Remaining useful life assessment of lithium-ion batteries in implantable medical devices

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chao; Ye, Hui; Jain, Gaurav; Schmidt, Craig

2018-01-01

This paper presents a prognostic study on lithium-ion batteries in implantable medical devices, in which a hybrid data-driven/model-based method is employed for remaining useful life assessment. The method is developed on and evaluated against data from two sets of lithium-ion prismatic cells used in implantable applications exhibiting distinct fade performance: 1) eight cells from Medtronic, PLC whose rates of capacity fade appear to be stable and gradually decrease over a 10-year test duration; and 2) eight cells from Manufacturer X whose rates appear to be greater and show sharp increase after some period over a 1.8-year test duration. The hybrid method enables online prediction of remaining useful life for predictive maintenance/control. It consists of two modules: 1) a sparse Bayesian learning module (data-driven) for inferring capacity from charge-related features; and 2) a recursive Bayesian filtering module (model-based) for updating empirical capacity fade models and predicting remaining useful life. A generic particle filter is adopted to implement recursive Bayesian filtering for the cells from the first set, whose capacity fade behavior can be represented by a single fade model; a multiple model particle filter with fixed-lag smoothing is proposed for the cells from the second data set, whose capacity fade behavior switches between multiple fade models.

Satellite Lithium-Ion Battery Remaining Cycle Life Prediction with Novel Indirect Health Indicator Extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haitao Liao

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Prognostics and remaining useful life (RUL estimation for lithium-ion batteries play an important role in intelligent battery management systems (BMS. The capacity is often used as the fade indicator for estimating the remaining cycle life of a lithium-ion battery. For spacecraft requiring high reliability and long lifetime, in-orbit RUL estimation and reliability verification on ground should be carefully addressed. However, it is quite challenging to monitor and estimate the capacity of a lithium-ion battery on-line in satellite applications. In this work, a novel health indicator (HI is extracted from the operating parameters of a lithium-ion battery to quantify battery degradation. Moreover, the Grey Correlation Analysis (GCA is utilized to evaluate the similarities between the extracted HI and the battery’s capacity. The result illustrates the effectiveness of using this new HI for fading indication. Furthermore, we propose an optimized ensemble monotonic echo state networks (En_MONESN algorithm, in which the monotonic constraint is introduced to improve the adaptivity of degradation trend estimation, and ensemble learning is integrated to achieve high stability and precision of RUL prediction. Experiments with actual testing data show the efficiency of our proposed method in RUL estimation and degradation modeling for the satellite lithium-ion battery application.

Remaining useful life prediction of degrading systems subjected to imperfect maintenance: Application to draught fans

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhao-Qiang; Hu, Chang-Hua; Si, Xiao-Sheng; Zio, Enrico

2018-02-01

Current degradation modeling and remaining useful life prediction studies share a common assumption that the degrading systems are not maintained or maintained perfectly (i.e., to an as-good-as new state). This paper concerns the issues of how to model the degradation process and predict the remaining useful life of degrading systems subjected to imperfect maintenance activities, which can restore the health condition of a degrading system to any degradation level between as-good-as new and as-bad-as old. Toward this end, a nonlinear model driven by Wiener process is first proposed to characterize the degradation trajectory of the degrading system subjected to imperfect maintenance, where negative jumps are incorporated to quantify the influence of imperfect maintenance activities on the system's degradation. Then, the probability density function of the remaining useful life is derived analytically by a space-scale transformation, i.e., transforming the constructed degradation model with negative jumps crossing a constant threshold level to a Wiener process model crossing a random threshold level. To implement the proposed method, unknown parameters in the degradation model are estimated by the maximum likelihood estimation method. Finally, the proposed degradation modeling and remaining useful life prediction method are applied to a practical case of draught fans belonging to a kind of mechanical systems from steel mills. The results reveal that, for a degrading system subjected to imperfect maintenance, our proposed method can obtain more accurate remaining useful life predictions than those of the benchmark model in literature.

A Hybrid PCA-CART-MARS-Based Prognostic Approach of the Remaining Useful Life for Aircraft Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Sánchez Lasheras

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Prognostics is an engineering discipline that predicts the future health of a system. In this research work, a data-driven approach for prognostics is proposed. Indeed, the present paper describes a data-driven hybrid model for the successful prediction of the remaining useful life of aircraft engines. The approach combines the multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS technique with the principal component analysis (PCA, dendrograms and classification and regression trees (CARTs. Elements extracted from sensor signals are used to train this hybrid model, representing different levels of health for aircraft engines. In this way, this hybrid algorithm is used to predict the trends of these elements. Based on this fitting, one can determine the future health state of a system and estimate its remaining useful life (RUL with accuracy. To evaluate the proposed approach, a test was carried out using aircraft engine signals collected from physical sensors (temperature, pressure, speed, fuel flow, etc.. Simulation results show that the PCA-CART-MARS-based approach can forecast faults long before they occur and can predict the RUL. The proposed hybrid model presents as its main advantage the fact that it does not require information about the previous operation states of the input variables of the engine. The performance of this model was compared with those obtained by other benchmark models (multivariate linear regression and artificial neural networks also applied in recent years for the modeling of remaining useful life. Therefore, the PCA-CART-MARS-based approach is very promising in the field of prognostics of the RUL for aircraft engines.

Use of NDE and FM for the assessment of remaining life of steam turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alley, T [Duke Power Co., Charlotte, NC (United States); Stone, R [Electric Power Research Inst., Charlotte, NC (United States). Nondestructive Evaluation Center

1988-12-31

Catastrophic failures of rotating turbine components, such as the Gallatin rotor burst in 1974 and the shrunk-on disk rupture at Hinkley Point in 1969, alerted the utility industry to the failure potential of these components. Such failures can cause severe financial loss; endanger personnel; and, in nuclear plants, damage safety related equipment. To adequately predict the remaining life of a turbine rotor requires accurate information about component flaws, material properties, future operating loads, relevant failure mechanisms, and an approach to combine this information to make an assessment of remaining life. EPRI has supported the development of improved ultrasonic test equipment for use from the rotor bore (bore-sonic examination) and a fracture mechanics based life assessment code called SAFER (Stress and Fracture Evaluation of Rotors). The EPRI NDE Center has supported the transfer of this technology to industry. This presentation deals with the NDE Center`s transfer of the NDE and life assessment technology to industry and discusses a particular application by Duke Power Company at their Allen Plant, Unit 1 to extend the operating life of an IP/LP turbine. (author).

Use of NDE and FM for the assessment of remaining life of steam turbines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alley, T.; Stone, R.

1988-01-01

Catastrophic failures of rotating turbine components, such as the Gallatin rotor burst in 1974 and the shrunk-on disk rupture at Hinkley Point in 1969, alerted the utility industry to the failure potential of these components. Such failures can cause severe financial loss; endanger personnel; and, in nuclear plants, damage safety related equipment. To adequately predict the remaining life of a turbine rotor requires accurate information about component flaws, material properties, future operating loads, relevant failure mechanisms, and an approach to combine this information to make an assessment of remaining life. EPRI has supported the development of improved ultrasonic test equipment for use from the rotor bore (bore-sonic examination) and a fracture mechanics based life assessment code called SAFER (Stress and Fracture Evaluation of Rotors). The EPRI NDE Center has supported the transfer of this technology to industry. This presentation deals with the NDE Center's transfer of the NDE and life assessment technology to industry and discusses a particular application by Duke Power Company at their Allen Plant, Unit 1 to extend the operating life of an IP/LP turbine. (author)

Evaluation of remaining life of the double-shell tank waste systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwenk, E.B.

1995-01-01

A remaining life assessment of the DSTs (double-shell tanks) and their associated waste transfer lines, for continued operation over the next 10 years, was favorable. The DST assessment was based on definition of significant loads, evaluation of data for possible material degradation and geometric changes and evaluation of structural analyses. The piping assessment was based primarily on service experience

Evaluation of remaining life of the double-shell tank waste systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwenk, E.B.

1995-05-04

A remaining life assessment of the DSTs (double-shell tanks) and their associated waste transfer lines, for continued operation over the next 10 years, was favorable. The DST assessment was based on definition of significant loads, evaluation of data for possible material degradation and geometric changes and evaluation of structural analyses. The piping assessment was based primarily on service experience.

Remaining Life Estimation Of Secondary Superheater Outlet On Industrial Electrical Boiler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soedardjo; Andryansyah; Arhatari, B.D.; Natsir, Muhammad; Triyadi, Ari; Farokhi

2001-01-01

Remaining life estimation of secondary superheater header outlet (SSHO) on industrial electrical boiler has been carried out. Estimation conducted by the observation of microstructure cavitation development based on Neubauer and Wedel theory. The result is available for isolated cavitation development present yet. That Secondary Superheater Outlet component is in good condition after 14 years operated and predicted could be operated for 36 years again

BTC method for evaluation of remaining strength and service life of bridge cables.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

"This report presents the BTC method; a comprehensive state-of-the-art methodology for evaluation of remaining : strength and residual life of bridge cables. The BTC method is a probability-based, proprietary, patented, and peerreviewed : methodology...

Prediction of pavement remaining service life based on repetition of load and permanent deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Usman, R. S.; Setyawan, A.; Suprapto, M.

2018-03-01

One of the methods which was applied in the assessment of flexible pavement performance was mechanistic method assuming structures of road pavement to become multi-layer structure for flexible pavement, that the vehicle load working on the pavement layer under repetition with power failure worth 1 (one) unit which was assumed as evenly distributed static load, and therefore the pavement material would provide response in the form of stress, strain, and deflection. This is closely related in order to assess the structure of flexible pavement and to predict the remaining service life on the roads of Pulau Indah sta 0 + 000 to sta. 0 + 845 in Kota Kupang, Nusa Tenggara Timur. The performance appraisal indicator which was used was fatigue cracking happening bottom of the asphalt layer and permanent deformation (rutting) on the surface of subgrade. The strain estimate on the flexible pavement layer structure needs carefulness and high accuracy and therefore a software like KENPAVE which produces horizontal tensile strain of 8,802E-05 and vertical compressive strain of 2,642E-04 was used. By applying equation of The Asphalt Instituteit was obtained repetition of permit load when reaching fatigue cracking (Nf) was 16.071.516 ESAL and permanent deformation (rutting) was 14.703.867 ESAL and also it was predicted the remaining service life of pavement applied the equation of AASTHO 1993 by considering Traffic Multiplier factor (TM 1.8, TM 1.9 and TM 2.0) obtained the remaining life service due to fatigue of 5.51% in the year of 13th (TM 1.8), 7.95% in the year of12th (TM 1.9) and 3.11% (TM 2.0) in the year of 12th, also the remaining service life due to rutting of 4.69% in the year of 12th(TM 1.8), 7.79% in the year of 11th (TM 1.9), and 2.94 in the year of 11th (TM 2.0).

Determination of the remaining operational life of power plant components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eiden, H.; Vorwerk, K.; Graeff, D.; Hoff, E.

1983-01-01

The proceedings volume presents, in full wording, eight papers read at a TUEV Rheinland meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August 1982. Subjects: Layout, quality assurance, service life analysis etc. of power plant components. (RW) [de

Assessment of lumen degradation and remaining useful life of LEDs using particle filter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lall, Pradeep [Auburn Univ., AL (United States); Zhang, Hao [Auburn Univ., AL (United States); Davis, Lynn [Auburn Univ., AL (United States)

2013-07-16

With the development of light-emitting diode (LED) technology, light emitting diodes system is becoming a popular light source in daily life and industry area. It has shown that Led from same factory and work under same working condition, may have significantly different behavior. Therefore, it is very important to learn the fail mechanisms, especially in the case of safety critical and harsh environment application. This paper focus on a prognostic health management (PHM) method based on the measurement of forward voltage and forward current of bare LED under harsh environment. In this paper, experiment has been done with ten samples. Ten pristine bare LEDs have been tested at 85°C while simultaneously being subjected to 85% humid environment. Pulse width modulation (PWM) control method has been employed to drive the bare LED in order to reduce the heat effect caused by forward current and high frequency (300HZ) data acquisition has been used to measure the peak forward voltage and forward current. Test to failure (lumen drops to 70 percent) data has been measured to study the effects of high temperature and humid environment loadings on the bare LED. Also, solid state cooling method with peltier cooler has been used to control the temperature of LED in the integrating sphere when take the measurement of lumen flux. The shift of forward voltage forward current curve and lumen degradation has been recorded to help build the fail model and predicted the remaining useful life. In this method, particle filter has been employed to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of the bare LED and give us a whole picture how Led system fails. Result shows that predication of remaining useful life of Led, made by the particle filter model works under reasonable limit, and hence this method can be employed to predict the failure of Led caused by thermal and humid stress under harsh environment.

Review of the Remaining Useful Life Prognostics of Vehicle Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Data-Driven Methodologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lifeng Wu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Lithium-ion batteries are the primary power source in electric vehicles, and the prognosis of their remaining useful life is vital for ensuring the safety, stability, and long lifetime of electric vehicles. Accurately establishing a mechanism model of a vehicle lithium-ion battery involves a complex electrochemical process. Remaining useful life (RUL prognostics based on data-driven methods has become a focus of research. Current research on data-driven methodologies is summarized in this paper. By analyzing the problems of vehicle lithium-ion batteries in practical applications, the problems that need to be solved in the future are identified.

A naive Bayes model for robust remaining useful life prediction of lithium-ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Selina S.Y.; Xing, Yinjiao; Tsui, Kwok L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Robustness of RUL predictions for lithium-ion batteries is analyzed quantitatively. • RUL predictions of the same battery over cycle life are evaluated. • RUL predictions of batteries over different operating conditions are evaluated. • Naive Bayes (NB) is proposed for predictions under constant discharge environments. • Its robustness and accuracy are compared with that of support vector machine (SVM). - Abstract: Online state-of-health (SoH) estimation and remaining useful life (RUL) prediction is a critical problem in battery health management. This paper studies the modeling of battery degradation under different usage conditions and ambient temperatures, which is seldom considered in the literature. Li-ion battery RUL prediction under constant operating conditions at different values of ambient temperature and discharge current are considered. A naive Bayes (NB) model is proposed for RUL prediction of batteries under different operating conditions. It is shown in this analysis that under constant discharge environments, the RUL of Li-ion batteries can be predicted with the NB method, irrespective of the exact values of the operating conditions. The case study shows that the NB generates stable and competitive prediction performance over that of the support vector machine (SVM). This also suggests that, while it is well known that the environmental conditions have big impact on the degradation trend, it is the changes in operating conditions of a Li-ion battery over cycle life that makes the Li-ion battery degradation and RUL prediction even more difficult

Assessment of the Remaining Life of Bituminous Layers in Road Pavements

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Kálmán Adorjányi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a mechanistic-empirical approach is presented for the assessment of bearing capacity condition of asphalt pavement layers by Falling Weight Deflectometer measurements and laboratory fatigue tests. The bearing capacity condition ratio was determined using past traffic data and the remaining fatigue life which was determined from multilayer pavement response model. The traffic growth rate was taken into account with finite arithmetic and geometric progressions. Fatigue resistance of layers’ bituminous materials was obtained with indirect tensile fatigue tests. Deduct curve of condition scores was derived with Weibull distribution.

A Bayesian least-squares support vector machine method for predicting the remaining useful life of a microwave component

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Fuqiang Sun

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Rapid and accurate lifetime prediction of critical components in a system is important to maintaining the system’s reliable operation. To this end, many lifetime prediction methods have been developed to handle various failure-related data collected in different situations. Among these methods, machine learning and Bayesian updating are the most popular ones. In this article, a Bayesian least-squares support vector machine method that combines least-squares support vector machine with Bayesian inference is developed for predicting the remaining useful life of a microwave component. A degradation model describing the change in the component’s power gain over time is developed, and the point and interval remaining useful life estimates are obtained considering a predefined failure threshold. In our case study, the radial basis function neural network approach is also implemented for comparison purposes. The results indicate that the Bayesian least-squares support vector machine method is more precise and stable in predicting the remaining useful life of this type of components.

A case study of remaining storage life prediction using stochastic filtering with the influence of condition monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhaoqiang; Hu, Changhua; Wang, Wenbin; Zhou, Zhijie; Si, Xiaosheng

2014-01-01

Some systems may spend most of their time in storage, but once needed, must be fully functional. Slow degradation occurs when the system is in storage, so to ensure the functionality of these systems, condition monitoring is usually conducted periodically to check the condition of the system. However, taking the condition monitoring data may require putting the system under real testing situation which may accelerate the degradation, and therefore, shorten the storage life of the system. This paper presents a case study of condition-based remaining storage life prediction for gyros in the inertial navigation system on the basis of the condition monitoring data and the influence of the condition monitoring data taking process. A stochastic-filtering-based degradation model is developed to incorporate both into the prediction of the remaining storage life distribution. This makes the predicted remaining storage life depend on not only the condition monitoring data but also the testing process of taking the condition monitoring data, which the existing prognostic techniques and algorithms did not consider. The presented model is fitted to the real condition monitoring data of gyros testing using the maximum likelihood estimation method for parameter estimation. Comparisons are made with the model without considering the process of taking the condition monitoring data, and the results clearly demonstrate the superiority of the newly proposed model

Some remaining problems in HCDA analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Y.W.

1981-01-01

The safety assessment and licensing of liquid-metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) requires an analysis on the capability of the reactor primary system to sustain the consequences of a hypothetical core-disruptive accident (HCDA). Although computational methods and computer programs developed for HCDA analyses can predict reasonably well the response of the primary containment system, and follow up the phenomena of HCDA from the start of excursion to the time of dynamic equilibrium in the system, there remain areas in the HCDA analysis that merit further analytical and experimental studies. These are the analysis of fluid impact on reactor cover, three-dimensional analysis, the treatment of the perforated plates, material properties under high strain rates and under high temperatures, the treatment of multifield flows, and the treatment of prestressed concrete reactor vessels. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the structural mechanics of HCDA analysis in these areas where improvements are needed

Remaining useful life estimation in heterogeneous fleets working under variable operating conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Dahidi, Sameer; Di Maio, Francesco; Baraldi, Piero; Zio, Enrico

2016-01-01

The availability of condition monitoring data for large fleets of similar equipment motivates the development of data-driven prognostic approaches that capitalize on the information contained in such data to estimate equipment Remaining Useful Life (RUL). A main difficulty is that the fleet of equipment typically experiences different operating conditions, which influence both the condition monitoring data and the degradation processes that physically determine the RUL. We propose an approach for RUL estimation from heterogeneous fleet data based on three phases: firstly, the degradation levels (states) of an homogeneous discrete-time finite-state semi-markov model are identified by resorting to an unsupervised ensemble clustering approach. Then, the parameters of the discrete Weibull distributions describing the transitions among the states and their uncertainties are inferred by resorting to the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method and to the Fisher Information Matrix (FIM), respectively. Finally, the inferred degradation model is used to estimate the RUL of fleet equipment by direct Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. The proposed approach is applied to two case studies regarding heterogeneous fleets of aluminium electrolytic capacitors and turbofan engines. Results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in predicting the RUL and its superiority compared to a fuzzy similarity-based approach of literature. - Highlights: • The prediction of the remaining useful life for heterogeneous fleets is addressed. • A data-driven prognostics approach based on a Markov model is proposed. • The proposed approach is applied to two different heterogeneous fleets. • The results are compared with those obtained by a fuzzy similarity-based approach.

Nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion with multiple hidden states for remaining useful life prediction of rechargeable batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Zhao, Yang; Yang, Fangfang; Tsui, Kwok-Leung

2017-09-01

Brownian motion with adaptive drift has attracted much attention in prognostics because its first hitting time is highly relevant to remaining useful life prediction and it follows the inverse Gaussian distribution. Besides linear degradation modeling, nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion has been developed to model nonlinear degradation. Moreover, the first hitting time distribution of the nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion has been approximated by time-space transformation. In the previous studies, the drift coefficient is the only hidden state used in state space modeling of the nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion. Besides the drift coefficient, parameters of a nonlinear function used in the nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion should be treated as additional hidden states of state space modeling to make the nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion more flexible. In this paper, a prognostic method based on nonlinear-drifted Brownian motion with multiple hidden states is proposed and then it is applied to predict remaining useful life of rechargeable batteries. 26 sets of rechargeable battery degradation samples are analyzed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed prognostic method. Moreover, some comparisons with a standard particle filter based prognostic method, a spherical cubature particle filter based prognostic method and two classic Bayesian prognostic methods are conducted to highlight the superiority of the proposed prognostic method. Results show that the proposed prognostic method has lower average prediction errors than the particle filter based prognostic methods and the classic Bayesian prognostic methods for battery remaining useful life prediction.

A new hybrid method for the prediction of the remaining useful life of a lithium-ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Yang; Fang, Huajing; Zhang, Yong

2017-01-01

Highlights: •The proposed prognostic method can make full use of historical information. •The method of obtaining historical error data is discussed in detail. •Comparative experiments based on data-driven and model-based methods are performed. •Battery working with different discharging currents is considered. -- Abstract: The lithium-ion battery has become the main power source of many electronic devices, it is necessary to know its state-of-health and remaining useful life to ensure the reliability of electronic device. In this paper, a novel hybrid method with the thought of error-correction is proposed to predict the remaining useful life of lithium-ion battery, which fuses the algorithms of unscented Kalman filter, complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) and relevance vector machine. Firstly, the unscented Kalman filter algorithm is adopted to obtain a prognostic result based on an estimated model and produce a raw error series. Secondly, a new error series is constructed by analyzing the decomposition results of the raw error series obtained by CEEMD method. Finally, the new error series is utilized by relevance vector machine regression model to predict the prognostic error which is adopted to correct the prognostic result obtained by unscented Kalman filter. Remaining useful life prediction experiments for batteries with different rated capacities and discharging currents are performed to show the high reliability of the proposed hybrid method.

Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Gas Turbine Engine using Autoregressive Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahsan Shazaib

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Gas turbine (GT engines are known for their high availability and reliability and are extensively used for power generation, marine and aero-applications. Maintenance of such complex machines should be done proactively to reduce cost and sustain high availability of the GT. The aim of this paper is to explore the use of autoregressive (AR models to predict remaining useful life (RUL of a GT engine. The Turbofan Engine data from NASA benchmark data repository is used as case study. The parametric investigation is performed to check on any effect of changing model parameter on modelling accuracy. Results shows that a single sensory data cannot accurately predict RUL of GT and further research need to be carried out by incorporating multi-sensory data. Furthermore, the predictions made using AR model seems to give highly pessimistic values for RUL of GT.

An analysis of the alleged skeletal remains of Carin Göring.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Kjellström

Full Text Available In 1991, treasure hunters found skeletal remains in an area close to the destroyed country residence of former Nazi leader Hermann Göring in northeastern Berlin. The remains, which were believed to belong to Carin Göring, who was buried at the site, were examined to determine whether it was possible to make a positive identification. The anthropological analysis showed that the remains come from an adult woman. The DNA analysis of several bone elements showed female sex, and a reference sample from Carin's son revealed mtDNA sequences identical to the remains. The profile has one nucleotide difference from the Cambridge reference sequence (rCRS, the common variant 263G. A database search resulted in a frequency of this mtDNA sequence of about 10% out of more than 7,000 European haplotypes. The mtDNA sequence found in the ulna, the cranium and the reference sample is, thus, very common among Europeans. Therefore, nuclear DNA analysis was attempted. The remains as well as a sample from Carin's son were successfully analysed for the three nuclear markers TH01, D7S820 and D8S1179. The nuclear DNA analysis of the two samples revealed one shared allele for each of the three markers, supporting a mother and son relationship. This genetic information together with anthropological and historical files provides an additional piece of circumstantial evidence in our efforts to identify the remains of Carin Göring.

Microscopic Void Detection for Predicting Remaining Life in Electric Cable Insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, David A.; Avila, Steven M.

2003-01-01

A reliable method of testing for remaining life in electric cable insulation has continued to elude the nuclear industry as it seeks to extend the life and license of its nuclear stations. Until recently, a trendable, measurable electrical property has not been found, and unexpected cable failures continue to be reported. Most reliable approaches to date rely on monitoring mechanical properties, which are assumed to degrade faster than the insulation's electrical properties. This paper introduces a promising technique based on void characterization, which is dependent on an electrical property related to dielectric strength. A relationship between insulation void characteristics (size and density) and the onset of partial discharge is known to exist. A similar relationship can be shown between void characteristics and unacceptable leakage currents (another typical cable failure criterion). For low-voltage cables, it is believed void content can be correlated to mechanical property degradation.This paper will report on an approach for using void information, research results showing the existence of trendable void characteristics in commonly used electric insulation materials, and techniques for detecting the voids (both laboratory- and field-based techniques). Acoustical microscopy was found to be potentially more suitable than conventional ultrasound for nondestructive in situ detection and monitoring of void characteristics in jacketed multiconductor insulation while ignoring the jacket. Also, optical and scanning electron microscope techniques will play an essential role in establishing the database necessary for continued development and implementation of this promising technique

Remaining useful life prediction based on the Wiener process for an aviation axial piston pump

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingjian Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An aviation hydraulic axial piston pump’s degradation from comprehensive wear is a typical gradual failure model. Accurate wear prediction is difficult as random and uncertain characteristics must be factored into the estimation. The internal wear status of the axial piston pump is characterized by the return oil flow based on fault mechanism analysis of the main frictional pairs in the pump. The performance degradation model is described by the Wiener process to predict the remaining useful life (RUL of the pump. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE is performed by utilizing the expectation maximization (EM algorithm to estimate the initial parameters of the Wiener process while recursive estimation is conducted utilizing the Kalman filter method to estimate the drift coefficient of the Wiener process. The RUL of the pump is then calculated according to the performance degradation model based on the Wiener process. Experimental results indicate that the return oil flow is a suitable characteristic for reflecting the internal wear status of the axial piston pump, and thus the Wiener process-based method may effectively predicate the RUL of the pump.

An adaptive-order particle filter for remaining useful life prediction of aviation piston pumps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tongyang LI

2018-05-01

Full Text Available An accurate estimation of the remaining useful life (RUL not only contributes to an effective application of an aviation piston pump, but also meets the necessity of condition based maintenance (CBM. For the current RUL evaluation methods, a model-based method is inappropriate for the degradation process of an aviation piston pump due to difficulties of modeling, while a data-based method rarely presents high-accuracy prediction in a long period of time. In this work, an adaptive-order particle filter (AOPF prognostic process is proposed aiming at improving long-term prediction accuracy of RUL by combining both kinds of methods. A dynamic model is initialized by a data-driven or empirical method. When a new observation comes, the prior state distribution is approximated by a current model. The order of the current model is updated adaptively by fusing the information of the observation. Monte Carlo simulation is employed for estimating the posterior probability density function of future states of the pump’s degradation. With updating the order number adaptively, the method presents a higher precision in contrast with those of traditional methods. In a case study, the proposed AOPF method is adopted to forecast the degradation status of an aviation piston pump with experimental return oil flow data, and the analytical results show the effectiveness of the proposed AOPF method. Keywords: Adaptive prognosis, Condition based maintenance (CBM, Particle filter (PF, Piston pump, Remaining useful life (RUL

Life extension economic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smithling, A.P.

1992-01-01

Life extension economic analyses of fossil fueled power plants need the development of consistent methods which consider the capital costs associated with component replacement or repair and estimates of normal station capital expenditures over the units remaining life. In order to link capital and production costs, Niagra Mohawk Power Corp. develops most and worst cases. A most case includes capital components that would definitely need replacement or modification for life extension. The worst case scenario contains must case capital costs plus various components which may need replacement or modification. In addition, two forecasted conditions are used, base case capacity and low capacity

Remaining life assessment of carbon steel boiler headers by repeated creep testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drew, M. [ANSTO, Materials and Engineering Science, New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights, PMB 1 Menai, NSW 2234 (Australia)]. E-mail: michael.drew@ansto.gov.au; Humphries, S. [ANSTO, Materials and Engineering Science, New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights, PMB 1 Menai, NSW 2234 (Australia); Thorogood, K. [ANSTO, Materials and Engineering Science, New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights, PMB 1 Menai, NSW 2234 (Australia); Barnett, N. [BlueScope Steel, P.O. Box 1854, Wollongong, NSW (Australia)

2006-05-15

The condition of carbon steel boiler headers that have been in service for over 25 years has been assessed periodically by NDT, dimensional measurements, replication and accelerated creep testing. Historical temperature records were limited, so estimates of effective header temperatures were made from replicas. These estimates were compared with header stub thermocouple readings. At about 280,000 service hours, samples were chain-drilled from the headers for accelerated creep testing. These test results indicated that the headers had satisfactory remaining life. Nine years after the original samples were taken, additional samples were removed from one header at 337,000 service hours. The creep rupture properties measured from the repeated tests were almost identical to the initial results. A mild degree of random, nodular graphite was found in the samples and its effect on creep properties is discussed.

Tool Condition Monitoring and Remaining Useful Life Prognostic Based on a Wireless Sensor in Dry Milling Operations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cunji Zhang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Tool breakage causes losses of surface polishing and dimensional accuracy for machined part, or possible damage to a workpiece or machine. Tool Condition Monitoring (TCM is considerably vital in the manufacturing industry. In this paper, an indirect TCM approach is introduced with a wireless triaxial accelerometer. The vibrations in the three vertical directions (x, y and z are acquired during milling operations, and the raw signals are de-noised by wavelet analysis. These features of de-noised signals are extracted in the time, frequency and time–frequency domains. The key features are selected based on Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (PCC. The Neuro-Fuzzy Network (NFN is adopted to predict the tool wear and Remaining Useful Life (RUL. In comparison with Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN and Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN, the results show that the NFN has the best performance in the prediction of tool wear and RUL.

Lithium-ion battery remaining useful life prediction based on grey support vector machines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaogang Li

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, an improved grey prediction model is proposed to address low-accuracy prediction issue of grey forecasting model. The first step is using a trigonometric function to transform the original data sequence to smooth the data, which is called smoothness of grey prediction model, and then a grey support vector machine model by integrating the improved grey model with support vector machine is introduced. At the initial stage of the model, trigonometric functions and accumulation generation operation can be used to preprocess the data, which enhances the smoothness of the data and reduces the associated randomness. In addition, support vector machine is implemented to establish a prediction model for the pre-processed data and select the optimal model parameters via genetic algorithms. Finally, the data are restored through the ‘regressive generate’ operation to obtain the forecasting data. To prove that the grey support vector machine model is superior to the other models, the battery life data from the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering are selected, and the presented model is used to predict the remaining useful life of the battery. The predicted result is compared to that of grey model and support vector machines. For a more intuitive comparison of the three models, this article quantifies the root mean square errors for these three different models in the case of different ratio of training samples and prediction samples. The results show that the effect of grey support vector machine model is optimal, and the corresponding root mean square error is only 3.18%.

Role of stable isotope analyses in reconstructing past life-histories and the provenancing human skeletal remains: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sehrawat Jagmahender Singh

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article reviews the present scenario of use of stable isotopes (mainly δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, 87Sr to trace past life behaviours like breast feeding and weaning practices, the geographic origin, migration history, paleodiet and subsistence patterns of past populations from the chemical signatures of isotopes imprinted in human skeletal remains. This approach is based on the state that food-web isotopic signatures are seen in the human bones and teeth and such signatures can change parallely with a variety of biogeochemical processes. By measuring δ13C and δ15N isotopic values of subadult tissues of different ages, the level of breast milk ingestion at particular ages and the components of the complementary foods can be assessed. Strontium and oxygen isotopic analyses have been used for determining the geographic origins and reconstructing the way of life of past populations as these isotopes can map the isotopic outline of the area from where the person acquired water and food during initial lifetime. The isotopic values of strontium and oxygen values are considered specific to geographical areas and serve as reliable chemical signatures of migration history of past human populations (local or non-local to the site. Previous isotopic studies show that the subsistence patterns of the past human populations underwent extensive changes from nomadic to complete agricultural dependence strategies. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of local fauna of any archaeological site can be used to elucidate the prominence of freshwater resources in the diet of the past human populations found near the site. More extensive research covering isotopic descriptions of various prehistoric, historic and modern populations is needed to explore the role of stable isotope analysis for provenancing human skeletal remains and assessing human migration patterns/routes, geographic origins, paleodiet and subsistence practices of past populations.

Remaining life case history studies for high energy piping systems using equivalent stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, M.J.

1987-01-01

As the development of plant life extension for high energy piping systems is progressing, conventional piping system design methodologies are also being reevaluated. Traditional guidelines such as American National Standard Institute/American Society of Mechanical Engineers B31.1 (ANSI/ASME) were developed for plants having design lives in the 25- to 30-year regime based upon relatively short-term base metal creep data. These guidelines use a simplified approach for the piping analysis. Two types of stress criteria must be satisfied. The first type is longitudinal plus torsion stress checks for several types of loading conditions versus the material allowable stresses. The second type is an independent minimum wall thickness check which considers the hoop stress versus the material allowable stress. Seven case histories have been evaluated to estimate the minimum piping system creep life based on the current ANSI/ASME B31.1 finite element type of analysis, which is a traditional approach, versus a multiaxial stress state type of analysis. In nearly every case, the equivalent stress methodology predicted significantly higher stresses. Consequently, the equivalent stress methodology resulted in 11 to 96% lower time to rupture values as compared to the values predicted using ANSI/ASME B31.1 stresses

Simulation of Microdamage and Evaluation of Remaining Life of Steam Conduit Components from New-Generation Refractory Steel 10Kh9MF-Sh

Science.gov (United States)

Gladshtein, V. I.

2018-03-01

The effects of microdamage on the remaining life of high-temperature components of steam conduits from high-chromium steel 10Kh9MF-Sh and low-alloy steel 12Kh1M1F are compared. To simulate the microdamage, specimens with a circular notch and different relative diameters are fabricated. Specimens with a notch simulating the highest degree of microdamage and smooth specimens are tested for long-term strength. The coefficient of the remaining life of a conduit is computed for the range of relative damage presenting practical interest.

Remaining life prediction of I and C cables for reliability assessment of NPP systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santhosh, T.V.; Ghosh, A.K.; Fernandes, B.G.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A framework for time dependent reliability prediction of I and C cables for use in PSA of NPP has been developed using stress–strength interference theory. ► The proposed methodology has been illustrated with the accelerated thermal aging data on a typical XLPE cable. ► The behavior of insulation resistance when the degradation process is linear or exponential has also been modeled. ► The reliability index or probability of failure obtained from this approach can be used in system reliability evaluation to account for cable aging for PSA of NPP. - Abstract: Instrumentation and control (I and C) cables are one of the most important components in nuclear power plants (NPPs) because they provide power to safety-related equipment and also to transmit signals to and from various controllers to perform safety operations. I and C cables in NPP are subjected to a variety of aging and degradation stressors that can produce immediate degradation or aging-related mechanisms causing the degradation of cable components over time. Although, there exits several life estimation techniques, currently there is no any standard methodology or an approach toward estimating the time dependent reliability of I and C cables that can be directly used in probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) applications. Hence, the objective of this study is to develop an approach to estimate and confirm the continued acceptable margin in cable insulation life over time subjected to aging. This paper presents a framework based on the structural reliability theory to quantify the life time of I and C cable subjecting to thermal aging. Since cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables are extensively being used in Indian NPPs, the remaining life time evaluations have been carried out for a typical XLPE cable. However, the methodology can be extended to other cables such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), etc.

ALIAS an innovative intranet-system for the remaining life analysis of systems and components; ALIAS - ein innovatives Intranet-System zur Restlebensdaueranalyse von Systemen und Bauteilen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jovanovic, A S; Schweikhard, T [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Staatliche Materialpruefungsanstalt; Balos, D [Stuttgart Univ. (Germany). Staatliche Materialpruefungsanstalt; [Grosskraftwerk Mannheim AG (Germany)

1998-11-01

The paper describes an innovative and advanced system for remaining life assessment of industrial high-temperature components developed at MPA Stuttgart, Germany and being currently introduced into the power plants in Germany and in several other countries. The system is a corporate memory system, essentially meaning that all the information/knowledge of a corporation (company, institute, etc.) should be maximally exploited in future activities of the company, with minimum changes in the existing structure of the data/information/knowledge already available. The system has two main aspects of practical implementation: (a) the organizational one, represented by MPA LifeTech, and (b) the software system one represented by the ``parent systems`` WISDOM and (WISDOM - WWW-based Intelligent System for Data and Documentation Management, ALIAS - The Advanced modular intelligent Life Assessment Software System). (orig.) [Deutsch] Das Papier beschreibt ein innovatives und fortschrittliches Softwaresystem, das an der MPA Stuttgart entwickelt wurde und bei mehreren europaeischen und deutschen Kraftwerksbetreibern eingefuehrt wird. Das Konzept beruht auf der Idee von s.g. corporate memory systems mit der Zielsetzung, die gesamte Bandbreite an Informationen und Wissen eines Unternehmens (Firma, Institution usw.) fuer dessen zukuenftige Aktivitaeten optimal zu nutzen. Die bestehende Struktur der bereits vorhandenen Daten sollte dabei nur geringfuegig geaendert werden muessen. Zur praktischen Durchfuehrung des Konzepts sind zwei Aspekte von Bedeutung: die Organisation (MPA LifeTech) und das Softwaresystem bzw. Systeme WISDOM und ALIAS (WISDOM - WWW-based Intelligent System for Data and Documentation Management, ALIAS - The Advanced modular Intelligent Life Assessment Software System). (orig.)

Creep, fatigue and creep-fatigue damage evaluation and estimation of remaining life of SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel at high temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishino, Seiichi; Sakane, Masao; Ohnami, Masateru

1986-01-01

Experimental study was made on the damage evaluation and estimation of remaining life of SUS 304 stainless steel in creep, low-cycle fatigue and creep-fatigue at 873 K in air. Creep, fatigue and creep-fatigue damage curves were drawn by the method proposed by D.A. Woodford and the relations between these damages and non-destructive parameters, i.e., microvickers hardness and quantities obtained from X-ray diffraction, were discussed. From these tests, the following conclusions were obtained. (1) Constant damage lines in the diagram of remaining lives in creep and fatigue could be drawn by changing load levels during the tests. Constant damage lines in creep-fatigue were also made by a linear damage rule using both static creep and fatigue damage curves, which agree well with the experimental data in creep-fatigue. (2) Microvickers hardness and half-value breadth in X-ray diffraction are appropriate parameters to evaluate creep damage but are not proper to evaluate fatigue damage. Particle size and microstrain obtained by X-ray profile analysis are good parameters to evaluate both creep and fatigue damages. (author)

Support vector machine based estimation of remaining useful life: current research status and future trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Hong Zhong; Wang, Hai Kun; Li, Yan Feng; Zhang, Longlong; Liu, Zhiliang

2015-01-01

Estimation of remaining useful life (RUL) is helpful to manage life cycles of machines and to reduce maintenance cost. Support vector machine (SVM) is a promising algorithm for estimation of RUL because it can easily process small training sets and multi-dimensional data. Many SVM based methods have been proposed to predict RUL of some key components. We did a literature review related to SVM based RUL estimation within a decade. The references reviewed are classified into two categories: improved SVM algorithms and their applications to RUL estimation. The latter category can be further divided into two types: one, to predict the condition state in the future and then build a relationship between state and RUL; two, to establish a direct relationship between current state and RUL. However, SVM is seldom used to track the degradation process and build an accurate relationship between the current health condition state and RUL. Based on the above review and summary, this paper points out that the ability to continually improve SVM, and obtain a novel idea for RUL prediction using SVM will be future works.

The discount rate and the value of remaining years of life

OpenAIRE

Hartwick, John

2008-01-01

We back out an estimate of a personal discount rate of between 3 and 4 percent for a person with a life expectancy of 74 years who dies at age 30 (or 40) and has a value of statistical life of $6.3 million. Central to these calculations is the series generated by Murphy and Topel of value of life years (the dollar value of consumption plus the dollar value of leisure, with some smoothing for income in retirement). We employ the Makeham "model" of life expectancy in our calculations.

A New Predictive Model Based on the ABC Optimized Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines Approach for Predicting the Remaining Useful Life in Aircraft Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulino José García Nieto

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Remaining useful life (RUL estimation is considered as one of the most central points in the prognostics and health management (PHM. The present paper describes a nonlinear hybrid ABC–MARS-based model for the prediction of the remaining useful life of aircraft engines. Indeed, it is well-known that an accurate RUL estimation allows failure prevention in a more controllable way so that the effective maintenance can be carried out in appropriate time to correct impending faults. The proposed hybrid model combines multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS, which have been successfully adopted for regression problems, with the artificial bee colony (ABC technique. This optimization technique involves parameter setting in the MARS training procedure, which significantly influences the regression accuracy. However, its use in reliability applications has not yet been widely explored. Bearing this in mind, remaining useful life values have been predicted here by using the hybrid ABC–MARS-based model from the remaining measured parameters (input variables for aircraft engines with success. A correlation coefficient equal to 0.92 was obtained when this hybrid ABC–MARS-based model was applied to experimental data. The agreement of this model with experimental data confirmed its good performance. The main advantage of this predictive model is that it does not require information about the previous operation states of the aircraft engine.

Hybrid PSO–SVM-based method for forecasting of the remaining useful life for aircraft engines and evaluation of its reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García Nieto, P.J.; García-Gonzalo, E.; Sánchez Lasheras, F.; Cos Juez, F.J. de

2015-01-01

The present paper describes a hybrid PSO–SVM-based model for the prediction of the remaining useful life of aircraft engines. The proposed hybrid model combines support vector machines (SVMs), which have been successfully adopted for regression problems, with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. This optimization technique involves kernel parameter setting in the SVM training procedure, which significantly influences the regression accuracy. However, its use in reliability applications has not been yet widely explored. Bearing this in mind, remaining useful life values have been predicted here by using the hybrid PSO–SVM-based model from the remaining measured parameters (input variables) for aircraft engines with success. A coefficient of determination equal to 0.9034 was obtained when this hybrid PSO–RBF–SVM-based model was applied to experimental data. The agreement of this model with experimental data confirmed its good performance. One of the main advantages of this predictive model is that it does not require information about the previous operation states of the engine. Finally, the main conclusions of this study are exposed. - Highlights: • A hybrid PSO–SVM-based model is built as a predictive model of the RUL values for aircraft engines. • The remaining physical–chemical variables in this process are studied in depth. • The obtained regression accuracy of our method is about 95%. • The results show that PSO–SVM-based model can assist in the diagnosis of the RUL values with accuracy

Method for estimating capacity and predicting remaining useful life of lithium-ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Chao; Jain, Gaurav; Tamirisa, Prabhakar; Gorka, Tom

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We develop an integrated method for the capacity estimation and RUL prediction. • A state projection scheme is derived for capacity estimation. • The Gauss–Hermite particle filter technique is used for the RUL prediction. • Results with 10 years’ continuous cycling data verify the effectiveness of the method. - Abstract: Reliability of lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries used in implantable medical devices has been recognized as of high importance from a broad range of stakeholders, including medical device manufacturers, regulatory agencies, physicians, and patients. To ensure Li-ion batteries in these devices operate reliably, it is important to be able to assess the capacity of Li-ion battery and predict the remaining useful life (RUL) throughout the whole life-time. This paper presents an integrated method for the capacity estimation and RUL prediction of Li-ion battery used in implantable medical devices. A state projection scheme from the author’s previous study is used for the capacity estimation. Then, based on the capacity estimates, the Gauss–Hermite particle filter technique is used to project the capacity fade to the end-of-service (EOS) value (or the failure limit) for the RUL prediction. Results of 10 years’ continuous cycling test on Li-ion prismatic cells in the lab suggest that the proposed method achieves good accuracy in the capacity estimation and captures the uncertainty in the RUL prediction. Post-explant weekly cycling data obtained from field cells with 4–7 implant years further verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in the capacity estimation

Experience of childhood abuse and later number of remaining teeth in older Japanese: a life-course study from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study project.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuyama, Yusuke; Fujiwara, Takeo; Aida, Jun; Watt, Richard G; Kondo, Naoki; Yamamoto, Tatsuo; Kondo, Katsunori; Osaka, Ken

2016-12-01

From a life-course perspective, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as childhood abuse are known risk factors for adult diseases and death throughout life. ACEs could also cause poor dental health in later life because they could induce poor dental health in childhood, initiate unhealthy behaviors, and lower immune and physiological functions. However, it is not known whether ACEs have a longitudinal adverse effect on dental health in older age. This study aimed to investigate the association between experience of childhood abuse until the age of 18 and current number of remaining teeth among a sample of older Japanese adults. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a large-scale, self-reported survey in 2013 including 27 525 community-dwelling Japanese aged ≥65 years (response rate=71.1%). The outcome, current number of remaining teeth was used categorically: ≥20, 10-19, 5-9, 1-4, and no teeth. Childhood abuse was defined as having any experience of physical abuse, psychological abuse, and psychological neglect up until the age of 18 years. Ordered logistic regression models were applied. Of the 25 189 respondents who indicated their number of remaining teeth (mean age: 73.9; male: 46.5%), 14.8% had experience of childhood abuse. Distributions of ≥20, 10-19, 5-9, 1-4, and no teeth were as follows: 46.6%, 22.0%, 11.4%, 8.2%, and 11.8% among respondents with childhood abuse, while 52.3%, 21.3%, 10.3%, 6.6%, and 9.5% among respondents without childhood abuse. Childhood abuse was significantly associated with fewer remaining teeth after adjusting for covariates including socioeconomic status (odds ratio=1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.22). Childhood abuse could have a longitudinal adverse effect on later dental health in older age. This study emphasizes the importance of early life experiences on dental health throughout later life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by

Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

2010-01-01

The future use of Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit (LCCB) analysis is discussed in this paper. A more complete analysis including not only the traditional factors and user costs, but also factors which are difficult to include in the analysis is needed in the future.......The future use of Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit (LCCB) analysis is discussed in this paper. A more complete analysis including not only the traditional factors and user costs, but also factors which are difficult to include in the analysis is needed in the future....

The role of lubricant analysis in maximizing lubricant and equipment life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janis, J.

1995-01-01

Lubricant analysis has always played an important yet somewhat invisible role in equipment health monitoring. At its most primitive, simple observations and field testing alert equipment operators to changing conditions. At its most advanced, data from performance and analytical tests are used to develop or select optimum lubricants for service, stretch drain intervals, predict remaining equipment life and identify potential equipment or system problems at an incipient stage. Coupled with thermography and vibration analysis, lubricant analysis can become a major component of a comprehensive predictive maintenance (PM) program. Ontario Hydro finds itself at a turning point regarding the use and monitoring of lubricants. Increasing emphasis on equipment reliability and plant life extension, coupled with major, recent changes in lubricant composition in response to environmental, energy and safety concerns, forces an upgrading of many aspects of lubricant monitoring so that it may establish itself as a key part of modern PM practices. This paper discusses some of these aspects. (author)

Status, remaining service-life and quality assurance of PP-materials in flue-gas applications; Status, kvarvarande livslaengd och kvalitetssaekring av PP-material i anlaeggningar foer rening och kondensering av roekgaser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobson, Karin

2011-10-15

Background: The project is intended to provide a better understanding of how the service life of PP-materials is affected when used in flue-gas applications. It intends to form a basis for the development of relevant techniques and a methodology from which it is possible to give advice and guidance so that the quality of PP-materials can be ensured for a given desired service life. In addition it aims as being able to assess the status and remaining life of PP-materials in current components. Project outline - An inventory, contact and choice of facilities for closer cooperation. Plants with high proportions of PP in the equipment have been prioritised. - Visits to the chosen sites during shut-down periods for inspection and collection of samples from different PP details for further analysis in the laboratory. Collection of operating data and experiences of the use of PP (operating time/exposure conditions in different parts, component substitutions that have been made, etc.). - Systematic studies of the processes and mechanisms for stabiliser consumption over time. - Developing methods and methodology on which advice and guidance can be based so that the quality of PP-materials can be ensured for a given desired service life. The goal is to be able to assess the status and remaining service-life of the PP-materials in flue-gas applications. Results and Conclusions: It has been found that corrosion is relatively rare and that the main factors limiting the use and longevity of polypropylene are the thermal properties (thermal expansion and heat distortion). Leaching of stabilisers from the material is also commonly found but only a few cases of oxidative degradation, as a result of this, have been observed. An important part of the project has been to develop techniques and methodologies to assure the quality PP-material for a desired service life, and to assess the status and remaining life of the PP- materials in flue-gas applications. To do this, samples that

Development and advance of methodological basis of the determination of remaining life of reinforced concrete construction of NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matchenko, T.Yi.; Shamyis, L.B.; Pervushova, L.F.; Matchenko, O.T.

2011-01-01

The analysis is made of the existing methodological basis on determination of the technical state and residual service life of building constructions with categories of responsibility 1 and 2. The absent norms parameters for estimation of the state and service life of constructions are determined. Components for the decision of this problem are analyzed also.

