A Simple Response Evaluation Method for Base-Isolation Building-Connection Hybrid Structural System under Long-Period and Long-Duration Ground Motion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kohei Hayashi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available An innovative hybrid control building system of base-isolation and building-connection has been proposed in the previous study. This system has two advantages, (i to resist an impulsive earthquake input through the base-isolation system and (ii to withstand a long-duration earthquake input through the building-connection system. A simple response evaluation method without the need of non-linear time–history response analysis is proposed here for this hybrid building system under a long-period and long-duration ground motion. An analytical expression is derived in the plastic deformation of an elastic–perfectly plastic single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF model with viscous damping under the multi-impulse, which is the representative of long-period and long-duration ground motions. A transformation procedure of a base-isolation building-connection hybrid structural system into an SDOF model is proposed by introducing two steps, one is the reduction of the main base-isolated building to an SDOF system, and the other is the reduction of the connecting oil dampers supported on a free-wall to an oil damper with a newly introduced compensation factor on a rigid wall. Application of the analytical expression of the plastic deformation to the reduced SDOF model including the compensation factor on the connecting oil dampers enables the development of a simplified, but rather accurate response evaluation method. The time–history response analysis of the multi-degree-of-freedom model and the comparison with the proposed simplified formula make clear the accuracy and reliability of the proposed simplified response evaluation method.

Evaluation of the Methods for Response Analysis under Non-Stationary Excitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.S. Jangid

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Response of structures to non-stationary ground motion can be obtained either by the evolutionary spectral analysis or by the Markov approach. In certain conditions, a quasi-stationary analysis can also be performed. The first two methods of analysis are difficult to apply for complex situations such as problems involving soil-structure interaction, non-classical damping and primary-secondary structure interaction. The quasi-stationary analysis, on the other hand, provides an easier solution procedure for such cases. Here-in, the effectiveness of the quasi-stationary analysis is examined with the help of the analysis of a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF system under a set of parametric variations. For this purpose, responses of the SDOF system to uniformly modulated non-stationary random ground excitation are obtained by the three methods and they are compared. In addition, the relative computational efforts for different methods are also investigated.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dita Blazkova

2016-10-01

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

Evaluation of incompressible hydrodynamic mass methods in reactor applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, K.

1981-01-01

The hydrodynamic (or virtual) mass approach is evaluated by comparison of structural responses computed by the hydrodynamic mass method with those computed by MULTIFLEX code for a fluid/structure interaction problem with fluid compression effects taken into account. A sample problem used in that evaluation is a simplified 1-D PWR model which is first subjected to a LOCA type transient. The time history of structural displacement computed with the hydrodynamic mass approach is compared with MULTIFLEX results. The frequencies of structural oscillation of these two computations agree. The amplitudes disagree by more than 50%, which is attributed to the effect of fluid compressibility. For the seismic study, sinusoidal forces are applied to the floor at the vessel support. The system responses are expressed by the response functions or the maximum values of the barrel/vessel relative displacements as the applied frequency is varied. The response functions are computed by the hydrodynamic mass method and by MULTIFLEX for evaluation of the virtual mass method. For the pump pulsation study, sinusoidal pressure oscillations are applied at the pump outlet and the response functions are computed as above. 12 refs

In vitro evaluation of fluorescence glucose biosensor response.

Science.gov (United States)

Aloraefy, Mamdouh; Pfefer, T Joshua; Ramella-Roman, Jessica C; Sapsford, Kim E

2014-07-08

Rapid, accurate, and minimally-invasive glucose biosensors based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) for glucose measurement have the potential to enhance diabetes control. However, a standard set of in vitro approaches for evaluating optical glucose biosensor response under controlled conditions would facilitate technological innovation and clinical translation. Towards this end, we have identified key characteristics and response test methods, fabricated FRET-based glucose biosensors, and characterized biosensor performance using these test methods. The biosensors were based on competitive binding between dextran and glucose to concanavalin A and incorporated long-wavelength fluorescence dye pairs. Testing characteristics included spectral response, linearity, sensitivity, limit of detection, kinetic response, reversibility, stability, precision, and accuracy. The biosensor demonstrated a fluorescence change of 45% in the presence of 400 mg/dL glucose, a mean absolute relative difference of less than 11%, a limit of detection of 25 mg/dL, a response time of 15 min, and a decay in fluorescence intensity of 72% over 30 days. The battery of tests presented here for objective, quantitative in vitro evaluation of FRET glucose biosensors performance have the potential to form the basis of future consensus standards. By implementing these test methods for a long-visible-wavelength biosensor, we were able to demonstrate strengths and weaknesses with a new level of thoroughness and rigor.

In Vitro Evaluation of Fluorescence Glucose Biosensor Response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mamdouh Aloraefy

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Rapid, accurate, and minimally-invasive glucose biosensors based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET for glucose measurement have the potential to enhance diabetes control. However, a standard set of in vitro approaches for evaluating optical glucose biosensor response under controlled conditions would facilitate technological innovation and clinical translation. Towards this end, we have identified key characteristics and response test methods, fabricated FRET-based glucose biosensors, and characterized biosensor performance using these test methods. The biosensors were based on competitive binding between dextran and glucose to concanavalin A and incorporated long-wavelength fluorescence dye pairs. Testing characteristics included spectral response, linearity, sensitivity, limit of detection, kinetic response, reversibility, stability, precision, and accuracy. The biosensor demonstrated a fluorescence change of 45% in the presence of 400 mg/dL glucose, a mean absolute relative difference of less than 11%, a limit of detection of 25 mg/dL, a response time of 15 min, and a decay in fluorescence intensity of 72% over 30 days. The battery of tests presented here for objective, quantitative in vitro evaluation of FRET glucose biosensors performance have the potential to form the basis of future consensus standards. By implementing these test methods for a long-visible-wavelength biosensor, we were able to demonstrate strengths and weaknesses with a new level of thoroughness and rigor.

PET/CT imaging in response evaluation of patients with small cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fischer, Barbara M; Mortensen, Jann; Langer, Seppo W

2006-01-01

UNLABELLED: There is an increasing amount of evidence on the usability of PET in response evaluation of non-small cell lung cancer. However, data on SCLC is scarce and mainly retrospective. This prospective study assesses the use of PET (positron emission tomography) and PET/CT in response...... evaluation of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). METHODS: Assignment of early and final response was compared between PET, PET/CT, and CT in 20 patients with SCLC. Final response as assigned by CT (RECIST) served as reference. RESULTS: At response evaluation after one cycle of chemotherapy major...... by PET/CT is feasible, but it is uncertain whether it adds further information to evaluation by RECIST, thus further studies and standardization of methods are needed....

Setting standards and detecting intrajudge inconsistency using interdependent evaluation of response alternatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chang, Lei; van der Linden, Willem J.; Vos, Hendrik J.

2004-01-01

This article introduces a new test-centered standard-setting method as well as a procedure to detect intrajudge inconsistency of the method. The standard-setting method that is based on interdependent evaluations of alternative responses has judges closely evaluate the process that examinees use to

In Vitro Evaluation of Fluorescence Glucose Biosensor Response

OpenAIRE

Aloraefy, Mamdouh; Pfefer, T. Joshua; Ramella-Roman, Jessica C.; Sapsford, Kim E.

2014-01-01

Rapid, accurate, and minimally-invasive glucose biosensors based on Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) for glucose measurement have the potential to enhance diabetes control. However, a standard set of in vitro approaches for evaluating optical glucose biosensor response under controlled conditions would facilitate technological innovation and clinical translation. Towards this end, we have identified key characteristics and response test methods, fabricated FRET-based glucose biosensor...

A semi-analytical method to evaluate the dielectric response of a tokamak plasma accounting for drift orbit effects

Science.gov (United States)

Van Eester, Dirk

2005-03-01

A semi-analytical method is proposed to evaluate the dielectric response of a plasma to electromagnetic waves in the ion cyclotron domain of frequencies in a D-shaped but axisymmetric toroidal geometry. The actual drift orbit of the particles is accounted for. The method hinges on subdividing the orbit into elementary segments in which the integrations can be performed analytically or by tabulation, and it relies on the local book-keeping of the relation between the toroidal angular momentum and the poloidal flux function. Depending on which variables are chosen, the method allows computation of elementary building blocks for either the wave or the Fokker-Planck equation, but the accent is mainly on the latter. Two types of tangent resonance are distinguished.

A concern-based method to prioritize spill response activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamarche, A.; Bart, H.

2002-01-01

The Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT) of the Emergencies Division of Environment Canada in the Ontario Region developed a computerized method to help rank segments of shoreline according to levels of concern in the event of an oil spill. The original SCAT approach was designed to allow survey teams to acquire information about the state of shoreline spills so that assessments of oilings would be comparable in time and space. The SCAT method, which allows several decision makers to obtain an unbiased evaluation of the oiling situation, has been recognized in both Canada and the United States as a method that ensures the consistency of data gathering and processing for prioritization purposes. The concern-based prioritization system was integrated within the computerized response tools used by the SCAT team using tools such as the Great Lakes Electronic Environmental Sensitivities Atlas (GLEESA), a geographic information system (GIS) of environmental data, and Shore Assess, a GIS based computerized system used to provide support during a response phase of a spill. It was noted that this method is considered to be a practical response tool designed around the principles of performance support and cybernetics to help decision makers set priorities. It is not designed for pre-impact assessment. Instead, it ensures that existing knowledge of the spill characteristics and environmental conditions are used in a consistent and logical method to prioritize contingency plans. The factors used to evaluate concern for oiling, shoreline type and land use were described. Factors for concern assessment of biological organisms include the status of organisms as being either endangered, threatened, vulnerable, special concern, or not at risk. Characteristics of the species, potential effect of the pollutant and potential effect from response activities are other factors for concern. The method evaluates the concern for every category using a simple algorithm which is

Evaluation of Escherichia coli viability by flow cytometry: A method for determining bacterial responses to antibiotic exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Boi, Paola; Manti, Anita; Pianetti, Anna; Sabatini, Luigia; Sisti, Davide; Rocchi, Marco Bruno; Bruscolini, Francesca; Galluzzi, Luca; Papa, Stefano

2015-01-01

In this study, we check for the presence of specific resistance genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and then we used flow cytometry (FCM) to evaluate antibiotic-induced effects in different strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The presence of resistance genes was investigated by PCR in 10 strains of E. coli isolated from Foglia River. Bacterial responses to different antibiotics were also tested with FCM techniques by evaluating both the degree of decrease in viability and the light scatter changes in all of the strains. PCR revealed that only one strain exhibits the presence of one resistance gene. Despite this, analyses of strains using FCM evidenced the presence of viable subpopulations after antibiotic treatment. Furthermore, analyses of scatter signals revealed profound changes in the Forward Scatter and Side Scatter of the bacterial populations as a consequence of antibiotic exposure, confirming the viability and membrane potential data. The riverine strains were in general less sensitive to antibiotics than the reference strain (ATCC 25922). Antibiotic resistance is a widespread phenomena. The multiparametric approach based on FCM used in this study, providing results about different aspects (cell viability, membrane potential, light scatter changes), may overcome the limitation of PCR and could represent an adequate method for the evaluation of bacteria responses to antibiotic exposure. © 2014 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Approximate calculation method for integral of mean square value of nonstationary response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Shigeru; Fukano, Azusa

2010-01-01

The response of the structure subjected to nonstationary random vibration such as earthquake excitation is nonstationary random vibration. Calculating method for statistical characteristics of such a response is complicated. Mean square value of the response is usually used to evaluate random response. Integral of mean square value of the response corresponds to total energy of the response. In this paper, a simplified calculation method to obtain integral of mean square value of the response is proposed. As input excitation, nonstationary white noise and nonstationary filtered white noise are used. Integrals of mean square value of the response are calculated for various values of parameters. It is found that the proposed method gives exact value of integral of mean square value of the response.

Reliability evaluation of microgrid considering incentive-based demand response

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ting-Cheng; Zhang, Yong-Jun

2017-07-01

Incentive-based demand response (IBDR) can guide customers to adjust their behaviour of electricity and curtail load actively. Meanwhile, distributed generation (DG) and energy storage system (ESS) can provide time for the implementation of IBDR. The paper focus on the reliability evaluation of microgrid considering IBDR. Firstly, the mechanism of IBDR and its impact on power supply reliability are analysed. Secondly, the IBDR dispatch model considering customer’s comprehensive assessment and the customer response model are developed. Thirdly, the reliability evaluation method considering IBDR based on Monte Carlo simulation is proposed. Finally, the validity of the above models and method is studied through numerical tests on modified RBTS Bus6 test system. Simulation results demonstrated that IBDR can improve the reliability of microgrid.

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

Evaluation of three methods of platelet labelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortelmans, L; Verbruggen, A; De Roo, M; Vermylen, J

1986-07-01

The study of the kinetics of labelled platelets makes sense only when the platelets preserve their viability after separation and labelling. The separation and labelling procedures described in the manual of two producers of 111In-oxinate (Amersham, Mallinckrodt) have been evaluated by in vitro aggregation tests. The method of Mallinckrodt diminished the aggregation capacities of the thrombocytes. The labelled platelets with normal in vitro aggregation response (Amersham) were tested in vivo in 11 patients who underwent peripheral bypass surgery. The platelet half-life and the platelet accumulation on bypass grafts were checked one week post-operatively. Because of the poor in vivo response of both methods (exponential half-life curve and bad graft visualization), a third method was optimized in our laboratory with good in vitro and in vivo results in 12 patients.

Evaluation of Floor Response Spectrum considering Ductility of Structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Junhee; Choi, In-Kil [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

The FRS (floor response spectrum) is directly influenced by the behavior of structure under the seismic load. If the structure is nonlinear range, the energy dissipation will be occurred by the damage of structure and the maximum force will be reduced. In Zion method, the inelastic energy abortion factor has been used to consider the nonlinearity of structure. This factor was used for the seismic fragility of structure. For the seismic fragility of equipment, the uncertainty of this factor was used differently according to the story level. But this method is not warranted under the strong earthquake leads to the structural damage. Therefore it is needed to evaluate the FRS considering the nonlinear behavior of structure and to assessment the conservatism related to nonlinear behavior of structure in FRS. In this study, the nonlinear analysis was performed for the conservatism of FRS under the damage of structure. The conservatism of FRS by the nonlinear analysis was compared by that proposed by the Zion method. The conservatism of floor acceleration response for the equipment was evaluated by performing the nonlinear analysis. From the nonlinear analysis results, it was showed that the median and β{sub c} of FRSR was increased with the ductility of structure and the response of equipment had the resonance effect between the frequency of equipment and structure. The seismic capacity of equipment by the Zion method can be different from the real seismic capacity of equipment because the inelastic structure response factor has nothing to do with the ductility of structure. Therefore the median and COV for FRSR should be defined considering the ductility of structure and the frequency of equipment for more exactly evaluating the seismic capacity of equipment.

Evaluation of Floor Response Spectrum considering Ductility of Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Junhee; Choi, In-Kil

2014-01-01

The FRS (floor response spectrum) is directly influenced by the behavior of structure under the seismic load. If the structure is nonlinear range, the energy dissipation will be occurred by the damage of structure and the maximum force will be reduced. In Zion method, the inelastic energy abortion factor has been used to consider the nonlinearity of structure. This factor was used for the seismic fragility of structure. For the seismic fragility of equipment, the uncertainty of this factor was used differently according to the story level. But this method is not warranted under the strong earthquake leads to the structural damage. Therefore it is needed to evaluate the FRS considering the nonlinear behavior of structure and to assessment the conservatism related to nonlinear behavior of structure in FRS. In this study, the nonlinear analysis was performed for the conservatism of FRS under the damage of structure. The conservatism of FRS by the nonlinear analysis was compared by that proposed by the Zion method. The conservatism of floor acceleration response for the equipment was evaluated by performing the nonlinear analysis. From the nonlinear analysis results, it was showed that the median and β c of FRSR was increased with the ductility of structure and the response of equipment had the resonance effect between the frequency of equipment and structure. The seismic capacity of equipment by the Zion method can be different from the real seismic capacity of equipment because the inelastic structure response factor has nothing to do with the ductility of structure. Therefore the median and COV for FRSR should be defined considering the ductility of structure and the frequency of equipment for more exactly evaluating the seismic capacity of equipment

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-03-01

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

Curriculum evaluation of ethical reasoning and professional responsibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Christie, Carole R; Bowen, Denise M; Paarmann, Carlene S

2003-01-01

This exploratory study evaluated curricular content and evaluation mechanisms related to ethics and professionalism in the baccalaureate dental hygiene program at Idaho State University. Competency-based education requires enhanced student preparation in ethical reasoning, critical thinking, and decision-making. Graduates must integrate concepts, beliefs, principles, and values to fulfill ethical and professional responsibilities. Methods included 1) development of five supporting competencies defining ethics and professionalism to provide a framework for curricular evaluation; 2) assessment of all course content and evaluation methods for each supporting competency; 3) evaluation of students' clinical performance based on professional judgment grades; and 4) survey of junior (n=30) and senior (n=27) students' attitudes about dental hygiene practice related to ethics and professionalism. Results revealed that most courses include content and evaluation related to at least one supporting competency; however, authentic evaluation is weak. Clinical instructors rarely relate evaluations to ethical principles or values. Surveys showed significant differences between junior and senior students' attitudes about ethics and professionalism in six of thirty-four areas (the six were laws and regulations; communication and interpersonal skills; problem solving; professional activities/programs; integrity; and safe work environment). This article shares one approach for evaluating curricular content and evaluation methods designed to develop student competence in ethical reasoning and professionalism. Based upon the study's findings, recommendations are made for curricular enhancement via authentic evaluation and faculty training.

Comparative study for methods to determine the seismic response of NPP structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varpasuo, P.

1995-01-01

There are many different important problem areas in evaluating the seismic response of structures. In this study the effort is concentrated on three of these areas. The first task is the mathematical formulation of earthquake excitation. The random vibration theory is taken as the tool in this task. The second area of interest in this study is the soil-structure interaction analysis. The approach of impedance functions is chosen and the focal point of interest is the significance of frequency dependent impedance functions. The third area of interest is the methods to determine the structural response. The following three methods were tested: the mode superposition time history method; the complex frequency response method; the response spectrum method. The comparison was made with the aid of MSC/NASTRAN code. The three methods gave for outer containment building response results which were in good agreement with each other. (author). 4 refs., 5 figs

Building an Evaluation Scale using Item Response Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalor, John P; Wu, Hao; Yu, Hong

2016-11-01

Evaluation of NLP methods requires testing against a previously vetted gold-standard test set and reporting standard metrics (accuracy/precision/recall/F1). The current assumption is that all items in a given test set are equal with regards to difficulty and discriminating power. We propose Item Response Theory (IRT) from psychometrics as an alternative means for gold-standard test-set generation and NLP system evaluation. IRT is able to describe characteristics of individual items - their difficulty and discriminating power - and can account for these characteristics in its estimation of human intelligence or ability for an NLP task. In this paper, we demonstrate IRT by generating a gold-standard test set for Recognizing Textual Entailment. By collecting a large number of human responses and fitting our IRT model, we show that our IRT model compares NLP systems with the performance in a human population and is able to provide more insight into system performance than standard evaluation metrics. We show that a high accuracy score does not always imply a high IRT score, which depends on the item characteristics and the response pattern.

Modification of evaluation response spectrum by ductility of equipment anchorage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, I. G.; Jun, Y. S.; Su, J. M.

2003-01-01

The failure mode of welded anchorage is assumed as brittle in the seismic capacity evaluation of nuclear power plant equipments. But the welded anchorage has some ductile capacity. This limited displacement capacity can cause the reduction of the effective frequency of high frequency equipments and the increase of the inelastic energy absorption capacity due to the nonlinear behavior. In this study, the uniform hazard spectrum for Korean nuclear power plant site was modified using the response spectrum reduction factor developed by EPRI. The spectral acceleration for various damping ratio was determined by the theoretical method based on the random vibration theory. In conclusion, the high frequency components of evaluation response spectra were greatly reduced due to the consideration of welded anchorage ductility. This reduced response spectra can be used for the development of in-structure response spectra used in the seismic capacity evaluation of high frequency equipments

A simplified multisupport response spectrum method

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jihong; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Liu, Xianming

2012-03-01

A simplified multisupport response spectrum method is presented. The structural response is a sum of two components of a structure with a first natural period less than 2 s. The first component is the pseudostatic response caused by the inconsistent motions of the structural supports, and the second is the structural dynamic response to ground motion accelerations. This method is formally consistent with the classical response spectrum method, and the effects of multisupport excitation are considered for any modal response spectrum or modal superposition. If the seismic inputs at each support are the same, the support displacements caused by the pseudostatic response become rigid body displacements. The response spectrum in the case of multisupport excitations then reduces to that for uniform excitations. In other words, this multisupport response spectrum method is a modification and extension of the existing response spectrum method under uniform excitation. Moreover, most of the coherency coefficients in this formulation are simplified by approximating the ground motion excitation as white noise. The results indicate that this simplification can reduce the calculation time while maintaining accuracy. Furthermore, the internal forces obtained by the multisupport response spectrum method are compared with those produced by the traditional response spectrum method in two case studies of existing long-span structures. Because the effects of inconsistent support displacements are not considered in the traditional response spectrum method, the values of internal forces near the supports are underestimated. These regions are important potential failure points and deserve special attention in the seismic design of reticulated structures.

Reliability-based design optimization via high order response surface method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Hong Shuang

2013-01-01

To reduce the computational effort of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO), the response surface method (RSM) has been widely used to evaluate reliability constraints. We propose an efficient methodology for solving RBDO problems based on an improved high order response surface method (HORSM) that takes advantage of an efficient sampling method, Hermite polynomials and uncertainty contribution concept to construct a high order response surface function with cross terms for reliability analysis. The sampling method generates supporting points from Gauss-Hermite quadrature points, which can be used to approximate response surface function without cross terms, to identify the highest order of each random variable and to determine the significant variables connected with point estimate method. The cross terms between two significant random variables are added to the response surface function to improve the approximation accuracy. Integrating the nested strategy, the improved HORSM is explored in solving RBDO problems. Additionally, a sampling based reliability sensitivity analysis method is employed to reduce the computational effort further when design variables are distributional parameters of input random variables. The proposed methodology is applied on two test problems to validate its accuracy and efficiency. The proposed methodology is more efficient than first order reliability method based RBDO and Monte Carlo simulation based RBDO, and enables the use of RBDO as a practical design tool.

Difference in method of administration did not significantly impact item response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjorner, Jakob B; Rose, Matthias; Gandek, Barbara

2014-01-01

assistant (PDA), or personal computer (PC) on the Internet, and a second form by PC, in the same administration. Structural invariance, equivalence of item responses, and measurement precision were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory methods. RESULTS: Multigroup...... levels in IVR, PQ, or PDA administration as compared to PC. Availability of large item response theory-calibrated PROMIS item banks allowed for innovations in study design and analysis.......PURPOSE: To test the impact of method of administration (MOA) on the measurement characteristics of items developed in the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). METHODS: Two non-overlapping parallel 8-item forms from each of three PROMIS domains (physical function...

A novel method for extraction of neural response from single channel cochlear implant auditory evoked potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinkiewicz, Daniel; Friesen, Lendra; Ghoraani, Behnaz

2017-02-01

Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEP) are used to evaluate cochlear implant (CI) patient auditory pathways, but the CI device produces an electrical artifact, which obscures the relevant information in the neural response. Currently there are multiple methods, which attempt to recover the neural response from the contaminated CAEP, but there is no gold standard, which can quantitatively confirm the effectiveness of these methods. To address this crucial shortcoming, we develop a wavelet-based method to quantify the amount of artifact energy in the neural response. In addition, a novel technique for extracting the neural response from single channel CAEPs is proposed. The new method uses matching pursuit (MP) based feature extraction to represent the contaminated CAEP in a feature space, and support vector machines (SVM) to classify the components as normal hearing (NH) or artifact. The NH components are combined to recover the neural response without artifact energy, as verified using the evaluation tool. Although it needs some further evaluation, this approach is a promising method of electrical artifact removal from CAEPs. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A surface acoustic wave response detection method for passive wireless torque sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yanping; Kong, Ping; Qi, Hongli; Liu, Hongye; Ji, Xiaojun

2018-01-01

This paper presents an effective surface acoustic wave (SAW) response detection method for the passive wireless SAW torque sensor to improve the measurement accuracy. An analysis was conducted on the relationship between the response energy-entropy and the bandwidth of SAW resonator (SAWR). A self-correlation method was modified to suppress the blurred white noise and highlight the attenuation characteristic of wireless SAW response. The SAW response was detected according to both the variation and the duration of energy-entropy ascension of an acquired RF signal. Numerical simulation results showed that the SAW response can be detected even when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 6dB. The proposed SAW response detection method was evaluated with several experiments at different conditions. The SAW response can be well distinguished from the sinusoidal signal and the noise. The performance of the SAW torque measurement system incorporating the detection method was tested. The obtained repeatability error was 0.23% and the linearity was 0.9934, indicating the validity of the detection method.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma response evaluation with MRI texture classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heinonen Tomi T

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To show magnetic resonance imaging (MRI texture appearance change in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL during treatment with response controlled by quantitative volume analysis. Methods A total of 19 patients having NHL with an evaluable lymphoma lesion were scanned at three imaging timepoints with 1.5T device during clinical treatment evaluation. Texture characteristics of images were analyzed and classified with MaZda application and statistical tests. Results NHL tissue MRI texture imaged before treatment and under chemotherapy was classified within several subgroups, showing best discrimination with 96% correct classification in non-linear discriminant analysis of T2-weighted images. Texture parameters of MRI data were successfully tested with statistical tests to assess the impact of the separability of the parameters in evaluating chemotherapy response in lymphoma tissue. Conclusion Texture characteristics of MRI data were classified successfully; this proved texture analysis to be potential quantitative means of representing lymphoma tissue changes during chemotherapy response monitoring.

Evaluation of three methods of platelet labelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mortelmans, L.; Verbruggen, A.; Roo, M. de; Vermylen, J.

1986-01-01

The study of the kinetics of labelled platelets makes sense only when the platelets preserve their viability after separation and labelling. The separation and labelling procedures described in the manual of two producers of 111 In-oxinate (Amersham, Mallinckrodt) have been evaluated by in vitro aggregation tests. The method of Mallinckrodt diminished the aggregation capacities of the thrombocytes. The labelled platelets with normal in vitro aggregation response (Amersham) were tested in vivo in 11 patients who underwent peripheral bypass surgery. The platelet half-life and the platelet accumulation on bypass grafts were checked one week post-operatively. Because of the poor in vivo response of both methods (exponential half-life curve and bad graft visualization), a third method based on that described by W.A. Heaton et al. 1979 was optimized in the authors' laboratory with good in vitro and in vivo results in 12 patients. (author)

Proposal for outline of training and evaluation method for non-technical skills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagasaka, Akihiko; Shibue, Hisao

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to systematize measures for improvement of emergency response capability focused on non-technical skills. As the results of investigation of some emergency training in nuclear power plant and referring to CRM training, following two issues were picked up. 1) Lack of practical training method for improvement of non-technical skills. 2) Lack of evaluation method of non-technical skills. Then, based on these 7 non-technical skills 'situational awareness' 'decision making' 'communication' 'teamworking' 'leadership' 'managing stress' 'coping with fatigue' are promotion factors to improve emergency response capability, we propose practical training method for each non-technical skill. Also we give example of behavioral markers as evaluation factor, and indicate approaches to introduce the evaluation method of non-technical skills. (author)

Are Teacher Course Evaluations Biased against Faculty That Teach Quantitative Methods Courses?

Science.gov (United States)

Royal, Kenneth D.; Stockdale, Myrah R.

2015-01-01

The present study investigated graduate students' responses to teacher/course evaluations (TCE) to determine if students' responses were inherently biased against faculty who teach quantitative methods courses. Item response theory (IRT) and Differential Item Functioning (DIF) techniques were utilized for data analysis. Results indicate students…

Two gamma dose evaluation methods for silicon semiconductor detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Faguo; Jin Gen; Yang Yapeng; Xu Yuan

2011-01-01

Silicon PIN diodes have been widely used as personal and areal dosimeters because of their small volume, simplicity and real-time operation. However, because silicon is neither a tissue-equivalent nor an air-equivalent material, an intrinsic disadvantage for silicon dosimeters is that a significant over-response occurs at low-energy region, especially below 200 keV. Using a energy compensation filter to flatten the energy response is one method overcoming this disadvantage. But for dose compensation method, the estimated dose depends only on the number of the detector pulses. So a weight function method was introduced to evaluate gamma dose, which depends on pulse number as well as its amplitude. (authors)

Evaluation of methods for seismic analysis of nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokarz, F.J.; Murray, R.C.; Arthur, D.F.; Feng, W.W.; Wight, L.H.; Zaslawsky, M.

1975-01-01

Currently, no guidelines exist for choosing methods of structural analysis to evaluate the seismic hazard of nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. This study examines available methods and their applicability to fuel reprocessing plant structures. The results of this study should provide a basis for establishing guidelines recommending methods of seismic analysis for evaluating future fuel reprocessing plants. The approach taken is: (1) to identify critical plant structures and place them in four categories (structures at or near grade; deeply embedded structures; fully buried structures; equipment/vessels/attachments/piping), (2) to select a representative structure in each of the first three categories and perform static and dynamic analysis on each, and (3) to evaluate and recommend method(s) of analysis for structures within each category. The Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant is selected as representative of future commercial reprocessing plants. The effect of site characteristics on the structural response is also examined. The response spectra method of analysis combined with the finite element model for each category is recommended. For structures founded near or at grade, the lumped mass model could also be used. If a time history response is required, a time-history analysis is necessary. (U.S.)

PET/CT evaluation of response to chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: PET response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) versus response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST).

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Qiyong; Cheng, Xu; Yang, Lu; Zhang, Qingbo; Chen, Jianwei; Li, Tiannv; Shi, Haibin

2014-06-01

(18)F-FDG PET/CT is increasingly used in evaluation of treatment response for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There is a need for an accurate criterion to evaluate the effect and predict the prognosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate therapeutic response in NSCLC with comparing PET response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) criteria on PET/CT. Forty-four NSCLC patients who received chemotherapy but no surgery were studied. Chemotherapeutic responses were evaluated using (18)F-FDG PET and CT according to the RECIST and PERCIST methodologies. PET/CT scans were obtained before chemotherapy and after 2 or 4-6 cycles' chemotherapy. The percentage changes of tumor longest diameters and standardized uptake value (SUV) (corrected for lean body mass, SUL) before and after treatment were compared using paired t-test. The response was categorized into 4 levels according to RECIST and PERCIST: CR (CMR) =1, PR (PMR) =2, SD (SMD) =3, PD (PMD) =4. Pearson chi-square test was used to compare the proportion of four levels in RECIST and PERCIST. Finally the relationship between progression-free survival (PFS) and clinicopathologic parameters (such as TNM staging, percentage changes in diameters and SUL, RECIST and PERCIST results etc.) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression method. The difference of percentage changes between diameters and SUL was not significant using paired t-test (t=-1.69, P=0.098). However the difference was statistically significant in the 40 cases without increasing SUL (t=-3.31, P=0.002). The difference of evaluation results between RECIST and PERCIST was not significant by chi-square test (χ(2)=5.008, P=0.171). If RECIST evaluation excluded the new lesions which could not be found or identified on CT images the difference between RECIST and PERCIST was significant (χ(2)=11.759, P=0.007). Reduction rate of SULpeak (%), RECIST and

Evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Li; Deng Zhiyong

2013-01-01

Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become the standardized treatment for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. With the wide application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinic, evaluation of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy seems increasingly important. How to evaluate the curative effect of chemotherapy timely, accurately, effectively and noninvasively has become the focus of clinical research. At present, clinical palpation,radiographic measurement and pathological examination are usually used in clinic, and the study of breast cancer biology factor is also rapidly spread. The application status of different evaluation methods of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were reviewed in this article. (authors)

Chronobiological methods of human body self-regulation reserve evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey N. Zaguskin

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Aims Chronodiagnostical methods for evaluating reserve and unfavourable responses of human cardiac function and under prolonged stress load. Materials and methods 24-h ECG R–R interval recording of Holter-monitoring ECG recording and 1-h IPI and RespI recordings of healthy young and elderly subjects, post- MI patients, subjects suffered from chronic cerebral ischemia leading to a cognitive decline, healthy subjects following post-stress load, as well as R– R intervals recordings of the AHA ECG database of heart failure and AF. Chronodiagnostics, using non-linear symbolic dynamics method and redundancy quotient of ECG PI, RespI and R– R intervals; differential temperature survey to evaluate cellular immunity; biocontrolled laser therapy. Results Self-regulation reserve reduction of oxygen transfer body systems and increase in unfavourable response probability under stress load are accompanied by the amplitude and fluctuation increase of redundancy quotient in the ECG IPI, RespI and R–R intervals, as well as increase of hierarchical desynchronosis with dominating sympathicotonia and vagotonia, decrease in cellular immunity, reduction in rate spectrum of the ECG IPI and R–R intervals. Conclusion Symbolic dynamics method provides distinction between age-related and abnormal changes in hierarchy of cardiac rhythms. The amplitude and fluctuation increase of redundancy quotient indicates the increase of control intensity with oxygen transfer body systems and predicts the reduction of self-regulation reserve in cardiac rhythms and unfavourable response probability.

