A constraint programming solution for the military unit path finding problem

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Leenen, L

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this chapter the authors present an algorithm to solve the Dynamic Military Unit Path Finding Problem (DMUPFP) which is based on Stentz’s well-known D* algorithm to solve dynamic path finding problems. The Military Unit Path Finding Problem...

Second unit scheduling concerns on a dual-unit nuclear project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Block, H.R.; Mazzini, R.A.

1978-01-01

This paper explores the planning and scheduling problems of Unit 2 of the Susquehanna steam electric station. The causes of these problems and methods to avoid or mitigate their consequences are discussed. The Susquehanna steam electric station has two boiling water reactors rated at 1,100 MW each. Topics considered include cost factors, structures, equipment, engineering and home office, construction services, completion data phasing, work sequencing, structural dependences, and segregation. Substatial cost and schedule benefits can result if two nuclear units are designed and constructed as one integral station, and if maximum sharing of facilities and services between the units occurs. It is concluded that the cost benefits of highly integrated dual unit construction outweigh the schedule and logistical problems caused by that approach

Air pollution problem in the United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heimann, H

1964-10-01

Air pollution in the United States as a problem affecting health, as well as man's enjoyment of his property, was first noted in 1912 in the reports of the investigators at the Mellon Institute of the University of Pittsburgh. The Selby copper smelter incident in 1915 was among the first episodic air pollution events documented. The US Public Health Service studied carbon monoxide buildup in vehicular tunnels in 1928 and 1929. the Donora (Pennsylvania) pollution episode, where 17 people died, occurred in 1949. It and the onset of smog conditions in the Los Angeles area really initiated broad public awareness of air pollution as a public health hazard in the USA. The symptoms of air pollution-related injuries are discussed, the role of the US Public Health Service in dealing with air pollution, and the effect of the Clean Air Act of 1963 are discussed. 26 references.

Improving accuracy of protein-protein interaction prediction by considering the converse problem for sequence representation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Yong

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With the development of genome-sequencing technologies, protein sequences are readily obtained by translating the measured mRNAs. Therefore predicting protein-protein interactions from the sequences is of great demand. The reason lies in the fact that identifying protein-protein interactions is becoming a bottleneck for eventually understanding the functions of proteins, especially for those organisms barely characterized. Although a few methods have been proposed, the converse problem, if the features used extract sufficient and unbiased information from protein sequences, is almost untouched. Results In this study, we interrogate this problem theoretically by an optimization scheme. Motivated by the theoretical investigation, we find novel encoding methods for both protein sequences and protein pairs. Our new methods exploit sufficiently the information of protein sequences and reduce artificial bias and computational cost. Thus, it significantly outperforms the available methods regarding sensitivity, specificity, precision, and recall with cross-validation evaluation and reaches ~80% and ~90% accuracy in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae respectively. Our findings here hold important implication for other sequence-based prediction tasks because representation of biological sequence is always the first step in computational biology. Conclusions By considering the converse problem, we propose new representation methods for both protein sequences and protein pairs. The results show that our method significantly improves the accuracy of protein-protein interaction predictions.

Development of parallel GPU based algorithms for problems in nuclear area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, Adino Americo Heimlich

2009-01-01

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) are high performance co-processors intended, originally, to improve the use and quality of computer graphics applications. Since researchers and practitioners realized the potential of using GPU for general purpose, their application has been extended to other fields out of computer graphics scope. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of using GPU in two typical problems of Nuclear area. The neutron transport simulation using Monte Carlo method and solve heat equation in a bi-dimensional domain by finite differences method. To achieve this, we develop parallel algorithms for GPU and CPU in the two problems described above. The comparison showed that the GPU-based approach is faster than the CPU in a computer with two quad core processors, without precision loss. (author)

On Linear Combinations of Two Orthogonal Polynomial Sequences on the Unit Circle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suárez C

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Let be a monic orthogonal polynomial sequence on the unit circle. We define recursively a new sequence of polynomials by the following linear combination: , , . In this paper, we give necessary and sufficient conditions in order to make be an orthogonal polynomial sequence too. Moreover, we obtain an explicit representation for the Verblunsky coefficients and in terms of and . Finally, we show the relation between their corresponding Carathéodory functions and their associated linear functionals.

Proposal for Land Consolidation Project Solutions for Selected Problem Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Wojcik-Len, Justyna; Strek, Zanna

2017-12-01

One of the economic tools for supporting agricultural policy are the activities implemented under the Rural Development Program (RDP). By encouraging agricultural activities and creating equal opportunities for development of farms, among others in areas with unfavourable environmental conditions characterized by low productivity of soils exposed to degradation, decision makers can contribute to improving the spatial structure of rural areas. In Poland, one of the major concerns are agricultural problem areas (regions). In view of this situation, the aim of this article was to characterize the problem areas in question and propose land consolidation project solutions for selected fragments of those areas. This paper presents the results of a review of literature and an analysis of geodetic and cartographic data regarding the problem areas. The process of land consolidation, which is one of the technical and legal instruments supporting the development of rural areas, was characterized. The study allowed the present authors to establish criteria for selecting agricultural problem areas for land consolidation. To develop a proposal for rational management of the problem areas, key general criteria (location, topography, soil quality and usefulness) and specific criteria were defined and assigned weights. A conception of alternative development of the agricultural problem areas was created as part of a land consolidation project. The results were used to create a methodology for the development of agricultural problem areas to be employed during land consolidation in rural areas. Every agricultural space includes areas with unfavourable environmental and soil conditions determined by natural or anthropogenic factors. Development of agricultural problem areas through land consolidation should take into account the specific functions assigned to these areas in land use plans, as well as to comply with legal regulations.

Medical Students' Perception of Problem Areas in Anatomy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The ranges of problems were extensive; neuro-anatomy in gross anatomy, slide review in histology, and cardiovascular embryology were amongst the most highlighted areas of concern. Most students attributed the problems in gross anatomy to difficulty with accessing the area during dissection and inability to grasp the ...

Studies and Application of Remote Sensing Retrieval Method of Soil Moisture Content in Land Parcel Units in Irrigation Area

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, H.; Zhao, H. L.; Jiang, Y. Z.; Zang, W. B.

2018-05-01

Soil moisture is one of the important hydrological elements. Obtaining soil moisture accurately and effectively is of great significance for water resource management in irrigation area. During the process of soil moisture content retrieval with multiremote sensing data, multi- remote sensing data always brings multi-spatial scale problems which results in inconformity of soil moisture content retrieved by remote sensing in different spatial scale. In addition, agricultural water use management has suitable spatial scale of soil moisture information so as to satisfy the demands of dynamic management of water use and water demand in certain unit. We have proposed to use land parcel unit as the minimum unit to do soil moisture content research in agricultural water using area, according to soil characteristics, vegetation coverage characteristics in underlying layer, and hydrological characteristic into the basis of study unit division. We have proposed division method of land parcel units. Based on multi thermal infrared and near infrared remote sensing data, we calculate the ndvi and tvdi index and make a statistical model between the tvdi index and soil moisture of ground monitoring station. Then we move forward to study soil moisture remote sensing retrieval method on land parcel unit scale. And the method has been applied in Hetao irrigation area. Results show that compared with pixel scale the soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has displayed stronger correlation with true value. Hence, remote sensing retrieval method of soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has shown good applicability in Hetao irrigation area. We converted the research unit into the scale of land parcel unit. Using the land parcel units with unified crops and soil attributes as the research units more complies with the characteristics of agricultural water areas, avoids the problems such as decomposition of mixed pixels and excessive dependence on high-resolution data

A survey of low-level radioactive waste treatment methods and problem areas associated with commercial nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jolley, R.L.; Rodgers, B.R.

1987-01-01

A survey was made (June 1985) of technologies that were currently being used, those that had been discontinued, and those that were under consideration for treatment of low-level radioactive waste from the commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. The survey results included information concerning problems areas, areas needing research and development, and the use of mobile treatment facilities

Characterization of Request Sequences for List Accessing Problem and New Theoretical Results for MTF Algorithm

OpenAIRE

Mohanty, Rakesh; Sharma, Burle; Tripathy, Sasmita

2011-01-01

List Accessing Problem is a well studied research problem in the context of linear search. Input to the list accessing problem is an unsorted linear list of distinct elements along with a sequence of requests, where each request is an access operation on an element of the list. A list accessing algorithm reorganizes the list while processing a request sequence on the list in order to minimize the access cost. Move-To-Front algorithm has been proved to be the best performing list accessing onl...

Development of innovative teaching materials: clinical pharmacology problem-solving (CPPS) units: comparison with patient-oriented problem-solving units and problem-based learning--a 10-year review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lathers, Claire M; Smith, Cedric M

2002-05-01

The First Teaching Clinic in Clinical Pharmacology, sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology in September 1992, was designed for the preparation and development of new clinical pharmacology problem-solving (CPPS) units. CPPS units are case histories that illustrate pertinent principles in clinical pharmacology. Each unit consists of the following sections: introduction, learning objectives, pretest, four clinical pharmacology scenarios, posttest, answers to pre- and posttest questions, and selected references. The clinical pharmacology content of the CPPS units place greater emphasis on clinical information, drug selection, and risk/benefit analyses, and thus they complement the basic pharmacology presented in the patient-oriented problem-solving (POPS) units. In general, the CPPS units are intended for use by students more advanced in clinical pharmacology than first- and second-year medical students. The CPPS unit "Clinical Pharmacology of Antiepileptic Drug Use: Clinical Pearls about the Perils of Patty" was developed for use by third- and fourth-year medical students doing rotations in neurology or clinical pharmacology; advanced pharmacy students; residents in neurology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and family practice; fellows in clinical pharmacology, and those taking the board examination in clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit titled "Geriatric Clinical Psychopharmacology" was written for third- and fourth-year medical students; residents in psychiatry, family practice, and internal medicine;fellows in clinical pharmacology; and those studying for boards in clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit "Anisocoria and Glaucoma" was written for more advanced students of clinical pharmacology. The CPPS unit titled "Antiepileptic Drugs" was intended for second-year medical students. The second teaching clinic was held in November 1993 and focused on the development and editing of the CPPS units and their evaluations by faculty and students from

Two-Level Adaptive Algebraic Multigrid for a Sequence of Problems with Slowly Varying Random Coefficients [Adaptive Algebraic Multigrid for Sequence of Problems with Slowly Varying Random Coefficients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalchev, D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Ketelsen, C. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Vassilevski, P. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2013-11-07

Our paper proposes an adaptive strategy for reusing a previously constructed coarse space by algebraic multigrid to construct a two-level solver for a problem with nearby characteristics. Furthermore, a main target application is the solution of the linear problems that appear throughout a sequence of Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations of subsurface flow with uncertain permeability field. We demonstrate the efficacy of the method with extensive set of numerical experiments.

Mathematical model of parking space unit for triangular parking area

Science.gov (United States)

Syahrini, Intan; Sundari, Teti; Iskandar, Taufiq; Halfiani, Vera; Munzir, Said; Ramli, Marwan

2018-01-01

Parking space unit (PSU) is an effective measure for the area size of a vehicle, including the free space and the width of the door opening of the vehicle (car). This article discusses a mathematical model for parking space of vehicles in triangular shape area. An optimization model for triangular parking lot is developed. Integer Linear Programming (ILP) method is used to determine the maximum number of the PSU. The triangular parking lot is in isosceles and equilateral triangles shape and implements four possible rows and five possible angles for each field. The vehicles which are considered are cars and motorcycles. The results show that the isosceles triangular parking area has 218 units of optimal PSU, which are 84 units of PSU for cars and 134 units of PSU for motorcycles. Equilateral triangular parking area has 688 units of optimal PSU, which are 175 units of PSU for cars and 513 units of PSU for motorcycles.

Sediment problems in urban areas

Science.gov (United States)

Guy, Harold P.

1970-01-01

A recognition of and solution to sediment problems in urban areas is necessary if society is to have an acceptable living environment. Soil erosion and sediment deposition in urban areas are as much an environmental blight as badly paved and littered streets, dilapidated buildings, billboard clutter, inept land use, and air, water, and noise pollution. In addition, sediment has many direct and indirect effects on streams that may be either part of or very remote from the urban environment. Sediment, for example, is widely recognized as a pollutant of streams and other water bodies.

Solving the Water Jugs Problem by an Integer Sequence Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Man, Yiu-Kwong

2012-01-01

In this article, we present an integer sequence approach to solve the classic water jugs problem. The solution steps can be obtained easily by additions and subtractions only, which is suitable for manual calculation or programming by computer. This approach can be introduced to secondary and undergraduate students, and also to teachers and…

Sequenced Integration and the Identification of a Problem-Solving Approach through a Learning Process

Science.gov (United States)

Cormas, Peter C.

2016-01-01

Preservice teachers (N = 27) in two sections of a sequenced, methodological and process integrated mathematics/science course solved a levers problem with three similar learning processes and a problem-solving approach, and identified a problem-solving approach through one different learning process. Similar learning processes used included:…

The uncertain geographic context problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwan, M.P.

2012-01-01

Any study that examines the effects of area-based attributes on individual behaviors or outcomes faces another fundamental methodological problem besides the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP). It is the problem that results about these effects can be affected by how contextual units or

Radon in the Gulf Coast area: Potential problem or exaggerated risk?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duex, T.W.

1994-01-01

Indoor air pollution from radon has been identified by the EPA as a serious health problem; estimates indicate that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) and that high levels of radon may cause as many as 20,000 to 40,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Studies of the potential risk in the Gulf Coast have been sparse. This report summarizes over 7000 previously unreported radon analyses and relates them to geological information to identify possible problem areas for the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. High levels of indoor radon are generally associated with older open-quotes crystallineclose quotes igneous and metamorphic bedrock; thus, most areas of the Gulf Coast are of relatively low risk because they are underlain by Cenozoic sedimentary rocks and unconsolidated deposits. However, some types of sedimentary deposits, such as open-quotes black shaleclose quotes and phosphate-rich rocks, can underlie areas of high risk. According to EPA indoor radon survey results the percentage of houses with screening levels greater than 4 pCi/1 (picocuries per liter) for given states is as follows: Alabama = 0.6%, Louisiana = 0.8%, Mississippi = 2.0%, and Texas = 4.0% (no data available for Florida). The data presented here for the percentage of houses with greater than 4 pCi/1 for given states is as follows: Alabama = 6.1 %, Louisiana = 0.6%, Mississippi = 2.0%, Texas = 1.6%, and Florida = 4.5%. The areas that appear to have the greatest risk are parts of northern Alabama and Mississippi, central Texas, and some areas in Florida

Austrian phase on the northern African margin inferred from sequence stratigraphy and sedimentary records in southern Tunisia (Chotts and Djeffara areas)

Science.gov (United States)

Lazzez, Marzouk; Zouaghi, Taher; Ben Youssef, Mohamed

2008-08-01

A multidisciplinary study concerning Aptian and Albian deposits is reported from petroleum wells and the exposed section. The biostratigraphic and sedimentological analysis defined four sedimentary units. Well-logging signals' analysis allows us to refine the record resolution on Aptian series and reveals, in the Djeffara field, a transgressive system tract (TST) and a highstand system tract (HST). Exceptionally, the first sequence (S1) in the Mareth 1 well and the fifth sequence in the two wells Mareth 1 and Gourine 1 reveal the lower-stand system tract (LST). The unconformities characterized by the absence of Upper Aptian (Clansayesian) and Lower to Middle Albian deposits signed by a significant gamma-ray reduction. The Middle and Upper Albian is represented by only one deposit sequence (S6) in Mareth 1. Towards the south, in the Gourine well, two deposit sequences were identified (S6 and S7); to specify the Aptian and Albian evolution of the deposit sequences, a tentative correlation has been established between the Chotts and Djeffara areas. This correlation allows us to characterize the sedimentary unconformities related to the tectonics and eustatic events. The Chotts and the Djeffara deposition areas were developed, characterized by an irregular subsidence and separated by the Tebaga Medenine high area. The Aptian-Albian subsidence platform of southern Tunisia may be considered as a block diagram of environmental deposit with regressive and transgressive trends, showing the impact of tectonic deformations on the palaeogeographic evolution of southeastern Tunisia during the Austrian phase. This study also must be replaced within regional structural patterns that may explain both the sequential and sedimentological evolution of the area. Deformations regionally identified are integrated in the more general context of both Tethyan and Atlantic areas related to the drift of the African platform.

7 CFR 275.18 - Project area/management unit corrective action plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Project area/management unit corrective action plan... SYSTEM Corrective Action § 275.18 Project area/management unit corrective action plan. (a) The State agency shall ensure that corrective action plans are prepared at the project area/management unit level...

Sequencing Conservation Actions Through Threat Assessments in the Southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Robert D. Sutter; Christopher C. Szell

2006-01-01

The identification of conservation priorities is one of the leading issues in conservation biology. We present a project of The Nature Conservancy, called Sequencing Conservation Actions, which prioritizes conservation areas and identifies foci for crosscutting strategies at various geographic scales. We use the term “Sequencing” to mean an ordering of actions over...

Identifying Corridors among Large Protected Areas in the United States.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Travis Belote

Full Text Available Conservation scientists emphasize the importance of maintaining a connected network of protected areas to prevent ecosystems and populations from becoming isolated, reduce the risk of extinction, and ultimately sustain biodiversity. Keeping protected areas connected in a network is increasingly recognized as a conservation priority in the current era of rapid climate change. Models that identify suitable linkages between core areas have been used to prioritize potentially important corridors for maintaining functional connectivity. Here, we identify the most "natural" (i.e., least human-modified corridors between large protected areas in the contiguous Unites States. We aggregated results from multiple connectivity models to develop a composite map of corridors reflecting agreement of models run under different assumptions about how human modification of land may influence connectivity. To identify which land units are most important for sustaining structural connectivity, we used the composite map of corridors to evaluate connectivity priorities in two ways: (1 among land units outside of our pool of large core protected areas and (2 among units administratively protected as Inventoried Roadless (IRAs or Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs. Corridor values varied substantially among classes of "unprotected" non-core land units, and land units of high connectivity value and priority represent diverse ownerships and existing levels of protections. We provide a ranking of IRAs and WSAs that should be prioritized for additional protection to maintain minimal human modification. Our results provide a coarse-scale assessment of connectivity priorities for maintaining a connected network of protected areas.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Telemedicine Systems/Units in Greek Remote Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Kouskoukis, Marios-Nikolaos; Botsaris, Charalambos

2017-06-01

Telemedicine units and information technology systems provide special healthcare services to remote populations using telecommunication technology, in order to reduce or even remove the usual and typical face-to-face contact between doctor and patient. This innovative approach to medical care delivery has been expanding for several years and currently covers various medical specialties. To facilitate installation of telemedicine systems/units in Greek remote areas, this article presents results of a cost-benefit analysis for two Greek islands, Patmos and Leros, using specific economic criteria. Net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period were calculated, in order to monetize the economic benefits and the costs savings, estimate the depreciation of each project, and highlight the social benefits. Costs were reduced (through saved air medical transportations) by €19,005 for Patmos and €78,225 for Leros each year. NPV and IRR were positive; NPV was €29,608 for Patmos and €293,245 for Leros, and IRR was 21.5% for Patmos and 140.5% for Leros. Each project depreciated faster than the 5-year life-cycle period, and specifically in 3.13 years for Patmos and in 0.70 years for Leros. The establishment of telemedicine systems/units in Patmos and Leros was evaluated and assessed positively, with large savings, economical and social, gained by reducing or even removing the face-to-face contact between doctor and patient. Telemedicine systems/units seem to be a promising solution, especially in Greece, where the problem of primary healthcare services in remote/inaccessible areas is of great concern.

Adaptation of Shift Sequence Based Method for High Number in Shifts Rostering Problem for Health Care Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mindaugas Liogys

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose—is to investigate a shift sequence-based approach efficiency then problem consisting of a high number of shifts.Research objectives:• Solve health care workers rostering problem using a shift sequence based method.• Measure its efficiency then number of shifts increases.Design/methodology/approach—Usually rostering problems are highly constrained. Constraints are classified to soft and hard constraints. Soft and hard constraints of the problem are additionally classified to: sequence constraints, schedule constraints and roster constraints. Sequence constraints are considered when constructing shift sequences. Schedule constraints are considered when constructing a schedule. Roster constraints are applied, then constructing overall solution, i.e. combining all schedules.Shift sequence based approach consists of two stages:• Shift sequences construction,• The construction of schedules.In the shift sequences construction stage, the shift sequences are constructed for each set of health care workers of different skill, considering sequence constraints. Shifts sequences are ranked by their penalties for easier retrieval in later stage.In schedules construction stage, schedules for each health care worker are constructed iteratively, using the shift sequences produced in stage 1.Shift sequence based method is an adaptive iterative method where health care workers who received the highest schedule penalties in the last iteration are scheduled first at the current iteration.During the roster construction, and after a schedule has been generated for the current health care worker, an improvement method based on an efficient greedy local search is carried out on the partial roster. It simply swaps any pair of shifts between two health care workers in the (partial roster, as long as the swaps satisfy hard constraints and decrease the roster penalty.Findings—Using shift sequence method for solving health care workers rostering problem

Adaptation of Shift Sequence Based Method for High Number in Shifts Rostering Problem for Health Care Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mindaugas Liogys

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose—is to investigate a shift sequence-based approach efficiency then problem consisting of a high number of shifts. Research objectives:• Solve health care workers rostering problem using a shift sequence based method.• Measure its efficiency then number of shifts increases. Design/methodology/approach—Usually rostering problems are highly constrained.Constraints are classified to soft and hard constraints. Soft and hard constraints of the problem are additionally classified to: sequence constraints, schedule constraints and roster constraints. Sequence constraints are considered when constructing shift sequences. Schedule constraints are considered when constructing a schedule. Roster constraints are applied, then constructing overall solution, i.e. combining all schedules.Shift sequence based approach consists of two stages:• Shift sequences construction,• The construction of schedules.In the shift sequences construction stage, the shift sequences are constructed for each set of health care workers of different skill, considering sequence constraints. Shifts sequences are ranked by their penalties for easier retrieval in later stage.In schedules construction stage, schedules for each health care worker are constructed iteratively, using the shift sequences produced in stage 1. Shift sequence based method is an adaptive iterative method where health care workers who received the highest schedule penalties in the last iteration are scheduled first at the current iteration. During the roster construction, and after a schedule has been generated for the current health care worker, an improvement method based on an efficient greedy local search is carried out on the partial roster. It simply swaps any pair of shifts between two health care workers in the (partial roster, as long as the swaps satisfy hard constraints and decrease the roster penalty.Findings—Using shift sequence method for solving health care workers rostering

LPTAU, Quasi Random Sequence Generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobol, Ilya M.

1993-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: LPTAU generates quasi random sequences. These are uniformly distributed sets of L=M N points in the N-dimensional unit cube: I N =[0,1]x...x[0,1]. These sequences are used as nodes for multidimensional integration; as searching points in global optimization; as trial points in multi-criteria decision making; as quasi-random points for quasi Monte Carlo algorithms. 2 - Method of solution: Uses LP-TAU sequence generation (see references). 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: The number of points that can be generated is L 30 . The dimension of the space cannot exceed 51

Area Deprivation Affects Behavioral Problems of Young Adolescents in Mixed Urban and Rural Areas : The TRAILS Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijneveld, S.A.; Veenstra, R.; De Winter, A.F.; Verhulst, F.C.; Ormel, J.; de Meer, G.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Behavioral problems occur more frequently among adolescents in deprived areas, but most evidence concerns urbanized areas. Our aim was to assess the impact of area deprivation and urbanization on the occurrence and development of behavioral problems among adolescents in a mixed urban and

Why and How We Made a Problem Oriented AV Teaching Unit for Chemistry Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulder, T. H. M.; Verdonk, A. H.

1984-01-01

Describes an audiovisual teaching unit on the chemical laboratory technique of recrystallization which was developed along problem-solving lines and based on observation of student laboratory behavior. Discussion includes usual procedures for developing such units, how this unit solves problems typically associated with teaching, and its general…

UNITE: a database providing web-based methods for the molecular identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Köljalg, U.; Larsson, K.H.; Abarenkov, K.

2005-01-01

Identification of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi is often achieved through comparisons of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences with accessioned sequences deposited in public databases. A major problem encountered is that annotation of the sequences in these databases is not always....... At present UNITE contains 758 ITS sequences from 455 species and 67 genera of ECM fungi. •  UNITE can be searched by taxon name, via sequence similarity using blastn, and via phylogenetic sequence identification using galaxie. Following implementation, galaxie performs a phylogenetic analysis of the query...... sequence after alignment either to pre-existing generic alignments, or to matches retrieved from a blast search on the UNITE data. It should be noted that the current version of UNITE is dedicated to the reliable identification of ECM fungi. •  The UNITE database is accessible through the URL http://unite.zbi.ee...

Sequence Stratigraphic Framework Analysis of Putaohua Oil Reservoir in Chaochang Area of Songliao Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yan; Liu, Dameng; Yao, Yanbin

2018-01-01

The regional structure of the Changchang area in the Songliao Basin is located on the Chaoyangou terrace and Changchunling anticline belt in the central depression of the northern part of the Songliao Basin, across the two secondary tectonic units of the Chaoyanggou terrace and Changchunling anticline. However, with the continuous development of oil and gas, the unused reserves of Fuyu oil reservoir decreased year by year, and the oil field faced a serious shortage of reserve reserves. At the same time, during the evaluation process, a better oil-bearing display was found during the drilling and test oil in the Putao depression to the Chaoyanggou terraces, the Yudong-Taipingchuan area, and in the process of drilling and testing oil in the Putaohua reservoir. Zhao41, Zhao18-1, Shu38 and other exploration wells to obtain oil oil, indicating that the area has a further evaluation of the potential. Based on the principle of stratification, the Putao area was divided into three parts by using the core, logging and logging. It is concluded that the middle and western strata of the study area are well developed, including three sequences, one cycle from bottom to top (three small layers), two cycles (one small layer), three cycles (two small layers) Rhythm is positive-anti-positive. From the Midwest to the southeastern part of the strata, the strata are overtaken, the lower strata are missing, and the top rhythms become rhythmic.

A new three-stage method for solving unit commitment problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khanmohammadi, S.; Amiri, M.; Haque, M. Tarafdar [Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tabriz, P.O. Box 51665-343, Tabriz (Iran)

2010-07-15

This paper presents a new Three-Stage (THS) approach for solving Unit Commitment (UC) problem. The proposed method has a simple procedure to get at favorite solutions in a feasible duration of time by producing a primal schedule of status of units at the first step. In the second step the operating units take hourly values by doing Economic Dispatch (ED) on them via a hybrid serial algorithm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Nelder-Mead (NM) algorithms. In spite of the acceptable solutions obtained by these two stages, the presented method takes another step called the solution modification process (SMP) to reach a more suitable solution. The simulation results over some standard cases of UC problem confirm that this method produces robust solutions and generally gets appropriate near-optimal solutions. (author)

FOURTH SEMINAR TO THE MEMORY OF D.N. KLYSHKO: Algebraic solution of the synthesis problem for coded sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Leukhin, Anatolii N.

2005-08-01

The algebraic solution of a 'complex' problem of synthesis of phase-coded (PC) sequences with the zero level of side lobes of the cyclic autocorrelation function (ACF) is proposed. It is shown that the solution of the synthesis problem is connected with the existence of difference sets for a given code dimension. The problem of estimating the number of possible code combinations for a given code dimension is solved. It is pointed out that the problem of synthesis of PC sequences is related to the fundamental problems of discrete mathematics and, first of all, to a number of combinatorial problems, which can be solved, as the number factorisation problem, by algebraic methods by using the theory of Galois fields and groups.

