Testing of elastomer seals using small-size rigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leeks, C.W.E.; Dunford, B.; Barnfield, J.H.; Gray, I.L.S.

1997-01-01

This paper looks at the use of small size seal leakage test rigs to demonstrate the compliance of full size container seals against the IAEA Transport Regulation's limits for activity release for normal transport and accident conditions. The detailed requirements of the regulations are discussed and it is concluded that an appropriate test programme to meet these requirements using only small size test rigs, can normally be set up and carried out on a relatively short time scale. It is important that any small test rigs should be designed to represent the relevant features of the seal arrangement and the overall test programme should cover all of the conditions, specified by the regulations, for the type, classification and contents of the container under consideration. The parameters of elastomer O-rings, which affect their sealing ability, are considered and those which are amenable to small scale testing or have to be modelled at full size are identified. Generally, the seals used in leakage tests have to be modelled with a full size cross-section but can have a reduced peripheral length. (Author)

Pen size and parity effects on maternal behaviour of Small-Tail Han sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, S-J; Yang, Y; Dwyer, C M; Li, F-K

2015-07-01

The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of pen size and parity on maternal behaviour of twin-bearing Small-Tail Han ewes. A total of 24 ewes were allocated to a 2×2 design (six per pen), with parity (primiparous or multiparous) and pen size (large: 6.0×3.0 m; small: 6.0×1.5 m) as main effects at Linyi University, Shandong Province, China. Behaviour was observed from after parturition until weaning. All ewes were observed for 6 h every 5 days from 0700 to1000 h and from 1400 to 1700 h. Continuous focal animal sampling was used to quantify the duration of maternal behaviours: sucking, grooming and following as well as the frequency of udder accepting, udder refusing and low-pitched bleating. Oestradiol and cortisol concentrations in the faeces (collected in the morning every 5 days) were detected using EIA kits. All lambs were weighed 24 h after parturition and again at weaning at 35 days of age. The small pen size significantly reduced following (Pbehaviour in sheep during lactation. The study is also the first to report on the maternal behaviour of Chinese native sheep breeds (Small-Tail Han sheep), with implications for the production of sheep in China.

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

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-03

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

78 FR 77334 - Small Business Size Standards: Construction

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-23

... enrollment in the System of Award Management's (SAM) Dynamic Small Business Search database, and more firms... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG37 Small Business Size Standards: Construction AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The United States Small...

Development of a small-sized radon data logger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasaka, Shigeki; Sasaki, Yoshimi

1996-01-01

A small-sized radon data logger and a electrostatic collecting radon monitor were developed for the continuous monitoring of environmental radon and radon daughters. A PIN photodiode (PD), an alpha particle defector, installed inside a container attracts radon daughters when charged electrostatically. Alpha particles are completely separated from each other according to the energy level. New logger has made it possible 10 analysts and save the radon data. Alpha particle count data from radon daughters are automatically integrated over preset time intervals and the energy regions. The desiccant P 2 O 5 was placed in the bottom of the monitor, since the collection efficiency of 218 Po atoms depends on the humidity of the air. We can get the 30 days continuous data logging at 30 min sampling frequency at any place with the car battery. We observed the radon concentration of the air inside the Super-Kamiokande dome from Jan-30 to Feb-8-1996. The average of radon concentration was found to be (46±13) Bq/m 3 . (author)

Investigation of small and modular-sized fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Kenichi; Kawasaki, Nobuchika; Umetsu, Yoichiro; Akatsu, Minoru; Kasai, Shigeo; Konomura, Mamoru; Ichimiya, Masakazu

2000-06-01

In this paper, feasibility of the multipurpose small fast reactor, which could be used for requirements concerned with various utilization of electricity and energy and flexibility of power supply site, is discussed on the basis of examination of literatures of various small reactors. And also, a possibility of economic improvement by learning effect of fabrication cost is discussed for the modular-sized reactor which is expected to be a base load power supply system with lower initial investment. (1) Multipurpose small reactor (a) The small reactor with 10MWe-150MWe has a potential as a power source for large co-generation, a large island, a middle city, desalination and marine use. (b) Highly passive mechanism, long fuel exchange interval, and minimized maintenance activities are required for the multipurpose small reactor design. The reactor has a high potential for the long fuel exchange interval, since it is relatively easy for FR to obtain a long life core. (c) Current designs of small FRs in Japan and USA (NERI Project) are reviewed to obtain design requirements for the multipurpose small reactor. (2) Modular-sized reactor (a) In order that modular-sized reactor could be competitive to 3200MWe twin plant (two large monolithic reactor) with 200kyenWe, the target capital cost of FOAK is estimated to be 260kyen/yenWe for 800MWe modular, 280kyen/yenWe for 400MWe modular and 290kyen/yenWe for 200MWe by taking account of the leaning effect. (b) As the result of the review on the current designs of modular-sized FRs in Japan and USA (S-PRISM) from the viewpoint of economic improvement, since it only be necessary to make further effort for the target capital cost of FOAK, since the modular-sized FRs requires a large amount of material for shielding, vessels and heat exchangers essentially. (author)

76 FR 27935 - Small Business Size Standards: Transportation and Warehousing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-13

... assistance, SBA establishes small business definitions (referred to as size standards) for private sector... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG08 Small Business Size Standards: Transportation and Warehousing AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The U...

Chironomid midges (Diptera, chironomidae) show extremely small genome sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cornette, Richard; Gusev, Oleg; Nakahara, Yuichi; Shimura, Sachiko; Kikawada, Takahiro; Okuda, Takashi

2015-06-01

Chironomid midges (Diptera; Chironomidae) are found in various environments from the high Arctic to the Antarctic, including temperate and tropical regions. In many freshwater habitats, members of this family are among the most abundant invertebrates. In the present study, the genome sizes of 25 chironomid species were determined by flow cytometry and the resulting C-values ranged from 0.07 to 0.20 pg DNA (i.e. from about 68 to 195 Mbp). These genome sizes were uniformly very small and included, to our knowledge, the smallest genome sizes recorded to date among insects. Small proportion of transposable elements and short intron sizes were suggested to contribute to the reduction of genome sizes in chironomids. We discuss about the possible developmental and physiological advantages of having a small genome size and about putative implications for the ecological success of the family Chironomidae.

The causal effect of board size in the performance of small and medium-sized firms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennedsen, Morten; Kongsted, Hans Christian; Meisner Nielsen, Kasper

2008-01-01

correlation between family size and board size and show this correlation to be driven by firms where the CEO's relatives serve on the board. Second, we find empirical evidence of a small adverse board size effect driven by the minority of small and medium-sized firms that are characterized by having......Empirical studies of large publicly traded firms have shown a robust negative relationship between board size and firm performance. The evidence on small and medium-sized firms is less clear; we show that existing work has been incomplete in analyzing the causal relationship due to weak...... identification strategies. Using a rich data set of almost 7000 closely held corporations we provide a causal analysis of board size effects on firm performance: We use a novel instrument given by the number of children of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the firms. First, we find a strong positive...

Using Computer-Based Continuing Professional Education of Training Staff to Develop Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Sooraksa, Nanta

2012-01-01

This paper describes a career development program for staff involved in providing training for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand. Most of these staff were professional vocational teachers in schools. The program uses information communication technology (ICT), and its main objective is to teach Moodle software as a tool for…

Status and Prospects for Small and Medium Sized Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupitz, J.; Arkhipov, V.; Brey, H. L.

1998-01-01

There is considerable interest by Member States in the continued development of small and medium sized reactors (SMRs) as a significant energy sources for the future. The support for this programme within the IAEA was recently reaffirmed at the 1997 General Conference. Although the generation of electricity has been predominant focus of existing SMRs, there is increasing interest in using these plants for other applications such as desalination, district heating and hydrogen production from the reforming of methane. Addressed herein is a review of ongoing SMR development activities within selected Member States, an overview of the Agency's SMR programme and a discussion of selected SMR designs with emphasis on their safety attributes. (author)

76 FR 14323 - Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-16

... government small business assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred to... its field of operation and (3) within a specific small business definition or size standard... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG07 Small Business Size Standards...

Development of small-size baking oven

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tabata, Akihisa; Kuwabara, Shigeru; Yamazawa, Yoshitaka; Shigeta, Eiji

1987-03-01

In the bakery business, oven fresh bakeries selling fresh bread by installing their own baking ovens at their shops have become popular recently. This article reports the development of a small-size gas baking oven for oven fresh bakaries. The gas convection oven developed recently is based on the structure of the conventional electric convection oven, and uses low pressure gas. The gas oven has an advantage that the combustion gas contains moisture. The convection oven bakes bread normally at the baking density approximately 2.5 times as much as that of the radiation oven, thereby the size of the oven may become smaller. This oven can bake many kinds of bread ranging from croissants to bean-jam buns by gas combnstion heat as well as radiation heat from the radiation plates installed at the top of each compartment in the oven. An ultra small air heat type burner was developed to provide stable short flames in order to make the size of the combustion chamber smaller. (20 figs, 2 tabs)

The value chain of small-sized energy wood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karttunen, K.; Foehr, J.; Ranta, T. (Lappeenranta Univ. of Technology, Mikkeli (Finland), LUT Energy), Email: kalle.karttunen@lut.fi, Email: jarno.fohr@lut.fi, Email: tapio.ranta@lut.fi; Ahtikoski, A. (The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi (Finland)), Email: anssi.ahtikoski@metla.fi; Valsta, L. (Helsinki Univ. (Finland), Dept. of Forest Economics), Email: lauri.valsta@helsinki.fi

2009-07-01

Finland has agreed to increase the share of renewable energy to the level of 38% by the end of 2020. Most of the increase is to be based on bioenergy. According to the National Climate and Energy Strategy, the need for forest biomass will come to more than 20 TWh, or some 10 million cubic meters per year. Energy wood from young stand thinnings are the biomass resource with the most potential at the moment. The purpose of this study was to compare cost differences between forest management incorporating energy wood thinning and forest management based on traditional roundwood thinning. In addition, alternative supply chain costs for small-sized wood were studied. The results of the study show that it is worth considering the following points if the demand and average price for forest chips remain high. 1. Forest-owners: Forest management including energy wood thinning is financially feasible. 2. Supply chain: A terminal chipping chain enables large-scale procurement of small-sized energy wood. 3. Power plants: Currently, subsidies, emission trading, and decreasing pulpwood prices together enable large-scale use of small-sized wood for energy purposes. The value chain of small-sized energy wood in large-scale power plants could be mobilised. (orig.)

Information Security in Small and Medium-Sized Companies

OpenAIRE

David Kral

2011-01-01

Information security doesn’t involve only large organizations. Small and medium-sized companies must closely examine this issue too, because they are increasingly threatened by cyber attacks. Many of them mistakenly believe, that security of their valuable data is sufficient, or that the attackers are not interested in them. Existing standards and methodologies for implementation and management of information security are often hard to transfer to the environment of small and medium-sized bus...

78 FR 37404 - Small Business Size Standards: Support Activities for Mining

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-20

... assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred to as size standards) for... million should be the limit of a small business definition and anything larger than that, such as that SBA... Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)) (Act) requires that small business size definitions vary to reflect...

77 FR 72766 - Small Business Size Standards: Support Activities for Mining

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-06

... eligibility for Federal small business assistance, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred... operation; and (3) within a specific small business definition or size standard established by SBA... to SBA's Administrator the responsibility for establishing small business definitions. The Act also...

Modern methods of evaluation existing suppliers and suppliers selected by customer for small and medium-sized companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Jurová

2010-01-01

Full Text Available On existing conditions on global market (almost identical quality, almost identical purchasing values companies have to definite the total rating of importance of evaluative criteria. In post-crisis period the problem of suppliers’ evaluation is one of the biggest, because companies had to use all resources and all possibilities to develop their own business. Many authors wrote about collaborative planning and warehousing as one of possibilities to optimization work inside supply chain. For this paper define small and medium-sized enterprises (SME as enterprises with the size of maximum 250 em­ployers. In literature was read we couldn’t find information about own system of suppliers evaluation for small and medium-sized enterprises. SME can have some different types of business and in this case need the universal system of eva­lua­tion. The research of this paper is oriented on small and medium-sized enterprises with different types of business. The new theoretical universal method of calculation for evaluation existing suppliers for small and medium-sized enterprises will present in this paper. This theoretical method is based on average values. This method includes traditional evaluative criteria (quality, delivery time and other (mobility of supplier, possibilities of new level of partnership. This method of evaluation can not be used for continual manufacture. New method can improve the total evaluation of supplier in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Prognosis method to predict small-sized breast cancer affected by fibrocystic disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. Velichko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is to develop an effective radiological symptom-complex of small-sized breast cancer affected by fibrocystic breast disease by using multivariate statistical methods.Materials and methods. Radiological findings of small-sized breast cancer affected by fibrocystic mastopathy were analyzed in 100 patients with histologically verified diagnosis.Results. It was revealed that the conventional approach to the analysis of mammograms based on the detection of the primary, secondary and indirect mammographic signs of small-sized breast cancer is not effective enough - the sensitivity of mammography is only 62%. Fibrocystic disease and moderate-to-severe sclerosing adenosis make small-sized breast cancer hard to visualize by mammography. The detailed analysis of mammograms allowed us to identify the additional manifestations of small-sized breast cancer affected by mastopathy. The computer program allowing us to evaluate the risk of small-size breast cancer and the diagnostic algorithm for detecting small size breast cancer with sensitivity of 92% were developed. 

Small-size biofuel cell on paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lingling; Zhou, Ming; Wen, Dan; Bai, Lu; Lou, Baohua; Dong, Shaojun

2012-05-15

In this work, we demonstrated a novel paper-based mediator-less and compartment-less biofuel cell (BFC) with small size (1.5 cm × 1.5 cm). Ionic liquid functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs-IL) nanocomposite was used as support for both stably confining the anodic biocatalyst (i.e., NAD(+)-dependent glucose dehydrogenase, GDH) for glucose electrooxidation and for facilitating direct electrochemistry of the cathodic biocatalyst (i.e., bilirubin oxidase, BOD) for O(2) electroreduction. Such BFC provided a simple approach to fabricate low-cost and portable power devices on small-size paper, which can harvest energy from a wide range of commercial beverages containing glucose (e.g., Nescafe instant coffee, Maidong vitamin water, Watermelon fresh juice, and Minute Maid grape juice). These made the low-cost paper-based biodevice potential for broad energy applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Examination on small-sized cogeneration HTGR for developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaba, Nariaki; Tachibana, Yukio; Shimakawa, Satoshi; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Sato, Hiroyuki; Yan, Xing; Murakami, Tomoyuki; Ohashi, Kazutaka; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Goto, Minoru; Ueta, Shohei; Mozumi, Yasuhiro; Imai, Yoshiyuki; Tanaka, Nobuyuki; Okuda, Hiroyuki; Iwatsuki, Jin; Kubo, Shinji; Takada, Shoji; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Kunitomi, Kazuhiko

2008-03-01

The small-sized and safe cogeneration High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) that can be used not only for electric power generation but also for hydrogen production and district heating is considered one of the most promising nuclear reactors for developing countries where sufficient infrastructure such as power grids is not provided. Thus, the small-sized cogeneration HTGR, named High Temperature Reactor 50-Cogeneration (HTR50C), was studied assuming that it should be constructed in developing countries. Specification, equipment configuration, etc. of the HTR50C were determined, and economical evaluation was made. As a result, it was shown that the HTR50C is economically competitive with small-sized light water reactors. (author)

75 FR 61597 - Small Business Size Standards: Retail Trade

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... eligibility for Federal small business assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions... authorizes the SBA Administrator to establish only one definition of small business for an industry. [[Page... SBA's Administrator the responsibility for establishing small business definitions. The Act also...

77 FR 42211 - Small Business Size Standards: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-18

..., SBA establishes small business definitions (referred to as size standards) for private sector... operated; (2) not dominant in its field of operation; and (3) within a specific small business definition... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG36 Small Business Size Standards: Arts...

75 FR 1296 - Small Business Size Regulations; 8(a) Business Development/Small Disadvantaged Business Status...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-11

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Parts 121 and 124 Small Business Size Regulations; 8(a) Business Development/Small Disadvantaged Business Status Determinations AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of public meetings; request for comments. SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business...

submitter A High Precision 3D Magnetic Field Scanner for Small to Medium Size Magnets

CERN Document Server

Bergsma, F; Garnier, F; Giudici, P A

2016-01-01

A bench to measure the magnetic field of small to-medium-sized magnets with high precision was built. It uses a small-sized head with three orthogonal Hall probes, supported on a long pole at continuous movement during measurement. The head is calibrated in three dimensions by rotation over the full solid angle in a special device. From 0 to 2.5 T, the precision is ±0.2 mT in all components. The spatial range is 1 × 1 × 2 m with precision of ±0.02 mm. The bench and its controls are lightweight and easy to transport. The head can penetrate through small apertures and measure as close as 0.5 mm from the surface of a magnet. The bench can scan complicated grids in Cartesian or cylindrical coordinates, steered by a simple text file on an accompanying PC. The raw data is online converted to magnetic units and stored in a text file.

78 FR 38811 - Small Business Size and Status Integrity

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-28

.... Firms will not be able submit offers for small business contracts based on their online representations... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Parts 121, 124, 125, 126, and 127 RIN 3245-AG23 Small Business Size and Status Integrity AGENCY: Small Business Administration. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This...

Small and medium-sized nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, R.

1986-01-01

Small and medium-sized nuclear power plants have long been under discussion as possible applications of nuclear power in countries with small transmission grid systems, in threshold countries and developing countries, and under special local supply conditions. IAEA has condensed and promoted this interest and tried to establish the demand, and possibilities of meeting it, in special events and campaigns. In recent years, considerable interest was registered even in industrialized countries, but here specially for heating and process heat generation applications and for special purposes and, in medium-sized units, also for combined supplies of electricity and heat. This corresponds to special reactor and plant concepts, some of which have already been developed to a stage at which construction work could begin. The analysis presented deals with necessary preconditions on the sides of the users and the vendors, with problems of economy, infrastructure and financing and with the market prospects of small nuclear power plants. (orig./HP) [de

Bank Size and Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Lending: Evidence from China

Science.gov (United States)

SHEN, YAN; SHEN, MINGGAO; XU, ZHONG; BAI, YING

2014-01-01

Summary Using panel data collected in 2005, we evaluate how bank size, discretion over credit, incentive schemes, competition, and the institutional environment affect lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises in China. We deal with the endogeneity problem using instrumental variables, and a reduced-form approach is also applied to allow for weak instruments in estimation. We find that total bank asset is an insignificant factor for banks’ decision on small- and medium-enterprise (SME) lending, but more local lending authority, more competition, carefully designed incentive schemes, and stronger law enforcement encourage commercial banks to lend to SMEs. PMID:26052179

Bank Size and Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Lending: Evidence from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yan; Shen, Minggao; Xu, Zhong; Bai, Ying

2009-04-01

Using panel data collected in 2005, we evaluate how bank size, discretion over credit, incentive schemes, competition, and the institutional environment affect lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises in China. We deal with the endogeneity problem using instrumental variables, and a reduced-form approach is also applied to allow for weak instruments in estimation. We find that total bank asset is an insignificant factor for banks' decision on small- and medium-enterprise (SME) lending, but more local lending authority, more competition, carefully designed incentive schemes, and stronger law enforcement encourage commercial banks to lend to SMEs.

Large Time Asymptotics for a Continuous Coagulation-Fragmentation Model with Degenerate Size-Dependent Diffusion

KAUST Repository

Desvillettes, Laurent

2010-01-01

We study a continuous coagulation-fragmentation model with constant kernels for reacting polymers (see [M. Aizenman and T. Bak, Comm. Math. Phys., 65 (1979), pp. 203-230]). The polymers are set to diffuse within a smooth bounded one-dimensional domain with no-flux boundary conditions. In particular, we consider size-dependent diffusion coefficients, which may degenerate for small and large cluster-sizes. We prove that the entropy-entropy dissipation method applies directly in this inhomogeneous setting. We first show the necessary basic a priori estimates in dimension one, and second we show faster-than-polynomial convergence toward global equilibria for diffusion coefficients which vanish not faster than linearly for large sizes. This extends the previous results of [J.A. Carrillo, L. Desvillettes, and K. Fellner, Comm. Math. Phys., 278 (2008), pp. 433-451], which assumes that the diffusion coefficients are bounded below. © 2009 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoran Paunović

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Highly developed countries, which are similar to Croatia by size and population, highlight the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs as holders of export activities and key factors in raising the competitiveness of the entire economy. In this paper authors research the concept of internationalization of SMEs. Analyzing the influence of decision makers on the process of internationalization and showing its advantages and disadvantages for the respective company and country, this research introduces the most common models on the basis of which this process is implemented in practice. A case study of a small export company from Croatia illustrates the process of internationalization to the U.S. market and provides useful information to the companies which are planning to enter new markets.

Small-sized reverberation chamber for the measurement of sound absorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rey, R. del; Alba, J.; Bertó, L.; Gregori, A.

2017-01-01

This paper presents the design, construction, calibration and automation of a reverberation chamber for small samples. A balance has been sought between reducing sample size, to reduce the manufacturing costs of materials, and finding the appropriate volume of the chamber, to obtain reliable values at high and mid frequencies. The small-sized reverberation chamber, that was built, has a volume of 1.12 m3 and allows for the testing of samples of 0.3 m2. By using diffusers, to improve the diffusion degree, and automating measurements, we were able to improve the reliability of the results, thus reducing test errors. Several comparison studies of the measurements of the small-sized reverberation chamber and the standardised reverberation chamber are shown, and a good degree of adjustment can be seen between them, within the range of valid frequencies. This paper presents a small laboratory for comparing samples and making decisions before the manufacturing of larger sizes. [es

Decision Support on Small size Passive Samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Popukaylo

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A construction technique of adequate mathematical models for small size passive samples, in conditions when classical probabilistic-statis\\-tical methods do not allow obtaining valid conclusions was developed.

76 FR 70680 - Small Business Size Standards: Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-15

... eligibility for Federal small business assistance, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred... business definition or size standard established by the SBA Administrator. SBA considers as part of its... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG28 Small Business Size Standards: Real...

77 FR 76215 - Small Business Size Regulations, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and Small...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-27

... overall goal of simplification and maximization of benefits for small businesses, SBA proposed amendments... franchisee. F. Section 121.704--When SBA Determines Size and Eligibility SBA's proposed regulations for the...

76 FR 8221 - Small Business Size Regulations; 8(a) Business Development/Small Disadvantaged Business Status...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-11

... Vol. 76 Friday, No. 29 February 11, 2011 Part VII Small Business Administration 13 CFR Parts 121 and 124 Small Business Size Regulations; 8(a) Business Development/Small Disadvantaged Business Status... Regulations#0;#0; [[Page 8222

Gastro-oesophageal reflux in large-sized, deep-chested versus small-sized, barrel-chested dogs undergoing spinal surgery in sternal recumbency.

Science.gov (United States)

Anagnostou, Tilemahos L; Kazakos, George M; Savvas, Ioannis; Kostakis, Charalampos; Papadopoulou, Paraskevi

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether an increased frequency of gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is more common in large-sized, deep-chested dogs undergoing spinal surgery in sternal recumbency than in small-sized, barrelchested dogs. Prospective, cohort study. Nineteen small-sized, barrel-chested dogs (group B) and 26 large-sized, deep-chested dogs (group D). All animals were premedicated with intramuscular (IM) acepromazine (0.05 mg kg -1 ) and pethidine (3 mg kg -1 ) IM. Anaesthesia was induced with intravenous sodium thiopental and maintained with halothane in oxygen. Lower oesophageal pH was monitored continuously after induction of anaesthesia. Gastro-oesophageal reflux was considered to have occurred whenever pH values > 7.5 or < 4 were recorded. If GOR was detected during anaesthesia, measures were taken to avoid aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs and to prevent the development of oesophagitis/oesophageal stricture. The frequency of GOR during anaesthesia was significantly higher in group D (6/26 dogs; 23.07%) than in group B (0/19 dogs; 0%) (p = 0.032). Signs indicative of aspiration pneumonia, oesophagitis or oesophageal stricture were not reported in any of the GOR cases. In large-sized, deep-chested dogs undergoing spinal surgery in sternal recumbency, it would seem prudent to consider measures aimed at preventing GOR and its potentially devastating consequences (oesophagitis/oesophageal stricture, aspiration pneumonia). Copyright © 2016 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of small and medium-sized reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupitz, J.; Mourogov, V.

1999-01-01

The second half of the twentieth century has seen nuclear power evolve from the research and development environment to an industry that supplies 17% of the world's electricity. The past decade, however, has seen stagnation in nuclear power plant construction in the Western industrialized world, slow nuclear power growth in Eastern Europe and expansion only in East Asia. But the turn of the century is potentially a turning-point for nuclear power because of: increasing world energy consumption, with nuclear power's contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear fuel resources sustainability, and improvements in operation of current nuclear power plants; advanced reactor designs that will improve economics and availability, and further enhance safety; and continued strengthening of the nuclear power safeguards system. This paper looks at the role that small and medium-sized reactors can play in an increasingly competitive global energy market, particularly with regard to maintaining a sustainable mix of energy sources. (author)

A deployable mechanism concept for the collection of small-to-medium-size space debris

Science.gov (United States)

St-Onge, David; Sharf, Inna; Sagnières, Luc; Gosselin, Clément

2018-03-01

Current efforts in active debris removal strategies and mission planning focus on removing the largest, most massive debris. It can be argued, however, that small untrackable debris, specifically those smaller than 5 cm in size, also pose a serious threat. In this work, we propose and analyze a mission to sweep the most crowded Low Earth Orbit with a large cupola device to remove small-to-medium-size debris. The cupola consists of a deployable mechanism expanding more than 25 times its storage size to extend a membrane covering its surface. The membrane is sufficiently stiff to capture most small debris and to slow down the medium-size objects, thus accelerating their fall. An overview of the design of a belt-driven rigid-link mechanism proposed to support the collecting cupola surface is presented, based on our previous work. Because of its large size, the cupola will be subject to significant aerodynamic drag; thus, orbit maintenance analysis is carried out using the DTM-2013 atmospheric density model and it predicts feasible requirements. While in operation, the device will also be subject to numerous hyper-velocity impacts which may significantly perturb its orientation from the desired attitude for debris collection. Thus, another important feature of the proposed debris removal device is a distributed array of flywheels mounted on the cupola for reorienting and stabilizing its attitude during the mission. Analysis using a stochastic modeling framework for hyper-velocity impacts demonstrates that three-axes attitude stabilization is achievable with the flywheels array. MASTER-2009 software is employed to provide relevant data for all debris related estimates, including the debris fluxes for the baseline mission design and for assessment of its expected performance. Space debris removal is a high priority for ensuring sustainability of space and continual launch and operation of man-made space assets. This manuscript presents the first analysis of a small

77 FR 11001 - Small Business Size Standards: Health Care and Social Assistance

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-24

..., and (3) within a specific small business definition or size standard established by the SBA... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG30 Small Business Size Standards: Health Care and Social Assistance AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY...

77 FR 55755 - Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... operation; and (3) within a specific small business definition or size standard established by SBA... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG43 Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Proposed rule...

76 FR 27952 - Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-13

... Administration (SBA or Agency) proposed to increase small business size standards for 35 industries and one sub... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG07 Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Proposed...

78 FR 45051 - Small Business Size Standards; Support Activities for Mining; Correction

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-26

... Regulations by increasing small business size standards for three of the four industries in North American... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG44 Small Business Size Standards; Support Activities for Mining; Correction AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Final rule; correction...

Small renal size in newborns with spina bifida: possible causes.

Science.gov (United States)

Montaldo, Paolo; Montaldo, Luisa; Iossa, Azzurra Concetta; Cennamo, Marina; Caredda, Elisabetta; Del Gado, Roberto

2014-02-01

Previous studies reported that children with neural tube defects, but without any history of intrinsic renal diseases, have small kidneys when compared with age-matched standard renal growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible causes of small renal size in children with spina bifida by comparing growth hormone deficiency, physical limitations and hyperhomocysteinemia. The sample included 187 newborns with spina bifida. Renal sizes in the patients were assessed by using maximum measurement of renal length and the measurements were compared by using the Sutherland monogram. According to the results, the sample was divided into two groups--a group of 120 patients with small kidneys (under the third percentile) and a control group of 67 newborns with normal kidney size. Plasma total homocysteine was investigated in mothers and in their children. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels were measured. Serum IGF-1 levels were normal in both groups. Children and mothers with homocysteine levels >10 μmol/l were more than twice as likely to have small kidneys and to give to birth children with small kidneys, respectively, compared with newborns and mothers with homocysteine levels <10 μmol/l. An inverse correlation was also found between the homocysteine levels of mothers and kidney sizes of children (r = - 0.6109 P ≤ 0.01). It is highly important for mothers with hyperhomocysteinemia to be educated about benefits of folate supplementation in order to reduce the risk of small renal size and lower renal function in children.

75 FR 61604 - Small Business Size Standards; Accommodation and Food Services Industries

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... business assistance programs, SBA establishes small business size definitions (referred to as size... Administrator the responsibility for establishing small business definitions. The Act also requires that small business definitions vary to reflect industry differences. The supplementary information section of this...

Small-Size High-Current Generators for X-Ray Backlighting

Science.gov (United States)

Chaikovsky, S. A.; Artyomov, A. P.; Zharova, N. V.; Zhigalin, A. S.; Lavrinovich, I. V.; Oreshkin, V. I.; Ratakhin, N. A.; Rousskikh, A. G.; Fedunin, A. V.; Fedushchak, V. F.; Erfort, A. A.

2017-12-01

The paper deals with the soft X-ray backlighting based on the X-pinch as a powerful tool for physical studies of fast processes. Proposed are the unique small-size pulsed power generators operating as a low-inductance capacitor bank. These pulse generators provide the X-pinch-based soft X-ray source (hν = 1-10 keV) of micron size at 2-3 ns pulse duration. The small size and weight of pulse generators allow them to be transported to any laboratory for conducting X-ray backlighting of test objects with micron space resolution and nanosecond exposure time. These generators also allow creating synchronized multi-frame radiographic complexes with frame delay variation in a broad range.

Prognostic Importance of Small Prostate Size in Men Receiving Definitive Prostate Brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taira, Al V.; Merrick, Gregory S.; Galbreath, Robert W.; Butler, Wayne M.; Adamovich, Edward; Wallner, Kent E.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To assess whether small prostate size is an adverse prognostic factor in men undergoing brachytherapy in the same manner in which it seems to be for men undergoing radical prostatectomy. Methods and Materials: From April 1995 to June 2008, 2024 patients underwent brachytherapy by a single brachytherapist. Median follow-up was 7.4 years. The role of small prostate size (≤20 cm 3 ) as a prognostic factor for biochemical progression-free survival, cause-specific survival, and all-cause mortality was investigated. The differences in survival between men with small and larger prostates were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Results: Median prostate size for the entire cohort was 32.7 cm 3 . For the 167 men with small prostates, median prostate size was 17.4 cm 3 . There was no difference in biochemical progression-free survival (95.2% vs 96.2%, P=.603), cause-specific survival (97.7% vs 98.3%, P=.546), or all-cause mortality (78.0% vs 77.2%, P=.838) at 10 years for men with small prostates compared with men with larger prostates. On univariate and multivariate analysis, small prostate size was not associated with any of the primary outcome measures. Conclusion: Men with small prostates treated with brachytherapy have excellent outcomes and are at no higher risk of treatment failure than men with larger glands. High-quality implants with adequate margins seem sufficient to address the increased adverse risk factors associated with small prostate size.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS AND INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pоlina Kolisnichenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to reveal the conditions of the innovative development of the small and mediumsized entrepreneurship in Ukraine; the problems that suppress the innovative activity and small and medium-sized enterprises development; peculiarities of the tax incentives for the development of the entrepreneurship in the advanced countries and in Ukraine; the main kinds and characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises public support. Methodology. The methods of scientific research include: analysis and generalization for studying the main kinds and characteristics of the government support of the small and medium-sized enterprises; dynamic and comparative analysis for studying the problems and factors influencing the development of small and medium enterprises and innovative activity, peculiarities of tax incentives for business development; systemanalytical method for studying the conditions of the innovative development of the small and medium-sized entrepreneurship. Results. The government's financial support priorities should be: optimal application of the fiscal regulation instruments (reduction of the amount of taxes, determination of the criteria for the maximum taxation amount, tax incentives etc., maintenance of the self-investment of small and medium-sized enterprises as well as investment, financial means of the public influence over the development of the enterprises, effective combination of both direct and indirect forms of the innovative development support. Practical implications. The obtained results can be used in the process of formation and implementation of the small and medium enterprise sector development strategy and innovative activity in the long-term perspective. Value/originality. The obtained data can provide a better understanding of the direction of innovative business development in Ukraine.

78 FR 37397 - Small Business Size Standards: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-20

... responsibility for establishing small business size definitions (15 U.S.C. 632(a)). The Act also requires that small business size definitions vary to reflect industry differences. The Jobs Act requires the... definition, after consultation with the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (5 U.S.C...

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS AND INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES

OpenAIRE

Pоlina Kolisnichenko

2017-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to reveal the conditions of the innovative development of the small and mediumsized entrepreneurship in Ukraine; the problems that suppress the innovative activity and small and medium-sized enterprises development; peculiarities of the tax incentives for the development of the entrepreneurship in the advanced countries and in Ukraine; the main kinds and characteristics of the small and medium-sized enterprises public support. Methodology. The methods of scientific...

Management of small and medium size enterprises as a carrier of economic growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ožegović Lazar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Numerous studies in the world of market economy show that the share of small and medium size enterprises is constantly increasing compared to large enterprises. This does not decrease the significance of large enterprises, but the dependence between them gets larger every day. National economies which manage to find the optimal combination between small, medium size and large enterprises are more successful than the others. Management of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs in conceptual terms is similar to the process of management of large enterprises. An organization must be managed in order to function and this rule applies to small and medium size enterprises.

Visual exposure to large and small portion sizes and perceptions of portion size normality: Three experimental studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Eric; Oldham, Melissa; Cuckson, Imogen; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Rogers, Peter J; Hardman, Charlotte A

2016-03-01

Portion sizes of many foods have increased in recent times. In three studies we examined the effect that repeated visual exposure to larger versus smaller food portion sizes has on perceptions of what constitutes a normal-sized food portion and measures of portion size selection. In studies 1 and 2 participants were visually exposed to images of large or small portions of spaghetti bolognese, before making evaluations about an image of an intermediate sized portion of the same food. In study 3 participants were exposed to images of large or small portions of a snack food before selecting a portion size of snack food to consume. Across the three studies, visual exposure to larger as opposed to smaller portion sizes resulted in participants considering a normal portion of food to be larger than a reference intermediate sized portion. In studies 1 and 2 visual exposure to larger portion sizes also increased the size of self-reported ideal meal size. In study 3 visual exposure to larger portion sizes of a snack food did not affect how much of that food participants subsequently served themselves and ate. Visual exposure to larger portion sizes may adjust visual perceptions of what constitutes a 'normal' sized portion. However, we did not find evidence that visual exposure to larger portions altered snack food intake. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-04

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

78 FR 30384 - Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-22

... SBA's 8(a) Business Development (BD) program, or Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs). DATES: Comments... small businesses, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) small businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule...

JAIF report on small- and medium-size LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry has made a report on the results of the study on the utilization of small and medium size LWRs. The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum undertook this research work by the commission of the Ministry. It studied six cases of PWRs and BWRs with thermal output power ranging from 20 MWt to 700 MWt as the hypothetical design for their siting conditions, reactor capacity and the examples of utilization of the corresponding steam output. A large housing estate of 5,000 units, a local core city with population of 100,000, industrial utilization for petrochemical plants and paper and pulp plants and the combined utilization for a factory and a housing estate of 5,000 units were examined. The report said that a city with population of 100,000 would be the best object to supply heat from a nuclear reactor, and it is important to develop the nuclear reactors with 200 MWt capacity. This type is versatile in the siting conditions, and can be constructed near a city, accordingly, it offers the possibility of extensive utilization. The significance of small and medium size LWRs as the alternative energy for oil, the regional development accompanying the use of small and medium size LWRs, the technical development toward scale reduction, easy operation and versatile utilization, the economical evaluation of the utilization models and the tasks for the future are reported. (Kako, I.)

Successful E-Learning in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsen, Morten Flate

2009-01-01

So far, e-learning has primarily been used when there are many learners involved. The up-front investments related to e-learning are relatively high, and may be perceived as prohibitive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Some e-learning is, however, getting less expensive, and some e-learning models are more suited for small-scale…

Small is Beautiful? Firm's Size, Prevention & Food Safety.

OpenAIRE

Rouviere, Elodie; Soubeyran, Raphael

2012-01-01

The European General Food Law of 2005 and the newly promulgated FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FFSMA) of 2010 ask all food operators to implement preventive efforts. In this article, we explore the link between firm’s size and preventive efforts. We show two main results. First, when there is no cross-contamination, small firms will provide higher preventive efforts than large firms. When there is crosscontamination, the effort-size curve may have a "inverted-U" shape. From our results we...

Evaluation research of small and medium-sized enterprise informatization on big data

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Na

2017-09-01

Under the background of big data, key construction of small and medium-sized enterprise informationization level was needed, but information construction cost was large, while information cost of inputs can bring benefit to small and medium-sized enterprises. This paper established small and medium-sized enterprise informatization evaluation system from hardware and software security level, information organization level, information technology application and the profit level, and information ability level. The rough set theory was used to brief indexes, and then carry out evaluation by support vector machine (SVM) model. At last, examples were used to verify the theory in order to prove the effectiveness of the method.

Small angle neutron scattering measurements of magnetic cluster sizes in magnetic recorging disks

CERN Document Server

Toney, M

2003-01-01

We describe Small Angle Neutron Scattering measurements of the magnetic cluster size distributions for several longitudinal magnetic recording media. We find that the average magnetic cluster size is slightly larger than the average physical grain size, that there is a broad distribution of cluster sizes, and that the cluster size is inversely correlated to the media signal-to-noise ratio. These results show that intergranular magnetic coupling in these media is small and they provide empirical data for the cluster-size distribution that can be incorporated into models of magnetic recording.

76 FR 42157 - Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-18

... (BD) Program, or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns to provide the products of small business... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of Denial to Waive the Nonmanufacturer Rule...

76 FR 42157 - Small Business Size Standards; Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-18

... Development (BD) Program, or Women- Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns to provide the products of small... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards; Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of Retraction of a Class Waiver SUMMARY: The U...

Continuous Size-Dependent Sorting of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles in Laser-Ablated Microchannel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiqiang Fan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a low-cost method of continuous size-dependent sorting of magnetic nanoparticles in polymer-based microfluidic devices by magnetic force. A neodymium permanent magnet was used to generate a magnetic field perpendicular to the fluid flow direction. Firstly, FeNi3 magnetic nanoparticles were chemically synthesized with diameter ranges from 80 nm to 200 nm; then, the solution of magnetic nanoparticles and a buffer were passed through the microchannel in laminar flow; the magnetic nanoparticles were deflected from the flow direction under the applied magnetic field. Nanoparticles in the microchannel will move towards the direction of high-gradient magnetic fields, and the degree of deflection depends on their sizes; therefore, magnetic nanoparticles of different sizes can be separated and finally collected from different output ports. The proposed method offers a rapid and continuous approach of preparing magnetic nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution from an arbitrary particle size distribution. The proposed new method has many potential applications in bioanalysis field since magnetic nanoparticles are commonly used as solid support for biological entities such as DNA, RNA, virus, and protein. Other than the size sorting application of magnetic nanoparticles, this approach could also be used for the size sorting and separation of naturally magnetic cells, including blood cells and magnetotactic bacteria.

Significance assessment of small-medium sized reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanno, Minoru [Japan Atomic Power Co., Research and Development Dept., Tokyo (Japan)

2002-12-01

Preliminary assessment for deployment of small-medium sized reactor (S and M reactor) as a future option has been conducted at the JAPCO (Japan Atomic Power Company) under the cooperation with the CRIERI (Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry). Significance of the S and M reactor introduction is listed as follows; lower investment cost, possible siting near demand side, enlarged freedom of siting, shorter transmission line, good compatibility with slow increase of demand and plain explanation of safety using simpler system such as integral type vessel without piping, natural convection core cooling and passive safety system. The deployment of simpler plant system, modular shop fabrication, ship-shell structured building and longer operation period can assure economics comparable with that of a large sized reactor, coping with scale-demerit. Also the S and M reactor is preferable in size for the nuclear heat utilization such as hydrogen production. (T. Tanaka)

Overestimation of test performance by ROC analysis: Effect of small sample size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeley, G.W.; Borgstrom, M.C.; Patton, D.D.; Myers, K.J.; Barrett, H.H.

1984-01-01

New imaging systems are often observer-rated by ROC techniques. For practical reasons the number of different images, or sample size (SS), is kept small. Any systematic bias due to small SS would bias system evaluation. The authors set about to determine whether the area under the ROC curve (AUC) would be systematically biased by small SS. Monte Carlo techniques were used to simulate observer performance in distinguishing signal (SN) from noise (N) on a 6-point scale; P(SN) = P(N) = .5. Four sample sizes (15, 25, 50 and 100 each of SN and N), three ROC slopes (0.8, 1.0 and 1.25), and three intercepts (0.8, 1.0 and 1.25) were considered. In each of the 36 combinations of SS, slope and intercept, 2000 runs were simulated. Results showed a systematic bias: the observed AUC exceeded the expected AUC in every one of the 36 combinations for all sample sizes, with the smallest sample sizes having the largest bias. This suggests that evaluations of imaging systems using ROC curves based on small sample size systematically overestimate system performance. The effect is consistent but subtle (maximum 10% of AUC standard deviation), and is probably masked by the s.d. in most practical settings. Although there is a statistically significant effect (F = 33.34, P<0.0001) due to sample size, none was found for either the ROC curve slope or intercept. Overestimation of test performance by small SS seems to be an inherent characteristic of the ROC technique that has not previously been described

A practical and theoretical definition of very small field size for radiotherapy output factor measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Charles, P H; Cranmer-Sargison, G; Thwaites, D I; Crowe, S B; Kairn, T; Knight, R T; Kenny, J; Langton, C M; Trapp, J V

2014-04-01

This work introduces the concept of very small field size. Output factor (OPF) measurements at these field sizes require extremely careful experimental methodology including the measurement of dosimetric field size at the same time as each OPF measurement. Two quantifiable scientific definitions of the threshold of very small field size are presented. A practical definition was established by quantifying the effect that a 1 mm error in field size or detector position had on OPFs and setting acceptable uncertainties on OPF at 1%. Alternatively, for a theoretical definition of very small field size, the OPFs were separated into additional factors to investigate the specific effects of lateral electronic disequilibrium, photon scatter in the phantom, and source occlusion. The dominant effect was established and formed the basis of a theoretical definition of very small fields. Each factor was obtained using Monte Carlo simulations of a Varian iX linear accelerator for various square field sizes of side length from 4 to 100 mm, using a nominal photon energy of 6 MV. According to the practical definition established in this project, field sizes ≤ 15 mm were considered to be very small for 6 MV beams for maximal field size uncertainties of 1 mm. If the acceptable uncertainty in the OPF was increased from 1.0% to 2.0%, or field size uncertainties are 0.5 mm, field sizes ≤ 12 mm were considered to be very small. Lateral electronic disequilibrium in the phantom was the dominant cause of change in OPF at very small field sizes. Thus the theoretical definition of very small field size coincided to the field size at which lateral electronic disequilibrium clearly caused a greater change in OPF than any other effects. This was found to occur at field sizes ≤ 12 mm. Source occlusion also caused a large change in OPF for field sizes ≤ 8 mm. Based on the results of this study, field sizes ≤ 12 mm were considered to be theoretically very small for 6 MV beams. Extremely

Perspective on small and medium size reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stahlkopf, K.E.; Braun, C.

