1 - Regulatory Expectations of Licensees' Arrangements to Ensure Suitable Organisational Structure, Resources and Competencies to Manage Safety (sent to WGHOF regulatory members). The survey requested that the respondents provide a brief overview of the situation related to plant organisations in their country, their regulatory expectations and their formal requirements. The survey addressed three subjects: the demonstration and documentation of organisational structures, resources and competencies, organisational changes, issues for improvement (for both current and new plants). Responses were received from eleven regulatory bodies. 2 - Approaches to Justify Organisational Suitability (sent to selected licensees). The purpose of the survey to was to gain an understanding of how licensees ensure organisational suitability, resources and competencies. This information was used to assist in the development of the issues and subjects that were addressed at the group discussion sessions. Responses were received from over fifteen licensees from nine countries. The survey requested that the licensees provide information on how they ensure effective organisational structures at their plants. The survey grouped the questions into the following four categories: organisational safety functions, resource and competence, decision-making and communication, good examples and improvement needs. The findings from these surveys were used in conjunction with other factors to identify the key issues for the workshop discussion sessions. The responses from these two surveys are discussed briefly in Sections 4 and 5 of this report. More extensive reviews of the regulatory and licensee responses are provided in Appendix 1

Nuclear regulatory developments in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binder, M.

2012-01-01

This paper from CNSC discusses nuclear regulatory developments in Canada. It starts with the Fukushima accident and the effect on the nuclear sector. It summarises what CNSC has done, what it has learned and their plans going forward. It has made recommendations to IAEA for international enhancements to regulatory procedures. It outline the activities of Canada's nuclear power plants, Canada's uranium projects, deep geological repository and waste management as well as nuclear research in Canada.

Effects of low dose radiation on regulatory function between lymphocyte subsets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Hailin; Su Liaoyuan; Du Zeji; Zou Huawei; Wang Aiqing

1997-01-01

Four kinds of McAbs (anti CD 4 , CD 8 , CD 19 and CD 57 ) were used to separate CD 4 , CD 8 , CD 19 (B) and CD 57 (NK) lymphocyte subsets from human peripheral blood by 'Panning-direct' method. First the natural killing activity of each subsets and the regulatory functions between CD 57 and other subsets were studied. Then the effects of low dose radiation on the function of CD 57 cells and the regulatory functions between CD 57 and other subsets were studied. The results showed that the NK activity was found in all of the four subsets, with CD 57 cell having the strongest activity. When CD 4 and CD 57 cells were co-cultured, the total NK activity was higher than that of the sum of these two single subsets, i.e. there was synergistic effect between CD 4 and CD 57 cells. When CD 8 or CD 19 cells were co-cultured separately with CD 57 cells, no synergistic effect was found. Irradiation by gamma rays at doses of 50 cGy and 80 cGy was able to stimulate the function of CD 57 cells. After Cd 4 or CD 57 cells were irradiated, the total NK activity of their co-culture increased significantly. This phenomenon was not found in other subsets. This suggested that low dose radiation can enhance the synergistic action between CD 4 and CD 57 cells. So at least four subsets (CD 4 , CD 8 , CD 19 , CD 57 ) contribute to the total NK activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. (15 refs., 4 tabs.)

The Interaction Between Schema Matching and Record Matching in Data Integration

KAUST Repository

Gu, Binbin; Li, Zhixu; Zhang, Xiangliang; Liu, An; Liu, Guanfeng; Zheng, Kai; Zhao, Lei; Zhou, Xiaofang

2016-01-01

Schema Matching (SM) and Record Matching (RM) are two necessary steps in integrating multiple relational tables of different schemas, where SM unifies the schemas and RM detects records referring to the same real-world entity. The two processes have

The Effect of Blog Use on Self-Regulatory Learning of Prospective German Language Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Seyhan Yucel, Mukadder

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of blog use on self-regulatory learning of prospective German language teachers. The study is semi-experimental. Pretest-posttest, experiment control model was used. Blog activities were conducted as extensive beyond classroom activities only for the experiment group. As the data collection tool…

Regulatory authority information system RAIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, P.; Mrabit, K.; Miaw, S.

2000-01-01

In this lecture the principles of the regulatory authority information system (RAIS) are presented. RAIS is a tool currently being developed by the IAEA for the Regulatory Authorities. It is a part of a set of supporting actions designed to assist member states in achieving the objectives of the Model project on radiation and waste safety infrastructure. RAIS is a tool that provides the management of the Regulatory Authority with the key information needed for the planning and implementation of activities and to ensure confidence that resources are optimally used. The RAIS contains five modules: Inventory of installations and radiation sources; Authorization process; Inspection and follow-up actions; Information on personal dosimetry; Assessment of effectiveness by means of performance indicators

Matching Matched Filtering with Deep Networks for Gravitational-Wave Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbard, Hunter; Williams, Michael; Hayes, Fergus; Messenger, Chris

2018-04-01

We report on the construction of a deep convolutional neural network that can reproduce the sensitivity of a matched-filtering search for binary black hole gravitational-wave signals. The standard method for the detection of well-modeled transient gravitational-wave signals is matched filtering. We use only whitened time series of measured gravitational-wave strain as an input, and we train and test on simulated binary black hole signals in synthetic Gaussian noise representative of Advanced LIGO sensitivity. We show that our network can classify signal from noise with a performance that emulates that of match filtering applied to the same data sets when considering the sensitivity defined by receiver-operator characteristics.

Matching Matched Filtering with Deep Networks for Gravitational-Wave Astronomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbard, Hunter; Williams, Michael; Hayes, Fergus; Messenger, Chris

2018-04-06

We report on the construction of a deep convolutional neural network that can reproduce the sensitivity of a matched-filtering search for binary black hole gravitational-wave signals. The standard method for the detection of well-modeled transient gravitational-wave signals is matched filtering. We use only whitened time series of measured gravitational-wave strain as an input, and we train and test on simulated binary black hole signals in synthetic Gaussian noise representative of Advanced LIGO sensitivity. We show that our network can classify signal from noise with a performance that emulates that of match filtering applied to the same data sets when considering the sensitivity defined by receiver-operator characteristics.

Case Study for Effectiveness Analysis on Nuclear Regulatory Infrastructure Support for Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Y. E.; Byeon, M. J.; Yoo, J. W.; Lee, J. M.; Lim, J. H. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The donor countries need to make decisions on various steps such as whether to fully accept newcomers’ requests, the depth of support, and how the supportive action will be carried out. Such is not an easy task due to limited time, resources, manpower, etc. Thus, creating an infrastructure to support emerging nuclear energy countries is needed. This paper suggests the resource portfolio concept used in business management and aims to analyze the validity of supporting the new entrants’ development of regulatory infrastructure as a case study. This study tries to develop a very simple Excel-based tool for assessing the supporting strategy quantitatively and screening the activities that is projected to be less effective and attractive. There are many countries, so called newcomers, which have expressed interests in developing their own nuclear power program. It has been recognized by the international community that every country considering embarking upon their own nuclear power program should establish their nuclear safety infrastructure to sustain a high level of nuclear safety. The newcomers have requested for considerable assistance from the IAEA and they already have bilateral cooperation programs with the advanced countries with matured nuclear regulatory programs. Currently, the regulatory bodies that provide support are confronted with two responsibilities as follows; the primary objective of the regulatory bodies is to ensure that the operator fulfills the responsibility to protect human health.

Case Study for Effectiveness Analysis on Nuclear Regulatory Infrastructure Support for Emerging Nuclear Energy Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y. E.; Byeon, M. J.; Yoo, J. W.; Lee, J. M.; Lim, J. H.

2016-01-01

The donor countries need to make decisions on various steps such as whether to fully accept newcomers’ requests, the depth of support, and how the supportive action will be carried out. Such is not an easy task due to limited time, resources, manpower, etc. Thus, creating an infrastructure to support emerging nuclear energy countries is needed. This paper suggests the resource portfolio concept used in business management and aims to analyze the validity of supporting the new entrants’ development of regulatory infrastructure as a case study. This study tries to develop a very simple Excel-based tool for assessing the supporting strategy quantitatively and screening the activities that is projected to be less effective and attractive. There are many countries, so called newcomers, which have expressed interests in developing their own nuclear power program. It has been recognized by the international community that every country considering embarking upon their own nuclear power program should establish their nuclear safety infrastructure to sustain a high level of nuclear safety. The newcomers have requested for considerable assistance from the IAEA and they already have bilateral cooperation programs with the advanced countries with matured nuclear regulatory programs. Currently, the regulatory bodies that provide support are confronted with two responsibilities as follows; the primary objective of the regulatory bodies is to ensure that the operator fulfills the responsibility to protect human health

Strengthening Regulatory Competence in Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadiq, M.

2016-01-01

Capacity building of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority is considered an essential element in pursuit of its vision to become a world class regulatory body. Since its inception in 2001, PNRA has continuously endeavoured to invest in its people, develop training infrastructure and impart sound knowledge and professional skills with the aim to improve its regulatory effectiveness. The use of nuclear and radioactive material in Pakistan has increased manifold in recent years, thus induction of more manpower was needed for regulatory oversight. PNRA adopted two pronged approach for meeting the manpower demand (a) employment of university graduates through fast track recruitment drive and (b) induction of graduates by offering fellowships for Master degree programs. Although, the newly employed staff was selected on the basis of their excellent academic qualifications in basic and applied sciences, but they required rigorous knowledge and skills in regulatory perspectives. In order to implement a structured training program, PNRA conducted Training Needs Assessment (TNA) and identified competency gaps of the regulatory staff in legal, technical, regulatory practice and behavioural domains. PNRA took several initiatives for capacity building which included establishment of a training centre for sustainability of trainings, initiation of a fellowship scheme for Master program, attachment of staff at local institutes for on-the-job training and placement at foreign regulatory bodies and organizations for technical development with the assistance of IAEA. The above strategies have been very beneficial in competence building of the PNRA staff to perform all regulatory activities indigenously for nuclear power plants, research reactors and radiation facilities. Provision of vibrant technical support to IAEA and Member States in various programs by PNRA is a landmark of these competence development efforts. This paper summarizes PNRA initiatives and the International Atomic

78 FR 42080 - Privacy Act of 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2013-07; HHS Computer Match No. 1303; DoD-DMDC Match...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-15

... 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2013-07; HHS Computer Match No. 1303; DoD-DMDC Match No. 18 AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION... Act of 1974, as amended, this notice announces the establishment of a CMP that CMS plans to conduct...

Discrepancies in listed adverse drug reactions in pharmaceutical product information supplied by the regulatory authorities in Denmark and the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Robert; Aagaard, Lise; Jensen, Lars Juhl; Borisova, Liza; Hørlück, Dorte; Brunak, Søren; Hansen, Ebba Holme

2014-06-01

Pharmaceutical product information (PI) supplied by the regulatory authorities serves as a source of information on safe and effective use of drugs. The objectives of this study were to qualitatively and quantitatively compare PIs for selected drugs marketed in both Denmark and the USA with respect to consistency and discrepancy of listed adverse drug reaction (ADR) information. We compared individual ADRs listed in PIs from Denmark and the USA with respect to type and frequency. Consistency was defined as match of ADRs and of ADR frequency or match could not be ruled out. Discrepancies were defined as ADRs listed only in one country or listed with different frequencies. We analyzed PIs for 40 separate drugs from ten therapeutic groups and assigned the 4003 identified ADRs to System Organ Classes (Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities [MedDRA] terminology). Less than half of listed ADRs (n = 1874; 47%) showed consistency. Discrepancies (n = 2129; 53%) were split into ADRs listed only in the USA (n = 1558; 39%), ADRs listed only in Denmark (n = 325; 8%) and ADRs listed with different frequencies (n = 246; 6%). The majority of listed ADRs were of the type "gastrointestinal disorders" and "nervous system disorders". Our results show great differences in PIs for drugs approved in both Denmark and the USA illuminating concerns about the credibility of the publicly available PIs. The results also represent an argument for further harmonization across borders to improve consistency between authority-supplied information.

78 FR 77736 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-12-24

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-71129; File No. SR-BATS-2013-062] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Modify BATS Options Market Maker Continuous Quoting Obligation Rules December 18, 2013...

76 FR 12155 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2011-03-04

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-63969; File No. SR-BATS-2011-007] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change by BATS Exchange, Inc. to Adopt BATS Rule 11.21, entitled ``Input of Accurate Information...

78 FR 53814 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-08-30

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70257; File No. SR-BATS-2013-047] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Registration and Continuing Education Fees for BATS Exchange, Inc. August 26...

77 FR 20858 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2012-04-06

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-66723; File No. SR-BATS-2012-014] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the Certificate of Incorporation of BATS Global Markets, Inc. April 3, 2012...

75 FR 51122 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2010-08-18

...-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule... as paid advertising.'' EDGA agrees with FINRA's reasoning for proposing changes to its Rule 5230... exceptions in the rule beyond paid advertising to also include compensation paid in connection with research...

