Tandem Terminal Ion Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harper, G.C.; Lindner, C.E.; Myers, A.W.; Wechel, T.D. van

2000-01-01

OAK-B135 Tandem Terminal Ion Source. The terminal ion source (TIS) was used in several experiments during this reporting period, all for the 7 Be(γ) 8 B experiment. Most of the runs used 1 H + at terminal voltages from 0.3 MV to 1.5 MV. One of the runs used 2 H + at terminal voltage of 1.4 MV. The other run used 4 He + at a terminal voltage of 1.37 MV. The list of experiments run with the TIS to date is given in table 1 below. The tank was opened four times for unscheduled source repairs. On one occasion the tank was opened to replace the einzel lens power supply which had failed. The 10 kV unit was replaced with a 15 kV unit. The second time the tank was opened to repair the extractor supply which was damaged by a tank spark. On the next occasion the tank was opened to replace a source canal which had sputtered away. Finally, the tank was opened to replace the discharge bottle which had been coated with aluminum sputtered from the exit canal

Tandem Terminal Ion Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

None

2000-01-01

OAK-B135 Tandem Terminal Ion Source. The terminal ion source (TIS) was used in several experiments during this reporting period, all for the(sup 7)Be((gamma))(sup 8)B experiment. Most of the runs used(sup 1)H(sup+) at terminal voltages from 0.3 MV to 1.5 MV. One of the runs used(sup 2)H(sup+) at terminal voltage of 1.4 MV. The other run used(sup 4)He(sup+) at a terminal voltage of 1.37 MV. The list of experiments run with the TIS to date is given in table 1 below. The tank was opened four times for unscheduled source repairs. On one occasion the tank was opened to replace the einzel lens power supply which had failed. The 10 kV unit was replaced with a 15 kV unit. The second time the tank was opened to repair the extractor supply which was damaged by a tank spark. On the next occasion the tank was opened to replace a source canal which had sputtered away. Finally, the tank was opened to replace the discharge bottle which had been coated with aluminum sputtered from the exit canal

Application of DEN refinement and automated model building to a difficult case of molecular-replacement phasing: the structure of a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunger, Axel T; Das, Debanu; Deacon, Ashley M; Grant, Joanna; Terwilliger, Thomas C; Read, Randy J; Adams, Paul D; Levitt, Michael; Schröder, Gunnar F

2012-04-01

Phasing by molecular replacement remains difficult for targets that are far from the search model or in situations where the crystal diffracts only weakly or to low resolution. Here, the process of determining and refining the structure of Cgl1109, a putative succinyl-diaminopimelate desuccinylase from Corynebacterium glutamicum, at ∼3 Å resolution is described using a combination of homology modeling with MODELLER, molecular-replacement phasing with Phaser, deformable elastic network (DEN) refinement and automated model building using AutoBuild in a semi-automated fashion, followed by final refinement cycles with phenix.refine and Coot. This difficult molecular-replacement case illustrates the power of including DEN restraints derived from a starting model to guide the movements of the model during refinement. The resulting improved model phases provide better starting points for automated model building and produce more significant difference peaks in anomalous difference Fourier maps to locate anomalous scatterers than does standard refinement. This example also illustrates a current limitation of automated procedures that require manual adjustment of local sequence misalignments between the homology model and the target sequence.

Windows Terminal Servers Orchestration

Science.gov (United States)

Bukowiec, Sebastian; Gaspar, Ricardo; Smith, Tim

2017-10-01

Windows Terminal Servers provide application gateways for various parts of the CERN accelerator complex, used by hundreds of CERN users every day. The combination of new tools such as Puppet, HAProxy and Microsoft System Center suite enable automation of provisioning workflows to provide a terminal server infrastructure that can scale up and down in an automated manner. The orchestration does not only reduce the time and effort necessary to deploy new instances, but also facilitates operations such as patching, analysis and recreation of compromised nodes as well as catering for workload peaks.

Lazy Productivity via Termination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Endrullis, J.; Hendriks, R.D.A.

2011-01-01

We present a procedure for transforming strongly sequential constructor-based term rewriting systems (TRSs) into context-sensitive TRSs in such a way that productivity of the input system is equivalent to termination of the output system. Thereby automated termination provers become available for

Aeronautical Information System Replacement -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Aeronautical Information System Replacement is a web-enabled, automation means for the collection and distribution of Service B messages, weather information, flight...

Automated electronic monitoring of circuit pressures during continuous renal replacement therapy: a technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Baldwin, Ian; Zhu, Guijun; Tanaka, Aiko; Bellomo, Rinaldo

2015-03-01

Automated electronic monitoring and analysis of circuit pressures during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) has the potential to predict failure and allow intervention to optimise function. Current CRRT machines can measure and store pressure readings for downloading into databases and for analysis. We developed a procedure to obtain such data at intervals of 1 minute and analyse them using the Prismaflex CRRT machine, and we present an example of such analysis. We obtained data on pressures obtained at intervals of 1 minute in a patient with acute kidney injury and sepsis treated with continuous haemofiltration at 2 L/hour of ultrafiltration and a blood flow of 200 mL/minute. Data analysis identified progressive increases in transmembrane pressure (TMP) and prefilter pressure (PFP) from time 0 until 33 hours or clotting. TMP increased from 104 mmHg to 313 mmHg and PFP increased from from 131 mmHg to 185 mmHg. Effluent pressure showed a progressive increase in the negative pressure applied to achieve ultrafiltration from 0 mmHg to -168 mmHg. The inflection point for such changes was also identified. Blood pathway pressures for access and return remained unchanged throughout. Automated electronic monitoring of circuit pressure during CRRT is possible and provides useful information on the evolution of circuit clotting.

Automation in Warehouse Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamberg, R.; Verriet, J.

2012-01-01

The warehouses of the future will come in a variety of forms, but with a few common ingredients. Firstly, human operational handling of items in warehouses is increasingly being replaced by automated item handling. Extended warehouse automation counteracts the scarcity of human operators and

The replacement of touch-terminal consoles of the CERN antiproton accumulator complex (AAC) by office PC's as well as X-windows based workstations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chohan, V.; Deloose, I.; Shering, G.

1992-01-01

With aging hardware and expensive maintenance and replacement possibilities, it was decided to upgrade the AAC touch terminal consoles with modern hardware. With significant amount of operational application software developed with touch terminals over 10 years, the philosophy adopted was to attempt a total emulation of these console functions of touch actions, graphics display as well as simple keyboard terminal entry onto the front-end computer controlling the AAC. The PC based emulation by mouse and multiple windows under MS-DOS and later, under the Windows 3 environment was realized relatively quickly; the next stage was therefore to do the same on the Unix platform using software based on X-windows. The communications channel was established using the TCP/IP socket library. This paper reviews this work up to the operational implementation for routine control room usage for both these solutions. (author)

Guidelines for Automation Project Execution

OpenAIRE

Takkinen, Heidi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this Master’s thesis was to create instructions for executing an automation project. Sarlin Oy Ab needed directions on how to execute an automation project. Sarlin is starting up a new business area offering total project solutions for customers. Sarlin focuses on small and minor automation projects on domestic markets. The thesis represents issues related to project execution starting from the theory of the project to its kick-off and termination. Site work is one importan...

Automated termination proofs for logic programs by term rewriting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schneider-Kamp, P.; Giesl, J.; Serebrenik, A.; Thiemann, R.

2009-01-01

There are two kinds of approaches for termination analysis of logic programs: "transformational" and "direct" ones. Direct approaches prove termination directly on the basis of the logic program. Transformational approaches transform a logic program into a Term Rewrite System (TRS) and then analyze

A study of whether automated Diabetic Retinopathy Image Assessment could replace manual grading steps in the English National Screening Programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapetanakis, Venediktos V; Rudnicka, Alicja R; Liew, Gerald; Owen, Christopher G; Lee, Aaron; Louw, Vern; Bolter, Louis; Anderson, John; Egan, Catherine; Salas-Vega, Sebastian; Rudisill, Caroline; Taylor, Paul; Tufail, Adnan

2015-09-01

Diabetic retinopathy screening in England involves labour intensive manual grading of digital retinal images. We present the plan for an observational retrospective study of whether automated systems could replace one or more steps of human grading. Patients aged 12 or older who attended the Diabetes Eye Screening programme, Homerton University Hospital (London) between 1 June 2012 and 4 November 2013 had macular and disc-centred retinal images taken. All screening episodes were manually graded and will additionally be graded by three automated systems. Each system will process all screening episodes, and screening performance (sensitivity, false positive rate, likelihood ratios) and diagnostic accuracy (95% confidence intervals of screening performance measures) will be quantified. A sub-set of gradings will be validated by an approved Reading Centre. Additional analyses will explore the effect of altering thresholds for disease detection within each automated system on screening performance. 2,782/20,258 diabetes patients were referred to ophthalmologists for further examination. Prevalence of maculopathy (M1), pre-proliferative retinopathy (R2), and proliferative retinopathy (R3) were 7.9%, 3.1% and 1.2%, respectively; 4749 (23%) patients were diagnosed with background retinopathy (R1); 1.5% were considered ungradable by human graders. Retinopathy prevalence was similar to other English diabetic screening programmes, so findings should be generalizable. The study population size will allow the detection of differences in screening performance between the human and automated grading systems as small as 2%. The project will compare performance and economic costs of manual versus automated systems. © The Author(s) 2015.

Use of an Automated Suture Fastening Device in Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Beute, Tyler J; Orem, Matthew D; Schiller, Timothy M; Goehler, Matthew; Parker, Jessica; Willekes, Charles L; Timek, Tomasz

2018-03-01

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mAVR) is gaining clinical acceptance, however, it is associated with increased operative times due to limited surgical field and access. The Cor-Knot is an automated fastening device designed to facilitate suture fastening, but clinical data in mAVR are lacking. From May 2014 to February 2017, 92 patients underwent mAVR at our center with 39 valves secured with manually-tied (MT) sutures and 53 valves entirely secured with the Cor-Knot (CK). Pre-operative characteristics and 30-day outcomes data were extracted from our local Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and the electronic medical record. Survival data were obtained from the Michigan State Social Security Death Index. No significant difference in pre-operative characteristics were noted between the two groups. Aortic cross-clamp time (72±12 min vs 82±15 min, p=0.001) was significantly shorter with CK. There was no difference in post-operative mortality (0% vs 0%), stroke (0% vs 1.9%), atrial fibrillation (28% vs 33%), renal failure (0% vs 3.8%), or pacemaker implantation (5.1% vs 5.7%) between MT and CK. Valve function on post-operative echocardiography and 1-year patient survival were similar. In minimally invasive aortic valve replacement, the Cor-Knot device was associated with reduced aortic cross-clamp time while providing equivalent clinical outcomes. Larger studies are needed to confirm efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of the Cor-Knot device in minimally invasive aortic valve surgery. Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Automated Terminal Interoperability Test

OpenAIRE

Brammer, Niklas

2008-01-01

In order to develop and secure the functionality of its cellular communications systems, Ericsson deals with numerous R&D and I&V activities. One important aspect is interoperability with mobile terminals from different vendors on the world market. Therefore Ericsson co-operates with mobile platform and user equipment manufacturers. These companies visit the interoperability developmental testing (IoDT) laboratories in Linköping to test their developmental products and prototypes in o...

Automation in Warehouse Development

CERN Document Server

Verriet, Jacques

2012-01-01

The warehouses of the future will come in a variety of forms, but with a few common ingredients. Firstly, human operational handling of items in warehouses is increasingly being replaced by automated item handling. Extended warehouse automation counteracts the scarcity of human operators and supports the quality of picking processes. Secondly, the development of models to simulate and analyse warehouse designs and their components facilitates the challenging task of developing warehouses that take into account each customer’s individual requirements and logistic processes. Automation in Warehouse Development addresses both types of automation from the innovative perspective of applied science. In particular, it describes the outcomes of the Falcon project, a joint endeavour by a consortium of industrial and academic partners. The results include a model-based approach to automate warehouse control design, analysis models for warehouse design, concepts for robotic item handling and computer vision, and auton...

Nonanalytic Laboratory Automation: A Quarter Century of Progress.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawker, Charles D

2017-06-01

Clinical laboratory automation has blossomed since the 1989 AACC meeting, at which Dr. Masahide Sasaki first showed a western audience what his laboratory had implemented. Many diagnostics and other vendors are now offering a variety of automated options for laboratories of all sizes. Replacing manual processing and handling procedures with automation was embraced by the laboratory community because of the obvious benefits of labor savings and improvement in turnaround time and quality. Automation was also embraced by the diagnostics vendors who saw automation as a means of incorporating the analyzers purchased by their customers into larger systems in which the benefits of automation were integrated to the analyzers.This report reviews the options that are available to laboratory customers. These options include so called task-targeted automation-modules that range from single function devices that automate single tasks (e.g., decapping or aliquoting) to multifunction workstations that incorporate several of the functions of a laboratory sample processing department. The options also include total laboratory automation systems that use conveyors to link sample processing functions to analyzers and often include postanalytical features such as refrigerated storage and sample retrieval.Most importantly, this report reviews a recommended process for evaluating the need for new automation and for identifying the specific requirements of a laboratory and developing solutions that can meet those requirements. The report also discusses some of the practical considerations facing a laboratory in a new implementation and reviews the concept of machine vision to replace human inspections. © 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Virtual automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Casis, E; Garrido, A; Uranga, B; Vives, A; Zufiaurre, C

2001-01-01

Total laboratory automation (TLA) can be substituted in mid-size laboratories by a computer sample workflow control (virtual automation). Such a solution has been implemented in our laboratory using PSM, software developed in cooperation with Roche Diagnostics (Barcelona, Spain), to this purpose. This software is connected to the online analyzers and to the laboratory information system and is able to control and direct the samples working as an intermediate station. The only difference with TLA is the replacement of transport belts by personnel of the laboratory. The implementation of this virtual automation system has allowed us the achievement of the main advantages of TLA: workload increase (64%) with reduction in the cost per test (43%), significant reduction in the number of biochemistry primary tubes (from 8 to 2), less aliquoting (from 600 to 100 samples/day), automation of functional testing, drastic reduction of preanalytical errors (from 11.7 to 0.4% of the tubes) and better total response time for both inpatients (from up to 48 hours to up to 4 hours) and outpatients (from up to 10 days to up to 48 hours). As an additional advantage, virtual automation could be implemented without hardware investment and significant headcount reduction (15% in our lab).

Automating InDesign with Regular Expressions

CERN Document Server

Kahrel, Peter

2006-01-01

If you need to make automated changes to InDesign documents beyond what basic search and replace can handle, you need regular expressions, and a bit of scripting to make them work. This Short Cut explains both how to write regular expressions, so you can find and replace the right things, and how to use them in InDesign specifically.

CT angiography for planning transcatheter aortic valve replacement using automated tube voltage selection: Image quality and radiation exposure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mangold, Stefanie [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen (Germany); De Cecco, Carlo N. [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Schoepf, U. Joseph, E-mail: schoepf@musc.edu [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Kuhlman, Taylor S.; Varga-Szemes, Akos [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Caruso, Damiano [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Pathology, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Rome (Italy); Duguay, Taylor M. [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Tesche, Christian [Department of Cardiology, Heart Centre Munich-Bogenhausen, Munich (Germany); Vogl, Thomas J. [Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC (United States); Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt (Germany); Nikolaou, Konstantin [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, Tuebingen (Germany); and others

2017-01-15

Highlights: • TAVR-planning CT was performed with automated tube voltage selection. • Automated tube voltage selection enables individual tube voltage adaptation. • Image quality was diagnostic while radiation exposure was significantly decreased. - Abstract: Purpose: To assess image quality and accuracy of CT angiography (CTA) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) planning performed with 3rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT). Material and methods: We evaluated 125 patients who underwent TAVR-planning CTA on 3rd generation DSCT. A two-part protocol was performed including retrospectively ECG-gated coronary CTA (CCTA) and prospectively ECG-triggered aortoiliac CTA using 60 mL of contrast medium. Automated tube voltage selection and advanced iterative reconstruction were applied. Effective dose (ED), signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated. Five-point scales were used for subjective image quality analysis. In patients who underwent TAVR, sizing parameters were obtained. Results: Image quality was rated good to excellent in 97.6% of CCTA and 100% of aortoiliac CTAs. CTA studies at >100 kV showed decreased objective image quality compared to 70–100 kV (SNR, all p ≤ 0.0459; CNR, all p ≤ 0.0462). Mean ED increased continuously from 70 to >100 kV (CCTA: 4.5 ± 1.7 mSv–13.6 ± 2.9 mSv, all p ≤ 0.0233; aortoiliac CTA: 2.4 ± 0.9 mSv–6.8 ± 2.7 mSv, all p ≤ 0.0414). In 39 patients TAVR was performed and annulus diameter was within the recommended range in all patients. No severe cardiac or vascular complications were noted. Conclusion: 3rd generation DSCT provides diagnostic image quality in TAVR-planning CTA and facilitates reliable assessment of TAVR device and delivery option while reducing radiation dose.

CT angiography for planning transcatheter aortic valve replacement using automated tube voltage selection: Image quality and radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangold, Stefanie; De Cecco, Carlo N.; Schoepf, U. Joseph; Kuhlman, Taylor S.; Varga-Szemes, Akos; Caruso, Damiano; Duguay, Taylor M.; Tesche, Christian; Vogl, Thomas J.; Nikolaou, Konstantin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • TAVR-planning CT was performed with automated tube voltage selection. • Automated tube voltage selection enables individual tube voltage adaptation. • Image quality was diagnostic while radiation exposure was significantly decreased. - Abstract: Purpose: To assess image quality and accuracy of CT angiography (CTA) for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) planning performed with 3rd generation dual-source CT (DSCT). Material and methods: We evaluated 125 patients who underwent TAVR-planning CTA on 3rd generation DSCT. A two-part protocol was performed including retrospectively ECG-gated coronary CTA (CCTA) and prospectively ECG-triggered aortoiliac CTA using 60 mL of contrast medium. Automated tube voltage selection and advanced iterative reconstruction were applied. Effective dose (ED), signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were calculated. Five-point scales were used for subjective image quality analysis. In patients who underwent TAVR, sizing parameters were obtained. Results: Image quality was rated good to excellent in 97.6% of CCTA and 100% of aortoiliac CTAs. CTA studies at >100 kV showed decreased objective image quality compared to 70–100 kV (SNR, all p ≤ 0.0459; CNR, all p ≤ 0.0462). Mean ED increased continuously from 70 to >100 kV (CCTA: 4.5 ± 1.7 mSv–13.6 ± 2.9 mSv, all p ≤ 0.0233; aortoiliac CTA: 2.4 ± 0.9 mSv–6.8 ± 2.7 mSv, all p ≤ 0.0414). In 39 patients TAVR was performed and annulus diameter was within the recommended range in all patients. No severe cardiac or vascular complications were noted. Conclusion: 3rd generation DSCT provides diagnostic image quality in TAVR-planning CTA and facilitates reliable assessment of TAVR device and delivery option while reducing radiation dose.

Design and implementation of a user-friendly interface for DIII-D neutral beam automated operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, J.; Colleraine, A.P.; Hong, R.; Kim, J.; Lee, R.L.; Wight, J.J.

1989-12-01

The operational interface to the DIII-D neutral beam system, in use for the past 10 years, consisted of several interactive devices that the operator used to sequence neutral beam conditioning and plasma heating shots. Each of four independent MODCOMP Classic control computers (for four DIII-D beamlines) included a touch screen, rotary knobs, an interactive dual port terminal, and a keyboard to selectively address each of five display screens. Most of the hardware had become obsolete and repair was becoming increasingly expensive. It was clear that the hardware could be replaced with current equipment, while improving the ergonomics of control. Combined with an ongoing effort to increase the degree of automated operation and its reliability, a single microcomputer-based interface for each of the four neutral beam MODCOMP Classic control computers was developed, effectively replacing some twenty pieces of hardware. Macintosh II microcomputers were selected, with 1 megabyte of RAM and ''off-the-shelf'' input/output (I/O) consisting of a mouse, serial ports, and two monochrome high-resolution video monitors. The software is written in PASCAL and adopts standard Macintosh ''window'' techniques. From the Macintosh interface to the MODCOMP Classic, the operator can control the power supply setpoints, adjust ion source timing and synchronization, call up waveform displays on the Grinnell color display system, view the sequencing of procedures to ready a neutral beam shot, and add operator comments to an automated shot logging system. 3 refs., 2 figs

Prematurely terminated slug tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karasaki, K.

1990-07-01

A solution of the well response to a prematurely terminated slug test (PTST) is presented. The advantages of a PTST over conventional slug tests are discussed. A systematized procedure of a PTST is proposed, where a slug test is terminated in the midpoint of the flow point, and the subsequent shut-in data is recorded and analyzed. This method requires a downhole shut-in device and a pressure transducer, which is no more than the conventional deep-well slug testing. As opposed to slug tests, which are ineffective when a skin is present, more accurate estimate of formation permeability can be made using a PTST. Premature termination also shortens the test duration considerably. Because in most cases no more information is gained by completing a slug test to the end, the author recommends that conventional slug tests be replaced by the premature termination technique. This study is part of an investigation of the feasibility of geologic isolation of nuclear wastes being carried out by the US Department of Energy and the National Cooperative for the Storage of Radioactive Waste of Switzerland

Optimal Stack Layout in a Sea Container Terminal with Automated Lifting Vehicles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. Roy (Debjit); A. Gupta (Akash); S. Parhi (Sampanna); M.B.M. de Koster (René)

2014-01-01

textabstractContainer terminal performance is largely determined by its design decisions, which include the number and type of quay cranes (QCs), stack cranes (SCs), transport vehicles, vehicle travel path, and stack layout. The terminal design process is complex because it is affected by factors

Evaluation of Automated Flagger Assistance Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-01

Automated flagger assistance devices (AFADs) are designed to improve worker safety by replacing flaggers who are typically located near traffic approaching a work zone. In this study, a new AFAD developed by the Missouri Department of Transportation ...

Concepts and algorithms for terminal-area traffic management

Science.gov (United States)

Erzberger, H.; Chapel, J. D.

1984-01-01

The nation's air-traffic-control system is the subject of an extensive modernization program, including the planned introduction of advanced automation techniques. This paper gives an overview of a concept for automating terminal-area traffic management. Four-dimensional (4D) guidance techniques, which play an essential role in the automated system, are reviewed. One technique, intended for on-board computer implementation, is based on application of optimal control theory. The second technique is a simplified approach to 4D guidance intended for ground computer implementation. It generates advisory messages to help the controller maintain scheduled landing times of aircraft not equipped with on-board 4D guidance systems. An operational system for the second technique, recently evaluated in a simulation, is also described.

Design and control of automated guided vehicle systems: A case study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, Q.; Adriaansen, A.C.; Udding, J.T.; Pogromski, A.Y.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we study the design and control of automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems, with the focus on the quayside container transport in an automated container terminal. We first set up an event-driven model for an AGV system in the zone control framework. Then a number of layouts of the road

Implementation and evaluation of an automated dispensing system.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarz, H O; Brodowy, B A

1995-04-15

An institution's experience in replacing a traditional unit dose cassette-exchange system with an automated dispensing system is described. A 24-hour unit dose cassette-exchange system was replaced with an automated dispensing system (Pyxis's Medstation Rx) on a 36-bed cardiovascular surgery unit and an 8-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit. Significantly fewer missing doses were reported after Medstation Rx was implemented. No conclusions could be made about the impact of the system on the reporting of medication errors. The time savings for pharmacy associated with the filling, checking, and delivery of new medication orders equated to about 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE). Medstation Rx also saved substantial nursing time for acquisition of controlled substances and for controlled-substance inventory taking at shift changes. A financial analysis showed that Medstation Rx could save the institution about $1 million over five years if all personnel time savings could be translated into FTE reductions. The automated system was given high marks by the nurses in a survey; 80% wanted to keep the system on their unit. Pilot implementation of an automated dispensing system improved the efficiency of drug distribution over that of the traditional unit dose cassette-exchange system.

Computer system architecture for laboratory automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penney, B.K.

1978-01-01

This paper describes the various approaches that may be taken to provide computing resources for laboratory automation. Three distinct approaches are identified, the single dedicated small computer, shared use of a larger computer, and a distributed approach in which resources are provided by a number of computers, linked together, and working in some cooperative way. The significance of the microprocessor in laboratory automation is discussed, and it is shown that it is not simply a cheap replacement of the minicomputer. (Auth.)

77 FR 30021 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Application To Use the Automated Commercial Environment...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-21

... Activities: Application To Use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border...: Application to Use the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). This is a proposed extension of an information... Environment (ACE) is a trade processing system that will eventually replace the Automated Commercial System...

Solving structures of protein complexes by molecular replacement with Phaser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, Airlie J.

2006-01-01

Four case studies in using maximum-likelihood molecular replacement, as implemented in the program Phaser, to solve structures of protein complexes are described. Molecular replacement (MR) generally becomes more difficult as the number of components in the asymmetric unit requiring separate MR models (i.e. the dimensionality of the search) increases. When the proportion of the total scattering contributed by each search component is small, the signal in the search for each component in isolation is weak or non-existent. Maximum-likelihood MR functions enable complex asymmetric units to be built up from individual components with a ‘tree search with pruning’ approach. This method, as implemented in the automated search procedure of the program Phaser, has been very successful in solving many previously intractable MR problems. However, there are a number of cases in which the automated search procedure of Phaser is suboptimal or encounters difficulties. These include cases where there are a large number of copies of the same component in the asymmetric unit or where the components of the asymmetric unit have greatly varying B factors. Two case studies are presented to illustrate how Phaser can be used to best advantage in the standard ‘automated MR’ mode and two case studies are used to show how to modify the automated search strategy for problematic cases

Optimal Stack Layout in a Sea Container Terminal with Automated Lifting Vehicles

OpenAIRE

Roy, D.; Gupta, A.; Parhi, S.; de Koster, M.B.M.

2014-01-01

textabstractContainer terminal performance is largely determined by its design decisions, which include the number and type of quay cranes (QCs), stack cranes (SCs), transport vehicles, vehicle travel path, and stack layout. The terminal design process is complex because it is affected by factors such as topological constraints, stochastic interactions among the quayside, vehicle transport and stackside operations. Further, the orientation of the stack layout (parallel or perpendicular to the...

78 FR 26102 - Notice of Termination of Environmental Impact Statement for the Friedman Memorial Replacement...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-03

... Environmental Impact Statement for the Friedman Memorial Replacement Airport, Hailey, ID AGENCY: Federal...) for the Friedman Memorial Replacement Airport. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Stelling, by mail... Notice of Intent in the Federal Register [72 FR 61945] to prepare an EIS for a replacement airport for...

Sequencing two cooperating automated stacking cranes in a container terminal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vis, I.F.A.; Carlo, H.J.

2010-01-01

The containerized trade market is growing rapidly with the uprising of the Far East. Container ports worldwide should be responsive by developing tools to handle these massive volumes of containers in order to retain their level of competitiveness. One of the areas in a container terminal that is

Automation of management processes as a factor in the emergence of the jobs of the future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veretehin Vladislav Vadimovich

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In the article the review of researches of domestic and foreign organizations, modeling the demand and supply of professions on the labour market. Determined that most of the management functions is transferred to automated systems, robots and machines. The article presents the table containing the list of names of professions that are replaced by automated systems of management of objects and the list of names of professions that are replaced by automated systems in the management of documents. Defined the professions that will be in demand tomorrow (2020, the day after tomorrow" (after 2020, "profession-retired," and your future profession. Described professional skills the jobs of the future. Based on research by the Agency for strategic initiatives and the Moscow school of management SKOLKOVO is defined as the TOP 10 most popular professions of the future. Identified the need to replace old professions. Generated table the jobs of the future according to eaten research school of management "SKOLKOVO". The efficiency of transferring management functions to automated systems.

Automatically Proving Termination and Memory Safety for Programs with Pointer Arithmetic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ströder, Thomas; Giesl, Jürgen; Brockschmidt, Marc

2017-01-01

While automated verification of imperative programs has been studied intensively, proving termination of programs with explicit pointer arithmetic fully automatically was still an open problem. To close this gap, we introduce a novel abstract domain that can track allocated memory in detail. We use...

World-wide termination of nuclear energy application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quirin, W.

1991-01-01

It is easy to require the widely discussed termination of nuclear energy application, but it is hardly possible to realise it, unless one is prepared to accept enormous economic and ecological problems. The article investigates, whether the other energy carriers or energy saving methods, respectively, would be in a position to replace the nuclear energy. Thereby the aspects of securing the supply and its economy are of considerable importance. The author describes furthermore the effects of terminating nuclear energy on the growing world population and the economy of trading countries. Ecological problems that may also be aggravated are dealt with, too. (orig.) [de

Advanced automation for in-space vehicle processing

Science.gov (United States)

Sklar, Michael; Wegerif, D.

1990-01-01

The primary objective of this 3-year planned study is to assure that the fully evolved Space Station Freedom (SSF) can support automated processing of exploratory mission vehicles. Current study assessments show that required extravehicular activity (EVA) and to some extent intravehicular activity (IVA) manpower requirements for required processing tasks far exceeds the available manpower. Furthermore, many processing tasks are either hazardous operations or they exceed EVA capability. Thus, automation is essential for SSF transportation node functionality. Here, advanced automation represents the replacement of human performed tasks beyond the planned baseline automated tasks. Both physical tasks such as manipulation, assembly and actuation, and cognitive tasks such as visual inspection, monitoring and diagnosis, and task planning are considered. During this first year of activity both the Phobos/Gateway Mars Expedition and Lunar Evolution missions proposed by the Office of Exploration have been evaluated. A methodology for choosing optimal tasks to be automated has been developed. Processing tasks for both missions have been ranked on the basis of automation potential. The underlying concept in evaluating and describing processing tasks has been the use of a common set of 'Primitive' task descriptions. Primitive or standard tasks have been developed both for manual or crew processing and automated machine processing.

Operation and evaluation of the Terminal Configured Vehicle Mission Simulator in an automated terminal area metering and spacing ATC environment

Science.gov (United States)

Houck, J. A.

1980-01-01

This paper describes the work being done at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Langley Research Center on the development of a mission simulator for use in the Terminal Configured Vehicle Program. A brief description of the goals and objectives of the Terminal Configured Vehicle Program is presented. A more detailed description of the Mission Simulator, in its present configuration, and its components is provided. Finally, a description of the first research study conducted in the Mission Simulator is presented along with a discussion of some preliminary results from this study.

Four-terminal circuit element with photonic core

Science.gov (United States)

Sampayan, Stephen

2017-08-29

A four-terminal circuit element is described that includes a photonic core inside of the circuit element that uses a wide bandgap semiconductor material that exhibits photoconductivity and allows current flow through the material in response to the light that is incident on the wide bandgap material. The four-terminal circuit element can be configured based on various hardware structures using a single piece or multiple pieces or layers of a wide bandgap semiconductor material to achieve various designed electrical properties such as high switching voltages by using the photoconductive feature beyond the breakdown voltages of semiconductor devices or circuits operated based on electrical bias or control designs. The photonic core aspect of the four-terminal circuit element provides unique features that enable versatile circuit applications to either replace the semiconductor transistor-based circuit elements or semiconductor diode-based circuit elements.

Wireless Home Automation System using IoT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandra MIHALACHE

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the chance of having an automated home is no longer a fancy luxury, but a reality accessible to a wide range of consumers, because smart home systems have replaced those that only automated the home in the past. More and more solutions based on IoT are being devel-oped to transform homes into smart ones, but the problem is that the benefits of home automa-tion are still not clear to everyone as they are not promoted enough, so we cannot talk about a broad mass of consumers already using integrated or DIY solutions to improve their lives. In this paper, I will present a home automation system using Arduino Uno integrated with rele-vant modules which are used to allow remote control of lights or fans, changes being made on the basis of different sensors data. The system is designed to be low cost and expandable, bring-ing accessibility, convenience and energy efficiency.

New one cycle criteria for optimizing preventive replacement policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamidi, Maryam; Szidarovszky, Ferenc; Szidarovszky, Miklos

2016-01-01

Models are introduced and examined for the optimum scheduling of preventive replacements. The “replace first” and “replace last” models are known from the literature if the long term expected cost per unit time is minimized. We will first introduce the one cycle counterparts of these models when the expected costs per unit time in a single cycle is minimized. If the unit performs identical projects sequentially then the “replace next” model assumes that the preventive replacement is postponed until the ongoing project is finished. The termination time of this project is random which also depends on the scheduled time of the preventive replacement in contrary to the “replace first” and “replace last” models. The mathematical models are formulated and conditions are given for the existence of finite optima. Numerical examples and a simulation study illustrate the methodology and the numerical results show interesting comparisons of the different models. - Highlights: • The Single cycle age replacement model is extended incorporating repairable failures. • In order to avoid project interruption costs, three model variants are discussed. • Model variants are replace first, replace last and replace next. • In many cases analytic solutions are derived and illustrated by numerical examples. • The different model variants and their results are compared based on simulation studies.

Enhanced detection levels in a semi-automated sandwich ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A peptide nucleic acid (PNA) signal probe was tested as a replacement for a typical DNA oligonucleotidebased signal probe in a semi-automated sandwich hybridisation assay designed to detect the harmful phytoplankton species Alexandrium tamarense. The PNA probe yielded consistently higher fluorescent signal ...

Application of semi-automated ultrasonography on nutritional support for severe acute pancreatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Ye, Yu; Yang, Mei; Ruan, Haiying; Yu, Yuan

2018-04-25

To evaluate the application value of semi-automated ultrasound on the guidance of nasogastrojejunal tube replacement for patients with acute severe pancreatitis (ASP), as well as the value of the nutritional support for standardized treatment in clinical practice. The retrospective research was performed in our hospital, and 34 patients suffering from ASP were enrolled into this study. All these identified participants ever received CT scans in order to make definitive diagnoses. Following, these patients received semi-automated ultrasound examinations within 1 days after their onset, in order to provide enteral nutrititon treatment via nasogastrojejunal tube, or freehand nasogastrojejunal tube replacement. In terms of statistical analysis, the application value of semi-automated ultrasound guidance on nasogastrojejunal tube replacement was evaluated, and was compared with tube replacement of no guidance. After cathetering, the additional enteral nutrition was provided, and its therapeutic effect on SAP was analyzed in further. A total of 34 patients with pancreatitis were identified in this research, 29 cases with necrosis of pancreas parenchyma. After further examinations, 32 cases were SAP, 2 cases were mild acute pancreatitis. When the firm diagnosis was made, additional enteral nutrition (EN) was given, all the patient conditions appeared good, and they all were satisfied with this kind of nutritional support. According to our clinical experience, when there was 200-250 ml liquid in the stomach, the successful rate of intubation appeared higher. Additionally, the comparison between ultrasound-guided and freehand nasogastrojejunal tube replacement was made. According to the statistical results, in terms of the utilization ratio of nutritional support, it was better in ultrasound-guided group, when compared with it in freehand group, within 1 day, after 3 days and after 7 days (7/20 versus 2/14; P groups was not statistically different (P > 0.05). It can

Can we replace curation with information extraction software?

Science.gov (United States)

Karp, Peter D

2016-01-01

Can we use programs for automated or semi-automated information extraction from scientific texts as practical alternatives to professional curation? I show that error rates of current information extraction programs are too high to replace professional curation today. Furthermore, current IEP programs extract single narrow slivers of information, such as individual protein interactions; they cannot extract the large breadth of information extracted by professional curators for databases such as EcoCyc. They also cannot arbitrate among conflicting statements in the literature as curators can. Therefore, funding agencies should not hobble the curation efforts of existing databases on the assumption that a problem that has stymied Artificial Intelligence researchers for more than 60 years will be solved tomorrow. Semi-automated extraction techniques appear to have significantly more potential based on a review of recent tools that enhance curator productivity. But a full cost-benefit analysis for these tools is lacking. Without such analysis it is possible to expend significant effort developing information-extraction tools that automate small parts of the overall curation workflow without achieving a significant decrease in curation costs.Database URL. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

A comparative analysis of storage and retrieval equipment at a container terminal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vis, I.F.A.