1985-01-01

There has been renewed interests in the United States in small and medium size nuclear power plants (600 MWe or less). The reasons for this include: (1) there is a large uncertainty in load growth projections. Small to medium size nuclear power plants may be better suited to meet uncertain load growth projections. (2) It has been argued that a large economy of scale exists because of the nature of nuclear power installations. A recent examination of the French program shows that no economy of scale exists between the 900 MWe and 1300 MWe plants. Others have suggested that it is possible to reduce the economy of scale so it is not a prohibitive factor. (3) In the past in the United States, it has been customary for several smaller utilities to share the output of a large nuclear plant to take advantage of the perceived economy of scale. Difficulties have been encountered by some of these enterprises. (4) An examination of capacity factors for the United States shows that plants of smaller output appear to operate more reliably and economically than larger plants

Visual exposure to large and small portion sizes and perceptions of portion size normality: Three experimental studies

OpenAIRE

Robinson, Eric; Oldham, Melissa; Cuckson, Imogen; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M.; Rogers, Peter J.; Hardman, Charlotte A.

2016-01-01

Portion sizes of many foods have increased in recent times. In three studies we examined the effect that repeated visual exposure to larger versus smaller food portion sizes has on perceptions of what constitutes a normal-sized food portion and measures of portion size selection. In studies 1 and 2 participants were visually exposed to images of large or small portions of spaghetti bolognese, before making evaluations about an image of an intermediate sized portion of the same food. In study ...

The influence of family-related factors on the succession process in small and medium-sized family businesses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Venter

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this study family-related factors that can influence the succession process in small and medium-sized family businesses are empirically investigated.  The dependent variable in this study is measured by two underlying dimensions, namely satisfaction with the process and continued profitability of the business.  The empirical results indicate that the family-related factors that influence both the aforementioned dimensions are the mutual acceptance of roles, the relationship between the owner-manager and successor, and family harmony.  The continued profitability of the business is also influenced by the agreement to continue the business. The existence of family harmony in itself influences the relationship between the owner-manager and successor, the agreement to continue the business, as well as the mutual acceptance of roles.  The managerial implications of these empirical findings are discussed and recommendations offered.

Export Marketing Involvement of African Small and Medium Size ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Export Marketing Involvement of African Small and Medium Size Enterprises: Tanzania's Fish Processing Industry. ... This study examined the Export marketing involvement of SMEs from the Least ... EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT

75 FR 68394 - Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-05

..., Participants in SBA's 8(a) Business Development (BD) Program, or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of Waiver to the Nonmanufacturer Rule for...

78 FR 61443 - Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-03

... SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program, or Women-Owned Small Businesses to provide aerospace ball and... businesses, Women-Owned Small Businesses, or Participants in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule...

Improvement of environmental management incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Kee Bok; Lee, Seung Kyu; Lim, Chae Woon; Chung, Ho Sun [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

1998-12-01

The developed countries have been prepared the national innovation for sustainable development for a long time. The international advanced enterprises, such as multinational enterprises, are enhancing the active and strategic environmental management. However, in spite of such changes in the world, small and middle-sized enterprises do not show any substantial changes. It is true that most of enterprises do not recognize the need of environmental management. Although they have intention for environmental improvement, it is also true that they do not have any strength to maintain effective management. Moreover, with over 99% of small and middle-sized enterprises among entire enterprises in Korea, it is hardly possible to establish an effective regulation system. The purpose of this study is to make a policy plan to induce the development of environmental friendly small and middle-sized enterprises under the recognition of such problems. 138 refs., 4 figs., 195 tabs.

Role of Relationship Marketing in Small and Medium-Sized Entreprises

OpenAIRE

Ružica Butigan; Ivana Mahnić

2011-01-01

Along with marketing, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are commonly associated in literature with relationship marketing which results in marketing networks. This paper examines the specific characteristics that differentiate large companies from small and medium-sized enterprises, and the reasons that prevent SMEs from engaging in traditional marketing within the scope of marketing mix. The paper also shows that the key characteristic which distinguishes small from large companies is a pr...

Estimating sample size for a small-quadrat method of botanical ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Reports the results of a study conducted to determine an appropriate sample size for a small-quadrat method of botanical survey for application in the Mixed Bushveld of South Africa. Species density and grass density were measured using a small-quadrat method in eight plant communities in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve.

78 FR 76886 - Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-19

..., Participants in SBA's 8(a) Business Development (BD) Program, or Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) concerns... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of Final Action: Granting Class Waiver of the...

Effects of Group Size on Students Mathematics Achievement in Small Group Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Enu, Justice; Danso, Paul Amoah; Awortwe, Peter K.

2015-01-01

An ideal group size is hard to obtain in small group settings; hence there are groups with more members than others. The purpose of the study was to find out whether group size has any effects on students' mathematics achievement in small group settings. Two third year classes of the 2011/2012 academic year were selected from two schools in the…

77 FR 42441 - Small Business Size Standards: Utilities

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-19

... and are still engaged in activities in other industries. To qualify as small under receipts based and... industry. New firms producing electric power using alternative energy sources (solar, wind, etc.) have... undergone significant changes, many large electric power producers still continue to generate, transmit, and...

Human resources management within the process management in small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Duspivová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Sector of small and medium-sized enterprises is regarded as the backbone of the economy and a driving force of innovation, employment and social integration. Development of the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic has a substantial impact on economic and social development of the country and its various regions. This article deals with the human resources management in small and medium-sized enterprises, because it is more than obvious recently that the prosperity of the organization is depended on human resources and management of them can determine not only whether the organizations succeed, but whether it will be able to survive in turbulent conditions in the present world. The main aim of this paper is to analytical describe the monitoring the process of human resources management in selected categories of enterprises by business activity and number of employees including statistical analysis of causal effects. Further to analytical describe the evaluation the process of human resources management and indicators of this process, which are monitored by small and medium-sized enterprises. To achieve this aim were used selected primary data collected in the project GAJU 068/2010/S titled “Process management and its possible implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises”.

How to Improve Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Profitability by Practicing an Efficient Human Resources Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio GARCÍA SÁNCHEZ

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In The European Union’s country members, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs play an essential role in economic life, having special features that make adaptation process to the contemporary economy easier. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs are the most dynamic and vital factor of progress in the contemporary society, main generator of economic performance and substance in any country, employment opportunity provider for most of population, major contributor to the national budget, and engine to improve the living standard of the population. SMEs represent 99% from all enterprises, drawing up the main human resources aglomeration. In the contemporary economic context, SMEs should act as learning entities, by developing the most important resources they own: the human resources. Human resource development (HRD has gained a permanent role within SMEs, agencies and nations, increasingly not only as an academic discipline, but as a central theme in development area. Being a combination of training and education, in a broad context of adequate human resource policies, HRD ensures the continual improvement and growth of both individual and organization.

Potential growth and opportunities for Kenyan small sized firms online : E-business adoption for small boutiques and the new customer online

OpenAIRE

Mbare, Candy

2016-01-01

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the online growth opportunities for the small sized firm in Kenya. Kenya is the most developed nation in East-Africa. E-commerce is a rapidly rising trend in developing nations, that provides small sized firms with growth opportunities. The e-commerce trend also comes with changes in consumer behavior. Sufficient use of e-commerce by small sized firms in Kenya, can open a opportunity to reach a wider range of audience and increase profits by expan...

Small-size pedestrian detection in large scene based on fast R-CNN

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shengke; Yang, Na; Duan, Lianghua; Liu, Lu; Dong, Junyu

2018-04-01

Pedestrian detection is a canonical sub-problem of object detection with high demand during recent years. Although recent deep learning object detectors such as Fast/Faster R-CNN have shown excellent performance for general object detection, they have limited success for small size pedestrian detection in large-view scene. We study that the insufficient resolution of feature maps lead to the unsatisfactory accuracy when handling small instances. In this paper, we investigate issues involving Fast R-CNN for pedestrian detection. Driven by the observations, we propose a very simple but effective baseline for pedestrian detection based on Fast R-CNN, employing the DPM detector to generate proposals for accuracy, and training a fast R-CNN style network to jointly optimize small size pedestrian detection with skip connection concatenating feature from different layers to solving coarseness of feature maps. And the accuracy is improved in our research for small size pedestrian detection in the real large scene.

Unions in small and medium-sized enterprises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holten, Ann-Louise; Crouch, Colin

2014-01-01

Trade unions are commonly weak in small- and medium-sized enterprises, which constitute a majority of European firms and are often family-owned. We investigate the influence of family ownership on employee membership, perceptions and experience with unions in Danish and Italian firms in the textile...... and clothing sector. Family ownership reduces union membership; and within family firms, the number of family members employed is negatively associated with unionization rates and employee perceptions of unions....

A general theory of effect size, and its consequences for defining the benchmark response (BMR) for continuous endpoints.

Science.gov (United States)

Slob, Wout

2017-04-01

A general theory on effect size for continuous data predicts a relationship between maximum response and within-group variation of biological parameters, which is empirically confirmed by results from dose-response analyses of 27 different biological parameters. The theory shows how effect sizes observed in distinct biological parameters can be compared and provides a basis for a generic definition of small, intermediate and large effects. While the theory is useful for experimental science in general, it has specific consequences for risk assessment: it solves the current debate on the appropriate metric for the Benchmark response in continuous data. The theory shows that scaling the BMR expressed as a percent change in means to the maximum response (in the way specified) automatically takes "natural variability" into account. Thus, the theory supports the underlying rationale of the BMR 1 SD. For various reasons, it is, however, recommended to use a BMR in terms of a percent change that is scaled to maximum response and/or within group variation (averaged over studies), as a single harmonized approach.

Mechanism of Interaction between Entrepreneurial Spirit and Growth of Small and Medium Sized Private Enterprises

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Peng XIE

2016-01-01

In the context of government appeal of " mass entrepreneurship and innovation",all areas launched the movement of " mass entrepreneurship" and " grassroots entrepreneurship". As parts of vitality of China’s market economy,small and medium sized private enterprises become grassroots of market competition in talents,funds,and technologies. This paper combined three levels of entrepreneurial spirit and small and medium sized private enterprises,studied acting mechanism of entrepreneurial spirit,discussed competitive power of small and medium sized private enterprises,and recommended that small and medium sized private enterprises should cultivate core competitive power,adapt to external environment,and create external environment support,to realize sound development.

The status of development of small and medium sized reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konstantinov, L.V; Kupitz, J.

1987-01-01

Several IAEA Member States have shown their interest in reactor design, having a smaller power rating (100-500 MW(e) range) than those generally available on the international market. These small and medium sized power reactors are of interest either for domestic applications or for export into countries with less developed infrastructure. There are different developments undertaken for these power reactors to be ready for offering in the nineties and beyond. The paper gives an overview about the status and different trends in IAEA Member States in the development of small and medium sized reactors for the 90's and provides an outlook for very new reactor designs as a long term option for nuclear power. (author)

Ultrasound Assisted Particle Size Control by Continuous Seed Generation and Batch Growth

OpenAIRE

Jordens, Jeroen; Canini, Enio; Gielen, Bjorn; Van Gerven, Tom; Braeken, Leen

2017-01-01

Controlling particle size is essential for crystal quality in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Several articles illustrate the potential of ultrasound to tune this particle size during the crystallization process. This paper investigates how ultrasound can control the particle size distribution (PSD) of acetaminophen crystals by continuous seed generation in a tubular crystallizer followed by batch growth. It is demonstrated that the supersaturation ratio at which ultrasound starts s...

77 FR 7489 - Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Technical, and Scientific Services

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-10

... would (1) provide a competitive advantage to larger firms over their truly small counterparts; (2) allow... Vol. 77 Friday, No. 28 February 10, 2012 Part V Small Business Administration 13 CFR Part 121 Small Business Size Standards: Professional, Technical, and Scientific Services; Final Rule #0;#0...

Large- and small-size advantages in sneaking behaviour in the dusky frillgoby Bathygobius fuscus

Science.gov (United States)

Takegaki, Takeshi; Kaneko, Takashi; Matsumoto, Yukio

2012-04-01

Sneaking tactic, a male alternative reproductive tactic involving sperm competition, is generally adopted by small individuals because of its inconspicuousness. However, large size has an advantage when competition occurs between sneakers for fertilization of eggs. Here, we suggest that both large- and small-size advantages of sneaker males are present within the same species. Large sneaker males of the dusky frillgoby Bathygobius fuscus showed a high success rate in intruding into spawning nests because of their advantage in competition among sneaker males in keeping a suitable position to sneak, whereas small sneakers had few chances to sneak. However, small sneaker males were able to stay in the nests longer than large sneaker males when they succeeded in sneak intrusion. This suggests the possibility of an increase in their paternity. The findings of these size-specific behavioural advantages may be important in considering the evolution of size-related reproductive traits.

Sustainability and Small to Medium Sized Enterprises--How to Engage Them

Science.gov (United States)

Condon, Linda

2004-01-01

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a major advantage over larger organisations in regard to addressing sustainability issues--their size means they are able to react very quickly to changes in the business environment. They are disadvantaged, however, by lack of information on marketplace changes that make sustainability an opportunity…

77 FR 58747 - Small Business Size Standards: Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-24

...: The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is increasing the small business size standards... small businesses, the commenter suggested increasing it to $150 million. He contended that his business... industry makes it difficult for small businesses to grow and develop and increase their market share. To...

Observations of Bright Massive Stars Using Small Size Telescopes

Science.gov (United States)

Beradze, Sopia; Kochiashvili, Nino

2017-11-01

The size of a telescope determines goals and objects of observations. During the latest decades it becomes more and more difficult to get photometric data of bright stars because most of telescopes of small sizes do not operate already. But there are rather interesting questions connected to the properties and evolution ties between different types of massive stars. Multi-wavelength photometric data are needed for solution of some of them. We are presenting our observational plans of bright Massive X-ray binaries, WR and LBV stars using a small size telescope. All these stars, which are presented in the poster are observational targets of Sopia Beradze's future PhD thesis. We already have got very interesting results on the reddening and possible future eruption of the massive hypergiant star P Cygni. Therefore, we decided to choose some additional interesting massive stars of different type for future observations. All Massive stars play an important role in the chemical evolution of galaxies because of they have very high mass loss - up to 10-4M⊙/a year. Our targets are on different evolutionary stages and three of them are the members of massive binaries. We plan to do UBVRI photometric observations of these stars using the 48 cm Cassegrain telescope of the Abastumani Astrophisical Observatory.

Small-for-Size Liver Transplantation Increases Pulmonary Injury in Rats: Prevention by NIM811

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinlong Liu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary complications after liver transplantation (LT often cause mortality. This study investigated whether small-for-size LT increases acute pulmonary injury and whether NIM811 which improves small-for-size liver graft survival attenuates LT-associated lung injury. Rat livers were reduced to 50% of original size, stored in UW-solution with and without NIM811 (5 μM for 6 h, and implanted into recipients of the same or about twice the donor weight, resulting in half-size (HSG and quarter-size grafts (QSG, respectively. Liver injury increased and regeneration was suppressed after QSG transplantation as expected. NIM811 blunted these alterations >75%. Pulmonary histological alterations were minimal at 5–18 h after LT. At 38 h, neutrophils and monocytes/macrophage infiltration, alveolar space exudation, alveolar septal thickening, oxidative/nitrosative protein adduct formation, and alveolar epithelial cell/capillary endothelial apoptosis became overt in the lungs of QSG recipients, but these alterations were mild in full-size and HSG recipients. Liver pretreatment with NIM811 markedly decreased pulmonary injury in QSG recipients. Hepatic TNFα and IL-1β mRNAs and pulmonary ICAM-1 expression were markedly higher after QSG transplantation, which were all decreased by NIM811. Together, dysfunctional small-for-size grafts produce toxic cytokines, leading to lung inflammation and injury. NIM811 decreased toxic cytokine formation, thus attenuating pulmonary injury after small-for-size LT.

Supply Chain adoption in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl, Mathias Thim; Bernon, Mike

Purpose: The importance of having a competitive supply chain strategy is not to be underestimated (Underwood & Agg 2012; Aronow et al. 2014). Despite the importance of creating strong supply chain capabilities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) find it difficult to implement supply chain...... and customer needs. Research Approach: An exploratory case study of five small and medium sized manufacturing companies was undertaken using in-depth interviews and business reports. Combined with relevant literature, the case study interviews provide basis for a discussion on the current adoption of supply...... needs and a low interaction in the supply chain, to having an “outside-in” perspective (Day & Moorman 2013) and development of capabilities that support long-term competitive advantage. The case studies revealed two significant factors to support consistency between supply chain capabilities...

Small-Sized Whole-Tree Harvesting in Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaerhae, Kalle [Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)

2006-07-15

In Finland, there are two mechanized harvesting systems used for small diameter (d{sub 1.3}= 10 cm) thinning wood: 1) the traditional two-machine (harvester and forwarder) system, and 2) the harwarder system (i.e. the same machine performs both felling and haulage to the roadside). At present, there are more than 20 energy wood harwarders in use in Finland. However, there have been no comprehensive studies carried out on the energy wood harwarders. This paper looks into the productivity results obtained with energy wood harwarders. In addition, the energy wood harvesting costs for harwarders are compared with those of the two-machine system. The results clearly indicated what kind of machine resources can be profitably allocated to different whole-tree harvesting sites. The energy wood harwarders should be directed towards harvesting sites where the forwarding distances are small, the trees harvested are relatively small, and the total volume of energy wood removed is quite low. Respectively, when the stem size removed is relatively large in young stands, and the forest haulage distances are long, the traditional two-machine system is more competitive.

SMALL AND MIDDLE-SIZED BUSINESS: LOGISTICAL AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMICAL FUNCTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. N. Pavlova

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Entrepreneurship is one of the factors that can ensure a sustainable character to the development of Belarus. The present Belarusian entrepreneurship should select the required forms and determine development priorities. It is practically impossible to do it without taking into account modem global social and economical tendencies and also specificity of Belarusian mentality and traditions. In this sense priority status is given to small and middle-sized business because it is considered as an element of economic system that ensures stability to economy. Small and middle-sized business is an ideal logistical model that provides harmonization of interests and optimization of management solutions.

A Single IGF1 Allele Is a Major Determinant of Small Size in Dogs

Science.gov (United States)

Sutter, Nathan B.; Bustamante, Carlos D.; Chase, Kevin; Gray, Melissa M.; Zhao, Keyan; Zhu, Lan; Padhukasahasram, Badri; Karlins, Eric; Davis, Sean; Jones, Paul G.; Quignon, Pascale; Johnson, Gary S.; Parker, Heidi G.; Fretwell, Neale; Mosher, Dana S.; Lawler, Dennis F.; Satyaraj, Ebenezer; Nordborg, Magnus; Lark, K. Gordon; Wayne, Robert K.; Ostrander, Elaine A.

2009-01-01

The domestic dog exhibits greater diversity in body size than any other terrestrial vertebrate. We used a strategy that exploits the breed structure of dogs to investigate the genetic basis of size. First, through a genome-wide scan, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 15 influencing size variation within a single breed. Second, we examined genetic variation in the 15-megabase interval surrounding the QTL in small and giant breeds and found marked evidence for a selective sweep spanning a single gene (IGF1), encoding insulin-like growth factor 1. A single IGF1 single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype is common to all small breeds and nearly absent from giant breeds, suggesting that the same causal sequence variant is a major contributor to body size in all small dogs. PMID:17412960

Analyses on the Performance and Interaction Between the Impeller and Casing in a Small-Size Turbo-Compressor

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youn-Jea; Kim, Dong-Won

The effects of casing shapes on the performance and the interaction between an impeller and a casing in a small-size turbo-compressor are investigated. Numerical analysis is conducted for the turbo-compressor with circular and single volute casings from the inlet to a discharge nozzle. The optimum design for each element is important to develop the small-size turbo-compressor using alternative refrigerant as a working fluid. Typically, the rotating speed of the compressor is in the range of 40000-45000rpm because of the small size of an impeller diameter. A blade of an impeller has backswept two-dimensional shape due to tip clearance and a vane diffuser has wedge type. In order to predict the flow pattern inside the entire impeller, the vaneless diffuser and the casing, calculations with multiple frames of reference method between the rotating and stationery parts of the domain are carried out. For compressible turbulent flow fields, the continuity and time-averaged three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are employed. To evaluate the performance of two types of casings, the static pressure recovery and loss coefficients are obtained with various flow rates. Also, static pressure distributions around casings are studied for different casing shapes, which are very important to predict the distribution of radial load. To prove the accuracy of numerical results, measurements of static pressure around the casing and pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the compressor are performed for the circular casing. The comparison of experimental and numerical results is conducted, and reasonable agreement is obtained.

Test methodology and technology of fracture toughness for small size specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wakai, E.; Takada, F.; Ishii, T.; Ando, M. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Matsukawa, S. [JNE Techno-Research Co., Kanagawa-ken (Japan)

2007-07-01

Full text of publication follows: Small specimen test technology (SSTT) is required to investigate mechanical properties in the limited availability of effective irradiation volumes in test reactors and accelerator-based neutron and charged particle sources. The test methodology guideline and the manufacture processes for very small size specimens have not been established, and we would have to formulate it. The technology to control exactly the load and displacement is also required in the test technology under the environment of high dose radiation produced from the specimens. The objective of this study is to examine the test technology and methodology of fracture toughness for very small size specimens. A new bend test machine installed in hot cell has been manufactured to obtain fracture toughness and DBTT (ductile - brittle transition temperature) of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels for small bend specimens of t/2-1/3PCCVN (pre-cracked 1/3 size Charpy V-notch) with 20 mm length and DFMB (deformation and fracture mini bend specimen) with 9 mm length. The new machine can be performed at temperatures from -196 deg. C to 400 deg. C under unloading compliance method. Neutron irradiation was also performed at about 250 deg. C to about 2 dpa in JMTR. After the irradiation, fracture toughness and DBTT were examined by using the machine. Checking of displacement measurement between linear gauge of cross head's displacement and DVRT of the specimen displacement was performed exactly. Conditions of pre-crack due to fatigue in the specimen preparation were also examined and it depended on the shape and size of the specimens. Fracture toughness and DBTT of F82H steel for t/2-1/3PCCVN, DFMB and 0.18DCT specimens before irradiation were examined as a function of temperature. DBTT of smaller size specimens of DFMB was lower than that of larger size specimen of t/2-1/3PCCVN and 0.18DCT. The changes of fracture toughness and DBTT due to irradiation were also

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the HIRA Gene Affect Litter Size in Small Tail Han Sheep

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei Zhou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Maintenance of appropriate levels of fecundity is critical for efficient sheep production. Opportunities to increase sheep litter size include identifying single gene mutations with major effects on ovulation rate and litter size. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS data of 89 Chinese domestic sheep from nine different geographical locations and ten Australian sheep were analyzed to detect new polymorphisms affecting litter size. Comparative genomic analysis of sheep with contrasting litter size detected a novel set of candidate genes. Two SNPs, g.71874104G>A and g.71833755T>C, were genotyped in 760 Small Tail Han sheep and analyzed for association with litter size. The two SNPs were significantly associated with litter size, being in strong linkage disequilibrium in the region 71.80–71.87 Mb. This haplotype block contains one gene that may affect litter size, Histone Cell Cycle Regulator (HIRA. HIRA mRNA levels in sheep with different lambing ability were significantly higher in ovaries of Small Tail Han sheep (high fecundity than in Sunite sheep (low fecundity. Moreover, the expression levels of HIRA in eight tissues of uniparous Small Tail Han sheep were significantly higher than in multiparous Small Tail Han sheep (p < 0.05. HIRA SNPs significantly affect litter size in sheep and are useful as genetic markers for litter size.

The business environment and phases of development of small and medium-sized enterprises

OpenAIRE

Wach, Krzysztof

2006-01-01

The subject literature distinguishes several factors that determine the establishment, survival , operations and development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in particular regions. In this article, the author presents a classification of these factors in terms of whether they are barriers or stimulators. On this basis, the author explains the influence of regional environment (meso-environment) factors on the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in various phases of ...

Size Exclusion HPLC Detection of Small-Size Impurities as a Complementary Means for Quality Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Huang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available For extracellular vesicle research, whether for biomarker discoveries or therapeutic applications, it is critical to have high-quality samples. Both microscopy and NanoSight Tracking Analysis (NTA for size distribution have been used to detect large vesicles. However, there is currently no well-established method that is convenient for routine quality analysis of small-size impurities in vesicle samples. In this paper we report a convenient method, called ‘size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography’ (SE-HPLC, alongside NTA and Microscopy analysis to guide and qualify the isolation and processing of vesicles. First, the SE-HPLC analysis was used to detect impurities of small-size proteins during the ultra-centrifugation process of vesicle isolation; it was then employed to test the changes of vesicles under different pH conditions or integrity after storage. As SE-HPLC is generally accessible in most institutions, it could be used as a routine means to assist researchers in examining the integrity and quality of extracellular vesicles along with other techniques either during isolation/preparation or for further engineering and storage.

Strategic management in micro, small and medium-sized businesses in relation to financial success of the enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Švárová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Small and medium sized enterprises play an essential role in the economy of the Czech Republic as a report of development of small and medium-sized enterprises and its support from 2010 announces. They are the source of development of towns, regions and the state itself. Small and medium-sized enterprises represent 99.84 % of the whole business subjects. Statistic data underline this position- they indicate that small and medium-sized enterprises employ 2/3 employees. Therefore, occupying small and medium-sized enterprises are to be taken as priority.Strategic management on the level of small and medium-sized enterprises is, as number of authors write, diverse. Small enterprises including micro have less access to capital, they have no money for employing specialists in the field, and they solve administration primarily. The aim of this follow-up GAJU project contribution concerned on process analysis of small and medium-sized enterprises is to summarize the gained results from the view of comparison of the level of strategic management in small and medium-sized enterprises.Nowadays, numbers of enterprises are thinking about whether they are able to remain in the market as an established company, they explore the possibility of improving its position. There is a question for small and medium-sized enterprises management- can strategic management be used as an instrument for increasing competitiveness? The results show that SMEs with a clearly defined strategy show better results of financial health (IN99 and ROA than companies without a defined strategy. In terms of business focus, we were able to demonstrate positive relationship between strategy and finance only for companies in the construction industry, on the significance level of 0.05. Compared to manufacturers and service-providing companies where this relation is not statistically significant.

Simplified analysis of passive residual heat removal systems for small size PWR's

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Botelho, D.A.

1992-02-01

The function and general objectives of a passive residual heat removal system for small size PWR's are defined. The characteristic configuration, the components and the operation modes of this system are concisely described. A preliminary conceptual specification of this system, for a small size PWR of 400 MW thermal, is made analogous to the decay heat removal system of the AP-600 reactor. It is shown by analytic models that such passive systems can dissipate 2% of nominal power within the thermal limits allowed to the reactor fuel elements. (author)

Regulation of Small and Medium-Sized Business Development in Russia: Problems and Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyudmila Yuryevna Bogachkova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The authors prove that despite the active state policy carried out since the second half of the 2000s and aimed at supporting small and medium-sized business in the Russian Federation, the current level of development of this economic sector is insufficient. The present paper characterizes the modern structure of small and medium-sized business. The authors show that the main problems hindering its growth are conditioned by low market demand, large tax deductions, numerous administrative barriers, lack of funding and state support. On the basis of the official data of Russian Federal State Statistics Service on theresults of annual surveys of entrepreneurs, the authors revealed the factors that prevented innovation situation in the country have stable negative impact on MSB, while the impact of such factors as imperfect legal and regulatory framework, investment risks, low profitability and inadequate state of technological infrastructure is relatively nonsignificant. The authors describe systemwide and resource measures of state regulation of small and medium-sized business. The system-wide measures include preferential access to production facilities and equipment, special tax regimes, administrative control. The measures of resource support to entrepreneurs consist in subsidizing the lease payments and interest rates on loans for the modernization of production; grant support, the establishment of microfinance organizations and guarantee funds, the development of business support infrastructure. The authors describe the forms of these measures implementation in 2013 and the main directions of improving the state regulation of small and medium-sized business, including the reduction of tax burden and facilitation of taxation procedures, the reduction of administrative barriers and ensuring access of small and medium-sized enterprises to government orders and technological infrastructure.

The Small Nuclear Genomes of Selaginella Are Associated with a Low Rate of Genome Size Evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Baniaga, Anthony E; Arrigo, Nils; Barker, Michael S

2016-06-03

The haploid nuclear genome size (1C DNA) of vascular land plants varies over several orders of magnitude. Much of this observed diversity in genome size is due to the proliferation and deletion of transposable elements. To date, all vascular land plant lineages with extremely small nuclear genomes represent recently derived states, having ancestors with much larger genome sizes. The Selaginellaceae represent an ancient lineage with extremely small genomes. It is unclear how small nuclear genomes evolved in Selaginella We compared the rates of nuclear genome size evolution in Selaginella and major vascular plant clades in a comparative phylogenetic framework. For the analyses, we collected 29 new flow cytometry estimates of haploid genome size in Selaginella to augment publicly available data. Selaginella possess some of the smallest known haploid nuclear genome sizes, as well as the lowest rate of genome size evolution observed across all vascular land plants included in our analyses. Additionally, our analyses provide strong support for a history of haploid nuclear genome size stasis in Selaginella Our results indicate that Selaginella, similar to other early diverging lineages of vascular land plants, has relatively low rates of genome size evolution. Further, our analyses highlight that a rapid transition to a small genome size is only one route to an extremely small genome. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

THE RELATIONSHIP MARKETING APPLICATION IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SABOU FELICIA

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the importance of relationship marketing, the communication between customers and romanian small and medium-sized enterprises, analyzing also how are investigated and resolved the complaints received from the customers. In the paper, I made a study through I analyzed if the small and medium-sized enterprises undertake investigations about the reasons which they have lost customers. The study was conducted during january - february 2016, the main research methods used in the study were observation, documentation, analysis and market survey. Also, I chose the study questionnaire as research tool. From this study resulted that 79,31% of companies surveyed, were concerned and investigated the reasons they lost customers. Customer satisfaction is very important to business success, so it is recommended that companies must pay attention to the customers reactions and customers dissatisfaction consequences.

Adult Continuing Education in Small States and Islands: Concept Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Alan

1996-01-01

Small states and islands have strengths and weaknesses that affect adult continuing education: marginalization and threats to their legitimacy from economic globalization; educational globalization, with increasing credentialism and sectoralization; and limited resources for technology and teacher development. (SK)

Targeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer with a Small-sized Paramagnetic Nanoparticle

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Li; Varma, Nadimpalli RS; Gang, Zhang Z.; Ewing, James R.; Arbab, Ali S; Ali, Meser M

2016-01-01

There is no available targeted therapy or imaging agent for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). We developed a small-sized dendrimer-based nanoparticle containing a clinical relevant MRI contrast agent, GdDOTA and a NIR fluorescent dye, DL680. Systemic delivery of dual-modal nanoparticles led to accumulation of the agents in a flank mouse model of TNBC that were detected by both optical and MR imaging. In-vivo fluorescence images, as well as ex-vivo fluorescence images of individual organs, demonstrated that nanoparticles accumulated into tumor selectively. A dual modal strategy resulted in a selective delivery of a small-sized (GdDOTA)42-G4-DL680 dendrimeric agent to TNBC tumors, avoiding other major organs. PMID:28018751

Workplace Health Promotion within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ann; Parahoo, Kader; Fleming, Paul

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore managers' understanding of workplace health promotion (WHP) and experiences of WHP activity within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a Health and Social Care Trust area of Northern Ireland. The paper aims to focus on engagement with activities within the context of prevention of…

Financing Of Small And Medium-Size Enterprises In Cameroon ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Financing Of Small And Medium-Size Enterprises In Cameroon. ... Available data from the banking sector shows that as much as 78.7% of all ... SMEs and large companies pay back their loans better than the other ... Even the SME loan repayment rate of 62.9% is still low by World Bank ... AJOL African Journals Online.

The art of being small : brain-body size scaling in minute parasitic wasps

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woude, van der Emma

2017-01-01

Haller’s rule states that small animals have relatively larger brains than large animals. This brain-body size relationship may enable small animals to maintain similar levels of brain performance as large animals. However, it also causes small animals to spend an exceptionally large proportion

Managers' Understanding of Workplace Health Promotion within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Phenomenological Study

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ann; Parahoo, Kader; Fleming, Paul

2011-01-01

Objective: This study aimed at exploring managers' understanding of workplace health promotion and experiences of workplace health promotion activity within small and medium-sized enterprises. Design: A Heideggerian interpretive phenomenological methodology was adopted. Setting: This study was undertaken with small and medium-sized enterprise…

Financial Management Challenges In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Strategic Management Approach

OpenAIRE

Hande Karadag

2015-01-01

Abstract :Due to their significant role in creation of new jobs, rise in GDP, entrepreneurship and innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are recognized as the the drivers of socio-economic growth, both in developed and developing economies. In Turkey, 99.9 % of all enterprises fall into SME category. Therefore, the significance of SMEs for Turkish economy and society is much higher in Turkey, compared to other emerging and developed countries. Small and medium-sized companies ...

Test of a sample container for shipment of small size plutonium samples with PAT-2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhn, E.; Aigner, H.; Deron, S.

1981-11-01

A light-weight container for the air transport of plutonium, to be designated PAT-2, has been developed in the USA and is presently undergoing licensing. The very limited effective space for bearing plutonium required the design of small size sample canisters to meet the needs of international safeguards for the shipment of plutonium samples. The applicability of a small canister for the sampling of small size powder and solution samples has been tested in an intralaboratory experiment. The results of the experiment, based on the concept of pre-weighed samples, show that the tested canister can successfully be used for the sampling of small size PuO 2 -powder samples of homogeneous source material, as well as for dried aliquands of plutonium nitrate solutions. (author)

The Role of Branding in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franc Vidic

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to show the relationship between branding and brand management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs. Traditionally, branding was associated with large and global corporations. However, we often forget that small and medium-sized enterprises also deal with their own names (brands in their own way. The study identified four types of businesses, regardless of their association with brands. We named these four types, as follows: Ignorant; User; Low-Cost Producer; and Differentiation Producer. If the first two types (i.e. Ignorant and User differ primarily in the extent to which they use simple branding activities, and are used mainly in the local market where the enterprises tend to operate, we found that the last two types (i.e. low-cost producers and differentiation producers design their branding strategies in accordance with their generic strategies and mode of growth.

Estimation of effective population size in continuously distributed populations: There goes the neighborhood

Science.gov (United States)

M. C. Neel; K. McKelvey; N. Ryman; M. W. Lloyd; R. Short Bull; F. W. Allendorf; M. K. Schwartz; R. S. Waples

2013-01-01

Use of genetic methods to estimate effective population size (Ne) is rapidly increasing, but all approaches make simplifying assumptions unlikely to be met in real populations. In particular, all assume a single, unstructured population, and none has been evaluated for use with continuously distributed species. We simulated continuous populations with local mating...

EXTERNAL FORCES DRIVING CHANGE IN THE ROMANIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roiban Roxana Nadina

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Change is a constant in everyday life confronting organizations to continuously adapt their strategy, structure, processes, and culture in order to survive and stay competitive on the market. Implementing organizational change is one of the most important skills required for managers and in the meantime the most difficult one. The forces driving change within an organization, that can be either external or internal, are those that propel a company forward towards change and in order to identify the need for change and make the proper changes, managers have to develop a tool that allows them to analyze how does the environment influence their business activities. A vision for change will clarify the directions in which the organization needs to move, starting from its current state and taking in consideration the existing opportunities and threats from the environment that allow to move to a future desired state. The purpose of this paper is to identify the concern for change in the Romanian small and medium sized enterprises by presenting and explaining the past and present influences of the main external forces that have determined the need for change in the last 3-5 years and to make recommendations about future possible changes that have to be performed by managers for a better harmonization with the environment. The research method used for this study is the interview on a sample that contains some of the most relevant SME’s from the western side of Romania, from different industries. We analyzed the main external forces that had an impact on the small and medium sized enterprises and how were they generating the need for organizational change, in order to see which present and future changes are required.

Customer acquisition plan for a small-size entrepreneur

OpenAIRE

Puotiniemi, Tiia

2014-01-01

The aim of this thesis was to draw a customer acquisition plan and improve the marketing planning in the company. Therefore, the final result was the market research summary. Development of the marketing strategy planning was based on internal and external situation analyses. This thesis is concentrated on a small-size operator’s business and therefore the internet marketing was brought up with its profitable benefits and advantages. The thesis was written as an auxiliary guide to build u...

The role of micro size computing clusters for small physics groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shevel, A Y

2014-01-01

A small physics group (3-15 persons) might use a number of computing facilities for the analysis/simulation, developing/testing, teaching. It is discussed different types of computing facilities: collaboration computing facilities, group local computing cluster (including colocation), cloud computing. The author discuss the growing variety of different computing options for small groups and does emphasize the role of the group owned computing cluster of micro size.

Analysis of near optimum design for small and medium size nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, A.A.

1977-01-01

Market surveys in recent years have shown that a significant market would exist among the developing nations of the world for nuclear power plants that would be classified as small to medium sized, provided that these small plants could produce electricity at a unit price comparable to that of equivalent sized fossil fired plants. Nuclear plants in the range of 100 MWe to 500 MWe would fit more effectively into the relatively smaller grids of most developing nations than would the 900 MWe to 1300 MWe units now being constructed in the large industrial nations. Worldwide re-evaluation of the worth of fossil fuels has prompted a re-examination of the competitive position of small to medium sized nuclear generating units compared to comparable fossil fired units, especially in the context of units specifically optimized for the size range of interest, rather than of designs that are simply scaled down versions of the currently available larger units. Since the absolute cost of electricity is more sensitive to external factors such as cost of money, national inflation rate and time required for licensing and construction than to details of design or perhaps even to choice of fuels, and since the cost of electricity generated in small to medium sized fossil fired units is periodically compared to that of scaled down versions of conventional large nuclear units, the point of view taken here is one of comparing the relative generating costs of smaller nuclear units of optimum design with the corresponding costs of scaled down versions of current large nuclear generating units

Mechanical stability of nanoporous metals with small ligament sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowson, Douglas A.; Farkas, Diana; Corcoran, Sean G.

2009-01-01

Digital samples of nanoporous gold with small ligament sizes were studied by atomistic simulation using different interatomic potentials that represent varying surface stress values. We predict a surface relaxation driven mechanical instability for these materials. Plastic deformation is induced by the surface stress without external load, related to the combination of the surface stress value and the surface to volume ratio.

Small- and Medium-Sized Commercial Building Monitoring and Controls Needs: A Scoping Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katipamula, Srinivas; Underhill, Ronald M.; Goddard, James K.; Taasevigen, Danny J.; Piette, M. A.; Granderson, J.; Brown, Rich E.; Lanzisera, Steven M.; Kuruganti, T.

2012-10-31

Buildings consume over 40% of the total energy consumption in the U.S. A significant portion of the energy consumed in buildings is wasted because of the lack of controls or the inability to use existing building automation systems (BASs) properly. Much of the waste occurs because of our inability to manage and controls buildings efficiently. Over 90% of the buildings are either small-size (<5,000 sf) or medium-size (between 5,000 sf and 50,000 sf); these buildings currently do not use BASs to monitor and control their building systems from a central location. According to Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), about 10% of the buildings in the U.S. use BASs or central controls to manage their building system operations. Buildings that use BASs are typically large (>100,000 sf). Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were asked by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Building Technologies Program (BTP) to identify monitoring and control needs for small- and medium-sized commercial buildings and recommend possible solutions. This study documents the needs and solutions for small- and medium-sized buildings.

Sizing of small surface-breaking tight cracks by using laser-ultrasonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, M.; Miura, T.; Kuroda, H.; Yamamoto, S.; Onodera, T.

2004-01-01

On the nondestructive testing, not only detection but also sizing of crack is desirable because the crack depth is one of the most important parameter to evaluate the impact of the crack to the material, to estimate crack growth and ultimately to predict lifetime of the component. Moreover, accurate measurement of the crack depth optimizes countermeasures and timing of repairs, and eventually reduces total cost for plant maintenance. Laser-ultrasonic is a technique that uses two laser beams; one with a short pulse for the generation of ultrasound and another one, long pulse or continuous, coupled to an optical interferometer for detection. The technique features a large detection bandwidth, which is important for small defect inspection. Another feature of laser-ultrasonics is the remote optical scanning of generation and detection points, which enables to inspect components in narrow space and/or having complex shapes. A purpose of this paper is to describe the performance of a laser-ultrasonic testing (LUT) system on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) inspection. We have developed a new technique for sizing shallow cracks, say 0.5-1.5mm, based on the laser-induced surface wave and its frequency analysis. First, sizing capability of the system will be demonstrated by using an artificial surface-breaking slot having depth of 0-2mm in a stainless steel plate. Evaluated depths show good agreement with the machined slot depths within the accuracy of about a few hundred micrometers. Then, SCCs in a stainless steel plate are examined by using the system. Depth of SCC is evaluated every 0.2mm over the crack aperture length. The evaluated depths are compared with the depths measured by the destructive testing. (author)

Structured population dynamics: continuous size and discontinuous stage structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Buffoni, Giuseppe; Pasquali, Sara

2007-04-01

A nonlinear stochastic model for the dynamics of a population with either a continuous size structure or a discontinuous stage structure is formulated in the Eulerian formalism. It takes into account dispersion effects due to stochastic variability of the development process of the individuals. The discrete equations of the numerical approximation are derived, and an analysis of the existence and stability of the equilibrium states is performed. An application to a copepod population is illustrated; numerical results of Eulerian and Lagrangian models are compared.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND DELIVERY FORMS FOR CONTINUOUS EDUCATION IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bayard, Ove; Areskoug, Magnus; Nørgaard, Bente

2014-01-01

This paper brings the preliminary results of interviews with Scandinavian managers and engineers asking questions regarding their previous experiences and knowledge on diverse continuous education methods and further encourages them to gaze into the crystal ball to identify requests and expectati...

Czech small and medium-sized enterprises and the success in foreign markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lenka Procházková

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs in national economies has been growing. For these reasons, SME’s are paid more attention. The paper deals with the success of Czech SME’s activities in the foreign markets. These enterprises exploited the opportunity of extensive European Union market without internal borders and extended its activities to foreign markets. The objective of this paper is to determine characteristics related to activities carried on by small and medium-sized Czech companies in the foreign markets and then to describe those that fundamentally affect the success of these entities in the foreign markets. The characteristics are divided into five groups (a group of characteristics relating to the company, product, management, international experience and a group of characteristics relating to the target market. The enterprises’ success in foreign markets is assessed by aggregate indicator of success. This indicator is monitored by multi-dimensional indicators of corporate success and evaluation of both objective and subjective. At the last part of the article due to analysis of relationship used, there are identified characteristics affecting the success of Czech small and medium-sized enterprises in foreign markets.

International Financial Reporting standard for Small and Medium-sized entities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Koppeschaar

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized entities (IFRS for SMEs was published as a standard by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB during July 2009. During 2007 South Africa became one of the first countries and the first country in Africa to early accept the proposed accounting standard (exposure draft of an IFRS for SMEs. The accounting standard will probably also be accepted by numerous other countries. The aim of this article is to investigate the applicability of this accounting standard. The results indicated that the IFRS for SMEs remains too comprehensive for the majority of small companies. The IFRS for SMEs does not satisfy the needs of South African users of small company financial statements, and as a result the accounting requirements should be simplified. KEYWORDS: Financial accounting; Financial reporting requirements; IFRS for SMEs; Small companies; Users of financial statements; Small company financial statements.