78 FR 51242 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Topaz Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-08-20

... themselves as participants on another. It is virtually impossible for any exchange to identify, and thus... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70200; File No. SR-Topaz-2013-01] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Topaz Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Regulatory effects of fisetin on microglial activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chuang, Jing-Yuan; Chang, Pei-Chun; Shen, Yi-Chun; Lin, Chingju; Tsai, Cheng-Fang; Chen, Jia-Hong; Yeh, Wei-Lan; Wu, Ling-Hsuan; Lin, Hsiao-Yun; Liu, Yu-Shu; Lu, Dah-Yuu

2014-06-26

Increasing evidence suggests that inflammatory processes in the central nervous system that are mediated by microglial activation play a key role in neurodegeneration. Fisetin, a plant flavonol commonly found in fruits and vegetables, is frequently added to nutritional supplements due to its antioxidant properties. In the present study, treatment with fisetin inhibited microglial cell migration and ROS (reactive oxygen species) production. Treatment with fisetin also effectively inhibited LPS plus IFN-γ-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in microglial cells. Furthermore, fisetin also reduced expressions of iNOS and NO by stimulation of peptidoglycan, the major component of the Gram-positive bacterium cell wall. Fisetin also inhibited the enhancement of LPS/IFN-γ- or peptidoglycan-induced inflammatory mediator IL (interlukin)-1 β expression. Besides the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of fisetin, our study also elucidates the manner in fisetin-induced an endogenous anti-oxidative enzyme HO (heme oxygenase)-1 expression. Moreover, the regulatory molecular mechanism of fisetin-induced HO-1 expression operates through the PI-3 kinase/AKT and p38 signaling pathways in microglia. Notably, fisetin also significantly attenuated inflammation-related microglial activation and coordination deficit in mice in vivo. These findings suggest that fisetin may be a candidate agent for the development of therapies for inflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Regulatory Effects of Fisetin on Microglial Activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing-Yuan Chuang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Increasing evidence suggests that inflammatory processes in the central nervous system that are mediated by microglial activation play a key role in neurodegeneration. Fisetin, a plant flavonol commonly found in fruits and vegetables, is frequently added to nutritional supplements due to its antioxidant properties. In the present study, treatment with fisetin inhibited microglial cell migration and ROS (reactive oxygen species production. Treatment with fisetin also effectively inhibited LPS plus IFN-γ-induced nitric oxide (NO production, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS expression in microglial cells. Furthermore, fisetin also reduced expressions of iNOS and NO by stimulation of peptidoglycan, the major component of the Gram-positive bacterium cell wall. Fisetin also inhibited the enhancement of LPS/IFN-γ- or peptidoglycan-induced inflammatory mediator IL (interlukin-1 β expression. Besides the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of fisetin, our study also elucidates the manner in fisetin-induced an endogenous anti-oxidative enzyme HO (heme oxygenase-1 expression. Moreover, the regulatory molecular mechanism of fisetin-induced HO-1 expression operates through the PI-3 kinase/AKT and p38 signaling pathways in microglia. Notably, fisetin also significantly attenuated inflammation-related microglial activation and coordination deficit in mice in vivo. These findings suggest that fisetin may be a candidate agent for the development of therapies for inflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Empirically Examining the Performance of Approaches to Multi-Level Matching to Study the Effect of School-Level Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Hallberg, Kelly; Cook, Thomas D.; Figlio, David

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for applied education researchers in using multi-level data to study the effects of interventions implemented at the school level. Two primary approaches are currently employed in observational studies of the effect of school-level interventions. One approach employs intact school matching: matching…

78 FR 48169 - Privacy Act of 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2013-02; HHS Computer Match No. 1306; DoD-DMDC Match...

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2013-08-07

... 1974; CMS Computer Match No. 2013-02; HHS Computer Match No. 1306; DoD-DMDC Match No. 12 AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). ACTION: Notice... of 1974, as amended, this notice establishes a CMP that CMS plans to conduct with the Department of...

Dispersion and betatron matching into the linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decker, F.J.; Adolphsen, C.; Corbett, W.J.; Emma, P.; Hsu, I.; Moshammer, H.; Seeman, J.T.; Spence, W.L.

1991-05-01

In high energy linear colliders, the low emittance beam from a damping ring has to be preserved all the way to the linac, in the linac and to the interaction point. In particular, the Ring-To-Linac (RTL) section of the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC) should provide an exact betatron and dispersion match from the damping ring to the linac. A beam with a non-zero dispersion shows up immediately as an increased emittance, while with a betatron mismatch the beam filaments in the linac. Experimental tests and tuning procedures have shown that the linearized beta matching algorithms are insufficient if the actual transport line has some unknown errors not included in the model. Also, adjusting quadrupole strengths steers the beam if it is offset in the quadrupole magnets. These and other effects have lead to a lengthy tuning process, which in the end improves the matching, but is not optimal. Different ideas will be discussed which should improve this matching procedure and make it a more reliable, faster and simpler process. 5 refs., 2 figs

The Regulatory Independence of FANR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ALNuaimi, Fatema; Choi, Kwang Shik

2012-01-01

Regulatory independence is meant to provide a conservative system of policy making in order to comply with the problems that are forecasted upon the basis of assumptions. The Federal Authorization of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) is a regulatory commission that was formed to be regulatory body that governs the generation of nuclear power in United Arab Emirates. It was established under the UAE nuclear law (9/2009) as an independent regulatory body that was tasked with the regulation of all nuclear activities in the United Arab Emirates. As an independent body, FANR was tasked with ensuring that the regulation of the nuclear sector is done in effective and transparent manner to ensure its accountability to the people. Being independent, the regulatory body develops national nuclear regulations based on laid down safety standards by the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that they are based on scientific and proven technologies The role of FANR is to ensure that the all corporations that undertake nuclear activities follow the laid down procedures and objectives and ensure safety measures are taken keenly to ensure the safety of the workers and the general public while at the same time ensuring the environment is free from nuclear radiations

The Regulatory Independence of FANR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ALNuaimi, Fatema; Choi, Kwang Shik [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Regulatory independence is meant to provide a conservative system of policy making in order to comply with the problems that are forecasted upon the basis of assumptions. The Federal Authorization of Nuclear Regulation (FANR) is a regulatory commission that was formed to be regulatory body that governs the generation of nuclear power in United Arab Emirates. It was established under the UAE nuclear law (9/2009) as an independent regulatory body that was tasked with the regulation of all nuclear activities in the United Arab Emirates. As an independent body, FANR was tasked with ensuring that the regulation of the nuclear sector is done in effective and transparent manner to ensure its accountability to the people. Being independent, the regulatory body develops national nuclear regulations based on laid down safety standards by the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that they are based on scientific and proven technologies The role of FANR is to ensure that the all corporations that undertake nuclear activities follow the laid down procedures and objectives and ensure safety measures are taken keenly to ensure the safety of the workers and the general public while at the same time ensuring the environment is free from nuclear radiations

A global regulatory science agenda for vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Elmgren, Lindsay; Li, Xuguang; Wilson, Carolyn; Ball, Robert; Wang, Junzhi; Cichutek, Klaus; Pfleiderer, Michael; Kato, Atsushi; Cavaleri, Marco; Southern, James; Jivapaisarnpong, Teeranart; Minor, Philip; Griffiths, Elwyn; Sohn, Yeowon; Wood, David

2013-04-18

The Decade of Vaccines Collaboration and development of the Global Vaccine Action Plan provides a catalyst and unique opportunity for regulators worldwide to develop and propose a global regulatory science agenda for vaccines. Regulatory oversight is critical to allow access to vaccines that are safe, effective, and of assured quality. Methods used by regulators need to constantly evolve so that scientific and technological advances are applied to address challenges such as new products and technologies, and also to provide an increased understanding of benefits and risks of existing products. Regulatory science builds on high-quality basic research, and encompasses at least two broad categories. First, there is laboratory-based regulatory science. Illustrative examples include development of correlates of immunity; or correlates of safety; or of improved product characterization and potency assays. Included in such science would be tools to standardize assays used for regulatory purposes. Second, there is science to develop regulatory processes. Illustrative examples include adaptive clinical trial designs; or tools to analyze the benefit-risk decision-making process of regulators; or novel pharmacovigilance methodologies. Included in such science would be initiatives to standardize regulatory processes (e.g., definitions of terms for adverse events [AEs] following immunization). The aim of a global regulatory science agenda is to transform current national efforts, mainly by well-resourced regulatory agencies, into a coordinated action plan to support global immunization goals. This article provides examples of how regulatory science has, in the past, contributed to improved access to vaccines, and identifies gaps that could be addressed through a global regulatory science agenda. The article also identifies challenges to implementing a regulatory science agenda and proposes strategies and actions to fill these gaps. A global regulatory science agenda will enable

Regulatory Control of Radiation Sources. Safety Guide (Arabic Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

This Safety Guide is intended to assist States in implementing the requirements established in Safety Standards Series No. GS-R-1, Legal and Governmental Infrastructure for Nuclear, Radiation, Radioactive Waste and Transport Safety, for a national regulatory infrastructure to regulate any practice involving radiation sources in medicine, industry, research, agriculture and education. The Safety Guide provides advice on the legislative basis for establishing regulatory bodies, including the effective independence of the regulatory body. It also provides guidance on implementing the functions and activities of regulatory bodies: the development of regulations and guides on radiation safety; implementation of a system for notification and authorization; carrying out regulatory inspections; taking necessary enforcement actions; and investigating accidents and circumstances potentially giving rise to accidents. The various aspects relating to the regulatory control of consumer products are explained, including justification, optimization of exposure, safety assessment and authorization. Guidance is also provided on the organization and staffing of regulatory bodies. Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Legal framework for a regulatory infrastructure; 3. Principal functions and activities of the regulatory body; 4. Regulatory control of the supply of consumer products; 5. Functions of the regulatory body shared with other governmental agencies; 6. Organization and staffing of the regulatory body; 7. Documentation of the functions and activities of the regulatory body; 8. Support services; 9. Quality management for the regulatory system.

76 FR 57092 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-15

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-65307; File No. SR-BATS-2011-034] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Offer a Bulk-Quoting Interface To All Users of BATS Options September 9, 2011. Pursuant to...

78 FR 61422 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-03

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70548; File No. SR-BATS-2013-052] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Modify the Trading Halt Rule of BATS Options September 27, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19...

76 FR 9841 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-22

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-63916; File No. SR-BATS-2011-005] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend BATS Rule 11.13, Entitled ``Order Execution'' February 15, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b...

75 FR 57097 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-17

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-62901; File No. SR-BATS-2010-024] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Adopt BATS Rule 2.12, Entitled ``BATS Trading, Inc. as Inbound Router'' and To Make Related...

78 FR 51257 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-20

... exchange without incurring losses from such routing. The Exchange believes that its flat fee structure for... with respect to execution fees at groups of away options exchanges. Under its flat fee structure...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Effect of acute resistance exercise and sex on human patellar tendon structural and regulatory mRNA expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sullivan, B.E.; Carroll, C.C.; Jemiolo, B.

2009-01-01

Sullivan BE, Carroll CC, Jemiolo B, Trappe SW, Magnusson SP, Dossing S, Kjaer M, Trappe TA. Effect of acute resistance exercise and sex on human patellar tendon structural and regulatory mRNA expression. J Appl Physiol 106: 468-475, 2009. First published November 20, 2008; doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.......91341.2008.-Tendon is mainly composed of collagen and an aqueous matrix of proteoglycans that are regulated by enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases ( MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Although it is known that resistance exercise (RE) and sex influence tendon metabolism...... and mechanical properties, it is uncertain what structural and regulatory components contribute to these responses. We measured the mRNA expression of tendon's main fibrillar collagens (type I and type III) and the main proteoglycans (decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin, and versican) and the regulatory enzymes MMP...

The regulatory effect of miRNAs is a heritable genetic trait in humans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geeleher Paul

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background microRNAs (miRNAs have been shown to regulate the expression of a large number of genes and play key roles in many biological processes. Several previous studies have quantified the inhibitory effect of a miRNA indirectly by considering the expression levels of genes that are predicted to be targeted by the miRNA and this approach has been shown to be robust to the choice of prediction algorithm. Given a gene expression dataset, Cheng et al. defined the regulatory effect score (RE-score of a miRNA as the difference in the gene expression rank of targets of the miRNA compared to non-targeted genes. Results Using microarray data from parent-offspring trios from the International HapMap project, we show that the RE-score of most miRNAs is correlated between parents and offspring and, thus, inter-individual variation in RE-score has a genetic component in humans. Indeed, the mean RE-score across miRNAs is correlated between parents and offspring, suggesting genetic differences in the overall efficiency of the miRNA biogenesis pathway between individuals. To explore the genetics of this quantitative trait further, we carried out a genome-wide association study of the mean RE-score separately in two HapMap populations (CEU and YRI. No genome-wide significant associations were discovered; however, a SNP rs17409624, in an intron of DROSHA, was significantly associated with mean RE-score in the CEU population following permutation-based control for multiple testing based on all SNPs mapped to the canonical miRNA biogenesis pathway; of 244 individual miRNA RE-scores assessed in the CEU, 214 were associated (p p = 0.04 with mean RE-score in the YRI population. Interestingly, the same SNP was associated with 17 (8.5% of all expressed miRNA expression levels in the CEU. We also show here that the expression of the targets of most miRNAs is more highly correlated with global changes in miRNA regulatory effect than with the expression of

Improved SURF Algorithm and Its Application in Seabed Relief Image Matching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Hong-Mei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The matching based on seabed relief image is widely used in underwater relief matching navigation and target recognition, etc. However, being influenced by various factors, some conventional matching algorithms are difficult to obtain an ideal result in the matching of seabed relief image. SURF(Speeded Up Robust Features algorithm is based on feature points pair to achieve matching, and can get good results in the seabed relief image matching. However, in practical applications, the traditional SURF algorithm is easy to get false matching, especially when the area’s features are similar or not obvious, the problem is more seriously. In order to improve the robustness of the algorithm, this paper proposes an improved matching algorithm, which combines the SURF, and RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus algorithms. The new algorithm integrates the two algorithms advantages, firstly, the SURF algorithm is applied to detect and extract the feature points then to pre-match. Secondly, RANSAC algorithm is utilized to eliminate mismatching points, and then the accurate matching is accomplished with the correct matching points. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm overcomes the mismatching problem effectively and have better precision and faster speed than the traditional SURF algorithm.