2006-01-01

In designing container terminals one have to consider the choice for a certain type of storage and retrieval equipment by performing a feasibility and economic analysis. In this paper, we compare, by means of a simulation study, the performance of manned straddle carriers and automated stacking

Automation and control trends in the upstream sector of the oil industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plucenio, Agustinho; Pagano, Daniel J. [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Programa de Recursos Humanos da ANP em Automacao, Controle e Instrumentacao para a Industria do Petroleo e Gas, PRH-34

2004-07-01

The need to continuously improve the aspects of Health, Safety and Environment to operators, installation's security, optimization of oil reservoir recovery in wells operating with different artificial lift methods, subject to different secondary recovery techniques, has motivated the development of technologies in the automation and control for the upstream sector of the oil industry. While the application of control and automation techniques is well established in the downstream sector of the oil industry that is not the case in the downstream sector. One tendency in this sector is the utilization of control via Field bus Networks. This technology uses equipment that communicate with each other in a two wire digital network and can be programmed to execute function blocks algorithms designed to perform a designed control strategy. The most noticeable benefits are the improvements in the process performance and the equipment reusability and interoperability. Proprietary solutions can be replaced by systems composed of equipment supplied by different manufacturers connected in the same network. These equipment operate according to a strategy designed by automation and control engineers under the supervision of professionals working in computer terminals located in different company departments. Other gains are a better understanding about the industry processes, application of optimization techniques, fault detection, equipment maintenance follow-up, and improved operators working conditions and workers qualification. Other tendencies are: permanent well monitoring. Either with installation of down hole sensors based on fiber grating sensors or surface sensors using embedded electronic processors. Developments of instrumentation technology for low cost multiphase flow measurements. Application of control techniques for flow regime control and optimization of reservoir recovery through better identification, optimization and Model Based Predictive Control

Inference of Well-Typings for Logic Programs with Application to Termination Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruynooghe, M.; Gallagher, John Patrick; Humbeeck, W. Van

2005-01-01

A method is developed to infer a polymorphic well-typing for a logic program. Our motivation is to improve the automation of termination analysis by deriving types from which norms can automatically be constructed. Previous work on type-based termination analysis used either types declared...... by the user, or automatically generated monomorphic types describing the success set of predicates. The latter types are less precise and result in weaker termination conditions than those obtained from declared types. Our type inference procedure involves solving set constraints generated from the program...... and derives a well-typing in contrast to a success-set approximation. Experiments so far show that our automatically inferred well-typings are close to the declared types and result in termination conditions that are as strong as those obtained with declared types. We describe the method, its implementation...

Importance of Terminal Amino Acid Residues to the Transport of Oligopeptides across the Caco-2 Cell Monolayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Long; Wang, Liying; Yu, Zhipeng; Ma, Sitong; Du, Zhiyang; Zhang, Ting; Liu, Jingbo

2017-09-06

The objective of this paper was to investigate the effects of terminal amino acids on the transport of oligopeptides across the Caco-2 cell monolayer. Ala-based tetra- and pentapeptides were designed, and the N- or C-terminal amino acid residues were replaced by different amino acids. The results showed that the oligopeptides had a wide range of transport permeability across the Caco-2 cell monolayer and could be divided into four categories: non-/poor permeability, low permeability, intermediate permeability, and good permeability. Tetrapeptides with N-terminal Leu, Pro, Ile, Cys, Met, and Val or C-terminal Val showed the highest permeability, with apparent permeability coefficient (P app ) values over 10 × 10 -6 cm/s (p transport of tetrapeptides. Pentapeptides with N- or C-terminal Tyr also showed high permeability levels, with P app values of about 10 × 10 -6 cm/s. The amino acids Glu, Asn, and Thr at the N terminus or Lys, Asp, and Arg at the C terminus were also beneficial for the transport of tetra- and pentapeptides, with P app values ranging from 1 × 10 -6 to 10 × 10 -6 cm/s. In addition, peptides with amino acids replaced at the N terminus generally showed higher permeability than those with amino acids replaced at the C terminus (p transport of oligopeptides across the Caco-2 cell monolayer.

Cost challenges for laboratory medicine automation in Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automation in laboratory medicine is inevitable and the only way forward especially in Africa where the staff turnover is high due to migration of experienced staff to Europe and America. Described here are the common issues that laboratory Managers and Directors encounter when upgrading, replacing analytical systems ...

The Rise of the Machines: Automation, Horizontal Innovation and Income Inequality

OpenAIRE

Morten Olsen; David Hemous

2014-01-01

We construct an endogenous growth model of directed technical change with automation (the introduction of machines which replace low-skill labor and complement high-skill labor) and horizontal innovation (the introduction of new products, which increases demand for both types of labor). For general processes of technical change, we demonstrate that although low-skill wages can drop during periods of increasing automation intensity, the asymptotic growth rate is weakly positive --- though lowe...

Automated Structure Solution with the PHENIX Suite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zwart, Peter H.; Zwart, Peter H.; Afonine, Pavel; Grosse-Kunstleve, Ralf W.; Hung, Li-Wei; Ioerger, Tom R.; McCoy, A.J.; McKee, Eric; Moriarty, Nigel; Read, Randy J.; Sacchettini, James C.; Sauter, Nicholas K.; Storoni, L.C.; Terwilliger, Tomas C.; Adams, Paul D.

2008-06-09

Significant time and effort are often required to solve and complete a macromolecular crystal structure. The development of automated computational methods for the analysis, solution and completion of crystallographic structures has the potential to produce minimally biased models in a short time without the need for manual intervention. The PHENIX software suite is a highly automated system for macromolecular structure determination that can rapidly arrive at an initial partial model of a structure without significant human intervention, given moderate resolution and good quality data. This achievement has been made possible by the development of new algorithms for structure determination, maximum-likelihood molecular replacement (PHASER), heavy-atom search (HySS), template and pattern-based automated model-building (RESOLVE, TEXTAL), automated macromolecular refinement (phenix.refine), and iterative model-building, density modification and refinement that can operate at moderate resolution (RESOLVE, AutoBuild). These algorithms are based on a highly integrated and comprehensive set of crystallographic libraries that have been built and made available to the community. The algorithms are tightly linked and made easily accessible to users through the PHENIX Wizards and the PHENIX GUI.

Automated structure solution with the PHENIX suite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Terwilliger, Thomas C [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Zwart, Peter H [LBNL; Afonine, Pavel V [LBNL; Grosse - Kunstleve, Ralf W [LBNL

2008-01-01

Significant time and effort are often required to solve and complete a macromolecular crystal structure. The development of automated computational methods for the analysis, solution, and completion of crystallographic structures has the potential to produce minimally biased models in a short time without the need for manual intervention. The PHENIX software suite is a highly automated system for macromolecular structure determination that can rapidly arrive at an initial partial model of a structure without significant human intervention, given moderate resolution, and good quality data. This achievement has been made possible by the development of new algorithms for structure determination, maximum-likelihood molecular replacement (PHASER), heavy-atom search (HySS), template- and pattern-based automated model-building (RESOLVE, TEXTAL), automated macromolecular refinement (phenix. refine), and iterative model-building, density modification and refinement that can operate at moderate resolution (RESOLVE, AutoBuild). These algorithms are based on a highly integrated and comprehensive set of crystallographic libraries that have been built and made available to the community. The algorithms are tightly linked and made easily accessible to users through the PHENIX Wizards and the PHENIX GUI.

Practical automation for mature producing areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luppens, J.C.

1995-01-01

Successful installation and operation of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems on two US gulf coast platforms, prompted the installation of the first SCADA, or automation, system in Oklahoma in 1989. The initial installation consisted of four remote terminal units (RTU's) at four beam-pumped leases and a PC-based control system communicating by means of a 900-MHz data repeated. This first installation was a building block for additional wells to be automated, and then additional systems, consisting of RTU's, a PC, and a data repeated, were installed. By the end of 1992 there were 98 RTU's operating on five separation systems and additional RTU's are being installed on a regular basis. This paper outlines the logical development of automation systems on properties in Oklahoma operated by Phillips Petroleum Co. Those factors critical to the success of the effort are (1) designing data-gathering and control capability in conjunction with the field operations staff to meet and not exceed their needs; (2) selection of a computer operating system and automation software package; (3) selection of computer, RTU, and end-device hardware; and (4) continuous involvement of the field operations staff in the installation, operation, and maintenance of the systems. Additionally, specific tangible and intangible results are discussed

Biomek Cell Workstation: A Variable System for Automated Cell Cultivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, R; Severitt, J C; Roddelkopf, T; Junginger, S; Thurow, K

2016-06-01

Automated cell cultivation is an important tool for simplifying routine laboratory work. Automated methods are independent of skill levels and daily constitution of laboratory staff in combination with a constant quality and performance of the methods. The Biomek Cell Workstation was configured as a flexible and compatible system. The modified Biomek Cell Workstation enables the cultivation of adherent and suspension cells. Until now, no commercially available systems enabled the automated handling of both types of cells in one system. In particular, the automated cultivation of suspension cells in this form has not been published. The cell counts and viabilities were nonsignificantly decreased for cells cultivated in AutoFlasks in automated handling. The proliferation of manual and automated bioscreening by the WST-1 assay showed a nonsignificant lower proliferation of automatically disseminated cells associated with a mostly lower standard error. The disseminated suspension cell lines showed different pronounced proliferations in descending order, starting with Jurkat cells followed by SEM, Molt4, and RS4 cells having the lowest proliferation. In this respect, we successfully disseminated and screened suspension cells in an automated way. The automated cultivation and dissemination of a variety of suspension cells can replace the manual method. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Applying machine learning to pattern analysis for automated in-design layout optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, Jason P.; Fakhry, Moutaz; Pathak, Piyush; Sweis, Jason; Gennari, Frank; Lai, Ya-Chieh

2018-04-01

Building on previous work for cataloging unique topological patterns in an integrated circuit physical design, a new process is defined in which a risk scoring methodology is used to rank patterns based on manufacturing risk. Patterns with high risk are then mapped to functionally equivalent patterns with lower risk. The higher risk patterns are then replaced in the design with their lower risk equivalents. The pattern selection and replacement is fully automated and suitable for use for full-chip designs. Results from 14nm product designs show that the approach can identify and replace risk patterns with quantifiable positive impact on the risk score distribution after replacement.

Analytical methods and simulation models to assess innovative operational measures and technologies for rail port terminals: the case of Valencia Principe Felipe terminal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricci, S.

2016-07-01

The topic of freight transport by rail is a complex theme and, in recent years, a main issue of European policy. The legislation evolution and the White Paper 2011 have demonstrated the European intention to re-launch this sector. The challenge is to promote the intermodal transport system to the detriment of road freight transport. In this context intermodal freight terminals, play a primary role for the supply chain, they are the connection point between the various transport nodes and the nodal points where the freight are handled, stored and transferred between different modes to final customer. To achieve the purpose, it is strengthen the improvement of existing intermodal freight terminals and the development of innovative intermodal freight terminals towards higher performance (ERRAC, 2012). Many terminal performances improvements have been proposed and sometime experimented. They are normally basing on combinations of operational measures and innovative technologies (e.g. automatic horizontal and parallel storage and handling, automated gate and sensors for tracking systems data exchange) tested in various terminals, with often-contradictory results. The research work described in this paper (developed within the Capacity4Rail EU project) focusses on the assessment of effects that these innovations can have in the intermodal freight terminals combined in various alternative consistent effective scenarios. The methodological framework setup to assess these innovations is basing on a combination of analytical methods based on sequential algorithms and discrete events simulation models. The output of this assessment method are key performance indicators (KPIs) selected according to terminals typologies and related to different aspects (e.g. management, operation and organization). The present paper illustrates the application of the methodological framework, tuned on the operation of various intermodal terminals, for the validation on today operation and the

The simulation of automated leading edge assembly

OpenAIRE

Song, Qingming

2015-01-01

Aircraft manufacturers are experiencing a fierce competition worldwide. Improving productivity, increasing throughput and reducing costs are influencing aircraft manufacturer’s future development. In order to improve competitiveness and provide sufficient and high quality products, it should reduce operations of aircraft assembly,majority of which are still in manual process, which limit production output. In contrast, these processes can be automated to replace manual opera...

Tactical Conflict Detection in Terminal Airspace

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Huabin; Robinson, John E.; Denery, Dallas G.

2010-01-01

Air traffic systems have long relied on automated short-term conflict prediction algorithms to warn controllers of impending conflicts (losses of separation). The complexity of terminal airspace has proven difficult for such systems as it often leads to excessive false alerts. Thus, the legacy system, called Conflict Alert, which provides short-term alerts in both en-route and terminal airspace currently, is often inhibited or degraded in areas where frequent false alerts occur, even though the alerts are provided only when an aircraft is in dangerous proximity of other aircraft. This research investigates how a minimal level of flight intent information may be used to improve short-term conflict detection in terminal airspace such that it can be used by the controller to maintain legal aircraft separation. The flight intent information includes a site-specific nominal arrival route and inferred altitude clearances in addition to the flight plan that includes the RNAV (Area Navigation) departure route. A new tactical conflict detection algorithm is proposed, which uses a single analytic trajectory, determined by the flight intent and the current state information of the aircraft, and includes a complex set of current, dynamic separation standards for terminal airspace to define losses of separation. The new algorithm is compared with an algorithm that imitates a known en-route algorithm and another that imitates Conflict Alert by analysis of false-alert rate and alert lead time with recent real-world data of arrival and departure operations and a large set of operational error cases from Dallas/Fort Worth TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control). The new algorithm yielded a false-alert rate of two per hour and an average alert lead time of 38 seconds.

Electric efficiency in lighting system and air conditioners replacement and automation of air conditioners split type in public buildings; Eficiencia eletrica na substituicao do sistema de iluminacao e de condicionadores de ar e automacao do sistema de condicionadores de ar tipo split em predios publicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasconcellos, Arnulfo Barroso de; Apolonio, Roberto; Silva, Luciana Oliveira da; Gomes, Fernanda Leles [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), MT (Brazil); Malheiro, Teresa Irene Ribeiro de Carvalho [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia de Mato Grosso (IFMT), MT (Brazil); Barros, Regiane Silva de [Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil)

2010-07-01

The reduction in expenditure on electricity is a major benefit not only consumers but also to utilities. In this context, this article examines the process of replacing the system of internal lighting, window type air conditioners and automation of Split type air conditioners from buildings of public institutions of the state of Mato Grosso during 2009 year and verifies the reduction in annual consumption of electric power and demand active power. Thus, measurements and calculations performed are presented for the interior lighting systems and air conditioners of these buildings before and after implementation of the process of replacing the system of internal lighting and window type air conditioners and automation of Split type air conditioners. This work is the result of integration among the Dealer Network Energy Rede Cemat, the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) and the Administration of all public buildings, where the academy answered these real issues, solving the specific problem presented. (author)

Highly Automated Arrival Management and Control System Suitable for Early NextGen

Science.gov (United States)

Swenson, Harry N.; Jung, Jaewoo

2013-01-01

This is a presentation of previously published work conducted in the development of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system. Included are concept and technical descriptions of the TAPSS system and results from human in the loop simulations conducted at Ames Research Center. The Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing system has demonstrated through research and extensive high-fidelity simulation studies to have benefits in airport arrival throughput, supporting efficient arrival descents, and enabling mixed aircraft navigation capability operations during periods of high congestion. NASA is currently porting the TAPSS system into the FAA TBFM and STARS system prototypes to ensure its ability to operate in the FAA automation Infrastructure. NASA ATM Demonstration Project is using the the TAPSS technologies to provide the ground-based automation tools to enable airborne Interval Management (IM) capabilities. NASA and the FAA have initiated a Research Transition Team to enable potential TAPSS and IM Technology Transfer.

Study on New Smart Transformer Terminal Unit Based on ARM and GPRS Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Na Wu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Distribution transformer is one of the most important power equipments in distribution network, whose running state exercises a great influence on the stability of the network. Transformer Terminal Unit (TTU is an effective device to monitor the running state of transformers in the distribution automation system. In this paper, we study a new smart TTU which uses ARM7 series chip as processor, equipped with ATT7022B based electric meter module and GPRS module for remote data transmission control. We focus on the corresponding hardware, software design and the measurement principle of harmonics of TTU. The new TTU can measure the electric parameters of the distribution transformer precisely. Taking advantage of the powerful ARM processor, it can analyze harmonic of the power line effectively. Due to the always-on-line feature of GPRS, TTU can achieve reliable communication with the remote terminal and the master station. Compared with other similar units, the new unit outperforms in terms of real-time, precision and reliability, which can fully meet with the high-speed development of distribution automation system.

Development of Nuclear Power Plant Safety Evaluation Method for the Automation Algorithm Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Seung Geun; Seong, Poong Hyun [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

It is commonly believed that replacing human operators to the automated system would guarantee greater efficiency, lower workloads, and fewer human error. Conventional machine learning techniques are considered as not capable to handle complex situations in NPP. Due to these kinds of issues, automation is not actively adopted although human error probability drastically increases during abnormal situations in NPP due to overload of information, high workload, and short time available for diagnosis. Recently, new machine learning techniques, which are known as ‘deep learning’ techniques have been actively applied to many fields, and the deep learning technique-based artificial intelligences (AIs) are showing better performance than conventional AIs. In 2015, deep Q-network (DQN) which is one of the deep learning techniques was developed and applied to train AI that automatically plays various Atari 2800 games, and this AI surpassed the human-level playing in many kind of games. Also in 2016, ‘Alpha-Go’, which was developed by ‘Google Deepmind’ based on deep learning technique to play the game of Go (i.e. Baduk), was defeated Se-dol Lee who is the World Go champion with score of 4:1. By the effort for reducing human error in NPPs, the ultimate goal of this study is the development of automation algorithm which can cover various situations in NPPs. As the first part, quantitative and real-time NPP safety evaluation method is being developed in order to provide the training criteria for automation algorithm. For that, EWS concept of medical field was adopted, and the applicability is investigated in this paper. Practically, the application of full automation (i.e. fully replaces human operators) may requires much more time for the validation and investigation of side-effects after the development of automation algorithm, and so the adoption in the form of full automation will take long time.

Development of Nuclear Power Plant Safety Evaluation Method for the Automation Algorithm Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung Geun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2016-01-01

It is commonly believed that replacing human operators to the automated system would guarantee greater efficiency, lower workloads, and fewer human error. Conventional machine learning techniques are considered as not capable to handle complex situations in NPP. Due to these kinds of issues, automation is not actively adopted although human error probability drastically increases during abnormal situations in NPP due to overload of information, high workload, and short time available for diagnosis. Recently, new machine learning techniques, which are known as ‘deep learning’ techniques have been actively applied to many fields, and the deep learning technique-based artificial intelligences (AIs) are showing better performance than conventional AIs. In 2015, deep Q-network (DQN) which is one of the deep learning techniques was developed and applied to train AI that automatically plays various Atari 2800 games, and this AI surpassed the human-level playing in many kind of games. Also in 2016, ‘Alpha-Go’, which was developed by ‘Google Deepmind’ based on deep learning technique to play the game of Go (i.e. Baduk), was defeated Se-dol Lee who is the World Go champion with score of 4:1. By the effort for reducing human error in NPPs, the ultimate goal of this study is the development of automation algorithm which can cover various situations in NPPs. As the first part, quantitative and real-time NPP safety evaluation method is being developed in order to provide the training criteria for automation algorithm. For that, EWS concept of medical field was adopted, and the applicability is investigated in this paper. Practically, the application of full automation (i.e. fully replaces human operators) may requires much more time for the validation and investigation of side-effects after the development of automation algorithm, and so the adoption in the form of full automation will take long time

Automated and Semiautomated Segmentation of Rectal Tumor Volumes on Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Can It Replace Manual Volumetry?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heeswijk, Miriam M. van; Lambregts, Doenja M.J.; Griethuysen, Joost J.M. van; Oei, Stanley; Rao, Sheng-Xiang; Graaff, Carla A.M. de; Vliegen, Roy F.A.; Beets, Geerard L.; Papanikolaou, Nikos; Beets-Tan, Regina G.H.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) tumor volumetry is promising for rectal cancer response assessment, but an important drawback is that manual per-slice tumor delineation can be highly time consuming. This study investigated whether manual DWI-volumetry can be reproduced using a (semi)automated segmentation approach. Methods and Materials: Seventy-nine patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that included DWI (highest b value [b1000 or b1100]) before and after chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Tumor volumes were assessed on b1000 (or b1100) DWI before and after CRT by means of (1) automated segmentation (by 2 inexperienced readers), (2) semiautomated segmentation (manual adjustment of the volumes obtained by method 1 by 2 radiologists), and (3) manual segmentation (by 2 radiologists); this last assessment served as the reference standard. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Dice similarity indices (DSI) were calculated to evaluate agreement between different methods and observers. Measurement times (from a radiologist's perspective) were recorded for each method. Results: Tumor volumes were not significantly different among the 3 methods, either before or after CRT (P=.08 to .92). ICCs compared to manual segmentation were 0.80 to 0.91 and 0.53 to 0.66 before and after CRT, respectively, for the automated segmentation and 0.91 to 0.97 and 0.61 to 0.75, respectively, for the semiautomated method. Interobserver agreement (ICC) pre and post CRT was 0.82 and 0.59 for automated segmentation, 0.91 and 0.73 for semiautomated segmentation, and 0.91 and 0.75 for manual segmentation, respectively. Mean DSI between the automated and semiautomated method were 0.83 and 0.58 pre-CRT and post-CRT, respectively; DSI between the automated and manual segmentation were 0.68 and 0.42 and 0.70 and 0.41 between the semiautomated and manual segmentation, respectively. Median measurement time for the radiologists was 0 seconds (pre- and post-CRT) for the

Automated and Semiautomated Segmentation of Rectal Tumor Volumes on Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Can It Replace Manual Volumetry?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heeswijk, Miriam M. van [Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Lambregts, Doenja M.J., E-mail: d.lambregts@nki.nl [Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Griethuysen, Joost J.M. van [GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Oei, Stanley [Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Rao, Sheng-Xiang [Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Graaff, Carla A.M. de [Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Vliegen, Roy F.A. [Atrium Medical Centre Parkstad/Zuyderland Medical Centre, Heerlen (Netherlands); Beets, Geerard L. [GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Papanikolaou, Nikos [Laboratory of Computational Medicine, Institute of Computer Science, FORTH, Heraklion, Crete (Greece); Beets-Tan, Regina G.H. [GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht (Netherlands); Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2016-03-15

Purpose: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) tumor volumetry is promising for rectal cancer response assessment, but an important drawback is that manual per-slice tumor delineation can be highly time consuming. This study investigated whether manual DWI-volumetry can be reproduced using a (semi)automated segmentation approach. Methods and Materials: Seventy-nine patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that included DWI (highest b value [b1000 or b1100]) before and after chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Tumor volumes were assessed on b1000 (or b1100) DWI before and after CRT by means of (1) automated segmentation (by 2 inexperienced readers), (2) semiautomated segmentation (manual adjustment of the volumes obtained by method 1 by 2 radiologists), and (3) manual segmentation (by 2 radiologists); this last assessment served as the reference standard. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Dice similarity indices (DSI) were calculated to evaluate agreement between different methods and observers. Measurement times (from a radiologist's perspective) were recorded for each method. Results: Tumor volumes were not significantly different among the 3 methods, either before or after CRT (P=.08 to .92). ICCs compared to manual segmentation were 0.80 to 0.91 and 0.53 to 0.66 before and after CRT, respectively, for the automated segmentation and 0.91 to 0.97 and 0.61 to 0.75, respectively, for the semiautomated method. Interobserver agreement (ICC) pre and post CRT was 0.82 and 0.59 for automated segmentation, 0.91 and 0.73 for semiautomated segmentation, and 0.91 and 0.75 for manual segmentation, respectively. Mean DSI between the automated and semiautomated method were 0.83 and 0.58 pre-CRT and post-CRT, respectively; DSI between the automated and manual segmentation were 0.68 and 0.42 and 0.70 and 0.41 between the semiautomated and manual segmentation, respectively. Median measurement time for the radiologists was 0 seconds (pre- and post-CRT) for the

Automated and Semiautomated Segmentation of Rectal Tumor Volumes on Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Can It Replace Manual Volumetry?

Science.gov (United States)

van Heeswijk, Miriam M; Lambregts, Doenja M J; van Griethuysen, Joost J M; Oei, Stanley; Rao, Sheng-Xiang; de Graaff, Carla A M; Vliegen, Roy F A; Beets, Geerard L; Papanikolaou, Nikos; Beets-Tan, Regina G H

2016-03-15

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) tumor volumetry is promising for rectal cancer response assessment, but an important drawback is that manual per-slice tumor delineation can be highly time consuming. This study investigated whether manual DWI-volumetry can be reproduced using a (semi)automated segmentation approach. Seventy-nine patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that included DWI (highest b value [b1000 or b1100]) before and after chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Tumor volumes were assessed on b1000 (or b1100) DWI before and after CRT by means of (1) automated segmentation (by 2 inexperienced readers), (2) semiautomated segmentation (manual adjustment of the volumes obtained by method 1 by 2 radiologists), and (3) manual segmentation (by 2 radiologists); this last assessment served as the reference standard. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Dice similarity indices (DSI) were calculated to evaluate agreement between different methods and observers. Measurement times (from a radiologist's perspective) were recorded for each method. Tumor volumes were not significantly different among the 3 methods, either before or after CRT (P=.08 to .92). ICCs compared to manual segmentation were 0.80 to 0.91 and 0.53 to 0.66 before and after CRT, respectively, for the automated segmentation and 0.91 to 0.97 and 0.61 to 0.75, respectively, for the semiautomated method. Interobserver agreement (ICC) pre and post CRT was 0.82 and 0.59 for automated segmentation, 0.91 and 0.73 for semiautomated segmentation, and 0.91 and 0.75 for manual segmentation, respectively. Mean DSI between the automated and semiautomated method were 0.83 and 0.58 pre-CRT and post-CRT, respectively; DSI between the automated and manual segmentation were 0.68 and 0.42 and 0.70 and 0.41 between the semiautomated and manual segmentation, respectively. Median measurement time for the radiologists was 0 seconds (pre- and post-CRT) for the automated method, 41 to 69 seconds (pre-CRT) and

NPOESS Field Terminal Updates

Science.gov (United States)

Heckmann, G.; Route, G.

2009-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Defense (DoD), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly acquiring the next-generation weather and environmental satellite system; the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). NPOESS replaces the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) managed by NOAA and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) managed by the DoD. The NPOESS satellites carry a suite of sensors that collect meteorological, oceanographic, climatological, and solar-geophysical observations of the earth, atmosphere, and space. The ground data processing segment for NPOESS is the Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS), developed by Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems. The IDPS processes NPOESS satellite data to provide environmental data products (aka, Environmental Data Records or EDRs) to NOAA and DoD processing centers operated by the United States government. The IDPS will process EDRs beginning with the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) and continuing through the lifetime of the NPOESS system. IDPS also provides the software and requirements for the Field Terminal Segment (FTS). NPOESS provides support to deployed field terminals by providing mission data in the Low Rate and High Rate downlinks (LRD/HRD), mission support data needed to generate EDRs and decryption keys needed to decrypt mission data during Selective data Encryption (SDE). Mission support data consists of globally relevant data, geographically constrained data, and two line element sets. NPOESS provides these mission support data via the Internet accessible Mission Support Data Server and HRD/LRD downlinks. This presentation will illustrate and describe the NPOESS capabilities in support of Field Terminal users. This discussion will include the mission support data available to Field Terminal users, content of the direct broadcast HRD and LRD

Robotic weeding and automated weed measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, S.; Søgaard, H.T.; Jørgensen, R.N.

2003-01-01

The goal of decreasing herbicide usage has so far focused on reducing the herbicide dosage or replacing chemical weed control by hoeing and harrowing. The conventional weed control strategy is to apply the same dose of herbicide or the same intensity of hoeing and harrowing in the whole field. Th...... the state-of-the-art of automated weed measurement methods and the research projects concerning autonomous platform and information system for crop and weed monitoring and robotic weeding....

Android based security and home automation system

OpenAIRE

Khan, Sadeque Reza; Dristy, Farzana Sultana

2015-01-01

The smart mobile terminal operator platform Android is getting popular all over the world with its wide variety of applications and enormous use in numerous spheres of our daily life. Considering the fact of increasing demand of home security and automation, an Android based control system is presented in this paper where the proposed system can maintain the security of home main entrance and also the car door lock. Another important feature of the designed system is that it can control the o...

BC Hydro's integrated approach on replacing underground feeder cables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarampi, D. [BC Hydro, Burnaby, BC (Canada)

2008-07-01

BC Hydro's integrated approach on replacing underground feeder cables was discussed. The feeder cables were all in ducts encased in concrete and splices were identified in concrete manholes. The feeder cables averaged 35 to 40 failures per year, with a large majority of failures occurring in manholes or near terminations. The age of the cables was not known. A graphical representation of a condition assessment was presented with reference to an electrical test, metallurgical test, hardness test, and dye penetrating test. Prioritization steps were also listed, including a condition index and replacement threshold. Steps in prioritizing the condition index included determining the insulation index based on electrical test results; determining the manhole condition based on metallurgical test results; determining the customer importance factor and feeder load factor; and calculating the overall condition index based on the indices. A process flowchart was also illustrated. A replacement strategy was then discussed and a cost comparison of two options was described. Option 1 was to replace only the unjacketed cables while option two involved selective replacement. tabs., figs.

Level of Automation and Failure Frequency Effects on Simulated Lunar Lander Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez, Jessica J.; Ramirez, Margarita

2014-01-01

A human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted at the NASA Ames Research Center Vertical Motion Simulator, where instrument-rated pilots completed a simulated terminal descent phase of a lunar landing. Ten pilots participated in a 2 x 2 mixed design experiment, with level of automation as the within-subjects factor and failure frequency as the between subjects factor. The two evaluated levels of automation were high (fully automated landing) and low (manual controlled landing). During test trials, participants were exposed to either a high number of failures (75% failure frequency) or low number of failures (25% failure frequency). In order to investigate the pilots' sensitivity to changes in levels of automation and failure frequency, the dependent measure selected for this experiment was accuracy of failure diagnosis, from which D Prime and Decision Criterion were derived. For each of the dependent measures, no significant difference was found for level of automation and no significant interaction was detected between level of automation and failure frequency. A significant effect was identified for failure frequency suggesting failure frequency has a significant effect on pilots' sensitivity to failure detection and diagnosis. Participants were more likely to correctly identify and diagnose failures if they experienced the higher levels of failures, regardless of level of automation

Automating occupational protection records systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyon, M.; Martin, J.B.

1991-10-01

Occupational protection records have traditionally been generated by field and laboratory personnel, assembled into files in the safety office, and eventually stored in a warehouse or other facility. Until recently, these records have been primarily paper copies, often handwritten. Sometimes, the paper is microfilmed for storage. However, electronic records are beginning to replace these traditional methods. The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance for making the transition to automated record keeping and retrieval using modern computer equipment. This paper describes the types of records most readily converted to electronic record keeping and a methodology for implementing an automated record system. The process of conversion is based on a requirements analysis to assess program needs and a high level of user involvement during the development. The importance of indexing the hard copy records for easy retrieval is also discussed. The concept of linkage between related records and its importance relative to reporting, research, and litigation will be addressed. 2 figs

Automated installation methods for photovoltaic arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, R.; Daniels, A.; Greenaway, R.; Oster, J., Jr.; Racki, D.; Stoeltzing, R.

1982-11-01

Since installation expenses constitute a substantial portion of the cost of a large photovoltaic power system, methods for reduction of these costs were investigated. The installation of the photovoltaic arrays includes all areas, starting with site preparation (i.e., trenching, wiring, drainage, foundation installation, lightning protection, grounding and installation of the panel) and concluding with the termination of the bus at the power conditioner building. To identify the optimum combination of standard installation procedures and automated/mechanized techniques, the installation process was investigated including the equipment and hardware available, the photovoltaic array structure systems and interfaces, and the array field and site characteristics. Preliminary designs of hardware for both the standard installation method, the automated/mechanized method, and a mix of standard installation procedures and mechanized procedures were identified to determine which process effectively reduced installation costs. In addition, costs associated with each type of installation method and with the design, development and fabrication of new installation hardware were generated.

Long-term maintenance of human induced pluripotent stem cells by automated cell culture system.

Science.gov (United States)

Konagaya, Shuhei; Ando, Takeshi; Yamauchi, Toshiaki; Suemori, Hirofumi; Iwata, Hiroo

2015-11-17

Pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, are regarded as new sources for cell replacement therapy. These cells can unlimitedly expand under undifferentiated conditions and be differentiated into multiple cell types. Automated culture systems enable the large-scale production of cells. In addition to reducing the time and effort of researchers, an automated culture system improves the reproducibility of cell cultures. In the present study, we newly designed a fully automated cell culture system for human iPS maintenance. Using an automated culture system, hiPS cells maintained their undifferentiated state for 60 days. Automatically prepared hiPS cells had a potency of differentiation into three germ layer cells including dopaminergic neurons and pancreatic cells.

The Center-TRACON Automation System: Simulation and field testing

Science.gov (United States)

Denery, Dallas G.; Erzberger, Heinz

1995-01-01

A new concept for air traffic management in the terminal area, implemented as the Center-TRACON Automation System, has been under development at NASA Ames in a cooperative program with the FAA since 1991. The development has been strongly influenced by concurrent simulation and field site evaluations. The role of simulation and field activities in the development process will be discussed. Results of recent simulation and field tests will be presented.

Automated ultrasonic pipe weld inspection. Part 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karl Deutsch, W.A.; Schulte, P.; Joswig, M.; Kattwinkel, R.

2006-01-01

This article contains a brief overview on automated ultrasonic welded inspection for various pipe types. Some inspection steps might by carried out with portable test equipment (e.g. pipe and test), but the weld inspection in all internationally relevant specification must be automated. The pipe geometry, the production process, and the pipe usage determine the number of required probes. Recent updates for some test specifications enforce a large number of ultrasonic probes, e.g. the Shell standard. Since seamless pipes are sometimes replaced by ERW pipes and LSAW pipes (in both cases to save production cost), the inspection methods change gradually between the various pipe types. Each testing system is unique and shows its specialties which have to be discussed by supplier, testing system user and final customer of the pipe. (author)

Automated reactor protection testing saves time and avoids errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raimondo, E.

1990-01-01

When the Pressurized Water Reactor units in the French 900MWe series were designed, the instrumentation and control systems were equipped for manual periodic testing. Manual reactor protection system testing has since been successfully replaced by an automatic system, which is also applicable to other instrumentation testing. A study on the complete automation of process instrumentation testing has been carried out. (author)

Automated registration of tail bleeding in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Peter B; Henriksen, Lars; Andresen, Per R; Lauritzen, Brian; Jensen, Kåre L; Juhl, Trine N; Tranholm, Mikael

2008-05-01

An automated system for registration of tail bleeding in rats using a camera and a user-designed PC-based software program has been developed. The live and processed images are displayed on the screen and are exported together with a text file for later statistical processing of the data allowing calculation of e.g. number of bleeding episodes, bleeding times and bleeding areas. Proof-of-principle was achieved when the camera captured the blood stream after infusion of rat whole blood into saline. Suitability was assessed by recording of bleeding profiles in heparin-treated rats, demonstrating that the system was able to capture on/off bleedings and that the data transfer and analysis were conducted successfully. Then, bleeding profiles were visually recorded by two independent observers simultaneously with the automated recordings after tail transection in untreated rats. Linear relationships were found in the number of bleedings, demonstrating, however, a statistically significant difference in the recording of bleeding episodes between observers. Also, the bleeding time was longer for visual compared to automated recording. No correlation was found between blood loss and bleeding time in untreated rats, but in heparinized rats a correlation was suggested. Finally, the blood loss correlated with the automated recording of bleeding area. In conclusion, the automated system has proven suitable for replacing visual recordings of tail bleedings in rats. Inter-observer differences can be eliminated, monotonous repetitive work avoided, and a higher through-put of animals in less time achieved. The automated system will lead to an increased understanding of the nature of bleeding following tail transection in different rodent models.