75 FR 9431 - Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-02

... to the USTR on the first investigation, No. 332-508, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Overview of..., investigation No. 332-509, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced by U.S. Firms, and investigation No. 332- 510, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises...

Finite-size analysis of continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xueying; Zhang, Yichen; Zhao, Yijia; Wang, Xiangyu; Yu, Song; Guo, Hong

2017-10-01

We study the impact of the finite-size effect on the continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) protocol, mainly considering the finite-size effect on the parameter estimation procedure. The central-limit theorem and maximum likelihood estimation theorem are used to estimate the parameters. We also analyze the relationship between the number of exchanged signals and the optimal modulation variance in the protocol. It is proved that when Charlie's position is close to Bob, the CV-MDI QKD protocol has the farthest transmission distance in the finite-size scenario. Finally, we discuss the impact of finite-size effects related to the practical detection in the CV-MDI QKD protocol. The overall results indicate that the finite-size effect has a great influence on the secret-key rate of the CV-MDI QKD protocol and should not be ignored.

The rapid size- and shape-controlled continuous hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Peter W.; Starkey, Chris L.; Gimeno-Fabra, Miquel; Lester, Edward H.

2014-01-01

Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control.Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, refinement procedure, fluorescence spectra of ZnS samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05749f

Theory of flotation of small and medium-size particles

Science.gov (United States)

Derjaguin, B. V.; Dukhin, S. S.

1993-08-01

The paper describes a theory of flotation of small and medium-size particles less than 50μ in radius) when their precipitation on a bubble surface depends more on surface forces than on inertia forces, and deformation of the bubble due to collisions with the particles may be neglected. The approach of the mineral particle to the bubble surface is regarded as taking place in three stages corresponding to movement of the particles through zones 1, 2 and 3. Zone 3 is a liquid wetting layer of such thickness that a positive or negative disjoining pressure arises in this intervening layer between the particle and the bubble. By zone 2 is meant the diffusional boundary layer of the bubble. In zone 1, which comprises the entire liquid outside zone 2, there are no surface forces. Precipitation of the particles is calculated by considering the forces acting in zones 1, 2 and 3. The particles move through zone 1 under the action of gravity and inertia. Analysis of the movement of the particles under the action of these forces gives the critical particle size, below which contact with the bubble surface is impossible, if the surface forces acting in zones 2 and 3 be neglected. The forces acting in zone 2 are ‘diffusio-phoretic’ forces due to the concentration gradient in the diffusional boundary layer. The concentration and electric field intensity distribution in zone 2 is calculated, taking into account ion diffusion to the deformed bubble surface. An examination is made of the ‘equilibrium’ surface forces acting in zone 3 independent of whether the bubble is at rest or in motion. These forces, which determine the behaviour of the thin wetting intervening layer between the bubble and the mineral particle and the height of the force barrier against its rupture, may be represented as results of the disjoining pressure forces acting on various parts of the film. The main components of the disjoining pressure are van der Waals forces, forces of an iono

Business Benefits from Enterprise Systems Implementation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Mathrani

2009-08-01

Full Text Available The market for enterprise systems (ESs continues to grow as business becomes increasingly global and competitive. Increasingly, the market focus for ES vendors is on small businesses. The purpose of this study is to provide a unique ES vendor/consultant perspective on (a the business benefits small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs expect from their ES investment and (b to examine current practices of ES implementation in SMEs through a conceptual framework that considers the organisational, process and strategic context of the implementation. This study does so with interview data collected from ES vendors, ES consultants and IT research firms, who are the key players in the New Zealand ES industry. A distinctive contribution of this research is the vendor/consultant perspective as the unit of analysis, rather than the SME perspective commonly used in similar research. The vendor/consultant perspective offers a comprehensive viewpoint that extends across numerous SMEs in a variety of industries. Findings from interviews with these professionals indicate that although many ES implementations are several years old now, SMEs have only recently started tracking benefits through analytical processes in expectation to realise business value from their ES investment. The results also identify how ES implementation practices are adapting to be more suitable to the SME sector, an important market for ES vendors given the saturation of the large enterprise market for ES implementation.

77 FR 72691 - Small Business Size Standards: Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-06

... importantly, the Small Business Act requires SBA to establish one definition of what is a small business... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 13 CFR Part 121 RIN 3245-AG27 Small Business Size Standards: Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration...

Accounting standards for small and medium-sized entities. Evidence from Spain

OpenAIRE

Milanés Montero Patricia; Albarrán Lozano Irene; Texeira Quirós Joaquín; Esteban Pérez Calderón

2011-01-01

By approving Regulation 1606/2002, the European Commission entrusts the local European Union regulators with the difficult decision as to whether making the International Accounting Standards (IAS/IFRS) extensive for their Small and Medium sized Entities or not. International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sizzed Entities (hereinafter IFRS for SMEs) was published in 2009, and the European Commission had also decided to seek the opinion of EU stakeholders on this Standard. W...

Graduate Student in Engineering, Hoped by Owners of Medium-and Small-Sized Companies

Science.gov (United States)

Kida, Yoshihiro

Medium-and small-sized companies have held up Japanese technologies which situated top level in the world as far. However, for the technologies of medium-and small-sized companies to keep the top-level in the 21 centuries, researchers and engineers are demand to have high technologies. Those engineers are hoped for to have not only “knowledge”, but also “creativity, feeling and experience”. Therefore, in order to create such professional engineers, educational institute must have a function by which a practical training and education can be conducted.

Small Scale Yielding Correction of Constraint Loss in Small Sized Fracture Toughness Test Specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Maan Won; Kim, Min Chul; Lee, Bong Sang; Hong, Jun Hwa

2005-01-01

Fracture toughness data in the ductile-brittle transition region of ferritic steels show scatter produced by local sampling effects and specimen geometry dependence which results from relaxation in crack tip constraint. The ASTM E1921 provides a standard test method to define the median toughness temperature curve, so called Master Curve, for the material corresponding to a 1T crack front length and also defines a reference temperature, T 0 , at which median toughness value is 100 MPam for a 1T size specimen. The ASTM E1921 procedures assume that high constraint, small scaling yielding (SSY) conditions prevail at fracture along the crack front. Violation of the SSY assumption occurs most often during tests of smaller specimens. Constraint loss in such cases leads to higher toughness values and thus lower T 0 values. When applied to a structure with low constraint geometry, the standard fracture toughness estimates may lead to strongly over-conservative estimates. A lot of efforts have been made to adjust the constraint effect. In this work, we applied a small-scale yielding correction (SSYC) to adjust the constraint loss of 1/3PCVN and PCVN specimens which are relatively smaller than 1T size specimen at the fracture toughness Master Curve test

Large- and small-size advantages in sneaking behaviour in the dusky frillgoby Bathygobius fuscus

OpenAIRE

Takegaki, Takeshi; Kaneko, Takashi; Matsumoto, Yukio

2012-01-01

Sneaking tactic, a male alternative reproductive tactic involving sperm competition, is generally adopted by small individuals because of its inconspicuousness. However, large size has an advantage when competition occurs between sneakers for fertilization of eggs. Here, we suggest that both large- and small-size advantages of sneaker males are present within the same species. Large sneaker males of the dusky frillgoby Bathygobius fuscus showed a high success rate in intruding into spawning n...

Response trajectories capture the continuous dynamics of the size congruity effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Faulkenberry, Thomas J; Cruise, Alexander; Lavro, Dmitri; Shaki, Samuel

2016-01-01

In a comparison task involving numbers, the size congruity effect refers to the general finding that responses are usually faster when there is a match between numerical size and physical size (e.g., 2-8) than when there is a mismatch (e.g., 2-8). In the present study, we used computer mouse tracking to test two competing models of the size congruity effect: an early interaction model, where interference occurs at an early representational stage, and a late interaction model, where interference occurs as dynamic competition between response options. In three experiments, we found that the curvature of responses for incongruent trials was greater than for congruent trials. In Experiment 2 we showed that this curvature effect was reliably modulated by the numerical distance between the two stimulus numbers, with large distance pairs exhibiting a larger curvature effect than small distance pairs. In Experiment 3 we demonstrated that the congruity effects persist into response execution. These findings indicate that incongruities between numerical and physical sizes are carried throughout the response process and result from competition between parallel and partially active response options, lending further support to a late interaction model of the size congruity effect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Subureteral Injection with Small-Size Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer: Is It Really Efficient?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iyimser Üre

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of patients with vesicoureteral reflux, which were treated with subureteral injection of small-size (80–120 μm dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Dx/HA. Data of 75 children (105 renal units who underwent STING procedure with small-size Dx/HA for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR in our clinic between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative reflux grade and side, injection indication, postoperative urinary infections and urinary symptoms, voiding cystourethrogram, and renal scintigraphy results were evaluated. The success rate of the procedure was 100% in patients with grades 1 and 2 reflux, 91% in patients with grade 3 reflux, and 82.6% in patients with grade 4. Overall success rate of the treated patients was 97%. Endoscopic subureteric injection with Dx/HA procedure has become a reasonable minimally invasive alternative technique to open surgery, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis, and surveillance modalities in treatment of VUR in terms of easy application, low costs and complication rates, and high success rates. Injection material composed of small-size dextranomer microspheres seems superior to normal size Dx/HA, together with offering similar success with low cost.

The Impact of their Adoption on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as the impact of these ... of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering at the École Polytechique, Montréal. Dr Lefebvre's research focuses on technological innovation and the strategic ...

A modified approach to estimating sample size for simple logistic regression with one continuous covariate.

Science.gov (United States)

Novikov, I; Fund, N; Freedman, L S

2010-01-15

Different methods for the calculation of sample size for simple logistic regression (LR) with one normally distributed continuous covariate give different results. Sometimes the difference can be large. Furthermore, some methods require the user to specify the prevalence of cases when the covariate equals its population mean, rather than the more natural population prevalence. We focus on two commonly used methods and show through simulations that the power for a given sample size may differ substantially from the nominal value for one method, especially when the covariate effect is large, while the other method performs poorly if the user provides the population prevalence instead of the required parameter. We propose a modification of the method of Hsieh et al. that requires specification of the population prevalence and that employs Schouten's sample size formula for a t-test with unequal variances and group sizes. This approach appears to increase the accuracy of the sample size estimates for LR with one continuous covariate.

International seminar on status and prospects for small and medium sized reactors. Book of extended synopses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-05-01

Small and medium sized reactors have been defined by IAEA in accordance with their net electrical power rating, or thermal equivalent power rating for reactors producing process heat. Within the global energy supply and demand the role of nuclear power, and specifically the role of small and medium sizes reactors, is reviewed. Some new design prospects of dual purpose power plants, namely for heat production and desalination, are presented. Some proposal for new concepts of small size power reactors are described. A special concern is devoted to economic and energy policy issues as well as to safety and non-proliferation matters

On the Structure of Cortical Microcircuits Inferred from Small Sample Sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Vegué, Marina; Perin, Rodrigo; Roxin, Alex

2017-08-30

The structure in cortical microcircuits deviates from what would be expected in a purely random network, which has been seen as evidence of clustering. To address this issue, we sought to reproduce the nonrandom features of cortical circuits by considering several distinct classes of network topology, including clustered networks, networks with distance-dependent connectivity, and those with broad degree distributions. To our surprise, we found that all of these qualitatively distinct topologies could account equally well for all reported nonrandom features despite being easily distinguishable from one another at the network level. This apparent paradox was a consequence of estimating network properties given only small sample sizes. In other words, networks that differ markedly in their global structure can look quite similar locally. This makes inferring network structure from small sample sizes, a necessity given the technical difficulty inherent in simultaneous intracellular recordings, problematic. We found that a network statistic called the sample degree correlation (SDC) overcomes this difficulty. The SDC depends only on parameters that can be estimated reliably given small sample sizes and is an accurate fingerprint of every topological family. We applied the SDC criterion to data from rat visual and somatosensory cortex and discovered that the connectivity was not consistent with any of these main topological classes. However, we were able to fit the experimental data with a more general network class, of which all previous topologies were special cases. The resulting network topology could be interpreted as a combination of physical spatial dependence and nonspatial, hierarchical clustering. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The connectivity of cortical microcircuits exhibits features that are inconsistent with a simple random network. Here, we show that several classes of network models can account for this nonrandom structure despite qualitative differences in

76 FR 63509 - Small Business Size Standards: Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

... Federal small business assistance, SBA establishes small business definitions (referred to as size... operated, (2) not dominant in its field of operation, and (3) within a specific small business definition... Vol. 76 Wednesday, No. 197 October 12, 2011 Part VI Small Business Administration 13 CFR Part 121...

Bridging the energy gap through small and medium sized nuclear reactors in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, R.

1987-01-01

India is the only country in the world which is employing small sized nuclear reactors for its nuclear power programme. It has now embarked on a programme of augmenting the contribution of the nuclear power by way of employing both medium and small sized nuclear reactors in the next 15 years. This paper discusses the Indian experience and its efforts for industrial mobilisation for rapidly constructing 235/500 MWe nuclear reactor units in a period of about 8 to 9 years. The current energy situation in India and this context the near term role of nuclear power for supplementing the existing sources of commercial energy have been evaluated. Nuclear power has reached such a stage of maturity whereby it has now become a commercially viable source of electricity and it could be utilised on large scale to bridge the energy gap. At present six reactor units of 210/235 MWe capacity are in operation and eight more are in different stages of construction. While we are continuing with the construction of 235 MWe units, a programme of being pursued to construct 550 MWe capacity reactor units from midnineties onwards. This has become possible with the strengthening of regional electricity grids and simultaneous efforts undertaken for augmentation of fuel supply, heavy water production and industrial infrastructure. For a developing country like India, implementation of a sizable nuclear power programme has posed certain special challenges as major inputs are required to be made available with indigeneous efforts. This paper discusses such challenges and presents the ways and means adopted to surmount them. Other developing countries with conditions comparable to those in India could benefit from Indian experience in this regard. This paper also proposes India's willingness to cooperate with other countries for exchange of information and assistance in terms of technical knowhow. (author)

Small Business Size Standards

Data.gov (United States)

Small Business Administration — Certain government programs, such as SBA loan programs and contracting opportunities, are reserved for small business concerns. In order to qualify, businesses must...

Multislice helical CT analysis of small-sized airway wall thickness in smokers and patients with bronchial asthma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimura, Kenshi; Ito, Harumasa; Nakamura, Yutaka; Kobayashi, Hitoshi; Oikawa, Hirobumi; Inoue, Hiroshi; Ehara, Shigeru; Yamauchi, Kohei

2010-01-01

There is accumulating evidence that airway remodeling, which contributes to airway narrowing, plays a role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma (BA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Development of the multislice helical CT (MSCT) with improved spatial resolution has made it possible to obtain more precise imaging of small-sized airways. Small-sized airway wall-thickness was measured using the MSCT scan to analyze small-sized airways of smokers and BA patients, and examine the effects of a β 2 agonists on small-sized airway wall-thickness of BA patients. Thirty-six non-asthmatics who participated in the Health Check Program of Iwate Medical University and 25 patients with asthma were recruited. Amongst the 36 non-asthmatics were 20 healthy never-smokers and 15 smokers. The other 25 asthmatics were recruited from the outpatient clinic at Iwate Medical University. MSCT was performed and the right B10 bronchus was chosen for dimensional analysis. Airway wall thickness was expressed as a percentage of wall area (WA%). WA% of the 7 asthmatics before and 30 mim after procaterol (20μg) inspiration were compared. Small-sized airway wall thickness was significantly increased in smokers and patients with asthma compared to healthy never-smokers, when determined by MSCT. Both %V 50 and %V 25 had significant negative correlations with WA% among the healthy never-smokers and smoker population. Procaterol inspiration reduced WA% in the small airway of patients with asthma. Increase of small-sized airway thickness measured by MSCT scan may reflect peripheral obstructive lesions of smokers and BA patients. (author)

High temperature salting of mince of small sized fish

OpenAIRE

Sorinmade, S.O.; Talabi, S.O.; Aliu, A.

1982-01-01

Freshly caught small sized fish species were transported to the laboratory gutted and washed before mechanical separation into bone and mince. Duplicate batches of the mince were then treated with seven different concentrations (wt/wt) of sodium chloride before cooking. The cooked mince was divided into two groups, pressed and unpressed. Percentage residual salt in the salted cooked mince, free and press water and salted cooked pressed mince were determined. Also, the moisture contents of...

Sales strategy in small and medium-sized food companies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Renate; Stacey, Julia; Andersen, Lone Merete Schreiber

2002-01-01

All managing teams know that they have to deal with the company's strategy in handling the market. But how do they do it and on the basis of which beleifs and interpretations? A nearly completed PhD project has examined the way in which three small and medium-sized food companies define...... their market, their competitors and customers, and how they create the world they perceive and act in through their own actions....

Effects of corridors on home range sizes and interpatch movements of three small mammal species.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mabry, Karen, E.; Barrett, Gary, W.

2002-04-30

Mabry, K.E., and G.W. Barrett. 2002. Effects of corridors on home range sizes and interpatch movements of three small mammal species. Landscape Ecol. 17:629-636. Corridors are predicted to benefit populations in patchy habitats by promoting movement, which should increase population densities, gene flow, and recolonization of extinct patch populations. However, few investigators have considered use of the total landscape, particularly the possibility of interpatch movement through matrix habitat, by small mammals. This study compares home range sizes of 3 species of small mammals, the cotton mouse, old field mouse and cotton rat between patches with and without corridors. Corridor presence did not have a statistically significant influence on average home range size. Habitat specialization and sex influenced the probability of an individual moving between 2 patches without corridors. The results of this study suggest that small mammals may be more capable of interpatch movement without corridors than is frequently assumed.

HRM implications for network collaboration of small and medium sized companies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kesting, Peter; Müller, Sabine; Jørgensen, Frances

Collaboration in innovation networks is particularly important for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to remain competitive in a rapidly changing environment. Collaboration may however be particularly challenging for SMEs, due to their size and their inherent shortage of resources. In this paper...

Conceptual design of small-sized HTGR system (1). Major specifications and system designs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohashi, Hirofumi; Sato, Hiroyuki; Tazawa, Yujiro; Yan, Xing L.; Tachibana, Yukio

2011-06-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has started a conceptual design of a 50MWt small-sized high temperature gas cooled reactor (HTGR) for steam supply and electricity generation (HTR50S), which is a first-of-kind of the commercial plant or a demonstration plant of a small-sized HTGR system for steam supply to the industries and district heating and electricity generation by a steam turbine, to deploy in developing countries in the 2030s. The design philosophy is that the HTR50S is a high advanced reactor, which is reducing the R and D risk based on the HTTR design, upgrading the performance and reducing the cost for commercialization by utilizing the knowledge obtained by the HTTR operation and the GTHTR300 design. The major specifications of the HTR50S were determined and targets of the technology demonstration using the HTR50S (e.g., the increasing the power density, reduction of the number of uranium enrichment in the fuel, increasing the burn up, side-by-side arrangement between the reactor pressure vessel and the steam generator) were identified. In addition, the system design of HTR50S, which offers the capability of electricity generation, cogeneration of electricity and steam for a district heating and industries, was performed. Furthermore, a market size of small-sized HTGR systems was investigated. (author)

Favouring Small and Medium Sized Enterprises with Directive 2014/24/EU

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trybus, Martin; Andrecka, Marta

2017-01-01

This article argues that the four main measures introduced in the 2014 reform of the Procurement Directives to promote Small andMediumSized Enterprises (SMEs) cannot be classified as measures favouring SMEs. A measure favours SMEs when it compromises the main objectives of competition, non...

Risk assessment of small-sized HTR with pebble-bed core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kroeger, W.; Mertens, J.; Wolters, J.

1987-01-01

Two recent concepts of small-sized HTR's (HTR-Modul and HTR-100) were analysed regarding their safety concepts and risk protection. In neither case do core cooling accidents contribute to the risk because of the low induced core temperatures. Water ingress accidents dominate the risk in both cases by detaching deposited fission products which can be released into the environment. For these accident sequences no early fatalities and practically no lethal case of cancer were computed. Both HTR concepts include adequate precautionary measures and an infinitely small risk according to the usual standards. The safety concepts make express use of the specific inherent safety features of pebble-bed HTR's. (orig.)

SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor G. SÎRODOEV

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The paper examines the role of SME sector in Moldova’s economy and its likely implications in the RD processes. There are emphasized several key features of the relationship between knowledge economy, RD and SMEs, and their effect on regional and local communities. Then, a summary of RD particular features in Moldova is presented.The role of SME sector, examined in terms of its performance by ownership and activity types, as a whole and by main firms’ categories (micro-, small, and medium-sized is analyzed. Small enterprises have been considered as the most adequate solution forpromoting RD in general case. National-level analysis is completed by regional insight into the sector as a whole. Finally, some critical aspects of SMEs’ role in RD in Moldova are discussed.

More Differences or More Similarities Regarding Education in Big, Middle-sized and Small Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjana Merkač

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of research of education and qualifying of employees in small, middle-sized and big Slovenian companies. The research shows some differences regarding the attitude to the development of employees as a part of a company's business strategy, some obstacles for developing their abilities, and connections between job satisfaction and motivation for learning. It also shows how important it is for the subjects concerning education and qualifying if an individual works for a big, middle-sized, or small company.

How big is big and how small is small the sizes of everything and why

CERN Document Server

Smith, Timothy Paul

2013-01-01

This book is about how big is the universe and how small are quarks, and what are the sizes of dozens of things between these two extremes. It describes the sizes of atoms and planets, quarks and galaxies, cells and sequoias. It is a romp through forty-five orders of magnitude from the smallest sub-nuclear particles we have measured, to the edge of the observed universe. It also looks at time, from the epic age of the cosmos to the fleeting lifetimes of ethereal particles. It is a narrative that trips its way from stellar magnitudes to the clocks on GPS satellites, from the nearly logarithmic scales of a piano keyboard through a system of numbers invented by Archimedes and on to the measurement of the size of an atom. Why do some things happen at certain scales? Why are cells a hundred thousandths of a meter across? Why are stars never smaller than about 100 million meters in diameter? Why are trees limited to about 120 meters in height? Why are planets spherical, but asteroids not? Often the size of an objec...

Utilizing Content Marketing in Small and Medium-Sized Organizations

OpenAIRE

Parviainen, Ville

2014-01-01

The major objective of this study is to find out how and to what extent online content is currently utilized for marketing purposes among small and medium-sized organizations in Finland. Additionally, positive and negative future prospects concerning this type of content marketing were explored. The study is mainly qualitative by nature. The empirical part of this thesis was carried out between July 2013 and March 2014 and it consists of five semi-structured interviews with five professio...

Design features to achieve defence-in-depth in small and medium sized reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, Vladimir

2009-01-01

Broader incorporation of inherent and passive safety design features has become a 'trademark' of many advanced reactor concepts, including several evolutionary designs and nearly all innovative small and medium sized design concepts. Ensuring adequate defence-in-depth is important for reactors of smaller output because many of them are being designed to allow more proximity to the user, specifically, when non-electrical energy products are targeted. Based on the activities recently performed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the paper provides a summary description of the design features used to achieve defence in depth in the eleven representative concepts of small and medium sized reactors. (author)

Time integrated spectroscopy of turbid media based on the microscopic beer-lambert law: application to small-size phantoms having different boundary conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H; Urakami, T; Tsuchiya, Y; Lu, Z; Hiruma, T

1999-01-01

Continued work on time-integrated spectroscopy (TIS) is presented to quantify absorber concentrations in turbid media. We investigated the applicability of the TIS method to small-size media that have different boundary conditions by measuring two 20×20×50 mm3 cuboid liquid tissue-like phantoms at various absorption levels (absorption coefficients of the phantom from 2.5×10-3 to 4.4×10-2 mm-1 at 782 nm and from 3.1×10-3 to 2.7×10-2 mm-1 at 831 nm). The scattering and absorbing solution was filled into ordinary and black-anodized aluminum containers to provide different boundary conditions. By means of a single equation, the absorber concentrations have been recovered within errors of a few percent in both cases. This demonstrates that the TIS method can quantify absorbers in small-size media having different boundary conditions. © 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Hybrid Guidance Control for a Hypervelocity Small Size Asteroid Interceptor Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Zebenay, Melak M.; Lyzhoft, Joshua R.; Barbee, Brent W.

2017-01-01

Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are comets and/or asteroids that have orbits in proximity with Earth's own orbit. NEOs have collided with the Earth in the past, which can be seen at such places as Chicxulub crater, Barringer crater, and Manson crater, and will continue in the future with potentially significant and devastating results. Fortunately such NEO collisions with Earth are infrequent, but can happen at any time. Therefore it is necessary to develop and validate techniques as well as technologies necessary to prevent them. One approach to mitigate future NEO impacts is the concept of high-speed interceptor. This concept is to alter the NEO's trajectory via momentum exchange by using kinetic impactors as well as nuclear penetration devices. The interceptor has to hit a target NEO at relative velocity which imparts a sufficient change in NEO velocity. NASA's Deep Impact mission has demonstrated this scenario by intercepting Comet Temple 1, 5 km in diameter, with an impact relative speed of approximately 10 km/s. This paper focuses on the development of hybrid guidance navigation and control (GNC) algorithms for precision hypervelocity intercept of small sized NEOs. The spacecraft's hypervelocity and the NEO's small size are critical challenges for a successful mission as the NEO will not fill the field of view until a few seconds before intercept. The investigation needs to consider the error sources modeled in the navigation simulation such as spacecraft initial state uncertainties in position and velocity. Furthermore, the paper presents three selected spacecraft guidance algorithms for asteroid intercept and rendezvous missions. The selected algorithms are classical Proportional Navigation (PN) based guidance that use a first order difference to compute the derivatives, Three Plane Proportional Navigation (TPPN), and the Kinematic Impulse (KI). A manipulated Bennu orbit that has been changed to impact Earth will be used as a demonstrative example to compare the

Specifics of Management in Small and Medium-Size Enterprises in Serbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Lazarević-Moravčević

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Under modern conditions for performing business, an enterprise regardless of its size or business activity must be systematically directed and run. Small and medium-size enterprises have certain characteristics that make them considerably different compared to large systems, therefore it is not realistic to expect that the management process in such organizations would develop in the same way as in the large systems. The fact is that the small business often does not involve a small investment, and the management of small enterprises is constantly faced with the problem of "poverty of resources" that leads to the conclusion that the success of SMEs is predominantly determined by the managerial skills of managers/owners. Assuming that the owners/managers of SMEs adequately perceive the capabilities of their enterprise, make the right decisions, finding effective solutions in terms of organization and apply modern approaches to control and the success of the company definitely will follow. In this paper theoretical and empirical research has been carried out with the aim to identify the basic characteristics of successful management of SMEs in Serbia. The research results indicate that the managerial capacity of managers/owners of SMEs is the main strength of the company, and one of the key sources of growth and development. When the influence of external factors is very unfavorable for business development, the management as an internal resource of organization is increasingly gaining importance in creating business success and competitive advantage.

Development of design program for small-sized gas absorption chiller/heaters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, J.I.; Kwon, O.K.; Moon, C.K. [Pukyong National University, Pusan (Korea); Yang, Y.M.; Kim, H.Y. [R and D Center, Korea Gas Corporation, Ansan (Korea)

1999-10-01

Analysis of basic data is performed for development of small size water-cooled household absorption chiller/heater using non CFC refrigerant, analytic simulation program of air cooling performance is developed that system has 1.5-10RT of air cooling performance, we perform cycle analysis and numerical simulation. We develope a performance analysis of simulation program to perform a basic design for 1.5-10RT apparatus of small size system of development model in gas driven double effect absorption chiller/heater. The system working condition and operation limit condition is decided from the existing data which is analyzed and the conference with KOGAS. After the basic input variable and regular condition is established for heat cycle analysis, the simulation algorithm is set up and performance simulation program is coded according to the organized algorithm. The basic design of optimum system is completed from parametric study using developed simulation program and establishing the design variable range of developing object model. 20 refs., 30 figs., 9 tabs.

THE POSSIBILITY OF USING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MICRO-CREDIT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. N. Klyukin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the study. Increasing the availability of funding for small and medium-sized enterprises of the industrial sector put among the most important tasks of economic development as the leading developed countries, and developing countries. In connection with the above, the purpose of this article is to study the micro-credit as an efficient mechanism to stimulate the development of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises and analyzing the possibility of using foreign experience in improving the process of micro-credit to stimulate their development.Research Methodology. The study was conducted on the material of publications on various aspects of the microcredit industry small and medium businesses, including international experience in micro-credit for small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.The article analyzes the functioning of the various models and micro-technologies, disclosed interoperability of commercial banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs in the framework of country-specific microcredit models, and formulated the immediate tasks and activities of the government and regulatory authorities of the Russian Federation aimed at improving the financing of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.Sounding the findings suggest that the funds to support small and medium-sized industrial enterprises should be more actively attract private investment in the implementation of industrial and innovative development of their projects. In this case, the intensification of financial-credit and investment support to small and medium-sized industrial enterprises, integration and optimization of the different sources of financial resources create favorable conditions for their access to financial and credit resources, and improvement of financial and credit support mechanisms will enhance their responsibility for use granted resources and contribute to their development. At the same time, the main focus of the use of public

Born small, die young: Intrinsic, size-selective mortality in marine larval fish

KAUST Repository

Garrido, S.

2015-11-24

Mortality during the early stages is a major cause of the natural variations in the size and recruitment strength of marine fish populations. In this study, the relation between the size-at-hatch and early survival was assessed using laboratory experiments and on field-caught larvae of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Larval size-at-hatch was not related to the egg size but was significantly, positively related to the diameter of the otolith-at-hatch. Otolith diameter-at-hatch was also significantly correlated with survival-at-age in fed and unfed larvae in the laboratory. For sardine larvae collected in the Bay of Biscay during the spring of 2008, otolith radius-at-hatch was also significantly related to viability. Larval mortality has frequently been related to adverse environmental conditions and intrinsic factors affecting feeding ability and vulnerability to predators. Our study offers evidence indicating that a significant portion of fish mortality occurs during the endogenous (yolk) and mixed (yolk /prey) feeding period in the absence of predators, revealing that marine fish with high fecundity, such as small pelagics, can spawn a relatively large amount of eggs resulting in small larvae with no chances to survive. Our findings help to better understand the mass mortalities occurring at early stages of marine fish.

Born small, die young: Intrinsic, size-selective mortality in marine larval fish

KAUST Repository

Garrido, S.; Ben-Hamadou, R.; Santos, A.M.P.; Ferreira, S.; Teodó sio, M.A.; Cotano, U.; Irigoien, Xabier; Peck, M.A.; Saiz, E.; Ré , P.

2015-01-01

Mortality during the early stages is a major cause of the natural variations in the size and recruitment strength of marine fish populations. In this study, the relation between the size-at-hatch and early survival was assessed using laboratory experiments and on field-caught larvae of the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). Larval size-at-hatch was not related to the egg size but was significantly, positively related to the diameter of the otolith-at-hatch. Otolith diameter-at-hatch was also significantly correlated with survival-at-age in fed and unfed larvae in the laboratory. For sardine larvae collected in the Bay of Biscay during the spring of 2008, otolith radius-at-hatch was also significantly related to viability. Larval mortality has frequently been related to adverse environmental conditions and intrinsic factors affecting feeding ability and vulnerability to predators. Our study offers evidence indicating that a significant portion of fish mortality occurs during the endogenous (yolk) and mixed (yolk /prey) feeding period in the absence of predators, revealing that marine fish with high fecundity, such as small pelagics, can spawn a relatively large amount of eggs resulting in small larvae with no chances to survive. Our findings help to better understand the mass mortalities occurring at early stages of marine fish.

Shear-wave elastography contributes to accurate tumour size estimation when assessing small breast cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullen, R.; Thompson, J.M.; Moussa, O.; Vinnicombe, S.; Evans, A.

2014-01-01

Aim: To assess whether the size of peritumoural stiffness (PTS) on shear-wave elastography (SWE) for small primary breast cancers (≤15 mm) was associated with size discrepancies between grey-scale ultrasound (GSUS) and final histological size and whether the addition of PTS size to GSUS size might result in more accurate tumour size estimation when compared to final histological size. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 86 consecutive patients between August 2011 and February 2013 who underwent breast-conserving surgery for tumours of size ≤15 mm at ultrasound was carried out. The size of PTS stiffness was compared to mean GSUS size, mean histological size, and the extent of size discrepancy between GSUS and histology. PTS size and GSUS were combined and compared to the final histological size. Results: PTS of >3 mm was associated with a larger mean final histological size (16 versus 11.3 mm, p < 0.001). PTS size of >3 mm was associated with a higher frequency of underestimation of final histological size by GSUS of >5 mm (63% versus 18%, p < 0.001). The combination of PTS and GSUS size led to accurate estimation of the final histological size (p = 0.03). The size of PTS was not associated with margin involvement (p = 0.27). Conclusion: PTS extending beyond 3 mm from the grey-scale abnormality is significantly associated with underestimation of tumour size of >5 mm for small invasive breast cancers. Taking into account the size of PTS also led to accurate estimation of the final histological size. Further studies are required to assess the relationship of the extent of SWE stiffness and margin status. - Highlights: • Peritumoural stiffness of greater than 3 mm was associated with larger tumour size. • Underestimation of tumour size by ultrasound was associated with peri-tumoural stiffness size. • Combining peri-tumoural stiffness size to ultrasound produced accurate tumour size estimation

Penetration of small and medium sized food companies on foreign markets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ladislav Mura

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In the world the interconnection of national economies and internationalization of economic processes occur. In turbulent changing business environment only those companies that understand the current trends in global economy may survive, develop and prosper. Therefore, the issue of internationalization for most companies becomes to be more important and the process of in­ter­na­tio­na­li­za­tion is the way how to stand this increasingly competitive environment. In presented contribution, the attention is paid to issues of internationalization of Slovak food industry enterprises such as their way of business internationalization, percentage share of foreign - trading activities on overall business activity, company evaluation of business internationalization or barriers of foreign markets pe­ne­tra­tion that researched companies have to deal with. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs are the engine of the Slovak economy, generator of development, innovation, growth and they employ more than 60% of employees. Almost all businesses operating in agri-food complex have character of small and medium enterprises. The results of carried research have shown that small and medium-sized companies are considered to be successful in operation on foreign markets in surrounding European countries.

Modeling, design and experimental validation of a small-sized magnetic gear

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zanis, R.; Borisavljevic, A.; Jansen, J.W.; Lomonova, E.A.

2013-01-01

A magnetostatic analytical model is created to analyze and design a small-sized magnetic gear for a robotic application. Through a parameter variation study, it is found that the inner rotor magnet height is highly influential to the torque, and based on which, the design is performed. Several

Medical Surveillance, Continuous Health Promotion and a Participatory Intervention in a Small Company.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnavita, Nicola

2018-04-02

The workplace is an ideal setting for health promotion. The regular medical examination of workers enables us to screen for numerous diseases, spread good practices and correct lifestyles, and obtain a favourable risk/benefit ratio. The continuous monitoring of the level of workers' wellbeing using a holistic approach during medical surveillance enables us to promptly identify problems in work organisation and the company climate. Problems of this kind can be adequately managed by using a participatory approach. The aim of this paper is twofold: to signal this way of proceeding with medical surveillance, and to describe an organisational development intervention. Participatory groups were used to improve occupational life in a small company. After intervention we observed a reduction in levels of perceived occupational stress measured with the Effort/Reward Imbalance questionnaire, and an improvement in psychological wellbeing assessed by means of the Goldberg Anxiety/Depression scale. Although the limited size of the sample and the lack of a control group call for a cautious evaluation of this study, the participatory strategy proved to be a useful tool due to its cost-effectiveness.

Requirement analysis to promote small-sized E-waste collection from consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishima, Kuniko; Nishimura, Hidekazu

2016-02-01

The collection and recycling of small-sized waste electrical and electronic equipment is an emerging problem, since these products contain certain amounts of critical metals and rare earths. Even if the amount is not large, having a few supply routes for such recycled resources could be a good strategy to be competitive in a world of finite resources. The small-sized e-waste sometimes contains personal information, therefore, consumers are often reluctant to put them into recycling bins. In order to promote the recycling of E-waste, collection of used products from the consumer becomes important. Effective methods involving incentives for consumers might be necessary. Without such methods, it will be difficult to achieve the critical amounts necessary for an efficient recycling system. This article focused on used mobile phones among information appliances as the first case study, since it contains relatively large amounts of valuable metals compared with other small-sized waste electrical and electronic equipment and there are a large number of products existing in the market. The article carried out surveys to determine what kind of recycled material collection services are preferred by consumers. The results clarify that incentive or reward money alone is not a driving force for recycling behaviour. The article discusses the types of effective services required to promote recycling behaviour. The article concludes that securing information, transferring data and providing proper information about resources and environment can be an effective tool to encourage a recycling behaviour strategy to promote recycling, plus the potential discount service on purchasing new products associated with the return of recycled mobile phones. © The Author(s) 2015.

Exact association test for small size sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joowon; Lee, Seungyeoun; Jang, Jin-Young; Park, Taesung

2018-04-20

Recent statistical methods for next generation sequencing (NGS) data have been successfully applied to identifying rare genetic variants associated with certain diseases. However, most commonly used methods (e.g., burden tests and variance-component tests) rely on large sample sizes. Notwithstanding, due to its-still high cost, NGS data is generally restricted to small sample sizes, that cannot be analyzed by most existing methods. In this work, we propose a new exact association test for sequencing data that does not require a large sample approximation, which is applicable to both common and rare variants. Our method, based on the Generalized Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (GCMH) statistic, was applied to NGS datasets from intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) patients. IPMN is a unique pancreatic cancer subtype that can turn into an invasive and hard-to-treat metastatic disease. Application of our method to IPMN data successfully identified susceptible genes associated with progression of IPMN to pancreatic cancer. Our method is expected to identify disease-associated genetic variants more successfully, and corresponding signal pathways, improving our understanding of specific disease's etiology and prognosis.

Experimental investigation of a small-sized betatron with superposed magnetization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kas'yanov, V.A.; Rychkov, M.V.; Filimonov, A.A.; Furman, Eh.G.; Chakhlov, V.L.; Chertov, A.S.; Shtejn, M.M.

2001-01-01

The aim of the paper is to study possibilities of small-sized betatrons (SSB) with direct current superposed magnetization (DSM). It is shown that DSM permits to decrease the SSB weight and cost of the electromagnet and capacitor storage and to shape the prolonged beam dump. It is noted that the DSM realization has the most expediency in SSB operating in a short-time mode [ru

Branding and outcomes in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odoom, Raphael; Narteh, Bedman; Rand, John

2017-01-01

The study investigates the relationships of enterprise resources and branding capabilities with branding efforts and branding benefits. It examines the differential effect of physical resources and branding capabilities on enterprises’ branding efforts and outcomes. Empirical data for the study...... were drawn from 304 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. The hypothesized relationships were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The study found that resources and capabilities possessions might not be enough to produce the optimum branding benefits for enterprises. A better...... result, however, emerges when these resources and capabilities are integrated with well-coordinated branding efforts of the enterprises. The study offers several implications for managers of small businesses based on the findings of the study....

Meaningfulness for creation of growth in Small- and Medium-sized enterprises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brink, Tove; Neville, Mette

2016-01-01

The research in this paper reveals how meaningfulness of growth can be created in Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The research is conducted in a four-year period with 24 SMEs participating from different industry branches. The research is now in the late part of the 3rd. year starting...

Continuous quality improvement based on Lean Six Sigma in manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timans, Werner

2014-01-01

Kleine en middelgrote bedrijven uit de maakindustrie ervaren toenemende eisen met betrekking tot de kwaliteit van producten en processen. Om in competitie te blijven is voortdurend verbeteren van cruciaal belang, en de Lean Six Sigma benadering biedt veelbelovende mogelijkheden om continu verbeteren

Incremental change in cross sectional area in small endotracheal tubes: A call for more size options.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortelliti, Caroline L; Mortelliti, Anthony J

2016-08-01

To elucidate the relatively large incremental percent change (IPC) in cross sectional area (CSA) in currently available small endotracheal tubes (ETTs), and to make recommendation for lesser incremental change in CSA in these smaller ETTs, in order to minimize iatrogenic airway injury. The CSAs of a commercially available line of ETTs were calculated, and the IPC of the CSA between consecutive size ETTs was calculated and graphed. The average IPC in CSA with large ETTs was applied to calculate identical IPC in the CSA for a theoretical, smaller ETT series, and the dimensions of a new theoretical series of proposed small ETTs were defined. The IPC of CSA in the larger (5.0-8.0 mm inner diameter (ID)) ETTs was 17.07%, and the IPC of CSA in the smaller ETTs (2.0-4.0 mm ID) is remarkably larger (38.08%). Applying the relatively smaller IPC of CSA from larger ETTs to a theoretical sequence of small ETTs, starting with the 2.5 mm ID ETT, suggests that intermediate sizes of small ETTs (ID 2.745 mm, 3.254 mm, and 3.859 mm) should exist. We recommend manufacturers produce additional small ETT size options at the intuitive intermediate sizes of 2.75 mm, 3.25 mm, and 3.75 mm ID in order to improve airway management for infants and small children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional statistical and economic analysis of small and medium-sized businesses development in Zhytomyr region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.I. Pavlova

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Small and medium-sized businesses play an important role in the development of the regional economic system in particular and in solving a number of the following local problems: developing competition, developing the market for goods and services, providing jobs for the able-bodied population, raising living standards and improving the social environment in society. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the state and development of small and medium-sized businesses in the Zhytomyr region, to analyze its contribution to the economic development of the region, and to identify the main problems existing in the region. According to the indicators of state statistics, the author presents the general characteristics of enterprises in the Zhytomyr region from 2012 to 2016 in the context of indicators of the number of enterprises, the number of employed workers and the volume of the products sold, highlighting the activities of small enterprises and assessing their share in general levels. In addition, the paper provides the description of the activities of individual entrepreneurs. The structural comparison for the above-listed indicators of the distribution of influence on the economic system of the Zhytomyr region in terms of enterprises by size is presented. In terms of quantity 93,5 % are small enterprises that provide 31,4 % of the total number of employees with work and make up 23,1 % of the total volume of sales. Average enterprises in these indicators have 6,4 %, 62,0 % and 54,8 % respectively. The statistical and economic analysis of the structure of small enterprises by types of economic activity, by indicators of the number of registered enterprises, and by the volumes of sold products is carried out. The uniformity of the distribution is estimated using the index of the concentration coefficient. The indicators of revenues to budgets of different levels from small and medium-sized businesses are set. The paper presents and summarizes the

Use of sales and operations planning in small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Adamczak

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Increasing competitiveness in the market, customer expectations related to the shortening of the deadlines and the reduction of prices of products and services force companies to improve the efficiency of internal processes. The integration of planning process is one of possible ways to achieve this aim. The integration of planning processes by the use of SOP model (Sales and Operations Planning is a method to implement this idea. The study allowed to identify ways to implement the process of sales and operations planning in small and medium-sized enterprises. Material and methods: The study was conducted in companies from different industries. The research method was in-depth interviews conducted with managers of companies or persons occupying management positions in the organizational process of implementing sales and operations planning. Results: During the survey, 10 companies were asked about the use of sales and operations planning, its elements and organizational aspects of its development, by the company. Conclusions: The use of sales and operations plan is closely dependent on the size of the company and its localization in the supply chain. Small enterprises are not interested in the integration of the planning process due to the small scale of operations and the centralization of decision-making process. Medium-sized enterprises, due to the increased complexity of the processes of planning, see the benefits of their integration in the SOP model.