A novel reliability evaluation method for large engineering systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reda Farag

2016-06-01

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

A simple and feasible method of effectiveness evaluation on radioactive decontamination action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Lin; Geng Xiaobing; Sun Jian; Wang Jihong; Guo Lijun

2012-01-01

Radioactive decontamination is a vital task in nuclear emergency response. The assessment of decontamination effectiveness is of great importance to decision-making. An index system for effectiveness evaluation of radioactive decontamination action in nuclear emergency response is produced. A method of decontamination effectiveness evaluation based on analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is presented. Index weights are determined through analytic hierarchy process. And scores of objects in each hierarchy are judged by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Then comprehensive effectiveness of the top object can be obtained, which can offer a basis for decision-making of decontamination action. (authors)

The finite element response Matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.; Martin, W.R.

1983-01-01

A new method for global reactor core calculations is described. This method is based on a unique formulation of the response matrix method, implemented with a higher order finite element method. The unique aspects of this approach are twofold. First, there are two levels to the overall calculational scheme: the local or assembly level and the global or core level. Second, the response matrix scheme, which is formulated at both levels, consists of two separate response matrices rather than one response matrix as is generally the case. These separate response matrices are seen to be quite beneficial for the criticality eigenvalue calculation, because they are independent of k /SUB eff/. The response matrices are generated from a Galerkin finite element solution to the weak form of the diffusion equation, subject to an arbitrary incoming current and an arbitrary distributed source. Calculational results are reported for two test problems, the two-dimensional International Atomic Energy Agency benchmark problem and a two-dimensional pressurized water reactor test problem (Biblis reactor), and they compare well with standard coarse mesh methods with respect to accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, the accuracy (and capability) is comparable to fine mesh for a fraction of the computational cost. Extension of the method to treat heterogeneous assemblies and spatial depletion effects is discussed

An empirical comparison of effective concentration estimators for evaluating aquatic toxicity test responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bailer, A.J.; Hughes, M.R.; Denton, D.L.; Oris, J.T.

2000-01-01

Aquatic toxicity tests are statistically evaluated by either hypothesis testing procedures to derive a no-observed-effect concentration or by inverting regression models to calculate the concentration associated with a specific reduction from the control response. These latter methods can be described as potency estimation methods. Standard US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) potency estimation methods are based on two different techniques. For continuous or count response data, a nominally nonparametric method that assumes monotonic decreasing responses and piecewise linear patterns between successive concentration groups is used. For quantal responses, a probit regression model with a linear dose term is fit. These techniques were compared with a recently developed parametric regression-based estimator, the relative inhibition estimator, RIp. This method is based on fitting generalized linear models, followed by estimation of the concentration associated with a particular decrement relative to control responses. These estimators, with levels of inhibition (p) of 25 and 50%, were applied to a series of chronic toxicity tests in a US EPA region 9 database of reference toxicity tests. Biological responses evaluated in these toxicity tests included the number of young produced in three broods by the water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) and germination success and tube length data from the giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). The greatest discrepancy between the RIp and standard US EPA estimators was observed for C. dubia. The concentration-response pattern for this biological endpoint exhibited nonmonotonicity more frequently than for any of the other endpoint. Future work should consider optimal experimental designs to estimate these quantities, methods for constructing confidence intervals, and simulation studies to explore the behavior of these estimators under known conditions.

An Analysis on the Characteristic of Multi-response CADIS Method for the Monte Carlo Radiation Shielding Calculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Do Hyun; Shin, Chang Ho; Kim, Song Hyun

2014-01-01

It uses the deterministic method to calculate adjoint fluxes for the decision of the parameters used in the variance reductions. This is called as hybrid Monte Carlo method. The CADIS method, however, has a limitation to reduce the stochastic errors of all responses. The Forward Weighted CADIS (FW-CADIS) was introduced to solve this problem. To reduce the overall stochastic errors of the responses, the forward flux is used. In the previous study, the Multi-Response CADIS (MR-CAIDS) method was derived for minimizing sum of each squared relative error. In this study, the characteristic of the MR-CADIS method was evaluated and compared with the FW-CADIS method. In this study, how the CADIS, FW-CADIS, and MR-CADIS methods are applied to optimize and decide the parameters used in the variance reduction techniques was analyzed. The MR-CADIS Method uses a technique that the sum of squared relative error in each tally region was minimized to achieve uniform uncertainty. To compare the simulation efficiency of the methods, a simple shielding problem was evaluated. Using FW-CADIS method, it was evaluated that the average of the relative errors was minimized; however, MR-CADIS method gives a lowest variance of the relative errors. Analysis shows that, MR-CADIS method can efficiently and uniformly reduce the relative error of the plural response problem than FW-CADIS method

On the limitations of fixed-step-size adaptive methods with response confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Yung-Fong; Chin, Ching-Lan

2014-05-01

The family of (non-parametric, fixed-step-size) adaptive methods, also known as 'up-down' or 'staircase' methods, has been used extensively in psychophysical studies for threshold estimation. Extensions of adaptive methods to non-binary responses have also been proposed. An example is the three-category weighted up-down (WUD) method (Kaernbach, 2001) and its four-category extension (Klein, 2001). Such an extension, however, is somewhat restricted, and in this paper we discuss its limitations. To facilitate the discussion, we characterize the extension of WUD by an algorithm that incorporates response confidence into a family of adaptive methods. This algorithm can also be applied to two other adaptive methods, namely Derman's up-down method and the biased-coin design, which are suitable for estimating any threshold quantiles. We then discuss via simulations of the above three methods the limitations of the algorithm. To illustrate, we conduct a small scale of experiment using the extended WUD under different response confidence formats to evaluate the consistency of threshold estimation. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Nuclear data evaluation method and evaluation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Tingjin

1995-01-01

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

Evaluating alternative responses to safeguards alarms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ayat, R.A.; Judd, B.R.; McCord, R.K.

1982-01-01

This paper describes a quantitative approach to help evaluate and respond to safeguards alarms. These alarms may be generated internally by a facility's safeguards systems or externally by individuals claiming to have stolen special nuclear material (SNM). This approach can be used to identify the most likely cause of an alarm - theft, hoax, or error - and to evaluate alternative responses to alarms. Possible responses include conducting investigations, initiating measures to recover stolen SNM, and replying to external threats. Based on the results of each alarm investigation step, the evaluation revises the likelihoods of possible causes of an alarm, and uses this information to determine the optimal sequence of further responses. The choice of an optimal sequence of responses takes into consideration the costs and benefits of successful thefts or hoaxes. These results provide an analytical basis for setting priorities and developing contingency plans for responding to safeguards alarms

The effect of online protests and firm responses on shareholder and consumer evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Broek, Tijs; Langley, David; Hornig, Tobias

2017-01-01

Protests that target firms’ socially irresponsible behavior are increasingly organized via digital media. This study uses two methods to investigate the effects that online protests and mitigating firm responses have on shareholders’ and consumers’ evaluation. The first method is a financial

The Effect of Online Protests and Firm Responses on Shareholder and Consumer Evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Den Broek, Tijs; Langley, David; Hornig, Tobias

2017-01-01

Protests that target firms’ socially irresponsible behavior are increasingly organized via digital media. This study uses two methods to investigate the effects that online protests and mitigating firm responses have on shareholders’ and consumers’ evaluation. The first method is a financial

A nodal method based on matrix-response method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocamora Junior, F.D.; Menezes, A.

1982-01-01

A nodal method based in the matrix-response method, is presented, and its application to spatial gradient problems, such as those that exist in fast reactors, near the core - blanket interface, is investigated. (E.G.) [pt

Expert opinions on the acceptance of alternative methods in food safety evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Punt, Ans; Bouwmeester, Hans; Schiffelers, Marie Jeanne W.A.; Peijnenburg, Ad A.C.M.

2018-01-01

Inclusion of alternative methods that replace, reduce, or refine (3R) animal testing within regulatory safety evaluations of chemicals generally faces many hurdles. The goal of the current work is to i) collect responses from key stakeholders involved in food safety evaluations on what they consider

Evaluation of response factors for seismic probabilistic safety assessment of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebisawa, K.; Abe, K.; Muramatsu, K.; Itoh, M.; Kohno, K.; Tanaka, T.

1994-01-01

This paper presents a method for evaluating 'response factors' of components in nuclear power plants for use in a seismic probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). The response factor here is a measure of conservatism included in response calculations in seismic design analysis of components and is defined as a ratio of conservative design resonse to actual response. This method has the following characteristic features: (1) The components are classified into several groups based on the differences in their location and in the vibration models used in design response analyses; (2) the response factors are decomposed into subfactors corresponding to the stages of the seismic response analyses in the design practices; (3) the response factors for components are calculated as products of subfactors; (4) the subfactors are expressed either as a single value or as a function of parameters that influence the response of components. This paper describes the outline of this method and results from an application to a sample problem in which response factors were quantified for examples of components selected from the groups. (orig.)

A method for evaluating horizontal well pumping tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Langseth, David E; Smyth, Andrew H; May, James

2004-01-01

Predicting the future performance of horizontal wells under varying pumping conditions requires estimates of basic aquifer parameters, notably transmissivity and storativity. For vertical wells, there are well-established methods for estimating these parameters, typically based on either the recovery from induced head changes in a well or from the head response in observation wells to pumping in a test well. Comparable aquifer parameter estimation methods for horizontal wells have not been presented in the ground water literature. Formation parameter estimation methods based on measurements of pressure in horizontal wells have been presented in the petroleum industry literature, but these methods have limited applicability for ground water evaluation and are based on pressure measurements in only the horizontal well borehole, rather than in observation wells. This paper presents a simple and versatile method by which pumping test procedures developed for vertical wells can be applied to horizontal well pumping tests. The method presented here uses the principle of superposition to represent the horizontal well as a series of partially penetrating vertical wells. This concept is used to estimate a distance from an observation well at which a vertical well that has the same total pumping rate as the horizontal well will produce the same drawdown as the horizontal well. This equivalent distance may then be associated with an observation well for use in pumping test algorithms and type curves developed for vertical wells. The method is shown to produce good results for confined aquifers and unconfined aquifers in the absence of delayed yield response. For unconfined aquifers, the presence of delayed yield response increases the method error.

Response matrix method for large LMFBR analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, M.J.

1977-06-01

The feasibility of using response matrix techniques for computational models of large LMFBRs is examined. Since finite-difference methods based on diffusion theory have generally found a place in fast-reactor codes, a brief review of their general matrix foundation is given first in order to contrast it to the general strategy of response matrix methods. Then, in order to present the general method of response matrix technique, two illustrative examples are given. Matrix algorithms arising in the application to large LMFBRs are discussed, and the potential of the response matrix method is explored for a variety of computational problems. Principal properties of the matrices involved are derived with a view to application of numerical methods of solution. The Jacobi iterative method as applied to the current-balance eigenvalue problem is discussed

Evaluation methods for hospital facilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fronczek-Munter, Aneta

2013-01-01

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

Evaluation of clinical methods for peroneal muscle testing.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2013-03-01

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

The finite element response matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.; Martin, W.R.

1983-02-01

A new technique is developed with an alternative formulation of the response matrix method implemented with the finite element scheme. Two types of response matrices are generated from the Galerkin solution to the weak form of the diffusion equation subject to an arbitrary current and source. The piecewise polynomials are defined in two levels, the first for the local (assembly) calculations and the second for the global (core) response matrix calculations. This finite element response matrix technique was tested in two 2-dimensional test problems, 2D-IAEA benchmark problem and Biblis benchmark problem, with satisfatory results. The computational time, whereas the current code is not extensively optimized, is of the same order of the well estabilished coarse mesh codes. Furthermore, the application of the finite element technique in an alternative formulation of response matrix method permits the method to easily incorporate additional capabilities such as treatment of spatially dependent cross-sections, arbitrary geometrical configurations, and high heterogeneous assemblies. (Author) [pt

Methods for evaluating imaging methods of limited reproducibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krummenauer, F.

2005-01-01

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

Experimental and mathematical simulation techniques for determining an in-situ response testing method for neutron sensors used in reactor power plant protection systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behbahani, A.

1983-01-01

An analytical neutron sensor response model and methods for transient response measurements of neutron sensors (compensated ionization chamber), including possible in-situ techniques have been developed and evaluated to meet the provisions of Draft Standard ISA Sd67.06, IEEE 338-1977, and NRC Guide 1.118. One in-situ method requires the perturbation of the high voltage detector (sensor) power supply and measurement of the sensor response. The response to a perturbation of the power supply is related to the response of the sensor to a transient change in neutron flux. Random signal analysis is another in-situ technique to monitor the neutron sensor response. In this method the power spectrum of the inherent fluctuations from the neutron sensor output (current in CIC) are measured and evaluated. Transient response techniques (including in-situ methods) are experimentally and analytically evaluated to identify the mechanisms which may cause degradation in the response of the neutron sensors. The objective of the experimental evaluation was to correlate the measured response time using transient radiation flux changes and power supply perturbation. The objective of the analytical model of the different sensor response was to predict response time and degradation mechanisms

Simulation of ecological processes using response functions method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malkina-Pykh, I.G.; Pykh, Yu. A.

1998-01-01

The article describes further development and applications of the already well-known response functions method (MRF). The method is used as a basis for the development of mathematical models of a wide set of ecological processes. The model of radioactive contamination of the ecosystems is chosen as an example. The mathematical model was elaborated for the description of 90 Sr dynamics in the elementary ecosystems of various geographical zones. The model includes the blocks corresponding with the main units of any elementary ecosystem: lower atmosphere, soil, vegetation, surface water. Parameters' evaluation was provided on a wide set of experimental data. A set of computer simulations was done on the model to prove the possibility of the model's use for ecological forecasting

Comparison of LMFBR piping response obtained using response spectrum and time history methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hulbert, G.M.

1981-04-01

The dynamic response to a seismic event is calculated for a piping system using a response spectrum analysis method and two time history analysis methods. The results from the analytical methods are compared to identify causes for the differences between the sets of analytical results. Comparative methods are also presented which help to gain confidence in the accuracy of the analytical methods in predicting piping system structure response during seismic events

Assessing consumer responses to potential reduced-exposure tobacco products: a review of tobacco industry and independent research methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Vaughan W; Kreslake, Jennifer M; Cummings, K Michael; O'Connor, Richard J; Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Parascandola, Mark; Shields, Peter G; Connolly, Gregory N

2009-12-01

Internal tobacco industry documents and the mainstream literature are reviewed to identify methods and measures for evaluating tobacco consumer response. The review aims to outline areas in which established methods exist, identify gaps in current methods for assessing consumer response, and consider how these methods might be applied to evaluate potentially reduced exposure tobacco products and new products. Internal industry research reviewed included published articles, manuscript drafts, presentations, protocols, and instruments relating to consumer response measures were identified and analyzed. Peer-reviewed research was identified using PubMed and Scopus. Industry research on consumer response focuses on product development and marketing. To develop and refine new products, the tobacco industry has developed notable strategies for assessing consumers' sensory and subjective responses to product design characteristics. Independent research is often conducted to gauge the likelihood of future product adoption by measuring consumers' risk perceptions, responses to product, and product acceptability. A model that conceptualizes consumer response as comprising the separate, but interacting, domains of product perceptions and response to product is outlined. Industry and independent research supports the dual domain model and provides a wide range of methods for assessment of the construct components of consumer response. Further research is needed to validate consumer response constructs, determine the relationship between consumer response and tobacco user behavior, and improve reliability of consumer response measures. Scientifically rigorous consumer response assessment methods will provide a needed empirical basis for future regulation of potentially reduced-exposure tobacco products and new products, to counteract tobacco industry influence on consumers, and enhance the public health.

Safeguards Evaluation Method for evaluating vulnerability to insider threats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1986-01-01

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

Therapy response evaluation with positron emission tomography-computed tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Segall, George M

2010-12-01

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography with F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose is widely used for evaluation of therapy response in patients with solid tumors but has not been as readily adopted in clinical trials because of the variability of acquisition and processing protocols and the absence of universal response criteria. Criteria proposed for clinical trials are difficult to apply in clinical practice, and gestalt impression is probably accurate in individual patients, especially with respect to the presence of progressive disease and complete response. Semiquantitative methods of determining tissue glucose metabolism, such as standard uptake value, can be a useful descriptor for levels of tissue glucose metabolism and changes in response to therapy if technical quality control measures are carefully maintained. The terms partial response, complete response, and progressive disease are best used in clinical trials in which the terms have specific meanings and precise definitions. In clinical practice, it may be better to use descriptive terminology agreed upon by imaging physicians and clinicians in their own practice. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluation of the level of social responsibility of the state in the field of employment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chernobay Liana Ivanivna

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The role of public authorities in the development of society was grounded in terms of the Welfare State. The priority of employment policies was proved to ensure a sufficient level of social responsibility of the state. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of human resources were investigated at the current stage of development of Ukraine. Evaluation of the efficiency of the social state was proposed by means of the Social Responsibility Index (SRI. The method of selection of state policy was developed in the light of the evaluation of the social responsibility of the state in employment using the SRI and The Map of states of partial indicators. Measures were proposed on the base of method to enhance the functioning of Ukraine as a Social State.

Alternate modal combination methods in response spectrum analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezler, P.; Curreri, J.R.; Wang, Y.K.; Gupta, A.K.

1990-10-01

In piping analyses using the response spectrum method Square Root of the Sum of the Squares (SRSS) with clustering between closely spaced modes is the combination procedure most commonly used to combine between the modal response components. This procedure is simple to apply and normally yields conservative estimates of the time history results. The purpose of this study is to investigate alternate methods to combine between the modal response components. These methods are mathematically based to properly account for the combination between rigid and flexible modal responses as well as closely spaced modes. The methods are those advanced by Gupta, Hadjian and Lindely-Yow to address rigid response modes and the Double Sum Combination (DSC) method and the Complete Quadratic Combination (CQC) method to account for closely spaced modes. A direct comparison between these methods as well as the SRSS procedure is made by using them to predict the response of six piping systems. The results provided by each method are compared to the corresponding time history estimates of results as well as to each other. The degree of conservatism associated with each method is characterized. 19 refs., 16 figs., 10 tabs

Evaluation of the Inertial Response of Variable-Speed Wind Turbines Using Advanced Simulation: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scholbrock, Andrew K [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Muljadi, Eduard [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gevorgian, Vahan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Scholbrock, Andrew K [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Wang, Xiao [Northeastern University; Gao, Wenzhong [University of Denver; Yan, Weihang [University of Denver; Wang, Jianhui [Northeastern University

2017-08-09

In this paper, we focus on the temporary frequency support effect provided by wind turbine generators (WTGs) through the inertial response. With the implemented inertial control methods, the WTG is capable of increasing its active power output by releasing parts of the stored kinetic energy when the frequency excursion occurs. The active power can be boosted temporarily above the maximum power points, but the rotor speed deceleration follows and an active power output deficiency occurs during the restoration of rotor kinetic energy. In this paper, we evaluate and compare the inertial response induced by two distinct inertial control methods using advanced simulation. In the first stage, the proposed inertial control methods are analyzed in offline simulation. Using an advanced wind turbine simulation program, FAST with TurbSim, the response of the researched wind turbine is comprehensively evaluated under turbulent wind conditions, and the impact on the turbine mechanical components are assessed. In the second stage, the inertial control is deployed on a real 600-kW wind turbine, the three-bladed Controls Advanced Research Turbine, which further verifies the inertial control through a hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Various inertial control methods can be effectively evaluated based on the proposed two-stage simulation platform, which combines the offline simulation and real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulation. The simulation results also provide insights in designing inertial control for WTGs.

Statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilbert, R.O.; Simpson, J.C.

1992-12-01

This document is the third volume in a series of volumes sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Statistical Policy Branch, that provide statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup Standards at Superfund sites. Volume 1 (USEPA 1989a) provides sampling designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for soils and solid media. Volume 2 (USEPA 1992) provides designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for groundwater. The purpose of this third volume is to provide statistical procedures for designing sampling programs and conducting statistical tests to determine whether pollution parameters in remediated soils and solid media at Superfund sites attain site-specific reference-based standards. This.document is written for individuals who may not have extensive training or experience with statistical methods. The intended audience includes EPA regional remedial project managers, Superfund-site potentially responsible parties, state environmental protection agencies, and contractors for these groups.

Likelihood-based methods for evaluating principal surrogacy in augmented vaccine trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Zhang, Bo; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Zhiwei

2017-04-01

There is growing interest in assessing immune biomarkers, which are quick to measure and potentially predictive of long-term efficacy, as surrogate endpoints in randomized, placebo-controlled vaccine trials. This can be done under a principal stratification approach, with principal strata defined using a subject's potential immune responses to vaccine and placebo (the latter may be assumed to be zero). In this context, principal surrogacy refers to the extent to which vaccine efficacy varies across principal strata. Because a placebo recipient's potential immune response to vaccine is unobserved in a standard vaccine trial, augmented vaccine trials have been proposed to produce the information needed to evaluate principal surrogacy. This article reviews existing methods based on an estimated likelihood and a pseudo-score (PS) and proposes two new methods based on a semiparametric likelihood (SL) and a pseudo-likelihood (PL), for analyzing augmented vaccine trials. Unlike the PS method, the SL method does not require a model for missingness, which can be advantageous when immune response data are missing by happenstance. The SL method is shown to be asymptotically efficient, and it performs similarly to the PS and PL methods in simulation experiments. The PL method appears to have a computational advantage over the PS and SL methods.

Evaluating research recruitment strategies to improve response rates amongst South African nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natasha Khamisa

2014-03-01

Research purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate three research recruitment methods for their impact on recruitment and participation rates amongst South African nurses. Motivation for the study: A limited number of studies exist that formally evaluates different recruitment strategies to improve participation in research amongst nurses within developing contexts, especially South Africa. Research approach, design and method: Participants were recruited using three different methods. Of the 250 nurses randomly selected and invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey, 201 agreed and 162 (81% returned the questionnaires. Main findings: Nursing management participation in the recruitment and data collection process produces more favourable response rates. Reminders and the use of shorter questionnaires also aid higher response rates. Practical/managerial implications: Reminders as well as face-to-face recruitment strategies (especially by a familiar person successfully improved participation rates amongst South African nurses in this study. Contribution/value-add: This study identifies some strategies that could be used more widely to increase the recruitment and participation of South African nurses in research whilst potentially improving their work situation.

Alternate modal combination methods in response spectrum analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.K.; Bezler, P.

1989-01-01

In piping analyses using the response spectrum method Square Root of the Sum of the Squares (SRSS) with clustering between closely spaced modes is the combination procedure most commonly used to combine between the modal response components. This procedure is simple to apply and normally yields conservative estimates of the time history results. The purpose of this study is to investigate alternate methods to combine between the modal response components. These methods are mathematically based to properly account for the combination between rigid and flexible modal responses as well as closely spaced modes. The methods are those advanced by Gupta, Hadjian and Lindley-Yow to address rigid response modes and the Double Sum Combination (DSC) method and the Complete Quadratic Combination (CQC) method to account for closely spaced modes. A direct comparison between these methods as well as the SRSS procedure is made by using them to predict the response of six piping systems. For two piping systems thirty-three earthquake records were considered to account for the impact of variations in the characteristics of the excitation. The results provided by each method are compared to the corresponding time history estimates of results as well as to each other. The degree of conservatism associated with each method is characterized. 7 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

Discount method for programming language evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2016-01-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

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

Using of CBA Method for Evaluation of the Investments in the Link with Social Responsible Business

Science.gov (United States)

Mrvová, Ľubica; Vaňová, Jaromíra

2012-12-01

The paper presents knowledge from the area of economic efficiency assessment of the environmental investments, in the link with environmental management with context of social responsible business and their mutual connection, on the base of CBA method. CBA method creates basis for the software CBA1.1, which was created for the needs of business practise for the small and medium enterprises in the Slovak Republic.

SU-E-J-275: Review - Computerized PET/CT Image Analysis in the Evaluation of Tumor Response to Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, W; Wang, J; Zhang, H

2015-01-01

Purpose: To review the literature in using computerized PET/CT image analysis for the evaluation of tumor response to therapy. Methods: We reviewed and summarized more than 100 papers that used computerized image analysis techniques for the evaluation of tumor response with PET/CT. This review mainly covered four aspects: image registration, tumor segmentation, image feature extraction, and response evaluation. Results: Although rigid image registration is straightforward, it has been shown to achieve good alignment between baseline and evaluation scans. Deformable image registration has been shown to improve the alignment when complex deformable distortions occur due to tumor shrinkage, weight loss or gain, and motion. Many semi-automatic tumor segmentation methods have been developed on PET. A comparative study revealed benefits of high levels of user interaction with simultaneous visualization of CT images and PET gradients. On CT, semi-automatic methods have been developed for only tumors that show marked difference in CT attenuation between the tumor and the surrounding normal tissues. Quite a few multi-modality segmentation methods have been shown to improve accuracy compared to single-modality algorithms. Advanced PET image features considering spatial information, such as tumor volume, tumor shape, total glycolytic volume, histogram distance, and texture features have been found more informative than the traditional SUVmax for the prediction of tumor response. Advanced CT features, including volumetric, attenuation, morphologic, structure, and texture descriptors, have also been found advantage over the traditional RECIST and WHO criteria in certain tumor types. Predictive models based on machine learning technique have been constructed for correlating selected image features to response. These models showed improved performance compared to current methods using cutoff value of a single measurement for tumor response. Conclusion: This review showed that

SU-E-J-275: Review - Computerized PET/CT Image Analysis in the Evaluation of Tumor Response to Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, W; Wang, J; Zhang, H [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To review the literature in using computerized PET/CT image analysis for the evaluation of tumor response to therapy. Methods: We reviewed and summarized more than 100 papers that used computerized image analysis techniques for the evaluation of tumor response with PET/CT. This review mainly covered four aspects: image registration, tumor segmentation, image feature extraction, and response evaluation. Results: Although rigid image registration is straightforward, it has been shown to achieve good alignment between baseline and evaluation scans. Deformable image registration has been shown to improve the alignment when complex deformable distortions occur due to tumor shrinkage, weight loss or gain, and motion. Many semi-automatic tumor segmentation methods have been developed on PET. A comparative study revealed benefits of high levels of user interaction with simultaneous visualization of CT images and PET gradients. On CT, semi-automatic methods have been developed for only tumors that show marked difference in CT attenuation between the tumor and the surrounding normal tissues. Quite a few multi-modality segmentation methods have been shown to improve accuracy compared to single-modality algorithms. Advanced PET image features considering spatial information, such as tumor volume, tumor shape, total glycolytic volume, histogram distance, and texture features have been found more informative than the traditional SUVmax for the prediction of tumor response. Advanced CT features, including volumetric, attenuation, morphologic, structure, and texture descriptors, have also been found advantage over the traditional RECIST and WHO criteria in certain tumor types. Predictive models based on machine learning technique have been constructed for correlating selected image features to response. These models showed improved performance compared to current methods using cutoff value of a single measurement for tumor response. Conclusion: This review showed that

The large break LOCA evaluation method with the simplified statistic approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamata, Shinya; Kubo, Kazuo

2004-01-01

USNRC published the Code Scaling, Applicability and Uncertainty (CSAU) evaluation methodology to large break LOCA which supported the revised rule for Emergency Core Cooling System performance in 1989. In USNRC regulatory guide 1.157, it is required that the peak cladding temperature (PCT) cannot exceed 2200deg F with high probability 95th percentile. In recent years, overseas countries have developed statistical methodology and best estimate code with the model which can provide more realistic simulation for the phenomena based on the CSAU evaluation methodology. In order to calculate PCT probability distribution by Monte Carlo trials, there are approaches such as the response surface technique using polynomials, the order statistics method, etc. For the purpose of performing rational statistic analysis, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD (MHI) tried to develop the statistic LOCA method using the best estimate LOCA code MCOBRA/TRAC and the simplified code HOTSPOT. HOTSPOT is a Monte Carlo heat conduction solver to evaluate the uncertainties of the significant fuel parameters at the PCT positions of the hot rod. The direct uncertainty sensitivity studies can be performed without the response surface because the Monte Carlo simulation for key parameters can be performed in short time using HOTSPOT. With regard to the parameter uncertainties, MHI established the treatment that the bounding conditions are given for LOCA boundary and plant initial conditions, the Monte Carlo simulation using HOTSPOT is applied to the significant fuel parameters. The paper describes the large break LOCA evaluation method with the simplified statistic approach and the results of the application of the method to the representative four-loop nuclear power plant. (author)

A robust direct-integration method for rotorcraft maneuver and periodic response

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, Brahmananda

1992-01-01

The Newmark-Beta method and the Newton-Raphson iteration scheme are combined to develop a direct-integration method for evaluating the maneuver and periodic-response expressions for rotorcraft. The method requires the generation of Jacobians and includes higher derivatives in the formulation of the geometric stiffness matrix to enhance the convergence of the system. The method leads to effective convergence with nonlinear structural dynamics and aerodynamic terms. Singularities in the matrices can be addressed with the method as they arise from a Lagrange multiplier approach for coupling equations with nonlinear constraints. The method is also shown to be general enough to handle singularities from quasisteady control-system models. The method is shown to be more general and robust than the similar 2GCHAS method for analyzing rotorcraft dynamics.

Development of spectral history methods for pin-by-pin core analysis method using three-dimensional direct response matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitsuyasu, T.; Ishii, K.; Hino, T.; Aoyama, M.

2009-01-01

Spectral history methods for pin-by-pin core analysis method using the three-dimensional direct response matrix have been developed. The direct response matrix is formalized by four sub-response matrices in order to respond to a core eigenvalue k and thus can be recomposed at each outer iteration in the core analysis. For core analysis, it is necessary to take into account the burn-up effect related to spectral history. One of the methods is to evaluate the nodal burn-up spectrum obtained using the out-going neutron current. The other is to correct the fuel rod neutron production rates obtained the pin-by-pin correction. These spectral history methods were tested in a heterogeneous system. The test results show that the neutron multiplication factor error can be reduced by half during burn-up, the nodal neutron production rates errors can be reduced by 30% or more. The root-mean-square differences between the relative fuel rod neutron production rate distributions can be reduced within 1.1% error. This means that these methods can accurately reflect the effects of intra- and inter-assembly heterogeneities during burn-up and can be used for core analysis. Core analysis with the DRM method was carried out for an ABWR quarter core and it was found that both thermal power and coolant-flow distributions were smoothly converged. (authors)

Integration of PET/CT in Current Diagnostic and Response Evaluation Methods in Patients with Tuberculosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oezmen, Oelem; Goekcek, Atila; Tatci, Ebru; Biner, Inci; Akkalyoncu, Behiye

2014-01-01

Tuberculosis is a systemic disease that still affects many people. While pleural involvement is frequently observed in extrapulmonary tuberculosis, multiple skeletal system and articular involvements are quite rare. FDG PET imaging could be a promising diagnostic and treatment monitoring method, especially in complicated cases and if the other methods are inadequate. In this case study, we report a patient who was admitted with suspected malignancy and then diagnosed with tuberculosis pleuritis, lymphadenitis, spondylodiscitis, and sacroiliitis with specific symptoms; the response to anti-tuberculosis therapy was shown using FDG PET/CT

Integration of PET/CT in Current Diagnostic and Response Evaluation Methods in Patients with Tuberculosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oezmen, Oelem; Goekcek, Atila; Tatci, Ebru; Biner, Inci; Akkalyoncu, Behiye [Atatuerk Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Ankara (Turkmenistan)

2014-03-15

Tuberculosis is a systemic disease that still affects many people. While pleural involvement is frequently observed in extrapulmonary tuberculosis, multiple skeletal system and articular involvements are quite rare. FDG PET imaging could be a promising diagnostic and treatment monitoring method, especially in complicated cases and if the other methods are inadequate. In this case study, we report a patient who was admitted with suspected malignancy and then diagnosed with tuberculosis pleuritis, lymphadenitis, spondylodiscitis, and sacroiliitis with specific symptoms; the response to anti-tuberculosis therapy was shown using FDG PET/CT.

Consumer Trust in and Emotional Response to Advertisements on Social Media and their Influence on Brand Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivanete Schneider Hahn

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Social media is becoming an important part of an organization's media strategy. This study examines the effects of trust and consumer emotional response to advertisements on brand evaluation in an online social media context. The study used a survey method, and the studied population consisted of 927 Brazilian social media users (Facebook subscribers. The results showed the following: (1 the emotional response to advertising on social media had a positive influence on brand evaluation; and (2 consumer trust had a positive influence on brand evaluation and emotional response to advertisements on social media. It is possible to conclude that consumer trust is the key variable to a positive emotional response to advertisements on social media and to a positive brand evaluation. Finally, this study demonstrates that companies must measure the emotional response to advertising in their social media activities as a way of enhancing brand evaluation.