Novation as a method of termination of obligations

OpenAIRE

Perović Marko

2017-01-01

The paper presents an analysis of the issue of novation in contract law. Novation is a contract between the creditor and debtor in order to replace its existing obligation with a new one. Unlike the other methods of termination of obligations (e.g. fulfillment, compensation, remission of debt), novation extinguishes existing contractual relationship between the creditor and the debtor, so that among them arise a new contractual relationship, which in relation to the previous one, differs on t...

Refurbishment and Automation of the Thermal/Vacuum Facilities at the Goddard Space Flight Center

Science.gov (United States)

Donohue, John T.; Johnson, Chris; Ogden, Rick; Sushon, Janet

1998-01-01

The thermal/vacuum facilities located at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have supported both manned and unmanned space flight since the 1960s. Of the 11 facilities, currently 10 of the systems are scheduled for refurbishment and/or replacement as part of a 5-year implementation. Expected return on investment includes the reduction in test schedules, improvements in the safety of facility operations, reduction in the complexity of a test and the reduction in personnel support required for a test. Additionally, GSFC will become a global resource renowned for expertise in thermal engineering, mechanical engineering and for the automation of thermal/vacuum facilities and thermal/vacuum tests. Automation of the thermal/vacuum facilities includes the utilization of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and the use of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. These components allow the computer control and automation of mechanical components such as valves and pumps. In some cases, the chamber and chamber shroud require complete replacement while others require only mechanical component retrofit or replacement. The project of refurbishment and automation began in 1996 and has resulted in the computer control of one Facility (Facility #225) and the integration of electronically controlled devices and PLCs within several other facilities. Facility 225 has been successfully controlled by PLC and SCADA for over one year. Insignificant anomalies have occurred and were resolved with minimal impact to testing and operations. The amount of work remaining to be performed will occur over the next four to five years. Fiscal year 1998 includes the complete refurbishment of one facility, computer control of the thermal systems in two facilities, implementation of SCADA and PLC systems to support multiple facilities and the implementation of a Database server to allow efficient test management and data analysis.

Refurbishment and Automation of Thermal Vacuum Facilities at NASA/GSFC

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Jamie; Gomez, Carlos; Donohue, John; Johnson, Chris; Palmer, John; Sushon, Janet

1999-01-01

The thermal vacuum facilities located at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have supported both manned and unmanned space flight since the 1960s. Of the eleven facilities, currently ten of the systems are scheduled for refurbishment or replacement as part of a five-year implementation. Expected return on investment includes the reduction in test schedules, improvements in safety of facility operations, and reduction in the personnel support required for a test. Additionally, GSFC will become a global resource renowned for expertise in thermal engineering, mechanical engineering, and for the automation of thermal vacuum facilities and tests. Automation of the thermal vacuum facilities includes the utilization of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), the use of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, and the development of a centralized Test Data Management System. These components allow the computer control and automation of mechanical components such as valves and pumps. The project of refurbishment and automation began in 1996 and has resulted in complete computer control of one facility (Facility 281), and the integration of electronically controlled devices and PLCs in multiple others.

Active learning of neuron morphology for accurate automated tracing of neurites

Science.gov (United States)

Gala, Rohan; Chapeton, Julio; Jitesh, Jayant; Bhavsar, Chintan; Stepanyants, Armen

2014-01-01

Automating the process of neurite tracing from light microscopy stacks of images is essential for large-scale or high-throughput quantitative studies of neural circuits. While the general layout of labeled neurites can be captured by many automated tracing algorithms, it is often not possible to differentiate reliably between the processes belonging to different cells. The reason is that some neurites in the stack may appear broken due to imperfect labeling, while others may appear fused due to the limited resolution of optical microscopy. Trained neuroanatomists routinely resolve such topological ambiguities during manual tracing tasks by combining information about distances between branches, branch orientations, intensities, calibers, tortuosities, colors, as well as the presence of spines or boutons. Likewise, to evaluate different topological scenarios automatically, we developed a machine learning approach that combines many of the above mentioned features. A specifically designed confidence measure was used to actively train the algorithm during user-assisted tracing procedure. Active learning significantly reduces the training time and makes it possible to obtain less than 1% generalization error rates by providing few training examples. To evaluate the overall performance of the algorithm a number of image stacks were reconstructed automatically, as well as manually by several trained users, making it possible to compare the automated traces to the baseline inter-user variability. Several geometrical and topological features of the traces were selected for the comparisons. These features include the total trace length, the total numbers of branch and terminal points, the affinity of corresponding traces, and the distances between corresponding branch and terminal points. Our results show that when the density of labeled neurites is sufficiently low, automated traces are not significantly different from manual reconstructions obtained by trained users. PMID

Active learning of neuron morphology for accurate automated tracing of neurites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rohan eGala

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Automating the process of neurite tracing from light microscopy stacks of images is essential for large-scale or high-throughput quantitative studies of neural circuits. While the general layout of labeled neurites can be captured by many automated tracing algorithms, it is often not possible to differentiate reliably between the processes belonging to different cells. The reason is that some neurites in the stack may appear broken due to imperfect labeling, while others may appear fused due to the limited resolution of optical microscopy. Trained neuroanatomists routinely resolve such topological ambiguities during manual tracing tasks by combining information about distances between branches, branch orientations, intensities, calibers, tortuosities, colors, as well as the presence of spines or boutons. Likewise, to evaluate different topological scenarios automatically, we developed a machine learning approach that combines many of the above mentioned features. A specifically designed confidence measure was used to actively train the algorithm during user-assisted tracing procedure. Active learning significantly reduces the training time and makes it possible to obtain less than 1% generalization error rates by providing few training examples. To evaluate the overall performance of the algorithm a number of image stacks were reconstructed automatically, as well as manually by several trained users, making it possible to compare the automated traces to the baseline inter-user variability. Several geometrical and topological features of the traces were selected for the comparisons. These features include the total trace length, the total numbers of branch and terminal points, the affinity of corresponding traces, and the distances between corresponding branch and terminal points. Our results show that when the density of labeled neurites is sufficiently low, automated traces are not significantly different from manual reconstructions obtained by

Supercapacitor performance evaluation in replacing battery based on charging and discharging current characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Sani, A.; Siahaan, S.; Mubarakah, N.; Suherman

2018-02-01

Supercapacitor is a new device of energy storage, which has much difference between ordinary capacitors and batteries. Supercapacitor have higher capacitance and energy density than regular capacitors. The supercapacitor also has a fast charging time, as well as a long life. To be used as a battery replacement please note the internal parameters of the battery to be replaced. In this paper conducted a simulation study to utilize supercapacitor as a replacement battery. The internal parameters of the battery and the supercapacitor are obtained based on the characteristics of charging and discharging current using a predefined equivalent circuit model. The battery to be replaced is a 12-volt lead-acid type, 6.5 Ah which is used on motorcycles with 6A charging and discharging currents. Super capacitor replacement capacitor is a capacity of 1600F, 2.7V which is connected in series as many as 6 pieces with 16.2 volt terminal voltage and charging current 12A. To obtain the same supercapacitor characteristic as the battery characteristic to be replaced, modification of its internal parameters is made. The results show that the super-capacitor can replace the battery function for 1000 seconds.

Automation of On-Board Flightpath Management

Science.gov (United States)

Erzberger, H.

1981-01-01

The status of concepts and techniques for the design of onboard flight path management systems is reviewed. Such systems are designed to increase flight efficiency and safety by automating the optimization of flight procedures onboard aircraft. After a brief review of the origins and functions of such systems, two complementary methods are described for attacking the key design problem, namely, the synthesis of efficient trajectories. One method optimizes en route, the other optimizes terminal area flight; both methods are rooted in optimal control theory. Simulation and flight test results are reviewed to illustrate the potential of these systems for fuel and cost savings.

Using simulation to design an automated underground system for transporting freight around Schiphol Airport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heijden, Matthijs C.; van Harten, Aart; Ebben, Mark; Saanen, Y.A.; Valentin, E.C.; Verbraeck, A.

2002-01-01

To avoid road congestion, we are developing a highly automated underground transport system using automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) around Schiphol Airport. It is unique in its scale, incorporating 16 to 25 km tubes connecting five to 20 terminals, and it includes 200 to 400 AGVs to transport an

Man-machine interface versus full automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatton, V.

1984-01-01

As accelerators grow in size and complexity of operation there is an increasing economical as well as an operational incentive for the controls and operations teams to use computers to help the man-machine interface. At first the computer network replaced the traditional controls racks filled with knobs, buttons and digital displays of voltages and potentiometer readings. The computer system provided the operator with the extension of his hands and eyes. It was quickly found that much more could be achieved. Where previously it was necessary for the human operator to decide the order of the actions to be executed by the computer as a result of a visual indication of malfunctioning of the accelerator, now the operation is becoming more and more under the direct control of the computer system. Expert knowledge is programmed into the system to help the non-specialist make decision and to safeguard the equipment. Machine physics concepts have been incorporated and critical machine parameters can be optimised easily by the physicists or operators without any detailed knowledge of the intervening medium or of the equipment being controlled. As confidence grows and reliability improves, more and more automation can be added. How far can this process of automation replace the skilled operator. Can the accelerators of tomorrow be run like the ever increasing robotic assembly plants of today. How is the role of the operator changing in this new environment

Comparison of Manual and Automated Preprocedural Segmentation Tools to Predict the Annulus Plane Angulation and C-Arm Positioning for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verena Veulemans

Full Text Available Preprocedural manual multi-slice-CT-segmentation tools (MSCT-ST define the gold standard for planning transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR. They are able to predict the perpendicular line of the aortic annulus (PPL and to indicate the corresponding C-arm angulation (CAA. Fully automated planning-tools and their clinical relevance have not been systematically evaluated in a real world setting so far.The study population consists of an all-comers cohort of 160 consecutive TAVR patients with a drop out of 35 patients for technical and anatomical reasons. 125 TAVR patients underwent preprocedural analysis by manual (M-MSCT and fully automated MSCT-ST (A-MSCT. Method-comparison was performed for 105 patients (Cohort A. In Cohort A, CAA was defined for each patient, and accordance within 10° between M-MSCT and A-MSCT was considered adequate for concept-proof (95% in LAO/RAO; 94% in CRAN/CAUD. Intraprocedural CAA was defined by repetitive angiograms without utilizing the preprocedural measurements. In Cohort B, intraprocedural CAA was established with the use of A-MSCT (20 patients. Using preprocedural A-MSCT to indicate the corresponding CAA, the levels of contrast medium (ml and radiation exposure (cine runs were reduced in Cohort B compared to Cohort A significantly (23.3±10.3 vs. 35.3 ±21.1 ml, p = 0.02; 1.6±0.7 vs. 2.4±1.4 cine runs; p = 0.02 and trends towards more safety in valve-positioning could be demonstrated.A-MSCT-analysis provides precise preprocedural information on CAA for optimal visualization of the aortic annulus compared to the M-MSCT gold standard. Intraprocedural application of this information during TAVR significantly reduces the levels of contrast and radiation exposure.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01805739.

The using of the control room automation against human errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kautto, A.

1993-01-01

The control room automation has developed very strongly during the 80's in IVO (Imatran Voima Oy). The former work expanded strongly with building of the full scope training simulator to the Loviisa plant. The important milestones has been, for example the testing of the Critical Function Monitoring System, a concept developed by Combustion Eng. Inc., in Loviisa training simulator 1982, the replacing of the process and simulator computers in Loviisa 1989, and 1990 and the presenting the use of the computer based procedures in training of operators 1993. With developing of automation and procedures it is possible to minimize the probability of human error. However, it is not possible totally eliminate the risks caused by human errors. (orig.)

Activation of human acid sphingomyelinase through modification or deletion of C-terminal cysteine.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Huawei; Edmunds, Tim; Baker-Malcolm, Jennifer; Karey, Kenneth P; Estes, Scott; Schwarz, Cordula; Hughes, Heather; Van Patten, Scott M

2003-08-29

One form of Niemann-Pick disease is caused by a deficiency in the enzymatic activity of acid sphingomyelinase. During efforts to develop an enzyme replacement therapy based on a recombinant form of human acid sphingomyelinase (rhASM), purified preparations of the recombinant enzyme were found to have substantially increased specific activity if cell harvest media were stored for several weeks at -20 degrees C prior to purification. This increase in activity was found to correlate with the loss of the single free thiol on rhASM, suggesting the involvement of a cysteine residue. It was demonstrated that a variety of chemical modifications of the free cysteine on rhASM all result in substantial activation of the enzyme, and the modified cysteine responsible for this activation was shown to be the C-terminal residue (Cys629). Activation was also achieved by copper-promoted dimerization of rhASM (via cysteine) and by C-terminal truncation using carboxypeptidase Y. The role of the C-terminal cysteine in activation was confirmed by creating mutant forms of rhASM in which this residue was either deleted or replaced by a serine, with both forms having substantially higher specific activity than wild-type rhASM. These results indicate that purified rhASM can be activated in vitro by loss of the free thiol on the C-terminal cysteine via chemical modification, dimerization, or deletion of this amino acid residue. This method of activation is similar to the cysteine switch mechanism described previously for matrix metalloproteinases and could represent a means of posttranslational regulation of ASM activity in vivo.

Aliphatic semisynthetic amino terminal variants of myoglobin: enrichment with carbon-13, determination and interpretation of terminal pK values and motions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, M.R.

1985-01-01

The synthesis of a series of myoglobins substituted in the amino terminal residue to provide variation in the aliphatic nature of the side chain and enrichment in 13 C was accomplished by semisynthetic methods. The replacements of valine, the native first residue, included 13 C enriched glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine. The products were extensively characterized and found to be virtually indistinguishable by most physical methods. 13 C NMR spectroscopy showed significant differences in the amino terminal pK value, ranging from 7.72 for myoglobin to 7.15 for myoglobin. Consideration of the electrostatic effects of the charge array indicated a balance of interactions at this site not significantly altered by variations in the side chain. By examination of the crystal structure, consideration of earlier work regarding the interactions of the side chain of Leu-2, and data regarding the motions of the terminal residue, it was concluded that the interaction of the side chain of the first residue with the hydrophobic cluster formed primarily by close contact of invariant residues Leu-2 and Leu-137 was the primary cause for the reduction in the terminal pK values seen for the larger aliphatics. By restricting the freedom of the residue, this interaction limits the available hydration volume, and consequently favors the unprotonated form of the amine. The concurrent observation of both functional elements in the series of α amino terminal residues brings out the interrelated consequences for the two categories of solvent interactions controlling structural and functional properties in a graded way

ARP/wARP and molecular replacement: the next generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, Serge X.; Ben Jelloul, Marouane; Long, Fei; Vagin, Alexei; Knipscheer, Puck; Lebbink, Joyce; Sixma, Titia K.; Lamzin, Victor S.; Murshudov, Garib N.; Perrakis, Anastassis

2008-01-01

A systematic test shows how ARP/wARP deals with automated model building for structures that have been solved by molecular replacement. A description of protocols in the flex-wARP control system and studies of two specific cases are also presented. Automatic iterative model (re-)building, as implemented in ARP/wARP and its new control system flex-wARP, is particularly well suited to follow structure solution by molecular replacement. More than 100 molecular-replacement solutions automatically solved by the BALBES software were submitted to three standard protocols in flex-wARP and the results were compared with final models from the PDB. Standard metrics were gathered in a systematic way and enabled the drawing of statistical conclusions on the advantages of each protocol. Based on this analysis, an empirical estimator was proposed that predicts how good the final model produced by flex-wARP is likely to be based on the experimental data and the quality of the molecular-replacement solution. To introduce the differences between the three flex-wARP protocols (keeping the complete search model, converting it to atomic coordinates but ignoring atom identities or using the electron-density map calculated from the molecular-replacement solution), two examples are also discussed in detail, focusing on the evolution of the models during iterative rebuilding. This highlights the diversity of paths that the flex-wARP control system can employ to reach a nearly complete and accurate model while actually starting from the same initial information

A method of meta-mechanism combination and replacement based on motion study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yadong Fang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Lacking the effective methods to reduce labor and cost, many small- and medium-sized assembly companies are facing with the problem of high cost for a long time. In order to reduce costs of manual operations, the method of meta-mechanism combination and replacement is studied. In this paper, we mainly discuss assembling motion analysis, workpieces position information acquisition, motion library construction, assembling motion analysis by Maynard’s operation sequence technique, meta-mechanism database establishment, and match of motion and mechanism. At the same time, the principle, process, and system realization framework of mechanism replacement are introduced. Lastly, problems for low-cost automation of the production line are basically resolved by operator motion analysis and meta-mechanism combination and match.

Automated x-ray inspection of composites at northrop aircraft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, W.J. Jr.; Nutter, R.L.; Patricelli, F.

1985-01-01

The Northrop automated x-ray inspection system (AXIS) has evolved from a research and development program initiated in 1981 to reduce increasing inspection costs; and reduce inspection times to stay abreast with increasing F/A-18A production. The goal of the program was to develop an automated production system that would meet existing inspection requirements; automate handling and alignment; and replace film for the inspection of F/A-18A composite assemblies and laminates. Originally, the program was supported completely by Northrop internal finding. However in 1984 it became part of the Navy Industrial Modernization Incentive Program (IMIP) with joint funding. The program was selected by the Navy because of its great potential to reduce and stabilize costs associated with F/A-18A inspections. Currently the AXIS is in the last stage of development with final integration expected by the end of July 1985 and production implementation by the end of the year. This paper briefly describes the equipment, and operation of the AXIS. Slides will be presented at the conference which will further illustrate the system; including inspection results

The functional improvement and reduction of operators' work at LNG receiving terminal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomiyama, H.

1997-01-01

The Tokyo Gas Negishi Terminal has undergone a series of major changes since starting operation in 1966, including a change in the main feedstock from oil to LNG, and expansion of processing volume and scale. Control of the terminal has been in the form of centralized control and monitoring from a central control room. High technical levels have been maintained, this being one of the first terminals to adopt direct digital control (DDC) as the technology became available. In 1995, a distributed control system (DCS) was introduced as part of a large-scale redevelopment project at the Negishi Terminal, extending the scope of operations and monitoring by operators by full automation of controls, and improvement of functions including integration and upgrading of monitoring. The result has been a significant reduction in the workload on operators. The installation of these functions required further investment of around 1 billion yen, in addition to the cost of renewal of the facility. In spite of the major expansion of the range of facilities under control, the number of operators working 24-hours shifts has been reduced, and over 15 years cost reductions equivalent to around twice the investment cost are expected to be made. (au)

A guide to automation techniques in calorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renz, D.P.; Wetzel, J.R.; Breakall, K.L.; James, S.J.; Kasperski, P.W.

1992-01-01

Many improvements occurring in calorimetry measurement technology in the past few years will help current users of calorimeters to achieve better use of their existing systems. These include a more user friendly operator computer interface, a more detailed printout at the end of each run, improved data processing to eliminate operator error, and improved system monitoring to detect system or environmental problems. In addition, an electrical calibration heater has been developed to replace plutonium-238 heat standards for calibrating calorimeters, and several automation systems allow for easier and safer system operation

Simulation of time-control procedures for terminal area flow management

Science.gov (United States)

Alcabin, M.; Erzberger, H.; Tobias, L.; Obrien, P. J.

1985-01-01

Simulations of a terminal area traffic-management system incorporating automated scheduling and time-control (four-dimensional) techniques conducted at NASA Ames Research Center jointly with the Federal Aviation Administration, have shown that efficient procedures can be developed for handling a mix of 4D-equipped and conventionally equipped aircraft. A crucial role in this system is played by an ATC host computer algorithm, referred to as a speed advisory, that allows controllers to maintain accurate time schedules of the conventionally equipped aircraft in the traffic mix. Results are of the most recent simulations in which two important special cases were investigated. First, the effects of a speed advisory on touchdown time scheduling are examined, when unequipped aircraft are constrained to follow fuel-optimized profiles in the near-terminal area, and rescheduling procedures are developed to handle missed approaches of 4D-equipped aircraft. Various performance measures, including controller opinion, are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures.

Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation with Concomitant Aortic Valve and Ascending Aortic Replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Huenges, Katharina; Panholzer, Bernd; Cremer, Jochen; Haneya, Assad

2018-01-01

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is nowadays a routine therapy for patients with advanced heart failure. We present the case of a 74-year-old male patient who was admitted to our center with terminal heart failure in dilated cardiomyopathy and ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic valve regurgitation. The LVAD implantation with simultaneous aortic valve and supracoronary ascending aortic replacement was successfully performed.

Simulation evaluation of TIMER, a time-based, terminal air traffic, flow-management concept

Science.gov (United States)

Credeur, Leonard; Capron, William R.

1989-01-01

A description of a time-based, extended terminal area ATC concept called Traffic Intelligence for the Management of Efficient Runway scheduling (TIMER) and the results of a fast-time evaluation are presented. The TIMER concept is intended to bridge the gap between today's ATC system and a future automated time-based ATC system. The TIMER concept integrates en route metering, fuel-efficient cruise and profile descents, terminal time-based sequencing and spacing together with computer-generated controller aids, to improve delivery precision for fuller use of runway capacity. Simulation results identify and show the effects and interactions of such key variables as horizon of control location, delivery time error at both the metering fix and runway threshold, aircraft separation requirements, delay discounting, wind, aircraft heading and speed errors, and knowledge of final approach speed.

Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koffman, Larry D.; Lee, Patricia L.; Cook, James R.; Wilhite, Elmer L.

2008-01-01

The Environmental Analysis and Performance Modeling group of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) conducts performance assessments of the Savannah River Site (SRS) low-level waste facilities to meet the requirements of DOE Order 435.1. These performance assessments, which result in limits on the amounts of radiological substances that can be placed in the waste disposal facilities, consider numerous potential exposure pathways that could occur in the future. One set of exposure scenarios, known as inadvertent intruder analysis, considers the impact on hypothetical individuals who are assumed to inadvertently intrude onto the waste disposal site. Inadvertent intruder analysis considers three distinct scenarios for exposure referred to as the agriculture scenario, the resident scenario, and the post-drilling scenario. Each of these scenarios has specific exposure pathways that contribute to the overall dose for the scenario. For the inadvertent intruder analysis, the calculation of dose for the exposure pathways is a relatively straightforward algebraic calculation that utilizes dose conversion factors. Prior to 2004, these calculations were performed using an Excel spreadsheet. However, design checks of the spreadsheet calculations revealed that errors could be introduced inadvertently when copying spreadsheet formulas cell by cell and finding these errors was tedious and time consuming. This weakness led to the specification of functional requirements to create a software application that would automate the calculations for inadvertent intruder analysis using a controlled source of input parameters. This software application, named the Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application, has undergone rigorous testing of the internal calculations and meets software QA requirements. The Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application was intended to replace the previous spreadsheet analyses with an automated application that was verified to produce the same calculations and

Effect of automated ultraviolet C-emitting device on decontamination of hospital rooms with and without real-time observation of terminal room disinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Penno, Katie; Jandarov, Roman A; Sopirala, Madhuri M

2017-11-01

We studied the effectiveness of an ultraviolet C (UV-C) emitter in clinical settings and compared it with observed terminal disinfection. We cultured 22 hospital discharge rooms at a tertiary care academic medical center. Phase 1 (unobserved terminal disinfection) included cultures of 11 high-touch environmental surfaces (HTSs) after terminal room disinfection (AD) and after the use of a UV-C-emitting device (AUV). Phase 2 (observed terminal disinfection) included cultures before terminal room disinfection (BD), AD, and AUV. Zero-inflated Poisson regression compared mean colony forming units (CFU) between the groups. Two-sample proportion tests identified significance of the observed differences in proportions of thoroughly cleaned HTSs (CFU cleaning significantly reduced microbial burden and improved the thoroughness of terminal disinfection. We found no further benefit to UV-C use if standard terminal disinfection was observed. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Capillary electrophoresis of Big-Dye terminator sequencing reactions for human mtDNA Control Region haplotyping in the identification of human remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Montesino, Marta; Prieto, Lourdes

2012-01-01

Cycle sequencing reaction with Big-Dye terminators provides the methodology to analyze mtDNA Control Region amplicons by means of capillary electrophoresis. DNA sequencing with ddNTPs or terminators was developed by (1). The progressive automation of the method by combining the use of fluorescent-dye terminators with cycle sequencing has made it possible to increase the sensibility and efficiency of the method and hence has allowed its introduction into the forensic field. PCR-generated mitochondrial DNA products are the templates for sequencing reactions. Different set of primers can be used to generate amplicons with different sizes according to the quality and quantity of the DNA extract providing sequence data for different ranges inside the Control Region.

Altering user' acceptance of automation through prior automation exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekier, Marek; Molesworth, Brett R C

2017-06-01

Air navigation service providers worldwide see increased use of automation as one solution to overcome the capacity constraints imbedded in the present air traffic management (ATM) system. However, increased use of automation within any system is dependent on user acceptance. The present research sought to determine if the point at which an individual is no longer willing to accept or cooperate with automation can be manipulated. Forty participants underwent training on a computer-based air traffic control programme, followed by two ATM exercises (order counterbalanced), one with and one without the aid of automation. Results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation ('tipping point') decreased; suggesting it is indeed possible to alter automation acceptance. Practitioner Summary: This paper investigates whether the point at which a user of automation rejects automation (i.e. 'tipping point') is constant or can be manipulated. The results revealed after exposure to a task with automation assistance, user acceptance of high(er) levels of automation decreased; suggesting it is possible to alter automation acceptance.

Packet loss replacement in voip using a recursive low-order autoregressive modelbased speech

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miralavi, Seyed Reza; Ghorshi, Seyed; Mortazavi, Mohammad; Choupan, Jeiran

2011-01-01

In real-time packet-based communication systems one major problem is misrouted or delayed packets which results in degraded perceived voice quality. When some speech packets are not available on time, the packet is known as lost packet in real-time communication systems. The easiest task of a network terminal receiver is to replace silence for the duration of lost speech segments. In a high quality communication system in order to avoid quality reduction due to packet loss a suitable method and/or algorithm is needed to replace the missing segments of speech. In this paper, we introduce a recursive low order autoregressive (AR) model for replacement of lost speech segment. The evaluation results show that this method has a lower mean square error (MSE) and low complexity compared to the other efficient methods like high-order AR model without any substantial degradation in perceived voice quality.

Automating CPM-GOMS

Science.gov (United States)

John, Bonnie; Vera, Alonso; Matessa, Michael; Freed, Michael; Remington, Roger

2002-01-01

CPM-GOMS is a modeling method that combines the task decomposition of a GOMS analysis with a model of human resource usage at the level of cognitive, perceptual, and motor operations. CPM-GOMS models have made accurate predictions about skilled user behavior in routine tasks, but developing such models is tedious and error-prone. We describe a process for automatically generating CPM-GOMS models from a hierarchical task decomposition expressed in a cognitive modeling tool called Apex. Resource scheduling in Apex automates the difficult task of interleaving the cognitive, perceptual, and motor resources underlying common task operators (e.g. mouse move-and-click). Apex's UI automatically generates PERT charts, which allow modelers to visualize a model's complex parallel behavior. Because interleaving and visualization is now automated, it is feasible to construct arbitrarily long sequences of behavior. To demonstrate the process, we present a model of automated teller interactions in Apex and discuss implications for user modeling. available to model human users, the Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection (GOMS) method [6, 21] has been the most widely used, providing accurate, often zero-parameter, predictions of the routine performance of skilled users in a wide range of procedural tasks [6, 13, 15, 27, 28]. GOMS is meant to model routine behavior. The user is assumed to have methods that apply sequences of operators and to achieve a goal. Selection rules are applied when there is more than one method to achieve a goal. Many routine tasks lend themselves well to such decomposition. Decomposition produces a representation of the task as a set of nested goal states that include an initial state and a final state. The iterative decomposition into goals and nested subgoals can terminate in primitives of any desired granularity, the choice of level of detail dependent on the predictions required. Although GOMS has proven useful in HCI, tools to support the

Decision Making In A High-Tech World: Automation Bias and Countermeasures

Science.gov (United States)

Mosier, Kathleen L.; Skitka, Linda J.; Burdick, Mark R.; Heers, Susan T.; Rosekind, Mark R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Automated decision aids and decision support systems have become essential tools in many high-tech environments. In aviation, for example, flight management systems computers not only fly the aircraft, but also calculate fuel efficient paths, detect and diagnose system malfunctions and abnormalities, and recommend or carry out decisions. Air Traffic Controllers will soon be utilizing decision support tools to help them predict and detect potential conflicts and to generate clearances. Other fields as disparate as nuclear power plants and medical diagnostics are similarly becoming more and more automated. Ideally, the combination of human decision maker and automated decision aid should result in a high-performing team, maximizing the advantages of additional cognitive and observational power in the decision-making process. In reality, however, the presence of these aids often short-circuits the way that even very experienced decision makers have traditionally handled tasks and made decisions, and introduces opportunities for new decision heuristics and biases. Results of recent research investigating the use of automated aids have indicated the presence of automation bias, that is, errors made when decision makers rely on automated cues as a heuristic replacement for vigilant information seeking and processing. Automation commission errors, i.e., errors made when decision makers inappropriately follow an automated directive, or automation omission errors, i.e., errors made when humans fail to take action or notice a problem because an automated aid fails to inform them, can result from this tendency. Evidence of the tendency to make automation-related omission and commission errors has been found in pilot self reports, in studies using pilots in flight simulations, and in non-flight decision making contexts with student samples. Considerable research has found that increasing social accountability can successfully ameliorate a broad array of cognitive biases and

Introduction of an automated medical record at an HMO clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Churgin, P G

1994-01-01

In May 1993, CIGNA Healthcare of Arizona implemented a comprehensive automated medical record system in a pilot project performed at a primary care clinic in Chandler, Arizona. The system, EpicCare, operates in a client-server environment and completely replaces the paper chart in all phases of medical care. After six months of use by 10 medical providers and a 50-member staff, the system has been approved by clinicians, staff, and patients.

Cardiac imaging: working towards fully-automated machine analysis & interpretation.

Science.gov (United States)

Slomka, Piotr J; Dey, Damini; Sitek, Arkadiusz; Motwani, Manish; Berman, Daniel S; Germano, Guido

2017-03-01

Non-invasive imaging plays a critical role in managing patients with cardiovascular disease. Although subjective visual interpretation remains the clinical mainstay, quantitative analysis facilitates objective, evidence-based management, and advances in clinical research. This has driven developments in computing and software tools aimed at achieving fully automated image processing and quantitative analysis. In parallel, machine learning techniques have been used to rapidly integrate large amounts of clinical and quantitative imaging data to provide highly personalized individual patient-based conclusions. Areas covered: This review summarizes recent advances in automated quantitative imaging in cardiology and describes the latest techniques which incorporate machine learning principles. The review focuses on the cardiac imaging techniques which are in wide clinical use. It also discusses key issues and obstacles for these tools to become utilized in mainstream clinical practice. Expert commentary: Fully-automated processing and high-level computer interpretation of cardiac imaging are becoming a reality. Application of machine learning to the vast amounts of quantitative data generated per scan and integration with clinical data also facilitates a move to more patient-specific interpretation. These developments are unlikely to replace interpreting physicians but will provide them with highly accurate tools to detect disease, risk-stratify, and optimize patient-specific treatment. However, with each technological advance, we move further from human dependence and closer to fully-automated machine interpretation.

Strengthening of an advanced automated radiation laboratory. Hungary. Terminal report project findings and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

An Advanced Automated Radiation Laboratory was completed; the hardware and software bases are now suitable for up-to-date kinetical measurements in radiation chemistry and technology both for Hungarian experts and for specialists from abroad. It would be possible and useful e.g. to organize further training courses in the field of radiation chemistry and technology by the IAEA and/or the UNDP, as well as to send fellows from developing countries for practical research work or other purposes (TCDC)

AUTOMATED INADVERTENT INTRUDER APPLICATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koffman, L; Patricia Lee, P; Jim Cook, J; Elmer Wilhite, E

2007-01-01

The Environmental Analysis and Performance Modeling group of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) conducts performance assessments of the Savannah River Site (SRS) low-level waste facilities to meet the requirements of DOE Order 435.1. These performance assessments, which result in limits on the amounts of radiological substances that can be placed in the waste disposal facilities, consider numerous potential exposure pathways that could occur in the future. One set of exposure scenarios, known as inadvertent intruder analysis, considers the impact on hypothetical individuals who are assumed to inadvertently intrude onto the waste disposal site. Inadvertent intruder analysis considers three distinct scenarios for exposure referred to as the agriculture scenario, the resident scenario, and the post-drilling scenario. Each of these scenarios has specific exposure pathways that contribute to the overall dose for the scenario. For the inadvertent intruder analysis, the calculation of dose for the exposure pathways is a relatively straightforward algebraic calculation that utilizes dose conversion factors. Prior to 2004, these calculations were performed using an Excel spreadsheet. However, design checks of the spreadsheet calculations revealed that errors could be introduced inadvertently when copying spreadsheet formulas cell by cell and finding these errors was tedious and time consuming. This weakness led to the specification of functional requirements to create a software application that would automate the calculations for inadvertent intruder analysis using a controlled source of input parameters. This software application, named the Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application, has undergone rigorous testing of the internal calculations and meets software QA requirements. The Automated Inadvertent Intruder Application was intended to replace the previous spreadsheet analyses with an automated application that was verified to produce the same calculations and

Complacency and Automation Bias in the Use of Imperfect Automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickens, Christopher D; Clegg, Benjamin A; Vieane, Alex Z; Sebok, Angelia L

2015-08-01

We examine the effects of two different kinds of decision-aiding automation errors on human-automation interaction (HAI), occurring at the first failure following repeated exposure to correctly functioning automation. The two errors are incorrect advice, triggering the automation bias, and missing advice, reflecting complacency. Contrasts between analogous automation errors in alerting systems, rather than decision aiding, have revealed that alerting false alarms are more problematic to HAI than alerting misses are. Prior research in decision aiding, although contrasting the two aiding errors (incorrect vs. missing), has confounded error expectancy. Participants performed an environmental process control simulation with and without decision aiding. For those with the aid, automation dependence was created through several trials of perfect aiding performance, and an unexpected automation error was then imposed in which automation was either gone (one group) or wrong (a second group). A control group received no automation support. The correct aid supported faster and more accurate diagnosis and lower workload. The aid failure degraded all three variables, but "automation wrong" had a much greater effect on accuracy, reflecting the automation bias, than did "automation gone," reflecting the impact of complacency. Some complacency was manifested for automation gone, by a longer latency and more modest reduction in accuracy. Automation wrong, creating the automation bias, appears to be a more problematic form of automation error than automation gone, reflecting complacency. Decision-aiding automation should indicate its lower degree of confidence in uncertain environments to avoid the automation bias. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Home automation becomes home entertainment. Emotion replaces function; Hausautomation sucht Naehe zum Home-Entertainment. Emotion verdraengt Funktion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmid, W.

2006-09-15

Home automation commonly applies to control of lighting, shading, heating, safety etc., i.e. a purely functional concept. Recently, many systems have come to integrate home entertainment as well: Bang and Olufsen and Revox meets heating, light, and ventilation. (orig.)