Analysis of area level and unit level models for small area estimation in forest inventories assisted with LiDAR auxiliary information.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauro, Francisco; Monleon, Vicente J; Temesgen, Hailemariam; Ford, Kevin R

2017-01-01

Forest inventories require estimates and measures of uncertainty for subpopulations such as management units. These units often times hold a small sample size, so they should be regarded as small areas. When auxiliary information is available, different small area estimation methods have been proposed to obtain reliable estimates for small areas. Unit level empirical best linear unbiased predictors (EBLUP) based on plot or grid unit level models have been studied more thoroughly than area level EBLUPs, where the modelling occurs at the management unit scale. Area level EBLUPs do not require a precise plot positioning and allow the use of variable radius plots, thus reducing fieldwork costs. However, their performance has not been examined thoroughly. We compared unit level and area level EBLUPs, using LiDAR auxiliary information collected for inventorying 98,104 ha coastal coniferous forest. Unit level models were consistently more accurate than area level EBLUPs, and area level EBLUPs were consistently more accurate than field estimates except for large management units that held a large sample. For stand density, volume, basal area, quadratic mean diameter, mean height and Lorey's height, root mean squared errors (rmses) of estimates obtained using area level EBLUPs were, on average, 1.43, 2.83, 2.09, 1.40, 1.32 and 1.64 times larger than those based on unit level estimates, respectively. Similarly, direct field estimates had rmses that were, on average, 1.37, 1.45, 1.17, 1.17, 1.26, and 1.38 times larger than rmses of area level EBLUPs. Therefore, area level models can lead to substantial gains in accuracy compared to direct estimates, and unit level models lead to very important gains in accuracy compared to area level models, potentially justifying the additional costs of obtaining accurate field plot coordinates.

UNITE: a database providing web-based methods for the molecular identification of ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Kõljalg, Urmas; Larsson, Karl-Henrik; Abarenkov, Kessy; Nilsson, R Henrik; Alexander, Ian J; Eberhardt, Ursula; Erland, Susanne; Høiland, Klaus; Kjøller, Rasmus; Larsson, Ellen; Pennanen, Taina; Sen, Robin; Taylor, Andy F S; Tedersoo, Leho; Vrålstad, Trude; Ursing, Björn M

2005-06-01

Identification of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi is often achieved through comparisons of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences with accessioned sequences deposited in public databases. A major problem encountered is that annotation of the sequences in these databases is not always complete or trustworthy. In order to overcome this deficiency, we report on UNITE, an open-access database. UNITE comprises well annotated fungal ITS sequences from well defined herbarium specimens that include full herbarium reference identification data, collector/source and ecological data. At present UNITE contains 758 ITS sequences from 455 species and 67 genera of ECM fungi. UNITE can be searched by taxon name, via sequence similarity using blastn, and via phylogenetic sequence identification using galaxie. Following implementation, galaxie performs a phylogenetic analysis of the query sequence after alignment either to pre-existing generic alignments, or to matches retrieved from a blast search on the UNITE data. It should be noted that the current version of UNITE is dedicated to the reliable identification of ECM fungi. The UNITE database is accessible through the URL http://unite.zbi.ee

High-Throughput Mapping of Single-Neuron Projections by Sequencing of Barcoded RNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Kebschull, Justus M; Garcia da Silva, Pedro; Reid, Ashlan P; Peikon, Ian D; Albeanu, Dinu F; Zador, Anthony M

2016-09-07

Neurons transmit information to distant brain regions via long-range axonal projections. In the mouse, area-to-area connections have only been systematically mapped using bulk labeling techniques, which obscure the diverse projections of intermingled single neurons. Here we describe MAPseq (Multiplexed Analysis of Projections by Sequencing), a technique that can map the projections of thousands or even millions of single neurons by labeling large sets of neurons with random RNA sequences ("barcodes"). Axons are filled with barcode mRNA, each putative projection area is dissected, and the barcode mRNA is extracted and sequenced. Applying MAPseq to the locus coeruleus (LC), we find that individual LC neurons have preferred cortical targets. By recasting neuroanatomy, which is traditionally viewed as a problem of microscopy, as a problem of sequencing, MAPseq harnesses advances in sequencing technology to permit high-throughput interrogation of brain circuits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safety of superconducting fusion magnets: twelve problem areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, L.R.

1979-01-01

Twelve problem areas of superconducting magnets for fusion reaction are described. These are: quench detection and energy dump, stationary normal region of conductor, current leads, electrical arcing, electrical shorts, conductor joints, forces from unequal currents, eddy current effects, cryostat rupture, vacuum failure, fringing field and instrumentation for safety. Priorities among these areas are suggested

Safety of superconducting fusion magnets: twelve problem areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, L.R.

1979-01-01

Twelve problem areas of superconducting magnets for fusion reaction are described. These are: Quench Detection and Energy Dump, Stationary Normal Region of Conductor, Current Leads, Electrical Arcing, Electrical Shorts, Conductor Joints, Forces from Unequal Currents, Eddy Current Effects, Cryostat Rupture, Vacuum Failure, Fringing Field and Instrumentation for Safety. Priorities among these areas are suggested

Criteria for the recognition and correlation of sandstone units in the Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic clastic sequence in the near east

Science.gov (United States)

Weissbrod, T.; Perath, I.

A systematic study of the Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic clastic sequences (Nubian Sandstone) in Israel and Sinai, and a comparative analysis of its stratigraphy in neighbouring countries, has shown that besides the conventional criteria of subdivision (lithology, field appearance, photogeological features, fossil content), additional criteria can be applied, which singly or in mutual conjuction enable the recognition of widespread units and boundaries. These criteria show lateral constancy, and recurrence of a similar vertical sequence over great distances, and are therefore acceptable for the identification of synchronous, region-wide sedimentary units (and consequently, major unconformities). They also enable, once the units are established, to identify detached (not in situ) samples, samples from isolated or discontinous outcrops, borehole material or archive material. The following rock properties were tested and found to be usefuls in stratigraphic interpretation, throughout large distribution areas of the clastic sequence: Landscape, which is basically the response of a particular textural-chemic al aggregate to atmospheric weathering. Characteristic outcrop feature — styles of roundness or massivity, fissuring or fliatin, slope profile, bedding — express a basic uniformity of these platform-type clastics. Colors are often stratigraphically constant over hundreds of kilometers, through various climates and topographies, and express some intrinsic unity of the rock bodies. Grain size and sorting, when cross-plotted, enable to differentiate existing unit. The method requires the analysis of representative numbers of samples. Vertical trends of median grain size and sorting show reversals, typically across unconformities. Feldstar content diminishes from 15-50% in Precambrian-Paleozoic rocks to a mere 5% or less in Mesozoic sandstones — a distinctive regionwide time trend. Dominance of certain feldstar types characterizes Precambrian and Paleozoic

FamSeq: a variant calling program for family-based sequencing data using graphics processing units.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gang Peng

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Various algorithms have been developed for variant calling using next-generation sequencing data, and various methods have been applied to reduce the associated false positive and false negative rates. Few variant calling programs, however, utilize the pedigree information when the family-based sequencing data are available. Here, we present a program, FamSeq, which reduces both false positive and false negative rates by incorporating the pedigree information from the Mendelian genetic model into variant calling. To accommodate variations in data complexity, FamSeq consists of four distinct implementations of the Mendelian genetic model: the Bayesian network algorithm, a graphics processing unit version of the Bayesian network algorithm, the Elston-Stewart algorithm and the Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. To make the software efficient and applicable to large families, we parallelized the Bayesian network algorithm that copes with pedigrees with inbreeding loops without losing calculation precision on an NVIDIA graphics processing unit. In order to compare the difference in the four methods, we applied FamSeq to pedigree sequencing data with family sizes that varied from 7 to 12. When there is no inbreeding loop in the pedigree, the Elston-Stewart algorithm gives analytical results in a short time. If there are inbreeding loops in the pedigree, we recommend the Bayesian network method, which provides exact answers. To improve the computing speed of the Bayesian network method, we parallelized the computation on a graphics processing unit. This allowed the Bayesian network method to process the whole genome sequencing data of a family of 12 individuals within two days, which was a 10-fold time reduction compared to the time required for this computation on a central processing unit.

Stability of recursive out-of-sequence measurement filters: an open problem

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lingji; Moshtagh, Nima; Mehra, Raman K.

2011-06-01

In many applications where communication delays are present, measurements with earlier time stamps can arrive out-of-sequence, i.e., after state estimates have been obtained for the current time instant. To incorporate such an Out-Of-Sequence Measurement (OOSM), many algorithms have been proposed in the literature to obtain or approximate the optimal estimate that would have been obtained if the OOSM had arrived in-sequence. When OOSM occurs repeatedly, approximate estimations as a result of incorporating one OOSM have to serve as the basis for incorporating yet another OOSM. The question of whether the "approximation of approximation" is well behaved, i.e., whether approximation errors accumulate in a recursive setting, has not been adequately addressed in the literature. This paper draws attention to the stability question of recursive OOSM processing filters, formulates the problem in a specific setting, and presents some simulation results that suggest that such filters are indeed well-behaved. Our hope is that more research will be conducted in the future to rigorously establish stability properties of these filters.

BarraCUDA - a fast short read sequence aligner using graphics processing units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klus Petr

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With the maturation of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS technologies, the throughput of DNA sequencing reads has soared to over 600 gigabases from a single instrument run. General purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU, extracts the computing power from hundreds of parallel stream processors within graphics processing cores and provides a cost-effective and energy efficient alternative to traditional high-performance computing (HPC clusters. In this article, we describe the implementation of BarraCUDA, a GPGPU sequence alignment software that is based on BWA, to accelerate the alignment of sequencing reads generated by these instruments to a reference DNA sequence. Findings Using the NVIDIA Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA software development environment, we ported the most computational-intensive alignment component of BWA to GPU to take advantage of the massive parallelism. As a result, BarraCUDA offers a magnitude of performance boost in alignment throughput when compared to a CPU core while delivering the same level of alignment fidelity. The software is also capable of supporting multiple CUDA devices in parallel to further accelerate the alignment throughput. Conclusions BarraCUDA is designed to take advantage of the parallelism of GPU to accelerate the alignment of millions of sequencing reads generated by NGS instruments. By doing this, we could, at least in part streamline the current bioinformatics pipeline such that the wider scientific community could benefit from the sequencing technology. BarraCUDA is currently available from http://seqbarracuda.sf.net

BarraCUDA - a fast short read sequence aligner using graphics processing units

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Klus, Petr

2012-01-13

Abstract Background With the maturation of next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technologies, the throughput of DNA sequencing reads has soared to over 600 gigabases from a single instrument run. General purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU), extracts the computing power from hundreds of parallel stream processors within graphics processing cores and provides a cost-effective and energy efficient alternative to traditional high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. In this article, we describe the implementation of BarraCUDA, a GPGPU sequence alignment software that is based on BWA, to accelerate the alignment of sequencing reads generated by these instruments to a reference DNA sequence. Findings Using the NVIDIA Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) software development environment, we ported the most computational-intensive alignment component of BWA to GPU to take advantage of the massive parallelism. As a result, BarraCUDA offers a magnitude of performance boost in alignment throughput when compared to a CPU core while delivering the same level of alignment fidelity. The software is also capable of supporting multiple CUDA devices in parallel to further accelerate the alignment throughput. Conclusions BarraCUDA is designed to take advantage of the parallelism of GPU to accelerate the alignment of millions of sequencing reads generated by NGS instruments. By doing this, we could, at least in part streamline the current bioinformatics pipeline such that the wider scientific community could benefit from the sequencing technology. BarraCUDA is currently available from http:\\/\\/seqbarracuda.sf.net

Corn rootworm area-wide management across the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandler, Laurence D.; Coppedge, James R.; Richard Edwards, C.; Tollefson, Jon J.; Wilde, Gerald E.

2000-01-01

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, northern corn rootworm, D. barberi Smith and Lawrence, and Mexican corn rootworm, D. virgifera zeae Krysan and Smith are among the most economically and environmentally important pests of United States maize (Zea mays L.) production systems (Metcalf 1986). Annually, 8 to 10 million hectares of maize are treated with soil applied insecticides to protect the crop from larval feeding damage. Crop rotation, however, is also widely used to minimise the need for soil insecticide applications. Insecticides for adult rootworm management are also frequently used. Numerous problems are currently associated with corn rootworm management approaches. Soil insecticides are normally used to protect maize roots from larval feeding damage. However, they are ineffective in controlling the management of corn rootworm populations (Gray et al. 1992, Sutter et al. 1991). It is not uncommon for large numbers of rootworms to develop within treated fields. Thus, when maize is grown in the same field year after year (continuous cropping), soil insecticide applications must be used to protect the plant. These applications are generally made without knowledge (prophylactic) of the rootworm population levels within the field due to the difficulty of sampling for immature life stages. Western corn rootworm resistance to chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides has been extensively documented (Ball and Weekman 1962). Recently, two distinct populations of western corn rootworms in Nebraska were found to be resistant to carbaryl and methyl parathion which are commonly used for adult control (Meinke et al. 1998). Although the occurrence of resistance has not spread outside of these areas, the potential for increased tolerance of western corn rootworm populations to carbamate and organophosphate insecticides across the region does exist. In response to many of the management problems discussed above, scientists with the USDA Agricultural

Housing growth in and near United States protected areas limits their conservation value.

Science.gov (United States)

Radeloff, Volker C; Stewart, Susan I; Hawbaker, Todd J; Gimmi, Urs; Pidgeon, Anna M; Flather, Curtis H; Hammer, Roger B; Helmers, David P

2010-01-12

Protected areas are crucial for biodiversity conservation because they provide safe havens for species threatened by land-use change and resulting habitat loss. However, protected areas are only effective when they stop habitat loss within their boundaries, and are connected via corridors to other wild areas. The effectiveness of protected areas is threatened by development; however, the extent of this threat is unknown. We compiled spatially-detailed housing growth data from 1940 to 2030, and quantified growth for each wilderness area, national park, and national forest in the conterminous United States. Our findings show that housing development in the United States may severely limit the ability of protected areas to function as a modern "Noah's Ark." Between 1940 and 2000, 28 million housing units were built within 50 km of protected areas, and 940,000 were built within national forests. Housing growth rates during the 1990s within 1 km of protected areas (20% per decade) outpaced the national average (13%). If long-term trends continue, another 17 million housing units will be built within 50 km of protected areas by 2030 (1 million within 1 km), greatly diminishing their conservation value. US protected areas are increasingly isolated, housing development in their surroundings is decreasing their effective size, and national forests are even threatened by habitat loss within their administrative boundaries. Protected areas in the United States are thus threatened similarly to those in developing countries. However, housing growth poses the main threat to protected areas in the United States whereas deforestation is the main threat in developing countries.

cTBS disruption of the supplementary motor area perturbs cortical sequence representation but not behavioural performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Solopchuk, Oleg; Alamia, Andrea; Dricot, Laurence; Duque, Julie; Zénon, Alexandre

2017-12-01

Neuroimaging studies have repeatedly emphasized the role of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in motor sequence learning, but interferential approaches have led to inconsistent findings. Here, we aimed to test the role of the SMA in motor skill learning by combining interferential and neuroimaging techniques. Sixteen subjects were trained on simple finger movement sequences for 4 days. Afterwards, they underwent two neuroimaging sessions, in which they executed both trained and novel sequences. Prior to entering the scanner, the subjects received inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA or a control site. Using multivariate fMRI analysis, we confirmed that motor training enhances the neural representation of motor sequences in the SMA, in accordance with previous findings. However, although SMA inhibition altered sequence representation (i.e. between-sequence decoding accuracy) in this area, behavioural performance remained unimpaired. Our findings question the causal link between the neuroimaging correlate of elementary motor sequence representation in the SMA and sequence generation, calling for a more thorough investigation of the role of this region in performance of learned motor sequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Analysis of COX1 sequences of Taenia isolates from four areas of Guangxi].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yi-Chao; Ou-Yang, Yi; Su, Ai-Rong; Wan, Xiao-Ling; Li, Shu-Lin

2012-06-01

To analyze the COX1 sequences of Taenia isolates from four areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and to understand the distribution of Taenia asiatica in Guangxi. Patients with taeniasis in Luzhai, Rongshui, Tiandong and Sanjiang in Guangxi were treated by deworming, and the Taenia isolates were collected. Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX1) sequences of these isolates were amplified by PCR, and the PCR products were sequenced by T-A clone sequencing. The homogeneities and genetic distances were calculated and analyzed, and the phylogenic trees were constructed by some softwares. Meanwhile, the COX1 sequences of the isolates from the 4 areas were compared separately with the sequences of Taenia species in GenBank. The COX1 sequence of the 5 Taenia isolates collected had the same length of 444 bp. There were 5 variable positions between the Luzhai isolate and Taenia asiatica, the homogeneity was 98.87% and their genetic distance was 0.011. The phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the Luzhai isolate and Taenia asiatica locating at the same node had a close relationship. The homogeneity between Rongshui isolate A and Taenia solium was 100%, while the homogeneity of Rongshui isolate B with Taeniasis saginata and Taenia asiatica were 98.20% and 96.17%, respectively. The homogeneities of the Tiandong and Sanjiang isolates with Taenia solium were 99.55% and 96.40%, respectively, and the genetic distances were 0.005 and 0.037, respectively. The homogeneity between the Luzhai isolate and Taeniasis saginate was 96.40%. Taenia asiatica exists in Luzhai and Taenia solium and Taenia saginata coexist in Rongshui, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Tidying up international nucleotide sequence databases: ecological, geographical and sequence quality annotation of its sequences of mycorrhizal fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Tedersoo, Leho; Abarenkov, Kessy; Nilsson, R Henrik; Schüssler, Arthur; Grelet, Gwen-Aëlle; Kohout, Petr; Oja, Jane; Bonito, Gregory M; Veldre, Vilmar; Jairus, Teele; Ryberg, Martin; Larsson, Karl-Henrik; Kõljalg, Urmas

2011-01-01

Sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA operon, particularly the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, provides a powerful tool for identification of mycorrhizal fungi. The sequence data deposited in the International Nucleotide Sequence Databases (INSD) are, however, unfiltered for quality and are often poorly annotated with metadata. To detect chimeric and low-quality sequences and assign the ectomycorrhizal fungi to phylogenetic lineages, fungal ITS sequences were downloaded from INSD, aligned within family-level groups, and examined through phylogenetic analyses and BLAST searches. By combining the fungal sequence database UNITE and the annotation and search tool PlutoF, we also added metadata from the literature to these accessions. Altogether 35,632 sequences belonged to mycorrhizal fungi or originated from ericoid and orchid mycorrhizal roots. Of these sequences, 677 were considered chimeric and 2,174 of low read quality. Information detailing country of collection, geographical coordinates, interacting taxon and isolation source were supplemented to cover 78.0%, 33.0%, 41.7% and 96.4% of the sequences, respectively. These annotated sequences are publicly available via UNITE (http://unite.ut.ee/) for downstream biogeographic, ecological and taxonomic analyses. In European Nucleotide Archive (ENA; http://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/), the annotated sequences have a special link-out to UNITE. We intend to expand the data annotation to additional genes and all taxonomic groups and functional guilds of fungi.

Sequence-specific bias correction for RNA-seq data using recurrent neural networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yao-Zhong; Yamaguchi, Rui; Imoto, Seiya; Miyano, Satoru

2017-01-25

The recent success of deep learning techniques in machine learning and artificial intelligence has stimulated a great deal of interest among bioinformaticians, who now wish to bring the power of deep learning to bare on a host of bioinformatical problems. Deep learning is ideally suited for biological problems that require automatic or hierarchical feature representation for biological data when prior knowledge is limited. In this work, we address the sequence-specific bias correction problem for RNA-seq data redusing Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) to model nucleotide sequences without pre-determining sequence structures. The sequence-specific bias of a read is then calculated based on the sequence probabilities estimated by RNNs, and used in the estimation of gene abundance. We explore the application of two popular RNN recurrent units for this task and demonstrate that RNN-based approaches provide a flexible way to model nucleotide sequences without knowledge of predetermined sequence structures. Our experiments show that training a RNN-based nucleotide sequence model is efficient and RNN-based bias correction methods compare well with the-state-of-the-art sequence-specific bias correction method on the commonly used MAQC-III data set. RNNs provides an alternative and flexible way to calculate sequence-specific bias without explicitly pre-determining sequence structures.

100 Area source operable unit focused feasibility study report. Draft A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-09-01

In accordance with the Hanford Past-Practice Strategy (HPPS), a focused feasibility study (FFS) is performed for those waste sites which have been identified as candidates for interim remedial measures (IRM) based on information contained in applicable work plans and limited field investigations (LFI). The FFS process for the 100 Area source operable units will be conducted in two stages. This report, hereafter referred to as the Process Document, documents the first stage of the process. In this stage, IRM alternatives are developed and analyzed on the basis of waste site groups associated with the 100 Area source operable units. The second stage, site-specific evaluation of the IRM alternatives presented in this Process Document, is documented in a series of operable unit-specific reports. The objective of the FFS (this Process Document and subsequent operable unit-specific reports) is to provide decision makers with sufficient information to allow appropriate and timely selection of IRM for sites associated with the 100 Area source operable units. Accordingly, the following information is presented: a presentation of remedial action objectives; a description of 100 Area waste site groups and associated group profiles; a description of IRM alternatives; and detailed and comparative analyses of the IRM alternatives

East Carnduff Unit: corrosion problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banks, C D

1966-07-01

Waterflooding of the East Carnduff Unit began in late 1962. The first injection line leak was discovered April 29, 1965. The first 6 leaks in the East Carnduff Unit occurred within a period of less than one month--a very startling and serious warning of pending problems. Analysis of the pipe removed showed a deep pit covered by a severe scale in the piping fitting. Several remedial actions were tried in order to develop the present inhibition program. First, the lines were cleaned as well as possible utilizing rubber pig spheres with normal injection pressure. This proved very effective and 2 passes wiped out most of the scale in the lines. Only one line required acid. After the lines had been cleaned, a water treating rate of an organic amine corrosion inhibitor, 10 ppm of the scale inhibitor, and bactericide at the rate of 40 ppm slugs 2 days per month was initiated. The above treating program is in use at the present time and is maintaining a very low leak frequency. This experience has demonstrated 2 important points in waterflood operations: (1) a bare piping system in warm brine service requires constant attention to insure that it is being kept clean; and (2) reliance cannot be placed on any one method of checking corrosion rates.

Small-World Optimization Algorithm and Its Application in a Sequencing Problem of Painted Body Storage in a Car Company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Zhipeng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In the car company, the painted body storage (PBS is set up between the paint shop and the assembly shop. It stores the vehicles in production and reorders the vehicles sequence. To improve production efficiency of assembly shop, a mathematical model is developed aiming at minimizing the consumption rate of options and the total overtime and idle time. As the PBS sequencing process contains upstream sequence inbound and downstream sequence outbound, this paper proposes an algorithm with two phases. In the first phase, the discrete small-world optimization algorithm (DSWOA is applied to schedule the inbound sequence by employing the short-range nodes and the long-range nodes in order to realize the global searching. In the second phase, the heuristic algorithm is applied to schedule the outbound sequencing. The proposed model and algorithm are applied in an automobile enterprise. The results indicate that the two-phase algorithm is suitable for the PBS sequencing problem and the DSWOA has a better searching performance than GA in this problem. The sensitivity of model parameters is analyzed as well.

A genetic algorithm for finding good balanced sequences in a customer assignment problem with no state information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hordijk, W.; Hordijk, A.; Heidergott, B.F.

2015-01-01

In this paper, we study the control problem of optimal assignment of tasks to servers in a multi-server queue with inhomogeneous servers. In order to improve the performance of the system, we use a periodic deterministic sequence of job assignments to servers called a billiard sequence. We then use

Universal sequence map (USM of arbitrary discrete sequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Almeida Jonas S

2002-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For over a decade the idea of representing biological sequences in a continuous coordinate space has maintained its appeal but not been fully realized. The basic idea is that any sequence of symbols may define trajectories in the continuous space conserving all its statistical properties. Ideally, such a representation would allow scale independent sequence analysis – without the context of fixed memory length. A simple example would consist on being able to infer the homology between two sequences solely by comparing the coordinates of any two homologous units. Results We have successfully identified such an iterative function for bijective mappingψ of discrete sequences into objects of continuous state space that enable scale-independent sequence analysis. The technique, named Universal Sequence Mapping (USM, is applicable to sequences with an arbitrary length and arbitrary number of unique units and generates a representation where map distance estimates sequence similarity. The novel USM procedure is based on earlier work by these and other authors on the properties of Chaos Game Representation (CGR. The latter enables the representation of 4 unit type sequences (like DNA as an order free Markov Chain transition table. The properties of USM are illustrated with test data and can be verified for other data by using the accompanying web-based tool:http://bioinformatics.musc.edu/~jonas/usm/. Conclusions USM is shown to enable a statistical mechanics approach to sequence analysis. The scale independent representation frees sequence analysis from the need to assume a memory length in the investigation of syntactic rules.

Dose per unit area - a study of elicitation of nickel allergy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fischer, Louise Arup; Menné, Torkil; Johansen, Jeanne Duus

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Experimental sensitization depends upon the amount of allergen per unit skin area and is largely independent of the area size. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at testing if this also applies for elicitation of nickel allergy. PATIENTS/METHODS: 20 nickel allergic individuals were tested...... with a patch test and a repeated open application test (ROAT). Nickel was applied on small and large areas. The varying parameters were area, total dose and dose per unit area. RESULTS: In the patch test, at a low concentration [15 microg nickel (microg Ni)/cm(2)], there were significantly higher scores...... on the large area with the same dose per area as the small area. At higher concentrations of nickel, no significant differences were found. In the ROAT at low concentration (6.64 microg Ni/cm(2)), it was found that the latency period until a reaction appeared was significantly shorter on the large area...

Income and managing problems of the protected areas in China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2001-01-01

n 2000, the authors collected a great quantity of relevant data by investigating more than 50 nature reserves. Based on the analysis of development and management situation of the protected areas in China, the main problems were put forward, such as, no unified management for income and managing activities, lack of special guideline and effective supervision, lack of income and investment, investing financial difference in different provinces. All these problems caused the lack of funds for construction, as well as the damage of resources and environment. Furthermore the conserving activities have to transmit to the profits in many protected areas. Combined with these problems, the primary solution programmers also were put forward.

To the problem of reliability standardization in computer-aided manufacturing at NPP units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yastrebenetskij, M.A.; Shvyryaev, Yu.V.; Spektor, L.I.; Nikonenko, I.V.

1989-01-01

The problems of reliability standardization in computer-aided manufacturing of NPP units considering the following approaches: computer-aided manufacturing of NPP units as a part of automated technological complex; computer-aided manufacturing of NPP units as multi-functional system, are analyzed. Selection of the composition of reliability indeces for computer-aided manufacturing of NPP units for each of the approaches considered is substantiated

Safety of superconducting fusion magnets: twelve problem areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, L.R.

1979-05-01

Twelve problem areas of superconducting magnets for fusion reaction are described. These are: Quench Detection and Energy Dump, Stationary Normal Region of Conductor, Current Leads, Electrical Arcing, Electrical Shorts, Conductor Joints, Forces from Unequal Currents, Eddy Current Effects, Cryostat Rupture, Vacuum Failure, Fringing Field and Instrumentation for Safety. Each is described under the five categories: Identification and Definition, Possible Safety Effects, Current Practice, Adequacy of Current Practice for Fusion Magnets and Areas Requiring Further Analytical and Experimental Study. Priorities among these areas are suggested; application is made to the Large Coil Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Regional Hydrology of the Green River-Moab Area, Northwestern Paradox Basin, Utah

OpenAIRE

United States Geological Survey

1982-01-01

The Green River-Moab area encompasses about 7,800 square kilometers or about 25 percent of the Paradox basin. The entire Paradox basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite (salt) beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Confining beds consist of evaporite beds of mostly salt, and overlying and underlying thick sequences of rocks with...

Data Structures: Sequence Problems, Range Queries, and Fault Tolerance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Allan Grønlund

performance and money in the design of todays high speed memory technologies. Hardware, power failures, and environmental conditions such as cosmic rays and alpha particles can all alter the memory in unpredictable ways. In applications where large memory capacities are needed at low cost, it makes sense......The focus of this dissertation is on algorithms, in particular data structures that give provably ecient solutions for sequence analysis problems, range queries, and fault tolerant computing. The work presented in this dissertation is divided into three parts. In Part I we consider algorithms...... to assume that the algorithms themselves are in charge for dealing with memory faults. We investigate searching, sorting and counting algorithms and data structures that provably returns sensible information in spite of memory corruptions....

A Hybrid Algorithm for Solving the Economic Lot and Delivery Scheduling Problem in the Common Cycle Case

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ju, Suquan; Clausen, Jens

2004-01-01

The ELDSP problem is a combined lot sizing and sequencing problem. A supplier produces and delivers components of different component types to a consumer in batches. The task is to determine the cycle time, i.e. that time between deliveries, which minimizes the total cost per time unit. This incl......The ELDSP problem is a combined lot sizing and sequencing problem. A supplier produces and delivers components of different component types to a consumer in batches. The task is to determine the cycle time, i.e. that time between deliveries, which minimizes the total cost per time unit....... This includes the determination of the production sequence of the component types within each cycle. We investigate the computational behavior of two published algorithms, a heuristic and an optimal algorithm. With large number of component types, the optimal algorithm has long running times. We devise a hybrid...