Evaluation of TV commercials using neurophysiological responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Taeyang; Lee, Do-Young; Kwak, Youngshin; Choi, Jinsook; Kim, Chajoong; Kim, Sung-Phil

2015-04-24

In recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied to marketing as a novel and efficient means to comprehend the cognitive and behavioral aspects of consumers. A number of studies have attempted to evaluate media contents, especially TV commercials using various neuroimaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG). Yet neurophysiological examination of detailed cognitive and affective responses in viewers is still required to provide practical information to marketers. Here, this study develops a method to analyze temporal patterns of EEG data and extract affective and cognitive indices such as happiness, surprise, and attention for TV commercial evaluation. Twenty participants participated in the study. We developed the neurophysiological indices for TV commercial evaluation using classification model. Specifically, these model-based indices were customized using individual EEG features. We used a video game for developing the index of attention and four video clips for developing indices of happiness and surprise. Statistical processes including one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) and the cross validation scheme were used to select EEG features for each index. The EEG features were composed of the combinations of spectral power at selected channels from the cross validation for each individual. The Fisher's linear discriminant classifier (FLDA) was used to estimate each neurophysiological index during viewing four different TV commercials. Post hoc behavioral responses of preference, short-term memory, and recall were measured. Behavioral results showed significant differences for all preference, short-term memory rates, and recall rates between commercials, leading to a 'high-ranked' commercial group and a 'low-ranked' group (P < 0.05). Neural estimation of happiness results revealed a significant difference between the high-ranked and the low-ranked commercials in happiness index (P < 0.01). The order of rankings based on happiness and

Application of the Most Likely Extreme Response Method for Wave Energy Converters: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quon, Eliot; Platt, Andrew; Yu, Yi-Hsiang; Lawson, Michael

2016-07-01

Extreme loads are often a key cost driver for wave energy converters (WECs). As an alternative to exhaustive Monte Carlo or long-term simulations, the most likely extreme response (MLER) method allows mid- and high-fidelity simulations to be used more efficiently in evaluating WEC response to events at the edges of the design envelope, and is therefore applicable to system design analysis. The study discussed in this paper applies the MLER method to investigate the maximum heave, pitch, and surge force of a point absorber WEC. Most likely extreme waves were obtained from a set of wave statistics data based on spectral analysis and the response amplitude operators (RAOs) of the floating body; the RAOs were computed from a simple radiation-and-diffraction-theory-based numerical model. A weakly nonlinear numerical method and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method were then applied to compute the short-term response to the MLER wave. Effects of nonlinear wave and floating body interaction on the WEC under the anticipated 100-year waves were examined by comparing the results from the linearly superimposed RAOs, the weakly nonlinear model, and CFD simulations. Overall, the MLER method was successfully applied. In particular, when coupled to a high-fidelity CFD analysis, the nonlinear fluid dynamics can be readily captured.

Pragmatism, Evidence, and Mixed Methods Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Jori N.

2013-01-01

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

Method for evaluation of radiative properties of glass samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohelnikova, Jitka [Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Veveri 95, 602 00 Brno (Czech Republic)], E-mail: mohelnikova.j@fce.vutbr.cz

2008-04-15

The paper presents a simple calculation method which serves for an evaluation of radiative properties of window glasses. The method is based on a computer simulation model of the energy balance of a thermally insulated box with selected glass samples. A temperature profile of the air inside of the box with a glass sample exposed to affecting radiation was determined for defined boundary conditions. The spectral range of the radiation was considered in the interval between 280 and 2500 nm. This interval is adequate to the spectral range of solar radiation affecting windows in building facades. The air temperature rise within the box was determined in a response to the affecting radiation in the time between the beginning of the radiation exposition and the time of steady-state thermal conditions. The steady state temperature inside of the insulated box serves for the evaluation of the box energy balance and determination of the glass sample radiative properties. These properties are represented by glass characteristics as mean values of transmittance, reflectance and absorptance calculated for a defined spectral range. The data of the computer simulations were compared to experimental measurements on a real model of the insulated box. Results of both the calculations and measurements are in a good compliance. The method is recommended for preliminary evaluation of window glass radiative properties which serve as data for energy evaluation of buildings.

Reflecting on an impact evaluation of the Grade R programme: Method, results and policy responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie-Louise Samuels

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the expansion since 2001 of a public pre-school programme in South Africa known as ‘Grade R’, summarises the findings from an impact evaluation of the introduction of Grade R, discusses the policy recommendations flowing from the evaluation and reflects on the process of implementing the recommendations. The Grade R programme has expanded dramatically, to the point where participation is nearly universal. Although a substantial literature points to large potential benefits from pre-school educational opportunities, the impact evaluation reported on in this article demonstrated that the Grade R programme, as implemented until 2011, had a limited impact on later educational outcomes. Improving the quality of Grade R, especially in schools serving low socio-economic status communities, thus emerges as a key policy imperative. Recommended responses include professionalising Grade R teachers, providing practical in-service support, increasing access to appropriate storybooks, empowering teachers to assess the development of their learners, and improving financial record-keeping of Grade R expenditure by provincial education departments. The impact evaluation was initiated by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME and the Department of Basic Education (DBE, and was conducted by independent researchers. The move towards increased evaluation of key government programmes is important for shifting the focus of programme managers and policymakers towards programme outcomes rather than only programme inputs. Yet the process is not without its challenges: following a clear process to ensure the implementation of the lessons learned from such an evaluation is not necessarily straightforward.

Demand response evaluation and forecasting — Methods and results from the EcoGrid EU experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Emil Mahler; Pinson, Pierre; Leimgruber, Fabian

2017-01-01

Understanding electricity consumers participating in new demand response schemes is important for investment decisions and the design and operation of electricity markets. Important metrics include peak response, time to peak response, energy delivered, ramping, and how the response changes...... with respect to external conditions. Such characteristics dictate the services DR is capable of offering, like primary frequency reserves, peak load shaving, and system balancing. In this paper, we develop methods to characterise price-responsive demand from the EcoGrid EU demonstration in a way that was bid...... into a real-time market. EcoGrid EU is a smart grid experiment with 1900 residential customers who are equipped with smart meters and automated devices reacting to five-minute electricity pricing. Customers are grouped and analysed according to the manufacturer that controlled devices. A number of advanced...

Structural health monitoring in composite materials using frequency response methods

Science.gov (United States)

Kessler, Seth S.; Spearing, S. Mark; Atalla, Mauro J.; Cesnik, Carlos E. S.; Soutis, Constantinos

2001-08-01

Cost effective and reliable damage detection is critical for the utilization of composite materials in structural applications. Non-destructive evaluation techniques (e.g. ultrasound, radiography, infra-red imaging) are available for use during standard repair and maintenance cycles, however by comparison to the techniques used for metals these are relatively expensive and time consuming. This paper presents part of an experimental and analytical survey of candidate methods for the detection of damage in composite materials. The experimental results are presented for the application of modal analysis techniques applied to rectangular laminated graphite/epoxy specimens containing representative damage modes, including delamination, transverse ply cracks and through-holes. Changes in natural frequencies and modes were then found using a scanning laser vibrometer, and 2-D finite element models were created for comparison with the experimental results. The models accurately predicted the response of the specimems at low frequencies, but the local excitation and coalescence of higher frequency modes make mode-dependent damage detection difficult and most likely impractical for structural applications. The frequency response method was found to be reliable for detecting even small amounts of damage in a simple composite structure, however the potentially important information about damage type, size, location and orientation were lost using this method since several combinations of these variables can yield identical response signatures.

Evaluation of the response of a round hole scintillation camera collimator by the Fourier analysis method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, A.; Millan, S.; Yzuel, M.J.

1986-01-01

The Fourier analysis method was used to investigate the response of scintillation camera collimators with parallel holes. This method which takes into account the septal penetration was applied to the case of round hole collimators having a hexagonal distribution. Modulation transfer functions, MTF have been determined to verify the accuracy of the computed Fourier coefficients of the collimator function. Comparisons between the geometric and the penetrating plus geometric transfer function are shown for round and hexagonal holes. (author)

Is it a match? a novel method of evaluating medical school success.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Leslie L; Nagler, Alisa; Rudd, Mariah; Grochowski, Colleen O'Connor; Buckley, Edward G; Chudgar, Saumil M; Engle, Deborah L

2018-12-01

Medical education program evaluation allows for curricular improvements to both Undergraduate (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME). UME programs are left with little more than match rates and self-report to evaluate success of graduates in The Match. This manuscript shares a novel method of program evaluation through a systematic assessment of Match outcomes. Surveys were developed and distributed to Program Training Directors (PTDs) at our institution to classify residency programs into which our UME graduates matched using an ordinal response scale and open-ended responses. Outcomes-based measures for UME graduates were collected and analyzed. The relationship between PTD survey data and UME graduates' outcomes were explored. Open-ended response data were qualitatively analyzed using iterative cycles of coding and identifying themes. The PTD survey response rate was 100%. 71% of our graduates matched to programs ranked as 'elite' (36%) or 'top' (35%) tier. The mean total number of 'Honors' grades achieved by UME graduates was 2.6. Data showed that graduates entering elite and top GME programs did not consistently earn Honors in their associated clerkships. A positive correlation was identified between USMLE Step 1 score, number of honors, and residency program rankings for a majority of the programs. Qualitative analysis identified research, faculty, and clinical exposure as necessary characteristics of 'elite' programs:. Factors considered by PTDs in the rating of programs included reputation, faculty, research, national presence and quality of graduates. This study describes a novel outcomes-based method of evaluating the success of UME programs. Results provided useful feedback about the quality of our UME program and its ability to produce graduates who match in highly-regarded GME programs. The findings from this study can benefit Clerkship Directors, Student Affairs and Curriculam Deans, and residency PTDs as they help students determine their

Empirical evaluation methods in computer vision

CERN Document Server

Christensen, Henrik I

2002-01-01

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

A comparative experimental evaluation of uncertainty estimation methods for two-component PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Boomsma, Aaron; Bhattacharya, Sayantan; Troolin, Dan; Pothos, Stamatios; Vlachos, Pavlos

2016-09-01

Uncertainty quantification in planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement is critical for proper assessment of the quality and significance of reported results. New uncertainty estimation methods have been recently introduced generating interest about their applicability and utility. The present study compares and contrasts current methods, across two separate experiments and three software packages in order to provide a diversified assessment of the methods. We evaluated the performance of four uncertainty estimation methods, primary peak ratio (PPR), mutual information (MI), image matching (IM) and correlation statistics (CS). The PPR method was implemented and tested in two processing codes, using in-house open source PIV processing software (PRANA, Purdue University) and Insight4G (TSI, Inc.). The MI method was evaluated in PRANA, as was the IM method. The CS method was evaluated using DaVis (LaVision, GmbH). Utilizing two PIV systems for high and low-resolution measurements and a laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) system, data were acquired in a total of three cases: a jet flow and a cylinder in cross flow at two Reynolds numbers. LDV measurements were used to establish a point validation against which the high-resolution PIV measurements were validated. Subsequently, the high-resolution PIV measurements were used as a reference against which the low-resolution PIV data were assessed for error and uncertainty. We compared error and uncertainty distributions, spatially varying RMS error and RMS uncertainty, and standard uncertainty coverages. We observed that qualitatively, each method responded to spatially varying error (i.e. higher error regions resulted in higher uncertainty predictions in that region). However, the PPR and MI methods demonstrated reduced uncertainty dynamic range response. In contrast, the IM and CS methods showed better response, but under-predicted the uncertainty ranges. The standard coverages (68% confidence interval) ranged from

A comparative experimental evaluation of uncertainty estimation methods for two-component PIV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boomsma, Aaron; Troolin, Dan; Pothos, Stamatios; Bhattacharya, Sayantan; Vlachos, Pavlos

2016-01-01

Uncertainty quantification in planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement is critical for proper assessment of the quality and significance of reported results. New uncertainty estimation methods have been recently introduced generating interest about their applicability and utility. The present study compares and contrasts current methods, across two separate experiments and three software packages in order to provide a diversified assessment of the methods. We evaluated the performance of four uncertainty estimation methods, primary peak ratio (PPR), mutual information (MI), image matching (IM) and correlation statistics (CS). The PPR method was implemented and tested in two processing codes, using in-house open source PIV processing software (PRANA, Purdue University) and Insight4G (TSI, Inc.). The MI method was evaluated in PRANA, as was the IM method. The CS method was evaluated using DaVis (LaVision, GmbH). Utilizing two PIV systems for high and low-resolution measurements and a laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) system, data were acquired in a total of three cases: a jet flow and a cylinder in cross flow at two Reynolds numbers. LDV measurements were used to establish a point validation against which the high-resolution PIV measurements were validated. Subsequently, the high-resolution PIV measurements were used as a reference against which the low-resolution PIV data were assessed for error and uncertainty. We compared error and uncertainty distributions, spatially varying RMS error and RMS uncertainty, and standard uncertainty coverages. We observed that qualitatively, each method responded to spatially varying error (i.e. higher error regions resulted in higher uncertainty predictions in that region). However, the PPR and MI methods demonstrated reduced uncertainty dynamic range response. In contrast, the IM and CS methods showed better response, but under-predicted the uncertainty ranges. The standard coverages (68% confidence interval) ranged from

Stochastic seismic floor response analysis method for various damping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitada, Y.; Hattori, K.; Ogata, M.; Kanda, J.

1991-01-01

A study using the stochastic seismic response analysis method which is applicable for the estimation of floor response spectra is carried out. It is pointed out as a shortcoming in this stochastic seismic response analysis method, that the method tends to overestimate floor response spectra for low damping systems, e.g. 1% of the critical damping ratio. An investigation on the cause of the shortcoming is carried out and a number of improvements in this method were also made to the original method by taking correlation of successive peaks in a response time history into account. The application of the improved method to a typical BWR reactor building is carried out. The resultant floor response spectra are compared with those obtained by deterministic time history analysis. Floor response spectra estimated by the improved method consistently cover the response spectra obtained by the time history analysis for various damping ratios. (orig.)

Small punch test evaluation methods for material characterisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janča, Adam, E-mail: adam.janca@fjfi.cvut.cz; Siegl, Jan, E-mail: jan.siegl@fjfi.cvut.cz; Haušild, Petr, E-mail: petr.hausild@fjfi.cvut.cz

2016-12-01

The Small Punch Test (SPT) is one of the most widespread mechanical testing methods using miniaturized specimens. The paper presented deals with the time independent SPT, in which a flat specimen is bent by means of a (hemi)spherical punch moving at a constant velocity. The main goal is to relate the measured data to deformation processes taking place during specimen loading. Understanding of such relations is crucial for characterizing a material using any non-standardized experimental procedure. Using enhanced instrumentation, not only traditional load-displacement or load-deflection curves could be obtained, but also specimen thinning could be continuously measured and evaluated. Five alloys having a broad range of mechanical properties were tested. The results obtained were evaluated using both traditional and newly proposed methods and they were correlated with results of the conventional tensile test. The methods proposed seem to lead to a universal correlation between SPT results and tensile characteristics. - Highlights: • The newly proposed methodology significantly improved results of SPT. • Plastic deformation starts inside the specimen from the very beginning of loading. • Specimen thinning = punch displacement−specimen deflection. • Material response to loading is well illustrated by the novel load-thinning curve.

The evaluation of distributed damage in concrete based on sinusoidal modeling of the ultrasonic response.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepehrinezhad, Alireza; Toufigh, Vahab

2018-05-25

Ultrasonic wave attenuation is an effective descriptor of distributed damage in inhomogeneous materials. Methods developed to measure wave attenuation have the potential to provide an in-site evaluation of existing concrete structures insofar as they are accurate and time-efficient. In this study, material classification and distributed damage evaluation were investigated based on the sinusoidal modeling of the response from the through-transmission ultrasonic tests on polymer concrete specimens. The response signal was modeled as single or the sum of damping sinusoids. Due to the inhomogeneous nature of concrete materials, model parameters may vary from one specimen to another. Therefore, these parameters are not known in advance and should be estimated while the response signal is being received. The modeling procedure used in this study involves a data-adaptive algorithm to estimate the parameters online. Data-adaptive algorithms are used due to a lack of knowledge of the model parameters. The damping factor was estimated as a descriptor of the distributed damage. The results were compared in two different cases as follows: (1) constant excitation frequency with varying concrete mixtures and (2) constant mixture with varying excitation frequencies. The specimens were also loaded up to their ultimate compressive strength to investigate the effect of distributed damage in the response signal. The results of the estimation indicated that the damping was highly sensitive to the change in material inhomogeneity, even in comparable mixtures. In addition to the proposed method, three methods were employed to compare the results based on their accuracy in the classification of materials and the evaluation of the distributed damage. It is shown that the estimated damping factor is not only sensitive to damage in the final stages of loading, but it is also applicable in evaluating micro damages in the earlier stages providing a reliable descriptor of damage. In addition

Response margins investigation of piping dynamic analyses using the independent support motion method and PVRC [Pressure Vessel Research Committee] damping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezler, P.; Wang, Y.K.; Reich, M.

1988-03-01

An evaluation of Independent Support Motion (ISM) response spectrum methods of analysis coupled with the Pressure Vessel Research Committee (PVRC) recommendation for damping, to compute the dynamic component of the seismic response of piping systems, was completed. Response estimates for five piping/structural systems were developed using fourteen variants of the ISM response spectrum method, the Uniform Support Motions response spectrum method and the ISM time history analysis method, all based on the PVRC recommendations for damping. The ISM/PVRC calculational procedures were found to exhibit orderly characteristics with levels of conservatism comparable to those obtained with the ISM/uniform damping procedures. Using the ISM/PVRC response spectrum method with absolute combination between group contributions provided consistently conservative results while using the ISM/PVRC response spectrum method with square root sum of squares combination between group contributions provided estimates of response which were deemed to be acceptable

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

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

An Integrated Health Monitoring Method for Structural Fatigue Life Evaluation Using Limited Sensor Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingjing He

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A general framework for structural fatigue life evaluation under fatigue cyclic loading using limited sensor data is proposed in this paper. First, limited sensor data are measured from various sensors which are preset on the complex structure. Then the strain data at remote spots are used to obtain the strain responses at critical spots by the strain/stress reconstruction method based on empirical mode decomposition (REMD method. All the computations in this paper are directly performed in the time domain. After the local stress responses at critical spots are determined, fatigue life evaluation can be performed for structural health management and risk assessment. Fatigue life evaluation using the reconstructed stresses from remote strain gauge measurement data is also demonstrated with detailed error analysis. Following this, the proposed methodology is demonstrated using a three-dimensional frame structure and a simplified airfoil structure. Finally, several conclusions and future work are drawn based on the proposed study.

PET/CT in staging and treatment response evaluation in lymphomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bochev, P.

2015-01-01

Full text:The introduction of positron emission tomography (PET) and especially PET/CT with FDG in 2001 resulted in new concepts of overall management of patients with lymphoma and changed significantly the staging process and treatment response assessment. The considerable amount of literature and clinical trial data allowed leading cancer organizations like NCCN to incorporate in their current guidelines FDG-PET as a sole imaging modality in the management of Hodgkin‘s lymphoma, and an essential one in the management of FDG avid non-Hodgkin lymphoma (where indications vary based on particular histology). Main indications of FDG PET/CT in lymphoma are initial staging, restaging upon completion of therapy (EOT PET) and treatment response assessment. While staging with FDG and EOT PET restaging alone or combined with CECT have a straight-forward advantage over CT in evaluating small and borderline sized lymph nodes, bone marrow involvement and residual masses, treatment response assessment is rather challenging. By now and after long term trial evaluations, the response assessment is based on a visual assessment five point scale – Deauvillae criteria for response evaluation in HD and combined lugano criteria for NHL. The scale defines PET negative and PET positive cases as a presentation of responders versus non-responders which directly affects management. Although ESMO restricts the use of FDG-PET response evaluation in clinical trials only, NCCN go further, and bases its treatment recommendations on FDG-PET (Interim PET). Nowadays PET/CT is extensively used also in radiotherapy planning, which, in lymphoma patients include initial staging scans on a flat table, in order to assure similar position of future involved sites RT. Despite the extensive use of FDG with the above mentioned indications, neither evidence based guidelines, nor routine clinical practice could recommend follow up of lymphoma patients with FDG-PET. An exception could be made for ositive or

Are Auditory Steady-State Responses Useful to Evaluate Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss in Children?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Signe Schuster Grasel

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To evaluate Auditory Steady-State Responses (ASSR at high intensities in pediatric cochlear implant candidates and to compare the results to behavioral tests responses. Methods. This prospective study evaluated 42 children with suspected severe-to-profound hearing loss, aged from 3 to 72 months. All had absent ABR and OAE responses. ASSR were evoked using binaural single frequency stimuli at 110 dB HL with a 10 dB down-seeking procedure. ASSR and behavioral test results were compared. Results. Forty-two subjects completed both ASSR and behavioral evaluation. Eleven children (26.2% had bilateral responses. Four (9.5% showed unilateral responses in at least two frequencies, all confirmed by behavioral results. Overall 61 ASSR responses were obtained, most (37.7% in 500 Hz. Mean thresholds were between 101.3 and 104.2 dB HL. Among 27 subjects with absent ASSR, fifteen had no behavioral responses. Seven subjects showed behavioral responses with absent ASSR responses. No spurious ASSR responses were observed at 100 or 110 dB HL. Conclusion. ASSR is a valuable tool to detect residual hearing. No false-positive ASSR results were observed among 42 children, but in seven cases with absent ASSR, the test underestimated residual hearing as compared to the behavioral responses.

Seismic response of structures by the response spectrum method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadjian, A.H.

1981-01-01

The problems of the acceleration profile at the lower elevations of cantilever structures and the response of relatively rigid structures are explored. It is shown that the use of the conventional methods for the above problems provide very approximate results. An alternate combination of the modal responses is proposed that not only resolves the above problems but also provides better estimates of response for the complete range of structure frequencies. The procedure treats the relative and rigid body responses separately and then appropriately combines the two results. For the rigid range of frequencies (fundamental frequencies greater than about 2 Hz), the proposed procedure does not encounter any numerical difficulties because of the additive nature of the component responses; however, the application of the proposed procedure for very flexible structures causes accuracy problems since the rigid body effects tend to be subtractive from the flexural response of about equal magnitude. For this latter class of problems, the conventional approach of modal combination provides adequate results and avoids the above mentioned numerical difficulties. (orig.)

Consumer behavior changing: methods of evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elīna Gaile-Sarkane

2013-11-01

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

Response surface reconciliation method of bolted joints structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunus Mohd Azmi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Structural joining methods such as bolted joints are commonly used for the assembly of structural components due to their simplicity and easy maintenance. Understandably, the dynamic characteristic of bolted joined structure is mainly influenced by the properties of their joints such as preload on the bolts and joints stiffness which alter the measured dynamics response of the structure. Therefore, the need to include the local effect of the bolted joints into the numerical model of the bolted joined structure is vitally important in order to represent the model accurately. In this paper, a few types of connector elements that can be used to represent the bolted joints such as CBAR, CBEAM and CELAS have been investigated numerically and experimentally. The initial numerical results of these element connectors are compared with the experimental results in term of natural frequencies and mode shapes. The comparative evaluation of numerical and the experimental data are performed in order to provide some insights of inaccuracies in the numerical model due to invalid assumption in the numerical modelling such as geometry, material properties, and boundary conditions. The discrepancies between both results (numerical and experimental data are then corrected using the response surface reconciliation method (RSRM through which the finite element model is altered in order to provide closer agreement with the measured data so that it can be used for subsequence analysis.

The Diffraction Response Interpolation Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Søren Kragh; Wilhjelm, Jens Erik; Pedersen, Peder C.

1998-01-01

Computer modeling of the output voltage in a pulse-echo system is computationally very demanding, particularly whenconsidering reflector surfaces of arbitrary geometry. A new, efficient computational tool, the diffraction response interpolationmethod (DRIM), for modeling of reflectors in a fluid...... medium, is presented. The DRIM is based on the velocity potential impulseresponse method, adapted to pulse-echo applications by the use of acoustical reciprocity. Specifically, the DRIM operates bydividing the reflector surface into planar elements, finding the diffraction response at the corners...

Evaluation of adding item-response theory analysis for evaluation of the European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathysen, Danny G P; Aclimandos, Wagih; Roelant, Ella; Wouters, Kristien; Creuzot-Garcher, Catherine; Ringens, Peter J; Hawlina, Marko; Tassignon, Marie-José

2013-11-01

To investigate whether introduction of item-response theory (IRT) analysis, in parallel to the 'traditional' statistical analysis methods available for performance evaluation of multiple T/F items as used in the European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma (EBOD) examination, has proved beneficial, and secondly, to study whether the overall assessment performance of the current written part of EBOD is sufficiently high (KR-20≥ 0.90) to be kept as examination format in future EBOD editions. 'Traditional' analysis methods for individual MCQ item performance comprise P-statistics, Rit-statistics and item discrimination, while overall reliability is evaluated through KR-20 for multiple T/F items. The additional set of statistical analysis methods for the evaluation of EBOD comprises mainly IRT analysis. These analysis techniques are used to monitor whether the introduction of negative marking for incorrect answers (since EBOD 2010) has a positive influence on the statistical performance of EBOD as a whole and its individual test items in particular. Item-response theory analysis demonstrated that item performance parameters should not be evaluated individually, but should be related to one another. Before the introduction of negative marking, the overall EBOD reliability (KR-20) was good though with room for improvement (EBOD 2008: 0.81; EBOD 2009: 0.78). After the introduction of negative marking, the overall reliability of EBOD improved significantly (EBOD 2010: 0.92; EBOD 2011:0.91; EBOD 2012: 0.91). Although many statistical performance parameters are available to evaluate individual items, our study demonstrates that the overall reliability assessment remains the only crucial parameter to be evaluated allowing comparison. While individual item performance analysis is worthwhile to undertake as secondary analysis, drawing final conclusions seems to be more difficult. Performance parameters need to be related, as shown by IRT analysis. Therefore, IRT analysis has

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

2009-01-01

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

Development of thermal fatigue evaluation methods of piping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasahara, Naoto; Itoh, Takamoto; Okazaki, Masakazu; Okuda, Yukihiko; Kamaya, Masayuki; Nakamura, Akira; Nakamura, Hitoshi; Machida, Hideo; Matsumoto, Masaaki

2013-01-01

Nuclear piping has various kinds of thermal fatigue failure modes. Main causes of thermal loads are structural responses to fluid temperature changes during plant operation. These phenomena have complex mechanisms and so many patterns, that their problems still occur even though well-known issues. To prevent thermal fatigue due to above thermal loads, the JSME guideline is adopted. Both thermal load and fatigue failure mechanism have been investigated and summarized into the knowledgebase. Based on above knowledge, improved methods for the JSME guideline and Numerical simulation methods for thermal fatigue evaluation were studied. Furthermore, probabilistic failure analysis approach with main influence parameters were investigated to be applied for the plant system safety. (author)

A comparison of methods for evaluating structure during ship collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammerman, D.J.; Daidola, J.C.

1996-01-01

A comparison is provided of the results of various methods for evaluating structure during a ship-to-ship collision. The baseline vessel utilized in the analyses is a 67.4 meter in length displacement hull struck by an identical vessel traveling at speeds ranging from 10 to 30 knots. The structural response of the struck vessel and motion of both the struck and striking vessels are assessed by finite element analysis. These same results are then compared to predictions utilizing the open-quotes Tanker Structural Analysis for Minor Collisionsclose quotes (TSAMC) Method, the Minorsky Method, the Haywood Collision Process, and comparison to full-scale tests. Consideration is given to the nature of structural deformation, absorbed energy, penetration, rigid body motion, and virtual mass affecting the hydrodynamic response. Insights are provided with regard to the calibration of the finite element model which was achievable through utilizing the more empirical analyses and the extent to which the finite element analysis is able to simulate the entire collision event. 7 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs

Developing a framework for evaluating tallgrass prairie reconstruction methods and management

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, Diane L.; Ahlering, Marissa; Drobney, Pauline; Esser, Rebecca; Larson, Jennifer L.; Viste-Sparkman, Karen

2018-01-01

The thousands of hectares of prairie reconstructed each year in the tallgrass prairie biome can provide a valuable resource for evaluation of seed mixes, planting methods, and post-planting management if methods used and resulting characteristics of the prairies are recorded and compiled in a publicly accessible database. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of such data to understand the outcomes of reconstructions over a 10-year period at two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges. Variables included number of species planted, seed source (combine-harvest or combine-harvest plus hand-collected), fire history, and planting method and season. In 2015 we surveyed vegetation on 81 reconstructions and calculated proportion of planted species observed; introduced species richness; native species richness, evenness and diversity; and mean coefficient of conservatism. We conducted exploratory analyses to learn how implied communities based on seed mix compared with observed vegetation; which seeding or management variables were influential in the outcome of the reconstructions; and consistency of responses between the two refuges. Insights from this analysis include: 1) proportion of planted species observed in 2015 declined as planted richness increased, but lack of data on seeding rate per species limited conclusions about value of added species; 2) differing responses to seeding and management between the two refuges suggest the importance of geographic variability that could be addressed using a public database; and 3) variables such as fire history are difficult to quantify consistently and should be carefully evaluated in the context of a public data repository.

A NRC-BNL benchmark evaluation of seismic analysis methods for non-classically damped coupled systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, J.; DeGrassi, G.; Chokshi, N.

2004-01-01

Under the auspices of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) developed a comprehensive program to evaluate state-of-the-art methods and computer programs for seismic analysis of typical coupled nuclear power plant (NPP) systems with non-classical damping. In this program, four benchmark models of coupled building-piping/equipment systems with different damping characteristics were developed and analyzed by BNL for a suite of earthquakes. The BNL analysis was carried out by the Wilson-θ time domain integration method with the system-damping matrix computed using a synthesis formulation as presented in a companion paper [Nucl. Eng. Des. (2002)]. These benchmark problems were subsequently distributed to and analyzed by program participants applying their uniquely developed methods and computer programs. This paper is intended to offer a glimpse at the program, and provide a summary of major findings and principle conclusions with some representative results. The participant's analysis results established using complex modal time history methods showed good comparison with the BNL solutions, while the analyses produced with either complex-mode response spectrum methods or classical normal-mode response spectrum method, in general, produced more conservative results, when averaged over a suite of earthquakes. However, when coupling due to damping is significant, complex-mode response spectrum methods performed better than the classical normal-mode response spectrum method. Furthermore, as part of the program objectives, a parametric assessment is also presented in this paper, aimed at evaluation of the applicability of various analysis methods to problems with different dynamic characteristics unique to coupled NPP systems. It is believed that the findings and insights learned from this program will be useful in developing new acceptance criteria and providing guidance for future regulatory activities involving license

Consumer Trust in and Emotional Response to Advertisements on Social Media and their Influence on Brand Evaluation

OpenAIRE

Ivanete Schneider Hahn; Flavia Luciane Scherer; Kenny Basso; Marindia Brachak dos Santos

2016-01-01

Social media is becoming an important part of an organization's media strategy. This study examines the effects of trust and consumer emotional response to advertisements on brand evaluation in an online social media context. The study used a survey method, and the studied population consisted of 927 Brazilian social media users (Facebook subscribers). The results showed the following: (1) the emotional response to advertising on social media had a positive influence on brand evaluation; and ...

Color image definition evaluation method based on deep learning method

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Di; Li, YingChun

2018-01-01

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

Sum rules in the response function method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takayanagi, Kazuo

1990-01-01

Sum rules in the response function method are studied in detail. A sum rule can be obtained theoretically by integrating the imaginary part of the response function over the excitation energy with a corresponding energy weight. Generally, the response function is calculated perturbatively in terms of the residual interaction, and the expansion can be described by diagrammatic methods. In this paper, we present a classification of the diagrams so as to clarify which diagram has what contribution to which sum rule. This will allow us to get insight into the contributions to the sum rules of all the processes expressed by Goldstone diagrams. (orig.)

Nonlinear response matrix methods for radiative transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, W.F. Jr.; Lewis, E.E.