Remaining Useful Life Prediction for Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Gaussian Processes Mixture

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lingling; Wang, Pengchong; Chao, Kuei-Hsiang; Zhou, Yatong; Xie, Yang

2016-01-01

The remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of Lithium-ion batteries is closely related to the capacity degeneration trajectories. Due to the self-charging and the capacity regeneration, the trajectories have the property of multimodality. Traditional prediction models such as the support vector machines (SVM) or the Gaussian Process regression (GPR) cannot accurately characterize this multimodality. This paper proposes a novel RUL prediction method based on the Gaussian Process Mixture (GPM). It can process multimodality by fitting different segments of trajectories with different GPR models separately, such that the tiny differences among these segments can be revealed. The method is demonstrated to be effective for prediction by the excellent predictive result of the experiments on the two commercial and chargeable Type 1850 Lithium-ion batteries, provided by NASA. The performance comparison among the models illustrates that the GPM is more accurate than the SVM and the GPR. In addition, GPM can yield the predictive confidence interval, which makes the prediction more reliable than that of traditional models. PMID:27632176

Intelligent Prognostic Framework for Degradation Assessment and Remaining Useful Life Estimation of Photovoltaic Module

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabil Laayouj

2016-12-01

Full Text Available All industrial systems and machines are subjected to degradation processes, which can be related to the operating conditions. This degradation can cause unwanted stops at any time and major maintenance work sometimes. The accurate prediction of the remaining useful life (RUL is an important challenge in condition-based maintenance. Prognostic activity allows estimating the RUL before failure occurs and triggering actions to mitigate faults in time when needed. In this study, a new smart prognostic method for photovoltaic module health degradation was developed based on two approaches to achieve more accurate predictions: online diagnosis and data-driven prognosis. This framework of forecasting integrates the strengths of real-time monitoring in the first approach and relevant vector machine in the second. The results show that the proposed method is plausible due to its good prediction of RUL and can be effectively applied to many systems for monitoring and prognostics.

Lithium-ion Battery Degradation Assessment and Remaining Useful Life Estimation in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabil Laayouj

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract—Prognostic activity deals with prediction of the remaining useful life (RUL of physical systems based on their actual health state and their usage conditions. RUL estimation gives operators a potent tool in decision making by quantifying how much time is left until functionality is lost. In addition, it can be used to improve the characterization of the material proprieties that govern damage propagation for the structure being monitored. RUL can be estimated by using three main approaches, namely model-based, data-driven and hybrid approaches. The prognostics methods used later in this paper are hybrid and data-driven approaches, which employ the Particle Filter in the first one and the autoregressive integrated moving average in the second. The performance of the suggested approaches is evaluated in a comparative study on data collected from lithium-ion battery of hybrid electric vehicle.

An online method for lithium-ion battery remaining useful life estimation using importance sampling and neural networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Ji; Zhang, Chenbin; Chen, Zonghai

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An online RUL estimation method for lithium-ion battery is proposed. • RUL is described by the difference among battery terminal voltage curves. • A feed forward neural network is employed for RUL estimation. • Importance sampling is utilized to select feed forward neural network inputs. - Abstract: An accurate battery remaining useful life (RUL) estimation can facilitate the design of a reliable battery system as well as the safety and reliability of actual operation. A reasonable definition and an effective prediction algorithm are indispensable for the achievement of an accurate RUL estimation result. In this paper, the analysis of battery terminal voltage curves under different cycle numbers during charge process is utilized for RUL definition. Moreover, the relationship between RUL and charge curve is simulated by feed forward neural network (FFNN) for its simplicity and effectiveness. Considering the nonlinearity of lithium-ion charge curve, importance sampling (IS) is employed for FFNN input selection. Based on these results, an online approach using FFNN and IS is presented to estimate lithium-ion battery RUL in this paper. Experiments and numerical comparisons are conducted to validate the proposed method. The results show that the FFNN with IS is an accurate estimation method for actual operation.

Predicting the Remaining Useful Life of Rolling Element Bearings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hooghoudt, Jan Otto; Jantunen, E; Yi, Yang

2018-01-01

Condition monitoring of rolling element bearings is of vital importance in order to keep the industrial wheels running. In wind industry this is especially important due to the challenges in practical maintenance. The paper presents an attempt to improve the capability of prediction of remaining...

Determining Remaining Useful Life of Aging Cables in Nuclear Power Plants - Interim Study FY13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmons, Kevin L.; Fifield, Leonard S.; Westman, Matthew P.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Pardini, Allan F.; Tedeschi, Jonathan R.; Jones, Anthony M.

2013-01-01

The most important criterion for cable performance is its ability to withstand a design-basis accident. With nearly 1000 km of power, control, instrumentation, and other cables typically found in an NPP, it would be a significant undertaking to inspect all of the cables. Degradation of the cable jacket, electrical insulation, and other cable components is a key issue that is likely to affect the ability of the currently installed cables to operate safely and reliably for another 20 to 40 years beyond the initial operating life. The development of one or more nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques and supporting models that could assist in determining the remaining life expectancy of cables or their current degradation state would be of significant interest. The ability to nondestructively determine material and electrical properties of cable jackets and insulation without disturbing the cables or connections has been deemed essential. Currently, the only technique accepted by industry to measure cable elasticity (the gold standard for determining cable insulation degradation) is the indentation measurement. All other NDE techniques are used to find flaws in the cable and do not provide information to determine the current health or life expectancy. There is no single NDE technique that can satisfy all of the requirements needed for making a life-expectancy determination, but a wide range of methods have been evaluated for use in NPPs as part of a continuous evaluation program. The commonly used methods are indentation and visual inspection, but these are only suitable for easily accessible cables. Several NDE methodologies using electrical techniques are in use today for flaw detection but there are none that can predict the life of a cable. There are, however, several physical and chemical ptoperty changes in cable insulation as a result of thermal and radiation damage. In principle, these properties may be targets for advanced NDE methods to provide early

An On-Board Remaining Useful Life Estimation Algorithm for Lithium-Ion Batteries of Electric Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyu Li

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Battery remaining useful life (RUL estimation is critical to battery management and performance optimization of electric vehicles (EVs. In this paper, we present an effective way to estimate RUL online by using the support vector machine (SVM algorithm. By studying the characteristics of the battery degradation process, the rising of the terminal voltage and changing characteristics of the voltage derivative (DV during the charging process are introduced as the training variables of the SVM algorithm to determine the battery RUL. The SVM is then applied to build the battery degradation model and predict the battery real cycle numbers. Experimental results prove that the built battery degradation model shows higher accuracy and less computation time compared with those of the neural network (NN method, thereby making it a potential candidate for realizing online RUL estimation in a battery management system (BMS.

Mummified remains from the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, Croatia - Reviewing peculiarities and limitations of human and non-human radiological identification and analysis in mummified remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Petaros, Anja; Janković, Ivor; Cavalli, Fabio; Ivanac, Gordana; Brkljačić, Boris; Čavka, Mislav

2015-10-01

Forensic protocols and medico-legal techniques are increasingly being employed in investigations of museological material. The final findings of such investigations may reveal interesting facts on historical figures, customs and habits, as well as provide meaningful data for forensic use. Herein we present a case review where forensic experts were requested to identify taxonomic affinities, stage of preservation and provide skeletal analysis of mummified non-human archaeological remains, and verify whether two mummified hands are human or not. The manuscript offers a short review on the process and particularities of radiological species identification, the impact of post-mortem changes in the analysis and imaging of mummified remains as well as the macroscopical interpretation of trauma, pathology and authenticity in mummified remains, which can all turn useful when dealing with forensic cases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

[PALEOPATHOLOGY OF HUMAN REMAINS].

Science.gov (United States)

Minozzi, Simona; Fornaciari, Gino

2015-01-01

Many diseases induce alterations in the human skeleton, leaving traces of their presence in ancient remains. Paleopathological examination of human remains not only allows the study of the history and evolution of the disease, but also the reconstruction of health conditions in the past populations. This paper describes the most interesting diseases observed in skeletal samples from the Roman Imperial Age necropoles found in urban and suburban areas of Rome during archaeological excavations in the last decades. The diseases observed were grouped into the following categories: articular diseases, traumas, infections, metabolic or nutritional diseases, congenital diseases and tumours, and some examples are reported for each group. Although extensive epidemiological investigation in ancient skeletal records is impossible, the palaeopathological study allowed to highlight the spread of numerous illnesses, many of which can be related to the life and health conditions of the Roman population.

A novel health indicator for on-line lithium-ion batteries remaining useful life prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yapeng; Huang, Miaohua; Chen, Yupu; Tao, Ye

2016-07-01

Prediction of lithium-ion batteries remaining useful life (RUL) plays an important role in an intelligent battery management system. The capacity and internal resistance are often used as the batteries health indicator (HI) for quantifying degradation and predicting RUL. However, on-line measurement of capacity and internal resistance are hardly realizable due to the not fully charged and discharged condition and the extremely expensive cost, respectively. Therefore, there is a great need to find an optional way to deal with this plight. In this work, a novel HI is extracted from the operating parameters of lithium-ion batteries for degradation modeling and RUL prediction. Moreover, Box-Cox transformation is employed to improve HI performance. Then Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses are utilized to evaluate the similarity between real capacity and the estimated capacity derived from the HI. Next, both simple statistical regression technique and optimized relevance vector machine are employed to predict the RUL based on the presented HI. The correlation analyses and prediction results show the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed HI for battery degradation modeling and RUL prediction.

A Hybrid Prognostic Approach for Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-An Yang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Lithium-ion battery is a core component of many systems such as satellite, spacecraft, and electric vehicles and its failure can lead to reduced capability, downtime, and even catastrophic breakdowns. Remaining useful life (RUL prediction of lithium-ion batteries before the future failure event is extremely crucial for proactive maintenance/safety actions. This study proposes a hybrid prognostic approach that can predict the RUL of degraded lithium-ion batteries using physical laws and data-driven modeling simultaneously. In this hybrid prognostic approach, the relevant vectors obtained with the selective kernel ensemble-based relevance vector machine (RVM learning algorithm are fitted to the physical degradation model, which is then extrapolated to failure threshold for estimating the RUL of the lithium-ion battery of interest. The experimental results indicated that the proposed hybrid prognostic approach can accurately predict the RUL of degraded lithium-ion batteries. Empirical comparisons show that the proposed hybrid prognostic approach using the selective kernel ensemble-based RVM learning algorithm performs better than the hybrid prognostic approaches using the popular learning algorithms of feedforward artificial neural networks (ANNs like the conventional backpropagation (BP algorithm and support vector machines (SVMs. In addition, an investigation is also conducted to identify the effects of RVM learning algorithm on the proposed hybrid prognostic approach.

Determining Remaining Useful Life of Aging Cables in Nuclear Power Plants – Interim Study FY13

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, Kevin L.; Fifield, Leonard S.; Westman, Matthew P.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Pardini, Allan F.; Tedeschi, Jonathan R.; Jones, Anthony M.

2013-09-27

The most important criterion for cable performance is its ability to withstand a design-basis accident. With nearly 1000 km of power, control, instrumentation, and other cables typically found in an NPP, it would be a significant undertaking to inspect all of the cables. Degradation of the cable jacket, electrical insulation, and other cable components is a key issue that is likely to affect the ability of the currently installed cables to operate safely and reliably for another 20 to 40 years beyond the initial operating life. The development of one or more nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques and supporting models that could assist in determining the remaining life expectancy of cables or their current degradation state would be of significant interest. The ability to nondestructively determine material and electrical properties of cable jackets and insulation without disturbing the cables or connections has been deemed essential. Currently, the only technique accepted by industry to measure cable elasticity (the gold standard for determining cable insulation degradation) is the indentation measurement. All other NDE techniques are used to find flaws in the cable and do not provide information to determine the current health or life expectancy. There is no single NDE technique that can satisfy all of the requirements needed for making a life-expectancy determination, but a wide range of methods have been evaluated for use in NPPs as part of a continuous evaluation program. The commonly used methods are indentation and visual inspection, but these are only suitable for easily accessible cables. Several NDE methodologies using electrical techniques are in use today for flaw detection but there are none that can predict the life of a cable. There are, however, several physical and chemical ptoperty changes in cable insulation as a result of thermal and radiation damage. In principle, these properties may be targets for advanced NDE methods to provide early

Evaluation of pavement life cycle cost analysis: Review and analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peyman Babashamsi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The cost of road construction consists of design expenses, material extraction, construction equipment, maintenance and rehabilitation strategies, and operations over the entire service life. An economic analysis process known as Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA is used to evaluate the cost-efficiency of alternatives based on the Net Present Value (NPV concept. It is essential to evaluate the above-mentioned cost aspects in order to obtain optimum pavement life-cycle costs. However, pavement managers are often unable to consider each important element that may be required for performing future maintenance tasks. Over the last few decades, several approaches have been developed by agencies and institutions for pavement Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA. While the transportation community has increasingly been utilising LCCA as an essential practice, several organisations have even designed computer programs for their LCCA approaches in order to assist with the analysis. Current LCCA methods are analysed and LCCA software is introduced in this article. Subsequently, a list of economic indicators is provided along with their substantial components. Collecting previous literature will help highlight and study the weakest aspects so as to mitigate the shortcomings of existing LCCA methods and processes. LCCA research will become more robust if improvements are made, facilitating private industries and government agencies to accomplish their economic aims. Keywords: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA, Pavement management, LCCA software, Net Present Value (NPV

Bioarchaeological Analysis of the Human Skeletal Remains from the Late Mediaeval Cemetery of Koprivno, Southern Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mario Novak

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of bioarchaeological analysis of the late mediaeval (13th-14th century skeletal sample from Koprivno, southern Croatia. Skeletal remains of 21 individuals (eight males, nine females, and four subadults were examined for the possible presence of dental pathologies (caries and alveolar bone diseases, subadult stress indicators (cribra orbitalia and dental enamel hypoplasia, degenerative osteoarthritis of the vertebrae and major joints, Schmorl’s nodes on vertebrae, periostitis, and bone trauma. The analysed sample is characterised by high frequency of alveolar bone disease, most probably as a result of somewhat longer average life span (around 41 years and very poor oral hygiene, while the data concerning dental caries indicate mixed diet evenly based on meat and cereals. High frequencies of cribra orbitalia, dental enamel hypoplasia and periostitis suggest frequent episodes of physiological stress (hunger, epidemics of infectious diseases which is in accordance with historical data. Distribution and prevalence of cranial traumas strongly suggest a relatively high degree of interpersonal violence in the analysed community.

A new creep-strain-replica method for evaluating the remaining life time of components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joas, H.D.

2001-01-01

To realise a safe and economic operation of older power- or chemical plants a strategy for maintenance is necessary, which makes it possible to operate a component or the plant longer than 300,000 operating hours, this also for the situation that the mode of operation has changed meanwhile. In Germany a realistic evaluation of the remaining life-time is done by comparing the actual calculated test data of a component with the code TRD 301 and TRD 508 and additional non-destructive tests or other codes like ASME, Sec. II, BS 5500, AFCEN (1985). According to many boundary conditions, the calculated data are inaccurate and the measuring of creep-strain at temperatures of about 600 o C with capacitive strain-gauges very expensive. Description of the approach of the problems: spotwelding of two gauges to the surface of a component (in a defined distance), forming a gap, producing of replica of the gap after certain operating hours at shut-down conditions by trained personal, evaluation of the replica to gain the amount of creep-strain using a scanning electron microscope, assessment of the creep-strain data. (Author)

Ensemble of data-driven prognostic algorithms for robust prediction of remaining useful life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Chao; Youn, Byeng D.; Wang Pingfeng; Taek Yoon, Joung

2012-01-01

Prognostics aims at determining whether a failure of an engineered system (e.g., a nuclear power plant) is impending and estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) before the failure occurs. The traditional data-driven prognostic approach is to construct multiple candidate algorithms using a training data set, evaluate their respective performance using a testing data set, and select the one with the best performance while discarding all the others. This approach has three shortcomings: (i) the selected standalone algorithm may not be robust; (ii) it wastes the resources for constructing the algorithms that are discarded; (iii) it requires the testing data in addition to the training data. To overcome these drawbacks, this paper proposes an ensemble data-driven prognostic approach which combines multiple member algorithms with a weighted-sum formulation. Three weighting schemes, namely the accuracy-based weighting, diversity-based weighting and optimization-based weighting, are proposed to determine the weights of member algorithms. The k-fold cross validation (CV) is employed to estimate the prediction error required by the weighting schemes. The results obtained from three case studies suggest that the ensemble approach with any weighting scheme gives more accurate RUL predictions compared to any sole algorithm when member algorithms producing diverse RUL predictions have comparable prediction accuracy and that the optimization-based weighting scheme gives the best overall performance among the three weighting schemes.

Probabilistic Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Composite Aircraft Components, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A Probabilistic Fatigue Damage Assessment Network (PFDAN) toolkit for Abaqus will be developed for probabilistic life management of a laminated composite structure...

Analysis within the systems development life-cycle

CERN Document Server

Rock-Evans, Rosemary

1987-01-01

Analysis within the Systems Development Life-Cycle: Book 2, Data Analysis-The Methods describes the methods for carrying out data analysis within the systems development life-cycle and demonstrates how the results of fact gathering can be used to produce and verify the analysis deliverables. A number of alternative methods of analysis other than normalization are suggested. Comprised of seven chapters, this book shows the tasks to be carried out in the logical order of progression-preparation, collection, analysis of the existing system (which comprises the tasks of synthesis, verification, an

Analysis within the systems development life-cycle

CERN Document Server

Rock-Evans, Rosemary

1987-01-01

Analysis within the Systems Development Life-Cycle: Book 4, Activity Analysis-The Methods describes the techniques and concepts for carrying out activity analysis within the systems development life-cycle. Reference is made to the deliverables of data analysis and more than one method of analysis, each a viable alternative to the other, are discussed. The """"bottom-up"""" and """"top-down"""" methods are highlighted. Comprised of seven chapters, this book illustrates how dependent data and activities are on each other. This point is especially brought home when the task of inventing new busin

Analysis within the systems development life-cycle

CERN Document Server

Rock-Evans, Rosemary

1987-01-01

Analysis within the Systems Development Life-Cycle: Book 1, Data Analysis-The Deliverables provides a comprehensive treatment of data analysis within the systems development life-cycle and all the deliverables that need to be collected in analysis. The purpose of deliverables is explained and a number of alternative ways of collecting them are discussed. This book is comprised of five chapters and begins with an overview of what """"analysis"""" actually means, with particular reference to tasks such as hardware planning and software evaluation and where they fit into the overall cycle. The ne

Optimization of Aeroengine Shop Visit Decisions Based on Remaining Useful Life and Stochastic Repair Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Cai

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Considering the wide application of condition-based maintenance in aeroengine maintenance practice, it becomes possible for aeroengines to carry out their preventive maintenance in just-in-time (JIT manner by reasonably planning their shop visits (SVs. In this study, an approach is proposed to make aeroengine SV decisions following the concept of JIT. Firstly, a state space model (SSM for aeroengine based on exhaust gas temperature margin is developed to predict the remaining useful life (RUL of aeroengine. Secondly, the effect of SV decisions on risk and service level (SL is analyzed, and an optimization of the aeroengine SV decisions based on RUL and stochastic repair time is performed to carry out JIT manner with the requirement of safety and SL. Finally, a case study considering two CFM-56 aeroengines is presented to demonstrate the proposed approach. The results show that predictive accuracy of RUL with SSM is higher than with linear regression, and the process of SV decisions is simple and feasible for airlines to improve the inventory management level of their aeroengines.

The Life Cycle Analysis Toolbox

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, L.; Tonn, B.E.; Williams, K.A.; Yerace, P.; Yuracko, K.L.

1999-01-01

The life cycle analysis toolbox is a valuable integration of decision-making tools and supporting materials developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to help Department of Energy managers improve environmental quality, reduce costs, and minimize risk. The toolbox provides decision-makers access to a wide variety of proven tools for pollution prevention (P2) and waste minimization (WMin), as well as ORNL expertise to select from this toolbox exactly the right tool to solve any given P2/WMin problem. The central element of the toolbox is a multiple criteria approach to life cycle analysis developed specifically to aid P2/WMin decision-making. ORNL has developed numerous tools that support this life cycle analysis approach. Tools are available to help model P2/WMin processes, estimate human health risks, estimate costs, and represent and manipulate uncertainties. Tools are available to help document P2/WMin decision-making and implement programs. Tools are also available to help track potential future environmental regulations that could impact P2/WMin programs and current regulations that must be followed. An Internet-site will provide broad access to the tools

Remaining Useful Life Estimation of Li-ion Battery for Energy Storage System Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dongjin; Kim, Seok Goo; Choi, Jooho; Lee, Jaewook; Song, Hwa Seob; Park, Sang Hui

2016-01-01

Remaining useful life (RUL) estimation of the Li-ion battery has gained great interest because it is necessary for quality assurance, operation planning, and determination of the exchange period. This paper presents the RUL estimation of an Li-ion battery for an energy storage system using exponential function for the degradation model and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach for parameter estimation. The MCMC approach is dependent upon information such as model initial parameters and input setting parameters which highly affect the estimation result. To overcome this difficulty, this paper offers a guideline for model initial parameters based on the regression result, and MCMC input parameters derived by comparisons with a thorough search of theoretical results

Remaining Useful Life Estimation of Li-ion Battery for Energy Storage System Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Dongjin; Kim, Seok Goo; Choi, Jooho; Lee, Jaewook [Korea Aerospace Univ., Koyang (Korea, Republic of); Song, Hwa Seob; Park, Sang Hui [Hyosung Corporation, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Remaining useful life (RUL) estimation of the Li-ion battery has gained great interest because it is necessary for quality assurance, operation planning, and determination of the exchange period. This paper presents the RUL estimation of an Li-ion battery for an energy storage system using exponential function for the degradation model and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach for parameter estimation. The MCMC approach is dependent upon information such as model initial parameters and input setting parameters which highly affect the estimation result. To overcome this difficulty, this paper offers a guideline for model initial parameters based on the regression result, and MCMC input parameters derived by comparisons with a thorough search of theoretical results.

Why Agricultural Educators Remain in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Crutchfield, Nina; Ritz, Rudy; Burris, Scott

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe factors that are related to agricultural educator career retention and to explore the relationships between work engagement, work-life balance, occupational commitment, and personal and career factors as related to the decision to remain in the teaching profession. The target population for…

Revised analysis of the Transition Joint Life Test

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sartory, W K

1984-07-01

The Transition Joint Life Test was performed by General Electric and the Energy Technology Engineering Center and was analyzed earlier by General Electric. Because of later developments in analysis techniques and in our understanding of the stress behavior near a dissimilar metal weldment, agreement was reached between General Electric and Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s High-Temperature Structural Design program that a more up-to-date analysis was needed. This report presents results of a new analysis incorporating modified mechanical properties, revised constitutive equations, and a more refined finite element grid. The structural life prediction of the present report is quite conservative (approximately 3 cycles of predicted life compared to 12 to 25 cycles of measured life), whereas the earlier General Electric analysis was underconservative by a similar factor.

Remaining useful life prediction based on noisy condition monitoring signals using constrained Kalman filter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Junbo; Zhou, Shiyu; Sankavaram, Chaitanya; Du, Xinyu; Zhang, Yilu

2016-01-01

In this paper, a statistical prognostic method to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of individual units based on noisy condition monitoring signals is proposed. The prediction accuracy of existing data-driven prognostic methods depends on the capability of accurately modeling the evolution of condition monitoring (CM) signals. Therefore, it is inevitable that the RUL prediction accuracy depends on the amount of random noise in CM signals. When signals are contaminated by a large amount of random noise, RUL prediction even becomes infeasible in some cases. To mitigate this issue, a robust RUL prediction method based on constrained Kalman filter is proposed. The proposed method models the CM signals subject to a set of inequality constraints so that satisfactory prediction accuracy can be achieved regardless of the noise level of signal evolution. The advantageous features of the proposed RUL prediction method is demonstrated by both numerical study and case study with real world data from automotive lead-acid batteries. - Highlights: • A computationally efficient constrained Kalman filter is proposed. • Proposed filter is integrated into an online failure prognosis framework. • A set of proper constraints significantly improves the failure prediction accuracy. • Promising results are reported in the application of battery failure prognosis.

Remaining useful life prediction based on variation coefficient consistency test of a Wiener process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan LI

2018-01-01

Full Text Available High-cost equipment is often reused after maintenance, and whether the information before the maintenance can be used for the Remaining Useful Life (RUL prediction after the maintenance is directly determined by the consistency of the degradation pattern before and after the maintenance. Aiming at this problem, an RUL prediction method based on the consistency test of a Wiener process is proposed. Firstly, the parameters of the Wiener process estimated by Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE are proved to be biased, and a modified unbiased estimation method is proposed and verified by derivation and simulations. Then, the h statistic is constructed according to the reciprocal of the variation coefficient of the Wiener process, and the sampling distribution is derived. Meanwhile, a universal method for the consistency test is proposed based on the sampling distribution theorem, which is verified by simulation data and classical crack degradation data. Finally, based on the consistency test of the degradation model, a weighted fusion RUL prediction method is presented for the fuel pump of an airplane, and the validity of the presented method is verified by accurate computation results of real data, which provides a theoretical and practical guidance for engineers to predict the RUL of equipment after maintenance.

Life-cycle analysis of renewable energy systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Bent

1994-01-01

An imlementation of life-cycle analysis (LCA) for energy systems is presented and applied to two renewable energy systems (wind turbines and building-integrated photovoltaic modules) and compared with coal plants......An imlementation of life-cycle analysis (LCA) for energy systems is presented and applied to two renewable energy systems (wind turbines and building-integrated photovoltaic modules) and compared with coal plants...

Multistate analysis of life histories with R

CERN Document Server

Willekens, Frans

2014-01-01

This book provides an introduction to multistate event history analysis. It is an extension of survival analysis, in which a single terminal event (endpoint) is considered and the time-to-event is studied. Multistate models focus on life histories or trajectories, conceptualized as sequences of states and sequences of transitions between states. Life histories are modeled as realizations of continuous-time Markov processes. The model parameters, transition rates, are estimated from data on event counts and populations at risk, using the statistical theory of counting processes. The Comprehensive R Network Archive (CRAN) includes several packages for multistate modeling. This book is about Biograph. The package is designed to (a) enhance exploratory analysis of life histories and (b) make multistate modeling accessible. The package incorporates utilities that connect to several packages for multistate modeling, including survival, eha, Epi, mvna, etm, mstate, msm, and TraMineR for sequence analysis. The book ...

The 2009 Analysis of Information Remaining on Disks Offered for Sale on the Second Hand Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andy Jones

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The ever increasing use and reliance upon computers in both the public and private sector has led to enormous numbers of computers being disposed of at the end of their useful life within an organisation. As the cost of computers has dropped, their use in the home has also continued to increase. In most organisations, computers have a relatively short life and are replaced on a regular basis with the result that, if not properly cleansed of data, they are released into the public domain containing data that can be relatively up to date. This problem is exacerbated by the increasing popularity and use of smart phones, which also contain significant storage capacity. From the results of the research it remains clear that the majority of organisations and private individuals that are using these computers still remain ignorant or misinformed of the potential volume and type of information that is stored on the hard disks contained within these systems. The evidence of the research is that neither organisations nor individuals have considered, or are aware of, the potential impact of the information that is contained in the disks from these systems becoming available to an unintended third party.This is the fifth study in an ongoing research programme being conducted into the levels and types of information that remain on computer hard disks that have been offered for sale on the second hand market. This ongoing research series has been undertaken to gain an understanding of the level and types of information that remains on these disks, to determine the damage that could potentially be caused if the information was misused, and to determine whether there are any developing trends. The disks used have been purchased in a number of countries.The rationale for this was to determine whether there are any national or regional differences in the way that computer disks are disposed of and to compare the results for any regional or temporal trends. The

Integrate life-cycle assessment and risk analysis results, not methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Linkov, Igor; Trump, Benjamin D; Wender, Ben A; Seager, Thomas P; Kennedy, Alan J; Keisler, Jeffrey M

2017-08-04

Two analytic perspectives on environmental assessment dominate environmental policy and decision-making: risk analysis (RA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA). RA focuses on management of a toxicological hazard in a specific exposure scenario, while LCA seeks a holistic estimation of impacts of thousands of substances across multiple media, including non-toxicological and non-chemically deleterious effects. While recommendations to integrate the two approaches have remained a consistent feature of environmental scholarship for at least 15 years, the current perception is that progress is slow largely because of practical obstacles, such as a lack of data, rather than insurmountable theoretical difficulties. Nonetheless, the emergence of nanotechnology presents a serious challenge to both perspectives. Because the pace of nanomaterial innovation far outstrips acquisition of environmentally relevant data, it is now clear that a further integration of RA and LCA based on dataset completion will remain futile. In fact, the two approaches are suited for different purposes and answer different questions. A more pragmatic approach to providing better guidance to decision-makers is to apply the two methods in parallel, integrating only after obtaining separate results.

Novel Approach for Lithium-Ion Battery On-Line Remaining Useful Life Prediction Based on Permutation Entropy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luping Chen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The degradation of lithium-ion battery often leads to electrical system failure. Battery remaining useful life (RUL prediction can effectively prevent this failure. Battery capacity is usually utilized as health indicator (HI for RUL prediction. However, battery capacity is often estimated on-line and it is difficult to be obtained by monitoring on-line parameters. Therefore, there is a great need to find a simple and on-line prediction method to solve this issue. In this paper, as a novel HI, permutation entropy (PE is extracted from the discharge voltage curve for analyzing battery degradation. Then the similarity between PE and battery capacity are judged by Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses. Experiment results illustrate the effectiveness and excellent similar performance of the novel HI for battery fading indication. Furthermore, we propose a hybrid approach combining Variational mode decomposition (VMD denoising technique, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA, and GM(1,1 models for RUL prediction. Experiment results illustrate the accuracy of the proposed approach for lithium-ion battery on-line RUL prediction.

Fuel cell hybrid taxi life cycle analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baptista, Patricia, E-mail: patricia.baptista@ist.utl.pt [IDMEC-Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Ribau, Joao; Bravo, Joao; Silva, Carla [IDMEC-Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Adcock, Paul; Kells, Ashley [Intelligent Energy, Charnwood Building, HolywellPark, Ashby Road, Loughborough, LE11 3GR (United Kingdom)

2011-09-15

A small fleet of classic London Taxis (Black cabs) equipped with hydrogen fuel cell power systems is being prepared for demonstration during the 2012 London Olympics. This paper presents a Life Cycle Analysis for these vehicles in terms of energy consumption and CO{sub 2} emissions, focusing on the impacts of alternative vehicle technologies for the Taxi, combining the fuel life cycle (Tank-to-Wheel and Well-to-Tank) and vehicle materials Cradle-to-Grave. An internal combustion engine diesel taxi was used as the reference vehicle for the currently available technology. This is compared to battery and fuel cell vehicle configurations. Accordingly, the following energy pathways are compared: diesel, electricity and hydrogen (derived from natural gas steam reforming). Full Life Cycle Analysis, using the PCO-CENEX drive cycle, (derived from actual London Taxi drive cycles) shows that the fuel cell powered vehicle configurations have lower energy consumption (4.34 MJ/km) and CO{sub 2} emissions (235 g/km) than both the ICE Diesel (9.54 MJ/km and 738 g/km) and the battery electric vehicle (5.81 MJ/km and 269 g/km). - Highlights: > A Life Cycle Analysis of alternative vehicle technologies for the London Taxi was performed. > The hydrogen powered vehicles have the lowest energy consumption and CO{sub 2} emissions results. > A hydrogen powered solution can be a sustainable alternative in a full life cycle framework.

Fuel cell hybrid taxi life cycle analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baptista, Patricia; Ribau, Joao; Bravo, Joao; Silva, Carla; Adcock, Paul; Kells, Ashley

2011-01-01

A small fleet of classic London Taxis (Black cabs) equipped with hydrogen fuel cell power systems is being prepared for demonstration during the 2012 London Olympics. This paper presents a Life Cycle Analysis for these vehicles in terms of energy consumption and CO 2 emissions, focusing on the impacts of alternative vehicle technologies for the Taxi, combining the fuel life cycle (Tank-to-Wheel and Well-to-Tank) and vehicle materials Cradle-to-Grave. An internal combustion engine diesel taxi was used as the reference vehicle for the currently available technology. This is compared to battery and fuel cell vehicle configurations. Accordingly, the following energy pathways are compared: diesel, electricity and hydrogen (derived from natural gas steam reforming). Full Life Cycle Analysis, using the PCO-CENEX drive cycle, (derived from actual London Taxi drive cycles) shows that the fuel cell powered vehicle configurations have lower energy consumption (4.34 MJ/km) and CO 2 emissions (235 g/km) than both the ICE Diesel (9.54 MJ/km and 738 g/km) and the battery electric vehicle (5.81 MJ/km and 269 g/km). - Highlights: → A Life Cycle Analysis of alternative vehicle technologies for the London Taxi was performed. → The hydrogen powered vehicles have the lowest energy consumption and CO 2 emissions results. → A hydrogen powered solution can be a sustainable alternative in a full life cycle framework.

Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program – Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) R&D Roadmap for Determining Remaining Useful Life of Aging Cables in Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, Kevin L.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Brenchley, David L.; Coble, Jamie B.; Hashemian, Hash; Konnik, Robert; Ray, Sheila

2012-09-14

The purpose of the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) R&D Roadmap for Cables is to support the Materials Aging and Degradation (MAaD) R&D pathway. The focus of the workshop was to identify the technical gaps in detecting aging cables and predicting their remaining life expectancy. The workshop was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, on July 30, 2012, at Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS) headquarters. The workshop was attended by 30 experts in materials, electrical engineering, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory), NDE instrumentation development, universities, commercial NDE services and cable manufacturers, and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The motivation for the R&D roadmap comes from the need to address the aging management of in-containment cables at nuclear power plants (NPPs).

Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program – Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) R&D Roadmap for Determining Remaining Useful Life of Aging Cables in Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, K.L.; Ramuhali, P.; Brenchley, D.L.; Coble, J.B.; Hashemian, H.M.; Konnick, R.; Ray, S.

2012-09-01

Executive Summary [partial] The purpose of the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) R&D Roadmap for Cables is to support the Materials Aging and Degradation (MAaD) R&D pathway. A workshop was held to gather subject matter experts to develop the NDE R&D Roadmap for Cables. The focus of the workshop was to identify the technical gaps in detecting aging cables and predicting their remaining life expectancy. The workshop was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, on July 30, 2012, at Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation (AMS) headquarters. The workshop was attended by 30 experts in materials, electrical engineering, and NDE instrumentation development from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory), universities, commercial NDE service vendors and cable manufacturers, and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

Relationship Between the Remaining Years of Healthy Life Expectancy in Older Age and National Income Level, Educational Attainment, and Improved Water Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong In; Kim, Gukbin

2016-10-01

The remaining years of healthy life expectancy (RYH) at age 65 years can be calculated as RYH (65) = healthy life expectancy-aged 65 years. This study confirms the associations between socioeconomic indicators and the RYH (65) in 148 countries. The RYH data were obtained from the World Health Organization. Significant positive correlations between RYH (65) in men and women and the socioeconomic indicators national income, education level, and improved drinking water were found. Finally, the predictors of RYH (65) in men and women were used to build a model of the RYH using higher socioeconomic indicators (R(2 )= 0.744, p educational attainment, national income level, and improved water quality influenced the RYH at 65 years. Therefore, policymaking to improve these country-level socioeconomic factors is expected to have latent effects on RYH in older age. © The Author(s) 2016.

Authentic leadership: becoming and remaining an authentic nurse leader.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Lin G

2012-11-01

This article explores how chief nurse executives became and remained authentic leaders. Using narrative inquiry, this qualitative study focused on the life stories of participants. Results demonstrate the importance of reframing, reflection in alignment with values, and the courage needed as nurse leaders progress to authenticity.

Machine remaining useful life prediction: An integrated adaptive neuro-fuzzy and high-order particle filtering approach

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chaochao; Vachtsevanos, George; Orchard, Marcos E.

2012-04-01

Machine prognosis can be considered as the generation of long-term predictions that describe the evolution in time of a fault indicator, with the purpose of estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) of a failing component/subsystem so that timely maintenance can be performed to avoid catastrophic failures. This paper proposes an integrated RUL prediction method using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) and high-order particle filtering, which forecasts the time evolution of the fault indicator and estimates the probability density function (pdf) of RUL. The ANFIS is trained and integrated in a high-order particle filter as a model describing the fault progression. The high-order particle filter is used to estimate the current state and carry out p-step-ahead predictions via a set of particles. These predictions are used to estimate the RUL pdf. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated via the real-world data from a seeded fault test for a UH-60 helicopter planetary gear plate. The results demonstrate that it outperforms both the conventional ANFIS predictor and the particle-filter-based predictor where the fault growth model is a first-order model that is trained via the ANFIS.

Personality predicts recurrence of late-life depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Steunenberg, Bas; Beekman, Aartjan T F; Deeg, Dorly J H; Kerkhof, Ad J F M

2010-06-01

To examine the association of personality with recurrence of depression in later life. A subsample of 91 subjects from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA; baseline sample size n=3107; aged > or = 55 years) depressed at baseline, who had recovered in the course of three years (first follow-up cycle) was identified. 41 (45%) respondents experienced a recurrence during the subsequent six years. The influences of personality and late life stress (demographic factors, health and social factors) on recurrence were investigated prospectively. Recurrence of depression was associated with a high level of neuroticism and low level of mastery, residual depressive symptoms at time of recovery, female gender, pain complaints and feelings of loneliness. In multivariable analysis entering all predictors significant in single variable analysis, residual depressive symptoms and lack of mastery remained significantly associated with recurrence. In predicting the recurrence of depression in later life, the direct effects of personality remain important and comparable in strength with other late life stressors related to recurrence. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study on the environmental impacts analysis with life cycle analysis of NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, H. S.; Moon, K. H.; Youn, S. W.

2003-01-01

This Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) work was accomplished based on the ISO-14040 framework goal and scope definition, including life cycle inventory analysis, and life cycle impact assessment. For the selection of impact categories, resource use, global affairs, local affairs, and nuclear specific affair were considered. It was unexpected that environmental burdens are generally heavier in an electricity generation process than in upper stream and fabrication processes, except ODP and ETPs. It has been normally thought that environmental burden in upper steam would be heavier than those in other processes. This misconception could have originated from the ambiguous thought for end-of-pipe emissions and life cycle inventories

Socio-economic status over the life course and obesity: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Newton, Suzy; Braithwaite, Dejana; Akinyemiju, Tomi F

2017-01-01

The purpose of this review was to summarize the published literature on the association of childhood, adulthood and life course socio-economic status (SES) with obesity between January 1990 and June 2015. The major medical electronic databases were searched to identify studies that examined SES over the life-course in relation to obesity. A total of 219 studies were identified through the initial search, and 35 qualified for full review. Of these, 14 publications met our inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, all from developed or upper-middle income countries. There was a consistent association between lower life course SES and obesity among women (summary OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.76), but not among men (summary OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.60, 1.40). Overall, mean BMI was higher among individuals with lower life course SES compared with those with higher life course SES (summary mean BMI difference: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.71). Mean waist circumference (WC) was higher among women with lower life course SES compared with those with higher life course SES (summary mean WC: 4.67, 95% CI: 4.15, 5.20), but lower among men (summary mean WC difference: -0.10, 95% CI: -0.11, -0.08). The inverse relationship between life course SES and obesity among women was consistent, based mostly on studies in developed countries. Nevertheless, critical information gaps remain in relation to the impact of childhood and life course SES on obesity in developing countries.

Accurate bearing remaining useful life prediction based on Weibull distribution and artificial neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Ali, Jaouher; Chebel-Morello, Brigitte; Saidi, Lotfi; Malinowski, Simon; Fnaiech, Farhat

2015-05-01

Accurate remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of critical assets is an important challenge in condition based maintenance to improve reliability and decrease machine's breakdown and maintenance's cost. Bearing is one of the most important components in industries which need to be monitored and the user should predict its RUL. The challenge of this study is to propose an original feature able to evaluate the health state of bearings and to estimate their RUL by Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) techniques. In this paper, the proposed method is based on the data-driven prognostic approach. The combination of Simplified Fuzzy Adaptive Resonance Theory Map (SFAM) neural network and Weibull distribution (WD) is explored. WD is used just in the training phase to fit measurement and to avoid areas of fluctuation in the time domain. SFAM training process is based on fitted measurements at present and previous inspection time points as input. However, the SFAM testing process is based on real measurements at present and previous inspections. Thanks to the fuzzy learning process, SFAM has an important ability and a good performance to learn nonlinear time series. As output, seven classes are defined; healthy bearing and six states for bearing degradation. In order to find the optimal RUL prediction, a smoothing phase is proposed in this paper. Experimental results show that the proposed method can reliably predict the RUL of rolling element bearings (REBs) based on vibration signals. The proposed prediction approach can be applied to prognostic other various mechanical assets.

Non anti-coagulant factors associated with filter life in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Brain, Matthew; Winson, Elizabeth; Roodenburg, Owen; McNeil, John

2017-02-20

ventilation, elevated SOFA or LOD score, elevations in ionized calcium, elevated platelet count, red cell transfusion, platelet factor 4 (PF-4) antibodies, and elevated fibrinogen. Majority of studies are observational or report circuit factors in sub-analysis. Risk of bias is high and findings require targeted investigations to confirm. The interaction of patient, pathology, anticoagulation, vascular access, circuit and staff factors contribute to CRRT filter life. There remains an ambiguity from published data as to which site and side should be the first choice for vascular access placement and what interaction this has with patient factors and timing. Early consideration of tunnelled semi-permanent access may provide optimal filter life if longer periods of CRRT are anticipated. There remains an absence of robust evidence outside of anti-coagulation strategies despite over 20 years of therapy delivery however trends favour CVVHD-F over CVVH.

An integrated unscented kalman filter and relevance vector regression approach for lithium-ion battery remaining useful life and short-term capacity prediction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Xiujuan; Fang, Huajing

2015-01-01

The gradual decreasing capacity of lithium-ion batteries can serve as a health indicator for tracking the degradation of lithium-ion batteries. It is important to predict the capacity of a lithium-ion battery for future cycles to assess its health condition and remaining useful life (RUL). In this paper, a novel method is developed using unscented Kalman filter (UKF) with relevance vector regression (RVR) and applied to RUL and short-term capacity prediction of batteries. A RVR model is employed as a nonlinear time-series prediction model to predict the UKF future residuals which otherwise remain zero during the prediction period. Taking the prediction step into account, the predictive value through the RVR method and the latest real residual value constitute the future evolution of the residuals with a time-varying weighting scheme. Next, the future residuals are utilized by UKF to recursively estimate the battery parameters for predicting RUL and short-term capacity. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is validated and compared to other predictors with the experimental data. According to the experimental and analysis results, the proposed approach has high reliability and prediction accuracy, which can be applied to battery monitoring and prognostics, as well as generalized to other prognostic applications. - Highlights: • An integrated method is proposed for RUL prediction as well as short-term capacity prediction. • Relevance vector regression model is employed as a nonlinear time-series prediction model. • Unscented Kalman filter is used to recursively update the states for battery model parameters during the prediction. • A time-varying weighting scheme is utilized to improve the accuracy of the RUL prediction. • The proposed method demonstrates high reliability and prediction accuracy.

End-of-Life Care Interventions: An Economic Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, B; Krahn, M

2014-01-01

The annual cost of providing care for patients in their last year of life is estimated to account for approximately 9% of the Ontario health care budget. Access to integrated, comprehensive support and pain/symptom management appears to be inadequate and inequitable. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of end-of-life (EoL) care interventions included in the EoL care mega-analysis. Multiple sources were used, including systematic reviews, linked health administration databases, survey data, planning documents, expert input, and additional literature searches. We conducted a literature review of cost-effectiveness studies to inform the primary economic analysis. We conducted the primary economic analysis and budget impact analysis for an Ontario cohort of decedents and their families and included interventions pertaining to team-based models of care, patient care planning discussions, educational interventions for patients and caregivers, and supportive interventions for informal caregivers. The time horizon was the last year of life. Costs were in 2013 Canadian dollars. Effectiveness measures included days at home, percentage dying at home, and quality-adjusted life-days. We developed a Markov model; model inputs were obtained from a cohort of Ontario decedents assembled from Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences databases and published literature. In-home palliative team care was cost-effective; it increased the chance of dying at home by 10%, increased the average number of days at home (6 days) and quality-adjusted life-days (0.5 days), and it reduced costs by approximately $4,400 per patient. Expanding in-home palliative team care to those currently not receiving such services (approximately 45,000 per year, at an annual cost of $76-108 million) is likely to improve quality of life, reduce the use of acute care resources, and save $191-$385 million in health care costs. Results for the other interventions were uncertain. The cost-effectiveness analysis was

Aluminum 7075-T6 fatigue data generation and probabilistic life prediction formulation

OpenAIRE

Kemna, John G.

1998-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The life extension of aging fleet aircraft requires an assessment of the safe-life remaining after refurbishment. Risk can be estimated by conventional deterministic fatigue analysis coupled with a subjective factor of safety. Alternatively, risk can be quantitatively and objectively predicted by probabilistic analysis. In this investigation, a general probabilistic life formulation is specialized for constant amplitude, fully reverse...

Estimating residual life of alloy 600 RPV penetrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, E.S.; White, G.A.; Pathania, R.; Arey, M.L.; Whitaker, D.E.

1996-01-01

Primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of Alloy 600 penetrations PWR in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) heads has become a significant economic concern worldwide. PWSCC of these penetrations has led to extended maintenance outages, expensive inspections and repairs, and in some cases, replacement of the entire vessel head. This paper describes methodology developed to predict the remaining life of Alloy 600 penetrations in reactor vessel heads. Predictions of remaining life are an important input to planning models used by utilities to select a strategy for responding to the PWSCC issue at the lowest life cycle cost with an acceptably low risk of leakage. The remaining life of RPV penetrations is determined using the results of inspections of penetrations and statistical methods to predict future degradation. The analysis takes into account the effects of material properties, welding residual stresses, and operating temperature on PWSCC initiation and growth. The probability of developing cracks of various depths is assessed using Monte Carlo methods which provide for uncertainties in the input assumptions. For plants which have not yet performed inspections, remaining life predictions are based on inspection results from similar plants which have performed inspections with corrections made for known differences in design details, material properties and operating conditions

Effect of interaction of embedded crack and free surface on remaining fatigue life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genshichiro Katsumata

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Embedded crack located near free surface of a component interacts with the free surface. When the distance between the free surface and the embedded crack is short, stress at the crack tip ligament is higher than that at the other area of the cracked section. It can be easily expected that fatigue crack growth is fast, when the embedded crack locates near the free surface. To avoid catastrophic failures caused by fast fatigue crack growth at the crack tip ligament, fitness-for-service (FFS codes provide crack-to-surface proximity rules. The proximity rules are used to determine whether the cracks should be treated as embedded cracks as-is, or transformed to surface cracks. Although the concepts of the proximity rules are the same, the specific criteria and the rules to transform embedded cracks into surface cracks differ amongst FFS codes. This paper focuses on the interaction between an embedded crack and a free surface of a component as well as on its effects on the remaining fatigue lives of embedded cracks using the proximity rules provided by the FFS codes. It is shown that the remaining fatigue lives for the embedded cracks strongly depend on the crack aspect ratio and location from the component free surface. In addition, it can be said that the proximity criteria defined by the API and RSE-M codes give overly conservative remaining lives. On the contrary, the WES and AME codes always give long remaining lives and non-conservative estimations. When the crack aspect ratio is small, ASME code gives non-conservative estimation.

Implementation of Remaining Useful Lifetime Transformer Models in the Fleet-Wide Prognostic and Health Management Suite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agarwal, Vivek; Lybeck, Nancy J.; Pham, Binh; Rusaw, Richard; Bickford, Randall

2015-01-01

Research and development efforts are required to address aging and reliability concerns of the existing fleet of nuclear power plants. As most plants continue to operate beyond the license life (i.e., towards 60 or 80 years), plant components are more likely to incur age-related degradation mechanisms. To assess and manage the health of aging plant assets across the nuclear industry, the Electric Power Research Institute has developed a web-based Fleet-Wide Prognostic and Health Management (FW-PHM) Suite for diagnosis and prognosis. FW-PHM is a set of web-based diagnostic and prognostic tools and databases, comprised of the Diagnostic Advisor, the Asset Fault Signature Database, the Remaining Useful Life Advisor, and the Remaining Useful Life Database, that serves as an integrated health monitoring architecture. The main focus of this paper is the implementation of prognostic models for generator step-up transformers in the FW-PHM Suite. One prognostic model discussed is based on the functional relationship between degree of polymerization, (the most commonly used metrics to assess the health of the winding insulation in a transformer) and furfural concentration in the insulating oil. The other model is based on thermal-induced degradation of the transformer insulation. By utilizing transformer loading information, established thermal models are used to estimate the hot spot temperature inside the transformer winding. Both models are implemented in the Remaining Useful Life Database of the FW-PHM Suite. The Remaining Useful Life Advisor utilizes the implemented prognostic models to estimate the remaining useful life of the paper winding insulation in the transformer based on actual oil testing and operational data.

Regression to fuzziness method for estimation of remaining useful life in power plant components

Science.gov (United States)

Alamaniotis, Miltiadis; Grelle, Austin; Tsoukalas, Lefteri H.