A review of automated systems for cyclotrons use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araujo, Sumair G.

2002-01-01

Automation has a growing role in process controls in general. It is everyday more and present in human kind's dreams, being pursued by scientists as the solution to improve the quality of life, to replace big efforts, to attend the growing demand of the world populace. Automation is a technology that can be applied in several processes to generate productivity, agility, flexibility and welfare. It opens horizons so that man can multiply his potential, develop his creativity and gives birth to a new age of realizations. Where he will certainly will be the central figure, responsible for decisions. It is up to him to find the best way. In particular, automation of target irradiation systems in cyclotrons is important in order to reduce the radiation dose received by the personnel and to increase the reliability of the method, leading to an improvement in the radioisotope production capacity. This work presents a literature review of automatized systems comparing them with the one developed at IPEN. The systems found in literature involve the use of solid, liquid and gaseous targets used in radioisotope production for Nuclear Medicine employing the techniques of PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and SPET (Single Photon Emission Tomography). (author)

Development of Process Automation in the Neutron Activation Analysis Facility in Malaysian Nuclear Agency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yussup, N.; Azman, A.; Ibrahim, M.M.; Rahman, N.A.A.; Che Sohashaari, S.; Atan, M.N.; Hamzah, M.A.; Mokhtar, M.; Khalid, M.A.; Salim, N.A.A.; Hamzah, M.S.

2018-01-01

Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) has been established in Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) since 1980s. Most of the procedures established from sample registration to analysis are performed manually. These manual procedures carried out by the NAA laboratory personnel are time consuming and inefficient. Hence, system automation is developed in order to provide an effective method to replace redundant manual data entries and produce faster sample analysis and calculation process. This report explains NAA process in Nuclear Malaysia and describes the automation development in detail which includes sample registration software, automatic sample changer system which consists of hardware and software; and sample analysis software. (author)

A new fully automated TLD badge reader

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kannan, S.; Ratna, P.; Kulkarni, M.S.

2003-01-01

At present personnel monitoring in India is being carried out using a number of manual and semiautomatic TLD badge Readers and the BARC TL dosimeter badge designed during 1970. Of late the manual TLD badge readers are almost completely replaced by semiautomatic readers with a number of performance improvements like use of hot gas heating to reduce the readout time considerably. PC based design with storage of glow curve for every dosimeter, on-line dose computation and printout of dose reports, etc. However the semiautomatic system suffers from the lack of a machine readable ID code on the badge and the physical design of the dosimeter card not readily compatible for automation. This paper describes a fully automated TLD badge Reader developed in the RSS Division, using a new TLD badge with machine readable ID code. The new PC based reader has a built-in reader for reading the ID code, in the form of an array of holes, on the dosimeter card. The reader has a number of self-diagnostic features to ensure a high degree of reliability. (author)

Quantitative Vulnerability Assessment of Cyber Security for Distribution Automation Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaming Ye

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The distribution automation system (DAS is vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to the widespread use of terminal devices and standard communication protocols. On account of the cost of defense, it is impossible to ensure the security of every device in the DAS. Given this background, a novel quantitative vulnerability assessment model of cyber security for DAS is developed in this paper. In the assessment model, the potential physical consequences of cyber-attacks are analyzed from two levels: terminal device level and control center server level. Then, the attack process is modeled based on game theory and the relationships among different vulnerabilities are analyzed by introducing a vulnerability adjacency matrix. Finally, the application process of the proposed methodology is illustrated through a case study based on bus 2 of the Roy Billinton Test System (RBTS. The results demonstrate the reasonability and effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

Novation as a method of termination of obligations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perović Marko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an analysis of the issue of novation in contract law. Novation is a contract between the creditor and debtor in order to replace its existing obligation with a new one. Unlike the other methods of termination of obligations (e.g. fulfillment, compensation, remission of debt, novation extinguishes existing contractual relationship between the creditor and the debtor, so that among them arise a new contractual relationship, which in relation to the previous one, differs on the case or legal basis. In most of the modern codifications of civil law, novation obtained a particular use in relation to the classical Roman law, which included a change of persons in obligations. In Serbian law, novation also has took the particular use and it takes an important place among many other termination methods of obligations. The analysis made in this paper, focused to the theoretical arguments and practical significance of the novation, brings the author to the conclusions and recommendations relevant to the novation in the theory and practices of contract law.

Automation of eddy current system for in-service inspection of turbine and generator bores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viertl, J.R.M.

1988-01-01

The most commonly applied inspection method for ferromagnetic turbine and generator rotor bores is the magnetic particle test technique. This method is subjective, depends on the test operator's skill and diligence in identifying test indications, and suffers from poor repeatability, especially for small indications. Automation would improve repeatability. However, magnetic particle tests are not easily automated, because the data are in the form of sketches, photographs, and written and oral descriptions of the indications. Eddy current inspection has obvious potential to replace magnetic particle methods in this application. Eddy current tests can be readily automated, as the data are in the form of voltages that can be recorded, digitized, and manipulated by a computer. The current project continues the investigation of the correlation between eddy current and magnetic particle inspection. Two systems have been combined to acquire eddy current data automatically. This combination of systems consists of the Nortec-25L Eddyscope (to provide the analog eddy current signals) and the General Electric DATAQ (TM) System (to perform the automatic data acquisition). The automation of the system is discussed

An advanced automation system for operation of Sao Paulo pumping stations from TRANSPETRO Master Control Center - CNCO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corcioli, Mario Sergio; Barreto, Camila Maria Benevenuto [TRANSPETRO, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

Since 2000 the operations of the TRANSPETRO pumping stations in the state of Sao Paulo region began to be transferred from local control centers located at the transfer and storage terminals to the National Operational Control Center (CNCO) of TRANSPETRO, located at the headquarters of the company, in Rio de Janeiro. The proposed paper aims to presenting an overview of the automation system that was developed to enable such pumping stations to be operated from CNCO in a reliable and secure manner, focusing on tools that offer an embedded system alarms completely free of false alarms with automatic determining of the root cause, and also automatic and advanced diagnoses of problems caused by failures of hardware, human error and abnormal conditions of the process, providing the CNCO SCADA system of accurate and quality information that help operators to make decisions. The referred automation system was integrated for the first time to CNCO SCADA system in 2000, for pipeline pumps of Osvat (Sao Sebastiao - Vale do Paraiba pipeline) station at the Sao Sebastiao Terminal - northern coast of Sao Paulo region. (author)

Improving the driver-automation interaction: an approach using automation uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Beller, Johannes; Heesen, Matthias; Vollrath, Mark

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether communicating automation uncertainty improves the driver-automation interaction. A false system understanding of infallibility may provoke automation misuse and can lead to severe consequences in case of automation failure. The presentation of automation uncertainty may prevent this false system understanding and, as was shown by previous studies, may have numerous benefits. Few studies, however, have clearly shown the potential of communicating uncertainty information in driving. The current study fills this gap. We conducted a driving simulator experiment, varying the presented uncertainty information between participants (no uncertainty information vs. uncertainty information) and the automation reliability (high vs.low) within participants. Participants interacted with a highly automated driving system while engaging in secondary tasks and were required to cooperate with the automation to drive safely. Quantile regressions and multilevel modeling showed that the presentation of uncertainty information increases the time to collision in the case of automation failure. Furthermore, the data indicated improved situation awareness and better knowledge of fallibility for the experimental group. Consequently, the automation with the uncertainty symbol received higher trust ratings and increased acceptance. The presentation of automation uncertaintythrough a symbol improves overall driver-automation cooperation. Most automated systems in driving could benefit from displaying reliability information. This display might improve the acceptance of fallible systems and further enhances driver-automation cooperation.

A time-based concept for terminal-area traffic management

Science.gov (United States)

Erzberger, Heinz; Tobias, Leonard

1986-01-01

An automated air-traffic-management concept that has the potential for significantly increasing the efficiency of traffic flows in high-density terminal areas is discussed. The concept's implementation depends on techniques for controlling the landing time of all aircraft entering the terminal area, both those that are equipped with on-board four-dimensional (4D) guidance systems as well as those aircraft types that are conventionally equipped. The two major ground-based elements of the system are a scheduler which assigns conflict-free landing times and a profile descent advisor. Landing time provided by the scheduler is uplinked to equipped aircraft and translated into the appropriate 4D trajectory by the-board flight-management system. The controller issues descent advisories to unequipped aircraft to help them achieve the assigned landing times. Air traffic control simulations have established that the concept provides an efficient method for controlling various mixes of 4D-equipped and unequipped, as well as low- and high-performance, aircraft. Piloted simulations of profiles flown with the aid of advisories have verified the ability to meet specified descent times with prescribed accuracy.

N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide measurement in plasma suggests covalent modification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hunter, Ingrid; Alehagen, Urban; Dahlström, Ulf

2011-01-01

different proANP assays on clinical outcome. METHODS: We examined 474 elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure presenting in a primary healthcare setting. Samples were analyzed with an automated immunoluminometric midregion proANP (MR-proANP) assay and a new processing-independent assay (PIA.......74 (95% CI, 0.66–0.81); P = 0.32]. The prognostic ability to report cardiovascular mortality during a 10-year follow-up revealed AUC values of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.60–0.71) for the proANP PIA and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63–0.74) for the MR-proANP assay (P = 0.08, for comparing the 2 assays). CONCLUSIONS: Our data......BACKGROUND: The N-terminal fragment of cardiac-derived pro–B-type natriuretic peptide is a glycosylated polypeptide. It is unknown whether N-terminal pro–atrial natriuretic peptide (proANP) fragments are also covalently modified. We therefore evaluated the clinical performance of 2 distinctly...

Financial and environmental costs of manual versus automated control of end-tidal gas concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tay, S; Weinberg, L; Peyton, P; Story, D; Briedis, J

2013-01-01

Emerging technologies that reduce the economic and environmental costs of anaesthesia have had limited assessment. We hypothesised that automated control of end-tidal gases, a new feature in anaesthesia machines, will consistently reduce volatile agent consumption cost and greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the planned replacement of anaesthesia machines in a tertiary hospital, we performed a prospective before and after study comparing the cost and greenhouse gas emissions of isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane when using manual versus automated control of end-tidal gases. We analysed 3675 general anaesthesia cases with inhalational agents: 1865 using manual control and 1810 using automated control. Volatile agent cost was $18.87/hour using manual control and $13.82/hour using automated control: mean decrease $5.05/hour (95% confidence interval: $0.88-9.22/hour, P=0.0243). The 100-year global warming potential decreased from 23.2 kg/hour of carbon dioxide equivalents to 13.0 kg/hour: mean decrease 10.2 kg/hour (95% confidence interval: 2.7-17.7 kg/hour, P=0.0179). Automated control reduced costs by 27%. Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 44%, a greater than expected decrease facilitated by a proportional reduction in desflurane use. Automated control of end-tidal gases increases participation in low flow anaesthesia with economic and environmental benefits.

Analog integrated circuit design automation placement, routing and parasitic extraction techniques

CERN Document Server

Martins, Ricardo; Horta, Nuno

2017-01-01

This book introduces readers to a variety of tools for analog layout design automation. After discussing the placement and routing problem in electronic design automation (EDA), the authors overview a variety of automatic layout generation tools, as well as the most recent advances in analog layout-aware circuit sizing. The discussion includes different methods for automatic placement (a template-based Placer and an optimization-based Placer), a fully-automatic Router and an empirical-based Parasitic Extractor. The concepts and algorithms of all the modules are thoroughly described, enabling readers to reproduce the methodologies, improve the quality of their designs, or use them as starting point for a new tool. All the methods described are applied to practical examples for a 130nm design process, as well as placement and routing benchmark sets. Introduces readers to hierarchical combination of Pareto fronts of placements; Presents electromigration-aware routing with multilayer multiport terminal structures...

Honeywell starts energy-management service: savings guaranteed; BOSS replaced

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwartz, R.

1983-01-24

Honeywell Inc. guarantees that its new Honeywell Service Link Operation (HSLO), a time-sharing service, will produce greater energy savings than its monthly fees. There are no front-end costs because the central computer is located at the supplier's Atlanta site, making energy management cost-affordable for facilities as small as 25,000 square feet. HSLO replaces Honeywell's Building Operations Service System (BOSS) that has a minimum-size requirement of 100,000 square feet. BOSS customers will be automatically changed to HSLO at no charge. All 21 regional computer centers will be available to users. Johnson Controls, Inc. also operates a time-sharing operation called Total Automated Building Services (TABS). (DCK)

Automation of a Guinier camera for X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duijn, J.H.

1988-01-01

The automation of a Guinier X-ray diffraction camera is discussed. The photographic plate in the conventional setup has been replaced by a curved proportional counter (CPC) which has an electronic readout system. As a result the recording time has been reduced from a few hours to a few minutes. The construction and optimum dimensions of the CPC are discussed and the most essential parts of the readout electronics are highlighted. A linewidth of 200 μm FWHM and an accuracy of 30 μm are achieved. 45 refs.; 53 figs.; 4 tabs

Comparison of manual and automated quantification methods of 123I-ADAM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauppinen, T.; Keski-Rahkonen, A.; Sihvola, E.; Helsinki Univ. Central Hospital

2005-01-01

123 I-ADAM is a novel radioligand for imaging of the brain serotonin transporters (SERTs). Traditionally, the analysis of brain receptor studies has been based on observer-dependent manual region of interest definitions and visual interpretation. Our aim was to create a template for automated image registrations and volume of interest (VOI) quantification and to show that an automated quantification method of 123 I-ADAM is more repeatable than the manual method. Patients, methods: A template and a predefined VOI map was created from 123 I-ADAM scans done for healthy volunteers (n=15). Scans of another group of healthy persons (HS, n=12) and patients with bulimia nervosa (BN, n=10) were automatically fitted to the template and specific binding ratios (SBRs) were calculated by using the VOI map. Manual VOI definitions were done for the HS and BN groups by both one and two observers. The repeatability of the automated method was evaluated by using the BN group. Results: For the manual method, the interobserver coefficient of repeatability was 0.61 for the HS group and 1.00 for the BN group. The intra-observer coefficient of repeatability for the BN group was 0.70. For the automated method, the coefficient of repeatability was 0.13 for SBRs in midbrain. Conclusion: An automated quantification gives valuable information in addition to visual interpretation decreasing also the total image handling time and giving clear advantages for research work. An automated method for analysing 123 I-ADAM binding to the brain SERT gives repeatable results for fitting the studies to the template and for calculating SBRs, and could therefore replace manual methods. (orig.)

Application of a non-hazardous vital dye for cell counting with automated cell counters.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Soo In; Kim, Hyun Jeong; Lee, Ho-Jae; Lee, Kiwon; Hong, Dongpyo; Lim, Hyunchang; Cho, Keunchang; Jung, Neoncheol; Yi, Yong Weon

2016-01-01

Recent advances in automated cell counters enable us to count cells more easily with consistency. However, the wide use of the traditional vital dye trypan blue (TB) raises environmental and health concerns due to its potential teratogenic effects. To avoid this chemical hazard, it is of importance to introduce an alternative non-hazardous vital dye that is compatible with automated cell counters. Erythrosin B (EB) is a vital dye that is impermeable to biological membranes and is used as a food additive. Similarly to TB, EB stains only nonviable cells with disintegrated membranes. However, EB is less popular than TB and is seldom used with automated cell counters. We found that cell counting accuracy with EB was comparable to that with TB. EB was found to be an effective dye for accurate counting of cells with different viabilities across three different automated cell counters. In contrast to TB, EB was less toxic to cultured HL-60 cells during the cell counting process. These results indicate that replacing TB with EB for use with automated cell counters will significantly reduce the hazardous risk while producing comparable results. Copyright © 2015 Logos Biosystems, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel automated blood separations validate whole cell biomarkers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas E Burger

Full Text Available Progress in clinical trials in infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer is stymied by a dearth of successful whole cell biomarkers for peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs. Successful biomarkers could help to track drug effects at early time points in clinical trials to prevent costly trial failures late in development. One major obstacle is the inaccuracy of Ficoll density centrifugation, the decades-old method of separating PBLs from the abundant red blood cells (RBCs of fresh blood samples.To replace the Ficoll method, we developed and studied a novel blood-based magnetic separation method. The magnetic method strikingly surpassed Ficoll in viability, purity and yield of PBLs. To reduce labor, we developed an automated platform and compared two magnet configurations for cell separations. These more accurate and labor-saving magnet configurations allowed the lymphocytes to be tested in bioassays for rare antigen-specific T cells. The automated method succeeded at identifying 79% of patients with the rare PBLs of interest as compared with Ficoll's uniform failure. We validated improved upfront blood processing and show accurate detection of rare antigen-specific lymphocytes.Improving, automating and standardizing lymphocyte detections from whole blood may facilitate development of new cell-based biomarkers for human diseases. Improved upfront blood processes may lead to broad improvements in monitoring early trial outcome measurements in human clinical trials.

Novel automated blood separations validate whole cell biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Douglas E; Wang, Limei; Ban, Liqin; Okubo, Yoshiaki; Kühtreiber, Willem M; Leichliter, Ashley K; Faustman, Denise L

2011-01-01

Progress in clinical trials in infectious disease, autoimmunity, and cancer is stymied by a dearth of successful whole cell biomarkers for peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Successful biomarkers could help to track drug effects at early time points in clinical trials to prevent costly trial failures late in development. One major obstacle is the inaccuracy of Ficoll density centrifugation, the decades-old method of separating PBLs from the abundant red blood cells (RBCs) of fresh blood samples. To replace the Ficoll method, we developed and studied a novel blood-based magnetic separation method. The magnetic method strikingly surpassed Ficoll in viability, purity and yield of PBLs. To reduce labor, we developed an automated platform and compared two magnet configurations for cell separations. These more accurate and labor-saving magnet configurations allowed the lymphocytes to be tested in bioassays for rare antigen-specific T cells. The automated method succeeded at identifying 79% of patients with the rare PBLs of interest as compared with Ficoll's uniform failure. We validated improved upfront blood processing and show accurate detection of rare antigen-specific lymphocytes. Improving, automating and standardizing lymphocyte detections from whole blood may facilitate development of new cell-based biomarkers for human diseases. Improved upfront blood processes may lead to broad improvements in monitoring early trial outcome measurements in human clinical trials.

Hypoparathyroidism: Replacement Therapy with Parathyroid Hormone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Rejnmark

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT is characterized by low serum calcium levels caused by an insufficient secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH. Despite normalization of serum calcium levels by treatment with activated vitamin D analogues and calcium supplementation, patients are suffering from impaired quality of life (QoL and are at increased risk of a number of comorbidities. Thus, despite normalization of calcium levels in response to conventional therapy, this should only be considered as an apparent normalization, as patients are suffering from a number of complications and calcium-phosphate homeostasis is not normalized in a physiological manner. In a number of recent studies, replacement therapy with recombinant human PTH (rhPTH(1-84 as well as therapy with the N-terminal PTH fragment (rhPTH(1-34 have been investigated. Both drugs have been shown to normalize serum calcium while reducing needs for activated vitamin D and calcium supplements. However, once a day injections cause large fluctuations in serum calcium. Twice a day injections diminish fluctuations, but don't restore the normal physiology of calcium homeostasis. Recent studies using pump-delivery have shown promising results on maintaining normocalcemia with minimal fluctuations in calcium levels. Further studies are needed to determine whether this may improve QoL and lower risk of complications. Such data are needed before replacement with the missing hormone can be recommended as standard therapy.

Current automated 3D cell detection methods are not a suitable replacement for manual stereologic cell counting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph eSchmitz

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Stereologic cell counting has had a major impact on the field of neuroscience. A major bottleneck in stereologic cell counting is that the user must manually decide whether or not each cell is counted according to three-dimensional (3D stereologic counting rules by visual inspection within hundreds of microscopic fields-of-view per investigated brain or brain region. Reliance on visual inspection forces stereologic cell counting to be very labor-intensive and time-consuming, and is the main reason why biased, non-stereologic two-dimensional (2D cell counting approaches have remained in widespread use. We present an evaluation of the performance of modern automated cell detection and segmentation algorithms as a potential alternative to the manual approach in stereologic cell counting. The image data used in this study were 3D microscopic images of thick brain tissue sections prepared with a variety of commonly used nuclear and cytoplasmic stains. The evaluation compared the numbers and locations of cells identified unambiguously and counted exhaustively by an expert observer with those found by three automated 3D cell detection algorithms: nuclei segmentation from the FARSIGHT toolkit, nuclei segmentation by 3D multiple level set methods, and the 3D object counter plug-in for ImageJ. Of these methods, FARSIGHT performed best, with true-positive detection rates between 38–99% and false-positive rates from 3.6–82%. The results demonstrate that the current automated methods suffer from lower detection rates and higher false-positive rates than are acceptable for obtaining valid estimates of cell numbers. Thus, at present, stereologic cell counting with manual decision for object inclusion according to unbiased stereologic counting rules remains the only adequate method for unbiased cell quantification in histologic tissue sections.

Low cost automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-03-01

This book indicates method of building of automation plan, design of automation facilities, automation and CHIP process like basics of cutting, NC processing machine and CHIP handling, automation unit, such as drilling unit, tapping unit, boring unit, milling unit and slide unit, application of oil pressure on characteristics and basic oil pressure circuit, application of pneumatic, automation kinds and application of process, assembly, transportation, automatic machine and factory automation.

Tele command and network automation: strategy and results; Telecomando e automacao de redes: estrategia e resultados

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bargigia, Angelo; Cerreti, Alberto; Lembo, Giorgio di; Rogai, Sergio; Veglio, Gianfranco [Enel Distribuzione Spa, Rome (Italy)

2004-02-01

This article presents the adopted by the ENEL Distribuzione, Italy, for the tele command and automation in the distribution line. The article describes the medium term implementation program, based on the installation of remote terminal unities, with communication through cell phone GMS for transmission of collected data to the control centers of the network. A cost versus benefit analysis conducted and the obtained results are also evaluated.

Reliability Analysis of Large Commercial Vessel Engine Room Automation Systems. Volume 1. Results

Science.gov (United States)

1982-11-01

analyzing the engine room automiations systems on two steam vessels and one diesel vessel, conducting a criticality evaluation, pre- paring...of automated engine room systems,° the effect of *. maintenance was also to be considered, as was the human inter- face and backup. Besides being...designed to replace the human element, the systems periorm more efficiently than the human watchstander. But as with any system, there is no such thing as

Optically induced dielectropheresis sorting with automated medium exchange in an integrated optofluidic device resulting in higher cell viability.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Gwo-Bin; Wu, Huan-Chun; Yang, Po-Fu; Mai, John D

2014-08-07

We demonstrated the integration of a microfluidic device with an optically induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) device such that the critical medium replacement process was performed automatically and the cells could be subsequently manipulated by using digitally projected optical images. ODEP has been demonstrated to generate sufficient forces for manipulating particles/cells by projecting a light pattern onto photoconductive materials which creates virtual electrodes. The production of the ODEP force usually requires a medium that has a suitable electrical conductivity and an appropriate dielectric constant. Therefore, a 0.2 M sucrose solution is commonly used. However, this requires a complicated medium replacement process before one is able to manipulate cells. Furthermore, the 0.2 M sucrose solution is not suitable for the long-term viability of cells. In comparison to conventional manual processes, our automated medium replacement process only took 25 minutes. Experimental data showed that there was up to a 96.2% recovery rate for the manipulated cells. More importantly, the survival rate of the cells was greatly enhanced due to this faster automated process. This newly developed microfluidic chip provided a promising platform for the rapid replacement of the cell medium and this was also the first time that an ODEP device was integrated with other active flow control components in a microfluidic device. By improving cell viability after cell manipulation, this design may contribute to the practical integration of ODEP modules into other lab-on-a-chip devices and biomedical applications in the future.

Analytical properties of some commercially available nitrate reductase enzymes evaluated as replacements for cadmium in automated, semiautomated, and manual colorimetric methods for determination of nitrate plus nitrite in water

Science.gov (United States)

Patton, Charles J.; Kryskalla, Jennifer R.

2013-01-01

A multiyear research effort at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) evaluated several commercially available nitrate reductase (NaR) enzymes as replacements for toxic cadmium in longstanding automated colorimetric air-segmented continuous-flow analyzer (CFA) methods for determining nitrate plus nitrite (NOx) in water. This research culminated in USGS approved standard- and low-level enzymatic reduction, colorimetric automated discrete analyzer NOx methods that have been in routine operation at the NWQL since October 2011. The enzyme used in these methods (AtNaR2) is a product of recombinant expression of NaR from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (mouseear cress) in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Because the scope of the validation report for these new automated discrete analyzer methods, published as U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 5–B8, was limited to performance benchmarks and operational details, extensive foundational research with different enzymes—primarily YNaR1, a product of recombinant expression of NaR from Pichia angusta in the yeast Pichia pastoris—remained unpublished until now. This report documents research and development at the NWQL that was foundational to development and validation of the discrete analyzer methods. It includes: (1) details of instrumentation used to acquire kinetics data for several NaR enzymes in the presence and absence of known or suspected inhibitors in relation to reaction temperature and reaction pH; and (2) validation results—method detection limits, precision and bias estimates, spike recoveries, and interference studies—for standard- and low-level automated colorimetric CFA-YNaR1 reduction NOx methods in relation to corresponding USGS approved CFA cadmium-reduction (CdR) NOx methods. The cornerstone of this validation is paired sample statistical and graphical analysis of NOx concentrations from more than 3,800 geographically and seasonally diverse surface

Automated deficiency letter data base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, R.D.

1983-12-01

An automated data base relevant to the various licensee deficiencies that accrue during the materials licensing application review process of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is described. A data base management system (DBMs) is used for data retrieval, file-tending, and examination of the interrelationships among the data types in the data base. Use of word processors to emulate computer terminals for the purpose of data base population (loading) and report generation is discussed. Also described is the technique used to link, for update purposes, the data base (accessed by means of SYSTEM 2000 on a CDC 6600 computer) to the NRC Material License Master File resident on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) IBM System 370 computer. A user's manual that provides easy-to-understand instructions for the nonprogramming user on how to generate ad hoc analytical reports to facilitate management decisions is also included

Autonomy and Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Shively, Jay

2017-01-01

A significant level of debate and confusion has surrounded the meaning of the terms autonomy and automation. Automation is a multi-dimensional concept, and we propose that Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) automation should be described with reference to the specific system and task that has been automated, the context in which the automation functions, and other relevant dimensions. In this paper, we present definitions of automation, pilot in the loop, pilot on the loop and pilot out of the loop. We further propose that in future, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) RPAS Panel avoids the use of the terms autonomy and autonomous when referring to automated systems on board RPA. Work Group 7 proposes to develop, in consultation with other workgroups, a taxonomy of Levels of Automation for RPAS.

Remotely Operated Aircraft (ROA) Impact on the National Airspace System (NAS) Work Package: Automation Impacts of ROA's in the NAS

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

The purpose of this document is to analyze the impact of Remotely Operated Aircraft (ROA) operations on current and planned Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation systems in the En Route, Terminal, and Traffic Flow Management domains. The operational aspects of ROA flight, while similar, are not entirely identical to their manned counterparts and may not have been considered within the time-horizons of the automation tools. This analysis was performed to determine if flight characteristics of ROAs would be compatible with current and future NAS automation tools. Improvements to existing systems / processes are recommended that would give Air Traffic Controllers an indication that a particular aircraft is an ROA and modifications to IFR flight plan processing algorithms and / or designation of airspace where an ROA will be operating for long periods of time.

Aviation System Capacity Program Terminal Area Productivity Project: Ground and Airborne Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Giulianetti, Demo J.

2001-01-01

Ground and airborne technologies were developed in the Terminal Area Productivity (TAP) project for increasing throughput at major airports by safely maintaining good-weather operating capacity during bad weather. Methods were demonstrated for accurately predicting vortices to prevent wake-turbulence encounters and to reduce in-trail separation requirements for aircraft approaching the same runway for landing. Technology was demonstrated that safely enabled independent simultaneous approaches in poor weather conditions to parallel runways spaced less than 3,400 ft apart. Guidance, control, and situation-awareness systems were developed to reduce congestion in airport surface operations resulting from the increased throughput, particularly during night and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). These systems decreased runway occupancy time by safely and smoothly decelerating the aircraft, increasing taxi speed, and safely steering the aircraft off the runway. Simulations were performed in which optimal trajectories were determined by air traffic control (ATC) and communicated to flight crews by means of Center TRACON Automation System/Flight Management System (CTASFMS) automation to reduce flight delays, increase throughput, and ensure flight safety.

Comparison of manual and automated quantification methods of {sup 123}I-ADAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kauppinen, T. [Helsinki Univ. Central Hospital (Finland). HUS Helsinki Medical Imaging Center; Helsinki Univ. Central Hospital (Finland). Division of Nuclear Medicine; Koskela, A.; Ahonen, A. [Helsinki Univ. Central Hospital (Finland). Division of Nuclear Medicine; Diemling, M. [Hermes Medical Solutions, Stockholm (Sweden); Keski-Rahkonen, A.; Sihvola, E. [Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Public Health; Helsinki Univ. Central Hospital (Finland). Dept. of Psychiatry

2005-07-01

{sup 123}I-ADAM is a novel radioligand for imaging of the brain serotonin transporters (SERTs). Traditionally, the analysis of brain receptor studies has been based on observer-dependent manual region of interest definitions and visual interpretation. Our aim was to create a template for automated image registrations and volume of interest (VOI) quantification and to show that an automated quantification method of {sup 123}I-ADAM is more repeatable than the manual method. Patients, methods: A template and a predefined VOI map was created from {sup 123}I-ADAM scans done for healthy volunteers (n=15). Scans of another group of healthy persons (HS, n=12) and patients with bulimia nervosa (BN, n=10) were automatically fitted to the template and specific binding ratios (SBRs) were calculated by using the VOI map. Manual VOI definitions were done for the HS and BN groups by both one and two observers. The repeatability of the automated method was evaluated by using the BN group. Results: For the manual method, the interobserver coefficient of repeatability was 0.61 for the HS group and 1.00 for the BN group. The intra-observer coefficient of repeatability for the BN group was 0.70. For the automated method, the coefficient of repeatability was 0.13 for SBRs in midbrain. Conclusion: An automated quantification gives valuable information in addition to visual interpretation decreasing also the total image handling time and giving clear advantages for research work. An automated method for analysing {sup 123}I-ADAM binding to the brain SERT gives repeatable results for fitting the studies to the template and for calculating SBRs, and could therefore replace manual methods. (orig.)

Hip joint replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Hip arthroplasty; Total hip replacement; Hip hemiarthroplasty; Arthritis - hip replacement; Osteoarthritis - hip replacement ... Your hip joint is made up of 2 major parts. One or both parts may be replaced during surgery: ...

Mechanisation and automation technologies development in work at construction sites

Science.gov (United States)

Sobotka, A.; Pacewicz, K.

2017-10-01

Implementing construction work that creates buildings is a very complicated and laborious task and requires the use of various types of machines and equipment. For years there has been a desire for designers and technologists to introduce devices that replace people’s work on machine construction, automation and even robots. Technologies for building construction are still being developed and implemented to limit people’s hard work and improve work efficiency and quality in innovative architectonical and construction solutions. New opportunities for improving work on the construction site include computerisation of technological processes and construction management for projects and processes. The aim of the paper was to analyse the development of mechanisation, automation and computerisation of construction processes and selected building technologies, with special attention paid to 3D printing technology. The state of mechanisation of construction works in Poland and trends in its development in construction technologies are presented. These studies were conducted on the basis of the available literature and a survey of Polish construction companies.

Placement suitability criteria of composite tape for mould surface in automated tape placement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Peng

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Automated tape placement is an important automated process used for fabrication of large composite structures in aeronautical industry. The carbon fiber composite parts realized with this process tend to replace the aluminum parts produced by high-speed machining. It is difficult to determine the appropriate width of the composite tape in automated tape placement. Wrinkling will appear in the tape if it does not suit for the mould surface. Thus, this paper deals with establishing placement suitability criteria of the composite tape for the mould surface. With the assumptions for ideal mapping and by applying some principles and theorems of differential geometry, the centerline trajectory of the composite tape is identified to follow the geodesic. The placement suitability of the composite tape is examined on three different types of non-developable mould surfaces and four criteria are derived. The developed criteria have been used to test the deposition process over several mould surfaces and the appropriate width for each mould surface is obtained by referring to these criteria.

Cost‐effectiveness of implementing automated grading within the national screening programme for diabetic retinopathy in Scotland

Science.gov (United States)

Scotland, G S; McNamee, P; Philip, S; Fleming, A D; Goatman, K A; Prescott, G J; Fonseca, S; Sharp, P F; Olson, J A

2007-01-01

Aims National screening programmes for diabetic retinopathy using digital photography and multi‐level manual grading systems are currently being implemented in the UK. Here, we assess the cost‐effectiveness of replacing first level manual grading in the National Screening Programme in Scotland with an automated system developed to assess image quality and detect the presence of any retinopathy. Methods A decision tree model was developed and populated using sensitivity/specificity and cost data based on a study of 6722 patients in the Grampian region. Costs to the NHS, and the number of appropriate screening outcomes and true referable cases detected in 1 year were assessed. Results For the diabetic population of Scotland (approximately 160 000), with prevalence of referable retinopathy at 4% (6400 true cases), the automated strategy would be expected to identify 5560 cases (86.9%) and the manual strategy 5610 cases (87.7%). However, the automated system led to savings in grading and quality assurance costs to the NHS of £201 600 per year. The additional cost per additional referable case detected (manual vs automated) totalled £4088 and the additional cost per additional appropriate screening outcome (manual vs automated) was £1990. Conclusions Given that automated grading is less costly and of similar effectiveness, it is likely to be considered a cost‐effective alternative to manual grading. PMID:17585001

Cost-effectiveness of implementing automated grading within the national screening programme for diabetic retinopathy in Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Scotland, G S; McNamee, P; Philip, S; Fleming, A D; Goatman, K A; Prescott, G J; Fonseca, S; Sharp, P F; Olson, J A

2007-11-01

National screening programmes for diabetic retinopathy using digital photography and multi-level manual grading systems are currently being implemented in the UK. Here, we assess the cost-effectiveness of replacing first level manual grading in the National Screening Programme in Scotland with an automated system developed to assess image quality and detect the presence of any retinopathy. A decision tree model was developed and populated using sensitivity/specificity and cost data based on a study of 6722 patients in the Grampian region. Costs to the NHS, and the number of appropriate screening outcomes and true referable cases detected in 1 year were assessed. For the diabetic population of Scotland (approximately 160,000), with prevalence of referable retinopathy at 4% (6400 true cases), the automated strategy would be expected to identify 5560 cases (86.9%) and the manual strategy 5610 cases (87.7%). However, the automated system led to savings in grading and quality assurance costs to the NHS of 201,600 pounds per year. The additional cost per additional referable case detected (manual vs automated) totalled 4088 pounds and the additional cost per additional appropriate screening outcome (manual vs automated) was 1990 pounds. Given that automated grading is less costly and of similar effectiveness, it is likely to be considered a cost-effective alternative to manual grading.

Andreev bound states probed in three-terminal quantum dots

Science.gov (United States)

Gramich, J.; Baumgartner, A.; Schönenberger, C.