31 CFR 585.218 - Trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... HERZEGOVINA SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 585.218 Trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia... importation from, exportation to, or transshipment of goods through the United Nations Protected Areas in the... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Trade in United Nations Protected...

Development of parallel GPU based algorithms for problems in nuclear area; Desenvolvimento de algoritmos paralelos baseados em GPU para solucao de problemas na area nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almeida, Adino Americo Heimlich

2009-07-01

Graphics Processing Units (GPU) are high performance co-processors intended, originally, to improve the use and quality of computer graphics applications. Since researchers and practitioners realized the potential of using GPU for general purpose, their application has been extended to other fields out of computer graphics scope. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of using GPU in two typical problems of Nuclear area. The neutron transport simulation using Monte Carlo method and solve heat equation in a bi-dimensional domain by finite differences method. To achieve this, we develop parallel algorithms for GPU and CPU in the two problems described above. The comparison showed that the GPU-based approach is faster than the CPU in a computer with two quad core processors, without precision loss. (author)

Robust Parallel Machine Scheduling Problem with Uncertainties and Sequence-Dependent Setup Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongtao Hu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A parallel machine scheduling problem in plastic production is studied in this paper. In this problem, the processing time and arrival time are uncertain but lie in their respective intervals. In addition, each job must be processed together with a mold while jobs which belong to one family can share the same mold. Therefore, time changing mold is required for two consecutive jobs that belong to different families, which is known as sequence-dependent setup time. This paper aims to identify a robust schedule by min–max regret criterion. It is proved that the scenario incurring maximal regret for each feasible solution lies in finite extreme scenarios. A mixed integer linear programming formulation and an exact algorithm are proposed to solve the problem. Moreover, a modified artificial bee colony algorithm is developed to solve large-scale problems. The performance of the presented algorithm is evaluated through extensive computational experiments and the results show that the proposed algorithm surpasses the exact method in terms of objective value and computational time.

Genome Sequence Databases (Overview): Sequencing and Assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapidus, Alla L.

2009-01-01

From the date its role in heredity was discovered, DNA has been generating interest among scientists from different fields of knowledge: physicists have studied the three dimensional structure of the DNA molecule, biologists tried to decode the secrets of life hidden within these long molecules, and technologists invent and improve methods of DNA analysis. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of DNA occupies a special place among the methods developed. Thanks to the variety of sequencing technologies available, the process of decoding the sequence of genomic DNA (or whole genome sequencing) has become robust and inexpensive. Meanwhile the assembly of whole genome sequences remains a challenging task. In addition to the need to assemble millions of DNA fragments of different length (from 35 bp (Solexa) to 800 bp (Sanger)), great interest in analysis of microbial communities (metagenomes) of different complexities raises new problems and pushes some new requirements for sequence assembly tools to the forefront. The genome assembly process can be divided into two steps: draft assembly and assembly improvement (finishing). Despite the fact that automatically performed assembly (or draft assembly) is capable of covering up to 98% of the genome, in most cases, it still contains incorrectly assembled reads. The error rate of the consensus sequence produced at this stage is about 1/2000 bp. A finished genome represents the genome assembly of much higher accuracy (with no gaps or incorrectly assembled areas) and quality ({approx}1 error/10,000 bp), validated through a number of computer and laboratory experiments.

Sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures of the lower intermediate confining unit and most of the Floridan aquifer system, Broward County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kevin J.; Kluesner, Jared W.; Westcott, Richard L.; Robinson, Edward; Walker, Cameron; Khan, Shakira A.

2017-12-08

Deep well injection and disposal of treated wastewater into the highly transmissive saline Boulder Zone in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer system began in 1971. The zone of injection is a highly transmissive hydrogeologic unit, the Boulder Zone, in the lower part of the Floridan aquifer system. Since the 1990s, however, treated wastewater injection into the Boulder Zone in southeastern Florida has been detected at three treated wastewater injection utilities in the brackish upper part of the Floridan aquifer system designated for potential use as drinking water. At a time when usage of the Boulder Zone for treated wastewater disposal is increasing and the utilization of the upper part of the Floridan aquifer system for drinking water is intensifying, there is an urgency to understand the nature of cross-formational fluid flow and identify possible fluid pathways from the lower to upper zones of the Floridan aquifer system. To better understand the hydrogeologic controls on groundwater movement through the Floridan aquifer system in southeastern Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Broward County Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division conducted a 3.5-year cooperative study from July 2012 to December 2015. The study characterizes the sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures of the lower part of the intermediate confining unit aquifer and most of the Floridan aquifer system.Data obtained to meet the study objective include 80 miles of high-resolution, two-dimensional (2D), seismic-reflection profiles acquired from canals in eastern Broward County. These profiles have been used to characterize the sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, and seismic structures in a 425-square-mile study area. Horizon mapping of the seismic-reflection profiles and additional data collection from well logs and cores or cuttings from 44 wells were focused on construction of three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of eight

PROBLEMS AND CLASSIFICATION OF FORMER MILITARY AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svirezhev C.A.

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Integration of the Russian Federation in the international community, to find the most effective ways to implement the military and land reforms require a comprehensive study. The paper identifies the main problems that hinder the effective implementation of the reform of the conversion, the ways of their solutions, including use of the experience of the advanced countries of the European Union. Identified military objects to be conversion, shown combining them into groups according to various criteria. Proposed a typology of ex-military territories. Notes the role of the organization of effective land use conversion in the areas of land use planning, identifies the main documents required for the implementation of planned activities. The problems of land use planning conversion ex-military territories.

Engineering report on the Grayburg Cooperative and unit area, Eddy County, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, John A.; Soyster, Merwin H.

1945-01-01

This report covers the area committed to the Grayburg Cooperative and Unit Agreement (I-Sec. 370) approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior on October 5, 1943, hereafter referred to as the "unit area", embracing 4,769.44 acres of public land in T. 17 S., Rs. 29 and 30 E., Eddy County, New Mexico. The area includes portions of the Anderson, Grayburg-Jackson, and Leonard oil fields as defined for proration purposes by the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission. The unit area is covered by Federal oil and gas leases owned by the Grayburg Oil Company of New Mexico and the Western Production Company, Inc. The Grayburg Unit Association has been formed and designated to conduct and manage all operations in the unit area. As of December 31, 1943, there were forty-six producing oil wells within the unit area. The report has been prepared for the purpose of assisting the Grayburg Unit Association in determining the proper locations of gas-injection wells and the best methods for future operation of the pressure-maintenance system that is being installed for the purpose of retarding the reservoir pressure decline and increasing the ultimate recovery of oil from the Grayburg Zone defined in the above-mentioned agreement as formations not more than 3300 feet below the surface. Data used in the report were obtained from records on file in the Geological Survey office at Roswell, New Mexico, and from the records of the Western Production Company and the Grayburg Oil Company. All data were carefully checked as to accuracy with engineers and field representatives of both companies.

Changing perceptions of protected area benefits and problems around Kibale National Park, Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKenzie, Catrina A; Salerno, Jonathan; Hartter, Joel; Chapman, Colin A; Reyna, Rafael; Tumusiime, David Mwesigye; Drake, Michael

2017-09-15

Local residents' changing perceptions of benefits and problems from living next to a protected area in western Uganda are assessed by comparing household survey data from 2006, 2009, and 2012. Findings are contextualized and supported by long-term data sources for tourism, protected area-based employment, tourism revenue sharing, resource access agreements, and problem animal abundance. We found decreasing perceived benefit and increasing perceived problems associated with the protected area over time, with both trends dominated by increased human-wildlife conflict due to recovering elephant numbers. Proportions of households claiming benefit from specific conservation strategies were increasing, but not enough to offset crop raiding. Ecosystem services mitigated perceptions of problems. As human and animal populations rise, wildlife authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa will be challenged to balance perceptions and adapt policies to ensure the continued existence of protected areas. Understanding the dynamic nature of local people's perceptions provides a tool to adapt protected area management plans, prioritize conservation resources, and engage local communities to support protected areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Applications of Calculus to Work, Area, and Distance Problems. [and] Atmospheric Pressure in Relation to Height and Temperature. Applications of Calculus to Atmospheric Pressure. [and] The Gradient and Some of Its Applications. Applications of Multivariate Calculus to Physics. [and] Kepler's Laws and the Inverse Square Law. Applications of Calculus to Physics. UMAP Units 323, 426, 431, 473.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstrom, Peter A.; And Others

This document consists of four units. The first of these views calculus applications to work, area, and distance problems. It is designed to help students gain experience in: 1) computing limits of Riemann sums; 2) computing definite integrals; and 3) solving elementary area, distance, and work problems by integration. The second module views…

[Pollution-ecological problems of old industrial and mining areas and future research prospects].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qixing

2005-06-01

Environmental pollution and its solicitation in ecological problems of old industrial and mining areas have become a worldwide technological puzzle restricting sustainable economic and social development. But, the definition and category of old industrial and mining areas is still disputed as an important concept. In this paper, the concept of old industrial and mining area was discussed in theory, and, proceeded with analyzing the complexity of current situation and environmental pollution problems of old industrial and mining areas in China, more keystone attention was paid to the secondary pollution problems from old industrial and mining areas as an important frontier of science. On the basis of expounding the complexity and characters of environmental pollution in old industrial and mining areas, it was suggested that as two key scientific problems in environmental sciences and ecology, the formation mechanisms and control technology of secondary pollution in old industrial and mining areas and the responses of new-type diseases to environmental pollution based on molecular ecotoxicology should be systematically studied on the national scale, and be an important component of environmental protection strategy in China in the future.

Advantages of genome sequencing by long-read sequencer using SMRT technology in medical area.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Kazuma; Shiroma, Akino; Shimoji, Makiko; Tamotsu, Hinako; Ashimine, Noriko; Ohki, Shun; Shinzato, Misuzu; Minami, Maiko; Nakanishi, Tetsuhiro; Teruya, Kuniko; Satou, Kazuhito; Hirano, Takashi

2017-07-01

PacBio RS II is the first commercialized third-generation DNA sequencer able to sequence a single molecule DNA in real-time without amplification. PacBio RS II's sequencing technology is novel and unique, enabling the direct observation of DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase. PacBio RS II confers four major advantages compared to other sequencing technologies: long read lengths, high consensus accuracy, a low degree of bias, and simultaneous capability of epigenetic characterization. These advantages surmount the obstacle of sequencing genomic regions such as high/low G+C, tandem repeat, and interspersed repeat regions. Moreover, PacBio RS II is ideal for whole genome sequencing, targeted sequencing, complex population analysis, RNA sequencing, and epigenetics characterization. With PacBio RS II, we have sequenced and analyzed the genomes of many species, from viruses to humans. Herein, we summarize and review some of our key genome sequencing projects, including full-length viral sequencing, complete bacterial genome and almost-complete plant genome assemblies, and long amplicon sequencing of a disease-associated gene region. We believe that PacBio RS II is not only an effective tool for use in the basic biological sciences but also in the medical/clinical setting.

Multi-Unit Aspects of the Pickering Generating Station

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morison, W. G. [Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd, Sheridan Park, ON (Canada)

1968-04-15

The Pickering nuclear generating station is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, about 20 miles east of the city of Toronto, Canada. The station has been planned and laid out on an eight-unit station, four units of which have now been authorized for construction. Each of these four units consists of a single heavy-water moderated and cooled CANDU-type reactor and auxiliaries coupled to a single tandem compound turbine generator with a net output of approximately 500 MW(e). The units are identical and are scheduled to come into operation at intervals of one year from 1970 to 1973. The station has been planned with central facilities for: administration maintenance laboratories, stores, change rooms, decontamination and waste management services. A common control centre, cooling water intake and discharge system, and spent fuel storage bay for four units has been arranged. A feature of the multi-unit station is a common containment system. Cost savings in building a number of identical units on the same site result from a single exclusion area, shared engineering costs, equipment purchase contracts for four identical components, and efficient use of construction plant. Operating cost savings are anticipated in the use of a common operating and maintenance staff and spare parts inventory. The plant has been arranged to minimize problems of operating, commissioning and constructing units at the same time on the same site. The layout and construction sequence have been arranged so that the first unit can be commissioned and operated with little or no interference from the construction forces working on succeeding units. During the construction phase barriers will be erected in the common control centre between operating control equipment and that being installed. Operations and construction personnel will enter the plant by separate routes and work in areas separated by physical barriers. (author)

An efficient chaos embedded hybrid approach for hydro-thermal unit commitment problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Xiaohui; Ji, Bin; Yuan, Yanbin; Ikram, Rana M.; Zhang, Xiaopan; Huang, Yuehua

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Thermal unit commitment is considered in hydrothermal generation scheduling (SHTGS). • Two newly proposed promising optimization algorithms are combined to solving SHTGS. • The proposed method is enhanced by integrating a chaotic local search strategy. • Heuristic search strategies are applied to handle the constraints of the SHTGS. • The results verify the proposed method is feasible and efficient for handling SHTGS. - Abstract: This paper establishes a model to deal with the short-term hydrothermal generation scheduling (SHTGS) problem. The problem is composed of three interconnected parts: short-term hydrothermal coordination, thermal unit commitment and economic load dispatch. An efficient hybrid method composed of chaotic backtracking search optimization algorithm and binary charged system search algorithm (CBSA–BCSS) is proposed to solve this problem. In order to analyze the effect of the chaotic map on the performance of the method, three different chaotic maps are adopted to integrate into the proposed method and the corresponding consequences are achieved. Furthermore, efficient heuristic search strategies are adopted to handle with the complicated constraints of the SHTGS system. Finally, a hydrothermal unit commitment system is utilized to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the hybrid optimization method and the appropriation of the constraint handling strategies. The comparison of the solutions achieved by different methods shows that the proposed method has higher efficiency in terms of solving SHTGS problem

Guaranteed Discrete Energy Optimization on Large Protein Design Problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Simoncini, David; Allouche, David; de Givry, Simon; Delmas, Céline; Barbe, Sophie; Schiex, Thomas

2015-12-08

In Computational Protein Design (CPD), assuming a rigid backbone and amino-acid rotamer library, the problem of finding a sequence with an optimal conformation is NP-hard. In this paper, using Dunbrack's rotamer library and Talaris2014 decomposable energy function, we use an exact deterministic method combining branch and bound, arc consistency, and tree-decomposition to provenly identify the global minimum energy sequence-conformation on full-redesign problems, defining search spaces of size up to 10(234). This is achieved on a single core of a standard computing server, requiring a maximum of 66GB RAM. A variant of the algorithm is able to exhaustively enumerate all sequence-conformations within an energy threshold of the optimum. These proven optimal solutions are then used to evaluate the frequencies and amplitudes, in energy and sequence, at which an existing CPD-dedicated simulated annealing implementation may miss the optimum on these full redesign problems. The probability of finding an optimum drops close to 0 very quickly. In the worst case, despite 1,000 repeats, the annealing algorithm remained more than 1 Rosetta unit away from the optimum, leading to design sequences that could differ from the optimal sequence by more than 30% of their amino acids.

Molecular characterization of Fasciola spp. from the endemic area of northern Iran based on nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Amor, Nabil; Halajian, Ali; Farjallah, Sarra; Merella, Paolo; Said, Khaled; Ben Slimane, Badreddine

2011-07-01

Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola spp. (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) is considered as the most important helminth infection of ruminants in tropical countries, causing considerable socioeconomic problems. In the endemic regions of the North of Iran, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica have been previously characterized on the basis of morphometric differences, but the use of molecular markers is necessary to distinguish exactly between species and intermediate forms. Samples from buffaloes and goats from different localities of northern Iran were identified morphologically and then genetically characterized by sequences of the first (ITS-1) and second (ITS-2) Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Comparison of the ITS of the northern Iranian samples with sequences of Fasciola spp. from GenBank showed that the examined specimens had sequences identical to those of the most frequent haplotypes of F. hepatica (n=25, 48.1%) and F. gigantica (n=20, 38.45%), which differed from each other in different variable nucleotide positions of ITS region sequences, and their intermediate forms (n=7, 13.45%), which had nucleotides overlapped between the two Fasciola species in all the positions. The ITS sequences from populations of Fasciola isolates in buffaloes and goats had experienced introgression/hybridization as previously reported in isolates from other ruminants and humans. Based on ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences, flukes are scattered in pure F. hepatica, F. gigantica and intermediate Fasciola clades, revealing that multiple genotypes of Fasciola are able to infect goats and buffaloes in North of Iran. Furthermore, the phylogenetic trees based upon the ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences showed a close relationship of the Iranian samples with isolates of F. hepatica and F. gigantica from different localities of Africa and Asia. In the present study, the intergenic transcribed spacers ITS-1 and ITS-2 showed to be reliable approaches for the genetic

Stage-related behavioural problems in the 1-4 year old child: parental expectations in a child development unit referral group compared with a control group.

Science.gov (United States)

Ticehurst, R L; Henry, R L

1989-02-01

Behavioural problems in preschool (1-4 years) children are a common cause of referral to health services. Parents of children presenting to the child development unit with behavioural problems (n = 18) were compared with a control group (n = 45). A questionnaire was utilized to examine the parents' expectations of the children's behaviours. As might be expected, the parents of children presenting to the Unit rated their children as having more difficult behaviours. These parents had unrealistic expectations, particularly for the 'negative' behaviours (disobedience, temper tantrums, defiance and whinging). However, they were able to anticipate normal age-related difficulties in some problem areas (dawdling during mealtimes, masturbating, not sharing toys and being jealous of one's siblings). Counselling should address the issue of matching the expectations of parents with the individual rates of development of their children.

Optical properties of amorphous silicon: Some problem areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravindra, N.M.; Chelle, F. de; Ance, C.; Ferraton, J.P.; Berger, J.M.; Coulibaly, S.P.

1983-08-01

In this presentation we essentially attempt to throw light on some problem areas concerning the various optical properties of amorphous silicon. The problems seem to emerge from the classical methods employed to determine the optical properties like the optical gap, urbach tail parameter and other related characteristics. Additional problems have emerged in recent years by virtue of many attempts to generalize the property-behaviour relationships for amorphous silicon without attributing any importance to the method of preparation of the films. It should be noted here that although many authors believe disorder to be the controlling parameter, we are of the opinion that at least for films containing fairly large concentrations of hydrogen, the hydrogen concentration has an equally important role to play. The present study has been carried out for films prepared by glow-discharge and chemical vapour deposition. (author)

Flow area optimization in point to area or area to point flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghodoossi, Lotfollah; Egrican, Niluefer

2003-01-01

This paper deals with the constructal theory of generation of shape and structure in flow systems connecting one point to a finite size area. The flow direction may be either from the point to the area or the area to the point. The formulation of the problem remains the same if the flow direction is reversed. Two models are used in optimization of the point to area or area to point flow problem: cost minimization and revenue maximization. The cost minimization model enables one to predict the shape of the optimized flow areas, but the geometric sizes of the flow areas are not predictable. That is, as an example, if the area of flow is a rectangle with a fixed area size, optimization of the point to area or area to point flow problem by using the cost minimization model will only predict the height/length ratio of the rectangle not the height and length itself. By using the revenue maximization model in optimization of the flow problems, all optimized geometric aspects of the interested flow areas will be derived as well. The aim of this paper is to optimize the point to area or area to point flow problems in various elemental flow area shapes and various structures of the flow system (various combinations of elemental flow areas) by using the revenue maximization model. The elemental flow area shapes used in this paper are either rectangular or triangular. The forms of the flow area structure, made up of an assembly of optimized elemental flow areas to obtain bigger flow areas, are rectangle-in-rectangle, rectangle-in-triangle, triangle-in-triangle and triangle-in-rectangle. The global maximum revenue, revenue collected per unit flow area and the shape and sizes of each flow area structure have been derived in optimized conditions. The results for each flow area structure have been compared with the results of the other structures to determine the structure that provides better performance. The conclusion is that the rectangle-in-triangle flow area structure

Large-area landslide susceptibility with optimized slope-units

Science.gov (United States)

Alvioli, Massimiliano; Marchesini, Ivan; Reichenbach, Paola; Rossi, Mauro; Ardizzone, Francesca; Fiorucci, Federica; Guzzetti, Fausto

2017-04-01

A Slope-Unit (SU) is a type of morphological terrain unit bounded by drainage and divide lines that maximize the within-unit homogeneity and the between-unit heterogeneity across distinct physical and geographical boundaries [1]. Compared to other terrain subdivisions, SU are morphological terrain unit well related to the natural (i.e., geological, geomorphological, hydrological) processes that shape and characterize natural slopes. This makes SU easily recognizable in the field or in topographic base maps, and well suited for environmental and geomorphological analysis, in particular for landslide susceptibility (LS) modelling. An optimal subdivision of an area into a set of SU depends on multiple factors: size and complexity of the study area, quality and resolution of the available terrain elevation data, purpose of the terrain subdivision, scale and resolution of the phenomena for which SU are delineated. We use the recently developed r.slopeunits software [2,3] for the automatic, parametric delineation of SU within the open source GRASS GIS based on terrain elevation data and a small number of user-defined parameters. The software provides subdivisions consisting of SU with different shapes and sizes, as a function of the input parameters. In this work, we describe a procedure for the optimal selection of the user parameters through the production of a large number of realizations of the LS model. We tested the software and the optimization procedure in a 2,000 km2 area in Umbria, Central Italy. For LS zonation we adopt a logistic regression model implemented in an well-known software [4,5], using about 50 independent variables. To select the optimal SU partition for LS zonation, we want to define a metric which is able to quantify simultaneously: (i) slope-unit internal homogeneity (ii) slope-unit external heterogeneity (iii) landslide susceptibility model performance. To this end, we define a comprehensive objective function S, as the product of three

Hybrid Pareto artificial bee colony algorithm for multi-objective single machine group scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times and learning effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Lei; Guan, Zailin; Saif, Ullah; Zhang, Fei; Wang, Hao

2016-01-01

Group scheduling is significant for efficient and cost effective production system. However, there exist setup times between the groups, which require to decrease it by sequencing groups in an efficient way. Current research is focused on a sequence dependent group scheduling problem with an aim to minimize the makespan in addition to minimize the total weighted tardiness simultaneously. In most of the production scheduling problems, the processing time of jobs is assumed as fixed. However, the actual processing time of jobs may be reduced due to "learning effect". The integration of sequence dependent group scheduling problem with learning effects has been rarely considered in literature. Therefore, current research considers a single machine group scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup times and learning effects simultaneously. A novel hybrid Pareto artificial bee colony algorithm (HPABC) with some steps of genetic algorithm is proposed for current problem to get Pareto solutions. Furthermore, five different sizes of test problems (small, small medium, medium, large medium, large) are tested using proposed HPABC. Taguchi method is used to tune the effective parameters of the proposed HPABC for each problem category. The performance of HPABC is compared with three famous multi objective optimization algorithms, improved strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm (SPEA2), non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGAII) and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO). Results indicate that HPABC outperforms SPEA2, NSGAII and PSO and gives better Pareto optimal solutions in terms of diversity and quality for almost all the instances of the different sizes of problems.

Integrating the sequence dependent setup time open shop problem and preventive maintenance policies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Naboureh

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In most industrial environments, it is usually considered that machines are accessible throughout the planning horizon, but in real situation, machines may be unavailable due to a scheduled preventive maintenance where the periods of unavailability are known in advance. The main idea of this paper is to consider different preventive maintenance policies on machines regarding open shop scheduling problem (OSSP with sequence dependent setup times (SDST using immune algorithm. The preventive maintenance (PM policies are planned for maximizing availability of machines or keeping minimum level of reliability through the production horizon. The objective function of the paper is to minimize makespan. In total, the proposed algorithm extensively is compared with six adaptations of existing heuristic and meta-heuristic methods for the problem through data sets from benchmarks based on Taillard’s instances with some adjustments. The results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other algorithms for this problem.

Restriction techniques for the unit-commitment problem with total procurement costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaleta, Mariusz; Toczylowski, Eugeniusz

2008-01-01

Many discrete optimization problems may be solved much easier, if the solution space can be restricted in a convenient way. For a given specific problem, the restriction techniques can be helpful if an available optimization solver, perceived as a black box, is capable of solving quickly only reduced subproblems of a limited size. For the family of hard unit-commitment problems we investigate a hierarchical search algorithm, which is based on decomposition of the problem into two subproblems. The upper-level subproblem is a relatively small decision 'kernel' of the problem that can be solved approximately by a search algorithm. We define an appropriate restricted decision space for this subproblem. The lower-level subproblem is an appropriate restriction of the original problem that can be solved efficiently by a dedicated solver. Our approach was analyzed on a set of historical data from the Polish electrical balancing market and the best known solutions were improved by the average of about 2-5%

Solving a problem of establishing a connection between post offices in the area of a city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biljana GRGUROVIC

2015-03-01

Full Text Available According to The General Plan of Post Network and in accordance with the criteria for opening branches of postal services for customers numerous postal offices which perform delivery services are located on the territory of every large city area. In case of using the system for combined decentralization one of the offices is assigned the role of the central deliverance post office. If the central office cannot be connected to some other unit directly, their connection is realized through one or more other units which are located in between them. Aside from the idea of the most economical management, the organization of postal offices is limited by some other actors, from the number of available vehicles, their capacity, to the question of the place and time of realizing a transaction. This paper provides information about how the money-saving algorithm for solving the problem of time interval routing can be used in a suitable way in these situations as well.

An optimum analysis sequence for environmental gamma-ray spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De la Torre, F.; Rios M, C.; Ruvalcaba A, M. G.; Mireles G, F.; Saucedo A, S.; Davila R, I.; Pinedo, J. L.

2010-10-01

This work aims to obtain an optimum analysis sequence for environmental gamma-ray spectroscopy by means of Genie 2000 (Canberra). Twenty different analysis sequences were customized using different peak area percentages and different algorithms for: 1) peak finding, and 2) peak area determination, and with or without the use of a library -based on evaluated nuclear data- of common gamma-ray emitters in environmental samples. The use of an optimum analysis sequence with certified nuclear information avoids the problems originated by the significant variations in out-of-date nuclear parameters of commercial software libraries. Interference-free gamma ray energies with absolute emission probabilities greater than 3.75% were included in the customized library. The gamma-ray spectroscopy system (based on a Ge Re-3522 Canberra detector) was calibrated both in energy and shape by means of the IAEA-2002 reference spectra for software intercomparison. To test the performance of the analysis sequences, the IAEA-2002 reference spectrum was used. The z-score and the reduced χ 2 criteria were used to determine the optimum analysis sequence. The results show an appreciable variation in the peak area determinations and their corresponding uncertainties. Particularly, the combination of second derivative peak locate with simple peak area integration algorithms provides the greater accuracy. Lower accuracy comes from the combination of library directed peak locate algorithm and Genie's Gamma-M peak area determination. (Author)

Application of enhanced discrete differential evolution approach to unit commitment problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Xiaohui; Su Anjun; Nie Hao; Yuan Yanbin; Wang Liang

2009-01-01

This paper proposes a discrete binary differential evolution (DBDE) approach to solve the unit commitment problem (UCP). The proposed method is enhanced by priority list based on the unit characteristics and heuristic search strategies to handle constraints effectively. The implementation of the proposed method for UCP consists of three stages. Firstly, the DBDE based on priority list is applied for unit scheduling when neglecting the minimum up/down time constraints. Secondly, repairing strategies are used to handle the minimum up/down time constraints and decommit excess spinning reserve units. Finally, heuristic unit substitution search and gray zone modification algorithm are used to improve optimal solution further. Furthermore, the effects of two crucial parameters on performance of the DBDE for solving UCP are studied as well. To verify the advantages of the method, the proposed method is tested and compared to the other methods on the systems with the number of units in the range of 10-100. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to other methods reported in the literature.