Delivery of workshops on mobility monitoring in small to medium-sized communities.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-11-01

This report summarizes the delivery and outcome of a series of workshops conducted in 13 cities across the : state on performing mobility monitoring in small to medium-sized communities. The workshops served as : implementation for research project 0...

Conceptual design of small-sized HTGR system (3). Core thermal and hydraulic design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inaba, Yoshitomo; Sato, Hiroyuki; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Tachibana, Yukio

2012-06-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has started the conceptual designs of small-sized High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) systems, aiming for the 2030s deployment into developing countries. The small-sized HTGR systems can provide power generation by steam turbine, high temperature steam for industry process and/or low temperature steam for district heating. As one of the conceptual designs in the first stage, the core thermal and hydraulic design of the power generation and steam supply small-sized HTGR system with a thermal power of 50 MW (HTR50S), which was a reference reactor system positioned as a first commercial or demonstration reactor system, was carried out. HTR50S in the first stage has the same coated particle fuel as HTTR. The purpose of the design is to make sure that the maximum fuel temperature in normal operation doesn't exceed the design target. Following the design, safety analysis assuming a depressurization accident was carried out. The fuel temperature in the normal operation and the fuel and reactor pressure vessel temperatures in the depressurization accident were evaluated. As a result, it was cleared that the thermal integrity of the fuel and the reactor coolant pressure boundary is not damaged. (author)

Position paper: Management of men complaining of a small penis despite an actually normal size.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghanem, Hussein; Glina, Sidney; Assalian, Pierre; Buvat, Jacques

2013-01-01

With the worldwide increase in penile augmentation procedures and claims of devices designed to elongate the penis, it becomes crucial to study the scientific basis of such procedures or devices, as well as the management of a complaint of a small penis in men with a normal penile size. The aim of this work is to study the scientific basis of opting to penile augmentation procedures and to develop guidelines based on the best available evidence for the management of men complaining of a small penis despite an actually normal size. We reviewed the literature and evaluated the evidence about what the normal penile size is, what patients complaining of a small penis usually suffer from, benefits vs. complications of surgery, penile stretching or traction devices, and outcome with patient education and counseling. Repeated presentation and detailed discussions within the Standard Committee of the International Society for Sexual Medicine were performed. Recommendations are based on the evaluation of evidence-based medical literature, widespread standards committee discussion, public presentation, and debate. We propose a practical approach for evaluating and counseling patients complaining of a small-sized penis. Based on the current status of science, penile lengthening procedure surgery is still considered experimental and should only be limited to special circumstances within research or university institutions with supervising ethics committees. © 2012 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Determining the optimal size of small molecule mixtures for high throughput NMR screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercier, Kelly A.; Powers, Robert

2005-01-01

High-throughput screening (HTS) using NMR spectroscopy has become a common component of the drug discovery effort and is widely used throughout the pharmaceutical industry. NMR provides additional information about the nature of small molecule-protein interactions compared to traditional HTS methods. In order to achieve comparable efficiency, small molecules are often screened as mixtures in NMR-based assays. Nevertheless, an analysis of the efficiency of mixtures and a corresponding determination of the optimum mixture size (OMS) that minimizes the amount of material and instrumentation time required for an NMR screen has been lacking. A model for calculating OMS based on the application of the hypergeometric distribution function to determine the probability of a 'hit' for various mixture sizes and hit rates is presented. An alternative method for the deconvolution of large screening mixtures is also discussed. These methods have been applied in a high-throughput NMR screening assay using a small, directed library

13 CFR 121.412 - What are the size procedures for partial small business set-asides?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Requirements for Government Procurement § 121.412 What are the size procedures for partial small business set... portion of a procurement, and is not required to qualify as a small business for the unrestricted portion. ...

Development of a small-sized generator of ozonated water using an electro-conductive diamond electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekido, Kota; Kitaori, Noriyuki

2008-12-01

A small-sized generator of ozonated water was developed using an electro-conductive diamond. We studied the optimum conditions for producing ozonated water. As a result, we developed a small-sized generator of ozonated water driven by a dry-cell for use in the average household. This generator was easily able to produce ozonated water with an ozone concentration (over 4 mg/L) sufficient for disinfection. In addition, we verified the high disinfecting performance of the water produced in an actual hospital.

The development of internet based ship design support system for small and medium sized shipyards

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Sung-Chul; Lee, Soon-Sup; Kang, Dong-Hoon; Lee, Kyung-Ho

2012-03-01

In this paper, a prototype of ship basic planning system is implemented for the small and medium sized shipyards based on the internet technology and concurrent engineering concept. The system is designed from the user requirements. Consequently, standardized development environment and tools are selected. These tools are used for the system development to define and evaluate core application technologies. The system will contribute to increasing competitiveness of small and medium sized shipyards in the 21st century industrial en-vironment.

SMGE: strategic challenges and performance measurement in a small-sized company (case)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

MBA R. Vieveen; PhD B. Pesalj

2015-01-01

Case portrays the Superior Manufacturing Group Europe (SMGE), Barendrecht (Netherlands), a small-sized company doing business in the matting industry; facing challenges of how to sustain and improve its performance, by balancing between entrepreneurial initiative, and a need for strategic planning

RISK MANAGEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM – SIZED ENTERPRISES: A GENDER-SENSITIVE APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iwona Gorzeń-Mitka

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Risk is inherent in all business functions and in every kind of activity. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs are particularly vulnerable to continuously daily internal and external undesirable events that adversely affect business performance. To deal with many risk determinants effectively, SMEs need a systemic method of approach to risk management. One of the factors of company risk management approach is gender of the owners or top executives. Especially from a managerial perspective, the link between risk-taking and gender has been examined through a wide range of approaches, such as entrepreneurial orientation and leadership related literatures. Some researchers point that male SME owners appear to show a greater risk appetite than female SME owners. The leading question in the undertaken research was to determine whether the gender of the firm's owners or top executives are reflected in the approach to risk management. The focal point of the research is identification of differences in risk taking and risk management in Polish SMEs companies from a gender perspective.

US market potential for small and medium-sized nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardie, R.W.; Jackson, S.V.

1988-01-01

This paper presents the results of on-site interviews with representatives of 23 investor-owned utilities and 3 publicly-owned utilities. The purpose of the interviews was to obtain information on utilities' attitudes towards small and medium-sized power plants and towards building new nuclear plants in general. Most of the utilities interviewed preferred power plants smaller than the ones currently being offered, as long as the smaller plants did not incur a major economic penalty. However, according to the utilities interviewed, without changes in the current environment it is unlikely that there will be a significant market for new nuclear plants of any size. A trend in the utility industry towards generating companies appears to be a positive step. (orig.)

US market potential for small and medium-sized nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardie, R.W.; Jackson, S.V.

1987-01-01

This paper presents the results of on-site interviews with representatives of 23 investor-owned utilities and 3 publicly-owned utilities. The purpose of the interviews was to obtain information on utilities' attitudes toward small and medium-sized power plants and towards building new nuclear plants in general. Most of the utilities interviewed preferred power plants smaller than the ones currently being offered, as long as the smaller plants did not incur a major economic penalty. However, according to the utilities interviewed, without changes in the current environment it is unlikely that there will be a significant market for new nuclear plants of any size. A trend in the utility industry towards generating companies appears to be a positive step. (author)

Greening Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Evaluating Environmental Policy in Vietnam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Khoa, Le

2006-01-01

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute considerably to the economic and social development of bothViet Namand Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). But at the same time this sector causes severe environmental

[Application of health questionnaires for health management in small- and medium-sized enterprises].

Science.gov (United States)

Kishida, K; Saito, M; Hasegawa, T; Aoki, S; Suzuki, S

1986-01-01

Two kinds of health questionnaires, the Todai Health Index (THI) and Cumulative Fatigue Index (CFI), were applied as a screening device for health management of workers belonging to small-medium sized enterprises. A total of 495 workers composed of 452 male workers of a glass-bottle manufacturing factory and 43 male workers of a soft-drink bottling factory were the subjects of the present study. It was found that the two kinds of health questionnaires were different from each other and have their own characteristics. Twelve scales of THI were grouped into two, the first consisting of ten scales (SUSY, RESP, EYSK, MOUT, DIGE, IMPU, MENT, DEPR, NERV, and LIFE) and the second consisting of two scales (AGGR and LISC). Nine categories of CFI were grouped into one by using principal factor analysis. It was confirmed that the twelve scale scores of THI obtained at small-medium sized factories differed from those scale scores of a reference group investigated at a large-sized enterprise. It is on the basis of the scales of aggressiveness and lies and also of the scale of mental unstability which characterizes workers, locality, job (clerical or field work), and size of industry (large or small sized) that the difference could be evaluated. Urban life characterized by a life style of staying up late at night and waking up late in the morning has been reflected on the scale of life irregularity. Irregularity of life induced by transformation of working schedule, such as two or three shifts of work and overtime, was also reflected on this scale. Two scales of THI test, i.e., many subjective symptoms and digestive organ complaints, seemed to be the representative scales indicating a close relation between work load and health level. The discriminant score for diagnosis of psychosomatic diseases is considered to be one of the most useful assessments of the individual's health condition. As mentioned above, THI is recommended as a convenient assessment method for health

Approaches to Assess Competitiveness of Small and Medium Sized Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, V.; Barkatullah, N.

2011-01-01

There is continuing interest in Member States concerning the development and application of small and medium sized reactors (SMRs), i.e., reactors with the equivalent electric power of less than 700 MW. Currently, developed SMRs are in most cases intended for markets different than those in which large nuclear power plants operate. Such markets have essentially different investment requirements, siting flexibility, grid connections and infrastructure restrictions. Therefore, economic factors affecting the competitiveness or competition of SMRs in such markets would also be different from those observed in established markets for electricity production. For example, investment capability may be limited, which would favour capacity addition in smaller increments; grids may be small or weak, which would favour capacities exactly matching the demand; infrastructure and human resource may be insufficient, which would favour less complex operation and maintenance requirements; and non-electrical energy products, such as potable water, may be in demand, which would favour reasonably close plant location to the customer. In practice it is futile to compare a single SMR needs to a single larger capacity plant on an economy of scale basis because SMRs are suitable for those locations that might not be appropriate for larger plants. However, a series of SMRs could be considered comparable to fewer larger plants to achieve the same overall power station capacity. In this case, SMRs have a potential to be competitive by employing alternative design strategies, taking advantage of smaller reactor size, offering a less complex design and operation and maintenance, relying on deployment-in-series approaches, taking an advantage of the accelerated learning, multiple unit factors and shorter construction duration. Reflecting on developments in member states, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is finalizing the preparation of a report highlighting the economics and

Consultant-Client Relationship and Knowledge Transfer in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises Change Processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Luis F; Ferreira, Aristides I; Can, Amina B

2016-04-01

Based on Szulanski's knowledge transfer model, this study examined how the communicational, motivational, and sharing of understanding variables influenced knowledge transfer and change processes in small- and medium-sized enterprises, particularly under projects developed by funded programs. The sample comprised 144 entrepreneurs, mostly male (65.3%) and mostly ages 35 to 45 years (40.3%), who filled an online questionnaire measuring the variables of "sharing of understanding," "motivation," "communication encoding competencies," "source credibility," "knowledge transfer," and "organizational change." Data were collected between 2011 and 2012 and measured the relationship between clients and consultants working in a Portuguese small- and medium-sized enterprise-oriented action learning program. To test the hypotheses, structural equation modeling was conducted to identify the antecedents of sharing of understanding, motivational, and communicational variables, which were positively correlated with the knowledge transfer between consultants and clients. This transfer was also positively correlated with organizational change. Overall, the study provides important considerations for practitioners and academicians and establishes new avenues for future studies concerning the issues of consultant-client relationship and the efficacy of Government-funded programs designed to improve performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises. © The Author(s) 2016.

77 FR 55737 - Small Business Size Standards: Finance and Insurance and Management of Companies and Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... 3245-AG45 Small Business Size Standards: Finance and Insurance and Management of Companies and Enterprises AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Small... NAICS Sector 55, Management of Companies and Enterprises. In addition, SBA proposes to change the...

Addressing small sample size bias in multiple-biomarker trials: Inclusion of biomarker-negative patients and Firth correction.

Science.gov (United States)

Habermehl, Christina; Benner, Axel; Kopp-Schneider, Annette

2018-03-01

In recent years, numerous approaches for biomarker-based clinical trials have been developed. One of these developments are multiple-biomarker trials, which aim to investigate multiple biomarkers simultaneously in independent subtrials. For low-prevalence biomarkers, small sample sizes within the subtrials have to be expected, as well as many biomarker-negative patients at the screening stage. The small sample sizes may make it unfeasible to analyze the subtrials individually. This imposes the need to develop new approaches for the analysis of such trials. With an expected large group of biomarker-negative patients, it seems reasonable to explore options to benefit from including them in such trials. We consider advantages and disadvantages of the inclusion of biomarker-negative patients in a multiple-biomarker trial with a survival endpoint. We discuss design options that include biomarker-negative patients in the study and address the issue of small sample size bias in such trials. We carry out a simulation study for a design where biomarker-negative patients are kept in the study and are treated with standard of care. We compare three different analysis approaches based on the Cox model to examine if the inclusion of biomarker-negative patients can provide a benefit with respect to bias and variance of the treatment effect estimates. We apply the Firth correction to reduce the small sample size bias. The results of the simulation study suggest that for small sample situations, the Firth correction should be applied to adjust for the small sample size bias. Additional to the Firth penalty, the inclusion of biomarker-negative patients in the analysis can lead to further but small improvements in bias and standard deviation of the estimates. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Financial Management Challenges In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Strategic Management Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hande Karadag

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract :Due to their significant role in creation of new jobs, rise in GDP, entrepreneurship and innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs are recognized as the the drivers of socio-economic growth, both in developed and developing economies. In Turkey, 99.9 % of all enterprises fall into SME category. Therefore, the significance of SMEs for Turkish economy and society is much higher in Turkey, compared to other emerging and developed countries. Small and medium-sized companies are faced with a number of challenges whereas the problems arising from “poor financial management” are reported as the major causes of business failures in SMEs. Strategic financial management (SFM which is a research area that has attracted the interest of researchers after 2010, is one of the key managerial areas of SMEs, due to its vital role on the survival, growth and performance of SMEs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the central role of financial management and identify the financial management challenges and practices that influence the organizational performance in Turkish SMEs, from a strategic management perspective. Within the course of this paper, the importance and challenges of SMEs in Turkey are presented in the first section, while the literature on strategic and financial management in SMEs are reviewed in the second part. In the third section, the recent strategic financial management concept, the implications of strategic financial management practices for SMEs in Turkey and the relationships between strategic financial management practices and SME performance, are discussed. Small and medium sized enterprise finance in Turkey is a developing research area, therefore this paper aims to make a significant contribution to the existing literature by analyzing the major challenges at the conduct of financial management in Turkish SMEs and the influence of strategic financial management practices on the performances of small and

Electron Emitter for small-size Electrodynamic Space Tether using MEMS Technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fleron, René A. W.; Blanke, Mogens

2004-01-01

Adjustment of the orbit of a spacecraft using the forces created by an electro-dynamic space-tether has been shown as a theoretic possibility in recent literature. Practical implementation is being pursued for larger scale missions where a hot filament device controls electron emission...... and the current flowing in the electrodynamic space tether. Applications to small spacecraft, or space debris in the 1–10 kg range, possess difficulties with electron emission technology, as low power emitting devices are needed. This paper addresses the system concepts of a small spacecraft electrodynamic tether...... system with focus on electron emitter design and manufacture using micro-electro-mechanical- system (MEMS) technology. The paper addresses the system concepts of a small size electrodynamic tether mission and shows a novel electron emitter for the 1-2 mA range where altitude can be effectively affected...

The role of small and medium size reactors in the future US nuclear market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Twilley, R.C.

2002-01-01

This paper addresses the various aspects of siting and sizing new generating facilities in the USA. Environmental and licensing issues are discussed. The economic considerations and assumptions for new plants are presented. Also, the electric transmission and distribution system characteristics and constraints are described with the potential role for several small and medium size designs summarized. (authors)

Small Size and Low Cost UHF RFID Tag Antenna Mountable on Metallic Objects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergio López-Soriano

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Reducing tag size while maintaining good performance is one of the major challenges in radio-frequency identification applications (RFID, in particular when labeling metallic objects. In this contribution, a small size and low cost tag antenna for identifying metal objects in the European UHF band (865–868 MHz is presented. The antenna consists of a transmission line mounted on an inexpensive thin dielectric which is proximity-coupled to a short-ended patch mounted on FR4 substrate. The overall dimensions of the tag are 33.5 × 30 × 3.1 mm. Experimental results show that, for an EIRP of 3.2 W (European regulations, such a small and cheap tag attains read ranges of about 5 m when attached to a metallic object.

Development of an irradiation system for a small size continuous run multipurpose gamma irradiator; Desenvolvimento do sistema de irradiacao em um irradiador multiproposito de cobalto-60 tipo compacto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calvo, Wilson Aparecido Parejo

2005-07-01

The Radiation Technology Center from Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), Brazil, developed with a revolutionary design and national technology, a small size continuous run and multipurpose industrial gamma irradiator, to be used as a demonstration facility for manufacturers and contract service companies, which need economical and logistical in-house irradiation system alternatives. Also, to be useful for supporting the local scientific community on development of products and process using gamma radiation, assisting the traditional and potential users on process validation, training and qualification of operators and radioprotection officers. The developed technology for this facility consists of continuous tote box transport system, comprising a single concrete vault, where the automated transport system of products inside and outside of the irradiator utilizes a rotate door, integrated with the shielding, avoiding the traditional maze configuration. Covering 76 m{sup 2} of floor area, the irradiator design is product overlap sources and the maximum capacity of cobalt-60 wet sources is 37 P Bq (1 MCi). The performed quantification program of this multipurpose irradiator was based on AAMI/ISO 11137 standard, which recommends the inclusion of the following elements: installation and process quantification. The initial load of the multipurpose irradiator was 3.4 P Bq (92.1 k Ci) with 13 cobalt-60 sources model C-188, supplied by MDS Nordion Ion Technologies - Canada. For irradiator dose optimization, the source distribution was done using the software Cadgamma developed by IPEN-CNEN/SP. The poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA) dosimeters system, certified by the International Dose Assurance Service (IDAS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was used for irradiator dose mapping. The economic analysis, performance concerning to dose uniformity and cobalt-60 utilization efficiency were calculated and compared with other commercial

Controllable synthesis in a continuous mode of unsupported molybdenum catalysts with micro/nano size for heavy oil upgrading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J.; Hill, J.M.; Pereira Almao, P.R. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada)

2004-07-01

Heavy oils contain significant amounts of impurities compared to conventional oils, thereby posing a challenge for hydroprocessing operations at refineries. Hydrodesulfurization is one of the important reactions involved in hydroprocessing. Transition metal sulfides have excellent properties in terms of sulphur removal. Molybdenum based catalysts have been used extensively in the petroleum industry for hydrotreating heavy oil fractions. Supported molybdenum based catalysts suffer strong deactivation in the traditional hydrotreating process due to the deposition of carbonaceous components on the surface of the catalyst when they are used in conventional fixed bed reactors. Unsupported catalysts have higher catalytic activity with better metal dispersion. Laboratory experiments were conducted in which micro/nano size unsupported molybdenum catalysts were synthesized from a water/oil emulsion. The catalysts were prepared in a continuous mode for online application to hydroprocessing or in situ upgrading. Dispersed molybdenum catalysts are more suitable for processing heavier feeds because they are less prone to deactivation. Also, their submicron size ensure high activities due to a large specific surface area. They are also sufficiently small to be readily dispersed in the residual oil. 4 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

Medical Surveillance, Continuous Health Promotion and a Participatory Intervention in a Small Company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Magnavita

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The workplace is an ideal setting for health promotion. The regular medical examination of workers enables us to screen for numerous diseases, spread good practices and correct lifestyles, and obtain a favourable risk/benefit ratio. The continuous monitoring of the level of workers’ wellbeing using a holistic approach during medical surveillance enables us to promptly identify problems in work organisation and the company climate. Problems of this kind can be adequately managed by using a participatory approach. The aim of this paper is twofold: to signal this way of proceeding with medical surveillance, and to describe an organisational development intervention. Participatory groups were used to improve occupational life in a small company. After intervention we observed a reduction in levels of perceived occupational stress measured with the Effort/Reward Imbalance questionnaire, and an improvement in psychological wellbeing assessed by means of the Goldberg Anxiety/Depression scale. Although the limited size of the sample and the lack of a control group call for a cautious evaluation of this study, the participatory strategy proved to be a useful tool due to its cost-effectiveness.

Role of Relationship Marketing in Small and Medium-Sized Entreprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ružica Butigan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Along with marketing, small and medium enterprises (SMEs are commonly associated in literature with relationship marketing which results in marketing networks. This paper examines the specific characteristics that differentiate large companies from small and medium-sized enterprises, and the reasons that prevent SMEs from engaging in traditional marketing within the scope of marketing mix. The paper also shows that the key characteristic which distinguishes small from large companies is a prominent role of owner/managers. The owner/manager affects marketing of SMEs by creating his or her own personal networks with stakeholders in the environment, and considers it an important strategic focus and a factor that increases the performance of marketing decision-making. After a thorough review of secondary data sources this paper examines relationship marketing as a marketing framework for SMEs and, finally, proves that relationship marketing is more appropriate for SMEs than are traditional marketing concepts, that relationship marketing and network marketing create an important framework for SMEs and that there is a link between relationship marketing, personal networks and SMEs.

VOLTTRON™: Tech-to-Market Best-Practices Guide for Small- and Medium-Sized Commercial Buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cort, Katherine A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Haack, Jereme N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Katipamula, Srinivas [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Nicholls, Andrew K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-07-11

VOLTTRON™ is an open-source distributed control and sensing platform developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy. It was developed to be used by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to support transactive controls research and deployment activities. VOLTTRON is designed to be an overarching integration platform that could be used to bring together vendors, users, and developers and enable rapid application development and testing. The platform is designed to support modern control strategies, including the use of agent- and transaction-based controls. It also is designed to support the management of a wide range of applications, including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; electric vehicles; and distributed-energy and whole-building loads. This report was completed as part of the Building Technologies Office’s Technology-to-Market Initiative for VOLTTRON’s Market Validation and Business Case Development efforts. The report provides technology-to-market guidance and best practices related to VOLTTRON platform deployments and commercialization activities for use by entities serving small- and medium-sized commercial buildings. The report characterizes the platform ecosystem within the small- and medium-sized commercial building market and articulates the value proposition of VOLTTRON for three core participants in this ecosystem: 1) platform owners/adopters, 2) app developers, and 3) end-users. The report also identifies key market drivers and opportunities for open platform deployments in the small- and medium-sized commercial building market. Possible pathways to the market are described—laboratory testing to market adoption to commercialization. We also identify and address various technical and market barriers that could hinder deployment of VOLTTRON. Finally, we provide “best practice” tech-to-market guidance for building energy-related deployment efforts serving small- and

Engineering structure design and fabrication process of small sized China helium-cooled solid breeder test blanket module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zeming; Chen Lu; Hu Gang

2014-01-01

Preliminary design and analysis for china helium-cooled solid breeder (CHHC-SB) test blanket module (TBM) have been carried out recently. As partial verification that the original size module was reasonable and the development process was feasible, fabrication work of a small sized module was to be carried out targetedly. In this paper, detailed design and structure analysis of small sized TBM was carried out based on preliminary design work, fabrication process and integrated assembly process was proposed, so a fabrication for the trial engineering of TBM was layed successfully. (authors)

Wind and solar data for sizing small wind turbine and photovoltaic power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grainger, W [Northumbrian Energy Workshop Ltd., Hexham (GB)

1990-01-01

Small renewable energy power systems have to be more carefully sized and installed than fossil fuelled alternatives. Accurate assessment of the energy resource available at the site is the first step in system design. This paper describes the sort of data available and how they are processed. When small systems are involved there is little money available for detailed meteorological investigations. This has led our company to develop the techniques described. (author).

A Single IGF1 Allele Is a Major Determinant of Small Size in Dogs

OpenAIRE

Sutter, Nathan B.; Bustamante, Carlos D.; Chase, Kevin; Gray, Melissa M.; Zhao, Keyan; Zhu, Lan; Padhukasahasram, Badri; Karlins, Eric; Davis, Sean; Jones, Paul G.; Quignon, Pascale; Johnson, Gary S.; Parker, Heidi G.; Fretwell, Neale; Mosher, Dana S.

2007-01-01

The domestic dog exhibits greater diversity in body size than any other terrestrial vertebrate. We used a strategy that exploits the breed structure of dogs to investigate the genetic basis of size. First, through a genome-wide scan, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 15 influencing size variation within a single breed. Second, we examined genetic variation in the 15-megabase interval surrounding the QTL in small and giant breeds and found marked evidence for a...

Prognostic Factors Affecting Rotator Cuff Healing After Arthroscopic Repair in Small to Medium-sized Tears.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Ji Soon; Park, Hyung Jun; Kim, Sae Hoon; Oh, Joo Han

2015-10-01

Small and medium-sized rotator cuff tears usually have good clinical and anatomic outcomes. However, healing failure still occurs in some cases. To evaluate prognostic factors for rotator cuff healing in patients with only small to medium-sized rotator cuff tears. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Data were prospectively collected from 339 patients with small to medium-sized rotator cuff tears who underwent arthroscopic repair by a single surgeon between March 2004 and August 2012 and who underwent magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic arthrography at least 1 year after surgery. The mean age of the patients was 59.8 years (range, 39-80 years), and the mean follow-up time was 20.8 months (range, 12-66 months). The functional evaluation included the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant-Murley score, and Simple Shoulder Test. Postoperative VAS for pain and functional scores improved significantly compared with preoperative values (P rotator cuff healing (P 2 cm in size (34.2%) compared with patients with a tear ≤2 cm (10.6%) (P rotator cuff tears, grade II fatty degeneration of the infraspinatus muscle according to the Goutallier classification could be a reference point for successful healing, and anatomic outcomes might be better if repair is performed before the patient is 69 years old and the tear size exceeds 2 cm. © 2015 The Author(s).

Understanding Informal Learning in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in South Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Shinhee; McLean, Gary N.; Park, Soyoun

2018-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore informal learning experiences among employees working in South Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 100 employees. This study specifically seeks to understand the characteristics of informal learning in Korean SMEs and culturally sensitive contextual factors that shape informal…

Simultaneous analysis of small organic acids and humic acids using high performance size exclusion chromatography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qin, X.P.; Liu, F.; Wang, G.C.; Weng, L.P.

2012-01-01

An accurate and fast method for simultaneous determination of small organic acids and much larger humic acids was developed using high performance size exclusion chromatography. Two small organic acids, i.e. salicylic acid and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and one purified humic acid material were used

European Health Claims for Small and Medium-Sized Companies – Utopian Dream or Future Reality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja Brandenburger

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: In December 2007, the European Regulation (EC 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims came into force. The European Union wanted to regulate the use of health claims on products. An online survey was carried out to evaluate the situation, particularly of small and medium-sized companies, dealing with the new regulation. Methods: The online survey on health claims was conducted with 16 enterprises. To underline the findings a SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats analysis was made of the nutrition and health claims regulation regarding small and medium-sized companies in the European food and drink market. Results: The findings of this study indicated that the European Union did a step in the right direction. Most companies defined the decent competition, the simplified trade within the inner-European market, and the consumer protection as positive aspects. The biggest threat is seen in false investment conditioned by the limited research and development budgets, especially of small and medium-sized enterprises, and the cost intensive scientific evaluation to reach an authorized health claim. Conclusions: Overall, there are several strengths and opportunities speaking for SMEs and health claims in the near future. The most promising ones are the publishing of the new European Union Register of Nutrition and Health Claims and the learning effects that will occur. The biggest threat is, and will remain to be, false investment and the possible loss of a lot of money. Nevertheless, health claims for small and medium-sized enterprises will inevitably be the future to keep the European food and drink market competitive.

A miniature small size 3 MeV deuteron linear accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baranov, L.N.; Bryzgalov, G.A.; Verbovskij, V.V.; Kovpak, N.E.; Onoprienko, V.T.; Papkovich, V.G.; Khizhnyak, N.A.; Shulika, N.G.; Yashin, V.P.

1975-01-01

Basic characteristics are presented of the small-size linear deuteron accelerator for 3 MeV, the accelerating system of which operates at H-wave. It is shown that the usage of such accelerating systems makes it possible to reduce the resonator volume by more than 30 times, whereas the capacity of the evacuating devices as well as the total HF supply power are decreased. Owing to a relatively large wave length, particle injection energy may be reduced to 100-150 keV

The role of independent intermediaries. The case of small and medium-sized exporters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Tage Koed; Moen, Øystein; Hammervold, Randi

2012-01-01

and participation rather than just discrete types of intermediary modes (agents, importers, dealers, etc.). Associations with performance as well as the role of product and distributor characteristics are analyzed. Empirical data based on a sample of product-market ventures in 227 small and medium-sized Norwegian...... export firms are analysed by a structural equation modelling approach. The article provides empirical evidence that managers keep control of decision making to an extent that may have a negative impact on export performance. The empirical study indicates that firms should participate more in task......The article examines how small and medium-sized exporters collaborate with intermediaries in foreign markets by studying the level of control, i.e. the delegation of decisions rights and task solution. It goes one step further than previous research, since it examines degrees of control...

The Suitability of Expert System Application in Czech Small and Medium‑Sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekaterina Khitilova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Small and medium-sized enterprises play an important role in the economy of Czech Republic. Expert systems are one of the alternatives evaluated the effectiveness of the relationship between supplier and customer. Currently, measurement and increase in efficiency of supplier-customer relations is very topical subject. The requirements for tools the improvement supplier- customer relationship can be specified on the base the literature analysis. The article defines basic requirements for expert system. The presentation of expert system and its suitability in the surroundings of small and medium sized enterprises is the part of this article. The comparison of the expert system possibilities and the compiled requirements leads to suitability analysis of selected solution. Actual questions and the way of future work are derived from current results, presented in the paper. The article defined the directions of development this expert system.

Size matters: pitch dimensions constrain inter-team distances and surface area difference in small-sided soccer games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frencken, Wouter; van der Plaats, Jorrit; Visscher, Chris; Lemmink, Koen

2013-01-01

Pitch size varies in official soccer matches and differently sized pitches are adopted for tactical purposes in small-sided training games. Since interactive team behaviour emerges under con- straints, the authors evaluate the effect of pitch size (task) manipulations on interactive team behaviour

Uncertainty budget in internal monostandard NAA for small and large size samples analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dasari, K.B.; Acharya, R.

2014-01-01

Total uncertainty budget evaluation on determined concentration value is important under quality assurance programme. Concentration calculation in NAA or carried out by relative NAA and k0 based internal monostandard NAA (IM-NAA) method. IM-NAA method has been used for small and large sample analysis of clay potteries. An attempt was made to identify the uncertainty components in IM-NAA and uncertainty budget for La in both small and large size samples has been evaluated and compared. (author)

The impact of business type and sector, location and annual turnover on competitive intelligence practice of small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tshilidzi Eric Nenzhelele

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs contribute much to job creation, poverty eradication, economic development and growth. Countries rely on SMEs for wealth creation and social wellbeing of their citizens. Moreover, SMEs contribute to the global competitiveness of a country. For SMEs to continue offering all these benefits to the country, they must be competitive in the midst of global competitive pressure. To gain competitive advantage, enterprises of different sizes practice Competitive Intelligence (CI. While CI practise has been widely researched in large enterprise, there is lack of CI practice research in SMEs. This research establishes the impact of business type and sector, location and annual turnover on the competitive intelligence practise of SMEs. The research was quantitative in nature and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from owners/managers of SMEs.

Using community partners to deliver low-cost and effective emergency management and business continuity services.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Joan; Roggiero, Jean Paul; Silva, Brian

2010-11-01

Small to medium-sized organisations enhance their business mission as well as their communities by continuing to offer services in extreme circumstances. Developing emergency preparedness and business continuity plans that are cost-effective, comprehensive and operational for small to medium-sized organisations with limited resources requires a consistent, supportive, hands-on approach over time with professionals to create appropriate and sustainable strategies. Using a unique, multi-layered and applied approach to emergency preparedness training, organisations have successfully created plans that are effective and sustainable.

Relationship marketing of small to medium sized textile retailers in the Northwest Province / Fred Angels Amulike Musika

OpenAIRE

Musika, Fred Angels Amulike

2002-01-01

This study concentrated on the concept of relationship marketing and its implementation by small and medium sized textile retailers in the Northwest province of South Africa. This study addressed the gap between the relationship marketing theory and its implementation by small and medium sized textile retailers in the textile industry of the Northwest province. Researchers in relationship marketing have started to realise that there is a definite need for detailed empirical ...

Energetic constraints, size gradients, and size limits in benthic marine invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sebens, Kenneth P

2002-08-01

Populations of marine benthic organisms occupy habitats with a range of physical and biological characteristics. In the intertidal zone, energetic costs increase with temperature and aerial exposure, and prey intake increases with immersion time, generating size gradients with small individuals often found at upper limits of distribution. Wave action can have similar effects, limiting feeding time or success, although certain species benefit from wave dislodgment of their prey; this also results in gradients of size and morphology. The difference between energy intake and metabolic (and/or behavioral) costs can be used to determine an energetic optimal size for individuals in such populations. Comparisons of the energetic optimal size to the maximum predicted size based on mechanical constraints, and the ensuing mortality schedule, provides a mechanism to study and explain organism size gradients in intertidal and subtidal habitats. For species where the energetic optimal size is well below the maximum size that could persist under a certain set of wave/flow conditions, it is probable that energetic constraints dominate. When the opposite is true, populations of small individuals can dominate habitats with strong dislodgment or damage probability. When the maximum size of individuals is far below either energetic optima or mechanical limits, other sources of mortality (e.g., predation) may favor energy allocation to early reproduction rather than to continued growth. Predictions based on optimal size models have been tested for a variety of intertidal and subtidal invertebrates including sea anemones, corals, and octocorals. This paper provides a review of the optimal size concept, and employs a combination of the optimal energetic size model and life history modeling approach to explore energy allocation to growth or reproduction as the optimal size is approached.

DEM study of the size-induced segregation dynamics of a ternary-size granular mixture in the rolling-regime rotating drum

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shiliang; Zhang, Liangqi; Luo, Kun; Chew, Jia Wei

2017-12-01

Segregation induced by size, shape, or density difference of the granular material is inevitable in both natural and industrial processes; unfortunately, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. In view of the ubiquitous continuous particle size distributions, this study builds on the considerable knowledge gained so far from binary-size mixtures and extends it to a ternary-size mixture to understand the impact of the presence of a third particle size in the three-dimensional rotating drum operating in the rolling flow regime. The discrete element method is employed. The evolution of segregation, the active-passive interface, and the dynamical response of the particle-scale characteristics of the different particle types in the two regions are investigated. The results reveal that the medium particles are spatially sandwiched in between the large and small particles in both the radial and axial directions and therefore exhibit behaviors intermediate to the other two particle types. Compared to the binary-size mixture, the presence of the medium particles leads to (i) higher purity of small particles in the innermost of the radial core, causing a decrease of the translational velocity of small particles; (ii) decrease and increase of the collision forces exerted on, respectively, the large and small particles in both regions; and (iii) increase in the relative ratio of the active-passive exchange rates of small to large particles. The results obtained in the current study therefore provide valuable insights regarding the size-segregation dynamics of granular mixtures with constituents of different sizes.

Personnel role by implementing anti-crisis programs in small and medium-size enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pak Andrey Borisovitch

2011-08-01

Full Text Available To recover from crisis, small and medium-size enterprises have to develop anti-crisis plans and programs and to monitor the implementation process. The implementation efficiency is provided by the personnel which needs appraisal, motivation and development.

Bivariate Probit Models for Analysing how “Knowledge” Affects Innovation and Performance in Small and Medium Sized Firms

OpenAIRE

FARACE, Salvatore; MAZZOTTA, Fernanda

2011-01-01

This paper examines the determinants of innovation and its effects on small- and medium-sized firms We use the data from the OPIS databank, which provides a survey on a representative sample of firms from a province of the Southern Italy. We want to study whether small and medium sized firms can have a competitive advantage using their innovative capabilities, regardless of their sectoral and size limits. The main factor influencing the likelihood of innovation is knowledge, which is acquired...

78 FR 66950 - Trade Barriers That U.S. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Perceive as Affecting Exports to the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-07

... report that catalogs trade barriers that U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive as... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 332-541] Trade Barriers That U.S. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Perceive as Affecting Exports to the European Union; Rescheduling of Washington...

Organisational culture as a part in the development of open innovation - the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szymańska Katarzyna

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The ability to introduce various concepts and business models is nowadays a prerequisite of creating a competitive advantage. This is to a large extent closely linked to the ability of enterprises to create, implement and disseminate a variety of innovative solutions. Today the use of open innovation is a necessity. This applies not only to large organisations, but also to small and medium-sized enterprises. In order to implement open innovation, small and medium-sized enterprises need to effectively manage their own growth through the preparation of appropriate strategies and the development of a model that encompasses all changes, taking into account a number of factors related to the growth dynamics of this sector. It is understood that an appropriate organisational culture plays an important role in the implementation of innovation in the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises. There are many indications that a cultural mismatch and misunderstanding are the main reasons for major problems related to the low level of implementation of innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises. The aim of the paper is to outline the issue of the impact of organisational culture on the development of the concept of open innovation in the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Size of nuclear sources from measurements of proton-proton correlations at small relative momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebreyend, D.; Kox, S.; Merchez, F.; Noren, B.; Perrin, C.; Khelfaoui, B.; Gondrand, J.C.; Bondorf, J.P.

1990-01-01

This contribution will present recent measurements performed on light heavy ion reactions at intermediate energies. Nuclear source sizes were determined by measuring the correlation at small relative momentum, between two protons detected in the EMRIC set-up. This technique allows the determination of the extent of the emitting source by constructing a correlation function for the coincident protons and analyzing it in the framework of a final state interaction model. We found the apparent source size to be large compared to the dimension of the studied system and low sensitivity of the extracted radii as a function of the target mass and detection angle. We will show that simulations may be needed to fully estimate the correlation induced by detectors with small angular acceptance

THE SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACT ON SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES

OpenAIRE

Mihai Alexandru Constantin Logofatu

2012-01-01

This paper aims to be a short introduction to social media and discusses on few ways in which small and medium sized businesses in Romania can take advantage of this hot topic. Through the use of social media every company can reach a global audience with less effort, time and money. In a world shaped more and more around social platforms the customer behaviour has completely and forever changed and those leaders and organizations that understand and embrace this new type of communication, co...

eLEARNING - A CHANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES

OpenAIRE

Ileana Hamburg; Christiane Lindecke; Judith Terstriep

2005-01-01

eLearning through its flexibility and facility of access is seen as a major enabler of lifelong learning (LLL), as a catalyst of change and a chance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their business and to integrate into European market. But so far the eLearning in the context of vocational educational training has been mainly adopted by large enterprises, while only little activity can be observed in SMEs. The question arises what the chances and challenges for SMEs are...

Size ratio performance in detecting cerebral aneurysm rupture status is insensitive to small vessel removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauric, Alexandra; Baharoglu, Merih I; Malek, Adel M

2013-04-01

The variable definition of size ratio (SR) for sidewall (SW) vs bifurcation (BIF) aneurysms raises confusion for lesions harboring small branches, such as carotid ophthalmic or posterior communicating locations. These aneurysms are considered SW by many clinicians, but SR methodology classifies them as BIF. To evaluate the effect of ignoring small vessels and SW vs stringent BIF labeling on SR ruptured aneurysm detection performance in borderline aneurysms with small branches, and to reconcile SR-based labeling with clinical SW/BIF classification. Catheter rotational angiographic datasets of 134 consecutive aneurysms (60 ruptured) were automatically measured in 3-dimensional. Stringent BIF labeling was applied to clinically labeled aneurysms, with 21 aneurysms switching label from SW to BIF. Parent vessel size was evaluated both taking into account, and ignoring, small vessels. SR was defined accordingly as the ratio between aneurysm and parent vessel sizes. Univariate and multivariate statistics identified significant features. The square of the correlation coefficient (R(2)) was reported for bivariate analysis of alternative SR calculations. Regardless of SW/BIF labeling method, SR was equally significant in discriminating aneurysm ruptured status (P analysis of alternative SR had a high correlation of R(2) = 0.94 on the whole dataset, and R = 0.98 on the 21 borderline aneurysms. Ignoring small branches from SR calculation maintains rupture status detection performance, while reducing postprocessing complexity and removing labeling ambiguity. Aneurysms adjacent to these vessels can be considered SW for morphometric analysis. It is reasonable to use the clinical SW/BIF labeling when using SR for rupture risk evaluation.

Challenges and Considerations for Innovative Small and Medium Sized Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuznetsov, V.

2008-01-01

There is an ongoing interest in Member States in the development and application of small and medium sized reactors (SMRs). In the near term, most new NPPs are likely to be evolutionary water cooled reactor designs building on proven systems while incorporating technological advances and often the economics of scale, resulting from the reactor outputs of up to 1600 MW(e). For a longer term, the focus is on innovative designs aiming to provide increased benefits in the areas of safety and security, non-proliferation, waste management, resource utilization and economy, as well as to offer a variety of energy products and flexibility in design, siting and fuel cycle options. Many innovative designs are reactors within the SMR range, having an equivalent electric power less than 700 MW(e) or even less than 300 MW(e). It is important that small or medium sized reactor does not necessarily mean small or medium sized nuclear power plant. The majority of innovative SMR concepts and designs provide for power station configurations with several units at a site or for NPP configurations with 2 or more reactor modules. In most cases, the units or modules could be added incrementally. Innovative SMRs are in many cases intended for markets different from those in which large nuclear power plants operate, i.e., markets that value more distributed electrical supplies, a better match between supply increments and investment capability or demand growth, more flexible siting or greater product variety. SMRs cannot compete with larger capacity plants on an economy of scale basis. However, they could be competitive via employing alternative design strategies, taking advantage of smaller reactor size resulting in a less complex design and operation and maintenance or in an increased overall energy conversion efficiency, and by relying on alternative deployment strategies, taking advantage of multiple unit factors and learning curve, and shorter construction schedule and 'exact' unit

Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, N L; Das, A J; Condit, R; Russo, S E; Baker, P J; Beckman, N G; Coomes, D A; Lines, E R; Morris, W K; Rüger, N; Alvarez, E; Blundo, C; Bunyavejchewin, S; Chuyong, G; Davies, S J; Duque, A; Ewango, C N; Flores, O; Franklin, J F; Grau, H R; Hao, Z; Harmon, M E; Hubbell, S P; Kenfack, D; Lin, Y; Makana, J-R; Malizia, A; Malizia, L R; Pabst, R J; Pongpattananurak, N; Su, S-H; Sun, I-F; Tan, S; Thomas, D; van Mantgem, P J; Wang, X; Wiser, S K; Zavala, M A

2014-03-06

Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle--particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage--increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree's total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to undertand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, N.L.; Das, A.J.; Condit, R.; Russo, S.E.; Baker, P.J.; Beckman, N.G.; Coomes, D.A.; Lines, E.R.; Morris, W.K.; Rüger, N.; Álvarez, E.; Blundo, C.; Bunyavejchewin, S.; Chuyong, G.; Davies, S.J.; Duque, Á.; Ewango, C.N.; Flores, O.; Franklin, J.F.; Grau, H.R.; Hao, Z.; Harmon, M.E.; Hubbell, S.P.; Kenfack, D.; Lin, Y.; Makana, J.-R.; Malizia, A.; Malizia, L.R.; Pabst, R.J.; Pongpattananurak, N.; Su, S.-H.; Sun, I-F.; Tan, S.; Thomas, D.; van Mantgem, P.J.; Wang, X.; Wiser, S.K.; Zavala, M.A.