2014-10-01

Mitigation of severe accidents in power plants requires the reliable operation of all systems and the on-time replacement of mechanical components. Therefore, the continuous surveillance of power systems is a crucial concern for the overall safety, cost control, and on-time maintenance of a power plant. In this paper a methodology called regression to fuzziness is presented that estimates the remaining useful life (RUL) of power plant components. The RUL is defined as the difference between the time that a measurement was taken and the estimated failure time of that component. The methodology aims to compensate for a potential lack of historical data by modeling an expert's operational experience and expertise applied to the system. It initially identifies critical degradation parameters and their associated value range. Once completed, the operator's experience is modeled through fuzzy sets which span the entire parameter range. This model is then synergistically used with linear regression and a component's failure point to estimate the RUL. The proposed methodology is tested on estimating the RUL of a turbine (the basic electrical generating component of a power plant) in three different cases. Results demonstrate the benefits of the methodology for components for which operational data is not readily available and emphasize the significance of the selection of fuzzy sets and the effect of knowledge representation on the predicted output. To verify the effectiveness of the methodology, it was benchmarked against the data-based simple linear regression model used for predictions which was shown to perform equal or worse than the presented methodology. Furthermore, methodology comparison highlighted the improvement in estimation offered by the adoption of appropriate of fuzzy sets for parameter representation.

REMAINING LIFE TIME PREDICTION OF BEARINGS USING K-STAR ALGORITHM – A STATISTICAL APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. SATISHKUMAR

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The role of bearings is significant in reducing the down time of all rotating machineries. The increasing trend of bearing failures in recent times has triggered the need and importance of deployment of condition monitoring. There are multiple factors associated to a bearing failure while it is in operation. Hence, a predictive strategy is required to evaluate the current state of the bearings in operation. In past, predictive models with regression techniques were widely used for bearing lifetime estimations. The Objective of this paper is to estimate the remaining useful life of bearings through a machine learning approach. The ultimate objective of this study is to strengthen the predictive maintenance. The present study was done using classification approach following the concepts of machine learning and a predictive model was built to calculate the residual lifetime of bearings in operation. Vibration signals were acquired on a continuous basis from an experiment wherein the bearings are made to run till it fails naturally. It should be noted that the experiment was carried out with new bearings at pre-defined load and speed conditions until the bearing fails on its own. In the present work, statistical features were deployed and feature selection process was carried out using J48 decision tree and selected features were used to develop the prognostic model. The K-Star classification algorithm, a supervised machine learning technique is made use of in building a predictive model to estimate the lifetime of bearings. The performance of classifier was cross validated with distinct data. The result shows that the K-Star classification model gives 98.56% classification accuracy with selected features.

Development of computer software for pavement life cycle cost analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

1988-01-01

The life cycle cost analysis program (LCCA) is designed to automate and standardize life cycle costing in Virginia. It allows the user to input information necessary for the analysis, and it then completes the calculations and produces a printed copy...

Work-related factors influencing home care nurse intent to remain employed.

Science.gov (United States)

Tourangeau, Ann E; Patterson, Erin; Saari, Margaret; Thomson, Heather; Cranley, Lisa

Health care is shifting out of hospitals into community settings. In Ontario, Canada, home care organizations continue to experience challenges recruiting and retaining nurses. However, factors influencing home care nurse retention that can be modified remain largely unexplored. Several groups of factors have been identified as influencing home care nurse intent to remain employed including job characteristics, work structures, relationships and communication, work environment, responses to work, and conditions of employment. The aim of this study was to test and refine a model that identifies which factors are related to home care nurse intentions to remain employed for the next 5 years with their current home care employer organization. A cross-sectional survey design was implemented to test and refine a hypothesized model of home care nurse intent to remain employed. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors influence home care nurse intent to remain employed. Home care nurse intent to remain employed for the next 5 years was associated with increasing age, higher nurse-evaluated quality of care, having greater variety of patients, experiencing greater meaningfulness of work, having greater income stability, having greater continuity of client care, experiencing more positive relationships with supervisors, experiencing higher work-life balance, and being more satisfied with salary and benefits. Home care organizations can promote home care nurse intent to remain employed by (a) ensuring nurses have adequate training and resources to provide quality client care, (b) improving employment conditions to increase income stability and satisfaction with pay and benefits, (c) ensuring manageable workloads to facilitate improved work-life balance, and (d) ensuring leaders are accessible and competent.

Quality of life in autism across the lifespan: A meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Heijst, B.F.C.; Geurts, H.M.

2015-01-01

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, with a known impact on quality of life. Yet the developmental trajectory of quality of life is not well understood. First, the effect of age on quality of life was studied with a meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis included 10 studies (published between

Remaining useful life estimation for deteriorating systems with time-varying operational conditions and condition-specific failure zones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Qi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Dynamic time-varying operational conditions pose great challenge to the estimation of system remaining useful life (RUL for the deteriorating systems. This paper presents a method based on probabilistic and stochastic approaches to estimate system RUL for periodically monitored degradation processes with dynamic time-varying operational conditions and condition-specific failure zones. The method assumes that the degradation rate is influenced by specific operational condition and moreover, the transition between different operational conditions plays the most important role in affecting the degradation process. These operational conditions are assumed to evolve as a discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC. The failure thresholds are also determined by specific operational conditions and described as different failure zones. The 2008 PHM Conference Challenge Data is utilized to illustrate our method, which contains mass sensory signals related to the degradation process of a commercial turbofan engine. The RUL estimation method using the sensor measurements of a single sensor was first developed, and then multiple vital sensors were selected through a particular optimization procedure in order to increase the prediction accuracy. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are presented in a comparison with existing methods for the same dataset.

Quality of Life in Autism across the Lifespan: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

van Heijst, Barbara F. C.; Geurts, Hilde M.

2015-01-01

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, with a known impact on quality of life. Yet the developmental trajectory of quality of life is not well understood. First, the effect of age on quality of life was studied with a meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis included 10 studies (published between 2004 and 2012) with a combined sample size of…

Estimation of Remained defects in a Safety-Critical Software using Bayesian Belief Network of Software Development Life Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Jun; Jung, Wondea Jung

2015-01-01

Some researchers recognized Bayesian belief network (BBN) method to be a promising method of quantifying software reliability. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) comprehensively reviewed various quantitative software reliability methods to identify the most promising methods for use in probabilistic safety assessments (PSAs) of digital systems of NPPs against a set of the most desirable characteristics developed therein. BBNs are recognized as a promising way of quantifying software reliability and are useful for integrating many aspects of software engineering and quality assurance. The method explicitly incorporates important factors relevant to reliability, such as the quality of the developer, the development process, problem complexity, testing effort, and the operation environment. In this work, a BBN model was developed to estimate the number of remained defects in a safety-critical software based on the quality evaluation of software development life cycle (SDLC). Even though a number of software reliability evaluation methods exist, none of them can be applicable to the safety-critical software in an NPP because software quality in terms of PDF is required for the PSA

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joon Seong; Kwak, Sang Log; Kim, Young Jin; Park, Youn Won

2001-01-01

In order to improve leak-before-break methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a round robin analysis was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the crack initiation life, penetration life and shape of through wall crack under cyclic bending loads. The proposed round robin analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Life history of the Harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis; a global meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raak-van den Berg, C.L.; Hemerik, A.; Werf, van der W.; Jong, de P.W.; Lenteren, van J.C.

2017-01-01

Data collected en used for a meta analysis on life history data of H. axyridis. And the resulting 20 best models for each life history characteristic. Published in the paper: Life history of the Harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis; a global meta-analysis.

Explosives remain preferred methods for platform abandonment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulsipher, A.; Daniel, W. IV; Kiesler, J.E.; Mackey, V. III

1996-01-01

Economics and safety concerns indicate that methods involving explosives remain the most practical and cost-effective means for abandoning oil and gas structures in the Gulf of Mexico. A decade has passed since 51 dead sea turtles, many endangered Kemp's Ridleys, washed ashore on the Texas coast shortly after explosives helped remove several offshore platforms. Although no relationship between the explosions and the dead turtles was ever established, in response to widespread public concern, the US Minerals Management Service (MMS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented regulations limiting the size and timing of explosive charges. Also, more importantly, they required that operators pay for observers to survey waters surrounding platforms scheduled for removal for 48 hr before any detonations. If observers spot sea turtles or marine mammals within the danger zone, the platform abandonment is delayed until the turtles leave or are removed. However, concern about the effects of explosives on marine life remains

Sensitivity analysis in life cycle assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groen, E.A.; Heijungs, R.; Bokkers, E.A.M.; Boer, de I.J.M.

2014-01-01

Life cycle assessments require many input parameters and many of these parameters are uncertain; therefore, a sensitivity analysis is an essential part of the final interpretation. The aim of this study is to compare seven sensitivity methods applied to three types of case stud-ies. Two

Mathematical Methods in Survival Analysis, Reliability and Quality of Life

CERN Document Server

Huber, Catherine; Mesbah, Mounir

2008-01-01

Reliability and survival analysis are important applications of stochastic mathematics (probability, statistics and stochastic processes) that are usually covered separately in spite of the similarity of the involved mathematical theory. This title aims to redress this situation: it includes 21 chapters divided into four parts: Survival analysis, Reliability, Quality of life, and Related topics. Many of these chapters were presented at the European Seminar on Mathematical Methods for Survival Analysis, Reliability and Quality of Life in 2006.

Computational Fatigue Life Analysis of Carbon Fiber Laminate

Science.gov (United States)

Shastry, Shrimukhi G.; Chandrashekara, C. V., Dr.

2018-02-01

In the present scenario, many traditional materials are being replaced by composite materials for its light weight and high strength properties. Industries like automotive industry, aerospace industry etc., are some of the examples which uses composite materials for most of its components. Replacing of components which are subjected to static load or impact load are less challenging compared to components which are subjected to dynamic loading. Replacing the components made up of composite materials demands many stages of parametric study. One such parametric study is the fatigue analysis of composite material. This paper focuses on the fatigue life analysis of the composite material by using computational techniques. A composite plate is considered for the study which has a hole at the center. The analysis is carried on (0°/90°/90°/90°/90°)s laminate sequence and (45°/-45°)2s laminate sequence by using a computer script. The life cycles for both the lay-up sequence are compared with each other. It is observed that, for the same material and geometry of the component, cross ply laminates show better fatigue life than that of angled ply laminates.

Comparing methods of classifying life courses: Sequence analysis and latent class analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elzinga, C.H.; Liefbroer, Aart C.; Han, Sapphire

2017-01-01

We compare life course typology solutions generated by sequence analysis (SA) and latent class analysis (LCA). First, we construct an analytic protocol to arrive at typology solutions for both methodologies and present methods to compare the empirical quality of alternative typologies. We apply this

Comparing methods of classifying life courses: sequence analysis and latent class analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Han, Y.; Liefbroer, A.C.; Elzinga, C.

2017-01-01

We compare life course typology solutions generated by sequence analysis (SA) and latent class analysis (LCA). First, we construct an analytic protocol to arrive at typology solutions for both methodologies and present methods to compare the empirical quality of alternative typologies. We apply this

Profiled Roller Stress/Fatigue Life Analysis Methodology and Establishment of an Appropriate Stress/Life Exponent

Science.gov (United States)

1997-01-01

The objective of this work was to determine the three dimensional volumetric stress field, surface pressure distribution and actual contact area between a 0.50" square roller with different crown profiles and a flat raceway surface using Finite Element Analysis. The 3-dimensional stress field data was used in conjunction with several bearing fatigue life theories to extract appropriate values for stress-life exponents. Also, results of the FEA runs were used to evaluate the laminated roller model presently used for stress and life prediction.

Analysis within the systems development life-cycle

CERN Document Server

Rock-Evans, Rosemary

1987-01-01

Analysis within the Systems Development Life-Cycle, Book 3: Activity Analysis - The Deliverables provides a comprehensive coverage of the deliverables of activity analysis. The book also details purpose of each deliverable in the context of the next tasks in the systems development cycle (SDC). The text first covers the concept of deliverables and the benefits of making deliverables visible. In the second chapter, the book introduces the main concepts and diagrammatic techniques of activity analysis. The third chapter deals with the important classes or categories of concept, while the fourth

How many years of life did the fall of the Berlin Wall add? A projection of East German life expectancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Tobias C

2013-01-01

In the two decades since reunification, East Germans have experienced a large increase in life expectancy and a convergence with the West German mortality level. This gain in life expectancy appears even more impressive if we assume a different scenario in which the Berlin Wall did not fall, and the old East Germany still existed. This analysis takes into account that East German mortality would not have remained static without reunification. Thus, it shows how many years of life expectancy were actually added by the fall of the Berlin Wall. The analysis shows the improvements for single age groups by projecting life expectancy based on mortality levels during the 1970s and 1980s using the Lee-Carter method. I use national-level data for both sexes for East Germany before reunification. I find that, without reunification, current life expectancy at birth among East Germans would be 4.0 years lower for females and 5.7 years lower for males. I also show that older East Germans were the main demographic beneficiaries of reunification. Female and male mortality improvements in the age groups above 60 contributed up to 80% to the actual gains in life expectancy. Had the Berlin Wall not fallen, East German mortality would not have remained static but improved at a far slower rate. Thus, this counterfactual approach shows for the first time how many years of life were actually gained by reunification and how much of these gains were attributable to mortality improvements among the elderly. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

sensitivity analysis on flexible road pavement life cycle cost model

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

of sensitivity analysis on a developed flexible pavement life cycle cost model using varying discount rate. The study .... organizations and specific projects needs based. Life-cycle ... developed and completed urban road infrastructure corridor ...

A Life-Cycle Analysis of Social Security with Housing

OpenAIRE

Chen, Kaiji

2009-01-01

This paper incorporates two features of housing in a life-cycle analysis of social security: housing as a durable good and housing market frictions. We find that with housing as a durable good unfunded social security substantially crowds out housing consumption throughout the life cycle. By contrast, aggregate non-durable consumption is higher when social security is present, although it is postponed until late in life. Moreover, in the presence of housing market frictions, social security l...

Complex Analysis of 700-Year-Old Skeletal Remains found in an Unusual Grave: Case Report

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vaněk, D.; Brzobohatá, Hana; Šilerová, M.; Horák, Z.; Nývltová Fišáková, Miriam; Vašinová Galiová, M.; Zedníková Malá, P.; Urbanová, V.; Dobisíková, M.; Beran, M.; Brestovanský, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 2, č. 5 (2015) ISSN 2332-0915 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36938G Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Program:ED Institutional support: RVO:67985912 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : mass spectrometry * genealogical * physical anomalies * anthropological Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology http://www.omicsonline.org/ open - access /complex-analysis-of-700yearold-skeletal-remains-found-in-an-unusualgravecase-report-2332-0915-1000138.pdf

The Attitudes, Needs, and Requirements at End of Life in the Republic of Georgia (Comparative Analysis of Groups of Patients With Cancer and Elders).

Science.gov (United States)

Chikhladze, Nana; Tebidze, Nino; Chabukiani, Tamar; Chabukiani, Nana; Chkhartishvili, Nikoloz; Jincharadze, Memed; Kordzaia, Dimitri

2018-01-01

In developing a model of palliative care, the attitudes, needs, and requirements of its beneficiaries recognizing the limited remaining life expectancy need to be met. We aimed to map and compare these issues at the end of life in the groups of patients with advanced cancer and elderly individuals. The prospective study based on the analysis of semistructured interviews was conducted. Fifty individuals aged older than 85 and 50 incurable patients with advanced cancer were studied. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed qualitatively (the interviews were divided into logically completed themes, and the compliance of each with one of the levels of Abraham Maslow pyramid was determined) and quantitatively (data comparisons of 2 groups were tested in bivariate analysis using Pearson χ 2 or Fisher exact test. Two-sided significance tests were used; P value of Maslow pyramid. Their comparison showed small differences in the narratives of the patients with advanced cancer and elderly individuals aged 85 and older-concerning the past, present, and future terms of lives. In studied themes explicitly prevail the stories that are consistent with satisfaction of the upper levels of the hierarchy of needs and demands of Maslow: social relation (belonging), love, esteem, and transcendence. The attitudes, needs, and requirements at the end of life of the people are basically similar, regardless of what determined the sense of limitation of the remaining life-incurable disease or advanced age.

Do Exercise Interventions Improve Participation in Life Roles in Older Adults? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchamp, Marla K; Lee, Annemarie; Ward, Rachel F; Harrison, Samantha M; Bain, Paul A; Goldstein, Roger S; Brooks, Dina; Bean, Jonathan F; Jette, Alan M

2017-10-01

The World Health Organization recognizes participation in meaningful life roles as a key component of health. However, the evidence base for interventions to improve participation remains inconclusive. In particular, whether exercise interventions improve participation in life roles is unclear. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of physical exercise interventions on participation in life roles in older adults residing in the community. The PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PEDro databases were searched from inception through March 2015. Randomized controlled trials comparing the effects of an exercise intervention to usual care on participation in life roles in adults who were 60 years of age or older were included in this review. Teams of 2 investigators independently extracted data on participation. Methodological quality was appraised using the Cochrane tool for assessing the risk of bias. The protocol was registered with Prospero (CRD42014014880). Eighteen randomized controlled trials with a total of 2,315 participants met the inclusion criteria. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were calculated using a random-effects model. A meta-analysis of 16 studies showed no overall effect of the exercise interventions on participation (SMD = 0.03; 95% CI = -0.10 to 0.16). Subgroup analysis showed that exercise interventions lasting 12 months or more had a small positive effect on participation (SMD = 0.15; 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.28). Limitations included variability in definitions and measures of participation. In general, exercise interventions do not improve participation in life roles in older adults. The results do not support the implicit assumption that exercise-based interventions associated with improved function/activity also result in improved participation. Investigation of complex interventions that go beyond exercise to address participation in life roles for older adults is warranted. © 2017 American Physical Therapy

Psychometric Analysis of the Work/Life Balance Self-Assessment Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Cantrell, Mary Ann; Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C; Heverly, Mary Ann; Jenkinson, Amanda; Nthenge, Serah

2016-01-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Work/Life Balance Self-Assessment scale among nurse faculty involved in doctoral education. A national random sample of 554 respondents completed the Work/Life Balance Self-Assessment scale, which addresses 3 factors: work interference with personal life (WIPL), personal life interference with work (PLIW), and work/personal life enhancement (WPLE). A principal components analysis with varimax rotation revealed 3 internally consistent aspects of work-life balance, explaining 40.5% of the variance. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for reliability of the scale were .88 for the total scale and for the subscales, .93 (WIPL), .85 (PLIW), and .69 (WPLE). The Work/Life Balance Self-Assessment scale appears to be a reliable and valid instrument to examine work-life balance among nurse faculty.

Infrastructures and Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

2012-01-01

Design and maintenance of infrastructures using Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit analysis is discussed in this paper with special emphasis on users costs. This is for several infrastructures such as bridges, highways etc. of great importance. Repair or/and failure of infrastructures will usually result...

Analysis of environmental impact phase in the life cycle of a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez del M, C.

2015-01-01

The life-cycle analysis covers the environmental aspects of a product throughout its life cycle. The focus of this study was to apply a methodology of life-cycle analysis for the environmental impact assessment of a nuclear power plant by analyzing international standards ISO 14040 and 14044. The methodology of life-cycle analysis established by the ISO 14044 standard was analyzed, as well as the different impact assessment methodologies of life cycle in order to choose the most appropriate for a nuclear power plant; various tools for the life-cycle analysis were also evaluated, as is the use of software and the use of databases to feed the life cycle inventory. The functional unit chosen was 1 KWh of electricity, the scope of analysis ranging from the construction and maintenance, disposal of spent fuel to the decommissioning of the plant, the manufacturing steps of the fuel were excluded because in Mexico is not done this stage. For environmental impact assessment was chosen the Recipe methodology which evaluates up to 18 impact categories depending on the project. In the case of a nuclear power plant were considered only categories of depletion of the ozone layer, climate change, ionizing radiation and formation of particulate matter. The different tools for life-cycle analysis as the methodologies of impact assessment of life cycle, different databases or use of software have been taken according to the modeling of environmental sensitivities of different regions, because in Mexico the methodology for life-cycle analysis has not been studied and still do not have all the tools necessary for the evaluation, so the uncertainty of the data supplied and results could be higher. (Author)

Remaining Useful Life Estimation using Time Trajectory Tracking and Support Vector Machines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galar, D; Kumar, U; Lee, J; Zhao, W

2012-01-01

In this paper, a novel RUL prediction method inspired by feature maps and SVM classifiers is proposed. The historical instances of a system with life-time condition data are used to create a classification by SVM hyper planes. For a test instance of the same system, whose RUL is to be estimated, degradation speed is evaluated by computing the minimal distance defined based on the degradation trajectories, i.e. the approach of the system to the hyper plane that segregates good and bad condition data at different time horizon. Therefore, the final RUL of a specific component can be estimated and global RUL information can then be obtained by aggregating the multiple RUL estimations using a density estimation method.

Analysis of interconnecting energy systems over a synchronized life cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nian, Victor

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A methodology is developed for evaluating a life cycle of interconnected systems. • A new concept of partial temporal boundary is introduced via quantitative formulation. • The interconnecting systems are synchronized through the partial temporal boundary. • A case study on the life cycle of the coal–uranium system is developed. - Abstract: Life cycle analysis (LCA) using the process chain analysis (PCA) approach has been widely applied to energy systems. When applied to an individual energy system, such as coal or nuclear electricity generation, an LCA–PCA methodology can yield relatively accurate results with its detailed process representation based on engineering data. However, there are fundamental issues when applying conventional LCA–PCA methodology to a more complex life cycle, namely, a synchronized life cycle of interconnected energy systems. A synchronized life cycle of interconnected energy systems is established through direct interconnections among the processes of different energy systems, and all interconnecting systems are bounded within the same timeframe. Under such a life cycle formation, there are some major complications when applying conventional LCA–PCA methodology to evaluate the interconnecting energy systems. Essentially, the conventional system and boundary formulations developed for a life cycle of individual energy system cannot be directly applied to a life cycle of interconnected energy systems. To address these inherent issues, a new LCA–PCA methodology is presented in this paper, in which a new concept of partial temporal boundary is introduced to synchronize the interconnecting energy systems. The importance and advantages of these new developments are demonstrated through a case study on the life cycle of the coal–uranium system.

Some Aspects Regarding the Analysis of the Life Insurance Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Anghelache

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to draw-up an analysis of the life insurance market in Romania. This survey is drawn up for the period 2003-2006 and the data used for this analysis were taken over from the Annual Reports published by the Insurance Supervision Commission. Life insurance market in Romania is a steady growing market as a result of the economic growth and the purchase power but is still far away from the development stage of the European markets.

Stress analysis and life prediction of gas turbine blade

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiung, H. C.; Dunn, A. J.; Woodling, D. R.; Loh, D. L.

1988-01-01

A stress analysis procedure is presented for a redesign of the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure fuel turbopump turbine blades. The analysis consists of the one-dimensional scoping analysis to support the design layout and the follow-on three-dimensional finite element analysis to confirm the blade design at operating loading conditions. Blade life is evaluated based on high-cycle fatigue and low-cycle fatigue.

Evidence of a high-Andean, mid-Holocene plant community: An ancient DNA analysis of glacially preserved remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Billie A; León, Blanca; Buffen, Aron M; Thompson, Lonnie G

2010-09-01

Around the world, tropical glaciers and ice caps are retreating at unprecedented rates because of climate change. In at least one location, along the margin of the Quelccaya Ice Cap in southeastern Peru, ancient plant remains have been continually uncovered since 2002. We used genetic analysis to identify plants that existed at these sites during the mid-Holocene. • We examined remains between 4576 and 5222 yr old, using PCR amplification, cloning, and sequencing of a fragment of the chloroplast trnL intron. We then matched these sequences to sequences in GenBank. • We found evidence of at least five taxa characteristic of wetlands, which occur primarily at lower elevations in the region today. • A diverse community most likely existed at these locations the last time they were ice-free and thus has the potential to reestablish with time. This is the first genetic analysis of vegetation uncovered by receding glacial ice, and it may become one of many as ancient plant materials are newly uncovered in a changing climate.

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease: vocal and quality of life analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiza Furtado e Silva

2012-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To compare voice and life quality of male patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, with individuals without disease (Control Group. METHODS: A cross-sectional study that evaluated the voice of individuals with Parkinson's disease, the group was composed of 27 subjects, aged from 39 to 79 years-old (average 59.96. The Control Group was matched on sex and age. Participants underwent voice recording. Perceptual evaluation was made using GRBASI scale, which considers G as the overall degree of dysphonia, R as roughness, B as breathiness, A as asthenia, S as strain and I as instability. The acoustic parameters analyzed were: fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic to noise ratio (NHR. For vocal self-perception analysis, we used the Voice Related Quality of Life protocol. RESULTS: Fundamental frequency and jitter presented higher values in the Parkinson's group. NHR values were higher in the Control Group. Perceptual analysis showed a deviation ranging. The vocal disorder self-perception demonstrated a worse impact on quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with Parkinson's disease have an altered voice quality and a negative impact on quality of life.

Integrating Life-cycle Assessment into Transport Cost-benefit Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manzo, Stefano; Salling, Kim Bang

2016-01-01

Traditional transport Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) commonly ignores the indirect environmental impacts of an infrastructure project deriving from the overall life-cycle of the different project components. Such indirect impacts are instead of key importance in order to assess the long......-term sustainability of a transport infrastructure project. In the present study we suggest to overcome this limit by combining a conventional life-cycle assessment approach with standard transport cost-benefit analysis. The suggested methodology is tested upon a case study project related to the construction of a new...... fixed link across the Roskilde fjord in Frederikssund (Denmark). The results are then compared with those from a standard CBA framework. The analysis shows that indirect environmental impacts represent a relevant share of the estimated costs of the project, clearly affecting the final project evaluation...

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-01-01

Abstract Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). PMID:27681097

The role of life skills promotion in substance abuse prevention: a mediation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bühler, Anneke; Schröder, Elke; Silbereisen, Rainer K

2008-08-01

Research has shown that life skills programs are the most effective single activity in school-based substance abuse prevention. However, little is known about the processes through which they are effective. This study examines whether an evidence-based prevention program targeting general competence is effective through the promotion of knowledge about life skills and enhanced related behaviors. Based on a sample of 442 fifth graders participating in a quasi-experimental prevention study, as expected, mediation analyses revealed that increased knowledge about life skills paralleled an increase in students' distant attitudes toward alcohol and nicotine use. Unexpectedly, behaviors manifesting enhanced life skills were found not only among program participants who remained experimental/non-smokers or stopped smoking but also among smokers. In general, findings suggest that favorable prevention outcomes may be influenced through building knowledge about general life skills. The notion of uniform mechanisms of effectiveness in prevention programs is discussed.

Authenticity, life satisfaction, and distress: a longitudinal analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyraz, Güler; Waits, J Brandon; Felix, Victoria A

2014-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the reciprocal relationships between authenticity and measures of life satisfaction and distress using a 2-wave panel study design. Data were collected from 232 college students attending 2 public universities. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results of the cross-lagged panel analysis indicated that after controlling for temporal stability, initial authenticity (Time 1) predicted later distress and life satisfaction (Time 2). Specifically, higher levels of authenticity at Time 1 were associated with increased life satisfaction and decreased distress at Time 2. Neither distress nor life satisfaction at Time 1 significantly predicted authenticity at Time 2. However, the relationship between Time 1 distress and Time 2 authenticity was not significantly different from the relationship between Time 1 authenticity and Time 2 distress. Results are discussed in light of humanistic-existential theories and the empirical research on well-being. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-08-01

Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Maximum utilization of primary reformer catalyst tubes careful assessment of remaining life-An experience at an ammonia plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, M.A.

2005-01-01

Condition evaluation and residual life assessment of Reformer Catalyst Tubes has always been a point of concern for Ammonia and Methanol Plant operators. Failure of catalyst tubes results in total plant shutdown and consequent production loss. On the other hand, replacement of these tubes entails major cost impact on the company's budget, being a capital expenditure. A careful Residual Life Assessment of the tubes is therefore of utmost importance for maximum utilization of these tubes without jeopardizing plant operational reliability. This paper presents an experience of extracting maximum service life from the catalyst tubes of Primary Reformer of an Ammonia Plant. Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) has been operating the plant since 1982, having a designed capacity of 1100 MTPD. Its Primary Reformer has 288 catalyst tubes of IN-519 material (24Cr-24Ni-Nb). The design temperature and pressures are 925 degree C and 38kg/Cm respectively. Thanks to the optimum operating conditions, regular inspections and careful assessment of the residual life, the tubes have achieved more than double of the designed life and are still operating reliably. To evaluate the tube's health, Ultrasonic Inspection (UT) was carried out in 1987 and 1994 using attenuation technique. The tubes with maximum attenuation were marked for further evaluation. Accelerated Creep Rupture Test was carried out on sample tubes periodically (1996, 2001 and 2004). Tubes were selected on the basis of UT results, TMT (Tube Metal Temperature) monitoring and Inspection findings. Based on the combined results of DT, NDT, equipment history and foreseen operational parameters, the life of these tubes was carefully assessed periodically. The tubes have been in service for more than 23 years (design life: 11 years) and a further life of 04 years has been predicted as per last assessment.The experience of successful health evaluation and residual life assessment has saved substantial cost involved in tubes replacement

A critical analysis of the End of Life Choice Bill 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Richmond, David E

2014-07-04

This paper aims to alert medical practitioners to the legal and ethical problems that passage of the End of Life Choice Bill (which seeks to legalise euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide) would have for them in New Zealand. Although sponsor MP Maryan Street withdrew the Bill on political grounds in October 2013, she has pledged to reintroduce the Bill after the next Parliamentary elections and remains committed to its objectives. A clause by clause analysis of the Bill was undertaken from a clinical perspective, following the sequence of requesting, validating, providing and reporting episodes of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide rather than following the administrative sequence in which the Bill has been drawn up for Parliamentary debate. Where possible, the experience of other jurisdictions where these end of life options are legal has been drawn upon to enable inferences to be drawn as to the likely effects of the legislation. The analysis supporting this paper reveals that the legislation would: make it possible for virtually any person over the age of 18 to request and receive euthanasia provided they took care in the way they phrased the request, expose medical practitioners who attempted to deter applicants too vigorously to the possibility of legal action on the grounds of attempting to frustrate the applicant's wishes, compromise the ability of practitioners to opt out on conscience grounds, allow the easy circumvention of reporting requirements for each event, provide minimal protection against some people suffering euthanasia without consent or request, and exempt medical practitioners providing euthanasia services from prosecution for any action in the provision of such services, even if they were negligent. The branch of medical practice that specialises in killing people would be the least regulated of all. If passed into legislation, the End of Life Choice Bill will create the most momentous changes to clinical practice and the regulation

Population cycles: generalities, exceptions and remaining mysteries

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Population cycles are one of nature's great mysteries. For almost a hundred years, innumerable studies have probed the causes of cyclic dynamics in snowshoe hares, voles and lemmings, forest Lepidoptera and grouse. Even though cyclic species have very different life histories, similarities in mechanisms related to their dynamics are apparent. In addition to high reproductive rates and density-related mortality from predators, pathogens or parasitoids, other characteristics include transgenerational reduced reproduction and dispersal with increasing-peak densities, and genetic similarity among populations. Experiments to stop cyclic dynamics and comparisons of cyclic and noncyclic populations provide some understanding but both reproduction and mortality must be considered. What determines variation in amplitude and periodicity of population outbreaks remains a mystery. PMID:29563267

Life Modeling and Design Analysis for Ceramic Matrix Composite Materials

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

The primary research efforts focused on characterizing and modeling static failure, environmental durability, and creep-rupture behavior of two classes of ceramic matrix composites (CMC), silicon carbide fibers in a silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) and carbon fibers in a silicon carbide matrix (C/SiC). An engineering life prediction model (Probabilistic Residual Strength model) has been developed specifically for CMCs. The model uses residual strength as the damage metric for evaluating remaining life and is posed probabilistically in order to account for the stochastic nature of the material s response. In support of the modeling effort, extensive testing of C/SiC in partial pressures of oxygen has been performed. This includes creep testing, tensile testing, half life and residual tensile strength testing. C/SiC is proposed for airframe and propulsion applications in advanced reusable launch vehicles. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the models predictive capabilities as well as the manner in which experimental tests are being selected in such a manner as to ensure sufficient data is available to aid in model validation.

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goak, S. R.; Kim, Y. J.; Lee, J. S.; Park, Y. W.

2000-01-01

In order to improve LBB(Leak-Before-Break) methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a benchmark problem was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this benchmark analysis was to evaluate the crack growth in a notched pipe under cyclic bending loads. The proposed benchmark analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but the crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Proceedings of the topical meeting on nuclear power plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of the topical meeting on nuclear power plant life extension. The sessions are organized under the following headings: Perspectives on nuclear power plant life extension, the potential for additional years of power production, NRC and industry life extension initiatives, concrete and structures degradation and evaluation of useful remaining life, plant life extension programs, Reactor pressure vessel and intervals degradation and evaluation of useful remaining life, life extension decision making issues and institutions, systems degradation and evaluation of remaining life, monitoring and repair, design records and maintenance activities for life extension, Mechanical and electrical component degradation and evaluation of remaining life, expert systems and other techniques for enhanced and continued operation, life extension aspect of codes, standards, and related technologies, piping and valve degradation and evaluation of useful remaining life

The effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ying; Xiao, Huimin; Yang, Yanqing; Lan, Xiuyan

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to examine the strength of evidence regarding the effects of life review on psycho-spiritual well-being among patients with life-threatening illness. Life-threatening illness not only causes physical symptoms but also psycho-spiritual burdens. Life review has been widely implemented to assist people coping with these burdens. However, the effectiveness of life review is not clear. To date, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been published on this topic. A systematic review with meta- analysis consistent with the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration was conducted. Database searches included MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CNKI and VIP et al. up to April 2015. We also searched the grey literature, reviewed reference lists from relevant articles and book chapters and contacted experts. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The risk of bias for those studies were rated as moderate (n = 11). The meta-analyses demonstrated significant standardized mean differences or mean differences in favour of life review compared with the control for depression, quality of life and self-esteem. The findings indicate that life review can decrease depressive symptoms, improve quality of life and enhance self-esteem among patients with life-threatening illnesses. Multi-centre studies with adequate sample size and rigorous designs are needed in future research. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multilevel survival analysis of health inequalities in life expectancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merlo Juan

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The health status of individuals is determined by multiple factors operating at both micro and macro levels and the interactive effects of them. Measures of health inequalities should reflect such determinants explicitly through sources of levels and combining mean differences at group levels and the variation of individuals, for the benefits of decision making and intervention planning. Measures derived recently from marginal models such as beta-binomial and frailty survival, address this issue to some extent, but are limited in handling data with complex structures. Beta-binomial models were also limited in relation to measuring inequalities of life expectancy (LE directly. Methods We propose a multilevel survival model analysis that estimates life expectancy based on survival time with censored data. The model explicitly disentangles total health inequalities in terms of variance components of life expectancy compared to the source of variation at the level of individuals in households and parishes and so on, and estimates group differences of inequalities at the same time. Adjusted distributions of life expectancy by gender and by household socioeconomic level are calculated. Relative and absolute health inequality indices are derived based on model estimates. The model based analysis is illustrated on a large Swedish cohort of 22,680 men and 26,474 women aged 65–69 in 1970 and followed up for 30 years. Model based inequality measures are compared to the conventional calculations. Results Much variation of life expectancy is observed at individual and household levels. Contextual effects at Parish and Municipality level are negligible. Women have longer life expectancy than men and lower inequality. There is marked inequality by the level of household socioeconomic status measured by the median life expectancy in each socio-economic group and the variation in life expectancy within each group. Conclusion Multilevel

Survival analysis to explore the characteristics of employee assistance program (EAP) referrals that remain employed.

Science.gov (United States)

Macdonald, S; Albert, W; Maynard, M; French, P

1989-02-01

This study examined characteristics of referrals to employee assistance programs (EAP) associated with subsequent termination of employment. As well, relationships between characteristics of the referrals and program characteristics were explored. Longitudinal data were collected at several time periods for 163 referrals to EAPs from five organizations. Survival analysis was conducted to determine which variables were associated with termination of employment. Females, cohabitating couples, and employees who worked for the organization for 5 or more years were most likely to remain employed. One interesting finding was that people with alcohol problems were significantly more likely to be formal referrals.

Neutron activation analysis of the prehistoric and ancient bone remains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasidov, A.; Osinskaya, N.S.; Khatamov, Sh.; Rakhmanova, T.; Akhmadshaev, A.Sh.

2006-01-01

Full text: In the work results of the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of prehistoric bone remains of dinosaurs and ancient bones of bear, archantrop found out on the territory of Uzbekistan are presents. A bone of dinosaur from Mongolia, standard a bone of the person and soils taken from a surface and from of the femoral joint of a dinosaur were also subject to INAA. The INAA method determines of contents of about 30 elements in bones and soils in an interval 0.043-3600 mg / kg. Among found elements Ca (46 %), Sc, Cr, Fe (up to 2.2 g/kg), Ni, Zn, Sr (up to 3.6 g/kg), Sb, Ba, Sb and some others are mainly found in bones. The contents of some elements in bones of dinosaurs reach very high values 280-3200 mg / kg, and are mainly lanthanides La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb and Lu. In our opinion, lanthanides and some other elements, like As, Br, and Mo in bones were formed as a result of fission of uranium and transuranium elements. Because content of uranium in bones of dinosaurs is very high, up to 180 mg / kg, and those of thorium is 20 mg/ kg. However U and Th in soils are 4.8 mg/kg and 3.7 mg / kg, respectively. The content of uranium in bones of the archantrop is 1.53 mg / kg, while U in standard bone of the human is less than 0,016 mg/kg. (author)

Social Network Changes and Life Events across the Life Span: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Wrzus, Cornelia; Hanel, Martha; Wagner, Jenny; Neyer, Franz J.

2013-01-01

For researchers and practitioners interested in social relationships, the question remains as to how large social networks typically are, and how their size and composition change across adulthood. On the basis of predictions of socioemotional selectivity theory and social convoy theory, we conducted a meta-analysis on age-related social network…

Full Life Cycle of Data Analysis with Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S.; Zhai, C.; Pan, L.; Tang, B.; Zhang, J.; Bao, Q.; Malarout, N.

2017-12-01

We have developed a system that supports the full life cycle of a data analysis process, from data discovery, to data customization, to analysis, to reanalysis, to publication, and to reproduction. The system called Climate Model Diagnostic Analyzer (CMDA) is designed to demonstrate that the full life cycle of data analysis can be supported within one integrated system for climate model diagnostic evaluation with global observational and reanalysis datasets. CMDA has four subsystems that are highly integrated to support the analysis life cycle. Data System manages datasets used by CMDA analysis tools, Analysis System manages CMDA analysis tools which are all web services, Provenance System manages the meta data of CMDA datasets and the provenance of CMDA analysis history, and Recommendation System extracts knowledge from CMDA usage history and recommends datasets/analysis tools to users. These four subsystems are not only highly integrated but also easily expandable. New datasets can be easily added to Data System and scanned to be visible to the other subsystems. New analysis tools can be easily registered to be available in the Analysis System and Provenance System. With CMDA, a user can start a data analysis process by discovering datasets of relevance to their research topic using the Recommendation System. Next, the user can customize the discovered datasets for their scientific use (e.g. anomaly calculation, regridding, etc) with tools in the Analysis System. Next, the user can do their analysis with the tools (e.g. conditional sampling, time averaging, spatial averaging) in the Analysis System. Next, the user can reanalyze the datasets based on the previously stored analysis provenance in the Provenance System. Further, they can publish their analysis process and result to the Provenance System to share with other users. Finally, any user can reproduce the published analysis process and results. By supporting the full life cycle of climate data analysis

Life-cycle cost analysis for Foreign Research Reactor, Spent Nuclear Fuel disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, P.B.; Geddes, R.L.; Jackson, W.N.; McDonell, W.R.; Dupont, M.E.; McWhorter, D.L.; Liutkus, A.S.

1994-01-01

DOE-EM-37 requested a life-cycle cost analysis for disposal of the Foreign Research Reactor-Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR-SNF). The analysis was to address life-cycle and unit costs for a range of FRR-SNF elements from those currently available (6,000 elements) to the (then) bounding case (15,000 elements). Five alternative disposition strategies were devised for the FRR-SNF elements. Life-cycle costs were computed for each strategy. In addition, the five strategies were evaluated in terms of six societal and technical goals. This report summarizes the study that was originally documented to DOE-EM

Life Management of high energy piping girth welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, M.J.; Paterson, S.R.

1994-01-01

Life management of high energy piping systems is a synergistic process that combines the collective results from nondestructive examination (NDE), stress analysis, metallurgical replication, and fracture mechanics evaluations. To achieve conclusions with high confidence and reliability, the methodology requires that: (1) all weldments must be appropriately examined to establish initial baseline data and indicate both fabrication and inservice damage, (2) as-found stress analyses must be consistent with field estimated displacements to select sites of maximum in-service damage, and (3) metallurgical replicas must be taken at high stress sites determined as an outcome of a life exhaustion evaluation. The multidiscipline tasks are effectively managed by developing a rational framework incorporating all of the above requirements. Analytical algorithms that estimate linear and nonlinear degradation effects are included in the remaining life predictions. High damage locations are selected based on a life exhaustion calculation. Localized remaining life and reexamination intervals for failures governed by creep and fatigue damage are estimated by metallurgical replica cavitation damage and the service life. Stress-based creep damage identified in metallurgical replicas should correspond to the predicted high damage locations from the life exhaustion calculation. The methodology minimizes future reexamination locations while providing high certainty of monitoring lead-the-fleet damage. This life management program recognizes the aging process in plant equipment. It establishes a continuous process of examinations, evaluations, and decisions to track degradation of the piping system life cycle. Potential problems are identified long before failures occur. Corrective action is taken during scheduled outages to maintain the required level of plant performance

Satellite lithium-ion battery remaining useful life estimation with an iterative updated RVM fused with the KF algorithm

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuchen SONG; Datong LIU; Yandong HOU; Jinxiang YU; Yu PENG

2018-01-01

Lithium-ion batteries have become the third-generation space batteries and are widely utilized in a series of spacecraft. Remaining Useful Life (RUL) estimation is essential to a spacecraft as the battery is a critical part and determines the lifetime and reliability. The Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) is a data-driven algorithm used to estimate a battery's RUL due to its sparse fea-ture and uncertainty management capability. Especially, some of the regressive cases indicate that the RVM can obtain a better short-term prediction performance rather than long-term prediction. As a nonlinear kernel learning algorithm, the coefficient matrix and relevance vectors are fixed once the RVM training is conducted. Moreover, the RVM can be simply influenced by the noise with the training data. Thus, this work proposes an iterative updated approach to improve the long-term prediction performance for a battery's RUL prediction. Firstly, when a new estimator is output by the RVM, the Kalman filter is applied to optimize this estimator with a physical degradation model. Then, this optimized estimator is added into the training set as an on-line sample, the RVM model is re-trained, and the coefficient matrix and relevance vectors can be dynamically adjusted to make next iterative prediction. Experimental results with a commercial battery test data set and a satellite battery data set both indicate that the proposed method can achieve a better per-formance for RUL estimation.

Satellite lithium-ion battery remaining useful life estimation with an iterative updated RVM fused with the KF algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuchen SONG

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lithium-ion batteries have become the third-generation space batteries and are widely utilized in a series of spacecraft. Remaining Useful Life (RUL estimation is essential to a spacecraft as the battery is a critical part and determines the lifetime and reliability. The Relevance Vector Machine (RVM is a data-driven algorithm used to estimate a battery’s RUL due to its sparse feature and uncertainty management capability. Especially, some of the regressive cases indicate that the RVM can obtain a better short-term prediction performance rather than long-term prediction. As a nonlinear kernel learning algorithm, the coefficient matrix and relevance vectors are fixed once the RVM training is conducted. Moreover, the RVM can be simply influenced by the noise with the training data. Thus, this work proposes an iterative updated approach to improve the long-term prediction performance for a battery’s RUL prediction. Firstly, when a new estimator is output by the RVM, the Kalman filter is applied to optimize this estimator with a physical degradation model. Then, this optimized estimator is added into the training set as an on-line sample, the RVM model is re-trained, and the coefficient matrix and relevance vectors can be dynamically adjusted to make next iterative prediction. Experimental results with a commercial battery test data set and a satellite battery data set both indicate that the proposed method can achieve a better performance for RUL estimation.

Altair Lander Life Support: Design Analysis Cycles 4 and 5

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Molly; Curley, Su; Rotter, Henry; Stambaugh, Imelda; Yagoda, Evan

2011-01-01

Life support systems are a critical part of human exploration beyond low earth orbit. NASA s Altair Lunar Lander team is pursuing efficient solutions to the technical challenges of human spaceflight. Life support design efforts up through Design Analysis Cycle (DAC) 4 focused on finding lightweight and reliable solutions for the Sortie and Outpost missions within the Constellation Program. In DAC-4 and later follow on work, changes were made to add functionality for new requirements accepted by the Altair project, and to update the design as knowledge about certain issues or hardware matured. In DAC-5, the Altair project began to consider mission architectures outside the Constellation baseline. Selecting the optimal life support system design is very sensitive to mission duration. When the mission goals and architecture change several trade studies must be conducted to determine the appropriate design. Finally, several areas of work developed through the Altair project may be applicable to other vehicle concepts for microgravity missions. Maturing the Altair life support system related analysis, design, and requirements can provide important information for developers of a wide range of other human vehicles.

Late Life Employment Histories and Their Association With Work and Family Formation During Adulthood: A Sequence Analysis Based on ELSA.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahrendorf, Morten; Zaninotto, Paola; Hoven, Hanno; Head, Jenny; Carr, Ewan

2017-05-31

To extend research on workforce participation beyond age 50 by describing entire employment histories in later life and testing their links to prior life course conditions. We use data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with retrospective information on employment histories between age 50 and 70 for 1,103 men and 1,195 women (n = 2,298). We apply sequence analysis and group respondents into eight clusters with similar histories. Using multinomial regressions, we then test their links to labor market participation, partnership, and parenthood histories during early (age 20-34) and mid-adulthood (age 35-49). Three clusters include histories dominated by full-time employees but with varying age of retirement (before, at, and after age 60). One cluster is dominated by self-employment with comparatively later retirement. Remaining clusters include part-time work (retirement around age 60 or no retirement), continuous domestic work (mostly women), or other forms of nonemployment. Those who had strong attachments to the labor market during adulthood are more likely to have histories of full-time work up until and beyond age 60, especially men. Parenthood in early adulthood is related to later retirement (for men only). Continued domestic work was not linked to parenthood. Partnered women tend to work part-time or do domestic work. The findings remain consistent after adjusting for birth cohort, childhood adversity, life course health, and occupational position. Policies aimed at increasing the proportion of older workers not only need to address later stages of the life course but also early and mid-adulthood. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

Life cycle inventory analysis of fossil energies in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon Sungyee; Yamada, Tatsuya

1999-01-01

Given growing concerns over global warming problems in recent years, a matter of great importance has been to grasp GHG emissions from fossil energy use as accurately as possible by figuring out how much GHGs result from a life cycle (production, transportation and consumption) of various fossil energies. The objective of this study is to make a life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis of major fossil energies (coal, oil, LNG, LPG) consumed in Japan pursuant to ISO 14040. On these fossil energies imported to Japan in 1997, LCI analysis results of GHG emissions (specifically carbon dioxide and methane) put CO 2 intensity during their combustion stage (gross heat value basis) at 100:121:138:179 among LNG:LPG:oil:coal. But, in life cycle terms, the ratios turned to be 100:110:120:154. The world average (gross heat value basis) gained from IPCC data, among others, puts the ratios among LNG:LPG:oil:coal at 100:105:110:151. In comparison, our study that focused on Japan found their corresponding figures at 100:110:120:154. COP 3 set forth country-by-country targets. Yet, global warming, that is a worldwide problem, also requires a more comprehensive assessment based on a life cycle analysis (LCA). The estimation results of our study can be of some help in shaping some criteria when considering energy and environmental policies from a global viewpoint. In addition, our study results suggest the importance of the best energy mix that is endorsed by LCI analysis results, if global warming abatement efforts should successfully be in advance. As specific institutional designs of Kyoto Mechanism are currently under examination, the introduction of LCI method deserves to be considered in discussing the baseline issue of joint implementation and clean development mechanism. In the days ahead, by gathering and analysing detailed-ever data, and through fossil-energy LCA by use, we had better consider supply and demand of the right energies in the right uses. (author)

Guidelines to perform Life Cycle Analysis of Buildings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blok, R.; Gervasio, H.; Braganca, L.; Koukkari, H.; Blok, R.