The role of human parietal area 7A as a link between sequencing in hand actions and in overt speech production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan eHeim

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Research on the evolutionary basis of the human language faculty has proposed the mirror neuron system as a link between motor processing and speech development. Consequently, most work has focussed on the left inferior frontal cortex, in particular Broca's region, and the left inferior parietal cortex. However, the direct link between planning of hand motor and speech actions remains to be elucidated. Thus, the present study investigated whether sequencing of hand motor actions vs. speech motor actions has a common neural denominator. For the hand motor task, 25 subjects performed single, repeated, or sequenced button presses with either the left or right hand. The speech task was in analogy; the same subjects produced the syllable "po" once or repeatedly, or a sequence of different syllables (po-pi-po. Speech motor vs. hand motor effectors resulted in increased perisylvian activation including Broca's region (left area 44 and areas medially adjacent to left area 45. In contrast, common activation for sequenced vs. repeated production of button presses and syllables revealed the effector-independent involvement of left area 7A in the superior parietal lobule (SPL in sequencing. These data demonstrate that sequencing of vocal gestures, an important precondition for ordered utterances and ultimately human speech, shares area 7A, rather than inferior parietal regions, as a common cortical module with hand motor sequencing. Interestingly, area 7A has previously also been shown to be involved in the observation of hand and non-hand actions. In combination with the literature, the present data thus suggest a distinction between area 44, which is specifically recruited for (cognitive aspects of speech, and SPL area 7A for general aspects of motor sequencing. In sum, the study demonstrates a yet little considered role of the superior parietal lobule in the origins of speech, and may be discussed in the light of embodiment of speech and language in the

[Problem areas and examples of best practice in intersectoral medication treatment--a literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrmann, Lena; Ollenschläger, Günter

2014-01-01

Transitions between the outpatient and inpatient sector are a critical phase in medication treatment. This article provides an overview of published problem areas and examples of best practice in the intersectoral medication treatment. Data with regard to related problem areas and examples of best practice was collected in August 2011 by a systematic literature research. The relevant literature was identified using the following databases and search engines: MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google, and Google Scholar. Additionally, a hand search was done on the websites of SpringerLink and Thieme Connect. The initial search yielded a total of 4,409 records which were further selected in two screening steps and analysed according to their relevance. Of the remaining 63 records, 3 exclusively described problem areas, 11 of them examples of best practice, and 49 provided information on both problem areas and examples of best practice with regard to intersectoral medication treatment. Among other things, problem areas include varying legal regulations in inpatient and outpatient medication treatment, drug therapy interruptions after hospital discharge, or deficits in communication and continuity of care. Examples of best practice are projects, programmes, initiatives, recommendations, and points to consider with respect to medication reconciliation, pharmaceutical support, or transitions of care. Problem areas as well as examples of best practice are mainly focused on the transition from inpatient to outpatient care. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Closure plan for the Test Area North-726 chromate water storage and Test Area North-726A chromate treatment units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, P.J.; Van Brunt, K.M.

1992-11-01

This document describes the proposed plan for closure of the Test Area North-726 chromate water storage and Test Area North-726A chromate treatment units at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act interim status closure requirements. The location, size, capacity, and history of the units are described, and their current status is discussed. The units will be closed by treating remaining waste in storage, followed by thorough decontamination of the systems. Sufficient sampling and analysis, and documentation of all activities will be performed to demonstrate clean closure

Problem area descriptions : motor vehicle crashes - data analysis and IVI program analysis

Science.gov (United States)

In general, the IVI program focuses on the more significant safety problem categories as : indicated by statistical analyses of crash data. However, other factors were considered in setting : program priorities and schedules. For some problem areas, ...

An evolutionary programming based simulated annealing method for solving the unit commitment problem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christober Asir Rajan, C. [Department of EEE, Pondicherry Engineering College, Pondicherry 605014 (India); Mohan, M.R. [Department of EEE, Anna University, Chennai 600 025 (India)

2007-09-15

This paper presents a new approach to solve the short-term unit commitment problem using an evolutionary programming based simulated annealing method. The objective of this paper is to find the generation scheduling such that the total operating cost can be minimized, when subjected to a variety of constraints. This also means that it is desirable to find the optimal generating unit commitment in the power system for the next H hours. Evolutionary programming, which happens to be a global optimisation technique for solving unit commitment Problem, operates on a system, which is designed to encode each unit's operating schedule with regard to its minimum up/down time. In this, the unit commitment schedule is coded as a string of symbols. An initial population of parent solutions is generated at random. Here, each schedule is formed by committing all the units according to their initial status (''flat start''). Here the parents are obtained from a pre-defined set of solution's, i.e. each and every solution is adjusted to meet the requirements. Then, a random recommitment is carried out with respect to the unit's minimum down times. And SA improves the status. The best population is selected by evolutionary strategy. The Neyveli Thermal Power Station (NTPS) Unit-II in India demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach; extensive studies have also been performed for different power systems consists of 10, 26, 34 generating units. Numerical results are shown comparing the cost solutions and computation time obtained by using the Evolutionary Programming method and other conventional methods like Dynamic Programming, Lagrangian Relaxation and Simulated Annealing and Tabu Search in reaching proper unit commitment. (author)

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 110: Areas 3 RWMS U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. L. Smith

2001-08-01

This Closure Report (CR) has been prepared for the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 110 in accordance with the reissued (November 2000) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B operational permit NEV HW009 (Nevada Division of Environmental Protection [NDEP], 2000) and the Federal Facility and Consent Order (FFACO) (NDEP et al., 1996). CAU 110 consists of one Corrective Action Site 03-23-04, described as the U-3ax/bl Subsidence Crater. Certifications of closure are located in Appendix A. The U-3ax/bl is a historic disposal unit within the Area 3 RWMS located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The unit, which was formed by excavating the area between two subsidence craters (U-3ax and U-3bl), was operationally closed in 1987. The U-3ax/bl disposal unit was closed under the RCRA, as a hazardous waste landfill. Existing records indicate that, from July 1968 to December 1987, U-3ax/bl received 2.3 x 10{sup 5} cubic meters (m{sup 3}) (8.12 x 10{sup 6} cubic feet [ft{sup 3}]) of waste. NTS atmospheric nuclear device testing generated approximately 95% of the total waste volume disposed of in U-3ax/bl; 80% of the total volume was generated from the Waste Consolidation Project. Area 3 is located in Yucca Flat, within the northeast quadrant of the NTS. The Yucca Flat watershed is a structurally closed basin encompassing an area of approximately 780 square kilometers (300 square miles). The structural geomorphology of Yucca Flat is typical of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. Yucca Flat lies in one of the most arid regions of the country. Water balance calculations for Area 3 indicate that it is normally in a state of moisture deficit.

Crude incompatibility problems at heavy crude unit desalter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirmani, Z.; Khurshid, A.; Alam, N.; Gul, S.; Ahmed, N.

2009-01-01

Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) is based at Rawalpindi, Pakistan and operates a 40,000 Barrels per Stream Day (BPSD) refinery. The Heavy Crude Unit (HCU) of ARL is a fully integrated two-stage 10,000 BPSD Atmospheric and 5,700 BPSD Vacuum Distillation Unit. A 3-stage desalter designed to reduce salt and BS and W content from 2,000 parts per thousand barrels (PTB) and 2% to less than 5 PTB and 0.1% respectively, is part of HCU. The feedstock is a composite blend of 14 local Heavy Crudes received at the Refinery. Although in the past this desalter had been giving good performance, over the last one year, period since August 2005, at least nine shutdowns of the unit took place due to salt slippage and consequential tube leakages at the overhead Crude-Naphtha vapor Heat Exchanger where partial condensation of naphtha takes place. Final condensation is achieved in trim condenser. High salted water carry-over with the crude caused increased hydrolysis, formation of Hydrochloric acid and increase of tail water chlorides. Salt contents at the outlet of third desalter at times increased up to 400 PTB with 3.2% BS and W during the above mentioned upsets, as compared to normal 5-10 PTB. Fallout from this loss of desalter control was the creation of large quantities of slop due to draining of strong water oil emulsion from the desalters. Individual crudes of the blend were analyzed for affinity of water and emulsion stability. It was observed that 3 of the 14 crudes formed very strong while the remaining crudes formed weak oil water emulsion, which easily separated water from oil in desalter without any operational problem. Study was further narrowed down to one crude evaluation. Alkaline earth metallic naphthenate surfactants were detected and isolated as responsible for the strong water oil and sediments emulsion. The isolated crude was next withdrawn from the Heavy Crude blend. As soon as it was isolated and its ratio in heavy crude tank came down to 0.7 %, the problem began

Potential Indoor Worker Exposure From Handling Area Leakage: Example Event Sequence Frequency Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benke, Roland R.; Adams, George R.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently considering design options for the facilities that will handle spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at the potential nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The license application must demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 63, which include occupational dose limits from 10 CFR Part 20. If DOE submits a license application under 10 CFR Part 63, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will conduct a risk-informed, performance-based review of the DOE license application and its preclosure safety analysis, in which in-depth technical evaluations are focused on technical areas that are significant to preclosure safety and risk. As part of pre-licensing activities, the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) developed the Preclosure Safety Analysis Tool software to aid in the regulatory review of a DOE license application and support any independent confirmatory assessments that may be needed. Recent DOE information indicates a primarily canister-based handling approach that includes the wet transfer of individual assemblies where Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems may be relied on to provide confinement and limit the spread of any airborne radioactive material from handling operations. Workers may be involved in manual and remote operations in handling transportation casks, canisters, waste packages, or bare spent nuclear fuel assemblies inside facility buildings. As part of routine operations within these facilities, radioactive material may potentially become airborne if canisters are opened or bare fuel assemblies are handled. Leakage of contaminated air from the handling area into adjacent occupied areas, therefore, represents a potential radiological exposure pathway for indoor workers. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate modeling capabilities that can be used by the regulator to estimate frequencies of

Addressing Cultural Diversity: Effects of a Problem-Based Intercultural Learning Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Busse, Vera; Krause, Ulrike-Marie

2015-01-01

This article explores to what extent a problem-based learning unit in combination with cooperative learning and affectively oriented teaching methods facilitates intercultural learning. As part of the study, students reflected on critical incidents, which display misunderstandings or conflicts that arise as a result of cultural differences. In…

31 CFR 585.524 - Humanitarian aid and trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina controlled by... Humanitarian aid and trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of... in the Republic of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the...

Study on Quantification for Multi-unit Seismic PSA Model using Monte Carlo Sampling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyemin; Han, Sang Hoon; Jang, Seung-cheol; Park, Jin Hee; Lim, Ho-Gon; Yang, Joon Eon; Heo, Gyunyoung

2015-01-01

In existing PSA, frequency for accident sequences occurred in single-unit has been estimated. While multi-unit PSA has to consider various combinations because accident sequence in each units can be different. However, it is difficult to quantify all of combination between inter-units using traditional method such as Minimal Cut Upper Bound (MCUB). For this reason, we used Monte Carlo sampling as a method to quantify multi-unit PSA model. In this paper, Monte Carlo method was used to quantify multi-unit PSA model. The advantage of this method is to consider all of combinations by the increase of number of unit and to calculate nearly exact value compared to other method. However, it is difficult to get detailed information such as minimal cut sets and accident sequence. To solve partially this problem, FTeMC was modified. In multi-unit PSA, quantification for both internal and external multi-unit accidents is the significant issue. Although our result above mentioned was one of the case studies to check application of method suggested in this paper, it is expected that this method can be used in practical assessment for multi-unit risk

Solving optimum operation of single pump unit problem with ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Y; Liu, C

2012-01-01

For pumping stations, the effective scheduling of daily pump operations from solutions to the optimum design operation problem is one of the greatest potential areas for energy cost-savings, there are some difficulties in solving this problem with traditional optimization methods due to the multimodality of the solution region. In this case, an ACO model for optimum operation of pumping unit is proposed and the solution method by ants searching is presented by rationally setting the object function and constrained conditions. A weighted directed graph was constructed and feasible solutions may be found by iteratively searching of artificial ants, and then the optimal solution can be obtained by applying the rule of state transition and the pheromone updating. An example calculation was conducted and the minimum cost was found as 4.9979. The result of ant colony algorithm was compared with the result from dynamic programming or evolutionary solving method in commercial software under the same discrete condition. The result of ACO is better and the computing time is shorter which indicates that ACO algorithm can provide a high application value to the field of optimal operation of pumping stations and related fields.

The use of mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit typing and whole genome sequencing to inform tuberculosis prevention and control activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, Gwendolyn L; Sintchenko, Vitali

2013-07-01

Molecular strain typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been possible for only about 20 years; it has significantly improved our understanding of the evolution and epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and tuberculosis disease. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit typing, based on 24 variable number tandem repeat unit loci, is highly discriminatory, relatively easy to perform and interpret and is currently the most widely used molecular typing system for tuberculosis surveillance. Nevertheless, clusters identified by mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit typing sometimes cannot be confirmed or adequately defined by contact tracing and additional methods are needed. Recently, whole genome sequencing has been used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms and other mutations, between genotypically indistinguishable isolates from the same cluster, to more accurately trace transmission pathways. Rapidly increasing speed and quality and reduced costs will soon make large scale whole genome sequencing feasible, combined with the use of sophisticated bioinformatics tools, for epidemiological surveillance of tuberculosis.

Workshop on problem areas associated with developing carcinogen guidelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1984-06-01

A workshop was conducted to discuss problem areas associated with developing carcinogen guidelines. Session topics included (1) definition of a carcinogen for regulatory purposes; (2) potency; (3) risk assessment; (4) uncertainties; (5) de minimis quantity; and (6) legal and regulatory issues. Separate abstracts have been prepared for individual papers. (ACR)

An optimum analysis sequence for environmental gamma-ray spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De la Torre, F.; Rios M, C.; Ruvalcaba A, M. G.; Mireles G, F.; Saucedo A, S.; Davila R, I.; Pinedo, J. L., E-mail: fta777@hotmail.co [Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Centro Regional de Estudis Nucleares, Calle Cipres No. 10, Fracc. La Penuela, 98068 Zacatecas (Mexico)

2010-10-15

This work aims to obtain an optimum analysis sequence for environmental gamma-ray spectroscopy by means of Genie 2000 (Canberra). Twenty different analysis sequences were customized using different peak area percentages and different algorithms for: 1) peak finding, and 2) peak area determination, and with or without the use of a library -based on evaluated nuclear data- of common gamma-ray emitters in environmental samples. The use of an optimum analysis sequence with certified nuclear information avoids the problems originated by the significant variations in out-of-date nuclear parameters of commercial software libraries. Interference-free gamma ray energies with absolute emission probabilities greater than 3.75% were included in the customized library. The gamma-ray spectroscopy system (based on a Ge Re-3522 Canberra detector) was calibrated both in energy and shape by means of the IAEA-2002 reference spectra for software intercomparison. To test the performance of the analysis sequences, the IAEA-2002 reference spectrum was used. The z-score and the reduced {chi}{sup 2} criteria were used to determine the optimum analysis sequence. The results show an appreciable variation in the peak area determinations and their corresponding uncertainties. Particularly, the combination of second derivative peak locate with simple peak area integration algorithms provides the greater accuracy. Lower accuracy comes from the combination of library directed peak locate algorithm and Genie's Gamma-M peak area determination. (Author)

Adaptive Processing for Sequence Alignment

KAUST Repository

Zidan, Mohammed A.; Bonny, Talal; Salama, Khaled N.

2012-01-01

Disclosed are various embodiments for adaptive processing for sequence alignment. In one embodiment, among others, a method includes obtaining a query sequence and a plurality of database sequences. A first portion of the plurality of database sequences is distributed to a central processing unit (CPU) and a second portion of the plurality of database sequences is distributed to a graphical processing unit (GPU) based upon a predetermined splitting ratio associated with the plurality of database sequences, where the database sequences of the first portion are shorter than the database sequences of the second portion. A first alignment score for the query sequence is determined with the CPU based upon the first portion of the plurality of database sequences and a second alignment score for the query sequence is determined with the GPU based upon the second portion of the plurality of database sequences.

Adaptive Processing for Sequence Alignment

KAUST Repository

Zidan, Mohammed A.

2012-01-26

Disclosed are various embodiments for adaptive processing for sequence alignment. In one embodiment, among others, a method includes obtaining a query sequence and a plurality of database sequences. A first portion of the plurality of database sequences is distributed to a central processing unit (CPU) and a second portion of the plurality of database sequences is distributed to a graphical processing unit (GPU) based upon a predetermined splitting ratio associated with the plurality of database sequences, where the database sequences of the first portion are shorter than the database sequences of the second portion. A first alignment score for the query sequence is determined with the CPU based upon the first portion of the plurality of database sequences and a second alignment score for the query sequence is determined with the GPU based upon the second portion of the plurality of database sequences.

An Efficient Robust Solution to the Two-Stage Stochastic Unit Commitment Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blanco, Ignacio; Morales González, Juan Miguel

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a reformulation of the scenario-based two-stage unitcommitment problem under uncertainty that allows finding unit-commitment plansthat perform reasonably well both in expectation and for the worst caserealization of the uncertainties. The proposed reformulation is based onpart...

Train shunting at a workshop area

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Per Munk; Pisinger, David

2011-01-01

We consider the problem of planning the shunting of train units at a railway workshop area. Before and after the maintenance check, a train unit is parked at a depository track. The problem is to schedule the trains to workshops and depot tracks in order to complete the repairs as soon as possibl....... It turns out, that both GLS and SA find within a few minutes solutions that are a few percent from the best MIP solution found....

Multi-area unit commitment with ramp-rate limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, C.; Shahidehpour, S.M.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that there are two tasks considered in power system generation scheduling. One is the unit commitment which determines the unit start up and shut down schedules in order to minimize the system fuel expenditure. The other is the economic dispatch which assigns the system load demand to the committed generating units for minimizing the power generation cost. The economic operation attracts a great deal of attention as a modest reduction in percentage fuel cost leads to a large saving in the system operation costs. Many studies for power system generation scheduling have successfully applied various mathematical algorithms such as Lagrangian relaxation, dynamic programming, and artificial intelligence techniques e.g., expert systems, artificial neural networks (ANN), etc. The AI techniques have incorporated the system practical operational policies in the mathematical techniques to improve system models considerably. The mechanism of ANN simulates the learning process of the human brain. One class of ANN learns the knowledge through examples, or training facts, composed by various inputs and their corresponding outputs. The extent of the intelligibility of ANN depends upon the diversity of the training facts. For an input which is not in the training facts, the trained ANN can estimate an output based on its previous knowledge about the problem

Space and time sequence and mosaicism of neurogenesis in hippocampal area CA1 in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazarevskaya, G.D.; Reznikov, K. Yu.

1986-01-01

The study of the times and sequence of neuron formation in various structures of the mammalian brain has made substantial progress thanks to the use of autoradiographic techniques, by which the germinative precursors of neurons can be tagged with tritium-thymidine and the subsequent fate of the labeled cells can be followed. The authors study the space and time sequence of neuron formation and look for the presence of mosaicism of neurogenesis in area CA1 of Ammon's horn of the mouse hippocampus, one of the most regularly arranged hippocampal areas. An analysis of the distribution of intensively labeled neurons in areas CA1 showed the presence of groups of intensively labeled neurons alternating with unlabeled and weakly labeled cells.. Mice receiving tritium-thymidine on the 13th-16th day of embryogenesis were most marked when the isotope was injected on the 14th-15th day of embroygeneisis. The investigation showed that a mosaic pattern of neurogenesis exists in the hippocampus, just as in the neocortex, and it can be regarded as the result of asynchronous production of neurons by local areas of the germinative zone, each of which constructs a radial segment of cortex

HIV in Predominantly Rural Areas of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, H. Irene; Li, Jianmin; McKenna, Matthew T.

2005-01-01

Background: The burden of HIV/AIDS has not been described for certain rural areas of the United States (Appalachia, the Southeast Region, the Mississippi Delta, and the US-Mexico Border), where barriers to receiving HIV services include rural residence, poverty, unemployment, and lack of education. Methods: We used data from Centers for Disease…

Transuranic Storage Area (TSA)-3 container storage unit RCRA closure plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barry, G.A.; Lodman, D.L.; Spry, M.J.; Poor, K.J.

1992-11-01

This document describes the proposed plan for closure of the Transuranic Storage Area (TSA)-3 container storage unit at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act closure requirements. The location, size, capacity, history, and current status of the unit are described. The unit will be closed by decontaminating structures and equipment that may have contacted waste. Sufficient sampling and documentation of all activities will be performed to demonstrate clean closure. A tentative schedule is provided in the form of a milestone chart

A Hybrid Metaheuristic Approach for Minimizing the Total Flow Time in A Flow Shop Sequence Dependent Group Scheduling Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Costa

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Production processes in Cellular Manufacturing Systems (CMS often involve groups of parts sharing the same technological requirements in terms of tooling and setup. The issue of scheduling such parts through a flow-shop production layout is known as the Flow-Shop Group Scheduling (FSGS problem or, whether setup times are sequence-dependent, the Flow-Shop Sequence-Dependent Group Scheduling (FSDGS problem. This paper addresses the FSDGS issue, proposing a hybrid metaheuristic procedure integrating features from Genetic Algorithms (GAs and Biased Random Sampling (BRS search techniques with the aim of minimizing the total flow time, i.e., the sum of completion times of all jobs. A well-known benchmark of test cases, entailing problems with two, three, and six machines, is employed for both tuning the relevant parameters of the developed procedure and assessing its performances against two metaheuristic algorithms recently presented by literature. The obtained results and a properly arranged ANOVA analysis highlight the superiority of the proposed approach in tackling the scheduling problem under investigation.

A next-generation sequencing method for overcoming the multiple gene copy problem in polyploid phylogenetics, applied to Poa grasses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robin Charles

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Polyploidy is important from a phylogenetic perspective because of its immense past impact on evolution and its potential future impact on diversification, survival and adaptation, especially in plants. Molecular population genetics studies of polyploid organisms have been difficult because of problems in sequencing multiple-copy nuclear genes using Sanger sequencing. This paper describes a method for sequencing a barcoded mixture of targeted gene regions using next-generation sequencing methods to overcome these problems. Results Using 64 3-bp barcodes, we successfully sequenced three chloroplast and two nuclear gene regions (each of which contained two gene copies with up to two alleles per individual in a total of 60 individuals across 11 species of Australian Poa grasses. This method had high replicability, a low sequencing error rate (after appropriate quality control and a low rate of missing data. Eighty-eight percent of the 320 gene/individual combinations produced sequence reads, and >80% of individuals produced sufficient reads to detect all four possible nuclear alleles of the homeologous nuclear loci with 95% probability. We applied this method to a group of sympatric Australian alpine Poa species, which we discovered to share an allopolyploid ancestor with a group of American Poa species. All markers revealed extensive allele sharing among the Australian species and so we recommend that the current taxonomy be re-examined. We also detected hypermutation in the trnH-psbA marker, suggesting it should not be used as a land plant barcode region. Some markers indicated differentiation between Tasmanian and mainland samples. Significant positive spatial genetic structure was detected at Conclusions Our results demonstrate that 454 sequencing of barcoded amplicon mixtures can be used to reliably sample all alleles of homeologous loci in polyploid species and successfully investigate phylogenetic relationships among

A Comparative Study of Three Different Mathematical Methods for Solving the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Kurban

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The unit commitment (UC problem which is an important subject in power system engineering is solved by using Lagragian relaxation (LR, penalty function (PF, and augmented Lagrangian penalty function (ALPF methods due to their higher solution quality and faster computational time than metaheuristic approaches. This problem is considered to be a nonlinear programming-(NP- hard problem because it is nonlinear, mixed-integer, and nonconvex. These three methods used for solving the problem are based on dual optimization techniques. ALPF method which combines the algorithmic aspects of both LR and PF methods is firstly used for solving the UC problem. These methods are compared to each other based on feasible schedule for each stage, feasible cost, dual cost, duality gap, duration time, and number of iterations. The numerical results show that the ALPF method gives the best duality gap, feasible and dual cost instead of worse duration time and the number of iterations. The four-unit Tuncbilek thermal plant which is located in Kutahya region in Turkey is chosen as a test system in this study. The programs used for all the analyses are coded and implemented using general algebraic modeling system (GAMS.

Disentangling neighbourhood problems: Area-based interventions in Western European cities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gent, W.P.C.; Musterd, S.; Ostendorf, W.

2009-01-01

Urban policies in Western Europe have increasingly taken a territorial focus in addressing social problems through area-based initiatives (ABIs). Policy discourses emphasise the role of the residential environment in the social economic deprivation. However, a territorial focus that tackles both

Interpersonal Problem Areas and Alexithymia in Adolescent Girls with Loss of Control Eating

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Sarah Shafer; Elliott, Camden; Ranzenhofer, Lisa M.; Shomaker, Lauren B.; Hannallah, Louise; Field, Sara E.; Young, Jami F.; Sbrocco, Tracy; Wilfley, Denise E.; Yanovski, Jack A.; Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian

2014-01-01

This study investigated the links among interpersonal problem areas, depression, and alexithymia in adolescent girls at high-risk for excessive weight gain and binge eating disorder. Participants were 56 girls (Mage = 14.30, SD = 1.56; 53% non-Hispanic White) with a body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) between the 75th and 97th percentiles (MBMI-z = 1.57, SD = 0.32). By design, all participants reported loss of control eating patterns in the past month. Adolescents were individually interviewed prior to participating in a group interpersonal psychotherapy obesity and eating disorder prevention program, termed IPT for the prevention of excessive weight gain (IPT-WG). Participants’ interpersonal problem areas were coded by trained raters. Participants also completed questionnaires assessing depression and alexithymia. Primary interpersonal problem areas were categorized as interpersonal deficits (as defined in the eating disorders (ED) literature) (n = 29), role disputes (n = 22), or role transitions (n = 5). Girls with interpersonal deficits-ED had greater depressive symptoms and alexithymia than girls with role disputes (ps ≤ 0.01). However, girls with role transitions did not differ from girls with interpersonal deficits-ED or role disputes. Interpersonal problem area had an indirect association with depression via alexithymia; interpersonal deficits-ED were related to greater alexithymia, which in turn, was related to greater depressive symptoms (p = 0.01). Among girls at-risk for excess weight gain and eating disorders, those with interpersonal deficits-ED appear to have greater distress as compared to girls with role disputes or role transitions. Future research is required to elucidate the impact of interpersonal problem areas on psychotherapy outcomes. PMID:24139852

A new modified artificial bee colony algorithm for the economic dispatch problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Secui, Dinu Calin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A new modified ABC algorithm (MABC) is proposed to solve the EcD/EmD problem. • Valve-point effects, ramp-rate limits, POZ, transmission losses were considered. • The algorithm is tested on four systems having 6, 13, 40 and 52 thermal units. • MABC algorithm outperforms several optimization techniques. - Abstract: In this paper a new modified artificial bee colony algorithm (MABC) is proposed to solve the economic dispatch problem by taking into account the valve-point effects, the emission pollutions and various operating constraints of the generating units. The MABC algorithm introduces a new relation to update the solutions within the search space, in order to increase the algorithm ability to avoid premature convergence and to find stable and high quality solutions. Moreover, to strengthen the MABC algorithm performance, it is endowed with a chaotic sequence generated by both a cat map and a logistic map. The MABC algorithm behavior is investigated for several combinations resulting from three generating modalities of the chaotic sequences and two selection schemes of the solutions. The performance of the MABC variants is tested on four systems having six units, thirteen units, forty units and fifty-two thermal generating units. The comparison of the results shows that the MABC variants have a better performance than the classical ABC algorithm and other optimization techniques

New scheduling rules for a dynamic flexible flow line problem with sequence-dependent setup times

Science.gov (United States)

Kia, Hamidreza; Ghodsypour, Seyed Hassan; Davoudpour, Hamid

2017-09-01

In the literature, the application of multi-objective dynamic scheduling problem and simple priority rules are widely studied. Although these rules are not efficient enough due to simplicity and lack of general insight, composite dispatching rules have a very suitable performance because they result from experiments. In this paper, a dynamic flexible flow line problem with sequence-dependent setup times is studied. The objective of the problem is minimization of mean flow time and mean tardiness. A 0-1 mixed integer model of the problem is formulated. Since the problem is NP-hard, four new composite dispatching rules are proposed to solve it by applying genetic programming framework and choosing proper operators. Furthermore, a discrete-event simulation model is made to examine the performances of scheduling rules considering four new heuristic rules and the six adapted heuristic rules from the literature. It is clear from the experimental results that composite dispatching rules that are formed from genetic programming have a better performance in minimization of mean flow time and mean tardiness than others.