1987-01-01

A nonlinear response matrix formalism is presented for the solution of time-dependent radiative transfer problems. The essential feature of the method is that within each computational cell the temperature is calculated in response to the incoming photons from all frequency groups. Thus the updating of the temperature distribution is placed within the iterative solution of the spaceangle transport problem, instead of being placed outside of it. The method is formulated for both grey and multifrequency problems and applied in slab geometry. The method is compared to the more conventional source iteration technique. 7 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Hazard curve evaluation method development for a forest fire as an external hazard on nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okano, Yasushi; Yamano, Hidemasa

2016-01-01

A method to obtain a hazard curve of a forest fire was developed. The method has four steps: a logic tree formulation, a response surface evaluation, a Monte Carlo simulation, and an annual exceedance frequency calculation. The logic tree consists domains of 'forest fire breakout and spread conditions', 'weather conditions', 'vegetation conditions', and 'forest fire simulation conditions.' Condition parameters of the logic boxes are static if stable during a forest fire or not sensitive to a forest fire intensity, and non-static parameters are variables whose frequency/probability is given based on existing databases or evaluations. Response surfaces of a reaction intensity and a fireline intensity were prepared by interpolating outputs from a number of forest fire propagation simulations by fire area simulator (FARSITE). The Monte Carlo simulation was performed where one sample represented a set of variable parameters of the logic boxes and a corresponding intensity was evaluated from the response surface. The hazard curve, i.e. an annual exceedance frequency of the intensity, was therefore calculated from the histogram of the Monte Carlo simulation outputs. The new method was applied to evaluate hazard curves of a reaction intensity and a fireline intensity for a typical location around a sodium-cooled fast reactor in Japan. (author)

TH-E-202-03: PET for Tumor Response Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, W.

2016-01-01

PET/CT is a very important imaging tool in the management of oncology patients. PET/CT has been applied for treatment planning and response evaluation in radiation therapy. This educational session will discuss: Pitfalls and remedies in PET/CT imaging for RT planning The use of hypoxia PET imaging for radiotherapy PET for tumor response evaluation The first presentation will address the issue of mis-registration between the CT and PET images in the thorax and the abdomen. We will discuss the challenges of respiratory gating and introduce an average CT technique to improve the registration for dose calculation and image-guidance in radiation therapy. The second presentation will discuss the use of hypoxia PET Imaging for radiation therapy. We will discuss various hypoxia radiotracers, the choice of clinical acquisition protocol (in particular a single late static acquisition versus a dynamic acquisition), and the compartmental modeling with different transfer rate constants explained. We will demonstrate applications of hypoxia imaging for dose escalation/de-escalation in clinical trials. The last presentation will discuss the use of PET/CT for tumor response evaluation. We will discuss anatomic response assessment vs. metabolic response assessment, visual evaluation and semi-quantitative evaluation, and limitations of current PET/CT assessment. We will summarize clinical trials using PET response in guiding adaptive radiotherapy. Finally, we will summarize recent advancements in PET/CT radiomics and non-FDG PET tracers for response assessment. Learning Objectives: Identify the causes of mis-registration of CT and PET images in PET/CT, and review the strategies to remedy the issue. Understand the basics of PET imaging of tumor hypoxia (radiotracers, how PET measures the hypoxia selective uptake, imaging protocols, applications in chemo-radiation therapy). Understand the basics of dynamic PET imaging, compartmental modeling and parametric images. Understand the

TH-E-202-03: PET for Tumor Response Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, W. [University of Maryland School of Medicine (United States)

2016-06-15

PET/CT is a very important imaging tool in the management of oncology patients. PET/CT has been applied for treatment planning and response evaluation in radiation therapy. This educational session will discuss: Pitfalls and remedies in PET/CT imaging for RT planning The use of hypoxia PET imaging for radiotherapy PET for tumor response evaluation The first presentation will address the issue of mis-registration between the CT and PET images in the thorax and the abdomen. We will discuss the challenges of respiratory gating and introduce an average CT technique to improve the registration for dose calculation and image-guidance in radiation therapy. The second presentation will discuss the use of hypoxia PET Imaging for radiation therapy. We will discuss various hypoxia radiotracers, the choice of clinical acquisition protocol (in particular a single late static acquisition versus a dynamic acquisition), and the compartmental modeling with different transfer rate constants explained. We will demonstrate applications of hypoxia imaging for dose escalation/de-escalation in clinical trials. The last presentation will discuss the use of PET/CT for tumor response evaluation. We will discuss anatomic response assessment vs. metabolic response assessment, visual evaluation and semi-quantitative evaluation, and limitations of current PET/CT assessment. We will summarize clinical trials using PET response in guiding adaptive radiotherapy. Finally, we will summarize recent advancements in PET/CT radiomics and non-FDG PET tracers for response assessment. Learning Objectives: Identify the causes of mis-registration of CT and PET images in PET/CT, and review the strategies to remedy the issue. Understand the basics of PET imaging of tumor hypoxia (radiotracers, how PET measures the hypoxia selective uptake, imaging protocols, applications in chemo-radiation therapy). Understand the basics of dynamic PET imaging, compartmental modeling and parametric images. Understand the

Classes evaluation: Methods and tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grabiński Tadeusz

2013-01-01

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

Example of emergency response model evaluation of studies using the Mathew/Adpic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickerson, M.H.; Lange, R.

1986-04-01

This report summarizes model evaluation studies conducted for the MATHEW/ADPIC transport and diffusion models during the past ten years. These models support the US Department of Energy Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability, an emergency response service for atmospheric releases of nuclear material. Field studies involving tracer releases used in these studies cover a broad range of meteorology, terrain and tracer release heights, the three most important aspects of estimating air concentration values resulting from airborne releases of toxic material. Results of these studies show that these models can estimate air concentration values within a factor of 2 20% to 50% of the time and a factor of 5 40% to 80% of the time. As the meterology and terrain become more complex and the release height of the tracer is increased, the accuracy of the model calculations degrades. This band of uncertainty appears to correctly represent the capability of these models at this time. A method for estimating angular uncertainty in the model calculations is described and used to suggest alternative methods for evaluating emergency response models

Nonlinear ultrasonic imaging method for closed cracks using subtraction of responses at different external loads.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohara, Yoshikazu; Horinouchi, Satoshi; Hashimoto, Makoto; Shintaku, Yohei; Yamanaka, Kazushi

2011-08-01

To improve the selectivity of closed cracks for objects other than cracks in ultrasonic imaging, we propose an extension of a novel imaging method, namely, subharmonic phased array for crack evaluation (SPACE) as well as another approach using the subtraction of responses at different external loads. By applying external static or dynamic loads to closed cracks, the contact state in the cracks varies, resulting in an intensity change of responses at cracks. In contrast, objects other than cracks are independent of external load. Therefore, only cracks can be extracted by subtracting responses at different loads. In this study, we performed fundamental experiments on a closed fatigue crack formed in an aluminum alloy compact tension (CT) specimen using the proposed method. We examined the static load dependence of SPACE images and the dynamic load dependence of linear phased array (PA) images by simulating the external loads with a servohydraulic fatigue testing machine. By subtracting the images at different external loads, we show that this method is useful in extracting only the intensity change of responses related to closed cracks, while canceling the responses of objects other than cracks. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reanalysis and evaluation of seismic response of reactor building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhongcheng; Li Zhongxian

2005-01-01

For the Ling Ao phase-I (LA-I) Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), its' seismic analysis of nuclear island was in accordance with the approaches in RCC-G standard for the model M310 in France, in which the Simplified impedance method was employed for the consideration of SSI. Thanks to the rapid progress being made in upgrading the evaluation technology and the capability of data processing systems, methods and software tools for the SSI analysis have experienced significant development all over the world. Focused on the model of reactor building of the LA-I NPP, in this paper the more sophisticated 3D half-space continuum impedance method based on the Green functions is used to analyze the functions of the soil, and then the seismic responses of the coupled SSI system are calculated and compared with the corresponding design values. It demonstrates that the design method provides a set of conservatively safe results. The conclusions from the study are hopefully to provide some important references to the assessment of seismic safety margin for LA-I NPP. (authors)

Development of quantitative methods for spill response planning: a trajectory analysis planner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galt, J.A.; Payton, D.L.

1999-01-01

In planning for response to oil spills, a great deal of information must be assimilated. Typically, geophysical flow patterns, ocean turbulence, complex chemical processes, ecological setting, fisheries activities, economics of land use, and engineering constraints on response equipment all need to be considered. This presents a formidable analysis problem. It can be shown, however, that if an appropriate set of evaluation data is available, an objective function and appropriate constraints can be formulated. From these equations, the response problem can be cast in terms of game theory of decision analysis and an optimal solution can be obtained using common scarce-resource allocation methods. The optimal solution obtained by this procedure maximises the expected return over all possible implementations of a given set of response options. While considering the development of an optimal spill response, it is useful to consider whether (in the absence of complete data) implementing some subset of these methods is possible to provide relevant and useful information for the spill planning process, even though it may fall short of a statistically optimal solution. In this work we introduce a trajectory analysis planning (TAP) methodology that can provide a cohesive framework for integrating physical transport processes, environmental sensitivity of regional sites, and potential response options. This trajectory analysis planning methodology can be shown to implement a significant part of the game theory analysis and provide 'minimum regret' strategy advice, without actually carrying out the optimisation procedures. (Author)

Evaluation of therapeutic response with 18-FDG PET-CT for non-small cell lung cancer: case report and literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bitencourt, Almir G.V.; Lima, Eduardo N.P.; Chojniak, Rubens; Haddad, Fabio J.; Dettino, Aldo L.A.; Cavicchioli, Marcelo; Torres, Ivone C.G.

2010-01-01

Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography (PET-CT) is increasingly being used as to complement conventional imaging methods and improve the management of patients with non-small cells lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this work is to report on a case in which PET-CT was used as a complementary method to evaluate the therapeutic response in a patient with NSCLC, and to carry out a literature review of the theme. Female patient, 65 years-old, with NSCLC, stage IIIA (T2N2M0), was submitted to exclusive neoadjuvant chemotherapy and presented good response to the treatment, classified by the morphological criteria of the RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) as a partial response (reduction equal to or greater than 30% in the sum of the widest diameter of all the target lesions in the computed tomography). The metabolic evaluation by PET-CT showed a complete response (reduction equal to or higher than 80% at maximum SUV of the lesions), which was confirmed in the histopathological analysis of the surgical samples. In the case presented, and through the literature review, we show that the evaluation of response with metabolic criteria, associated with morphological criteria, may be more accurate than the use of morphological criteria alone. (author)

Hybrid Decision-making Method for Emergency Response System of Unattended Train Operation Metro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bobo Zhao

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Suitable selection of the emergency alternatives is a critical issue in emergency response system of Unattended Train Operation (UTO metro system of China. However, there is no available method for dispatcher group in Operating Control Center (OCC to evaluate the decision under emergency situation. It was found that the emergency decision making in UTO metro system is relative with the preferences and the importance of multi-dispatcher in emergency. Regarding these factors, this paper presents a hybrid method to determinate the priority weights of emergency alternatives, which aggregates the preference matrix by constructing the emergency response task model based on the Weighted Ordered Weighted Averaging (WOWA operator. This calculation approach derives the importance weights depending on the dispatcher emergency tasks and integrates it into the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA operator weights based on a fuzzy membership relation. A case from train fire is given to demonstrate the feasibility and practicability of the proposed methods for Group Multi-Criteria Decision Making (GMCDM in emergency management of UTO metro system. The innovation of this research is paving the way for a systematic emergency decision-making solution which connects the automatic metro emergency response system with the GMCDM theory.

Evaluation of Methods for In-Situ Calibration of Field-Deployable Microphone Phased Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, William M.; Lockard, David P.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; Culliton, William G.; McSwain, Robert G.

2017-01-01

Current field-deployable microphone phased arrays for aeroacoustic flight testing require the placement of hundreds of individual sensors over a large area. Depending on the duration of the test campaign, the microphones may be required to stay deployed at the testing site for weeks or even months. This presents a challenge in regards to tracking the response (i.e., sensitivity) of the individual sensors as a function of time in order to evaluate the health of the array. To address this challenge, two different methods for in-situ tracking of microphone responses are described. The first relies on the use of an aerial sound source attached as a payload on a hovering small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) vehicle. The second relies on the use of individually excited ground-based sound sources strategically placed throughout the array pattern. Testing of the two methods was performed in microphone array deployments conducted at Fort A.P. Hill in 2015 and at Edwards Air Force Base in 2016. The results indicate that the drift in individual sensor responses can be tracked reasonably well using both methods. Thus, in-situ response tracking methods are useful as a diagnostic tool for monitoring the health of a phased array during long duration deployments.

Stochastic evaluation of the dynamic response and the cumulative damage of nuclear power plant piping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Kohei; Aoki, Shigeru; Hanaoka, Masaaki

1981-01-01

This report deals with a fundamental study concerning an evaluation of uncertainties of the nuclear piping response and cumulative damage under excess-earthquake loadings. The main purposes of this study cover following several problems. (1) Experimental estimation analysis of the uncertainties concerning the dynamic response and the cumulative failure by using piping test model. (2) Numerical simulation analysis by Monte Carlo method under the assumption that relation between restoring force and deformation is characterized by perfectly elasto-plastic one. (Checking the mathematical model.) (3) Development of the conventional uncertainty estimating method by introducing a perturbation technique based on an appropriate equivalently linearized approach. (Checking the estimation technique.) (4) An application of this method to more realistical cases. Through above mentioned procedures some important results are obtained as follows; First, fundamental statistical properties of the natural frequencies and the number of cycle to failure crack initiation are evaluated. Second, the effect of the frequency fluctuation and the yielding fluctuation are estimated and examined through Monte Carlo simulation technique. It has become clear that the yielding fluctuation gives significant effect on the piping power response up to its failure initiation. Finally some results through proposed perturbation technique are discussed. Statistical properties estimated coincide fairly well with those through numerical simulation. (author)

Semiautomated volumetric response evaluation as an imaging biomarker in superior sulcus tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vos, C.G.; Paul, M.A.; Dahele, M.; Soernsen de Koste, J.R. van; Senan, S.; Bahce, I.; Smit, E.F.; Thunnissen, E.; Hartemink, K.J.

2014-01-01

Volumetric response to therapy has been suggested as a biomarker for patient-centered outcomes. The primary aim of this pilot study was to investigate whether the volumetric response to induction chemoradiotherapy was associated with pathological complete response (pCR) or survival in patients with superior sulcus tumors managed with trimodality therapy. The secondary aim was to evaluate a semiautomated method for serial volume assessment. In this retrospective study, treatment outcomes were obtained from a departmental database. The tumor was delineated on the computed tomography (CT) scan used for radiotherapy planning, which was typically performed during the first cycle of chemotherapy. These contours were transferred to the post-chemoradiotherapy diagnostic CT scan using deformable image registration (DIR) with/without manual editing. CT scans from 30 eligible patients were analyzed. Median follow-up was 51 months. Neither absolute nor relative reduction in tumor volume following chemoradiotherapy correlated with pCR or 2-year survival. The tumor volumes determined by DIR alone and DIR + manual editing correlated to a high degree (R 2 = 0.99, P < 0.01). Volumetric response to induction chemoradiotherapy was not correlated with pCR or survival in patients with superior sulcus tumors managed with trimodality therapy. DIR-based contour propagation merits further evaluation as a tool for serial volumetric assessment. (orig.)

Dynamic response evaluation of sensorless MPPT method for hybrid PV-DFIG wind turbine system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danvu Nguyen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This research proposes a sensorless Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT method for a hybrid Photovoltaic-Wind system, which consists of Photovoltaic (PV system and Doubly-Fed Induction Generator (DFIG Wind Turbine. In the hybrid system, the DC/DC converter output of the PV system is directly connected to the DC-link of DFIG’s back-to-back converter. Therefore, the PV inverter and its associated circuit can be removed in this structure. Typically, the PV power is monitored by using PV current sensor and PV voltage sensor for MPPT. In this paper, the powers of converters on grid side and rotor side of DFIG are used to estimate the PV power without the PV current sensor. That can efficiently reduce the cost of the hybrid system. The detailed analysis of the sensorless MPPT method, which includes derived equations and operation response, is also presented in this paper. In addition, an overview of PV-DFIG research in literature is stated to supply comprehensive knowledge of related research.

Relationships between response surfaces for tablet characteristics of placebo and API-containing tablets manufactured by direct compression method.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Yoshihiro; Tsuji, Takahiro; Shirotori, Kaede; Oishi, Takuya; Kosugi, Atsushi; Kumada, Shungo; Hirai, Daijiro; Takayama, Kozo; Onuki, Yoshinori

2017-10-30

In this study, we evaluated the correlation between the response surfaces for the tablet characteristics of placebo and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)-containing tablets. The quantities of lactose, cornstarch, and microcrystalline cellulose were chosen as the formulation factors. Ten tablet formulations were prepared. The tensile strength (TS) and disintegration time (DT) of tablets were measured as tablet characteristics. The response surfaces for TS and DT were estimated using a nonlinear response surface method incorporating multivariate spline interpolation, and were then compared with those of placebo tablets. A correlation was clearly observed for TS and DT of all APIs, although the value of the response surfaces for TS and DT was highly dependent on the type of API used. Based on this knowledge, the response surfaces for TS and DT of API-containing tablets were predicted from only two and four formulations using regression expression and placebo tablet data, respectively. The results from the evaluation of prediction accuracy showed that this method accurately predicted TS and DT, suggesting that it could construct a reliable response surface for TS and DT with a small number of samples. This technique assists in the effective estimation of the relationships between design variables and pharmaceutical responses during pharmaceutical development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Success tree method of resources evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Qinglan; Sun Wenpeng

1994-01-01

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

LNG Safety Assessment Evaluation Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2015-05-01

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

A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-10-13

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

Evaluation Methods for Prevention Education.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2000-01-01

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

A method for evaluation of UV and biologically effective exposures to plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paris, A.V.; Southern Queensland Univ., Toowoomba, QLD; Wong, J.C.F.; Galea, V.

1996-01-01

This paper presents a method for evaluating the UV and biologically effective exposures to a plant canopy during the irradiation of soybean with supplemental levels of UV radiation in a greenhouse study. The method employs four materials as dosimeters that allow evaluation of the UV spectra. The exposures evaluated at three growth stages were less by factors of 0.44, 0.49 and 0.56 compared to the ambient exposures. At the end of the irradiation period, the ambient biologically effective exposure for generalized plant response was higher by 180% compared to that calculated over the canopy. This is the magnitude of the error in UV studies that provide the ambient exposure as a measure of the UV incident on the plant. Additionally, the difference between the ambient and canopy exposures varied during the growth stages. These results indicate that the dosimetric technique applied to evaluating the UV exposures over a plant canopy is a more accurate representation of the UV exposure incidence on a plant than any obtained by measuring the ambient exposures only. (Author)

A hybrid method for evaluating enterprise architecture implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-02-01

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

Evaluation of a proposed optimization method for discrete-event simulation models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandre Ferreira de Pinho

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Optimization methods combined with computer-based simulation have been utilized in a wide range of manufacturing applications. However, in terms of current technology, these methods exhibit low performance levels which are only able to manipulate a single decision variable at a time. Thus, the objective of this article is to evaluate a proposed optimization method for discrete-event simulation models based on genetic algorithms which exhibits more efficiency in relation to computational time when compared to software packages on the market. It should be emphasized that the variable's response quality will not be altered; that is, the proposed method will maintain the solutions' effectiveness. Thus, the study draws a comparison between the proposed method and that of a simulation instrument already available on the market and has been examined in academic literature. Conclusions are presented, confirming the proposed optimization method's efficiency.

Early Evaluation of Response Using 18F-FDG PET Influences Management in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Imatinib.

Science.gov (United States)

Farag, Sheima; Geus-Oei, Lioe-Fee de; van der Graaf, Winette T; van Coevorden, Frits; Grunhagen, Dirk; Reyners, Anna K L; Boonstra, Pieter A; Desar, Ingrid; Gelderblom, Hans; Steeghs, Neeltje

2018-02-01

18 F-FDG PET has previously been proven effective as an early way to evaluate the response of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) to imatinib treatment. However, it is unclear whether early evaluation of response affects treatment decisions in GIST patients treated with neoadjuvant intent. Methods: We retrospectively scored changes in management based on early evaluation of response by 18 F-FDG PET in patients in the Dutch GIST registry treated with neoadjuvant imatinib. Results: Seventy 18 F-FDG PET scans were obtained for 63 GIST patients to evaluate for an early response to neoadjuvant imatinib. The scans led to a change in management in 27.1% of the patients. Change in management correlated strongly with lack of metabolic response ( P PET for early evaluation of response often results in a change of management in GIST patients harboring the non- KIT exon 11 mutation and should be considered the standard of care in GIST patients treated with neoadjuvant intent. © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

A nodal method based on the response-matrix method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunha Menezes Filho, A. da; Rocamora Junior, F.D.

1983-02-01

A nodal approach based on the Response-Matrix method is presented with the purpose of investigating the possibility of mixing two different allocations in the same problem. It is found that the use of allocation of albedo combined with allocation of direct reflection produces good results for homogeneous fast reactor configurations. (Author) [pt

Research into real-option evaluation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiba, Tsuyoshi; Wakamatsu, Hitoshi

2002-03-01

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

Evaluation of local corrosion life by statistical method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1987-01-01

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

A new method used to evaluate organic working fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xinxin; He, Maogang; Wang, Jingfu

2014-01-01

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

Multi-response optimization of T300/epoxy prepreg tape-wound cylinder by grey relational analysis coupled with the response surface method

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Chao; Shi, Yaoyao; He, Xiaodong; Yu, Tao; Deng, Bo; Zhang, Hongji; Sun, Pengcheng; Zhang, Wenbin

2017-09-01

This study investigates the multi-objective optimization of quality characteristics for a T300/epoxy prepreg tape-wound cylinder. The method integrates the Taguchi method, grey relational analysis (GRA) and response surface methodology, and is adopted to improve tensile strength and reduce residual stress. In the winding process, the main process parameters involving winding tension, pressure, temperature and speed are selected to evaluate the parametric influences on tensile strength and residual stress. Experiments are conducted using the Box-Behnken design. Based on principal component analysis, the grey relational grades are properly established to convert multi-responses into an individual objective problem. Then the response surface method is used to build a second-order model of grey relational grade and predict the optimum parameters. The predictive accuracy of the developed model is proved by two test experiments with a low prediction error of less than 7%. The following process parameters, namely winding tension 124.29 N, pressure 2000 N, temperature 40 °C and speed 10.65 rpm, have the highest grey relational grade and give better quality characteristics in terms of tensile strength and residual stress. The confirmation experiment shows that better results are obtained with GRA improved by the proposed method than with ordinary GRA. The proposed method is proved to be feasible and can be applied to optimize the multi-objective problem in the filament winding process.

Computational methods for data evaluation and assimilation

CERN Document Server

Cacuci, Dan Gabriel

2013-01-01

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

A calibration method for PLLs based on transient response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cassia, Marco; Shah, Peter Jivan; Bruun, Erik

2004-01-01

A novel method to calibrate the frequency response of a Phase-Locked Loop is presented. The method requires just an additional digital counter and an auxiliary Phase-Frequency Detector (PFD) to measure the natural frequency of the PLL. The measured value can be used to tune the PLL response...

Tube-support response to tube-denting evaluation. Volume 1. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, P.L.; Hall, J.F.; Shah, P.K.; Wills, R.L.

1983-05-01

The response of the tube supports is one of the important considerations of tube denting in a steam generator. Investigations have indicated that damaged tube supports have the potential to distort and damage tubes. This investigation considers the response to tube denting of the Combustion Engineering type tube supports. Drilled support plates and eggcrate tube supports are tested in a model steam generator in which tube denting is induced. The experimental data is used to verify and refine analytical predictor models developed using finite element techniques. It was found that analytical models underpredicted the deformations of the tube supports and appropriate modifications to enhance the predictive capability are identified. Non-destructive examination methods are evaluated for application to operating steam generators. It was found that the standard eddy current and profilometry techniques are acceptable methods for determining tube deformations, but these techniques are not adequate to assess tube support damage. Radiography is judged to be the best available means of determining the extent and progression of damage in tube supports

A time-frequency analysis method to obtain stable estimates of magnetotelluric response function based on Hilbert-Huang transform

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Jianhua

2017-05-01

The time-frequency analysis method represents signal as a function of time and frequency, and it is considered a powerful tool for handling arbitrary non-stationary time series by using instantaneous frequency and instantaneous amplitude. It also provides a possible alternative to the analysis of the non-stationary magnetotelluric (MT) signal. Based on the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT), a time-frequency analysis method is proposed to obtain stable estimates of the magnetotelluric response function. In contrast to conventional methods, the response function estimation is performed in the time-frequency domain using instantaneous spectra rather than in the frequency domain, which allows for imaging the response parameter content as a function of time and frequency. The theory of the method is presented and the mathematical model and calculation procedure, which are used to estimate response function based on HHT time-frequency spectrum, are discussed. To evaluate the results, response function estimates are compared with estimates from a standard MT data processing method based on the Fourier transform. All results show that apparent resistivities and phases, which are calculated from the HHT time-frequency method, are generally more stable and reliable than those determined from the simple Fourier analysis. The proposed method overcomes the drawbacks of the traditional Fourier methods, and the resulting parameter minimises the estimation bias caused by the non-stationary characteristics of the MT data.

Advanced methods on the evaluation of design earthquake motions for important power constructions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashi, Sadanori; Shiba, Yoshiaki; Sato, Hiroaki; Sato, Yusuke; Nakajima, Masato; Sakai, Michiya; Sato, Kiyotaka

2009-01-01

In this report, we compiled advanced methods on the evaluation of design earthquake motions for important power constructions such as nuclear power, thermal power, and hydroelectric power facilities. For the nuclear and hydroelectric power facilities, we developed an inversion method of broad-band (0.1-5Hz) source process and obtained valid results from applying the method to the 2007 Niigata-ken Chuetsu-oki earthquake (M6.8). We have also improved our modeling techniques of thick sedimentary layered structure such as the S-wave velocity modeling by using microtremor array measurement and the frequency dependent damping factor with a lower limit. For seismic isolation design for nuclear power facilities, we proposed a design pseudo-velocity response spectrum. For the thermal power facilities, we performed three-dimensional numerical simulation of Kanto Basin for a prediction relation of long-period ground motion. We also proposed the introduction of probabilistic approach into the deterministic evaluation flow of design earthquake motions and evaluated the effect of a great earthquake with a short return period on the seismic hazard in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. (author)

Business Ontology for Evaluating Corporate Social Responsibility

OpenAIRE

Ion Smeureanu; Andreea Dioşteanu; Camelia Delcea; Liviu Cotfas

2011-01-01

This paper presents a software solution that is developed to automatically classify companies by taking into account their level of social responsibility. The application is based on ontologies and on intelligent agents. In order to obtain the data needed to evaluate companies, we developed a web crawling module that analyzes the company’s website and the documents that are available online such as social responsibility report, mission statement, employment structure, etc. Based on a predefin...

Impulse response identification with deterministic inputs using non-parametric methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhargava, U.K.; Kashyap, R.L.; Goodman, D.M.

1985-01-01

This paper addresses the problem of impulse response identification using non-parametric methods. Although the techniques developed herein apply to the truncated, untruncated, and the circulant models, we focus on the truncated model which is useful in certain applications. Two methods of impulse response identification will be presented. The first is based on the minimization of the C/sub L/ Statistic, which is an estimate of the mean-square prediction error; the second is a Bayesian approach. For both of these methods, we consider the effects of using both the identity matrix and the Laplacian matrix as weights on the energy in the impulse response. In addition, we present a method for estimating the effective length of the impulse response. Estimating the length is particularly important in the truncated case. Finally, we develop a method for estimating the noise variance at the output. Often, prior information on the noise variance is not available, and a good estimate is crucial to the success of estimating the impulse response with a nonparametric technique

Cement bond evaluation method in horizontal wells using segmented bond tool

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Ruolong; He, Li

2018-06-01

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

Writing, Evaluating and Assessing Data Response Items in Economics.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotman-Dickenson, D. I.

1989-01-01

Describes some of the problems in writing data response items in economics for use by A Level and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) students. Examines the experience of two series of workshops on writing items, evaluating them and assessing responses from schools. Offers suggestions for producing packages of data response items as…

Comprehensive evaluation of the acoustic impulse-response of apples as a measure of fruit quality

OpenAIRE

Landahl, Sandra

2007-01-01

The acoustic impulse-response technique is a means to evaluate apple quality. In this work the effect of physiological changes in the fruit on the physical measurements of fruit quality are examined. In the acoustic impulse-response technique the fruit is mechanically excited by an impact force and starts to vibrate at its own natural frequency. The resulting sound waves are then recorded and analysed. It is a fast method and yields a produce-averaged value: the stiffness factor. Experimen...

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Amberg

1996-11-01

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

Evaluation of blind signal separation methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schobben, D.W.E.; Torkkola, K.; Smaragdis, P.

1999-01-01

Recently many new Blind Signal Separation BSS algorithms have been introduced Authors evaluate the performance of their algorithms in various ways Among these are speech recognition rates plots of separated signals plots of cascaded mixingunmixing impulse responses and signal to noise ratios Clearly

Evaluation of Non-Medical Services’ Responsiveness Using a National Model: Patients’ Viewpoint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roohollah Askari

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background Responsiveness is the main indicator of high performance in every health system. This study was conducted to assess non-medical services’ responsiveness from patients’ viewpoint through applying a localized responsiveness model in Iran. Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted in three hospitals of Yazd province in 2015. To collect data, a standardized questionnaire was used and data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software package, through applying descriptive statistical tests, T-test, correlation and analysis of variance (ANOVA. Results The study findings revealed that a mean score for responsiveness from patients’ viewpoint was 2.48 ± 0.26 at a public hospital, 2.14 ± 0.26 at a private and 2 ± 0.27 at a charity hospital representing an average level for hospitals under study. The highest and lowest mean scores among different aspects of responsiveness belonged to dignity (2.5 ± 0.36 and informed choice (1.9 ± 0.43. Conclusions Given that responsiveness was evaluated at an average level, appropriate policy interventions and necessary reforms are proposed to increase its status in under study hospitals.

Evaluation of fatigue damage induced by thermal striping in a T junction using the three dimensional coupling method and frequency response method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sun Hye; Choi, Jae boong; Kim, Moon Ki [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Huh, Nam Su [Seoul Nat' l Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jin Ho [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

Thermal fatigue cracking induced by thermal stratification, cycling and striping have been observed in several PWR plants. Especially, thermal striping, the highly fluctuating thermal layer, became one of the significant problems, since it can cause un predicted high cycle thermal fatigue (HCTF) at piping systems. This problem are usually found in T junctions of energy cooling systems, where cold and hot flows with high level of turbulence mix together. Thermal striping can cause the networks of fatigue crack at the vicinity of weld parts and these cracks can propagate to significant depth in a relatively short time. Therefore, thermal striping and fatigue crack initiations should be predicted in advance to prevent the severe failure of piping systems. The final goal of this research is to develop a rational thermal and mechanical model considering thermohydraulic characteristics of thermal striping and an evaluation procedure to predict the initiation of thermal fatigue crack. As a first step, we evaluated the fatigue damage in a T junction using two widely used methods. Then, we analyzed the results of each method and conducted comparisons and verifications.

Optimizing Usability Studies by Complementary Evaluation Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmettow, Martin; Bach, Cedric; Scapin, Dominique

2014-01-01

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

Geophysical methods for evaluation of plutonic rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1986-04-01

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

Conventional estimating method of earthquake response of mechanical appendage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, Shigeru; Suzuki, Kohei

1981-01-01

Generally, for the estimation of the earthquake response of appendage structure system installed in main structure system, the method of floor response analysis using the response spectra at the point of installing the appendage system has been used. On the other hand, the research on the estimation of the earthquake response of appendage system by the statistical procedure based on probability process theory has been reported. The development of a practical method for simply estimating the response is an important subject in aseismatic engineering. In this study, the method of estimating the earthquake response of appendage system in the general case that the natural frequencies of both structure systems were different was investigated. First, it was shown that floor response amplification factor was able to be estimated simply by giving the ratio of the natural frequencies of both structure systems, and its statistical property was clarified. Next, it was elucidated that the procedure of expressing acceleration, velocity and displacement responses with tri-axial response spectra simultaneously was able to be applied to the expression of FRAF. The applicability of this procedure to nonlinear system was examined. (Kako, I.)

Coupling finite elements and reliability methods - application to safety evaluation of pressurized water reactor vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitner, P.; Venturini, V.

1995-02-01

When reliability studies are extended form deterministic calculations in mechanics, it is necessary to take into account input parameters variabilities which are linked to the different sources of uncertainty. Integrals must then be calculated to evaluate the failure risk. This can be performed either by simulation methods, or by approximations ones (FORM/SORM). Model in mechanics often require to perform calculation codes. These ones must then be coupled with the reliability calculations. Theses codes can involve large calculation times when they are invoked numerous times during simulations sequences or in complex iterative procedures. Response surface method gives an approximation of the real response from a reduced number of points for which the finite element code is run. Thus, when it is combined with FORM/SORM methods, a coupling can be carried out which gives results in a reasonable calculation time. An application of response surface method to mechanics reliability coupling for a mechanical model which calls for a finite element code is presented. It corresponds to a probabilistic fracture mechanics study of a pressurized water reactor vessel. (authors). 5 refs., 3 figs

Analysis of random response of structure with uncertain parameters. Combination of substructure synthesis method and hierarchy method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwatsubo, Takuzo; Kawamura, Shozo; Mori, Hiroyuki.