Statistical primer: propensity score matching and its alternatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetto, Umberto; Head, Stuart J; Angelini, Gianni D; Blackstone, Eugene H

2018-06-01

Propensity score (PS) methods offer certain advantages over more traditional regression methods to control for confounding by indication in observational studies. Although multivariable regression models adjust for confounders by modelling the relationship between covariates and outcome, the PS methods estimate the treatment effect by modelling the relationship between confounders and treatment assignment. Therefore, methods based on the PS are not limited by the number of events, and their use may be warranted when the number of confounders is large, or the number of outcomes is small. The PS is the probability for a subject to receive a treatment conditional on a set of baseline characteristics (confounders). The PS is commonly estimated using logistic regression, and it is used to match patients with similar distribution of confounders so that difference in outcomes gives unbiased estimate of treatment effect. This review summarizes basic concepts of the PS matching and provides guidance in implementing matching and other methods based on the PS, such as stratification, weighting and covariate adjustment.

Matched conversion sales in the nuclear fuel market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, D.M.

1996-01-01

The negotiations leading up to the Suspension Agreement with Russia focused solely on uranium and SWU, leaving conversion in its traditional role as the overlooked constituent of the fuel cycle. In fact, the initial agreement did not even distinguish U 3 O 8 from UF 6 ; it effectively ignored the conversion component contained in UF 6 and the possibility of matched conversion sales. After some criticism from ConverDyn and others, The US Department of Commerce issued a clarification, confirming that all three major components of the fuel cycle can be sold under matched sales agreements. However, matched conversion sales remain somewhat of an enigma as few have been done and the logistics are poorly understood. Nonetheless, in a conversion market where supply and demand are closely balanced, secondary supplies, including those from matched sales, will likely play an important role in the evolution of conversion prices

Impact of regulatory science on global public health

OpenAIRE

Meghal Patel; Margaret Ann Miller

2012-01-01

Regulatory science plays a vital role in protecting and promoting global public health by providing the scientific basis for ensuring that food and medical products are safe, properly labeled, and effective. Regulatory science research was first developed for the determination of product safety in the early part of the 20th Century, and continues to support innovation of the processes needed for regulatory policy decisions. Historically, public health laws and regulations were enacted followi...

Effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning: a test of a regulatory-fit hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuley, J Devin; Henry, Molly J; Wedd, Alan; Pleskac, Timothy J; Cesario, Joseph

2012-02-01

Two experiments investigated the effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning. In both experiments, participants learned to classify tone stimuli that varied in frequency and duration according to an initially unknown disjunctive rule; feedback involved gaining points for correct responses (a gains reward structure) or losing points for incorrect responses (a losses reward structure). For Experiment 1, participants were told at the start that musicians typically outperform nonmusicians on the task, and then they were asked to identify themselves as either a "musician" or a "nonmusician." For Experiment 2, participants were given either a promotion focus prime (a performance-based opportunity to gain entry into a raffle) or a prevention focus prime (a performance-based criterion that needed to be maintained to avoid losing an entry into a raffle) at the start of the experiment. Consistent with a regulatory-fit hypothesis, self-identified musicians and promotion-primed participants given a gains reward structure made more correct tone classifications and were more likely to discover the optimal disjunctive rule than were musicians and promotion-primed participants experiencing losses. Reward structure (gains vs. losses) had inconsistent effects on the performance of nonmusicians, and a weaker regulatory-fit effect was found for the prevention focus prime. Overall, the findings from this study demonstrate a regulatory-fit effect in the domain of auditory category learning and show that motivational orientation may contribute to musician performance advantages in auditory perception.

Management systems for regulatory authorities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mpandanyama, Rujeko Lynette

2015-02-01

For a regulatory body to fulfil its statutory obligations, there is need to develop and implement a regulatory management system that has the necessary arrangements for achieving and maintaining high quality performance in regulating the safety of nuclear and radiation facilities under its authority. Hence, the regulatory management system needs to fully integrate the human resources, processes and physical resources of the organization. This study sought to provide an understanding of the concept, principles, policies and fundamentals of management systems as they relate to regulatory systems in the field of radiation protection and to make appropriate recommendations to ensure that an effective management system exists for the control of ionizing radiation and radiation sources and addresses all relevant stakeholders in Zimbabwe. A comparative analysis was done on the current management status and the ideal management system, which led to the identification of the gaps existing. The main key that was found to be of significance was lack of linkages between processes and management tools within the institution. (au)

Genome-wide analysis of the regulatory function mediated by the small regulatory psm-mec RNA of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Gordon Y C; Villaruz, Amer E; Joo, Hwang-Soo; Duong, Anthony C; Yeh, Anthony J; Nguyen, Thuan H; Sturdevant, Daniel E; Queck, S Y; Otto, M

2014-07-01

Several methicillin resistance (SCCmec) clusters characteristic of hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains harbor the psm-mec locus. In addition to encoding the cytolysin, phenol-soluble modulin (PSM)-mec, this locus has been attributed gene regulatory functions. Here we employed genome-wide transcriptional profiling to define the regulatory function of the psm-mec locus. The immune evasion factor protein A emerged as the primary conserved and strongly regulated target of psm-mec, an effect we show is mediated by the psm-mec RNA. Furthermore, the psm-mec locus exerted regulatory effects that were more moderate in extent. For example, expression of PSM-mec limited expression of mecA, thereby decreasing methicillin resistance. Our study shows that the psm-mec locus has a rare dual regulatory RNA and encoded cytolysin function. Furthermore, our findings reveal a specific mechanism underscoring the recently emerging concept that S. aureus strains balance pronounced virulence and high expression of antibiotic resistance. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Legal principles of regulatory administration and nuclear safety regulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kyeong Hui; Cheong, Sang Kee [Hannam Univ., Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2000-12-15

This research presents a critical analysis and evaluation of principles of administrative laws in order to provide framework of structural reform on the nuclear safety regulation system. The focus of this analysis and evaluation is centered around the area of origin of regulatory administrative laws; authorities of regulation; procedures of regulatory actions; regulatory enforcement; and administrative relief system. In chapter 2 the concept of regulatory administration is analysed. Chapter 3 identifies the origin of regulatory administration and the principles of administration laws. It also examines legal nature of the nuclear safety standard. In relation to regulatory authorities. Chapter 4 identifies role and responsibility of administration authorities and institutions. It also examines fundamental principles of delegation of power. Then the chapter discusses the nuclear safety regulation authorities and their roles and responsibilities. Chapter 5 classifies and examines regulatory administration actions. Chapter 6 evaluates enforcement measure for effectiveness of regulation. Finally, chapter 7 discusses the administrative relief system for reviewing unreasonable regulatory acts.

Combined effect of regulatory polymorphisms on transcription of UGT1A1 as a cause of Gilbert syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sato Hiroshi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gilbert syndrome is caused by defects in bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT1A1. The most common variation believed to be involved is A(TA7TAA. Although several polymorphisms have been found to link with A(TA7TAA, the combined effect of regulatory polymorphisms in the development of Gilbert syndrome remains unclear. Methods In an analysis of 15 patients and 60 normal subjects, we detected 14 polymorphisms and nine haplotypes in the regulatory region. We classified the 4-kbp regulatory region of the patients into: the TATA box including A(TA7TAA; a phenobarbital responsive enhancer module including c.-3275T>G; and a region including other ten linked polymorphisms. The effect on transcription of these polymorphisms was studied. Results All haplotypes with A(TA7TAA had c.-3275T>G and additional polymorphisms. In an in-vitro expression study of the 4-kbp regulatory region, A(TA7TAA alone did not significantly reduce transcription. In contrast, c.-3275T>G reduced transcription to 69% of that of wild type, and the linked polymorphisms reduced transcription to 88% of wild type. Transcription of the typical regulatory region of the patients was 56% of wild type. Co-expression of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR increased the transcription of wild type by a factor of 4.3. Each polymorphism by itself did not reduce transcription to the level of the patients, however, even in the presence of CAR. Conclusions These results imply that co-operation of A(TA7TAA, c.-3275T>G and the linked polymorphisms is necessary in causing Gilbert syndrome.

76 FR 50803 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-16

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-65085; File No. SR-BATS-2011-025] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. August 10, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

77 FR 58195 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-19

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-67855; File No. SR-BATS-2012-037] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. September 13, 2012. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

78 FR 51261 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-20

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70190; File No. SR-BATS-2013-042] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. August 14, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

78 FR 78460 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-26

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-71140; File No. SR-BATS-2013-063] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. December 19, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

77 FR 63396 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-16

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-68026; File No. SR-BATS-2012-040] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. October 10, 2012. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

77 FR 7216 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-10

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-66327; File No. SR-BATS-2012-008] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. February 6, 2012. Pursuant to Section 19(b...

76 FR 61127 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-03

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-65407; File No. SR-BATS-2011-037] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. September 27, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

76 FR 28108 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-13

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-64445; File No. SR-BATS-2011-017] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Add BATS Rule 11.22, Entitled ``Data Products'' May 9, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

76 FR 70192 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-10

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-65694; File No. SR-BATS-2011-046] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. November 4, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

76 FR 77576 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-13

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-65907; File No. SR-BATS-2011-049] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. December 7, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b...

76 FR 1208 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-07

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-63630; File No. SR-BATS-2010-039] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. January 3, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

76 FR 2734 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-14

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-63663; File No. SR-BATS-2011-001] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. January 6, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

78 FR 56760 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-13

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-70348; File No. SR-BATS-2013-048) Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. September 9, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

78 FR 16750 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-18

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-69121; File No. SR-BATS-2013-014] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Modify the Operation of Market Orders for BATS Options March 12, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b...

76 FR 7891 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-11

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-63857; File No. SR-BATS-2011-004] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. February 7, 2011. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of...

76 FR 27370 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-11

... equitable in that it is designed to incentivize Members to use the RDOT or RDOX routing strategies to... pricing structure designed to incent market participants to direct their order flow to the Exchange. The...-Regulatory Organizations; EDGA Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

78 FR 51235 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-20

... believes that its flat fee structure for orders routed to various venues is a fair and equitable approach... exchanges. Under its flat fee structure, taking all costs to the Exchange into account, the Exchange may...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

78 FR 76355 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-17

... routing orders to such exchanges. The Exchange believes that its flat fee structure for orders routed to... execution fees at groups of away options exchanges. Under its flat fee structure, taking all costs to the...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed...

Effects of Mentoring Speed Dating as an Innovative Matching Tool in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Mixed Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Guse, Jennifer; Schweigert, Eva; Kulms, Gerhild; Heinen, Ines; Martens, Claudia; Guse, Andreas H.

2016-01-01

Objectives Choosing the right mentor is crucial for effective mentorship. Yet, many medical students have difficulties finding a suitable mentor. Thus we developed mentoring speed dating (MSD) as a promising matching tool to connect students and faculty mentors successfully. The purpose of this study was to explore mentees’ and mentors’ experience with MSD and investigate the impact of MSD on the perceived mentorship quality and continuance of the mentoring relationship. Methods The authors completed a mixed methods study at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany, between June 2011 and March 2014. They conducted four focus groups with mentees and mentors who participated in a mentoring speed dating event and analyzed transcripts using conventional content analysis with inductive categorizing. In addition, three mentoring cohorts (two matched via MSD, one matched via conventional online profiles) were surveyed on mentorship satisfaction and the 1-year continuance of their mentorship was monitored. Fifteen mentees and fifteen mentors participated in the focus groups. The authors identified several themes such as short and long term benefits of MSD and fulfillment of expectations. Benefits included finding out about the personal connection, matching expectations, providing an efficient overview of candidates. The survey was completed by 93 students (n = 29 without MSD; n = 64 with MSD). Independent t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the impact of MSD on student’s mentorship satisfaction. Results There were significant differences in responses to the items “Commitment of mentor” (p = .019) and “Constructive feedback” (p = .038) among the students who attended MSD and the students without MSD. After one year far more mentoring relationships existed among those mentees who participated in MSD in comparison to the “no MSD group”. Conclusion MSD is a valuable matching tool with beneficial effects on the

Postural stability decreases in elite young soccer players after a competitive soccer match

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brito, João; Fontes, Ivo; Ribeiro, Fernando

2012-01-01

To investigate the effects of an official soccer match on postural stability in youth elite soccer players.......To investigate the effects of an official soccer match on postural stability in youth elite soccer players....