2014-01-01

Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle—particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage - increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree’s total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to understand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.

Irradiation tests of a small-sized motor with radiation resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamichi, M.; Ishitsuka, E.; Shimakawa, S.; Kan, S.

2007-01-01

In the Test Blanket Module (TBM) of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), tritium production and release behavior will be studied using neutrons from fusion reactions, as the blanket development for a demonstration (DEMO) reactor. For development of the TBM, in-pile functional tests are planned, including an integrated irradiation experiment of a fusion blanket mock-up for pulsed operation simulating the ITER operation mode, using the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).Due to be installed in an irradiation rig, a small-sized motor has to be developed for rotating a neutron absorber with a window to realize the simulated pulse operation. Since degradation of materials of the motor may be caused by radiation damage due to neutron and gamma-ray irradiation, it is important to examine the soundness of the motor materials under the neutron and gamma irradiation.In the present study, a small-sized motor with increased radiation resistance was developed as follows. A design of a commercial alternate current (AC) servomotor was adopted in the base structure, and some components of the motor were replaced by those made of radiation-proof materials, through elimination of organic materials. Polyester-coated wire for field coil and epoxy for fixed resin were replaced by polyimide-coated wire and polysiloxane filled with MgO and Al 2 O 3 , respectively. Furthermore, inorganic lubricant (Mo-based coating of 4 micro meter in thickness) was treated on the surface of a gear, instead of organic (polyphenylether) oil.Radiation-induced degradation of the components of the developed small-sized motor was examined using JMTR and the Japan Research Reactor No.4 (JRR-4) of JAEA. The motor was operating normally up to a gamma-ray dose of 7 x 10 8 Gy, a fast neutron (E>1 MeV) fluence of 2 x 10 21 m -2 and a thermal neutron (E 22 m -2 . The irradiated gamma-ray dose for this motor is about 700 times as high as the operation

Job Stress in the United Kingdom: Are Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Large Enterprises Different?

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Yanqing; Saridakis, George; Blackburn, Robert

2015-08-01

This paper examines the relationships between firm size and employees' experience of work stress. We used a matched employer-employee dataset (Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2011) that comprises of 7182 employees from 1210 private organizations in the United Kingdom. Initially, we find that employees in small and medium-sized enterprises experience lower level of overall job stress than those in large enterprises, although the effect disappears when we control for individual and organizational characteristics in the model. We also find that quantitative work overload, job insecurity and poor promotion opportunities, good work relationships and poor communication are strongly associated with job stress in the small and medium-sized enterprises, whereas qualitative work overload, poor job autonomy and employee engagements are more related with larger enterprises. Hence, our estimates show that the association and magnitude of estimated effects differ significantly by enterprise size. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Transformational and transactional leadership: does it work in small to medium-sized enterprises?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mesu, J.K.

2013-01-01

Using a sample of 755 employees who rated 121 supervisors within 50 Dutch small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this dissertation intends to fill in some of the existing gaps in the literature. Firstly, by investigating whether the impact of transformational and transactional leadership extends

Hedging Behavior in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: The Role of Unobserved Heterogeneity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pennings, J.M.E.; Garcia, P.

2004-01-01

Abstract We investigate factors that drive derivative usage in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The influence of these factors on hedging behavior cannot a priori be assumed equal for all SMEs. To address this heterogeneity, a generalized mixture regression model is used which classifies

New Balancing Equipment for Mass Production of Small and Medium-Sized Electrical Machines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Argeseanu, Alin; Ritchie, Ewen; Leban, Krisztina Monika

2010-01-01

The level of vibration and noise is an important feature. It is good practice to explain the significance of the indicators of the quality of electrical machines. The mass production of small and medium-sized electrical machines demands speed (short typical measurement time), reliability...

Presenting a Framework to Analyze Local Climate Policy and Action in Small and Medium-Sized Cities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoppe, Thomas; van der Vegt, Arjen; Stegmaier, Peter

2016-01-01

Academic attention to local climate policy usually focuses on large-sized cities. Given the climate challenges ahead this seems unjustified. Small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) deserve scholarly attention as well. The main question is: What factors influence climate change policy and local climate

Presenting a framework to analyze local climate policy and action in small and medium-sized cities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoppe, T.; van der Vegt, Arjen; Stegmaier, Peter

2016-01-01

Academic attention to local climate policy usually focuses on large-sized cities. Given the climate challenges ahead this seems unjustified. Small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) deserve scholarly attention as well. The main question is: What factors influence climate change policy and local

Spatial distribution and size of small canopy gaps created by Japanese black bears: estimating gap size using dropped branch measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Kazuaki; Takahashi, Kaori

2013-06-10

Japanese black bears, a large-bodied omnivore, frequently create small gaps in the tree crown during fruit foraging. However, there are no previous reports of black bear-created canopy gaps. To characterize physical canopy disturbance by black bears, we examined a number of parameters, including the species of trees in which canopy gaps were created, gap size, the horizontal and vertical distribution of gaps, and the size of branches broken to create gaps. The size of black bear-created canopy gaps was estimated using data from branches that had been broken and dropped on the ground. The disturbance regime was characterized by a highly biased distribution of small canopy gaps on ridges, a large total overall gap area, a wide range in gap height relative to canopy height, and diversity in gap size. Surprisingly, the annual rate of bear-created canopy gap formation reached 141.3 m2 ha-1 yr-1 on ridges, which were hot spots in terms of black bear activity. This rate was approximately 6.6 times that of tree-fall gap formation on ridges at this study site. Furthermore, this rate was approximately two to three times that of common tree-fall gap formation in Japanese forests, as reported in other studies. Our findings suggest that the ecological interaction between black bears and fruit-bearing trees may create a unique light regime, distinct from that created by tree falls, which increases the availability of light resources to plants below the canopy.

Effects of kinship or familiarity? Small thrips larvae experience lower predation risk only in groups of mixed-size siblings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bruijn, P.J.A.; Sabelis, M.W.; Egas, M.

2014-01-01

In many species of insects, larvae are distributed in an aggregated fashion. As they may differ in size and size matters to predation risk, small larvae may be less likely to fall prey to predators when near large and therefore better-defended larvae. We hypothesize that the small larvae may profit

Favouring Small and Medium Sized Enterprises with Directive 2014/24/EU

OpenAIRE

Trybus, Martin; Andrecka, Marta

2017-01-01

This article argues that the four main measures introduced in the 2014 reform of the Procurement Directives to promote Small andMediumSized Enterprises (SMEs) cannot be classified as measures favouring SMEs. A measure favours SMEs when it compromises the main objectives of competition, non-discrimination and value for money. The discussion covers the regimes on the division of larger contracts into lots, the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), minimum turnover requirements, and direc...

Exploring the Usage of CSR in Small and Medium-Sized Companies

OpenAIRE

Perälä, Veera; Saukkonen, Anna-Reetta

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine how small and medium sized companies understood the concept of corporate social responsibility and how they incorporated it in their business strategies. The topical nature of this subject made it interesting and worth researching. In addition to discovering ideas about CSR, the study also focused on marketing communications and the competitive advantage that CSR provides. The methodological approach used in the study was that of qualitative resea...

Design of an interdisciplinary engineering elective scoped around collaboration with Small Medium Sized enterprises (SME)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Nynne Budtz; Ulrich, Mai-Mai; Pontoppidan, Maja Lund

2014-01-01

a real life setting elective course, involving small and medium sized enterprises (SME) in engineering education. How do you engage with companies without compromising the learning outcome? How you manage the expectation from the companies and still maintaining the student responsibility for the problem...... of a compulsory 10 ECTS element with focus on interdisciplinary and industry collaboration for all Bachelors of Engineering at The Technical University of Denmark in 2016. As collaboration partner the elective has chosen to work with small and medium sized enterprises (SME) as more than half of the value added...... to the European economy comes from the SME’s and around half of all employees work in micro or small businesses with less than 50 employees5. At the same time the barriers for university collaboration with SMEs are somewhat steeper than working with larger organizations6. The paper will focus on the SME...

Small and Medium Sized Reactors: Driving Forces and Technology Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gowin, P.J.; Kupitz, J.

2002-01-01

There will be growing demands for energy in the coming decades. One aspect of particular importance is that prospects for nuclear energy will to a considerable extent be influenced by developing countries. Since population growth will occur primarily in developing countries nuclear energy cannot play a significant global role without being a viable option in these countries. Since new power plants to be built will have to be compatible with regional electricity grids, this may result in a greater focus on plants in the small and medium range, defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to produce up to 700 Megawatt of electrical power. This paper first examines the driving forces that could influence the development of nuclear energy in general and of Small and Medium Sized Reactors (SMRs) in particular in the next decades and identifies key factors in that process. Concerns over climate change may to a certain extent influence the discussion on future energy options. Other factors of equal importance for the future of nuclear are a continued emphasis on maintaining high safety standards, the implementation of acceptable solutions for spent fuel and radioactive waste disposal and a globally accepted non-proliferation regime, factors that may in turn have an impact on public acceptance. Economic competitiveness of nuclear energy is an additional important factor, and without being commercially viable, no energy source can in the long run represent a major and stable component in a competitive energy sector. The introduction of SMRs in developing countries poses additional challenges, such as investment limitations. Technology development plays an important role in keeping the nuclear option open for countries wishing to use nuclear reactors to meet their energy needs, and advances in reactor design will be important to enable a significant nuclear component in developing countries. This paper considers the contribution that nuclear science and

Innovativeness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Republic of Serbia and countries of the European Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolić Miroljub

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper provides a comparative analysis of the results of innovation activities in enterprises of different size from EU member and candidate states during the period 2008-2010. Particularly, the paper considers position of Serbia compared to the EU average and average of some neighboring countries (Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria. The results confirmed the existence of a high correlation between size of enterprise and its innovation activities. The percentage of innovation activities in large enterprises is higher than in small enterprises. Serbia is lagging behind the EU average, regarding innovativeness level in all types of enterprises (classified by size. However, when Serbia is compared to neighboring countries, the situation is much different. Small enterprises from Serbia are more innovative than small enterprises from neighboring countries. The situation is similar in medium-sized enterprises. Large enterprises from Serbia are more innovative than enterprises from Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, and less innovative than large enterprises from Slovenia and Croatia.

Analysis of small sample size studies using nonparametric bootstrap test with pooled resampling method.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, Alok Kumar; Mallawaarachchi, Indika; Alvarado, Luis A

2017-06-30

Experimental studies in biomedical research frequently pose analytical problems related to small sample size. In such studies, there are conflicting findings regarding the choice of parametric and nonparametric analysis, especially with non-normal data. In such instances, some methodologists questioned the validity of parametric tests and suggested nonparametric tests. In contrast, other methodologists found nonparametric tests to be too conservative and less powerful and thus preferred using parametric tests. Some researchers have recommended using a bootstrap test; however, this method also has small sample size limitation. We used a pooled method in nonparametric bootstrap test that may overcome the problem related with small samples in hypothesis testing. The present study compared nonparametric bootstrap test with pooled resampling method corresponding to parametric, nonparametric, and permutation tests through extensive simulations under various conditions and using real data examples. The nonparametric pooled bootstrap t-test provided equal or greater power for comparing two means as compared with unpaired t-test, Welch t-test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and permutation test while maintaining type I error probability for any conditions except for Cauchy and extreme variable lognormal distributions. In such cases, we suggest using an exact Wilcoxon rank sum test. Nonparametric bootstrap paired t-test also provided better performance than other alternatives. Nonparametric bootstrap test provided benefit over exact Kruskal-Wallis test. We suggest using nonparametric bootstrap test with pooled resampling method for comparing paired or unpaired means and for validating the one way analysis of variance test results for non-normal data in small sample size studies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Monte Carlo modeling of small photon fields: Quantifying the impact of focal spot size on source occlusion and output factors, and exploring miniphantom design for small-field measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, Alison J. D.; Nahum, Alan E.; Fenwick, John D.

2009-01-01

The accuracy with which Monte Carlo models of photon beams generated by linear accelerators (linacs) can describe small-field dose distributions depends on the modeled width of the electron beam profile incident on the linac target. It is known that the electron focal spot width affects penumbra and cross-field profiles; here, the authors explore the extent to which source occlusion reduces linac output for smaller fields and larger spot sizes. A BEAMnrc Monte Carlo linac model has been used to investigate the variation in penumbra widths and small-field output factors with electron spot size. A formalism is developed separating head scatter factors into source occlusion and flattening filter factors. Differences between head scatter factors defined in terms of in-air energy fluence, collision kerma, and terma are explored using Monte Carlo calculations. Estimates of changes in kerma-based source occlusion and flattening filter factors with field size and focal spot width are obtained by calculating doses deposited in a narrow 2 mm wide virtual ''milliphantom'' geometry. The impact of focal spot size on phantom scatter is also explored. Modeled electron spot sizes of 0.4-0.7 mm FWHM generate acceptable matches to measured penumbra widths. However the 0.5 cm field output factor is quite sensitive to electron spot width, the measured output only being matched by calculations for a 0.7 mm spot width. Because the spectra of the unscattered primary (Ψ Π ) and head-scattered (Ψ Σ ) photon energy fluences differ, miniphantom-based collision kerma measurements do not scale precisely with total in-air energy fluence Ψ=(Ψ Π +Ψ Σ ) but with (Ψ Π +1.2Ψ Σ ). For most field sizes, on-axis collision kerma is independent of the focal spot size; but for a 0.5 cm field size and 1.0 mm spot width, it is reduced by around 7% mostly due to source occlusion. The phantom scatter factor of the 0.5 cm field also shows some spot size dependence, decreasing by 6% (relative) as

Early outcome in renal transplantation from large donors to small and size-matched recipients - a porcine experimental model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravlo, Kristian; Chhoden, Tashi; Søndergaard, Peter

2012-01-01

in small recipients within 60 min after reperfusion. Interestingly, this was associated with a significant reduction in medullary RPP, while there was no significant change in the size-matched recipients. No difference was observed in urinary NGAL excretion between the groups. A significant higher level......Kidney transplantation from a large donor to a small recipient, as in pediatric transplantation, is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis and DGF. We established a porcine model for renal transplantation from an adult donor to a small or size-matched recipient with a high risk of DGF...... and studied GFR, RPP using MRI, and markers of kidney injury within 10 h after transplantation. After induction of BD, kidneys were removed from ∼63-kg donors and kept in cold storage for ∼22 h until transplanted into small (∼15 kg, n = 8) or size-matched (n = 8) recipients. A reduction in GFR was observed...

A survey of the use of operational research in decisions made by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Macedonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Violeta Cvetkoska

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We live in a complex world and managers of organizations are constantly facing numerous challenges. Good decisions, i.e., better outcomes for organizations, require use of the powerful discipline Operational Research (OR/Management Science (MS. Organizations applying this discipline have achieved significant benefits such as cost reduction, increased revenues, increased market share, higher quality, improved productivity, improved performance, better customer service, etc. The aim of this paper is to examine whether managers of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Macedonia use OR models for supporting decision-making processes, where OR models, methods and techniques are commonly used, and what benefits achieved in using quantitative OR models, methods and techniques. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire distributed electronically to 100 managers of micro, 100 managers of small and 100 managers of medium-sized enterprises. The questionnaires were answered completely by 93 managers of the micro, 73 managers of the small and 71 managers of the medium-sized enterprises, and the questionnaire responses were subsequently analyzed. The answers showed that decisions on running enterprises are made intuitively by 90% of managers of the micro, 78% of managers of the small, and 55% of managers of the medium-sized enterprises, while quantitative OR models for supporting the decision-making process are used by 10% of managers of the micro, 22% of managers of the small, and 45% of managers of the medium-sized enterprises. Applied in the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are inventory models, time series analysis and forecasting, whereas micro and medium-sized enterprises rely on decision analysis. Small and medium-sized enterprises use break-even analysis, assignation, linear programming, and project management. The OR models and methods used in running the respective enterprises led to the following results: optimal inventory

Bottom-Up, Wet Chemical Technique for the Continuous Synthesis of Inorganic Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annika Betke

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Continuous wet chemical approaches for the production of inorganic nanoparticles are important for large scale production of nanoparticles. Here we describe a bottom-up, wet chemical method applying a microjet reactor. This technique allows the separation between nucleation and growth in a continuous reactor environment. Zinc oxide (ZnO, magnetite (Fe3O4, as well as brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O, particles with a small particle size distribution can be obtained continuously by using the rapid mixing of two precursor solutions and the fast removal of the nuclei from the reaction environment. The final particles were characterized by FT-IR, TGA, DLS, XRD and SEM techniques. Systematic studies on the influence of the different process parameters, such as flow rate and process temperature, show that the particle size can be influenced. Zinc oxide was obtained with particle sizes between 44 nm and 102 nm. The obtained magnetite particles have particle sizes in the range of 46 nm to 132 nm. Brushite behaves differently; the obtained particles were shaped like small plates with edge lengths between 100 nm and 500 nm.

Current information technology needs of small to medium sized apparel manufacturers and contractors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wipple, C.; Vosti, E.

1997-11-01

This report documents recent efforts of the American Textile Partnership (AMTEX) Demand Activated Manufacturing Architecture (DAMA) Project to address needs that are characterized of small to medium sized apparel manufactures and contractors. Background on the AMTEX/DAMA project and objectives for this specific efforts are discussed.

Batched Triangular Dense Linear Algebra Kernels for Very Small Matrix Sizes on GPUs

KAUST Repository

Charara, Ali; Keyes, David E.; Ltaief, Hatem

2017-01-01

Batched dense linear algebra kernels are becoming ubiquitous in scientific applications, ranging from tensor contractions in deep learning to data compression in hierarchical low-rank matrix approximation. Within a single API call, these kernels are capable of simultaneously launching up to thousands of similar matrix computations, removing the expensive overhead of multiple API calls while increasing the occupancy of the underlying hardware. A challenge is that for the existing hardware landscape (x86, GPUs, etc.), only a subset of the required batched operations is implemented by the vendors, with limited support for very small problem sizes. We describe the design and performance of a new class of batched triangular dense linear algebra kernels on very small data sizes using single and multiple GPUs. By deploying two-sided recursive formulations, stressing the register usage, maintaining data locality, reducing threads synchronization and fusing successive kernel calls, the new batched kernels outperform existing state-of-the-art implementations.

Batched Triangular Dense Linear Algebra Kernels for Very Small Matrix Sizes on GPUs

KAUST Repository

Charara, Ali

2017-03-06

Batched dense linear algebra kernels are becoming ubiquitous in scientific applications, ranging from tensor contractions in deep learning to data compression in hierarchical low-rank matrix approximation. Within a single API call, these kernels are capable of simultaneously launching up to thousands of similar matrix computations, removing the expensive overhead of multiple API calls while increasing the occupancy of the underlying hardware. A challenge is that for the existing hardware landscape (x86, GPUs, etc.), only a subset of the required batched operations is implemented by the vendors, with limited support for very small problem sizes. We describe the design and performance of a new class of batched triangular dense linear algebra kernels on very small data sizes using single and multiple GPUs. By deploying two-sided recursive formulations, stressing the register usage, maintaining data locality, reducing threads synchronization and fusing successive kernel calls, the new batched kernels outperform existing state-of-the-art implementations.

Determination of the optimal sample size for a clinical trial accounting for the population size.

Science.gov (United States)

Stallard, Nigel; Miller, Frank; Day, Simon; Hee, Siew Wan; Madan, Jason; Zohar, Sarah; Posch, Martin

2017-07-01

The problem of choosing a sample size for a clinical trial is a very common one. In some settings, such as rare diseases or other small populations, the large sample sizes usually associated with the standard frequentist approach may be infeasible, suggesting that the sample size chosen should reflect the size of the population under consideration. Incorporation of the population size is possible in a decision-theoretic approach either explicitly by assuming that the population size is fixed and known, or implicitly through geometric discounting of the gain from future patients reflecting the expected population size. This paper develops such approaches. Building on previous work, an asymptotic expression is derived for the sample size for single and two-arm clinical trials in the general case of a clinical trial with a primary endpoint with a distribution of one parameter exponential family form that optimizes a utility function that quantifies the cost and gain per patient as a continuous function of this parameter. It is shown that as the size of the population, N, or expected size, N∗ in the case of geometric discounting, becomes large, the optimal trial size is O(N1/2) or O(N∗1/2). The sample size obtained from the asymptotic expression is also compared with the exact optimal sample size in examples with responses with Bernoulli and Poisson distributions, showing that the asymptotic approximations can also be reasonable in relatively small sample sizes. © 2016 The Author. Biometrical Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Proposal for the CEA/DRN activity on small and medium size reactors research on threshold effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiorini, G.L.

1998-01-01

The discussion on Small and Medium Size Reactors - SMR is difficult considering the presumptions, justified or not, that affect the debate. Nevertheless, within this context, the CEA/DRN/DER generic objective is the achievement of an exhaustive identification and assessment of the problems that are specific for the SMR. The paper shows the proposals for the activities that are actually under discussion at the CEA/DRN. Among these activities, the research on threshold effects is an essential stage in the assessment of the choices in innovative concepts. This research, as well as the assessment itself, must cover, in an exploratory way, the aspects of operation, safety, economy, fuel cycle, etc. Before starting or, in some cases, continuing this research work, it seems interesting to define a general outline which, by systematising the approach, provides a helpful tool to the designer. The document is a potential starting point (among others) for the discussions. (author)

Shrinkage of body size of small insects: A possible link to global warming?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jihuan

2007-01-01

The increase of global mean surface temperature leads to the increase of metabolic rate. This might lead to an unexpected threat from the small insect world. Global warming shrinks cell size, shorten lifespan, and accelerate evolution. The present note speculates on possible connections between allometry and E-infinity theory

Uniform fabrication of thick SU-8 patterns on small-sized wafers for micro-optics applications

Science.gov (United States)

Abada, S.; Reig, B.; Daran, E.; Doucet, JB; Camps, T.; Charlot, S.; Bardinal, V.

2014-05-01

This paper reports on an alternative method for precise and uniform fabrication of 100μm-thick SU-8 microstructures on small-sized or non-circular samples. Standard spin-coating of high-viscosity resists is indeed known to induce large edge beads, leading to an air gap between the mask and the SU-8 photo-resist surface during UV photolithography. This results in a non uniform thickness deposition and in a poor pattern definition. This problem becomes highly critical in the case of small-sized samples. To overcome it, we have developed a soft thermal imprint method based on the use of a nano-imprint equipment and applicable whatever sample fragility, shape and size (from 2cm to 6 inches). After final photolithography, the SU8 pattern thickness variation profile is measured. Thickness uniformity is improved from 30% to 5% with a 5μm maximal deviation to the target value over 2cm-long samples.

Indoor particle levels in small- and medium-sized commercial buildings in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiangmei May; Apte, Michael G; Bennett, Deborah H

2012-11-20

This study monitored indoor and outdoor particle concentrations in 37 small and medium commercial buildings (SMCBs) in California with three buildings sampled on two occasions, resulting in 40 sampling days. Sampled buildings included offices, retail establishments, restaurants, dental offices, and hair salons, among others. Continuous measurements were made for both ultrafine and fine particulate matter as well as black carbon inside and outside of the building. Integrated PM(2.5), PM(2.5-10), and PM(10) samples were also collected inside and outside the building. The majority of the buildings had indoor/outdoor (I/O) particle concentration ratios less than 1.0, indicating that contributions from indoor sources are less than removal of outdoor particles. However, some of the buildings had I/O ratios greater than 1, indicating significant indoor particle sources. This was particularly true of restaurants, hair salons, and dental offices. The infiltration factor was estimated from a regression analysis of indoor and outdoor concentrations for each particle size fraction, finding lower values for ultrafine and coarse particles than for submicrometer particles, as expected. The I/O ratio of black carbon was used as a relative measure of the infiltration factor of particles among buildings, with a geometric mean of 0.62. The contribution of indoor sources to indoor particle levels was estimated for each building.

SIMPLIFIED MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF SMALL SIZED UNMANNED AIRCRAFT VEHICLE LAYOUT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Strong reduction of new aircraft design period using new technology based on artificial intelligence is the key problem mentioned in forecasts of leading aerospace industry research centers. This article covers the approach to devel- opment of quick aerodynamic design methods based on artificial intelligence neural system. The problem is being solved for the classical scheme of small sized unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV. The principal parts of the method are the mathe- matical model of layout, layout generator of this type of aircraft is built on aircraft neural networks, automatic selection module for cleaning variety of layouts generated in automatic mode, robust direct computational fluid dynamics method, aerodynamic characteristics approximators on artificial neural networks.Methods based on artificial neural networks have intermediate position between computational fluid dynamics methods or experiments and simplified engineering approaches. The use of ANN for estimating aerodynamic characteris-tics put limitations on input data. For this task the layout must be presented as a vector with dimension not exceeding sev-eral hundred. Vector components must include all main parameters conventionally used for layouts description and com- pletely replicate the most important aerodynamics and structural properties.The first stage of the work is presented in the paper. Simplified mathematical model of small sized UAV was developed. To estimate the range of geometrical parameters of layouts the review of existing vehicle was done. The result of the work is the algorithm and computer software for generating the layouts based on ANN technolo-gy. 10000 samples were generated and the dataset containig geometrical and aerodynamic characteristics of layoutwas created.

Small scattered fragments do not a dwarf make: biological and archaeological data indicate that prehistoric inhabitants of Palau were normal sized.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott M Fitzpatrick

Full Text Available UNLABELLED: Current archaeological evidence from Palau in western Micronesia indicates that the archipelago was settled around 3000-3300 BP by normal sized populations; contrary to recent claims, they did not succumb to insular dwarfism. BACKGROUND: Previous and ongoing archaeological research of both human burial and occupation sites throughout the Palauan archipelago during the last 50 years has produced a robust data set to test hypotheses regarding initial colonization and subsequent adaptations over the past three millennia. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Close examination of human burials at the early (ca. 3000 BP and stratified site of Chelechol ra Orrak indicates that these were normal sized individuals. This is contrary to the recent claim of contemporaneous "small-bodied" individuals found at two cave sites by Berger et al. (2008. As we argue, their analyses are flawed on a number of different analytical levels. First, their sample size is too small and fragmentary to adequately address the variation inherent in modern humans within and outside of Palau. Second, the size and stature of all other prehistoric (both older and contemporaneous skeletal assemblages found in Palau fall within the normal parameters of modern human variation in the region, indicating this was not a case of insular dwarfism or a separate migratory group. Third, measurements taken on several skeletal elements by Berger et al. may appear to be from smaller-bodied individuals, but the sizes of these people compares well with samples from Chelechol ra Orrak. Last, archaeological, linguistic, and historical evidence demonstrates a great deal of cultural continuity in Palau through time as expected if the same population was inhabiting the archipelago. CONCLUSIONS: Prehistoric Palauan populations were normal sized and exhibit traits that fall within the normal variation for Homo sapiens-they do not support the claims by Berger et al. (2008 that there were smaller

Structure of Small and Medium-Sized Business: Results of Total Statistic Observations in Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iuliia S. Pinkovetskaia

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is estimation of regularities and tendencies, characteristic for modern sectoral structure of small and mediumsized business in Russia. The subject of the research is a set of processes of structural changes on the types of economic activities of such enterprises, as well as the differentiation of the number of employees in enterprises. The research methodology included consideration of aggregates of subjects of small and medium-sized business, formed according to sectoral and territorial features. As the initial data used the official statistical information, which was obtain in the course of total observation of the activities of small and medium-sized businesses in 2010 and 2015. The study was conducted on indicators characterizing the full range of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in the country. The materiality of structural changes was carried out on the basis of the Ryabtsev index. Modeling the differentiation of the values of the number of employees per enterprise was based on the development of density normal distribution functions. According to the hypothesis it is assumed that the differentiation of the number of employees working in enterprises depend on six main types of economic activity and on the subjects of Russia. Based on the results of the study was proved that there are no significant structural changes for the period from 2010 to 2015, both in terms of the number of enterprises and the number of their employees. Based on the results of the simulation, the average values of the number of employees for the six main types of activity were established, as well as the intervals for changing these indicators for the aggregates of small and medium-sized enterprises located in the majority of the country's subjects. The results of research can be used in the performance of scientific works related to the justification of the expected number and number of employees of enterprises, the formation of

Sample sizes and model comparison metrics for species distribution models

Science.gov (United States)

B.B. Hanberry; H.S. He; D.C. Dey

2012-01-01

Species distribution models use small samples to produce continuous distribution maps. The question of how small a sample can be to produce an accurate model generally has been answered based on comparisons to maximum sample sizes of 200 observations or fewer. In addition, model comparisons often are made with the kappa statistic, which has become controversial....

Corporate social responsibility and small-medium sized enterprises: evidence from Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Electra Pitoska

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper is a qualitative empirical research of Greek Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs and examines their dominant perceptions and attitudes towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR. The research was conducted in the Region of Western Macedonia, North Greece, via personal interviews based on a structured questionnaire, which was completed by 420 enterprises, with different business functions, and were randomly chosen from local Chamber registers. The results demonstrated that, as Greek SMEs in the periphery have not decided on a particular strategy for Social Responsibility practices, CSR is frequently defined as sponsorship or charity programmes. The research also revealed the restraining factors for SMEs in implementing CSR policies: financial cost, small size of enterprises, absence of specialized partners, and poor supporting role of public authorities. Whereas, the most significant non-financial goals for the enterprises attempting to implement CSR in Greece are: responsibility and respect to customers, promotion of sustainability, environmentally-friendly practices; human resources and protection of rights are less emphasized. Interestingly, more than 80% of the subjects hold that engaging in CSR practices in the current financial context is vital. With regard to the benefits resulting from CSR, the research demonstrated that: Enhancing ‘corporate image’, ‘business performance’, and ‘customer satisfaction’ are significant. Nevertheless, the research highlighted that implementing CSR strategies are rather positively than strongly correlated with the benefits deriving from CSR.

Bridging the Gap between Universities of Professional Education and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Masurel, E.; Nijkamp, P.

2011-01-01

Improving the relationship between knowledge institutions (especially Universities of Professional Education, UPE) and Small-and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) is one of the challenges of current economic policy. Innovation is an important aspect of this policy. However, the characteristics of both

Optimal sizing of a run-of-river small hydropower plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anagnostopoulos, John S.; Papantonis, Dimitris E.

2007-01-01

The sizing of a small hydropower plant of the run-of-river type is very critical for the cost effectiveness of the investment. In the present work, a numerical method is used for the optimal sizing of such a plant that comprises two hydraulic turbines operating in parallel, which can be of different type and size in order to improve its efficiency. The study and analysis of the plant performance is conducted using a newly developed evaluation algorithm that simulates in detail the plant operation during the year and computes its production results and economic indices. A parametric study is performed first in order to quantify the impact of some important construction and operation factors. Next, a stochastic evolutionary algorithm is implemented for the optimization process. The examined optimization problem uses data of a specific site and is solved in the single and two-objective modes, considering, together with economic, some additional objectives, as maximization of the produced energy and the best exploitation of the water stream potential. Analyzing the results of various optimizations runs, it becomes possible to identify the most advantageous design alternatives to realize the project. It was found that the use of two turbines of different size can enhance sufficiently both the energy production of the plant and the economic results of the investment. Finally, the sensitivity of the plant performance to other external parameters can be easily studied with the present method, and some indicative results are given for different financial or hydrologic conditions

Toward a Singleton Undergraduate Computer Graphics Course in Small and Medium-Sized Colleges

Science.gov (United States)

Shesh, Amit

2013-01-01

This article discusses the evolution of a single undergraduate computer graphics course over five semesters, driven by a primary question: if one could offer only one undergraduate course in graphics, what would it include? This constraint is relevant to many small and medium-sized colleges that lack resources, adequate expertise, and enrollment…

The Dilemma and Way-Out of Urban and Rural Planning Management in China’s Small and Medium-Sized Cities

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Dawei; WANG; Yandong; WANG

2014-01-01

In China, for small and medium-sized cities, urban and rural planning management should play an important role during the process of urbanization. However, it failed to do that in reality due to a series of limits, such as local fiscal deficiency, scarce human resources, incomplete management systems, historic planning defects, inadequate supervisions, and imperfect regulations, etc. This paper made a comprehensive analysis on the dilemma of urban and rural planning management in China’s small and medium-sized cities and the interests and status of the government, enterprises and public in space resource allocation and put forward the methods to improve the quality of planning management in China’s small and medium-sized cities from the view of systems and mechanisms.

Progress report on irradiation experiment on small size specimens in high temperature flux module

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramesh, M.; Jacquet, P.; Chaouadi, R.

2011-02-15

This report describes the progress made in IFREC/DEMO Research and Development Program during the year 2010 at SCK/CEN. This task is part of demonstrating the possibility to irradiate small specimens in the HFTM modules that will be used in DEMO. Different small specimens of three candidate materials of DEMO fusion reactor will be irradiated with the objective of validating the specimen geometry and size to reliably characterize the mechanical properties of unirradiated and in future of irradiated materials.

The Small Firm Effect and the Quality of Entrepreneurs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Jing

of this alternative explanation, versus the existing theories for the small firm effect, this paper examines the persistence of the small firm effect on new business survival and the founders’ post-entry occupational choice. Using employer-employee matched panel data obtained from Statistics Denmark, I find...... that the size of entrepreneurs’ prior employers continues to have a negative correlation with the survival of startups for the first three years, but the size effect gradually fades away afterwards. The magnitude of the correlation is largely reduced if the new businesses were formed in sectors...... barriers of entry in sectors clustered by small firms, while related industry experience further facilitates the transition into self-employment for small firm employees....

The effect of feeding position and body size on the capacity of small ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of feeding position and body size on the capacity of small ruminants to reach, for food when fed through barriers. ... The barrier allowed the neck to pass through, but not the shoulders. It was hypothesized that goats would have larger reach than sheep and that for each species, horizontal reach forwards, F, ...

The role of small and medium-sized high-tech enterprise in the formation of innovative potential of the Voronezh region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. A. Shubina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In modern conditions the region's sustainable development and economic growth is largely determined by its ability to implement innovations. One of the determining factors of long-term economic development of the territories, to date, is innovation. A mechanism to give impetus to the innovative development of the regions is to create effective small and medium-sized innovative enterprises. Voronezh region, like many Russian regions, has considerable potential for innovation, but usually it is not used efficiently or not used at all. The article deals with the concept and the need to develop innovative entrepreneurship and the role of small and medium innovative enterprises in the formation of scientific and technical potential of the Voronezh region. The basic conditions and factors promoting and impeding the development of small and medium innovative businesses in the region, determined the willingness of subjects of innovation activity in the development, implementation and promotion of innovation in the region. The problems of development of small and medium-sized businesses at the regional level. The evaluation of actions to improve SMEs management programs in the region. Particular attention is given to the classification of small and medium-sized innovative business structures. In order to stimulate the development of small and medium-sized innovative business in the Voronezh region in the article suggests the implementation of a package of measures. The active use of innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises of the Voronezh area enhances their efficiency and competitiveness, creates new jobs, which ultimately has a positive effect on the region's economic development, the growth of the tax base, improving the quality of life of the population.

Framework for continuous performance improvement in small drinking water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-01-01

Continuous performance improvement (CPI) can be a useful approach to overcome water quality problems impacting small communities. Small drinking water systems (SDWSs) struggle to meet regulatory requirements and often lack the economic and human resource flexibility for immediate improvement. A CPI framework is developed to provide SDWS managers and operators an approach to gauge their current performance against similar systems and to track performance improvement from the implementation of the new technologies or innovations into the future. The proposed CPI framework incorporates the use of a water quality index (WQI) and functional performance benchmarking to evaluate and compare drinking water quality performance of an individual water utility against that of a representative benchmark. The results are then used to identify and prioritize the most vulnerable water quality indicators and subsequently identify and prioritize performance improvement strategies. The proposed CPI framework has been demonstrated using data collected from SDWSs in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada and using the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) WQI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Core and shell sizing of small silver-coated nanospheres by optical extinction spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schinca, D C; Scaffardi, L B

2008-01-01

Silver metal nanoparticles (Nps) are extensively used in different areas of research and technology due to their interesting optical, thermal and electric properties, especially for bare core and core-shell nanostructures with sizes smaller than 10 nm. Since these properties are core-shell size-dependent, size measurement is important in manipulating their potential functionalization and applications. Bare and coated small silver Nps fabricated by physical and chemical methods present specific characteristics in their extinction spectra that are potentially useful for sizing purposes. This work presents a novel procedure to size mean core radius smaller than 10 nm and mean shell thickness of silver core-shell Nps based on a comparative study of the characteristics in their optical extinction spectra in different media as a function of core radii, shell thickness and coating refractive index. From the regularities derived from these relationships, it can be concluded that plasmon full width at half-maximum (FWHM) is sensitive to core size but not to coating thickness, while plasmon resonance wavelength (PRW) is related to shell thickness and mostly independent of core radius. These facts, which allow sizing simultaneously both mean core radius and shell thickness, can also be used to size bare silver Nps as a special case of core-shell Nps with zero shell thickness. The proposed method was applied to size experimental samples and the results show good agreement with conventional TEM microscopy.

A Small-Volume, Low-Cost, and Versatile Continuous Culture Device.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominick Matteau

Full Text Available Continuous culture devices can be used for various purposes such as establishing reproducible growth conditions or maintaining cell populations under a constant environment for long periods. However, commercially available instruments are expensive, were not designed to handle small volumes in the milliliter range, and can lack the flexibility required for the diverse experimental needs found in several laboratories.We developed a versatile continuous culture system and provide detailed instructions as well as a graphical user interface software for potential users to assemble and operate their own instrument. Three culture chambers can be controlled simultaneously with the proposed configuration, and all components are readily available from various sources. We demonstrate that our continuous culture device can be used under different modes, and can easily be programmed to behave either as a turbidostat or chemostat. Addition of fresh medium to the culture vessel can be controlled by a real-time feedback loop or simply calibrated to deliver a defined volume. Furthermore, the selected light-emitting diode and photodetector enable the use of phenol red as a pH indicator, which can be used to indirectly monitor the bulk metabolic activity of a cell population rather than the turbidity.This affordable and customizable system will constitute a useful tool in many areas of biology such as microbial ecology as well as systems and synthetic biology.

SURVEY ON THE EMPLOYEES’ FITNESS CONDITION AND THE EMPLOYERS’ HEALTH PRESERVATION POSSIBILITIES IN CASE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamás MADARÁSZ

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Consideration of the employees’ health preservation results in direct cost savings at corporate level by decreasing the measure of sick leave and ensuring the continuous and smooth production. Nowadays, ensuring the health of labour force has already become an employer interest, of course, in addition to that it is also the interest of everyone. In our research, we have asked employees of Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises in the framework of questionnaire survey. It was clearly apparent that the physical activity of workers has to be enhanced and their sporting activities have to be supported. According to the results of our research, these types of organizations support the health protection of their employees, moreover in financing form of allowances primarily.

Assessing learning in small sized physics courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuela Ene

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We describe the construction, validation, and testing of a concept inventory for an Introduction to Physics of Semiconductors course offered by the department of physics to undergraduate engineering students. By design, this inventory addresses both content knowledge and the ability to interpret content via different cognitive processes outlined in Bloom’s revised taxonomy. The primary challenge comes from the low number of test takers. We describe the Rasch modeling analysis for this concept inventory, and the results of the calibration on a small sample size, with the intention of providing a useful blueprint to other instructors. Our study involved 101 students from Oklahoma State University and fourteen faculty teaching or doing research in the field of semiconductors at seven universities. The items were written in four-option multiple-choice format. It was possible to calibrate a 30-item unidimensional scale precisely enough to characterize the student population enrolled each semester and, therefore, to allow the tailoring of the learning activities of each class. We show that this scale can be employed as an item bank from which instructors could extract short testlets and where we can add new items fitting the existing calibration.

Assessing learning in small sized physics courses

Science.gov (United States)

Ene, Emanuela; Ackerson, Bruce J.

2018-01-01

We describe the construction, validation, and testing of a concept inventory for an Introduction to Physics of Semiconductors course offered by the department of physics to undergraduate engineering students. By design, this inventory addresses both content knowledge and the ability to interpret content via different cognitive processes outlined in Bloom's revised taxonomy. The primary challenge comes from the low number of test takers. We describe the Rasch modeling analysis for this concept inventory, and the results of the calibration on a small sample size, with the intention of providing a useful blueprint to other instructors. Our study involved 101 students from Oklahoma State University and fourteen faculty teaching or doing research in the field of semiconductors at seven universities. The items were written in four-option multiple-choice format. It was possible to calibrate a 30-item unidimensional scale precisely enough to characterize the student population enrolled each semester and, therefore, to allow the tailoring of the learning activities of each class. We show that this scale can be employed as an item bank from which instructors could extract short testlets and where we can add new items fitting the existing calibration.

Small-scale plasticity critically needs a new mechanics description

Science.gov (United States)

Ngan, Alfonso H. W.

2013-06-01

Continuum constitutive laws describe the plastic deformation of materials as a smooth, continuously differentiable process. However, provided that the measurement is done with a fine enough resolution, the plastic deformation of real materials is often found to comprise discrete events usually nanometric in size. For bulk-sized specimens, such nanoscale events are minute compared with the specimen size, and so their associated strain changes are negligibly small, and this is why the continuum laws work well. However, when the specimen size is in the micrometer scale or smaller, the strain changes due to the discrete events could be significant, and the continuum description would be highly unsatisfactory. Yet, because of the advent of microtechnology and nanotechnolgy, small-sized materials will be increasingly used, and so there is a strong need to develop suitable replacement descriptions for plasticity of small materials. As the occurrence of the discrete plastic events is also strongly stochastic, their satisfactory description should also be one of a probabilistic, rather than deterministic, nature.

Strategic use of the Internet by small- and medium-sized companies : an exploratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sadowski, B.M.; Maitland, C.; Dongen, van J.

2002-01-01

The paper investigates the extent to which the adoption of Internet software and services in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been strategic, i.e. based upon the exploitation of the network characteristics of the new technology. Within SMEs, it seems that opportunistic motivations

Operational Risk Assessment and Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktorija Stasytytė

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Modern organizations have raised a need to actively and quickly react to the changes in external business environment, as well as in internal processes considering not only the present situation, but also evaluating possible changes and forecasting the future. Enterprise risk assessment and management, which is strongly related with foreseeing the uncertain future, becomes topical not only scientifically, but also practically seeking to reveal new and unique solutions. Operational risk management in small and medium enterprises, creating the largest part of value added in the whole European Union, demands a separate attention and coordinated decisions and means. The objective of the paper – to analyse the process of enterprise risk management in small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as to propose adequate risk management solutions for these companies. After performing a research, it was found out that small and medium enterprises more than big organizations require a risk management strategy and methodology, need to distinguish activity objectives and events influencing them, and they can efficiently apply a risk portfolio method to manage risk. In small and medium enterprises it is recommended to incorporate a risk management system based on COSO ERM model that can be modified depending on company needs and possibilities, turning it into less formal and structured and easily applicable.