1995-01-01

In this paper, the method to obtain the random response of a structure with uncertain parameters is proposed. The proposed method is a combination of the substructure synthesis method and the hierarchy method. The concept of the proposed method is that the hierarchy equation of each substructure is obtained using the hierarchy method, and the hierarchy equation of the overall structure is obtained using the substructure synthesis method. Using the proposed method, the reduced order hierarchy equation can be obtained without analyzing the original whole structure. After the calculation of the mean square value of response, the reliability analysis can be carried out based on the first passage problem and Poisson's excursion rate. As a numerical example of structure, a simple piping system is considered. The damping constant of the support is considered as the uncertainty parameter. Then the random response is calculated using the proposed method. As a result, the proposed method is useful to analyze the random response in terms of the accuracy, computer storage and calculation time. (author)

Evaluation and statistical judgement of neural responses to sinusoidal stimulation in cases with superimposed drift and noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Jastreboff, P W

1979-06-01

Time histograms of neural responses evoked by sinuosidal stimulation often contain a slow drifting and an irregular noise which disturb Fourier analysis of these responses. Section 2 of this paper evaluates the extent to which a linear drift influences the Fourier analysis, and develops a combined Fourier and linear regression analysis for detecting and correcting for such a linear drift. Usefulness of this correcting method is demonstrated for the time histograms of actual eye movements and Purkinje cell discharges evoked by sinusoidal rotation of rabbits in the horizontal plane. In Sect. 3, the analysis of variance is adopted for estimating the probability of the random occurrence of the response curve extracted by Fourier analysis from noise. This method proved to be useful for avoiding false judgements as to whether the response curve was meaningful, particularly when the response was small relative to the contaminating noise.

Finding function: evaluation methods for functional genomic data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barrett Daniel R

2006-07-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-04-01

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

Evaluation methods for neutron cross section standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhat, M.R.

1980-01-01

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

Evaluation of registration methods on thoracic CT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2011-01-01

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

Overcoming Language and Literacy Barriers: Using Student Response System Technology to Collect Quality Program Evaluation Data from Immigrant Participants

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Susan K.; Mao, Dung

2016-01-01

Student response system technology was employed for parenting education program evaluation data collection with Karen adults. The technology, with translation and use of an interpreter, provided an efficient and secure method that respected oral language and collective learning preferences and accommodated literacy needs. The method was popular…

Fertility response of artificial insemination methods in sheep with fresh and frozen-thawed semen.

Science.gov (United States)

Masoudi, Reza; Zare Shahneh, Ahmad; Towhidi, Armin; Kohram, Hamid; Akbarisharif, Abbas; Sharafi, Mohsen

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertility response of artificial insemination (AI) methods with fresh and frozen sperm in sheep. In experiment 1, one hundred and fifty fat tailed Zandi ewes were assigned into 3 equal groups and inseminated with three AI methods consisting of vaginal, laparoscopic and trans-cervical AI with fresh semen. In experiment 2, a factorial study (3 AI methods × 2 extenders) was used to analyze the effects of three AI methods and two freezing extenders containing soybean lecithin (SL) or Egg yolk (EY) on reproductive performance of 300 fat tailed Zandi ewes. Also, total motility, progressive motility, viability and lipid peroxidation of semen were evaluated after freeze-thawing in two extenders. In result, there was no significant difference among three AI methods when fresh semen was used. In experiment 2, the highest percentage of pregnancy rate, parturition rate and lambing rate were obtained in laparoscopic AI group (P semen, trans-cervical AI was more efficient than vaginal method when frozen-thawed semen was used, but its efficiency was not as high as laparoscopic method. Also, SL extender can be an efficient alternative extender to preserve ram sperm during cryopreservation procedure without adverse effects of EY. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pressurization Risk Assessment of CO2 Reservoirs Utilizing Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Guyant, E.; Han, W. S.; Kim, K. Y.; Park, E.; Han, K.

2015-12-01

Monitoring of pressure buildup can provide explicit information on reservoir integrity and is an appealing tool, however pressure variation is dependent on a variety of factors causing high uncertainty in pressure predictions. This work evaluated pressurization of a reservoir system in the presence of leakage pathways as well as exploring the effects of compartmentalization of the reservoir utilizing design of experiments (Definitive Screening, Box Behnken, Central Composite, and Latin Hypercube designs) and response surface methods. Two models were developed, 1) an idealized injection scenario in order to evaluate the performance of multiple designs, and 2) a complex injection scenario implementing the best performing design to investigate pressurization of the reservoir system. A holistic evaluation of scenario 1, determined that the Central Composite design would be used for the complex injection scenario. The complex scenario evaluated 5 risk factors: reservoir, seal, leakage pathway and fault permeabilities, and horizontal position of the pathway. A total of 60 response surface models (RSM) were developed for the complex scenario with an average R2 of 0.95 and a NRMSE of 0.067. Sensitivity to the input factors was dynamic through space and time; at the earliest time (0.05 years) the reservoir permeability was dominant, and for later times (>0.5 years) the fault permeability became dominant for all locations. The RSM's were then used to conduct a Monte Carlo Analysis to further analyze pressurization risks, identifying the P10, P50, P90 values. This identified the in zone (lower) P90 values as 2.16, 1.77, and 1.53 MPa and above zone values of 1.35, 1.23, 1.09 MPa for monitoring locations 1, 2, and 3, respectively. In summary, the design of experiments and response surface methods allowed for an efficient sensitivity and uncertainty analysis to be conducted permitting a complete evaluation of the pressurization across the entire parameter space.

An Evaluation Method of Equipment Reliability Configuration Management

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-01-01

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

Watershed Evaluation and Habitat Response to Recent Storms : Annual Report for 1999.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rhodes, Jonathan J.; Huntington, Charles W.

2000-02-01

evaluated and the methods used to evaluate them. Watershed responses and attributes evaluated include mass failures, historic soil loss, the integration of roads with the drainage network, estimated flood recurrence intervals, and headwater channel morphology. Habitat attributes evaluated include large woody debris, pool frequency and depth, substrate conditions, and bank stability. Multiple analyses of habitat data in the Tucannon and Wenaha subbasins remain to be completed due to difficulties stemming from data characteristics that indicated that some of the pre-existing data may have be of questionable accuracy. Diagnostic attributes of the questionable data included a change in monitoring protocols during the pre- to post-flood analysis period, physically implausible temporal trends in some habitat attributes at some sites, and conflicting results for the same attribute at the same locations from different data sources. Since unreliable data can lead to spurious results, criteria were developed to screen the data for analysis, as described in this report. It is anticipated that while the data screening will prevent spurious results, it will also truncate some of the planned analysis in the Tucannon and Wenaha systems.

Watershed evaluation and habitat response to recent storms; annual report for 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, Jonathan J.; Huntington, Charles W.

2000-01-01

evaluated and the methods used to evaluate them. Watershed responses and attributes evaluated include mass failures, historic soil loss, the integration of roads with the drainage network, estimated flood recurrence intervals, and headwater channel morphology. Habitat attributes evaluated include large woody debris, pool frequency and depth, substrate conditions, and bank stability. Multiple analyses of habitat data in the Tucannon and Wenaha subbasins remain to be completed due to difficulties stemming from data characteristics that indicated that some of the pre-existing data may have be of questionable accuracy. Diagnostic attributes of the questionable data included a change in monitoring protocols during the pre- to post-flood analysis period, physically implausible temporal trends in some habitat attributes at some sites, and conflicting results for the same attribute at the same locations from different data sources. Since unreliable data can lead to spurious results, criteria were developed to screen the data for analysis, as described in this report. It is anticipated that while the data screening will prevent spurious results, it will also truncate some of the planned analysis in the Tucannon and Wenaha systems

RANKING OF COMPANIES ACCORDING TO THE INDICATORS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BASED ON SWARA AND ARAS METHODS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darjan Karabasevic

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Corporate sector and companies have recognized the importance of implementation of strategy of corporate social responsibility in order to increase the company's image and responsibility towards society and the communities where they operate. Multinational companies in their everyday activities and operations pay more attention to sustainable models of corporate social responsibility. The focus of this paper is to identify the indicators of corporate social responsibility and to rank companies according to the indicators. Proposed framework for evaluation and ranking is based on the SWARA and the ARAS methods. The usability and efficiency of the proposed framework is shown on an illustrative example.

Evaluation of energy responses for neutron dose-equivalent meters made in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saegusa, J.; Yoshizawa, M.; Tanimura, Y.; Yoshida, M.; Yamano, T.; Nakaoka, H.

2004-01-01

Energy responses of three types of Japanese neutron dose-equivalent (DE) meters were evaluated by Monte Carlo simulations and measurements. The energy responses were evaluated for thermal neutrons, monoenergetic neutrons with energies up to 15.2 MeV, and also for neutrons from such radionuclide sources as 252 Cf and 241 Am-Be. The calculated results were corroborated with the measured ones. The angular dependence of the response and the DE response were also evaluated. As a result, reliable energy responses were obtained by careful simulations of the proportional counter, moderator and absorber of the DE meters. Furthermore, the relationship between pressure of counting gas and response of the DE meter was discussed. By using the obtained responses, relations between predicted readings of the DE meters and true DE values were studied for various workplace spectra

Scoping review of response shift methods: current reporting practices and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sajobi, Tolulope T; Brahmbatt, Ronak; Lix, Lisa M; Zumbo, Bruno D; Sawatzky, Richard

2018-05-01

Response shift (RS) has been defined as a change in the meaning of an individual's self-evaluation of his/her health status and quality of life. Several statistical model- and design-based methods have been developed to test for RS in longitudinal data. We reviewed the uptake of these methods in patient-reported outcomes (PRO) literature. CINHAHL, EMBASE, Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched to identify English-language articles about RS published until 2016. Data on year and country of publication, PRO measure adopted, RS detection method, type of RS detected, and testing of underlying model assumptions were extracted from the included articles. Of the 1032 articles identified, 101 (9.8%) articles were included in the study. While 54.5 of the articles reported on the Then-test, 30.7% of the articles reported on Oort's or Schmitt's structural equation modeling (SEM) procedure. Newer RS detection methods, such as relative importance analysis and random forest regression, have been used less frequently. Less than 25% reported on testing the assumptions underlying the adopted RS detection method(s). Despite rapid methodological advancements in RS research, this review highlights the need for further research about RS detection methods for complex longitudinal data and standardized reporting guidelines.

Response tree evaluation: experimental assessment of an expert system for nuclear reactor operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, W.R.; Blackman, H.S.

1985-09-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) sponsored a project performed by EG and G Idaho, Inc., at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to evaluate different display concepts for use in nuclear reactor control rooms. Included in this project was the evaluation of the response tree computer-based decision aid and its associated displays. The response tree evaluation task was deisgned to (1) assess the merit of the response tree decision aid and (2) develop a technical basis for recommendations, guidelines, and criteria for the design and evaluation of computerized decision aids for use in reactor control rooms. Two major experiments have been conducted to evaluate the response tree system. This report emphasizes the conduct and results of the second experiment. An enhanced version of the response tree system, known as the automated response tree system, was used in a controlled experiment using trained reactor operators as test subjects. This report discusses the automated response tree system, the design of the evaluation experiment, and the quantitative results of the experiment. The results of the experiment are compared to the results of the previous experiment to provide an integrated perspective of the response tree evaluation project. In addition, a subjective assessment of the results addresses the implications for the use of advanced, ''intelligent'' decision aids in the reactor control room

Challenges in Using Mix Methods in Evaluation

OpenAIRE

Stefan COJOCARU

2010-01-01

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

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2007-01-01

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

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

NARCIS (Netherlands)

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

2005-01-01

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

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Sustainable Development of Power Grid Enterprises Based on the Model of Fuzzy Group Ideal Point Method and Combination Weighting Method with Improved Group Order Relation Method and Entropy Weight Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuyu Dai

2017-10-01

Full Text Available As an important implementing body of the national energy strategy, grid enterprises bear the important responsibility of optimizing the allocation of energy resources and serving the economic and social development, and their levels of sustainable development have a direct impact on the national economy and social life. In this paper, the model of fuzzy group ideal point method and combination weighting method with improved group order relation method and entropy weight method is proposed to evaluate the sustainable development of power grid enterprises. Firstly, on the basis of consulting a large amount of literature, the important criteria of the comprehensive evaluation of the sustainable development of power grid enterprises are preliminarily selected. The opinions of the industry experts are consulted and fed back for many rounds through the Delphi method and the evaluation criteria system for sustainable development of power grid enterprises is determined, then doing the consistent and non dimensional processing of the evaluation criteria. After that, based on the basic order relation method, the weights of each expert judgment matrix are synthesized to construct the compound matter elements. By using matter element analysis, the subjective weights of the criteria are obtained. And entropy weight method is used to determine the objective weights of the preprocessed criteria. Then, combining the subjective and objective information with the combination weighting method based on the subjective and objective weighted attribute value consistency, a more comprehensive, reasonable and accurate combination weight is calculated. Finally, based on the traditional TOPSIS method, the triangular fuzzy numbers are introduced to better realize the scientific processing of the data information which is difficult to quantify, and the queuing indication value of each object and the ranking result are obtained. A numerical example is taken to prove that the

Nondestructive evaluation ultrasonic methods for construction materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2002-01-01

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

Methods of ecological capability evaluation of forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2000-01-01

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

Responsibility and trade emission balances : An evaluation of approaches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Serrano, Monica; Dietzenbacher, Erik

2010-01-01

This paper compares two concepts to evaluate the international responsibility of a country with respect to its emissions. Using a multi-regional input-output model, we show that the trade emission balance and the responsibility emission balance yield the same result. In practical work, however, a

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2000-01-01

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

Predictive and prognostic value of FDG-PET/CT imaging and different response evaluation criteria after primary systemic therapy of breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Tőkés, Tímea; Kajáry, Kornélia; Szentmártoni, Gyöngyvér; Lengyel, Zsolt; Györke, Tamás; Torgyík, László; Somlai, Krisztián; Tőkés, Anna-Mária; Kulka, Janina; Dank, Magdolna

2017-01-01

(1) To predict pathological complete remission (pCR) and survival after primary systemic therapy (PST) in patients diagnosed with breast cancer by using two different PET/CT based scores: a simplified PERCIST-based PET/CT score (Method 1) and a combined PET/CT score supplemented with the morphological results of the RECIST system (Method 2) and (2) to assess the effect of different breast carcinoma subtypes on tumor response and its evaluation. Eighty-eight patients were enrolled in the study who underwent PET/CT imaging before and after PST. PET/CTs were evaluated by changes in maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) and tumor size. Method 1 and 2 were applied to predict pathological complete remission (pCR). Kaplan-Meier analyses for survival were performed. Classification into biological subtypes was performed based on the pre-therapeutic tumor characteristics. A total of 30/88 patients showed pCR (34.1 %). Comparing pCR/non-pCR patient groups, significant differences were detected by changes in SUVmax (p evaluation with Method 2 and not with Method 1. In our study, neither clinical nor pathological CR were predictors of longer progression-free survival. Our results suggest that combined PET/CT criteria are more predictive of pCR. The effect of biological subtypes is significant on pCR rate as well as on the changes in FDG-uptake and morphological tumor response. Response evaluation with combined criteria was also able to reflect the differences between the biological behavior of breast tumor subtypes.

Methods to verify absorbed dose of irradiated containers and evaluation of dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Meixu; Wang Chuanyao; Tang Zhangxong; Li Shurong

2001-01-01

The research on dose distribution in irradiated food containers and evaluation of several methods to verify absorbed dose were carried out. The minimum absorbed dose of treated five orange containers was in the top of the highest or in the bottom of lowest container. D max /D min in this study was 1.45 irradiated in a commercial 60 Co facility. The density of orange containers was about 0.391g/cm 3 . The evaluation of dosimeters showed that the PMMA-YL and clear PMMA dosimeters have linear relationship with dose response, and the word NOT in STERIN-125 and STERIN-300 indicators were covered completely at the dosage of 125 and 300 Gy respectively. (author)

Error evaluation of inelastic response spectrum method for earthquake design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paz, M.; Wong, J.

1981-01-01

Two-story, four-story and ten-story shear building-type frames subjected to earthquake excitaion, were analyzed at several levels of their yield resistance. These frames were subjected at their base to the motion recorded for north-south component of the 1940 El Centro earthquake, and to an artificial earthquake which would produce the response spectral charts recommended for design. The frames were first subjected to 25% or 50% of the intensity level of these earthquakes. The resulting maximum relative displacement for each story of the frames was assumed to be yield resistance for the subsequent analyses at 100% of intensity for the excitation. The frames analyzed were uniform along their height with the stiffness adjusted as to result in 0.20 seconds of the fundamental period for the two-story frame, 0.40 seconds for the four-story frame and 1.0 seconds for the ten-story frame. Results of the study provided the following conclusions: (1) The percentage error in floor displacement for linear behavior was less than 10%; (2) The percentage error in floor displacement for inelastic behavior (elastoplastic) could be as high as 100%; (3) In most of the cases analyzed, the error increased with damping in the system; (4) As a general rule, the error increased as the modal yield resistance decreased; (5) The error was lower for the structures subjected to the 1940 E1 Centro earthquake than for the same structures subjected to an artificial earthquake which was generated from the response spectra for design. (orig./HP)

Land management planning: a method of evaluating alternatives

Science.gov (United States)

Andres Weintraub; Richard Adams; Linda Yellin

1982-01-01

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

Evaluation of winter pothole patching methods.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

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

Intellectual Data Analysis Method for Evaluation of Virtual Teams

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Sandra Strigūnaitė

2013-01-01

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

Major structural response methods used in the seismic safety margins research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, C.K.; Lo, T.; Vagliente, V.

1979-01-01

In order to evaluate the conservatisms in present nuclear power plant seismic safety requirements, a probabilistic based systems model is being developed. This model will also be used to develop improved requirements. In Phase I of the Seismic Safety Margins Research Program (SSMRP), this methodology will be developed for a specific nuclear power plant and used to perform probabilistic sensitivity studies to gain engineering insights into seismic safety requirements. Random variables in the structural response analysis area, or parameters which cause uncertainty in the response, are discussed and classified into three categories; i.e., material properties, structural dynamic characteristics and related modeling techniques, and analytical methods. The sensitivity studies are grouped into two categories; deterministic and probabilistic. In a system analysis, transfer functions in simple form are needed since there are too many responses which have to be calculated in a Monte Carlo simulation to use the usual straightforward calculation approach. Therefore, the development of these simple transfer functions is one of the important tasks in SSMRP. Simplified as well as classical transfer functions are discussed

Evaluation and Comparison of Extremal Hypothesis-Based Regime Methods

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Ishwar Joshi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Regime channels are important for stable canal design and to determine river response to environmental changes, e.g., due to the construction of a dam, land use change, and climate shifts. A plethora of methods is available describing the hydraulic geometry of alluvial rivers in the regime. However, comparison of these methods using the same set of data seems lacking. In this study, we evaluate and compare four different extremal hypothesis-based regime methods, namely minimization of Froude number (MFN, maximum entropy and minimum energy dissipation rate (ME and MEDR, maximum flow efficiency (MFE, and Millar’s method, by dividing regime channel data into sand and gravel beds. The results show that for sand bed channels MFN gives a very high accuracy of prediction for regime channel width and depth. For gravel bed channels we find that MFN and ‘ME and MEDR’ give a very high accuracy of prediction for width and depth. Therefore the notion that extremal hypotheses which do not contain bank stability criteria are inappropriate for use is shown false as both MFN and ‘ME and MEDR’ lack bank stability criteria. Also, we find that bank vegetation has significant influence in the prediction of hydraulic geometry by MFN and ‘ME and MEDR’.

An Intelligent Method for Structural Reliability Analysis Based on Response Surface

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

桂劲松; 刘红; 康海贵

2004-01-01

As water depth increases, the structural safety and reliability of a system become more and more important and challenging. Therefore, the structural reliability method must be applied in ocean engineering design such as offshore platform design. If the performance function is known in structural reliability analysis, the first-order second-moment method is often used. If the performance function could not be definitely expressed, the response surface method is always used because it has a very clear train of thought and simple programming. However, the traditional response surface method fits the response surface of quadratic polynomials where the problem of accuracy could not be solved, because the true limit state surface can be fitted well only in the area near the checking point. In this paper, an intelligent computing method based on the whole response surface is proposed, which can be used for the situation where the performance function could not be definitely expressed in structural reliability analysis. In this method, a response surface of the fuzzy neural network for the whole area should be constructed first, and then the structural reliability can be calculated by the genetic algorithm. In the proposed method, all the sample points for the training network come from the whole area, so the true limit state surface in the whole area can be fitted. Through calculational examples and comparative analysis, it can be known that the proposed method is much better than the traditional response surface method of quadratic polynomials, because, the amount of calculation of finite element analysis is largely reduced, the accuracy of calculation is improved,and the true limit state surface can be fitted very well in the whole area. So, the method proposed in this paper is suitable for engineering application.

FDG PET evaluation of therapeutic response and toxicity after radiotherapy for NSCLC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, R.J.; MacManus, M.P.; Matthews, J.P.; Rischin, D.; Binns, D.; McKenzie, A.F.; Ball, D.L.

2002-01-01

Full text: Positron emission tomography (PET) using F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is recognised for staging and therapeutic planning of patients with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung (NSCLC). The potential for this technique to be used in the assessment of therapeutic response has also been highlighted but may be limited by false positive results due to inflammatory response, particularly early after radiotherapy (RT). To evaluate the utility of FEX PET for therapeutic monitoring early (<12 weeks) after completion of radical RT we prospectively evaluated metabolic response and radiation toxicity using a standardised scoring system in 73 consecutive patients. All 73 had evaluable PET scans but 6 of the CT scan results were considered non-evaluable for therapeutic response using WHO criteria. PET therapeutic response category differed from that by CT in 40/67 (60%) cases and in 80% of such cases suggested a more marked response than suggested by CT (p 0.0002). Multifactor analysis including PET response, CT response, performance status, weight loss and stage revealed that PET response was the only significant predictor of survival (p 0.0001). Radiation toxicity scores were inversely related to therapeutic response on both PET (p = 0.022) and CT (p =0.029). In particular, more severe (grade 2 or 3) radiotoxicity scores on PET were associated with a greater proportion of partial or complete responses on both PET and CT than were lower (grade 0 and 1) scores (p =0.0044 and 0.041 respectively) consistent with the known relationship between the radiosensitivity of normal host and tumoral tissues. Early after completion of radiotherapy for NSCLC, PET response provides better prognostic stratification than CT response. PET can also identify typical radiation toxicity changes which are associated with response to treatment. Copyright (2002) The Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine Inc

A method for decoding the neurophysiological spike-response transform.

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Estee; García-Crescioni, Keyla; Miller, Mark W; Peskin, Charles S; Brezina, Vladimir

2009-11-15

Many physiological responses elicited by neuronal spikes-intracellular calcium transients, synaptic potentials, muscle contractions-are built up of discrete, elementary responses to each spike. However, the spikes occur in trains of arbitrary temporal complexity, and each elementary response not only sums with previous ones, but can itself be modified by the previous history of the activity. A basic goal in system identification is to characterize the spike-response transform in terms of a small number of functions-the elementary response kernel and additional kernels or functions that describe the dependence on previous history-that will predict the response to any arbitrary spike train. Here we do this by developing further and generalizing the "synaptic decoding" approach of Sen et al. (1996). Given the spike times in a train and the observed overall response, we use least-squares minimization to construct the best estimated response and at the same time best estimates of the elementary response kernel and the other functions that characterize the spike-response transform. We avoid the need for any specific initial assumptions about these functions by using techniques of mathematical analysis and linear algebra that allow us to solve simultaneously for all of the numerical function values treated as independent parameters. The functions are such that they may be interpreted mechanistically. We examine the performance of the method as applied to synthetic data. We then use the method to decode real synaptic and muscle contraction transforms.

Creating Alternative Methods for Educational Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Nick L.

1981-01-01

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

Study on a Quality Evaluation Method for College English Classroom Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mao-hua Sun

2017-07-01

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

Investment Portfolio Formation Using Multi-criteria evaluation Method MULTIMOORA

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Vilius Vaišvilas

2017-06-01

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

The response-matrix based AFEN method for the hexagonal geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noh, Jae Man; Kim, Keung Koo; Zee, Sung Quun; Joo, Hyung Kook; Cho, Byng Oh; Jeong, Hyung Guk; Cho, Jin Young

1998-03-01

The analytic function expansion nodal (AFEN) method, developed to overcome the limitations caused by the transverse integration, has been successfully to predict the neutron behavior in the hexagonal core as well as rectangular core. In the hexagonal node, the transverse leakage resulted from the transverse integration has some singular terms such as delta-function and step-functions near the node center line. In most nodal methods using the transverse integration, the accuracy of nodal method is degraded because the transverse leakage is approximated as a smooth function across the node center line by ignoring singular terms. However, the AFEN method in which there is no transverse leakage term in deriving nodal coupling equations keeps good accuracy for hexagonal node. In this study, the AFEN method which shows excellent accuracy in the hexagonal core analyses is reformulated as a response matrix form. This form of the AFEN method can be implemented easily to nodal codes based on the response matrix method. Therefore, the Coarse Mesh Rebalance (CMR) acceleration technique which is one of main advantages of the response matrix method can be utilized for the AFEN method. The response matrix based AFEN method has been successfully implemented into the MASTER code and its accuracy and computational efficiency were examined by analyzing the two- and three- dimensional benchmark problem of VVER-440. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the newly formulated AFEN method predicts accurately the assembly powers (within 0.2% average error) as well as the effective multiplication factor (within 0.2% average error) as well as the effective multiplication factor (within 20 pcm error). In addition, the CMR acceleration technique is quite efficient in reducing the computation time of the AFEN method by 8 to 10 times. (author). 22 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Fatigue life evaluation method of austenitic stainless steel in PWR water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, Katsumi; Nomura, Yuichiro; Suzuki, Shigeki; Kanasaki, Hiroshi; Higuchi, Makoto

2006-09-01

It is known that the fatigue life in elevated temperature water is substantially reduced compared with that in the air. The fatigue life reduction has been investigated experimentally in EFT project of Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) to evaluate the environmental effect on fatigue life. Many tests have been done for carbon, low alloy, stainless steels and nickel-based alloy under the various conditions. In this paper, the results of the stainless steel in simulated PWR water environments were reported. Fatigue life tests in simulated PWR environments were carried out and the effect of key parameters on fatigue life reduction was examined. The materials used in this study were base and weld metal of austenitic stainless steel SS316, weld metal of SS304 and the base and aged metal of the duplex stainless steel SCS14A. In order to evaluate the effects of stain amplitude, strain rate, strain ratio, temperature, aging, water flow rate and strain holding time, many fatigue tests were examined. In transient condition in an actual plant, however, such parameters as temperature and strain rate are not constant. In order to evaluate fatigue damage in actual plant on the basis of experimental results under constant temperature and strain rate condition, the modified rate approach method was developed. Various kinds of transient have to be taken into account of in actual plant fatigue evaluation, and stress cycle of several ranges of amplitude has to be considered in assessing damage from fatigue. Generally, cumulative usage factor is applied in this type of evaluation. In this study, in order to confirm the applicability of modified rate approach method together with cumulative usage factor, fatigue tests were carried out by combining stress cycle blocks of different strain amplitude levels, in which strain rate changes in response to temperature in a simulated PWR water environment. Consequently, fatigue life could be evaluated with an accuracy of factor of 3

Degradation of ticarcillin by subcritial water oxidation method: Application of response surface methodology and artificial neural network modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Yabalak, Erdal

2018-05-18

This study was performed to investigate the mineralization of ticarcillin in the artificially prepared aqueous solution presenting ticarcillin contaminated waters, which constitute a serious problem for human health. 81.99% of total organic carbon removal, 79.65% of chemical oxygen demand removal, and 94.35% of ticarcillin removal were achieved by using eco-friendly, time-saving, powerful and easy-applying, subcritical water oxidation method in the presence of a safe-to-use oxidizing agent, hydrogen peroxide. Central composite design, which belongs to the response surface methodology, was applied to design the degradation experiments, to optimize the methods, to evaluate the effects of the system variables, namely, temperature, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and treatment time, on the responses. In addition, theoretical equations were proposed in each removal processes. ANOVA tests were utilized to evaluate the reliability of the performed models. F values of 245.79, 88.74, and 48.22 were found for total organic carbon removal, chemical oxygen demand removal, and ticarcillin removal, respectively. Moreover, artificial neural network modeling was applied to estimate the response in each case and its prediction and optimizing performance was statistically examined and compared to the performance of central composite design.

Politics in evaluation: Politically responsive evaluation in high stakes environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzam, Tarek; Levine, Bret

2015-12-01

The role of politics has often been discussed in evaluation theory and practice. The political influence of the situation can have major effects on the evaluation design, approach and methods. Politics also has the potential to influence the decisions made from the evaluation findings. The current study focuses on the influence of the political context on stakeholder decision making. Utilizing a simulation scenario, this study compares stakeholder decision making in high and low stakes evaluation contexts. Findings suggest that high stakes political environments are more likely than low stakes environments to lead to reduced reliance on technically appropriate measures and increased dependence on measures better reflect the broader political environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods of evaluating market transformation programmes: experience in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neij, L.

2001-01-01

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

EVALUATION METHODS USED FOR TANGIBLE ASSETS BY ECONOMIC ENTITIES

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Csongor CSŐSZ

2014-06-01

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

Quantitative methods in electroencephalography to access therapeutic response.

Science.gov (United States)

Diniz, Roseane Costa; Fontenele, Andrea Martins Melo; Carmo, Luiza Helena Araújo do; Ribeiro, Aurea Celeste da Costa; Sales, Fábio Henrique Silva; Monteiro, Sally Cristina Moutinho; Sousa, Ana Karoline Ferreira de Castro

2016-07-01

Pharmacometrics or Quantitative Pharmacology aims to quantitatively analyze the interaction between drugs and patients whose tripod: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and disease monitoring to identify variability in drug response. Being the subject of central interest in the training of pharmacists, this work was out with a view to promoting this idea on methods to access the therapeutic response of drugs with central action. This paper discusses quantitative methods (Fast Fourier Transform, Magnitude Square Coherence, Conditional Entropy, Generalised Linear semi-canonical Correlation Analysis, Statistical Parametric Network and Mutual Information Function) used to evaluate the EEG signals obtained after administration regimen of drugs, the main findings and their clinical relevance, pointing it as a contribution to construction of different pharmaceutical practice. Peter Anderer et. al in 2000 showed the effect of 20mg of buspirone in 20 healthy subjects after 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8h after oral ingestion of the drug. The areas of increased power of the theta frequency occurred mainly in the temporo-occipital - parietal region. It has been shown by Sampaio et al., 2007 that the use of bromazepam, which allows the release of GABA (gamma amino butyric acid), an inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system could theoretically promote dissociation of cortical functional areas, a decrease of functional connectivity, a decrease of cognitive functions by means of smaller coherence (electrophysiological magnitude measured from the EEG by software) values. Ahmad Khodayari-Rostamabad et al. in 2015 talk that such a measure could be a useful clinical tool potentially to assess adverse effects of opioids and hence give rise to treatment guidelines. There was the relation between changes in pain intensity and brain sources (at maximum activity locations) during remifentanil infusion despite its potent analgesic effect. The statement of mathematical and computational

Comparison of Pathologic Response Evaluation Systems after Anthracycline with/without Taxane-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy among Different Subtypes of Breast Cancers.

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Hee Jin Lee

Full Text Available Several methods are used to assess the pathologic response of breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC to predict clinical outcome. However, the clinical utility of these systems for each molecular subtype of breast cancer is unclear. Therefore, we applied six pathologic response assessment systems to specific subtypes of breast cancer and compared the results.Five hundred and eighty eight breast cancer patients treated with anthracycline with/without taxane-based NAC were retrospectively analyzed, and the ypTNM stage, residual cancer burden (RCB, residual disease in breast and nodes (RDBN, tumor response ratio, Sataloff's classification, and Miller-Payne grading system were evaluated. The results obtained for each assessment system were analyzed in terms of patient survival.In triple-negative tumors, all systems were significantly associated with disease-free survival and Kaplan-Meier survival curves for disease-free survival were clearly separated by all assessment methods. For HR+/HER2- tumors, systems assessing the residual tumor (ypTNM stage, RCB, and RDBN had prognostic significance. However, for HER2+ tumors, the association between patient survival and the pathologic response assessment results varied according to the system used, and none resulted in distinct Kaplan-Meier curves.Most of the currently available pathologic assessment systems used after anthracycline with/without taxane-based NAC effectively classified triple-negative breast cancers into groups showing different prognoses. The pathologic assessment systems evaluating residual tumors only also had prognostic significance in HR+/HER2- tumors. However, new assessment methods are required to effectively evaluate the pathologic response of HR+/HER2+ and HR-/HER2+ tumors to anthracycline with/without taxane-based NAC.

SSFI and SSOMI new method of evaluating design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolson, G.M.