2008-01-01

This paper gives a short introduction and attempts to give guidelines on how to perform a life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of a Building. Because a building is a complex system with many subsystems with building elements out of different materials, each fulfilling different functions the LCA of a building

Tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Gerritsen, Anneloes E

2010-11-05

Abstract Background It is increasingly recognized that the impact of disease on quality of life should be taken into account when assessing health status. It is likely that tooth loss, in most cases being a consequence of oral diseases, affects Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). The aim of the present study is to systematically review the literature and to analyse the relationship between the number and location of missing teeth and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). It was hypothesized that tooth loss is associated with an impairment of OHRQoL. Secondly, it was hypothesized that location and distribution of remaining teeth play an important role in this. Methods Relevant databases were searched for papers in English, published from 1990 to July 2009 following a broad search strategy. Relevant papers were selected by two independent readers using predefined exclusion criteria, firstly on the basis of abstracts, secondly by assessing full-text papers. Selected studies were grouped on the basis of OHRQoL instruments used and assessed for feasibility for quantitative synthesis. Comparable outcomes were subjected to meta-analysis; remaining outcomes were subjected to a qualitative synthesis only. Results From a total of 924 references, 35 were eligible for synthesis (inter-reader agreement abstracts κ = 0.84 ± 0.03; full-texts: κ = 0.68 ± 0.06). Meta-analysis was feasible for 10 studies reporting on 13 different samples, resulting in 6 separate analyses. All studies showed that tooth loss is associated with unfavourable OHRQoL scores, independent of study location and OHRQoL instrument used. Qualitative synthesis showed that all 9 studies investigating a possible relationship between number of occluding pairs of teeth present and OHRQoL reported significant positive correlations. Five studies presented separate data regarding OHRQoL and location of tooth loss (anterior tooth loss vs. posterior tooth loss). Four of these reported highest impact

[Hazard function and life table: an introduction to the failure time analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushita, K; Inaba, H

1987-04-01

Failure time analysis has become popular in demographic studies. It can be viewed as a part of regression analysis with limited dependent variables as well as a special case of event history analysis and multistate demography. The idea of hazard function and failure time analysis, however, has not been properly introduced to nor commonly discussed by demographers in Japan. The concept of hazard function in comparison with life tables is briefly described, where the force of mortality is interchangeable with the hazard rate. The basic idea of failure time analysis is summarized for the cases of exponential distribution, normal distribution, and proportional hazard models. The multiple decrement life table is also introduced as an example of lifetime data analysis with cause-specific hazard rates.

Creep Rupture Life Prediction Based on Analysis of Large Creep Deformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YE Wenming

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A creep rupture life prediction method for high temperature component was proposed. The method was based on a true stress-strain elastoplastic creep constitutive model and the large deformation finite element analysis method. This method firstly used the high-temperature tensile stress-strain curve expressed by true stress and strain and the creep curve to build materials' elastoplastic and creep constitutive model respectively, then used the large deformation finite element method to calculate the deformation response of high temperature component under a given load curve, finally the creep rupture life was determined according to the change trend of the responsive curve.The method was verified by durable test of TC11 titanium alloy notched specimens under 500 ℃, and was compared with the three creep rupture life prediction methods based on the small deformation analysis. Results show that the proposed method can accurately predict the high temperature creep response and long-term life of TC11 notched specimens, and the accuracy is better than that of the methods based on the average effective stress of notch ligament, the bone point stress and the fracture strain of the key point, which are all based on small deformation finite element analysis.

Life cycle analysis of photovoltaic cell and wind power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, Yohji

1997-01-01

The paper presents life cycle analyses of net energy and CO 2 emissions on photovoltaic cell and wind power generation plants. Energy requirements associated with a plant are estimated for producing materials, manufacturing equipment, constructing facilities, acid operating plants. Energy ratio and net supplied energy are calculated by the process energy analysis that examines the entire energy inventory of input and output during life time of a plant. Life cycle CO 2 emission can also be calculated from the energy requirements obtained by the net energy analysis. The emission also includes greenhouse effect equivalent to CO 2 emission of methane gas leakage at a mining as well as CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion during generating electricity, natural gas treatment at an extracting well and cement production in industry. The commercially available and future-commercial technologies are dealt with in the study. Regarding PV technologies, two different kinds of installation are investigated; roof-top typed installation of residential houses and ground installation of electric utilities. (author)

Statistical analysis of longitudinal quality of life data with missing measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwinderman, A. H.

1992-01-01

The statistical analysis of longitudinal quality of life data in the presence of missing data is discussed. In cancer trials missing data are generated due to the fact that patients die, drop out, or are censored. These missing data are problematic in the monitoring of the quality of life during the

Temporal trends in health-related quality of life after stroke: analysis from the South London Stroke Register 1995-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheldenkar, Anita; Crichton, Siobhan; Douiri, Abdel; Rudd, Anthony G; Wolfe, Charles D A; Chen, Ruoling

2014-08-01

Survival after stroke has dramatically increased in the last two decades as the treatment of stroke has improved. However, time-trend analyses of health-related quality of life in stroke patients covering this time period are still not well investigated. The study aims to examine temporal trends in mental and physical health-related quality of life of stroke survivors between the period of 1995 and 2011. First in a lifetime strokes were registered in the South London Stroke Register between 1995 and 2011. Using the Short Form-12 Health Survey, trends in self-reported health-related quality of life at one-year after stroke were assessed over a 17-year period using linear regression, adjusting for socio-demographics, risk factors, and case-mix variables. Analyses stratifying by age, gender, race-ethnicity, and functional impairment were also performed. The overall trends of mental and physical health-related quality of life scores at one-year after stroke remained relatively unchanged over the period 1995-2011. However, mental health-related quality of life scores significantly improved between the period of 1995-2007 [β = 0·94 (95% CI; 0·15 to 1·74), P = 0·02], after which scores deteriorated [β = -2·02 (-3·82 to -0·22), P = 0·03]. Physical health-related quality of life scores remained stable until 2007, after which scores declined [β = -1·63 (-3·25 to -0·01), P = 0·05]. Despite declining health-related quality of life trends within the general population, stroke survivors' overall health-related quality of life remained unchanged, possibly due to lower expectations of health among stroke survivors. However, in recent years there has been a significant unexplained decline in both physical and mental health-related quality of life, suggesting that despite stroke policy aims to improve health-related quality of life, more needs to be done to target this decline. © 2014 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2014 World

Assessment of the potential for exploitation of the remaining reserves of coal in Poland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wodarski, K.; Bijanska, J.

2014-01-01

In mining areas belonging to the Polish mining companies, there is a significant amount of coal, contained in remaining reserves, that have not been exploited so far. For years, the mines have been evaluating the possibility of its exploitation, since it would expand its resource base and would extend its useful life. In addition, exploitation of the remaining reserves can minimize stress concentration zones in the soil, the rebel y improving conditions for maintenance of excavations and limiting the risk of shock rock. (Author)

Associations of Quality of Life with Service Satisfaction in Psychotic Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Petkari, Eleni; Pietschnig, Jakob

2015-01-01

Background Quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as a desired outcome of psychosocial treatments targeting psychotic patients. Yet, the relationship between the patients’ satisfaction with services and QoL has not been clearly established, perhaps due to the multidimensionality of the QoL concept and the variability in its assessment. Aim This is the first systematic meta-analysis of all available evidence assessing the relationship between QoL and service satisfaction. Methods: In all, 19 studies reporting data of 21 independent samples (N = 5,337) were included in the present meta-analysis. In moderator analyses, effects of age, sex, diagnoses (schizophrenia vs. other psychoses), treatment context (inpatients vs. outpatients), study design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), and QoL domain (subjective vs. health-related) were examined. Results Analyses revealed a highly significant medium-sized effect (r = .30, p service satisfaction. Effect sizes were significantly stronger for subjective than health-related quality of life (r = .35 vs. r = .14, respectively). Moreover, associations with subjective QoL remained largely robust when accounting for moderating variables, although there was a trend of stronger associations for outpatients compared to inpatients. In contrast, effect sizes for health-related QoL were small and only observable for samples with longitudinal designs. Conclusion Associations between QoL and service satisfaction appear to be robust but are differentiated in regard to QoL domain. Our findings suggest that agents responsible for service design and implementation need to take the patients’ perception of the service adequacy for achieving QoL enhancement into account. PMID:26275139

Work–Life Interventions

OpenAIRE

He Lu Calvin Ong; Senthu Jeyaraj

2014-01-01

Despite disparities in the conceptualization of work–life balance (WLB) and work–life harmony (WLH) in the literature, there remains no evidence till date to validate these differences. Furthermore, there are currently no insights that shed light on the relationship between work–life initiatives and key business strategies of contemporary organizations. Hence, the current study investigated the differences between the ...

Socioeconomic position and cognitive function in the Seychelles: a life course analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobrosly, Roni W; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Galea, Sandro; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A; Love, Tanzy; Hong, Caroline; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Davidson, Philip W

2011-01-01

Poorer socioeconomic conditions early in life have been linked with memory, attention and learning deficits in adulthood, as well as with specific areas of educational achievement. It remains unclear, however, whether these distal associations are mediated by more current socioeconomic factors. In this study, we sought to confirm the relation between early-life socioeconomic position (SEP) and adult cognitive function, and to examine potential mediation by contemporaneous SEP. Data from 463 young adults from the Main Cohort of the Seychelles Child Development Study were analyzed using subtests of the Cambridge Neurological Test Automated Battery and the Woodcock Johnson Test of Scholastic Achievement in relation to maternal Hollingshead Social Status Index scores at study enrollment (infancy), follow-up at 107 months, and follow-up at 17 years. Findings include evidence of a link between infant-period SEP and 17-year memory, which was not mediated by childhood and 17-year SEP. Verbal and mathematical achievement at 17 years was associated with SEP at all points in the life course. SEP at different points during the young-adult life course may affect different cognitive domains later in life, which may provide targets for societal investment in ensuring adequate family resources throughout childhood and adolescence. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Multimodal brain connectivity analysis in unmedicated late-life depression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Tadayonnejad

Full Text Available Late-life depression (LLD is a common disorder associated with emotional distress, cognitive impairment and somatic complains. Structural abnormalities have been suggested as one of the main neurobiological correlates in LLD. However the relationship between these structural abnormalities and altered functional brain networks in LLD remains poorly understood. 15 healthy elderly comparison subjects from the community and 10 unmedicated and symptomatic subjects with geriatric depression were selected for this study. For each subject, 87 regions of interest (ROI were generated from whole brain anatomical parcellation of resting state fMRI data. Whole-brain ROI-wise correlations were calculated and compared between groups. Group differences were assessed using an analysis of covariance after controlling for age, sex and education with multiple comparison correction using the false discovery rate. Structural connectivity was assessed by tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS. LLD subjects had significantly decreased connectivity between the right accumbens area (rA and the right medial orbitofrontal cortex (rmOFC as well as between the right rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rrACC and bilateral superior frontal gyrus (bsSFG. Altered connectivity of rrACC with the bsSFG was significantly correlated with depression severity in depressed subjects. TBSS analysis showed a 20% reduction in fractional anisotropy (FA in the right Forceps Minor (rFM in depressed subjects. rFM FA values were positively correlated with rA-rmOFC and rrACC-bsFG functional connectivity values in our total study sample. Coordinated structural and functional impairment in circuits involved in emotion regulation and reward pathways play an important role in the pathophysiology of LLD.

The health care cost analysis for VZP clients during their last year of life

OpenAIRE

Jirsová, Karolína

2017-01-01

The health care cost analysis for VZP clients during their last year of life Abstract Objective of this thesis is a health care cost analysis for VZP clients, who died in 2014. An analysis of cost has been approached from a few different aspects, but mainly by segmentation of health care providers and chapters of diagnosis by ICD-10. Following analysis has been also processed in this thesis - the analysis of average health care costs of one day in life and the regional analysis of average hea...

"Life history space": a multivariate analysis of life history variation in extant and extinct Malagasy lemurs.

Science.gov (United States)

Catlett, Kierstin K; Schwartz, Gary T; Godfrey, Laurie R; Jungers, William L

2010-07-01

Studies of primate life history variation are constrained by the fact that all large-bodied extant primates are haplorhines. However, large-bodied strepsirrhines recently existed. If we can extract life history information from their skeletons, these species can contribute to our understanding of primate life history variation. This is particularly important in light of new critiques of the classic "fast-slow continuum" as a descriptor of variation in life history profiles across mammals in general. We use established dental histological methods to estimate gestation length and age at weaning for five extinct lemur species. On the basis of these estimates, we reconstruct minimum interbirth intervals and maximum reproductive rates. We utilize principal components analysis to create a multivariate "life history space" that captures the relationships among reproductive parameters and brain and body size in extinct and extant lemurs. Our data show that, whereas large-bodied extinct lemurs can be described as "slow" in some fashion, they also varied greatly in their life history profiles. Those with relatively large brains also weaned their offspring late and had long interbirth intervals. These were not the largest of extinct lemurs. Thus, we distinguish size-related life history variation from variation that linked more strongly to ecological factors. Because all lemur species larger than 10 kg, regardless of life history profile, succumbed to extinction after humans arrived in Madagascar, we argue that large body size increased the probability of extinction independently of reproductive rate. We also provide some evidence that, among lemurs, brain size predicts reproductive rate better than body size. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Development of meaning in life scale II].

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Soon-Ock; Kim, Sook-Nam; Shin, Kyung-Il; Lee, Jong-Ji

2005-08-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a meaning of life scale with high validity and reliability. A conceptual framework composed of 4 phases of meanings of life was identified. And 49 preliminary items on a 4-points scale were developed through content validity. A reliability and validity test of the 49 items was conducted on 564 adults. By means of internal consistency of the 49 items, 1 item was deleted. To verify the 48 items, factor analysis, reliability test, and LISEREL were done. Through exploratory factor analysis of the 48 items, 8 factors were extracted. These factors were labeled as 'self- awareness and self-acceptance', 'hope', 'responsibility awareness', 'love experience', 'self transcendence', 'relation experience', 'self contentedness', and 'Commitment'. Through LISEREL of the 48 items, 2 items were excluded and finally 46 items remained. Cronbach's Alpha of the 46 items was .94. The correlation coefficient of the Self-esteem scale was .79. By the above results, the researchers recommend the following: An exploratory study on the variables related to the meaning of life are needed for criterion validity of this scale. Studies on meaning of life of different group, and subjects are needed for reverification.

Life Cycle Energy Analysis of Reclaimed Water Reuse Projects in Beijing.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yupeng; Guo, Erhui; Zhai, Yuanzheng; Chang, Andrew C; Qiao, Qi; Kang, Peng

2018-01-01

  To illustrate the benefits of water reuse project, the process-based life cycle analysis (LCA) could be combined with input-output LCA to evaluate the water reuse project. Energy is the only evaluation parameter used in this study. Life cycle assessment of all energy inputs (LCEA) is completed mainly by the life cycle inventory (LCI), taking into account the full life cycle including the construction, the operation, and the demolition phase of the project. Assessment of benefit from water reuse during the life cycle should focus on wastewater discharge reduction and water-saving benefits. The results of LCEA of Beijing water reuse project built in 2014 in a comprehensive way shows that the benefits obtained from the reclaimed water reuse far exceed the life cycle energy consumption. In this paper, the authors apply the LCEA model to estimate the benefits of reclaimed water reuse projects quantitatively.

Estimation of failure criteria in multivariate sensory shelf life testing using survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez, Ana; Gagliardi, Andrés; Ares, Gastón

2017-09-01

For most food products, shelf life is determined by changes in their sensory characteristics. A predetermined increase or decrease in the intensity of a sensory characteristic has frequently been used to signal that a product has reached the end of its shelf life. Considering all attributes change simultaneously, the concept of multivariate shelf life allows a single measurement of deterioration that takes into account all these sensory changes at a certain storage time. The aim of the present work was to apply survival analysis to estimate failure criteria in multivariate sensory shelf life testing using two case studies, hamburger buns and orange juice, by modelling the relationship between consumers' rejection of the product and the deterioration index estimated using PCA. In both studies, a panel of 13 trained assessors evaluated the samples using descriptive analysis whereas a panel of 100 consumers answered a "yes" or "no" question regarding intention to buy or consume the product. PC1 explained the great majority of the variance, indicating all sensory characteristics evolved similarly with storage time. Thus, PC1 could be regarded as index of sensory deterioration and a single failure criterion could be estimated through survival analysis for 25 and 50% consumers' rejection. The proposed approach based on multivariate shelf life testing may increase the accuracy of shelf life estimations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of interest and inflation rates in life-cycle cost analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenberger, I.; Remer, D. S.; Lorden, G.

1978-01-01

The effect of projected interest and inflation rates on life cycle cost calculations is discussed and a method is proposed for making such calculations which replaces these rates by a single parameter. Besides simplifying the analysis, the method clarifies the roles of these rates. An analysis of historical interest and inflation rates from 1950 to 1976 shows that the proposed method can be expected to yield very good projections of life cycle cost even if the rates themselves fluctuate considerably.

Reliability analysis of pipelines under H2S environment as a part of ageing management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santosh; Vinod, Gopika; Saraf, R.K.; Ghosh, A.K.; Kushwaha, H.S.

2006-01-01

Ageing management programme in a plant calls for the estimation of remaining life of the component. Reliability analysis methods using remaining life estimation models have found profound application in providing directives in ageing management programme. As a part of ageing management programme of H 2 S based heavy water plants, the remaining life estimation models are applied to the pipelines carrying H 2 S. The pipelines under H 2 S environment are more susceptible to the internal corrosion thereby reducing the pipeline's load carrying capacity. The objective of this study is to obtain the remaining life of pipelines under ageing due to internal corrosion. The ageing assessment of pipelines involves estimating the failure pressure of a pipeline and evaluating the failure surface equation. Several failure pressure models developed for assessing the pipeline's remaining strength due to internal corrosion were studied for this purpose. From the study, it was found that the modified B31G failure pressure model is most suitable for modeling the pipeline failure pressure. Due to the presence of non-linearity in the failure surface equation or limit state function and non-normal variables, the first order second moment method has been employed for carrying out the reliability analysis. The uncertainties of the random variables on which the limit state function depends are modeled using the probability distributions. The failure probabilities of the pipelines have been evaluated for the service lives of 15 and 25 years, which are the present life and designed life respectively. In addition, sensitivity analysis was carried out to identify the most important sensitive parameters in reliability analysis estimation. The paper highlights the application of these methodologies in the context of pipeline remaining life estimation with a suitable case study. (author)

Life insurance density and penetration: panel data analysis across countries

OpenAIRE

Urbanavičiūtė, Greta

2016-01-01

Life Insurance Density and Penetration: Panel Data Analysis Across Countries This bachelor thesis examines two key indicators in the life insurance market: density and penetration. The main purpose is to analyse which factors have the biggest impact on these two indicators in 39 countries around the world. Panel data models, which represent the collected data best, were created. This paper examines the latest public data available in 39 countries, including the Baltic States, and new signific...

Active Life Expectancy and Functional Health Transition among Filipino Older People

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace T. Cruz

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The study provides a baseline information on the functional health transition patterns of older people and computes for the Active Life Expectancy (ALE using a multistate life table method. Findings on ALE demonstrate that females and urban residents live longer and have a greater proportion of their remaining life in active state compared to their counterparts. Health transition analysis indicates a significant proportion experiencing recovery. Age, sex, place of residence and health status/behavior indicators (self-assessed health, drinking and exercise display a significant influence on future health and mortality trajectories although surprisingly, education did not show any significant effect.

Remaining useful life estimation based on stochastic deterioration models: A comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Son, Khanh; Fouladirad, Mitra; Barros, Anne; Levrat, Eric; Iung, Benoît

2013-01-01

Prognostic of system lifetime is a basic requirement for condition-based maintenance in many application domains where safety, reliability, and availability are considered of first importance. This paper presents a probabilistic method for prognostic applied to the 2008 PHM Conference Challenge data. A stochastic process (Wiener process) combined with a data analysis method (Principal Component Analysis) is proposed to model the deterioration of the components and to estimate the RUL on a case study. The advantages of our probabilistic approach are pointed out and a comparison with existing results on the same data is made

Software Integration of Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Analysis for Process Evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalakula, Sawitree; Malakula, Pomthong; Siemanonda, Kitipat

2013-01-01

This study is focused on the sustainable process design of bioethanol production from cassava rhizome. The study includes: process simulation, sustainability analysis, economic evaluation and life cycle assessment (LCA). A steady state process simulation if performed to generate a base case design...... of the bioethanol conversion process using cassava rhizome as a feedstock. The sustainability analysis is performed to analyze the relevant indicators in sustainability metrics, to definedesign/retrofit targets for process improvements. Economic analysis is performed to evaluate the profitability of the process........ Also, simultaneously with sustainability analysis, the life cycle impact on environment associated with bioethanol production is performed. Finally, candidate alternative designs are generated and compared with the base case design in terms of LCA, economics, waste, energy usage and enviromental impact...

Development of a remaining lifetime management system for NPPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galvan, J.C.; Regano, M.; Hevia Ruperez, F.

1994-01-01

The interest evinced by Spain nuclear power plants in providing a tool to support remaining lifetime management led to UNESA's application to OCIDE in 1992, and the latter's approval, for financing the project to develop a Remaining Lifetime Evaluation System for LWR nuclear power plants. This project is currently being developed under UNESA leadership, and the collaboration of three Spanish engineering companies and a research centre. The paper will describe its objectives, activities, current status and prospects. The project is defined in two phases, the first consisting of the identification and analysis of the main ageing phenomena and their significant parameters and specification of the Remaining Lifetime Evaluation System (RLES), and the second implementation of a pilot application of the RLES to verify its effectiveness. (Author)

New fossil remains of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Hawks, John; Elliott, Marina; Schmid, Peter; Churchill, Steven E; de Ruiter, Darryl J; Roberts, Eric M; Hilbert-Wolf, Hannah; Garvin, Heather M; Williams, Scott A; Delezene, Lucas K; Feuerriegel, Elen M; Randolph-Quinney, Patrick; Kivell, Tracy L; Laird, Myra F; Tawane, Gaokgatlhe; DeSilva, Jeremy M; Bailey, Shara E; Brophy, Juliet K; Meyer, Marc R; Skinner, Matthew M; Tocheri, Matthew W; VanSickle, Caroline; Walker, Christopher S; Campbell, Timothy L; Kuhn, Brian; Kruger, Ashley; Tucker, Steven; Gurtov, Alia; Hlophe, Nompumelelo; Hunter, Rick; Morris, Hannah; Peixotto, Becca; Ramalepa, Maropeng; van Rooyen, Dirk; Tsikoane, Mathabela; Boshoff, Pedro; Dirks, Paul HGM; Berger, Lee R

2017-01-01

The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional context for hominin remains. In each of three collection areas within the Lesedi Chamber, diagnostic skeletal material allows a clear attribution to H. naledi. Both adult and immature material is present. The hominin remains represent at least three individuals based upon duplication of elements, but more individuals are likely present based upon the spatial context. The most significant specimen is the near-complete cranium of a large individual, designated LES1, with an endocranial volume of approximately 610 ml and associated postcranial remains. The Lesedi Chamber skeletal sample extends our knowledge of the morphology and variation of H. naledi, and evidence of H. naledi from both recovery localities shows a consistent pattern of differentiation from other hominin species. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24232.001 PMID:28483039

Meaning in life and physical health: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Czekierda, Katarzyna; Banik, Anna; Park, Crystal L; Luszczynska, Aleksandra

2017-12-01

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the associations between meaning in life and physical health using random-effects models. Conceptualisation of meaning (order in world vs. purpose in life), type of health indicators, participants' health status, and age issues were investigated as moderators. Systematic searches of six databases resulted in inclusion of k = 66 studies (total N = 73,546). Findings indicated that meaning in life and physical health formed weak-to-moderate associations (the overall estimate of the average effect = 0.258). Conceptualisation of meaning, participants' health status, and their age did not moderate these associations. Operationalisation of health moderated the relationship between meaning in life and health. The strongest associations were found for subjective indicators of physical health. Significant albeit weak associations between meaning in life and objective indices of health were found. Furthermore, stronger effects were observed when the measures of meaning combined items referring to meaning in life and meaning-related sense of harmony, peace, and well-being, compared to measures focusing solely on meaning in life. Overall, the results point to the potential role of meaning in life in explaining physical health.

A comparative analysis of South African Life Sciences and Biology ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hennie

curriculum and the new Life Sciences textbooks that are in accord with the National Curriculum Statement. The analysis .... lems and generate new ideas for improvement. (Castells, 2005). ... Accordingly, the following research questions were.

Optimization of life cycle management costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, A.K.

1994-01-01

As can be seen from the case studies, a LCM program needs to address and integrate, in the decision process, technical, political, licensing, remaining plant life, component replacement cycles, and financial issues. As part of the LCM evaluations, existing plant programs, ongoing replacement projects, short and long-term operation and maintenance issues, and life extension strategies must be considered. The development of the LCM evaluations and the cost benefit analysis identifies critical technical and life cycle cost parameters. These open-quotes discoveriesclose quotes result from the detailed and effective use of a consistent, quantifiable, and well documented methodology. The systematic development and implementation of a plant-wide LCM program provides for an integrated and structured process that leads to the most practical and effective recommendations. Through the implementation of these recommendations and cost effective decisions, the overall power production costs can be controlled and ultimately lowered

Methods for global sensitivity analysis in life cycle assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groen, Evelyne A.; Bokkers, Eddy; Heijungs, Reinout; Boer, de Imke J.M.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Input parameters required to quantify environmental impact in life cycle assessment (LCA) can be uncertain due to e.g. temporal variability or unknowns about the true value of emission factors. Uncertainty of environmental impact can be analysed by means of a global sensitivity analysis to

Life expectancy in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; Andersen, Per Kragh

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Life expectancy in patients with bipolar disorder has been reported to be decreased by 11 to 20 years. These calculations are based on data for individuals at the age of 15 years. However, this may be misleading for patients with bipolar disorder in general as most patients have a later...... onset of illness. The aim of the present study was to calculate the remaining life expectancy for patients of different ages with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. METHODS: Using nationwide registers of all inpatient and outpatient contacts to all psychiatric hospitals in Denmark from 1970 to 2012 we...... remaining life expectancy in bipolar disorder and that of the general population decreased with age, indicating that patients with bipolar disorder start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Life expectancy in bipolar disorder is decreased substantially, but less so than previously...

Disability pension and everyday life: a period of transition and subjective aspects of future occupational life.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Annica E M; Johansson, Ulla

2011-01-01

The purpose was to explore and describe the everyday life experiences among people with a disability pension and their expectations for future occupational life. A purposeful sample of 14 men and women were interviewed. Of these, ten people received full-time disability pension and four people were on partial disability pension while working part time. A content analysis approach revealed three themes: strategies for handling a changed life situation, adaptations to remaining functional capacity, and expectations on future occupational life. Initially, leaving the work market entailed a period of emotional discomfort. To help handle this discomfort, structures for participation and performance came to signify a balanced everyday life. The central conclusion drawn is that the informants with full-time disability pension reconciled themselves to their situation, changing their conception of what life on a disability pension means, while those informants who worked part-time saw their future role as that of worker. Thus, being employed constitutes one factor that promotes a future work career. Another factor related to work capacity is the need for balance between paid work and domestic work reported by disability pensioners working part-time. This area could serve as a point of departure for work rehabilitation.

Electric vehicle life cycle cost analysis : final research project report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-01

This project compared total life cycle costs of battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). The analysis considered capital and operati...

"SINCE I MUST PLEASE THOSE BELOW": HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS RESEARCH AND THE LAW.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Thomas D

2015-01-01

The ethics of non-invasive scientific research on human skeletal remains are poorly articulated and lack a single, definitive analogue in western law. Laws governing invasive research on human fleshed remains, as well as bio-ethical principles established for research on living subjects, provide effective models for the establishment of ethical guidelines for non-invasive research on human skeletal remains. Specifically, non-invasive analysis of human remains is permissible provided that the analysis and collection of resulting data (1) are accomplished with respect for the dignity of the individual, (2) do not violate the last-known desire of the deceased, (3) do not adversely impact the right of the next of kin to perform a ceremonious and decent disposal of the remains, and (4) do not unduly or maliciously violate the privacy interests of the next of kin.

Comparative Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of Solar Photovoltaic Power ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparative Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of Solar Photovoltaic Power System And Diesel Generator System For Remote Residential Application In Nigeria. ... like capital cost, and diesel fuel costs are varied. The results show the photovoltaic system to be more cost-effective at low-power ranges of electrical energy supply.

KNIME for reproducible cross-domain analysis of life science data.

Science.gov (United States)

Fillbrunn, Alexander; Dietz, Christian; Pfeuffer, Julianus; Rahn, René; Landrum, Gregory A; Berthold, Michael R

2017-11-10

Experiments in the life sciences often involve tools from a variety of domains such as mass spectrometry, next generation sequencing, or image processing. Passing the data between those tools often involves complex scripts for controlling data flow, data transformation, and statistical analysis. Such scripts are not only prone to be platform dependent, they also tend to grow as the experiment progresses and are seldomly well documented, a fact that hinders the reproducibility of the experiment. Workflow systems such as KNIME Analytics Platform aim to solve these problems by providing a platform for connecting tools graphically and guaranteeing the same results on different operating systems. As an open source software, KNIME allows scientists and programmers to provide their own extensions to the scientific community. In this review paper we present selected extensions from the life sciences that simplify data exploration, analysis, and visualization and are interoperable due to KNIME's unified data model. Additionally, we name other workflow systems that are commonly used in the life sciences and highlight their similarities and differences to KNIME. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Overview of statistical methods, models and analysis for predicting equipment end of life

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-07-01

Utility equipment can be operated and maintained for many years following installation. However, as the equipment ages, utility operators must decide whether to extend the service life or replace the equipment. Condition assessment modelling is used by many utilities to determine the condition of equipment and to prioritize the maintenance or repair. Several factors are weighted and combined in assessment modelling, which gives a single index number to rate the equipment. There is speculation that this index alone may not be adequate for a business case to rework or replace an asset because it only ranks an asset into a particular category. For that reason, a new methodology was developed to determine the economic end of life of an asset. This paper described the different statistical methods available and their use in determining the remaining service life of electrical equipment. A newly developed Excel-based demonstration computer tool is also an integral part of the deliverables of this project.

Quality of life in breast cancer patients--a quantile regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pourhoseingholi, Mohamad Amin; Safaee, Azadeh; Moghimi-Dehkordi, Bijan; Zeighami, Bahram; Faghihzadeh, Soghrat; Tabatabaee, Hamid Reza; Pourhoseingholi, Asma

2008-01-01

Quality of life study has an important role in health care especially in chronic diseases, in clinical judgment and in medical resources supplying. Statistical tools like linear regression are widely used to assess the predictors of quality of life. But when the response is not normal the results are misleading. The aim of this study is to determine the predictors of quality of life in breast cancer patients, using quantile regression model and compare to linear regression. A cross-sectional study conducted on 119 breast cancer patients that admitted and treated in chemotherapy ward of Namazi hospital in Shiraz. We used QLQ-C30 questionnaire to assessment quality of life in these patients. A quantile regression was employed to assess the assocciated factors and the results were compared to linear regression. All analysis carried out using SAS. The mean score for the global health status for breast cancer patients was 64.92+/-11.42. Linear regression showed that only grade of tumor, occupational status, menopausal status, financial difficulties and dyspnea were statistically significant. In spite of linear regression, financial difficulties were not significant in quantile regression analysis and dyspnea was only significant for first quartile. Also emotion functioning and duration of disease statistically predicted the QOL score in the third quartile. The results have demonstrated that using quantile regression leads to better interpretation and richer inference about predictors of the breast cancer patient quality of life.

Dynamic Path Analysis in Life-Course Epidemiology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gamborg, Michael Orland; Boje Jensen, Gorm; Sørensen, Thorkild I.A.

2011-01-01

it works through other risk factors. In this paper, the dynamic path analysis model is presented as a tool to analyze these dynamic mechanisms in life-course epidemiology. A key feature of dynamic path analysis is its ability to decompose the total effect of a risk factor into a direct effect (not mediated...... by other variables) and indirect effects (mediated through other variables). This is illustrated by examining the associations between repeated measurements of body mass index (BMI) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the risk of CHD in a sample of Danish men between 1976 and 2006. The effect of baseline...... BMI on the risk of CHD is decomposed into a direct effect and indirect effects going through later BMI, concurrent SBP, or later SBP. In conclusion, dynamic path analysis is a flexible tool that by the decomposition of effects can be used to increase the understanding of mechanisms that underlie...

An origin of life on Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Christopher P

2010-04-01

Evidence of past liquid water on the surface of Mars suggests that this world once had habitable conditions and leads to the question of life. If there was life on Mars, it would be interesting to determine if it represented a separate origin from life on Earth. To determine the biochemistry and genetics of life on Mars requires that we have access to an organism or the biological remains of one-possibly preserved in ancient permafrost. A way to determine if organic material found on Mars represents the remains of an alien biological system could be based on the observation that biological systems select certain organic molecules over others that are chemically similar (e.g., chirality in amino acids).

Life Cycle Assessment and resource analysis of all-solid-state batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Troy, Stefanie; Schreiber, Andrea; Reppert, Thorsten; Gehrke, Hans-Gregor; Finsterbusch, Martin; Uhlenbruck, Sven; Stenzel, Peter

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Laboratory scale production of an all-solid-state battery cell is assessed using Life Cycle Assessment. • The foremost share of overall emissions results from electricity consumption on site. • Possible improvement potential when upscaling production processes is investigated. • LCA results prove: early research stage products are not comparable to competing technologies at commercial stage. • Additional resource analysis shows: lanthanum, lithium and zirconium are critical materials. - Abstract: In this investigation the environmental impacts of the manufacturing processes of a new all-solid-state battery (SSB) concept in a pouch bag housing were assessed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for the first time. To do so, the different production steps were investigated in detail, based on actual laboratory scale production processes. All in- and outputs regarding material and energy flows were collected and assessed. As LCA investigations of products in an early state of research and development usually result in comparatively higher results than those of mature technologies in most impact categories, potential future improvements of production processes and efficiency were considered by adding two concepts to the investigation. Apart from the laboratory production which depicts the current workflow, an idealized laboratory production and a possible industrial production were portrayed as well. The results indicate that electricity consumption plays a big role due to a lot of high temperature production steps. It needs to be improved for future industrial production. Also enhanced battery performance can strongly influence the results. Overall the laboratory scale results indeed improve strongly when assuming a careful use of resources, which will likely be a predominant target for industrial production. These findings therefore highlight hotspots and give improvement targets for future developments. It can also be deducted

Multiple chronic conditions and life expectancy: a life table analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

DuGoff, Eva H; Canudas-Romo, Vladimir; Buttorff, Christine; Leff, Bruce; Anderson, Gerard F

2014-08-01

The number of people living with multiple chronic conditions is increasing, but we know little about the impact of multimorbidity on life expectancy. We analyze life expectancy in Medicare beneficiaries by number of chronic conditions. A retrospective cohort study using single-decrement period life tables. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (N=1,372,272) aged 67 and older as of January 1, 2008. Our primary outcome measure is life expectancy. We categorize study subjects by sex, race, selected chronic conditions (heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and Alzheimer disease), and number of comorbid conditions. Comorbidity was measured as a count of conditions collected by Chronic Conditions Warehouse and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Life expectancy decreases with each additional chronic condition. A 67-year-old individual with no chronic conditions will live on average 22.6 additional years. A 67-year-old individual with 5 chronic conditions and ≥10 chronic conditions will live 7.7 fewer years and 17.6 fewer years, respectively. The average marginal decline in life expectancy is 1.8 years with each additional chronic condition-ranging from 0.4 fewer years with the first condition to 2.6 fewer years with the sixth condition. These results are consistent by sex and race. We observe differences in life expectancy by selected conditions at 67, but these differences diminish with age and increasing numbers of comorbid conditions. Social Security and Medicare actuaries should account for the growing number of beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions when determining population projections and trust fund solvency.

Damage Tolerant Analysis of Cracked Al 2024-T3 Panels repaired with Single Boron/Epoxy Patch

Science.gov (United States)

Mahajan, Akshay D.; Murthy, A. Ramachandra; Nanda Kumar, M. R.; Gopinath, Smitha

2018-06-01

It is known that damage tolerant analysis has two objectives, namely, remaining life prediction and residual strength evaluation. To achieve the these objectives, determination of accurate and reliable fracture parameter is very important. XFEM methodologies for fatigue and fracture analysis of cracked aluminium panels repaired with different patch shapes made of single boron/epoxy have been developed. Heaviside and asymptotic crack tip enrichment functions are employed to model the crack. XFEM formulations such as displacement field formulation and element stiffness matrix formulation are presented. Domain form of interaction integral is employed to determine Stress Intensity Factor of repaired cracked panels. Computed SIFs are incorporated in Paris crack growth model to predict the remaining fatigue life. The residual strength has been computed by using the remaining life approach, which accounts for both crack growth constants and no. of cycles to failure. From the various studies conducted, it is observed that repaired panels have significant effect on reduction of the SIF at the crack tip and hence residual strength as well as remaining life of the patched cracked panels are improved significantly. The predicted remaining life and residual strength will be useful for design of structures/components under fatigue loading.

Boiler-turbine life extension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natzkov, S. [TOTEMA, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Nikolov, M. [CERB, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1995-12-01

The design life of the main power equipment-boilers and turbines is about 105 working hours. The possibilities for life extension are after normatively regulated control tests. The diagnostics and methodology for Boilers and Turbines Elements Remaining Life Assessment using up to date computer programs, destructive and nondestructive control of metal of key elements of units equipment, metal creep and low cycle fatigue calculations. As well as data for most common damages and some technical decisions for elements life extension are presented.

Lung Abscess Remains a Life-Threatening Condition in Pediatrics – A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chirteș Ioana Raluca

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary abscess or lung abscess is a lung infection which destroys the lung parenchyma leading to cavitations and central necrosis in localised areas formed by thick-walled purulent material. It can be primary or secondary. Lung abscesses can occur at any age, but it seems that paediatric pulmonary abscess morbidity is lower than in adults. We present the case of a one year and 5-month-old male child admitted to our clinic for fever, loss of appetite and an overall altered general status. Laboratory tests revealed elevated inflammatory biomarkers, leukocytosis with neutrophilia, anaemia, thrombocytosis, low serum iron concentration and increased lactate dehydrogenase level. Despite wide-spectrum antibiotic therapy, the patient’s progress remained poor after seven days of treatment and a CT scan established the diagnosis of a large lung abscess. Despite changing the antibiotic therapy, surgical intervention was eventually needed. There was a slow but steady improvment and eventually, the patient was discharged after approximately five weeks.

Women's experiences of daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery: A qualitative interview study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermansen, Anna; Peolsson, Anneli; Kammerlind, Ann-Sofi; Hjelm, Katarina

2016-04-01

To explore and describe women's experiences of daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery. Qualitative explorative design. Fourteen women aged 39-62 years (median 52 years) were included 1.5-3 years after anterior cervical decompression and fusion for cervical disc disease. Individual semi-structured interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. The women described their experiences of daily life in 5 different ways: being recovered to various extents; impact of remaining symptoms on thoughts and feelings; making daily life work; receiving support from social and occupational networks; and physical and behavioural changes due to interventions and encounters with healthcare professionals. This interview study provides insight into women's daily life after anterior cervical decompression and fusion. Whilst the subjects improved after surgery, they also experienced remaining symptoms and limitations in daily life. A variety of mostly active coping strategies were used to manage daily life. Social support from family, friends, occupational networks and healthcare professionals positively influenced daily life. These findings provide knowledge about aspects of daily life that should be considered in individualized postoperative care and rehabilitation in an attempt to provide better outcomes in women after anterior cervical decompression and fusion.

Asset life cycle plans: twelve steps to assist strategic decision-making in asset life cycle management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruitenburg, Richard Jacob; Braaksma, Anne Johannes Jan; van Dongen, Leonardus Adriana Maria; Carnero, Maria Carmen; Gonzalez-Prida, Vicente

2017-01-01

Effective management of physical assets should deliver maximum business value. Therefore, Asset Management standards such as PAS 55 and ISO 55000 ask for a life cycle approach. However, most existing methods focus only on the short term of the asset's life or the estimation of its remaining life.

Accounting for indirect land-use change in the life cycle assessment of biofuel supply chains

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Susan Tarka; Woods, Jeremy; Akhurst, Mark; Brander, Matthew; O'Hare, Michael; Dawson, Terence P.; Edwards, Robert; Liska, Adam J.; Malpas, Rick

2012-01-01

The expansion of land used for crop production causes variable direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and other economic, social and environmental effects. We analyse the use of life cycle analysis (LCA) for estimating the carbon intensity of biofuel production from indirect land-use change (ILUC). Two approaches are critiqued: direct, attributional life cycle analysis and consequential life cycle analysis (CLCA). A proposed hybrid ‘combined model’ of the two approaches for ILUC analysis relies on first defining the system boundary of the resulting full LCA. Choices are then made as to the modelling methodology (economic equilibrium or cause–effect), data inputs, land area analysis, carbon stock accounting and uncertainty analysis to be included. We conclude that CLCA is applicable for estimating the historic emissions from ILUC, although improvements to the hybrid approach proposed, coupled with regular updating, are required, and uncertainly values must be adequately represented; however, the scope and the depth of the expansion of the system boundaries required for CLCA remain controversial. In addition, robust prediction, monitoring and accounting frameworks for the dynamic and highly uncertain nature of future crop yields and the effectiveness of policies to reduce deforestation and encourage afforestation remain elusive. Finally, establishing compatible and comparable accounting frameworks for ILUC between the USA, the European Union, South East Asia, Africa, Brazil and other major biofuel trading blocs is urgently needed if substantial distortions between these markets, which would reduce its application in policy outcomes, are to be avoided. PMID:22467143

Accounting for indirect land-use change in the life cycle assessment of biofuel supply chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Susan Tarka; Woods, Jeremy; Akhurst, Mark; Brander, Matthew; O'Hare, Michael; Dawson, Terence P; Edwards, Robert; Liska, Adam J; Malpas, Rick

2012-06-07

The expansion of land used for crop production causes variable direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, and other economic, social and environmental effects. We analyse the use of life cycle analysis (LCA) for estimating the carbon intensity of biofuel production from indirect land-use change (ILUC). Two approaches are critiqued: direct, attributional life cycle analysis and consequential life cycle analysis (CLCA). A proposed hybrid 'combined model' of the two approaches for ILUC analysis relies on first defining the system boundary of the resulting full LCA. Choices are then made as to the modelling methodology (economic equilibrium or cause-effect), data inputs, land area analysis, carbon stock accounting and uncertainty analysis to be included. We conclude that CLCA is applicable for estimating the historic emissions from ILUC, although improvements to the hybrid approach proposed, coupled with regular updating, are required, and uncertainly values must be adequately represented; however, the scope and the depth of the expansion of the system boundaries required for CLCA remain controversial. In addition, robust prediction, monitoring and accounting frameworks for the dynamic and highly uncertain nature of future crop yields and the effectiveness of policies to reduce deforestation and encourage afforestation remain elusive. Finally, establishing compatible and comparable accounting frameworks for ILUC between the USA, the European Union, South East Asia, Africa, Brazil and other major biofuel trading blocs is urgently needed if substantial distortions between these markets, which would reduce its application in policy outcomes, are to be avoided.

Life Values as an Intrinsic Guide for Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program Engagement: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Jordan M; Whited, Matthew C; Freeman, John Taylor; Corson, Ansley T; Jameson, John Paul; Greenway, Stacey; Sager, David M; Midgette, Emily P; Varju, Eliza V

2017-11-08

Participation in cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation (CVPR) programs can lead to improved functional abilities and improved quality of life, but attendance and adherence to these programs remain suboptimal. Behavioral therapies have emphasized the importance of life value identification as a guide for goal setting and behavior change for both psychological and physical health conditions. Individuals who choose to engage in behaviors that align with their life values are thought to be intrinsically reinforced. The purpose of the following qualitative study was to interview patients enrolled in CVPR about their own life values and motivating factors related to healthy behavior changes. Thirty cardiac or pulmonary patients were recruited from a CVPR program and participated in a semistructured interview about their life values and motivating factors related to program engagement. The data were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Participants identified a wide range of values related to program engagement, and only half of the participants endorsed health as a value. The most frequently endorsed life values included being active, family, and independence. The interviews indicated that, although patients make lifestyle changes in the program to improve their physical health, there are often other values that primarily guide their choice to engage in and maintain lifestyle behaviors. Life values can serve as a powerful guide for individual behavior change. The present study suggests that the piloting of brief values interventions early in CVPR treatment is warranted and has the potential to improve patient outcomes.

Predicting the residual life of plant equipment - Why worry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaske, C.E.

1985-01-01

Predicting the residual life of plant equipment that has been in service for 20 to 30 years or more is a major concern of many industries. This paper reviews the reasons for increased concern for residual-life assessment and the general procedures used in performing such assessments. Some examples and case histories illustrating procedures for assessing remaining service life are discussed. Areas where developments are needed to improve the technology for remaining-life estimation are pointed out. Then, some of the critical issues involved in residual-life assessment are identified. Finally, the future role of residual-life prediction is addressed

Lifetime risks of kidney donation: a medical decision analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiberd, Bryce A; Tennankore, Karthik K

2017-09-01

This study estimated the potential loss of life and the lifetime cumulative risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) from live kidney donation. Markov medical decision analysis. USA. 40-year-old live kidney donors of both sexes and black/white race. Live donor nephrectomy. Potential remaining life years lost, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost and added lifetime cumulative risk of ESRD from donation. Overall 0.532-0.884 remaining life years were lost from donating a kidney. This was equivalent to 1.20%-2.34% of remaining life years (or 0.76%-1.51% remaining QALYs). The risk was higher in male and black individuals. The study showed that 1%-5% of average-age current live kidney donors might develop ESRD as a result of nephrectomy. The added risk of ESRD resulted in a loss of only 0.126-0.344 remaining life years. Most of the loss of life was predicted to be associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) not ESRD. Most events occurred 25 or more years after donation. Reducing the increased risk of death associated with CKD had a modest overall effect on the per cent loss of remaining life years (0.72%-1.9%) and QALYs (0.58%-1.33%). Smoking and obesity reduced life expectancy and increased overall lifetime risks of ESRD in non-donors. However the percentage loss of remaining life years from donation was not very different in those with or without these risk factors. Live kidney donation may reduce life expectancy by 0.5-1 year in most donors. The development of ESRD in donors may not be the only measure of risk as most of the predicted loss of life predates ESRD. The study identifies the potential importance of following donors and treating risk factors aggressively to prevent ESRD and to improve donor survival. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Determinants of quality of life of patients with heart failure and iron deficiency treated with ferric carboxymaltose: FAIR-HF sub-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutzwiller, Florian S; Pfeil, Alena M; Comin-Colet, Josep; Ponikowski, Piotr; Filippatos, Gerasimos; Mori, Claudio; Braunhofer, Peter G; Szucs, Thomas D; Schwenkglenks, Matthias; Anker, Stefan D

2013-10-09

Heart failure (HF) is a burden to patients and health care systems. The objectives of HF treatment are to improve health related quality of life (HRQoL) and reduce mortality and morbidity. We aimed to evaluate determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with iron deficiency and HF treated with intravenous (i.v.) iron substitution or placebo. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (n = 459) in iron-deficient chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with or without anaemia studied clinical and HRQoL benefits of i.v. iron substitution using ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) over a 24-week trial period. Multivariate analysis was carried out with various clinical variables as independent variables and HRQoL measures as dependent variables. Mean change from baseline of European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) (value set-based) utilities (on a 0 to 100 scale) at week 24 was 8.91 (i.v. iron) and 0.68 (placebo; p model remained stable. In this study, i.v. iron substitution, exercise tolerance, stroke, country of residence and renal function influenced measures of HRQoL in patients with heart failure and iron deficiency. © 2013.

Direct Analysis as a historical documentation tool of the remains of the Castielfabib ramparts and their evolution (Valencian Community, Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro Vázquez Esparza

2017-12-01

Full Text Available   Castielfabib is a small town on the frontier between the old Spanish kingdoms of Castilla and Aragon. Due to the fact that the few remaining segments of its old walls are widely separated from each other, it is not possible to establish with any certainty a plan of the original ramparts. There is also the added complication of the wide variety of materials of which the different segments are composed, which makes it difficult to date or establish relationships between them. This meant that direct analysis of the masonry and paraments by digital tools was the only practical method of obtaining scientific data on the evolution of the different remains as a basis for forming sound hypotheses on their construction and evolution.

Ethical objections against including life-extension costs in cost-effectiveness analysis: a consistent approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandjour, Afschin; Müller, Dirk

2014-10-01

One of the major ethical concerns regarding cost-effectiveness analysis in health care has been the inclusion of life-extension costs ("it is cheaper to let people die"). For this reason, many analysts have opted to rule out life-extension costs from the analysis. However, surprisingly little has been written in the health economics literature regarding this ethical concern and the resulting practice. The purpose of this work was to present a framework and potential solution for ethical objections against life-extension costs. This work found three levels of ethical concern: (i) with respect to all life-extension costs (disease-related and -unrelated); (ii) with respect to disease-unrelated costs only; and (iii) regarding disease-unrelated costs plus disease-related costs not influenced by the intervention. Excluding all life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-for reasons of consistency-a simultaneous exclusion of savings from reducing morbidity. At the other extreme, excluding only disease-unrelated life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-again for reasons of consistency-the exclusion of health gains due to treatment of unrelated diseases. Therefore, addressing ethical concerns regarding the inclusion of life-extension costs necessitates fundamental changes in the calculation of cost effectiveness.

Prevalence of remaining horizontal instability in high-grade acromioclavicular joint injuries surgically managed.