2017-11-01

Andreev bound states (ABSs) are well-defined many-body quantum states that emerge from the hybridization of individual quantum dot (QD) states with a superconductor and exhibit very rich and fundamental phenomena. We demonstrate several electron transport phenomena mediated by ABSs that form on three-terminal carbon nanotube (CNT) QDs, with one superconducting (S) contact in the center and two adjacent normal-metal (N) contacts. Three-terminal spectroscopy allows us to identify the coupling to the N contacts as the origin of the Andreev resonance (AR) linewidths and to determine the critical coupling strengths to S, for which a ground state (or quantum phase) transition in such S-QD systems can occur. In addition, we ascribe replicas of the lowest-energy ABS resonance to transitions between the ABS and odd-parity excited QD states, a process we call excited state ABS resonances. In the conductance between the two N contacts we find a characteristic pattern of positive and negative differential subgap conductance, which we explain by considering two nonlocal processes, the creation of Cooper pairs in S by electrons from both N terminals, and a transport mechanism we call resonant ABS tunneling, possible only in multiterminal QD devices. In the latter process, electrons are transferred via the ABS without effectively creating Cooper pairs in S. The three-terminal geometry also allows spectroscopy experiments with different boundary conditions, for example by leaving S floating. Surprisingly, we find that, depending on the boundary conditions and the device parameters, the experiments either show single-particle Coulomb blockade resonances, ABS characteristics, or both in the same measurements, seemingly contradicting the notion of ABSs replacing the single-particle states as eigenstates of the QD. We qualitatively explain these results as originating from the finite time scale required for the coherent oscillations between the superposition states after a single

Home Automation

OpenAIRE

Ahmed, Zeeshan

2010-01-01

In this paper I briefly discuss the importance of home automation system. Going in to the details I briefly present a real time designed and implemented software and hardware oriented house automation research project, capable of automating house's electricity and providing a security system to detect the presence of unexpected behavior.

Osteogenic cell differentiation on H-terminated and O-terminated nanocrystalline diamond films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liskova J

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Jana Liskova,1 Oleg Babchenko,2 Marian Varga,2 Alexander Kromka,2 Daniel Hadraba,1 Zdenek Svindrych,1 Zuzana Burdikova,1 Lucie Bacakova1 1Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic; 2Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic Abstract: Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD films are promising materials for bone implant coatings because of their biocompatibility, chemical resistance, and mechanical hardness. Moreover, NCD wettability can be tailored by grafting specific atoms. The NCD films used in this study were grown on silicon substrates by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and grafted by hydrogen atoms (H-termination or oxygen atoms (O-termination. Human osteoblast-like Saos-2 cells were used for biological studies on H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films. The adhesion, growth, and subsequent differentiation of the osteoblasts on NCD films were examined, and the extracellular matrix production and composition were quantified. The osteoblasts that had been cultivated on the O-terminated NCD films exhibited a higher growth rate than those grown on the H-terminated NCD films. The mature collagen fibers were detected in Saos-2 cells on both the H-terminated and O-terminated NCD films; however, the quantity of total collagen in the extracellular matrix was higher on the O-terminated NCD films, as were the amounts of calcium deposition and alkaline phosphatase activity. Nevertheless, the expression of genes for osteogenic markers – type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin – was either comparable on the H-terminated and O-terminated films or even lower on the O-terminated films. In conclusion, the higher wettability of the O-terminated NCD films is promising for adhesion and growth of osteoblasts. In addition, the O-terminated surface also seems to support the deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and extracellular matrix

Organizational Relationship Termination Competence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ritter, Thomas; Geersbro, Jens

2011-01-01

termination are found to significantly affect a firm's relationship termination competence. The findings suggest that managers should regard termination as a legitimate option in customer relationship management. In order to decrease the number of unwanted customers, managers must accept termination......Most firms are involved in a number of customer relationships that drain the firm's resources. However, many firms are hesitant to address this problem. This paper investigates customer relationship termination at the organizational level. We develop and analyze the organizational dimensions...... of organizational termination in order to improve our understanding of the management of termination. The impact of these termination dimensions on the percentage of unwanted customers is developed and tested using PLS on data gathered from a cross-sectional survey of more than 800 sales representatives. We find...

Radiographic inspection. Film replacement with digital detector arrays in aerospace applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulte, Frank; Bavendiek, Klaus

2016-01-01

The new Digital Radiographic Inspection method replace more and more the conventional Film technique. For DDA (Digital Detector Array) systems it is currently necessary to use automated or semi-automated systems. For CR (Computer Radiography) Systems the conventional Film Systems may be used. For this CR technique operators can use same X-Ray Units (Bunker) and same X-Ray equipment. But on CR technique we have basically the same settings like the Film-based technique. More or less same exposure times and for aerospace application long scanning times for the CR foils. In fact there is no big benefit in capacity or in economical view. Regarding this issue we thought about the option to use a DDA System instead of a Film or CR System to use the current Film Equipment (Bunker, Generator, Tube.) and replace this 1:1 by a manual system. In this time only small detectors with fine pixel pitch was available on the market. With this type of DDA's is was absolutely uneconomical to inspect parts in serial inspection. Therefore a new generation of DDA's were developed, which is able to replace Film or CR System 1:1 with adequate economical properties for specific applications. The new PerkinElmer XRD 1611 Panel has a size of 40 x 40 cm and a pixel pitch of 100 μm. The baseline for the new DDA Panel was the most used X-Ray Film in size 30 x 40 cm. The Pixel Pitch and requirements for Bad Pixel based on the requirements for spatial resolution of the applicable ASTM standards and different customer specifications for castings. With this new DDA System is it possible to inspect small and medium castings in very short time with excellent image quality. The System is able to process images under 1 minute include averaging. Images will be transferred by a specific software tool to an offline reading station where certified Level 2 operator can inspect the images. Images will be archived as 16bit DICONDE File. All relevant images information are included in DICONDE File

Optimization of automation: I. Estimation method of cognitive automation rates reflecting the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Kim, Jong Hyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an estimation method of the automation rate by taking the advantages of automation as the estimation measures. • We conduct the experiments to examine the validity of the suggested method. • The higher the cognitive automation rate is, the greater the decreased rate of the working time will be. • The usefulness of the suggested estimation method is proved by statistical analyses. - Abstract: Since automation was introduced in various industrial fields, the concept of the automation rate has been used to indicate the inclusion proportion of automation among all work processes or facilities. Expressions of the inclusion proportion of automation are predictable, as is the ability to express the degree of the enhancement of human performance. However, many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, this paper proposes a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Automation in NPPs can be divided into two types: system automation and cognitive automation. Some general descriptions and characteristics of each type of automation are provided, and the advantages of automation are investigated. The advantages of each type of automation are used as measures of the estimation method of the automation rate. One advantage was found to be a reduction in the number of tasks, and another was a reduction in human cognitive task loads. The system and the cognitive automation rate were proposed as quantitative measures by taking advantage of the aforementioned benefits. To quantify the required human cognitive task loads and thus suggest the cognitive automation rate, Conant’s information-theory-based model was applied. The validity of the suggested method, especially as regards the cognitive automation rate, was proven by conducting

Kitimat LNG terminal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmaltz, I.; Boulton, R.

2007-01-01

Kitimat Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal is a terminal development company owned by Galveston LNG, a privately owned Canadian energy development company. This presentation provided information on Kitimat LNG with particular reference to its terminal located in Bish Cove on the Douglas Channel in British Columbia. This LNG terminal is reported to be the only fully permitted regasification terminal on the west coast of Canada and the United States. The presentation addressed market fundamentals including several graphs, such as world natural gas proved reserves in 2006; LNG supplements to Canadian gas supplies; global LNG demand for 2005-2020; average annual United States LNG imports; and global LNG liquefaction projects. Other market fundamentals were described, including that Kitimat is the only other approved terminal aside from the Costa Azul terminal in Mexico; Kitimat is the only west coast LNG import terminal that connects to midwest and eastern North American markets through existing gas pipelines; LNG producers are looking for destination diversification; and markets and marketers are looking for supply diversification. The authors noted that by 2010, western Canadian gas demand will exceed Californian demand. Other topics that were discussed in the presentation included Canadian natural gas field receipts; unadjusted bitumen production outlook; oil sands gas demand; forward basis fundamentals; and the commercial drivers of the Kitimat LNG terminal. The presentation also discussed the pacific trail pipelines, a partnership between Galveston LNG and Pacific Northern Gas to develop the natural gas transmission line from Kitimat to Summit. The presentation concluded with a discussion of the benefits of Kitimat LNG terminal such as providing access to the largest natural gas markets in the world via major gas transmission lines with spare capacity. figs

Chimenea and other tools: Automated imaging of multi-epoch radio-synthesis data with CASA

Science.gov (United States)

Staley, T. D.; Anderson, G. E.

2015-11-01

In preparing the way for the Square Kilometre Array and its pathfinders, there is a pressing need to begin probing the transient sky in a fully robotic fashion using the current generation of radio telescopes. Effective exploitation of such surveys requires a largely automated data-reduction process. This paper introduces an end-to-end automated reduction pipeline, AMIsurvey, used for calibrating and imaging data from the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager Large Array. AMIsurvey makes use of several component libraries which have been packaged separately for open-source release. The most scientifically significant of these is chimenea, which implements a telescope-agnostic algorithm for automated imaging of pre-calibrated multi-epoch radio-synthesis data, of the sort typically acquired for transient surveys or follow-up. The algorithm aims to improve upon standard imaging pipelines by utilizing iterative RMS-estimation and automated source-detection to avoid so called 'Clean-bias', and makes use of CASA subroutines for the underlying image-synthesis operations. At a lower level, AMIsurvey relies upon two libraries, drive-ami and drive-casa, built to allow use of mature radio-astronomy software packages from within Python scripts. While targeted at automated imaging, the drive-casa interface can also be used to automate interaction with any of the CASA subroutines from a generic Python process. Additionally, these packages may be of wider technical interest beyond radio-astronomy, since they demonstrate use of the Python library pexpect to emulate terminal interaction with an external process. This approach allows for rapid development of a Python interface to any legacy or externally-maintained pipeline which accepts command-line input, without requiring alterations to the original code.

Structure of the C-terminal domain of nsp4 from feline coronavirus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manolaridis, Ioannis; Wojdyla, Justyna A.; Panjikar, Santosh; Snijder, Eric J.; Gorbalenya, Alexander E.; Berglind, Hanna; Nordlund, Pär; Coutard, Bruno; Tucker, Paul A.

2009-01-01

The structure of the cytosolic C-terminal domain of nonstructural protein 4 from feline coronavirus has been determined and analyzed. Coronaviruses are a family of positive-stranded RNA viruses that includes important pathogens of humans and other animals. The large coronavirus genome (26–31 kb) encodes 15–16 nonstructural proteins (nsps) that are derived from two replicase polyproteins by autoproteolytic processing. The nsps assemble into the viral replication–transcription complex and nsp3, nsp4 and nsp6 are believed to anchor this enzyme complex to modified intracellular membranes. The largest part of the coronavirus nsp4 subunit is hydrophobic and is predicted to be embedded in the membranes. In this report, a conserved C-terminal domain (∼100 amino-acid residues) has been delineated that is predicted to face the cytoplasm and has been isolated as a soluble domain using library-based construct screening. A prototypical crystal structure at 2.8 Å resolution was obtained using nsp4 from feline coronavirus. Unmodified and SeMet-substituted proteins were crystallized under similar conditions, resulting in tetragonal crystals that belonged to space group P4 3 . The phase problem was initially solved by single isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering (SIRAS), followed by molecular replacement using a SIRAS-derived composite model. The structure consists of a single domain with a predominantly α-helical content displaying a unique fold that could be engaged in protein–protein interactions

Structure of the C-terminal domain of nsp4 from feline coronavirus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manolaridis, Ioannis; Wojdyla, Justyna A.; Panjikar, Santosh [EMBL Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany); Snijder, Eric J.; Gorbalenya, Alexander E. [Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden (Netherlands); Berglind, Hanna; Nordlund, Pär [Division of Biophysics, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Scheeles väg 2, Karolinska Institute, SE-171 77 Stockholm (Sweden); Coutard, Bruno [Laboratoire Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, UMR 6098, AFMB-CNRS-ESIL, Case 925, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288 Marseille (France); Tucker, Paul A., E-mail: tucker@embl-hamburg.de [EMBL Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, D-22603 Hamburg (Germany)

2009-08-01

The structure of the cytosolic C-terminal domain of nonstructural protein 4 from feline coronavirus has been determined and analyzed. Coronaviruses are a family of positive-stranded RNA viruses that includes important pathogens of humans and other animals. The large coronavirus genome (26–31 kb) encodes 15–16 nonstructural proteins (nsps) that are derived from two replicase polyproteins by autoproteolytic processing. The nsps assemble into the viral replication–transcription complex and nsp3, nsp4 and nsp6 are believed to anchor this enzyme complex to modified intracellular membranes. The largest part of the coronavirus nsp4 subunit is hydrophobic and is predicted to be embedded in the membranes. In this report, a conserved C-terminal domain (∼100 amino-acid residues) has been delineated that is predicted to face the cytoplasm and has been isolated as a soluble domain using library-based construct screening. A prototypical crystal structure at 2.8 Å resolution was obtained using nsp4 from feline coronavirus. Unmodified and SeMet-substituted proteins were crystallized under similar conditions, resulting in tetragonal crystals that belonged to space group P4{sub 3}. The phase problem was initially solved by single isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering (SIRAS), followed by molecular replacement using a SIRAS-derived composite model. The structure consists of a single domain with a predominantly α-helical content displaying a unique fold that could be engaged in protein–protein interactions.

Current status of automated breast ultrasonography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hee Jung Shin

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Breast ultrasonography (US is currently considered the first-line examination in the detection Epub ahead of print and characterization of breast lesions. However, conventional handheld US (HHUS has several limitations such as operator dependence and the requirement of a considerable amount of radiologist time for whole-breast US. Automated breast US (ABUS, recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for screening purposes, has several advantages over HHUS, such as higher reproducibility, less operator dependence, and less required physician time for image acquisition. In addition, ABUS provides both a coronal view and a relatively large field of view. Recent studies have reported that ABUS is promising in US screening for women with dense breasts and can potentially replace handheld second-look US in a preoperative setting.

Shoulder replacement - discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Total shoulder arthroplasty - discharge; Endoprosthetic shoulder replacement - discharge; Partial shoulder replacement - discharge; Partial shoulder arthroplasty - discharge; Replacement - shoulder - discharge; Arthroplasty - shoulder - discharge

Replacing penalties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vitaly Stepashin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available УДК 343.24The subject. The article deals with the problem of the use of "substitute" penalties.The purpose of the article is to identify criminal and legal criteria for: selecting the replacement punishment; proportionality replacement leave punishment to others (the formalization of replacement; actually increasing the punishment (worsening of legal situation of the convicted.Methodology.The author uses the method of analysis and synthesis, formal legal method.Results. Replacing the punishment more severe as a result of malicious evasion from serving accused designated penalty requires the optimization of the following areas: 1 the selection of a substitute punishment; 2 replacement of proportionality is serving a sentence other (formalization of replacement; 3 ensuring the actual toughening penalties (deterioration of the legal status of the convict. It is important that the first two requirements pro-vide savings of repression in the implementation of the replacement of one form of punishment to others.Replacement of punishment on their own do not have any specifics. However, it is necessary to compare them with the contents of the punishment, which the convict from serving maliciously evaded. First, substitute the punishment should assume a more significant range of restrictions and deprivation of certain rights of the convict. Second, the perfor-mance characteristics of order substitute the punishment should assume guarantee imple-mentation of the new measures.With regard to replacing all forms of punishment are set significant limitations in the application that, in some cases, eliminates the possibility of replacement of the sentence, from serving where there has been willful evasion, a stricter measure of state coercion. It is important in the context of the topic and the possibility of a sentence of imprisonment as a substitute punishment in cases where the original purpose of the strict measures excluded. It is noteworthy that the

Trajectory Specification for Terminal Air Traffic: Pairwise Conflict Detection and Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Paielli, Russ; Erzberger, Heinz

2017-01-01

Trajectory specification is the explicit bounding and control of aircraft trajectories such that the position at each point in time is constrained to a precisely defined volume of space. The bounding space is defined by cross-track, along-track, and vertical tolerances relative to a reference trajectory that specifies position as a function of time. The tolerances are dynamic and will be based on the aircraft navigation capabilities and the current traffic situation. A standard language will be developed to represent these specifications and to communicate them by datalink. Assuming conformance, trajectory specification can guarantee safe separation for an arbitrary period of time even in the event of an air traffic control (ATC) system or datalink failure, hence it can help to achieve the high level of safety and reliability needed for ATC automation. As a more proactive form of ATC, it can also maximize airspace capacity and reduce the reliance on tactical backup systems during normal operation. It applies to both enroute airspace and the terminal area around airports, but this paper focuses on the terminal area and presents algorithms and software for spacing arrivals and deconflicting both arrivals and departures.

Process automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moser, D.R.

1986-01-01

Process automation technology has been pursued in the chemical processing industries and to a very limited extent in nuclear fuel reprocessing. Its effective use has been restricted in the past by the lack of diverse and reliable process instrumentation and the unavailability of sophisticated software designed for process control. The Integrated Equipment Test (IET) facility was developed by the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) in part to demonstrate new concepts for control of advanced nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. A demonstration of fuel reprocessing equipment automation using advanced instrumentation and a modern, microprocessor-based control system is nearing completion in the facility. This facility provides for the synergistic testing of all chemical process features of a prototypical fuel reprocessing plant that can be attained with unirradiated uranium-bearing feed materials. The unique equipment and mission of the IET facility make it an ideal test bed for automation studies. This effort will provide for the demonstration of the plant automation concept and for the development of techniques for similar applications in a full-scale plant. A set of preliminary recommendations for implementing process automation has been compiled. Some of these concepts are not generally recognized or accepted. The automation work now under way in the IET facility should be useful to others in helping avoid costly mistakes because of the underutilization or misapplication of process automation. 6 figs

Automation of an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashury, M.R.

2003-02-01

high voltage supply units and the power unit serves the step scanning devices. It is now possible to operate the x-ray photoelectron spectrometer from different computer terminals. In order to start an experiment the following input information has to be given: file name; user; date; time; specimen; comments on the specimen; target material; x-ray high voltage; x-ray tube current; spectral resolution; magnification; entrance slit width; electron detector high voltage; start energy; final energy; stepwidth; step time; number of repeats; range of spectra presentation on the monitor; comments on the measurements; start command. A variation of the take-off angle is an optional possibility. The automation of the instrument allows programming of the measurements, start and evaluation of the results from different computer terminals. (author)

Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Martin G

2018-04-01

Manual blood pressure (BP) recorded in routine clinical practice is relatively inaccurate and associated with higher readings compared to BP measured in research studies in accordance with standardized measurement guidelines. The increase in routine office BP is the result of several factors, especially the presence of office staff, which tends to make patients nervous and also allows for conversation to occur. With the disappearance of the mercury sphygmomanometer because of environmental concerns, there is greater use of oscillometric BP recorders, both in the office setting and elsewhere. Although oscillometric devices may reduce some aspects of observer BP measurement error in the clinical setting, they are still associated with higher BP readings, known as white coat hypertension (for diagnosis) or white coat effect (with treated hypertension). Now that fully automated sphygmomanometers are available which are capable of recording several readings with the patient resting quietly, there is no longer any need to have office staff present when BP is being recorded. Such readings are called automated office blood pressure (AOBP) and they are both more accurate than conventional manual office BP and not associated with the white coat phenomena. AOBP readings are also similar to the awake ambulatory BP and home BP, both of which are relatively good predictors of cardiovascular risk. The available evidence suggests that AOBP should now replace manual or electronic office BP readings when screening patients for hypertension and also after antihypertensive drug therapy is initiated. Copyright © 2018. The Korean Society of Cardiology.

Plutonium production in a remote automated cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maddux, E.P.; Purcell, J.A.

1987-01-01

Production of 239 Pu metal has traditionally been carried out in glove box enclosures to protect operating personnel and the outside environment from the hazards of radiation. With the advent of more stringent federal regulations for protecting personnel, the environment, and security of special nuclear materials, it is proposed that plutonium be processed in a totally remote environment using automated work stations and robotic materials transfer and equipment maintenance. Investigators envision a facility where operations are carried out in two remotely operated cells. One cell will contain aqueous processing operations while the second will contain powder operations. Various processing steps will be carried out on modular frames of a standard configuration. The processing equipment on each frame will be completely automated and operated via computer. Nonaqueous materials will be transferred between frames by robots using closed-circuit television and computer control. Robots will be able to perform limited in-place maintenance of equipment on each frame for high-maintenance replaceable components. When major repair is required, the processing frame will be decoupled by the robot and moved to a decontamination and maintenance area by a conventional overhead bridge crane. The new design concept will provide for long-term goals, which include exposure reduction, near-real time accountability, safeguards, and waste reduction

Semi-automated categorization of open-ended questions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Schonlau

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Text data from open-ended questions in surveys are difficult to analyze and are frequently ignored. Yet open-ended questions are important because they do not constrain respondents’ answer choices. Where open-ended questions are necessary, sometimes multiple human coders hand-code answers into one of several categories. At the same time, computer scientists have made impressive advances in text mining that may allow automation of such coding. Automated algorithms do not achieve an overall accuracy high enough to entirely replace humans. We categorize open-ended questions soliciting narrative responses using text mining for easy-to-categorize answers and humans for the remainder using expected accuracies to guide the choice of the threshold delineating between “easy” and “hard”. Employing multinomial boosting avoids the common practice of converting machine learning “confidence scores” into pseudo-probabilities. This approach is illustrated with examples from open-ended questions related to respondents’ advice to a patient in a hypothetical dilemma, a follow-up probe related to respondents’ perception of disclosure/privacy risk, and from a question on reasons for quitting smoking from a follow-up survey from the Ontario Smoker’s Helpline. Targeting 80% combined accuracy, we found that 54%-80% of the data could be categorized automatically in research surveys.

Ankle replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Ankle arthroplasty - total; Total ankle arthroplasty; Endoprosthetic ankle replacement; Ankle surgery ... Ankle replacement surgery is most often done while you are under general anesthesia. This means you will ...

The Development Of Mathematical Model For Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ardisasmita, M. Syamsa

2001-01-01

Fingerprint has a strong oriented and periodic structure composed of dark lines of raised skin (ridges) and clear lines of lowered skin (furrows)that twist to form a distinct pattern. Although the manner in which the ridges flow is distinctive, other characteristics of the fingerprint called m inutiae a re what are most unique to the individual. These features are particular patterns consisting of terminations or bifurcations of the ridges. To assert if two fingerprints are from the same finger or not, experts detect those minutiae. AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems) extract and compare these features for determining a match. The classic methods of fingerprints recognition are not suitable for direct implementation in form of computer algorithms. The creation of a finger's model was however the necessity of development of new, better algorithms of analysis. This paper presents a new numerical methods of fingerprints' simulation based on mathematical model of arrangement of dermatoglyphics and creation of minutiae. This paper describes also the design and implementation of an automated fingerprint identification systems which operates in two stages: minutiae extraction and minutiae matching

Nicotine replacement therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Smoking cessation - nicotine replacement; Tobacco - nicotine replacement therapy ... Before you start using a nicotine replacement product, here are some things to know: The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher the dose you may need to ...

Hip Replacement Surgery

Science.gov (United States)

... Outreach Initiative Breadcrumb Home Health Topics English Español Hip Replacement Surgery Basics In-Depth Download Download EPUB ... PDF What is it? Points To Remember About Hip Replacement Surgery Hip replacement surgery removes damaged or ...

Development of Raman microspectroscopy for automated detection and imaging of basal cell carcinoma

Science.gov (United States)

Larraona-Puy, Marta; Ghita, Adrian; Zoladek, Alina; Perkins, William; Varma, Sandeep; Leach, Iain H.; Koloydenko, Alexey A.; Williams, Hywel; Notingher, Ioan

2009-09-01

We investigate the potential of Raman microspectroscopy (RMS) for automated evaluation of excised skin tissue during Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). The main aim is to develop an automated method for imaging and diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) regions. Selected Raman bands responsible for the largest spectral differences between BCC and normal skin regions and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) are used to build a multivariate supervised classification model. The model is based on 329 Raman spectra measured on skin tissue obtained from 20 patients. BCC is discriminated from healthy tissue with 90+/-9% sensitivity and 85+/-9% specificity in a 70% to 30% split cross-validation algorithm. This multivariate model is then applied on tissue sections from new patients to image tumor regions. The RMS images show excellent correlation with the gold standard of histopathology sections, BCC being detected in all positive sections. We demonstrate the potential of RMS as an automated objective method for tumor evaluation during MMS. The replacement of current histopathology during MMS by a ``generalization'' of the proposed technique may improve the feasibility and efficacy of MMS, leading to a wider use according to clinical need.

Automated cell counts on CSF samples: A multicenter performance evaluation of the GloCyte system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hod, E A; Brugnara, C; Pilichowska, M; Sandhaus, L M; Luu, H S; Forest, S K; Netterwald, J C; Reynafarje, G M; Kratz, A

2018-02-01

Automated cell counters have replaced manual enumeration of cells in blood and most body fluids. However, due to the unreliability of automated methods at very low cell counts, most laboratories continue to perform labor-intensive manual counts on many or all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. This multicenter clinical trial investigated if the GloCyte System (Advanced Instruments, Norwood, MA), a recently FDA-approved automated cell counter, which concentrates and enumerates red blood cells (RBCs) and total nucleated cells (TNCs), is sufficiently accurate and precise at very low cell counts to replace all manual CSF counts. The GloCyte System concentrates CSF and stains RBCs with fluorochrome-labeled antibodies and TNCs with nucleic acid dyes. RBCs and TNCs are then counted by digital image analysis. Residual adult and pediatric CSF samples obtained for clinical analysis at five different medical centers were used for the study. Cell counts were performed by the manual hemocytometer method and with the GloCyte System following the same protocol at all sites. The limits of the blank, detection, and quantitation, as well as precision and accuracy of the GloCyte, were determined. The GloCyte detected as few as 1 TNC/μL and 1 RBC/μL, and reliably counted as low as 3 TNCs/μL and 2 RBCs/μL. The total coefficient of variation was less than 20%. Comparison with cell counts obtained with a hemocytometer showed good correlation (>97%) between the GloCyte and the hemocytometer, including at very low cell counts. The GloCyte instrument is a precise, accurate, and stable system to obtain red cell and nucleated cell counts in CSF samples. It allows for the automated enumeration of even very low cell numbers, which is crucial for CSF analysis. These results suggest that GloCyte is an acceptable alternative to the manual method for all CSF samples, including those with normal cell counts. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A μp based automation system for Raman and Rayleigh spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kesavamoorthy, R.; Arora, A.K.; Vasumathi, D.

1988-01-01

μp based data acquisition cum automation system for Raman and Rayleigh Spectrometers is described. The experiments require simultaneous acquisition of different digital data in two separate counters, their storage and rotation of grating through stepper motor in a repetitive cycle. Various modes of operation are selected through a function keyboard. The current status of the experiment is also displayed using 7 segment 12 element display unit. The input parameters are fed through a hexadecimal keyboard before the start of the experiment. The stored data can be send to a printer/terminal or to a PC through a serial port after the completion of the experiment. (author)

Lean automation development : applying lean principles to the automation development process

OpenAIRE

Granlund, Anna; Wiktorsson, Magnus; Grahn, Sten; Friedler, Niklas

2014-01-01

By a broad empirical study it is indicated that automation development show potential of improvement. In the paper, 13 lean product development principles are contrasted to the automation development process and it is suggested why and how these principles can facilitate, support and improve the automation development process. The paper summarises a description of what characterises a lean automation development process and what consequences it entails. Main differences compared to current pr...

CONTAINER TERMINALS IN EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bart W. WIEGMANS

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to address the linkage between logistics (in particular, the management of marketing channel flows and transport markets, while also the interaction between these two markets and intermodal container terminals is analysed. The marketing channel theory is used to describe all relevant actors and flows that run through marketing channels, starting with customer needs and ending with customer satisfaction. Porter's theory of competitive advantages is used to review competitive forces in both markets. Finally, a competitor analysis is performed for the logistics and transport market. These theories are applied so as to be able to determine the competitive position of intermodal container terminals with a view to the management of marketing channel flows and the physical transport of freight flows. Hence, the central question of this paper is: Which markets are served by intermodal container terminals and with whom are they competing? At present, neither the maritime container terminals nor the continental container terminals appear to have a significant influence in the logistics service market; they concentrate mainly on the physical movement of containers (transshipment. Furthermore, maritime container terminals and continental container terminals are not dominant players in the transport service market. Our conclusion is that continental terminals are predominantly competing with unimodal road transport, with neighbouring continental terminals and with barge transport companies.

Computer program for the automated attendance accounting system

Science.gov (United States)

Poulson, P.; Rasmusson, C.

1971-01-01

The automated attendance accounting system (AAAS) was developed under the auspices of the Space Technology Applications Program. The task is basically the adaptation of a small digital computer, coupled with specially developed pushbutton terminals located in school classrooms and offices for the purpose of taking daily attendance, maintaining complete attendance records, and producing partial and summary reports. Especially developed for high schools, the system is intended to relieve both teachers and office personnel from the time-consuming and dreary task of recording and analyzing the myriad classroom attendance data collected throughout the semester. In addition, since many school district budgets are related to student attendance, the increase in accounting accuracy is expected to augment district income. A major component of this system is the real-time AAAS software system, which is described.

Effective Application of the Methanol-Based PreservCyt (TM) Fixative and the Cellient (TM) Automated Cell Block Processor to Diagnostic Cytopathology, Immunocytochemistry, and Molecular Biology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Hemel, Bettien M.; Suurmeijer, Albert J. H.

We studied the feasibility of immunocytochemistry (ICC), in situ hybridization (ISH), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after Cellient automated cell block processing, and tested whether methanol-based PreservCyt fixation could replace formalin fixation, in an attempt to eliminate toxic

Cost challenges for laboratory medicine automation in Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald Moshen Tanyanyiwa

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Automation in laboratory medicine is inevitable and the only way forward especially in Africa where the staff turnover is high due to migration of experienced staff to Europe and America. Described here are the common issues that laboratory Managers and Directors encounter when upgrading, replacing analytical systems as well as daily running of diagnostic laboratories. The rapid advancement driven by the first world where research facilities, resources and expertise are available has seen changes in the both the hardware and software utilised by analyzers every two to three years. The downside is that in the process of replacing/phasing out old analysers, the first world countries in some cases donate them to second and third world countries as refurbished analysers. Problems in obtaining spares ensue since the production of new analysers results in reduced production or even of old spares. Unavailability or delayed availability of spares results in suspension of diagnostic service by the recipient laboratory. In some areas costly modifications to the analysers or the location/building have had to done to suite local (African conditions, hence the need for Laboratory managers to understand fully the analysers’ operational requirements before purchasing or accepting donations

Knee Replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Knee replacement is surgery for people with severe knee damage. Knee replacement can relieve pain and allow you to ... Your doctor may recommend it if you have knee pain and medicine and other treatments are not ...

An Intelligent Terminal for Access to a Medical Database

Science.gov (United States)

Womble, M. E.; Wilson, S. D.; Keiser, H. N.; Tworek, M. L.

1978-01-01

Very powerful data base management systems (DBMS) now exist which allow medical personnel access to patient record data bases. DBMS's make it easy to retrieve either complete or abbreviated records of patients with similar characteristics. In addition, statistics on data base records are immediately accessible. However, the price of this power is a large computer with the inherent problems of access, response time, and reliability. If a general purpose, time-shared computer is used to get this power, the response time to a request can be either rapid or slow, depending upon loading by other users. Furthermore, if the computer is accessed via dial-up telephone lines, there is competition with other users for telephone ports. If either the DBMS or the host machine is replaced, the medical users, who are typically not sophisticated in computer usage, are forced to learn the new system. Microcomputers, because of their low cost and adaptability, lend themselves to a solution of these problems. A microprocessor-based intelligent terminal has been designed and implemented at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine to provide a transparent interface between the user and his data base. The intelligent terminal system includes multiple microprocessors, floppy disks, a CRT terminal, and a printer. Users interact with the system at the CRT terminal using menu selection (framing). The system translates the menu selection into the query language of the DBMS and handles all actual communication with the DBMS and its host computer, including telephone dialing and sign on procedures, as well as the actual data base query and response. Retrieved information is stored locally for CRT display, hard copy production, and/or permanent retention. Microprocessor-based communication units provide security for sensitive medical data through encryption/decryption algorithms and high reliability error detection transmission schemes. Highly modular software design permits adapation to a

Both Automation and Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Purcell, Royal

1988-01-01

Discusses the concept of a paperless society and the current situation in library automation. Various applications of automation and telecommunications are addressed, and future library automation is considered. Automation at the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, Indiana, is described as an example. (MES)

Design and control of electromagnetic clutch actuation system for automated manual transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjan, Ashish; Prasanth, S.; Cherian, Fenin; Baskar, P.

2017-11-01

There is a growing interest towards Automatic Transmission in India as it provides better comfort and drivability. But the high cost of this system is limiting itself to be successful in the Indian markets. Due to this, Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) is considered which provides a better solution towards automation as it enhances the drivability and fuel consumption characteristics of a manual transmission at lower costs. However, torque lag and comfort are major issues with AMT which can be addressed by reducing the shift time. In this paper we describe an Electromagnetic Linear Clutch Actuator as a replacement to current electrohydraulic and electromechanical actuator. A control system for the actuator is presented and a clutch engagement strategy is also implemented which reduces the engagement time to 0.78 seconds while reducing jerk and torque lag. The actuator and control system is simulated on a MATLAB Simulink and agreeable results have been obtained.

Automated Groundwater Screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, Glenn A.; Collard, Leonard B.

2005-01-01

The Automated Intruder Analysis has been extended to include an Automated Ground Water Screening option. This option screens 825 radionuclides while rigorously applying the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) methodology. An extension to that methodology is presented to give a more realistic screening factor for those radionuclides which have significant daughters. The extension has the promise of reducing the number of radionuclides which must be tracked by the customer. By combining the Automated Intruder Analysis with the Automated Groundwater Screening a consistent set of assumptions and databases is used. A method is proposed to eliminate trigger values by performing rigorous calculation of the screening factor thereby reducing the number of radionuclides sent to further analysis. Using the same problem definitions as in previous groundwater screenings, the automated groundwater screening found one additional nuclide, Ge-68, which failed the screening. It also found that 18 of the 57 radionuclides contained in NCRP Table 3.1 failed the screening. This report describes the automated groundwater screening computer application

Visual communication and terminal equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Cheol Hui

1988-06-01

This book is divided two parts about visual communication and terminal equipment. The first part introduces visual communication, which deals with foundation of visual communication, technique of visual communication, equipment of visual communication, a facsimile and pictorial image system. The second part contains terminal equipment such as telephone, terminal equipment for data transmission on constitution and constituent of terminal equipment for data transmission, input device and output device, terminal device and up-to-date terminal device.

Visual communication and terminal equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Cheol Hui

1988-06-15

This book is divided two parts about visual communication and terminal equipment. The first part introduces visual communication, which deals with foundation of visual communication, technique of visual communication, equipment of visual communication, a facsimile and pictorial image system. The second part contains terminal equipment such as telephone, terminal equipment for data transmission on constitution and constituent of terminal equipment for data transmission, input device and output device, terminal device and up-to-date terminal device.

Real-Time Dispatch of Petroleum Tank Trucks

OpenAIRE

Gerald G. Brown; Glenn W. Graves

1981-01-01

A highly automated, real-time dispatch system is described which uses embedded optimization routines to replace extensive manual operations and to reduce substantially operating costs for a nation-wide fleet of petroleum tank trucks. The system is currently used in daily operations by the Order Entry and Dispatch segment of the Chevron U.S.A. Marketing System. Refined petroleum products valued at several billion dollars per year are dispatched from more than 80 bulk terminals on a fleet excee...