Can the business model of Handelsbanken be an archetype for small and medium sized banks? A comparative case study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kousgaard Larsen, Morten; Lange Nissen, Jacob; Lueg, Rainer

2014-01-01

strengthening of the financial and non-financial position can serve as a blueprint for small- and medium sized banks. We conduct a comparative case study by interviewing Handelsbanken and the disguised ‘Danish Local Bank’ (DLB), where the DLB is a representative example of a small- and medium sized Danish bank......The Danish Banking sector faces increasing requirements regarding regulation and profitability, which especially threatens small- and medium sized banks. This study analyzes whether the successful business model of Handelsbanken (‘The Handelsbanken Way’) to banking in regard to the needed....... This study is structured according to the frameworks from Business Model implementations and from implied organizational structures. Using the notion of Osterwalder and Pigneur (2010), this study reveals only minor differences in the Business Models of Handelsbanken and DLB. Despite the supposedly obvious...

Synthesis and characterization of small size fluorescent LEEH caped blue emission ZnTe quantum dots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patnaik Sumanta Kumar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available We report here for the first time the synthesis of LEEH caped very small size (2 nm ZnTe quantum dots at low temperature (less than 100 °C using a simple chemical route. The effects of aging and stirring time on the absorption spectra of the quantum dots were investigated. The synthesized nanocrystal (NC was characterized by PL, TEM, XRD and the formation of very small size quantum dots having FCC structure was confirmed. Further, blue emission from the prepared sample was observed during exposure to monochromatic UV radiation. ZnTe NCs obtained in this study were found to be more stable compared to those presented in literature reports. ZnTe NCs may be considered as a new material in place of CdTe for optoelectronics devices.

APLIKASI MOBILE-CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT UNTUK SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISES (SMEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Utaminingsih Linarti

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The key factor of enterprise in order to still growth and developed is customer. The customer will give the value to the enterprise in the form of profit. Therefore, enterprises must be able to establish an sustainable relationship to customer. Since 1990 began to develop what is called Customer Relationship Management (CRM. CRM implements between the development of information technology and customer-centric views. The development of technology and the human need's to move quickly, CRM evolved into a mobile CRM. The Internet make mobile-CRM easily used to all of enterprise, especially small and medium size enterprise. This article is aim to explain the role and the applicability of mobile CRM to business level conditions of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs. The presence of mobile phone operating system that is flexible (android system, the internet cost of affordable and the social media applications as analogy of user interface in making mobile CRM application. CRM mobile application can be downloaded or installed through the app store with ease. It encourages mobile-CRM benefit's rather than as a function of customer data collection but became a window for customer information. In addition, the database can be analysis and relate to customer activity. Mobile CRM applications can take advantage of cross selling methods.

Analyzing the management process in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Region of South Bohemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Váchal Jan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The entry is aimed at analyzing the process of managing small and medium-sized enterprise, specifically in the Region of South Bohemia. The testing sample included 180 enterprises. The fundamental statistical information about SMEs is included, focusing of the numbers, the size category, and their specialization in the Region of South Bohemia. The research activities were aimed at the steepness of management structures and at their extent on all management levels. The analysis indicates that micro-enterprises prefer one management level, while small and middle-sized enterprises prefer two management levels with the statistic dependence on the size category. In regard to the number of employees on individual management levels, the top positions have from 6 employees up to 30 on the operative level. The general business trend involves a transfer to the functional management structure. With respect to the strategic management and decision- making, enterprises boost an attractive prospect of mainly their own sources. A statistical correlation was proved between the elaborated strategy, the size of the enterprise and number of management levels. A strong correlation between the number of management levels and the aim of the enterprise i.e. the type of organization structure was not proved.

β-ray scintillation survey meter for small-sized pipes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamano, Toshiya; Suzuki, Toshikazu; Yoshida, Yoshiteru; Higashidate, Takamichi; Yonemura, Kenji; Fujita, Michio.

1990-01-01

The outer surface of the small-sized pipes used as scaffolding is measured by beta/gamma survey meter when they are carried out from the controlled area in nuclear facilities. But, the measurement of the radioactive contamination on the inner surface, when it is needed, is done indirectly using the smear method. To improve these vexatious works, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. and Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. jointly developed a beta-ray scintillation survey meter which, when inserted directly into pipes, can detect radioactive contamination on the inner surface. This detector is made of cylindrical plastic scintillator and it can measure low energy beta-ray by using the coincidence method which reduces random noise. A field test carried out with this prototype survey meter brought favorable results for designing its final version. (author)

Handling of Environmental Related Requirements : Awareness and Ability to Act at Small and Medium Sized Electric and Electronic Companies

OpenAIRE

Lin, Han-Hsuan

2008-01-01

Environmental related product requirements are increasing worldwide from government authorities, customers and other stakeholders. For small and medium sized companies manufacturing electric and electronic products it is more difficult compared to bigger companies to meet new product related requirements due to smaller budget, resources and knowledge. This research studies the awareness and ability to act upon changes when small and medium sized companies in Sweden face environmental related ...

Exploring the Effects of Brand Promotion and Brand Image Perception on Business Outcomes of Small-sized Agribusiness Firms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chux Gervase Iwu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To date there is hardly any empirical evidence in academic literature that branding, particularly brand promotion and brand image perception, plays any significant role in the performance of small-sized agribusiness, especially those in the Sub-Saharan (SSA region. This study was triggered by the need to fill this vacuum. Survey data were collected from small-sized agribusiness firms in one of the SSA economic ‘powerhouses’, which is Nigeria. Employing a contemporary research technique, specifically the Consistent Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (denoted as PLSc, the study found that both brand promotion and brand image perception are instrumental for enhancing the organizational performance of small agribusinesses. In sum, the findings lend empirical support to the extant literature on brand promotion and brand image perception as precursors to the performance of firms regardless of a its size and business location. The implications of study, limitation and future research directions are further highlighted in the concluding section of the paper.

External Determinants of the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises – Empirical Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Lisowska

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to identify external determinants of the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and assess their impact on the functioning of these entities in Poland. Meeting this objective required: identifying determinants of the development of SMEs, determining the current development situation of the surveyed enterprises and examining the impact of external determinants on the development of SMEs. The implementation of the above-presented goals was based on the following assumptions: (i the current situation of the surveyed enterprises is determined with the use of quantitative indicators (turnover volume, number of employees, market share, profit levels (ii the analysis of external determinants encompasses three components of the environment: the macro-environment, the meso-environment and the micro-environment, (iii in each analysed area there are separate analyses conducted for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, enabling greater precision in the identification of external determinants of development for each category of businesses.

Detection of small-size planetary candidates with CoRoT data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moutou C.

2011-02-01

Full Text Available With the discovery of CoRoT-7b, the first transiting super-Earth, the CoRoT space mission has shown the capability to detect short-period rocky planets around solar-like stars. By performing a blind test with real CoRoT light curves, we want to establish the detection threshold of small-size planets in CoRoT data. We investigate the main obstacles to the detection of transiting super-Earths in CoRoT data, notably the presence of short-time scale variability and hot pixels.

Market Orientation and Business Performance: a Study of Interrelationships and Effects in a Small sized Hotels within Lagos State Metropolis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.K.A. Ladipo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The relationship between market orientation and business performance has been a subject of debate in marketing literature. To date, there is no consensus opinion and empirical study in the context of small sized-hotels in Nigeria is scanty. This study examines the relationship between market orientation and business performance. Cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. Questionnaire was used to obtained data from 300 employees of the selected hotels within Lagos metropolis. Data collected were analyzed using correlation and regression analysis. The results suggest that only customer orientation is significantly contributing to the performance of the small sized hotel operators. Specifically, both competitor orientation and inter-functional coordination, though practiced by the hotels are not significantly linked to its performance. Furthermore, the study discovered that market orientation practices significantly influence business performance of the selected hotels. Based on the findings, the study concludes that hotel operators need market orientation practices to enhance their performance. Hence, market orientation will continue to be a vital strategy not only in improving firm’s understanding of customers’ and competitors, but to enhance synergy across the organization. From the preceding conclusion, the study recommends that hotel operators should commit substantial resources and effort in cultivating a customer oriented culture, and transmit it across the organization to create strategic alignment. Furthermore, the competitive environment should be closely monitored to identify profitable business opportunity and threats that could affect their growth and sustainability.

The Relationship Between Training and Employment Growth in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

OpenAIRE

Andy Cosh; Alan Hughes; Melvyn Weeks

2000-01-01

This paper provides a rigorous analysis of the impact of training upon the employment growth characteristics of small and medium sized firms. Using appropriate statistical techniques to cope with sample selection biases and heterogenerous employment growth patterns it reveals that training is positively related to employment growth, in particular when it is embedded in a wider range of human relations practices.

FUZZY LOGIC BASED SOFTWARE PROCESS IMPROVIZATION FRAMEWORK FOR INDIAN SMALL SCALE SOFTWARE ORGANIZATIONS

OpenAIRE

A.M.Kalpana; Dr.A.Ebenezer Jeyakumar

2010-01-01

In this paper, the authors elaborate the results obtained after analyzing and assessing the software process activities in five small to medium sized Indian software companies. This work demonstrates a cost effective framework for software process appraisal, specificallytargeted at Indian software Small-to-Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Improvisation deals with the unforeseen. It involves continual experimentation with new possibilities to create innovative and improved solutions outside cu...

SU-E-T-611: Effective Treatment Volume of the Small Size IORT Applicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krechetov, A.S.; Goer, D.A.

2014-01-01

Purpose Mobile electron linear accelerators are gaining more attention recently, providing a lower cost and simpler way to perform intraoperative treatment. However, the simplicity of the treatment process does not eliminate the need for proper attention to the technical aspects of the treatment. One of the potential pitfalls is incorrect selection of the appropriate applicator size to adequately cover the tumor bed to the prescription dose. When treating tumor beds in the pelvis, the largest applicator that fits into the pelvis is usually selected as there is concern about microscopic extension of the disease along the sidewalls of the pelvis. But when treating early stage breast tumors, there is a natural tendency to select an applicator as small as possible so as not to jeopardize cosmesis. Methods This investigation questions how much of the typical breast treatment volume gets adequate exposure and what is the correct strategy in selecting the proper applicator size. Actual data from isodose scans were analyzed. Results We found that typical treatment dose prescriptions can cover as much as 80% and as little as 20% of the nominal treatment volume depending on the applicator size and energy of the beam and whether the dose is prescribed to the 80 or 90% isodose level. Treatment volume is defined as a cylinder with diameter equal to applicator and height equal to the corresponding D80 or D90 depth. Conclusion If mobile linear accelerators are used, there can be significant amount of “cold volume” depending on the applicator size and this should be taken into account when selecting the applicator that is needed. Using too small of an applicator could result in significant under-dosing to the tissue at risk. Long-term clinical data demonstrates that selecting an adequate field size results in good ontological control as well as excellent cosmesis. Intraop Medical Corp was providing facilities and equipment for this research

Small size ion pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cyranski, R.; Kiliszek, Cz.R.; Marks, J.; Sobolewski, A.; Magielko, H.

2001-01-01

This paper describes some designs of the two versions ion pumps and their range operation for various magnetic fields. The first version is made with different cell size in the anode element and titanium cathode operating in magnetic field from 600 to 650 Gs and the second version with the same anode element but differential Ti/Ta cathode working in magnetic field above 1200 Gs

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for metrological size determination of nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gleber, Gudrun; Krumrey, Michael; Cibik, Levent; Marggraf, Stefanie; Mueller, Peter [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, 10587 Berlin (Germany); Hoell, Armin [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Str. 15, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

2011-07-01

To measure the size of nanoparticles, different measurement methods are available but their results are often not compatible. In the framework of an European metrology project we use Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) to determine the size and size distribution of nanoparticles in aqueous solution, where the special challange is the traceability of the results. The experiments were performed at the Four-Crystal Monochromator (FCM) beamline in the laboratory of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) at BESSY II using the SAXS setup of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB). We measured different particles made of PMMA and gold in a diameter range of 200 nm down to about 10 nm. The aspects of traceability can be classified in two parts: the first is the experimental part with the uncertainties of distances, angles, and wavelength, the second is the part of analysis, with the uncertainty of the choice of the model used for fitting the data. In this talk we want to show the degree of uncertainty, which we reached in this work yet.

Optimal chest drain size: the rise of the small-bore pleural catheter.

Science.gov (United States)

Fysh, Edward T H; Smith, Nicola A; Lee, Y C Gary

2010-12-01

Drainage of the pleural space is not a modern concept, but the optimal size of chest drains to use remains debated. Conventional teaching advocates blunt dissection and large-bore tubes; but in recent years, small-bore catheters have gained popularity. In the absence of high-quality randomized data, this review summarizes the available literature on the choice of chest drains. The objective data supporting the use of large-bore tubes is scarce in most pleural diseases. Increasing evidence shows that small-bore catheters induce less pain and are of comparable efficacy to large-bore tubes, including in the management of pleural infection, malignant effusion, and pneumothoraces. The onus now is on those who favor large tubes to produce clinical data to justify the more invasive approach. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

CdS thin films prepared by continuous wave Nd:YAG laser

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, H.; Tenpas, Eric W.; Vuong, Khanh D.; Williams, James A.; Schuesselbauer, E.; Bernstein, R.; Fagan, J. G.; Wang, Xing W.

1995-08-01

We report new results on continuous wave Nd:YAG laser deposition of cadmium sulfide thin films. Substrates were soda-lime silicate glass, silica glass, silicon, and copper coated formvar sheets. As deposited films were mixtures of cubic and hexagonal phases, with two different grain sizes. As revealed by SEM micrographs, films had smooth surface morphology. As revealed by TEM analysis, grain sizes were extremely small.

On the application of the weak-beam technique to the determination of the sizes of small point-defect clusters in ion-irradiated copper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, M. L.

1998-01-01

We have made an analysis of the conditions necessary for the successful use of the weak-beam technique for identifying and characterizing small point-defect clusters in ion-irradiated copper. The visibility of small defects was found to depend only weakly on the magnitude of the beam-convergence. In general, the image sizes of small clusters were found to be most sensitive to the magnitude of Sa with the image sizes of some individual defects changing by large amounts with changes as small as 0.025 nm -1 . The most reliable information on the true defect size is likely to be obtained by taking a series of 5-9 micrographs with a systematic variation of deviation parameter from 0.2-0.3 nm -1 . This procedure allows size information to be obtained down to a resolution limit of about 0.5 nm for defects situated throughout a foil thickness of 60 nm. The technique has been applied to the determination of changes in the sizes of small defects produced by a low-temperature in-situ irradiation and annealing experiment

Implementation of Lean Six Sigma in small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timans, W.; Antony, J.; Ahaus, K.; van Solingen, R.

In this paper we provide an exploration and analysis of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in Dutch manufacturing/engineering small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Critical success factors (CSFs) and impeding factors are identified and analysed. Exploratory empirical evidence about LSS

Iterative CT reconstruction with small pixel size: distance-driven forward projector versus Joseph's

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, K.; Rassner, U.; Davidson, H. C.; Schöndube, H.; Stierstorfer, K.; Hornegger, J.; Noo, F.

2015-03-01

Over the last few years, iterative reconstruction methods have become an important research topic in x-ray CT imaging. This effort is motivated by increasing evidence that such methods may enable significant savings in terms of dose imparted to the patient. Conceptually, iterative reconstruction methods involve two important ingredients: the statistical model, which includes the forward projector, and a priori information in the image domain, which is expressed using a regularizer. Most often, the image pixel size is chosen to be equal (or close) to the detector pixel size (at field-of-view center). However, there are applications for which a smaller pixel size is desired. In this investigation, we focus on reconstruction with a pixel size that is twice smaller than the detector pixel size. Using such a small pixel size implies a large increase in computational effort when using the distance-driven method for forward projection, which models the detector size. On the other hand, the more efficient method of Joseph will create imbalances in the reconstruction of each pixel, in the sense that there will be large differences in the way each projection contributes to the pixels. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the impact of these imbalances on image quality in comparison with utilization of the distance-driven method. The evaluation involves computational effort, bias and noise metrics, and LROC analysis using human observers. The results show that Joseph's method largely remains attractive.

Local governments and climate change: sustainable energy planning and implementation in small and medium sized communities

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Van Staden, Maryke; Musco, Francesco

2010-01-01

The focus of 'Local governments and climate change' is on how small and medium-sized communities in Europe are effectively responding to climate change, with a particular focus on different approaches...

Small, medium, large or supersize? The development and evaluation of interventions targeted at portion size

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeer, W M; Steenhuis, I H M; Poelman, M P

2014-01-01

In the past decades, portion sizes of high-caloric foods and drinks have increased and can be considered an important environmental obesogenic factor. This paper describes a research project in which the feasibility and effectiveness of environmental interventions targeted at portion size was evaluated. The studies that we conducted revealed that portion size labeling, offering a larger variety of portion sizes, and proportional pricing (that is, a comparable price per unit regardless of the size) were considered feasible to implement according to both consumers and point-of-purchase representatives. Studies into the effectiveness of these interventions demonstrated that the impact of portion size labeling on the (intended) consumption of soft drinks was, at most, modest. Furthermore, the introduction of smaller portion sizes of hot meals in worksite cafeterias in addition to the existing size stimulated a moderate number of consumers to replace their large meals by a small meal. Elaborating on these findings, we advocate further research into communication and marketing strategies related to portion size interventions; the development of environmental portion size interventions as well as educational interventions that improve people's ability to deal with a ‘super-sized' environment; the implementation of regulation with respect to portion size labeling, and the use of nudges to stimulate consumers to select healthier portion sizes. PMID:25033959

Determinants of capital structure in small and medium sized enterprises in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Mat Nawi, Hafizah

2015-01-01

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London This study aims to investigate the determinants of capital structure in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia and their effect on firms’ performance. The study addresses the following primary question: What are the factors that influence the capital structure of SMEs in Malaysia? The sample of this research is SMEs in the east coast region of Malaysia. Adopting a posi...

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES, TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatjana Dimoska

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tourism is the world’s largest industry and makes a major contribution to the economies of most developed and developing countries. Tourism as an important socio-economical phenomenon is characterized with distinctly largeness and dynamic development that results with many positive direct as well as indirect economical effects. That is a measure for increasing of possibilities of encouragement of the total economical development through tourism development. Tourism generates income from consumption of goods and services by tourists as well as taxes on businesses in the tourism industry, provides employment in services related to tourism, but also creates jobs in the tertiary sector, generates growth of primary and secondary sectors of the industry as result of multiplicative effect. In this context especially are important small and medium tourism enterprises which dominate in the tourism destinations according to their number, originating a variety of benefits for the tourism destinations by providing direct contact with tourists and by encouraging tourist for spending in a local community. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of small and medium –sized enterprises in general and especially in the field of tourism for increasing economic development in the national economy with particular reference on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. In this paper, first will be analyzed the term small and medium - sized enterprises in general and then will be explained their application in the field of tourism with highlighting of their strategic advantages for the tourism destinations and overall economic development of the entire national economy. Finally, will be analyzed the role played by SMEs for the economic development of the Republic of Macedonia with a special emphasis on the measures and actions which have to be taken in the future by the competent authorities for further stimulation of their development.

An Agile Methodology for Implementing Service-Oriented Architecture in Small and Medium Sized Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Laidlaw, Gregory

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of Lean/Agile principles, using action research to develop and deploy new technology for Small and Medium sized enterprises. The research case was conducted at the Lapeer County Sheriff's Department and involves the initial deployment of a Service Oriented Architecture to alleviate the data…

Radiation-related small head sizes among prenatally exposed atomic bomb survivors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otaki, Masanori; Schull, William J.

2004-01-01

severely mentally retarded cases with small heads and 68.9 and 11.9 for the severely mentally retarded cases without small heads. These values are 96.4 and 19.8 for cases with small heads only. The mean IQ and standard deviation for the overall sample are 107.8 and 16.4, respectively. No significant difference exists between the first two IQ means identified above, but both are significantly less than the mean for individuals with small heads but without severe mental retardation. The mean IQ of individuals with small heads but without severe mental retardation does not differ significantly from the mean for the entire sample. The relationship of small head size to four other anthropometric measurements (standing height, body weight, sitting height, and chest circumference) is described. (author)

Preparing the Production of a New Product in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises by Using the Method of Projects Management

Science.gov (United States)

Bijańska, Jolanta; Wodarski, Krzysztof; Wójcik, Janusz

2016-06-01

Efficient and effective preparation the production of new products is important requirement for a functioning and development of small and medium-sized enterprises. One of the methods, which support the fulfilment of this condition is project management. This publication presents the results of considerations, which are aimed at developing a project management model of preparation the production of a new product, adopted to specificity of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Meeting increased logistical demands : Developing as a small- and medium-sized system supplier

OpenAIRE

Carlsson, Inga-Lill

2009-01-01

Many subcontractors choose to implement a strategy of “system supply” in order to meetincreasing global competition. They are then confronted with increased demands to take agreater overall responsibility in this role. It is important to investigate the implications of theseresponsibilities before investing in developing the organization, especially for a small- ormedium-sized subcontractor with limited resources. The customer’s view of different demandsdoes not necessarily correspond to how ...

Ultracapacitors for fuel saving in small size hybrid vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solero, L.; Lidozzi, A.; Serrao, V. [University ROMA TRE, Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Eng., Via della Vasca Navale, 79 - 00146 Roma (Italy); Martellucci, L. [University of Rome ' ' La Sapienza' ' , Dept. of Electrical Eng., Via Eudossiana, 18 - 00184 Roma (Italy); Rossi, E. [ENEA, Via Anguillarese, 301 - 00060 S. Maria Galeria, Roma (Italy)

2011-01-01

The main purpose of the paper is to describe a small size hybrid vehicle having ultracapacitors as on-board storage unit. The vehicle on-board main power supply is achieved by a genset being formed of a 250 cm{sup 3} internal combustion engine and a permanent magnet synchronous electric generator, whereas 4 16V-500F ultracapacitors modules are connected in series in order to supply as well as to store the power peaks during respectively acceleration and braking vehicle modes of operation. The traction power is provided by a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, whereas a distributed power electronic interface is in charge of all the required electronic conversions as well of controlling the operating conditions for each power unit. The paper discusses the implemented control strategy and shows experimental results on the modes of operation of both generation unit and storage unit. (author)

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs and transfer pricing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronika Solilová

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Small and medium sized enterprises have very important position in the EU economy, mainly in the area of growth and employment. However, most of SMEs are active only in their home country and only a few of them participate in cross-border activities. Furthermore, their activities in the internal market are limited by great deal of obstacles, mainly in the form of different tax systems which generate excessive compliance costs of taxation and the existence of different SMEs definitions for various purposes in Member states. In addition, from the view of the international taxation issues, the most important obstacles can be considered a transfer pricing and cross-border loss compensations. In this area, SMEs are facing specific problems and have specific needs. The aim of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the specific transfer pricing issues of SMEs and propose recommendations for them.

Competitive intelligence tools used by small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tshilidzi Eric Nenzhelele

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs contribute highly to the gross domestic product, reduction in unemployment, wealth creation and improvement in the quality of life. Due to technology and globalisation, SMEs now compete with enterprises beyond the borders of their country. To survive in this global competitive business environment, SMEs seek for tools that offer competitive advantage. Competitive Intelligence (CI provides competitive advantage to enterprises that practice it. While CI practice has been widely research for larger enterprises, there is lack of research on CI practice pertaining to SMEs. This research establishes tools used by SMEs in CI practice. The research was quantitative in nature and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collected data from owners/managers of SMEs

Irradiation test of component for radiation-resistant small sized motor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamichi, M.; Ishitsuka, E.; Shimakawa, S.; Kan, S.

2009-01-01

A small-sized motor with a resistance to radiation was developed. This motor has been able to operate at a gamma-ray dose of a value 700 times as high as the specification of a commercial motor. The present work describes results of post-irradiation examinations (PIEs) to evaluate effects of neutron irradiation on the lifetime of some major components of the motor such as a bearing, a magnet and a fixation agent for a field coil wire. It became clear from the results of PIEs that the radiation-resistance dose of the motor using a Sm-Co magnet will be expected to be one order of magnitude higher than that of the motor using a Nb-Fe-B magnet.

Quenching effect in an optical fiber type small size dosimeter irradiated with 290 MeV·u{sup -1} carbon ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirata, Yuho; Watanabe, Kenichi; Uritani, Akira; Yamazaki, Atsushi [Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya (Japan); Koba, Yusuke; Matsufuji, Naruhiro [National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

2016-09-15

We are developing a small size dosimeter for dose estimation in particle therapies. The developed dosimeter is an optical fiber based dosimeter mounting an radiation induced luminescence material, such as an OSL or a scintillator, at a tip. These materials generally suffer from the quenching effect under high LET particle irradiation. We fabricated two types of the small size dosimeters. They used an OSL material Eu:BaFBr and a BGO scintillator. Carbon ions were irradiated into the fabricated dosimeters at Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC). The small size dosimeters were set behind the water equivalent acrylic phantom. Bragg peak was observed by changing the phantom thickness. An ion chamber was also placed near the small size dosimeters as a reference. Eu:BaFBr and BGO dosimeters showed a Bragg peak at the same thickness as the ion chamber. Under high LET particle irradiation, the response of the luminescence-based small size dosimeters deteriorated compared with that of the ion chamber due to the quenching effect. We confirmed the luminescence efficiency of Eu:BaFBr and BGO decrease with the LET. The reduction coefficient of luminescence efficiency was different between the BGO and the Eu:BaFBr. The LET can be determined from the luminescence ratio between Eu:BaFBr and BGO, and the dosimeter response can be corrected. We evaluated the LET dependence of the luminescence efficiency of the BGO and Eu:BaFBr as the quenching effect. We propose and discuss the correction of the quenching effect using the signal intensity ratio of the both materials. Although the correction precision is not sufficient, feasibility of the proposed correction method is proved through basic experiments.

Performance evaluation of a mouse-sized camera for dynamic studies in small animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loudos, George; Majewski, Stan; Wojcik, Randy; Weisenberger, Andrew; Sakellios, Nicolas; Nikita, Konstantina; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos; Bouziotis, Penelope; Varvarigou, Alexandra

2007-01-01

A mouse sized camera has been built in terms of collaboration between the presenting institutions. The system is used for the performance of dynamic studies in small animals, in order to evaluate novel radiopharmaceuticals. The active area of the detector is approximately 48x96 mm allowing depiction of the entire mouse in a single view. The system is based on two flat-panel Hamamatsu H8500 position sensitive photomultiplier tubes (PSPMT), a pixellated NaI(Tl) scintillator and a copper-beryllium (CuBe) parallel-hole collimator. In this work, the evaluation results of the system are presented, using phantoms and small animals injected with conventional radiophrmaceuticals. Average resolution was ∼1.6 mm on the collimator surface and increased to ∼4.1 mm in 12 cm distance from the detector. The average energy resolution was measured and found to be ∼15.6% for Tc 99m . Results from imaging thin capillaries demonstrated system's high resolution and sensitivity in activity variations was shown. Initial dynamic studies have been carried out in small animals injected with Tc 99m -DTPA and Tc 99m -MDP. The results show system's ability to perform kinetic imaging in small animals

Anomalous size effect in conductivity of Bi films of small thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anopchenko, A.S.; Kashirin, V.Yu.; Komnik, Yu.F.

1995-01-01

Experimental data are obtained at helium temperature, which describe the kinetic properties (conductivity, magnetoresistance and Hall coefficient) of Bi films whose thicknesses are within 100-500 A. The small-thickness Bi films display an anomalous size effect- the growing conductivity at decreasing thickness, and pronounced quantum interference effects - weak electron localization and enhancing electron-electron interaction in a disordered system. The information derived on the kinetic properties of the films is used to identify the character of the changes in the electron and hole concentrations and mobilities with a decreasing thickness. The isotropy of the properties in the films plane due to the axial texture has permitted us to use the equations for a conductor with two types of charge carriers. The used kinetic characteristics correctly take into account the contribution of the quantum corrections related to quantum interference. It is found that the concentration of the charge carries increases appreciably (by about two orders of magnitude) as the film thickness decreases to 100 A, which determines the anomalous size effect in the conductivity of the films

Possible Future Role of Small and Medium Sized Reactors (SMRs) in Countries with Small and Medium Electricity Grids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alujevic, L.

2016-01-01

Small and Medium Sized Reactors (SMRs) could have enormous potential as options for enhancing the energy supply security, as well as providing a lower capital investment compared to conventional Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). The trend in SMR development has been towards design certification of small modular reactors, defined as advanced reactors that produce electric power up to 300 MW(e), designed to be built in factories and shipped to utilities for installation as demand arises. The factory-built small modular reactors aim to reduce lengthy construction times while simultaneously increasing quality, thereby minimizing the costs associated with the current time for construction that spans 5 to 8 years. SMR designs include water-cooled reactors, high temperature gas cooled reactors, as well as liquid metal cooled reactors with fast neutron spectrum. Also, many are designed to be emplaced below ground level, giving a high resistance to terrorist threats. The projected timelines of readiness for deployment of SMRs generally range from the present to 2025 - 2030. Currently there are more than 45 SMR designs under development for different application issues. This paper will try to elaborate the benefits and drawbacks of SMRs, as well as describe a couple of designs. Furthermore, some timelines and cost estimates will be provided, depending on the data currently available. Taking all that into account, the conclusion will try to ascertain the suitability of SMRs for Countries with Small and Medium Electricity Grids, namely Croatia. (author).

Small and medium size nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mugrabi, M.A.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this appendix is to provide up-to-date technical information relevant to the deployment of small and medium reactors (SMRs). It summarizes the status of SMRs and discusses areas of relevance to their utilization, including seawater desalination; and in particular their simplicity, their flexibility for a variety of applications and the use of passive safety features as fundamental to most of these designs. In response to important commercial developments, the energy range of small and medium reactors is now taken as being up to around 700 MW(e). Detailed information on SMR designs can be found in the IAEA report on The Design and Development Status of Small and Medium Reactor Systems 1995. 5 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab

Small angle neutron scattering study of nano sized microstructure in Fe-Cr ODS steels for gen IV in-core applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young-Soo; Mao, Xiadong; Jang, Jinsung

2013-11-01

The nano-sized microstructures in Fe-Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steel for Gen IV in-core applications were studied using small angle neutron scattering. The oxide dispersion strengthened steel was manufactured through hot isostatic pressing with various chemical compositions and fabrication conditions. Small angle neutron scattering experiments were performed using a 40 m small angle neutron scattering instrument at HANARO. Nano sized microstructures, namely, yttrium oxides and Cr-oxides were quantitatively analyzed by small angle neutron scattering. The yttrium oxides and Cr-oxides were also observed by transmission electron microscopy. The microstructural analysis results from small angle neutron scattering were compared with those obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the chemical compositions and fabrication conditions on the microstructure were investigated in relation to the quantitative microstructural analysis results obtained by small angle neutron scattering. The volume fraction of Y-oxide increases after fabrication, and this result is considered to be due to the formation of non-stochiometric Y-Ti-oxides.

Stock Market Efficiency and Size of the Firm: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ikram ul Haq

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between firm size and excess stock returns in Pakistani market. We construct a set of 10 portfolios based on size i.e., market capitalization, total assets and sales for the period between 2007 and 2011, and analyze the annual stock returns by using sorting and Fama & Macbeth model. The results of the study indicate a prominent size effect where smaller firm or size portfolios are found to have a greater average annual excess returns than bigger firm or size portfolios during the period under analysis. We find that small firms have significantly greater excess returns than larger firms. The study has strong implications for mutual funds managers, investment analysts as well as small investors who are continuously at a lookout for the trading strategies that beat the market.

The effect of reported high-velocity small raindrops on inferred drop size distributions and derived power laws

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Leijnse

2010-07-01

Full Text Available It has recently been shown that at high rainfall intensities, small raindrops may fall with much larger velocities than would be expected from their diameters. These were argued to be fragments of recently broken-up larger drops. In this paper we quantify the effect of this phenomenon on raindrop size distribution measurements from a Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer, a 2-D Video Distrometer, and a vertically-pointing Doppler radar. Probability distributions of fall velocities have been parameterized, where the parameters are functions of both rainfall intensity and drop size. These parameterizations have been used to correct Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer measurements for this phenomenon. The effect of these corrections on fitted scaled drop size distributions are apparent but not major. Fitted gamma distributions for three different types of rainfall have been used to simulate drop size measurements. The effect of the high-velocity small drops is shown to be minor. Especially for the purpose of remote sensing of rainfall using radar, microwave links, or optical links, the errors caused by using the slightly different retrieval relations will be masked completely by other error sources.

Small to Mid-Size Sporting Events: Are We Prepared to Recover from an Attack?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian M. Harrell

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This article describes a fictional deadly attack by a lone-wolf terrorist during a high school football event in a small town, here in the United States. The authors begin by describing an attack and then focus on the response from the medical community, city, county, state, and federal government officials. Next, the authors make several recommendations on what actions are needed to develop an effective plan to combat terrorist activities during a small- to mid-size sports event. Among the actions needed, the authors focus on the following: response planning, emergency action plan, incident command, policies and procedures, and security staff training.

Preliminary study of diagnostic workstation with different matrix size for detection of small pulmonary nodules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jie; Wang Xuejian; Wang Bo; Tong Juan; Wei Yuqing; Shen Guiquan; Wang Limei; Cao Jun; Sui He

2004-01-01

Objective: To assess the influence in detecting small pulmonary nodules (SPNs) on soft-copy images displayed with different matrix sizes. Methods: Seventy-six chest compute radiographs were selected for the study. Of the 76 test images, 36 pulmonary nodules smaller than 20 mm in diameter were proven by CT, which were further divided into two groups: 1.0-2.0 cm and Z values and standard error of three kinds of view system for individual observers. Results: For 1.0-2.0 cm group, the mean A Z values were 0.7936 for DRCS with 2-fold magnification and window technique, 0.8225 for 1 K monitor with 2-fold magnification and window technique, and 0.8367 for 2 K monitor without magnification; for Z values increased slightly as the display matrix size improved, but there were no significant differences among the three sets in the detection of SPNs in the ROC analyses. Conclusion: It is acceptable to detect small pulmonary nodules of 1.0-2.0 cm in diameter on 1 K monitor and DRCS with magnification. High resolution diagnostic workstation is recommended for detecting small pulmonary nodules <1.0 cm in diameter. Reasonable equipment for the detection of subtle abnormality may result in better cost-efficacy and diagnostic accuracy

Barriers to Employee Training in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: Insights and Evidences from Mauritius

Science.gov (United States)

Padachi, Kesseven; Bhiwajee, Soolakshna Lukea

2016-01-01

Purpose: Training is an important component of successful business concerns. However, although there is growing acceptance amongst scholars that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are engines that drive economies across nations, through their contribution in terms of job creation and poverty reduction; extant research portray that these…

Multi-SOM: an Algorithm for High-Dimensional, Small Size Datasets

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Shen Lu

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Since it takes time to do experiments in bioinformatics, biological datasets are sometimes small but with high dimensionality. From probability theory, in order to discover knowledge from a set of data, we have to have a sufficient number of samples. Otherwise, the error bounds can become too large to be useful. For the SOM (Self- Organizing Map algorithm, the initial map is based on the training data. In order to avoid the bias caused by the insufficient training data, in this paper we present an algorithm, called Multi-SOM. Multi-SOM builds a number of small self-organizing maps, instead of just one big map. Bayesian decision theory is used to make the final decision among similar neurons on different maps. In this way, we can better ensure that we can get a real random initial weight vector set, the map size is less of consideration and errors tend to average out. In our experiments as applied to microarray datasets which are highly intense data composed of genetic related information, the precision of Multi-SOMs is 10.58% greater than SOMs, and its recall is 11.07% greater than SOMs. Thus, the Multi-SOMs algorithm is practical.

Characterization of Nano Sized Microstructures in Fe and Ni Base ODS Alloys Using Small Angle Neutron Scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Young-Soo; Jang, Jin-Sung; Mao, Xiaodong

2015-01-01

Ferritic ODS(Oxide-dispersion-strengthened) alloy is known as a primary candidate material of the cladding tubes of a sodium fast reactor (SFR) in the Generation IV research program. In ODS alloy, the major contribution to the enhanced high-temperature mechanical property comes from the existence of nano-sized oxide precipitates, which act as obstacles to the movement of dislocations. In addition for the extremely high temperature application(>950 .deg. C) of future nuclear system, Ni base ODS alloys are considered as candidate materials. Therefore the characterization of nano-sized microstructures is important for determining the mechanical properties of the material. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) technique non-destructively probes structures in materials at the nano-meter length of scale (1 - 1000 nm) and has been a very powerful tool in a variety of scientific/engineering research areas. In this study, nano-sized microstructures were quantitatively analyzed by small angle neutron scattering. Quantitative microstructural information on nanosized oxide in ODS alloys was obtained from SANS data. The effects of the thermo mechanical treatment on the size and volume fraction of nano-sized oxides were analyzed. For 12Cr ODS alloy, the experimental A-ratio is two-times larger than the theoretical A-ratio., and this result is considered to be due to the imperfections included in YTaO 4 . For Ni base ODS alloy, the volume fraction of the mid-sized particles (- 30 nm) increases rapidly as hot extrusion temperature decreases

Digital Image Collections for Asian Religion and Art History in a Small-Sized Liberal Arts College

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

May Chang

2002-10-01

Full Text Available

頁次：6-15

size: small;">This paper reviews the establishment of a digital image library from 35mm slides to support faculty and student needs in a small-sized liberal arts college. The framework consists of central local resources, distributed faculty collections, and external resources. Standards and guidelines for digital preservation and access are also discussed. The pilot collections were multi-disciplinary resources in Middle East art and architecture and faculty slide collections in East Asian religions and Asian art history. Technical and management issues of integrating digital technology in the traditional slide library are also discussed.

Numerical simulation for the magnetic force distribution in electromagnetic forming of small size flat sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaowei; Wang, Wenping; Wan, Min

2013-12-01

It is essential to calculate magnetic force in the process of studying electromagnetic flat sheet forming. Calculating magnetic force is the basis of analyzing the sheet deformation and optimizing technical parameters. Magnetic force distribution on the sheet can be obtained by numerical simulation of electromagnetic field. In contrast to other computing methods, the method of numerical simulation has some significant advantages, such as higher calculation accuracy, easier using and other advantages. In this paper, in order to study of magnetic force distribution on the small size flat sheet in electromagnetic forming when flat round spiral coil, flat rectangular spiral coil and uniform pressure coil are adopted, the 3D finite element models are established by software ANSYS/EMAG. The magnetic force distribution on the sheet are analyzed when the plane geometries of sheet are equal or less than the coil geometries under fixed discharge impulse. The results showed that when the physical dimensions of sheet are less than the corresponding dimensions of the coil, the variation of induced current channel width on the sheet will cause induced current crowding effect that seriously influence the magnetic force distribution, and the degree of inhomogeneity of magnetic force distribution is increase nearly linearly with the variation of induced current channel width; the small size uniform pressure coil will produce approximately uniform magnetic force distribution on the sheet, but the coil is easy to early failure; the desirable magnetic force distribution can be achieved when the unilateral placed flat rectangular spiral coil is adopted, and this program can be take as preferred one, because the longevity of flat rectangular spiral coil is longer than the working life of small size uniform pressure coil.

Small-scale semi-continuous reactor for the conversion of wood to fuel oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eager, R L; Pepper, J M; Mathews, J F

1983-04-01

The design and operation of a small-scale semi-continuous reactor to convert aspen wood meal into an oil product is described. Modifications that reduce erosion/corrosion are also presented. Short residence times and relatively low operating pressures have been achieved for the reaction of aspen with CO and H2O in the presence of Na2CO3. Conversions, char formation, and the effect of sodium carbonate concentration on oil product are reported.

Impact of mobility on call block, call drops and optimal cell size in small cell networks

OpenAIRE

Ramanath , Sreenath; Voleti , Veeraruna Kavitha; Altman , Eitan

2011-01-01

We consider small cell networks and study the impact of user mobility. Assuming Poisson call arrivals at random positions with random velocities, we discuss the characterization of handovers at the boundaries. We derive explicit expressions for call block and call drop probabilities using tools from spatial queuing theory. We also derive expressions for the average virtual server held up time. These expressions are used to derive optimal cell sizes for various profile of velocities in small c...

Sensitivity and specificity of normality tests and consequences on reference interval accuracy at small sample size: a computer-simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Boedec, Kevin

2016-12-01

According to international guidelines, parametric methods must be chosen for RI construction when the sample size is small and the distribution is Gaussian. However, normality tests may not be accurate at small sample size. The purpose of the study was to evaluate normality test performance to properly identify samples extracted from a Gaussian population at small sample sizes, and assess the consequences on RI accuracy of applying parametric methods to samples that falsely identified the parent population as Gaussian. Samples of n = 60 and n = 30 values were randomly selected 100 times from simulated Gaussian, lognormal, and asymmetric populations of 10,000 values. The sensitivity and specificity of 4 normality tests were compared. Reference intervals were calculated using 6 different statistical methods from samples that falsely identified the parent population as Gaussian, and their accuracy was compared. Shapiro-Wilk and D'Agostino-Pearson tests were the best performing normality tests. However, their specificity was poor at sample size n = 30 (specificity for P Box-Cox transformation) on all samples regardless of their distribution or adjusting, the significance level of normality tests depending on sample size would limit the risk of constructing inaccurate RI. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Particle size distribution models of small angle neutron scattering pattern on ferro fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sistin Asri Ani; Darminto; Edy Giri Rachman Putra

2009-01-01

The Fe 3 O 4 ferro fluids samples were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The investigation of ferro fluids microstructure is known to be one of the most important problems because the presence of aggregates and their internal structure influence greatly the properties of ferro fluids. The size and the size dispersion of particle in ferro fluids were determined assuming a log normal distribution of particle radius. The scattering pattern of the measurement by small angle neutron scattering were fitted by the theoretical scattering function of two limitation models are log normal sphere distribution and fractal aggregate. Two types of particle are detected, which are presumably primary particle of 30 Armstrong in radius and secondary fractal aggregate of 200 Armstrong with polydispersity of 0.47 up to 0.53. (author)

Latent hardening size effect in small-scale plasticity

Science.gov (United States)

Bardella, Lorenzo; Segurado, Javier; Panteghini, Andrea; Llorca, Javier

2013-07-01

We aim at understanding the multislip behaviour of metals subject to irreversible deformations at small-scales. By focusing on the simple shear of a constrained single-crystal strip, we show that discrete Dislocation Dynamics (DD) simulations predict a strong latent hardening size effect, with smaller being stronger in the range [1.5 µm, 6 µm] for the strip height. We attempt to represent the DD pseudo-experimental results by developing a flow theory of Strain Gradient Crystal Plasticity (SGCP), involving both energetic and dissipative higher-order terms and, as a main novelty, a strain gradient extension of the conventional latent hardening. In order to discuss the capability of the SGCP theory proposed, we implement it into a Finite Element (FE) code and set its material parameters on the basis of the DD results. The SGCP FE code is specifically developed for the boundary value problem under study so that we can implement a fully implicit (Backward Euler) consistent algorithm. Special emphasis is placed on the discussion of the role of the material length scales involved in the SGCP model, from both the mechanical and numerical points of view.