1992-01-01

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

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2000-01-01

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

Evaluation of Abiotic Resource LCIA Methods

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Rodrigo A. F. Alvarenga

2016-02-01

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

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1998-11-01

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

Evaluation of the dynamic responses of high rise buildings with respect to the direct methods for soil-foundation-structure interaction effects and comparison with the approximate methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jahangir Khazaei

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In dynamic analysis, modeling of soil medium is ignored because of the infinity and complexity of the soil behavior and so the important effects of these terms are neglected, while the behavior of the soil under the structure plays an important role in the response of the structure during an earthquake. In fact, the soil layers and soil foundation structure interaction phenomena can increase the applied seismic forces during earthquakes that has been examined with different methods. In this paper, effects of soil foundation structure interaction on a steel high rise building has been modeled using Abaqus software for nonlinear dynamic analysis with finite element direct method and simulation of infinite boundary condition for soil medium and also approximate Cone model. In the direct method, soil, structure and foundation are modeled altogether. In other hand, for using Cone model as a simple model, dynamic stiffness coefficients have been employed to simulate soil with considering springs and dashpots in all degree of freedom. The results show that considering soil foundation structure interaction cause increase in maximum lateral displacement of structure and the friction coefficient of soil-foundation interface can alter the responses of structure. It was also observed that the results of the approximate methods have good agreement for engineering demands.

Differential Effects of Motor Efference Copies and Proprioceptive Information on Response Evaluation Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Ann-Kathrin; Wascher, Edmund; Beste, Christian

2013-01-01

It is well-kown that sensory information influences the way we execute motor responses. However, less is known about if and how sensory and motor information are integrated in the subsequent process of response evaluation. We used a modified Simon Task to investigate how these streams of information are integrated in response evaluation processes, applying an in-depth neurophysiological analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs), time-frequency decomposition and sLORETA. The results show that response evaluation processes are differentially modulated by afferent proprioceptive information and efference copies. While the influence of proprioceptive information is mediated via oscillations in different frequency bands, efference copy based information about the motor execution is specifically mediated via oscillations in the theta frequency band. Stages of visual perception and attention were not modulated by the interaction of proprioception and motor efference copies. Brain areas modulated by the interactive effects of proprioceptive and efference copy based information included the middle frontal gyrus and the supplementary motor area (SMA), suggesting that these areas integrate sensory information for the purpose of response evaluation. The results show how motor response evaluation processes are modulated by information about both the execution and the location of a response. PMID:23658624

Impact induced response spectrum for the safety evaluation of the high flux isotope reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, S.J.

1997-01-01

The dynamic impact to the nearby HFIR reactor vessel caused by heavy load drop is analyzed. The impact calculation is carried out by applying the ABAQUS computer code. An impact-induced response spectrum is constructed in order to evaluate whether the HFIR vessel and the shutdown mechanism may be disabled. For the frequency range less than 10 Hz, the maximum spectral velocity of impact is approximately equal to that of the HFIR seismic design-basis spectrum. For the frequency range greater than 10 Hz, the impact-induced response spectrum is shown to cause no effect to the control rod and the shutdown mechanism. An earlier seismic safety assessment for the HFIR control and shutdown mechanism was made by EQE. Based on EQE modal solution that is combined with the impact-induced spectrum, it is concluded that the impact will not cause any damage to the shutdown mechanism, even while the reactor is in operation. The present method suggests a general approach for evaluating the impact induced damage to the reactor by applying the existing finite element modal solution that has been carried out for the seismic evaluation of the reactor

A simulation method for lightning surge response of switching power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Ming; Chen, Xiang

2013-01-01

In order to meet the need of protection design for lighting surge, a prediction method of lightning electromagnetic pulse (LEMP) response which is based on system identification is presented. Experiments of switching power's surge injection were conducted, and the input and output data were sampled, de-noised and de-trended. In addition, the model of energy coupling transfer function was obtained by system identification method. Simulation results show that the system identification method can predict the surge response of linear circuit well. The method proposed in the paper provided a convenient and effective technology for simulation of lightning effect.

Using Technology to Improve the Objectivity of Criminal Responsibility Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitacco, Michael J; Gottfried, Emily D; Batastini, Ashley B

2018-03-01

Criminal responsibility (or insanity) evaluations require forensic clinicians to reconstruct a defendant's decision-making abilities, behavioral control, and emotional state at the time of the criminal act. Forensic evaluators are ultimately tasked to evaluate whether an individual had the capacity to understand right from wrong, and in some jurisdictions, determine whether the defendant lacked substantial capacity to conform his behavior to the requirements of the law as a result of a threshold condition (e.g., mental illness). Insanity evaluations are inherently complex, because they require the clinician to determine someone's mental state at some point in the past (weeks, months, or even years). Recent research on insanity evaluations underscores significant problems with the reliability and validity of these evaluations. However, technological advances including social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter), mandating that law enforcement videotape interrogations, and the use of body and dashboard cameras can aid clinicians in improving the precision and quality of insanity evaluations. This article discusses practical guidelines and ethics-related concerns regarding the use of technology to improve the objectivity of criminal responsibility evaluations. © 2018 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Evaluation of the site effect with Heuristic Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, N. N.; Ortiz-Aleman, C.

2017-12-01

The seismic site response in an area depends mainly on the local geological and topographical conditions. Estimation of variations in ground motion can lead to significant contributions on seismic hazard assessment, in order to reduce human and economic losses. Site response estimation can be posed as a parameterized inversion approach which allows separating source and path effects. The generalized inversion (Field and Jacob, 1995) represents one of the alternative methods to estimate the local seismic response, which involves solving a strongly non-linear multiparametric problem. In this work, local seismic response was estimated using global optimization methods (Genetic Algorithms and Simulated Annealing) which allowed us to increase the range of explored solutions in a nonlinear search, as compared to other conventional linear methods. By using the VEOX Network velocity records, collected from August 2007 to March 2009, source, path and site parameters corresponding to the amplitude spectra of the S wave of the velocity seismic records are estimated. We can establish that inverted parameters resulting from this simultaneous inversion approach, show excellent agreement, not only in terms of adjustment between observed and calculated spectra, but also when compared to previous work from several authors.

Evaluation criteria for emergency response plans in radiological transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindell, M.K.; Perry, R.W.

1980-01-01

This paper identifies a set of general criteria which can be used as guides for evaluating emergency response plans prepared in connection with the transportation of radiological materials. The development of criteria takes the form of examining the meaning and role of emergency plans in general, reviewing the process as it is used in connection with natural disasters and other nonnuclear disasters, and explicitly considering unique aspects of the radiological transportation setting. Eight areas of critical importance for such response plans are isolated: notification procedures; accident assessment; public information; protection of the public at risk; other protective responses; radiological exposure control; responsibility for planning and operations; and emergency response training and exercises. (Auth.)

Optimization of the beam shaping assembly in the D-D neutron generators-based BNCT using the response matrix method.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasesaz, Y; Khalafi, H; Rahmani, F

2013-12-01

Optimization of the Beam Shaping Assembly (BSA) has been performed using the MCNP4C Monte Carlo code to shape the 2.45 MeV neutrons that are produced in the D-D neutron generator. Optimal design of the BSA has been chosen by considering in-air figures of merit (FOM) which consists of 70 cm Fluental as a moderator, 30 cm Pb as a reflector, 2mm (6)Li as a thermal neutron filter and 2mm Pb as a gamma filter. The neutron beam can be evaluated by in-phantom parameters, from which therapeutic gain can be derived. Direct evaluation of both set of FOMs (in-air and in-phantom) is very time consuming. In this paper a Response Matrix (RM) method has been suggested to reduce the computing time. This method is based on considering the neutron spectrum at the beam exit and calculating contribution of various dose components in phantom to calculate the Response Matrix. Results show good agreement between direct calculation and the RM method. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of determinative methods for sodium impurities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molinari, Marcelo; Guido, Osvaldo; Botbol, Jose; Ares, Osvaldo

1988-01-01

Sodium, universally accepted as heat transfer fluid in fast breeder reactors, requires a special technology for every operation involved in any applicable methodology, due to its well known chemical reactivity. The purpose of this work is: a) to study the sources and effects of chemical species which, as traces, accompany sodium used in the nuclear field; b) to classify, taking into account, the present requirements and resources of the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), the procedures found in the literature for determination of the most important impurities which exist in experimental liquid sodium systems and c) to describe the principles of the methods and to evaluate them in order to make a selection. It was concluded the convenience to develop, as a first stage, laboratory procedures to determine carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and non-volatile impurities, which besides serving present needs, will be referential for direct methods with undeferred response. The latter are needed in liquid sodium experimental loops and require, primarily, more complex and extended development. Additionally, a description is made of experimental work performed up-to-now in this laboratory, consisting of a transfer device for sodium sampling and a sodium distillation device, adapted from a previous design, with associated vacuum and inert gas systems. It is intended as a separative technique for indirect determination of oxygen and non-volatile impurities. (Author) [es

The Socratic Method, Defeasibility, and Doxastic Responsibility

Science.gov (United States)

Boghossian, Peter; Lindsay, James

2018-01-01

There is an extensive body of philosophical, educational, and popular literature explaining Socratic pedagogy's epistemological and educational ambitions. However, there is virtually no literature clarifying the relationship between Socratic method and doxastic responsibility. This article fills that gap in the literature by arguing that the…

Evaluation of non cyanide methods for hemoglobin estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinaya B Shah

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The hemoglobincyanide method (HiCN method for measuring hemoglobin is used extensively worldwide; its advantages are the ready availability of a stable and internationally accepted reference standard calibrator. However, its use may create a problem, as the waste disposal of large volumes of reagent containing cyanide constitutes a potential toxic hazard. Aims and Objective: As an alternative to drabkin`s method of Hb estimation, we attempted to estimate hemoglobin by other non-cyanide methods: alkaline hematin detergent (AHD-575 using Triton X-100 as lyser and alkaline- borax method using quarternary ammonium detergents as lyser. Materials and Methods: The hemoglobin (Hb results on 200 samples of varying Hb concentrations obtained by these two cyanide free methods were compared with a cyanmethemoglobin method on a colorimeter which is light emitting diode (LED based. Hemoglobin was also estimated in one hundred blood donors and 25 blood samples of infants and compared by these methods. Statistical analysis used was Pearson`s correlation coefficient. Results: The response of the non cyanide method is linear for serially diluted blood samples over the Hb concentration range from 3gm/dl -20 gm/dl. The non cyanide methods has a precision of + 0.25g/dl (coefficient of variation= (2.34% and is suitable for use with fixed wavelength or with colorimeters at wavelength- 530 nm and 580 nm. Correlation of these two methods was excellent (r=0.98. The evaluation has shown it to be as reliable and reproducible as HiCN for measuring hemoglobin at all concentrations. The reagents used in non cyanide methods are non-biohazardous and did not affect the reliability of data determination and also the cost was less than HiCN method. Conclusions: Thus, non cyanide methods of Hb estimation offer possibility of safe and quality Hb estimation and should prove useful for routine laboratory use. Non cyanide methods is easily incorporated in hemobloginometers

ACCOUNTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR BUSINESS EVALUATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DORU CÎRNU

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the world today the need for improvement the business management quality assumes significant change in organization and mode of business management. Establishing of appropriate level, structure and authority of business management depends in most cases on the size, number of employees, complexness of technological and business process, market position and other factors. Development of a business requires decentralization of operative functions. The decentralization of a business means the increase of operative activities control of greater number of managers in such a business. An important segment that so far was neither sufficiently applied in the romanian practice, not sufficiently treated is a system of responsibility. One of the aims of this research is also stimulation of more intensive activities on initiating the process of accounting modernisation. First of all, on the improvement and more rational legal accounting regulation and motivation of professional accountants organization for quicker development of contemporary accounting principles and standards in compliance with tendencies of the european environment. The known experiences just point to the necessity of more complex perception of place and role of the management accounting and within it of the system of accounting responsibility in preparing of business plans and buget, in creation of development and investment policy. Therefore, the system of accounting responsibility should eneble monitoring and control of actual operational activities of each part of decentralized business. The process of performance evaluation and accounting responsibility in a descentralized business organization represents a significant element of an internal control system and in that sense the emphasis was put on that fact in this paper.

SU-C-207B-06: Comparison of Registration Methods for Modeling Pathologic Response of Esophageal Cancer to Chemoradiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riyahi, S; Choi, W; Bhooshan, N; Tan, S; Zhang, H; Lu, W [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To compare linear and deformable registration methods for evaluation of tumor response to Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: Linear and multi-resolution BSpline deformable registration were performed on Pre-Post-CRT CT/PET images of 20 patients with esophageal cancer. For both registration methods, we registered CT using Mean Square Error (MSE) metric, however to register PET we used transformation obtained using Mutual Information (MI) from the same CT due to being multi-modality. Similarity of Warped-CT/PET was quantitatively evaluated using Normalized Mutual Information and plausibility of DF was assessed using inverse consistency Error. To evaluate tumor response four groups of tumor features were examined: (1) Conventional PET/CT e.g. SUV, diameter (2) Clinical parameters e.g. TNM stage, histology (3)spatial-temporal PET features that describe intensity, texture and geometry of tumor (4)all features combined. Dominant features were identified using 10-fold cross-validation and Support Vector Machine (SVM) was deployed for tumor response prediction while the accuracy was evaluated by ROC Area Under Curve (AUC). Results: Average and standard deviation of Normalized mutual information for deformable registration using MSE was 0.2±0.054 and for linear registration was 0.1±0.026, showing higher NMI for deformable registration. Likewise for MI metric, deformable registration had 0.13±0.035 comparing to linear counterpart with 0.12±0.037. Inverse consistency error for deformable registration for MSE metric was 4.65±2.49 and for linear was 1.32±2.3 showing smaller value for linear registration. The same conclusion was obtained for MI in terms of inverse consistency error. AUC for both linear and deformable registration was 1 showing no absolute difference in terms of response evaluation. Conclusion: Deformable registration showed better NMI comparing to linear registration, however inverse consistency of

Relative conservatisms of combination methods used in response spectrum analyses of nuclear piping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, S.; Kustu, O.; Jhaveri, D.P.; Blume, J.A.

1983-01-01

The paper presents the conclusions of a comprehensive study that investigated the relative conservatisms represented by various combination techniques. Two approaches were taken for the study, producing mutually consistent results. In the first, 20 representative nuclear piping systems were systematically analyzed using the response spectrum method. The total response was obtained using nine different combination methods. One procedure, using the SRSS method for combining spatial components of response and the 10% method for combining the responses of different modes (which is currently acceptable to the U.S. NRC), was the standard for comparison. Responses computed by the other methods were normalized to this standard method. These response ratios were then used to develop cumulative frequency-distribution curves, which were used to establish the relative conservatism of the methods in a probabilistic sense. In the second approach, 30 single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems that represent different modes of hypothetical piping systems and have natural frequencies varying from 1 Hz to 30 Hz, were analyzed for 276 sets of three-component recorded ground motion. A set of hypothetical systems assuming a variety of modes and frequency ranges was developed. The responses of these systems were computed from the responses of the SDOF systems by combining the spatial response components by algebraic summation and the individual mode responses by the Navy method, or combining both spatial and modal response components using the SRSS method. Probability density functions and cumulative distribution functions were developed for the ratio of the responses obtained by both methods. (orig./HP)

Evaluation of binding energies by using quantum mechanical methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Postolache, Cristian; Matei, Lidia; Postolache, Carmen

2002-01-01

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

Equitable Financial Evaluation Method for Public-Private Partnership Projects

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

KE Yongjian; LIU Xinping; WANG Shouqing

2008-01-01

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

Evaluation of response function of moderating-type neutron detector and application to environmental neutron measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosako, Toshiso; Nakamura, Takashi; Iwai, Satoshi; Katsuki, Shinji; Kamata, Masashi.

1983-08-01

The energy-dependent response function of a multi-cylinder moderating-type BF 3 counter, so-called Bonner counter, was calculated by the time-dependent multi-group Monte Carlo code, TMMCR. The calculated response function was evaluated experimentally for neutron energy below about 50 keV down to epithermal energy by the time-of-flight method combining with a large lead pile at the Nuclear Engineering Research Laboratory, University of Tokyo and also above 50 keV by using the monoenergetic neutron standard field a t the Electrotechnical Laboratory. The time delay in the polyethylene moderator of the Bonner counter due to multiple collisions with hydrogen was analyzed by the TMMCR code and used for the time-spectrum analysis of the time-of-flight measurement. The response function obtained by these two experiments showed good agreement with the calculated results. This Bonner counter having a response function evaluated from thermal to MeV energy range was used for spectrometry and dosimetry of environmental neutrons around some nuclear facilities. The neutron spectra and dose measured in the environment around a 252 Cf fission source, fast neutron source reactor and electron synchrotron were all in good agreement with the calculated results and the measured results with other neutron detectors. (author)

PET-CT in Staging, Response Evaluation, and Surveillance of Lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Thanarajasingam, Gita; Bennani-Baiti, Nabila; Thompson, Carrie A

2016-05-01

Lymphoma represents a broad spectrum of diseases with diverse biology, clinical behavior, and imaging features. Functional imaging with 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) is widely recognized as the most sensitive and specific imaging modality for patients with lymphoma and is used as part of staging, response evaluation, and surveillance in patients with Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Recent efforts at standardizing the conduct and consensus interpretation of PET-CT have facilitated its use in patients on clinical studies and beyond. The role of PET-CT has been affirmed in some clinical situations, such as staging and end-of-treatment evaluation in Hodgkin lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and in the evaluation of aggressive transformation of an indolent lymphoma. However, the role of functional imaging in other histologies and clinical settings is not as clear given the higher rate of false positive results and the costs inherent to PET-CT. There is little evidence to suggest its utility or impact on outcome in most indolent lymphomas, or in the setting of post-treatment surveillance. In addition, there remains controversy about the value of PET-CT in early response assessment during active therapy, particularly in DLBCL. This review will evaluate the evidence surrounding the role of PET-CT in staging, response evaluation and surveillance of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Evaluating methods to improve safeguards training courses of ISCN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okumura, Yukiko; Nakamura, Yo; Kawata, Norio

2014-01-01

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

Evaluation method of offensive odor. Shuki no hyoka hoho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1991-06-01

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

Evaluating the effectiveness of methods for capturing meetings

OpenAIRE

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

2015-01-01

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

Reliability-Based Stability Analysis of Rock Slopes Using Numerical Analysis and Response Surface Method

Science.gov (United States)

Dadashzadeh, N.; Duzgun, H. S. B.; Yesiloglu-Gultekin, N.

2017-08-01

While advanced numerical techniques in slope stability analysis are successfully used in deterministic studies, they have so far found limited use in probabilistic analyses due to their high computation cost. The first-order reliability method (FORM) is one of the most efficient probabilistic techniques to perform probabilistic stability analysis by considering the associated uncertainties in the analysis parameters. However, it is not possible to directly use FORM in numerical slope stability evaluations as it requires definition of a limit state performance function. In this study, an integrated methodology for probabilistic numerical modeling of rock slope stability is proposed. The methodology is based on response surface method, where FORM is used to develop an explicit performance function from the results of numerical simulations. The implementation of the proposed methodology is performed by considering a large potential rock wedge in Sumela Monastery, Turkey. The accuracy of the developed performance function to truly represent the limit state surface is evaluated by monitoring the slope behavior. The calculated probability of failure is compared with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The proposed methodology is found to be 72% more efficient than MCS, while the accuracy is decreased with an error of 24%.

Evaluation Using Sequential Trials Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Mark E.; Ralls, Stephen A.

1986-01-01

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

Consumers' evaluations of socially responsible activities in retailing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herpen, van E.; Pennings, J.M.E.; Meulenberg, M.T.G.

2003-01-01

The authors approached Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a process in which particular CSR activities impact on consumers’ store evaluation and trust. They hypothesized that consumers classify CSR activities along two dimensions: (1) the beneficiary of the activity and (2) the intrinsic

A method for evaluating discoverability and navigability of recommendation algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamprecht, Daniel; Strohmaier, Markus; Helic, Denis

2017-01-01

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

Quantitative Efficiency Evaluation Method for Transportation Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Qin

2014-11-01

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

A Monte-Carlo method for ex-core neutron response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gamino, R.G.; Ward, J.T.; Hughes, J.C.

1997-10-01

A Monte Carlo neutron transport kernel capability primarily for ex-core neutron response is described. The capability consists of the generation of a set of response kernels, which represent the neutron transport from the core to a specific ex-core volume. This is accomplished by tagging individual neutron histories from their initial source sites and tracking them throughout the problem geometry, tallying those that interact in the geometric regions of interest. These transport kernels can subsequently be combined with any number of core power distributions to determine detector response for a variety of reactor Thus, the transport kernels are analogous to an integrated adjoint response. Examples of pressure vessel response and ex-core neutron detector response are provided to illustrate the method

Practising Political Care Ethics: Can Responsive Evaluation Foster Democratic Care?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visse, M.A.; Abma, T.; Widdershoven, G.

2015-01-01

This paper examines if and how responsive evaluation as a deliberative approach can serve as a guide for a politically oriented care ethics. A political care ethics puts the assignment of responsibilities and the inclusion of multiple perspectives of people at the centre of care. It honours the

A new method to evaluate the weed-suppressing effect of mulches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arentoft, B. W.; Ali, A.; Streibig, Jens Carl

2013-01-01

To suppress weeds in an apple (Malus sp.) orchard, we placed spruce (Picea spp.) bark mulch and cocoa (Theobroma cacao) husk mulch for 3 months in thicknesses of 0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 cm. To assess the development of weed cover, an innovative use of log-logistic dose–response models was applied...... (ED50 and ED90) differed significantly within and between mulch types. In all except one instance, the cocoa mulch was superior in suppressing weeds. This method was useful for the evaluation, but further research is needed to give a more general conclusion about the suppression ability of the two...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2011-01-01

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

New approach to equipment quality evaluation method with distinct functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milisavljević Vladimir M.

2016-01-01

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

New knowledge network evaluation method for design rationale management

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-01-01

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

The heterogeneous response method in slab geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villarino, E.A.; Stamm'ler, R.J.J.

1984-01-01

The heterogeneous response method (HRM) has been developed to calculate the multigroup flux in a heterogeneous system, e.g. a fuel assembly, without having to resort to dubious homogenization recipes. Here, the method is described in slab geometry in a manner that facilitates its computerization. By dividing the system into subsystems or nodes, say pin cells, two levels of calculation are created, which define a set of local problems and a global problem, respectively. In the local problem, collision probabilities are used to obtain for a node in vacuum, its response fluxes caused by sources and in-currents. They preserve the heterogeneous character of the node. In the global problem, the nodes are coupled by cosine currents. A suitable transformation reduces the number of two unknown currents per interface to one unknown per node, its total transmitted in-current. The global equation system thus becomes a set of three-point relations, which can be solved efficiently. In cases typical of fuel-assembly situations, the HRM produces fluxes that compare very well with the direct solution of the entire system by collision probabilities, though at a fraction of the computer cost. Extension of the method to 2- and 3-D systems is discussed. (author)

Methods for evaluating information sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjørland, Birger

2012-01-01

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

Depersonalization disorder: disconnection of cognitive evaluation from autonomic responses to emotional stimuli.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Michal

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Patients with depersonalization disorder (DPD typically complain about emotional detachment. Previous studies found reduced autonomic responsiveness to emotional stimuli for DPD patients as compared to patients with anxiety disorders. We aimed to investigate autonomic responsiveness to emotional auditory stimuli of DPD patients as compared to patient controls. Furthermore, we examined the modulatory effect of mindful breathing on these responses as well as on depersonalization intensity. METHODS: 22 DPD patients and 15 patient controls balanced for severity of depression and anxiety, age, sex and education, were compared regarding 1 electrodermal and heart rate data during a resting period, and 2 autonomic responses and cognitive appraisal of standardized acoustic affective stimuli in two conditions (normal listening and mindful breathing. RESULTS: DPD patients rated the emotional sounds as significantly more neutral as compared to patient controls and standardized norm ratings. At the same time, however, they responded more strongly to acoustic emotional stimuli and their electrodermal response pattern was more modulated by valence and arousal as compared to patient controls. Mindful breathing reduced severity of depersonalization in DPD patients and increased the arousal modulation of electrodermal responses in the whole sample. Finally, DPD patients showed an increased electrodermal lability in the rest period as compared to patient controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that the cognitive evaluation of emotional sounds in DPD patients is disconnected from their autonomic responses to those emotional stimuli. The increased electrodermal lability in DPD may reflect increased introversion and cognitive control of emotional impulses. The findings have important psychotherapeutic implications.

Evaluating the Emotion Ontology through use in the self-reporting of emotional responses at an academic conference.

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Janna; Brass, Andy; Caine, Colin; Jay, Caroline; Stevens, Robert

2014-01-01

We evaluate the application of the Emotion Ontology (EM) to the task of self-reporting of emotional experience in the context of audience response to academic presentations at the International Conference on Biomedical Ontology (ICBO). Ontology evaluation is regarded as a difficult task. Types of ontology evaluation range from gauging adherence to some philosophical principles, following some engineering method, to assessing fitness for purpose. The Emotion Ontology (EM) represents emotions and all related affective phenomena, and should enable self-reporting or articulation of emotional states and responses; how do we know if this is the case? Here we use the EM 'in the wild' in order to evaluate the EM's ability to capture people's self-reported emotional responses to a situation through use of the vocabulary provided by the EM. To achieve this evaluation we developed a tool, EmOntoTag, in which audience members were able to capture their self-reported emotional responses to scientific presentations using the vocabulary offered by the EM. We furthermore asked participants using the tool to rate the appropriateness of an EM vocabulary term for capturing their self-assessed emotional response. Participants were also able to suggest improvements to the EM using a free-text feedback facility. Here, we present the data captured and analyse the EM's fitness for purpose in reporting emotional responses to conference talks. Based on our analysis of this data set, our primary finding is that the audience are able to articulate their emotional response to a talk via the EM, and reporting via the EM ontology is able to draw distinctions between the audience's response to a speaker and between the speakers (or talks) themselves. Thus we can conclude that the vocabulary provided at the leaves of the EM are fit for purpose in this setting. We additionally obtained interesting observations from the experiment as a whole, such as that the majority of emotions captured had

Benchmark calculations for evaluation methods of gas volumetric leakage rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1998-01-01

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

Methods for evaluation of industry training programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1987-01-01

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

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1994-08-01

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

A New Method for the Evaluation of Vaccine Safety Based on Comprehensive Gene Expression Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haruka Momose

2010-01-01

Full Text Available For the past 50 years, quality control and safety tests have been used to evaluate vaccine safety. However, conventional animal safety tests need to be improved in several aspects. For example, the number of test animals used needs to be reduced and the test period shortened. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a new vaccine evaluation system. In this review, we show that gene expression patterns are well correlated to biological responses in vaccinated rats. Our findings and methods using experimental biology and genome science provide an important means of assessment for vaccine toxicity.

Evaluation of signal energy calculation methods for a light-sharing SiPM-based PET detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Qingyang [School of Automation and Electrical Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Beijing Engineering Research Center of Industrial Spectrum Imaging, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Ma, Tianyu; Xu, Tianpeng; Liu, Yaqiang; Wang, Shi [Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Gu, Yu, E-mail: guyu@ustb.edu.cn [School of Automation and Electrical Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

2017-03-11

Signals of a light-sharing positron emission tomography (PET) detector are commonly multiplexed to three analog pulses (E, X, and Y) and then digitally sampled. From this procedure, the signal energy that are critical to detector performance are obtained. In this paper, different signal energy calculation strategies for a self-developed SiPM-based PET detector, including pulse height and different integration methods, are evaluated in terms of energy resolution and spread of the crystal response in the flood histogram using a root-mean-squared (RMS) index. Results show that integrations outperform the pulse height. Integration using the maximum derivative value of the pulse E as the landmark point and 28 integrated points (448 ns) has the best performance in these evaluated methods for our detector. Detector performance in terms of energy and position is improved with this integration method. The proposed methodology is expected to be applicable for other light-sharing PET detectors.

The reproducibility and responsiveness of a patient-specific approach: a new instrument in evaluation of treatment of temporomandibular disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rollman, A.; Naeije, M.; Visscher, C.M.

2010-01-01

AIMS: To evaluate the choice of activities on the Patient Specific Approach (PSA) in a sample of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients and to determine the clinimetric properties of the visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the PSA, in terms of reproducibility and responsiveness. METHODS: At

Evaluation of TV commercials using neurophysiological responses

OpenAIRE

Yang, Taeyang; Lee, Do-Young; Kwak, Youngshin; Choi, Jinsook; Kim, Chajoong; Kim, Sung-Phil

2015-01-01

Background In recent years, neuroscientific knowledge has been applied to marketing as a novel and efficient means to comprehend the cognitive and behavioral aspects of consumers. A number of studies have attempted to evaluate media contents, especially TV commercials using various neuroimaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG). Yet neurophysiological examination of detailed cognitive and affective responses in viewers is still required to provide practical information to market...

A new method to evaluate patient characteristic response to ultrafiltration during hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Casagrande, G; Teatini, U; Romei Longhena, G; Miglietta, F; Fumero, R; Costantino, M L

2007-05-01

Several factors are involved in the pathogenesis of dialysis discomfort interfering with optimal fluid removal and reducing the efficacy of the treatment; the most important one is a decrease in blood volume caused by an imbalance between ultrafiltration (UF) and plasmarefilling (PR) rates. This study is aimed at devising a method to tailor the dialysis therapy to each individual patient, by analyzing the relationship between PR and UF during the sessions in stable patients and widening the knowledge of fluid exchanges during the treatment. Thirty stable patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled. Three dialysis sessions were monitored for each patient; systemic pressure, blood composition, blood volume % variation, weight loss and conductivity were recorded repeatedly. A Plasma Refilling Index (PRI), defined and calculated by means of parameters measured throughout the dialysis, was introduced as a novel instrument to study plasma refilling phenomena. Results. The PRI provides understanding of patient response (in terms of plasma refilling) to the set UF. In the monitored sessions, the PRI trend is found to be characteristic of each patient; a PRI course that is at variance with the characteristic trend is a signal of inadequate or unusual dialysis scheduling. Moreover, statistical analysis highlights two different PRI trends during the first hour and during the rest of the treatment, suggesting the presence of different treatment phases. The main advantage of the PRI index is that it is non-invasive peculiar to each patient and easy to compute in a dialysis routine based on online data recorded by the monitor. A deviation from the characteristic trend may be a warning for the clinician. The analysis of the PRI trend also suggests how to modulate UF as a function of interstitial to intravascular fluid removal balance during dialysis.

A comparative evaluation of static and functional methods for recording centric relation and condylar guidance: a clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thakur, Mridul; Jain, Veena; Parkash, Hari; Kumar, Pravesh

2012-09-01

To evaluate and compare the centric relation and horizontal condylar guidance using interocclusal wax and extra oral Gothic arch methods and subjective evaluation of dentures thus fabricated. Centric relation and horizontal condylar guidance was recorded by using interocclusal wax and gothic arch tracing in 28 completely edentulous patients. These records were transferred to the articulator and difference in both values was recorded. After that patients were divided in two groups according to the centric relation and horizontal condylar guidance recording method used to achieve balanced occlusion. Response of the dentures was subjectively evaluated using "Woelfel subjective evaluation criteria". Centric relation recorded by both the methods did coincide in 7.14 % of patients. Centric relation recorded by interocclusal wax was posterior to Gothic centric relation in 21.43 % of patients, and anterior to Gothic centric relation in 71.42 % patients. Gothic arch tracings gave higher mean guidance values on both the sides as compared to protrusive wax record in all the subjects, although the difference was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Subjective evaluation showed statistical insignificance for all the parameters in both groups. Gothic arch method records the centric relation at a more posterior position than the Static method, but it does not make any difference in clinical performance of the complete denture. Horizontal condylar guidance angle was approximately similar by both the methods.

Introducing PCTRAN as an evaluation tool for nuclear power plant emergency responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Yi-Hsiang; Shih, Chunkuan; Chiang, Show-Chyuan; Weng, Tung-Li

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► PCTRAN is integrated with an atmospheric dispersion algorithm. ► The improved PCTRAN acts as an accident/incident simulator and a data exchange system. ► The software helps the responsible organizations decide the rescue and protective actions. ► The evaluation results show the nuclear power plant accident and its off-site dose consequences. ► The software can be used for nuclear power plant emergency responses. - Abstract: Protecting the public from radiation exposure is important if a nuclear power plant (NPP) accident occurs. Deciding appropriate protective actions in a timely and effective manner can be fulfilled by using an effective accident evaluation tool. In our earlier work, we have integrated PCTRAN (Personal Computer Transient Analyzer) with the off-site dose calculation model. In this study, we introduce PCTRAN as an evaluation tool for nuclear power plant emergency responses. If abnormal conditions in the plant are monitored or observed, the plant staffs can distinguish accident/incident initiation events. Thus, the responsible personnel can immediately operate PCTRAN and set up those accident/incident initiation events to simulate the nuclear power plant transient or accident in conjunction with off-site dose distributions. The evaluation results consequently help the responsible organizations decide the rescue and protective actions. In this study, we explain and demonstrate the capabilities of PCTRAN for nuclear emergency responses, through applying it to simulate the postulated nuclear power plant accident scenarios.