In situ vitrification of mixed wastes: Progress and regulatory status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kindle, C.H.; Barich, J.J. III

1991-08-01

In situ vitrification (ISV) technology targets mixed wastes in in situ near-surface environments. Federal laws governing toxic substances (TSCA), hazardous waste (RCRA), and abandoned sites (Superfund) create the need for remediation technology and define the required performance characteristics. The need for ISV depends, in part, on the extent of regulation and how well ISV's demonstrated performance characteristics match up with regulatory criteria. The regulatory requirements are easier to identify and meet in short-duration site- and situation-specific applications of the technology than they are simpler in long-term, generalized applications. ISV's ability to treat both inorganics and organics in a single process supports applications for mixed, hazardous, and radioactive sites of moderate depth (20 ft). The durability of the ISV waste form is a major advantage of the technology when demonstrating permanence of a waste management strategy. Achieving depth and vapor containment assurance are issues being addressed as the ISV process is refined for new applications having different processing concerns. Refinements include moveable electrodes and sheet steel as the material for the containment structure. 16 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs

Regulatory fit effects for injunctive versus descriptive social norms: Evidence from the promotion of sustainable products

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Melnyk, V.; Herpen, van E.; Fischer, A.R.H.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

2013-01-01

Consumers face marketing messages using social norms in many situations where different goals are dominant. This research examines moderating effects of regulatory focus for descriptive and injunctive norms in the promotion of sustainable products. More specifically, it shows that descriptive norms

microRNA regulatory mechanism by which PLLA aligned nanofibers influence PC12 cell differentiation

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yadong; Lü, Xiaoying; Ding, Fei

2015-08-01

Objective. Aligned nanofibers (AFs) are regarded as promising biomaterials in nerve tissue engineering. However, a full understanding of the biocompatibility of AFs at the molecular level is still challenging. Therefore, the present study focused on identifying the microRNA (miRNA)-mediated regulatory mechanism by which poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) AFs influence PC12 cell differentiation. Approach. Firstly, the effects of PLLA random nanofibers (RFs)/AFs and PLLA films (control) on the biological responses of PC12 cells that are associated with neuronal differentiation were examined. Then, SOLiD sequencing and cDNA microarray were employed to profile the expressions of miRNAs and mRNAs. The target genes of the misregulated miRNAs were predicted and compared with the mRNA profile data. Functions of the matched target genes (the intersection between the predicted target genes and the experimentally-determined, misregulated genes) were analyzed. Main results. The results revealed that neurites spread in various directions in control and RF groups. In the AF group, most neurites extended in parallel with each other. The glucose consumption and lactic acid production in the RF and AF groups were higher than those in the control group. Compared with the control group, 42 and 94 miRNAs were significantly dysregulated in the RF and AF groups, respectively. By comparing the predicted target genes with the mRNA profile data, five and 87 matched target genes were found in the RF and AF groups, respectively. Three of the matched target genes in the AF group were found to be associated with neuronal differentiation, whereas none had this association in the RF group. The PLLA AFs induced the dysregulation of miRNAs that regulate many biological functions, including axonal guidance, lipid metabolism and long-term potentiation. In particular, two miRNA-matched target gene-biological function modules associated with neuronal differentiation were identified as follows: (1) miR-23b, mi

Match Analysis in Volleyball: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Silva

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The present article aims to review the available literature on match analysis in adult male Volleyball. Specific key words "performance analysis", "match analysis", "game analysis", "notational analysis", "tactical analysis", "technical analysis", "outcome" and "skills" were used to search relevant databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, Academic Search Complete and the International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. The research was conducted according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta analyses guidelines. Of 3407 studies initially identified, only 34 were fully reviewed, and their outcome measures extracted and analyzed. Studies that fit all inclusion criteria were organized into two levels of analysis, according to their research design (comparative or predictive and depending on the type of variables analyzed (skills and their relationship with success, play position and match phase. Results show that from a methodological point of view, comparative studies where currently complemented with some predictive studies. This predictive approach emerged with the aim to identify the relationship between variables, considering their possible interactions and consequently its effect on team performance, contributing to a better understanding of Volleyball game performance through match analysis. Taking into account the limitations of the reviewed studies, future research should provide comprehensive operational definitions for the studied variables, using more recent samples, and consider integrating the player positions and match phase contexts into the analysis of Volleyball.

Best Practices for NPT Transit Matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilligan, Kimberly V.; Whitaker, J. Michael; Oakberg, John A.; Snow, Catherine

2016-01-01

Transit matching is the process for relating or matching reports of shipments and receipts submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Transit matching is a component used by the IAEA in drawing safeguards conclusions and performing investigative analysis. Transit matching is part of IAEA safeguards activities and the State evaluation process, and it is included in the annual Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR). Annually, the IAEA currently receives reports of ~900,000 nuclear material transactions, of which ~500,000 are for domestic and foreign transfers. Of these the IAEA software can automatically match (i.e., machine match) about 95% of the domestic transfers and 25% of the foreign transfers. Given the increasing demands upon IAEA resources, it is highly desirable for the machine-matching process to match as many transfers as possible. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have conducted an investigation funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration through the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative to identify opportunities to strengthen IAEA transit matching. Successful matching, and more specifically machine matching, is contingent on quality data from the reporting States. In February 2016, ORNL hosted representatives from three States, the IAEA, and Euratom to share results from past studies and to discuss the processes, policies, and procedures associated with State reporting for transit matching. Drawing on each entity's experience and knowledge, ORNL developed a best practices document to be shared with the international safeguards community to strengthen transit matching. This paper shares the recommendations that resulted from this strategic meeting and the next steps being taken to strengthen transit matching.

Best Practices for NPT Transit Matching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilligan, Kimberly V. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Whitaker, J. Michael [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Oakberg, John A. [Tetra Tech, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Snow, Catherine [Sno Consulting, LLC, Sandy, UT (United States)

2016-09-01

Transit matching is the process for relating or matching reports of shipments and receipts submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Transit matching is a component used by the IAEA in drawing safeguards conclusions and performing investigative analysis. Transit matching is part of IAEA safeguards activities and the State evaluation process, and it is included in the annual Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR). Annually, the IAEA currently receives reports of ~900,000 nuclear material transactions, of which ~500,000 are for domestic and foreign transfers. Of these the IAEA software can automatically match (i.e., machine match) about 95% of the domestic transfers and 25% of the foreign transfers. Given the increasing demands upon IAEA resources, it is highly desirable for the machine-matching process to match as many transfers as possible. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have conducted an investigation funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration through the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative to identify opportunities to strengthen IAEA transit matching. Successful matching, and more specifically machine matching, is contingent on quality data from the reporting States. In February 2016, ORNL hosted representatives from three States, the IAEA, and Euratom to share results from past studies and to discuss the processes, policies, and procedures associated with State reporting for transit matching. Drawing on each entity's experience and knowledge, ORNL developed a best practices document to be shared with the international safeguards community to strengthen transit matching. This paper shares the recommendations that resulted from this strategic meeting and the next steps being taken to strengthen transit matching.

Mentoring during Medical School and Match Outcome among Emergency Medicine Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Dehon, Erin; Cruse, Margaret H; Dawson, Brandon; Jackson-Williams, Loretta

2015-11-01

Few studies have documented the value of mentoring for medical students, and research has been limited to more subjective (e.g., job satisfaction, perceived career preparation) rather than objective outcomes. This study examined whether having a mentor is associated with match outcome (where a student matched based on their rank order list [ROL]). We sent a survey link to all emergency medicine (EM) program coordinators to distribute to their residents. EM residents were surveyed about whether they had a mentor during medical school. Match outcome was assessed by asking residents where they matched on their ROL (e.g., first choice, fifth choice). They were also asked about rank in medical school, type of degree (MD vs. DO), and performance on standardized tests. Residents who indicated having a mentor completed the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale (MES), which evaluates behavioral characteristics of the mentor and yields a total score. We assessed correlations among these variables using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Post-hoc analysis using independent sample t-test was conducted to compare differences in the MES score between those who matched to their first or second choice vs. third or higher choice. Participants were a convenience sample of 297 EM residents. Of those, 199 (67%) reported having a mentor during medical school. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant correlation between having a mentor and match outcome (r=0.06, p=0.29). Match outcome was associated with class rank (r=0.13, p=0.03), satisfaction with match outcome (r= -0.37, pmentors, a t-test revealed that the MES score was significantly higher among those who matched to their first or second choice (M=51.31, SD=10.13) compared to those who matched to their third or higher choice (M=43.59, SD=17.12), t(194)=3.65, pmentor during medical school does not impact match outcome, but having an effective mentor is associated with a more favorable match outcome among medical students

Regulatory Risk Management of Advanced Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

George, Glenn R.

2002-01-01

Regulatory risk reflects both the likelihood of adverse outcomes during regulatory interactions and the severity of those outcomes. In the arena of advanced nuclear power plant licensing and construction, such adverse outcomes may include, for example, required design changes and construction delays. These, in turn, could significantly affect the economics of the plant and the generation portfolio in which it will operate. In this paper, the author addresses these issues through the lens of risk management. The paper considers various tools and techniques of regulatory risk management, including design diversity and hedging strategies. The effectiveness of alternate approaches is weighed and recommendations are made in several regulatory contexts. (author)

78 FR 37865 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-06-24

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-69793; File No. SR-BATS-2013-034] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. June 18, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the...

75 FR 27847 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2010-05-18

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-62074; File No. SR-BATS-2010-012] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. May 11, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the...

78 FR 16306 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-03-14

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-69079; File No. SR-BATS-2013-017] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. March 8, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the...

78 FR 19555 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

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2013-04-01

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-69238; File No. SR-BATS-2013-020] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Related to Fees for Use of BATS Exchange, Inc. March 26, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the...

Technical and scientific support to nuclear regulatory authority in Montenegro. Present situation and outlooks for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jovanovic, S.

2007-01-01

Nuclear regulatory competences in the Republic of Montenegro are shared between the ministries of health and of the environment. Following the independence of the country by mid 2006, Radiation Protection Commission (RPC) is established within the Ministry of Health, so as to match the regulatory role for the sources used in medicine. A similar step is expected to be made soon within the Ministry of the Environment, too. The two commissions will likely and logically merge into one, representing an interim regulatory authority to be functioning until a full capacity and effectively independent regulatory body is established by new nuclear law. Promulgation of the latter is expected to take part in the course of 2007. Let us mention here that the law in force is one from 1996 - quite obsolete and not taking into consideration the Basic Safety Standards (IAEA, 1996) and subsequent IAEA and EU documents in the field. Montenegro is a small, non-nuclear country (no nuclear installations or fuel cycle segments), the use of radiation sources being limited mostly to medical and industrial applications. Technical support to regulatory functions, in whatever basic form these were effectuated up to now, was/is given by the Centre for Eco-Toxicological Research of Montenegro (CETI), Department of Radiation Protection and Monitoring, in Podgorica. As to scientific support, it is fundamentally to be found at the University of Montenegro, Faculty of Sciences (FS), Department of Physics. While CETI is relatively well equipped, running quite a modern nuclear spectrometry laboratory (alpha, beta and gamma spectrometry, radon measurements) and having a decent dosimetry unit (TLD, field and workplace monitoring), FS is practically limited to sporadic theoretical studies, with very poor laboratory capabilities. Environmental radioactivity monitoring is performed by CETI, following the programme defined by the government. Licensing and inspections are the two regulatory functions still

Within-Cluster and Across-Cluster Matching with Observational Multilevel Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jee-Seon; Steiner, Peter M.; Hall, Courtney; Thoemmes, Felix

2013-01-01

When randomized experiments cannot be conducted in practice, propensity score (PS) techniques for matching treated and control units are frequently used for estimating causal treatment effects from observational data. Despite the popularity of PS techniques, they are not yet well studied for matching multilevel data where selection into treatment…

Regulatory networks, legal federalism, and multi-level regulatory systems

OpenAIRE

Kerber, Wolfgang; Wendel, Julia

2016-01-01

Transnational regulatory networks play important roles in multi-level regulatory regimes, as e.g, the European Union. In this paper we analyze the role of regulatory networks from the perspective of the economic theory of legal federalism. Often sophisticated intermediate institutional solutions between pure centralisation and pure decentralisation can help to solve complex tradeoff problems between the benefits and problems of centralised and decentralised solutions. Drawing upon the insight...

Privacy‐Preserving Friend Matching Protocol approach for Pre‐match in Social Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ople, Shubhangi S.; Deshmukh, Aaradhana A.; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova

2016-01-01

Social services make the most use of the user profile matching to help the users to discover friends with similar social attributes (e.g. interests, location, age). However, there are many privacy concerns that prevent to enable this functionality. Privacy preserving encryption is not suitable...... for use in social networks due to its data sharing problems and information leakage. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for privacy–preserving profile matching. We implement both the client and server portion of the secure match and evaluate its performance network dataset. The results show...

Effects of strength mis-matching on the fracture behavior of nuclear pressure steel A508-III welded joint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu Zhengqiang [School of Material Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)]. E-mail: zhuzhq01@sjtu.edu.cn; Jing Hongyang [School of Material Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Ge Jingguo [School of Material Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China); Chen Ligong [School of Material Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)

2005-01-15

In this paper, according to the nuclear pressure steel A508-III, the effect of strength mis-matching on the fracture behavior was analyzed by fracture mechanics test and the crack tip stress field of three-point bend specimen was analyzed by using finite element analysis method (FEM). The fracture of heat-affected zone (HAZ) was emphasized especially. The results of FEM show that if the under-matching weld was used, the opening stress and stress triaxiality in the vicinity of crack tip would increase for weld-crack specimen, and would reduce for HAZ-crack specimen. This tendency was confirmed by the test results.

The evolving regulation of uranium recovery operations in the United States of America: Innovative approaches are necessary for cost effective regulatory oversight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, A.J.; Lehrenbaum, W.U.; Lashway, D.C.

2002-01-01

The US domestic uranium industry is at a crossroads. Historic low prices for uranium, combined with stringent and often irrational regulatory requirements, pose a very real threat to the industry's continued viability. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has taken a number of innovative steps to reform and rationalize its regulatory programme. However, if the domestic uranium recovery industry is to remain viable, additional steps toward innovation and reform are needed, and effective implementation of reforms adopted by the Commission is essential. (author)

The Impacts of Human Visitation on Mussel Bed Communities Along the California Coast: Are Regulatory Marine Reserves Effective in Protecting These Communities?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jayson R.; Fong, Peggy; Ambrose, Richard F.