Health and performance of calves with forestomach-bypass fed milk replacer.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinstry, D M; Cason, J L; Albert, T F; Sass, B

1976-02-01

Ten male Holstein calves were placed in groups of two calves each on similarity of age. On calf in each group was subjected to forestomach-bypass surgery at about 1 mo of age. Fortified commercial milk replacer with added minerals and vitamins was fed as the sole diet. The calves were housed indoors on slatted platforms. Weight gain was determined biweekly. Feed intake was determined daily. Necropsies were performed upon termination of the study. Recurrent ruminal bloat, fever, and anorexia of varying degrees and combinations occurred in four of the calves with forestomach bypass. Two of these calves showed slow weight gain. One of the four calves died following acute bloat while the other three calves were sacrificed following repeated episodes of bloat. The time of termination varied between 3 and 10 mo. One calf with forestomach bypass and all control calves appeared healthy throughout the experiment. Necropsies indicated that the ruminal bloat, seen in most of the forestomach-bypass calves, could be attributed to the back-flow of ingesta via the omasal-abomasal orifice. This ingesta appeared to produce gas which became trapped in the bypassed rumen.

Automated model building

CERN Document Server

Caferra, Ricardo; Peltier, Nicholas

2004-01-01

This is the first book on automated model building, a discipline of automated deduction that is of growing importance Although models and their construction are important per se, automated model building has appeared as a natural enrichment of automated deduction, especially in the attempt to capture the human way of reasoning The book provides an historical overview of the field of automated deduction, and presents the foundations of different existing approaches to model construction, in particular those developed by the authors Finite and infinite model building techniques are presented The main emphasis is on calculi-based methods, and relevant practical results are provided The book is of interest to researchers and graduate students in computer science, computational logic and artificial intelligence It can also be used as a textbook in advanced undergraduate courses

Test-retest reliability of automated whole body and compartmental muscle volume measurements on a wide bore 3T MR system.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Marianna S; Newman, David; Leinhard, Olof Dahlqvist; Kasmai, Bahman; Greenwood, Richard; Malcolm, Paul N; Karlsson, Anette; Rosander, Johannes; Borga, Magnus; Toms, Andoni P

2014-09-01

To measure the test-retest reproducibility of an automated system for quantifying whole body and compartmental muscle volumes using wide bore 3 T MRI. Thirty volunteers stratified by body mass index underwent whole body 3 T MRI, two-point Dixon sequences, on two separate occasions. Water-fat separation was performed, with automated segmentation of whole body, torso, upper and lower leg volumes, and manually segmented lower leg muscle volumes. Mean automated total body muscle volume was 19·32 L (SD9·1) and 19·28 L (SD9·12) for first and second acquisitions (Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 1·0, 95% level of agreement -0·32-0·2 L). ICC for all automated test-retest muscle volumes were almost perfect (0·99-1·0) with 95% levels of agreement 1.8-6.6% of mean volume. Automated muscle volume measurements correlate closely with manual quantification (right lower leg: manual 1·68 L (2SD0·6) compared to automated 1·64 L (2SD 0·6), left lower leg: manual 1·69 L (2SD 0·64) compared to automated 1·63 L (SD0·61), correlation coefficients for automated and manual segmentation were 0·94-0·96). Fully automated whole body and compartmental muscle volume quantification can be achieved rapidly on a 3 T wide bore system with very low margins of error, excellent test-retest reliability and excellent correlation to manual segmentation in the lower leg. Sarcopaenia is an important reversible complication of a number of diseases. Manual quantification of muscle volume is time-consuming and expensive. Muscles can be imaged using in and out of phase MRI. Automated atlas-based segmentation can identify muscle groups. Automated muscle volume segmentation is reproducible and can replace manual measurements.

Dust settles at Dalrymple Bay Terminal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

stockpiling. The analysers deliver real-time measurements of coal moisture levels that DBCT then uses to guide its water addition needs for dust mitigation. 'The analysers were originally installed on the outloading system so that calibration checks could be carried out,' Mitchell says. This involved extensive ISO sampling, with individual calibrations obtained for 29 different coal types to ensure the best accuracy. The analysers delivered typical accuracies of between 0.2- 0.4%, one standard deviation, across the coal types. Measurements were achieved at the highest tonnage rates and auto-switching of calibration curves via a plant interface was effectively demonstrated. 'Extensive independent trials enabled the optimum dust extinction moisture (DEM) levels of each coal type handled at the terminal to be identified and agreed upon by DBCT and the individual terminal users,' Mitchell says. As such, DBCT is effectively using the analysers as an 'upper clamp' on the moisture added to the coal. BBI says customers of DBCT and the surrounding community will benefit greatly from the investment in the LFM Analysers. 'The real-time moisture measurements provided by the analysers will assist DBCT to manage contracted moisture content while at the same time enabling optimum DEM to be achieved,' Mitchell says. 'Through the increased understanding of the moisture levels of the coals handled, DBCT can optimise its dust control measures to ultimately help improve the terminal's environmental performance and relationship with the surrounding community.' Following the successful commissioning of the analysers, DBCT has begun the process of integrating them in its control loops for automated water addition. DBCT anticipates this will be complete by the end of May. DBCT also plans to invest in a third unit with the design of its new conveyor, Inloading No 3, including an LFM Analyser. Copyright (2006) Reed Business Information

Crystallization of Galectin-8 Linker Reveals Intricate Relationship between the N-terminal Tail and the Linker

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunlong Si

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Galectin-8 (Gal-8 plays a significant role in normal immunological function as well as in cancer. This lectin contains two carbohydrate recognition domains (CRD connected by a peptide linker. The N-terminal CRD determines ligand binding specificity, whereas the linker has been proposed to regulate overall Gal-8 function, including multimerization and biological activity. Here, we crystallized the Gal-8 N-terminal CRD with the peptide linker using a crystallization condition that contains Ni2+. The Ni2+ ion was found to be complexed between two CRDs via crystal packing contacts. The coordination between Ni2+ and Asp25 plays an indirect role in determining the structure of β-strand F0 and in influencing the linker conformation which could not be defined due to its dynamic nature. The linker was also shortened in situ and crystallized under a different condition, leading to a higher resolution structure refined to 1.08 Å. This crystal structure allowed definition of a short portion of the linker interacting with the Gal-8 N-terminal tail via ionic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Observation of two Gal-8 N-terminal CRD structures implies that the N-terminal tail and the linker may influence each other’s conformation. In addition, under specific crystallization conditions, glycerol could replace lactose and was observed at the carbohydrate binding site. However, glycerol did not show inhibition activity in hemagglutination assay.

Can postmortem fetal MR imaging replace autopsy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Jeong Yeon; Song, Mi Jin; Kim, Seoung Hyup

2001-01-01

The purposes of this study were to compare postmortem fetal MRI findings with autopsy findings and to assess whether postmortem MRI can replace autopsy. The study group consisted of 13 stillborn fetuses, seven that died immediately after birth, and five terminated because of anomalies seen on prenatal sonograms. A total 17 were male, and eight were female, and their gestational ages were from 20 to 41 (average;28.2) weeks. Spin-echo T1-and T2-weighted axial, sagittal, and coronal MR images were obtained, and autopsy findings were divided into major and minor. A major finding was defined as an anomaly or syndrome which caused fetal death or termination of the pregnancy: minor findings were classified, on the basis of gross inspection, as internal or external. MR images were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists unaware of the autopsy findings, and by comparison with these, the postmortem MRI detection rates for major and minor findings was then determined. In seven of 25 fetuses, MR imaging revealed major findings, a dietction rate of 100%. There were two cases of anencephaly, two of trisomy-18, and one each of hydrops fetalis with large cystic hygroma, diaphragmatic hernia, and Dandy-Walker malformation. Twenty-three of 60 minor findings (38.3%) were detected by MRI. The detection rates for external and internal findings were 29.6%(8/27) and 45.5%(15/33), respectively. Although a limitation of our study is the low detection rate for minor findings, postmortem fetal MRI may help diagnose the major cause of fetal death

Automated Fuel Element Closure Welding System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahlquist, D.R.

1993-01-01

The Automated Fuel Element Closure Welding System is a robotic device that will load and weld top end plugs onto nuclear fuel elements in a highly radioactive and inert gas environment. The system was developed at Argonne National Laboratory-West as part of the Fuel Cycle Demonstration. The welding system performs four main functions, it (1) injects a small amount of a xenon/krypton gas mixture into specific fuel elements, and (2) loads tiny end plugs into the tops of fuel element jackets, and (3) welds the end plugs to the element jackets, and (4) performs a dimensional inspection of the pre- and post-welded fuel elements. The system components are modular to facilitate remote replacement of failed parts. The entire system can be operated remotely in manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic modes using a computer control system. The welding system is currently undergoing software testing and functional checkout

Defining line replaceable units

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Parada Puig, J. E.; Basten, R. J I

2015-01-01

Defective capital assets may be quickly restored to their operational condition by replacing the item that has failed. The item that is replaced is called the Line Replaceable Unit (LRU), and the so-called LRU definition problem is the problem of deciding on which item to replace upon each type of

Antecedents of Customer Relationship Termination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geersbro, Jens; Ritter, Thomas

To end business relationships, or to more actively terminate relationships, has long been acknowledged as part of customer relationship management. However, compared to other elements such as initiation and maintenance of relationships, little is known about the termination of business...... relationships as a managerial task. This paper contributes by (1) developing a conceptualization of relationship termination competence and (2) analyzing its antecedents. The empirical results identify termination acceptance, definition non-customers, organizational relationship termination routines......, and motivation as significant antecedents. Because of this, managers need to develop their organizations in order to use relationship termination as a vital strategy....

78 FR 53466 - Modification of Two National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-29

... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image... National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging, known as the Document Image... the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging, known as the...

Optimization of automation: III. Development of optimization method for determining automation rate in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Man Cheol; Seong, Poong Hyun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We propose an appropriate automation rate that enables the best human performance. • We analyze the shortest working time considering Situation Awareness Recovery (SAR). • The optimized automation rate is estimated by integrating the automation and ostracism rate estimation methods. • The process to derive the optimized automation rate is demonstrated through case studies. - Abstract: Automation has been introduced in various industries, including the nuclear field, because it is commonly believed that automation promises greater efficiency, lower workloads, and fewer operator errors through reducing operator errors and enhancing operator and system performance. However, the excessive introduction of automation has deteriorated operator performance due to the side effects of automation, which are referred to as Out-of-the-Loop (OOTL), and this is critical issue that must be resolved. Thus, in order to determine the optimal level of automation introduction that assures the best human operator performance, a quantitative method of optimizing the automation is proposed in this paper. In order to propose the optimization method for determining appropriate automation levels that enable the best human performance, the automation rate and ostracism rate, which are estimation methods that quantitatively analyze the positive and negative effects of automation, respectively, are integrated. The integration was conducted in order to derive the shortest working time through considering the concept of situation awareness recovery (SAR), which states that the automation rate with the shortest working time assures the best human performance. The process to derive the optimized automation rate is demonstrated through an emergency operation scenario-based case study. In this case study, four types of procedures are assumed through redesigning the original emergency operating procedure according to the introduced automation and ostracism levels. Using the

Effect of N-Terminal Acylation on the Activity of Myostatin Inhibitory Peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Takayama, Kentaro; Nakamura, Akari; Rentier, Cédric; Mino, Yusaku; Asari, Tomo; Saga, Yusuke; Taguchi, Akihiro; Yakushiji, Fumika; Hayashi, Yoshio

2016-04-19

Inhibition of myostatin, which negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth, is a promising strategy for the treatment of muscle atrophic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, cachexia and sarcopenia. Recently, we identified peptide A (H-WRQNTRYSRIEAIKIQILSKLRL-NH2 ), the 23-amino-acid minimum myostatin inhibitory peptide derived from mouse myostatin prodomain, and highlighted the importance of its N-terminal tryptophan residue for the effective inhibition. In this study, we synthesized a series of acylated peptide derivatives focused on the tryptophan residue to develop potent myostatin inhibitors. As a result of the investigation, a more potent derivative of peptide A was successfully identified in which the N-terminal tryptophan residue is replaced with a 2-naphthyloxyacetyl moiety to give an inhibitory peptide three times (1.19±0.11 μm) more potent than parent peptide A (3.53±0.25 μm). This peptide could prove useful as a new starting point for the development of improved inhibitory peptides. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Automation of the ANSTO working standard of measurement for the activity of radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buckman, S.M.

1990-08-01

The ANSTO working standard ion chamber is used routinely for the standardisation of a range of gamma emitting radio-isotopes. The ion chamber has recently been automated by replacing the AAEC type 292 Recycling Discriminator, timer module and model 43 teletype printer with the HP86B computer, HP-59501B voltage programmer and HP-6181C current source. The program 'MEASION', running on the Deltacom IBM AT clone, calculates the radioactivity, with full error statements, from the ion chamber measurements. Each of these programs is listed and discussed. 13 refs., 5 figs., tabs

World-wide distribution automation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devaney, T.M.

1994-01-01

A worldwide power distribution automation system is outlined. Distribution automation is defined and the status of utility automation is discussed. Other topics discussed include a distribution management system, substation feeder, and customer functions, potential benefits, automation costs, planning and engineering considerations, automation trends, databases, system operation, computer modeling of system, and distribution management systems

WIDAFELS flexible automation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shende, P.S.; Chander, K.P.; Ramadas, P.

1990-01-01

After discussing the various aspects of automation, some typical examples of various levels of automation are given. One of the examples is of automated production line for ceramic fuel pellets. (M.G.B.)

Automation in Clinical Microbiology

Science.gov (United States)

Ledeboer, Nathan A.

2013-01-01

Historically, the trend toward automation in clinical pathology laboratories has largely bypassed the clinical microbiology laboratory. In this article, we review the historical impediments to automation in the microbiology laboratory and offer insight into the reasons why we believe that we are on the cusp of a dramatic change that will sweep a wave of automation into clinical microbiology laboratories. We review the currently available specimen-processing instruments as well as the total laboratory automation solutions. Lastly, we outline the types of studies that will need to be performed to fully assess the benefits of automation in microbiology laboratories. PMID:23515547

Collaboration, Automation, and Information Management at Hanford High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurah, Mirwaise Y.; Roberts, Mark A.

2013-01-01

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), operator of High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms at the Hanford Site, is taking an over 20-year leap in technology, replacing systems that were monitored with clipboards and obsolete computer systems, as well as solving major operations and maintenance hurdles in the area of process automation and information management. While WRPS is fully compliant with procedures and regulations, the current systems are not integrated and do not share data efficiently, hampering how information is obtained and managed

Automation of Test Cases for Web Applications : Automation of CRM Test Cases

OpenAIRE

Seyoum, Alazar

2012-01-01

The main theme of this project was to design a test automation framework for automating web related test cases. Automating test cases designed for testing a web interface provide a means of improving a software development process by shortening the testing phase in the software development life cycle. In this project an existing AutoTester framework and iMacros test automation tools were used. CRM Test Agent was developed to integrate AutoTester to iMacros and to enable the AutoTester,...

Automated Work Package: Initial Wireless Communication Platform Design, Development, and Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al Rashdan, Ahmad Yahya Mohammad [Idaho National Laboratory; Agarwal, Vivek [Idaho National Laboratory

2016-03-01

The Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program is developing the scientific basis to ensure long-term reliability, productivity, safety, and security of the nuclear power industry in the United States. The Instrumentation, Information, and Control (II&C) pathway of the program aims to increase the role of advanced II&C technologies to achieve this objective. One of the pathway efforts at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is to improve the work packages execution process by replacing the expensive, inefficient, bulky, complex, and error-prone paper-based work orders with automated work packages (AWPs). An AWP is an automated and dynamic presentation of the work package designed to guide the user through the work process. It is loaded on a mobile device, such as a tablet, and is capable of communicating with plant equipment and systems to acquire plant and procedure states. The AWP replaces those functions where a computer is more efficient and reliable than a human. To enable the automatic acquisition of plant data, it is necessary to design and develop a prototype platform for data exchange between the field instruments and the AWP mobile devices. The development of the platform aims to reveal issues and solutions generalizable to large-scale implementation of a similar system. Topics such as bandwidth, robustness, response time, interference, and security are usually associated with wireless communication. These concerns, along with other requirements, are listed in an earlier INL report. Specifically, the targeted issues and performance aspects in this work are relevant to the communication infrastructure from the perspective of promptness, robustness, expandability, and interoperability with different technologies.

Initial Evaluation of a Conflict Detection Tool in the Terminal Area

Science.gov (United States)

Verma Savita Arora; Tang, Huabin; Ballinger, Deborah S.; Kozon, Thomas E.; Farrahi, Amir Hossein

2012-01-01

Despite the recent economic recession and its adverse impact on air travel, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to forecast an increase in air traffic demand that may see traffic double or triple by the year 2025. Increases in air traffic will burden the air traffic management system, and higher levels of safety and efficiency will be required. The air traffic controllers primary task is to ensure separation between aircraft in their airspace and keep the skies safe. As air traffic is forecasted to increase in volume and complexity [1], there is an increased likelihood of conflicts between aircraft, which adds risk and inefficiency to air traffic management and increases controller workload. To attenuate these factors, recent ATM research has shown that air and ground-based automation tools could reduce controller workload, especially if the automation is focused on conflict detection and resolution. Conflict Alert is a short time horizon conflict detection tool deployed in the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which has limited utility due to the high number of false alerts generated and its use of dead reckoning to predict loss of separation between aircraft. Terminal Tactical Separation Assurance Flight Environment (T-TSAFE) is a short time horizon conflict detection tool that uses both flight intent and dead reckoning to detect conflicts. Results of a fast time simulation experiment indicated that TTSAFE provided a more effective alert lead-time and generated less false alerts than Conflict Alert [2]. TSAFE was previously tested in a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) simulation study that focused on the en route phase of flight [3]. The current study tested the T-TSAFE tool in an HITL simulation study, focusing on the terminal environment with current day operations. The study identified procedures, roles, responsibilities, information requirements and usability, with the help of TRACON controllers who participated in the experiment. Metrics such

An Automation Planning Primer.

Science.gov (United States)

Paynter, Marion

1988-01-01

This brief planning guide for library automation incorporates needs assessment and evaluation of options to meet those needs. A bibliography of materials on automation planning and software reviews, library software directories, and library automation journals is included. (CLB)

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Science.gov (United States)

... gov/ency/article/007684.htm Transcatheter aortic valve replacement To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is surgery to replace the aortic valve. ...

Automation in Immunohematology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meenu Bajpai

2012-01-01

Full Text Available There have been rapid technological advances in blood banking in South Asian region over the past decade with an increasing emphasis on quality and safety of blood products. The conventional test tube technique has given way to newer techniques such as column agglutination technique, solid phase red cell adherence assay, and erythrocyte-magnetized technique. These new technologies are adaptable to automation and major manufacturers in this field have come up with semi and fully automated equipments for immunohematology tests in the blood bank. Automation improves the objectivity and reproducibility of tests. It reduces human errors in patient identification and transcription errors. Documentation and traceability of tests, reagents and processes and archiving of results is another major advantage of automation. Shifting from manual methods to automation is a major undertaking for any transfusion service to provide quality patient care with lesser turnaround time for their ever increasing workload. This article discusses the various issues involved in the process.

LNG TERMINAL SAFE OPERATION MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej ADAMKIEWICZ

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This article presents the significance of LNG terminal safety issues in natural gas sea transport. It shows particular requirements for LNG transmission installations resulting from the specific properties of LNG. Out of the multi‐layer critical safety areas comprising structural elements of the terminal safety system, possibilities to decrease the risk of emergency occurrence on LNG terminals have been selected. Tasks performed by the LNG terminal, together with its own personnel and the outside one, have been defined. General theses for LNG terminal safety have been formulated.

Feasibility study for automation of the Central Laboratories, Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, W.F.; Peck, E.S.; Fisher, E.R.; Barton, G.W. Jr.

1976-01-01

This study of the feasibility of further automating the Central Laboratories deals specifically with the combined laboratory operations in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colorado and is prepared with the understanding that such a system will also be implemented at the Central Laboratories in Atlanta, Georgia, and Albany, New York. The goals of automation are defined in terms of the mission of a water analysis laboratory, propose alternative computer systems for meeting such goals, and evaluate these alternatives in terms of cost effectiveness and other specified criteria. It is found that further automation will be beneficial and an in-house system that incorporates dual minicomputers is recommended: one for time-shared data acquisition, processing, and control; the second for data management. High-use analytical instruments are placed on-line to the time-shared minicomputer, with a terminal at each instrument and backup data storage on magnetic tape. A third, standby computer is switched in manually should the time-shared computer go down. Field-proven, modular hardware and software are chosen. Also recommended is the incorporation of the highly developed, computer-integrated instruments that are commercially available for determining petrochemicals and other organic substances, and are essential to the Laboratories' mission

Automated Budget System -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — The Automated Budget System (ABS) automates management and planning of the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) budget by providing enhanced capability to plan,...

Bioprocessing automation in cell therapy manufacturing: Outcomes of special interest group automation workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Oliver; Robinson, Sarah; Bure, Kim; Brindley, David A; Mccall, David

2018-04-01

Phacilitate held a Special Interest Group workshop event in Edinburgh, UK, in May 2017. The event brought together leading stakeholders in the cell therapy bioprocessing field to identify present and future challenges and propose potential solutions to automation in cell therapy bioprocessing. Here, we review and summarize discussions from the event. Deep biological understanding of a product, its mechanism of action and indication pathogenesis underpin many factors relating to bioprocessing and automation. To fully exploit the opportunities of bioprocess automation, therapeutics developers must closely consider whether an automation strategy is applicable, how to design an 'automatable' bioprocess and how to implement process modifications with minimal disruption. Major decisions around bioprocess automation strategy should involve all relevant stakeholders; communication between technical and business strategy decision-makers is of particular importance. Developers should leverage automation to implement in-process testing, in turn applicable to process optimization, quality assurance (QA)/ quality control (QC), batch failure control, adaptive manufacturing and regulatory demands, but a lack of precedent and technical opportunities can complicate such efforts. Sparse standardization across product characterization, hardware components and software platforms is perceived to complicate efforts to implement automation. The use of advanced algorithmic approaches such as machine learning may have application to bioprocess and supply chain optimization. Automation can substantially de-risk the wider supply chain, including tracking and traceability, cryopreservation and thawing and logistics. The regulatory implications of automation are currently unclear because few hardware options exist and novel solutions require case-by-case validation, but automation can present attractive regulatory incentives. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Cellular Therapy

The N-terminal tail of hERG contains an amphipathic α-helix that regulates channel deactivation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chai Ann Ng

Full Text Available The cytoplasmic N-terminal domain of the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG K+ channel is critical for the slow deactivation kinetics of the channel. However, the mechanism(s by which the N-terminal domain regulates deactivation remains to be determined. Here we show that the solution NMR structure of the N-terminal 135 residues of hERG contains a previously described Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS domain (residues 26-135 as well as an amphipathic α-helix (residues 13-23 and an initial unstructured segment (residues 2-9. Deletion of residues 2-25, only the unstructured segment (residues 2-9 or replacement of the α-helix with a flexible linker all result in enhanced rates of deactivation. Thus, both the initial flexible segment and the α-helix are required but neither is sufficient to confer slow deactivation kinetics. Alanine scanning mutagenesis identified R5 and G6 in the initial flexible segment as critical for slow deactivation. Alanine mutants in the helical region had less dramatic phenotypes. We propose that the PAS domain is bound close to the central core of the channel and that the N-terminal α-helix ensures that the flexible tail is correctly orientated for interaction with the activation gating machinery to stabilize the open state of the channel.

Nonleaking battery terminals.

Science.gov (United States)

Snider, W. E.; Nagle, W. J.

1972-01-01

Three different terminals were designed for usage in a 40 ampere/hour silver zinc battery which has a 45% KOH by weight electrolyte in a plastic battery case. Life tests, including thermal cycling, electrical charge and discharge for up to three years duration, were conducted on these three different terminal designs. Tests for creep rate and tensile strength were conducted on the polyphenylene oxide plastic battery cases. Some cases were unused and others containing KOH electrolyte were placed on life tests. The design and testing of nonleaking battery terminals for use with a KOH electrolyte in a plastic case are considered.

Replacement of input/output cables of the digital control computers at Gentilly 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melancon, P.; Lafreniere, P.

1991-01-01

During the 1990 annual outage at Gentilly 2 the Preventive Maintenance Program inspections on the digital control computers (DCCs) revealed an alarming degradation of cable insulation at several locations. It was found that approximately 20% of the cable connector assemblies inspected showed signs of degradation. These findings raised the concern of an increased risk of random short-circuit faults at the very heart of the station control system. Given the excellent reliability of the Gentilly 2 DCCs and their inherent design robustness, it was decided to proceed with the replacement of all of the complete cable connector assemblies within a reasonable time frame. It is planned to replace all assemblies of DCCX and DCCY during the 1991 annual outage. The degradation of the insulation was traced to a material incompatibility problem originating during cable manufacture. A migration of the plastifier contained in the PVC of the transparent sheaths, surrounding many of the cable conductors to terminal block connections, resulted in the chemical attack of the conductor insulation. This paper summarizes the problem identification and disposition process followed by Gentilly 2 Technical Unit personnel

Long Terminal Repeat CRISPR-CAR-Coupled "Universal" T Cells Mediate Potent Anti-leukemic Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiadis, Christos; Preece, Roland; Nickolay, Lauren; Etuk, Aniekan; Petrova, Anastasia; Ladon, Dariusz; Danyi, Alexandra; Humphryes-Kirilov, Neil; Ajetunmobi, Ayokunmi; Kim, Daesik; Kim, Jin-Soo; Qasim, Waseem

2018-03-06

Gene editing can be used to overcome allo-recognition, which otherwise limits allogeneic T cell therapies. Initial proof-of-concept applications have included generation of such "universal" T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) against CD19 target antigens combined with transient expression of DNA-targeting nucleases to disrupt the T cell receptor alpha constant chain (TRAC). Although relatively efficient, transgene expression and editing effects were unlinked, yields variable, and resulting T cell populations heterogeneous, complicating dosing strategies. We describe a self-inactivating lentiviral "terminal" vector platform coupling CAR expression with CRISPR/Cas9 effects through incorporation of an sgRNA element into the ΔU3 3' long terminal repeat (LTR). Following reverse transcription and duplication of the hybrid ΔU3-sgRNA, delivery of Cas9 mRNA resulted in targeted TRAC locus cleavage and allowed the enrichment of highly homogeneous (>96%) CAR + (>99%) TCR - populations by automated magnetic separation. Molecular analyses, including NGS, WGS, and Digenome-seq, verified on-target specificity with no evidence of predicted off-target events. Robust anti-leukemic effects were demonstrated in humanized immunodeficient mice and were sustained longer than by conventional CAR + TCR + T cells. Terminal-TRAC (TT) CAR T cells offer the possibility of a pre-manufactured, non-HLA-matched CAR cell therapy and will be evaluated in phase 1 trials against B cell malignancies shortly. Copyright © 2018 The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conversion of functionally undefined homopentameric protein PbaA into a proteasome activator by mutational modification of its C-terminal segment conformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yagi-Utsumi, Maho; Sikdar, Arunima; Kozai, Toshiya; Inoue, Rintaro; Sugiyama, Masaaki; Uchihashi, Takayuki; Yagi, Hirokazu; Satoh, Tadashi; Kato, Koichi

2018-01-01

Recent bioinformatic analyses identified proteasome assembly chaperone-like proteins, PbaA and PbaB, in archaea. PbaB forms a homotetramer and functions as a proteasome activator, whereas PbaA does not interact with the proteasome despite the presence of an apparent C-terminal proteasome activation motif. We revealed that PbaA forms a homopentamer predominantly in the closed conformation with its C-terminal segments packed against the core domains, in contrast to the PbaB homotetramer with projecting C-terminal segments. This prompted us to create a novel proteasome activator based on a well-characterized structural framework. We constructed a panel of chimeric proteins comprising the homopentameric scaffold of PbaA and C-terminal segment of PbaB and subjected them to proteasome-activating assays as well as small-angle X-ray scattering and high-speed atomic force microscopy. The results indicated that the open conformation and consequent proteasome activation activity could be enhanced by replacement of the crystallographically disordered C-terminal segment of PbaA with the corresponding disordered segment of PbaB. Moreover, these effects can be produced just by incorporating two glutamate residues into the disordered C-terminal segment of PbaA, probably due to electrostatic repulsion among the negatively charged segments. Thus, we successfully endowed a functionally undefined protein with proteasome-activating activity by modifying its C-terminal segment. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Ankle replacement - discharge

Science.gov (United States)

... total - discharge; Total ankle arthroplasty - discharge; Endoprosthetic ankle replacement - discharge; Osteoarthritis - ankle ... You had an ankle replacement. Your surgeon removed and reshaped ... an artificial ankle joint. You received pain medicine and were ...

Improving medical stores management through automation and effective communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ashok; Cariappa, M P; Marwaha, Vishal; Sharma, Mukti; Arora, Manu

2016-01-01

Medical stores management in hospitals is a tedious and time consuming chore with limited resources tasked for the purpose and poor penetration of Information Technology. The process of automation is slow paced due to various inherent factors and is being challenged by the increasing inventory loads and escalating budgets for procurement of drugs. We carried out an indepth case study at the Medical Stores of a tertiary care health care facility. An iterative six step Quality Improvement (QI) process was implemented based on the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. The QI process was modified as per requirement to fit the medical stores management model. The results were evaluated after six months. After the implementation of QI process, 55 drugs of the medical store inventory which had expired since 2009 onwards were replaced with fresh stock by the suppliers as a result of effective communication through upgraded database management. Various pending audit objections were dropped due to the streamlined documentation and processes. Inventory management improved drastically due to automation, with disposal orders being initiated four months prior to the expiry of drugs and correct demands being generated two months prior to depletion of stocks. The monthly expense summary of drugs was now being done within ten days of the closing month. Improving communication systems within the hospital with vendor database management and reaching out to clinicians is important. Automation of inventory management requires to be simple and user-friendly, utilizing existing hardware. Physical stores monitoring is indispensable, especially due to the scattered nature of stores. Staff training and standardized documentation protocols are the other keystones for optimal medical store management.

Intrinsic terminators in Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae transcription.

Science.gov (United States)

Fritsch, Tiago Ebert; Siqueira, Franciele Maboni; Schrank, Irene Silveira

2015-04-08

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, an important pathogen of swine, exhibits a low guanine and cytosine (GC) content genome. M. hyopneumoniae genome is organised in long transcriptional units and promoter sequences have been mapped upstream of all transcription units. These analysis provided insights into the gene organisation and transcription initiation at the genome scale. However, the presence of transcriptional terminator sequences in the M. hyopneumoniae genome is poorly understood. In silico analyses demonstrated the presence of putative terminators in 82% of the 33 monocistronic units (mCs) and in 74% of the 116 polycistronic units (pCs) considering different classes of terminators. The functional activity of 23 intrinsic terminators was confirmed by RT-PCR and qPCR. Analysis of all terminators found by three software algorithms, combined with experimental results, allowed us to propose a pattern of RNA hairpin formation during the termination process and to predict the location of terminators in the M. hyopneumoniae genome sequence. The stem-loop structures of intrinsic terminators of mycoplasma diverge from the pattern of terminators found in other bacteria due the low content of guanine and cytosine. In M. hyopneumoniae, transcription can end after a transcriptional unit and before its terminator sequence and can also continue past the terminator sequence with RNA polymerases gradually releasing the RNA.

78 FR 66039 - Modification of National Customs Automation Program Test Concerning Automated Commercial...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

... Customs Automation Program Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Cargo Release (Formerly...) plan to both rename and modify the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the... data elements required to obtain release for cargo transported by air. The test will now be known as...

Patients Unicondylar Knee Replacement vs. Total Knee Replacement

OpenAIRE

Hedra Eskander

2017-01-01

The aim of this review article is to analyse the clinical effectiveness of total knee replacement (TKR) compared to unicondylar knee replacement (UKR) on patients. In terms of survival rates, revision rates and postoperative complications. The keywords used were: knee arthroplasty. Nearly three thousand articles were found on 25 August 2016. Of those, only twenty-five were selected and reviewed because they were strictly focused on the topic of this article. Compared with those who have TKR, ...

Artificial Disc Replacement

Science.gov (United States)

... Spondylolisthesis BLOG FIND A SPECIALIST Treatments Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR) Patient Education Committee Jamie Baisden The disc ... Disc An artificial disc (also called a disc replacement, disc prosthesis or spine arthroplasty device) is a ...

Automation-aided Task Loads Index based on the Automation Rate Reflecting the Effects on Human Operators in NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seungmin; Seong, Poonghyun; Kim, Jonghyun

2013-01-01

Many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs) was suggested. These suggested measures express how much automation support human operators but it cannot express the change of human operators' workload, whether the human operators' workload is increased or decreased. Before considering automation rates, whether the adopted automation is good or bad might be estimated in advance. In this study, to estimate the appropriateness of automation according to the change of the human operators' task loads, automation-aided task loads index is suggested based on the concept of the suggested automation rate. To insure plant safety and efficiency on behalf of human operators, various automation systems have been installed in NPPs, and many works which were previously conducted by human operators can now be supported by computer-based operator aids. According to the characteristics of the automation types, the estimation method of the system automation and the cognitive automation rate were suggested. The proposed estimation method concentrates on the effects of introducing automation, so it directly express how much the automated system support human operators. Based on the suggested automation rates, the way to estimate how much the automated system can affect the human operators' cognitive task load is suggested in this study. When there is no automation, the calculated index is 1, and it means there is no change of human operators' task load

Immobilization and stretching of 5'-pyrene-terminated DNA on carbon film deposited on electron microscope grid.

Science.gov (United States)

Loukanov, Alexandre; Filipov, Chavdar; Lecheva, Marta; Emin, Saim

2015-11-01

The immobilization and stretching of randomly coiled DNA molecules on hydrophobic carbon film is a challenging microscopic technique, which possess various applications, especially for genome sequencing. In this report the pyrenyl nucleus is used as an anchor moiety to acquire higher affinity of double stranded DNA to the graphite surface. DNA and pyrene are joined through a linker composed of four aliphatic methylene groups. For the preparation of pyrene-terminated DNA a multifunctional phosphoramidite monomer compound was designed. It contains pyrenylbutoxy group as an anchor moiety for π-stacking attachment to the carbon film, 2-cyanoethyloxy, and diisopropylamino as coupling groups for conjugation to activated oligonucleotide chain or DNA molecule. This monomer derivative was suitable for incorporation into automated solid-phase DNA synthesis and was attached to the 5' terminus of the DNA chain through a phosphodiester linkage. The successful immobilization and stretching of pyrene-terminated DNA was demonstrated by conventional 100 kV transmission electron microscope. The microscopic analysis confirmed the stretched shape of the negatively charged nucleic acid pieces on the hydrophobic carbon film. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Product Platform Replacements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sköld, Martin; Karlsson, Christer

2012-01-01

. To shed light on this unexplored and growing managerial concern, the purpose of this explorative study is to identify operational challenges to management when product platforms are replaced. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a longitudinal field-study approach. Two companies, Gamma and Omega...... replacement was chosen in each company. Findings – The study shows that platform replacements primarily challenge managers' existing knowledge about platform architectures. A distinction can be made between “width” and “height” in platform replacements, and it is crucial that managers observe this in order...... to challenge their existing knowledge about platform architectures. Issues on technologies, architectures, components and processes as well as on segments, applications and functions are identified. Practical implications – Practical implications are summarized and discussed in relation to a framework...