Science.gov (United States)

Cisneros, Luis Natera; Reiriz, Juan Sarasquete

2017-04-01

To determine the prevalence of remaining horizontal instability in high-grade acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries surgically managed by means of four different surgical strategies and to assess its relation to the clinical outcomes and the quality of life. In this multicentric non-randomized retrospective study, 53 patients with high-grade ACJ injuries surgically managed (by means of open or arthroscopic surgery) were clinically and radiographically assessed at 24 months or more after shoulder surgery. The presence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability was evaluated by means of Alexander or axillary X-ray views. The study population was divided into two groups: patients with evidence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability and patients without evidence of post-surgical remaining horizontal instability at the last follow-up visit. The relationship between remaining horizontal instability and the quality-of-life questionnaires was analyzed. 18.87% (10/53) of the Alexander or axillary X-rays views showed post-surgical remaining horizontal instability at the last follow-up visit (INSTAB-group). Results of the questionnaires were: (1) physical SF36 score (INSTAB-group 57.02 ± 3.17  and NO-INSTAB-group 57.66 ± 3.30, p = 0.583); (2) mental SF36 score (INSTAB-group 53.95 ± 3.98  and NO-INSTAB-group 55.71 ± 3.30, p = 0.150); (3) NRS for pain (INSTAB-group 1.30 ± 1.49 and NO-INSTAB-group 0.83  ± 1.08, p = 0.260); (4) DASH questionnaire (INSTAB-group 5.27 ± 5.42 and NO-INSTAB-group 3.06 ± 2.30, p = 0.049); (5) Constant score (INSTAB-group 93.4 ± 3.5 and NO-INSTAB-group 94.83  ± 4.3, p = 0.333); and Global satisfaction (INSTAB-group 8.7  ± 0.95 and NO-INSTAB-group 8.64 ± 1.03, p = 0.874). Independently of the type of procedure, post-surgical remaining horizontal instability was present in almost one-fifth of the patients, and this group of patients showed a significantly worse DASH score. The

An Origin of Life on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Christopher P.

2010-01-01

Evidence of past liquid water on the surface of Mars suggests that this world once had habitable conditions and leads to the question of life. If there was life on Mars, it would be interesting to determine if it represented a separate origin from life on Earth. To determine the biochemistry and genetics of life on Mars requires that we have access to an organism or the biological remains of one—possibly preserved in ancient permafrost. A way to determine if organic material found on Mars represents the remains of an alien biological system could be based on the observation that biological systems select certain organic molecules over others that are chemically similar (e.g., chirality in amino acids). PMID:20452949

Optimal Life-Cycle Investing with Flexible Labor Supply: A Welfare Analysis of Life-Cycle Funds

OpenAIRE

Francisco J. Gomes; Laurence J. Kotlikoff; Luis M. Viceira

2008-01-01

We investigate optimal consumption, asset accumulation and portfolio decisions in a realistically calibrated life-cycle model with flexible labor supply. Our framework allows for wage rate uncertainly, variable labor supply, social security benefits and portfolio choice over safe bonds and risky equities. Our analysis reinforces prior findings that equities are the preferred asset for young households, with the optimal share of equities generally declining prior to retirement. However, variab...

Remaining in an Abusive Relationship: An Investment Model Analysis of Nonvoluntary Dependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusbult, Caryl E.; Martz, John M.

1995-01-01

Analyzes the nature of interdependence in ongoing relationships, using an investment model to understand decisions to remain in abusive relationships. Found that feelings of commitment were greater among women who had poorer-quality economic alternatives, were more heavily invested in their relationship, and who experienced less dissatisfaction…

Life-cycle analysis of shale gas and natural gas.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, C.E.; Han, J.; Burnham, A.; Dunn, J.B.; Wang, M. (Energy Systems); ( EVS)

2012-01-27

The technologies and practices that have enabled the recent boom in shale gas production have also brought attention to the environmental impacts of its use. Using the current state of knowledge of the recovery, processing, and distribution of shale gas and conventional natural gas, we have estimated up-to-date, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, we have developed distribution functions for key parameters in each pathway to examine uncertainty and identify data gaps - such as methane emissions from shale gas well completions and conventional natural gas liquid unloadings - that need to be addressed further. Our base case results show that shale gas life-cycle emissions are 6% lower than those of conventional natural gas. However, the range in values for shale and conventional gas overlap, so there is a statistical uncertainty regarding whether shale gas emissions are indeed lower than conventional gas emissions. This life-cycle analysis provides insight into the critical stages in the natural gas industry where emissions occur and where opportunities exist to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of natural gas.

Methodological issues underlying multiple decrement life table analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mode, C J; Avery, R C; Littman, G S; Potter, R G

1977-02-01

In this paper, the actuarial method of multiple decrement life table analysis of censored, longitudinal data is examined. The discussion is organized in terms of the first segment of usage of an intrauterine device. Weaknesses of the actuarial approach are pointed out, and an alternative approach, based on the classical model of competing risks, is proposed. Finally, the actuarial and the alternative method of analyzing censored data are compared, using data from the Taichung Medical Study on Intrauterine Devices.

Analysis of the Water Resources Potential and Useful Life of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Full Length R ... Keywords: Shiroro dam reservoir, water resources potential, useful life, hydropower, ... Water balance analysis is a highly effective tool that .... from operation each time the reservoir capacity ..... validity of this research work. iii.

A probabilistic degradation model for the estimation of the remaining life distribution of feeders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, X.-X.; Pandey, M.D.; Bickel, G.A.

2006-01-01

Wall thinning due to flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) is a pervasive form of degradation in the outlet feeder pipes of the primary heat transport system of CANDU reactors. The prediction of the end-of-life of a feeder from wall thickness measurement data is confounded by the sampling and temporal uncertainties associated with the FAC degradation phenomenon. Traditional regression-based statistical methods deal with only the sampling uncertainties, leaving the temporal uncertainties unresolved. This paper presents an advanced probabilistic model, which is able to integrate the temporal uncertainties into the prediction of lifetime. In particular, a random gamma process model is proposed to model the FAC process and it is calibrated with a set of wall thickness measurements using the method of maximum likelihood. This information can be used to establish an optimum strategy for inspection and replacement of feeders. (author)

Postmortem Scavenging of Human Remains by Domestic Cats

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Ananya Suntirukpong, M.D.

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: Crime scene investigators, forensic medicine doctors and pathologists, and forensic anthropologists frequently encounter postmortem scavenging of human remains by household pets. Case presentation: The authors present a case report of a partially skeletonized adult male found dead after more than three months in his apartment in Thailand. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition with nearly complete skeletonization of the head, neck, hands, and feet. The presence of maggots and necrophagous (flesh eating beetles on the body confirmed that insects had consumed much of the soft tissues. Examination of the hand and foot bones revealed canine tooth puncture marks. Evidence of chewing indicated that one or more of the decedent’s three house cats had fed on the body after death. Recognizing and identifying carnivore and rodent activity on the soft flesh and bones of human remains is important in interpreting and reconstructing postmortem damage. Thorough analysis may help explain why skeletal elements are missing, damaged, or out of anatomical position. Conclusion: This report presents a multi-disciplinary approach combining forensic anthropology and forensic medicine in examining and interpreting human remains.

Generational Change in the Argentine Academic Profession through the Analysis of "Life Courses"

Science.gov (United States)

Marquina, Monica; Yuni, Jose; Ferreiro, Mariela

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is to analyze the effects of the socio-political processes on the academic profession in Argentina from the life course perspective. The analysis of differences in the individuals' life course was made by dividing them into three groups, representing different generations of academics: the novel, the intermediate, and the…

Remaining in Workforce – Employment Barriers for People with Disabilities in a Swedish Context

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Gunnel Östlund

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Participation in the workforce is lower among people with disabilities worldwide. In this study we explore how people with disabilities perceive their inclusion in working life. Twenty women and men were interviewed. The sample comprises a group of working people experiencing different kinds of physical and sensory disabilities. The employment barriers found were related to accessibility, cooperation among welfare agencies, technical aids and welfare services. We named them as follows: the environmental participation barrier, the jungle of devices, the catch 22 situations, and, the inflexibility of welfare services. According to our interpretation these external barriers hinder people with disabilities from engaging in work and civic life to the extent that they want. Most interviewees in our sample were well-educated and successfully employed, nevertheless they all had experienced barriers in relation to remaining in work. Although the intentions in Sweden and most welfare states is to include people with disabilities in working life there are several obstacles in implementation of this intention.

PIXE analysis of remaining bromine in fumigated old manuscripts and books

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohno, M.; Yoshida, K.; Moritani, K.; Naito, M.; Enami, K.; Kasajima, H.; Takada, J.; Matsushita, R.

1999-01-01

Buddhist scriptures in Reeky University Library have been fumigated regularly for protecting them from vermin. Methyl bromide (CH 3 Br) had been used there till 1985. In order to examine whether the chemical remains on the fumigated objects or not, paper fragments of old manuscripts and books, modern paper placed together with them, and non-fumigated ones were analyzed by PIXE. The bromine concentration of fumigated paper was more than from several tens to several hundreds times higher than non-fumigated ones. (author)

Life cycle analysis of kidney gene expression in male F344 rats.

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Joshua C Kwekel

Full Text Available Age is a predisposing condition for susceptibility to chronic kidney disease and progression as well as acute kidney injury that may arise due to the adverse effects of some drugs. Age-related differences in kidney biology, therefore, are a key concern in understanding drug safety and disease progression. We hypothesize that the underlying suite of genes expressed in the kidney at various life cycle stages will impact susceptibility to adverse drug reactions. Therefore, establishing changes in baseline expression data between these life stages is the first and necessary step in evaluating this hypothesis. Untreated male F344 rats were sacrificed at 2, 5, 6, 8, 15, 21, 78, and 104 weeks of age. Kidneys were collected for histology and gene expression analysis. Agilent whole-genome rat microarrays were used to query global expression profiles. An ANOVA (p1.5 in relative mRNA expression, was used to identify 3,724 unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs. Principal component analyses of these DEGs revealed three major divisions in life-cycle renal gene expression. K-means cluster analysis identified several groups of genes that shared age-specific patterns of expression. Pathway analysis of these gene groups revealed age-specific gene networks and functions related to renal function and aging, including extracellular matrix turnover, immune cell response, and renal tubular injury. Large age-related changes in expression were also demonstrated for the genes that code for qualified renal injury biomarkers KIM-1, Clu, and Tff3. These results suggest specific groups of genes that may underlie age-specific susceptibilities to adverse drug reactions and disease. This analysis of the basal gene expression patterns of renal genes throughout the life cycle of the rat will improve the use of current and future renal biomarkers and inform our assessments of kidney injury and disease.

Life support systems analysis and technical trades for a lunar outpost

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrall, J. F.; Ganapathi, G. B.; Rohatgi, N. K.; Seshan, P. K.

1994-01-01

The NASA/JPL life support systems analysis (LISSA) software tool was used to perform life support system analysis and technology trades for a Lunar Outpost. The life support system was modeled using a chemical process simulation program on a steady-state, one-person, daily basis. Inputs to the LiSSA model include metabolic balance load data, hygiene load data, technology selection, process operational assumptions and mission parameter assumptions. A baseline set of technologies has been used against which comparisons have been made by running twenty-two cases with technology substitutions. System, subsystem, and technology weights and powers are compared for a crew of 4 and missions of 90 and 600 days. By assigning a weight value to power, equivalent system weights are compared. Several less-developed technologies show potential advantages over the baseline. Solid waste treatment technologies show weight and power disadvantages but one could have benefits associated with the reduction of hazardous wastes and very long missions. Technology development towards reducing the weight of resupplies and lighter materials of construction was recommended. It was also recommended that as technologies are funded for development, contractors should be required to generate and report data useful for quantitative technology comparisons.

Analysis of the link between a definition of sustainability and the life cycle methodologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Andreas; Herrmann, Ivan Tengbjerg; Bjørn, Anders

2013-01-01

explicit analysis of the claim has been made. The purpose of this article is to analyse this claim.An interpretation of the goals of sustainability, as outlined in the report Our Common Future (WCED 1987), which is the basis for most literature on sustainability assessment in the LCA community......It has been claimed that in order to assess the sustainability of products, a combination of the results from a life cycle assessment (LCA), social life cycle assessment (SLCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) is needed. Despite the frequent reference to this claim in the literature, very little......, is presented and detailed to a level enabling an analysis of the relation to the impact categories at midpoint level considered in life cycle (LC) methodologies.The interpretation of the definition of sustainability as outlined in Our Common Future (WCED 1987) suggests that the assessment of a product...

Optimum Envelope of a Single-Family House Based on Life Cycle Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie-Claude Hamelin

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the methodology used for the life cycle cost (LCC and life cycle energy (LCE analyses of the case study house in Quebec, Canada. The TRNSYS energy analysis program is coupled with GenOpt, a general purpose optimization program, for the purpose of this study. The particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm is used for the search for the optimum solution. Results show that the optimum levels of insulation should be higher than the reference values, even for the case of LCC analysis. The results are for the most part still valid if electricity costs are assumed to increase below the inflation rate for the duration of the study period.

Five years after the accident, whiplash casualties still have poorer quality of life in the physical domain than other mildly injured casualties: analysis of the ESPARR cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Tournier, Charlène; Hours, Martine; Charnay, Pierrette; Chossegros, Laetitia; Tardy, Hélène

2016-01-05

This study aims to compare health status and quality of life five years after a road accident between casualties with whiplash versus other mild injuries, to compare evolution of quality of life at 1 and 5 years after the accident, and to explore the relation between initial injury (whiplash vs. other) and quality of life. The study used data from the ESPARR cohort (a representative cohort of road accident casualties) and included 167 casualties with "pure" whiplash and a population of 185 casualties with other mild injuries (MAIS-1). All subjects with lesions classified as cervical contusion (AIS code 310402) or neck sprain (AIS code 640278) were considered as whiplash casualties. Diagnosis was made by physicians, at the outset of hospital care, based on interview, clinical findings and X-ray. Whiplash injuries were then classified following the Quebec classification (grades 1 and 2). Quality of life was assessed on the WHOQoL-Bref questionnaire. Correlations between explanatory variables and quality of life were explored by Poisson regression and variance analysis. Between 1 and 5 years, global QoL improved for both whiplash and non-whiplash casualties; but, considering the two whiplash groups separately, improvement in grade 2 was much less than in grade 1. At 5 years, grade-2 whiplash casualties were more dissatisfied with their health (39.4%; p whiplash (24.3%) or grade-1 whiplash casualties (27.0%). Deteriorated quality of life in the mental, social and environmental domains was mainly related to psychological and socioeconomic factors for both whiplash and other mildly injured road-accident casualties. While PTSD was a major factor for the physical domain, whiplash remained a predictive factor after adjustment on PTSD; unsatisfactory health at 5 years, with deteriorated quality of life in the physical domain, was observed specifically in the whiplash group, pain playing a predominant intermediate role. Deteriorated quality of life in the physical domain

A comparative analysis of South African Life Sciences and Biology ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study reports on the analysis of South African Life Sciences and Biology textbooks for the inclusion of the nature of science using a conceptual framework developed by Chiappetta, Fillman and Sethna (1991). In particular, we investigated the differences between the representation of the nature of science in Biology ...

Modelling User-Costs in Life Cycle Cost-Benefit (LCCB) analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

2008-01-01

The importance of including user's costs in Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit analysis of structures is discussed in this paper. This is especially for bridges of great importance. Repair or/and failure of a bridge will usually result in user costs greater than the repair or replacement costs of the bridge...

Biomedical image analysis recipes in Matlab for life scientists and engineers

CERN Document Server

Reyes-Aldasoro, Constantino Carlos

2015-01-01

As its title suggests, this innovative book has been written for life scientists needing to analyse their data sets, and programmers, wanting a better understanding of the types of experimental images life scientists investigate on a regular basis. Each chapter presents one self-contained biomedical experiment to be analysed. Part I of the book presents its two basic ingredients: essential concepts of image analysis and Matlab. In Part II, algorithms and techniques are shown as series of 'recipes' or solved examples that show how specific techniques are applied to a biomedical experiments like

The comparative performance of PMI estimation in skeletal remains by three methods (C-14, luminol test and OHI): analysis of 20 cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappella, Annalisa; Gibelli, Daniele; Muccino, Enrico; Scarpulla, Valentina; Cerutti, Elisa; Caruso, Valentina; Sguazza, Emanuela; Mazzarelli, Debora; Cattaneo, Cristina

2015-01-27

When estimating post-mortem interval (PMI) in forensic anthropology, the only method able to give an unambiguous result is the analysis of C-14, although the procedure is expensive. Other methods, such as luminol tests and histological analysis, can be performed as preliminary investigations and may allow the operators to gain a preliminary indication concerning PMI, but they lack scientific verification, although luminol testing has been somewhat more accredited in the past few years. Such methods in fact may provide some help as they are inexpensive and can give a fast response, especially in the phase of preliminary investigations. In this study, 20 court cases of human skeletonized remains were dated by the C-14 method. For two cases, results were chronologically set after the 1950s; for one case, the analysis was not possible technically. The remaining 17 cases showed an archaeological or historical collocation. The same bone samples were also screened with histological examination and with the luminol test. Results showed that only four cases gave a positivity to luminol and a high Oxford Histology Index (OHI) score at the same time: among these, two cases were dated as recent by the radiocarbon analysis. Thus, only two false-positive results were given by the combination of these methods and no false negatives. Thus, the combination of two qualitative methods (luminol test and microscopic analysis) may represent a promising solution to cases where many fragments need to be quickly tested.

Entrepreneurial Woman and Analysis of Barriers and Opportunities Ensuring the Work-Life Balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeynep OYURYÜZ

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Today, there is an increase in the number of women participating in working life with the result of developing technology and industrialization. In our country, there are still many problems that prevent women to become business owners and business owners to continue their business. In this context; potential barriers and opportunities associated with women who could establish a business owner's work-life balance has been identified in Tekirdağ. Women business owners in the sectors of agriculture and agro-based entrepreneurship and participate in 22 different comments associated with being a woman in business levels were evaluated and findings were grouped by factor analysis. According to the reduced factor; ensuring women's work-life balance of barriers or opportunities that may be 6 groups of factors have been identified. In evaluating the distribution of the factor group analysis; "personality characteristics, time constraints, marital status, gender roles, social position and communicative features" titles were created. The factors of entrepreneurial women’s work-life balance have been interpreted to establish the feasibility of barriers or opportunities. For the continuity of business life of women, entrepreneurs are required to continuously improve themselves and their business. In this context, to establish a women's work-life balance training should be provided by the universities and professional chambers. Personal development trainings such as; management skills, motivation, organization, efficient use of time, gain control capability, produce a solution in the face of challenges should be given by the institutions.

Regional Variation of Cost of Care in the Last 12 Months of Life in Switzerland: Small-area Analysis Using Insurance Claims Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Panczak, Radoslaw; Luta, Xhyljeta; Maessen, Maud; Stuck, Andreas E; Berlin, Claudia; Schmidlin, Kurt; Reich, Oliver; von Wyl, Viktor; Goodman, David C; Egger, Matthias; Zwahlen, Marcel; Clough-Gorr, Kerri M

2017-02-01

Health care spending increases sharply at the end of life. Little is known about variation of cost of end of life care between regions and the drivers of such variation. We studied small-area patterns of cost of care in the last year of life in Switzerland. We used mandatory health insurance claims data of individuals who died between 2008 and 2010 to derive cost of care. We used multilevel regression models to estimate differences in costs across 564 regions of place of residence, nested within 71 hospital service areas. We examined to what extent variation was explained by characteristics of individuals and regions, including measures of health care supply. The study population consisted of 113,277 individuals. The mean cost of care during last year of life was 32.5k (thousand) Swiss Francs per person (SD=33.2k). Cost differed substantially between regions after adjustment for patient age, sex, and cause of death. Variance was reduced by 52%-95% when we added individual and regional characteristics, with a strong effect of language region. Measures of supply of care did not show associations with costs. Remaining between and within hospital service area variations were most pronounced for older females and least for younger individuals. In Switzerland, small-area analysis revealed variation of cost of care during the last year of life according to linguistic regions and unexplained regional differences for older women. Cultural factors contribute to the delivery and utilization of health care during the last months of life and should be considered by policy makers.

Nonparametric Bayesian inference for mean residual life functions in survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Poynor, Valerie; Kottas, Athanasios

2018-01-19

Modeling and inference for survival analysis problems typically revolves around different functions related to the survival distribution. Here, we focus on the mean residual life (MRL) function, which provides the expected remaining lifetime given that a subject has survived (i.e. is event-free) up to a particular time. This function is of direct interest in reliability, medical, and actuarial fields. In addition to its practical interpretation, the MRL function characterizes the survival distribution. We develop general Bayesian nonparametric inference for MRL functions built from a Dirichlet process mixture model for the associated survival distribution. The resulting model for the MRL function admits a representation as a mixture of the kernel MRL functions with time-dependent mixture weights. This model structure allows for a wide range of shapes for the MRL function. Particular emphasis is placed on the selection of the mixture kernel, taken to be a gamma distribution, to obtain desirable properties for the MRL function arising from the mixture model. The inference method is illustrated with a data set of two experimental groups and a data set involving right censoring. The supplementary material available at Biostatistics online provides further results on empirical performance of the model, using simulated data examples. © The Author 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Operational data collection and analysis for nuclear plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DuCharme, A.R.; Berg, R.M.; Bailey, T.L.

1989-01-01

This paper describes initial work undertaken by the US Department of Energy, through Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to define the operational data necessary for support of nuclear plant life extension (PLEX) programs. This work is being performed in coordination with the Working Group on Plant Life Extension of the US Nuclear Management and Resources Council. The intent of the effort is to use results gained initially from pilot PLEX programs a US BWR and a US PWR to build towards the use of ''PLEX indicators'' by which a plant's readiness for successful life extension can be measured. Another objective of the study was to examine chemistry data in detail to determine how well US plants are collecting, preserving, and trending the chemistry data that is important to PLEX. The methods used to disseminate this data to outside agencies and other utilities were studied. Finally, an analysis was made to determine additional chemistry data needed to support PLEX

Life cycle and economic efficiency analysis phase II : durable pavement markings.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

This report details the Phase II analysis of the life cycle and economic efficiency of inlaid tape : and thermoplastic. Waterborne paint was included as a non-durable for comparison purposes : only. In order to find the most economical product for sp...

Life review in advanced age: qualitative research on the 'start in life' of 90-year-olds in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapsley, Hilary; Pattie, Alison; Starr, John M; Deary, Ian J

2016-04-01

This research report presents findings on 'start in life' from a qualitative study of 90-year-olds from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921. The study aimed to contextualise the LBC1921 cohort in time and place, describe cohort members' experiences of family and schooling and stimulate further inquiry into the relationships between 'start in life' and risk and resilience factors relating to longevity and healthy ageing. Scottish education and family life in the early 1930s are briefly described. Life review questionnaire: A qualitative Life Review Questionnaire was developed, requiring free-text handwritten responses. Its 'Start in Life' section focused on schooling and family support. Wave 4 of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 involved testing 129 members near to their 90(th) birthday. They reside largely in Edinburgh and its environs. The Life Review Questionnaire was administered to 126 participants, 54 % women. Qualitative analysis: Thematic analysis was the qualitative technique used to categorise, code and extract meaning from questionnaire text. Narratives were extracted from the data to present illustrative stories. Narratives of start in life gave contextual description. Thematic analysis showed LBC1921 members enjoying their schooling, highlighting teachers, academic achievement, school activities and school friendships. Personal qualities, family circumstances and aspects of schooling sometimes hindered educational performance. Family life was recalled mostly with warmth and parents were often portrayed as valuing education and supporting learning and development. Family adversity from poverty, parental illness and parental death was often mitigated by support from parents (or the remaining parent). Overall, most cohort members believed that they had got off to a good 'start in life'. This qualitative investigation of 'start in life' adds context and richness to quantitative investigations of the sizeable LBC1921 cohort, stimulating fresh insights and hypotheses

Ageing, Health and Life Satisfaction of the Oldest Old: An Analysis for Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Gwozdz, Wencke; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

2010-01-01

This analysis uses data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and the Survey on Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe to assess the effect of ageing and health on the life satisfaction of the oldest old (defined as 75 and older). We observe a U-shaped relationship between age and levels of life satisfaction for individuals aged between 16 and 65.…

Intelligibility in microbial complex systems: Wittgenstein and the score of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Baquero, Fernando; Moya, Andrés

2012-01-01

Knowledge in microbiology is reaching an extreme level of diversification and complexity, which paradoxically results in a strong reduction in the intelligibility of microbial life. In our days, the "score of life" metaphor is more accurate to express the complexity of living systems than the classic "book of life." Music and life can be represented at lower hierarchical levels by music scores and genomic sequences, and such representations have a generational influence in the reproduction of music and life. If music can be considered as a representation of life, such representation remains as unthinkable as life itself. The analysis of scores and genomic sequences might provide mechanistic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary insights into music and life, but not about their real dynamics and nature, which is still maintained unthinkable, as was proposed by Wittgenstein. As complex systems, life or music is composed by thinkable and only showable parts, and a strategy of half-thinking, half-seeing is needed to expand knowledge. Complex models for complex systems, based on experiences on trans-hierarchical integrations, should be developed in order to provide a mixture of legibility and imageability of biological processes, which should lead to higher levels of intelligibility of microbial life.

Metazoan Remaining Genes for Essential Amino Acid Biosynthesis: Sequence Conservation and Evolutionary Analyses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor R. Costa

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Essential amino acids (EAA consist of a group of nine amino acids that animals are unable to synthesize via de novo pathways. Recently, it has been found that most metazoans lack the same set of enzymes responsible for the de novo EAA biosynthesis. Here we investigate the sequence conservation and evolution of all the metazoan remaining genes for EAA pathways. Initially, the set of all 49 enzymes responsible for the EAA de novo biosynthesis in yeast was retrieved. These enzymes were used as BLAST queries to search for similar sequences in a database containing 10 complete metazoan genomes. Eight enzymes typically attributed to EAA pathways were found to be ubiquitous in metazoan genomes, suggesting a conserved functional role. In this study, we address the question of how these genes evolved after losing their pathway partners. To do this, we compared metazoan genes with their fungal and plant orthologs. Using phylogenetic analysis with maximum likelihood, we found that acetolactate synthase (ALS and betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase (BHMT diverged from the expected Tree of Life (ToL relationships. High sequence conservation in the paraphyletic group Plant-Fungi was identified for these two genes using a newly developed Python algorithm. Selective pressure analysis of ALS and BHMT protein sequences showed higher non-synonymous mutation ratios in comparisons between metazoans/fungi and metazoans/plants, supporting the hypothesis that these two genes have undergone non-ToL evolution in animals.

A review of battery life-cycle analysis : state of knowledge and critical needs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, J. L.; Gaines, L.; Energy Systems

2010-12-22

A literature review and evaluation has been conducted on cradle-to-gate life-cycle inventory studies of lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, sodium-sulfur, and lithium-ion battery technologies. Data were sought that represent the production of battery constituent materials and battery manufacture and assembly. Life-cycle production data for many battery materials are available and usable, though some need updating. For the remaining battery materials, lifecycle data either are nonexistent or, in some cases, in need of updating. Although battery manufacturing processes have occasionally been well described, detailed quantitative information on energy and material flows is missing. For all but the lithium-ion batteries, enough constituent material production energy data are available to approximate material production energies for the batteries, though improved input data for some materials are needed. Due to the potential benefit of battery recycling and a scarcity of associated data, there is a critical need for life-cycle data on battery material recycling. Either on a per kilogram or per watt-hour capacity basis, lead-acid batteries have the lowest production energy, carbon dioxide emissions, and criteria pollutant emissions. Some process-related emissions are also reviewed in this report.

Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Hammami, Muhammad M; Hammami, Safa; Amer, Hala A; Khodr, Nesrine A

2016-01-01

Background Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females’ end-of-life choices. Methods A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology. Results The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19–55 years). Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: “physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring” (younger, lower religiosity), “whole person” (higher religiosity), “pain and informational privacy concerned” (lower life quality), “decisional privacy concerned” (older, higher life quality), and “life quantity concerned, family dependent” (high life quality, low life satisfaction). Out of the extreme 14 priorities/dis-priorities for each group, 21%–50% were not represented among the extreme 20 priorities/dis-priorities for the entire sample. Conclusion Consistent with the previously reported findings in Saudi males, transcendence and dying in

Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammami, Muhammad M; Hammami, Safa; Amer, Hala A; Khodr, Nesrine A

2016-01-01

Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females' end-of-life choices. A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology. The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19-55 years). Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: "physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring" (younger, lower religiosity), "whole person" (higher religiosity), "pain and informational privacy concerned" (lower life quality), "decisional privacy concerned" (older, higher life quality), and "life quantity concerned, family dependent" (high life quality, low life satisfaction). Out of the extreme 14 priorities/dis-priorities for each group, 21%-50% were not represented among the extreme 20 priorities/dis-priorities for the entire sample. Consistent with the previously reported findings in Saudi males, transcendence and dying in the hospital were the extreme end-of-life priority and dis

Analysis and modeling of hot extrusion die for its service life enhancement

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Syed Sohail

Aluminum extrusion finds extensive application in the construction, automobile and aerospace industries. High pressures, elevated temperatures, complex and intricate section geometries lead to repeated mechanical and thermal stresses in the die and affiliated tooling. Product rework and rejects can be traced back to various defects spread over the die life cycle: die design, die manufacture and heat treatment, process parameters, inprocess die maintenance/correction and, billet type and quality. Therefore, improved and efficient service life of die and related tooling used in the extrusion press is one the most important factors in maximizing productivity and minimizing cost for ensuring the economical efficiency of an aluminum extrusion plant. How often a die has to be scrapped and replaced with a new one directly contributes to the commercial viability of producing a certain profile. The focus of the current work is on three distinct yet inter-related studies pertaining to the improvement of aluminum extrusion die. Study-A (Die Failure Analysis) is an investigation of various modes and critical failure types based on industrial data (Chapter-2 ), examination of failed dies and finite element simulation for identification of critical process parameters and design features in die fatigue-life (Chapter-3). In Study-B (Die Surface Hardening Treatment), two-stage controlled gas nitriding process for H13 steel is evaluated, both experimentally and numerically, in terms of nitrided case morphology and properties (Chapter-4) followed by experimental and numerical investigation of the effects of repeated nitriding (Chapter-5), pre-nitriding surface preparation (Chapter-6) and die profile geometry (Chapter-7) on nitriding performance in regard to die service life. In Study-C (Effect of Billet Quality on Die Life), the effect of billet quality and related influencing extrusion parameters on the die service life is investigated based on industrial data and some regression

Life cycle cost analysis of solar heating and DHW systems in residential buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colombo, R.; Gilliaert, D.

1992-01-01

Economic Life Cycle Cost Analysis (ELCCA) is an easy and friendly computer program, IBM compatible for economic evaluation of solar energy system which involves comparison of the capital and operating costs of a conventional system. In this section we would like to suggest the ELCCA-PC program as a new tools using life cycle cost analysis for annual and cumulative cash flow methodology that take into account all future expenses. ELCCA-PC program considers fixed and changeable items that are involved in installing the equipment such as interest of money borrowed, property and income taxes, current energy cost for electricity operating system, maintenance, insurance and fuel costs and other economic operating expenses. Moreover fraction of annual heating load supplied from solar system is considered in this analysis. ECC-PC program determines the yearly outflow of money over the period of an economic analysis that can be converted to a series of equal payments in today's money

The multiple decrement life table: a unifying framework for cause-of-death analysis in ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, James R

1989-01-01

The multiple decrement life table is used widely in the human actuarial literature and provides statistical expressions for mortality in three different forms: i) the life table from all causes-of-death combined; ii) the life table disaggregated into selected cause-of-death categories; and iii) the life table with particular causes and combinations of causes eliminated. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the multiple decrement life table to the ecological literature by applying the methods to published death-by-cause information on Rhagoletis pomonella. Interrelations between the current approach and conventional tools used in basic and applied ecology are discussed including the conventional life table, Key Factor Analysis and Abbott's Correction used in toxicological bioassay.

Complex investigations for the technical diagnosis and constructive optimization of the pipe systems from Rovinari power plant to extend their remaining life

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delamarian, C. [Technischer Ueberwachungs-Verein Sueddeutschland (TUeV), Muenchen (Germany); Lupescu, L.; Nicolescu, N. [Institutul de Studii si Proiectari Energetice, Bucharest (Romania); Pisc, I.; Botis, A. [ISIM, Timisoara (Romania)

2003-07-01

The remnant life assessment of power plant components is an issue of a high importance all over the Europe and not only. The need of power products, the environmental-related restrictions within this field as well as the task of lowering the fabrication costs led to and increased importance of maintenance and retrofit activities of old power equipment during the last decade. Replacement of pipe lines exceeding their designed life is no longer regarded as an option for power plant managers. Instead, life assessment techniques combined with state of the art design and fabrication methods focusing on the replacement of damaged components as well as redesign of pipe line systems in order to eliminate overloading and/or secondary stresses that usually lead to premature life exhaustion are only some of the issues discussed within this paper. It deals with the retrofit of a conventional power plant (Group no. 3 of Rovinari Power Plant) which reached its designed life after about 110.000 operating hours. The need of improvement of the boiler efficiency as well as the extension of the plant life, maintaining in the same time old, but still good components determined the three companies (ISPE, ISIM and TUeV) to gather their skills in order to reach this task. (orig.)

Ways of life analysis and food culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Land, Birgit

Executive Summary 1. People's food patterns are among other things influenced by their social environments. Analysing the relationship between the social environment and food culture is an important lead in trying to derive consumer objectives directed towards the food sector. 2. The way of life...... typology proposed by Højrup may be a useful device for analysing how the social environment impacts food patterns. Højrup proposes three ways of life: the independent way of life, the wage-earner way of life, and the career-bound way of life. He relates these types to empirical observation by qualitative...

Effects of work participation, intergenerational transfers and savings on life satisfaction of older Malaysians.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Sor-Tho; Hamid, Tengku-Aizan

2013-12-01

To examine the effects of work participation, intergenerational transfers and savings on the life satisfaction of older community-dwelling Malaysians. Data from the 1999 Survey on Perceptions of Needs and Problems of the Elderly on people aged 60 and over were used. The life satisfaction score was constructed from 10 questions adopted from the Life Satisfaction Inventory-A by Neugarten, Havighurst and Tobin. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the expected level of life satisfaction. Controlling for other variables in the model, respondents who provided assistance to and received assistance from children with savings had significantly higher life satisfaction than their counterparts, while work participation did not have any significant effect on life satisfaction. Intergenerational transfers and savings are important predictors of life satisfaction. The interdependence between generations should remain and savings habits need to be cultivated to ensure a higher life satisfaction in old age. © 2012 The Authors. Australasian Journal on Ageing © 2012 ACOTA.

Life Sciences Research Facility automation requirements and concepts for the Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Daryl N.

1986-01-01

An evaluation is made of the methods and preliminary results of a study on prospects for the automation of the NASA Space Station's Life Sciences Research Facility. In order to remain within current Space Station resource allocations, approximately 85 percent of planned life science experiment tasks must be automated; these tasks encompass specimen care and feeding, cage and instrument cleaning, data acquisition and control, sample analysis, waste management, instrument calibration, materials inventory and management, and janitorial work. Task automation will free crews for specimen manipulation, tissue sampling, data interpretation and communication with ground controllers, and experiment management.

DNA analyses of the remains of the Prince Branciforte Barresi family.

Science.gov (United States)

Rickards, O; Martínez-Labarga, C; Favaro, M; Frezza, D; Mallegni, F

2001-01-01

The five skeletons found buried in the church of Militello di Catania, Sicily, were tentatively identified by morphological analysis and historical reports as the remains of Prince Branciforte Barresi, two of his children, his brother and another juvenile member of the family (sixteenth and seventeenth centuries). In order to attempt to clarify the degree of relationships of the five skeletons, sex testing and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence analysis of the hypervariable segments I and II (HV1 and HV2) of control region were performed. Moreover, the 9 bp-deletion marker of region V (COII/tRNAlys) was examined. Molecular genetic analyses were consistent with historical expectations, although they did not directly demonstrate that these are in fact the remains of the Prince and his relatives, due to the impossibility of obtaining DNA from living maternal relatives of the Prince.

The cost analysis of hydrogen life cycle in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Fei; Jia, Yuan; Mao, Zongqiang

2010-01-01

Currently, the increasing price of oil and the possibility of global energy crisis demand for substitutive energy to replace fossil energy. Many kinds of renewable energy have been considered, such as hydrogen, solar energy, and wind energy. Many countries including China have their own plan to support the research of hydrogen, because of its premier features. But, at present, the cost of hydrogen energy production, storage and transportation process is higher than that of fossil energy and its commercialization progress is slow. Life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was used in this paper to evaluate the cost of hydrogen energy throughout the life cycle focused on the stratagem selection, to demonstrate the costs of every step and to discuss their relationship. Finally, the minimum cost program is as follows: natural gas steam reforming - high-pressure hydrogen bottles transported by car to hydrogen filling stations - hydrogen internal-combustion engines. (author)

Overall quality of life and difficulty paying for ostomy supplies in the Veterans Affairs ostomy health-related quality of life study: an exploratory analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Coons, Stephen Joel; Chongpison, Yuda; Wendel, Christopher S; Grant, Marcia; Krouse, Robert S

2007-09-01

To explore whether there was a significant relationship between difficulty paying for ostomy supplies and overall quality of life among a sample of ostomates receiving care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The data were collected as part of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Ostomy Health-Related Quality of Life Study, in which 511 respondents (239 cases, 272 controls) completed a survey instrument that included the modified City of Hope Quality of Life (mCOH-QOL) Ostomy questionnaire, SF-36V, and sociodemographic items. Responses from the 239 cases (ie, patients with intestinal stomas) were used in this analysis. The modified City of Hope Quality of Life Ostomy questionnaire item, "How good is your overall quality of life?," was the dependent variable for this analysis. The primary independent variable was the response (yes/no) to the item, "If you pay for any of the (ostomy) costs, is it difficult for you?" A hierarchical regression model was used to examine whether difficulty paying was significantly related to overall quality of life after adjusting for age, income, race/ethnicity, and physical health. After accounting for the proportion of variance explained by age, income, race/ethnicity, and physical health, the additional proportion of variance explained by difficulty paying was statistically significant. Individuals reporting difficulty paying had a roughly 1 point lower (ie, beta-coefficient = -1.052; SE = 0.481) overall quality of life score on the 11-point scale. We found a significant association between difficulty paying for ostomy supplies and overall quality of life. Although the cross-sectional study design does not allow causal inference, the results suggest a relationship that merits further examination.

Mobility impairment, social engagement, and life satisfaction among the older population in China: a structural equation modeling analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linna; Loo, Becky P Y

2017-05-01

Revealing the relationship between mobility impairment and life satisfaction can help to propose effective interventions to secure mobility and life satisfaction. However, the relationship remains unclear and lacks quantitative evidence in China. This study therefore assesses the association of mobility impairment, social engagement, and life satisfaction among the older population in China. Based on the sample of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey database in 2013, a structural equation modeling is established. The sample size is 4245 with 55.9% with mobility impairment. The model shows that the length of suffering from disability is significantly related to mobility impairment (β = 0.058, p life satisfaction (β = -0.311, p life satisfaction (β = 0.211, p life satisfaction partly because they usually participate less in social activities. Different strategies are suggested to be adopted to improve the life satisfaction of the older population from the aspects of promoting mobility and social engagement, including improving the design of transport facilitates, providing assistive facilities for the seniors with severe mobility impairment, promoting the accessibility of community leisure and healthcare services, and constructing more community senior activity centers.

Analysis of long-term impacts of TRU waste remaining at generator/storage sites for No Action Alternative 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, J.W.; Bagaasen, L.M.; Bergeron, M.P.; Streile, G.P.

1997-09-01

This report is a supplement to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Disposal-Phase Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS-II). Described herein are the underlying information, data, and assumptions used to estimate the long-term human-health impacts from exposure to radionuclides and hazardous chemicals in transuranic (TRU) waste remaining at major generator/storage sites after loss of institutional control under No Action Alternative 2. Under No Action Alternative 2, TRU wastes would not be emplaced at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) but would remain at generator/storage sites in surface or near-surface storage. Waste generated at smaller sites would be consolidated at the major generator/storage sites. Current TRU waste management practices would continue, but newly generated waste would be treated to meet the WIPP waste acceptance criteria. For this alternative, institutional control was assumed to be lost 100 years after the end of the waste generation period, with exposure to radionuclides and hazardous chemicals in the TRU waste possible from direct intrusion and release to the surrounding environment. The potential human-health impacts from exposure to radionuclides and hazardous chemicals in TRU waste were analyzed for two different types of scenarios. Both analyses estimated site-specific, human-health impacts at seven major generator/storage sites: the Hanford Site (Hanford), Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), and Savannah River Site (SRS). The analysis focused on these seven sites because 99 % of the estimated TRU waste volume and inventory would remain there under the assumptions of No Action Alternative 2

Generation-specific incentives and disincentives for nurse faculty to remain employed.

Science.gov (United States)

Tourangeau, Ann E; Wong, Matthew; Saari, Margaret; Patterson, Erin

2015-05-01

The aims of this paper are to: (1) describe work characteristics that nurse faculty report encourage them to remain in or leave their academic positions; and (2) determine if there are generational differences in work characteristics selected. Nurse faculty play key roles in preparing new nurses and graduate nurses. However, educational institutions are challenged to maintain full employment in faculty positions. A cross-sectional, descriptive survey design was employed. Ontario nurse faculty were asked to select, from a list, work characteristics that entice them to remain in or leave their faculty positions. Respondent data (n = 650) were collected using mailed surveys over four months in 2011. While preferred work characteristics differed across generations, the most frequently selected incentives enticing nurse faculty to stay were having: a supportive director/dean, reasonable workloads, supportive colleagues, adequate resources, manageable class sizes and work/life balance. The most frequently selected disincentives included: unmanageable workloads, unsupportive organizations, poor work environments, exposure to bullying, belittling and other types of incivility in the workplace and having an unsupportive director/dean. This research yields new and important knowledge about work characteristics that nurse faculty report shape their decisions to remain in or leave their current employment. Certain work characteristics were rated as important among all generations. Where similarities exist, broad strategies addressing work characteristics may effectively promote nurse faculty retention. However, where generational differences exist, retention-promoting strategies should target generation-specific preferences. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sampling and Analysis Plan for Supplemental Environmental Project: Aquatic Life Surveys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berryhill, Jesse Tobias [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Gaukler, Shannon Marie [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-09-26

As part of a settlement agreement for nuclear waste incidents in 2014, several supplemental environment projects (SEPs) were initiated at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Laboratory) between the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of New Mexico. One SEP from this agreement consists of performing aquatic life surveys and will be used to assess the applicability of using generic ambient water-quality criteria (AWQC) for aquatic life. AWQC are generic criteria developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cover a broad range of aquatic species and are not unique to a specific region or state. AWQC are established by a composition of toxicity data, called species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), and are determined by LC50 (lethal concentration of 50% of the organisms studied) acute toxicity experiments for chemicals of interest. It is of interest to determine whether aquatic species inhabiting waters on the Pajarito Plateau are adequately protected using the current generic AWQC. The focus of this study will determine which aquatic species are present in ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial waters within LANL boundaries and from reference waters adjacent to LANL. If the species identified from these waters do not generally represent species used in the SSDs, then SSDs may need to be modified and AWQC may need to be updated. This sampling and analysis plan details the sampling methodology, surveillance locations, temporal scheduling, and analytical approaches that will be used to complete aquatic life surveys. A significant portion of this sampling and analysis plan was formalized by referring to Appendix E: SEP Aquatic Life Surveys DQO (Data Quality Objectives).

Duplex Alu Screening for Degraded DNA of Skeletal Human Remains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabian Haß

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The human-specific Alu elements, belonging to the class of Short INterspersed Elements (SINEs, have been shown to be a powerful tool for population genetic studies. An earlier study in this department showed that it was possible to analyze Alu presence/absence in 3000-year-old skeletal human remains from the Bronze Age Lichtenstein cave in Lower Saxony, Germany. We developed duplex Alu screening PCRs with flanking primers for two Alu elements, each combined with a single internal Alu primer. By adding an internal primer, the approximately 400–500 bp presence signals of Alu elements can be detected within a range of less than 200 bp. Thus, our PCR approach is suited for highly fragmented ancient DNA samples, whereas NGS analyses frequently are unable to handle repetitive elements. With this analysis system, we examined remains of 12 individuals from the Lichtenstein cave with different degrees of DNA degradation. The duplex PCRs showed fully informative amplification results for all of the chosen Alu loci in eight of the 12 samples. Our analysis system showed that Alu presence/absence analysis is possible in samples with different degrees of DNA degradation and it reduces the amount of valuable skeletal material needed by a factor of four, as compared with a singleplex approach.

[Palliative care after neonatal intensive care: Contributions of Leonetti Law and remaining challenges].

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, P; Dillenseger, L; Cojean, N; Escande, B; Zores, C; Astruc, D

2017-02-01

The 2005 enactment of the "Patients' rights and end-of-life care" act, known as the Leonetti law, has been accompanied by practical changes in the processes of withdrawal and withholding of active life-sustaining treatments. This law has also promoted the implementation of palliative care in perinatal medicine to avoid unreasonable therapeutic interventions and to preserve the dying patient's quality of life and human dignity. Recently, a new law has been voted by the French National Assembly and new reflections on the ethical aspects of the end of life in neonatal medicine should resume again within the French Society of Neonatology in the working group on ethical issues in neonatology. This is why it appears important to discuss the perceived benefits and the persistent difficulties related to the implementation of the Leonetti law in neonatology. Collegiality in the decision-making processes as well as withdrawal and withholding of life-sustaining treatments that were already present in the practices of many centers has been stipulated within a legal framework and promoted in clinical practice. It has brought serenity within perinatal nursing and medical teams. It has helped them face the always-difficult end-of-life situations with parents and deal with decision-making processes in an intense emotional climate. However, new questions inherent to the law have appeared. The most important ones concern the withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration, the time pressure in the management of the decision-making process, and the management of the duration of palliative care. Challenges remain in addressing various persistent ethical dilemmas such as the possible survival of newborns with significant brain lesions detected after the period of life-sustaining treatments that have allowed their survival. The new law carried by Mr. Clayes and Mr. Léonetti should provide answers to some of these ethical issues, but it would probably not solve all of them. Copyright

Effect of patient's life expectancy on the cost-effectiveness of treatment for ocular hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Kymes, Steven M; Plotzke, Michael R; Kass, Michael A; Boland, Michael V; Gordon, Mae O

2010-05-01

To assess the influence of expected life span on the cost-effectiveness of treating ocular hypertension to prevent primary open-angle glaucoma. We used a Markov simulation model to estimate the cost and benefit of ocular hypertension treatment over a person's remaining life. We examined the influence of age on the cost-effectiveness decision in 2 ways: (1) by evaluating specific age cohorts to assess the influence of age at the initiation of treatment; and (2) by evaluating the influence of a specific life span. At a willingness to pay $50,000/quality-adjusted life year to $100,000/quality-adjusted life year, treatment of people with a 2% or greater annual risk of developing glaucoma was cost-effective for people aged 45 years with a life expectancy of at least 18 remaining years. However, to be cost-effective, a person aged 55 years must have a life expectancy of 21 remaining years and someone aged 65 years must have a life expectancy of 23 remaining years. A person with ocular hypertension must have a life expectancy of at least 18 remaining years to justify treatment at a threshold of a 2% or greater annual risk of developing glaucoma. Persons at higher levels of risk require a life expectancy of 7 to 10 additional years to justify treatment.

Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hammami MM

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Muhammad M Hammami,1,2 Safa Hammami,1 Hala A Amer,1 Nesrine A Khodr1 1Clinical Studies and Empirical Ethics Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, 2College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females’ end-of-life choices.Methods: A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology.Results: The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19–55 years. Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: “physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring” (younger, lower religiosity, “whole person” (higher religiosity, “pain and informational privacy concerned” (lower life quality, “decisional privacy concerned” (older, higher life quality, and “life quantity concerned, family dependent” (high life quality, low life satisfaction. Out of the

V and V-based remaining fault estimation model for safety–critical software of a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eom, Heung-seop; Park, Gee-yong; Jang, Seung-cheol; Son, Han Seong; Kang, Hyun Gook

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► A software fault estimation model based on Bayesian Nets and V and V. ► Use of quantified data derived from qualitative V and V results. ► Faults insertion and elimination process was modeled in the context of probability. ► Systematically estimates the expected number of remaining faults. -- Abstract: Quantitative software reliability measurement approaches have some limitations in demonstrating the proper level of reliability in cases of safety–critical software. One of the more promising alternatives is the use of software development quality information. Particularly in the nuclear industry, regulatory bodies in most countries use both probabilistic and deterministic measures for ensuring the reliability of safety-grade digital computers in NPPs. The point of deterministic criteria is to assess the whole development process and its related activities during the software development life cycle for the acceptance of safety–critical software. In addition software Verification and Validation (V and V) play an important role in this process. In this light, we propose a V and V-based fault estimation method using Bayesian Nets to estimate the remaining faults for safety–critical software after the software development life cycle is completed. By modeling the fault insertion and elimination processes during the whole development phases, the proposed method systematically estimates the expected number of remaining faults.