A method to evaluate process performance by integrating time and resources

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Wei, Qingjie; Jin, Shuang

2017-06-01

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

Comparative study of heuristic evaluation and usability testing methods.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2009-01-01

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

Evaluation in greenhouse of the response of two Musa cultivar to Black Sigatoka by artificial inoculation of conidial suspension of Pseudocercospora fijiensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayra Acosta Suárez

2004-04-01

Full Text Available For evaluating the resistance of Black sigatoka in genotypes from breeding programmes different methods have been used, the artificial inoculation of pathogens reproduction structures is one of them. Nevertheless, is necessary the standardization of condition for it in vitro production and to know the response of cultivars to the diseases in greenhouse. It will permit to establish methods for evaluating and selecting the new resistant genotypes. This work was carried out with the objectives to evaluate different culture media and incubation conditions for obtaining P. fijiensis conidia and for evaluating the response of two cultivars to the artificial inoculation with conidial suspensions of this fungus. Different culture media and incubation conditions for obtaining the conidia and the cultivars Grande naine (susceptible and FHIA-18 (partially resistant were used. The conidia of P. fijiensis could be obtained in vitro at 20ºC and constant light from 10 days of incubation in culture media Potato Carrot Agar, modified V-8 Agar and Potato Dextrose Agar. However, the greatest concentration was reached in Potato Dextrose Agar after 20 days of incubation at 20ºC under continuous white fluorescent light. The artificial inoculation of conidial suspensions of P. fijiensis allowed to evaluate the response of Grande Naine and FHIA-18 cultivars in greenhouse. By the use of qualitative scale of symptoms stages and the quantitative variables symptoms evolution time and disease development time was possible to differentiate both cultivars. They maintained in greenhouse similar response to the disease that in the field. Key words: conidia, culture medium, FHIA-18, Grande naine, sporulation

Study on comprehensive evaluation methods for nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arie, Kazuo

1999-03-01

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

Trait mindfulness modulates neuroendocrine and affective responses to social evaluative threat.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Kirk Warren; Weinstein, Netta; Creswell, J David

2012-12-01

Individual differences in mindfulness have been associated with numerous self-report indicators of stress, but research has not examined how mindfulness may buffer neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses under controlled laboratory conditions. The present study investigated the role of trait mindfulness in buffering cortisol and affective responses to a social evaluative stress challenge versus a control task. Participants completed measures of trait mindfulness, perceived stress, anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation before being randomized to complete the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993) or a control task. At points throughout the session, participants provided five saliva samples to assess cortisol response patterns, and completed four self-report measures of anxiety and negative affect to assess psychological responses. In accord with hypotheses, higher trait mindfulness predicted lower cortisol responses to the TSST, relative to the control task, as well as lower anxiety and negative affect. These relations remained significant when controlling for the role of other variables that predicted cortisol and affective responses. The findings suggest that trait mindfulness modulates cortisol and affective responses to an acute social stressor. Further research is needed to understand the neural pathways through which mindfulness impacts these responses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliable clarity automatic-evaluation method for optical remote sensing images

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-10-01

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

Application of Macro Response Monte Carlo method for electron spectrum simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perles, L.A.; Almeida, A. de

2007-01-01

During the past years several variance reduction techniques for Monte Carlo electron transport have been developed in order to reduce the electron computation time transport for absorbed dose distribution. We have implemented the Macro Response Monte Carlo (MRMC) method to evaluate the electron spectrum which can be used as a phase space input for others simulation programs. Such technique uses probability distributions for electron histories previously simulated in spheres (called kugels). These probabilities are used to sample the primary electron final state, as well as the creation secondary electrons and photons. We have compared the MRMC electron spectra simulated in homogeneous phantom against the Geant4 spectra. The results showed an agreement better than 6% in the spectra peak energies and that MRMC code is up to 12 time faster than Geant4 simulations

Evaluation of ultra-high-performance-fiber reinforced concrete binder content using the response surface method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldahdooh, M.A.A.; Muhamad Bunnori, N.; Megat Johari, M.A.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We develop a practical method for adjusting the binder content of UHP-FRC. • We adjust the binder content of UHP-FRC mixtures using RSM. • Increasing the cement content does not contribute to enhance strength. • Increasing the content of cement will increase the flow of UHP-FRC mixtures. - Abstract: One of the major disadvantages in ultra-high-performance-fiber reinforced concrete (UHP-FRC) is its high ordinary Portland cement (OPC) content, which directly translates into an increase in OPC production. More OPC production results in increased emission of greenhouse gases, as well increased electrical energy consumption and concrete price. This study is aimed at adjusting the binder content (OPC and silica fume (SF) contents) of UHP-FRC using the response surface method. The present investigation shows that, for a given water/binder and superplasticizer/OPC, the compressive strength is independent of the binder content, whereas the flow depends on the binder content. Increasing the binder content does not enhance the strength compared with the required design strength because the capillary porosity increases with increasing OPC content; however, the workability increases. The final result is the production of a UHP-FRC with an OPC content of 720.49 kg/m 3 , an SF content of 214.25 kg/m 3 , a compressive strength of 181.41 MPa, a direct tensile strength of 12.49 MPa, a bending tensile strength of 30.31 MPa, and a flow of 167 mm

Simplified method evaluation for piping elastic follow-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severud, L.K.

1983-05-01

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

Preparation of anastrozole loaded PEG-PLA nanoparticles: evaluation of apoptotic response of breast cancer cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Alyafee, Yusra A; Alaamery, Manal; Bawazeer, Shahad; Almutairi, Mansour S; Alghamdi, Badr; Alomran, Nawaf; Sheereen, Atia; Daghestani, Maha; Massadeh, Salam

2018-01-01

Anastrozole (ANS) is an aromatase inhibitor that is widely used as a treatment for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Despite the wide use of ANS, it is associated with serious side effects due to uncontrolled delivery. In addition, ANS exhibits low solubility and short plasma half-life. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery has the potential to enhance the efficacy of drugs and overcome undesirable side effects. In this study, we aimed to prepare novel ANS-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles (ANS-NPs) and to compare the apoptotic response of MCF-7 cell line to both ANS and ANS-loaded NPs. ANS-NPs were synthesized using double emulsion method and characterized using different methods. The apoptotic response was evaluated by assessing cell viability, morphology, and studying changes in the expression of MAPK3 , MCL1 , and c-MYC apoptotic genes in MCF-7 cell lines. ANS was successfully encapsulated within PLA-PEG-PLA, forming monodisperse therapeutic NPs with an encapsulation efficiency of 67%, particle size of 186±27.13, and a polydispersity index of 0.26±0.11 with a sustained release profile extended over 144 hours. In addition, results for cell viability and for gene expression represent a similar apoptotic response between the free ANS and ANS-NPs. The synthesized ANS-NPs showed a similar therapeutic effect as the free ANS, which provides a rationale to pursue pre-clinical evaluation of ANS-NPs on animal models.

Research on psychological evaluation method for nuclear power plant operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Xiang; He Xuhong; Zhao Bingquan

2007-01-01

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

Measurement of the total antioxidant response in preeclampsia with a novel automated method.

Science.gov (United States)

Harma, Mehmet; Harma, Muge; Erel, Ozcan

2005-01-10

Preeclampsia is one of the most serious complications of pregnancy. Free radical damage has been implicated in the pathophysiology of this condition. In this study, we aimed to measure the antioxidant capacity in plasma samples from normotensive and preeclamptic pregnant women to evaluate their antioxidant status using a more recently developed automated measurement method. Our study group contained 42 women, 24 of whom had preeclampsia, while 18 had normotensive pregnancies. We measured the total plasma antioxidant capacity for all patients, as well as the levels of four major individual plasma antioxidant components; albumin, uric acid, ascorbic acid and bilirubin, and as a reciprocal measure, their total plasma peroxide levels. Statistically significant differences (determined using Student's t-test) were noted between the normotensive and the preeclamptic groups for their total antioxidant responses and their vitamin C levels (1.31 +/- 0.12 mmol versus 1.06 +/- 0.41 mmol Trolox eq./L; 30.2 +/- 17.83 micromol/L versus 18.1 +/- 11.37 micromol/L, respectively), which were both considerably reduced in the preeclamptic patients. In contrast, the total plasma peroxide levels were significantly elevated in this group (49.8 +/- 14.3 micromol/L versus 38.8 +/- 9.6 micromol/L). We found a decreased total antioxidant response in preeclamptic patients using a simple, rapid and reliable automated colorimetric assay, which may suitable for use in any routine clinical biochemistry laboratory, and considerably facilitates the assessment of this useful clinical parameter. We suggest that this novel method may be used as a routine test to evaluate and follow up of the levels of oxidative stress in preeclampsia.

Response pattern's of immunoglobulins evaluation in different lineages of mice infected with T. cruzi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Andreia dos Santos

2006-01-01

The present work has employed different mice lineages (A/J, C57BL/6, B6AF1, BXA1 and BXA2) that were challenged with different doses of T. cruzi. The objective was to evaluate the pattern of immunoglobulins response presented by resistant and susceptible mice to T. cruzi as well as the lineages developed from the matting between them. So that evaluation was done by using lineages serums' sample, analyzed by ELISA's method. In agreement with the results observed all the lineages presented higher response to IgG2a and IgG2b, if compared with the titles to IgG1. IgG1 immunoglobulins involve a type Th2 pattern response which expressed allergic immunological responses, while IgG2 involves a pattern response Th1 that expresses cellular immunological response. The different lineages used in this research also presented different immunological response pattern by the infection with T. cruzi. Mice of the lineage C57BL/6 are resistant to the infection, while the animals of the lineage A/J are susceptible. The animals of the lineage B6AF1 are more resistant to the infection than their original parental C57BL/6. The immunological response developed by hybrid mice present traces of both susceptible and resistant parental A/J and C57BL/6, respectively. The animals of the lineage BXA1 can be considered resistant to the infection, but they don't present the same control as that presented by those of the lineages B6AF1 and C57BL/6. The animals of the lineage BXA2 can be considered susceptible to the infection, but they can control it for a long period, surviving like this, longer than the animals of the lineage A/J. In addition it was observed that the IgG2b immunoglobulins are very important to the resistance of mice to T. cruzi infection. (author)

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-11-01

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

Evaluation Responsibility and Leadership in the Face of Failing Democracies

Science.gov (United States)

McKegg, Kate

2013-01-01

In a world faced with unprecedented rising levels of inequality and injustice, is there a responsibility for our evaluation organizations to take on a leadership role in promoting inclusive, evaluative dialog and deliberation about the state of our democracies in relation to key democratic principles and ideals? In this forum, I question whether…

Reactor calculation in coarse mesh by finite element method applied to matrix response method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.

1982-01-01

The finite element method is applied to the solution of the modified formulation of the matrix-response method aiming to do reactor calculations in coarse mesh. Good results are obtained with a short running time. The method is applicable to problems where the heterogeneity is predominant and to problems of evolution in coarse meshes where the burnup is variable in one same coarse mesh, making the cross section vary spatially with the evolution. (E.G.) [pt

Evaluation of Dynamic Methods for Earthwork Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlček Jozef

2015-05-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzmin, Alexey

2012-01-01

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

Using classical test theory, item response theory, and Rasch measurement theory to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures: a comparison of worked examples.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrillo, Jennifer; Cano, Stefan J; McLeod, Lori D; Coon, Cheryl D

2015-01-01

To provide comparisons and a worked example of item- and scale-level evaluations based on three psychometric methods used in patient-reported outcome development-classical test theory (CTT), item response theory (IRT), and Rasch measurement theory (RMT)-in an analysis of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Baseline VFQ-25 data from 240 participants with diabetic macular edema from a randomized, double-masked, multicenter clinical trial were used to evaluate the VFQ at the total score level. CTT, RMT, and IRT evaluations were conducted, and results were assessed in a head-to-head comparison. Results were similar across the three methods, with IRT and RMT providing more detailed diagnostic information on how to improve the scale. CTT led to the identification of two problematic items that threaten the validity of the overall scale score, sets of redundant items, and skewed response categories. IRT and RMT additionally identified poor fit for one item, many locally dependent items, poor targeting, and disordering of over half the response categories. Selection of a psychometric approach depends on many factors. Researchers should justify their evaluation method and consider the intended audience. If the instrument is being developed for descriptive purposes and on a restricted budget, a cursory examination of the CTT-based psychometric properties may be all that is possible. In a high-stakes situation, such as the development of a patient-reported outcome instrument for consideration in pharmaceutical labeling, however, a thorough psychometric evaluation including IRT or RMT should be considered, with final item-level decisions made on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative results. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Nonlinear response time-dependent density functional theory combined with the effective fragment potential method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zahariev, Federico; Gordon, Mark S., E-mail: mark@si.msg.chem.iastate.edu [Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 (United States)

2014-05-14

This work presents an extension of the linear response TDDFT/EFP method to the nonlinear-response regime together with the implementation of nonlinear-response TDDFT/EFP in the quantum-chemistry computer package GAMESS. Included in the new method is the ability to calculate the two-photon absorption cross section and to incorporate solvent effects via the EFP method. The nonlinear-response TDDFT/EFP method is able to make correct qualitative predictions for both gas phase values and aqueous solvent shifts of several important nonlinear properties.

Study on the analytical methods to evaluate the interaction effects of embedded nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuzawa, R.; Chiba, O.; Tohdo, M.; Hatori, T.

1987-01-01

For the seismic response analyses of nuclear power plants which are more or less embedded into soil medium, it is very important to evaluate the interactive effects on the interface between soil and foundation wall, such as wave propagation to infinity radiated from the side wall. The methods generally used in these analyses can be classified into the two basic procedures. One is the direct procedure in which a structure and soil are medeled together into finite elements or beam elements having the quiet boundary; transmitting boundary, non-reflecting boundary. The other is the substructure procedure in which the computational procedure is divided into two steps. In the first step the behavior of massless foundation due to an external force and seismic motion under the assumption as rigid foundation is analyzed, and the results are represented by impedance functions and foundation input motions. Using the results, the structural response analyses are performed. Taking the substructure procedure for seismic response analyses of embedded nuclear power plants, it is the purpose of this paper to present the features of solutions on impedance functions and foundation input motions obtained by various methods such as 3- or 2-dimensional approach, and their influences on structural responses

System and method for non-destructive evaluation of surface characteristics of a magnetic material

Science.gov (United States)

Jiles, David C.; Sipahi, Levent B.

1994-05-17

A system and a related method for non-destructive evaluation of the surface characteristics of a magnetic material. The sample is excited by an alternating magnetic field. The field frequency, amplitude and offset are controlled according to a predetermined protocol. The Barkhausen response of the sample is detected for the various fields and offsets and is analyzed. The system produces information relating to the frequency content, the amplitude content, the average or RMS energy content, as well as count rate information, for each of the Barkhausen responses at each of the excitation levels applied during the protocol. That information provides a contiguous body of data, heretofore unavailable, which can be analyzed to deduce information about the surface characteristics of the material at various depths below the surface.

Development and evaluation of fully automated demand response in large facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piette, Mary Ann; Sezgen, Osman; Watson, David S.; Motegi, Naoya; Shockman, Christine; ten Hope, Laurie

2004-03-30

This report describes the results of a research project to develop and evaluate the performance of new Automated Demand Response (Auto-DR) hardware and software technology in large facilities. Demand Response (DR) is a set of activities to reduce or shift electricity use to improve electric grid reliability, manage electricity costs, and ensure that customers receive signals that encourage load reduction during times when the electric grid is near its capacity. The two main drivers for widespread demand responsiveness are the prevention of future electricity crises and the reduction of electricity prices. Additional goals for price responsiveness include equity through cost of service pricing, and customer control of electricity usage and bills. The technology developed and evaluated in this report could be used to support numerous forms of DR programs and tariffs. For the purpose of this report, we have defined three levels of Demand Response automation. Manual Demand Response involves manually turning off lights or equipment; this can be a labor-intensive approach. Semi-Automated Response involves the use of building energy management control systems for load shedding, where a preprogrammed load shedding strategy is initiated by facilities staff. Fully-Automated Demand Response is initiated at a building or facility through receipt of an external communications signal--facility staff set up a pre-programmed load shedding strategy which is automatically initiated by the system without the need for human intervention. We have defined this approach to be Auto-DR. An important concept in Auto-DR is that a facility manager is able to ''opt out'' or ''override'' an individual DR event if it occurs at a time when the reduction in end-use services is not desirable. This project sought to improve the feasibility and nature of Auto-DR strategies in large facilities. The research focused on technology development, testing

A method to adjust radiation dose-response relationships for clinical risk factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Appelt, Ane Lindegaard; Vogelius, Ivan R

2012-01-01

Several clinical risk factors for radiation induced toxicity have been identified in the literature. Here, we present a method to quantify the effect of clinical risk factors on radiation dose-response curves and apply the method to adjust the dose-response for radiation pneumonitis for patients...

A new approach to evaluate the response functions for conical and cylindrical collimators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gigante, G.E.

1989-01-01

A new approach to the evaluation of the conical collimator response function is shown. The basic collimator formulae are reviewed. The collimator response function has been found in a very easy way. An approximate solution has been introduced. Studying the response of a measuring system, the use of this approximation strongly reduces the complexity of the relations to be used; therefore it would provide a useful starting point for a Monte Carlo calculation. The errors introduced are less than 10%. Approximate relations that allow the evaluation of the response of conical and cylindrical collimators to plane and line sources are also given. (orig.)

Early warning systems and rapid response to the deteriorating patient in hospital: A realist evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

McGaughey, Jennifer; O'Halloran, Peter; Porter, Sam; Trinder, John; Blackwood, Bronagh

2017-12-01

To test the Rapid Response Systems programme theory against actual practice components of the Rapid Response Systems implemented to identify those contexts and mechanisms which have an impact on the successful achievement of desired outcomes in practice. Rapid Response Systems allow deteriorating patients to be recognized using Early Warning Systems, referred early via escalation protocols and managed at the bedside by competent staff. Realist evaluation. The research design was an embedded multiple case study approach of four wards in two hospitals in Northern Ireland which followed the principles of Realist Evaluation. We used various mixed methods including individual and focus group interviews, observation of nursing practice between June-November 2010 and document analysis of Early Warning Systems audit data between May-October 2010 and hospital acute care training records over 4.5 years from 2003-2008. Data were analysed using NiVivo8 and SPPS. A cross-case analysis highlighted similar patterns of factors which enabled or constrained successful recognition, referral and response to deteriorating patients in practice. Key enabling factors were the use of clinical judgement by experienced nurses and the empowerment of nurses as a result of organizational change associated with implementation of Early Warning System protocols. Key constraining factors were low staffing and inappropriate skill mix levels, rigid implementation of protocols and culturally embedded suboptimal communication processes. Successful implementation of Rapid Response Systems was dependent on adopting organizational and cultural changes that facilitated staff empowerment, flexible implementation of protocols and ongoing experiential learning. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Therapy evaluation and diagnostic accuracy in neuroendocrine tumours: assessment of radiological methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elvin, A.

1993-01-01

The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonically guided biopsy-gun biopsies was assessed in a group of 47 patients with suspected pancreatic carcinoma. A correct diagnosis was obtained in 44 of the 47 patients (94%). Biopsy-gun biopsy of the pancreas is considered a useful, reliable and non-traumatic method for the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy. Twenty-five patients with known neuroendocrine tumour disease were biopsied with 1.2 mm and 0.9 mm biopsy-gun needles. The influence of treatment-related fibrosis was also evaluated. The overall diagnostic accuracy with the 0.9 mm needle was 69% as compared to 92% with the 1.2 mm needle. In order to assess the diagnostic accuracy rate for radiologists with different experience of biopsy procedures 175 cases of renal biopsy-gun biopsies were evaluated. No statistical significant difference was found between the different operators. The role of duplex Doppler ultrasound in monitoring interferon treatment-related changes in carcinoid metastases was evaluated. It present duplex Doppler ultrasound does not seem to play a role in the evaluation of tumour therapy in carcinoid patients. Therapy response evaluation was performed with MR imaging in a group of 17 patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases. A significant difference was found between patients responding to and patients with failure of treatment in terms of tumour T1, contrast enhancement and signal intensity ratio. This indicates that MR investigation may be used in therapy monitoring of patients with neuroendocrine metastases. The neuroendocrine-differentiated colonic carcinoma cell line (LCC-18) was transplanted to 29 mice to establish a tumour/animal model that would allow the monitoring of changes with MR imaging induced by interferon therapy and to evaluate whether the therapeutic response could be modulated by different interferon dosages. Interferon does not seem to have any prolonged anti-proliferative effect on the LCC-18 tumour cell line when transplanted to

Approaches to chronic disease management evaluation in use in Europe: a review of current methods and performance measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Conklin, Annalijn; Nolte, Ellen; Vrijhoef, Hubertus

2013-01-01

An overview was produced of approaches currently used to evaluate chronic disease management in selected European countries. The study aims to describe the methods and metrics used in Europe as a first to help advance the methodological basis for their assessment. A common template for collection of evaluation methods and performance measures was sent to key informants in twelve European countries; responses were summarized in tables based on template evaluation categories. Extracted data were descriptively analyzed. Approaches to the evaluation of chronic disease management vary widely in objectives, designs, metrics, observation period, and data collection methods. Half of the reported studies used noncontrolled designs. The majority measure clinical process measures, patient behavior and satisfaction, cost and utilization; several also used a range of structural indicators. Effects are usually observed over 1 or 3 years on patient populations with a single, commonly prevalent, chronic disease. There is wide variation within and between European countries on approaches to evaluating chronic disease management in their objectives, designs, indicators, target audiences, and actors involved. This study is the first extensive, international overview of the area reported in the literature.

Hazard Ranking System evaluation of CERCLA [Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act] inactive waste sites at Hanford: Volume 1, Evaluation methods and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenner, R.D.; Cramer, K.H.; Higley, K.A.; Jette, S.J.; Lamar, D.A.; McLaughlin, T.J.; Sherwood, D.R.; Van Houten, N.C.

1988-10-01

The purpose of this report is to formally document the individual site Hazard Ranking System (HRS) evaluations conducted as part of the preliminary assessment/site inspection (PA/SI) activities at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. These activities were carried out pursuant to the DOE orders that describe the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Program addressing the cleanup of inactive waste sites. These orders incorporate the US Environmental Protection Agency methodology, which is based on the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). The methodology includes six parts: PA/SI, remedial investigation/feasibility study, record of decision, design and implementation of remedial action, operation and monitoring, and verification monitoring. Volume 1 of this report discusses the CERCLA inactive waste-site evaluation process, assumptions, and results of the HRS methodology employed. Volume 2 presents the data on the individual CERCLA engineered-facility sites at Hanford, as contained in the Hanford Inactive Site Surveillance (HISS) Data Base. Volume 3 presents the data on the individual CERCLA unplanned-release sites at Hanford, as contained in the HISS Data Base. 34 refs., 43 figs., 47 tabs

Hazard Ranking System evaluation of CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) inactive waste sites at Hanford: Volume 1, Evaluation methods and results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stenner, R.D.; Cramer, K.H.; Higley, K.A.; Jette, S.J.; Lamar, D.A.; McLaughlin, T.J.; Sherwood, D.R.; Van Houten, N.C.

1988-10-01

The purpose of this report is to formally document the individual site Hazard Ranking System (HRS) evaluations conducted as part of the preliminary assessment/site inspection (PA/SI) activities at the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. These activities were carried out pursuant to the DOE orders that describe the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Program addressing the cleanup of inactive waste sites. These orders incorporate the US Environmental Protection Agency methodology, which is based on the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). The methodology includes six parts: PA/SI, remedial investigation/feasibility study, record of decision, design and implementation of remedial action, operation and monitoring, and verification monitoring. Volume 1 of this report discusses the CERCLA inactive waste-site evaluation process, assumptions, and results of the HRS methodology employed. Volume 2 presents the data on the individual CERCLA engineered-facility sites at Hanford, as contained in the Hanford Inactive Site Surveillance (HISS) Data Base. Volume 3 presents the data on the individual CERCLA unplanned-release sites at Hanford, as contained in the HISS Data Base. 34 refs., 43 figs., 47 tabs.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-08-15

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

A method to determine insulin responsiveness in synaptosomes isolated from frozen brain tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Franklin, Whitney; Taglialatela, Giulio

2016-03-01

Studying the insulin signaling response at the synapse is an important approach to understand molecular mechanisms involved in disease-related neurodegenerative processes. We developed a method for studying the insulin responsiveness at the synaptic level by isolating functional synaptosomes from fresh or frozen tissue and exposing them to insulin in the presence of ATP (a critical step) to detect insulin receptor (IR) activation. We performed an ATP dose-response curve, insulin dose-response curve, and insulin response time course to optimize this method. We also demonstrated that our protocol reflects the degree of insulin responsiveness in vivo by using an animal model of known insulin resistance, AtENPP1-Tg mice. This method is advantageous over other methods detecting IR in total brain homogenates due to the ability to detect IR response without confounding contributions from other cell areas and cell types also expressing IR. Furthermore, ex vivo insulin stimulation can be compared to baseline synaptosomes obtained from the same animal which improves reliability and statistical power while decreasing the number of animals required to perform individual experiments. We have developed a reliable, efficient method to measure insulin-driven ex vivo phosphorylation of the synaptosomal insulin receptor that can reliably reflect the pre-existing insulin responsiveness status in the CNS of the animal. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence of stimulation of isolated synaptosomes with insulin and a promising new technique to study the synaptic CNS insulin responsiveness under physiological or disease conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of ground motion scaling methods for analysis of structural systems

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, A. P.; Beltsar, O.A.; Kurama, Y.C.; Kalkan, E.; Taflanidis, A.A.

2011-01-01

Ground motion selection and scaling comprises undoubtedly the most important component of any seismic risk assessment study that involves time-history analysis. Ironically, this is also the single parameter with the least guidance provided in current building codes, resulting in the use of mostly subjective choices in design. The relevant research to date has been primarily on single-degree-of-freedom systems, with only a few studies using multi-degree-of-freedom systems. Furthermore, the previous research is based solely on numerical simulations with no experimental data available for the validation of the results. By contrast, the research effort described in this paper focuses on an experimental evaluation of selected ground motion scaling methods based on small-scale shake-table experiments of re-configurable linearelastic and nonlinear multi-story building frame structure models. Ultimately, the experimental results will lead to the development of guidelines and procedures to achieve reliable demand estimates from nonlinear response history analysis in seismic design. In this paper, an overview of this research effort is discussed and preliminary results based on linear-elastic dynamic response are presented. ?? ASCE 2011.

Evaluation of the pathological response and prognosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in molecular subtypes of breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao Y

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Yue Zhao,1 Xiaoqiu Dong,2 Rongguo Li,1 Xiao Ma,1 Jian Song,1 Yingjie Li,3 Dongwei Zhang1 1Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 2Department of Ultrasonography, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 3Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People’s Republic of China Background: The pathological complete response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer correlates with the prognosis for survival. Tumors may have different prognoses according to their molecular subtypes. This study was performed to evaluate the relevance of the pathological response and prognosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the molecular subtypes of breast cancer.Methods: A consecutive series of 88 patients with operable breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed. Patients were classified into four molecular subtypes based on the immunohistochemistry profile of the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2, and Ki-67. The histological response was assessed according to Miller-Payne grading (MPG and Residual Disease in Breast and Nodes (RDBN.Results: Ten patients (11.4% achieved a pathological complete response, assessed according to RDBN. The pathological complete response rate was 13.6% according to MPG. Patients with the triple-negative subtype were more likely to achieve a pathological complete response than those with luminal A breast cancer (P=0.03. MPG and RDBN are independent predictors of distant disease-free survival and local recurrence-free survival, but do not predict overall survival. Ki-67, size of invasive carcinoma, lymph nodes, molecular subtypes, MPG, and RDBN are important predictors of distant disease-free survival, local recurrence-free survival, and overall survival.Conclusion: MPG and RDBN were similarly related to the patient’s prognosis. MPG was more suitable for evaluation of distant disease

Comparison of the dose evaluation methods for criticality accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Yoshio; Oka, Tsutomu

2004-01-01

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

Isonychia spp. and macroinvertebrate community responses to stressors in streams utilizing the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (BiTIE) method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Custer, Kevin W.; Burton, G. Allen

2008-01-01

Exposures of caged organisms in situ have proven to be a useful way to improve exposure realism and link to stressor effects in aquatic assessments of hazard or risk. A novel cage system, the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (BiTIE), was developed for benthic macroinvertebrates (surrogate species, resident populations and communities) to separate low and high flow effects, and major chemical classes of stressors in streams. Three resin types were used to separate the chemical stressors in the streams Honey Creek and Little Beavercreek, Ohio, USA: Dowex TM Optipore TM (non-polar organics), zeolite (ammonia), and polywool (control). Isonychia spp. sensitivity was compared to Chironomus tentans, and no significant differences were found (p > 0.05). Isonychia spp. growth (length) showed a stressor response in the zeolite treatments, and community testing revealed improved metric responses in the Dowex TM treatments. The BiTIE chamber system demonstrated stressor-response relationships using sublethal and multimetric endpoints. - Use of an indigenous aquatic insect and benthic macroinvertebrate communities allows for discerning the stressors in low and high flows with an in situ TIE approach

Evaluation of treatment response in depression studies using a Bayesian parametric cure rate model.

Science.gov (United States)

Santen, Gijs; Danhof, Meindert; Della Pasqua, Oscar

2008-10-01

Efficacy trials with antidepressant drugs often fail to show significant treatment effect even though efficacious treatments are investigated. This failure can, amongst other factors, be attributed to the lack of sensitivity of the statistical method as well as of the endpoints to pharmacological activity. For regulatory purposes the most widely used efficacy endpoint is still the mean change in HAM-D score at the end of the study, despite evidence from literature showing that the HAM-D scale might not be a sensitive tool to assess drug effect and that changes from baseline at the end of treatment may not reflect the extent of response. In the current study, we evaluate the prospect of applying a Bayesian parametric cure rate model (CRM) to analyse antidepressant effect in efficacy trials with paroxetine. The model is based on a survival approach, which allows for a fraction of surviving patients indefinitely after completion of treatment. Data was extracted from GlaxoSmithKline's clinical databases. Response was defined as a 50% change from baseline HAM-D at any assessment time after start of therapy. Survival times were described by a log-normal distribution and drug effect was parameterised as a covariate on the fraction of non-responders. The model was able to fit the data from different studies accurately and results show that response to treatment does not lag for two weeks, as is mythically believed. In conclusion, we demonstrate how parameterisation of a survival model can be used to characterise treatment response in depression trials. The method contrasts with the long-established snapshot on changes from baseline, as it incorporates the time course of response throughout treatment.

Validation of Land Cover Products Using Reliability Evaluation Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenzhong Shi

2015-06-01

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

FLT-PET for early response evaluation of colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, Marie Benzon; Loft, Annika; Aznar, Marianne

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Fluoro-L-thymidine (FLT) is a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) tracer which reflects proliferative activity in a cancer lesion. The main objective of this prospective explorative study was to evaluate whether FLT-PET can be used for the early evaluation...... standardised uptake values (SUVmax, SUVmean) were measured. After three cycles of chemotherapy, treatment response was assessed by CT scan based on RECIST 1.1. RESULTS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients were included of which 27 were evaluable. Dropout was mainly due to disease complications. Nineteen patients...... between the response according to RECIST and the early changes in FLT uptake measured as SUVmax(p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was found between early changes in FLT uptake after the first cycle of treatment and the response evaluated from subsequent CT scans. It seems unlikely that FLT-PET can...

Veterinary and human vaccine evaluation methods

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-01-01

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

Evaluation of methods to assess physical activity

Science.gov (United States)

Leenders, Nicole Y. J. M.

Epidemiological evidence has accumulated that demonstrates that the amount of physical activity-related energy expenditure during a week reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and all-cause mortality. To further understand the amount of daily physical activity and related energy expenditure that are necessary to maintain or improve the functional health status and quality of life, instruments that estimate total (TDEE) and physical activity-related energy expenditure (PAEE) under free-living conditions should be determined to be valid and reliable. Without evaluation of the various methods that estimate TDEE and PAEE with the doubly labeled water (DLW) method in females there will be eventual significant limitations on assessing the efficacy of physical activity interventions on health status in this population. A triaxial accelerometer (Tritrac-R3D, (TT)), an uniaxial (Computer Science and Applications Inc., (CSA)) activity monitor, a Yamax-Digiwalker-500sp°ler , (YX-stepcounter), by measuring heart rate responses (HR method) and a 7-d Physical Activity Recall questionnaire (7-d PAR) were compared with the "criterion method" of DLW during a 7-d period in female adults. The DLW-TDEE was underestimated on average 9, 11 and 15% using 7-d PAR, HR method and TT. The underestimation of DLW-PAEE by 7-d PAR was 21% compared to 47% and 67% for TT and YX-stepcounter. Approximately 56% of the variance in DLW-PAEE*kgsp{-1} is explained by the registration of body movement with accelerometry. A larger proportion of the variance in DLW-PAEE*kgsp{-1} was explained by jointly incorporating information from the vertical and horizontal movement measured with the CSA and Tritrac-R3D (rsp2 = 0.87). Although only a small amount of variance in DLW-PAEE*kgsp{-1} is explained by the number of steps taken per day, because of its low cost and ease of use, the Yamax-stepcounter is useful in studies promoting daily walking. Thus, studies involving the

A discrete ordinate response matrix method for massively parallel computers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanebutte, U.R.; Lewis, E.E.