Asleep at the automated wheel-Sleepiness and fatigue during highly automated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelpohl, Tobias; Kühn, Matthias; Hummel, Thomas; Vollrath, Mark

2018-03-20

Due to the lack of active involvement in the driving situation and due to monotonous driving environments drivers with automation may be prone to become fatigued faster than manual drivers (e.g. Schömig et al., 2015). However, little is known about the progression of fatigue during automated driving and its effects on the ability to take back manual control after a take-over request. In this driving simulator study with Nö=ö60 drivers we used a three factorial 2ö×ö2ö×ö12 mixed design to analyze the progression (12ö×ö5ömin; within subjects) of driver fatigue in drivers with automation compared to manual drivers (between subjects). Driver fatigue was induced as either mainly sleep related or mainly task related fatigue (between subjects). Additionally, we investigated the drivers' reactions to a take-over request in a critical driving scenario to gain insights into the ability of fatigued drivers to regain manual control and situation awareness after automated driving. Drivers in the automated driving condition exhibited facial indicators of fatigue after 15 to 35ömin of driving. Manual drivers only showed similar indicators of fatigue if they suffered from a lack of sleep and then only after a longer period of driving (approx. 40ömin). Several drivers in the automated condition closed their eyes for extended periods of time. In the driving with automation condition mean automation deactivation times after a take-over request were slower for a certain percentage (about 30%) of the drivers with a lack of sleep (Mö=ö3.2; SDö=ö2.1ös) compared to the reaction times after a long drive (Mö=ö2.4; SDö=ö0.9ös). Drivers with automation also took longer than manual drivers to first glance at the speed display after a take-over request and were more likely to stay behind a braking lead vehicle instead of overtaking it. Drivers are unable to stay alert during extended periods of automated driving without non-driving related tasks. Fatigued drivers could

Fully automated treatment planning for head and neck radiotherapy using a voxel-based dose prediction and dose mimicking method

Science.gov (United States)

McIntosh, Chris; Welch, Mattea; McNiven, Andrea; Jaffray, David A.; Purdie, Thomas G.

2017-08-01

Recent works in automated radiotherapy treatment planning have used machine learning based on historical treatment plans to infer the spatial dose distribution for a novel patient directly from the planning image. We present a probabilistic, atlas-based approach which predicts the dose for novel patients using a set of automatically selected most similar patients (atlases). The output is a spatial dose objective, which specifies the desired dose-per-voxel, and therefore replaces the need to specify and tune dose-volume objectives. Voxel-based dose mimicking optimization then converts the predicted dose distribution to a complete treatment plan with dose calculation using a collapsed cone convolution dose engine. In this study, we investigated automated planning for right-sided oropharaynx head and neck patients treated with IMRT and VMAT. We compare four versions of our dose prediction pipeline using a database of 54 training and 12 independent testing patients by evaluating 14 clinical dose evaluation criteria. Our preliminary results are promising and demonstrate that automated methods can generate comparable dose distributions to clinical. Overall, automated plans achieved an average of 0.6% higher dose for target coverage evaluation criteria, and 2.4% lower dose at the organs at risk criteria levels evaluated compared with clinical. There was no statistically significant difference detected in high-dose conformity between automated and clinical plans as measured by the conformation number. Automated plans achieved nine more unique criteria than clinical across the 12 patients tested and automated plans scored a significantly higher dose at the evaluation limit for two high-risk target coverage criteria and a significantly lower dose in one critical organ maximum dose. The novel dose prediction method with dose mimicking can generate complete treatment plans in 12-13 min without user interaction. It is a promising approach for fully automated treatment

LNG TERMINAL SAFE OPERATION MANAGEMENT

OpenAIRE

Andrzej ADAMKIEWICZ; Włodzimierz KAMIŃSKI

2012-01-01

This article presents the significance of LNG terminal safety issues in natural gas sea transport. It shows particular requirements for LNG transmission installations resulting from the specific properties of LNG. Out of the multi‐layer critical safety areas comprising structural elements of the terminal safety system, possibilities to decrease the risk of emergency occurrence on LNG terminals have been selected. Tasks performed by the LNG terminal, together with its own personnel and the out...

Procedure automation: the effect of automated procedure execution on situation awareness and human performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andresen, Gisle; Svengren, Haakan; Heimdal, Jan O.; Nilsen, Svein; Hulsund, John-Einar; Bisio, Rossella; Debroise, Xavier

2004-04-01

As advised by the procedure workshop convened in Halden in 2000, the Halden Project conducted an experiment on the effect of automation of Computerised Procedure Systems (CPS) on situation awareness and human performance. The expected outcome of the study was to provide input for guidance on CPS design, and to support the Halden Project's ongoing research on human reliability analysis. The experiment was performed in HAMMLAB using the HAMBO BWR simulator and the COPMA-III CPS. Eight crews of operators from Forsmark 3 and Oskarshamn 3 participated. Three research questions were investigated: 1) Does procedure automation create Out-Of-The-Loop (OOTL) performance problems? 2) Does procedure automation affect situation awareness? 3) Does procedure automation affect crew performance? The independent variable, 'procedure configuration', had four levels: paper procedures, manual CPS, automation with breaks, and full automation. The results showed that the operators experienced OOTL problems in full automation, but that situation awareness and crew performance (response time) were not affected. One possible explanation for this is that the operators monitored the automated procedure execution conscientiously, something which may have prevented the OOTL problems from having negative effects on situation awareness and crew performance. In a debriefing session, the operators clearly expressed their dislike for the full automation condition, but that automation with breaks could be suitable for some tasks. The main reason why the operators did not like the full automation was that they did not feel being in control. A qualitative analysis addressing factors contributing to response time delays revealed that OOTL problems did not seem to cause delays, but that some delays could be explained by the operators having problems with the freeze function of the CPS. Also other factors such as teamwork and operator tendencies were of importance. Several design implications were drawn

Biomimetic PDMS-hydroxyurethane terminated with catecholic moieties for chemical grafting on transition metal oxide-based surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

de Aguiar, Kelen R.; Rischka, Klaus; Gätjen, Linda; Noeske, Paul-Ludwig Michael; Cavalcanti, Welchy Leite; Rodrigues-Filho, Ubirajara P.

2018-01-01

The aim of this work was to synthesize a non-isocyanate poly(dimethylsiloxane) hydroxyurethane with biomimetic terminal catechol moieties, as a candidate for inorganic and metallic surface modification. Such surface modifier is capable to strongly attach onto metallic and inorganic substrates forming layers and, in addition, providing water-repellent surfaces. The non-isocyanate route is based on carbon dioxide cycloaddition into bis-epoxide, resulting in a precursor bis(cyclic carbonate)-polydimethylsiloxane (CCPDMS), thus fully replacing isocyanate in the manufacture process. A biomimetic approach was chosen with the molecular composition being inspired by terminal peptides present in adhesive proteins of mussels, like Mefp (Mytilus edulis foot protein), which bear catechol moieties and are strong adhesives even under natural and saline water. The catechol terminal groups were grafted by aminolysis reaction into a polydimethylsiloxane backbone. The product, PDMSUr-Dopamine, presented high affinity towards inhomogeneous alloy surfaces terminated by native oxide layers as demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), as well as stability against desorption by rinsing with ethanol. As revealed by QCM-D, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and computational studies, the thickness and composition of the resulting nanolayers indicated an attachment of PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules to the substrate through both terminal catechol groups, with the adsorbate exposing the hydrophobic PDMS backbone. This hypothesis was investigated by classical molecular dynamic simulation (MD) of pure PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules on SiO2 surfaces. The computationally obtained PDMSUr-Dopamine assembly is in agreement with the conclusions from the experiments regarding the conformation of PDMSUr-Dopamine towards the surface. The tendency of the terminal catechol groups to approach the surface is in agreement with proposed model for the attachment PDMSUr-Dopamine. Remarkably, the versatile

Acute normovolaemic haemodilution decreases postoperative allogeneic blood transfusion after total knee replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsfanger, D; Fredman, B; Goldstein, B; Shapiro, A; Jedeikin, R

1997-09-01

We hypothesized that the success of postoperative blood conservation after acute normovolaemic haemodilution (NVHD) is influenced by the extent of intraoperative bleeding and surgical trauma, and the timing of autologous blood transfusion. As total knee replacement is associated with minimal intraoperative but extensive postoperative blood loss, this procedure is ideally suited to acute NVHD. Therefore, to test our hypothesis, 30 patients undergoing elective total knee replacement were enrolled in a prospective, randomized, controlled study. In groups NVHD-2 and NVHD-6, before induction of anaesthesia patients were bled to a target packed cell volume (PCV) of 28-30%, and in the post-anaesthesia care unit autologous blood was transfused over a 2-h period terminating after operation at 2 and 6 h, respectively. In the control group, NVHD was not performed. After operation, platelets, fibrinogen, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin time, and liver function, urea and electrolytes were measured and compared with preoperative baseline values. Significantly (P conservation strategy. However, there was no difference in allogeneic blood administration between the two NVHD groups. Coagulation and liver function, and urea and electrolyte concentrations were unaffected by treatment.

Replacement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Radhakrishnan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The fishmeal replaced with Spirulina platensis, Chlorella vulgaris and Azolla pinnata and the formulated diet fed to Macrobrachium rosenbergii postlarvae to assess the enhancement ability of non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin C and E, enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD and catalase (CAT and lipid peroxidation (LPx were analysed. In the present study, the S. platensis, C. vulgaris and A. pinnata inclusion diet fed groups had significant (P < 0.05 improvement in the levels of vitamins C and E in the hepatopancreas and muscle tissue. Among all the diets, the replacement materials in 50% incorporated feed fed groups showed better performance when compared with the control group in non-enzymatic antioxidant activity. The 50% fishmeal replacement (best performance diet fed groups taken for enzymatic antioxidant study, in SOD, CAT and LPx showed no significant increases when compared with the control group. Hence, the present results revealed that the formulated feed enhanced the vitamins C and E, the result of decreased level of enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, CAT and LPx revealed that these feeds are non-toxic and do not produce any stress to postlarvae. These ingredients can be used as an alternative protein source for sustainable Macrobrachium culture.

Automation-aided Task Loads Index based on the Automation Rate Reflecting the Effects on Human Operators in NPPs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Seungmin; Seong, Poonghyun [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jonghyun [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

Many researchers have found that a high automation rate does not guarantee high performance. Therefore, to reflect the effects of automation on human performance, a new estimation method of the automation rate that considers the effects of automation on human operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs) was suggested. These suggested measures express how much automation support human operators but it cannot express the change of human operators' workload, whether the human operators' workload is increased or decreased. Before considering automation rates, whether the adopted automation is good or bad might be estimated in advance. In this study, to estimate the appropriateness of automation according to the change of the human operators' task loads, automation-aided task loads index is suggested based on the concept of the suggested automation rate. To insure plant safety and efficiency on behalf of human operators, various automation systems have been installed in NPPs, and many works which were previously conducted by human operators can now be supported by computer-based operator aids. According to the characteristics of the automation types, the estimation method of the system automation and the cognitive automation rate were suggested. The proposed estimation method concentrates on the effects of introducing automation, so it directly express how much the automated system support human operators. Based on the suggested automation rates, the way to estimate how much the automated system can affect the human operators' cognitive task load is suggested in this study. When there is no automation, the calculated index is 1, and it means there is no change of human operators' task load.

Particle Accelerator Focus Automation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lopes José

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Laboratório de Aceleradores e Tecnologias de Radiação (LATR at the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST has a horizontal electrostatic particle accelerator based on the Van de Graaff machine which is used for research in the area of material characterization. This machine produces alfa (He+ and proton (H+ beams of some μA currents up to 2 MeV/q energies. Beam focusing is obtained using a cylindrical lens of the Einzel type, assembled near the high voltage terminal. This paper describes the developed system that automatically focuses the ion beam, using a personal computer running the LabVIEW software, a multifunction input/output board and signal conditioning circuits. The focusing procedure consists of a scanning method to find the lens bias voltage which maximizes the beam current measured on a beam stopper target, which is used as feedback for the scanning cycle. This system, as part of a wider start up and shut down automation system built for this particle accelerator, brings great advantages to the operation of the accelerator by turning it faster and easier to operate, requiring less human presence, and adding the possibility of total remote control in safe conditions.

Particle Accelerator Focus Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, José; Rocha, Jorge; Redondo, Luís; Cruz, João

2017-08-01

The Laboratório de Aceleradores e Tecnologias de Radiação (LATR) at the Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear, of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) has a horizontal electrostatic particle accelerator based on the Van de Graaff machine which is used for research in the area of material characterization. This machine produces alfa (He+) and proton (H+) beams of some μA currents up to 2 MeV/q energies. Beam focusing is obtained using a cylindrical lens of the Einzel type, assembled near the high voltage terminal. This paper describes the developed system that automatically focuses the ion beam, using a personal computer running the LabVIEW software, a multifunction input/output board and signal conditioning circuits. The focusing procedure consists of a scanning method to find the lens bias voltage which maximizes the beam current measured on a beam stopper target, which is used as feedback for the scanning cycle. This system, as part of a wider start up and shut down automation system built for this particle accelerator, brings great advantages to the operation of the accelerator by turning it faster and easier to operate, requiring less human presence, and adding the possibility of total remote control in safe conditions.

Termination unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Traeholt, Chresten; Willen, Dag; Roden, Mark; Tolbert, Jerry C.; Lindsay, David; Fisher, Paul W.; Nielsen, Carsten Thidemann

2016-05-03

Cable end section comprises end-parts of N electrical phases/neutral, and a thermally-insulation envelope comprising cooling fluid. The end-parts each comprises a conductor and are arranged with phase 1 innermost, N outermost surrounded by the neutral, electrical insulation being between phases and N and neutral. The end-parts comprise contacting surfaces located sequentially along the longitudinal extension of the end-section. A termination unit has an insulating envelope connected to a cryostat, special parts at both ends comprising an adapter piece at the cable interface and a closing end-piece terminating the envelope in the end-section. The special parts houses an inlet and/or outlet for cooling fluid. The space between an inner wall of the envelope and a central opening of the cable is filled with cooling fluid. The special part at the end connecting to the cryostat houses an inlet or outlet, splitting cooling flow into cable annular flow and termination annular flow.

Replacement of Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) by Thiols: A Systematic Study of Ag Nanocube Functionalization by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

OpenAIRE

Moran, Christine H.; Rycenga, Matthew; Zhang, Qiang; Xia, Younan

2011-01-01

In this work, we used surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to monitor the replacement of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) on Ag nanocubes by cysteamine, thiol-terminated PEG, and benzenedithiol. PVP is widely used as a colloidal stabilizer and capping agent to control the shape of Ag (as well as many other noble metals) nanocrystals during synthesis, and to stabilize the final colloidal suspension. However, the surface chemistry of Ag nanocrystals often needs to be tailored for specific appl...

Automation of radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaguchi, Chisato; Yamada, Hideo; Iio, Masahiro

1974-01-01

Automation systems for measuring Australian antigen by radioimmunoassay under development were discussed. Samples were processed as follows: blood serum being dispensed by automated sampler to the test tube, and then incubated under controlled time and temperature; first counting being omitted; labelled antibody being dispensed to the serum after washing; samples being incubated and then centrifuged; radioactivities in the precipitate being counted by auto-well counter; measurements being tabulated by automated typewriter. Not only well-type counter but also position counter was studied. (Kanao, N.)

IoT based retail automation of fuel station and alert system

Science.gov (United States)

Naveen kumar, P.; Kumaresan, P.; Babu Sundaresan, Y.

2017-11-01

In this new era everyday life is filled with technology from the start up till to bed. In olden days people mostly worked within circle or walkable distance but now the technology developing day by day to reduce the work as well as time taken by work to complete.Thestuff’s in our daily process, somehow we left some lot of work due to lack of time. In today’s life most probably utmost 50% of products all came with automation and making theconsumers/users to access those products from anywhere by using their mobile or gadgets. In this paper, it deals with automation of fuel station retail outlet; this system will give the sales and stock report to the owner for every hour. The main problem is customer complaints about less quantityof fuel is issued or filled for money given and customers get diverted theirs attention by operators and refill the fuel without they resetting the nozzle. Nowadays to overcome these problems they replaced some electronic and computerised fuel dispensers but there is no way to identify inside the rotary valve adjustments by fitter.

An Automated System for Skeletal Maturity Assessment by Extreme Learning Machines.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansourvar, Marjan; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Raj, Ram Gopal; Gunalan, Roshan; Mazinani, Iman

2015-01-01

Assessing skeletal age is a subjective and tedious examination process. Hence, automated assessment methods have been developed to replace manual evaluation in medical applications. In this study, a new fully automated method based on content-based image retrieval and using extreme learning machines (ELM) is designed and adapted to assess skeletal maturity. The main novelty of this approach is it overcomes the segmentation problem as suffered by existing systems. The estimation results of ELM models are compared with those of genetic programming (GP) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) models. The experimental results signify improvement in assessment accuracy over GP and ANN, while generalization capability is possible with the ELM approach. Moreover, the results are indicated that the ELM model developed can be used confidently in further work on formulating novel models of skeletal age assessment strategies. According to the experimental results, the new presented method has the capacity to learn many hundreds of times faster than traditional learning methods and it has sufficient overall performance in many aspects. It has conclusively been found that applying ELM is particularly promising as an alternative method for evaluating skeletal age.

An Automated System for Skeletal Maturity Assessment by Extreme Learning Machines

Science.gov (United States)

Mansourvar, Marjan; Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Raj, Ram Gopal; Gunalan, Roshan; Mazinani, Iman

2015-01-01

Assessing skeletal age is a subjective and tedious examination process. Hence, automated assessment methods have been developed to replace manual evaluation in medical applications. In this study, a new fully automated method based on content-based image retrieval and using extreme learning machines (ELM) is designed and adapted to assess skeletal maturity. The main novelty of this approach is it overcomes the segmentation problem as suffered by existing systems. The estimation results of ELM models are compared with those of genetic programming (GP) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) models. The experimental results signify improvement in assessment accuracy over GP and ANN, while generalization capability is possible with the ELM approach. Moreover, the results are indicated that the ELM model developed can be used confidently in further work on formulating novel models of skeletal age assessment strategies. According to the experimental results, the new presented method has the capacity to learn many hundreds of times faster than traditional learning methods and it has sufficient overall performance in many aspects. It has conclusively been found that applying ELM is particularly promising as an alternative method for evaluating skeletal age. PMID:26402795

77 FR 48527 - National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-14

... National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test concerning the simplified entry functionality in the... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Test Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Simplified Entry: Modification of...

AutoDrug: fully automated macromolecular crystallography workflows for fragment-based drug discovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Yingssu; McPhillips, Scott E.; González, Ana; McPhillips, Timothy M.; Zinn, Daniel; Cohen, Aina E.; Feese, Michael D.; Bushnell, David; Tiefenbrunn, Theresa; Stout, C. David; Ludaescher, Bertram; Hedman, Britt; Hodgson, Keith O.; Soltis, S. Michael

2013-01-01

New software has been developed for automating the experimental and data-processing stages of fragment-based drug discovery at a macromolecular crystallography beamline. A new workflow-automation framework orchestrates beamline-control and data-analysis software while organizing results from multiple samples. AutoDrug is software based upon the scientific workflow paradigm that integrates the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource macromolecular crystallography beamlines and third-party processing software to automate the crystallography steps of the fragment-based drug-discovery process. AutoDrug screens a cassette of fragment-soaked crystals, selects crystals for data collection based on screening results and user-specified criteria and determines optimal data-collection strategies. It then collects and processes diffraction data, performs molecular replacement using provided models and detects electron density that is likely to arise from bound fragments. All processes are fully automated, i.e. are performed without user interaction or supervision. Samples can be screened in groups corresponding to particular proteins, crystal forms and/or soaking conditions. A single AutoDrug run is only limited by the capacity of the sample-storage dewar at the beamline: currently 288 samples. AutoDrug was developed in conjunction with RestFlow, a new scientific workflow-automation framework. RestFlow simplifies the design of AutoDrug by managing the flow of data and the organization of results and by orchestrating the execution of computational pipeline steps. It also simplifies the execution and interaction of third-party programs and the beamline-control system. Modeling AutoDrug as a scientific workflow enables multiple variants that meet the requirements of different user groups to be developed and supported. A workflow tailored to mimic the crystallography stages comprising the drug-discovery pipeline of CoCrystal Discovery Inc. has been deployed and successfully

Capital Equipment Replacement Decisions

OpenAIRE

Batterham, Robert L.; Fraser, K.I.

1995-01-01

This paper reviews the literature on the optimal replacement of capital equipment, especially farm machinery. It also considers the influence of taxation and capital rationing on replacement decisions. It concludes that special taxation provisions such as accelerated depreciation and investment allowances are unlikely to greatly influence farmers' capital equipment replacement decisions in Australia.

Hormone Replacement and Strength Training Positively Influence Balance During Gait in Post-Menopausal Females: A Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Stephen D.; Bombardier, Eric; Radtke, Alison; Tiidus, Peter M.

2005-01-01

This study examined the effects of hormone replacement combined with strength training on improving dynamic balance control in post-menopausal women. Thirty one participating post-menopausal women were divided into three groups (hormone replacement (HR), non-hormone replacement (NR) and control (CR) group). HR and NR groups were tested for muscle strength and balance control during gait, prior to training and following a six week lower body strength training program. Quadriceps muscle strength was evaluated as isokinetic peak torque (60°·sec-1) using a CYBEX NORM and balance control was evaluated by center of mass - base of support relationships and ground reaction forces during gait perturbations. Only the HR group showed significantly (p < 0.05) improved balance control during the initial phase of unexpected gait termination and single stance periods while walking across uneven terrain following training. The strength gains in the HR group tended to be greater than in the NR group over the six week training program, although neither group showed statistically significant increases. The CR group showed no significant differences between testing times. HR in post-menopausal females may enhance dynamic balance control when combined with a strength training program, even if no statistically significant gains in strength are achieved. Key Points This study provides evidence that even a short modest strength training program can enhance dynamic balance control in older adult females taking hormone replacement. If potential benefits of hormone replacement therapy extend to enhancing muscle strength then this would be important in designing optimal interventions for both strength and balance for this cohort. Future work should explore the influence of hormone replacement therapy on other dynamic balance or functional tasks. PMID:24501551

Machine Learned Replacement of N-Labels for Basecalled Sequences in DNA Barcoding.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Eddie Y T; Ratnasingham, Sujeevan; Kremer, Stefan C

2018-01-01

This study presents a machine learning method that increases the number of identified bases in Sanger Sequencing. The system post-processes a KB basecalled chromatogram. It selects a recoverable subset of N-labels in the KB-called chromatogram to replace with basecalls (A,C,G,T). An N-label correction is defined given an additional read of the same sequence, and a human finished sequence. Corrections are added to the dataset when an alignment determines the additional read and human agree on the identity of the N-label. KB must also rate the replacement with quality value of in the additional read. Corrections are only available during system training. Developing the system, nearly 850,000 N-labels are obtained from Barcode of Life Datasystems, the premier database of genetic markers called DNA Barcodes. Increasing the number of correct bases improves reference sequence reliability, increases sequence identification accuracy, and assures analysis correctness. Keeping with barcoding standards, our system maintains an error rate of percent. Our system only applies corrections when it estimates low rate of error. Tested on this data, our automation selects and recovers: 79 percent of N-labels from COI (animal barcode); 80 percent from matK and rbcL (plant barcodes); and 58 percent from non-protein-coding sequences (across eukaryotes).

Laboratory Automation and Middleware.

Science.gov (United States)

Riben, Michael

2015-06-01

The practice of surgical pathology is under constant pressure to deliver the highest quality of service, reduce errors, increase throughput, and decrease turnaround time while at the same time dealing with an aging workforce, increasing financial constraints, and economic uncertainty. Although not able to implement total laboratory automation, great progress continues to be made in workstation automation in all areas of the pathology laboratory. This report highlights the benefits and challenges of pathology automation, reviews middleware and its use to facilitate automation, and reviews the progress so far in the anatomic pathology laboratory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dual role of the carboxyl-terminal region of pig liver L-kynurenine 3-monooxygenase: mitochondrial-targeting signal and enzymatic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirai, Kumiko; Kuroyanagi, Hidehito; Tatebayashi, Yoshitaka; Hayashi, Yoshitaka; Hirabayashi-Takahashi, Kanako; Saito, Kuniaki; Haga, Seiich; Uemura, Tomihiko; Izumi, Susumu

2010-12-01

l-kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) is an NAD(P)H-dependent flavin monooxygenase that catalyses the hydroxylation of l-kynurenine to 3-hydroxykynurenine, and is localized as an oligomer in the mitochondrial outer membrane. In the human brain, KMO may play an important role in the formation of two neurotoxins, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid, both of which provoke severe neurodegenerative diseases. In mosquitos, it plays a role in the formation both of eye pigment and of an exflagellation-inducing factor (xanthurenic acid). Here, we present evidence that the C-terminal region of pig liver KMO plays a dual role. First, it is required for the enzymatic activity. Second, it functions as a mitochondrial targeting signal as seen in monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) or outer membrane cytochrome b(5). The first role was shown by the comparison of the enzymatic activity of two mutants (C-terminally FLAG-tagged KMO and carboxyl-terminal truncation form, KMOΔC50) with that of the wild-type enzyme expressed in COS-7 cells. The second role was demonstrated with fluorescence microscopy by the comparison of the intracellular localization of the wild-type, three carboxyl-terminal truncated forms (ΔC20, ΔC30 and ΔC50), C-terminally FLAG-tagged wild-type and a mutant KMO, where two arginine residues, Arg461-Arg462, were replaced with Ser residues.

Managing laboratory automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Saboe, T J

1995-01-01

This paper discusses the process of managing automated systems through their life cycles within the quality-control (QC) laboratory environment. The focus is on the process of directing and managing the evolving automation of a laboratory; system examples are given. The author shows how both task and data systems have evolved, and how they interrelate. A BIG picture, or continuum view, is presented and some of the reasons for success or failure of the various examples cited are explored. Finally, some comments on future automation need are discussed.

Replacing lactose from calf milk replacers : effects on digestion and post-absorptive metabolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gilbert, M.S.

2015-01-01

Summary PhD thesis Myrthe S. Gilbert

Replacing lactose from calf milk replacers – Effects on digestion and post-absorptive metabolism

Veal calves are fed milk replacer (MR) and solid feed. The largest part of the energy provided to veal calves

Determination of the Optimized Automation Rate considering Effects of Automation on Human Operators in Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung Min; Seong, Poong Hyun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Kim, Man Cheol

2015-01-01

Automation refers to the use of a device or a system to perform a function previously performed by a human operator. It is introduced to reduce the human errors and to enhance the performance in various industrial fields, including the nuclear industry. However, these positive effects are not always achieved in complex systems such as nuclear power plants (NPPs). An excessive introduction of automation can generate new roles for human operators and change activities in unexpected ways. As more automation systems are accepted, the ability of human operators to detect automation failures and resume manual control is diminished. This disadvantage of automation is called the Out-of-the- Loop (OOTL) problem. We should consider the positive and negative effects of automation at the same time to determine the appropriate level of the introduction of automation. Thus, in this paper, we suggest an estimation method to consider the positive and negative effects of automation at the same time to determine the appropriate introduction of automation. This concept is limited in that it does not consider the effects of automation on human operators. Thus, a new estimation method for automation rate was suggested to overcome this problem

klax Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kprc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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katl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kmcn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kogb Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kama Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ptkk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kiwa Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kavp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdca Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kbwg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdfw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kssi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pahn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksrq Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpvd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kisp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kttd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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pmdy Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kmgm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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khib Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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pavd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kfar Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kluk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kwwr Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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klse Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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ksts Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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koth Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kbfl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksgf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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klch Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kpkb Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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krog Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbjc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksea Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbwi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kftw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kpuw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kabq Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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ksny Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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khio Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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klaf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kfoe Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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ksmx Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kipt Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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ktrk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kwmc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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katy Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

tjmz Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdet Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kcxp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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kbur Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krkd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pawg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kloz Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcec Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdec Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

paor Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kavl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdrt Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kstl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbfi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khsv Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pafa Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kekn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

tncm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kith Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgnv Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktoi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgso Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

nstu Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpbi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgdv Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcmx Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdls Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

koaj Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krhi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbpk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khuf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kont Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kyng Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcwa Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kflg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktup Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktop Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kink Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krut Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbli Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kaoo Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klit Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

panc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktcl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pgwt Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpsp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbih Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdnl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kart Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kilm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpne Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kabi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ptpn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kblf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kosh Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpdt Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kewr Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kiso Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpga Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbkw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmyl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krbg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kril Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksus Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

padq Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbil Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krfd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdug Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktix Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcod Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kslk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgfl Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kguc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmlu Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbff Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksmn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdro Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmce Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktpa Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmot Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcre Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klws Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kotm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khqm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kabr Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klal Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kelp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kecg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khbg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpbf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

konp Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pkwa Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ktvf Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

paga Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khks Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kdsm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpsm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgrb Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kgmu Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

papg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbgm Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pamc Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klrd Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

ksan Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

patk Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kowb Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klru Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kfxe Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kjct Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcrg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

paaq Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kaex Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

klbx Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmia Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kpit Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcrw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

paen Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kast Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kuin Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kmht Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krsw Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kbpi Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kcys Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kflo Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kphx Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pakn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

pabt Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

krdg Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

khdn Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

kjac Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — TAF (terminal aerodrome forecast or terminal area forecast) is a format for reporting weather forecast information, particularly as it relates to aviation. TAFs are...

The Protein Maker: an automated system for high-throughput parallel purification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Eric R.; Begley, Darren W.; Anderson, Vanessa; Raymond, Amy C.; Haffner, Taryn E.; Robinson, John I.; Edwards, Thomas E.; Duncan, Natalie; Gerdts, Cory J.; Mixon, Mark B.; Nollert, Peter; Staker, Bart L.; Stewart, Lance J.

2011-01-01

The Protein Maker instrument addresses a critical bottleneck in structural genomics by allowing automated purification and buffer testing of multiple protein targets in parallel with a single instrument. Here, the use of this instrument to (i) purify multiple influenza-virus proteins in parallel for crystallization trials and (ii) identify optimal lysis-buffer conditions prior to large-scale protein purification is described. The Protein Maker is an automated purification system developed by Emerald BioSystems for high-throughput parallel purification of proteins and antibodies. This instrument allows multiple load, wash and elution buffers to be used in parallel along independent lines for up to 24 individual samples. To demonstrate its utility, its use in the purification of five recombinant PB2 C-terminal domains from various subtypes of the influenza A virus is described. Three of these constructs crystallized and one diffracted X-rays to sufficient resolution for structure determination and deposition in the Protein Data Bank. Methods for screening lysis buffers for a cytochrome P450 from a pathogenic fungus prior to upscaling expression and purification are also described. The Protein Maker has become a valuable asset within the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) and hence is a potentially valuable tool for a variety of high-throughput protein-purification applications

Automated patch clamp on mESC-derived cardiomyocytes for cardiotoxicity prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoelzle, Sonja; Haythornthwaite, Alison; Kettenhofen, Ralf; Kolossov, Eugen; Bohlen, Heribert; George, Michael; Brüggemann, Andrea; Fertig, Niels

2011-09-01

Cardiovascular side effects are critical in drug development and have frequently led to late-stage project terminations or even drug withdrawal from the market. Physiologically relevant and predictive assays for cardiotoxicity are hence strongly demanded by the pharmaceutical industry. To identify a potential impact of test compounds on ventricular repolarization, typically a variety of ion channels in diverse heterologously expressing cells have to be investigated. Similar to primary cells, in vitro-generated stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes simultaneously express cardiac ion channels. Thus, they more accurately represent the native situation compared with cell lines overexpressing only a single type of ion channel. The aim of this study was to determine if stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes are suited for use in an automated patch clamp system. The authors show recordings of cardiac ion currents as well as action potential recordings in readily available stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Besides monitoring inhibitory effects of reference compounds on typical cardiac ion currents, the authors revealed for the first time drug-induced modulation of cardiac action potentials in an automated patch clamp system. The combination of an in vitro cardiac cell model with higher throughput patch clamp screening technology allows for a cost-effective cardiotoxicity prediction in a physiologically relevant cell system.

78 FR 44142 - Modification of Two National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-23

... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) Tests Concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image... (CBP's) plan to modify the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning document imaging... entry process by reducing the number of data elements required to obtain release for cargo transported...

The Science of Home Automation

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Brian Louis

Smart home technologies and the concept of home automation have become more popular in recent years. This popularity has been accompanied by social acceptance of passive sensors installed throughout the home. The subsequent increase in smart homes facilitates the creation of home automation strategies. We believe that home automation strategies can be generated intelligently by utilizing smart home sensors and activity learning. In this dissertation, we hypothesize that home automation can benefit from activity awareness. To test this, we develop our activity-aware smart automation system, CARL (CASAS Activity-aware Resource Learning). CARL learns the associations between activities and device usage from historical data and utilizes the activity-aware capabilities to control the devices. To help validate CARL we deploy and test three different versions of the automation system in a real-world smart environment. To provide a foundation of activity learning, we integrate existing activity recognition and activity forecasting into CARL home automation. We also explore two alternatives to using human-labeled data to train the activity learning models. The first unsupervised method is Activity Detection, and the second is a modified DBSCAN algorithm that utilizes Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) as a distance metric. We compare the performance of activity learning with human-defined labels and with automatically-discovered activity categories. To provide evidence in support of our hypothesis, we evaluate CARL automation in a smart home testbed. Our results indicate that home automation can be boosted through activity awareness. We also find that the resulting automation has a high degree of usability and comfort for the smart home resident.

Flued head replacement alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smetters, J.L.

1987-01-01

This paper discusses flued head replacement options. Section 2 discusses complete flued head replacement with a design that eliminates the inaccessible welds. Section 3 discusses alternate flued head support designs that can drastically reduce flued head installation costs. Section 4 describes partial flued head replacement designs. Finally, Section 5 discusses flued head analysis methods. (orig./GL)

Adaptive Automation Design and Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-17

with an automated system to a real-world adaptive au- tomation system implementation. There have been plenty of adaptive automation 17 Adaptive...of systems without increasing manpower requirements by allocating routine tasks to automated aids, improving safety through the use of au- tomated ...between intermediate levels of au- tomation , explicitly defining which human task a given level automates. Each model aids the creation and classification

Automated property optimization via ab initio O(N) elongation method: Application to (hyper-)polarizability in DNA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orimoto, Yuuichi, E-mail: orimoto.yuuichi.888@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Material Sciences, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Park, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Aoki, Yuriko [Department of Material Sciences, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-Park, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Japan Science and Technology Agency, CREST, 4-1-8 Hon-chou, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 (Japan)

2016-07-14

An automated property optimization method was developed based on the ab initio O(N) elongation (ELG) method and applied to the optimization of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties in DNA as a first test. The ELG method mimics a polymerization reaction on a computer, and the reaction terminal of a starting cluster is attacked by monomers sequentially to elongate the electronic structure of the system by solving in each step a limited space including the terminal (localized molecular orbitals at the terminal) and monomer. The ELG-finite field (ELG-FF) method for calculating (hyper-)polarizabilities was used as the engine program of the optimization method, and it was found to show linear scaling efficiency while maintaining high computational accuracy for a random sequenced DNA model. Furthermore, the self-consistent field convergence was significantly improved by using the ELG-FF method compared with a conventional method, and it can lead to more feasible NLO property values in the FF treatment. The automated optimization method successfully chose an appropriate base pair from four base pairs (A, T, G, and C) for each elongation step according to an evaluation function. From test optimizations for the first order hyper-polarizability (β) in DNA, a substantial difference was observed depending on optimization conditions between “choose-maximum” (choose a base pair giving the maximum β for each step) and “choose-minimum” (choose a base pair giving the minimum β). In contrast, there was an ambiguous difference between these conditions for optimizing the second order hyper-polarizability (γ) because of the small absolute value of γ and the limitation of numerical differential calculations in the FF method. It can be concluded that the ab initio level property optimization method introduced here can be an effective step towards an advanced computer aided material design method as long as the numerical limitation of the FF method is taken into account.