2008-04-01

Rocky intertidal habitats frequently are used by humans for recreational, educational, and subsistence-harvesting purposes, with intertidal populations damaged by visitation activities such as extraction, trampling, and handling. California Marine Managed Areas, particularly regulatory marine reserves (MRs), were established to provide legal protection and enhancement of coastal resources and include prohibitions on harvesting intertidal populations. However, the effectiveness of MRs is unclear as enforcement of no-take laws is weak and no regulations protect intertidal species from other detrimental visitor impacts such as trampling. The goal of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine impacts from human visitation on California mussel populations ( Mytilus californianus) and mussel bed community diversity; and (2) to investigate the effectiveness of regulatory MRs in reducing visitor impacts on these populations. Surveys of mussel populations and bed-associated diversity were compared: (1) at sites subjected to either high or low levels of human use, and (2) at sites either unprotected or with regulatory protection banning collecting. At sites subjected to higher levels of human visitation, mussel populations were significantly lower than low-use sites. Comparisons of mussel populations inside and outside of regulatory MRs revealed no consistent pattern suggesting that California no-take regulatory reserves may have limited effectiveness in protecting mussel communities. In areas where many people visit intertidal habitats for purposes other than collecting, many organisms will be affected by trampling, turning of rocks, and handling. In these cases, effective protection of rocky intertidal communities requires an approach that goes beyond the singular focus on collecting to reduce the full suite of impacts.

AN AERIAL-IMAGE DENSE MATCHING APPROACH BASED ON OPTICAL FLOW FIELD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Yuan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Dense matching plays an important role in many fields, such as DEM (digital evaluation model producing, robot navigation and 3D environment reconstruction. Traditional approaches may meet the demand of accuracy. But the calculation time and out puts density is hardly be accepted. Focus on the matching efficiency and complex terrain surface matching feasibility an aerial image dense matching method based on optical flow field is proposed in this paper. First, some high accurate and uniformed control points are extracted by using the feature based matching method. Then the optical flow is calculated by using these control points, so as to determine the similar region between two images. Second, the optical flow field is interpolated by using the multi-level B-spline interpolation in the similar region and accomplished the pixel by pixel coarse matching. Final, the results related to the coarse matching refinement based on the combined constraint, which recognizes the same points between images. The experimental results have shown that our method can achieve per-pixel dense matching points, the matching accuracy achieves sub-pixel level, and fully meet the three-dimensional reconstruction and automatic generation of DSM-intensive matching’s requirements. The comparison experiments demonstrated that our approach’s matching efficiency is higher than semi-global matching (SGM and Patch-based multi-view stereo matching (PMVS which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the algorithm.

A comprehensive review of regulatory test methods for endocrine adverse health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Manibusan, M K; Touart, L W

2017-07-01

Development of new endocrine disruption-relevant test methods has been the subject of intensive research efforts for the past several decades, prompted in part by mandates in the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). While scientific understanding and test methods have advanced, questions remain on whether current scientific methods are capable of adequately addressing the complexities of the endocrine system for regulatory health and ecological risk assessments. The specific objective of this article is to perform a comprehensive, detailed evaluation of the adequacy of current test methods to inform regulatory risk assessments of whether a substance has the potential to perturb endocrine-related pathways resulting in human adverse effects. To that end,  approximately 42 existing test guidelines (TGs) were considered in the evaluation of coverage for endocrine-related adverse effects. In addition to evaluations of whether test methods are adequate to capture endocrine-related effects, considerations of further enhancements to current test methods, along with the need to develop novel test methods to address existing test method gaps are described. From this specific evaluation, up to 35 test methods are capable of informing whether a chemical substance perturbs known endocrine related biological pathways. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that current validated test methods are adequate to discern substances that may perturb the endocrine system, resulting in an adverse health effect. Together, these test methods predominantly form the core data requirements of a typical food-use pesticide registration submission. It is recognized, however, that the current state of science is rapidly advancing and there is a need to update current test methods to include added enhancements to ensure continued coverage and public health and environmental protection.

The Effects of Dimensional Salience, Pretraining Task, and Developmental Level Upon Bidimensional Processing in a Matching Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsuyama, Ronald M.; Reid, Amy

Purposes of this study are to determine the effects of (1) preassessed dimensional salience upon performance in a bi-dimensional matching task, and (2) pretraining conditions expected to facilitate bi-dimensional processing. An additional aim was to elucidate a model of development involving changing salience hierarchies by comparing the effects…

The Brown-Servranckx matching transformer for simultaneous RFQ to DTL H+ and H- matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadlinger, E.A.; Garnett, R.W.

1996-01-01

The issue involved in the simultaneous matching of H + and H - beams between an RFQ and DTL lies in the fact that both beams experience the same electric-field forces at a given position in the RFQ. Hence, the two beams are focused to the same correlation. However, matching to a DTL requires correlation of the opposite sign. The Brown-Servranckx quarter-wave (λ / 4) matching transformer system, which requires four quadrupoles, provides a method to simultaneously match H + and H - beams between an RFQ and a DTL. The method requires the use of a special RFQ section to obtain the Twiss parameter conditions β x = β y and α x = α y = 0 at the exit of the RFQ. This matching between the RFQ and DTL is described. (author)

The Brown-Servranckx matching transformer for simultaneous RFQ to DTL H+ and H- matching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadlinger, E.A.; Garnett, R.W.

1996-01-01

The issue involved in simultaneous matching of H + and H - beams between an RFQ and DTL lies in the fact that both beams experience the same electric-field forces at a given position in the RFQ. Hence, the two beams are focused to the same correlation. However, matching to a DTL requires correlation of the opposite sign. The Brown-Servranckx quarter-wave (λ/4) matching transformer system, which requires four quadrupoles, provides a method to simultaneously match H + and H - beams between an RFQ and a DTL. The method requires the use of a special RFQ section to obtain the Twiss parameter conditions β x =β y and α x =α y =0 at the exit of the RFQ. This matching between the RFQ and DTL is described

Small Vocabulary with Saliency Matching for Video Copy Detection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ren, Huamin; Moeslund, Thomas B.; Tang, Sheng

2013-01-01

The importance of copy detection has led to a substantial amount of research in recent years, among which Bag of visual Words (BoW) plays an important role due to its ability to effectively handling occlusion and some minor transformations. One crucial issue in BoW approaches is the size of vocab......The importance of copy detection has led to a substantial amount of research in recent years, among which Bag of visual Words (BoW) plays an important role due to its ability to effectively handling occlusion and some minor transformations. One crucial issue in BoW approaches is the size...... matching algorithm based on salient visual words selection. More specifically, the variation of visual words across a given video are represented as trajectories and those containing locally asymptotically stable points are selected as salient visual words. Then we attempt to measure the similarity of two...... videos through saliency matching merely based on the selected salient visual words to remove false positives. Our experiments show that a small codebook with saliency matching is quite competitive in video copy detection. With the incorporation of the proposed saliency matching, the precision can...

Future nuclear regulatory challenges. A report by the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Future challenges are considered that may arise from technical, socio-economic and political issues; organizational, management and human aspects; and international issues. The perceived challenges have been grouped into four categories, each covered by a chapter. Technical issues are addressed that many present regulatory challenges in the future: ageing nuclear power plants. External changes to industry are considered next that have an effect on regulators, privatization, cost reduction consequences, commercialization etc. It is followed by the impacts of internal changes: organizational, managerial, human-resources, licensing, staff training etc. Finally, international issues are discussed with potential regulatory impact. (R.P.)

Training in two-tier labor markets: The role of job match quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Akgündüz, Yusuf Emre; van Huizen, Thomas

2015-07-01

This study examines training investments in two-tier labor markets, focusing on the role of job match quality. Temporary workers are in general more likely than permanent workers to leave their employer and therefore are less likely to receive employer-funded training. However, as firms prefer to continue productive job matches, we hypothesize that the negative effect of holding a temporary contract on the probability to be trained diminishes with the quality of the job match. Using a recent longitudinal survey from the Netherlands, we find that temporary workers indeed participate less frequently in firm-sponsored training. However, this effect is fully driven by mismatches: holding a temporary contract does not significantly decrease the probability to receive training for workers in good job matches. Depending on match quality, a temporary job can either be a stepping stone or a dead-end. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 11550 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

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2011-03-02

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2011-04-05

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2010-08-04

... Educational Services Inc 280 TSL Trina Solar Ltd 332 NKE NIKE Inc 282 EWW iShares MSCI Mexico 335 FIS Fidelity...-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed...\\ notice is hereby given that on July 26, 2010, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``BATS'') filed...

PATTERN CLASSIFICATION APPROACHES TO MATCHING BUILDING POLYGONS AT MULTIPLE SCALES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Zhang

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Matching of building polygons with different levels of detail is crucial in the maintenance and quality assessment of multi-representation databases. Two general problems need to be addressed in the matching process: (1 Which criteria are suitable? (2 How to effectively combine different criteria to make decisions? This paper mainly focuses on the second issue and views data matching as a supervised pattern classification. Several classifiers (i.e. decision trees, Naive Bayes and support vector machines are evaluated for the matching task. Four criteria (i.e. position, size, shape and orientation are used to extract information for these classifiers. Evidence shows that these classifiers outperformed the weighted average approach.

Electricity and telecommunications regulatory institutions in small and developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stern, J. [London Business School, London (United Kingdom)

2000-09-01

The spread of utility liberalisation and privatisation to middle and low income developing countries raises the problem of whether and how they can establish an effective regulatory capability of whether the supply of regulatory services is likely to be insufficient. The paper presents evidence on the size of electricity regulatory agencies in 24 mainly middle and lower income countries as well as the number of high-level, specialist regulatory staff and the potential resource pool from post-school education. The paper also discusses how far the problem can be alleviated and/or avoided by the use of regulation by contract, regulation by multi-national regulatory agency or contracting-out. The paper concludes that such solutions are unlikely to be generally effective but that informal exchanges of information and pooling of resources between national regulators on a market-driven basis, as seen in Southern Africa and the EU, is a promising option. The paper concludes by pointing to the need to ascertain the minimum required regulatory capability in developing countries as perceived by Governments and potential investors. (author)

Matched-Filter Thermography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nima Tabatabaei

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Conventional infrared thermography techniques, including pulsed and lock-in thermography, have shown great potential for non-destructive evaluation of broad spectrum of materials, spanning from metals to polymers to biological tissues. However, performance of these techniques is often limited due to the diffuse nature of thermal wave fields, resulting in an inherent compromise between inspection depth and depth resolution. Recently, matched-filter thermography has been introduced as a means for overcoming this classic limitation to enable depth-resolved subsurface thermal imaging and improving axial/depth resolution. This paper reviews the basic principles and experimental results of matched-filter thermography: first, mathematical and signal processing concepts related to matched-fileting and pulse compression are discussed. Next, theoretical modeling of thermal-wave responses to matched-filter thermography using two categories of pulse compression techniques (linear frequency modulation and binary phase coding are reviewed. Key experimental results from literature demonstrating the maintenance of axial resolution while inspecting deep into opaque and turbid media are also presented and discussed. Finally, the concept of thermal coherence tomography for deconvolution of thermal responses of axially superposed sources and creation of depth-selective images in a diffusion-wave field is reviewed.

Application of Resource Portfolio Concept in Nuclear Regulatory Infrastructure Support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y. E.; Ha, J. T.; Chang, H. S.; Kam, S. C.; Ryu, Y. H.

2010-01-01

As the new entrants in the global nuclear construction market are increasing and the establishment of an effective and sustainable regulatory infrastructure becomes more important, they have requested international assistance from the international nuclear communities with mature nuclear regulatory programmes. It needs to optimize the use of limited resources from regulatory organization providing support to regulatory infrastructure of new comers. This paper suggests the resource portfolio concept like a GE/Mckinsey Matrix used in business management and tries to apply it to the current needs considered in the regulatory support program in Korea as the case study

Effectiveness of Japanese encephalitis SA 14-14-2 live attenuated vaccine among Indian children: Retrospective 1:4 matched case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tandale, Babasaheb V; Khan, Siraj A; Kushwaha, Komal P; Rahman, Helina; Gore, Milind M

2018-04-24

We estimate the effectiveness of Japanese encephalitis (JE) SA 14-14-2 live-attenuated vaccination single dose campaign among children aged 1-15 years in India during 2006-07. Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) cases hospitalized following vaccination campaigns during the years 2006-08 were investigated retrospectively. The laboratory-confirmed JE cases were detected from the surveillance laboratories based on anti-JE IgM antibody by ELISA or viral RNA detection by RT-PCR in sera or cerebrospinal fluid. Consent was sought from parents or guardians. Four community controls were chosen randomly per case during house-to-house survey employing individual matching on age, gender and residence during the risk period. Vaccination history was enquired from the child's guardian and verified from vaccination card at home or records at health centre. Conditional logistic regression was conducted on matched case-control sets. We studied 149 cases and matched 596 controls. Vaccination effectiveness was 43.8% (95% CI, 1.9-67.8) based on vaccination card or record. However, effectiveness was 72.2% (95% CI, 56.2-82.4) based on parental history or card/record. Vaccination effectiveness in Assam state was higher than in Uttar Pradesh state. We concluded that the single subcutaneous dose of SA 14-14-2 JE vaccine provided moderate effectiveness in Indian children. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Options for refractive index and viscosity matching to study variable density flows

Science.gov (United States)

Clément, Simon A.; Guillemain, Anaïs; McCleney, Amy B.; Bardet, Philippe M.

2018-02-01

Variable density flows are often studied by mixing two miscible aqueous solutions of different densities. To perform optical diagnostics in such environments, the refractive index of the fluids must be matched, which can be achieved by carefully choosing the two solutes and the concentration of the solutions. To separate the effects of buoyancy forces and viscosity variations, it is desirable to match the viscosity of the two solutions in addition to their refractive index. In this manuscript, several pairs of index matched fluids are compared in terms of viscosity matching, monetary cost, and practical use. Two fluid pairs are studied in detail, with two aqueous solutions (binary solutions of water and a salt or alcohol) mixed into a ternary solution. In each case: an aqueous solution of isopropanol mixed with an aqueous solution of sodium chloride (NaCl) and an aqueous solution of glycerol mixed with an aqueous solution of sodium sulfate (Na_2SO_4). The first fluid pair allows reaching high-density differences at low cost, but brings a large difference in dynamic viscosity. The second allows matching dynamic viscosity and refractive index simultaneously, at reasonable cost. For each of these four solutes, the density, kinematic viscosity, and refractive index are measured versus concentration and temperature, as well as wavelength for the refractive index. To investigate non-linear effects when two index-matched, binary solutions are mixed, the ternary solutions formed are also analyzed. Results show that density and refractive index follow a linear variation with concentration. However, the viscosity of the isopropanol and NaCl pair deviates from the linear law and has to be considered. Empirical correlations and their coefficients are given to create index-matched fluids at a chosen temperature and wavelength. Finally, the effectiveness of the refractive index matching is illustrated with particle image velocimetry measurements performed for a buoyant jet in a

[TNF-α, diabetes type 1 and regulatory T cells].