Symmetry Breaking in MILP Formulations for Unit Commitment Problems

KAUST Repository

Lima, Ricardo

2015-12-11

This paper addresses the study of symmetry in Unit Commitment (UC) problems solved by Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulations, and using Linear Programming based Branch & Bound MILP solvers. We propose three sets of symmetry breaking constraints for UC MILP formulations exhibiting symmetry, and its impact on three UC MILP models are studied. The case studies involve the solution of 24 instances by three widely used models in the literature, with and without symmetry breaking constraints. The results show that problems that could not be solved to optimality within hours can be solved with a relatively small computational burden if the symmetry breaking constraints are assumed. The proposed symmetry breaking constraints are also compared with the symmetry breaking methods included in two MILP solvers, and the symmetry breaking constraints derived in this work have a distinct advantage over the methods in the MILP solvers.

Symmetry Breaking in MILP Formulations for Unit Commitment Problems

KAUST Repository

Lima, Ricardo; Novais, Augusto Q.

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the study of symmetry in Unit Commitment (UC) problems solved by Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) formulations, and using Linear Programming based Branch & Bound MILP solvers. We propose three sets of symmetry breaking constraints for UC MILP formulations exhibiting symmetry, and its impact on three UC MILP models are studied. The case studies involve the solution of 24 instances by three widely used models in the literature, with and without symmetry breaking constraints. The results show that problems that could not be solved to optimality within hours can be solved with a relatively small computational burden if the symmetry breaking constraints are assumed. The proposed symmetry breaking constraints are also compared with the symmetry breaking methods included in two MILP solvers, and the symmetry breaking constraints derived in this work have a distinct advantage over the methods in the MILP solvers.

Coal industry - problems and prospects. [United Kingdom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siddall, N

1984-01-01

Presidential Address by Sir Norman Siddall is presented which considers the problems and prospects facing the UK coal industry. The range of changes which business management is subject to are outlined together with the coal industry's response to these changes. Fluctuations in the energy market and the economy have resulted in a customer orientated approach to marketing, and improved efficiency throughout the industry. New technology has increased the efficiency of some aspects of operations but at the some time developments in the areas of industrial relations and public accountability have limited management's ability to respond to changes in the commercial environment.

Subsurface geology of the upper Devonian-lower Mississippian black-shale sequence in eastern Kentucky

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dillman, S.B.

1980-01-01

The Upper Devonian-Lower Mississippi black-shale sequence is an important source of natural gas in eastern Kentucky and with technological advances may be an important source of synthetic oil and uranium on the flanks of the Cincinnati arch. To enhance the understanding and development of these resources in the black-shale sequence, eight isopach maps, eight structure-contour maps and nine isopach maps of highly radioactive black shale were constructed. Structural features including the Rome trough, Rockcastle River uplift, Pine Mountain thrust fault, Kentucky River and Paint Creek fault zones and unnamed basinal areas in Greenup, Pike, and Knott counties were identified on the maps. Faults bounding the Rome trough and other structures were active intermittently throughout Late Devonian time. Other structures show only post-Devonian activity, whereas some show both Devonian and post-Devonian activity. Comparison of structure-contour and isopach maps allow the differentiation of syn- and post-sedimentray structural activity relative to the black-shale sequence. A north-south trending hinge line separates a broad platform area from an area of rapid eastward thickening into the Appalachian basin. Units 7 through 1 progressively onlap the Cincinnati arch; units 4 through 1 cover the arch

Problem specific heuristics for group scheduling problems in cellular manufacturing

OpenAIRE

Neufeld, Janis Sebastian

2016-01-01

The group scheduling problem commonly arises in cellular manufacturing systems, where parts are grouped into part families. It is characterized by a sequencing task on two levels: on the one hand, a sequence of jobs within each part family has to be identified while, on the other hand, a family sequence has to be determined. In order to solve this NP-hard problem usually heuristic solution approaches are used. In this thesis different aspects of group scheduling are discussed and problem spec...

SCOPING SUMMARY FOR THE P-AREA OPERABLE UNIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupar, J; Sadika Baladi, S; Mark Amidon, M

2007-01-01

This scoping summary supports development of the combined Remedial Investigation (RI)/Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA)/Feasibility Study (FS) for the P-Area Operable Unit (PAOU), or Combined document, which will be submitted on or before 09/28/2007. The objective of this Feasibility Study scoping summary meeting is to agree on the likely response actions to be evaluated and developed as alternatives in the combined document and agree on the uncertainties identified and whether they have been adequately managed

SCOPING SUMMARY FOR THE P-AREA OPERABLE UNIT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupar, J; Sadika Baladi, S; Mark Amidon, M

2007-05-22

This scoping summary supports development of the combined Remedial Investigation (RI)/Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA)/Feasibility Study (FS) for the P-Area Operable Unit (PAOU), or Combined document, which will be submitted on or before 09/28/2007. The objective of this Feasibility Study scoping summary meeting is to agree on the likely response actions to be evaluated and developed as alternatives in the combined document and agree on the uncertainties identified and whether they have been adequately managed.

Optimization of sequence alignment for simple sequence repeat regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ogbonnaya Francis C

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microsatellites, or simple sequence repeats (SSRs, are tandemly repeated DNA sequences, including tandem copies of specific sequences no longer than six bases, that are distributed in the genome. SSR has been used as a molecular marker because it is easy to detect and is used in a range of applications, including genetic diversity, genome mapping, and marker assisted selection. It is also very mutable because of slipping in the DNA polymerase during DNA replication. This unique mutation increases the insertion/deletion (INDELs mutation frequency to a high ratio - more than other types of molecular markers such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs. SNPs are more frequent than INDELs. Therefore, all designed algorithms for sequence alignment fit the vast majority of the genomic sequence without considering microsatellite regions, as unique sequences that require special consideration. The old algorithm is limited in its application because there are many overlaps between different repeat units which result in false evolutionary relationships. Findings To overcome the limitation of the aligning algorithm when dealing with SSR loci, a new algorithm was developed using PERL script with a Tk graphical interface. This program is based on aligning sequences after determining the repeated units first, and the last SSR nucleotides positions. This results in a shifting process according to the inserted repeated unit type. When studying the phylogenic relations before and after applying the new algorithm, many differences in the trees were obtained by increasing the SSR length and complexity. However, less distance between different linage had been observed after applying the new algorithm. Conclusions The new algorithm produces better estimates for aligning SSR loci because it reflects more reliable evolutionary relations between different linages. It reduces overlapping during SSR alignment, which results in a more realistic

Main problems experienced on diesel generators of French 900 MWe operating units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dredemis, Geoffroy; Jude, Francois [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, centre d' Etudes Nucleaires de Fontenay-aux-Roses, Institut de Protection et Surete Nucleaire, Departement d' Analyse de Surete, B.P. No. 6, 92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)

1986-02-15

Each unit of all the French nuclear power plant is equipped with two diesel emergency generator sets., For the totality of standards PWRs of 900 MWe, they are identical. We present in this communication the most significative failures met with diesel engines on operating units, such as rupture of fuel injection pipes, breaking of the connecting rods, and cylinder lubrication failures. All these incidents, which affected the emergency power sources of concerned units, had generic characteristics. In view of their potential consequences, it was proceeded in each case to an immediate control of the components concerned of all PWR 900 MWe diesel engines. At the same time, studies were started as to what modifications would permit to solve rapidly each one of the problems met with. (authors)

A comparison of genetic algorithm and artificial bee colony approaches in solving blocking hybrid flowshop scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup/changeover times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pongpan Nakkaew

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In manufacturing process where efficiency is crucial in order to remain competitive, flowshop is a common configuration in which machines are arranged in series and products are produced through the stages one by one. In certain production processes, the machines are frequently configured in the way that each production stage may contain multiple processing units in parallel or hybrid. Moreover, along with precedent conditions, the sequence dependent setup times may exist. Finally, in case there is no buffer, a machine is said to be blocked if the next stage to handle its output is being occupied. Such NP-Hard problem, referred as Blocking Hybrid Flowshop Scheduling Problem with Sequence Dependent Setup/Changeover Times, is usually not possible to find the best exact solution to satisfy optimization objectives such as minimization of the overall production time. Thus, it is usually solved by approximate algorithms such as metaheuristics. In this paper, we investigate comparatively the effectiveness of the two approaches: a Genetic Algorithm (GA and an Artificial Bee Colony (ABC algorithm. GA is inspired by the process of natural selection. ABC, in the same manner, resembles the way types of bees perform specific functions and work collectively to find their foods by means of division of labor. Additionally, we apply an algorithm to improve the GA and ABC algorithms so that they can take advantage of parallel processing resources of modern multiple core processors while eliminate the need for screening the optimal parameters of both algorithms in advance.

Closure Plan for Corrective Action Unit 110: Area 3 RWMS U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzmaurice, T. M.

2000-01-01

This Closure Plan has been prepared for the Area 3 RWMS U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit Corrective Action Unit 110 in accordance with the Federal Facility and Consent Order (Nevada Division of Environmental Protection [NDEP] et al., 1996). The U-3ax/bl is a historic disposal unit within the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The unit, which was formed by excavating the area between two subsidence craters (U-3ax and U-3bl), was operationally closed in 1987. The U-3ax/bl disposal unit is scheduled for permanent closure under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as a hazardous waste landfill. Existing records indicate that, from July 1968 to December 1987, U-3ax/bl received 2.3 x 10 5 cubic meters (8.12 x 10 6 cubic feet) of waste. NTS nuclear device testing generated approximately 95 percent of the total volume disposed of in U-3ax/bl, the majority of which came from the Waste Consolidation Project (80 percent of the total volume) (Elletson and Johnejack, 1995). Area 3 is located in Yucca Flat, within the northeast quadrant of the NTS. The Yucca Flat watershed is a structurally closed basin encompassing an area of approximately 780 square kilometers (300 square miles). The structural geomorphology of Yucca Flat is typical of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. Yucca Flat lies in one of the most arid regions of the country. Water balance calculations for Area 3 indicate that it is continuously in a state of moisture deficit. The U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit will be closed in place by installing a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act equivalent cover. Following cover construction a fence will be installed around the cover to prevent accidental damage to the cover. Post-closure monitoring will consist of site inspections to determine the condition of the engineered cover and cover performance monitoring using Time-Domain Reflectometry arrays to monitor moisture migration in the cover. Any identified maintenance and repair

Closure Plan for Corrective Action Unit 110: Area 3 RWMS U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T. M. Fitzmaurice

2000-08-01

This Closure Plan has been prepared for the Area 3 RWMS U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit Corrective Action Unit 110 in accordance with the Federal Facility and Consent Order (Nevada Division of Environmental Protection [NDEP] et al., 1996). The U-3ax/bl is a historic disposal unit within the Area 3 Radioactive Waste Management Site located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The unit, which was formed by excavating the area between two subsidence craters (U-3ax and U-3bl), was operationally closed in 1987. The U-3ax/bl disposal unit is scheduled for permanent closure under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act as a hazardous waste landfill. Existing records indicate that, from July 1968 to December 1987, U-3ax/bl received 2.3 x 10{sup 5} cubic meters (8.12 x 10{sup 6} cubic feet) of waste. NTS nuclear device testing generated approximately 95 percent of the total volume disposed of in U-3ax/bl, the majority of which came from the Waste Consolidation Project (80 percent of the total volume) (Elletson and Johnejack, 1995). Area 3 is located in Yucca Flat, within the northeast quadrant of the NTS. The Yucca Flat watershed is a structurally closed basin encompassing an area of approximately 780 square kilometers (300 square miles). The structural geomorphology of Yucca Flat is typical of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province. Yucca Flat lies in one of the most arid regions of the country. Water balance calculations for Area 3 indicate that it is continuously in a state of moisture deficit. The U-3ax/bl Disposal Unit will be closed in place by installing a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act equivalent cover. Following cover construction a fence will be installed around the cover to prevent accidental damage to the cover. Post-closure monitoring will consist of site inspections to determine the condition of the engineered cover and cover performance monitoring using Time-Domain Reflectometry arrays to monitor moisture migration in the cover. Any identified maintenance and

Drilling rate for the Cerro Prieto stratigraphic sequence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prian C, R.

1981-01-01

Drilling practice at the field has been modified in several ways as better information is being obtained. The stratigraphic sequence of the area is made up of three sedimentary rock units of deltaic origin having different densities. These units have been named non-consolidated, semi-consolidated, and consolidated rocks; the thermal reservoirs are located in the latter. To investigate how the drilling rates are affected by the three rock units, plots of drilling advance versus time were made for a large number of wells. A typical plot is shown and drilling rates are practically constant in three different zones; that is, the drilling rate has only two breaks or changes in slope.

Facies-succession and architecture of the third-order sequences and their stratigraphic framework of the Devonian in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, South China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei Mingxiang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Caledonian orogeny at the end of the Silurian resulted in great changes in the palaeogeography in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area of South China; the continental area of the Early Paleozoic evolved into the extensive Dian-Qian-Gui Sea in the Late Paleozoic. Early in the Devonian, as a result of a major transgression, seawater encroached gradually from the south to the north and clastic facies were deposited. Carbonate deposition was then established in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, with a palaeogeography marked by attached platforms, isolated platforms and narrow basins. As a result of the Ziyun movement towards the end of the Devonian, the Upper Devonian strata are regressive and thin out from the open-sea to the land areas. A study of the nature and distribution of sedimentary facies in space and time recognises 13 third-order sequences in the Devonian strata in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, and these form two second-order sequences. The strata of the Lower Devonian comprise 5 third-order sequences (SQ1 to SQ5, which are dominated by transgressive clastics. 4 third-order sequences (SQ6 to SQ9 in the Middle Devonian are characterized by alternations of transgressive clastics and highstand carbonates. In the Upper Devonian, carbonates constitute 4 third-order sequences (SQ10 to SQ13, which are generally marked by the transgressive limestones and highstand dolomites. On the basis of earlier biostratigraphic studies, sea-level changes represented by the third-order sequences with their different facies successions are explored, and the sequence stratigraphic framework is established. Therefore, the Devonian strata in the study area provide an example for further understanding of depositional trends within the sequence-stratigraphic framework.

Chaos game representation (CGR)-walk model for DNA sequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jie, Gao; Zhen-Yuan, Xu

2009-01-01

Chaos game representation (CGR) is an iterative mapping technique that processes sequences of units, such as nucleotides in a DNA sequence or amino acids in a protein, in order to determine the coordinates of their positions in a continuous space. This distribution of positions has two features: one is unique, and the other is source sequence that can be recovered from the coordinates so that the distance between positions may serve as a measure of similarity between the corresponding sequences. A CGR-walk model is proposed based on CGR coordinates for the DNA sequences. The CGR coordinates are converted into a time series, and a long-memory ARFIMA (p, d, q) model, where ARFIMA stands for autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average, is introduced into the DNA sequence analysis. This model is applied to simulating real CGR-walk sequence data of ten genomic sequences. Remarkably long-range correlations are uncovered in the data, and the results from these models are reasonably fitted with those from the ARFIMA (p, d, q) model. (cross-disciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

First Complete Genome Sequence of Papaya ringspot virus-W Isolated from a Gourd in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Akhtar

2017-01-12

In the United States, the Papaya ringspot virus was first reported from papaya in Florida in 1949. Here, we determined the first complete genome sequence (10,302 nucleotides) of a Papaya ringspot virus-W isolate, which was collected from a commercial field of gourd in Tulsa, OK. Copyright © 2017 Ali.

Supervised Sequence Labelling with Recurrent Neural Networks

CERN Document Server

Graves, Alex

2012-01-01

Supervised sequence labelling is a vital area of machine learning, encompassing tasks such as speech, handwriting and gesture recognition, protein secondary structure prediction and part-of-speech tagging. Recurrent neural networks are powerful sequence learning tools—robust to input noise and distortion, able to exploit long-range contextual information—that would seem ideally suited to such problems. However their role in large-scale sequence labelling systems has so far been auxiliary.    The goal of this book is a complete framework for classifying and transcribing sequential data with recurrent neural networks only. Three main innovations are introduced in order to realise this goal. Firstly, the connectionist temporal classification output layer allows the framework to be trained with unsegmented target sequences, such as phoneme-level speech transcriptions; this is in contrast to previous connectionist approaches, which were dependent on error-prone prior segmentation. Secondly, multidimensional...

Station blackout transient at the Browns Ferry Unit 1 Plant: a severe accident sequence analysis (SASA) program study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, R.R.

1982-01-01

Operating plant transients are of great interest for many reasons, not the least of which is the potential for a mild transient to degenerate to a severe transient yielding core damage. Using the Browns Ferry (BF) Unit-1 plant as a basis of study, the station blackout sequence was investigated by the Severe Accident Sequence Analysis (SASA) Program in support of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Unresolved Safety Issue A-44: Station Blackout. A station blackout transient occurs when the plant's AC power from a comemrcial power grid is lost and cannot be restored by the diesel generators. Under normal operating conditions, f a loss of offsite power (LOSP) occurs [i.e., a complete severance of the BF plants from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power grid], the eight diesel generators at the three BF units would quickly start and power the emergency AC buses. Of the eight diesel generators, only six are needed to safely shut down all three units. Examination of BF-specific data show that LOSP frequency is low at Unit 1. The station blackout frequency is even lower (5.7 x 10 - 4 events per year) and hinges on whether the diesel generators start. The frequency of diesel generator failure is dictated in large measure by the emergency equipment cooling water (EECW) system that cools the diesel generators

A hybrid algorithm for solving the economic lot and delivery scheduling problem in the common cycle case

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Jens; Ju, S.

2006-01-01

The ELDSP problem is a combined lot sizing and sequencing problem. A supplier produces and delivers components of different types to a consumer in batches. The task is to determine the cycle time, i.e., the time between deliveries, which minimizes the total cost per time unit. This includes the d...

The gene identification problem: An overview for developers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fickett, J.W.

1995-03-27

The gene identification problem is the problem of interpreting nucleotide sequences by computer, in order to provide tentative annotation on the location, structure, and functional class of protein-coding genes. This problem is of self-evident importance, and is far from being fully solved, particularly for higher eukaryotes, Thus it is not surprising that the number of algorithm and software developers working in this area is rapidly increasing. The present paper is an overview of the field, with an emphasis on eukaryotes, for such developers.

Next-generation sequencing for diagnosis of rare diseases in the neonatal intensive care unit

Science.gov (United States)

Daoud, Hussein; Luco, Stephanie M.; Li, Rui; Bareke, Eric; Beaulieu, Chandree; Jarinova, Olga; Carson, Nancy; Nikkel, Sarah M.; Graham, Gail E.; Richer, Julie; Armour, Christine; Bulman, Dennis E.; Chakraborty, Pranesh; Geraghty, Michael; Lines, Matthew A.; Lacaze-Masmonteil, Thierry; Majewski, Jacek; Boycott, Kym M.; Dyment, David A.

2016-01-01

Background: Rare diseases often present in the first days and weeks of life and may require complex management in the setting of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Exhaustive consultations and traditional genetic or metabolic investigations are costly and often fail to arrive at a final diagnosis when no recognizable syndrome is suspected. For this pilot project, we assessed the feasibility of next-generation sequencing as a tool to improve the diagnosis of rare diseases in newborns in the NICU. Methods: We retrospectively identified and prospectively recruited newborns and infants admitted to the NICU of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, who had been referred to the medical genetics or metabolics inpatient consult service and had features suggesting an underlying genetic or metabolic condition. DNA from the newborns and parents was enriched for a panel of clinically relevant genes and sequenced on a MiSeq sequencing platform (Illumina Inc.). The data were interpreted with a standard informatics pipeline and reported to care providers, who assessed the importance of genotype–phenotype correlations. Results: Of 20 newborns studied, 8 received a diagnosis on the basis of next-generation sequencing (diagnostic rate 40%). The diagnoses were renal tubular dysgenesis, SCN1A-related encephalopathy syndrome, myotubular myopathy, FTO deficiency syndrome, cranioectodermal dysplasia, congenital myasthenic syndrome, autosomal dominant intellectual disability syndrome type 7 and Denys–Drash syndrome. Interpretation: This pilot study highlighted the potential of next-generation sequencing to deliver molecular diagnoses rapidly with a high success rate. With broader use, this approach has the potential to alter health care delivery in the NICU. PMID:27241786

Next-generation sequencing for diagnosis of rare diseases in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Daoud, Hussein; Luco, Stephanie M; Li, Rui; Bareke, Eric; Beaulieu, Chandree; Jarinova, Olga; Carson, Nancy; Nikkel, Sarah M; Graham, Gail E; Richer, Julie; Armour, Christine; Bulman, Dennis E; Chakraborty, Pranesh; Geraghty, Michael; Lines, Matthew A; Lacaze-Masmonteil, Thierry; Majewski, Jacek; Boycott, Kym M; Dyment, David A

2016-08-09

Rare diseases often present in the first days and weeks of life and may require complex management in the setting of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Exhaustive consultations and traditional genetic or metabolic investigations are costly and often fail to arrive at a final diagnosis when no recognizable syndrome is suspected. For this pilot project, we assessed the feasibility of next-generation sequencing as a tool to improve the diagnosis of rare diseases in newborns in the NICU. We retrospectively identified and prospectively recruited newborns and infants admitted to the NICU of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Hospital, General Campus, who had been referred to the medical genetics or metabolics inpatient consult service and had features suggesting an underlying genetic or metabolic condition. DNA from the newborns and parents was enriched for a panel of clinically relevant genes and sequenced on a MiSeq sequencing platform (Illumina Inc.). The data were interpreted with a standard informatics pipeline and reported to care providers, who assessed the importance of genotype-phenotype correlations. Of 20 newborns studied, 8 received a diagnosis on the basis of next-generation sequencing (diagnostic rate 40%). The diagnoses were renal tubular dysgenesis, SCN1A-related encephalopathy syndrome, myotubular myopathy, FTO deficiency syndrome, cranioectodermal dysplasia, congenital myasthenic syndrome, autosomal dominant intellectual disability syndrome type 7 and Denys-Drash syndrome. This pilot study highlighted the potential of next-generation sequencing to deliver molecular diagnoses rapidly with a high success rate. With broader use, this approach has the potential to alter health care delivery in the NICU. © 2016 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Baseline groundwater model update for p-area groundwater operable unit, NBN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States); Amidon, M. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)

2015-09-01

This report documents the development of a numerical groundwater flow and transport model of the hydrogeologic system of the P-Area Reactor Groundwater Operable Unit at the Savannah River Site (SRS) (Figure 1-1). The P-Area model provides a tool to aid in understanding the hydrologic and geochemical processes that control the development and migration of the current tritium, tetrachloroethene (PCE), and trichloroethene (TCE) plumes in this region.

Luminescence chronology of loess-paleosol sequences from Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, G.W.; Pillans, B.J.; Tonkin, P.J.

2001-01-01

The extensive Quaternary loess-paleosol deposits of South Island, New Zealand, represent one of the major proxy records of paleoclimatic changes in the Southern Hemisphere. We attempted to produce the first numeric chronology of these subaerial sequences in the Canterbury region by using thermoluminescence and infrared-stimulated luminescence dating methods. We examined five exposures: a 6 m thick section at Cust, north of Christchurch; two thicker (c. 14 m) sequences on Banks Peninsula (Barrys Bay and Onawe sites); farther south, a c. 12 m sequence in Timaru; and a c. 7 m sequence on the coast at the Normanby site near Timaru. Our results are largely based on single experiments per sample, and therefore provide imprecise ages for several of the older samples. The most satisfactory results are those from the youngest site (Cust), for which three samples were dated. Here, phases of maximum loess deposition are dated at 73 +/- 13 ka (basal loess-paleosol unit L3), 41 +/- 5 ka (basal L2), and 27 +/- 3 ka (basal L1). At Barrys Bay an age of 70 +/- 15 ka was obtained in the basal L1, and at Timaru two separate samples in the base of L1 also yielded ages of c. 70 ka, thus correlating the entire Cust loess sequence with the L1 loess unit at these two other study sites. Only at Barrys Bay were ages (c. 130-250 ka) in stratigraphic order obtained for older samples (units L2 and deeper). At the other sites, some samples in the sub-L1 units gave age reversals, and some (including the oldest sample at Barrys Bay) yielded poor precision (e.g., 20%). Units L2 at Timaru and Barrys Bay may correlate to all or part of MIS 6; however, the poor precision and some age reversals in other units at these sites and at Normanby and Onawe preclude any unambiguous correlations between sites or to the MIS time-scale. Nevertheless, in the absence of any prior numeric ages, these first results serve as a basis for more precise future dating of these units. Although these reconnaissance dating

Problems of irrigated agriculture in saline groundwater areas: farmers' perceptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, S.; Yasin, M.; Ahmad, M.M.; Hussain, Z.; Khan, Z.; Akbar, G.

2005-01-01

A research study was conducted using participatory interactive dialogue in the brackish groundwater area of Mona SCARP-II, Bhalwal district Sargodha, Pakistan. The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was conducted in thirteen villages to identify macro- and micro-level issues related to irrigated agriculture in saline groundwater areas. SCARP tube wells have been abandoned or few have been handed over to farmers' organizations. Groundwater in the Indus basin contributes around 35% to the total water available for agriculture. Water quality of 60% area of the Indus basin is marginal to brackish. Minimum land holding of cultivated land in the elected villages varied from 0.10 to 4 ha. The maximum land holding of cultivated area in selected villages varied for 6 to 50 ha. However, the average size of farm was around 4 ha. The average salt-affected area per household was 17% of the total cultivated area. The salt-affected lands in 8 villages out of 13 were barren, where mainly rice crop is grown during kharif season. About 67% farms had access to conjunctive use of water, as water from both canal and private tube wells is available. In addition, 10% farms were having tube well water only. Therefore, 77% farms are having access to the groundwater. According to the farmers' perceptions, 100% villages have fresh groundwater to a depth of 7.5 m and 62% villages had depth ranging from 15-30 m. Furthermore, in all thirteen selected villages, groundwater quality beyond 30 m depth was brackish. Laboratory analysis confirmed the farmer's perception that groundwater quality is a function of depth. About 92% farmers groups indicated that non-availability and high price of inputs was a major problem. The second major issue was related to the shortage of canal water supplies and 77% villages are facing this problem. Moreover, 31% farmers' groups of selected villages indicated that water logging and salinity are the major concerns affecting agricultural productivity. This figure is

Research of Houjiayao Unit in North China

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Y.

2012-12-01

"Houjiayao Group" is the standard stratigraphic unit of late Pleistocene in northern China, which was created by Jia Lanpo and Wei Qi during their research on Houjiayao site. Based on the mammal, ancient human fossils and Paleolithic features, "Houjiayao Group" was thought as late Pleistocene sediments. "Houjiayao Group" was defined as late Pleistocene stratigraphic units. However, the problems of the age of "Houjiayao Group", stratigraphic division and other issues, have not yet been well resolved. These issues include: the differences of age-dating results, the unclear comparison between stratigraphic units and regional contrast, the uncertain relationship between "Houjiayao Group" and "Nihewan Layer ", and so on. Houjiayao site which located in the southeast of Houjiayao village in Dongjingji town Yangyuan County, Hebei province of China, is a very important paleolithic site. But some researches show that Houjiayao site is located at the 3th terrace of Liyigou valley and there are many opinions about the age of Houjiayao site, which varies from 20-500 thousand years. Combined with former research results and many research methods, our study was mainly focused on the key problems existing in the study of "Houjiayao Group". Through the use of sequence stratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and other theoretical methods, stratigraphic section was studied in the late Pleistocene stratigraphy and sedimentary environment. Through environmental indicators and the age-dating tests, the evolution of ancient geography and environment were identified elementarily. After analyzing informations of this area, geomorphologic investigation and stratum comparation in and around Houjiayao site were done. Houjiayao site is located on the west bank of Liyigou river, which has a tributary named Black Stone River. Two or three layers of volcanic materials were found in this area, those sediments are from a buried paleovolcano in upstream of Black Stone River. The volcanic

Theoretical Investigation of Combined Use of PSO, Tabu Search and Lagrangian Relaxation methods to solve the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahbi Marrouchi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Solving the Unit Commitment problem (UCP optimizes the combination of production units operations and determines the appropriate operational scheduling of each production units to satisfy the expected consumption which varies from one day to one month. Besides, each production unit is conducted to constraints that render this problem complex, combinatorial and nonlinear. In this paper, we proposed a new strategy based on the combination three optimization methods: Tabu search, Particle swarm optimization and Lagrangian relaxation methods in order to develop a proper unit commitment scheduling of the production units while reducing the production cost during a definite period. The proposed strategy has been implemented on a the IEEE 9 bus test system containing 3 production unit and the results were promising compared to strategies based on meta-heuristic and deterministic methods.