Automated property optimization via ab initio O(N) elongation method: Application to (hyper-)polarizability in DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orimoto, Yuuichi; Aoki, Yuriko

2016-01-01

An automated property optimization method was developed based on the ab initio O(N) elongation (ELG) method and applied to the optimization of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties in DNA as a first test. The ELG method mimics a polymerization reaction on a computer, and the reaction terminal of a starting cluster is attacked by monomers sequentially to elongate the electronic structure of the system by solving in each step a limited space including the terminal (localized molecular orbitals at the terminal) and monomer. The ELG-finite field (ELG-FF) method for calculating (hyper-)polarizabilities was used as the engine program of the optimization method, and it was found to show linear scaling efficiency while maintaining high computational accuracy for a random sequenced DNA model. Furthermore, the self-consistent field convergence was significantly improved by using the ELG-FF method compared with a conventional method, and it can lead to more feasible NLO property values in the FF treatment. The automated optimization method successfully chose an appropriate base pair from four base pairs (A, T, G, and C) for each elongation step according to an evaluation function. From test optimizations for the first order hyper-polarizability (β) in DNA, a substantial difference was observed depending on optimization conditions between “choose-maximum” (choose a base pair giving the maximum β for each step) and “choose-minimum” (choose a base pair giving the minimum β). In contrast, there was an ambiguous difference between these conditions for optimizing the second order hyper-polarizability (γ) because of the small absolute value of γ and the limitation of numerical differential calculations in the FF method. It can be concluded that the ab initio level property optimization method introduced here can be an effective step towards an advanced computer aided material design method as long as the numerical limitation of the FF method is taken into account.

Replacement of Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) by Thiols: A Systematic Study of Ag Nanocube Functionalization by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Christine H; Rycenga, Matthew; Zhang, Qiang; Xia, Younan

2011-11-10

In this work, we used surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to monitor the replacement of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) on Ag nanocubes by cysteamine, thiol-terminated PEG, and benzenedithiol. PVP is widely used as a colloidal stabilizer and capping agent to control the shape of Ag (as well as many other noble metals) nanocrystals during synthesis, and to stabilize the final colloidal suspension. However, the surface chemistry of Ag nanocrystals often needs to be tailored for specific applications, so the PVP coating must be removed and/or replaced by other ligands. By monitoring the signature peak from the carbonyl groups of PVP, we show, for the first time, that the PVP adsorbed on the surface of Ag nanocubes was completely replaced by the thiol molecules at room temperature over the course of a few hours. We observed the same trend no matter if the Ag nanocubes were suspended in an aqueous solution of the thiol or supported on a silicon substrate and then immersed in the thiol solution.

Layered distributed architecture for plant automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravamuthan, G.; Verma, Yachika; Ranjan, Jyoti; Chachondia, Alka S.; Ganesh, G.

2005-01-01

The development of plant automation system and associated software remains one of the greatest challenges to the widespread implementation of highly adaptive re-configurable automation technology. This paper presents a layered distributed architecture for a plant automation system designed to support rapid reconfiguration and redeployment of automation components. The paper first presents evolution of automation architecture and their associated environment in the past few decades and then presents the concept of layered system architecture and the use of automation components to support the construction of a wide variety of automation system. It also highlights the role of standards and technology, which can be used in the development of automation components. We have attempted to adhere to open standards and technology for the development of automation component at a various layers. It also highlights the application of this concept in the development of an Operator Information System (OIS) for Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). (author)

Low cost, robust and real time system for detecting and tracking moving objects to automate cargo handling in port terminals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vaquero, V.; Repiso, E.; Sanfeliu, A.; Vissers, J.; Kwakkernaat, M.

2016-01-01

The presented paper addresses the problem of detecting and tracking moving objects for autonomous cargo handling in port terminals using a perception system which input data is a single layer laser scanner. A computationally low cost and robust Detection and Tracking Moving Objects (DATMO) algorithm

Semantics-based Automated Web Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai-Feng Guo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We present TAO, a software testing tool performing automated test and oracle generation based on a semantic approach. TAO entangles grammar-based test generation with automated semantics evaluation using a denotational semantics framework. We show how TAO can be incorporated with the Selenium automation tool for automated web testing, and how TAO can be further extended to support automated delta debugging, where a failing web test script can be systematically reduced based on grammar-directed strategies. A real-life parking website is adopted throughout the paper to demonstrate the effectivity of our semantics-based web testing approach.

A Comparison Between Orion Automated and Space Shuttle Rendezvous Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Jose O,; Hart, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The Orion spacecraft will replace the space shuttle and will be the first human spacecraft since the Apollo program to leave low earth orbit. This vehicle will serve as the cornerstone of a complete space transportation system with a myriad of mission requirements necessitating rendezvous to multiple vehicles in earth orbit, around the moon and eventually beyond . These goals will require a complex and robust vehicle that is, significantly different from both the space shuttle and the command module of the Apollo program. Historically, orbit operations have been accomplished with heavy reliance on ground support and manual crew reconfiguration and monitoring. One major difference with Orion is that automation will be incorporated as a key element of the man-vehicle system. The automated system will consist of software devoted to transitioning between events based on a master timeline. This effectively adds a layer of high level sequencing that moves control of the vehicle from one phase to the next. This type of automated control is not entirely new to spacecraft since the shuttle uses a version of this during ascent and entry operations. During shuttle orbit operations however many of the software modes and hardware switches must be manually configured through the use of printed procedures and instructions voiced from the ground. The goal of the automation scheme on Orion is to extend high level automation to all flight phases. The move towards automation represents a large shift from current space shuttle operations, and so these new systems will be adopted gradually via various safeguards. These include features such as authority-to-proceed, manual down modes, and functional inhibits. This paper describes the contrast between the manual and ground approach of the space shuttle and the proposed automation of the Orion vehicle. I will introduce typical orbit operations that are common to all rendezvous missions and go on to describe the current Orion automation

Automation in organizations: Eternal conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Dieterly, D. L.

1981-01-01

Some ideas on and insights into the problems associated with automation in organizations are presented with emphasis on the concept of automation, its relationship to the individual, and its impact on system performance. An analogy is drawn, based on an American folk hero, to emphasize the extent of the problems encountered when dealing with automation within an organization. A model is proposed to focus attention on a set of appropriate dimensions. The function allocation process becomes a prominent aspect of the model. The current state of automation research is mentioned in relation to the ideas introduced. Proposed directions for an improved understanding of automation's effect on the individual's efficiency are discussed. The importance of understanding the individual's perception of the system in terms of the degree of automation is highlighted.

Mobile home automation-merging mobile value added services and home automation technologies

OpenAIRE

Rosendahl, Andreas; Hampe, Felix J.; Botterweck, Goetz

2007-01-01

non-peer-reviewed In this paper we study mobile home automation, a field that emerges from an integration of mobile application platforms and home automation technologies. In a conceptual introduction we first illustrate the need for such applications by introducing a two-dimensional conceptual model of mobility. Subsequently we suggest an architecture and discuss different options of how a user might access a mobile home automation service and the controlled devices. As another contrib...

Experience of automation failures in training: effects on trust, automation bias, complacency and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Juergen; Chavaillaz, Alain; Wastell, David

2016-06-01

This work examined the effects of operators' exposure to various types of automation failures in training. Forty-five participants were trained for 3.5 h on a simulated process control environment. During training, participants either experienced a fully reliable, automatic fault repair facility (i.e. faults detected and correctly diagnosed), a misdiagnosis-prone one (i.e. faults detected but not correctly diagnosed) or a miss-prone one (i.e. faults not detected). One week after training, participants were tested for 3 h, experiencing two types of automation failures (misdiagnosis, miss). The results showed that automation bias was very high when operators trained on miss-prone automation encountered a failure of the diagnostic system. Operator errors resulting from automation bias were much higher when automation misdiagnosed a fault than when it missed one. Differences in trust levels that were instilled by the different training experiences disappeared during the testing session. Practitioner Summary: The experience of automation failures during training has some consequences. A greater potential for operator errors may be expected when an automatic system failed to diagnose a fault than when it failed to detect one.

Future Trends in Process Automation

OpenAIRE

Jämsä-Jounela, Sirkka-Liisa

2007-01-01

The importance of automation in the process industries has increased dramatically in recent years. In the highly industrialized countries, process automation serves to enhance product quality, master the whole range of products, improve process safety and plant availability, efficiently utilize resources and lower emissions. In the rapidly developing countries, mass production is the main motivation for applying process automation. The greatest demand for process automation is in the chemical...

Adequacy and adjustment of electromechanical elements of a X radiation generator for automation of system of additional filtration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves Junior, Iremar; Santos, Lucas dos; Potiens, Maria da Penha A.; Vivolo, Vitor

2011-01-01

This paper dimensioned the filter wheel components and the adequacy of additional filtrations for the implantation of the OTW automated system with complete replacement of previous used filtration by new set of machine-made filters to be used as the qualities already implanted at the Instrument Calibration Laboratory of the IPEN, Sao Paulo, Brazil. In the sequence, it was performed the measurements of kerma i the air in each quality to be used as reference values

Integrated plant automation using programmable logic controllers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, S.A.

2002-01-01

In the world of automation the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) has became for control. It now not only replaces the earlier relay logic controls but also has taken over many additional control functions. Initially the PLC was used to replace relay logic, but is ever-increasing range of functions means that it is found in many and more complex applications. As the structure of the PLC is based on the same principles as those employed in computer architecture, it is capable of performance not only relay switching tasks, but also other applications such as counting, calculating, comparing and the processing of analogue signals. Due to the simplicity of entering and modifying the programmed instructions to suit the requirements of the process under control, the PLC is truly a versatile and flexible device that can be employed easily and efficiently to repeatedly control tasks that vary in nature and complexes. A photograph of the Siemens S-5 95U. To illustrate the advantage of using a PLC over a traditional relay logic system, consider a control system with 20 input/output points. This assembly could comprise 60-80 relays, some counter/timers and a great deal of wiring. This assembly would be cumbersome with a power consumption of 30-40VA. A considerable time would be required to design, test and commission the assembly and once it is in full working order any desired modification, even of minor nature, could require major hardware changes. (author)

Ports and Terminals : Planning and Functional Design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenveld, R.; Velsink, H.

1993-01-01

1. Maritime transport, means and commodities 3. Principles of integrated port planning 4. Planning and design of a port's water areas 5. Port terminals - introduction 6. Conventional general cargo terminals 7. Container terminals 8. Oil & liquid gas terminals 9. Dry bulk cargo terminals 10. Fishery

Implementing Replacement Cost Accounting

Science.gov (United States)

1976-12-01

cost accounting Clickener, John Ross Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/17810 Downloaded from NPS Archive...Calhoun IMPLEMENTING REPLACEMENT COST ACCOUNTING John Ross CHckener NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS IMPLEMENTING REPLACEMENT COST ...Implementing Replacement Cost Accounting 7. AUTHORS John Ross Clickener READ INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE COMPLETING FORM 3. RECIPIENT’S CATALOG NUMBER 9. TYRE OF

76 FR 34246 - Automated Commercial Environment (ACE); Announcement of National Customs Automation Program Test...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-13

... Environment (ACE); Announcement of National Customs Automation Program Test of Automated Procedures for In... Customs Automation Program (NCAP) test relating to highway movements of commercial goods that are transported in-bond through the United States from one point in Canada to another point in Canada. The NCAP...

Automated cloning methods.; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collart, F.

2001-01-01

Argonne has developed a series of automated protocols to generate bacterial expression clones by using a robotic system designed to be used in procedures associated with molecular biology. The system provides plate storage, temperature control from 4 to 37 C at various locations, and Biomek and Multimek pipetting stations. The automated system consists of a robot that transports sources from the active station on the automation system. Protocols for the automated generation of bacterial expression clones can be grouped into three categories (Figure 1). Fragment generation protocols are initiated on day one of the expression cloning procedure and encompass those protocols involved in generating purified coding region (PCR)

Termination of a fe/male transsexual patient's analysis: an example of general validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinodoz, Danielle

2002-08-01

The author describes the termination of an analysis, which, while relating to the particular case of a male-to-female transsexual patient, may be relevant to all analysts, particularly those whose patients need to integrate disavowed and split-off parts of themselves. The patient had undergone sex-change surgery at the age of 20. Having lived as a woman thereafter, she had asked for analysis some twenty years later. The author, who discussed the first three years of that analysis in an earlier paper, as well as her hesitation about undertaking it, considers that its termination after seven years illustrates not only the specific problems posed by transsexuals but also the general ones presented by "heterogeneous patients". To the best of her knowledge, this is the first published case history of a transsexual patient who has undergone surgery. In the author's view, the patient has acquired a new sense of internal unity based on a notion of sex differentiation in which mutual respect between the sexes has replaced confusion and mutual hate, and her quality of life has improved. On the general level, this termination shows how the reduction of paranoid-schizoid anxieties and the reintegration of split-off parts of the personality lead, as the depressive position is worked through, to a better toleration of internal contradictions, a new sense of cohesion of the self and a diminution of the fear of madness.

Automation, Performance and International Competition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kromann, Lene; Sørensen, Anders

This paper presents new evidence on trade‐induced automation in manufacturing firms using unique data combining a retrospective survey that we have assembled with register data for 2005‐2010. In particular, we establish a causal effect where firms that have specialized in product types for which...... the Chinese exports to the world market has risen sharply invest more in automated capital compared to firms that have specialized in other product types. We also study the relationship between automation and firm performance and find that firms with high increases in scale and scope of automation have faster...... productivity growth than other firms. Moreover, automation improves the efficiency of all stages of the production process by reducing setup time, run time, and inspection time and increasing uptime and quantity produced per worker. The efficiency improvement varies by type of automation....

Monitoring and control of the Rossendorf research reactor using a microcomputerized automation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ba weg, F.; Enkelmann, W.; Klebau, J.

1982-01-01

A decentral hierarchic information system (HIS) is presented, which has been developed for monitoring and control of the Rossendorf Research Reactor RFR, but which may also be considered the prototype of a digital automation system (AS) to be used in power stations. The functions integrated in the HIS are as follows: process monitoring, process control, and use of a specialized industrial robot for control of charging and discharging of the materials to be irradiated. The AS is realized on the basis of the process computer system PRA 30 (A 6492) developed in the GDR and including a computer K 1630 and the intelligent process terminals ursadat 5000 connected by a fast serial interface (IFLS). (author)

Systematic review automation technologies

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Systematic reviews, a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine, are not produced quickly enough to support clinical practice. The cost of production, availability of the requisite expertise and timeliness are often quoted as major contributors for the delay. This detailed survey of the state of the art of information systems designed to support or automate individual tasks in the systematic review, and in particular systematic reviews of randomized controlled clinical trials, reveals trends that see the convergence of several parallel research projects. We surveyed literature describing informatics systems that support or automate the processes of systematic review or each of the tasks of the systematic review. Several projects focus on automating, simplifying and/or streamlining specific tasks of the systematic review. Some tasks are already fully automated while others are still largely manual. In this review, we describe each task and the effect that its automation would have on the entire systematic review process, summarize the existing information system support for each task, and highlight where further research is needed for realizing automation for the task. Integration of the systems that automate systematic review tasks may lead to a revised systematic review workflow. We envisage the optimized workflow will lead to system in which each systematic review is described as a computer program that automatically retrieves relevant trials, appraises them, extracts and synthesizes data, evaluates the risk of bias, performs meta-analysis calculations, and produces a report in real time. PMID:25005128

Communication technology in process automation - more than a field bus; Kommunikationstechnik in der Prozessautomatisierung - mehr als Feldbus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwibach, Martin [BASF SE, Ludwigshafen (Germany)

2009-07-01

In recent years, communication technology has come to play an increasingly important role in process automation. For many decades, standardized 4-20 mA electrical signals, which had replaced earlier pneumatic systems, remained the communication basis for nearly all automation technology applications. It was only in the 1990s, along with the sudden, exponential growth of IT, that a wind of change began sweeping through automation technology as well. This has had a profound and lasting impact on system architectures. Terms like HART, OPC and field bus are now familiar automation vocabulary. Networked automation systems have become the norm, and crosssystem communication, horizontal and vertical information integration, and remote access are routine. Reliability and availability. Sustainability and investment protection. These are the basic requirements that every new solution has to fulfill before it can be successfully employed in process plants. What does this mean in concrete terms? The use of modern communication technologies must not bypass the requirements made on previous and existing data transmission technologies. All current requirement profiles for conventional transmission systems must also be satisfied by network-based technologies, from field bus through to wireless. This is particularly important with regard to functional safety, availability, explosion protection, and EMC. More advanced requirements, such as interoperability, IT security or diagnostics must also be met. Over the years, NAMUR has published a series of papers on these topics which can serve as guidelines. The potentials for using modern communication technologies clearly lie in those areas where conventional solutions have proved uneconomic or unsuitable. Rather than simply achieving fault-free system operation, the overriding goal when implementing and further developing communication structures in automation technology should therefore always be to create new, value

Measurement of bullet impact conditions using automated in-flight photography system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan Decker

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of impact conditions is critical to evaluating the terminal impact performance of a projectile. For a small caliber bullet, in-flight velocity has been precisely measured for decades using detection screens, but accurately quantifying the orientation of the bullet on a target has been more challenging. This report introduces the Automated Small-Arms Photogrammetry (ASAP analysis method used to measure, model, and predict the orientation of a small caliber bullet before reaching an impact surface. ASAP uses advanced hardware developed by Sydor Technologies to record a series of infrared digital photographs. Individual images (four orthogonal pairs are processed using computer vision algorithms to quantify the orientation of the projectile and re-project its precise position and orientation into a three-dimensional muzzle-fixed coordinate system. An epicyclic motion model is fit to the measured data, and the epicyclic motion is extrapolated to the target location. Analysis results are fairly immediate and may be reviewed during testing. Prove-out demonstrations have shown that the impact-angle prediction capability is less than six hundredths of a degree for the 5.56 mm ball round tested. Keywords: Yaw, Terminal ballistics, Exterior ballistics, Test & evaluation, Computer vision, Image processing, Angle of attack

Kajian Kinerja Terminal Batu Ampar Kota Balikpapan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randha Alief Chikita

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Batu Ampar Terminal Balikpapan is the only type A passenger terminal in Balikpapan City. The purpose of this study is to determine the operational performance of the terminal at this time and also to determine the level of service in the terminal. The results of this study indicate that for FIFO queue discipline analysis on AKDP and AKAP bus lines, it is known that ρ <1 means that there is currently no queue in the terminal. For the analysis of terminal facilities it is known that there are still some terminal facilities that are not yet available from the main facilities and supporting facilities, therefore the need for additional facilities in order to meet the standard of passenger terminal type A. In the next 15 years analysis for traffic intensity value is approaching 1 which means in the future will cause the queue in the terminal, so it is necessary for the improvement of terminal performance. For the service performance with IPA method there are 35 variables that there are 7 variables that enter in quadrant I. In the next step to do analysis to know the priority of handling by using QFD method. Keywords: Batu Ampar Terminal Balikpapan, IPA, terminal performance, QFD

25 CFR 11.1114 - Termination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Minor-in-Need-of-Care Procedure § 11.1114 Termination. (a) Parental rights to a child may be terminated... rights if, following efforts to prevent or eliminate the need to remove the minor, it finds such efforts... alternatives: (1) If parental rights to a child are terminated, the children's court shall place the minor in a...

St. James marine terminal facility description

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-10-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) currently owns and operates a marine terminal on the west bank of the Mississippi River at St. James, Louisiana. The St. James facility was constructed by the Department to provide marine services associated with the fill and drawdown of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) crude oil storage facilities located at Bayou Choctaw and Weeks Island, Louisiana. Although strategic to the mission of the SPR in the event of a national emergency, the St. James terminal is situated such that it has a high potential to also serve the commercial industry`s needs for crude oil terminalling and storage. The St. James terminal is located approximately 45 miles west of New Orleans and 30 miles southeast of Baton Rouge, and approximately 160 miles upstream from the mouth of the Mississippi River. Construction of the St. James terminal was initiated in 1978 and was completed in 1980. Since then, the terminal has received and transferred over 125 million barrels of crude oil to the SPR sites for storage. For crude oil distribution, the St. James terminal was connected to the neighboring LOCAP terminal by a 0.1 mile 36-inch pipeline in 1981 and to the Capline terminal by a 0.5 mile 30-inch pipeline in 1988. The terminal also has a 30-inch pipeline connection to the Koch oil terminal which was used for initial fill purposes; however, this pipeline has been disconnected and is currently inactive. A complete description of the St. James terminal facilities, operational capabilities, operational certifications, and future Government requirements are presented in Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 respectively.

Pipe replacement in a water supply network: coordinated versus uncoordinated replacement and budget effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van D.; Hendrix, E.M.T.

2016-01-01

Operators of underground water supply networks are challenged with pipe replacement
decisions, because pipes are subject to increased failure rates as they age and financial resources
are often limited.We study the optimal replacement time and optimal number of pipe replacements
such

Human Aspects of Library Automation: Helping Staff and Patrons Cope. Papers presented at the Annual Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing (22nd, Urbana, Illinois, April 14-16, 1985).

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Debora, Ed.

This collection explores the human aspect of the automation and reautomation of library functions as both library staff and library users are expected to adapt to and use computers. A brief introduction by Debora Shaw sets the stage for the following papers: (1) "Terminal Paralysis, or Showdown at the Interface" (Sara Fine); (2)…

AUTOMATED LOW-COST PHOTOGRAMMETRY FOR FLEXIBLE STRUCTURE MONITORING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. H. Wang

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Structural monitoring requires instruments which can provide high precision and accuracy, reliable measurements at good temporal resolution and rapid processing speeds. Long-term campaigns and flexible structures are regarded as two of the most challenging subjects in monitoring engineering structures. Long-term monitoring in civil engineering is generally considered to be labourintensive and financially expensive and it can take significant effort to arrange the necessary human resources, transportation and equipment maintenance. When dealing with flexible structure monitoring, it is of paramount importance that any monitoring equipment used is able to carry out rapid sampling. Low cost, automated, photogrammetric techniques therefore have the potential to become routinely viable for monitoring non-rigid structures. This research aims to provide a photogrammetric solution for long-term flexible structural monitoring purposes. The automated approach was achieved using low-cost imaging devices (mobile phones to replace traditional image acquisition stations and substantially reduce the equipment costs. A self-programmed software package was developed to deal with the hardware-software integration and system operation. In order to evaluate the performance of this low-cost monitoring system, a shaking table experiment was undertaken. Different network configurations and target sizes were used to determine the best configuration. A large quantity of image data was captured by four DSLR cameras and four mobile phone cameras respectively. These image data were processed using photogrammetric techniques to calculate the final results for the system evaluation.

The Automation-by-Expertise-by-Training Interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Strauch, Barry

2017-03-01

I introduce the automation-by-expertise-by-training interaction in automated systems and discuss its influence on operator performance. Transportation accidents that, across a 30-year interval demonstrated identical automation-related operator errors, suggest a need to reexamine traditional views of automation. I review accident investigation reports, regulator studies, and literature on human computer interaction, expertise, and training and discuss how failing to attend to the interaction of automation, expertise level, and training has enabled operators to commit identical automation-related errors. Automated systems continue to provide capabilities exceeding operators' need for effective system operation and provide interfaces that can hinder, rather than enhance, operator automation-related situation awareness. Because of limitations in time and resources, training programs do not provide operators the expertise needed to effectively operate these automated systems, requiring them to obtain the expertise ad hoc during system operations. As a result, many do not acquire necessary automation-related system expertise. Integrating automation with expected operator expertise levels, and within training programs that provide operators the necessary automation expertise, can reduce opportunities for automation-related operator errors. Research to address the automation-by-expertise-by-training interaction is needed. However, such research must meet challenges inherent to examining realistic sociotechnical system automation features with representative samples of operators, perhaps by using observational and ethnographic research. Research in this domain should improve the integration of design and training and, it is hoped, enhance operator performance.

Distribution automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruenemeyer, D.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on a Distribution Automation (DA) System enhances the efficiency and productivity of a utility. It also provides intangible benefits such as improved public image and market advantages. A utility should evaluate the benefits and costs of such a system before committing funds. The expenditure for distribution automation is economical when justified by the deferral of a capacity increase, a decrease in peak power demand, or a reduction in O and M requirements

Aging and the shape of cognitive change before death: terminal decline or terminal drop?

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Stuart W S; Hultsch, David F; Dixon, Roger A

2011-05-01

Relative to typical age-related cognitive decrements, the terms "terminal decline" and "terminal drop" refer to the phenomenon of increased cognitive decline in proximity to death. Given that these terms are not necessarily synonymous, we examined the important theoretical distinction between the two alternative trajectories or shapes of changes they imply. We used 12-year (5-wave) data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study to directly test whether pre-death cognitive decrements follow a terminal decline (generally gradual) or a terminal drop (more abrupt) shape. Pre-death trajectories of cognitive decline for n=265 decedents (Mage = 72.67 years, SD = 6.44) were examined separately for 5 key cognitive constructs (verbal speed, working memory, episodic memory, semantic memory, and crystallized ability). Several classes of linear mixed models evaluated whether cognitive decline increased per additional year closer to death. Findings indicated that the shape of pre-death cognitive change was predominantly characterized by decline that is steeper as compared with typical aging-related change, but still best described as slow and steady decline, especially as compared with precipitous drop. The present findings suggest that terminal decline and terminal drop trajectories may not be mutually exclusive but could rather reflect distinct developmental trajectories within the same individual.

42 CFR 489.53 - Termination by CMS.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Termination by CMS. 489.53 Section 489.53 Public... Reinstatement After Termination § 489.53 Termination by CMS. (a) Basis for termination of agreement with any provider. CMS may terminate the agreement with any provider if CMS finds that any of the following failings...

Improvement of an automated protein crystal exchange system PAM for high-throughput data collection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiraki, Masahiko; Yamada, Yusuke; Chavas, Leonard M. G.; Wakatsuki, Soichi; Matsugaki, Naohiro

2013-01-01

A special liquid-nitrogen Dewar with double capacity for the sample-exchange robot has been created at AR-NE3A at the Photon Factory, allowing continuous fully automated data collection. In this work, this new system is described and the stability of its calibration is discussed. Photon Factory Automated Mounting system (PAM) protein crystal exchange systems are available at the following Photon Factory macromolecular beamlines: BL-1A, BL-5A, BL-17A, AR-NW12A and AR-NE3A. The beamline AR-NE3A has been constructed for high-throughput macromolecular crystallography and is dedicated to structure-based drug design. The PAM liquid-nitrogen Dewar can store a maximum of three SSRL cassettes. Therefore, users have to interrupt their experiments and replace the cassettes when using four or more of them during their beam time. As a result of investigation, four or more cassettes were used in AR-NE3A alone. For continuous automated data collection, the size of the liquid-nitrogen Dewar for the AR-NE3A PAM was increased, doubling the capacity. In order to check the calibration with the new Dewar and the cassette stand, calibration experiments were repeatedly performed. Compared with the current system, the parameters of the novel system are shown to be stable

Improvement of an automated protein crystal exchange system PAM for high-throughput data collection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hiraki, Masahiko, E-mail: masahiko.hiraki@kek.jp; Yamada, Yusuke; Chavas, Leonard M. G. [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Wakatsuki, Soichi [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 2575 Sand Hill Road, MS 69, Menlo Park, CA 94025-7015 (United States); Stanford University, Beckman Center B105, Stanford, CA 94305-5126 (United States); Matsugaki, Naohiro [High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan)

2013-11-01

A special liquid-nitrogen Dewar with double capacity for the sample-exchange robot has been created at AR-NE3A at the Photon Factory, allowing continuous fully automated data collection. In this work, this new system is described and the stability of its calibration is discussed. Photon Factory Automated Mounting system (PAM) protein crystal exchange systems are available at the following Photon Factory macromolecular beamlines: BL-1A, BL-5A, BL-17A, AR-NW12A and AR-NE3A. The beamline AR-NE3A has been constructed for high-throughput macromolecular crystallography and is dedicated to structure-based drug design. The PAM liquid-nitrogen Dewar can store a maximum of three SSRL cassettes. Therefore, users have to interrupt their experiments and replace the cassettes when using four or more of them during their beam time. As a result of investigation, four or more cassettes were used in AR-NE3A alone. For continuous automated data collection, the size of the liquid-nitrogen Dewar for the AR-NE3A PAM was increased, doubling the capacity. In order to check the calibration with the new Dewar and the cassette stand, calibration experiments were repeatedly performed. Compared with the current system, the parameters of the novel system are shown to be stable.

Understanding human management of automation errors

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Sara E.; Rogers, Wendy A.; Fisk, Arthur D.

2013-01-01

Automation has the potential to aid humans with a diverse set of tasks and support overall system performance. Automated systems are not always reliable, and when automation errs, humans must engage in error management, which is the process of detecting, understanding, and correcting errors. However, this process of error management in the context of human-automation interaction is not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the variables that contribute to error management. We examined relevant research in human-automation interaction and human error to identify critical automation, person, task, and emergent variables. We propose a framework for management of automation errors to incorporate and build upon previous models. Further, our analysis highlights variables that may be addressed through design and training to positively influence error management. Additional efforts to understand the error management process will contribute to automation designed and implemented to support safe and effective system performance. PMID:25383042

Nontraumatic terminal ileal perforation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wani Rauf A

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is still confusion and controversy over the diagnosis and optimal surgical treatment of non traumatic terminal ileal perforation-a cause of obscure peritonitis. Methods This study was a prospective study aimed at evaluating the clinical profile, etiology and optimal surgical management of patients with nontraumatic terminal ileal perforation. Results There were 79 cases of nontraumatic terminal ileal perforation; the causes for perforation were enteric fever(62%, nonspecific inflammation(26%, obstruction(6%, tuberculosis(4% and radiation enteritis (1%. Simple closure of the perforation (49% and end to side ileotransverse anastomosis(42% were the mainstay of the surgical management. Conclusion Terminal ileal perforation should be suspected in all cases of peritonitis especially in developing countries and surgical treatment should be optimized taking various accounts like etiology, delay in surgery and operative findings into consideration to reduce the incidence of deadly complications like fecal fistula.

Human-centred automation: an explorative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollnagel, Erik; Miberg, Ann Britt

1999-05-01

The purpose of the programme activity on human-centred automation at the HRP is to develop knowledge (in the form of models and theories) and tools (in the form of techniques and simulators) to support design of automation that ensures effective human performance and comprehension. This report presents the work done on both the analytical and experimental side of this project. The analytical work has surveyed common definitions of automation and traditional design principles. A general finding is that human-centred automation usually is defined in terms of what it is not. This is partly due to a lack of adequate models and of human-automation interaction. Another result is a clarification of the consequences of automation, in particular with regard to situation awareness and workload. The experimental work has taken place as an explorative experiment in HAMMLAB in collaboration with IPSN (France). The purpose of this experiment was to increase the understanding of how automation influences operator performance in NPP control rooms. Two different types of automation (extensive and limited) were considered in scenarios having two different degrees of complexity (high and low), and involving diagnostic and procedural tasks. Six licensed NPP crews from the NPP at Loviisa, Finland, participated in the experiment. The dependent variables applied were plant performance, operator performance, self-rated crew performance, situation awareness, workload, and operator trust in the automation. The results from the diagnostic scenarios indicated that operators' judgement of crew efficiency was related to their level of trust in the automation, and further that operators trusted automation least and rated crew performance lowest in situations where crew performance was efficient and vice versa. The results from procedural scenarios indicated that extensive automation efficiently supported operators' performance, and further that operator' judgement of crew performance efficiency

Configuration Management Automation (CMA) -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Configuration Management Automation (CMA) will provide an automated, integrated enterprise solution to support CM of FAA NAS and Non-NAS assets and investments. CMA...

Toward designing for trust in database automation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duez, P. P.; Jamieson, G. A. [Cognitive Engineering Laboratory, Univ. of Toronto, 5 King' s College Rd., Toronto, Ont. M5S 3G8 (Canada)

2006-07-01

Appropriate reliance on system automation is imperative for safe and productive work, especially in safety-critical systems. It is unsafe to rely on automation beyond its designed use; conversely, it can be both unproductive and unsafe to manually perform tasks that are better relegated to automated tools. Operator trust in automated tools mediates reliance, and trust appears to affect how operators use technology. As automated agents become more complex, the question of trust in automation is increasingly important. In order to achieve proper use of automation, we must engender an appropriate degree of trust that is sensitive to changes in operating functions and context. In this paper, we present research concerning trust in automation in the domain of automated tools for relational databases. Lee and See have provided models of trust in automation. One model developed by Lee and See identifies three key categories of information about the automation that lie along a continuum of attributional abstraction. Purpose-, process-and performance-related information serve, both individually and through inferences between them, to describe automation in such a way as to engender r properly-calibrated trust. Thus, one can look at information from different levels of attributional abstraction as a general requirements analysis for information key to appropriate trust in automation. The model of information necessary to engender appropriate trust in automation [1] is a general one. Although it describes categories of information, it does not provide insight on how to determine the specific information elements required for a given automated tool. We have applied the Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) to this problem in the domain of relational databases. The AH serves as a formal description of the automation at several levels of abstraction, ranging from a very abstract purpose-oriented description to a more concrete description of the resources involved in the automated process

Toward designing for trust in database automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duez, P. P.; Jamieson, G. A.

2006-01-01

Appropriate reliance on system automation is imperative for safe and productive work, especially in safety-critical systems. It is unsafe to rely on automation beyond its designed use; conversely, it can be both unproductive and unsafe to manually perform tasks that are better relegated to automated tools. Operator trust in automated tools mediates reliance, and trust appears to affect how operators use technology. As automated agents become more complex, the question of trust in automation is increasingly important. In order to achieve proper use of automation, we must engender an appropriate degree of trust that is sensitive to changes in operating functions and context. In this paper, we present research concerning trust in automation in the domain of automated tools for relational databases. Lee and See have provided models of trust in automation. One model developed by Lee and See identifies three key categories of information about the automation that lie along a continuum of attributional abstraction. Purpose-, process-and performance-related information serve, both individually and through inferences between them, to describe automation in such a way as to engender r properly-calibrated trust. Thus, one can look at information from different levels of attributional abstraction as a general requirements analysis for information key to appropriate trust in automation. The model of information necessary to engender appropriate trust in automation [1] is a general one. Although it describes categories of information, it does not provide insight on how to determine the specific information elements required for a given automated tool. We have applied the Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) to this problem in the domain of relational databases. The AH serves as a formal description of the automation at several levels of abstraction, ranging from a very abstract purpose-oriented description to a more concrete description of the resources involved in the automated process

Influence of Total Knee Arthroplasty on Gait Mechanics of the Replaced and Non-Replaced Limb During Stair Negotiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Standifird, Tyler W; Saxton, Arnold M; Coe, Dawn P; Cates, Harold E; Reinbolt, Jeffrey A; Zhang, Songning

2016-01-01

This study compared biomechanics during stair ascent in replaced and non-replaced limbs of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients with control limbs of healthy participants. Thirteen TKA patients and fifteen controls performed stair ascent. Replaced and non-replaced knees of TKA patients were less flexed at contact compared to controls. The loading response peak knee extension moment was greater in control and non-replaced knees compared with replaced. The push-off peak knee abduction moment was elevated in replaced limbs compared to controls. Loading and push-off peak hip abduction moments were greater in replaced limbs compared to controls. The push-off peak hip abduction moment was greater in non-replaced limbs compared to controls. Future rehabilitation protocols should consider the replaced knee and also the non-replaced knee and surrounding joints. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated electron microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, K.A.; Walker, L.R.

1986-01-01

The Plant Laboratory at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant has recently obtained a Cameca MBX electron microprobe with a Tracor Northern TN5500 automation system. This allows full stage and spectrometer automation and digital beam control. The capabilities of the system include qualitative and quantitative elemental microanalysis for all elements above and including boron in atomic number, high- and low-magnification imaging and processing, elemental mapping and enhancement, and particle size, shape, and composition analyses. Very low magnification, quantitative elemental mapping using stage control (which is of particular interest) has been accomplished along with automated size, shape, and composition analysis over a large relative area