DNA Identification of Commingled Human Remains from the Cemetery Relocated by Flooding in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Science.gov (United States)

Čakar, Jasmina; Pilav, Amela; Džehverović, Mirela; Ahatović, Anesa; Haverić, Sanin; Ramić, Jasmin; Marjanović, Damir

2018-01-01

The floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2014 caused landslides all over the country. In the small village of Šerići, near the town of Zenica, a landslide destroyed the local cemetery, relocated graves, and commingled skeletal remains. As the use of other physical methods of identification (facial recognition, fingerprint analysis, dental analysis, etc.) was not possible, DNA analysis was applied. DNA was isolated from 20 skeletal remains (bone and tooth samples) and six reference samples (blood from living relatives) and amplified using PowerPlex ® Fusion and PowerPlex ® Y23 kits. DNA profiles were generated for all reference samples and 17 skeletal remains. A statistical analysis (calculation of paternity, maternity, and sibling indexes and matching probabilities) resulted in 10 positive identifications. In this study, 5 individuals were identified based on one reference sample. This has once again demonstrated the significance of DNA analysis in resolving the most complicated cases, such as the identification of commingled human skeletal remains. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Life-cycle analysis of product integrated polymer solar cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Espinosa Martinez, Nieves; García-Valverde, Rafael; Krebs, Frederik C

2011-01-01

A life cycle analysis (LCA) on a product integrated polymer solar module is carried out in this study. These assessments are well-known to be useful in developmental stages of a product in order to identify the bottlenecks for the up-scaling in its production phase for several aspects spanning from...... economics through design to functionality. An LCA study was performed to quantify the energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electricity use in the manufacture of a light-weight lamp based on a plastic foil, a lithium-polymer battery, a polymer solar cell, printed circuitry, blocking diode......, switch and a white light emitting semiconductor diode. The polymer solar cell employed in this prototype presents a power conversion efficiency in the range of 2 to 3% yielding energy payback times (EPBT) in the range of 1.3–2 years. Based on this it is worthwhile to undertake a life-cycle study...

What is the cost of a life in a disaster? - Examples, Practice and Global Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Daniell, James; Kunz-Plapp, Tina; Schaefer, Andreas; Wenzel, Friedemann; Khazai, Bijan

2015-04-01

An analysis is presented based on historical evidence and global exposure metrics using the CATDAT Socioeconomic databases, in order to create a global distribution of the cost of life in a disaster using various metrics. Casualty insurance models require a value of life & mitigation and cost-benefit studies require a value of life in order to make decisions and set premiums. Although this is a contentious concept, there are two general approaches to human life costing: the first is based on human capital which looks at the production capacity and potential output as a proxy for future earning; the second looks at willingness to pay which estimates people's value on reducing risk and compensation payouts. A combination approach is used. For each of the 245 nations, a value of life is estimated using the following parameters:- (1) Age of people in a country using the life expectancy and distribution data in CATDAT (2) Output of the economy and wage distribution (3) Household and community interactions (4) Lost quality of life The range of statistical life costs are examined globally from different sources, with the range of a life value being from 10,000 up to in the order of 10 million between different countries. The difference of the cost for a fatality vs. that of a severe injury is also discussed with a severe injury often having higher costs than a fatality for loss purposes. The losses in terms of historical disasters are looked at and examined with the percentage of life cost shown as a proportion of total losses. The losses of a future major earthquake in a low seismicity region show some of the largest potential life cost losses with that of a M6.8 in Adelaide, Australia; having around 160 billion in life costs (25,000 deaths, 15,000 severe injuries). This study has benefits post-disaster for quantification of human capital losses in major disasters, and pre-disaster for the analysis of insurance and mitigation options.

Life cycle cost analysis changes mixed waste treatment program at the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickett, J.B.; England, J.L.; Martin, H.L.

1992-01-01

A direct result of the reduced need for weapons production has been a re-evaluation of the treatment projects for mixed (hazardous/radioactive) wastes generated from metal finishing and plating operations and from a mixed waste incinerator at the Savannah River Site (SRS). A Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis was conducted for two waste treatment projects to determine the most cost effective approach in response to SRS mission changes. A key parameter included in the LCC analysis was the cost of the disposal vaults required for the final stabilized wasteform(s) . The analysis indicated that volume reduction of the final stabilized wasteform(s) can provide significant cost savings. The LCC analysis demonstrated that one SRS project could be eliminated, and a second project could be totally ''rescoped and downsized.'' The changes resulted in an estimated Life Cycle Cost saving (over a 20 year period) of $270,000,000

Active life expectancy from annual follow-up data with missing responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Izmirlian, G; Brock, D; Ferrucci, L; Phillips, C

2000-03-01

Active life expectancy (ALE) at a given age is defined as the expected remaining years free of disability. In this study, three categories of health status are defined according to the ability to perform activities of daily living independently. Several studies have used increment-decrement life tables to estimate ALE, without error analysis, from only a baseline and one follow-up interview. The present work conducts an individual-level covariate analysis using a three-state Markov chain model for multiple follow-up data. Using a logistic link, the model estimates single-year transition probabilities among states of health, accounting for missing interviews. This approach has the advantages of smoothing subsequent estimates and increased power by using all follow-ups. We compute ALE and total life expectancy from these estimated single-year transition probabilities. Variance estimates are computed using the delta method. Data from the Iowa Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly are used to test the effects of smoking on ALE on all 5-year age groups past 65 years, controlling for sex and education.

Archaeobotanical study of ancient food and cereal remains at the Astana Cemeteries, Xinjiang, China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Chen

Full Text Available Starch grain, phytolith and cereal bran fragments were analyzed in order to identify the food remains including cakes, dumplings, as well as porridge unearthed at the Astana Cemeteries in Turpan of Xinjiang, China. The results suggest that the cakes were made from Triticum aestivum while the dumplings were made from Triticum aestivum, along with Setaria italica. The ingredients of the porridge remains emanated from Panicum miliaceum. Moreover, direct macrobotantical evidence of the utilization of six cereal crops, such as Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cannabis sativa, and Oryza sativa in the Turpan region during the Jin and Tang dynasties (about 3(rd to 9(th centuries is also presented. All of these cereal crops not only provided food for the survival of the indigenous people, but also spiced up their daily life.

Archaeobotanical study of ancient food and cereal remains at the Astana Cemeteries, Xinjiang, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tao; Wu, Yan; Zhang, Yongbing; Wang, Bo; Hu, Yaowu; Wang, Changsui; Jiang, Hongen

2012-01-01

Starch grain, phytolith and cereal bran fragments were analyzed in order to identify the food remains including cakes, dumplings, as well as porridge unearthed at the Astana Cemeteries in Turpan of Xinjiang, China. The results suggest that the cakes were made from Triticum aestivum while the dumplings were made from Triticum aestivum, along with Setaria italica. The ingredients of the porridge remains emanated from Panicum miliaceum. Moreover, direct macrobotantical evidence of the utilization of six cereal crops, such as Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare var. coeleste, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica, Cannabis sativa, and Oryza sativa in the Turpan region during the Jin and Tang dynasties (about 3(rd) to 9(th) centuries) is also presented. All of these cereal crops not only provided food for the survival of the indigenous people, but also spiced up their daily life.

Evaluating the Impact of Conservatism in Industrial Fatigue Analysis of Life-Limited Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoole Joshua

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a review of the conservatism approaches applied by different industrial sectors to the stress-life (S-N analysis of ‘life-limited’ or ‘safe-life’ components. A comparison of the fatigue design standards for 6 industrial sectors identified that the conservatism approaches are highly inconsistent when comparing the areas of variability and uncertainty accounted for along with the conservatism magnitude and method of application. Through the use of a case-study based on the SAE keyhole benchmark and 4340 steel S-N data, the industrial sector which introduces the greatest reduction of a component life-limit was identified as the nuclear sector. The results of the case-study also highlighted that conservatism applied to account for scatter in S-N data currently provides the greatest contribution to the reduction of component life-limits.

Causes of decreased life expectancy over the life span in bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; McIntyre, Roger S; Andersen, Per Kragh

2015-07-15

Accelerated aging has been proposed as a mechanism explaining the increased prevalence of comorbid general medical illnesses in bipolar disorder. To test the hypothesis that lost life years due to natural causes starts in early and mid-adulthood, supporting the hypothesis of accelerated aging. Using individual data from nationwide registers of patient with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder we calculated remaining life expectancies before age 90 years for values of age 15, 25, 35…75 years among all individuals alive in year 2000. Further, we estimated the reduction in life expectancy due to natural causes (physical illnesses) and unnatural causes (suicide and accidents) in relation to age. A total of 22,635 patients with bipolar disorder were included in the study in addition to data from the entire Danish general population of 5.4 million people. At age 15 years, remaining life expectancy before age 90 years was decreased 12.7 and 8.9 life years, respectively, for men and women with bipolar disorder. For 15-year old boys with bipolar disorder, natural causes accounted for 58% of all lost life years and for 15-year old girls, natural causes accounted for 67% increasing to 74% and 80% for 45-year old men and women, respectively. Data concern patients who get contact to hospital psychiatry only. Natural causes of death is the most prevalent reason for lost life years already from adolescence and increases substantially during early and mid-adulthood, in this way supporting the hypothesis of accelerated aging. Early intervention in bipolar disorder should not only focus on improving outcome of the bipolar disorder but also on decreasing the risk of comorbid general medical illnesses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrated factor analysis model for product eco-design based on full life cycle assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Z.; Xiao, T.; Li, D.

2016-07-01

Among the methods of comprehensive analysis for a product or an enterprise, there exist defects and deficiencies in traditional standard cost analyses and life cycle assessment methods. For example, some methods only emphasize one dimension (such as economic or environmental factors) while neglecting other relevant dimensions. This paper builds a factor analysis model of resource value flow, based on full life cycle assessment and eco-design theory, in order to expose the relevant internal logic between these two factors. The model considers the efficient multiplication of resources, economic efficiency, and environmental efficiency as its core objectives. The model studies the status of resource value flow during the entire life cycle of a product, and gives an in-depth analysis on the mutual logical relationship of product performance, value, resource consumption, and environmental load to reveal the symptoms and potentials in different dimensions. This provides comprehensive, accurate and timely decision-making information for enterprise managers regarding product eco-design, as well as production and management activities. To conclude, it verifies the availability of this evaluation and analysis model using a Chinese SUV manufacturer as an example. (Author)

The relationship between quality of life and methods of delivery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei, Nazanin; Tavalaee, Zahra; Sayehmiri, Kourosh; Sharifi, Nasibeh; Daliri, Salman

2018-04-01

Some physical, emotional and social changes arise in mothers during the postpartum periods which can affect the quality of life (QOL) of the mother and family. Given the importance of the quality of life in the postpartum period and its influencing factors such as method of delivery, the present study aimed at investigating the relationship between the quality of life and methods of delivery in the world, using a systematic review and meta-analysis method. The present study is a systematic review and meta-analysis on the relationship between aspects of quality of life and method of delivery in the world conducted in Persian and English language articles published by the end of 2015. For this purpose, the databases of Medlib, SID, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Google scholar, Irandoc, Magiran and Iranmedex were searched using key words and their compounds. The results of studies were combined using the random effects model in the meta-analysis. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 index and Cochran test and data were analyzed using STATA Version 11.1 and SPSS Version 16. Based on the results of the meta-analysis of studies, the aspect of physical functioning had the highest quality of life mean score in women with vaginal delivery: 74.37 (95% CI: 67.7-81) and mental health had the highest QOL mean score in women with cesarean delivery: 65.8 (95% CI: 62.7-69). Also, based on the time elapsed since delivery, mental health had the highest mean score in less than 1 month, 2 months and 4 months' postpartum. Physical pain had the highest mean score 6 months after giving birth, and mental functioning in 8 months after giving birth. The results of the present meta-analysis showed that the mean scores for most dimensions of quality of life in women with vaginal delivery were higher than in women with cesarean delivery.

Residual life assessment of thick wall boiler parts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehdizadeh, M.; Rayatpour, M.

2004-01-01

Thick wall components of boiler, such as headers, main steam lines and hot reheat lines, operate at high temperature and stress condition. This condition makes various failure mechanisms to activate during service exposure that gradually deteriorate the microstructure of components. Consequently, knowing about metallurgical condition and remaining life sensitive components particularly in power plants with at least 100,000 her life time is of considerable importance. In this regard, to eliminate unexpected interruptions and reduce the repairing costs, life assessment technology is being used. Various life assessment methods have been developed for power plants components and entered industrial fields. In the present work, remaining life of drums, headers and main steam lines of a power plant were evaluated, using microstructural, hardness changes and dimensional checking methods with non destructive tests. The results show that, the components have appropriate condition according to their service life. Further more, it was revealed that hardness evaluation technique is not a reliable evaluation criteria and various methods should be used for accurate life assessment

Politics and the life sciences: an unfinished revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Gary R

2011-01-01

Politics and the life sciences--also referred to as biopolitics--is a field of study that seeks to advance knowledge of politics and promote better policymaking through multidisciplinary analysis that draws on the life sciences. While the intellectual origins of the field may be traced at least into the 1960s, a broadly organized movement appeared only with the founding of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences (APLS) in 1980 and the establishment of its journal, Politics and the Life Sciences ( PLS ), in 1982. This essay--contributed by a past journal editor and association executive director--concludes a celebration of the association's thirtieth anniversary. It reviews the founding of the field and the association, as well as the contributions of the founders. It also discusses the nature of the empirical work that will advance the field, makes recommendations regarding the identity and future of the association, and assesses the status of the revolution of which the association is a part. It argues that there is progress to celebrate, but that this revolution--the last of three great scientific revolutions--is still in its early stages. The revolution is well-started, but remains unfinished.

Failure analysis and seal life prediction for contacting mechanical seals

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, J. J.; He, X. Y.; Wei, L.; Feng, X.

2008-11-01

Fault tree analysis method was applied to quantitatively investigate the causes of the leakage failure of mechanical seals. It is pointed out that the change of the surface topography is the main reasons causing the leakage of mechanical seals under the condition of constant preloads. Based on the fractal geometry theory, the relationship between the surface topography and working time were investigated by experiments, and the effects of unit load acting on seal face on leakage path in a mechanical seal were analyzed. The model of predicting seal life of mechanical seals was established on the basis of the relationship between the surface topography and working time and allowable leakage. The seal life of 108 mechanical seal operating at the system of diesel fuel storage and transportation was predicted and the problem of the condition monitoring for the long-period operation of mechanical seal was discussed by this method. The research results indicate that the method of predicting seal life of mechanical seals is feasible, and also is foundation to make scheduled maintenance time and to achieve safe-reliability and low-cost operation for industrial devices.

State of the Art in Life Assessment for High Temperature Components Using Replication Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Duck Hee; Choi, Hyun Sun

2010-01-01

The power generation and chemical industry have been subjected to further material degradation with long term operations and need to predict the remaining service life of components, such as reformer tube and turbine rotor, that have operated at elevated temperatures. As a non-destructive technique, replication method with reliable metallurgical life and microstructural soundness assessment has been recognized with strongly useful method until now. Developments of this method have variously accomplished by new quantitative approach, such as carbide analysis, with A-parameter and grain deformation method. An overview of replication, some new techniques for material degradation and life assessment were introduced in this paper. Also, on-site applications and its reasonableness were described. As a result of having analyzed microstructure by replication method, carbide approach was quantitatively useful to life assessment

Fatigue analysis and life prediction of composite highway bridge decks under traffic loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando N. Leitão

Full Text Available Steel and composite (steel-concrete highway bridges are currently subjected to dynamic actions of variable magnitude due to convoy of vehicles crossing on the deck pavement. These dynamic actions can generate the nucleation of fractures or even their propagation on the bridge deck structure. Proper consideration of all of the aspects mentioned pointed our team to develop an analysis methodology with emphasis to evaluate the stresses through a dynamic analysis of highway bridge decks including the action of vehicles. The design codes recommend the application of the curves S-N associated to the Miner's damage rule to evaluate the fatigue and service life of steel and composite (steel-concrete bridges. In this work, the developed computational model adopted the usual mesh refinement techniques present in finite element method simulations implemented in the ANSYS program. The investigated highway bridge is constituted by four longitudinal composite girders and a concrete deck, spanning 40.0m by 13.5m. The analysis methodology and procedures presented in the design codes were applied to evaluate the fatigue of the bridge determining the service life of the structure. The main conclusions of this investigation focused on alerting structural engineers to the possible distortions, associated to the steel and composite bridge's service life when subjected to vehicle's dynamic actions.

Functional Linkages for the Pace of Life, Life-history, and Environment in Birds

OpenAIRE

Williams, Joseph B.; Miller, Richard A.; Harper, James M.; Wiersma, Popko

2010-01-01

For vertebrates, body mass underlies much of the variation in metabolism, but among animals of the same body mass, metabolism varies six-fold. Understanding how natural selection can influence variation in metabolism remains a central focus of Physiological Ecologists. Life-history theory postulates that many physiological traits, such as metabolism, may be understood in terms of key maturational and reproductive characteristics over an organism’s life-span. Although it is widely acknowledged...

Subjective Life Horizon and Portfolio Choice

OpenAIRE

Spaenjers , Christophe; Spira, Sven Michael

2013-01-01

Using data from a U.S. household survey, we examine the empirical relation between subjective life horizon (i.e., the self-reported expectation of remaining life span) and portfolio choice. We find that equity portfolio shares are higher for investors with longer horizons, ceteris paribus, in line with theoretical predictions. This result is robust to controlling for optimism and health status, accounting for the endogeneity of equity market participation, or instrumenting subjective life hor...

Fear of falling and its association with life-space mobility of older adults: a cross-sectional analysis using data from five international sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Auais, Mohammad; Alvarado, Beatriz; Guerra, Ricardo; Curcio, Carmen; Freeman, Ellen E; Ylli, Alban; Guralnik, Jack; Deshpande, Nandini

2017-05-01

fear of falling (FOF) is a major health concern among community-dwelling older adults that could restrict mobility. to examine the association of FOF with life-space mobility (i.e. the spatial area a person moves through in daily life) of community-dwelling older adults from five diverse sites. in total, 1,841 older adults (65-74 years) were recruited from Kingston, Canada; Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada; Tirana, Albania; Manizales, Colombia and Natal, Brazil. FOF was assessed using the Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I total score), and the life space was quantified using the Life-Space Assessment (LSA), a scale that runs from 0 (minimum life space) to 120 (maximum life space). the overall average LSA total score was 68.7 (SD: 21.2). Multiple-linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant relationship of FOF with life-space mobility, even after adjusting for functional, clinical and sociodemographic confounders (B = -0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.26 to -0.04). The FOF × site interaction term was significant with a stronger linear relationship found in the Canadian sites and Tirana compared with the South American sites. After adjusting for all confounders, the association between FOF with LSA remained significant at Kingston (B = -0.32, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.01), Saint-Hyacinthe (B = -0.81, 95% CI -1.31 to -0.32) and Tirana (B = -0.57, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.24). FOF is an important psychological factor that is associated with reduction in life space of older adults in different social and cultural contexts, and the strength of this association is site specific. Addressing FOF among older adults would help improve their mobility in local communities, which in turn would improve social participation and health-related quality of life. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Relative Tranquility in Ostomy Patients' Social Life: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarabi, Nasrin; Navipour, Hassan; Mohammadi, Eesa

2017-08-01

Ostomy significantly alters one's elimination pattern and can affect the individual in physiological, psychosocial and spiritual aspects. Over time, the ostomy patient's experience changes and they develop coping strategies to handle the new reality. The aims of this study sought Iranian ostomy patients' main problem, how they deal and the outcome of their efforts to manage that problem in their daily lives. A qualitative content analysis was conducted involving twenty-seven ostomy patients that were chosen by purposeful sampling and referred to the Iranian Ostomy Association from October 2015 to June 2016. The mean age of the participants was 55 years, 15 were males, the major cause of ostomy was colorectal cancer and the colostomy was the most common type of ostomy, and nineteen of them between one and twenty years lived with an ostomy. Most of them were married, had bachelor degree and received adjuvant therapy, and few were employed. Guarantee indecisive to maintain a stable life with an ostomy and the possibility of ostomy disclosure unpredictability show relative tranquility in patients' social life. Because of the ostomy nature, there is not the possibility of full control over life with an ostomy and this issue is causing concerns in their family and social life.

Stable isotopes, niche partitioning and the paucity of elasmosaur remains in the Maastrichtian type area

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schulp, Anne S.; Janssen, Renée; Van Baal, Remy R.; Jagt, John W M; Mulder, Eric W A; Vonhof, Hubert B.

2017-01-01

Remains of elasmosaurid plesiosaurs are exceedingly rare in the type-Maastrichtian strata (Late Cretaceous, southeast Netherlands and northeast Belgium), in stark contrast to relatively common skeletal remains of mosasaurs. Here, we present an analysis of δ13C stable isotope values for tooth enamel

Efficacy-mediated effects of spirituality and physical activity on quality of life: A path analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konopack James F

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Physical activity has been established as an important determinant of quality of life, particularly among older adults. Previous research has suggested that physical activity’s influence on quality of life perceptions is mediated by changes in self-efficacy and health status. In the same vein, spirituality may be a salient quality of life determinant for many individuals. Methods In the current study, we used path analysis to test a model in which physical activity, spirituality, and social support were hypothesized to influence global quality of life in paths mediated by self-efficacy and health status. Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 215 adults (male, n = 51; female, n = 164 over the age of 50 (M age = 66.55 years. Results The analysis resulted in a model that provided acceptable fit to the data (χ2 = 33.10, df = 16, p  Conclusions These results support previous findings of an efficacy-mediated relationship between physical activity and quality of life, with the exception that self-efficacy in the current study was moderately associated with physical health status (.38 but not mental health status. Our results further suggest that spirituality may influence health and well-being via a similar, efficacy-mediated path, with strongest effects on mental health status. These results suggest that those who are more spiritual and physically active report greater quality of life, and the effects of these factors on quality of life may be partially mediated by perceptions of self-efficacy.

Satisfaction with dietary life affects oral health-related quality of life and subjective well-being in very elderly people.

Science.gov (United States)

Iinuma, Toshimitsu; Arai, Yasumichi; Takayama, Midori; Takayama, Michiyo; Abe, Yukiko; Osawa, Yusuke; Fukumoto, Motoko; Fukui, Yusuke; Shioda, Yohei; Hirose, Nobuyoshi; Komiyama, Kazuo; Gionhaku, Nobuhito

2017-01-01

Age-related deterioration in physical and oral health reduces healthy life expectancy and is thus an important problem for very elderly people. We investigated the effects of satisfaction with dietary life (SDL) in everyday life on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and subjective well-being and examined associations between these factors. We evaluated 426 elders aged 85 years or older. All participants completed a questionnaire that inquired about age, gender, drinking status, body mass index, cognitive function, disability, and comorbidities, among other covariates. Oral, physical, and mental health conditions were also examined. Associations of questionnaire results for SDL with items on subjective well-being (Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale [PGC] and World Health Organization-5 [WHO-5]) and OHRQoL (Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index [GOHAI]) were confirmed with multiple logistic regression analysis. In a multivariate model adjusted for various confounders, participants with self-reported "enjoyable" SDL had significantly lower risks for having the lowest scores on the GOHAI, PGC, and WHO-5 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.460, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.277-0.762; OR = 0.589, 95% CI = 0.348-0.996; and OR = 0.452, 95% CI = 0.263-0.775, respectively). These associations remained after further adjustment for number of teeth.

Supplier Relationship Management at Army Life Cycle Management Commands: Gap Analysis of Best Practices

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

contracts. - 76 - In step 9, maintaining momentum in supplier management , the relationship between the customer and supplier continues to develop...REPORT DATE 2012 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2012 to 00-00-2012 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Supplier Relationship Management at Army Life... Relationship Management at Army Life Cycle Management Commands Gap Analysis of Best Practices Nancy Y. Moore, Amy G. Cox, Clifford A. Grammich

Life Cycle Inventory Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørn, Anders; Moltesen, Andreas; Laurent, Alexis

2018-01-01

of different sources. The output is a compiled inventory of elementary flows that is used as basis of the subsequent life cycle impact assessment phase. This chapter teaches how to carry out this task through six steps: (1) identifying processes for the LCI model of the product system; (2) planning...

A reassessment of the presumed Neandertal remains from San Bernardino Cave, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Benazzi, Stefano; Peresani, Marco; Talamo, Sahra; Fu, Qiaomei; Mannino, Marcello A; Richards, Michael P; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2014-01-01

In 1986-1987, three human remains were unearthed from macro-unit II of San Bernardino Cave (Berici Hills, Veneto, Italy), a deposit containing a late Mousterian lithic assemblage. The human remains (a distal phalanx, a lower right third molar and a lower right second deciduous incisor) do not show diagnostic morphological features that could be used to determine whether they were from Homo neanderthalensis or Homo sapiens. Despite being of small size, and thus more similar to recent H. sapiens, the specimens were attributed to Neandertals, primarily because they were found in Mousterian layers. We carried out a taxonomic reassessment of the lower right third molar (LRM3; San Bernardino 4) using digital morphometric analysis of the root, ancient DNA analysis, carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses, and direct accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating of dentine collagen. Mitochondrial DNA analysis and root morphology show that the molar belongs to a modern human and not to a Neandertal. Carbon 14 ((14)C) dating of the molar attributes it to the end of the Middle Ages (1420-1480 cal AD, 2 sigma). Carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses suggest that the individual in question had a diet similar to that of Medieval Italians. These results show that the molar, as well as the other two human remains, belong to recent H. sapiens and were introduced in the Mousterian levels post-depositionally. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

De-standardization of family-life trajectories of young adults: a cross-national comparison using sequence analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elzinga, C.; Liefbroer, A.C.

2007-01-01

We introduce a number of new methods based on sequence analysis to test hypotheses on the de-standardization of family-life trajectories in early adulthood, using Fertility and Family Survey data on 19 countries. Across cohorts, family-life trajectories of young adults have not become more

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE LIFE INSURANCE IN REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AND REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GORDANA VITANOVA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The insurance companies are important participants in the capital market. They have significant contributions in providing financial stability and encouraging competitiveness on the financial market. The insurance companies mobilize huge financial resources, investing them into different financial instruments, and so it is real to expect that they will take a role of leading institutional mediators in future. The insurance companies offer life and common insurance. Policies for life insurance offer possibility to invest into own safety and easier tackling with life challenges and uncertainties. They are especially important for the individual , because he/she is constantly exposed to risks during his/her life and work, that are manifested into decreasing of working ability and lack of resources for life in some defined period. In the developed countries, there is a tradition for possessing policies for life insurance, but it is not a case in R.Macedonia. Therefore, in this study, we shall carry out comparative analysis of life insurance in R. Macedonia and R. Serbia, the politics of insurance companies and supervision of the insurance sector, and we shall give proposals for encouraging development of insurance market in these two countries, and for increasing individual’s awareness of the benefits of having policies for life insurance.

Statistical analysis of fatigue strain-life data for carbon and low-alloy steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keisler, J.; Chopra, O.K.

1995-03-01

The existing fatigue strain vs life (S-N) data, foreign and domestic, for carbon and low-alloy steels used in the construction of nuclear power plant components have been compiled and categorized according to material, loading, and environmental conditions. A statistical model has been developed for estimating the effects of the various test conditions on fatigue life. The results of a rigorous statistical analysis have been used to estimate the probability of initiating a fatigue crack. Data in the literature were reviewed to evaluate the effects of size, geometry, and surface finish of a component on its fatigue life. The fatigue S-N curves for components have been determined by applying design margins for size, geometry, and surface finish to crack initiation curves estimated from the model

Has the sanctity of life law 'gone too far'?: analysis of the sanctity of life doctrine and English case law shows that the sanctity of life law has not 'gone too far'.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabiu, Abdul-Rasheed; Sugand, Kapil

2014-02-22

The medical profession consistently strives to uphold patient empowerment, equality and safety. It is ironic that now, at a time where advances in technology and knowledge have given us an increased capacity to preserve and prolong life, we find ourselves increasingly asking questions about the value of the lives we are saving. A recent editorial by Professor Raanan Gillon questions the emphasis that English law places on the sanctity of life doctrine. In what was described by Reverend Nick Donnelly as a "manifesto for killing patients", Professor Gillon argues that the sanctity of life law has gone too far because of its disregard for distributive justice and an incompetent person's previously declared autonomy. This review begins by outlining the stance of the sanctity of life doctrine on decisions about administering, withholding and withdrawing life-prolonging treatment. Using this as a foundation for a rebuttal, a proposal is made that Professor Gillon's assertions do not take the following into account:1) A sanctity of life law does not exist since English Common Law infringes the sanctity doctrine by tolerating quality of life judgements and a doctor's intention to hasten death when withdrawing life-prolonging treatment.2) Even if a true sanctity of life law did exist:a) The sanctity of life doctrine allows for resource considerations in the wider analysis of benefits and burdens.b) The sanctity of life doctrine yields to a competent person's autonomous decision.This review attempts to demonstrate that at present, and with the legal precedent that restricts it, a sanctity of life law cannot go too far.

Environmental analysis of natural gas life cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riva, A.; D'Angelosante, S.; Trebeschi, C.

2000-01-01

Life Cycle Assessment is a method aimed at identifying the environmental effects connected with a given product, process or activity during its whole life cycle. The evaluation of published studies and the application of the method to electricity production with fossil fuels, by using data from published databases and data collected by the gas industry, demonstrate the importance and difficulties to have reliable and updated data required for a significant life cycle assessment. The results show that the environmental advantages of natural gas over the other fossil fuels in the final use stage increase still further if the whole life cycle of the fuels, from production to final consumption, is taken into account [it

Application of life cycle analysis: The case of green bullets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bogard, J.S.; Yuracko, K.L.; Murray, M.E.; Lowden, R.A.; Vaughn, N.L.

1998-06-01

Life-cycle analysis (LCA) has been used to analyze the desirability of replacing lead with a composite of tungsten and tin in projectile slugs used in small arms ammunition at US Department of Energy (DOE) training facilities for security personnel. The analysis includes consideration of costs, performance, environmental and human health impacts, availability of raw materials, and stakeholder acceptance. The DOE expends approximately 10 million rounds of small-arms ammunition each year training security personnel. This deposits over 300,000 pounds of lead and copper annually into DOE firing ranges, contributing to lead migration in the surrounding environment. Human lead intake occurs by inhalation of contaminated indoor firing range air and air containing lead particles that are resuspended during regular maintenance and cleanup, and by skin absorption while cleaning weapons. Projectiles developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) using a composite of tungsten and tin perform as well as, or better than, those fabricated using lead. A cost analysis shows that tungsten-tin is less costly to use than lead, since, for the current number of rounds used annually, the higher tungsten-tin purchase price is small compared with higher maintenance costs associated with lead. The tungsten-tin composite presents a much smaller potential for adverse human health and environmental impacts than lead. Only a small fraction of the world`s tungsten production occurs in the United States, however, and market-economy countries account for only around 15% of world tungsten production. Life cycle analysis clearly shows that advantages outweigh risks in replacing lead with tungsten-tin in small-caliber projectiles at DOE training facilities. Concerns about the availability of raw tungsten are mitigated by the ease of converting back to lead (if necessary) and the recyclability of tungsten-tin rounds.

The impact of endometriosis upon quality of life: a qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Georgina; Jenkinson, Crispin; Kennedy, Stephen

2004-06-01

to explore and describe the impact of endometriosis upon quality of life. Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford. qualitative study. twenty-four women with a laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis. face to face, individual, in-depth interviews. analysis of the data revealed 15 descriptive categories. Pain, physical functioning, role performance, social functioning, emotional well-being, relationship with the medical profession, treatment, sexual intercourse, energy and vitality, employment and infertility were found to be a particular concern for women with endometriosis. Physical appearance, lack of control and powerlessness, feelings of social isolation and concerns that their daughters might develop endometriosis were new areas found to be negatively affected by the condition. the impact of endometriosis-associated symptoms upon quality of life is multidimensional and more complex than just negatively affecting psychosocial parameters. Conducting in-depth interviews to explore the subjective experiences of patients with endometriosis enabled the diverse areas of quality of life to be identified. Adopting a qualitative methodology is essential for item generation on disease specific health status questionnaires.

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Ready Mix Concrete Plant

Science.gov (United States)

Topkar, V. M.; Duggar, A. R.; Kumar, A.; Bonde, P. P.; Girwalkar, R. S.; Gade, S. B.

2013-11-01

India, being a developing nation is experiencing major growth in its infrastructural sector. Concrete is the major component in construction. The requirement of good quality of concrete in large quantities can be fulfilled by ready mix concrete batching and mixing plants. The paper presents a technique of applying the value engineering tool life cycle cost analysis to a ready mix concrete plant. This will help an investor or an organization to take investment decisions regarding a ready mix concrete facility. No economic alternatives are compared in this study. A cost breakdown structure is prepared for the ready mix concrete plant. A market survey has been conducted to collect realistic costs for the ready mix concrete facility. The study establishes the cash flow for the ready mix concrete facility helpful in investment and capital generation related decisions. Transit mixers form an important component of the facility and are included in the calculations. A fleet size for transit mixers has been assumed for this purpose. The life cycle cost has been calculated for the system of the ready mix concrete plant and transit mixers.

Life Support Goals Including High Closure and Low Mass Should Be Reconsidered Using Systems Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Harry W.

2017-01-01

Recycling space life support systems have been built and tested since the 1960s and have operated on the International Space Station (ISS) since the mid 2000s. The development of space life support has been guided by a general consensus focused on two important related goals, increasing system closure and reducing launch mass. High closure is achieved by recycling crew waste products such as carbon dioxide and condensed humidity. Recycling directly reduces the mass of oxygen and water for the crew that must be launched from Earth. The launch mass of life support can be further reduced by developing recycling systems with lower hardware mass and reduced power. The life support consensus has also favored using biological systems. The goal of increasing closure using biological systems suggests that food should be grown in space and that biological processors be used for air, water, and waste recycling. The goal of reducing launch mass led to use of Equivalent System Mass (ESM) in life support advocacy and technology selection. The recent consensus assumes that the recycling systems architecture developed in the 1960s and implemented on ISS will be used on all future long missions. NASA and other project organizations use the standard systems engineering process to guide hardware development. The systems process was used to develop ISS life support, but it has been less emphasized in planning future systems for the moon and Mars. Since such missions are far in the future, there has been less immediate need for systems engineering analysis to consider trade-offs, reliability, and Life Cycle Cost (LCC). Preliminary systems analysis suggests that the life support consensus concepts should be revised to reflect systems engineering requirements.

Fatigue life analysis of unexpected failure in a lamellar TiAl alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chan, K.S.

1999-07-01

Unexpected catastrophic failure occurred in specimens of a lamellar TiAl alloy tested by axial fatigue. The failure initiated at locations away from artificial defects introduced to the specimens as crack starters. Fractographic examination of the fracture surface revealed the presence of featureless, low-energy facets that suggested the catastrophic crack may have initiated in one or more large grains that cleaved on a cleavage plane or an interface. A crack growth analysis of fatigue life of the test specimens suggested that the catastrophic crack propagated at stress intensity levels below the large crack threshold. Furthermore, the catastrophic crack propagated at rates that were higher than the average rates exhibited by small cracks, as well as by the large crack under equivalent stress intensity ranges. Because of this, the conventional life prediction approach based on the large crack growth data grossly overpredicted the fatigue life.

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCIES DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE : A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF WEB PAGES

OpenAIRE

Bergqvist, Sofie; Vestin, Mikaela

2014-01-01

Academics, practitioners and media agree that the topic of work-life balance is on the agenda and valued by the new business generation. Although Sweden might be considered a working friendly country, the management consultancy industry is not recognized to be the same. With an institutional perspective we will through a discourse analysis investigate the communication on Swedish management consultancies web pages in order to explore how consultancies relate to the work-life balance discourse...

Life Cycle Analysis of Dedicated Nano-Launch Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Zapata, Edgar; McCleskey, Carey (Editor); Martin, John; Lepsch, Roger; Ternani, Tosoc

2014-01-01

Recent technology advancements have enabled the development of small cheap satellites that can perform useful functions in the space environment. Currently, the only low cost option for getting these payloads into orbit is through ride share programs - small satellites awaiting the launch of a larger satellite, and then riding along on the same launcher. As a result, these small satellite customers await primary payload launches and a backlog exists. An alternative option would be dedicated nano-launch systems built and operated to provide more flexible launch services, higher availability, and affordable prices. The potential customer base that would drive requirements or support a business case includes commercial, academia, civil government and defense. Further, NASA technology investments could enable these alternative game changing options. With this context, in 2013 the Game Changing Development (GCD) program funded a NASA team to investigate the feasibility of dedicated nano-satellite launch systems with a recurring cost of less than $2 million per launch for a 5 kg payload to low Earth orbit. The team products would include potential concepts, technologies and factors for enabling the ambitious cost goal, exploring the nature of the goal itself, and informing the GCD program technology investment decision making process. This paper provides an overview of the life cycle analysis effort that was conducted in 2013 by an inter-center NASA team. This effort included the development of reference nano-launch system concepts, developing analysis processes and models, establishing a basis for cost estimates (development, manufacturing and launch) suitable to the scale of the systems, and especially, understanding the relationship of potential game changing technologies to life cycle costs, as well as other factors, such as flights per year.

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 315 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE), 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

2016-01-01

Summary Background Healthy life expectancy (HALE) and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) provide summary measures of health across geographies and time that can inform assessments of epidemiological patterns and health system performance, help to prioritise investments in research and develop......Summary Background Healthy life expectancy (HALE) and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) provide summary measures of health across geographies and time that can inform assessments of epidemiological patterns and health system performance, help to prioritise investments in research...... birth defects, and skin, oral, and sense organ diseases) either increased or remained unchanged, leading to increases in their relative ranking in many geographies. From 2005 to 2015, HALE at birth increased by an average of 2·9 years (95% uncertainty interval 2·9–3·0) for men and 3·5 years (3...

Living with Risk in Everyday Life - A Comparative Analysis on Handling and Reflecting Risk in Everyday Actions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elverdam, Beth; Hoel Felde, Lina Klara

phones; chemicals in a nursery; elevated cholesterol was combined to analyse the concept of risk in everyday life. In-depth qualitative interviews with 46 people made it possible to analyse a general perception of risk in everyday life. Interviews were analysed using a phenomenological thematical content...... analysis. Results: Although risk is communicated in the media and by health personnel, and thus has a general presence in society, participants in everyday life place risk at the periphery of life. Risk is not part of their everyday reflections. When risk manifests itself in everyday life, it is reflected...

Changes in dietary practices and social organization during the pivotal late iron age period in Norway (AD 550-1030): isotope analyses of Merovingian and Viking Age human remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Naumann, Elise; Price, T Douglas; Richards, Michael P

2014-11-01

Human remains representing 33 individuals buried along the coast in northern Norway were analyzed for diet composition using collagen stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Where possible, both teeth and bone were included to investigate whether there were dietary changes from childhood to adulthood. A general shift was documented from the Merovingian Age 550-800 AD to the Viking Age AD 800-1050 (VA), with a heavier reliance on marine diet in the VA. Dietary life history data show that 15 individuals changed their diets through life with 11 of these having consumed more marine foods in the later years of life. In combination with (87) Sr/(86) Sr data, it is argued that at least six individuals possibly originated from inland areas and then moved to the coastal region where they were eventually interred. The trend is considered in relation to the increasing expansion of the marine fishing industry at this time, and it is suggested that results from isotope analyses reflect the expanding production and export of stockfish in this region. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ways of life analysis and food culture

OpenAIRE

Land, Birgit

1994-01-01

Executive Summary 1. People's food patterns are among other things influenced by their social environments. Analysing the relationship between the social environment and food culture is an important lead in trying to derive consumer objectives directed towards the food sector. 2. The way of life typology proposed by Højrup may be a useful device for analysing how the social environment impacts food patterns. Højrup proposes three ways of life: the independent way of life, the wage-earner way ...

Landfill life expectancy with waste reduction/minimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klan, M.S.

1990-01-01

Although some minimally acceptable practices are presently undertaken at most landfills to protect human health and safety and the environment, a key question remains. How much effort and resources should be expended to slow the fill-rate of a landfill? The answer depends on the performance and costs of the technical options available, the difficulty and cost of acquiring additional landfill space, and the consequences for remaining landfill lifetime of current and future actions. Toward this end, the paper (1) presents a method for projecting the remaining life of a landfill, including the alternative lifetimes associated with life extension measures; (2) presents a case study of the low-level waste landfill at Los Alamos National Lab.; and (3) illustrates a procedure for determining which measures become cost-effective to adopt as a landfill's space declines

Life cycle cost estimation and systems analysis of Waste Management Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shropshire, D.; Feizollahi, F.

1995-01-01

This paper presents general conclusions from application of a system cost analysis method developed by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Waste Management Division (WM), Waste Management Facilities Costs Information (WMFCI) program. The WMFCI method has been used to assess the DOE complex-wide management of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes. The Idaho Engineering Laboratory, along with its subcontractor Morrison Knudsen Corporation, has been responsible for developing and applying the WMFCI cost analysis method. The cost analyses are based on system planning level life-cycle costs. The costs for life-cycle waste management activities estimated by WMFCI range from bench-scale testing and developmental work needed to design and construct a facility, facility permitting and startup, operation and maintenance, to the final decontamination, decommissioning, and closure of the facility. For DOE complex-wide assessments, cost estimates have been developed at the treatment, storage, and disposal module level and rolled up for each DOE installation. Discussions include conclusions reached by studies covering complex-wide consolidation of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, system cost modeling, system costs sensitivity, system cost optimization, and the integration of WM waste with the environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning secondary wastes

Shelf Life of Food Products: From Open Labeling to Real-Time Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Corradini, Maria G

2018-03-25

The labels currently used on food and beverage products only provide consumers with a rough guide to their expected shelf lives because they assume that a product only experiences a limited range of predefined handling and storage conditions. These static labels do not take into consideration conditions that might shorten a product's shelf life (such as temperature abuse), which can lead to problems associated with food safety and waste. Advances in shelf-life estimation have the potential to improve the safety, reliability, and sustainability of the food supply. Selection of appropriate kinetic models and data-analysis techniques is essential to predict shelf life, to account for variability in environmental conditions, and to allow real-time monitoring. Novel analytical tools to determine safety and quality attributes in situ coupled with modern tracking technologies and appropriate predictive tools have the potential to provide accurate estimations of the remaining shelf life of a food product in real time. This review summarizes the necessary steps to attain a transition from open labeling to real-time shelf-life measurements.

Differential Decomposition Among Pig, Rabbit, and Human Remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Dautartas, Angela; Kenyhercz, Michael W; Vidoli, Giovanna M; Meadows Jantz, Lee; Mundorff, Amy; Steadman, Dawnie Wolfe

2018-03-30

While nonhuman animal remains are often utilized in forensic research to develop methods to estimate the postmortem interval, systematic studies that directly validate animals as proxies for human decomposition are lacking. The current project compared decomposition rates among pigs, rabbits, and humans at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility across three seasonal trials that spanned nearly 2 years. The Total Body Score (TBS) method was applied to quantify decomposition changes and calculate the postmortem interval (PMI) in accumulated degree days (ADD). Decomposition trajectories were analyzed by comparing the estimated and actual ADD for each seasonal trial and by fuzzy cluster analysis. The cluster analysis demonstrated that the rabbits formed one group while pigs and humans, although more similar to each other than either to rabbits, still showed important differences in decomposition patterns. The decomposition trends show that neither nonhuman model captured the pattern, rate, and variability of human decomposition. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Using Survival Analysis to Evaluate Medical Equipment Battery Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhajda, David

2016-01-01

As hospital medical device managers obtain more data, opportunities exist for using the data to improve medical device management, enhance patient safety, and evaluate costs of decisions. As a demonstration of the ability to use data analytics, this article applies survival analysis statistical techniques to assist in making decisions on medical equipment maintenance. The analysis was performed on a large amount of data related to failures of an infusion pump manufacturer's lithium battery and two aftermarket replacement lithium batteries from one hospital facility. The survival analysis resulted in statistical evidence showing that one of the third-party batteries had a lower survival curve than the infusion pump manufacturer's battery. This lower survival curve translates to a shorter expected life before replacement is needed. The data suggested that to limit unexpected failures, replacing batteries at a two-year interval, rather than the current industry recommendation of three years, may be warranted. For less than $5,400 in additional annual cost, the risk of unexpected battery failures can be reduced from an estimated 28% to an estimated 7%.

Confronting product life thinking with product life cycle analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McAloone, Tim C.

2001-01-01

to "read" the environment out of the product, in order to systematically, quickly and efficiently come to some design recommendations for the company. The phrases "LCA" and "product life thinking" will be described and differentiated and a pattern identified for their cooperative effect in use....

Life with osteoporosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Carrinna

Background: Osteoporosis is considered a major worldwide public health problem. Men and women with osteoporosis are mostly unaware of the illness, until bone fractures occur. It is estimated that more than one in three European women and one in five men over 50 years will experience osteoporotic...... fractures followed by considerable morbidity and mortality. In line with many other chronic illnesses, one of the pronounced challenges related to osteoporosis is considered to be compliance and persistence to medical treatment. The causes of low compliance and persistence to treatment remain unclear....... Living with a chronic illness often affects the entire human life situation, specifically, emotionally and existentially. How this is experienced personally and how this affects the individual’s life is still unknown. Aim: To gain a deeper understanding of patients’ life with osteoporosis by determining...

Inversion of the strain-life and strain-stress relationships for use in metal fatigue analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Manson, S. S.

1979-01-01

The paper presents closed-form solutions (collocation method and spline-function method) for the constants of the cyclic fatigue life equation so that they can be easily incorporated into cumulative damage analysis. The collocation method involves conformity with the experimental curve at specific life values. The spline-function method is such that the basic life relation is expressed as a two-part function, one applicable at strains above the transition strain (strain at intersection of elastic and plastic lines), the other below. An illustrative example is treated by both methods. It is shown that while the collocation representation has the advantage of simplicity of form, the spline-function representation can be made more accurate over a wider life range, and is simpler to use.

Life satisfaction, distress, and resiliency across the life span of women.

Science.gov (United States)

Beutel, Manfred E; Glaesmer, Heide; Decker, Oliver; Fischbeck, Sabine; Brähler, Elmar

2009-01-01

This study aimed to determine (1) the relationship between life satisfaction, mental disorders, and aging in the female community and (2) to identify the impact of vulnerability factors, personal (resilience, self-esteem), and social resources on life satisfaction and distress. A stratified random sample of the German female population (N = 2,540) was investigated using standardized questionnaires of life satisfaction (Questions on Life Satisfaction), depression, anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire), resilience scale (RS-11), and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale). When participants were divided into six age groups (18-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, and >70 y), we found lower life satisfaction, satisfaction with partnership, and sexuality beyond the age of 50 years. Satisfaction with health was decreased already at early adulthood. Although the importance of partnership/sexuality was reduced around midlife, the importance of health increased. Depression was highest in the oldest group, whereas anxiety remained fairly stable across the cohorts. Life satisfaction was strongly associated with resilience, a good household income, the presence of a partnership, absence of anxiety and depression, lack of unemployment, positive self-esteem, religious affiliation, and-least-age. Personal and social resources and the absence of anxiety and depression are of crucial importance for the maintenance of life satisfaction in aging women.

Analysis of the quality of work life in the sewing sector of a clothing industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danielly Silva de Aquino

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research was to analyze the quality of work life in the sewing sector of a clothing industry located in the Northwest of the Paraná. The research is characterized as an exploratory and descriptive case study. The instrument of data collection was an adaptation of the model considered for Walton. For data analysis descriptive statistics and the diagram of boxes were used (boxplot. The results had disclosed that the eight criterions of the quality of work life investigated had presented levels of satisfaction greater than 50%. A satisfactory general average can be evidenced (66.85% among the employees of the sewing sector in relation to the quality of work life. Although the presented levels of satisfaction, it would be interesting to take some measures aiming to improve them even more. These measures should be directed to the analysis of the criterion “proper and fair compensation”, which presented the worst average and greater dispersion among investigated criteria.

Labelling of end-of-life decisions by physicians

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deyaert, J.; Chambaere, K.; Cohen, J.; Roelands, M.; Deliens, L.

2014-01-01

Objectives: Potentially life-shortening medical end-oflife practices (end-of-life decisions (ELDs)) remain subject to conceptual vagueness. This study evaluates how physicians label these practices by examining which of their own practices (described according to the precise act, the intention, the

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Analysis of Multiple Vehicle Fuel Pathways in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianduo Peng

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The Tsinghua University Life Cycle Analysis Model (TLCAM is applied to calculate the life cycle fossil energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG emissions for more than 20 vehicle fuel pathways in China. In addition to conventional gasoline and diesel, these include coal- and gas-based vehicle fuels, and electric vehicle (EV pathways. The results indicate the following. (1 China’s current dependence on coal and relative low-efficiency processes limits the potential for most alternative fuel pathways to decrease energy consumption and emissions; (2 Future low-carbon electricity pathways offer more obvious advantages, with coal-based pathways needing to adopt carbon dioxide capture and storage technology to compete; (3 A well-to-wheels analysis of the fossil energy consumption of vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG showed that they are comparable to conventional gasoline vehicles. However, importing rather than domestically producing LNG for vehicle use can decrease domestic GHG emissions by 35% and 31% compared with those of conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, respectively; (4 The manufacturing and recovery of battery and vehicle in the EV analysis has significant impact on the overall ability of EVs to decrease fossil energy consumption and GHG emissions from ICEVs.