Latent hardening size effect in small-scale plasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardella, Lorenzo; Panteghini, Andrea; Segurado, Javier; Llorca, Javier

2013-01-01

We aim at understanding the multislip behaviour of metals subject to irreversible deformations at small-scales. By focusing on the simple shear of a constrained single-crystal strip, we show that discrete Dislocation Dynamics (DD) simulations predict a strong latent hardening size effect, with smaller being stronger in the range [1.5 µm, 6 µm] for the strip height. We attempt to represent the DD pseudo-experimental results by developing a flow theory of Strain Gradient Crystal Plasticity (SGCP), involving both energetic and dissipative higher-order terms and, as a main novelty, a strain gradient extension of the conventional latent hardening. In order to discuss the capability of the SGCP theory proposed, we implement it into a Finite Element (FE) code and set its material parameters on the basis of the DD results. The SGCP FE code is specifically developed for the boundary value problem under study so that we can implement a fully implicit (Backward Euler) consistent algorithm. Special emphasis is placed on the discussion of the role of the material length scales involved in the SGCP model, from both the mechanical and numerical points of view. (paper)

Using multi-theory model to predict initiation and sustenance of small portion size consumption among college students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manoj Sharma

2016-08-01

Conclusion: Based on this study’s findings, MTM appears to be a robust theoretical framework for predicting small portion size consumption behavior change. Interventions in this regard need to be designed.

Methodologies and Decision Criteria for Demonstrating Competitiveness of Small and Medium Sized Reactors - Present Value Capital Cost Model. Annex VIII

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-12-15

Smaller size reactors are required to fulfil the growing energy needs of developing countries and emerging markets, as well as niche markets in developed countries. Grid appropriate reactors have been identified within the United States Department of Energy Global Nuclear Energy Partnership initiative as one of the key elements required to enable worldwide expansion of the peaceful use of nuclear power. In a speech at a conference in Algiers on 9 January 2007, the former IAEA Director General, Mohamed El Baradei, discussed the interest in new small and medium-size reactor designs which allow a more incremental investment than is required for a big reactor, and provide a better match to grid capacity in many developing countries'. Smaller size reactors (IAEA defines as 'small' those reactors with a power <300 MW(e) and 'medium' with a power <700 MW(e)) are the logical choice for smaller countries or those with a limited electrical grid. In fact, smaller reactors are now in different stages of development throughout the world, and interest in their deployment has also been expressed. With regards to decisions on the addition of power plant capacity, small reactors have many attractive characteristics, namely size, simplicity, enhanced safety, cost savings and lower financial resource requirements. On the downside, the specific costs of some components and systems of small and medium sized reactors (SMRs) may be higher as a result of economy of scale effects. This annex explores some of the factors affecting decisions on power plant capacity addition in world markets, focusing particularly on many of the characteristics of SMRs.

Metastable structures and size effects in small group dynamics

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Rosapia eLauro Grotto

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In his seminal works on group dynamics Bion defined a specific therapeutic setting allowing psychoanalytic observations on group phenomena. In describing the setting he proposed that the group was where his voice arrived. This physical limit was later made operative by assuming that the natural dimension of a therapeutic group is around 12 people. Bion introduced a theory of the group aspects of the mind in which proto-mental individual states spontaneously evolve into shared psychological states that are characterized by a series of features: 1 they emerge as a consequence of the natural tendency of (both conscious and unconscious emotions to combine into structured group patterns; 2 they have a certain degree of stability in time; 3 they tend to alternate so that the dissolution of one is rapidly followed by the emergence of another; 4 they can be described in qualitative terms according to the nature of the emotional mix that dominates the state, in structural terms by a kind of typical 'leadership’ pattern, and in 'cognitive’ terms by a set of implicit expectations that are helpful in explaining the group behavior (i.e. the group behaves 'as if’ it was assuming that…. Here we adopt a formal approach derived from Socio-physics in order to explore some of the structural and dynamic properties of this small group dynamics. We will described data from an analytic DS model simulating small group interactions of agents endowed with a very simplified emotional and cognitive dynamic in order to assess the following main points: 1 are metastable collective states allowed to emerge in the model and if so, under which conditions in the parameter space? 3 can these states be differentiated in structural terms? 3 to what extent are the emergent dynamic features of the systems dependent of the system size? We will finally discuss possible future applications of the quantitative descriptions of the interaction structure in the small group clinical

Metastable structures and size effects in small group dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauro Grotto, Rosapia; Guazzini, Andrea; Bagnoli, Franco

2014-01-01

In his seminal works on group dynamics Bion defined a specific therapeutic setting allowing psychoanalytic observations on group phenomena. In describing the setting he proposed that the group was where his voice arrived. This physical limit was later made operative by assuming that the natural dimension of a therapeutic group is around 12 people. Bion introduced a theory of the group aspects of the mind in which proto-mental individual states spontaneously evolve into shared psychological states that are characterized by a series of features: (1) they emerge as a consequence of the natural tendency of (both conscious and unconscious) emotions to combine into structured group patterns; (2) they have a certain degree of stability in time; (3) they tend to alternate so that the dissolution of one is rapidly followed by the emergence of another; (4) they can be described in qualitative terms according to the nature of the emotional mix that dominates the state, in structural terms by a kind of typical "leadership" pattern, and in "cognitive" terms by a set of implicit expectations that are helpful in explaining the group behavior (i.e., the group behaves "as if" it was assuming that). Here we adopt a formal approach derived from Socio-physics in order to explore some of the structural and dynamic properties of this small group dynamics. We will described data from an analytic DS model simulating small group interactions of agents endowed with a very simplified emotional and cognitive dynamic in order to assess the following main points: (1) are metastable collective states allowed to emerge in the model and if so, under which conditions in the parameter space? (2) can these states be differentiated in structural terms? (3) to what extent are the emergent dynamic features of the systems dependent of the system size? We will finally discuss possible future applications of the quantitative descriptions of the interaction structure in the small group clinical setting.

Modelling of the costs of decision support for small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viera Tomišová

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The support of decision-making activities in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME has its specific features. When suggesting steps for the implementation of decision-support tools in the enterprise, we identified two main ways of decision-making support based on the data analysis: ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning without BI (Business Intelligence and ERP with BI. In our contribution, we present costs models of both mentioned decision support systems and their practical interpretation.

Detection algorithm of infrared small target based on improved SUSAN operator

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xingmiao; Wang, Shicheng; Zhao, Jing

2010-10-01

The methods of detecting small moving targets in infrared image sequences that contain moving nuisance objects and background noise is analyzed in this paper. A novel infrared small target detection algorithm based on improved SUSAN operator is put forward. The algorithm selects double templates for the infrared small target detection: one size is greater than the small target point size and another size is equal to the small target point size. First, the algorithm uses the big template to calculate the USAN of each pixel in the image and detect the small target, the edge of the image and isolated noise pixels; Then the algorithm uses the another template to calculate the USAN of pixels detected in the first step and improves the principles of SUSAN algorithm based on the characteristics of the small target so that the algorithm can only detect small targets and don't sensitive to the edge pixels of the image and isolated noise pixels. So the interference of the edge of the image and isolate noise points are removed and the candidate target points can be identified; At last, the target is detected by utilizing the continuity and consistency of target movement. The experimental results indicate that the improved SUSAN detection algorithm can quickly and effectively detect the infrared small targets.

Non-farm businesses local economic integration level: the case of six Portuguese small and medium-sized Markettowns - a sector approach

OpenAIRE

Diniz, Francisco

2004-01-01

Small and medium-sized towns in rural areas are of particular interest at this stage in the evolution of the European CAP. Serious consideration is being given to mechanisms that could transfer resources from the agricultural sector into a more diversified rural economy in order to safeguard the well-being of both the farming community and the wider rural population while still preserving the environmental assets which are such a valued feature of Europe's rural areas. Small and medium-sized ...

Communicating Hydrocephalus Associated with Small- to Medium-Sized Vestibular Schwannomas: Clinical Significance of the Tumor Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Map.

Science.gov (United States)

Taniguchi, Masaaki; Nakai, Tomoaki; Kohta, Masaaki; Kimura, Hidehito; Kohmura, Eiji

2016-10-01

The etiology of hydrocephalus associated with the small- to medium-sized vestibular schwannomas is still controversial. We investigated tumor-specific factors related to the association of hydrocephalus with small- to medium-sized vestibular schwannomas. Among the 77 patients with vestibular schwannoma smaller than 30 mm, 9 patients demonstrated associated communicating hydrocephalus. Patient medical records, radiologic data, and histopathologic specimens were reviewed retrospectively. The age of the patients, and size, mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, and histologic features of the tumors were compared with those of patients without hydrocephalus. The symptoms related to hydrocephalus improved in all patients after tumor removal. Both the mean size and ADC values exhibited a statistically significant difference between the tumors with and without hydrocephalus (P hydrocephalus. The increased tumor ADC value was considered to be the result of degenerative change and suggested the involvement of protein sloughing in the etiology of the associated hydrocephalus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavior of small-sized BWR fuel under reactivity initiated accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, Kazuaki; Fujishiro, Toshio; Horiki, Oichiro; Chen Dianshan; Takeuchi, Kiyoshi.

1992-01-01

The present work was performed on this small-sized BWR fuel, where Zr liner and rod prepressurization were taken as experimental parameters. Experiment was done under simulated reactivity initiated accident (RIA) conditions at Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR) belonged to Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). Major remarks obtained are as follows: (1) Three different types of the fuel rods consisted of (a) Zr lined/pressurized (0.65MPa), (b) Zr lined/non-pressurized and (c) non-Zr lined/pressurized (o.65MPa) were used, respectively. Failure thresholds of these were not less than that (260 cal/g·fuel) described in Japanese RIA Licensing Guideline. Small-sized BWR and conventional 8 x 8 BWR fuels were considered to be in almost the same level in failure threshold. Failure modes of the three were (a) cladding melt/brittle, (b) cladding melt/brittle and (c) rupture by large ballooning, respectively. (2) The magnitude of pressure pulse at fuel fragmentation was also studied by lined/pressurized and non-lined/pressurized fuels. Above the energy deposition of 370 cal/g·fuel, mechanical energy (or pressure) was found to be released from these fragmented fuels. No measurable difference was, however, observed between the tested fuels and NSRR standard (and conventional 8 x 8 BWR) fuels. (3) It is worthy of mentioning that Zr liner tended to prevent the cladding from large ballooning. Non-lined/pressurized fuel tended to cause wrinkle deformation at cladding. Hence, cladding external was notched much by the wrinkles. (4) Time to fuel failure measured from the tested BWR fuels (pressurization < 0.6MPA) was longer than that measured from PWR fuels (pressurization < 3.2MPa). The magnitude of the former was of the order of 3 ∼ 6s, while that of the latter was < 1s. (J.P.N.)

Small-angle light scattering by airborne particulates: Environnement S.A. continuous particulate monitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renard, Jean-Baptiste; Gaubicher, Bertrand; Thaury, Claire; Mineau, Jean-Luc

2010-01-01

Airborne particulate matter may have an effect on human health. It is therefore necessary to determine and control in real time the evolution of the concentration and mass of particulates in the ambient air. These parameters can be obtained using optical methods. We propose here a new instrument, 'CPM' (continuous particulate monitor), for the measurement of light scattered by ambient particulates at small angles. This geometry allows simultaneous and separate detections of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 fractions of airborne particulate matter, with no influence of their chemical nature and without using theoretical calculations. The ambient air is collected through a standard sampling head (PM10 inlet according to EN 12341, PM2.5 inlet according to EN 14907; or PM1, TSP inlets, standard US EPA inlets). The analysis of the first measurements demonstrates that this new instrument can detect, for each of the seven defined size ranges, real-time variations of particulate content in the ambient air. The measured concentrations (expressed in number per liter) can be converted into total mass concentrations (expressed in micrograms per cubic meter) of all fractions of airborne particulate matters sampled by the system. Periodic comparison with a beta-attenuation mass monitor (MP101M Beta Gauge Analyzer from Environnement S.A. company) allows the calculation of a calibration factor as a function of the mean particulate density that is used for this conversion. It is then possible to provide real-time relative variations of aerosol mass concentration

Prognostic Significance of Tumor Size of Small Lung Adenocarcinomas Evaluated with Mediastinal Window Settings on Computed Tomography

OpenAIRE

Sakao, Yukinori; Kuroda, Hiroaki; Mun, Mingyon; Uehara, Hirofumi; Motoi, Noriko; Ishikawa, Yuichi; Nakagawa, Ken; Okumura, Sakae

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: We aimed to clarify that the size of the lung adenocarcinoma evaluated using mediastinal window on computed tomography is an important and useful modality for predicting invasiveness, lymph node metastasis and prognosis in small adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We evaluated 176 patients with small lung adenocarcinomas (diameter, 1-3 cm) who underwent standard surgical resection. Tumours were examined using computed tomography with thin section conditions (1.25 mm thick on high-resolution ...

Does company size matter? Validation of an integrative model of safety behavior across small and large construction companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Brian H W; Yiu, Tak Wing; González, Vicente A

2018-02-01

Previous safety climate studies primarily focused on either large construction companies or the construction industry as a whole, while little is known about whether company size has significant effects on workers' understanding of safety climate measures and relationships between safety climate factors and safety behavior. Thus, this study aims to: (a) test the measurement equivalence (ME) of a safety climate measure across workers from small and large companies; (b) investigate if company size alters the causal structure of the integrative model developed by Guo, Yiu, and González (2016). Data were collected from 253 construction workers in New Zealand using a safety climate measure. This study used multi-group confirmatory factor analyses (MCFA) to test the measurement equivalence of the safety climate measure and structure invariance of the integrative model. Results indicate that workers from small and large companies understood the safety climate measure in a similar manner. In addition, it was suggested that company size does not change the causal structure and mediational processes of the integrative model. Both measurement equivalence of the safety climate measure and structural invariance of the integrative model were supported by this study. Practical applications: Findings of this study provided strong support for a meaningful use of the safety climate measure across construction companies in different sizes. Safety behavior promotion strategies designed based on the integrative model may be well suited for both large and small companies. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SU-E-T-432: Field Size Influence On the Electron and Photon Spectra Within Small MV Field Detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benmakhlouf, H; Andreo, P [Department of Medical Physics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm and Department of Physics, Medical Radiation Physics, Stockholm University (Sweden)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the influence of photon field size on the electron and photon fluence spectra in the active volume of small field detectors. Methods: The PENELOPE MC system based usercode PenEasy was used to calculate the material influence on the spectra by scoring the differential fluence in inserts of silicon, carbon, phosphorus and aluminium having 3 mm diameter and height. The spectra were then calculated inside the active volume of eleven detectors (ion chambers and solid-state detectors) whose geometry was simulated with great detail. The inserts/detectors were placed at 10 cm depth in a 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm water phantom and irradiated with 2.5 MeV photons and Varian Clinac 6 MV beams of small, medium and large size. Results: For all configurations, photon spectra in the scoring volume were similar to that in a small water volume except for additional characteristic x-ray peaks resulting from the material itself and from the materials surrounding the detectors (i.e. high-Z shielding the silicon). Electron fluence calculated in the inserts were up to 60% larger than in water; the difference increased with material density and decreasing field size. MC-calculated doses were compared to analytically determined collision kerma and restricted cema (cut-off=15keV). For the inserts, with large and medium fields K-col agreed with MC-dose, but K-col overestimated the dose for small fields due to lack of lateral CPE. For the detectors, up to 15% differences between K-col and the MC-dose were found. For all configurations the C-delta and MC-dose agreed within ±2%. Conclusion: The most relevant findings were that shielding affects substantially the photon spectra and material conditions the electron spectra, their field size dependence varying with the geometry configuration. These affect the values of factors entering into relative dosimetry.

Optimal unit sizing for small-scale integrated energy systems using multi-objective interval optimization and evidential reasoning approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, F.; Wu, Q.H.; Jing, Z.X.; Chen, J.J.; Zhou, X.X.

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a comprehensive framework including a multi-objective interval optimization model and evidential reasoning (ER) approach to solve the unit sizing problem of small-scale integrated energy systems, with uncertain wind and solar energies integrated. In the multi-objective interval optimization model, interval variables are introduced to tackle the uncertainties of the optimization problem. Aiming at simultaneously considering the cost and risk of a business investment, the average and deviation of life cycle cost (LCC) of the integrated energy system are formulated. In order to solve the problem, a novel multi-objective optimization algorithm, MGSOACC (multi-objective group search optimizer with adaptive covariance matrix and chaotic search), is developed, employing adaptive covariance matrix to make the search strategy adaptive and applying chaotic search to maintain the diversity of group. Furthermore, ER approach is applied to deal with multiple interests of an investor at the business decision making stage and to determine the final unit sizing solution from the Pareto-optimal solutions. This paper reports on the simulation results obtained using a small-scale direct district heating system (DH) and a small-scale district heating and cooling system (DHC) optimized by the proposed framework. The results demonstrate the superiority of the multi-objective interval optimization model and ER approach in tackling the unit sizing problem of integrated energy systems considering the integration of uncertian wind and solar energies. - Highlights: • Cost and risk of investment in small-scale integrated energy systems are considered. • A multi-objective interval optimization model is presented. • A novel multi-objective optimization algorithm (MGSOACC) is proposed. • The evidential reasoning (ER) approach is used to obtain the final optimal solution. • The MGSOACC and ER can tackle the unit sizing problem efficiently.

Mechanism of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals revealed

KAUST Repository

Afify, N. D.

2013-10-01

Clear understanding of the superior mechanical strength of nanometer-sized metal single crystals is required to derive advanced mechanical components retaining such superiority. Although high quality studies have been reported on nano-crystalline metals, the superiority of small single crystals has neither been fundamentally explained nor quantified to this date. Here we present a molecular dynamics study of aluminum single crystals in the size range from 4.1 nm to 40.5 nm. We show that the ultimate mechanical strength deteriorates exponentially as the single crystal size increases. The small crystals superiority is explained by their ability to continuously form vacancies and to recover them. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cell-size distribution and scaling in a one-dimensional Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami lattice model with continuous nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Néda, Zoltán; Járai-Szabó, Ferenc; Boda, Szilárd

2017-10-01

The Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (KJMA) growth model is considered on a one-dimensional (1D) lattice. Cells can grow with constant speed and continuously nucleate on the empty sites. We offer an alternative mean-field-like approach for describing theoretically the dynamics and derive an analytical cell-size distribution function. Our method reproduces the same scaling laws as the KJMA theory and has the advantage that it leads to a simple closed form for the cell-size distribution function. It is shown that a Weibull distribution is appropriate for describing the final cell-size distribution. The results are discussed in comparison with Monte Carlo simulation data.

In Good Company : When Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Acquire Multiplex Knowledge from Key Commercial Partners

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bojica, Ana Maria; Estrada Vaquero, Isabel; del Mar Fuentes-Fuentes, Maria

2018-01-01

This study explores the specific conditions under which key strategic alliances of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with commercial partners can become multiplex in knowledge exchange. Using survey data from a sample of 150 Spanish SMEs in the information and communication technology (ICT)

Traceable size determination of PMMA nanoparticles based on Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gleber, G; Cibik, L; Mueller, P; Krumrey, M [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestrasse 2-12, 10587 Berlin (Germany); Haas, S; Hoell, A, E-mail: gudrun.gleber@ptb.d [Helmholtz-Zentrum-Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie (HZB), Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

2010-10-01

The size and size distribution of PMMA nanoparticles has been investigated with SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) using monochromatized synchrotron radiation. The uncertainty has contributions from the wavelength or photon energy of the radiation, the scattering angle and the fit procedure for the obtained scattering curves. The wavelength can be traced back to the lattice constant of silicon, and the scattering angle is traceable via geometric measurements of the detector pixel size and the distance between the sample and the detector. SAXS measurements and data evaluations have been performed at different distances and photon energies for two PMMA nanoparticle suspensions with low polydispersity and nominal diameters of 108 nm and 192 nm, respectively, as well as for a mixture of both. The relative variation of the diameters obtained for different experimental conditions was below {+-} 0.3 %. The determined number-weighted mean diameters of (109.0 {+-} 0.7) nm and (188.0 {+-} 1.3) nm, respectively, are close to the nominal values.

Traceable size determination of PMMA nanoparticles based on Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)

Science.gov (United States)

Gleber, G.; Cibik, L.; Haas, S.; Hoell, A.; Müller, P.; Krumrey, M.

2010-10-01

The size and size distribution of PMMA nanoparticles has been investigated with SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) using monochromatized synchrotron radiation. The uncertainty has contributions from the wavelength or photon energy of the radiation, the scattering angle and the fit procedure for the obtained scattering curves. The wavelength can be traced back to the lattice constant of silicon, and the scattering angle is traceable via geometric measurements of the detector pixel size and the distance between the sample and the detector. SAXS measurements and data evaluations have been performed at different distances and photon energies for two PMMA nanoparticle suspensions with low polydispersity and nominal diameters of 108 nm and 192 nm, respectively, as well as for a mixture of both. The relative variation of the diameters obtained for different experimental conditions was below ± 0.3 %. The determined number-weighted mean diameters of (109.0 ± 0.7) nm and (188.0 ± 1.3) nm, respectively, are close to the nominal values.

Traceable size determination of PMMA nanoparticles based on Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gleber, G; Cibik, L; Mueller, P; Krumrey, M; Haas, S; Hoell, A

2010-01-01

The size and size distribution of PMMA nanoparticles has been investigated with SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) using monochromatized synchrotron radiation. The uncertainty has contributions from the wavelength or photon energy of the radiation, the scattering angle and the fit procedure for the obtained scattering curves. The wavelength can be traced back to the lattice constant of silicon, and the scattering angle is traceable via geometric measurements of the detector pixel size and the distance between the sample and the detector. SAXS measurements and data evaluations have been performed at different distances and photon energies for two PMMA nanoparticle suspensions with low polydispersity and nominal diameters of 108 nm and 192 nm, respectively, as well as for a mixture of both. The relative variation of the diameters obtained for different experimental conditions was below ± 0.3 %. The determined number-weighted mean diameters of (109.0 ± 0.7) nm and (188.0 ± 1.3) nm, respectively, are close to the nominal values.

78 FR 11745 - Small Business Size Regulations, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and Small...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-20

.... As published, the final regulations contain two points where the word ``small'' was inadvertently... and procedure, Government procurement, Government property, Loan programs-business, Small businesses...

MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES IN JALISCO: THEIR EVOLUTION, AND STRATEGIC CHALLENGES

OpenAIRE

Carlos Fong Reynoso; Moisés Alejandro Alarcón Osuna; Luis Ernesto Ocampo Figueroa

2014-01-01

The business structure in Jalisco, Mexico is primarily composed of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Thus, it is fundamentally necessary to understand the dynamics, evolution and above all, the strategic challenges of this sector in order to understand the state’s economic performance and the possibilities for future development in Jalisco. As a result, this study analyzes the evolution of the SMEs (known as PyME, in Spanish) in Mexico and Jalisco by using data from the Econom...

Robust Color Choice for Small-size League RoboCup Competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Zhou

2004-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the problem of choosing a set of most separable colors in a given environment is discussed. The proposed method models the process of generating theoretically computed best colors, printing of these colors through a color printer, and imaging the printed colors through a camera into an integrated framework. Thus, it provides a feasible way to generate practically best separable colors for a given environment with a set of given equipment. A real world application (robust color choice for small-size league RoboCup competition is used as an example to illustrate the proposed method. Experimental results on this example show the competitiveness of the colors learned from our algorithm compared to the colors adopted by other teams which are chosen via an extensive trial and error process using standard color papers.

Visual SLAM and Moving-object Detection for a Small-size Humanoid Robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin-Tien Wang

2010-09-01

Full Text Available In the paper, a novel moving object detection (MOD algorithm is developed and integrated with robot visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (vSLAM. The moving object is assumed to be a rigid body and its coordinate system in space is represented by a position vector and a rotation matrix. The MOD algorithm is composed of detection of image features, initialization of image features, and calculation of object coordinates. Experimentation is implemented on a small-size humanoid robot and the results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is efficient for robot visual SLAM and moving object detection.

Hip Hip Hurrah! Hip size inversely related to heart disease and total mortality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heitmann, B L; Lissner, L

2011-01-01

During the past decade a series of published reports have examined the value of studying the relation between hip circumferences and cardiovascular end points. Specifically, in a series of recent studies the independent effects of hip circumference have been studied after adjustment for general o...... for women than men, but is evident in both genders. In this 'viewpoint', we wish to draw attention to the emerging body of evidence and to encourage researchers to continue collecting measures of lower body size in their surveys....... obesity and/or waist circumference. These studies have been remarkable in terms of their consistency, and in the unexpected finding of an adverse effect of small hip size, after statistically correcting for differences in general and abdominal size. The hazard related to a small hip size may be stronger...

Simulation of Supply-Chain Networks: A Source of Innovation and Competitive Advantage for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giacomo Liotta

2012-11-01

Full Text Available On a daily basis, enterprises of all sizes cope with the turbulence and volatility of market demands, cost variability, and severe pressure from globally distributed competitors. Managing uncertainty about future demand requirements and volumes in supply-chain networks has become a priority. One of the ways to deal with uncertainty is the utilization of simulation techniques and tools, which provide greater predictability of decision-making outcomes. For example, simulation has been widely applied in decision-making processes related to global logistics and production networks at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels, where it is used to predict the impact of decisions before their implementation in complex and uncertain environments. Large enterprises are inclined to use simulation tools whereas small and medium-sized enterprises seem to underestimate its advantages. The objective of this article is to emphasize the relevance of simulation for the design and management of supply-chain networks from the perspective of small and medium-sized firms.

Prevalence of advanced adenomas in small and diminutive colon polyps using direct measurement of size.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Franklin C; Strum, Williamson B

2011-08-01

Most studies reporting polyp size use visual estimates. Determining the prevalence of advanced histology based on direct measurement of polyp size may help guide the management of polyps found at optical colonoscopy (OC) and CT colonography (CTC). We designed a large, prospective study to assess the prevalence of advanced adenomas based on direct measurement of polyp size by a certified pathologists' assistant as reported in the pathology report. Patients between 40 and 89 years of age who presented for screening colonoscopy were included in our study. Advanced adenomas were defined as ≥10 mm or ≥25% villous features, high grade dysplasia or cancer. Polyps were divided by size into three groups: diminutive (≤5 mm), small (6-9 mm) and large (≥10 mm). If more than one adenoma was present, the most advanced was used for analysis. We evaluated 6,905 consecutive patients referred for colonoscopy between January 2005 and December 2006. Of the 4,967 who met the inclusion criteria, the mean age was 58.8 and consisted of 59% women. Overall, 930 (18.7%) had an adenoma; 248 (5%) were advanced adenomas including 8 (0.16%) cancers. Of 89 polyps≥10 mm, 76 (85%) had advanced histology; of 247 polyps 6-9 mm, 67 (27%) were advanced; of 1,025 polyps ≤5 mm, 105 (10%) were advanced. Thus, 172 of 248 (69%) patients with advanced adenomas had small or diminutive adenomas. Our data indicate the majority (69%) of advanced adenomas are advanced adenomas (10%). These findings may help guide the management of sub-centimeter colon polyps found by OC or CTC.

Cash flow vs. collateral-based credit: performance of micro, small and medium-sized firms in transition economies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cassano, F.; Joeveer, K.; Švejnar, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 2 (2013), s. 269-300 ISSN 0967-0750 Institutional support: RVO:67985998 Keywords : micro, small and medium-sized enterprises * bank credit * firm performance Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.755, year: 2013

Airport level of service: A model according to departing passengers’ perceptions at a small-sized airport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max Well Elias Gonçalves

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study proposes a conceptual model of level of service evaluation to a small-sized airport with a focus on departing passengers. Design/Methodology: The variables selected to compose the model were chosen according to their adequacy to departing passengers and the airport’s characteristics. A survey was conducted, and, posteriorly, exploratory factor analysis was used in order to verify the adequacy of the conceptual model proposed and also to improve it according to the results obtained. Findings: The results show that the level of service of the airport is composed of three dimensions: airport characteristics, passenger processing, and prices. The relative importance of the dimensions according to their contribution to the composition of the airport’s overall level of service was also determined. Originality/value: The paper combines theoretical and practical findings in a model for level of service evaluation to a small-sized airport from an air transportation management perspective.

Large lepton mixings from continuous symmetries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Everett, Lisa; Ramond, Pierre

2007-01-01

Within the broad context of quark-lepton unification, we investigate the implications of broken continuous family symmetries which result from requiring that in the limit of exact symmetry, the Dirac mass matrices yield hierarchical masses for the quarks and charged leptons, but lead to degenerate light neutrino masses as a consequence of the seesaw mechanism, without requiring hierarchical right-handed neutrino mass terms. Quark mixing is then naturally small and proportional to the size of the perturbation, but lepton mixing is large as a result of degenerate perturbation theory, shifted from maximal mixing by the size of the perturbation. Within this approach, we study an illustrative two-family prototype model with an SO(2) family symmetry, and discuss extensions to three-family models

Scanner calibration of a small animal PET camera based on continuous LSO crystals and flat panel PSPMTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benlloch, J.M.; Carrilero, V.; Gonzalez, A.J.; Catret, J.; Lerche, Ch.W.; Abellan, D.; Garcia de Quiros, F.; Gimenez, M.; Modia, J.; Sanchez, F.; Pavon, N.; Ros, A.; Martinez, J.; Sebastia, A.

2007-01-01

We have constructed a small animal PET with four identical detector modules, each consisting of a continuous LYSO crystal attached to a Position Sensitive Photomultiplier Tube (PSPMT). The dimensions of the continuous crystal are 50x50 mm 2 and 10 mm thickness. The modules are separated 11 cm between each other in the scanner. In this paper we discuss the method used for the calibration of the camera for this special system with continuous detectors. We also present the preliminary values for the main performance parameters such as spatial and energy resolution, and sensitivity of the system

Assessment of Insert Sizes and Adapter Content in Fastq Data from NexteraXT Libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frances Susan Turner

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The Illumina NexteraXT transposon protocol is a cost effective way to generate paired end libraries. However the resulting insert size is highly sensitive to the concentration of DNA used, and the variation of insert sizes is often large. One consequence of this is some fragments may have an insert shorter than the length of a single read, particularly where the library is designed to produce overlapping paired end reads in order to produce longer continuous sequences. Such small insert sizes mean fewer longer reads, and also result in the presence of adapter at the end of the read. Here is presented a protocol to use publicly available tools to identify read pairs with small insert sizes and so likely to contain adapter, to check the sequence of the adapter, and remove adapter sequence from the reads. This protocol does not require a reference genome or prior knowledge of the sequence to be trimmed. Whilst the presence of fragments with small insert sizes may be a particular problem for NexteraXT libraries, the principle can be applied to any Illumina dataset in which the presence of such small inserts is suspected.

The APACHE survey hardware and software design: Tools for an automatic search of small-size transiting exoplanets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lattanzi M.G.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Small-size ground-based telescopes can effectively be used to look for transiting rocky planets around nearby low-mass M stars using the photometric transit method, as recently demonstrated for example by the MEarth project. Since 2008 at the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley (OAVdA, we have been preparing for the long-term photometric survey APACHE, aimed at finding transiting small-size planets around thousands of nearby early and mid-M dwarfs. APACHE (A PAthway toward the Characterization of Habitable Earths is designed to use an array of five dedicated and identical 40-cm Ritchey-Chretien telescopes and its observations started at the beginning of summer 2012. The main characteristics of the survey final set up and the preliminary results from the first weeks of observations will be discussed.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CSR CONCEPT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena Kaźmierczak

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article attempts to assess the importance of the environmental dimension of the concept of corporate social responsibility (Social Corporate Responsibility - CSR in small and medium-sized enterprises. The first part describes the essence of corporate social responsibility. The second part is the basic pillar of CSR, which is an ecological area. The third part presents the environmental efforts undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of CSR. The analysis was based on the literature available and data obtained from empirical research conducted by the writer. The results show that companies, however in different extent undertake ecological activities willingly. Furthermore, those activities benefit not only in terms of the environmental dimension of CSR, but also in other areas of the organization.

MACROECONOMIC CLIMATE AND THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES IN ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei Rădulescu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Small and medium size companies (SMEs represent the engine of the economy in the member states of the European Union. In Romania, SMEs entered the post-crisis cycle in 2013 after a severe adjustment process under the impact of the Great Recession. The economic performance of SMEs is strongly influenced by the macroeconomic climate. The important role of SMEs in the economy has determined the Romanian government to implement several measures in order to support their activity. The present paper highlights the mid-term macroeconomic outlook for Romania, as well as the recent developments related to SMEs, along with the main measures implemented by the Government over the past years in order to support the development of these companies.

Development of natural circulation small and medium sized boiling water reactor: HSBWR-600

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miki, Minoru; Horiuchi, Tetsuo; Yoshimoto, Yuichiro; Sumida, Isao; Murase, Michio; Akita, Minoru; Niino, Tsuyoshi

1988-01-01

In nuclear power generation, the development of large reactors has been promoted as the main energy source in Japan. However, world economy entered low growth age, and the growth of electric power demand slowed down. Accordingly, attention has been paid to the medium and small reactors that can cope with whatever needs by serializing their types in addition to the nuclear power plants of medium output matching to electric power demand. In order to cope with these new needs, the economical efficiency of medium and small reactors must be as close as possible to that of large reactors, and as the countermeasures to the demerits due to small size, those must be made into the plants having simplified systems and the safety easily acceptable to public. Hitachi Ltd. plans to develop the natural circulation type medium and small BWRs of 600 NWe output class, HSBWR-600, on the basis of the nuclear power plant technology based on the rich results of design and operation of BWRs obtained so far, and to rank them as one of the BWR series. The target of their development design, the circumstance of their development, the core design and the thermo-hydraulic characteristics, the reactor pressure vessel and in-core structures, the safety design, system design, building layout and the evaluation are reported. (Kako, I.)

A framework for effective implementation of lean production in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amine Belhadi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The present paper aims at developing an effective framework including all the components necessary for implementing lean production properly in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Design/methodology/approach: The paper begins with the review of the main existing framework of lean implementation in order to highlight shortcomings in the literature through a lack of suitable framework for small companies. To overcome this literature gap, data of successful initiatives of lean implementation were collected based on a multiple case study approach. These initiatives has been juxtaposed in order to develop a new, practical and effective framework that includes all the components (process, tools, success factors that are necessary to implement lean in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Findings: The proposed framework presents many significant contributions: First, it provides an overcoming for the limitations of the existing frameworks by proposing for consultants, researchers and organizations an effective framework for lean implementation in SMEs that allows SMEs to benefit from competitive advantages  gained by lean. Second, it brings together a set of the more essential and critical elements of lean implementation commonly used by SMEs and derived from the practical experiences of them in lean implementation. Finally, it highlights the successful experiences of small companies in implementing lean programs and then proves that lean can give a relevant results even for SMEs. Research limitations/implications: The proposed framework presents a number of limitations and still evokes extension for further researches: Although it was derived from practical experiences of SMEs, the proposed framework is not supported by practical implementation. On the other hand and even though the elements in the proposed framework from the practical experiences of four SMEs, the identified elements need to be generalized and enriching by conducting

Expansion And International Expansion Of Small-To Medium Sized Firms: The Role Of Finance

OpenAIRE

Jan Smolarski; Can Kut; Neil Wilner

2011-01-01

Small- to medium-sized firms are expected to show international growth at an early stage. Several factors may affect the outcome of initial efforts to expand and internationalize. Our research examines how equity based venture funding affects SME expansion and internationalization. We divide venture capital financing into two categories: incremental financing where firms receive their venture capital funding in portions and lump-sum venture funding where firms receive their funding in one lum...

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in international business: A survey of recent literature

OpenAIRE

Schmidt, Klaus-Dieter

1996-01-01

It is often argued that the process of globalization has mainly favoured large-scale multinational companies which are able to organize their business efficiently within internal hierarchies. However, globalization has not only pushed cross-border intra-finn transactions but also other arrangements among firms such as licensing or subcontracting that fall short of ownership involvements. This opens up new opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises, too. The paper provides a general ...

Market Potential Estimation of a Small and Medium Size Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, K. B.; Yang, M. H.; Lee, M. K.; Chung, W. S.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, S. S.; Lee, B. W.; Ryu, J. S.; Juhn, P. E.

2004-12-01

Technically, nuclear reactors which produce energy in the form of heat can supply energy products other than electricity, including district heat, process heat, potable water etc. Currently non-civil uses of nuclear energy are very limited civil applications except for a military nuclear powered ship and an energy usage in isolated areas. However, the future global environment and an energy resources scarcity could promote a significant usage of non-electrical applications on an industrial scale. Considering these situations, this report analyzed the following: (1) Worldwide non-electrical application of a small and medium sized nuclear reactor - survey the situation of the current technical applications, - survey the global market potential estimation for various applications (2) Technical cooperation potential in several countries - identify necessary conditions for nuclear cooperation, - select candidate countries: Morocco, UAE, Indonesia, Chile and Vietnam, - survey the energy and water situation, - survey the legal and international regime infrastructure

Fatigue-crack propagation in gamma-based titanium aluminide alloys at large and small crack sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruzic, J.J.; Campbell, J.P.; Ritchie, R.O.

1999-01-01

Most evaluations of the fracture and fatigue-crack propagation properties of γ+α 2 titanium aluminide alloys to date have been performed using standard large-crack samples, e.g., compact-tension specimens containing crack sizes which are on the order of tens of millimeters, i.e., large compared to microstructural dimensions. However, these alloys have been targeted for applications, such as blades in gas-turbine engines, where relevant crack sizes are much smaller ( 5 mm) and (c ≅ 25--300 microm) cracks in a γ-TiAl based alloy, of composition Ti-47Al-2Nb-2Cr-0.2B (at.%), specifically for duplex (average grain size approximately17 microm) and refined lamellar (average colony size ≅150 microm) microstructures. It is found that, whereas the lamellar microstructure displays far superior fracture toughness and fatigue-crack growth resistance in the presence of large cracks, in small-crack testing the duplex microstructure exhibits a better combination of properties. The reasons for such contrasting behavior are examined in terms of the intrinsic and extrinsic (i.e., crack bridging) contributions to cyclic crack advance

SMALL GRAIN 1, which encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4, influences grain size in rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Penggen; Rao, Yuchun; Zeng, Dali; Yang, Yaolong; Xu, Ran; Zhang, Baolan; Dong, Guojun; Qian, Qian; Li, Yunhai

2014-02-01

Although grain size is one of the most important components of grain yield, little information is known about the mechanisms that determine final grain size in crops. Here we characterize rice small grain1 (smg1) mutants, which exhibit small and light grains, dense and erect panicles and comparatively slightly shorter plants. The short grain and panicle phenotypes of smg1 mutants are caused by a defect in cell proliferation. The smg1 mutations were identified, using a map-based cloning approach, in mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (OsMKK4). Relatively higher expression of OsMKK4/SMG1 was detected in younger organs than in older ones, consistent with its role in cell proliferation. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-OsMKK4/SMG1 fusion proteins appear to be distributed ubiquitously in plant cells. Further results revealed that OsMKK4 influenced brassinosteroid (BR) responses and the expression of BR-related genes. Thus, our findings have identified OsMKK4 as a factor for grain size, and suggest a possible link between the MAPK pathways and BRs in grain growth. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flowering and fruiting intensity of small - sized tomato, due to the regulation of the quantity of light reaching the plant top

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Dobromilska

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The experiments were carried out in 2001-2003 in a high unheated plastic tunnel. The influence of reduction of leaves and application of reflection matter on flowering and fruiting of small-sized tomato was studied. The experiment focused on the following factors: methods of increasing the amount of light in plant tops (reflection matter, cutting leaves, reflection matter + cutting leaves and cultivars of small sized tomato ('Conchita F1', 'Picolino F1'. The cutting of leaves and reflection matter mulching resulted in the increase of the intensity of radiation reaching plant tops and the reflected radiation. The above measures increasing the light access to plant tops significantly increased the number of flowers, germs and fruits. The reflection matter mulching along with cutting leaves resulted in the substantial growth of early yield of small-sized tomato. The 'Conchita F1' cultivar set a relatively greater number of flowers and fruits on a plant and in cluster than 'Picolino F1'.

Optical Detection and Sizing of Single Nano-Particles Using Continuous Wetting Films

Science.gov (United States)

Hennequin, Yves; McLeod, Euan; Mudanyali, Onur; Migliozzi, Daniel; Ozcan, Aydogan; Dinten, Jean-Marc

2013-01-01

The physical interaction between nano-scale objects and liquid interfaces can create unique optical properties, enhancing the signatures of the objects with sub-wavelength features. Here we show that the evaporation on a wetting substrate of a polymer solution containing sub-micrometer or nano-scale particles creates liquid micro-lenses that arise from the local deformations of the continuous wetting film. These micro-lenses have properties similar to axicon lenses that are known to create beams with a long depth of focus. This enhanced depth of focus allows detection of single nanoparticles using a low magnification microscope objective lens, achieving a relatively wide field-of-view, while also lifting the constraints on precise focusing onto the object plane. Hence, by creating these liquid axicon lenses through spatial deformations of a continuous thin wetting film, we transfer the challenge of imaging individual nano-particles to detecting the light focused by these lenses. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the detection and sizing of single nano-particles (100 and 200 nm), CpGV granuloviruses as well as Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria over a wide field of view of e.g., 5.10×3.75 mm2 using a ×5 objective lens with a numerical aperture of 0.15. In addition to conventional lens-based microscopy, this continuous wetting film based approach is also applicable to lensfree computational on-chip imaging, which can be used to detect single nano-particles over a large field-of-view of e.g., >20-30 mm2. These results could be especially useful for high-throughput field-analysis of nano-scale objects using compact and cost-effective microscope designs. PMID:23889001

Size and importance of small electrical end uses in households

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Broderick, J R; Zogg, R A; Alberino, D L

1998-07-01

Miscellaneous end uses (an energy-consumption category in the residential sector) has recently emerged with more importance than ever before. Miscellaneous end uses are a collection of numerous end uses (often unrelated in technology or market characteristics) that individually are small consumers but when grouped together can become notable in size. The Annual Energy Outlook 1998, published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), suggests that about 32% of residential electricity use in 1996 is attributable to miscellaneous end uses (21% from the Other Uses category and 11% from other miscellaneous categories). The EIA predicts this consumption will grow to about 47% of residential electricity use by 2010. Other studies have shown substantial consumption in this category, and forecast substantial future growth as well. However, it is not clear that the current accounting structure of the miscellaneous category is the most appropriate one, nor that the forecast growth in consumption will materialize. A bottom-up study on a collection of miscellaneous electric end uses was performed to better understand this complex, ill-defined category. Initial results show that many end uses can be categorized more appropriately, such as furnace fans, which belong in Space Heating. A recommended categorization reduces the Other Uses category from 21% to 12% of electric consumption estimated in 1996. Thus, the consumption from miscellaneous end uses is not nearly as large as thought. Furthermore, the growth rate associated with small end uses is projected to be lower relative to projections from other sources.

Small Lesion Size Is Associated with Sleep-Related Epilepsy in Focal Cortical Dysplasia Type II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Jin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo investigate the neuroimaging and clinical features associated with sleep-related epilepsy (SRE in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD type II.MethodsPatients with histopathologically proven FCD type II were included from three epilepsy centers. SRE was defined according to the video EEG findings and seizure history. Cortical surface reconstruction and volume calculation were performed using FreeSurfer. The lesions were manually delineated on T1 volumetric MRI using the ITK-SNAP software. The lesion volumes were normalized by the intracranial volume of each patient. The lesions were classified as small or large by placing a threshold based on quantitative (whether the lesion was detected on MRI report and qualitative (volume criteria.ResultsA total of 77 consecutive patients were included. Of them, 36 had SRE and 41 had non-SRE. An earlier age of epilepsy onset, high seizure frequency, regional interictal EEG findings, and favorable surgical outcome were characteristic in both groups. Small lesions were defined as those having a volume <3,217 mm3. In total, 60.9% of the patients with SRE (25/41 had small FCD lesion, which was significantly higher than the non-SRE group (9/34, 26.5%, p = 0.005. Small lesion size was the only predictor significantly associated with SRE in the overall type II group by multivariate analyses (p = 0.016. Although the proportion of patients who had frontal FCD and SRE was higher than non-frontal FCD (54.5 vs. 27.3%, p = 0.043, the relationship between SRE and lesion location was not confirmed by multivariate analysis. Thalamic volume and seizure semiology were not statistically different between the SRE and non-SRE group. The significant association between lesion size and SRE was reproducible in type IIb and IIa subgroups.SignificanceSRE is common in patients with FCD type II. Small FCD type II lesions are significantly associated with SRE. Although our findings cannot be applied to

Association of prenatal phenobarbital and phenytoin exposure with small head size at birth and with learning problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dessens, A. B.; Cohen-Kettenis, P. T.; Mellenbergh, G. J.; Koppe, J. G.; van de Poll, N. E.; Boer, K.