Science.gov (United States)

Ryba, Monika; Myśliwska, Jolanta

2010-01-01

Recent studies on animal models of diabetes as well as human regulatory T cells have shown that α impairs the ability of these cells to prevent the disease. NOD mice treated with α had decreased frequency of regulatory T cells, whereas anti-TNF administration induced the increase in the number of these cells and disease prevention. The action of α also influenced the suppressive potential of Tregs. Increased susceptibility of Tregs to the modulatory effects of α involves signaling through TNFR2 that is expressed on the surface of this cell population. It seems that α neutralization may rescue regulatory T cells and restore their function in several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This review describes recent data concerning regulatory T cells in the context of inflammation that is present during diabetes type 1. It describes how TNF contributes to the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, what is the impact of this cytokine on regulatory T cell population and therapeutic effects that result from its neutralization in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Spatial competition with intermediated matching

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Raalte, C.L.J.P.; Webers, H.M.

1995-01-01

This paper analyzes the spatial competition in commission fees between two match makers. These match makers serve as middlemen between buyers and sellers who are located uniformly on a circle. The profits of the match makers are determined by their respective market sizes. A limited willingness to

Mission Risk Reduction Regulatory Change Management

Science.gov (United States)

Scroggins, Sharon

2007-01-01

NASA Headquarters Environmental Management Division supports NASA's mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research by integrating environmental considerations into programs and projects early-on, thereby proactively reducing NASA's exposure to institutional, programmatic and operational risk. As part of this effort, NASA established the Principal Center for Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication (RRAC PC) as a resource for detecting, analyzing, and communicating environmental regulatory risks to the NASA stakeholder community. The RRAC PC focuses on detecting emerging environmental regulations and other operational change drivers that may pose risks to NASA programs and facilities, and effectively communicating the potential risks. For example, regulatory change may restrict how and where certain activities or operations may be conducted. Regulatory change can also directly affect the ability to use certain materials by mandating a production phase-out or restricting usage applications of certain materials. Regulatory change can result in significant adverse impacts to NASA programs and facilities due to NASA's stringent performance requirements for materials and components related to human-rated space vehicles. Even if a regulation does not directly affect NASA operations, U.S. and international regulations can pose program risks indirectly through requirements levied on manufacturers and vendors of components and materials. For example, manufacturers can change their formulations to comply with new regulatory requirements. Such changes can require time-consuming and costly requalification certification for use in human spaceflight programs. The RRAC PC has implemented a system for proactively managing regulatory change to minimize potential adverse impacts to NASA programs and facilities. This presentation highlights the process utilized by the RRACPC to communicate regulatory change and the associated

PREDICTING THE MATCH OUTCOME IN ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL CRICKET MATCHES, WHILE THE GAME IS IN PROGRESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Bailey

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Millions of dollars are wagered on the outcome of one day international (ODI cricket matches, with a large percentage of bets occurring after the game has commenced. Using match information gathered from all 2200 ODI matches played prior to January 2005, a range of variables that could independently explain statistically significant proportions of variation associated with the predicted run totals and match outcomes were created. Such variables include home ground advantage, past performances, match experience, performance at the specific venue, performance against the specific opposition, experience at the specific venue and current form. Using a multiple linear regression model, prediction variables were numerically weighted according to statistical significance and used to predict the match outcome. With the use of the Duckworth-Lewis method to determine resources remaining, at the end of each completed over, the predicted run total of the batting team could be updated to provide a more accurate prediction of the match outcome. By applying this prediction approach to a holdout sample of matches, the efficiency of the "in the run" wagering market could be assessed. Preliminary results suggest that the market is prone to overreact to events occurring throughout the course of the match, thus creating brief inefficiencies in the wagering market

76 FR 21932 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Order Granting...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-19

... statement therein, as follows: I. Introduction On February 4, 2011, the Financial Industry Regulatory...-Regulatory Organizations; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.; Order Granting Approval of a... Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA'') to amend Rule 13806 of the Code of Arbitration...

Regulatory inspection of nuclear facilities and enforcement by the regulatory body. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations for regulatory bodies on the inspection of nuclear facilities, regulatory enforcement and related matters. The objective is to provide the regulatory body with a high level of confidence that operators have the processes in place to ensure compliance and that they do comply with legal requirements, including meeting the safety objectives and requirements of the regulatory body. However, in the event of non-compliance, the regulatory body should take appropriate enforcement action. This Safety Guide covers regulatory inspection and enforcement in relation to nuclear facilities such as: enrichment and fuel manufacturing plants; nuclear power plants; other reactors such as research reactors and critical assemblies; spent fuel reprocessing plants; and facilities for radioactive waste management, such as treatment, storage and disposal facilities. This Safety Guide also covers issues relating to the decommissioning of nuclear facilities, the closure of waste disposal facilities and site rehabilitation. Section 2 sets out the objectives of regulatory inspection and enforcement. Section 3 covers the management of regulatory inspections. Section 4 covers the performance of regulatory inspections, including internal guidance, planning and preparation, methods of inspection and reports of inspections. Section 5 deals with regulatory enforcement actions. Section 6 covers the assessment of regulatory inspections and enforcement activities. The Appendix provides further details on inspection areas for nuclear facilities

78 FR 38422 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-26

... of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange proposes to delay the implementation of its new Options... waiving the 30-day operative delay, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

International STakeholder NETwork (ISTNET): creating a developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) testing road map for regulatory purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bal-Price, Anna; Crofton, Kevin M; Leist, Marcel; Allen, Sandra; Arand, Michael; Buetler, Timo; Delrue, Nathalie; FitzGerald, Rex E; Hartung, Thomas; Heinonen, Tuula; Hogberg, Helena; Bennekou, Susanne Hougaard; Lichtensteiger, Walter; Oggier, Daniela; Paparella, Martin; Axelstad, Marta; Piersma, Aldert; Rached, Eva; Schilter, Benoît; Schmuck, Gabriele; Stoppini, Luc; Tongiorgi, Enrico; Tiramani, Manuela; Monnet-Tschudi, Florianne; Wilks, Martin F; Ylikomi, Timo; Fritsche, Ellen

2015-02-01

A major problem in developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) risk assessment is the lack of toxicological hazard information for most compounds. Therefore, new approaches are being considered to provide adequate experimental data that allow regulatory decisions. This process requires a matching of regulatory needs on the one hand and the opportunities provided by new test systems and methods on the other hand. Alignment of academically and industrially driven assay development with regulatory needs in the field of DNT is a core mission of the International STakeholder NETwork (ISTNET) in DNT testing. The first meeting of ISTNET was held in Zurich on 23-24 January 2014 in order to explore the concept of adverse outcome pathway (AOP) to practical DNT testing. AOPs were considered promising tools to promote test systems development according to regulatory needs. Moreover, the AOP concept was identified as an important guiding principle to assemble predictive integrated testing strategies (ITSs) for DNT. The recommendations on a road map towards AOP-based DNT testing is considered a stepwise approach, operating initially with incomplete AOPs for compound grouping, and focussing on key events of neurodevelopment. Next steps to be considered in follow-up activities are the use of case studies to further apply the AOP concept in regulatory DNT testing, making use of AOP intersections (common key events) for economic development of screening assays, and addressing the transition from qualitative descriptions to quantitative network modelling.

77 FR 61449 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; EDGX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-09

..., regulatory and other risks of this business activity. These controls include financial risk management... entry of erroneous orders. In addition, the Market Access Rule requires certain regulatory risk... authorized by the broker-dealer. These regulatory risk management controls also include measures designed to...

Combining machine learning and matching techniques to improve causal inference in program evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Ariel; Yarnold, Paul R

2016-12-01

Program evaluations often utilize various matching approaches to emulate the randomization process for group assignment in experimental studies. Typically, the matching strategy is implemented, and then covariate balance is assessed before estimating treatment effects. This paper introduces a novel analytic framework utilizing a machine learning algorithm called optimal discriminant analysis (ODA) for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects, once the matching strategy has been implemented. This framework holds several key advantages over the conventional approach: application to any variable metric and number of groups; insensitivity to skewed data or outliers; and use of accuracy measures applicable to all prognostic analyses. Moreover, ODA accepts analytic weights, thereby extending the methodology to any study design where weights are used for covariate adjustment or more precise (differential) outcome measurement. One-to-one matching on the propensity score was used as the matching strategy. Covariate balance was assessed using standardized difference in means (conventional approach) and measures of classification accuracy (ODA). Treatment effects were estimated using ordinary least squares regression and ODA. Using empirical data, ODA produced results highly consistent with those obtained via the conventional methodology for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects. When ODA is combined with matching techniques within a treatment effects framework, the results are consistent with conventional approaches. However, given that it provides additional dimensions and robustness to the analysis versus what can currently be achieved using conventional approaches, ODA offers an appealing alternative. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Competence Map of Regulatory Body: Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness Competencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, E.

2016-01-01

Full text: The paper presents implementation stages and outcomes of the project “Nuclear Facility Competences” fulfilled in JSC “Rosenergoatom” and outcomes of the project “Knowledge Management, Training and Staff Retention” fulfilled for Romania regulatory authority. The goal of the project was a development of competence profiles for nuclear power plant and corporate inspectorate key job positions. The paper is focused on personal and interpersonal effectiveness competencies for inspectorate job positions which are a part of well-known 4-Quadrant Competence Model. Each competence is described by one or two behavior scales. One can consider those competencies like common ones for organizations implementing inspection activity and could be used in human resource management processes like personnel selection, job assessment, career planning, training, mentoring. (author

Total dose effects on the matching properties of deep submicron MOS transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuxin; Hu Rongbin; Li Ruzhang; Chen Guangbing; Fu Dongbing; Lu Wu

2014-01-01

Based on 0.18 μm MOS transistors, for the first time, the total dose effects on the matching properties of deep submicron MOS transistors are studied. The experimental results show that the total dose radiation magnifies the mismatch among identically designed MOS transistors. In our experiments, as the radiation total dose rises to 200 krad, the threshold voltage and drain current mismatch percentages of NMOS transistors increase from 0.55% and 1.4% before radiation to 17.4% and 13.5% after radiation, respectively. PMOS transistors seem to be resistant to radiation damage. For all the range of radiation total dose, the threshold voltage and drain current mismatch percentages of PMOS transistors keep under 0.5% and 2.72%, respectively. (semiconductor devices)

Sleep patterns and match performance in elite Australian basketball athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Staunton, Craig; Gordon, Brett; Custovic, Edhem; Stanger, Jonathan; Kingsley, Michael

2017-08-01

To assess sleep patterns and associations between sleep and match performance in elite Australian female basketball players. Prospective cohort study. Seventeen elite female basketball players were monitored across two consecutive in-season competitions (30 weeks). Total sleep time and sleep efficiency were determined using triaxial accelerometers for Baseline, Pre-match, Match-day and Post-match timings. Match performance was determined using the basketball efficiency statistic (EFF). The effects of match schedule (Regular versus Double-Header; Home versus Away) and sleep on EFF were assessed. The Double-Header condition changed the pattern of sleep when compared with the Regular condition (F (3,48) =3.763, P=0.017), where total sleep time Post-match was 11% less for Double-Header (mean±SD; 7.2±1.4h) compared with Regular (8.0±1.3h; P=0.007). Total sleep time for Double-Header was greater Pre-match (8.2±1.7h) compared with Baseline (7.1±1.6h; P=0.022) and Match-day (7.3±1.5h; P=0.007). Small correlations existed between sleep metrics at Pre-match and EFF for pooled data (r=-0.39 to -0.22; P≥0.238). Relationships between total sleep time and EFF ranged from moderate negative to large positive correlations for individual players (r=-0.37 to 0.62) and reached significance for one player (r=0.60; P=0.025). Match schedule can affect the sleep patterns of elite female basketball players. A large degree of inter-individual variability existed in the relationship between sleep and match performance; nevertheless, sleep monitoring might assist in the optimisation of performance for some athletes. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Bouba" and "Kiki" in Namibia? A Remote Culture Make Similar Shape-Sound Matches, but Different Shape-Taste Matches to Westerners

Science.gov (United States)

Bremner, Andrew J.; Caparos, Serge; Davidoff, Jules; de Fockert, Jan; Linnell, Karina J.; Spence, Charles

2013-01-01

Western participants consistently match certain shapes with particular speech sounds, tastes, and flavours. Here we demonstrate that the "Bouba-Kiki effect", a well-known shape-sound symbolism effect commonly observed in Western participants, is also observable in the Himba of Northern Namibia, a remote population with little exposure to…

Effectiveness of Vertex Nomination via Seeded Graph Matching to Find Bijections Between Similar Networks

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-01

Information Directorate This report is published in the interest of scientific and technical information exchange, and its publication does not...the current prototype. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Vertex Nomination via Seeded Graph Matching (VN via SGM), Seeded Graph Matching (SGM), Vertex of Interest (VOI...Author’s Example ................................................................................................................. 4 4.2.2 Simple

Mentoring During Medical School and Match Outcome Among Emergency Medicine Residents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin Dehon

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Few studies have documented the value of mentoring for medical students, and research has been limited to more subjective (e.g., job satisfaction, perceived career preparation rather than objective outcomes. This study examined whether having a mentor is associated with match outcome (where a student matched based on their rank order list [ROL]. Methods: We sent a survey link to all emergency medicine (EM program coordinators to distribute to their residents. EM residents were surveyed about whether they had a mentor during medical school. Match outcome was assessed by asking residents where they matched on their ROL (e.g., first choice, fifth choice. They were also asked about rank in medical school, type of degree (MD vs. DO, and performance on standardized tests. Residents who indicated having a mentor completed the Mentorship Effectiveness Scale (MES, which evaluates behavioral characteristics of the mentor and yields a total score. We assessed correlations among these variables using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Post-hoc analysis using independent sample t-test was conducted to compare differences in the MES score between those who matched to their first or second choice vs. third or higher choice. Results: Participants were a convenience sample of 297 EM residents. Of those, 199 (67% reported having a mentor during medical school. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no significant correlation between having a mentor and match outcome (r=0.06, p=0.29. Match outcome was associated with class rank (r=0.13, p=0.03, satisfaction with match outcome (r= -0.37, p<0.001, and type of degree (r=0.12, p=0.04. Among those with mentors, a t-test revealed that the MES score was significantly higher among those who matched to their first or second choice (M=51.31, SD=10.13 compared to those who matched to their third or higher choice (M=43.59, SD=17.12, t(194=3.65, p<0.001, d=0.55. Conclusion: Simply having a mentor during medical

Stinging Insect Matching Game

Science.gov (United States)

... for Kids ▸ Stinging Insect Matching Game Share | Stinging Insect Matching Game Stinging insects can ruin summer fun for those who are ... the difference between the different kinds of stinging insects in order to keep your summer safe and ...