Problems in implementing some of the new measurement unit definitions of the SI

Science.gov (United States)

Pavese, Franco

2013-09-01

The paper illustrates and discusses some problems that should be taken into account, should the proposed use of fundamental constants in the definition of measurement units of the SI be implemented: (a) more base units being multi-dimensional, instead of fixing the present problems in this respect; (b) the multidimensionality in the definitions; (c) the use of CODATA adjusted values of the constants for this specific purpose; (d) formal issues in stipulating algebraic expressions of the definitions, and in respect to the rounding or truncation of the numerical values in their transformation from uncertain to exact values; (e) formal issues with the use of the integer number NA; (f) limitations that can arise from the stipulation of the values of several constants for the CODATA Task Group to continue performing in future meaningful least squares adjustments of the fundamental constants taking into account future data.

Problems in implementing some of the new measurement unit definitions of the SI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavese, Franco

2013-01-01

The paper illustrates and discusses some problems that should be taken into account, should the proposed use of fundamental constants in the definition of measurement units of the SI be implemented: (a) more base units being multi-dimensional, instead of fixing the present problems in this respect; (b) the multidimensionality in the definitions; (c) the use of CODATA adjusted values of the constants for this specific purpose; (d) formal issues in stipulating algebraic expressions of the definitions, and in respect to the rounding or truncation of the numerical values in their transformation from uncertain to exact values; (e) formal issues with the use of the integer number N A ; (f) limitations that can arise from the stipulation of the values of several constants for the CODATA Task Group to continue performing in future meaningful least squares adjustments of the fundamental constants taking into account future data

Sequences for Student Investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Jeffrey; Feil, David; Lartigue, David; Mullins, Bernadette

2004-01-01

We describe two classes of sequences that give rise to accessible problems for undergraduate research. These problems may be understood with virtually no prerequisites and are well suited for computer-aided investigation. The first sequence is a variation of one introduced by Stephen Wolfram in connection with his study of cellular automata. The…

Foundations of Sequence-to-Sequence Modeling for Time Series

OpenAIRE

Kuznetsov, Vitaly; Mariet, Zelda

2018-01-01

The availability of large amounts of time series data, paired with the performance of deep-learning algorithms on a broad class of problems, has recently led to significant interest in the use of sequence-to-sequence models for time series forecasting. We provide the first theoretical analysis of this time series forecasting framework. We include a comparison of sequence-to-sequence modeling to classical time series models, and as such our theory can serve as a quantitative guide for practiti...

Design and control of integrated chromatography column sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Niklas; Löfgren, Anton; Olofsson, Marianne; Sellberg, Anton; Nilsson, Bernt; Tiainen, Peter

2017-07-01

To increase the productivity in biopharmaceutical production, a natural step is to introduce integrated continuous biomanufacturing which leads to fewer buffer and storage tanks, smaller sizes of integrated unit operations, and full automation of the operation. The main contribution of this work is to illustrate a methodology for design and control of a downstream process based on integrated column sequences. For small scale production, for example, pre-clinical studies, integrated column sequences can be implemented on a single chromatography system. This makes for a very efficient drug development platform. The proposed methodology is composed of four steps and is governed by a set of tools, that is presented, that makes the transition from batch separations to a complete integrated separation sequence as easy as possible. This methodology, its associated tools and the physical implementation is presented and illustrated on a case study where the target protein is separated from impurities through an integrated four column sequence. This article shows that the design and control of an integrated column sequence was successfully implemented for a tertiary protein separation problem. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:923-930, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Problems caused by the Concentration of Nuclear Power Plants in Border Areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billman, C.

1979-01-01

The concentration of nuclear power plants in border areas raises the problem of protection of the population and the environment in border lands. The author recalls the fundamental legal principle according to which no country may cause a prejudice to a neighbouring country due to installations harmful to the environment which are located in its own territory. Several legal systems are reviewed which provide for participation by neighbouring states in nuclear plant projects and licensing; the recourse procedure against such plants is also discussed. Finally, consideration is given to problems to be solved in order to coordinate legal and administrative measures in case of construction of nuclear plants in border areas. (NEA) [fr

Problems of restoration disturbed areas in the conduction uranium mining and milling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isakin, V.S.; Konev, G.V.

1996-01-01

State-holding company Tselinnyj Mining Chemical Company (TMCC) is headed enterprise for mining and milling uranium ore in North Kazakstan was at five main areas (ore's direction). Mining was a traditional forms. Currently, the main problems of restoration disturbed areas in the conditions of uranium mining and milling are: economic insolvency of conversion enterprises, with has not own means for exude restoration and decontamination. TMCC has urgent need of State Programme, that provides finance of restoration work. Problem of radioactive contamination shall be insolvable, if company will go bankrupt. This programme should contained an item for elaboration regulative, normative and methodological documents if low level radioactive waste in Kazakstan. Program must take into consideration progressive domestic and foreign experience

Problem Solving in Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Kim; Heyck-Williams, Jeff; Timpson Gray, Elicia

2017-01-01

Problem solving spans all grade levels and content areas, as evidenced by this compilation of projects from schools across the United States. In one project, high school girls built a solar-powered tent to serve their city's homeless population. In another project, 4th graders explored historic Jamestown to learn about the voices lost to history.…

Outbreak of Invasive Wound Mucormycosis in a Burn Unit Due to Multiple Strains of Mucor circinelloides f. circinelloides Resolved by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dea Garcia-Hermoso

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Mucorales are ubiquitous environmental molds responsible for mucormycosis in diabetic, immunocompromised, and severely burned patients. Small outbreaks of invasive wound mucormycosis (IWM have already been reported in burn units without extensive microbiological investigations. We faced an outbreak of IWM in our center and investigated the clinical isolates with whole-genome sequencing (WGS analysis. We analyzed M. circinelloides isolates from patients in our burn unit (BU1, Héééôèéééûéôèôèôôèéôééôéôôèôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France together with nonoutbreak isolates from Burn Unit 2 (BU2, Paris area and from France over a 2-year period (2013 to 2015. A total of 21 isolates, including 14 isolates from six BU1 patients, were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS. Phylogenetic classification based on de novo assembly and assembly free approaches showed that the clinical isolates clustered in four highly divergent clades. Clade 1 contained at least one of the strains from the six epidemiologically linked BU1 patients. The clinical isolates were specific to each patient. Two patients were infected with more than two strains from different clades, suggesting that an environmental reservoir of clonally unrelated isolates was the source of contamination. Only two patients from BU1 shared one strain, which could correspond to direct transmission or contamination with the same environmental source. In conclusion, WGS of several isolates per patients coupled with precise epidemiological data revealed a complex situation combining potential cross-transmission between patients and multiple contaminations with a heterogeneous pool of strains from a cryptic environmental reservoir.

Solving Classification Problems for Large Sets of Protein Sequences with the Example of Hox and ParaHox Proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie D. Hueber

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Phylogenetic methods are key to providing models for how a given protein family evolved. However, these methods run into difficulties when sequence divergence is either too low or too high. Here, we provide a case study of Hox and ParaHox proteins so that additional insights can be gained using a new computational approach to help solve old classification problems. For two (Gsx and Cdx out of three ParaHox proteins the assignments differ between the currently most established view and four alternative scenarios. We use a non-phylogenetic, pairwise-sequence-similarity-based method to assess which of the previous predictions, if any, are best supported by the sequence-similarity relationships between Hox and ParaHox proteins. The overall sequence-similarities show Gsx to be most similar to Hox2–3, and Cdx to be most similar to Hox4–8. The results indicate that a purely pairwise-sequence-similarity-based approach can provide additional information not only when phylogenetic inference methods have insufficient information to provide reliable classifications (as was shown previously for central Hox proteins, but also when the sequence variation is so high that the resulting phylogenetic reconstructions are likely plagued by long-branch-attraction artifacts.

Foraminiferal biostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous (Campanian - Maastrichtian) sequences in the Peri-Tethys basin; Moghan area, NW Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Omidvar, Mahboobeh; Safari, Amrollah; Vaziri-Moghaddam, Hossain; Ghalavand, Hormoz

2018-04-01

The Upper Cretaceous sediments in the Moghan area, NW Iran, contain diverse planktonic and benthic foraminifera, with a total of 33 genera and 53 species (17 genera and 38 species of planktonic foraminifera and 16 genera and 15 species from benthic foraminifera), which led to the identification of six biozones spanning the middle Campanian to late Maastrichtian. A detailed paleontological study and biostratigraphic zonation of these sequences has been carried out in four surface sections. This study shows that there are two different facies in the Moghan area, based on the faunal content. A deep open marine condition exists in the Molok, Selenchai and Nasirkandi sections. In these sections, Upper Cretaceous sequences have diverse planktonic foraminiferal species including the Globotruncana ventricosa (middle to late Campanian), Globotruncanella havanensis (late Campanian), Globotruncana aegyptiaca (latest Campanian), Gansserina gansseri (latest Campanian to early Maastrichtian), Contusotruncana contusa- Racemiguembelina fructicosa (early to late Maastrichtian) and Abathomphalus mayaroensis (late Maastrichtian) zones. This deep open marine setting grades laterally into shallower marine condition dominated by large benthic foraminifera such as Orbitoides media, Orbitoides gruenbachensis, Orbitoides cf. apiculata, Lepidorbitoides minor, Pseudosiderolites sp., Siderolites praecalcitrapoides, Siderolites aff. calcitrapoides and Siderolites calcitrapoides. This facies is mainly recorded in the Hovay section. A detailed biostratigraphic zonation scheme is presented for the studied sections and correlated with the results of other studies in the Tethyan realm. This is the first biozonation scheme for Upper Cretaceous sequences of the Moghan area that can be used as a basis for ongoing studies in this area and other parts of Tethys basin.

Facilitating students' application of the integral and the area under the curve concepts in physics problems

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Dong-Hai

This research project investigates the difficulties students encounter when solving physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the strategies to facilitate students learning to solve those types of problems. The research contexts of this project are calculus-based physics courses covering mechanics and electromagnetism. In phase I of the project, individual teaching/learning interviews were conducted with 20 students in mechanics and 15 students from the same cohort in electromagnetism. The students were asked to solve problems on several topics of mechanics and electromagnetism. These problems involved calculating physical quantities (e.g. velocity, acceleration, work, electric field, electric resistance, electric current) by integrating or finding the area under the curve of functions of related quantities (e.g. position, velocity, force, charge density, resistivity, current density). Verbal hints were provided when students made an error or were unable to proceed. A total number of 140 one-hour interviews were conducted in this phase, which provided insights into students' difficulties when solving the problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the hints to help students overcome those difficulties. In phase II of the project, tutorials were created to facilitate students' learning to solve physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts. Each tutorial consisted of a set of exercises and a protocol that incorporated the helpful hints to target the difficulties that students expressed in phase I of the project. Focus group learning interviews were conducted to test the effectiveness of the tutorials in comparison with standard learning materials (i.e. textbook problems and solutions). Overall results indicated that students learning with our tutorials outperformed students learning with standard materials in applying the integral and the area under the curve

An approach to tackle visual display unit user health problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCallum, H.M.; Heaton, B.

1992-01-01

Reported health hazards from video display units (VDUs) vary from headaches to miscarriage and there is some concern that health problems experienced by VDU users could be associated with extra-low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field emissions. While investigating an individual case of 'VDU Syndrome' a procedure was developed which could be used to investigate and evaluate other complaints of a similar type. A relationship between the number of hours monitor work and severity of symptoms was observed along with a cyclic nature to the operator's sensitivity to VDU work. (author)

Neural Based Tabu Search method for solving unit commitment problem with cooling-banking constraints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajan Asir Christober Gnanakkan Charles

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new approach to solve short-term unit commitment problem (UCP using Neural Based Tabu Search (NBTS with cooling and banking constraints. The objective of this paper is to find the generation scheduling such that the total operating cost can be minimized, when subjected to a variety of constraints. This also means that it is desirable to find the optimal generating unit commitment in the power system for next H hours. A 7-unit utility power system in India demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach; extensive studies have also been performed for different IEEE test systems consist of 10, 26 and 34 units. Numerical results are shown to compare the superiority of the cost solutions obtained using the Tabu Search (TS method, Dynamic Programming (DP and Lagrangian Relaxation (LR methods in reaching proper unit commitment.

Learner-Controlled Scaffolding Linked to Open-Ended Problems in a Digital Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Edson, Alden Jack

2017-01-01

This exploratory study reports on how students activated learner-controlled scaffolding and navigated through sequences of connected problems in a digital learning environment. A design experiment was completed to (re)design, iteratively develop, test, and evaluate a digital version of an instructional unit focusing on binomial distributions and…

Spreading Sequence System for Full Connectivity Relay Network

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Hyuck M. (Inventor); Yang, Jie (Inventor); Pham, Khanh D. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

Fully connected uplink and downlink fully connected relay network systems using pseudo-noise spreading and despreading sequences subjected to maximizing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio. The relay network systems comprise one or more transmitting units, relays, and receiving units connected via a communication network. The transmitting units, relays, and receiving units each may include a computer for performing the methods and steps described herein and transceivers for transmitting and/or receiving signals. The computer encodes and/or decodes communication signals via optimum adaptive PN sequences found by employing Cholesky decompositions and singular value decompositions (SVD). The PN sequences employ channel state information (CSI) to more effectively and more securely computing the optimal sequences.

Characterization of expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat markers for Aspergillus flavus: emphasis on variability of isolates from the southern United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xinwang; Wadl, Phillip A; Wood-Jones, Alicia; Windham, Gary; Trigiano, Robert N; Scruggs, Mary; Pilgrim, Candace; Baird, Richard

2012-12-01

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed from Aspergillus flavus expressed sequence tag (EST) database to conduct an analysis of genetic relationships of Aspergillus isolates from numerous host species and geographical regions, but primarily from the United States. Twenty-nine primers were designed from 362 tri-nucleotide EST-SSR sequences. Eighteen polymorphic loci were used to genotype 96 Aspergillus species isolates. The number of alleles detected per locus ranged from 2 to 24 with a mean of 8.2 alleles. Haploid diversity ranged from 0.28 to 0.91. Genetic distance matrix was used to perform principal coordinates analysis (PCA) and to generate dendrograms using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). Two principal coordinates explained more than 75 % of the total variation among the isolates. One clade was identified for A. flavus isolates (n = 87) with the other Aspergillus species (n = 7) using PCA, but five distinct clusters were present when the others taxa were excluded from the analysis. Six groups were noted when the EST-SSR data were compared using UPGMA. However, the latter PCA or UPGMA comparison resulted in no direct associations with host species, geographical region or aflatoxin production. Furthermore, there was no direct correlation to visible morphological features such as sclerotial types. The isolates from Mississippi Delta region, which contained the largest percentage of isolates, did not show any unusual clustering except for isolates K32, K55, and 199. Further studies of these three isolates are warranted to evaluate their pathogenicity, aflatoxin production potential, additional gene sequences (e.g., RPB2), and morphological comparisons.

Developing Information Technology for Vocational Education in Contiguous Destitute Areas Significance, Problems, and Countermeasures: The Case of the Wuling Mountain Area

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jie; Xu, Fenghua

2014-01-01

Using the Wuling Mountain area as a case study, the authors discuss the significance as well as five problems of developing information technology for vocational education in contiguous destitute areas. Recommendations are provided at the end of the article. [Translated by Michelle LeSourd.

Ultra-low-energy wide electron exposure unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yonago, Akinobu; Oono, Yukihiko; Tokunaga, Kazutoshi; Kishimoto, Junichi; Wakamoto, Ikuo

2001-01-01

Heat and ultraviolet ray processes are used in surface dryness of paint, surface treatment of construction materials and surface sterilization of food containers. A process using a low-energy wide-area electron beam (EB) has been developed that features high speed and low drive cost. EB processing is not widespread in general industry, however, due to high equipment cost and difficult maintenance. We developed an ultra-low-energy wide-area electron beam exposure unit, the Mitsubishi Wide Electron Exposure Unit (MIWEL) to solve these problems. (author)

DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF SUPRACRUSTAL METASEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE AND POSSIBLE MODEL FOR ZINC MINERALIZATION OF RIO CLARO AREA, RIO DE JANEIRO STATE (BRAZIL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronaldo Mello Pereira

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This work focuses on Neoproterozoic supracrustal rocks related to Andrelandia megasequence, which are superimposed on the basis represented by neoarchean granulites and palaeoproterozoic ortogneiss, in order to define palaeoenvironments of deposition of metasedimentary rocks and typological model of zinc mineralization of Rio Claro, Rio de Janeiro State, SE of Brazil. Three stratigraphic units in the area were considered for the studies: Valadão, São Roque and Lidice. Valadão unit was divided into three subunits: psamitic, psamitic / pelitic and pelitic. On the whole, it represents a turbiditic sequence influenced by underwater hydrothermal exhalations that led to the formation of quartzite with magnetite, considered as banded iron formations. São Roque Unit is composed of four subunits (São Roque I, II, III and IV and presents a typical pattern of deposition of low energy environments, in marine deep basins. Gondite, coticules levels and (Mn-almandine present in the local gneiss mark the manganese exalative contribution in that unit. Lídice unit has different sedimentation palaeoenvironments and is subdivided into Lídice I, II and III. Lídice subunits I and II exhibit quartzite interleaved with pelitic rocks and graphite gneiss, suggesting deposition in deeper environments of the basin, probably related to turbidity currents. In Lídice III subunit, more carbonated and with more quartz, limestone quartzite stand out, which enclose mineralized zones, reflecting depositional environment in shallow platform, possibly involving evaporitic environment, sabkha type. Sulfite mineralization of Rio Claro, associated with platformal rocks intensely metamorphosed and deformed, as well as its local geological context, features similarities with sedimentary exhalative deposits (SEDEX Zn-Pb-Ag model, Shuswap and Monashee type, present in Monashee and Shuswap Complexes of British Columbia in Canada.

Assessing the 5S ribosomal RNA heterogeneity in Arabidopsis thaliana using short RNA next generation sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Szymanski, Maciej; Karlowski, Wojciech M

2016-01-01

In eukaryotes, ribosomal 5S rRNAs are products of multigene families organized within clusters of tandemly repeated units. Accumulation of genomic data obtained from a variety of organisms demonstrated that the potential 5S rRNA coding sequences show a large number of variants, often incompatible with folding into a correct secondary structure. Here, we present results of an analysis of a large set of short RNA sequences generated by the next generation sequencing techniques, to address the problem of heterogeneity of the 5S rRNA transcripts in Arabidopsis and identification of potentially functional rRNA-derived fragments.

The geology and chronology of the Acheulean deposits in the Mieso area (East-Central Ethiopia).

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-Calvo, Alfonso; Barfod, Dan N; McHenry, Lindsay J; de la Torre, Ignacio

2014-11-01

This paper presents the Quaternary sequence of the Mieso area of Central-East Ethiopia, located in the piedmont between the SE Ethiopian Escarpment and the Main Ethiopian Rift-Afar Rift transition sector.In this region, a piedmont alluvial plain is terraced at þ25 m above the two main fluvial courses, the Mieso and Yabdo Rivers. The piedmont sedimentary sequence is divided into three stratigraphic units separated by unconformities. Mieso Units I and II contain late Acheulean assemblages and a weakly consolidated alluvial sequence, consisting mainly of fine sediments with buried soils and, to a lesser degree, conglomerates. Palaeo-wetland areas were common in the alluvial plain, represented by patches of tufas, stromatolites and clays. At present, the piedmont alluvial surface is preserved mainly on a dark brown soil formed at the top of Unit II. Unit III corresponds to a fluvial deposit overlying Unit II, and is defined by sands, silty clays and gravels, including several Later Stone Age (LSA) occurrences. Three fine-grained tephra levels are interbedded in Unit I (tuffs TBI and TA) and II (tuff CB), and are usually spatially-constrained and reworked. Argon/argon (40Ar/39Ar) dating from tuff TA, an ash deposit preserved in a palustrine environment, yielded an age of 0.212 ± 0.016 Ma (millions of years ago). This date places thetop of Unit I in the late Middle Pleistocene, with Acheulean sites below and above tuff TA. Regional correlations tentatively place the base of Unit I around the Early-Middle Pleistocene boundary, Unit II inthe late Middle Pleistocene and within the Late Pleistocene, and the LSA occurrences of Unit III in the LatePleistoceneeHolocene.

Critical area planting in the United States of America | G | African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The importance of vegetation on disturbed or critical areas of the United States of America has long been evident. A wide range of climatic, soil and environmental conditions has resulted in a search for suitable grass species and methods for their establishment. Plant material centres have done considerable work in ...

Numerical groundwater-flow model of the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units in the Rapid City area, South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, Larry D.; Long, Andrew J.

2009-01-01

The city of Rapid City and other water users in the Rapid City area obtain water supplies from the Minnelusa and Madison aquifers, which are contained in the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units. A numerical groundwater-flow model of the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units in the Rapid City area was developed to synthesize estimates of water-budget components and hydraulic properties, and to provide a tool to analyze the effect of additional stress on water-level altitudes within the aquifers and on discharge to springs. This report, prepared in cooperation with the city of Rapid City, documents a numerical groundwater-flow model of the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units for the 1,000-square-mile study area that includes Rapid City and the surrounding area. Water-table conditions generally exist in outcrop areas of the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units, which form generally concentric rings that surround the Precambrian core of the uplifted Black Hills. Confined conditions exist east of the water-table areas in the study area. The Minnelusa hydrogeologic unit is 375 to 800 feet (ft) thick in the study area with the more permeable upper part containing predominantly sandstone and the less permeable lower part containing more shale and limestone than the upper part. Shale units in the lower part generally impede flow between the Minnelusa hydrogeologic unit and the underlying Madison hydrogeologic unit; however, fracturing and weathering may result in hydraulic connections in some areas. The Madison hydrogeologic unit is composed of limestone and dolomite that is about 250 to 610 ft thick in the study area, and the upper part contains substantial secondary permeability from solution openings and fractures. Recharge to the Minnelusa and Madison hydrogeologic units is from streamflow loss where streams cross the outcrop and from infiltration of precipitation on the outcrops (areal recharge). MODFLOW-2000, a finite-difference groundwater

A multiscale network analysis of protected-area connectivity for mammals in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Emily S; Lookingbill, Todd R

2010-12-01

Protected areas must be close, or connected, enough to allow for the preservation of large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes, such as gene flow, migration, and range shifts in response to climate change. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether the network of protected areas in the United States is connected in a way that will preserve biodiversity over large temporal and spatial scales. It is also unclear whether protected-area networks that function for larger species will function for smaller species. We assessed the connectivity of protected areas in the three largest biomes in the United States. With methods from graph theory--a branch of mathematics that deals with connectivity and flow--we identified and measured networks of protected areas for three different groups of mammals. We also examined the value of using umbrella species (typically large-bodied, far-ranging mammals) in designing large-scale networks of protected areas. Although the total amount of protected land varied greatly among biomes in the United States, overall connectivity did not. In general, protected-area networks were well connected for large mammals but not for smaller mammals. Additionally, it was not possible to predict connectivity for small mammals on the basis of connectivity for large mammals, which suggests the umbrella species approach may not be an appropriate design strategy for conservation networks intended to protect many species. Our findings indicate different strategies should be used to increase the likelihood of persistence for different groups of species. Strategic linkages of existing lands should be a conservation priority for smaller mammals, whereas conservation of larger mammals would benefit most from the protection of more land. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

The problem of nuclear wastes. A possible point of conflict between Mexico and the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosas Poblano, A.

1993-01-01

The objectives of this research were: a) To analyse the problem of nuclear wastes, and the importance of their safe handling; b) To investigate the best and safest technologies for the treatment of radioactive wastes and two relevant international laws or regulations; c) To study whether the wastes produced in the United States represent an environmental problem for Mexico

A Comparative Study of Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithm, and Gradient-Genetic Algorithm Optimization Methods for Solving the Unit Commitment Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sahbi Marrouchi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the continuous increase of the population and the perpetual progress of industry, the energy management presents nowadays a relevant topic that concerns researchers in electrical engineering. Indeed, in order to establish a good exploitation of the electrical grid, it is necessary to solve technical and economic problems. This can only be done through the resolution of the Unit Commitment Problem. Unit Commitment Problem allows optimizing the combination of the production units’ states and determining their production planning, in order to satisfy the expected consumption with minimal cost during a specified period which varies usually from 24 hours to one week. However, each production unit has some constraints that make this problem complex, combinatorial, and nonlinear. This paper presents a comparative study between a strategy based on hybrid gradient-genetic algorithm method and two strategies based on metaheuristic methods, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithm, in order to predict the combinations and the unit commitment scheduling of each production unit in one side and to minimize the total production cost in the other side. To test the performance of the optimization proposed strategies, strategies have been applied to the IEEE electrical network 14 busses and the obtained results are very promising.

Transuranic Storage Area (TSA)-2 container storage unit RCRA closure plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lodman, D.W.; Spry, M.J.; Nolte, E.P.; Barry, G.A.

1992-11-01

This document describes the proposed plans for closure of the Transuranic Storage Area (TSA)-2 container storage unit at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act closure requirements. The location, size, capacity, history, and current status of the unit are described. Future plans for the unit include incorporating the earthen-covered portion of the TSA-2 pad into a TSA retrieval enclosure along with the TSA-1 and TSAR pads, and closure of the portion of the TSA-2 pad under the Air Support Weather Shield (ASWS-2). This plan addresses closure of the ASWS-2 by decontaminating structures and equipment that may have contacted the waste. Sufficient sampling and documentation of all closure activities will be performed to demonstrate clean closure. A tentative schedule is provided in the form of a milestone chart

Internal event analysis for Laguna Verde Unit 1 Nuclear Power Plant. Accident sequence quantification and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huerta B, A.; Aguilar T, O.; Nunez C, A.; Lopez M, R.

1994-01-01

The Level 1 results of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant PRA are presented in the I nternal Event Analysis for Laguna Verde Unit 1 Nuclear Power Plant, CNSNS-TR 004, in five volumes. The reports are organized as follows: CNSNS-TR 004 Volume 1: Introduction and Methodology. CNSNS-TR4 Volume 2: Initiating Event and Accident Sequences. CNSNS-TR 004 Volume 3: System Analysis. CNSNS-TR 004 Volume 4: Accident Sequence Quantification and Results. CNSNS-TR 005 Volume 5: Appendices A, B and C. This volume presents the development of the dependent failure analysis, the treatment of the support system dependencies, the identification of the shared-components dependencies, and the treatment of the common cause failure. It is also presented the identification of the main human actions considered along with the possible recovery actions included. The development of the data base and the assumptions and limitations in the data base are also described in this volume. The accident sequences quantification process and the resolution of the core vulnerable sequences are presented. In this volume, the source and treatment of uncertainties associated with failure rates, component unavailabilities, initiating event frequencies, and human error probabilities are also presented. Finally, the main results and conclusions for the Internal Event Analysis for Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant are presented. The total core damage frequency calculated is 9.03x 10-5 per year for internal events. The most dominant accident sequences found are the transients involving the loss of offsite power, the station blackout accidents, and the anticipated transients without SCRAM (ATWS). (Author)

76 FR 12643 - Proposed Establishment of Helicopter Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes; Northeast United States

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-08

... (RNAV) Routes; Northeast United States AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION... northeast corridor between the Washington, DC and New York City metropolitan areas. The FAA is proposing... northeast corridor between the New York City and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas. The routes would serve...

Problems of finding production losses in smoke areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vins, B

1971-01-01

The world-wide research results obtained up to now give evidence that the injurious effects of emissions in forest stands occur in the form of the decrease of diameter increment leading to premature die-back of trees. The effects of emissions are different both in individual tree species and in stand components. The occurrence and size of increment losses are also influenced by the interaction of climate conditions and concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere. Combining original methodical procedures and laboratory equipment for production ecology with computer processing techniques bring about favorable conditions for the solution of problems concerning the emission effects on the production of forest stands. No solution has been found as yet for the problem of diameter increment decrease differentiation based on age and social position of trees. Research work should provide data necessary for the economic evaluation of losses in the main smoke areas and for the choice of suitable economic measures aimed at the mitigation of injuries. This study indicates that it is the modified increment boring method which becomes an efficient method for the control of production processes and for the evaluation of increment changes both in research work and in practice.