2000-01-01

Small head size has been observed in prenatally anticonvulsant-exposed neonates. In infancy, cognitive impairments were revealed. It is presently unknown whether these impairments are permanent or disappear after puberty. We studied the link between the prenatal influence of anticonvulsants on brain

Billboard and its role in the marketing strategy of small and medium-sized enterprises

OpenAIRE

Mikolajová, Kamila

2013-01-01

The main objective of this work was to clarify the role billboard in the marketing strategy of small and medium-sized enterprise. The theoretical part deals with marketing and commercial communications, their mixes and process of creation. This work also analyzes the billboard as one of the types of outdoor advertising. It provides a detailed look at its advantages, disadvantages, characteristics that should be considered when choosing media. It also provides guidance on how it should look li...

Performance of a Full-Size Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber Prototype for the ALTAS New Small Wheel Muon Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Weber, Stephen; The ATLAS collaboration

2015-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will be increased up to a factor of five with respect to the present design value by undergoing an extensive upgrade program over the coming decade. The most important upgrade project for the ATLAS Muon System is the replacement of the present first station in the forward regions with the so-called New Small Wheels (NSWs). The NSWs will be installed during the LHC long shutdown in 2018/19. Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber (sTGC) detectors are designed to provide fast trigger and high precision muon tracking under the high luminosity LHC conditions. To validate the design, a full-size prototype sTGC detector of approximately 1.2 × 1.0 m^2 consisting of four gaps has been constructed. Each gap provides pad, strip and wire readouts. The sTGC intrinsic spatial resolution has been measured in a 32 GeV pion beam test at Fermilab. At perpendicular incidence angle, single gap position resolutions of about 50 μm have been obtained, uniform along the sTGC ...

Performance of a Full-Size Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber Prototype for the ATLAS New Small Wheel Muon Upgrade

CERN Document Server

Abusleme, Angel; Bellerive, A.; Benhammou, Y.; Botte, J.; Cohen, H.; Davies, M.; Du, Y.; Gauthier, L.; Koffas, T.; Kuleshov, S.; Lefebvre, B.; Li, C.; Lupu, N.; Mikenberg, G.; Mori, D.; Ochoa-Ricoux, J.P.; Perez Codina, E.; Rettie, S.; Robichaud-Véronneau, A.; Rojas, R.; Shoa, M.; Smakhtin, V.; Stelzer, B.; Stelzer-Chilton, O.; Toro, A.; Torres, H.; Ulloa, P.; Vachon, B.; Vasquez, G.; Vdovin, A.; Viel, S.; Walker, P.; Weber, S.; Zhu, C.

2016-01-01

The instantaneous luminosity of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will be increased up to a factor of five with respect to the present design value by undergoing an extensive upgrade program over the coming decade. The most important upgrade project for the ATLAS Muon System is the replacement of the present first station in the forward regions with the so-called New Small Wheels (NSWs). The NSWs will be installed during the LHC long shutdown in 2018/19. Small-Strip Thin Gap Chamber (sTGC) detectors are designed to provide fast trigger and high precision muon tracking under the high luminosity LHC conditions. To validate the design, a full-size prototype sTGC detector of approximately 1.2 $\\times$ $1.0\\, \\mathrm{m}^2$ consisting of four gaps has been constructed. Each gap provides pad, strip and wire readouts. The sTGC intrinsic spatial resolution has been measured in a $32\\, \\mathrm{GeV}$ pion beam test at Fermilab. At perpendicular incidence angle, single gap position resolutions of about $50\\,\\mathrm{\\mu m...

Comparison of the selected conditions of the small and medium-sized enterprise in the Czech Republic and EU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helena Chládková

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Companies classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs account for a large proportion of Europe’s economic and professional activity. In practice, 99 % of business in the European Union are SMEs, and they provide two–thirds of all private sector jobs. So small firms are, in fact, the real ­giants of the European economy. Micro–business dominate employment in countries such as Italy 47 % and Poland 41 %, whilst the share of large enterprises in total employment in the United Kingdom is just 46 %.During the recent period of time there have been many researchers from the FBE MUAF in Brno, who focused on the analysis of the small and medium-sized enterprise, e.g. Nerudová (2006; Nerudová and Bohušová (2006; Kubíčková and Presová (2006; Zrůst and Pyšný (2008; Živělová and Zichová (2002.This paper is the part of the Research proposal MSM 6215648904 being solved at the FBE MUAF in Brno.

Bimodal Nanoparticle Size Distributions Produced by Laser Ablation of Microparticles in Aerosols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nichols, William T.; Malyavanatham, Gokul; Henneke, Dale E.; O'Brien, Daniel T.; Becker, Michael F.; Keto, John W.

2002-01-01

Silver nanoparticles were produced by laser ablation of a continuously flowing aerosol of microparticles in nitrogen at varying laser fluences. Transmission electron micrographs were analyzed to determine the effect of laser fluence on the nanoparticle size distribution. These distributions exhibited bimodality with a large number of particles in a mode at small sizes (3-6-nm) and a second, less populated mode at larger sizes (11-16-nm). Both modes shifted to larger sizes with increasing laser fluence, with the small size mode shifting by 35% and the larger size mode by 25% over a fluence range of 0.3-4.2-J/cm 2 . Size histograms for each mode were found to be well represented by log-normal distributions. The distribution of mass displayed a striking shift from the large to the small size mode with increasing laser fluence. These results are discussed in terms of a model of nanoparticle formation from two distinct laser-solid interactions. Initially, laser vaporization of material from the surface leads to condensation of nanoparticles in the ambient gas. Material evaporation occurs until the plasma breakdown threshold of the microparticles is reached, generating a shock wave that propagates through the remaining material. Rapid condensation of the vapor in the low-pressure region occurs behind the traveling shock wave. Measurement of particle size distributions versus gas pressure in the ablation region, as well as, versus microparticle feedstock size confirmed the assignment of the larger size mode to surface-vaporization and the smaller size mode to shock-formed nanoparticles

Current information technology needs of small to medium sized apparel manufacturers and contractors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wimple, C., LLNL

1998-04-01

This report documents recent efforts of the American Textile Partnership (AMTEX{sup TM}) Demand Activated Manufacturing Architecture (DAMA) Project to identify opportunities for cost effective enhanced information technology use by small to medium sized apparel manufacturers and contractors. Background on the AMTEX/DAMA project and objectives for the specific DAMA Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) effort are discussed in this section. The approach used to gather information about current opportunities or needs is outlined in Section 2 Approach, and relevant findings are identified and a brief analysis of the information gathered is presented in Section 3 Findings. Recommendations based on the analysis, are offered in Section 4 Recommendations, and plans are suggested for DAMA follow-on in Section 5 Future Plans. Trip reports for each of the companies visited are contained in Appendix E - Company Trip Reports. These individual reports contain the data upon which the analysis presented in Section 3 Findings is based.

Drivers for OSH interventions in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Science.gov (United States)

Cagno, Enrico; Masi, Donato; Leão, Celina Pinto

2016-01-01

The debate concerning occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions has recently focused on the need of improving the evaluation of interventions, and in particular on the need for providing information about why the intervention worked or not, under what circumstances and in which context. Key concepts in the analysis of the context are the drivers, i.e., those factors enabling, fostering or facilitating OSH interventions. However, the concept of driver for an OSH intervention is both confused and contested. Although the term is widely used, there is little consensus on how drivers should be understood, how important they are in different contexts and how they can facilitate interventions. This exploratory study based on interviews with the owner-managers and the safety officers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) gives an overview of the most characteristic drivers for OSH interventions. The results will be used to make an initial evaluation of SMEs' needs, and will help orient interventions and future research.

eLEARNING - A CHANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ileana Hamburg

2005-12-01

Full Text Available eLearning through its flexibility and facility of access is seen as a major enabler of lifelong learning (LLL, as a catalyst of change and a chance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs to improve their business and to integrate into European market. But so far the eLearning in the context of vocational educational training has been mainly adopted by large enterprises, while only little activity can be observed in SMEs. The question arises what the chances and challenges for SMEs are and what is the experience with its usage. In this paper after a presentation of key issues in eLearning chances and challenges of eLearning for SMEs are discussed and experiences are exemplified by three EU-funded eLearning projects. The focus lies on the ongoing project ARIEL - Analysing and Reporting the Implementation of Electronic Learning in Europe - coordinated by the Institut Arbeit und Technik (IAT.

Small body size and extreme cortical bone remodeling indicate phyletic dwarfism in Magyarosaurus dacus (Sauropoda: Titanosauria).

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Koen; Csiki, Zoltan; Rogers, Kristina Curry; Weishampel, David B; Redelstorff, Ragna; Carballido, Jose L; Sander, P Martin

2010-05-18

Sauropods were the largest terrestrial tetrapods (>10(5) kg) in Earth's history and grew at rates that rival those of extant mammals. Magyarosaurus dacus, a titanosaurian sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Romania, is known exclusively from small individuals (dwarfism (phyletic nanism) in dinosaurs, but a recent study suggested that the small Romanian titanosaurs actually represent juveniles of a larger-bodied taxon. Here we present strong histological evidence that M. dacus was indeed a dwarf (phyletic nanoid). Bone histological analysis of an ontogenetic series of Magyarosaurus limb bones indicates that even the smallest Magyarosaurus specimens exhibit a bone microstructure identical to fully mature or old individuals of other sauropod taxa. Comparison of histologies with large-bodied sauropods suggests that Magyarosaurus had an extremely reduced growth rate, but had retained high basal metabolic rates typical for sauropods. The uniquely decreased growth rate and diminutive body size in Magyarosaurus were adaptations to life on a Cretaceous island and show that sauropod dinosaurs were not exempt from general ecological principles limiting body size.

Small numbers are sensed directly, high numbers constructed from size and density.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Eckart

2018-04-01

Two theories compete to explain how we estimate the numerosity of visual object sets. The first suggests that the apparent numerosity is derived from an analysis of more low-level features like size and density of the set. The second theory suggests that numbers are sensed directly. Consistent with the latter claim is the existence of neurons in parietal cortex which are specialized for processing the numerosity of elements in the visual scene. However, recent evidence suggests that only low numbers can be sensed directly whereas the perception of high numbers is supported by the analysis of low-level features. Processing of low and high numbers, being located at different levels of the neural hierarchy should involve different receptive field sizes. Here, I tested this idea with visual adaptation. I measured the spatial spread of number adaptation for low and high numerosities. A focused adaptation spread of high numerosities suggested the involvement of early neural levels where receptive fields are comparably small and the broad spread for low numerosities was consistent with processing of number neurons which have larger receptive fields. These results provide evidence for the claim that different mechanism exist generating the perception of visual numerosity. Whereas low numbers are sensed directly as a primary visual attribute, the estimation of high numbers however likely depends on the area size over which the objects are spread. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dry paths effectively reduce road mortality of small and medium-sized terrestrial vertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Niemi, Milla; Jääskeläinen, Niina C; Nummi, Petri; Mäkelä, Tiina; Norrdahl, Kai

2014-11-01

Wildlife passages are widely used mitigation measures designed to reduce the adverse impacts of roads on animals. We investigated whether road kills of small and medium-sized terrestrial vertebrates can be reduced by constructing dry paths adjacent to streams that pass under road bridges. The study was carried out in southern Finland during the summer of 2008. We selected ten road bridges with dry paths and ten bridges without them, and an individual dry land reference site for each study bridge on the basis of landscape and traffic features. A total of 307 dead terrestrial vertebrates were identified during the ten-week study period. The presence of dry paths decreased the amount of road-killed terrestrial vertebrates (Poisson GLMM; p road-kills on mammals was not such clear. In the mammal model, a lack of dry paths increased the amount of carcasses (p = 0.001) whereas the number of casualties at dry path bridges was comparable with dry land reference sites. A direct comparison of the dead ratios suggests an average efficiency of 79% for the dry paths. When considering amphibians and mammals alone, the computed effectiveness was 88 and 70%, respectively. Our results demonstrate that dry paths under road bridges can effectively reduce road-kills of small and medium-sized terrestrial vertebrates, even without guiding fences. Dry paths seemed to especially benefit amphibians which are a threatened species group worldwide and known to suffer high traffic mortality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Tax Compliance of Small and Medium Size Businesses in Cameroon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oludele Akinloye Akinboade

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Taxation provides a predictable and stable flow of revenue to finance development objectives. This is important in a country like Cameroon that has serious challenges with meeting its development objectives. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs are significant for economic growth in the country, contributing as much as about 22 percent of the gross domestic product. SMEs generate taxable incomes. They also collect employment and value added taxes on behalf of the government. Taxation, however, imposes high cost to small businesses. SMEs are less tax compliant in comparison to large businesses. SMEs are considered the ‘hard to tax group from the informal sector.’ As such, the literature suggests that only a fraction of their taxable incomes is reported to tax authorities. Against this background, factors that correlate with tax compliance of 575 small and medium size companies in Cameroon are discussed from a survey of companies in the manufacturing and wholesale sectors. High registration cost and time-consuming processes promote tax non-compliance. The perception that tax system is corrupt discourages registration and filing compliance. When there are too many compliance hurdles, the probability of filing compliance is reduced. However, a fair and static system encourages filing and registration compliance. A clear and consistent tax system promotes filing compliance. Authorities that understand their responsibilities and are willing to respond to enquiries during the registration process promote tax compliance in general.

Particle size determination in small solid propellant rocket motors using the diffractively scattered light method.

OpenAIRE

Cramer, Robert Grewelle.

1982-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited A dual beam apparatus was developed which simultaneously measured particle size (D32) at the entrance and exit of an exhaust nozzle of a small solid propellant rocket motor. The diameters were determined using measurements of dif fractiveiy scattered laser power spectra. The apparatus was calibrated by using spherical glass beads and aluminum oxide powder. Measurements were successfully made at both locations. Because of...

Analyzing the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises of a national technology innovation research and development program

OpenAIRE

Park, Sungmin

2014-01-01

This study analyzes the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of a national technology innovation research and development (R&D) program. In particular, an empirical analysis is presented that aims to answer the following question: “Is there a difference in the efficiency between R&D collaboration types and between government R&D subsidy sizes?” Methodologically, the efficiency of a government-sponsored R&D project (i.e., GSP) is measured by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), ...

A 10-step safety management framework for construction small and medium-sized enterprises.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunduz, Murat; Laitinen, Heikki

2017-09-01

It is of great importance to develop an occupational health and safety management system (OHS MS) to form a systemized approach to improve health and safety. It is a known fact that thousands of accidents and injuries occur in the construction industry. Most of these accidents occur in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This article provides a 10-step user-friendly OHS MS for the construction industry. A quantitative OHS MS indexing method is also introduced in the article. The practical application of the system to real SMEs and its promising results are also presented.

Variability of the raindrop size distribution at small spatial scales

Science.gov (United States)

Berne, A.; Jaffrain, J.

2010-12-01

Because of the interactions between atmospheric turbulence and cloud microphysics, the raindrop size distribution (DSD) is strongly variable in space and time. The spatial variability of the DSD at small spatial scales (below a few km) is not well documented and not well understood, mainly because of a lack of adequate measurements at the appropriate resolutions. A network of 16 disdrometers (Parsivels) has been designed and set up over EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. This network covers a typical operational weather radar pixel of 1x1 km2. The question of the significance of the variability of the DSD at such small scales is relevant for radar remote sensing of rainfall because the DSD is often assumed to be uniform within a radar sample volume and because the Z-R relationships used to convert the measured radar reflectivity Z into rain rate R are usually derived from point measurements. Thanks to the number of disdrometers, it was possible to quantify the spatial variability of the DSD at the radar pixel scale and to show that it can be significant. In this contribution, we show that the variability of the total drop concentration, of the median volume diameter and of the rain rate are significant, taking into account the sampling uncertainty associated with disdrometer measurements. The influence of this variability on the Z-R relationship can be non-negligible. Finally, the spatial structure of the DSD is quantified using a geostatistical tool, the variogram, and indicates high spatial correlation within a radar pixel.

PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN UKRAINIAN AGRICULTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Pimenova

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Main directions of development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukrainian agriculture are examined. It is determined that entrepreneurship in agrarian sector is a driving force behind the development of agriculture, as these activities contributes to the production of quality agricultural products that satisfies the needs of society, food security, independence and improves the living standards of rural population. Potential customers of small parties of harvest in Ukrainian grain market are analyzed. The ways of mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukrainian farmers and entrepreneurs are proved. The study of foreign experience has proven that strengthening the competitiveness of Ukrainian agricultural products in the context of globalization is possible on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation of Ukrainian farmers and entrepreneurs, where recent purchase of output at market prices for the purpose of resale or creation of agricultural cooperatives, such form of economy in agrarian relations that combines a balanced economic, social and environmental components. In particular in paper is shown that sustainable economic management provide only forms of economy that take into account the socioeconomic and geophysical specifics of agriculture, particularities of agricultural labor and methods of management. The most common among these forms are farmers.

A Bayesian Approach to International Distributor Selection for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Software Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Lui, Joseph P.

2013-01-01

Identifying appropriate international distributors for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the software industry for overseas markets can determine a firm's future endeavors in international expansion. SMEs lack the complex skills in market research and decision analysis to identify suitable partners to engage in global market entry.…

Cash flow vs. collateral-based credit: performance of micro, small and medium-sized firms in transition economies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cassano, F.; Joeveer, K.; Švejnar, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 2 (2013), s. 269-300 ISSN 0967-0750 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP402/10/2130 Institutional support: PRVOUK-P23 Keywords : micro, small and medium-sized enterprises * bank credit * firm performance Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.755, year: 2013

Fetal size in the second trimester is associated with the duration of pregnancy, small fetuses having longer pregnancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasmussen Svein

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Conventionally, the pregnancy duration is accepted to be 280–282 days. Fetuses determined by ultrasound biometry to be small in early pregnancy, have an increased risk of premature birth. We speculate that the higher rate of preterm delivery in such small fetuses represents a pathological outcome not applicable to physiological pregnancies. Here we test the hypothesis that in low-risk pregnancies fetal growth (expressed by fetal size in the second trimester is itself a determinant for pregnancy duration with the slower growing fetuses having a longer pregnancy. Methods We analysed duration of gestation data for 541 women who had a spontaneous delivery having previously been recruited to a cross-sectional study of 650 low-risk pregnancies. All had a regular menses and a known date of their last menstrual period (LMP. Subjects were examined using ultrasound to determine fetal head circumference (HC, abdominal circumference (AC and femur length (FL at 10–24 weeks of gestation. Length of the pregnancy was calculated from LMP, and birth weights were noted. The effect of fetal size at 10–24 weeks of gestation on pregnancy duration was assessed also when adjusting for the difference between LMP and ultrasound based fetal age. Results Small fetuses (z-score -2.5 at second trimester ultrasound scan had lower birth weights (p Conclusion Fetal size in the second trimester is a determinant of birth weight and pregnancy duration, small fetuses having lower birth weights and longer pregnancies (up to 13 days compared with large fetuses. Our results support a concept of individually assigned pregnancy duration according to growth rates rather than imposing a standard of 280–282 days on all pregnancies.

Operating range, hold-up, droplet size and axial mixing of pulsed plate columns in highly disperse and low-continuity volume flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, H.; Miller, H.

Operating behavior, hold-up, droplet size and axial mixing are investigated in highly disperse and slightly continuous volume flows in a pulsed plate column. The geometry of the column of 4-m length and 10-cm inside diameter was held constant. The hole shape of the column bases was changed, wherby the cylindrical, sharp-edge drilled hole is compared with the punched, nozzle-shaped hole in their effects on the fluid-dynamic behavior. In this case we varied the volume flows, the ratio of volume flows, the pulse frequency and the operating temperature. The operation was held constant for the aqueous, the organic, the continuous and the disperse phases. The objective was to demonstrate the applicability of pulsed plate columns with very large differences between the organic disperse and the aqueous continuous volume flow, to obtain design data for such columns and to perform a scale-up to industrial reprocessing plant-size. 18 references, 11 figures, 3 tables

Dosimetric parameters for small field sizes using Fricke xylenol gel, thermoluminescent and film dosimeters, and an ionization chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guzman Calcina, Carmen S; Oliveira, Lucas N de; Almeida, Carlos E de; Almeida, Adelaide de

2007-01-01

Dosimetric measurements in small therapeutic x-ray beam field sizes, such as those used in radiosurgery, that have dimensions comparable to or smaller than the build-up depth, require special care to avoid incorrect interpretation of measurements in regions of high gradients and electronic disequilibrium. These regions occur at the edges of any collimated field, and can extend to the centre of small fields. An inappropriate dosimeter can result in an underestimation, which would lead to an overdose to the patient. We have performed a study of square and circular small field sizes of 6 MV photons using a thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD), Fricke xylenol gel (FXG) and film dosimeters. PMMA phantoms were employed to measure lateral beam profiles (1 x 1, 3 x 3 and 5 x 5 cm 2 for square fields and 1, 2 and 4 cm diameter circular fields), the percentage depth dose, the tissue maximum ratio and the output factor. An ionization chamber (IC) was used for calibration and comparison. Our results demonstrate that high resolution FXG, TLD and film dosimeters agree with each other, and that an ionization chamber, with low lateral resolution, underestimates the absorbed dose. Our results show that, when planning small field radiotherapy, dosimeters with adequate lateral spatial resolution and tissue equivalence are required to provide an accurate basic beam data set to correctly calculate the absorbed dose in regions of electronic disequilibrium

Access to Finance for Female-led Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina

OpenAIRE

Qasim, Qursum

2018-01-01

Female-led Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), play a vital role as job creators, driving female participation in the economy, and boosting inclusive GDP growth. In addition to the direct economic impact of MSMEs, research shows that female-led enterprises employ more women, and that increased control over resources by women leads to improved health and education outcomes f...

Features of digital photogrammetry methods application and image processing in small and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samsonova N. V.

2018-05-01

Full Text Available the paper discusses the methods of survey enterprises employees effective training to use modern measurement systems and the need for further photogrammetric processing of the results obtained. Attention is also paid to integrated learning, based primarily on web content, the introduction of a social component in the development and familiarization with new photogrammetric equipment and technologies in order to increase the competitiveness of engineering and research small and medium-sized enterprises.

Effects of shape and size of inclusions on the sintering of ZnO-ZrO2 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakada, Yohsuke; Kimura, Toshio

1997-01-01

The densification behavior and microstructure development of ZnO matrices containing rigid ZrO 2 inclusions were studied, with special emphasis on the effect of inclusion shape and size. The inclusions retarded the densification of the matrix, regardless of the inclusion shape and size. For large inclusions with diameter of > 10 microm, dense regions developed between inclusion particles. The inclusion particles and dense regions formed a continuous network, which constrained the densification of the composites. The inclusion shape had a small effect on the development of dense regions. Severe retardation in densification was observed for compacts containing inclusions with diameters of < 10 microm. In these cases, dense regions between inclusion particles did not develop. The formation of the continuous network cannot be applicable to small inclusions as an origin of retardation of densification

Focus of B-to-B e-commerce initiatives and related benefits in manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elie, E.; Lefebvre, L.A.; Lefebvre, E.

2007-01-01

Empirical research into business-to-business e-commerce issues involving manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is still embryonic. In an attempt to partially fill this gap, this paper presents empirical data from an electronic survey conducted among 96 manufacturing SMEs to

Impact of pressure losses in small-sized parabolic-trough collectors for direct steam generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobón, David H.; Valenzuela, Loreto

2013-01-01

Using PTC (parabolic-trough solar collectors) for industrial thermal processes in the temperature range up to 300 °C is not new, but in recent years there is a boosted interest in this type of concentrating solar technology. One of the problems that arise when designing PTC solar fields is how to deal with the pressure losses which are critical when producing saturated steam directly in the collectors. Depending on the characteristics of the collector, mainly on the receiver diameter, and on the nominal process conditions defined, a solar field configuration can be feasible or not. This paper presents a sensitivity analysis done using a software tool developed to study the thermo-hydraulic behaviour of PTC systems using water-steam as heat transfer fluid. In the case study presented, a small-sized PTC designed for industrial process heat applications is considered, which has a focal length of 0.2 m, an aperture area of 2 m 2 , and its receiver pipe has an inner diameter of 15 mm. Varied process conditions are inlet water pressure, temperature, and mass flow rate, solar irradiance and incidence angle of solar radiation. Results show that working pressure definition is particularly critical to make feasible or not the direct steam generation in solar collectors. - Highlights: • DSG (Direct steam generation) in small-sized parabolic-trough collectors. • Thermo-hydraulic sensitivity analysis. • Influence of working pressure and receiver geometry in DSG process

Tax-saving, Innovative Incentives for Small and Medium - Sized Enterprises in Hungary

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Rita Ambrus

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The small-and medium-sized enterprises in the Hungarian economy have been playing a decisive role. Among the difficulties they face during their activities one of the most serious is to raise funds for their labour costs. They try to reduce their tax wedge burden, which is regarded one of the highest in Europe, in various ways. In order to keep the adequate workforce they can provide fringe benefits supplementing to wages and salaries. The cautious application of the referring acts enables companies to motivate workforce and reduce the tax and contribution burdens at the same time. Our research aimed to find an answer how SMEs take these advantages and what factors support or hinder the use of the system.

Traditional Small-Size Citrus from Taiwan: Essential Oils, Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Hung Chen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: The calamondin (Citrus microcarpa Bunge and the kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle are two small-size citrus fruits that have traditionally been consumed in Taiwan; however, there has been a lack of scientific research regarding the active compounds and functionalities of these fruits. Methods: Analysis of volatile composition of essential oil and phytosterol was carried out using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS. Flavonoid and limonoid were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC. Moreover, antioxidant capacity from their essential oils and extracts were assessed in vitro. Results: The compositions of the essential oils of both fruits were identified, with the results showing that the calamondin and kumquat contain identified 43 and 44 volatile compounds, respectively. In addition, oxygenated compounds of volatiles accounted for 4.25% and 2.04%, respectively, consistent with the fact that oxygenated compounds are generally found in high content in citrus fruits. In terms of flavonoids, the calamondin exhibited higher content than the kumquat, with disomin-based flavonoids being predominant; on the other hand, phytosterol content of kumquat was higher than that of calamondin, with amyrin being the dominant phytosterol. Both of them contain high amounts of limonoids. The ethanol extracts and essential oils of small-sized citrus fruits have been shown to have antioxidant effects, with those effects being closely related to the flavonoid content of the fruit in question. Conclusions: The present study also reviewed antioxidant activity in terms of specific bioactive compounds in order to find the underlying biological activity of both fruits. The calamondin and kumquat have antioxidant effects, which are in turn very important for the prevention of chronic diseases.

RFID Technology for Continuous Monitoring of Physiological Signals in Small Animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, Tobias; Gorbey, Stefan; Bhattacharyya, Mayukh; Gruenwald, Waldemar; Lemmer, Björn; Reindl, Leonhard M; Stieglitz, Thomas; Jansen, Dirk

2015-02-01

Telemetry systems enable researchers to continuously monitor physiological signals in unrestrained, freely moving small rodents. Drawbacks of common systems are limited operation time, the need to house the animals separately, and the necessity of a stable communication link. Furthermore, the costs of the typically proprietary telemetry systems reduce the acceptance. The aim of this paper is to introduce a low-cost telemetry system based on common radio frequency identification technology optimized for battery-independent operational time, good reusability, and flexibility. The presented implant is equipped with sensors to measure electrocardiogram, arterial blood pressure, and body temperature. The biological signals are transmitted as digital data streams. The device is able of monitoring several freely moving animals housed in groups with a single reader station. The modular concept of the system significantly reduces the costs to monitor multiple physiological functions and refining procedures in preclinical research.

Effects of growth rate, size, and light availability on tree survival across life stages: a demographic analysis accounting for missing values and small sample sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Moustakas, Aristides; Evans, Matthew R

2015-02-28

Plant survival is a key factor in forest dynamics and survival probabilities often vary across life stages. Studies specifically aimed at assessing tree survival are unusual and so data initially designed for other purposes often need to be used; such data are more likely to contain errors than data collected for this specific purpose. We investigate the survival rates of ten tree species in a dataset designed to monitor growth rates. As some individuals were not included in the census at some time points we use capture-mark-recapture methods both to allow us to account for missing individuals, and to estimate relocation probabilities. Growth rates, size, and light availability were included as covariates in the model predicting survival rates. The study demonstrates that tree mortality is best described as constant between years and size-dependent at early life stages and size independent at later life stages for most species of UK hardwood. We have demonstrated that even with a twenty-year dataset it is possible to discern variability both between individuals and between species. Our work illustrates the potential utility of the method applied here for calculating plant population dynamics parameters in time replicated datasets with small sample sizes and missing individuals without any loss of sample size, and including explanatory covariates.

IMPACT OF INNOVATION UPON THE DYNAMICS OF ROMANIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES

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JEANINA CIUREA

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Innovation is central to economic growth, as the area in which it develops takes the whole sphere of economic activities: product, process, service, organization, marketing, hence the economic effects they may cause. Creating "innovative enterprises", giving tax cuts to certain periods of time, preferential loans, creating funds 'risk capital' are just some of the measures that European countries which already apply and Romania, willing to encourage innovation. The present paper presents two ways of exposing this issue, using theoretical sources but also real official data concerning the concept of innovation and also the ways of applying it within small and medium sized enterprises.

Salary Management System for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Zhang; Guangli, Xu; Yuhuan, Zhang; Yilong, Lei

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the process of wage entry, calculation, the total number are needed to be done manually in the past, the data volume is quite large, processing speed is low, and it is easy to make error, which is resulting in low efficiency. The main purpose of writing this paper is to present the basis of salary management system, establish a scientific database, the computer payroll system, using the computer instead of a lot of past manual work in order to reduce duplication of staff labor, it will improve working efficiency.This system combines the actual needs of SMEs, through in-depth study and practice of the C/S mode, PowerBuilder10.0 development tools, databases and SQL language, Completed a payroll system needs analysis, database design, application design and development work. Wages, departments, units and personnel database file are included in this system, and have data management, department management, personnel management and other functions, through the control and management of the database query, add, delete, modify, and other functions can be realized. This system is reasonable design, a more complete function, stable operation has been tested to meet the basic needs of the work.

The influence of CEO gender on market orientation and performance in service small and medium-sized service businesses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Davis, Peter S.; Babakus, Emin; Englis-Danskin, Paula; Pett, Tim

2010-01-01

This study examines the effects of CEO gender on market orientation and performance (growth and profitability) among a sample of small and medium-sized service businesses. Gender was found to have significant indirect effects (via market orientation) on both market performance (growth) and financial

Sustainability in Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises: An Empirical Study

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I. Garbie

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this paper is to analyze and investigate sustainable practices in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs. A comprehensive analysis and a mathematical framework are used to assess the sustainability indexes (SDIs of each aspect/issue and pillar/dimension, and of the whole manufacturing enterprise. Sustainability in the whole manufacturing enterprise is represented by the sustainable development index (SDI. The results show that there is a significant difference in SDIs between aspects and dimensions, with economic sustainability representing the highest percentage in the SDI. Also, the results show that industrial companies are adopting sustainable practices and applying them to most of the issues/aspects of the dimensions, and they can direct manufacturing companies in the industrial sector to develop strategies for sustainability. This paper introduces a new understanding of the practices and implementation of sustainability/sustainable development by SMEs through assessing the SDIs.

Customer-oriented innovations in the energy market - involving small and medium-sized commercial customers in product development; Kundenorientierte Innovationen im Energiemarkt - die Einbeziehung von Gewerbekunden in die Produktentwicklung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papesch, G. [Stadtwerke Augsburg (Germany); Holzhauer, B.; Lueers, T. [Prof. Homburg und Partner, Mannheim (Germany)

2007-06-15

Boon or burden? Next to large industrial customers and private customers, small and medium-sized commercial customers are an important customer group for power supply companies. Being too small for a separate contract they are usually grouped together with private customers in a single customer group. However, this manner of business fails to do justice to the special needs and the potential of small and medium-sized commercial customers. Qualitative market research methods can give valuable impulses in attempts to develop innovative approaches that are more appropriate to the specific needs and requirements of small and medium-sized commercial customers, as the example set by Augsburg utilities demonstrates.

Measuring the Size of a Small, Frost World

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

Observing a very rare occultation of a star by Pluto's satellite Charon from three different sites, including Paranal, home of the VLT, astronomers were able to determine with great accuracy the radius and density of the satellite to the farthest planet. The density, 1.71 that of water, is indicative of an icy body with about slightly more than half of rocks. The observations also put strong constraints on the existence of an atmosphere around Charon. ESO PR Photo 02a/06 ESO PR Photo 02a/06 Artist's Impression of the Pluto-Charon system Since its discovery in 1978, Charon and Pluto have appeared to form a double planet, rather than a planet-satellite couple. Actually, Charon is about twice as small as Pluto in size, and about eight times less massive. However, there have been considerable discussions concerning the precise radii of Pluto and Charon, as well as about the presence of a tenuous atmosphere around Charon. In August 2004, Australian amateur astronomer Dave Herald predicted that the 15-magnitude star UCAC2 26257135 should be occulted by Charon on 11 July 2005. The occultation would be observable from some parts of South America, including Cerro Paranal, in the northern Atacama Desert, the location of ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). Stellar occultations have proved to be powerful tools to both measure sizes - at km-level accuracy, i.e. a factor ten better than what is feasible with other techniques - and detect very tenuous atmosphere - at microbar levels or less. Unfortunately, in the case of Charon, such occultations are extremely rare, owing to the very small angular diameter of the satellite on the sky: 55 milli-arcsec, i.e. the size of a one Euro coin observed from 100 km away! This explains why only one occultation by Charon was ever observed before 2005, namely on 7 April 1980 by Alistair Walker, from the South Africa Astronomical Observatory. Similarly, only in 1985, 1988 and 2002 could astronomers observe stellar occultations by Pluto. Quite

Genetic algorithm with small population size for search feasible control parameters for parallel hybrid electric vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Huei Cheng

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The control strategy is a major unit in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs. In order to provide suitable control parameters for reducing fuel consumptions and engine emissions while maintaining vehicle performance requirements, the genetic algorithm (GA with small population size is applied to search for feasible control parameters in parallel HEVs. The electric assist control strategy (EACS is used as the fundamental control strategy of parallel HEVs. The dynamic performance requirements stipulated in the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV is considered to maintain the vehicle performance. The known ADvanced VehIcle SimulatOR (ADVISOR is used to simulate a specific parallel HEV with urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS. Five population sets with size 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 are used in the GA. The experimental results show that the GA with population size of 25 is the best for selecting feasible control parameters in parallel HEVs.

Spatial filtering velocimetry revisited: exact short-time detecting schemes from arbitrarily small-size reticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, S; Nara, T; Kurihara, T

2014-01-01

Spatial filtering velocimetry was proposed in 1963 by Ator as a velocity-sensing technique for aerial camera-control systems. The total intensity of a moving surface is observed through a set of parallel-slit reticles, resulting in a narrow-band temporal signal whose frequency is directly proportional to the image velocity. However, even despite its historical importance and inherent technical advantages, the mathematical formulation of this technique is only valid when infinite-length observation in both space and time is possible, which causes significant errors in most applications where a small receptive window and high resolution in both axes are desired. In this study, we apply a novel mathematical technique, the weighted integral method, to solve this problem, and obtain exact sensing schemes and algorithms for finite (arbitrarily small but non-zero) size reticles and short-time estimation. Practical considerations for utilizing these schemes are also explored both theoretically and experimentally. (paper)

The role of strategic information systems planning a typical Small or Medium-sized Enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicky Meyer

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Little is known about how Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs are linked in a developing country. SISP has also been a concern for many in the Information Technology (IT industry and IT based businesses as a whole. This research seeks to address this shortcoming by exploring what constitutes a typical SME, what role Information Systems (ISs play in SMEs and what role SISP plays in SMEs. Consequently, a Delphi panel comprising a questionnaire in the first phase and an interview in the second phase was employed. Some correlation was found to exist with the literature, with the exception of the role of IS in SMEs, whether SISP is an on-going activity, and the fact that SISP can be outsourced. Some new facts were discovered, especially on the topic of outsourcing. Keywords: company strategy; strategic information systems planning; small and mediumsized enterprises; SME sustainability; stakeholders and management; Viewpoint Training and Consulting

Factors that influence planning for physical activity among workers in small- and medium-sized enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sawako Kawahara

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Physical activity (PA is necessary for improving the health of workers in small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs. However, behavioral changes conducive to PA are often difficult to achieve despite intentions. Because intention to perform PA does not always translate to action, proper planning may be critical for achieving PA. In this study, we aimed to identify factors related to planning for PA among workers in SMEs because this is one population that has been identified as being at higher risk for lifestyle-related diseases in Japan. Participants completed a series of validated questionnaires. Of 353 valid responses, 226 individuals (149 men; aged 47.5 ± 8.7 years stated their intention to perform PA. Multiple regression analysis indicated that a higher PA planning score was significantly associated with higher self-efficacy for PA (p < 0.001, higher risk perception regarding inactivity (p = 0.012, and greater knowledge of information about PA community services (p = 0.019. Therefore, we recommend that self-efficacy, risk perception, and information regarding PA community services are enhanced in the daily working lives of workers at their workplaces. In this manner, they can promote their planning of health behavioral changes in a supportive environment, drawing upon available services, supports, and other resources. Keywords: Workers, Planning, Intention, Physical activity, Small- and medium-sized enterprises

Steep Delay Discounting and Addictive Behavior: A Meta-Analysis of Continuous Associations

Science.gov (United States)

Amlung, Michael; Vedelago, Lana; Acker, John; Balodis, Iris; MacKillop, James

2016-01-01

Aims To synthesize continuous associations between delayed reward discounting (DRD) and both addiction severity and quantity-frequency (QF); to examine moderators of these relationships; and to investigate publication bias. Methods Meta-analysis of published studies examining continuous associations between DRD and addictive behaviors. Published, peer-reviewed studies on addictive behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, stimulants, opiates, and gambling) were identified via PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsycInfo. Studies were restricted to DRD measures of monetary gains. Random effects meta-analysis was conducted using Pearson’s r as the effect size. Publication bias was evaluated using fail-safe N, Begg-Mazumdar and Egger’s tests, meta-regression of publication year and effect size, and imputation of missing studies. Results The primary meta-analysis revealed a small magnitude effect size that was highly significant (r = 0.14, p addictive behavior (p = 0.30) or DRD assessment (p = 0.90). Indices of publication bias suggested a modest impact of unpublished findings. Conclusions Delayed reward discounting is robustly associated with continuous measures of addiction severity and quantity-frequency. This relation is generally robust across type of addictive behavior and delayed reward discounting assessment modality. PMID:27450931

Feasibility of using a dose-area product ratio as beam quality specifier for photon beams with small field sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pimpinella, Maria; Caporali, Claudio; Guerra, Antonio Stefano; Silvi, Luca; De Coste, Vanessa; Petrucci, Assunta; Delaunay, Frank; Dufreneix, Stéphane; Gouriou, Jean; Ostrowsky, Aimé; Rapp, Benjamin; Bordy, Jean-Marc; Daures, Josiane; Le Roy, Maïwenn; Sommier, Line; Vermesse, Didier

2018-01-01

To investigate the feasibility of using the ratio of dose-area product at 20 cm and 10 cm water depths (DAPR 20,10 ) as a beam quality specifier for radiotherapy photon beams with field diameter below 2 cm. Dose-area product was determined as the integral of absorbed dose to water (D w ) over a surface larger than the beam size. 6 MV and 10 MV photon beams with field diameters from 0.75 cm to 2 cm were considered. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations were performed to calculate energy-dependent dosimetric parameters and to study the DAPR 20,10 properties. Aspects relevant to DAPR 20,10 measurement were explored using large-area plane-parallel ionization chambers with different diameters. DAPR 20,10 was nearly independent of field size in line with the small differences among the corresponding mean beam energies. Both MC and experimental results showed a dependence of DAPR 20,10 on the measurement setup and the surface over which D w is integrated. For a given setup, DAPR 20,10 values obtained using ionization chambers with different air-cavity diameters agreed with one another within 0.4%, after the application of MC correction factors accounting for effects due to the chamber size. DAPR 20,10 differences among the small field sizes were within 1% and sensitivity to the beam energy resulted similar to that of established beam quality specifiers based on the point measurement of D w . For a specific measurement setup and integration area, DAPR 20,10 proved suitable to specify the beam quality of small photon beams for the selection of energy-dependent dosimetric parameters. Copyright © 2017 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of different devices used for the closure of small-to-medium-sized patent ductus arteriosus in pediatric patients

Science.gov (United States)

El-Saiedi, Sonia A; El Sisi, Amal M; Mandour, Rodina Sobhy; Abdel-Aziz, Doaa M; Attia, Wael A

2017-01-01

Aims: In this study, we examined the differences in cost and effectiveness of various devices used for the closure of small to medium sized patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Setting and Design: We retrospectively studied 116 patients who underwent closure of small PDAs between January 2010 and January 2015. Subjects and Methods: Three types of devices were used: the Amplatzer duct occluder (ADO) II, the cook detachable coil and the Nit Occlud coil (NOC). Immediate and late complications were recorded and patients were followed up for 3 months after the procedure. Statistical Methods: All statistical calculations were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Science software. P closure of small-to medium-sized PDAs. Calculations of the incremental cost-effectiveness. (ICE) revealed that the Cook detachable coil had less ICE than the ADO II and NOC. The NOC was more effective with fewer complications. PMID:28566822

Development of a measuring system for vapor-jet forms of small-sized fuel injectors; Kogata injector funmu keijo sokutei system no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hibino, H; Komatsubara, H; Kawashima, O; Fujita, A [Aisan Industry Co. Ltd., Aichi (Japan)

1997-10-01

In the small-sized fuel injectors adapted to the United States` exhaust-gas regulation or the like, the vapor jet is extremely atomized and the jet form as one of the performances of the product has become more important than before. Accordingly, we have developed a measuring system in which the vapor jet of the small-sized fuel injector is irradiated with a flat laser light, the sectional form of the jet that is shining due to diffusion is sampled, and the distribution and the form of the sampled sections are determined by the image processing. 2 refs., 15 figs., 4 tabs.

INFORMATION AND SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES: THE CONVERGENCE OF SHAREDTIME WORK AND INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc-André VILETTE

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of this communication is to analyze points of similarities of usingInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT and Shared Time Work(STW, for a special category of firms, whose place seems to be more andmore important: Small and Middle sized Enterprises (SMEs. After severalparticularities (apart from the size, we will remind their difficulties in HumanResources Management, especially about ICT, then the opportunity in theusing of STW, for research teachers, professionals and media. We willpresent different legal shapes, then precise points of similarities between TICand STW, and finally, results among different kinds of players in this one, inan exploring research.