Study on the establishment of efficient plan for regulatory activities at NPPs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sang Hun; Son, Mun Gyu [Korea Association for Nuclear Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Chang Sun; Yun, Jeong Ik; Ko, Hyun Seok; Lee, Young Wook [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2001-03-15

In-operation regulatory activities at sites are very important and it should be improved to cope with accidents efficiently and quickly. In case of site survey and safety regulatory inspection regulatory system based on not regulatory headquarter but site regional office should be constructed. In other words, safety assurance and pending problem management considering site situation are needed. In this study, regulatory system at Nuclear Power Plant sites all over the world were reviewed and effective regulatory system of Korea are suggested to maximize the efficiency of license and regulatory manpower and consider the interest of local government and residents.

Development of Questionnaire for Self-Assessment of Regulatory Capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhmood, Ul Hassan; Lee, Young Eal [Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Islamabad (Pakistan); Choi, Kwang Sik [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Nuclear industry with its evolution in 60s came with a number of pros and cons. In order to avoid any accident or incident, highest safety standards and quality control mechanism were established. The relation of regulator with its licensee is critical in the sense of public safety and welfare. The situation when the regulator starts to work for the interests of the industry instead of the public interest and fails to cling with his mission is known as 'regulatory capture' which may cause a number of serious negative effects like radiological or radiation risk. According to George Stigler, as a rule regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit. The phenomenon of regulatory capture may hamper the safety culture and can also be considered as regulatory failure. It is therefore necessary to clearly understand this type of government failure to avoid the happening of serious accidents like TMI and Fukushima in the future. This paper aims to explore whether the regulatory body works independently and effectively to achieve its assigned tasks and objectives. Hence we proposed a questionnaire for the self-assessment of regulatory capture within the regulatory body. It also includes the results of an experimental assessment which was carried out to check the relevance and reliability of the questions to this subject. This assessment survey was conducted with the officers and staff members of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). We checked the significance of the proposed questionnaire and found some of the questions like Q. 27, 30 and 33 (written in italic) are not directly related to the phenomenon of regulatory capture. However, the existence of the situation which has been asked in these questions may lead towards the hampering of regulatory culture.

Development of Questionnaire for Self-Assessment of Regulatory Capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhmood, Ul Hassan; Lee, Young Eal; Choi, Kwang Sik

2014-01-01

Nuclear industry with its evolution in 60s came with a number of pros and cons. In order to avoid any accident or incident, highest safety standards and quality control mechanism were established. The relation of regulator with its licensee is critical in the sense of public safety and welfare. The situation when the regulator starts to work for the interests of the industry instead of the public interest and fails to cling with his mission is known as 'regulatory capture' which may cause a number of serious negative effects like radiological or radiation risk. According to George Stigler, as a rule regulation is acquired by the industry and is designed and operated primarily for its benefit. The phenomenon of regulatory capture may hamper the safety culture and can also be considered as regulatory failure. It is therefore necessary to clearly understand this type of government failure to avoid the happening of serious accidents like TMI and Fukushima in the future. This paper aims to explore whether the regulatory body works independently and effectively to achieve its assigned tasks and objectives. Hence we proposed a questionnaire for the self-assessment of regulatory capture within the regulatory body. It also includes the results of an experimental assessment which was carried out to check the relevance and reliability of the questions to this subject. This assessment survey was conducted with the officers and staff members of Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). We checked the significance of the proposed questionnaire and found some of the questions like Q. 27, 30 and 33 (written in italic) are not directly related to the phenomenon of regulatory capture. However, the existence of the situation which has been asked in these questions may lead towards the hampering of regulatory culture

Propensity score matching and persistence correction to reduce bias in comparative effectiveness: the effect of cinacalcet use on all-cause mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, Iain A; Floege, Jürgen; Gioni, Ioanna; Drüeke, Tilman B; de Francisco, Angel L; Anker, Stefan D; Kubo, Yumi; Wheeler, David C; Froissart, Marc

2015-07-01

The generalisability of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) may be limited by restrictive entry criteria or by their experimental nature. Observational research can provide complementary findings but is prone to bias. Employing propensity score matching, to reduce such bias, we compared the real-life effect of cinacalcet use on all-cause mortality (ACM) with findings from the Evaluation of Cinacalcet Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) RCT in chronic haemodialysis patients. Incident adult haemodialysis patients receiving cinacalcet, recruited in a prospective observational cohort from 2007-2009 (AROii; n = 10,488), were matched to non-exposed patients regardless of future exposure status. The effect of treatment crossover was investigated with inverse probability of censoring weighted and lag-censored analyses. EVOLVE ACM data were analysed largely as described for the primary composite endpoint. AROii patients receiving cinacalcet (n = 532) were matched to 1790 non-exposed patients. The treatment effect of cinacalcet on ACM in the main AROii analysis (hazard ratio 1.03 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-1.35]) was closer to the null than for the Intention to Treat (ITT) analysis of EVOLVE (0.94 [95%CI 0.85-1.04]). Adjusting for non-persistence by 0- and 6-month lag-censoring and by inverse probability of censoring weight, the hazard ratios in AROii (0.76 [95%CI 0.51-1.15], 0.84 [95%CI 0.60-1.18] and 0.79 [95%CI 0.56-1.11], respectively) were comparable with those of EVOLVE (0.82 [95%CI 0.67-1.01], 0.83 [95%CI 0.73-0.96] and 0.87 [95%CI 0.71-1.06], respectively). Correcting for treatment crossover, we observed results in the 'real-life' setting of the AROii observational cohort that closely mirrored the results of the EVOLVE RCT. Persistence-corrected analyses revealed a trend towards reduced ACM in haemodialysis patients receiving cinacalcet therapy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Experiences with string matching on the Fermi Architecture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tumeo, Antonino; Secchi, Simone; Villa, Oreste

2011-02-25

String matching is at the core of many real-world applications, such as security, bioinformatic, data mining. All these applications requires the ability to match always growing data sets against large dictionaries effectively, fastly and possibly in real time. Unfortunately, string matching is a computationally intensive procedure which poses significant challenges on current software and hardware implementations. Graphic Processing Units (GPU) have become an interesting target for such high-throughput applications, but the algorithms and the data structures need to be redesigned to be parallelized and adapted to the underlining hardware, coping with the limitations imposed by these architectures. In this paper we present an efficient implementation of the Aho-Corasick string matching algorithm on GPU, showing how we progressively redesigned the algorithm and the data structures to fit on the architecture. We then evaluate the implementation on single and multiple Tesla C2050 (T20 ``Fermi'' based) boards, comparing them to the previous Tesla C1060 (T10 based) solutions and equivalent multicore implementations on x86 CPUs. We discuss the various tradeoffs of the different architectures.

Effects of drugs of abuse and cholinergic agents on delayed matching-to-sample responding in the squirrel monkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudzik, T J; Wenger, G R

1993-04-01

To study how drugs may disrupt short-term memory function, squirrel monkeys were trained to respond under a titrating delayed matching-to-sample schedule of reinforcement. Monkeys could respond on each of three keys in an operant chamber. At the start of each trial, the 30th response on the center key illuminated each of the side keys, one of which matched the stimulus presented on the center key (simultaneous matching). A response to the correct (matching) side key turned off all stimuli and initiated a delay, the length of which varied as a function of ongoing performance. After the delay, stimuli were randomly presented on two of the three keys. A response to the key which matched the color on the center key before the delay resulted in delivery of a food pellet (delayed matching). Incorrect simultaneous or delayed matching responses initiated a timeout. Under this procedure, diazepam and scopolamine decreased delayed matching accuracy at one or more doses that did not significantly decrease mean delay values, but only scopolamine decreased matching accuracy at a dose that did not significantly decrease response rates. Cocaine decreased mean delay values after the highest dose without affecting matching accuracy. Pentobarbital and methylscopolamine decreased matching accuracy and mean and maximum delay values after the highest doses. Nicotine and phencyclidine produced small decreases in delayed matching accuracy without affecting mean and maximum delay values. Caffeine, morphine, physostigmine and neostigmine did not alter matching performance even after doses that markedly decreased rates of responding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glycoconjugate Vaccines: The Regulatory Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Christopher

2015-01-01

Most vaccines, including the currently available glycoconjugate vaccines, are administered to healthy infants, to prevent future disease. The safety of a prospective vaccine is a key prerequisite for approval. Undesired side effects would not only have the potential to damage the individual infant but also lead to a loss of confidence in the respective vaccine-or vaccines in general-on a population level. Thus, regulatory requirements, particularly with regard to safety, are extremely rigorous. This chapter highlights regulatory aspects on carbohydrate-based vaccines with an emphasis on analytical approaches to ensure the consistent quality of successive manufacturing lots.

A comparison of immunotoxic effects of nanomedicinal products with regulatory immunotoxicity testing requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannakou, Christina; Park, Margriet Vdz; de Jong, Wim H; van Loveren, Henk; Vandebriel, Rob J; Geertsma, Robert E

2016-01-01

Nanomaterials (NMs) are attractive for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications because of their unique physicochemical and biological properties. A major application area of NMs is drug delivery. Many nanomedicinal products (NMPs) currently on the market or in clinical trials are most often based on liposomal products or polymer conjugates. NMPs can be designed to target specific tissues, eg, tumors. In virtually all cases, NMPs will eventually reach the immune system. It has been shown that most NMs end up in organs of the mononuclear phagocytic system, notably liver and spleen. Adverse immune effects, including allergy, hypersensitivity, and immunosuppression, have been reported after NMP administration. Interactions of NMPs with the immune system may therefore constitute important side effects. Currently, no regulatory documents are specifically dedicated to evaluate the immunotoxicity of NMs or NMPs. Their immunotoxicity assessment is performed based on existing guidelines for conventional substances or medicinal products. Due to the unique properties of NMPs when compared with conventional medicinal products, it is uncertain whether the currently prescribed set of tests provides sufficient information for an adequate evaluation of potential immunotoxicity of NMPs. The aim of this study was therefore, to compare the current regulatory immunotoxicity testing requirements with the accumulating knowledge on immunotoxic effects of NMPs in order to identify potential gaps in the safety assessment. This comparison showed that immunotoxic effects, such as complement activation-related pseudoallergy, myelosuppression, inflammasome activation, and hypersensitivity, are not readily detected by using current testing guidelines. Immunotoxicity of NMPs would be more accurately evaluated by an expanded testing strategy that is equipped to stratify applicable testing for the various types of NMPs.

Spironolactone Treatment and Effect on Survival in Chronic Heart Failure Patients with Reduced Renal Function: A Propensity-Matched Study

Science.gov (United States)

Stubnova, Viera; Os, Ingrid; Grundtvig, Morten; Atar, Dan; Waldum-Grevbo, Bård

2017-01-01

Background/Aims Spironolactone may be hazardous in heart failure (HF) patients with renal dysfunction due to risk of hyperkalemia and worsened renal function. We aimed to evaluate the effect of spironolactone on all-cause mortality in HF outpatients with renal dysfunction in a propensity-score-matched study. Methods A total of 2,077 patients from the Norwegian Heart Failure Registry with renal dysfunction (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) not treated with spironolactone at the first visit at the HF clinic were eligible for the study. Patients started on spironolactone at the outpatient HF clinics (n = 206) were propensity-score-matched 1:1 with patients not started on spironolactone, based on 16 measured baseline characteristics. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to investigate the independent effect of spironolactone on 2-year all-cause mortality. Results Propensity score matching identified 170 pairs of patients, one group receiving spironolactone and the other not. The two groups were well matched (mean age 76.7 ± 8.1 years, 66.4% males, and eGFR 46.2 ± 10.2 mL/min/1.73 m2). Treatment with spironolactone was associated with increased potassium (delta potassium 0.31 ± 0.55 vs. 0.05 ± 0.41 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and decreased eGFR (delta eGFR −4.12 ± 12.2 vs. −0.98 ± 7.88 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.006) compared to the non-spironolactone group. After 2 years, 84% of patients were alive in the spironolactone group and 73% of patients in the non-spironolactone group (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.92, p = 0.020). Conclusion In HF outpatients with renal dysfunction, treatment with spironolactone was associated with improved 2-year survival compared to well-matched patients not treated with spironolactone. Favorable survival was observed despite worsened renal function and increased potassium in the spironolactone group. PMID:28611786

The Effectiveness Evaluation among Different Player-Matching Mechanisms in a Multi-Player Quiz Game

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Fu-Hsing

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate whether different player-matching mechanisms in educational multi-player online games (MOGs) can affect students' learning performance, enjoyment perception and gaming behaviors. Based on the multi-player quiz game, TRIS-Q, developed by Tsai, Tsai and Lin (2015) using a free player-matching (FPM) mechanism, the same…

Regulatory frameworks for mobile medical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Censi, Federica; Mattei, Eugenio; Triventi, Michele; Calcagnini, Giovanni

2015-05-01

A mobile application (app) is a software program that runs on mobile communication devices such as a smartphone. The concept of a mobile medical app has gained popularity and diffusion but its reference regulatory context has raised discussion and concerns. Theoretically, a mobile app can be developed and uploaded easily by any person or entity. Thus, if an app can have some effects on the health of the users, it is mandatory to identify its reference regulatory context and the applicable prescriptions.