Fractals in DNA sequence analysis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yu Zu-Guo(喻祖国); Vo Anh; Gong Zhi-Min(龚志民); Long Shun-Chao(龙顺潮)

2002-01-01

Fractal methods have been successfully used to study many problems in physics, mathematics, engineering, finance,and even in biology. There has been an increasing interest in unravelling the mysteries of DNA; for example, how can we distinguish coding and noncoding sequences, and the problems of classification and evolution relationship of organisms are key problems in bioinformatics. Although much research has been carried out by taking into consideration the long-range correlations in DNA sequences, and the global fractal dimension has been used in these works by other people, the models and methods are somewhat rough and the results are not satisfactory. In recent years, our group has introduced a time series model (statistical point of view) and a visual representation (geometrical point of view)to DNA sequence analysis. We have also used fractal dimension, correlation dimension, the Hurst exponent and the dimension spectrum (multifractal analysis) to discuss problems in this field. In this paper, we introduce these fractal models and methods and the results of DNA sequence analysis.

A PSO based Artificial Neural Network approach for short term unit commitment problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AFTAB AHMAD

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Unit commitment (UC is a non-linear, large scale, complex, mixed-integer combinatorial constrained optimization problem. This paper proposes, a new hybrid approach for generating unit commitment schedules using swarm intelligence learning rule based neural network. The training data has been generated using dynamic programming for machines without valve point effects and using genetic algorithm for machines with valve point effects. A set of load patterns as inputs and the corresponding unit generation schedules as outputs are used to train the network. The neural network fine tunes the best results to the desired targets. The proposed approach has been validated for three thermal machines with valve point effects and without valve point effects. The results are compared with the approaches available in the literature. The PSO-ANN trained model gives better results which show the promise of the proposed methodology.

Use of Physio-Hydrological Units for SMOS Validation at the Valencia Anchor Station Study Area

Science.gov (United States)

Millán-Scheiding, C.; Antolín, C.; Marco, J.; Soriano, M. P.; Torre, E.; Requena, F.; Carbó, E.; Cano, A.; Lopez-Baeza, E.

2009-04-01

The SMOS space mission will soil moisture over the continents and ocean surface salinity with the sufficient resolution to be used in global climate change studies. With the aim of validating SMOS land data and products at the Valencia Anchor Station site (VAS) in a Mediterranean Ecosystem area of Spain, we have designed a sample methodology using a subdivision of the landscape in environmental units related to the spatial variability of soil moisture (Millán-Scheiding, 2006; Lopez-Baeza, et al. 2008). These physio-hydrological units are heterogeneously structured entities which present a certain degree of internal uniformity of hydrological parameters. The units are delimited by integrating areas with the same physio-morphology, soil type, vegetation, geology and topography (Flugel, et al 2003; Millán-Scheiding et al, 2007). Each of these units presented over the same pedological characteristics, vegetation cover, and landscape position should have a certain degree of internal uniformity in its hydrological parameters and therefore similar soil moisture (SM). The main assumption for each unit is that the dynamical variation of the hydrological parameters within one unit should be minimum compared to the dynamics of another unit. This methodology will hopefully provide an effective sampling design consisting of a reduced number of measuring points, sparsely distributed over the area, or alternatively, using SM validation networks where each sampling point is located where it is representative of the mean soil moisture of a complete unit area. The Experimental Plan for the SMOS Validation Rehearsal Campaign at the VAS area of April-May 2008 used this environmental subdivision in the selection and sampling of over 21.000 soil moisture points in a control area of 10 x 10 km2. The ground measurements were carried out during 4 nights corresponding to a drying out period of the soil. The sampling consisted of 700 plots with 4 volumetric SM cylinders and 7 Delta-T Theta

Demonstration of a Novel Synchrophasor-based Situational Awareness System: Wide Area Power System Visualization, On-line Event Replay and Early Warning of Grid Problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosso, A.

2012-12-31

Since the large North Eastern power system blackout on August 14, 2003, U.S. electric utilities have spent lot of effort on preventing power system cascading outages. Two of the main causes of the August 14, 2003 blackout were inadequate situational awareness and inadequate operator training In addition to the enhancements of the infrastructure of the interconnected power systems, more research and development of advanced power system applications are required for improving the wide-area security monitoring, operation and planning in order to prevent large- scale cascading outages of interconnected power systems. It is critically important for improving the wide-area situation awareness of the operators or operational engineers and regional reliability coordinators of large interconnected systems. With the installation of large number of phasor measurement units (PMU) and the related communication infrastructure, it will be possible to improve the operators’ situation awareness and to quickly identify the sequence of events during a large system disturbance for the post-event analysis using the real-time or historical synchrophasor data. The purpose of this project was to develop and demonstrate a novel synchrophasor-based comprehensive situational awareness system for control centers of power transmission systems. The developed system named WASA (Wide Area Situation Awareness) is intended to improve situational awareness at control centers of the power system operators and regional reliability coordinators. It consists of following main software modules: • Wide-area visualizations of real-time frequency, voltage, and phase angle measurements and their contour displays for security monitoring. • Online detection and location of a major event (location, time, size, and type, such as generator or line outage). • Near-real-time event replay (in seconds) after a major event occurs. • Early warning of potential wide-area stability problems. The system has been

An Analysis of the Problems of Developing Environmental Education in Brazilian Federal Protected Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

De Carvalho, Cristina A. R.; Filho, Walter Leal; Hale, William H. G.

1998-01-01

Describes the problems encountered in developing environmental education in federally protected areas in Brazil. Suggests that the development of environmental education in those protected areas has several limitations including financial resources, lack of training, material resources, and lack of policy on environmental education. (Author/CCM)

Interim action record of decision remedial alternative selection: TNX area groundwater operable unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, E.R.

1994-10-01

This document presents the selected interim remedial action for the TNX Area Groundwater Operable Unit at the Savannah River Site (SRS), which was developed in accordance with CERCLA of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986, and to the extent practicable, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution contingency Plan (NCP). This decision is based on the Administrative Record File for this specific CERCLA unit

A Pareto-Based Adaptive Variable Neighborhood Search for Biobjective Hybrid Flow Shop Scheduling Problem with Sequence-Dependent Setup Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huixin Tian

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Different from most researches focused on the single objective hybrid flowshop scheduling (HFS problem, this paper investigates a biobjective HFS problem with sequence dependent setup time. The two objectives are the minimization of total weighted tardiness and the total setup time. To efficiently solve this problem, a Pareto-based adaptive biobjective variable neighborhood search (PABOVNS is developed. In the proposed PABOVNS, a solution is denoted as a sequence of all jobs and a decoding procedure is presented to obtain the corresponding complete schedule. In addition, the proposed PABOVNS has three major features that can guarantee a good balance of exploration and exploitation. First, an adaptive selection strategy of neighborhoods is proposed to automatically select the most promising neighborhood instead of the sequential selection strategy of canonical VNS. Second, a two phase multiobjective local search based on neighborhood search and path relinking is designed for each selected neighborhood. Third, an external archive with diversity maintenance is adopted to store the nondominated solutions and at the same time provide initial solutions for the local search. Computational results based on randomly generated instances show that the PABOVNS is efficient and even superior to some other powerful multiobjective algorithms in the literature.

Multiperiod Hierarchical Location Problem of Transit Hub in Urban Agglomeration Area

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Ting-ting Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid urbanization in developing countries, urban agglomeration area (UAA forms. Also, transportation demand in UAA grows rapidly and presents hierarchical feature. Therefore, it is imperative to develop models for transit hubs to guide the development of UAA and better meet the time-varying and hierarchical transportation demand. In this paper, the multiperiod hierarchical location problem of transit hub in urban agglomeration area (THUAA is studied. A hierarchical service network of THUAA with a multiflow, nested, and noncoherent structure is described. Then a multiperiod hierarchical mathematical programming model is proposed, aiming at minimizing the total demand weighted travel time. Moreover, an improved adaptive clonal selection algorithm is presented to solve the model. Both the model and algorithm are verified by the application to a real-life problem of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in China. The results of different scenarios in the case show that urban population migration has a great impact on the THUAA location scheme. Sustained and appropriate urban population migration helps to reduce travel time for urban residents.

Radioactive wastes in the areas adjacent to Finland. The improvement of the problem is slow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varjoranta, T.

1997-01-01

The radioactive waste problem in the area of Murmansk located in Northwestern Russia is analysed in the article. The radioactive wastes have accumulated from e.g. the military ships, ice-breakers and the Kola nuclear power plant. The problem is also a concern of neighboring countries and the international cooperation efforts to mitigate the problem are also described

The evolution of the tape measure protein: units, duplications and losses

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Poisson Guylaine

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A large family of viruses that infect bacteria, called phages, is characterized by long tails used to inject DNA into their victims' cells. The tape measure protein got its name because the length of the corresponding gene is proportional to the length of the phage's tail: a fact shown by actually copying or splicing out parts of DNA in exemplar species. A natural question is whether there exist units for these tape measures, and if different tape measures have different units and lengths. Such units would allow us to retrace the evolution of tape measure proteins using their duplication/loss history. The vast number of sequenced phages genomes allows us to attack this problem with a comparative genomics approach. Results Here we describe a subset of phages whose tape measure proteins contain variable numbers of an 11 amino acids sequence repeat, aligned with sequence similarity, structural properties, and simple arithmetics. This subset provides a unique opportunity for the combinatorial study of phage evolution, without the added uncertainties of multiple alignments, which are trivial in this case, or of protein functions, that are well established. We give a heuristic that reconstructs the duplication history of these sequences, using divergent strains to discriminate between mutations that occurred before and after speciation, or lineage divergence. The heuristic is based on an efficient algorithm that gives an exhaustive enumeration of all possible parsimonious reconstructions of the duplication/speciation history of a single nucleotide. Finally, we present a method that allows, when possible, to discriminate between duplication and loss events. Conclusions Establishing the evolutionary history of viruses is difficult, in part due to extensive recombinations and gene transfers, and high mutation rates that often erase detectable similarity between homologous genes. In this paper, we introduce new tools to address this

Radiation hygiene problems of radiopharmaceutical preparation at nuclear medicine units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pekarek, J.; Kukacka, R.

1977-01-01

The problems of magistral radiopharmaceuticals preparation are indicated and the layout of a unit for the magistral preparation of radiopharmaceuticals is described. The results are briefly reported of a study of radiation load of laboratory personnel preparing radiopharmaceuticals as against doctors actually applying them. It was found that the exposure of hands to ionizing radiation represents the highest hazard for the laboratory personnel. The most important radiation protection principles are pointed out, such as the use of protective clothing, regular preventive medical examinations, appropriately shielded radionuclides and radionuclide generators to be supplied by manufacturers, and a more frequent rotation of personnel working with active and nonactive preparations. (L.O.)

Control area around dental x-ray units - dosimetric study I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suric Mihic, M.; Prlic, I.; Milkovic-Kraus, S.; Mestrovic, T.; Rojnica, F.

2005-01-01

The issue of prompt professional occupational dose reporting is raised when the interval between doses is short or when the radiation source suffers a technical failure. Every involved person should be able to recognised individual or group radiation exposure. Actual radiation quality of the source is to be taken into account. To optimise radiation protection of dental radiologists, dental x-ray units were subject to Quality Control measurements. Scattering radiation from the patient's dental structures was measured in order to prove the results published by S. Tabakov, but using the modern RVG dental mode and several classical diagnostic positions. We used a special head phantom (real scull + Perspex + crown glass) and common dental x-ray units of various brands and types. The radiation quality was measured using standard QA/QC equipment. We measured the radiation scattered from the phantom in the horizontal plane (at thyroid height) at 0.5 m distance from the centre of the phantom. The measurement were done for a number of standard dental x-ray procedures, but this paper presents only the scattering caused by the upper premolars. The attenuation in the facial tissue was minimal and the majority of incidental radiation passes through the open mouth of a patient directly into the room area causing occupational exposure. The results we obtained are consistent with earlier reports on patient dosimetry. Occupational exposure is much lower if a modern RVG technique is used and no radiation protection threshold is exceeded in relation to Croatian laws. Much more important is the fact that the need for protective equipment and shielding is smaller if QA warrants proper technical operation of the x-ray tube. The maintenance of dental units is essential and so is a proper training of staff using modern diagnostic techniques. The control area around the x-ray unit is to be calculated and established for every standard dental unit (this does not apply for panoramic x

Mineral development prospects of the Indochina area: Potential exceeds problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clark, A L; Dorian, J P; Hudders, W A [East-West Center, Honolulu, HI (United States)

1991-02-01

Reform is under way in several nations within the Indochina area to stimulate economic growth and foreign investment. Though once forbidden, participation by foreign companies in mining exploration and development activities in Myanmar, Kampuchea, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam is now being solicited by the respective governments. This paper presents a preliminary evaluation of mineral and energy resources in the region and outlines possible development scenarios based on economic policies, financial and infrastructural constraints and industry interest. The investment climates for resource-related projects are assessed qualitatively by country. Clearly, the long-term development potential of mineral and energy resources in the Indochina area is large, and the potential gains outweigh any of today's problems. (author). 34 refs, 1 fig., 12 tabs.

Airborne Gravimetry Survey for the Marine Area of the United Arab Emirates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forsberg, René; Olesen, Arne Vestergaard; Alshamsi, Adel

2012-01-01

The Military Survey Department (MSD) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) undertook an airborne gravity survey project for the marine area of the country in 2009, especially to strengthen the marine and coastal geoid in the near-shore regions. For the airborne gravity survey, 5 km spacing coast...... flight speed of 170 knots and a typical flight elevation of 900-1500 m, depending on weather conditions and topography. Gravity was measured with a ZLS-modified LaCoste and Romberg gravimeter (S-99), augmented with a Honeywell strap-down inertial navigation system unit. The estimated accuracy...

Countermeasure Research on Problems Impeding Farmers’ Successful Entrepreneurship in Minority Areas

OpenAIRE

Feng, Xiao-jin; Xu, Cong-wei

2011-01-01

By investigating the problem of farmers’ entrepreneurship in Gongcheng Yaozu Autonomous County, lying in Guilin, Guangxi, the thesis expounds the existing problems impacting farmers’ successful entrepreneurship in minority areas as follows: firstly, the musty idea of local cadre is obstacle to farmers’ successful entrepreneurship; secondly, the problems of scattered farmers’ entrepreneurship resources, waste and shortage of resources impact good effect of entrepreneurship; thirdly, fa...

Power enhancing by reversing mode sequence in tuned mass-spring unit attached vibration energy harvester

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Jae Eun Kim

2013-07-01

Full Text Available We propose a vibration energy harvester consisting of an auxiliary frequency-tuned mass unit and a piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting unit for enhancing output power. The proposed integrated system is so configured that its out-of-phase mode can appear at the lowest eigenfrequency unlike in the conventional system using a tuned unit. Such an arrangement makes the resulting system distinctive: enhanced output power at or near the target operating frequency and very little eigenfrequency separation, not observed in conventional eigenfrequency-tuned vibration energy harvesters. The power enhancement of the proposed system is theoretically examined with and without tip mass normalization or footprint area normalization.

Associate Directorate Environmental Management Infrastructure Plan for Area G and Area L Domes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, Patrice Ann; Baumer, Andrew Ronald

2016-01-01

Technical Area 54, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is situated in the east-central portion of the Laboratory on the Mesita del Buey between Pajarito Canyon to the south and Canada del Buey to the north. TA-54 includes four MDAs designated as G, H, J, and L; a waste characterization, container storage, and transfer facility; active TRU waste and MLLW waste storage and low-level waste (LLW) disposal operations at Area G; active hazardous and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste storage operations at Area L; and administrative and support areas. MDA J has previously under-gone closure. Area G is a waste management and disposal area, used for the disposal and storage of radioactive wastes since 1957. Since August 2015, Area G has been in warm standby and provides minimal operations to support safety, compliance, and nitrate salt remediation. Located within Area G, MDA G covers 63-acres. MDA G contains 334 active and inactive waste management units, which include 36 pits, 294 shafts, and 4 trenches. In 1971, Area G began use for the retrievable storage of TRU waste. There are two pits, four trenches and 60 shafts that contain retrievable TRU waste. Thirty-three of the shafts contain TRU waste that may present unique problems for retrieval. In 1986, segregation of MLLW was initiated at Area G for treatment and temporary storage or for off-site disposal. Area G is the only active LLW disposal facility at the Laboratory. Current operations at Area G include storage and characterization of TRU and mixed TRU waste destined for off-site disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and the storage of MLLW destined for off-site treatment and/or disposal. Several above-ground container storage units (CSUs) are currently used for storage of containerized MLLW and/or mixed TRU wastes. These consist of asphalt pads and associated fabric domes or other structures. As defined by the Consent Order, MDA G contains 229 of the 334 subsurface waste

Associate Directorate Environmental Management Infrastructure Plan for Area G and Area L Domes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevens, Patrice Ann [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Baumer, Andrew Ronald [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-09-26

Technical Area 54, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is situated in the east-central portion of the Laboratory on the Mesita del Buey between Pajarito Canyon to the south and Cañada del Buey to the north. TA-54 includes four MDAs designated as G, H, J, and L; a waste characterization, container storage, and transfer facility; active TRU waste and MLLW waste storage and low-level waste (LLW) disposal operations at Area G; active hazardous and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste storage operations at Area L; and administrative and support areas. MDA J has previously under-gone closure. Area G is a waste management and disposal area, used for the disposal and storage of radioactive wastes since 1957. Since August 2015, Area G has been in warm standby and provides minimal operations to support safety, compliance, and nitrate salt remediation. Located within Area G, MDA G covers 63-acres. MDA G contains 334 active and inactive waste management units, which include 36 pits, 294 shafts, and 4 trenches. In 1971, Area G began use for the retrievable storage of TRU waste. There are two pits, four trenches and 60 shafts that contain retrievable TRU waste. Thirty-three of the shafts contain TRU waste that may present unique problems for retrieval. In 1986, segregation of MLLW was initiated at Area G for treatment and temporary storage or for off-site disposal. Area G is the only active LLW disposal facility at the Laboratory. Current operations at Area G include storage and characterization of TRU and mixed TRU waste destined for off-site disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and the storage of MLLW destined for off-site treatment and/or disposal. Several above-ground container storage units (CSUs) are currently used for storage of containerized MLLW and/or mixed TRU wastes. These consist of asphalt pads and associated fabric domes or other structures. As defined by the Consent Order, MDA G contains 229 of the 334 subsurface waste

Repdigits in k-Lucas sequences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

57(2) 2000 243-254) proved that 11 is the largest number with only one distinct digit (the so-called repdigit) in the sequence ( L n ( 2 ) ) n . In this paper, we address a similar problem in the family of -Lucas sequences. We also show that the -Lucas sequences have similar properties to those of -Fibonacci sequences ...

Taxonomic classification of world map units in crop producing areas of Argentina and Brazil with representative US soil series and major land resource areas in which they occur

Science.gov (United States)

Huckle, H. F. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The most probable current U.S. taxonomic classification of the soils estimated to dominate world soil map units (WSM)) in selected crop producing states of Argentina and Brazil are presented. Representative U.S. soil series the units are given. The map units occurring in each state are listed with areal extent and major U.S. land resource areas in which similar soils most probably occur. Soil series sampled in LARS Technical Report 111579 and major land resource areas in which they occur with corresponding similar WSM units at the taxonomic subgroup levels are given.

Consed: a graphical editor for next-generation sequencing

OpenAIRE

Gordon, David; Green, Phil

2013-01-01

Summary: The rapid growth of DNA sequencing throughput in recent years implies that graphical interfaces for viewing and correcting errors must now handle large numbers of reads, efficiently pinpoint regions of interest and automate as many tasks as possible. We have adapted consed to reflect this. To allow full-feature editing of large datasets while keeping memory requirements low, we developed a viewer, bamScape, that reads billion-read BAM files, identifies and displays problem areas for ...

Area deprivation and child psychosocial problems - A national cross-sectional study among school-aged children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijneveld, SA; Brugman, E; Verhulst, FC; Verloove-Vanhorick, SP

Background We examined the association of area deprivation with the occurrence of psychosocial problems among children aged 4-16 in a representative national sample of children based on standardised measures of parent-reported problems and diagnoses made by doctors and nurses working in child

War, Education and State Formation: Problems of Territorial and Political Integration in the United States, 1848-1912

Science.gov (United States)

Beadie, Nancy

2016-01-01

After the Civil War (1861-1865), the United States faced a problem of "reconstruction" similar to that confronted by other nations at the time and familiar to the US since at least the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The problem was one of territorial and political (re)integration: how to take territories that had only recently been…

TAGUCHI METHOD FOR THREE-STAGE ASSEMBLY FLOW SHOP SCHEDULING PROBLEM WITH BLOCKING AND SEQUENCE-DEPENDENT SET UP TIMES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AREF MALEKI-DARONKOLAEI

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This article considers a three-stage assembly flowshop scheduling problem minimizing the weighted sum of mean completion time and makespan with sequence-dependent setup times at the first stage and blocking times between each stage. To tackle such an NP-hard, two meta-heuristic algorithms are presented. The novelty of our approach is to develop a variable neighborhood search algorithm (VNS and a well-known simulated annealing (SA for the problem. Furthermore, to enhance the performance of the (SA, its parameters are optimized by the use of Taguchi method, but to setting parameters of VNS just one parameter has been used without Taguchi. The computational results show that the proposed VNS is better in mean and standard deviation for all sizes of the problem than SA, but on the contrary about CPU Time SA outperforms VNS.

Sampling and decontamination plan for the Transuranic Storage Area--1/-R container storage unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barry, G.A.

1992-11-01

This document describes the sampling and decontamination of the Transuranic Storage Area (TSA)-l/-R container storage area and the earthen-covered portion of the TSA-2 container storage unit at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. Stored containers from the earthen-covered asphalt pads will be retrieved from the TSA-l/-R and TSA-2 container storage units. Container retrieval will be conducted under the TSA retrieval enclosure, a fabricated steel building to be constructed over the earthen-covered pad to provide containment and weather protection. Following container retrieval, the TSA retrieval enclosure will be decontaminated to remove radioactive and hazardous contamination. The underlying soils will be sampled and analyzed to determine whether any contaminated soils require removal

The Institutional Sustainability in Protected Area Tourism-Case Studies of Jiuzhaigou National Scenic Area, China and New Forest National Park, United Kingdom

OpenAIRE

Xu, Feifei; Fox, Dorothy; Zhang, J.; Cheng, S.

2014-01-01

This article considers sustainable tourism development in two protected areas, Jiuzhaigou National Scenic Area in China and the New Forest National Park in the United Kingdom. An inductive approach is used to explore the "fourth component" of sustainable tourism development that is institutional sustainability. Primary data from in-depth interviews, together with a range of secondary data sources, are analyzed to understand the governance and management of each area. These reveal that whilst ...

Pharmacotherapeutic Problems and Pharmacist Interventions in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae Yun Park

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Interest in pharmacist participation in the multidisciplinary intensive care team is increasing. However, studies examining pharmacist interventions in the medical intensive care unit (MICU are limited in Korea. The aim of this study was to describe the current status of pharmacist interventions and to identify common pharmacologic problems requiring pharmacist intervention in the MICU. Methods: Between September 2013 and August 2014, a retrospective, observational study was conducted in the 22-bed MICU at a university hospital. Data were obtained from two trained pharmacists who participated in MICU rounds three times a week. In addition to patient characteristics, data on the cause, type, related drug, and acceptance rate of interventions were collected. Results: In 340 patients, a total of 1211 pharmacologic interventions were performed. The majority of pharmacologic interventions were suggested by pharmacists at multidisciplinary rounds in the MICU. The most common pharmacologic interventions were adjustment of dosage and administration (n = 328, 26.0%, followed by parenteral/enteral nutritional support (n = 228, 18.1%, the provision of drug information (n = 228, 18.1%, and advice regarding pharmacokinetics (n = 118, 9.3%. Antimicrobial agents (n = 516, 42.6% were the most frequent type of drug associated with pharmacist interventions. The acceptance rate of interventions was 84.1% with most accepted by physicians within 24 hours (n = 602, 92.8%. Conclusions: Medication and nutritional problems are frequently encountered pharmacotherapeutic problems in the MICU. Pharmacist interventions play an important role in the management of these problems.

Microbial Contaminants of Cord Blood Units Identified by 16S rRNA Sequencing and by API Test System, and Antibiotic Sensitivity Profiling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luís França

Full Text Available Over a period of ten months a total of 5618 cord blood units (CBU were screened for microbial contamination under routine conditions. The antibiotic resistance profile for all isolates was also examined using ATB strips. The detection rate for culture positive units was 7.5%, corresponding to 422 samples.16S rRNA sequence analysis and identification with API test system were used to identify the culturable aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic bacteria from CBUs. From these samples we recovered 485 isolates (84 operational taxonomic units, OTUs assigned to the classes Bacteroidia, Actinobacteria, Clostridia, Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria and primarily to the Gammaproteobacteria. Sixty-nine OTUs, corresponding to 447 isolates, showed 16S rRNA sequence similarities above 99.0% with known cultured bacteria. However, 14 OTUs had 16S rRNA sequence similarities between 95 and 99% in support of genus level identification and one OTU with 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 90.3% supporting a family level identification only. The phenotypic identification formed 29 OTUs that could be identified to the species level and 9 OTUs that could be identified to the genus level by API test system. We failed to obtain identification for 14 OTUs, while 32 OTUs comprised organisms producing mixed identifications. Forty-two OTUs covered species not included in the API system databases. The API test system Rapid ID 32 Strep and Rapid ID 32 E showed the highest proportion of identifications to the species level, the lowest ratio of unidentified results and the highest agreement to the results of 16S rRNA assignments. Isolates affiliated to the Bacilli and Bacteroidia showed the highest antibiotic multi-resistance indices and microorganisms of the Clostridia displayed the most antibiotic sensitive phenotypes.

Microbial Contaminants of Cord Blood Units Identified by 16S rRNA Sequencing and by API Test System, and Antibiotic Sensitivity Profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

França, Luís; Simões, Catarina; Taborda, Marco; Diogo, Catarina; da Costa, Milton S

2015-01-01

Over a period of ten months a total of 5618 cord blood units (CBU) were screened for microbial contamination under routine conditions. The antibiotic resistance profile for all isolates was also examined using ATB strips. The detection rate for culture positive units was 7.5%, corresponding to 422 samples.16S rRNA sequence analysis and identification with API test system were used to identify the culturable aerobic, microaerophilic and anaerobic bacteria from CBUs. From these samples we recovered 485 isolates (84 operational taxonomic units, OTUs) assigned to the classes Bacteroidia, Actinobacteria, Clostridia, Bacilli, Betaproteobacteria and primarily to the Gammaproteobacteria. Sixty-nine OTUs, corresponding to 447 isolates, showed 16S rRNA sequence similarities above 99.0% with known cultured bacteria. However, 14 OTUs had 16S rRNA sequence similarities between 95 and 99% in support of genus level identification and one OTU with 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 90.3% supporting a family level identification only. The phenotypic identification formed 29 OTUs that could be identified to the species level and 9 OTUs that could be identified to the genus level by API test system. We failed to obtain identification for 14 OTUs, while 32 OTUs comprised organisms producing mixed identifications. Forty-two OTUs covered species not included in the API system databases. The API test system Rapid ID 32 Strep and Rapid ID 32 E showed the highest proportion of identifications to the species level, the lowest ratio of unidentified results and the highest agreement to the results of 16S rRNA assignments. Isolates affiliated to the Bacilli and Bacteroidia showed the highest antibiotic multi-resistance indices and microorganisms of the Clostridia displayed the most antibiotic sensitive phenotypes.

High-grade metamorphic rocks of the Mellid area, Galicia, NW Spain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hubregtse, J.J.M.W.