A survey-based analysis of life-long learning patterns of young entrepreneurs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rînciog Johana

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Our approach, in this paper, is focused on life-long learning tools that are available for young Romanian entrepreneurs, in their early career stages. Life-long learning in the case of entrepreneurs is not a topic widely covered in scientific literature up to this moment. Most of the scientific papers related to entrepreneurship focus on the idea of innovation and creativity that characterizes entrepreneurship. On the other side, the scientific literature that considers life-long learning, discusses the case of employees or managers, who are required to improve their knowledge and skills in order to perform at the work place. For the current paper, it was aimed to survey the lifelong learning tools available to young Romanian people and to evaluate their efficiency with the help of interviews with young entrepreneurs on their educational path. Otherwise stated, we intended to provide more insights on the learning methods and practices of entrepreneurs, and to establish whether the current formal education represents a strong basis for entrepreneurs’ life-long learning. The research that we performed revealed that young Romanian entrepreneurs practice indeed a lifelong learning based not as much on formal education, as on learning by practicing and networking. Starting from the observations obtained, it was conceived, based on current European best practices and projective discussions with the same young entrepreneurs, a set of life-long learning initiatives that may be promoted in the entrepreneurial community, and we identify the actual steps to be taken by life-long learning education providers in order to implement these initiatives. This paper’s conclusions serve as both a state of the art analysis, in a field which is vital for entrepreneurs surviving in competitive environments, and as a prospective guide for improving the present market of life-long learning programs.

Considering capital goods in life cycle assessments by input-output analysis. Offshore wind farm as an application example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eickelkamp, Timo

2013-01-01

Capital goods are not normally taken into consideration in assessing the sustainability of products on the basis of life cycle assessments. Capital goods are machines and buildings that are used for production purposes over the course of a product's life cycle. Using an offshore wind farm as an example the present study shows how capital goods can be taken into account via a methodologically expanded input-output analysis and thus factored into the life cycle assessment. Besides comparing different calculation methods the author performs a detailed analysis of those parameters with the greatest influence on the outcome. The results show that capital goods have a substantial impact on sustainability in both energy-related and environmental terms. Capital goods should therefore be taken into consideration in life cycle assessments.

An Approach to Searching for Life on Mars, Europa, and Enceladus

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Christopher P.

2008-03-01

Near-term missions may be able to access samples of organic material from Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. The challenge for astrobiology will be to determine if this material is the remains of dead microorganisms or merely abiotic organic material. The remains of life that shares a common origin with life on Earth will be straightforward to detect using sophisticated methods such as DNA amplification. These methods are extremely sensitive but specific to Earth-like life. Detecting the remains of alien life—that does not have a genetic or biochemical commonality with Earth life—will be much more difficult. There is a general property of life that can be used to determine if organic material is of biological origin. This general property is the repeated use of a few specific organic molecules for the construction of biopolymers. For example, Earth-like life uses 20 amino acids to construct proteins, 5 nucleotide bases to construct DNA and RNA, and a few sugars to construct polysaccharides. This selectivity will result in a statistically anomalous distribution of organic molecules distinct from organic material of non-biological origin. Such a distinctive pattern, different from the pattern of Earth-like life, will be persuasive evidence for a second genesis of life.

Life expectancies of South African adults starting antiretroviral treatment: collaborative analysis of cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Leigh F; Mossong, Joel; Dorrington, Rob E; Schomaker, Michael; Hoffmann, Christopher J; Keiser, Olivia; Fox, Matthew P; Wood, Robin; Prozesky, Hans; Giddy, Janet; Garone, Daniela Belen; Cornell, Morna; Egger, Matthias; Boulle, Andrew

2013-01-01

Few estimates exist of the life expectancy of HIV-positive adults receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the life expectancy of patients starting ART in South Africa and compare it with that of HIV-negative adults. Data were collected from six South African ART cohorts. Analysis was restricted to 37,740 HIV-positive adults starting ART for the first time. Estimates of mortality were obtained by linking patient records to the national population register. Relative survival models were used to estimate the excess mortality attributable to HIV by age, for different baseline CD4 categories and different durations. Non-HIV mortality was estimated using a South African demographic model. The average life expectancy of men starting ART varied between 27.6 y (95% CI: 25.2-30.2) at age 20 y and 10.1 y (95% CI: 9.3-10.8) at age 60 y, while estimates for women at the same ages were substantially higher, at 36.8 y (95% CI: 34.0-39.7) and 14.4 y (95% CI: 13.3-15.3), respectively. The life expectancy of a 20-y-old woman was 43.1 y (95% CI: 40.1-46.0) if her baseline CD4 count was ≥ 200 cells/µl, compared to 29.5 y (95% CI: 26.2-33.0) if her baseline CD4 count was <50 cells/µl. Life expectancies of patients with baseline CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µl were between 70% and 86% of those in HIV-negative adults of the same age and sex, and life expectancies were increased by 15%-20% in patients who had survived 2 y after starting ART. However, the analysis was limited by a lack of mortality data at longer durations. South African HIV-positive adults can have a near-normal life expectancy, provided that they start ART before their CD4 count drops below 200 cells/µl. These findings demonstrate that the near-normal life expectancies of HIV-positive individuals receiving ART in high-income countries can apply to low- and middle-income countries as well. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Life expectancies of South African adults starting antiretroviral treatment: collaborative analysis of cohort studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leigh F Johnson

Full Text Available Few estimates exist of the life expectancy of HIV-positive adults receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the life expectancy of patients starting ART in South Africa and compare it with that of HIV-negative adults.Data were collected from six South African ART cohorts. Analysis was restricted to 37,740 HIV-positive adults starting ART for the first time. Estimates of mortality were obtained by linking patient records to the national population register. Relative survival models were used to estimate the excess mortality attributable to HIV by age, for different baseline CD4 categories and different durations. Non-HIV mortality was estimated using a South African demographic model. The average life expectancy of men starting ART varied between 27.6 y (95% CI: 25.2-30.2 at age 20 y and 10.1 y (95% CI: 9.3-10.8 at age 60 y, while estimates for women at the same ages were substantially higher, at 36.8 y (95% CI: 34.0-39.7 and 14.4 y (95% CI: 13.3-15.3, respectively. The life expectancy of a 20-y-old woman was 43.1 y (95% CI: 40.1-46.0 if her baseline CD4 count was ≥ 200 cells/µl, compared to 29.5 y (95% CI: 26.2-33.0 if her baseline CD4 count was <50 cells/µl. Life expectancies of patients with baseline CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µl were between 70% and 86% of those in HIV-negative adults of the same age and sex, and life expectancies were increased by 15%-20% in patients who had survived 2 y after starting ART. However, the analysis was limited by a lack of mortality data at longer durations.South African HIV-positive adults can have a near-normal life expectancy, provided that they start ART before their CD4 count drops below 200 cells/µl. These findings demonstrate that the near-normal life expectancies of HIV-positive individuals receiving ART in high-income countries can apply to low- and middle-income countries as well. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

[Quality of life of patients with asthma on beclomethasone/formoterol. Cost-utility analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

García-Ruiz, A J; Quintano Jiménez, J A; García-Agua Soler, N; Ginel Mendoza, L; Hidalgo Requena, A; Del Moral, F

2016-01-01

To perform a cost-utility analysis on asthmatic patients on beclomethasone/formoterol fixed combination in Primary Health Care. Material and methods Non-probability sampling was used to select a group of asthmatic patients with moderate/severe persistent severity (GEMA 2009), treated with beclomethasone/formoterol fixed combination, over 18 years, had given their informed consent. The study observation period was 6 months. The variables studied were: age, sex, duration of disease, health resources used, analysis of health related quality of life by EQ-5D and SF-36, and the specific Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. For the qualitative variables, the frequency and percentages were calculated, and for the quantitative variables, the mean, SD and 95% CI. Chi-square, Student t-test and ANOVA were used for statistical inference. Comparisons were made with a statistical significance of 0.05. Of the 64 patients that completed the study, 59.4% were female. The mean age was 49 years, and mean disease duration was 93 months. For asthma control, 53% of patients had a prescription pattern of one/12h. All health related quality of life scales were modified with respect to the baseline and the differences were statistically significant. Our patients had a better health related quality of life than Spanish asthma cohort. The incremental cost utility beclomethasone/formoterol versus usual treatment option was € 6,256/QALY. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Elderly with remaining teeth report less frailty and better quality of life than edentulous elderly : a cross-sectional study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoeksema, A. R.; Spoorenberg, S. L. W.; Peters, L. L.; Meijer, H. J. A.; Raghoebar, G. M.; Vissink, A.; Wynia, K.; Visser, A.

ObjectiveTo assess oral status and self-reported oral health in community-living elderly and to determine differences between relevant subgroups of oral status (remaining teeth, edentulous, implant-retained overdentures) and case complexity (robust, frail, complex care needs). Subjects and methodsIn

Shelf life modelling for first-expired-first-out warehouse management.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Uysal, Ismail; McCarthy, Ultan; Verlinden, Bert M; Nicolaï, Bart M

2014-06-13

In the supply chain of perishable food products, large losses are incurred between farm and fork. Given the limited land resources and an ever-growing population, the food supply chain is faced with the challenge of increasing its handling efficiency and minimizing post-harvest food losses. Huge value can be added by optimizing warehouse management systems, taking into account the estimated remaining shelf life of the product, and matching it to the requirements of the subsequent part of the handling chain. This contribution focuses on how model approaches estimating quality changes and remaining shelf life can be combined in optimizing first-expired-first-out cold chain management strategies for perishable products. To this end, shelf-life-related performance indicators are used to introduce remaining shelf life and product quality in the cost function when optimizing the supply chain. A combinatorial exhaustive-search algorithm is shown to be feasible as the complexity of the optimization problem is sufficiently low for the size and properties of a typical commercial cold chain. The estimated shelf life distances for a particular batch can thus be taken as a guide to optimize logistics.

Shelf life modelling for first-expired-first-out warehouse management

Science.gov (United States)

Hertog, Maarten L. A. T. M.; Uysal, Ismail; McCarthy, Ultan; Verlinden, Bert M.; Nicolaï, Bart M.

2014-01-01

In the supply chain of perishable food products, large losses are incurred between farm and fork. Given the limited land resources and an ever-growing population, the food supply chain is faced with the challenge of increasing its handling efficiency and minimizing post-harvest food losses. Huge value can be added by optimizing warehouse management systems, taking into account the estimated remaining shelf life of the product, and matching it to the requirements of the subsequent part of the handling chain. This contribution focuses on how model approaches estimating quality changes and remaining shelf life can be combined in optimizing first-expired-first-out cold chain management strategies for perishable products. To this end, shelf-life-related performance indicators are used to introduce remaining shelf life and product quality in the cost function when optimizing the supply chain. A combinatorial exhaustive-search algorithm is shown to be feasible as the complexity of the optimization problem is sufficiently low for the size and properties of a typical commercial cold chain. The estimated shelf life distances for a particular batch can thus be taken as a guide to optimize logistics. PMID:24797134

Development and Use of Life-Cycle Analysis Capabilities To Evaluate, Select, and Implement Plans to Accelerate Hanford Site Cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shay, Michael R.; Johnson, Wayne L.; Frey, Jeffrey A.

2004-01-01

Over the past year the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made significant progress in developing and executing plans to transform and accelerate cleanup of the Hanford Site. Notable progress has been in the cleanup of the River Corridor, including the relocation of spent nuclear fuel to the Central Plateau, and the stabilization of plutonium materials. However, difficult work still remains. DOE has already accelerated the completion of the Environmental Management (EM) cleanup mission from 2070 to 2035 and believes its completion can be achieved even sooner by reducing excess conservatism, substantively changing technical strategy and management approach, and making new front-end investments. Work is well under way in the detailed planning, analyses and decision making required to implement and support the execution of the accelerated cleanup program at Hanford. Various cleanup, contract, and regulatory approaches are being explored. DOE has instituted a process that allows DOE to efficiently explore and test alternative cleanup approaches using a life-cycle model. This paper provides a means to share the planning approach and the life-cycle modeling and analysis tools used with other sites and interested parties. This paper will be of particular interest to analysts performing similar planning and evaluations at other sites as well as provide insight into the current status of Hanford's cleanup program and DOE's plans for the future

Quality of Life of patients with chronic kidney disease in Iran: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ghiasi, Bahareh; Sarokhani, Diana; Dehkordi, Ali Hasanpour; Sayehmiri, Kourosh; Heidari, Mohammad Hossein

2018-01-01

Introduction: Renal diseases are among the major health problems around the world that cause major changes in patients’ lifestyle and affect their quality of lives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Iran through a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using authentic Persian and English keywords in the national and international databases including IranMedex, SID, Magiran, IranDoc, Medlib, Science Direct, Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline. The data were analyzed using meta-analysis (random effects model). Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 index. In this study, SF-36: 36-Item Short Form health-related quality of life (HRQOL), kidney disease quality of life-SF (KDQOL-SF), KDQOL and KDQOL-SFTM questionnaires were used. Data were analyzed using STATA Version 11 software. Results: A total of 17200 individuals participated in 45 reviewed studies, and the mean score of CKD patients’ quality of life was estimated by SF-36 (60.31), HRQOL (60.51), and KDQOL-SF (50.37) questionnaires. In addition, meta-regression showed that the mean score of CKD patients’ quality of life did not significantly decrease during the past years. Conclusion: The mean score of quality of life of patients with CKD was lower in different dimensions in comparison with that of normal people. Therefore, interventional measures should be taken to improve the quality of life of these patients in all dimensions. PMID:29440817

A Comparative Analysis of the Concept of "Life Skills" in Denmark, USA and UK

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Carsten Hvid; Christensen, Mette Krogh

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF "LIFE SKILLS" IN DENMARK, USA AND UK Larsen, C. H. & Christensen, M. K., Department of Sports Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark   Introduction It is unclear which life skills are needed by adolescent athletes. Research...... (Jones & Lavallee, 2009). The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the concept of life skills needs of adolescent athletes in Danish, American and British literature. Furthermore, the aim of the study is to discuss the psychological concept of life skills in relation to a systems theory...... approach to studying adolescent athletes' way of balancing elite sport and school. Methods The study is a comparative literature study, which prepare the theoretical basis for a Ph.D. project (2010-2013). The Ph.D. project consists of two studies with different purposes and groups of target. The first...

Obesity in adulthood and its consequences for life expectancy: a life-table analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Peeters (Anna); J.J.M. Barendregt (Jan); F. Willekens; J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); A. Al Mamun; L.G.A. Bonneux (Luc)

2003-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity in adulthood are linked to an increased risk for death and disease. Their potential effect on life expectancy and premature death has not yet been described. OBJECTIVE: To analyze reductions in life expectancy and increases in

Life Cycle Multi-Criteria Analysis Of Alternative Energy Supply Systems For A Residential Building

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Artur Rogoža

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyses energy supply alternatives for a partially renovated residential building. In addition to the existing district heating (base case alternative systems, gas boilers, heat pumps (air-water and ground-water, solar collectors, solar cells, and combinations of these systems have been examined. Actual heat consumption of the building and electricity demand determined by the statistical method are used for simulating the systems. The process of simulation is performed using EnergyPro software. In order to select an optimal energy supply option, the life cycle analysis of all systems has been carried out throughout a life span of the building, and the estimated results of energy, environmental and economic evaluation have been converted into non-dimensional variables (3E using multi–criteria analysis.Article in Lithuanian

Preparation and analysis of standardized waste samples for Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS)

Science.gov (United States)

Carden, J. L.; Browner, R.

1982-01-01

The preparation and analysis of standardized waste samples for controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS) are considered. Analysis of samples from wet oxidation experiments, the development of ion chromatographic techniques utilizing conventional high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment, and an investigation of techniques for interfacing an ion chromatograph (IC) with an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICPOES) are discussed.

New Neanderthal remains from Mani peninsula, Southern Greece: the Kalamakia Middle Paleolithic cave site.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvati, Katerina; Darlas, Andreas; Bailey, Shara E; Rein, Thomas R; El Zaatari, Sireen; Fiorenza, Luca; Kullmer, Ottmar; Psathi, Eleni

2013-06-01

The Kalamakia cave, a Middle Paleolithic site on the western coast of the Mani peninsula, Greece, was excavated in 1993-2006 by an interdisciplinary team from the Ephoreia of Paleoanthropology and Speleology (Greek Ministry of Culture) and the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris). The site is dated to between ca. 100,000 and >39,000 years BP (Before Present) and has yielded Mousterian lithics, a rich fauna, and human remains from several layers. The latter include 10 isolated teeth, a cranial fragment and three postcranial elements. The remains represent at least eight individuals, two of them subadults, and show both carnivore and anthropogenic modifications. They can be identified as Neanderthal on the basis of diagnostic morphology on most specimens. A diet similar to that of Neanderthals from mixed habitat is suggested by our analysis of dental wear (occlusal fingerprint analysis) and microwear (occlusal texture microwear analysis), in agreement with the faunal and palynological analyses of the site. These new fossils significantly expand the Neanderthal sample known from Greece. Together with the human specimens from Lakonis and Apidima, the Kalamakia human remains add to the growing evidence of a strong Neanderthal presence in the Mani region during the Late Pleistocene. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Perinatal bioethics: euthanasia or end-of-life decisions? Analysis of the Groningen Protocol].

Science.gov (United States)

Halac, Jacobo; Halac, Eduardo; Moya, Martín P; Olmas, José M; Dopazo, Silvina L; Dolagaray, Nora

2009-12-01

The so called "Groningen Protocol" was conceived as a framework to discuss the euthanasia in neonates. Originally, it presents three groups of babies who might be candidates to this option. We analyzed the protocol in its original context and that of the Dutch society in which it was created. The analysis started with a careful reading of the protocol in both English and Dutch versions, translated later into Spanish. The medical and nursing staff participated in discussing it. A final consensus was reached. The Institutional Ethics Committee at our hospital discussed it freely and made recommendations for its application as a guideline to honestly discuss with parents the clinical condition of their babies, without permitting the option included literally in the word euthanasia. We selected four extremely ill infants. Their parents were interviewed at least twice daily: three stages were identified: the initial one of promoting all possible treatments; a second one of guarded and cautious request for the staff to evaluate "suffering", and a last one where requests were made to reduce therapeutic efforts to provide dignified death. A week after the death of their infants, they were presented with the facts of the protocol and the limits of our legal system. In all four cases the parents suggested that they would have chosen ending the life of their infants, in order to avoid them undue suffering. They clearly pointed out that this option emerged as a viable one to them once the ultimate outcome was evident. The protocol must not be viewed as a guideline for euthanasia in newborns, but rather as a mean to discuss the critical condition of an infant with the parents. Its direct implementation in our setting remains difficult. As a clear limitation for its overall application remains the definition of what is considered "unbearable suffering" in newborns, and how to certify when the infant has "no prospect". We emphasize the benefits of securing the help of the Ethics

Analysis of factors affecting the quality of life of those suffering from Crohn's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Chrobak-Bień, Joanna; Gawor, Anna; Paplaczyk, Małgorzata; Małecka-Panas, Ewa; Gąsiorowska, Anita

2017-08-31

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown etiology. Its chronic nature, as well as symptoms of intestinal and overall significantly impedes the daily functioning of patients. Alternately occurring periods of exacerbation and remission are the cause of reduced quality of life of patients. Understanding the factors that caused the decrease in the quality of life, it allows us to understand the behavior and the situation of the patient and the ability to cope with stress caused by the disease. The aim of the study was to analyze the factors affecting the quality of life of people with Crohn's disease. The study group consisted of 50 people diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Respondents were treated at the Department of General Surgery and Colorectal Medical University of Lodz and Gastroenterological Clinic at the University Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Lodz. Quality of Life Survey was carried out by a diagnostic survey using a research tool SF-36v2 and surveys of its own design. Analysis of the results demonstrated that the quality of life of patients with Crohn's disease was reduced, especially during exacerbations. Evaluation of the quality of life of respondents in physical terms was slightly higher than in the mental aspect. Higher education subjects and the lack of need for surgical treatment significantly improves the quality of life. The occurrence of chronic disease reduces the quality of life of respondents. Elderly patients are better able to adapt to the difficult situation caused by the disease. The quality of life of women and men is at a similar level and patients in remission of the disease have a better quality of life of patients during exacerbations.

Oxidative stress and life histories : Unresolved issues and current needs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Speakman, John R.; Blount, Jonathan D.; Bronikowski, Anne M.; Buffenstein, Rochelle; Isaksson, Caroline; Kirkwood, Tom B. L.; Monaghan, Pat; Ozanne, Susan E.; Beaulieu, Michael; Briga, Michael; Carr, Sarah K.; Christensen, Louise L.; Cocheme, Helena M.; Cram, Dominic L.; Dantzer, Ben; Harper, Jim M.; Jurk, Diana; King, Annette; Noguera, Jose C.; Salin, Karine; Sild, Elin; Simons, Mirre J. P.; Smith, Shona; Stier, Antoine; Tobler, Michael; Vitikainen, Emma; Peaker, Malcolm; Selman, Colin

2015-01-01

Life-history theory concerns the trade-offs that mold the patterns of investment by animals between reproduction, growth, and survival. It is widely recognized that physiology plays a role in the mediation of life-history trade-offs, but the details remain obscure. As life-history theory concerns

The use of life-cycle analysis to address energy cycle externality problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soerensen, B.

1996-01-01

Life-cycle analysis is defined and the various impacts from energy systems to be included in such analysis are discussed. A preliminary version of a scenario for a future Danish energy systems based upon a bottom-up energy demand scenario and renewable energy sources. LCAs of wind turbine and Si solar roof-top modules are presented. The various impacts from Danish wind and building-integrated solar power generation are discussed and compared with the impacts from coal-fired power generation. The former electricity generating system looks more favorable. (author). 20 refs, 9 figs

[Analysis of the quality of life in patients affected by scoliosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Leal-Hernández, M; Martínez-Monje, F; Pérez-Valencia, M; García-Romero, R; Mena-Poveda, R; Caballero-Cánovas, J

2017-05-11

To assess the quality of life using the SRS 22 test in patients with scoliosis of 20 or more degrees Cobb. A prospective descriptive study was conducted between April and May 2016 on patients with scoliosis of at least 20 degrees Cobb and aged between 10 and 20 years. A record was made of weight, height, body mass index, and the SR 22 specific quality of life questionnaire for patients with scoliosis was completed. Patients were divided into two groups for analysis: a) scoliosis between 20 and 29 degrees Cobb (n=44); and b) scoliosis with a Cobb of 30 degrees or greater (n=32). There were significant differences in the dimensions that assess pain, image self-perception, and satisfaction with treatment, being valued worse when the degree of scoliosis Cobb is 30 degrees or higher. There were no significant differences in function/activity or mental health. The overall score of the questionnaire was also worse in the group with the highest degree of scoliosis. The weight, height, and BMI showed no significant differences due to the varying degrees of scoliosis. Scoliosis significantly affects the quality of life of people who suffer it, and there is a negative correlation between the severity of scoliosis measured by degrees Cobb and quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Space Shuttle Rudder Speed Brake Actuator-A Case Study Probabilistic Fatigue Life and Reliability Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Oswald, Fred B.; Savage, Michael; Zaretsky, Erwin V.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Space Shuttle fleet was originally intended to have a life of 100 flights for each vehicle, lasting over a 10-year period, with minimal scheduled maintenance or inspection. The first space shuttle flight was that of the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102), launched April 12, 1981. The disaster that destroyed Columbia occurred on its 28th flight, February 1, 2003, nearly 22 years after its first launch. In order to minimize risk of losing another Space Shuttle, a probabilistic life and reliability analysis was conducted for the Space Shuttle rudder/speed brake actuators to determine the number of flights the actuators could sustain. A life and reliability assessment of the actuator gears was performed in two stages: a contact stress fatigue model and a gear tooth bending fatigue model. For the contact stress analysis, the Lundberg-Palmgren bearing life theory was expanded to include gear-surface pitting for the actuator as a system. The mission spectrum of the Space Shuttle rudder/speed brake actuator was combined into equivalent effective hinge moment loads including an actuator input preload for the contact stress fatigue and tooth bending fatigue models. Gear system reliabilities are reported for both models and their combination. Reliability of the actuator bearings was analyzed separately, based on data provided by the actuator manufacturer. As a result of the analysis, the reliability of one half of a single actuator was calculated to be 98.6 percent for 12 flights. Accordingly, each actuator was subsequently limited to 12 flights before removal from service in the Space Shuttle.

Life cycle based dynamic assessment coupled with multiple criteria decision analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sohn, Joshua; Kalbar, Pradip; Birkved, Morten

2017-01-01

the service life of the building. This case study uses both the established and the coupled MCDA assessment methods to quantify and assess the balance of impacts between the production of mineral wool insulation versus the production of space heat. The use of TOPSIS method for calculating single scores......This work looks at coupling Life cycle assessment (LCA) with a dynamic inventory and multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to improve the validity and reliability of single score results for complex systems. This is done using the case study of a representative Danish single family home over...... not matter which impact assessment is applied. However, for the scenarios where other impact categories vary inversely or independently from the climate change impact indicator, such as with renewable energy production, there is need for a more unconventional method, such as the TOPSIS method...

Probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis for the life extension estimate of the high flux isotope reactor vessel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, S.J.

1997-01-01

The state of the vessel steel embrittlement as a result of neutron irradiation can be measured by its increase in the nil ductility temperature (NDT). This temperature is sometimes referred to as the brittle-ductile transition temperature (DBT) for fracture. The life extension of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) vessel is calculated by using the method of fracture mechanics. A new method of fracture probability calculation is presented in this paper. The fracture probability as a result of the hydrostatic pressure test (hydrotest) is used to determine the life of the vessel. The hydrotest is performed in order to determine a safe vessel static pressure. It is then followed by using fracture mechanics to project the safe reactor operation time from the time of the satisfactory hydrostatic test. The life extension calculation provides the following information on the remaining life of the reactor as a function of the NDT increase: (1) the life of the vessel is determined by the probability of vessel fracture as a result of hydrotest at several hydrotest pressures and vessel embrittlement conditions, (2) the hydrotest time interval vs the NDT increase rate, and (3) the hydrotest pressure vs the NDT increase rate. It is understood that the use of a complete range of uncertainties of the NDT increase is equivalent to the entire range of radiation damage that can be experienced by the vessel steel. From the numerical values for the probabilities of the vessel fracture as a result of hydrotest, it is estimated that the reactor vessel life can be extended up to 50 EFPY (100 MW) with the minimum vessel operating temperature equal to 85 degrees F

Analysis of ship life cycles: the impact of economic cycles and ship inspection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijwaard, G.E.; Knapp, S.

2009-01-01

Due to the shipping industry's international legal framework, there are loopholes in the system, which can increase the risk of incidents with high economic costs due to the substandard operation of vessels. This article uses duration analysis and through the creation of ship life cycles provides

Use of environmental qualification data and techniques for life extension purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinnappan, J.

1991-01-01

As several nuclear power plants in the United States now reach or exceed the midpoint of their original 40-year design life, efforts are underway to identify techniques and methods to demonstrate that the actual useful life of these plants exceeds the original design life. Some surveillance and monitoring programs for safety-related components are being developed to determine the actual consumed life and predict the remaining life. These data are useful for showing that plant components actually have a longer qualified life, which is the basis for the license renewal of nuclear power plants. This paper summarizes a proposed methodology using existing environmental qualification (EQ) data for safety-related Class 1E equipment and the results of surveillance and monitoring techniques to assess the actual consumed life and, consequently, predict the remaining life. It also discusses several techniques that can be used to address various aging degradation mechanisms to demonstrate longer qualified life of safety-related components. Examples of how these techniques can be used on components are shown

Towards an autopoietic redefinition of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Damiano, Luisa; Luisi, Pier Luigi

2010-04-01

In this paper we develop the autopoietic approach to the definition of the living developed by Maturana and Varela in the Seventies. Starting from very simple observations concerning the phenomenology of life, we propose a reformulation of the autopoietic original definition of life which integrates some of the contemporary criticism to it. Our definitional proposal, aiming to stimulate the further development of the autopoietic approach, expresses what remains implicit in the definition of the living originally given by Maturana and Varela: life, as self-production, is a process of cognitive coupling with the environment.

Why work-life balance now?

OpenAIRE

Fleetwood, Steve

2006-01-01

In the vast literature on work-life balance one question remains seriously under-elaborated: Why now? The paper opens by recognising that flexible working practices can be employee friendly or employer friendly, and that current employer friendly practices tend to constrain, rather than enable, possibilities for work-life balance. Part two introduces neoliberalism, interpreting it as a new class strategy: the iron fist of a renewed ruling class offensive is wrapped in the velvet glove of free...

Life cycle cost analysis of commercial buildings with energy efficient approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilima N. Kale

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In any construction project, cost effectiveness plays a crucial role. The Life Cycle Cost (LCC analysis provides a method of determining entire cost of a structure over its expected life along with operational and maintenance cost. LCC can be improved by adopting alternative modern techniques without much alteration in the building. LCC effectiveness can be calculated at various stages of entire span of the building. Moreover this provides decision makers with the financial information necessary for maintaining, improving, and constructing facilities. Financial benefits associated with energy use can also be calculated using LCC analysis. In the present work, case study of two educational buildings has been considered. The LCC of these buildings has been calculated with existing condition and with proposed energy efficient approach (EEA using net present value method. A solar panel having minimum capacity as well as solar panel with desired capacity as per the requirements of the building has been suggested. The comparison of LCC of existing structure with proposed solar panel system shows that 4% of cost can be reduced in case of minimum capacity solar panel and 54% cost can be reduced for desired capacity solar panel system, along with other added advantages of solar energy.

Benefits of a working memory training program for inattention in daily life: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan Spencer-Smith

Full Text Available Many common disorders across the lifespan feature impaired working memory (WM. Reported benefits of a WM training program include improving inattention in daily life, but this has not been evaluated in a meta-analysis. This study aimed to evaluate whether one WM training method has benefits for inattention in daily life by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.We searched Medline and PsycINFO, relevant journals and contacted authors for studies with an intervention and control group reporting post-training estimates of inattention in daily life. To reduce the influence of different WM training methods on the findings, the review was restricted to trials evaluating the Cogmed method. A meta-analysis calculated the pooled standardised difference in means (SMD between intervention and control groups.A total of 622 studies were identified and 12 studies with 13 group comparisons met inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed a significant training effect on inattention in daily life, SMD=-0.47, 95% CI -0.65, -0.29, p<.00001. Subgroup analyses showed this significant effect was observed in groups of children and adults as well as users with and without ADHD, and in studies using control groups that were active and non-adaptive, wait-list and passive as well as studies using specific or general measures. Seven of the studies reported follow-up assessment and a meta-analysis showed persisting training benefits for inattention in daily life, SMD=-0.33, 95% CI -0.57 -0.09, p=.006. Additional meta-analyses confirmed improvements after training on visuospatial WM, SMD=0.66, 95% CI 0.43, 0.89, p<.00001, and verbal WM tasks, SMD=0.40, 95% CI 0.18, 0.62, p=.0004.Benefits of a WM training program generalise to improvements in everyday functioning. Initial evidence shows that the Cogmed method has significant benefits for inattention in daily life with a clinically relevant effect size.

Zorba, Socrates, and the good life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovačević Filip

2011-01-01

Full Text Available How should one live in order to live well? What are the defining characteristics of the good life? These questions - the perennial concern of classical scholars - have in the last 25 years become the subject of debates in contemporary social and political theory as well. Foucault (1986, Taylor (1989, Kekes (1995, Cottingham (1998 and Nehamas (1998 have all stressed the importance of the “art of living” or “caring for the self” in light of contemporary political and economic developments. This article, as my contribution to the debate, offers the analysis of two models of the “good life”: the one as presented by Plato and embodied in the literary character of Socrates, and the other as presented by Nikos Kazantzakis and embodied in the literary figure of Zorba. In general terms, Socrates advocates the rule of reason and the denigration and submission of the bodily Eros, while Zorba remains suspicious of the mind - “a careful little shopkeeper” - and stresses the significance of bodily experiences as ways of linking oneself with the rest of the universe. Hence in the article I formulate an ethic of sensual Eros by focusing on Zorba’s way of life and contrast it to the Socratic ethics. I conclude that the concern and respect for the body, for the house in which Eros dwells, is the necessary a priori for the living of the good life. This way of life is not one that rejects reason altogether, but what it does reject is the desire of reason to monopolize the individual’s life processes.

Sensitivity analysis of the use of Life Cycle Impact Assessment methods: a case study on building materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bueno, Cristiane; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Rossignolo, Joao Adriano

2016-01-01

The main aim of this research is to perform a sensitivity analysis of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) case study to understand if the use of different Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methods may lead to different conclusions by decision makers and stakeholders. A complete LCA was applied to non...

Analysis of Phenix end-of-life natural convection test with the MARS-LMR code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, H. Y.; Ha, K. S.; Lee, K. L.; Chang, W. P.; Kim, Y. I.

2012-01-01

The end-of-life test of Phenix reactor performed by the CEA provided an opportunity to have reliable and valuable test data for the validation and verification of a SFR system analysis code. KAERI joined this international program for the analysis of Phenix end-of-life natural circulation test coordinated by the IAEA from 2008. The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the capability of existing SFR system analysis code MARS-LMR and to identify any limitation of the code. The analysis was performed in three stages: pre-test analysis, blind posttest analysis, and final post-test analysis. In the pre-test analysis, the design conditions provided by the CEA were used to obtain a prediction of the test. The blind post-test analysis was based on the test conditions measured during the tests but the test results were not provided from the CEA. The final post-test analysis was performed to predict the test results as accurate as possible by improving the previous modeling of the test. Based on the pre-test analysis and blind test analysis, the modeling for heat structures in the hot pool and cold pool, steel structures in the core, heat loss from roof and vessel, and the flow path at core outlet were reinforced in the final analysis. The results of the final post-test analysis could be characterized into three different phases. In the early phase, the MARS-LMR simulated the heat-up process correctly due to the enhanced heat structure modeling. In the mid phase before the opening of SG casing, the code reproduced the decrease of core outlet temperature successfully. Finally, in the later phase the increase of heat removal by the opening of the SG opening was well predicted with the MARS-LMR code. (authors)

Design and analysis of seals for extended service life

Science.gov (United States)

Bower, Mark V.

1992-01-01

Space Station Freedom is being developed for a service life of up to thirty years. As a consequence, the design requirements for the seals to be used are unprecedented. Full scale testing to assure the selected seals can satisfy the design requirements are not feasible. As an alternative, a sub-scale test program has been developed by MSFC to calibrate the analysis tools to be used to certify the proposed design. This research has been conducted in support of the MSFC Integrated Seal Test Program. The ultimate objective of this research is to correlate analysis and test results to qualify the analytical tools, which in turn, are to be used to qualify the flight hardware. This research is totally focused on O-rings that are compressed by perpendicular clamping forces. In this type of seal the O-ring is clamped between the sealing surfaces by loads perpendicular to the circular cross section.

Residual life assessment of French PWR vessel head penetrations through metallurgical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pichon, C.; Boudot, R.; Benhamou, C.; Gelpi, A.

1994-01-01

In September 1991, a vessel head penetration was found leaking at Bugey 3 plant during the hydrotest included in the framework of decennial In Service Inspections. Non destructive examinations performed afterwards on several other plants have shown some cracked penetrations. Destructive expertise confirmed quickly that again this new problem is related to stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 600 used as base material. During the last 15 years, similar cracking have been met in steam generator tubes and secondly in pressurizer instrumentation tubes. In spite of all the work performed since that time an extension appears to be necessary for explaining the features of this new event; however material sensitivity, stress and temperature still remain the key parameters governing the behavior of Alloy 600 in PWR environment. In this paper, only the material sensitivity of vessel head penetrations is examined through metallurgical analysis in relation with SCC tests. On the basis of vessel head field experience in combination with thermomechanical process used for fabrication of original bars criteria for a sensitivity ranking of penetrations are proposed. Metallurgical investigations and SCC tests were carried out to support this sensitivity ranking. The final aim is to use such information among those quoted above for assessment of vessel heads residual life. This document is an overview of the work performed in France concerning the material sensitivity of forged Alloy 600. It represents an important part of the assessments and investigations undertaken in France on the stress corrosion cracking phenomenon affecting the reactor vessel head penetrations in PWR's

A study on creep-fatigue life analysis using a unified constitutive equation and a continuous damage law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiroe, Tetsuyuki; Igari, Toshihide; Nakajima, Keiichi

1986-01-01

A newly developed type of life analysis is introduced using a unified constitutive equation and a continuous damage law on 2 1/4Cr - 1Mo steel at 600 deg C. the viscoplasticity theory based on total strain and overstress used for the rate effect at room temperature is extended for application to the inelastic analysis at elevated temperature, and the extended uniaxial model is shown to reproduce the inelastic stress and strain behavior with a strain rate change observed in the experiment. The incremental life prediction law is employed and its coupling with the viscoplasticity model produces both an inelastic stress-strain response and the damage accumulation, simultaneously and continuously. The life prediction for creep, fatigue and creep-fatigue loading shows good correspondence with the experimental data. (author)

Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis of Bioproducts from a Modular Advanced Biomass Pyrolysis System

Science.gov (United States)

Richard Bergman; Hongmei Gu

2014-01-01

Expanding bioenergy production has the potential to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve energy security. Science-based assessments of new bioenergy technologies are essential tools for policy makers dealing with expanding renewable energy production. Using life cycle inventory (LCI) analysis, this study evaluated a 200-kWe...

What reassurances do the community need regarding life extension? Evidence from studies of community attitudes and an analysis of film portrayals.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, Mair

2014-04-01

It is increasingly recognized that community attitudes impact on the research trajectory, entry, and reception of new biotechnologies. Yet biogerontologists have generally been dismissive of public concerns about life extension. There is some evidence that biogerontological research agendas have not been communicated effectively, with studies finding that most community members have little or no knowledge of life extension research. In the absence of knowledge, community members' attitudes may well be shaped by issues raised in popular portrayals of life extension (e.g., in movies). To investigate how popular portrayals of life extension may influence community attitudes, I conducted an analysis of 19 films depicting human life extension across different genres. I focussed on how the pursuit of life extension was depicted, how life extension was achieved, the levels of interest in life extension shown by characters in the films, and the experiences of extended life depicted both at an individual and societal level. This paper compares the results of this analysis with the literature on community attitudes to life extension and makes recommendations about the issues in which the public may require reassurance if they are to support and accept life extension technologies.

Stator winding service life analysis of wet winding motor RCP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeoh Eingyee; Li Linsen; Wang Ziguan; Shen Feng

2017-01-01

The reactor coolant pump type RUV of KSB is specially designed for the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor. It is hermetically sealed, wet winding motor pump. This wet winding motor concept has higher efficiency as compared to a canned motor since there are no eddy current losses, but this makes the stator cable insulator face the challenge of degradation by γ-irradiation in coolant. Radiation dose at the RUV is evaluated in interest from the material degradation point of view and the service life of stator winding in RUV is preliminarily analyzed. The values obtained are less than the dose rate and the dose which change the mechanical properties of the insulator material. According to the preliminary analysis, it can be concluded that the degradation of cable insulator of stator winding by γ-irradiation in coolant is negligible for the 60 years' service life of reactor coolant pump. This result also ensures crosslinked polyethylene used as cable insulator of stator winding is reliable in reactor coolant pump. (author)

Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and external-beam radiotherapy versus external-beam irradiation alone for prostate cancer. A quality-of-life analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinkawa, Michael; Piroth, Marc D.; Asadpour, Branka; Gagel, Bernd; Fischedick, Karin; Siluschek, Jaroslav; Kehl, Mareike; Krenkel, Barbara; Eble, Michael J. [RWTH Aachen (Germany). Dept. of Radiotherapy

2009-02-15

To evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) on quality of life after external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for prostate cancer. A group of 170 patients (85 with and 85 without NHT) has been surveyed prospectively before EBRT (70.2-72 Gy), at the last day of EBRT, a median time of 2 months and 15 months after EBRT using a validated questionnaire (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite). Pairs with and without NHT (median treatment time of 3.5 months before EBRT) were matched according to the respective planning target volume and prostate volume. Before EBRT, significantly lower urinary function/bother, sexual function and hormonal function/bother scores were found for patients with NHT. More than 1 year after EBRT, only sexual function scores remained lower. In a multivariate analysis, NHT and adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) versus NHT only (hazard ratio 14; 95% confidence interval 2.7-183; p = 0.02) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists versus antiandrogens (hazard ratio 3.6; 95% confidence interval 1.1-12; p = 0.04) proved to be independent risk factors for long-term erectile dysfunction (no or very poor ability to have an erection). With the exception of sexual function (additional adjuvant HT and application of LHRH analog independently adverse), short-term NHT was not found to decrease quality of life after EBRT for prostate cancer. (orig.)

An Empirical Study on the Effect of Work/Life Commitment to Work-Life Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Li; Yin, Jie-lin

This study examined the relation between work and life orientation and work interfere with personal life or personal life interfere with work of employees in China. Cluster analysis results showed that there are four profiles of orientation: work orientation, life orientation, integration and disengagement orientation. There are significant differences in work interfere personal life and personal life interfere work between different profiles.

Evaluation of remaining behavior of halogen on the fabrication of MOX pellet containing Am

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Yoko; Osaka, Masahiko; Obayashi, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Kenya

2004-11-01

It is important to limit the content of halogen elements, namely fluorine and chlorine that are sources of making cladding material corrode, in nuclear fuel from the viewpoint of quality assurance. The halogen content should be more carefully limited in the MOX fuel containing Americium (Am-MOX), which is fabricated in the Alpha-Gamma Facility (AGF) for irradiation testing to be conducted in the experimental fast reactor JOYO, because fluorine may remain in the sintered pellets owing to a formation of AmF 3 known to have a low vapor pressure and may exceeds the limit of 25 ppm. In this study, a series of experimental determination of halogen element in Am-MOX were performed by a combination method of pyrolysis and ion-chromatography for the purpose of an evaluation of behavior of remaining halogen through the sintering process. Oxygen potential, temperature and time were changed as experimental parameters and their effects on the remaining behavior of halogen were examined. It was confirmed that good pellets, which contained small amount of halogen, could be obtained by the sintering for 3 hour at 1700degC in the oxygen potential range from -520 to -390 kJ/mol. In order to analysis of fluorine chemical form in green pellet, thermal analysis was performed. AmF 3 and PuF 3 have been confirmed to remain in the green pellet. (author)

Parametric and semiparametric models with applications to reliability, survival analysis, and quality of life

CERN Document Server

Nikulin, M; Mesbah, M; Limnios, N

2004-01-01

Parametric and semiparametric models are tools with a wide range of applications to reliability, survival analysis, and quality of life. This self-contained volume examines these tools in survey articles written by experts currently working on the development and evaluation of models and methods. While a number of chapters deal with general theory, several explore more specific connections and recent results in "real-world" reliability theory, survival analysis, and related fields.

Psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS): secondary analysis of the Mexican Health and Aging Study.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Ortega, Mariana; Torres-Castro, Sara; Rosas-Carrasco, Oscar

2016-12-09

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) has been widely used and has proven to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing satisfaction with life in diverse population groups, however, research on satisfaction with life and validation of different measuring instruments in Mexican adults is still lacking. The objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in a representative sample of Mexican adults. This is a methodological study to evaluate a satisfaction with life scale in a sample of 13,220 Mexican adults 50 years of age or older from the 2012 Mexican Health and Aging Study. The scale's reliability (internal consistency) was analysed using Cronbach's alpha and inter-item correlations. An exploratory factor analysis was also performed. Known-groups validity was evaluated comparing good-health and bad-health participants. Comorbidity, perceived financial situation, self-reported general health, depression symptoms, and social support were included to evaluate the validity between these measures and the total score of the scale using Spearman's correlations. The analysis of the scale's reliability showed good internal consistency (α = 0.74). The exploratory factor analysis confirmed the existence of a unique factor structure that explained 54% of the variance. SWLS was related to depression, perceived health, financial situation, and social support, and these relations were all statistically significant (P life satisfaction between the good- and bad-health groups. Results show good internal consistency and construct validity of the SWLS. These results are comparable with results from previous studies. Meeting the study's objective to validate the scale, the results show that the Spanish version of the SWLS is a reliable and valid measure of satisfaction with life in the Mexican context.

Life cycle cost analysis of single slope hybrid (PV/T) active solar still

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Shiv; Tiwari, G.N.

2009-01-01

This paper presents the life cycle cost analysis of the single slope passive and hybrid photovoltaic (PV/T) active solar stills, based on the annual performance at 0.05 m water depth. Effects of various parameters, namely interest rate, life of the system and the maintenance cost have been taken into account. The comparative cost of distilled water produced from passive solar still (Rs. 0.70/kg) is found to be less than hybrid (PV/T) active solar still (Rs. 1.93/kg) for 30 years life time of the systems. The payback periods of the passive and hybrid (PV/T) active solar still are estimated to be in the range of 1.1-6.2 years and 3.3-23.9 years, respectively, based on selling price of distilled water in the range of Rs. 10/kg to Rs. 2/kg. The energy payback time (EPBT) has been estimated as 2.9 and 4.7 years, respectively. (author)

Statistical analysis of fatigue strain-life data for carbon and low-alloy steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keisler, J.; Chopra, O.K.; Shack, W.J.

1994-08-01

The existing fatigue strain vs. life (S-N) data, foreign and domestic, for carbon and low-alloy steels used in the construction of nuclear power plant components have been compiled and categorized according to material, loading, and environmental conditions. A statistical model has been developed for estimating the effects of the various test conditions on fatigue life. The results of a rigorous statistical analysis have been used to estimate the probability of initiating a fatigue crack. Data in the literature were reviewed to evaluate the effects of size, geometry, and surface finish of a component on its fatigue life. The fatigue S-N curves for components have been determined by applying design margins for size, geometry, and surface finish to crack initiation curves estimated from the model. The significance of the effect of environment on the current Code design curve and on the proposed interim design curves for carbon and low-alloy steels presented in NUREG/CR-5999 is discussed

The construction of work–life balance: The experience of Black employees in a call-centre environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia C.B. Potgieter

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Work–life balance, as a crucial aspect of employee and organisational wellness, remains an interesting field of research, especially due to the changing demographic employee profile.Research purpose: The objective of the study was to explore Black employees’ construction of work–life balance in a customer care environment.Motivation for the study: The conceptual debate regarding the construct of work–life balance in general as well as limited qualitative research with regard to Black employees’ experience of work–life balance in a South African context motivated the study.Research design, approach and method: This qualitative study was designed from an interpretivist perspective. Ten employees, selected through purposeful sampling, participated in the study. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews and grounded theory was applied during data analysis.Main findings: The grounded theory analysis of the data yielded six themes central to participants’ construction of work–life balance. The findings suggest that work–life balance is conceptualised as a continuous, subjective and holistic valuation of satisfaction derived from multiple roles in relation to the importance to the individual at a given point in time.Practical/managerial implications: Findings provide valuable managerial information to guide suitable strategies enhancing the work–life balance experience and by implication employees’ general wellbeing, job satisfaction and commitment.Contributions/value-add: This study contributes to the evolving body of knowledge with regard to work–life balance and provides a unique context-specific perspective to the conceptual understanding of the construct.

Statistical inference on residual life

CERN Document Server

Jeong, Jong-Hyeon

2014-01-01

This is a monograph on the concept of residual life, which is an alternative summary measure of time-to-event data, or survival data. The mean residual life has been used for many years under the name of life expectancy, so it is a natural concept for summarizing survival or reliability data. It is also more interpretable than the popular hazard function, especially for communications between patients and physicians regarding the efficacy of a new drug in the medical field. This book reviews existing statistical methods to infer the residual life distribution. The review and comparison includes existing inference methods for mean and median, or quantile, residual life analysis through medical data examples. The concept of the residual life is also extended to competing risks analysis. The targeted audience includes biostatisticians, graduate students, and PhD (bio)statisticians. Knowledge in survival analysis at an introductory graduate level is advisable prior to reading this book.

A new time-series methodology for estimating relationships between elderly frailty, remaining life expectancy, and ambient air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Christian J; Lipfert, Frederick W

2012-01-01

Many publications estimate short-term air pollution-mortality risks, but few estimate the associated changes in life-expectancies. We present a new methodology for analyzing time series of health effects, in which prior frailty is assumed to precede short-term elderly nontraumatic mortality. The model is based on a subpopulation of frail individuals whose entries and exits (deaths) are functions of daily and lagged environmental conditions: ambient temperature/season, airborne particles, and ozone. This frail susceptible population is unknown; its fluctuations cannot be observed but are estimated using maximum-likelihood methods with the Kalman filter. We used an existing 14-y set of daily data to illustrate the model and then tested the assumption of prior frailty with a new generalized model that estimates the portion of the daily death count allocated to nonfrail individuals. In this demonstration dataset, new entries into the high-risk pool are associated with lower ambient temperatures and higher concentrations of particulate matter and ozone. Accounting for these effects on antecedent frailty reduces this at-risk population, yielding frail life expectancies of 5-7 days. Associations between environmental factors and entries to the at-risk pool are about twice as strong as for mortality. Nonfrail elderly deaths are seen to make only small contributions. This new model predicts a small short-lived frail population-at-risk that is stable over a wide range of environmental conditions. The predicted effects of pollution on new entries and deaths are robust and consistent with conventional morbidity/mortality times-series studies. We recommend model verification using other suitable datasets.