1991-01-01

A discrete ordinate response matrix method is formulated for the solution of neutron transport problems on massively parallel computers. The response matrix formulation eliminates iteration on the scattering source. The nodal matrices which result from the diamond-differenced equations are utilized in a factored form which minimizes memory requirements and significantly reduces the required number of algorithm utilizes massive parallelism by assigning each spatial node to a processor. The algorithm is accelerated effectively by a synthetic method in which the low-order diffusion equations are also solved by massively parallel red/black iterations. The method has been implemented on a 16k Connection Machine-2, and S 8 and S 16 solutions have been obtained for fixed-source benchmark problems in X--Y geometry

A quick and easy high performance liquid chromatography method for evaluation of cefixime in human plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Danafar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cefixime is essential member of orally energetic third generation cephalosporin and has tremendous activity aligned with many pathogens. The virtual bioavailability of a newly industrial dispersible tablet as compared with a recognized identified formulation.  A simple and available reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection has been urbanized and validate for cefixime evaluate in human plasma using a C18 analytical column and a mobile phase of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (pH 6.5-acetonitrile (3:1 v/v. The detection wavelength was 280 nm. To method observed major linear response-concentration association all through the cefixime concentration range of 15-100 ng/ml, with the average accuracy within-run and between-run values of 97.29% and 99.27%. The average drug recovery from plasma was 98.2% throughout the linear concentration range. The limits of detection (LOD and quantitation (LOQ of the method were 5 and 15 ng/ml, respectively. The method is quick, easy, very steady and precise for the partition, assignment, evaluation of cefixime in human plasma.

Error response test system and method using test mask variable

Science.gov (United States)

Gender, Thomas K. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An error response test system and method with increased functionality and improved performance is provided. The error response test system provides the ability to inject errors into the application under test to test the error response of the application under test in an automated and efficient manner. The error response system injects errors into the application through a test mask variable. The test mask variable is added to the application under test. During normal operation, the test mask variable is set to allow the application under test to operate normally. During testing, the error response test system can change the test mask variable to introduce an error into the application under test. The error response system can then monitor the application under test to determine whether the application has the correct response to the error.

Treatment response in psychotic patients classified according to social and clinical needs, drug side effects, and previous treatment; a method to identify functional remission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alenius, Malin; Hammarlund-Udenaes, Margareta; Honoré, Per Gustaf Hartvig

2009-01-01

, fewer psychotic symptoms, and higher rate of workers than those with the worst treatment outcome. CONCLUSION: In the evaluation, CANSEPT showed validity in discriminating the patients of interest and was well tolerated by the patients. CANSEPT could secure inclusion of correct patients in the clinic......BACKGROUND: Various approaches have been made over the years to classify psychotic patients according to inadequate treatment response, using terms such as treatment resistant or treatment refractory. Existing classifications have been criticized for overestimating positive symptoms......; underestimating residual symptoms, negative symptoms, and side effects; or being to open for individual interpretation. The aim of this study was to present and evaluate a new method of classification according to treatment response and, thus, to identify patients in functional remission. METHOD: A naturalistic...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-07-28

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

A Fuzzy method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2017-11-01

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

A Fuzzy method for the usability evaluation of nuclear medical equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2017-01-01

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

Comparative study of on-line response time measurement methods for platinum resistance thermometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zwingelstein, G.; Gopal, R.

1979-01-01

This study deals with the in site determination of the response time of platinum resistance sensor. In the first part of this work, two methods furnishing the reference response time of the sensors are studied. In the second part of the work, two methods obtaining the response time without dismounting of the sensor, are studied. A comparative study of the performances of these methods is included for fluid velocities varying from 0 to 10 m/sec, in both laboratory and plant conditions

Understanding the Effect of Response Rate and Class Size Interaction on Students Evaluation of Teaching in a Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Al Kuwaiti, Ahmed; AlQuraan, Mahmoud; Subbarayalu, Arun Vijay

2016-01-01

Objective: This study aims to investigate the interaction between response rate and class size and its effects on students' evaluation of instructors and the courses offered at a higher education Institution in Saudi Arabia. Study Design: A retrospective study design was chosen. Methods: One thousand four hundred and forty four different courses…

Performing dynamic time history analyses by extension of the response spectrum method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hulbert, G.M.

1983-01-01

A method is presented to calculate the dynamic time history response of finite-element models using results from response spectrum analyses. The proposed modified time history method does not represent a new mathamatical approach to dynamic analysis but suggests a more efficient ordering of the analytical equations and procedures. The modified time history method is considerably faster and less expensive to use than normal time hisory methods. This paper presents the theory and implementation of the modified time history approach along with comparisons of the modified and normal time history methods for a prototypic seismic piping design problem

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

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

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

Angiographic evaluation of response to preoperative chemotherapy in osteosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrasco, C.H.; Charnsangavej, C.; Richii, W.; Wallace, S.; Chawla, S.P.; Raymond, A.K.; Murray, J.A.; Benjamin, R.S.

1986-01-01

Preoperative chemotherapy for osteosarcoma facilitates local resection for limb salvage and serves as an in vivo chemosensitivity assay. Arteriograms obtained with each intraarterial course of cisplatin in 79 patients with osteosarcoma were evaluated. Complete remission was defined as complete or nearly complete disappearance of tumor vascularity after treatment. A minimal decrease, no change, or an increase in tumor vascularity was not considered a response. If a complete remission is assumed to represent ≥ 90% histologic tumor necrosis which correlates with prolonged disease-free survival, the sensitivity of an angiographic complete remission was 95%, the specificity was 58%, the predictive value of a negative study was 90%, and the predictive value of a positive study was 75%. Angiography is the best clinical technique for evaluating the therapeutic response in osteosarcoma. Results correlate well with the degree of tumor necrosis, particularly in respect to significant residual viable tumor

Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1995-03-01

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

Evaluation of full-scope simulator testing methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1995-03-01

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

Advanced probabilistic methods for quantifying the effects of various uncertainties in structural response

Science.gov (United States)

Nagpal, Vinod K.

1988-01-01

The effects of actual variations, also called uncertainties, in geometry and material properties on the structural response of a space shuttle main engine turbopump blade are evaluated. A normal distribution was assumed to represent the uncertainties statistically. Uncertainties were assumed to be totally random, partially correlated, and fully correlated. The magnitude of these uncertainties were represented in terms of mean and variance. Blade responses, recorded in terms of displacements, natural frequencies, and maximum stress, was evaluated and plotted in the form of probabilistic distributions under combined uncertainties. These distributions provide an estimate of the range of magnitudes of the response and probability of occurrence of a given response. Most importantly, these distributions provide the information needed to estimate quantitatively the risk in a structural design.

Evaluating response modification factor (R for some types of steel structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doralba Valencia Restrepo

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Response modification factor (R, tabulated in the Colombian Design Code as NSR-98, is used in this paper for eva-luating internal member forces produced by design earthquake action on steel structures and the inconsistencies pre-sent when designing structures when 1% drift limits must be complied with. The article presents the design of 45 frames corresponding to the seismic resistance system of 5 buildings: 15 special moment frames (SMF, 15 special concentrically-braced frames (CBF and 15 eccentrically-braced frames (EBF. External loads and their combination were used in estimating internal loads and rigidity demands (1% drift were evaluated in line with NSR-98 requi-rements. Member strength requirements were evaluated by using the AISC-2005 seismic provisions for steel structu-red buildings. Modal pushover analysis was used for evaluating the response modification factor for the 45 given frames at different structural performance levels. It was found that this factor was not constant for any of the three structural systems (SMF, CBF and EBF suggested by NSR-98 and that the values of the response modification factor found in the present investigation were smaller than those tabulated in this design code governing everyday structural design. This would lead to significant errors being made in evaluating design forces, not only in the structures but in the support elements (base-plates, foundations, shear walls and any structures attached to buildings constructed in line with the seismic resistance system.

Dose-response evaluation after Yttrium-90 resin microsphere radio-embolization of breast cancer liver metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnesin, S.; Verdun, F.R.; Baechler, S.; Boubacker, A.; Adib, S.; Cherbuin, N.; Prior, J.O.; Bize, P.; Denys, A.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. Aim: Yttrium-90 resin microsphere radio-embolization is a valuable therapeutic option in metastatic breast cancer patients with progressive disease refractory to chemotherapy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the dose-response relationship of liver metastasis based on a 3D voxelized 90 Y PET dosimetry. Materials and methods: we studied the dose-response relationship of twelve hepatic lesions in four selected patients with metastatic breast cancer who underwent 90 Y radio-embolization (Sirtex SIR-Spheres Pty Ltd.). The administered activity ranged from 1 to 1.3 GBq. Ten days before treatment, patients underwent a baseline 18 F-FDG PET/CT. The determination of the 90 Y-microsphere activity to administer for treatment was based on the BSA method refined with the partition model derived from a 99m Tc-MAA SPECT/CT performed a week prior to radio-embolization. Within 24 hours after treatment, 90 Y TOF PET/CT imaging was performed. A follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT was performed 1 month after the treatment to evaluate the response to radio-embolization. For each patient, 3D voxelized dose-maps were obtained from the post-treatment 90 Y TOF PET/CT. A volume of interest (VOI) was drawn for each selected hepatic lesion using the baseline 18 F-FDG PET/CT. To obtain dose-volume histogram (DVH) for each lesion, image co-registration and VOI masks were generated using the PMOD 3.4 software and then exported in Matlab for dose calculation. Furthermore, the average absorbed dose in lesions was corrected for PVE effects by multiplication for appropriate (phantom-based) recovery coefficients according to the lesion size. Early metabolic lesion response was assessed in terms of variation in the maximum standard uptake value (ΔSUVmax) between baseline and follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT. The average absorbed dose for each lesion was associated with the respective metabolic response. Results: for the 12 selected lesions, the average volume was 35 cm 3

Methods to evaluate cytotoxicity and immunosuppression of combustible tobacco product preparations.

Science.gov (United States)

Arimilli, Subhashini; Damratoski, Brad E; G L, Prasad

2015-01-10

Among other pathophysiological changes, chronic exposure to cigarette smoke causes inflammation and immune suppression, which have been linked to increased susceptibility of smokers to microbial infections and tumor incidence. Ex vivo suppression of receptor-mediated immune responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated with smoke constituents is an attractive approach to study mechanisms and evaluate the likely long-term effects of exposure to tobacco products. Here, we optimized methods to perform ex vivo assays using PBMCs stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide, a Toll-like receptor-4 ligand. The effects of whole smoke-conditioned medium (WS-CM), a combustible tobacco product preparation (TPP), and nicotine were investigated on cytokine secretion and target cell killing by PBMCs in the ex vivo assays. We show that secreted cytokines IFN-γ, TNF, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-8 and intracellular cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, and MIP-1α were suppressed in WS-CM-exposed PBMCs. The cytolytic function of effector PBMCs, as determined by a K562 target cell killing assay was also reduced by exposure to WS-CM; nicotine was minimally effective in these assays. In summary, we present a set of improved assays to evaluate the effects of TPPs in ex vivo assays, and these methods could be readily adapted for testing other products of interest.

Evaluating a method for automated rigid registration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2007-01-01

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

A responsive evaluation of mental health treatment in Cambodia: Intentionally addressing poverty to increase cultural responsiveness in therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Seponski, Desiree M; Lewis, Denise C; Megginson, Maegan C

2014-01-01

Mental health issues are significant contributors to the global burden of disease with the highest incidence in resource poor countries; 90% of those in need of mental health treatment reside in low resource countries but receive only 10% of the world's resources. Cambodia, the eighth least developed country in the world, serves as one example of the need to address mental health concerns in low-income, resource poor countries. The current study utilises responsive evaluation methodology to explore how poverty-stricken Cambodian clients, therapists and supervisors experience Western models of therapy as culturally responsive to their unique needs. Quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated across multiple stakeholders using numerous methods including a focus group, interviews, surveys, case illustrations and live supervision observation and analysed using constant comparative analysis. Emerging findings suggest that poverty, material needs, therapy location and financial situations greatly impact the daily lives and mental health conditions of Cambodians and hinder clients' therapeutic progress. The local community needs and context of poverty greatly hinder clients' therapeutic progress in therapy treatment and when therapy does not directly address the culture of poverty, clients did not experience therapy as valuable despite some temporary decreases in mental health symptoms.

Utilities' nuclear fuel economic evaluation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonz, L.A.

1987-01-01

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

Evaluation of Alternative Euthanasia Methods of Neonatal Chickens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailesh Gurung

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Hatched male layer chicks are currently euthanized by maceration in the United States. Public concerns on the use of maceration have led to the search for alternative methods. We hypothesized that gas inhalation and low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS are viable and humane alternatives to instantaneous mechanical destruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral responses of recently hatched male layer chicks when subjected to carbon dioxide, nitrogen inhalation, or LAPS. The study consisted of seven treatments: breathing air (NEG, 25% carbon dioxide (CO2, 50% CO2, 75% CO2, 90% CO2, 100% nitrogen (N2, or LAPS. Ten day-of-hatch, male layer chicks were randomly assigned to each treatment, and each treatment was replicated on ten different days. A custom-made vacuum system was used to reduce air pressure inside the chamber from 100.12 kPa to 15.3 kPa for the LAPS treatment. Serum corticosterone and serotonin levels were measured using commercially available competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Latencies to loss of posture and motionlessness were determined from video recordings. The 25% and 50% CO2 treatments were discontinued after the first replication, as the majority of the chicks recovered. The chicks in the negative (NEG group had significantly higher levels of corticosterone than the other four euthanasia treatments. On the other hand, the serotonin levels of chicks in the NEG group was significantly lower when compared to the other four euthanasia treatments. The latencies to loss of posture and motionlessness of chicks exposed to 75% and 90% CO2 were significantly shorter than those in the LAPS and N2 inhalation treatments. These data suggest that the stress responses of chicks to the CO2, N2, and LAPS treatments do not differ among each other. However, the CO2 inhalation method was faster in inducing loss of posture and motionlessness in chicks than the LAPS and N2 inhalation

Evaluation of Alternative Euthanasia Methods of Neonatal Chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurung, Shailesh; White, Dima; Archer, Gregory; Zhao, Dan; Farnell, Yuhua; Byrd, J Allen; Peebles, E David; Farnell, Morgan

2018-03-09

Hatched male layer chicks are currently euthanized by maceration in the United States. Public concerns on the use of maceration have led to the search for alternative methods. We hypothesized that gas inhalation and low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS) are viable and humane alternatives to instantaneous mechanical destruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral responses of recently hatched male layer chicks when subjected to carbon dioxide, nitrogen inhalation, or LAPS. The study consisted of seven treatments: breathing air (NEG), 25% carbon dioxide (CO₂), 50% CO₂, 75% CO₂, 90% CO₂, 100% nitrogen (N₂), or LAPS. Ten day-of-hatch, male layer chicks were randomly assigned to each treatment, and each treatment was replicated on ten different days. A custom-made vacuum system was used to reduce air pressure inside the chamber from 100.12 kPa to 15.3 kPa for the LAPS treatment. Serum corticosterone and serotonin levels were measured using commercially available competitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Latencies to loss of posture and motionlessness were determined from video recordings. The 25% and 50% CO₂ treatments were discontinued after the first replication, as the majority of the chicks recovered. The chicks in the negative (NEG) group had significantly higher levels of corticosterone than the other four euthanasia treatments. On the other hand, the serotonin levels of chicks in the NEG group was significantly lower when compared to the other four euthanasia treatments. The latencies to loss of posture and motionlessness of chicks exposed to 75% and 90% CO₂ were significantly shorter than those in the LAPS and N₂ inhalation treatments. These data suggest that the stress responses of chicks to the CO₂, N₂, and LAPS treatments do not differ among each other. However, the CO₂ inhalation method was faster in inducing loss of posture and motionlessness in chicks than the LAPS and N�

Evaluation of Growth Performance of Tomato in Response to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sunusi

ABSTRACT. Field experiment was conducted in 2013 and 2014 to evaluate growth performance of two tomato genotypes in response to biochar application and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation at the. Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The experiment was laid out.

Phytohormone signaling pathway analysis method for comparing hormone responses in plant-pest interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Studham Matthew E

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Phytohormones mediate plant defense responses to pests and pathogens. In particular, the hormones jasmonic acid, ethylene, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid have been shown to dictate and fine-tune defense responses, and identification of the phytohormone components of a particular defense response is commonly used to characterize it. Identification of phytohormone regulation is particularly important in transcriptome analyses. Currently there is no computational tool to determine the relative activity of these hormones that can be applied to transcriptome analyses in soybean. Findings We developed a pathway analysis method that provides a broad measure of the activation or suppression of individual phytohormone pathways based on changes in transcript expression of pathway-related genes. The magnitude and significance of these changes are used to determine a pathway score for a phytohormone for a given comparison in a microarray experiment. Scores for individual hormones can then be compared to determine the dominant phytohormone in a given defense response. To validate this method, it was applied to publicly available data from previous microarray experiments that studied the response of soybean plants to Asian soybean rust and soybean cyst nematode. The results of the analyses for these experiments agreed with our current understanding of the role of phytohormones in these defense responses. Conclusions This method is useful in providing a broad measure of the relative induction and suppression of soybean phytohormones during a defense response. This method could be used as part of microarray studies that include individual transcript analysis, gene set analysis, and other methods for a comprehensive defense response characterization.

Investigation of Evaluation method of chemical runaway reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2002-02-01

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

Evaluating Coastal Landscape Response to Sea-Level Rise in the Northeastern United States - Approach and Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Lentz, Erika E.; Stippa, Sawyer R.; Thieler, E. Robert; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Gesch, Dean B.; Horton, Radley M.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is examining effects of future sea-level rise on the coastal landscape from Maine to Virginia by producing spatially explicit, probabilistic predictions using sea-level projections, vertical land movement rates (due to isostacy), elevation data, and land-cover data. Sea-level-rise scenarios used as model inputs are generated by using multiple sources of information, including Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models following representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5 in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report. A Bayesian network is used to develop a predictive coastal response model that integrates the sea-level, elevation, and land-cover data with assigned probabilities that account for interactions with coastal geomorphology as well as the corresponding ecological and societal systems it supports. The effects of sea-level rise are presented as (1) level of landscape submergence and (2) coastal response type characterized as either static (that is, inundation) or dynamic (that is, landform or landscape change). Results are produced at a spatial scale of 30 meters for four decades (the 2020s, 2030s, 2050s, and 2080s). The probabilistic predictions can be applied to landscape management decisions based on sea-level-rise effects as well as on assessments of the prediction uncertainty and need for improved data or fundamental understanding. This report describes the methods used to produce predictions, including information on input datasets; the modeling approach; model outputs; data-quality-control procedures; and information on how to access the data and metadata online.

Evaluating coastal landscape response to sea-level rise in the northeastern United States: approach and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Lentz, Erika E.; Stippa, Sawyer R.; Thieler, E. Robert; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Gesch, Dean B.; Horton, Radley M.

2014-02-13

The U.S. Geological Survey is examining effects of future sea-level rise on the coastal landscape from Maine to Virginia by producing spatially explicit, probabilistic predictions using sea-level projections, vertical land movement rates (due to isostacy), elevation data, and land-cover data. Sea-level-rise scenarios used as model inputs are generated by using multiple sources of information, including Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models following representative concentration pathways 4.5 and 8.5 in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report. A Bayesian network is used to develop a predictive coastal response model that integrates the sea-level, elevation, and land-cover data with assigned probabilities that account for interactions with coastal geomorphology as well as the corresponding ecological and societal systems it supports. The effects of sea-level rise are presented as (1) level of landscape submergence and (2) coastal response type characterized as either static (that is, inundation) or dynamic (that is, landform or landscape change). Results are produced at a spatial scale of 30 meters for four decades (the 2020s, 2030s, 2050s, and 2080s). The probabilistic predictions can be applied to landscape management decisions based on sea-level-rise effects as well as on assessments of the prediction uncertainty and need for improved data or fundamental understanding. This report describes the methods used to produce predictions, including information on input datasets; the modeling approach; model outputs; data-quality-control procedures; and information on how to access the data and metadata online.

Response Matrix Method Development Program at Savannah River Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sicilian, J.M.

1976-01-01

The Response Matrix Method Development Program at Savannah River Laboratory (SRL) has concentrated on the development of an effective system of computer codes for the analysis of Savannah River Plant (SRP) reactors. The most significant contribution of this program to date has been the verification of the accuracy of diffusion theory codes as used for routine analysis of SRP reactor operation. This paper documents the two steps carried out in achieving this verification: confirmation of the accuracy of the response matrix technique through comparison with experiment and Monte Carlo calculations; and establishment of agreement between diffusion theory and response matrix codes in situations which realistically approximate actual operating conditions

DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1993-03-01

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

DOE methods for evaluating environmental and waste management samples.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

1994-04-01

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

Evaluation of Kjeldahl digestion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, M.; Flowers, T.H.

2004-01-01

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

How to Reach Evidence-Based Usability Evaluation Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marcilly, Romaric; Peute, Linda

2017-01-01

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2014-03-01

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

A simplified method of evaluating the stress wave environment of internal equipment

Science.gov (United States)

Colton, J. D.; Desmond, T. P.

1979-01-01

A simplified method called the transfer function technique (TFT) was devised for evaluating the stress wave environment in a structure containing internal equipment. The TFT consists of following the initial in-plane stress wave that propagates through a structure subjected to a dynamic load and characterizing how the wave is altered as it is transmitted through intersections of structural members. As a basis for evaluating the TFT, impact experiments and detailed stress wave analyses were performed for structures with two or three, or more members. Transfer functions that relate the wave transmitted through an intersection to the incident wave were deduced from the predicted wave response. By sequentially applying these transfer functions to a structure with several intersections, it was found that the environment produced by the initial stress wave propagating through the structure can be approximated well. The TFT can be used as a design tool or as an analytical tool to determine whether a more detailed wave analysis is warranted.

CEPIAH, a method for Evaluation and Design of Pedagogical Hypermedia

OpenAIRE

Trigano , Philippe; Pacurar Giacomini , Ecaterina

2004-01-01

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

Investigation of the fuel temperature evaluation method at BOL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Tetsuya; Asaga, Takeo; Nemoto, Junichi

1999-06-01

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

Dogmas in the assessment of usability evaluation methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hornbæk, Kasper

2010-01-01

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

Evaluation of a passive method for determining particle penetration through protective clothing materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaques, Peter A; Portnoff, Lee

2017-12-01

The risk of workers' exposure to aerosolized particles has increased with the upsurge in the production of engineered nanomaterials. Currently, a whole-body standard test method for measuring particle penetration through protective clothing ensembles is not available. Those available for respirators neglect the most common challenges to ensembles, because they use active vacuum-based filtration, designed to simulate breathing, rather than the positive forces of wind experienced by workers. Thus, a passive method that measures wind-driven particle penetration through ensemble fabric has been developed and evaluated. The apparatus includes a multidomain magnetic passive aerosol sampler housed in a shrouded penetration cell. Performance evaluation was conducted in a recirculation aerosol wind tunnel using paramagnetic Fe 3 O 4 (i.e., iron (II, III) oxide) particles for the challenge aerosol. The particles were collected on a PVC substrate and quantified using a computer-controlled scanning electron microscope. Particle penetration levels were determined by taking the ratio of the particle number collected on the substrate with a fabric (sample) to that without a fabric (control). Results for each fabric obtained by this passive method were compared to previous results from an automated vacuum-based active fractional efficiency tester (TSI 3160), which used sodium chloride particles as the challenge aerosol. Four nonwoven fabrics with a range of thicknesses, porosities, and air permeabilities were evaluated. Smoke tests and flow modeling showed the passive sampler shroud provided smooth (non-turbulent) air flow along the exterior of the sampler, such that disturbance of flow stream lines and distortion of the particle size distribution were reduced. Differences between the active and passive approaches were as high as 5.5-fold for the fabric with the lowest air permeability (0.00067 m/sec-Pa), suggesting the active method overestimated penetration in dense fabrics

FXG dosimeter response for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy using different evaluation techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavinato, Christianne C.; Campos, Leticia L., E-mail: ccavinato@ipen.b, E-mail: lcrodri@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Souza, Benedito H.; Carrete Junior, Henrique; Daros, Kellen A.C.; Medeiros, Regina B., E-mail: bhsouza@unifesp.b, E-mail: daros.kellen@unifesp.b, E-mail: rbitel-li.ddi@epm.b [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Diagnostico por Imagem; Giordani, Adelmo J. [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), SP (Brazil). Servico de Radioterapia

2011-07-01

This work aims to compare the dose-response of the Fricke xylenol gel (FXG) dosimeter developed at IPEN using 270 Bloom gelatin from porcine skin made in Brazil evaluated using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique with the dosimetric response evaluated using the optical absorption (OA) spectrophotometry technique, in order to verify the possibility of quality assurance (QA) and reproducibility of FXG dosimeter to be carried out routinely using the OA technique for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) application using a 6 MV photons linear accelerator. The response in function of the absorbed dose of FXG dosimeter developed at IPEN presents linear behavior in clinical interest dose range when irradiated with Co-60 gamma radiation and 6 MV photons and evaluated using the MRI and OA techniques. The results indicate that the optical technique can be used for QA of FXG dosemeter when used in the possible application in QA of 3DCRT. (author)

FXG dosimeter response for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy using different evaluation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavinato, Christianne C.; Campos, Leticia L.; Souza, Benedito H.; Carrete Junior, Henrique; Daros, Kellen A.C.; Medeiros, Regina B.; Giordani, Adelmo J.

2011-01-01

This work aims to compare the dose-response of the Fricke xylenol gel (FXG) dosimeter developed at IPEN using 270 Bloom gelatin from porcine skin made in Brazil evaluated using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique with the dosimetric response evaluated using the optical absorption (OA) spectrophotometry technique, in order to verify the possibility of quality assurance (QA) and reproducibility of FXG dosimeter to be carried out routinely using the OA technique for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) application using a 6 MV photons linear accelerator. The response in function of the absorbed dose of FXG dosimeter developed at IPEN presents linear behavior in clinical interest dose range when irradiated with Co-60 gamma radiation and 6 MV photons and evaluated using the MRI and OA techniques. The results indicate that the optical technique can be used for QA of FXG dosemeter when used in the possible application in QA of 3DCRT. (author)

Evaluation of random temperature fluctuation problems with frequency response approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejeail, Yves; Kasahara, Naoto

2000-01-01

Since thermal striping is a coupled thermohydraulic and thermomechanical phenomenon, sodium mock-up tests were usually required to confirm structural integrity. Authors have developed the frequency response function to establish design-by-analysis methodology for this phenomenon. Applicability of this method to sinusoidal fluctuation was validated through two benchmark problems with FAENA and TIFFSS facilities under EJCC contract. This report describes the extension of the frequency response method to random fluctuations. As an example of application, fatigue strength of a Tee junction of PHENIX secondary piping system was investigated. (author)

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Takafumi; Kasahara, Naoto

2012-01-01

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

Evaluating the response of complex systems to environmental threats: the Σ II method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corynen, G.C.

1983-05-01

The Σ II method was developed to model and compute the probabilistic performance of systems that operate in a threatening environment. Although we emphasize the vulnerability of complex systems to earthquakes and to electromagnetic threats such as EMP (electromagnetic pulse), the method applies in general to most large-scale systems or networks that are embedded in a potentially harmful environment. Other methods exist for obtaining system vulnerability, but their complexity increases exponentially as the size of systems is increased. The complexity of the Σ II method is polynomial, and accurate solutions are now possible for problems for which current methods require the use of rough statistical bounds, confidence statements, and other approximations. For super-large problems, where the costs of precise answers may be prohibitive, a desired accuracy can be specified, and the Σ II algorithms will halt when that accuracy has been reached. We summarize the results of a theoretical complexity analysis - which is reported elsewhere - and validate the theory with computer experiments conducted both on worst-case academic problems and on more reasonable problems occurring in practice. Finally, we compare our method with the exact methods of Abraham and Nakazawa, and with current bounding methods, and we demonstrate the computational efficiency and accuracy of Σ II

Evaluation of intense rainfall parameters interpolation methods for the Espírito Santo State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Eduardo Macedo Pezzopane

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Intense rainfalls are often responsible for the occurrence of undesirable processes in agricultural and forest areas, such as surface runoff, soil erosion and flooding. The knowledge of intense rainfall spatial distribution is important to agricultural watershed management, soil conservation and to the design of hydraulic structures. The present paper evaluated methods of spatial interpolation of the intense rainfall parameters (“K”, “a”, “b” and “c” for the Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Were compared real intense rainfall rates with those calculated by the interpolated intense rainfall parameters, considering different durations and return periods. Inverse distance to the 5th power IPD5 was the spatial interpolation method with better performance to spatial interpolated intense rainfall parameters.

Evaluation of the response to xenon-133 radiations by thermoluminescent dosimeters used during the accident at Three Mile Island.

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, R J; Zanzonico, P B; Masterson, M E; St Germain, J M; Laughlin, J S

1982-03-01

An evaluation is presented of the accuracy and sensitivity of three types of TLD's used during the accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station. This evaluation indicated that, due to the method of calibration, all the dosimeters over-responded to 133Xe radiations. The response ranged from slightly above unity to almost two. Exposures of the TLD's were of two types, namely, the characteristic X-rays either were or were not filtered from the beam. The angular sensitivity of the dosimeters is also reported.

Isonychia spp. and macroinvertebrate community responses to stressors in streams utilizing the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (BiTIE) method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Custer, Kevin W. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wright State University, 127 Allyn Hall, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435 (United States)], E-mail: custer.4@wright.edu; Burton, G. Allen [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wright State University, 127 Allyn Hall, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435 (United States)

2008-01-15

Exposures of caged organisms in situ have proven to be a useful way to improve exposure realism and link to stressor effects in aquatic assessments of hazard or risk. A novel cage system, the benthic in situ toxicity identification evaluation (BiTIE), was developed for benthic macroinvertebrates (surrogate species, resident populations and communities) to separate low and high flow effects, and major chemical classes of stressors in streams. Three resin types were used to separate the chemical stressors in the streams Honey Creek and Little Beavercreek, Ohio, USA: Dowex{sup TM} Optipore{sup TM} (non-polar organics), zeolite (ammonia), and polywool (control). Isonychia spp. sensitivity was compared to Chironomus tentans, and no significant differences were found (p > 0.05). Isonychia spp. growth (length) showed a stressor response in the zeolite treatments, and community testing revealed improved metric responses in the Dowex{sup TM} treatments. The BiTIE chamber system demonstrated stressor-response relationships using sublethal and multimetric endpoints. - Use of an indigenous aquatic insect and benthic macroinvertebrate communities allows for discerning the stressors in low and high flows with an in situ TIE approach.

Evaluating color deficiency simulation and daltonization methods through visual search and sample-to-match: SaMSEM and ViSDEM

Science.gov (United States)

Simon-Liedtke, Joschua T.; Farup, Ivar; Laeng, Bruno

2015-01-01

Color deficient people might be confronted with minor difficulties when navigating through daily life, for example when reading websites or media, navigating with maps, retrieving information from public transport schedules and others. Color deficiency simulation and daltonization methods have been proposed to better understand problems of color deficient individuals and to improve color displays for their use. However, it remains unclear whether these color prosthetic" methods really work and how well they improve the performance of color deficient individuals. We introduce here two methods to evaluate color deficiency simulation and daltonization methods based on behavioral experiments that are widely used in the field of psychology. Firstly, we propose a Sample-to-Match Simulation Evaluation Method (SaMSEM); secondly, we propose a Visual Search Daltonization Evaluation Method (ViSDEM). Both methods can be used to validate and allow the generalization of the simulation and daltonization methods related to color deficiency. We showed that both the response times (RT) and the accuracy of SaMSEM can be used as an indicator of the success of color deficiency simulation methods and that performance in the ViSDEM can be used as an indicator for the efficacy of color deficiency daltonization methods. In future work, we will include comparison and analysis of different color deficiency simulation and daltonization methods with the help of SaMSEM and ViSDEM.

Evaluation of Growth Performance of Tomato in Response to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Field experiment was conducted in 2013 and 2014 to evaluate growth performance of two tomato genotypes in response to biochar application and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation at the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The experiment was laid out in a split-split ...

Evaluation of methods to compare consequences from hazardous materials transportation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1986-10-01

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