78 FR 48736 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-09

...-cancelled orders. Phlx believes that this change will assist market participants in managing their orders...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Modify the Rule Governing Modification of Orders on NASDAQ OMX PSX in the Event of an Issuer...

78 FR 48748 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-09

... Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To...-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange... managing their orders in the event of symbol changes and changes in listing venue, by cancelling open...

75 FR 25013 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-06

...-Point Passive Liquidity Order (``MPL Order''). The text of the proposed rule change is available on the...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Amending Its Mid- Point Passive Liquidity Order April 29, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \\1...

The persuasive effects of framing messages on fruit and vegetable consumption according to regulatory focus theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, Arie; Rothman, Alexander; Pietersma, Suzanne

2011-01-01

According to Regulatory Focus theory (RFT), outcomes in persuasive messages can be framed in four different ways, as gains, non-gains, losses or non-losses. In study 1, the persuasiveness of all four frames was compared and the presence/absence effect that was expected on the basis of the

77 FR 35437 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-13

... option fails to achieve greater than 200 Average National Daily Customer Contracts. For these reasons...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE MKT LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change... (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been...

76 FR 53009 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-24

... communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that...-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Amex LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change... Ahead of Customer Orders With Certain Exceptions (Commonly Known as the Manning Rule) August 18, 2011...

Template matching techniques in computer vision theory and practice

CERN Document Server

Brunelli, Roberto

2009-01-01

The detection and recognition of objects in images is a key research topic in the computer vision community.  Within this area, face recognition and interpretation has attracted increasing attention owing to the possibility of unveiling human perception mechanisms, and for the development of practical biometric systems. This book and the accompanying website, focus on template matching, a subset of object recognition techniques of wide applicability, which has proved to be particularly effective for face recognition applications. Using examples from face processing tasks throughout the book to illustrate more general object recognition approaches, Roberto Brunelli: examines the basics of digital image formation, highlighting points critical to the task of template matching;presents basic and  advanced template matching techniques, targeting grey-level images, shapes and point sets;discusses recent pattern classification paradigms from a template matching perspective;illustrates the development of a real fac...

The effects of the Brazilian regulatory inspection programme on nuclear medicine facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, C E G R; Azevedo, E M; Mendes, L C G; Franca, W F L; Gutterres, R F; Goncalves, M [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear-CGMI/CNEN, Rua General Severiano 90, 22290-901, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); De Sa, L V; Da Rosa, L A R [Instituto de Radioprotecao e Dosimetria-IRD/CNEN, Avenida Salvador Allende s/n, 22780-160, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)], E-mail: telo@xexeu.org

2009-12-01

This paper aims to demonstrate the importance of the regulatory inspections carried out by the Brazilian regulatory body in the area of nuclear medicine. The main aspects observed during the inspections are presented as well as the time evolution of the non-compliances, according to their occurrence by type. We also evaluate factors concerning the working of the nuclear medicine facility responsible for solving the non-compliances. The results suggest a decrease of occurrence of non-compliances with time that can be related to the strictness of the inspections and the awareness of the personnel in the nuclear medicine facilities. An analysis of radiation dose exposure levels for the professionals involved in nuclear medicine was carried out; although dose values are below regulatory dose limits, their occurrence is not decreasing satisfactorily. Results indicate the need for staff training and commitment of the responsible nuclear medicine facility staff to the radiological protection procedures. Our results also emphasise the importance of continuous coercive actions to improve the level of radiological protection in nuclear medicine facilities in compliance with the standards established by the national regulatory authority and international recommendations.

The Composite Regulatory Basis of the Large X-Effect in Mouse Speciation.

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, Erica L; Keeble, Sara; Vanderpool, Dan; Dean, Matthew D; Good, Jeffrey M

2017-02-01

The disruption of meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) has been proposed to be a major developmental mechanism underlying the rapid evolution of hybrid male sterility. We tested this idea by analyzing cell-specific gene expression across spermatogenesis in two lineages of house mice and their sterile and fertile reciprocal hybrids. We found pervasive disruption of sex chromosome gene expression in sterile hybrids at every stage of spermatogenesis. Failure of MSCI was developmentally preceded by increased silencing of autosomal genes, supporting the hypothesis that divergence at the hybrid incompatibility gene, Prdm9, results in increased rates of autosomal asynapsis which in turn triggers widespread silencing of unsynapsed chromatin. We also detected opposite patterns of postmeiotic overexpression or hyper-repression of the sex chromosomes in reciprocal hybrids, supporting the hypothesis that genomic conflict has driven functional divergence that leads to deleterious X-Y dosage imbalances in hybrids. Our developmental timeline also exposed more subtle patterns of mitotic misregulation on the X chromosome, a previously undocumented stage of spermatogenic disruption in this cross. These results indicate that multiple hybrid incompatibilities have converged on a common regulatory phenotype, the disrupted expression of the sex chromosomes during spermatogenesis. Collectively, these data reveal a composite regulatory basis to hybrid male sterility in mice that helps resolve the mechanistic underpinnings of the well-documented large X-effect in mice speciation. We propose that the inherent sensitivity of spermatogenesis to X-linked regulatory disruption has the potential to be a major driver of reproductive isolation in species with chromosomal sex determination. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Temporal analysis of national level Muay-Thai matches: Effects of competitive phase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrício Boscolo Del Vecchio

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Temporal analysis of matches allows the study of fighting patterns in combat sports. With this procedure, we can recreate the efforts in specific training. However, up to date have no information concerning temporal analysis considering competitive level in Muay-Thai. Objective: To investigate temporal characteristics of Muay-Thai athletes in official competition from national level, considering round, and to compare preliminary combats with those that had medal disputes. Material and methods: Were recorded 65 matches in a Brazilian championship. We conducted in loco recording. To time-motion analysis, Software Kinovea™ was used. Were considered Observation, Preparation and Interaction periods, as well as high intensity and low intensity ratio (HI:LI. The average duration of the rounds between competitive phases (preliminary or finals was compared with a t test. A generalized linear model was applied considering effort duration as dependent variable and competitive level, round and effort type as independent. Significant level was set in 5%. Results: Were registered 7 to 8 s of Observation, near from 3 s of Preparation and 4 to 5.5 s of Interaction effort type, and the duration of Observation effort was significantly superior the others. Significant differences were observed in the Interaction between preliminary and finals (respectively 5.5 ± 0.3 s and 3.7 ± 0.5 s; p < 0.05. Pooling the Observation and Preparation time as low intensity (LI, and Interaction as high intensity (HI efforts, the HI:LI ratio was 1:2in eliminatory and 1:3 in the final matches. Conclusions: Muay-Thai is an intermittent combat sport, the duration of Interaction effort type is lower in final in comparison to preliminary matches.

Building Nuclear Safety and Security Culture Within Regulatory Body

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huda, K.

2016-01-01

To achieve a higher level of nuclear safety and security, it needs to develop the safety and security culture not only in the facility but also in the regulatory body. The regulatory body, especially needs to develop the safety and security culture within the organization, because it has a function to promote and oversee the culture in the facilities. In this sense, the regulatory body should become a role model. Development of the nuclear safety and security culture should be started by properly understanding its concept and awakening the awareness of individual and organization on the importance of nuclear safety and security. For effectiveness of the culture development in the regulatory body, the following steps are suggested to be taken: setting up of the regulatory requirements, self-assessment, independent assessment review, communication with the licensee, oversight of management system implementation, and integration with regulatory activities. The paper discusses those steps in the framework of development of nuclear safety and security culture in the regulatory body, as well as some important elements in building of the culture in the nuclear facilities. (author)

Characterization of noncoding regulatory DNA in the human genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Elkon, Ran; Agami, Reuven

2017-08-08

Genetic variants associated with common diseases are usually located in noncoding parts of the human genome. Delineation of the full repertoire of functional noncoding elements, together with efficient methods for probing their biological roles, is therefore of crucial importance. Over the past decade, DNA accessibility and various epigenetic modifications have been associated with regulatory functions. Mapping these features across the genome has enabled researchers to begin to document the full complement of putative regulatory elements. High-throughput reporter assays to probe the functions of regulatory regions have also been developed but these methods separate putative regulatory elements from the chromosome so that any effects of chromatin context and long-range regulatory interactions are lost. Definitive assignment of function(s) to putative cis-regulatory elements requires perturbation of these elements. Genome-editing technologies are now transforming our ability to perturb regulatory elements across entire genomes. Interpretation of high-throughput genetic screens that incorporate genome editors might enable the construction of an unbiased map of functional noncoding elements in the human genome.

Vein matching using artificial neural network in vein authentication systems

Science.gov (United States)

Noori Hoshyar, Azadeh; Sulaiman, Riza

2011-10-01

Personal identification technology as security systems is developing rapidly. Traditional authentication modes like key; password; card are not safe enough because they could be stolen or easily forgotten. Biometric as developed technology has been applied to a wide range of systems. According to different researchers, vein biometric is a good candidate among other biometric traits such as fingerprint, hand geometry, voice, DNA and etc for authentication systems. Vein authentication systems can be designed by different methodologies. All the methodologies consist of matching stage which is too important for final verification of the system. Neural Network is an effective methodology for matching and recognizing individuals in authentication systems. Therefore, this paper explains and implements the Neural Network methodology for finger vein authentication system. Neural Network is trained in Matlab to match the vein features of authentication system. The Network simulation shows the quality of matching as 95% which is a good performance for authentication system matching.

A Review on Regulatory Enforcement Policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Ji Han; Lee, Kyung Joo; Choi, Young Sung

2017-01-01

This paper examine the meaning and principle of enforcement through examples from other countries. Regulatory enforcement is the last stage of safety regulation and how it is exercised when one failing to meet regulatory requirements can have significant ripple effect across the industry. Thus, right philosophy and principle should be established. It is not recommended to emphasize neither deterrence approach nor behavior modification approach. This should be also taken into consideration when setting up the principle and system of regulatory enforcement. In the process of Vienna Declaration, Europe and the U.S showed the fundamental differences in their approaches to safety regulation. Considering this, it is required to remain cautious at all times on what to be improved in the aspect of internal consistency within our system and also in the aspect of procedure.

Mutational robustness of gene regulatory networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aalt D J van Dijk

Full Text Available Mutational robustness of gene regulatory networks refers to their ability to generate constant biological output upon mutations that change network structure. Such networks contain regulatory interactions (transcription factor-target gene interactions but often also protein-protein interactions between transcription factors. Using computational modeling, we study factors that influence robustness and we infer several network properties governing it. These include the type of mutation, i.e. whether a regulatory interaction or a protein-protein interaction is mutated, and in the case of mutation of a regulatory interaction, the sign of the interaction (activating vs. repressive. In addition, we analyze the effect of combinations of mutations and we compare networks containing monomeric with those containing dimeric transcription factors. Our results are consistent with available data on biological networks, for example based on evolutionary conservation of network features. As a novel and remarkable property, we predict that networks are more robust against mutations in monomer than in dimer transcription factors, a prediction for which analysis of conservation of DNA binding residues in monomeric vs. dimeric transcription factors provides indirect evidence.

75 FR 4435 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-27

... Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory organization. The Commission is publishing this notice...\\ 15 U.S.C. 78a. \\3\\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of... principal office and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement...

Real-time eSports Match Result Prediction

OpenAIRE

Yang, Yifan; Qin, Tian; Lei, Yu-Heng

2016-01-01

In this paper, we try to predict the winning team of a match in the multiplayer eSports game Dota 2. To address the weaknesses of previous work, we consider more aspects of prior (pre-match) features from individual players' match history, as well as real-time (during-match) features at each minute as the match progresses. We use logistic regression, the proposed Attribute Sequence Model, and their combinations as the prediction models. In a dataset of 78362 matches where 20631 matches contai...

77 FR 16888 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-22

... Liquidity in Section I of the Exchange's Fee Schedule. The text of the proposed rule change is available on...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Delete Certain Select Symbols From the Rebates and Fees for Adding and Removing Liquidity in...

77 FR 36310 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-18

...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Market Participant Categories, Rebates and Fees for Adding and Removing Liquidity in... Exchange Act of 1934 (``Act''),\\1\\ and Rule 19b-4 \\2\\ thereunder, notice is hereby given that, on May 31...

77 FR 35101 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-12

... Rule Change The Exchange proposes a rule change to delay the implementation date for its Excess Order...-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to Delay the Implementation Date for its Excess Order Fee June 6, 2012. Pursuant to Section 19(b...