A contribution to analysis of thermal processes and management life in oil-immersed transformer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najdenkoski, Krste I.

2003-01-01

The temperature has a great significance for the transformer, not only when defining its power, but also during exploitation. The increased heating causes deterioration of the insulation characteristics, first of all to the windings. Hot spot temperature, along with ambient conditions (temperature, sun radiation, moisture) where the transformer is installed has decisive effects on the loss of life of transformer, as well as to its loading. In great number of research projects have been defined the temperature models for a transformer which today are entered in the relevant international standards. The temperature model is a mathematical formulation for the thermal processes in the transformer and by means of which most often are determined: the top and bottom oil temperature rise, hot spot temperature, overloading, loss of life of transformer etc. In order to make the thermal analysis more realistic and more accurate, it is necessary to define a temperature model on the basis of recent research work in this area. So-called alternative temperature model has been made and also a computer program for temperature calculations has been developed. By this program can be determined the hot spot temperature, top and bottom oil temperature, as well as,the temperature in the oil duct, and additionally a calculation of the loss of life of transformer can be made. This program provides sufficient information to manage the loading of the transformer, and it can also be a basis for dynamic management with transformer operation, and it can be a part of SCADA system for control of the operation of a transformer substation. The use of an adequate temperature model can make possible the transformer to operate at higher operating temperature, and this will mean reduction of the dimensions of transformer tank as well as the volume of the cooling medium in order to provide the required power of the transformer. For research purposes of this paper, a design has been done and then

Out of Conclusion - On Recurrence and Open-endedness in Life and Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Martin Demant; Dalsgård, Anne Line

2013-01-01

describe, daily life is marked by poor prospects and lack of possibility, especially for young people. Rather than letting this guide our analyses and ways of writing, this article argues for the necessity of paying attention to the openness and potential of experienced moments of change. We propose...... that even relapses into former habits and predicaments may present a potential for change on a subjective level, as they call for re-starting one’s personal life. As a meta-story to this discussion, we reflect upon the process of putting our informants’ stories into words and analysis. Revisiting both field...... and text constitutes a hopeful practice similar to the one our informants practice. When hesitating to conclude, something is understood (i.e. something is possible), which would otherwise be left unarticulated....

The secret of life

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, David; Kirsebom, Oliver

2013-02-01

Life as we know it would not be possible were it not for a particular nuclear energy level of carbon-12 predicted 60 years ago by Fred Hoyle. But the true nature of this energy level remains one of the biggest unsolved questions in nuclear physics, say David Jenkins and Oliver Kirsebom.

[Limiting life sustaining therapies].

Science.gov (United States)

Azoulay, E

2006-09-01

Intensivists are increasingly implementing end-of-life decisions in patients who remain dependent on life sustaining therapies without hope for recovery. Descriptive studies have provided epidemiological data on ICU end-of-life care, identifying areas for improvement. Qualitative studies have highlighted the complexity of the decision making process. In addition to considering the legal and ethical issues involved, this review describes cultural, religious and individual variations observed in ICU end-of-life care. It is important for intensivists to respect patients' preferences and values, but also, in some family members, to avoid increasing the burden and the guilt of sharing the decision. Intensivists should improve their ability to meet the needs of dying patients and their family members. Each situation, patient, family and caregiver is unique, and therefore needs a specific approach. Introducing palliative care and multidisciplinary teams into the ICU might provide an additional opportunity for patients and families to be informed and listened to.

Programming Useful Life Prediction (PULP), Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Accurately predicting Remaining Useful Life (RUL) provides significant benefits—it increases safety and reduces financial and labor resource requirements. Relying on...

Life events and Tourette syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Tamar; Shmuel-Baruch, Sharona; Horesh, Netta; Apter, Alan

2013-07-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric developmental disorder characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics. Although TS is primarily biological in origin, stress-diatheses interactions most probably play a role in the course of the illness. The precise influence of the environment on this basically biological disorder is difficult to ascertain, particularly when TS is complicated by comorbidities. Among the many questions that remain unresolved are the differential impact of positive and negative events and specific subtypes of events, and the importance of major crucial events relative to minor daily ones to tic severity. To examine the relationships between life events, tic severity and comorbid disorders in Tourette Syndrome (TS), including OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression and rage attacks. Life events were classified by quantity, quality (positive or negative) and classification types of events (family, friends etc.). Sixty patients aged 7-17 years with Tourette syndrome or a chronic tic disorder were recruited from Psychological Medicine Clinic in Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel. Yale Global Tic Severity Scale; Children's Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale; Life Experiences Survey; Brief Adolescent Life Events Scale; Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders; Child Depression Inventory/Beck Depression Inventory; ADHD Rating Scale IV; Overt Aggression Scale. Regarding tics and minor life events, there was a weak but significant correlation between severity of motor tics and the quantity of negative events. No significant correlation was found between tic severity and quantity of positive events. Analysis of the BALES categories yielded a significant direct correlation between severity of vocal tics and quantity of negative events involving friends. Regarding comorbidities and minor life events, highly significant correlations were found with depression and anxiety. Regarding tics and major life

Change impact analysis on the life cycle carbon emissions of energy systems – The nuclear example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nian, Victor

2015-01-01

Highlights: • This paper evaluates the life cycle carbon emission of nuclear power in a scenario based approach. • It quantifies the impacts to the LCA results from the change in design parameters. • The methodology can give indications towards preferred or favorable designs. • The findings contribute to the life cycle inventories of energy systems. - Abstract: The life cycle carbon emission factor (measured by t-CO 2 /GW h) of nuclear power is much lower than those of fossil fueled power generation technologies. However, the fact of nuclear energy being a low carbon power source comes with many assumptions. These assumptions range from system and process definitions, to input–output definitions, to system boundary and cut-off criteria selections, and life cycle inventory dataset. However, there is a somewhat neglected but critical aspect – the design aspect. This refers to the impacts on the life cycle carbon emissions from the change in design parameters related to nuclear power. The design parameters identified in this paper include: (1) the uranium ore grade, (2) the critical process technologies, represented by the average initial enrichment concentration of 235 U in the reactor fuel, and (3) the size of the nuclear power reactor (measured by the generating capacity). If not properly tested, assumptions in the design aspect can lead to an erroneous estimation on the life cycle carbon emission factor of nuclear power. In this paper, a methodology is developed using the Process Chain Analysis (PCA) approach to quantify the impacts of the changes in the selected design parameters on the life cycle carbon emission factor of nuclear power. The concept of doing so broadens the scope of PCAs on energy systems from “one-off” calculation to analysis towards favorable/preferred designs. The findings from the analyses can serve as addition to the life cycle inventory database for nuclear power as well as provide indications for the sustainability of

Integrated risk assessment for the natomas basin (California) analysis of loss of life and emergency management for floods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonkman, S.N.; Hiel, L.A.; Bea, R.G.; Foster, H.; Tsioulou, A.; Arroyo, P.; Stallard, T.; Harris, L.

2012-01-01

This article assesses the risk to life for the Natomas Basin, a low-lying, rapidly urbanizing region in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California. Using an empirical method, the loss of life is determined for a flood (high water), seismic, and sunny-day levee breach scenario. The analysis

Adenotonsillectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Quality of Life: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Cameron A; Bareiss, Anna K; McCoul, Edward D; Rodriguez, Kimsey H

2017-11-01

Objective To determine the impact of adenotonsillectomy on the quality of life of pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to identify gaps in the current research. Data Sources The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched via the Ovid portal on June 18, 2016, for English-language articles. Review Methods Full-text articles were selected that studied boys and girls 6 months) showed mixed results. Modifications to and concurrent procedures with conventional adenotonsillectomy were also identified that showed quality-of-life improvements. Three studies were identified for meta-analysis that compared pre- and postoperative Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 scores. Short- and long-term follow-up versus preoperative scores showed significant improvement ( P quality of life of pediatric patients with OSA. This is well demonstrated in the short term and has strong indications in the long term.

Towards cancer-aware life-history modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kokko, Hanna; Hochberg, Michael E

2015-07-19

Studies of body size evolution, and life-history theory in general, are conducted without taking into account cancer as a factor that can end an organism's reproductive lifespan. This reflects a tacit assumption that predation, parasitism and starvation are of overriding importance in the wild. We argue here that even if deaths directly attributable to cancer are a rarity in studies of natural populations, it remains incorrect to infer that cancer has not been of importance in shaping observed life histories. We present first steps towards a cancer-aware life-history theory, by quantifying the decrease in the length of the expected reproductively active lifespan that follows from an attempt to grow larger than conspecific competitors. If all else is equal, a larger organism is more likely to develop cancer, but, importantly, many factors are unlikely to be equal. Variations in extrinsic mortality as well as in the pace of life--larger organisms are often near the slow end of the fast-slow life-history continuum--can make realized cancer incidences more equal across species than what would be observed in the absence of adaptive responses to cancer risk (alleviating the so-called Peto's paradox). We also discuss reasons why patterns across species can differ from within-species predictions. Even if natural selection diminishes cancer susceptibility differences between species, within-species differences can remain. In many sexually dimorphic cases, we predict males to be more cancer-prone than females, forming an understudied component of sexual conflict.

Inheritance Law between Common and Civil Law - As exemplified by life-long support contracts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jadranka Đorđević-Crnobrnja

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The dualism between common law and civil law in Serbia has been examined in theoretical and factographical ethnological and legal literature, yet this problem in the sphere of inheritance law has been considered mostly within the context of inequality between the sexes in matters of inheritance. As a result, the question of the connection between life-long support contracts and inheritance remains unexplored, despite the fact that through the analysis of inheritance practices based on this kind of contract the influence of socio-cultural mechanisms on the institution of inheritance can be clearly observed. These insights, together with the fact that a dualism and parallelism of civil and common have existed in Serbia for more than a century, have inspired an analysis of life-long support contracts in order to problematize the relation between common law and civil law in practice.

Loneliness and life satisfaction in Japan and Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumaker, J F; Shea, J D; Monfries, M M; Groth-Marnat, G

1993-01-01

We examined the relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction in 121 residents of Fukoku, Japan, and 139 residents of Melbourne, Australia, using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1983) and the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (Russell, Peplau, & Cutrona, 1980). Australian subjects reported significantly less loneliness and significantly greater life satisfaction than Japanese subjects. A high inverse correlation was found between loneliness and life satisfaction in Australian subjects, with a much smaller inverse relationship observed among the Japanese, suggesting that loneliness in Japanese subjects did not emotionally translate into life dissatisfaction as it did in Australian subjects. Instead, the experience of loneliness in Japanese individuals may remain largely independent of general life satisfaction.

[Typologies of Madrid's citizens (Spain) at the end-of-life: cluster analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Gonçalves, Belén; Perea-Pérez, Bernardo; Labajo González, Elena; Albarrán Juan, Elena; Santiago-Sáez, Andrés

2018-03-06

To establish typologies within Madrid's citizens (Spain) with regard to end-of-life by cluster analysis. The SPAD 8 programme was implemented in a sample from a health care centre in the autonomous region of Madrid (Spain). A multiple correspondence analysis technique was used, followed by a cluster analysis to create a dendrogram. A cross-sectional study was made beforehand with the results of the questionnaire. Five clusters stand out. Cluster 1: a group who preferred not to answer numerous questions (5%). Cluster 2: in favour of receiving palliative care and euthanasia (40%). Cluster 3: would oppose assisted suicide and would not ask for spiritual assistance (15%). Cluster 4: would like to receive palliative care and assisted suicide (16%). Cluster 5: would oppose assisted suicide and would ask for spiritual assistance (24%). The following four clusters stood out. Clusters 2 and 4 would like to receive palliative care, euthanasia (2) and assisted suicide (4). Clusters 4 and 5 regularly practiced their faith and their family members did not receive palliative care. Clusters 3 and 5 would be opposed to euthanasia and assisted suicide in particular. Clusters 2, 4 and 5 had not completed an advance directive document (2, 4 and 5). Clusters 2 and 3 seldom practiced their faith. This study could be taken into consideration to improve the quality of end-of-life care choices. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

MARS-LMR modeling for the post-test analysis of Phenix End-of-Life natural circulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hae Yong; Ha, Kwi Seok; Chang, Won Pyo; Lee, Kwi Lim

2011-01-01

For a successful design and analysis of Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR), it is required to have a reliable and well-proven system analysis code. To achieve this purpose, KAERI is enhancing the modeling capability of MARS code by adding the SFR-specific models such as pressure drop model, heat transfer model and reactivity feedback model. This version of MARS-LMR will be used as a basic tool in the design and analysis of future SFR systems in Korea. Before wide application of MARS-LMR code, it is required to verify and validate the code models through analyses for appropriate experimental data or analytical results. The end-of-life test of Phenix reactor performed by the CEA provided a unique opportunity to have reliable test data which is very valuable in the validation and verification of a SFR system analysis code. The KAERI joined this international program of the analysis of Phenix end-of-life natural circulation test coordinated by the IAEA from 2008. The main test of natural circulation was completed in 2009. Before the test the KAERI performed the pre-test analysis based on the design condition provided by the CEA. Then, the blind post-test analysis was also performed based on the test conditions measured during the test before the CEA provide the final test results. Finally, the final post-test analysis was performed recently to predict the test results as accurate as possible. This paper introduces the modeling approach of the MARS-LMR used in the final post-test analysis and summarizes the major results of the analysis

Interference fits and stress-corrosion failure. [aircraft parts fatigue life analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hanagud, S.; Carter, A. E.

1976-01-01

It is pointed out that any proper design of interference fit fastener, interference fit bushings, or stress coining processes should consider both the stress-corrosion susceptibility and fatigue-life improvement together. Investigations leading to such a methodology are discussed. A service failure analysis of actual aircraft parts is considered along with the stress-corrosion susceptibility of cold-working interference fit bushings. The optimum design of the amount of interference is considered, giving attention to stress formulas and aspects of design methodology.

ANALYSIS OF THE BEEF LIFE CYCLE OF CHICHÍ PADRÓN SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yulexis Meneses Linares

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This work combines the methodologies Analysis of the Life Cycle and Analysis of Hazards and Critical Control Points. In addition, we incorporate the category of impact innocuousness food assisted by the software Sima Pro 7.3 with the ReCipe method. We take as case of study the obtaining of beef bones in the slaughterhouse Chichí Padrón of Santa Clara city. As a result, there are critical points related with the innocuousness bovine livestock, the remove of leather and storage and the category of eutrophication of the waters as the most affected, which is why some minimization techniques of liquid residuals and a system of treatment of these effluents are settled down, this last one is economically analyzed demonstrating its feasibility.

Examining practical nursing experiences to discover ways in which to retain and invigorate the remaining functions of the elderly with a demented and complex disability in nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Min-Sun; Lim, Sun-Young; Kim, Eun-Young; Lee, Su-Jung; Chang, Sung-Ok

2018-01-01

The bedridden elderly with moderate-to-severe dementia account for a large proportion of the residents in nursing homes and form a specialized group requiring customized care in order to encourage their remaining functions, which determine the quality of their residual life. The purpose of this study was to search for ways to invigorate and foster the remaining functions of this complex-disability group, based on practical nursing strategies in nursing homes. The qualitative thematic analysis was done by conducting in-depth interviews with 29 nurses working at 11 different nursing homes in South Korea. This study proposed four main themes and 19 sub themes as keys for providing specialized nursing care to the elderly with physical and cognitive disabilities. The main themes encourage the residents' remaining functions: (i) accurate identification of an elderly resident's physical, cognitive, and behavioral baseline is necessary in order to determine their functional levels; (ii) nurses provide meticulous management to support the remaining functions in order to prevent further deterioration; (iii) optimized know-how, based on accumulated experience and knowledge, is reflected in nursing strategies that maximize the effects of nursing interventions; and (iv) steady compliance with nursing guidelines and standards in nursing homes creates the best therapeutic environment and brings unexpected positive changes in the elderly's status. A practical nursing strategy to target the group with a demented and complex disability in nursing homes was developed through thematic analysis of the empirical knowledge of nurses. The findings provide new insights for developing specialized nursing interventions and practical nursing models in long-term care facilities. © 2017 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Comparative analysis of the life cycle impact assessment of available cement inventories in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Josa, Alejandro; Aguado, Antonio; Cardim, Arnaldo; Byars, Ewan

2007-01-01

Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) is one of basic steps in life cycle assessment methodology (LCA). This paper presents a comparative study of the LCIA of different life cycle inventories (LCI) for EU cements. The analysis unit used is the manufacture of 1 kg of cement, from 'cradle to gate'. The impact categories considered are those resulting from the manufacture of cement and include greenhouse effects, acidification, eutrophication and summer and winter smog, amongst others. The results of the study highlighted some inconsistencies in existing inventories. As for the LCIA, the main environmental interventions related to cement manufacture were classified and characterised and their effect on different impact categories analysed. Differences observed in evaluation of the impact of cement type were essentially related to their clinker content

Team-Based Models for End-of-Life Care: An Evidence-Based Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background End of life refers to the period when people are living with advanced illness that will not stabilize and from which they will not recover and will eventually die. It is not limited to the period immediately before death. Multiple services are required to support people and their families during this time period. The model of care used to deliver these services can affect the quality of the care they receive. Objectives Our objective was to determine whether an optimal team-based model of care exists for service delivery at end of life. In systematically reviewing such models, we considered their core components: team membership, services offered, modes of patient contact, and setting. Data Sources A literature search was performed on October 14, 2013, using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid Embase, EBSCO Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and EBM Reviews, for studies published from January 1, 2000, to October 14, 2013. Review Methods Abstracts were reviewed by a single reviewer and full-text articles were obtained that met the inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they evaluated a team model of care compared with usual care in an end-of-life adult population. A team was defined as having at least 2 health care disciplines represented. Studies were limited to English publications. A meta-analysis was completed to obtain pooled effect estimates where data permitted. The GRADE quality of the evidence was evaluated. Results Our literature search located 10 randomized controlled trials which, among them, evaluated the following 6 team-based models of care: hospital, direct contact home, direct contact home, indirect contact comprehensive, indirect contact comprehensive, direct contact comprehensive, direct, and early contact Direct contact is when team members see the patient; indirect contact is when they advise another health care practitioner (e.g., a family doctor) who sees

Evaluation of content validity for the FACT-G quality of life questionaire through multidimensional escalation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, Ricardo; Ballesteros, Monica; Ortiz, Natascha

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the structure of FACT-G latent variables in a sample of patients attending the National Cancer Institute of Colombia Methods: The FACT-G questionnaire was applied in 473 patients with different types of cancer during 2005-2007. A factor analysis was done based on a polychoric matrix and multidimensional escalation techniques for ordinal variables determining the domain structure of the questionnaire. Results: Breast and prostate cancer were the most frequent types of tumors. In total 54.6% were men and the mean age was 61 years (SD 11.7). The four domains of the questionnaire revealed a similar score. The factor analysis showed a similar structure to the original FACT-G with the emotional function as the less consistent domain. According to the multidimensional escalation analysis, a bidimensional structure is suitable after different adjustment indexes. Only the emotional function domain exposed a heterogeneous structure; the remaining revealed clustered structures and independence among them. Central components for quality of life were functional well-being and social/family well-being. Conclusions: The FACT-G quality of life questionnaire applied in a sample of Colombian patients was consistent wit the original instrument. The multidimensional escalation techniques provide additional information to conventional analysis and are useful to validate quality of life questionnaires.

Shelf-life dating of shelf-stable strawberry juice based on survival analysis of consumer acceptance information.

Science.gov (United States)

Buvé, Carolien; Van Bedts, Tine; Haenen, Annelien; Kebede, Biniam; Braekers, Roel; Hendrickx, Marc; Van Loey, Ann; Grauwet, Tara

2018-07-01

Accurate shelf-life dating of food products is crucial for consumers and industries. Therefore, in this study we applied a science-based approach for shelf-life assessment, including accelerated shelf-life testing (ASLT), acceptability testing and the screening of analytical attributes for fast shelf-life predictions. Shelf-stable strawberry juice was selected as a case study. Ambient storage (20 °C) had no effect on the aroma-based acceptance of strawberry juice. The colour-based acceptability decreased during storage under ambient and accelerated (28-42 °C) conditions. The application of survival analysis showed that the colour-based shelf-life was reached in the early stages of storage (≤11 weeks) and that the shelf-life was shortened at higher temperatures. None of the selected attributes (a * and ΔE * value, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content) is an ideal analytical marker for shelf-life predictions in the investigated temperature range (20-42 °C). Nevertheless, an overall analytical cut-off value over the whole temperature range can be selected. Colour changes of strawberry juice during storage are shelf-life limiting. Combining ASLT with acceptability testing allowed to gain faster insight into the change in colour-based acceptability and to perform shelf-life predictions relying on scientific data. An analytical marker is a convenient tool for shelf-life predictions in the context of ASLT. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Life-cycle cost analysis of adsorption cycles for desalination

KAUST Repository

Thu, Kyaw

2010-08-01

This paper presents the thermo-economic analysis of the adsorption desalination (AD) cycle that is driven by low-temperature waste heat from exhaust of industrial processes or renewable sources. The AD cycle uses an adsorbent such as the silica gel to desalt the sea or brackish water. Based on an experimental prototype AD plant, the life-cycle cost analysis of AD plants of assorted water production capacities has been simulated and these predictions are translated into unit cost of water production. Our results show that the specific energy consumption of the AD cycle is 1.38 kWh/m3 which is the lowest ever reported. For a plant capacity of 1000 m3/d, the AD cycle offers a unit cost of $0.457/m3 as compared to more than $0.9 for the average RO plants. Besides being cost-effective, the AD cycle is also environment-friendly as it emits less CO2 emission per m3 generated, typically 85% less, by comparison to an RO process. © 2010 Desalination Publications.

Quality of life in patients after total pancreatectomy is comparable with quality of life in patients who undergo a partial pancreatic resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Epelboym, Irene; Winner, Megan; DiNorcia, Joseph; Lee, Minna K; Lee, James A; Schrope, Beth; Chabot, John A; Allendorf, John D

2014-03-01

Quality of life after total pancreatectomy (TP) is perceived to be poor secondary to insulin-dependent diabetes and pancreatic insufficiency. As a result, surgeons may be reluctant to offer TP for benign and premalignant pancreatic diseases. We retrospectively reviewed presenting features, operative characteristics, and postoperative outcomes of all patients who underwent TP at our institution. Quality of life was assessed using institutional questionnaires and validated general, pancreatic disease-related, and diabetes-related instruments (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire [EORTC QLQ-C30 and module EORTC-PAN26], Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life), and compared with frequency-matched controls, patients after a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Continuous variables were compared using Student t-test or analysis of variance. Categorical variables were compared using χ(2) or Fisher exact test. Between 1994 and 2011, 77 TPs were performed. Overall morbidity was 49%, but only 15.8% patients experienced a major complication. Perioperative mortality was 2.6%. Comparing 17 TP and 14 PD patients who returned surveys, there were no statistically significant differences in quality of life in global health, functional status, or symptom domains of EORTC QLQ-C30 or in pancreatic disease-specific EORTC-PAN26. TP patients had slightly but not significantly higher incidence of hypoglycemic events as compared with PD patients with postoperative diabetes. A negative impact of diabetes assessed by Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life did not differ between TP and PD. Life domains most negatively impacted by diabetes involved travel and physical activity, whereas self-confidence, friendships and personal relationships, motivation, and feelings about the future remained unaffected. Although TP-induced diabetes negatively impacts select activities and functions, overall quality of life is comparable with that of

The Insta-Dead: The rhetoric of the human remains trade on Instagram

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damien Huffer

2017-07-01

Full Text Available There is a thriving trade, and collector community, around human remains that is facilitated by posts on new social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Etsy, and, until recently, eBay. In this article, we examine several thousand Instagram posts and perform some initial text analysis on the language and rhetoric of these posts to understand something about the function of this community, what they value and how they trade, buy, and sell, human remains. Our results indicate a well-connected network of collectors and dealers both specialist and generalist, with a surprisingly wide-reaching impact on the 'enthusiasts' who, through their rhetoric, support the activities of this collecting community, in the face of legal and ethical issues generated by its existence.

A case study by life cycle assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuyun

2017-05-01

This article aims to assess the potential environmental impact of an electrical grinder during its life cycle. The Life Cycle Inventory Analysis was conducted based on the Simplified Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) Drivers that calculated from the Valuation of Social Cost and Simplified Life Cycle Assessment Model (VSSM). The detailed results for LCI can be found under Appendix II. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment was performed based on Eco-indicator 99 method. The analysis results indicated that the major contributor to the environmental impact as it accounts for over 60% overall SLCA output. In which, 60% of the emission resulted from the logistic required for the maintenance activities. This was measured by conducting the hotspot analysis. After performing sensitivity analysis, it is evidenced that changing fuel type results in significant decrease environmental footprint. The environmental benefit can also be seen from the negative output values of the recycling activities. By conducting Life Cycle Assessment analysis, the potential environmental impact of the electrical grinder was investigated.

Movement for life and health: African lessons | Roux | African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ancient patterns of African communal life involve healthy, breath-coordinated movements and gestures in a mutual reciprocity of person-world relations. Traditional Zulu cultural forms of human movement, which promote life and health, such as play, martial arts and dance, remain widely practised, especially in rural areas of ...

Life cycle primary energy analysis of residential buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gustavsson, Leif; Joelsson, Anna [Ecotechnology, Department of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, SE-831 25 Oestersund (Sweden)

2010-02-15

The space heating demand of residential buildings can be decreased by improved insulation, reduced air leakage and by heat recovery from ventilation air. However, these measures result in an increased use of materials. As the energy for building operation decreases, the relative importance of the energy used in the production phase increases and influences optimization aimed at minimizing the life cycle energy use. The life cycle primary energy use of buildings also depends on the energy supply systems. In this work we analyse primary energy use and CO{sub 2} emission for the production and operation of conventional and low-energy residential buildings. Different types of energy supply systems are included in the analysis. We show that for a conventional and a low-energy building the primary energy use for production can be up to 45% and 60%, respectively, of the total, depending on the energy supply system, and with larger variations for conventional buildings. The primary energy used and the CO{sub 2} emission resulting from production are lower for wood-framed constructions than for concrete-framed constructions. The primary energy use and the CO{sub 2} emission depend strongly on the energy supply, for both conventional and low-energy buildings. For example, a single-family house from the 1970s heated with biomass-based district heating with cogeneration has 70% lower operational primary energy use than if heated with fuel-based electricity. The specific primary energy use with district heating was 40% lower than that of an electrically heated passive row house. (author)

Non-suicidal self-injury and life stress: A systematic meta-analysis and theoretical elaboration

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Richard T.; Cheek, Shayna M.; Nestor, Bridget A.

2016-01-01

Recent years have seen a considerable growth of interest in the study of life stress and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The current article presents a systematic review of the empirical literature on this association. In addition to providing a comprehensive meta-analysis, the current article includes a qualitative review of the findings for which there were too few cases (i.e., life stress and NSSI was found (pooled OR = 1.81 [95% CI = 1.49–2.21]). After an adjustment was made for publication bias, the estimated effect size was smaller but still significant (pooled OR = 1.33 [95% CI = 1.08–1.63]). This relation was moderated by sample type, NSSI measure type, and length of period covered by the NSSI measure. The empirical literature is characterized by several methodological limitations, particularly the frequent use of cross-sectional analyses involving temporal overlap between assessments of life stress and NSSI, leaving unclear the precise nature of the relation between these two phenomena (e.g., whether life stress may be a cause, concomitant, or consequence of NSSI). Theoretically informed research utilizing multi-wave designs, assessing life stress and NSSI over relatively brief intervals, and featuring interview-based assessments of these constructs holds promise for advancing our understanding of their relation. The current review concludes with a theoretical elaboration of the association between NSSI and life stress, with the aim of providing a conceptual framework to guide future study in this area. PMID:27267345

Identifying Prominent Life Events on Twitter

OpenAIRE

Dickinson, Thomas; Fernández, Miriam; Thomas, Lisa A.; Mulholland, Paul; Briggs, Pam; Alani, Harith

2015-01-01

Social media is a common place for people to post and share digital reflections of their life events, including major events such as getting married, having children, graduating, etc. Although the creation of such posts is straightforward, the identification of events on online media remains a challenge. Much research in recent years focused on extracting major events from Twitter, such as earthquakes, storms, and floods. This paper however, targets the automatic detection of personal life ev...

LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FTHENAKIS,V.M.; KIM, H.C.; WANG, W.

2007-03-30

Material flows and emissions in all the stages of production of zinc, copper, aluminum, cadmium, indium, germanium, gallium, selenium, tellurium, and molybdenum were investigated. These metals are used selectively in the manufacture of solar cells, and emission and energy factors in their production are used in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of photovoltaics. Significant changes have occurred in the production and associated emissions for these metals over the last 10 years, which are not described in the LCA databases. Furthermore, emission and energy factors for several of the by-products of the base metal production were lacking. This report aims in updating the life-cycle inventories associated with the production of the base metals (Zn, Cu, Al, Mo) and in defining the emission and energy allocations for the minor metals (Cd, In, Ge, Se, Te and Ga) used in photovoltaics.

Life satisfaction and health related quality of life among low-income medical patients: the mediating influence of self-esteem.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Jared; Loughran, Mary Jo; Adams, Eve M; Navarro, Rachel L

2012-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between life satisfaction, self-esteem, and perceived health for an ethnically diverse, low SES sample of primary care patients. Results indicated that several specific domains of health-related quality of life (HRQL), including health perception, social functioning, mental health, and energy/fatigue, significantly predicted life satisfaction in this sample of 60 patients. Self-esteem mediated this relationship, partially with health perception and fully with the remaining three domains. The results of this study underscore the importance of healthcare interventions that consider the bidirectional relationship between physical and emotional well-being.

Impacts of curatorial and research practices on the preservation of fossil hominid remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Cabec, Adeline; Toussaint, Michel

2017-12-30

Fossil remains are the only physical evidence of past forms of life which researchers can use to study the evolutionary biology of a species, especially regarding the human lineage. We review and consider the way in which the conditions surrounding a fossil's discovery and its use for scientific research impacts its long-term preservation. The deterioration of the body starts soon after death, continues in the sediments and only a subsample of the anatomical elements will persist and may finally be unearthed by archeologists. From their recovery onwards, fossil remains are exposed to many sources of further damage: from handling, restoration, measuring to invasive sampling. On the one hand, curators are faced with the inherent challenge of balancing their responsibility to protect fossil specimens with allowing researchers to perform specific analyses or invasive sampling detrimental to the preservation of the fossil. On the other hand, scientists may find their analyses complicated by multiple factors including taphonomy, or restoration techniques (e.g., consolidants, cleaning chemicals). We provide several historical examples illustrating the complex nature of the factors acting on fossil preservation. We discuss concerns about producing and sharing (digital) data from fossils. Finally, we also suggest and support some curatorial practices which maximize the traceability of treatments underwent by a fossil.

Coal handling system structural analysis for modifications or plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dufault, A.; Weider, F.; Doyle, P.

1989-01-01

One neglected aspect of plant modification or life extension is the extent to which previous projects may have affected the integrity of existing structures. During the course of a project to backfit fire protection facilities to existing coal handling systems, it was found that past modifications had added loads to existing coal handling structures which exceeded the available design margin. This paper describes the studies that discovered the original problem areas, as well as the detailed analysis and design considerations used to repair these structures

Maternal anaemia at delivery and haemoglobin evolution in children during their first 18 months of life using latent class analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kobto G Koura

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Anaemia during pregnancy and at delivery is an important public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Its association with the children's haemoglobin level over time remains unclear. Our goals were to identify distinct haemoglobin level trajectories using latent class analysis and to assess the association between these trajectories and maternal anaemia and other risk factors. METHOD: A prospective study of children from birth to 18 months of life was conducted in a rural setting in Tori-Bossito, Benin. The main outcome measure was the haemoglobin levels repeatedly measured at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months. Variables were collected from the mothers at delivery and from their children at birth and during the follow-up. The analyses were performed by means of Latent Class Analysis which has never been used for this kind of data. All the analyses were performed with Stata software, version 11.0, using the generalized linear latent and mixed model (GLLAMM framework. RESULTS: We showed that 33.7% of children followed a low haemoglobin trajectory and 66.3% a high trajectory during the first 18 months of life. Newborn anaemia, placental malaria, malaria attack, sickle cell trait and male gender were significantly associated with a lower children's haemoglobin level over time, whereas maternal age, children living in a polygamous family and with good feeding practices had a higher Hb level in the first18 months. We also showed that maternal anaemia was a predictor for 'low haemoglobin level trajectory' group membership but have no significant effect on children haemoglobin level over time. CONCLUSION: Latent Class Analyses framework seems well suited to analyse longitudinal data under the hypothesis that different subpopulations of subjects are present in the data, each with its own set of parameters, with distinctive evolutions that themselves may reflect distinctive aetiologies.

An analysis of the dynamics of activity and travel needs in response to social network and life-cycle dynamics : a structural equation model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sharmeen, F.; Arentze, T.A.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2014-01-01

Several studies in transportation literature have shown that in the short-term social networks play an important role in discretionary activity and travel decisions of an individual. However, social networks may not remain unchanged in the long term, particularly in response to life-cycle events

On relations between quality management, doing business and life quality (a comparative analysis of Balkans with western European countries)

OpenAIRE

CEKO ENRIKO

2016-01-01

The purpose of research: Determination of relations between quality management, doing business and life quality and giving some thoughts to improve the situation regarding the quality institutions and quality infrastructure parallel with doing business climate and life quality. Methods: Collection of information, data and facts for quality management, doing business and life quality mainly from primary sources, comparing the information, data and facts gathered, conducting relevant analysis a...

Comparative life-cycle cost analysis for low-level mixed waste remediation alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, J.A.; White, T.P.; Kloeber, J.M.; Toland, R.J.; Cain, J.P.; Buitrago, D.Y.

1995-03-01

The purpose of this study is two-fold: (1) to develop a generic, life-cycle cost model for evaluating low-level, mixed waste remediation alternatives, and (2) to apply the model specifically, to estimate remediation costs for a site similar to the Fernald Environmental Management Project near Cincinnati, OH. Life-cycle costs for vitrification, cementation, and dry removal process technologies are estimated. Since vitrification is in a conceptual phase, computer simulation is used to help characterize the support infrastructure of a large scale vitrification plant. Cost estimating relationships obtained from the simulation data, previous cost estimates, available process data, engineering judgment, and expert opinion all provide input to an Excel based spreadsheet for generating cash flow streams. Crystal Ball, an Excel add-on, was used for discounting cash flows for net present value analysis. The resulting LCC data was then analyzed using multi-attribute decision analysis techniques with cost and remediation time as criteria. The analytical framework presented allows alternatives to be evaluated in the context of budgetary, social, and political considerations. In general, the longer the remediation takes, the lower the net present value of the process. This is true because of the time value of money and large percentage of the costs attributed to storage or disposal

Goal and Scope in Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis: The Case of Hydrogen Production from Biomass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milena Stefanova

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The framework for life cycle sustainability analysis (LCSA developed within the project CALCAS (Co-ordination Action for innovation in Life-Cycle Analysis for Sustainability is introducing a truly integrated approach for sustainability studies. However, it needs to be further conceptually refined and to be made operational. In particular, one of the gaps still hindering the adoption of integrated analytic tools for sustainability studies is the lack of a clear link between the goal and scope definition and the modeling phase. This paper presents an approach to structure the goal and scope phase of LCSA so as to identify the relevant mechanisms to be further detailed and analyzed in the modeling phase. The approach is illustrated with an on-going study on a new technology for the production of high purity hydrogen from biomass, to be used in automotive fuel cells.

Quality of life in eating disorders: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkler, Laura Al-Dakhiel; Christiansen, Erik; Lichtenstein, Mia Beck; Hansen, Nina Beck; Bilenberg, Niels; Støving, René Klinkby

2014-09-30

Eating disorders (EDs) comprise a variety of symptoms and have a profound impact on everyday life. They are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to analyse published data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in EDs so as to compare the results to general population norm data and to investigate potential differences between ED diagnostic groups. A systematic review of the current literature was conducted using a keyword-based search in PubMed and PsychInfo. The search covered anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and binge eating disorder (BED) and used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) as a measure of HRQoL. Of the 102 citations identified, 85 abstracts were reviewed and seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. AN patients were included in five studies (n=227), BN in four studies (n=216), EDNOS in two studies (n=166) and BED in four studies (n=148). We tested for between-study variation and significant differences between the diagnostic groups. The results confirmed a significantly lower level of HRQoL in all EDs compared to a population mean. It was not possible to establish any differences between the diagnostic groups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Dextromethorphan and Dextrorphan in Skeletal Remains Following Decomposition in Different Microclimate Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, K A; Watterson, J H

2016-10-01

The effects of decomposition microclimate on the distribution of dextromethorphan (DXM) and dextrorphan (DXT) in skeletonized remains of rats acutely exposed to DXM were examined. Animals (n = 10) received DXM (75 mg/kg, i.p.), were euthanized 30 min post-dose and immediately allowed to decompose at either Site A (shaded forest microenvironment on a grass-covered soil substrate) or Site B (rocky substrate exposed to direct sunlight, 600 m from Site A). Ambient temperature and relative humidity were automatically recorded 3 cm above rats at each site. Skeletal elements (vertebral columns, ribs, pelvic girdles, femora, tibiae, humeri and scapulae) were harvested, and analyzed using microwave assisted extraction, microplate solid phase extraction, and GC/MS. Drug levels, expressed as mass-normalized response ratios, and the ratios of DXT and DXM levels were compared across bones and between microclimate sites. No significant differences in DXT levels or metabolite/parent ratios were observed between sites or across bones. Only femoral DXM levels differed significantly between microclimate sites. For pooled data, microclimate was not observed to significantly affect analyte levels, nor the ratio of levels of DXT and DXM. These data suggest that microclimate conditions do not influence DXM and metabolite distribution in skeletal remains. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Next-generation phenomics for the Tree of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Burleigh, J Gordon; Alphonse, Kenzley; Alverson, Andrew J; Bik, Holly M; Blank, Carrine; Cirranello, Andrea L; Cui, Hong; Daly, Marymegan; Dietterich, Thomas G; Gasparich, Gail; Irvine, Jed; Julius, Matthew; Kaufman, Seth; Law, Edith; Liu, Jing; Moore, Lisa; O'Leary, Maureen A; Passarotti, Maria; Ranade, Sonali; Simmons, Nancy B; Stevenson, Dennis W; Thacker, Robert W; Theriot, Edward C; Todorovic, Sinisa; Velazco, Paúl M; Walls, Ramona L; Wolfe, Joanna M; Yu, Mengjie

2013-06-26

The phenotype represents a critical interface between the genome and the environment in which organisms live and evolve. Phenotypic characters also are a rich source of biodiversity data for tree building, and they enable scientists to reconstruct the evolutionary history of organisms, including most fossil taxa, for which genetic data are unavailable. Therefore, phenotypic data are necessary for building a comprehensive Tree of Life. In contrast to recent advances in molecular sequencing, which has become faster and cheaper through recent technological advances, phenotypic data collection remains often prohibitively slow and expensive. The next-generation phenomics project is a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort to leverage advances in image analysis, crowdsourcing, and natural language processing to develop and implement novel approaches for discovering and scoring the phenome, the collection of phentotypic characters for a species. This research represents a new approach to data collection that has the potential to transform phylogenetics research and to enable rapid advances in constructing the Tree of Life. Our goal is to assemble large phenomic datasets built using new methods and to provide the public and scientific community with tools for phenomic data assembly that will enable rapid and automated study of phenotypes across the Tree of Life.

Analysis of Fatigue Life of PMMA at Different Frequencies Based on a New Damage Mechanics Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aifeng Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Low-cycle fatigue tests at different frequencies and creep tests under different stress levels of Plexiglas Resist 45 were conducted. Correspondingly, the creep fracture time, S-N curves, cyclic creep, and hysteresis loop were obtained. These results showed that the fatigue life increases with frequency at low frequency domain. After analysis, it was found that fatigue life is dependent on the load rate and is affected by the creep damage. In addition, a new continuum damage mechanics (CDM model was established to analyze creep-fatigue life, where the damage increment nonlinear summation rule was proposed and the frequency modification was made on the fatigue damage evolution equation. Differential evolution (DE algorithm was employed to determine the parameters within the model. The proposed model described fatigue life under different frequencies, and the calculated results agreed well with the experimental results.

Fish remains and humankind: part two

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew K G Jones

1998-07-01

Full Text Available The significance of aquatic resources to past human groups is not adequately reflected in the published literature - a deficiency which is gradually being acknowledged by the archaeological community world-wide. The publication of the following three papers goes some way to redress this problem. Originally presented at an International Council of Archaeozoology (ICAZ Fish Remains Working Group meeting in York, U.K. in 1987, these papers offer clear evidence of the range of interest in ancient fish remains across the world. Further papers from the York meeting were published in Internet Archaeology 3 in 1997.

Reliability and life-cycle analysis of deteriorating systems

CERN Document Server

Sánchez-Silva, Mauricio

2016-01-01

This book compiles and critically discusses modern engineering system degradation models and their impact on engineering decisions. In particular, the authors focus on modeling the uncertain nature of degradation considering both conceptual discussions and formal mathematical formulations. It also describes the basics concepts and the various modeling aspects of life-cycle analysis (LCA).  It highlights the role of degradation in LCA and defines optimum design and operation parameters. Given the relationship between operational decisions and the performance of the system’s condition over time, maintenance models are also discussed. The concepts and models presented have applications in a large variety of engineering fields such as Civil, Environmental, Industrial, Electrical and Mechanical engineering. However, special emphasis is given to problems related to large infrastructure systems. The book is intended to be used both as a reference resource for researchers and practitioners and as an academic text ...

Causes of decreased life expectancy over the life span in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; McIntyre, Roger S

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Accelerated aging has been proposed as a mechanism explaining the increased prevalence of comorbid general medical illnesses in bipolar disorder. AIMS: To test the hypothesis that lost life years due to natural causes starts in early and mid-adulthood, supporting the hypothesis...... of accelerated aging. METHODS: Using individual data from nationwide registers of patient with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder we calculated remaining life expectancies before age 90 years for values of age 15, 25, 35…75 years among all individuals alive in year 2000. Further, we estimated the reduction in life...... expectancy due to natural causes (physical illnesses) and unnatural causes (suicide and accidents) in relation to age. RESULTS: A total of 22,635 patients with bipolar disorder were included in the study in addition to data from the entire Danish general population of 5.4 million people. At age 15 years...

A life cycle analysis of polymer solar cell modules prepared using roll-to-roll methods under ambient conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Espinosa Martinez, Nieves; García-Valverde, Rafael; Urbina, Antonio

2011-01-01

A life cycle analysis was performed on a full roll-to-roll coating procedure used for the manufacture of flexible polymer solar cell modules. The process known as ProcessOne employs a polyester substrate with a sputtered layer of the transparent conductor indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The ITO film was ...... photovoltaic technologies. The results showed that an Energy Pay-Back Time (EPBT) of 2.02 years can be achieved for an organic solar module of 2% efficiency, which could be reduced to 1.35 years, if the efficiency was 3%.......A life cycle analysis was performed on a full roll-to-roll coating procedure used for the manufacture of flexible polymer solar cell modules. The process known as ProcessOne employs a polyester substrate with a sputtered layer of the transparent conductor indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The ITO film...... printed. Finally the polymer solar modules were encapsulated, using a polyester barrier material. All operations except the application of ITO were carried out under ambient conditions. The life cycle analysis delivered a material inventory of the full process for a module production...

Antibiotic Exposure in Early Life Increases Risk of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqing Shao

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A number of studies have previously assessed the impact of antibiotic exposure in early life on the risk of childhood obesity, but no systematic assessment is currently available. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to comprehensively and quantitatively elucidate the risk of childhood obesity caused by antibiotic exposure in early life. Literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Random-effect meta-analysis was used to pool the statistical estimates. Fifteen cohort studies involving 445,880 participants were finally included, and all those studies were performed in developed countries. Antibiotic exposure in early life significantly increased risk of childhood overweight [relative risk (RR = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.13–1.35, P < 0.001] and childhood obesity (RR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.13–1.30, P < 0.001. Antibiotic exposure in early life also significantly increased the z-score of childhood body mass index (mean difference: 0.07, 95% CI 0.05–0.09, P < 0.00001. Importantly, there was an obvious dose–response relationship between antibiotic exposure in early life and childhood adiposity, with a 7% increment in the risk of overweight (RR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.15, P = 0.03 and a 6% increment in the risk of obesity (RR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.09, P < 0.001 for each additional course of antibiotic exposure. In conclusion, antibiotic exposure in early life significantly increases risk of childhood obesity. Moreover, current analyses are mainly taken from developed countries, and therefore the impact of antibiotic exposure on risk of childhood obesity in vulnerable populations or developing countries still needs to be evaluated in future studies.

Parents' traces in life: When and how parents are presented in spontaneous life narratives.

Science.gov (United States)

Köber, Christin; Habermas, Tilmann

2017-08-26

Although parents are acknowledged to be a part of their children's personality and narrative identity and to remain important across the life span, narrative personality research has not yet explored the spontaneous presentation of parents in life stories. Therefore, this study examined longitudinally the place given to parents when crafting one's life narrative and how this changes with age. Furthermore, in contrast to prior studies, we focused on spontaneous mentions of parents. We investigated how often parents are mentioned in life narratives of six age groups spanning from age 8 to 69, how the parental relationship is evaluated, whether narrators express understanding of their parents, and whether they respond to parental values. People of all ages dedicated a substantial part of their life narratives to their parents and evaluated their relationship with them in an increasingly differentiated manner. Parents were increasingly perceived as individuals beyond their parental nurturing role. Until late in life, individuals reflect on values and opinions that were transferred to them by their parents. Parents hold a consistent place in life narratives, emphasizing their importance for narrative identity. Results are discussed in terms of lifelong child-parent relationships. Directions for future research are outlined. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In-Service Aircraft Transmission Life Modeling for Improved Flight Safety, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — It is proposed to develop an accurate, in-service transmission life-estimation system for the prediction of remaining component and system life for a helicopter...

One method for life time estimation of a bucket wheel machine for coal moving

Science.gov (United States)

Vîlceanu, Fl; Iancu, C.

2016-08-01

Rehabilitation of outdated equipment with lifetime expired, or in the ultimate life period, together with high cost investments for their replacement, makes rational the efforts made to extend their life. Rehabilitation involves checking operational safety based on relevant expertise of metal structures supporting effective resistance and assessing the residual lifetime. The bucket wheel machine for coal constitute basic machine within deposits of coal of power plants. The estimate of remaining life can be done by checking the loading on the most stressed subassembly by Finite Element Analysis on a welding detail. The paper presents step-by-step the method of calculus applied in order to establishing the residual lifetime of a bucket wheel machine for coal moving using non-destructive methods of study (fatigue cracking analysis + FEA). In order to establish the actual state of machine and areas subject to study, was done FEA of this mining equipment, performed on the geometric model of mechanical analyzed structures, with powerful CAD/FEA programs. By applying the method it can be calculated residual lifetime, by extending the results from the most stressed area of the equipment to the entire machine, and thus saving time and money from expensive replacements.

Oxidative stress and life histories: unresolved issues and current needs

OpenAIRE

Speakman, John R.; Blount, Jonathan D.; Bronikowski, Anne M.; Buffenstein, Rochelle; Isaksson, Caroline; Kirkwood, Tom B. L.; Monaghan, Pat; Ozanne, Susan E.; Beaulieu, Micha?l; Briga, Michael; Carr, Sarah K.; Christensen, Louise L.; Cochem?, Helena M.; Cram, Dominic L.; Dantzer, Ben

2015-01-01

Abstract Life?history theory concerns the trade?offs that mold the patterns of investment by animals between reproduction, growth, and survival. It is widely recognized that physiology plays a role in the mediation of life?history trade?offs, but the details remain obscure. As life?history theory concerns aspects of investment in the soma that influence survival, understanding the physiological basis of life histories is related, but not identical, to understanding the process of aging. One i...

Time course for memory dysfunction in early-life and late-life major depression: a longitudinal study from the Juntendo University Mood Disorder Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeshima, Hitoshi; Baba, Hajime; Nakano, Yoshiyuki; Satomura, Emi; Namekawa, Yuki; Takebayashi, Naoko; Nomoto, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Toshihito; Mimura, Masaru; Arai, Heii

2013-10-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with depression also have memory dysfunctions during depressive episodes. These dysfunctions partially remain immediately after remission from a depressive state; however, it is unclear whether these residual memory dysfunctions may disappear through long-term remission from depression. The present study compared patients during early-life (agelife (age ≥ 60) depression while in their remitted stage with healthy controls to elucidate the impact of a long-term course on memory. Logical memory from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was administered to 67 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) (47 patients with early-life depression and residual 20 patients with late-life depression) and 50 healthy controls. MDD patients received memory assessments at the time of their initial remission and at a follow-up three years after remission. At the time of initial remission, scores for logical memory were significantly lower in both patient groups compared to matched controls. At follow-up, memory dysfunction for early-life MDD patients disappeared, whereas scores in the late-life MDD group remained significantly lower than those of matched controls. All patients in the present study were on antidepressant medications. Our findings suggested that the progress of memory performance in late-life MDD patients may be different from early-life MDD patients. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal stress analysis and thermo-mechanical fatigue for gas turbine blade