1973-01-01

This study concerns the petrology of the Mellid area, the SE portion of the outer zone of the Ordenes Complex which is one of the upthrusted Precambrian complexes in the axial zone of the Hercynian orogen in Galicia, NW Spain. An eugeosynclinal rock sequence is found containing units with different

Acoustic sequences in non-human animals: a tutorial review and prospectus

Science.gov (United States)

Kershenbaum, Arik; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Roch, Marie A.; Akçay, Çağlar; Backus, Gregory; Bee, Mark A.; Bohn, Kirsten; Cao, Yan; Carter, Gerald; Cäsar, Cristiane; Coen, Michael; DeRuiter, Stacy L.; Doyle, Laurance; Edelman, Shimon; Ferrer-i-Cancho, Ramon; Freeberg, Todd M.; Garland, Ellen C.; Gustison, Morgan; Harley, Heidi E.; Huetz, Chloé; Hughes, Melissa; Bruno, Julia Hyland; Ilany, Amiyaal; Jin, Dezhe Z.; Johnson, Michael; Ju, Chenghui; Karnowski, Jeremy; Lohr, Bernard; Manser, Marta B.; McCowan, Brenda; Mercado, Eduardo; Narins, Peter M.; Piel, Alex; Rice, Megan; Salmi, Roberta; Sasahara, Kazutoshi; Sayigh, Laela; Shiu, Yu; Taylor, Charles; Vallejo, Edgar E.; Waller, Sara; Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica

2015-01-01

Animal acoustic communication often takes the form of complex sequences, made up of multiple distinct acoustic units. Apart from the well-known example of birdsong, other animals such as insects, amphibians, and mammals (including bats, rodents, primates, and cetaceans) also generate complex acoustic sequences. Occasionally, such as with birdsong, the adaptive role of these sequences seems clear (e.g. mate attraction and territorial defence). More often however, researchers have only begun to characterise – let alone understand – the significance and meaning of acoustic sequences. Hypotheses abound, but there is little agreement as to how sequences should be defined and analysed. Our review aims to outline suitable methods for testing these hypotheses, and to describe the major limitations to our current and near-future knowledge on questions of acoustic sequences. This review and prospectus is the result of a collaborative effort between 43 scientists from the fields of animal behaviour, ecology and evolution, signal processing, machine learning, quantitative linguistics, and information theory, who gathered for a 2013 workshop entitled, “Analysing vocal sequences in animals”. Our goal is to present not just a review of the state of the art, but to propose a methodological framework that summarises what we suggest are the best practices for research in this field, across taxa and across disciplines. We also provide a tutorial-style introduction to some of the most promising algorithmic approaches for analysing sequences. We divide our review into three sections: identifying the distinct units of an acoustic sequence, describing the different ways that information can be contained within a sequence, and analysing the structure of that sequence. Each of these sections is further subdivided to address the key questions and approaches in that area. We propose a uniform, systematic, and comprehensive approach to studying sequences, with the goal of clarifying

Nonparametric combinatorial sequence models.

Science.gov (United States)

Wauthier, Fabian L; Jordan, Michael I; Jojic, Nebojsa

2011-11-01

This work considers biological sequences that exhibit combinatorial structures in their composition: groups of positions of the aligned sequences are "linked" and covary as one unit across sequences. If multiple such groups exist, complex interactions can emerge between them. Sequences of this kind arise frequently in biology but methodologies for analyzing them are still being developed. This article presents a nonparametric prior on sequences which allows combinatorial structures to emerge and which induces a posterior distribution over factorized sequence representations. We carry out experiments on three biological sequence families which indicate that combinatorial structures are indeed present and that combinatorial sequence models can more succinctly describe them than simpler mixture models. We conclude with an application to MHC binding prediction which highlights the utility of the posterior distribution over sequence representations induced by the prior. By integrating out the posterior, our method compares favorably to leading binding predictors.

Winnowing sequences from a database search.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, P; Zhang, Z; Wolf, Y I; Koonin, E V; Miller, W

2000-01-01

In database searches for sequence similarity, matches to a distinct sequence region (e.g., protein domain) are frequently obscured by numerous matches to another region of the same sequence. In order to cope with this problem, algorithms are developed to discard redundant matches. One model for this problem begins with a list of intervals, each with an associated score; each interval gives the range of positions in the query sequence that align to a database sequence, and the score is that of the alignment. If interval I is contained in interval J, and I's score is less than J's, then I is said to be dominated by J. The problem is then to identify each interval that is dominated by at least K other intervals, where K is a given level of "tolerable redundancy." An algorithm is developed to solve the problem in O(N log N) time and O(N*) space, where N is the number of intervals and N* is a precisely defined value that never exceeds N and is frequently much smaller. This criterion for discarding database hits has been implemented in the Blast program, as illustrated herein with examples. Several variations and extensions of this approach are also described.

Regional geological assessment of the Devonian-Mississippian shale sequence of the Appalachian, Illinois, and Michigan basins relative to potential storage/disposal of radioactive wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lomenick, T.F.; Gonzales, S.; Johnson, K.S.; Byerly, D.

1983-01-01

The thick and regionally extensive sequence of shales and associated clastic sedimentary rocks of Late Devonian and Early Mississippian age has been considered among the nonsalt geologies for deep subsurface containment of high-level radioactive wastes. This report examines some of the regional and basin-specific characteristics of the black and associated nonblack shales of this sequence within the Appalachian, Illinois, and Michigan basins of the north-central and eastern United States. Principal areas where the thickness and depth of this shale sequence are sufficient to warrant further evaluation are identified, but no attempt is made to identify specific storage/disposal sites. Also identified are other areas with less promise for further study because of known potential conflicts such as geologic-hydrologic factors, competing subsurface priorities involving mineral resources and groundwater, or other parameters. Data have been compiled for each basin in an effort to indicate thickness, distribution, and depth relationships for the entire shale sequence as well as individual shale units in the sequence. Included as parts of this geologic assessment are isopach, depth information, structure contour, tectonic elements, and energy-resource maps covering the three basins. Summary evaluations are given for each basin as well as an overall general evaluation of the waste storage/disposal potential of the Devonian-Mississippian shale sequence,including recommendations for future studies to more fully characterize the shale sequence for that purpose. Based on data compiled in this cursory investigation, certain rock units have reasonable promise for radioactive waste storage/disposal and do warrant additional study.

Regional geological assessment of the Devonian-Mississippian shale sequence of the Appalachian, Illinois, and Michigan basins relative to potential storage/disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lomenick, T.F.; Gonzales, S.; Johnson, K.S.; Byerly, D.

1983-01-01

The thick and regionally extensive sequence of shales and associated clastic sedimentary rocks of Late Devonian and Early Mississippian age has been considered among the nonsalt geologies for deep subsurface containment of high-level radioactive wastes. This report examines some of the regional and basin-specific characteristics of the black and associated nonblack shales of this sequence within the Appalachian, Illinois, and Michigan basins of the north-central and eastern United States. Principal areas where the thickness and depth of this shale sequence are sufficient to warrant further evaluation are identified, but no attempt is made to identify specific storage/disposal sites. Also identified are other areas with less promise for further study because of known potential conflicts such as geologic-hydrologic factors, competing subsurface priorities involving mineral resources and groundwater, or other parameters. Data have been compiled for each basin in an effort to indicate thickness, distribution, and depth relationships for the entire shale sequence as well as individual shale units in the sequence. Included as parts of this geologic assessment are isopach, depth information, structure contour, tectonic elements, and energy-resource maps covering the three basins. Summary evaluations are given for each basin as well as an overall general evaluation of the waste storage/disposal potential of the Devonian-Mississippian shale sequence,including recommendations for future studies to more fully characterize the shale sequence for that purpose. Based on data compiled in this cursory investigation, certain rock units have reasonable promise for radioactive waste storage/disposal and do warrant additional study

Simulation of motor unit recruitment and microvascular unit perfusion: spatial considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuglevand, A J; Segal, S S

1997-10-01

Muscle fiber activity is the principal stimulus for increasing capillary perfusion during exercise. The control elements of perfusion, i.e., microvascular units (MVUs), supply clusters of muscle fibers, whereas the control elements of contraction, i.e., motor units, are composed of fibers widely scattered throughout muscle. The purpose of this study was to examine how the discordant spatial domains of MVUs and motor units could influence the proportion of open capillaries (designated as perfusion) throughout a muscle cross section. A computer model simulated the locations of perfused MVUs in response to the activation of up to 100 motor units in a muscle with 40,000 fibers and a cross-sectional area of 100 mm2. The simulation increased contraction intensity by progressive recruitment of motor units. For each step of motor unit recruitment, the percentage of active fibers and the number of perfused MVUs were determined for several conditions: 1) motor unit fibers widely dispersed and motor unit territories randomly located (which approximates healthy human muscle), 2) regionalized motor unit territories, 3) reversed recruitment order of motor units, 4) densely clustered motor unit fibers, and 5) increased size but decreased number of motor units. The simulations indicated that the widespread dispersion of motor unit fibers facilitates complete capillary (MVU) perfusion of muscle at low levels of activity. The efficacy by which muscle fiber activity induced perfusion was reduced 7- to 14-fold under conditions that decreased the dispersion of active fibers, increased the size of motor units, or reversed the sequence of motor unit recruitment. Such conditions are similar to those that arise in neuromuscular disorders, with aging, or during electrical stimulation of muscle, respectively.

Regional hydrology of the Green River-Moab area, northwestern Paradox Basin, Utah

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rush, F.E.; Whitfield, M.S.; Hart, I.M.

1982-12-01

The Green River-Moab area encompasses about 7800 square kilometers or about 25% of the Paradox basin. The entire Paradox basin is a part of the Colorado Plateaus that is underlain by a thick sequence of evaporite (salt) beds of Pennsylvanian age. The rock units that underlie the area have been grouped into hydrogeologic units based on their water-transmitting ability. Confining beds consist of evaporite beds of mostly salt, and overlying and underlying thick sequences of rocks with minimal permeability; above and below these confining beds are aquifers. The upper Mesozoic sandstone aquifer, probably is the most permeable hydrogeologic unit of the area and is the subject of this investigation. The principal component of groundwater outflow from this aquifer probably is subsurface flow to regional streams (the Green and Colorado Rivers) and is about 100 million cubic meters per year. All other components of outflow are relatively small. The average annual recharge to the aquifer is about 130 million cubic meters, of which about 20 million cubic meters is from local precipitation. For the lower aquifer, all recharge and discharge probably is by subsurface flow and was not estimated. The aquifers are generally isolated from the evaporite beds by the bounding confining beds; as a result, most ground water has little if any contact with the evaporites. Brines are present in the confining beds, but solution of beds of salt probably is very slow in most parts of the area. No brine discharges have been identified

Radiation dose distribution monitoring at neutron radiography facility area, Nuclear Energy Unit, Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Razak Daud

1995-01-01

One experiment was carried out to get the distribution of radiation doses at the neutron radiography facilities, Nuclear Energy Unit, Malaysia. The analysis was done to evaluate the safety level of the area. The analysis was used in neutron radiography work

Hierarchical Bayes Small Area Estimation under a Unit Level Model with Applications in Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nageena Nazir

2016-09-01

Full Text Available To studied Bayesian aspect of small area estimation using Unit level model. In this paper we proposed and evaluated new prior distribution for the ratio of variance components in unit level model rather than uniform prior. To approximate the posterior moments of small area means, Laplace approximation method is applied. This choice of prior avoids the extreme skewness, usually present in the posterior distribution of variance components. This property leads to more accurate Laplace approximation. We apply the proposed model to the analysis of horticultural data and results from the model are compared with frequestist approach and with Bayesian model of uniform prior in terms of average relative bias, average squared relative bias and average absolute bias. The numerical results obtained highlighted the superiority of using the proposed prior over the uniform prior. Thus Bayes estimators (with new prior of small area means have good frequentist properties such as MSE and ARB as compared to other traditional methods viz., Direct, Synthetic and Composite estimators.

WIPP Sampling and Analysis Plan for Solid Waste Management Units and Areas of Concern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) has been prepared to fulfill requirements of Module VII, Section VII.M.2 and Table VII.1, requirement 4 of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous Waste Permit, NM4890139088-TSDF (the Permit); (NMED [New Mexico Environment Department], 1999a). This SAP describes the approach for investigation of the Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) and Areas of Concern (AOC) specified in the Permit. This SAP addresses the current Permit requirements for a RCRA Facility Investigation(RFI) investigation of SWMUs and AOCs. It uses the results of previous investigations performed at WIPP and expands the investigations as required by the Permit. As an alternative to the RFI specified in Module VII of the Permit, current NMED guidance identifies an Accelerated Corrective Action Approach (ACAA) that may be used for any SWMU or AOC (NMED, 1998). This accelerated approach is used to replace the standard RFI work plan and report sequence with a more flexible decision-making approach. The ACAA process allows a facility to exit the schedule of compliance contained in the facility's Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) permit module and proceed on an accelerated time frame. Thus, the ACAA process can beentered either before or after a RFI work plan. According to NMED's guidance, a facility can prepare a RFI work plan or SAP for any SWMU or AOC (NMED, 1998).

Acoustic profiling and surface imaging of the coastal area near the subduction zone: the eastern coastal area of Boso Peninsula, Central Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Furuyama, S.; Sato, T.

2016-12-01

The plate motion of the Philippine Sea plate and the Pacific plate influences geology of coastal area in the Pacific side in Japan and sometime causes extensive damage of human activity, such as the Great East Japan Earthquake. It is important to understand the geological structures in a coastal area for disaster prevention. Especially, rapid equipment of geoinformations is highly demanded in the Kanto region where covers capital Tokyo area. Geological Survey of Japan investigated the eastern coastal area in Boso Peninsula, eastern part of the Kanto region, Japan within two years from 2014 to 2015. We obtained seismic sections of ca. 1100 km in total length with a boomer and multi-channel streamer (24 channel with 3.125 m spacing) and report the geological significance of the subsurface structures. The survey area is divided into the northern part of Kujukuri area, the southern part of Kujukuri area, the coastal part of Kujukuri area based on topography and geological structures. In these Kujukuri areas, two strata that show distinct stratification bounded by distinct unconformity distribute and we define them as the Kujukuri A Unit and the Kujukuri B Unit, in ascending order. The lower sequence has some folds and normal faults. These folds that deformed the Kujukuri B Unit extend toward north-northeast in the northern part of Kujukuri area. They contributed to development of wide shelf distributed in this area. In the southern part of Kujukuri area, a lot of faults deformed the Kujukuri B Unit and some of them displaced the Kujukuri A Unit over 10 msec (two way travel). Normal faults developed in the Kujukuri B Unit over 10 msec made grabens and half grabens in the coastal part of Kujukuri area and these grabens and half grabens could make the lowland in the Kujukuri coastal area. The combination of these geological structures identified in the Kujukuri areas could reflect the transition of stress field associated with the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate

Clarification process: Resolution of decision-problem conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Dieterly, D. L.

1980-01-01

A model of a general process which occurs in both decisionmaking and problem-solving tasks is presented. It is called the clarification model and is highly dependent on information flow. The model addresses the possible constraints of individual indifferences and experience in achieving success in resolving decision-problem conditions. As indicated, the application of the clarification process model is only necessary for certain classes of the basic decision-problem condition. With less complex decision problem conditions, certain phases of the model may be omitted. The model may be applied across a wide range of decision problem conditions. The model consists of two major components: (1) the five-phase prescriptive sequence (based on previous approaches to both concepts) and (2) the information manipulation function (which draws upon current ideas in the areas of information processing, computer programming, memory, and thinking). The two components are linked together to provide a structure that assists in understanding the process of resolving problems and making decisions.

CORRELATIONS OF THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY BETWEEN STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS IN THE BROADER AREA OF ZAGREB

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miron Kovačić

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Thermal conductivity (KTV of geological formations is one of the parameters responsible for the propagation of the heat under the earth surface. During geothermal investigations in the broader area of the Croatian capital of Zagreb the thermal conductivity was measured on the rock samples from the surface and the boreholes. The results of the measurements are presented in this work and used as a basis for calculations of the thermal conductivity of distinct geological formations within the investigated area. It was found out that the values of the thermal conductivity of the rocks in the investigated area vary greatly. The measurements are within the well known scope for certain rock types. The thermal conductivity of the rocks from the Tertiary units corresponds with the average values being typical for such kind of rocks, while the basement carbonate rocks are characterized by the values being by 1 W/K-1m-1 higher than the average. After comparing the thermal conductivity of the stratigraphic units in the broader area of Zagreb it has been established that the values of the thermal conductivity of geological formations in the investigated area are also very different, and that they generally rise with their age. The relative relationships show that the Quaternary, Pliocene and Tertiary sedimentary rocks act as thermal insulators, while Triassic rocks behave as the heat conductor (the paper is published in Croatian.

Unit Stratified Sampling as a Tool for Approximation of Stochastic Optimization Problems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šmíd, Martin

2012-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 30 (2012), s. 153-169 ISSN 1212-074X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP402/11/0150; GA ČR GAP402/10/0956; GA ČR GA402/09/0965 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Stochastic programming * approximation * stratified sampling Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/smid-unit stratified sampling as a tool for approximation of stochastic optimization problems.pdf

Image processing unit with fall-back.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2011-01-01

An image processing unit ( 100,200,300 ) for computing a sequence of output images on basis of a sequence of input images, comprises: a motion estimation unit ( 102 ) for computing a motion vector field on basis of the input images; a quality measurement unit ( 104 ) for computing a value of a

Usefulness of low-field FlAIR sequence in MR imaging of intracranial tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolowska, D.; Sasiadek, M.; Zimny, A.

2004-01-01

Plain MR study is often insufficient for visualization of all important details of intracranial tumors, hence there are attempts to use supplementary MR techniques. One of them is FLAIR (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) sequence which previously was available only in high-field MR units, but recently has been introduced also in less expensive low-field units. FLAIR is already widely used in the diagnostics of ischemic and demyelinating lesions, while there are few papers concerning its application in intracranial tumors, none of them regarding low-field MR units.The aim of our study was detailed evaluation of low-field FLAIR in the diagnostics of intracranial tumors. The material consisted of 76 patients with intracranial tumors, who were examined with low-field open MR unit (0.23 Tesla). In all patients, standard T2-weighted and T1-weighted (before and after contrast enhancement) sequences, as well as FLAIR sequence, were performed. The following symptoms were compared in the aforementioned sequences: tumor-edema, edema-brain and tumor-brain borders, visualization of tumour structure, vessels in the tumor area and precise tumor localization. A superiority of FLAIR in assessment of all symptoms has been confirmed, at least in part of the patient group. It concerned particularly the evaluation of brain-edema and edema-brain borders which were better visible with FLAIR than with all other sequences in 29 and 30 patients, respectively. In the assessment of the remaining symptoms (tumor-brain border, tumor structure, visualization of vessels, tumor localization) FLAIR was superior to other sequences in smaller number of patients (13,11,11 and 12, respectively). Totally, in 48 out of 76 patients (63.2%) FLAIR allowed better assessment of at least one of the analyzed symptoms. Low-field MR FLAIR enriches diagnostic information in majority of patients with intracranial tumors, therefore it should be included routinely in the diagnostic algorithm in this group of

Image Processing: Some Challenging Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, T. S.; Aizawa, K.

1993-11-01

Image processing can be broadly defined as the manipulation of signals which are inherently multidimensional. The most common such signals are photographs and video sequences. The goals of processing or manipulation can be (i) compression for storage or transmission; (ii) enhancement or restoration; (iii) analysis, recognition, and understanding; or (iv) visualization for human observers. The use of image processing techniques has become almost ubiquitous; they find applications in such diverse areas as astronomy, archaeology, medicine, video communication, and electronic games. Nonetheless, many important problems in image processing remain unsolved. It is the goal of this paper to discuss some of these challenging problems. In Section I, we mention a number of outstanding problems. Then, in the remainder of this paper, we concentrate on one of them: very-low-bit-rate video compression. This is chosen because it involves almost all aspects of image processing.

mPUMA: a computational approach to microbiota analysis by de novo assembly of operational taxonomic units based on protein-coding barcode sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Links, Matthew G; Chaban, Bonnie; Hemmingsen, Sean M; Muirhead, Kevin; Hill, Janet E

2013-08-15

Formation of operational taxonomic units (OTU) is a common approach to data aggregation in microbial ecology studies based on amplification and sequencing of individual gene targets. The de novo assembly of OTU sequences has been recently demonstrated as an alternative to widely used clustering methods, providing robust information from experimental data alone, without any reliance on an external reference database. Here we introduce mPUMA (microbial Profiling Using Metagenomic Assembly, http://mpuma.sourceforge.net), a software package for identification and analysis of protein-coding barcode sequence data. It was developed originally for Cpn60 universal target sequences (also known as GroEL or Hsp60). Using an unattended process that is independent of external reference sequences, mPUMA forms OTUs by DNA sequence assembly and is capable of tracking OTU abundance. mPUMA processes microbial profiles both in terms of the direct DNA sequence as well as in the translated amino acid sequence for protein coding barcodes. By forming OTUs and calculating abundance through an assembly approach, mPUMA is capable of generating inputs for several popular microbiota analysis tools. Using SFF data from sequencing of a synthetic community of Cpn60 sequences derived from the human vaginal microbiome, we demonstrate that mPUMA can faithfully reconstruct all expected OTU sequences and produce compositional profiles consistent with actual community structure. mPUMA enables analysis of microbial communities while empowering the discovery of novel organisms through OTU assembly.

EnviroAtlas - Percent Large, Medium, and Small Natural Areas for the Conterminous United States

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This EnviroAtlas dataset contains the percentage of small, medium, and large natural areas for each Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) 12-Digit Hydrologic Unit Code...

Energy problems of the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pertuzio, A.

2006-01-01

The united states are the third world producer of oil which accounts for 440% of world production and 20 million barrels/day of which 60% are imported. That dependence on imports is likely to increase in the next decades. Such supplies and their security are therefore a fundamental factor of the United States foreign policy in combination with their political, economic and strategic objectives in a world both unsure and dangerous

Stratigraphic sequence and sedimentary characteristics of Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin and its peripheral areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuman Wang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available A high-precision sedimentary environment study of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation is an important subject for shale gas exploration and development in Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas. On the basis of outcrops and drilling data, its isochronous stratigraphic framework was built according to a particular graptolite zone and an important marker bed, and lithofacies, paleontology, calcareous content, well logging, geochemistry and other geologic information were combined to describe the sedimentary microfacies of Longmaxi Formation and its stratigraphic sequence, sedimentary evolution process and high quality shale distribution features as follows: ① with regional diachronism of the top and the bottom, the Longmaxi Formation is divided into two third-order sequences (SQ1 and SQ2, of which SQ1 is mainly an abyssal sedimentary assemblage deposited in the marine transgression period, and SQ2 is a bathyal to shallow sea sedimentary assemblage deposited in the marine regression period; ② there are eight microfacies such as deep calcareous shelf and deep argillaceous shelf in this formation and the organic-rich shale was mainly deposited in the deep water area of SQ1; and ③ from SQ1 to SQ2, the depocenter moved from the depression area in southern-eastern to northern Sichuan Basin, but the central Sichuan uplift remained an underwater one. It is concluded from this study that: ① shale gas production layers were mainly deposited in SQ1, the southern-eastern depression area was the depocenter in SQ1 and a shale gas enrichment area; and ② black shale in northern Sichuan was deposited in late SQ2, with limited distribution and relatively insufficient exploration potential, but the potential of shale gas exploration in western Hubei area is between southern-eastern and northern Sichuan Basin.

Disparities in Spatial Prevalence of Feline Retroviruses due to Data Aggregation: A Case of the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bimal K. Chhetri

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of the spatial distribution feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus infections, which are untreatable, can inform on their risk factors and high-risk areas to enhance control. However, when spatial analysis involves aggregated spatial data, results may be influenced by the spatial scale of aggregation, an effect known as the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP. In this study, area level risk factors for both infections in 28,914 cats tested with ELISA were investigated by multivariable spatial Poisson regression models along with MAUP effect on spatial clustering and cluster detection (for postal codes, counties, and states by Moran’s I test and spatial scan test, respectively. The study results indicate that the significance and magnitude of the association of risk factors with both infections varied with aggregation scale. Further more, Moran’s I test only identified spatial clustering at postal code and county levels of aggregation. Similarly, the spatial scan test indicated that the number, size, and location of clusters varied over aggregation scales. In conclusion, the association between infection and area was influenced by the choice of spatial scale and indicates the importance of study design and data analysis with respect to specific research questions.

Minimal surfaces, stratified multivarifolds, and the plateau problem

CERN Document Server

Thi, Dao Trong; Primrose, E J F; Silver, Ben

1991-01-01

Plateau's problem is a scientific trend in modern mathematics that unites several different problems connected with the study of minimal surfaces. In its simplest version, Plateau's problem is concerned with finding a surface of least area that spans a given fixed one-dimensional contour in three-dimensional space--perhaps the best-known example of such surfaces is provided by soap films. From the mathematical point of view, such films are described as solutions of a second-order partial differential equation, so their behavior is quite complicated and has still not been thoroughly studied. Soap films, or, more generally, interfaces between physical media in equilibrium, arise in many applied problems in chemistry, physics, and also in nature. In applications, one finds not only two-dimensional but also multidimensional minimal surfaces that span fixed closed "contours" in some multidimensional Riemannian space. An exact mathematical statement of the problem of finding a surface of least area or volume requir...

Interim Status Closure Plan Open Burning Treatment Unit Technical Area 16-399 Burn Tray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vigil-Holterman, Luciana R. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2012-05-07

This closure plan describes the activities necessary to close one of the interim status hazardous waste open burning treatment units at Technical Area (TA) 16 at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL or the Facility), hereinafter referred to as the 'TA-16-399 Burn Tray' or 'the unit'. The information provided in this closure plan addresses the closure requirements specified in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 40, Part 265, Subparts G and P for the thermal treatment units operated at the Facility under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act. Closure of the open burning treatment unit will be completed in accordance with Section 4.1 of this closure plan.

Depositional setting analysis using seismic sedimentology: Example from the Paleogene Lishagang sequence in the Fushan depression, South China Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The Fushan depression is a classic lacustrine rifted sub-basin in the Beibuwan Basin, South China Sea. The Paleogene Liushagang sequence is the main hydrocarbon-bearing stratigraphic unit in the depression. Using three-dimensional (3-D seismic data and logging data, we analyzed depositional setting of the Liushagang sequence. We use wave impedance inversion to describe progradational directions of provenance and the general distribution of sand body. The seismic facies was analyzed by using the seismic sedimentology approach based on 3-D seismic data, and summed into eight types of seismic facies which could be well related to sedimentary facies. Seismic attributes with six objective sequence boundaries were extracted. Consequently, four provenance system of Liushagang sequence in the study area were confirmed by the corresponding relationship between the geologic information and the warm color and higher value area of seismic attributes: (i the Hainan uplift provenance area in the south, (ii the Linggao uplift provenance area in the west, (iii the Yunlong uplift provenance area in the east and (iv the northern provenance area. The seismic sedimentology used in this study may provide new insights into a better understanding of depositional setting in continental lacustrine rifted basins.

Pollution: Problems and Solutions. Grade Nine, Unit One, 9.1 Comprehensive Social Studies Curriculum for the Inner City.

Science.gov (United States)

Jamison, Sandra; Campbell, Bruce

The ninth grade unit of the FICSS series (Focus on Inner City Social Studies -- see SO 008 271) studies the economic and political realities of the inner city. This document, the first unit of the 9th grade section, deals with the ecological crises involving pollution and its causes. Specific problems include air pollution, pesticides, herbicides,…

CLASSIFICATION OF TRAFFIC RELATED SHORT TEXTS TO ANALYSE ROAD PROBLEMS IN URBAN AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. M. Saldana-Perez

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The Volunteer Geographic Information (VGI can be used to understand the urban dynamics. In the classification of traffic related short texts to analyze road problems in urban areas, a VGI data analysis is done over a social media’s publications, in order to classify traffic events at big cities that modify the movement of vehicles and people through the roads, such as car accidents, traffic and closures. The classification of traffic events described in short texts is done by applying a supervised machine learning algorithm. In the approach users are considered as sensors which describe their surroundings and provide their geographic position at the social network. The posts are treated by a text mining process and classified into five groups. Finally, the classified events are grouped in a data corpus and geo-visualized in the study area, to detect the places with more vehicular problems.

Classification of Traffic Related Short Texts to Analyse Road Problems in Urban Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Saldana-Perez, A. M. M.; Moreno-Ibarra, M.; Tores-Ruiz, M.

2017-09-01

The Volunteer Geographic Information (VGI) can be used to understand the urban dynamics. In the classification of traffic related short texts to analyze road problems in urban areas, a VGI data analysis is done over a social media's publications, in order to classify traffic events at big cities that modify the movement of vehicles and people through the roads, such as car accidents, traffic and closures. The classification of traffic events described in short texts is done by applying a supervised machine learning algorithm. In the approach users are considered as sensors which describe their surroundings and provide their geographic position at the social network. The posts are treated by a text mining process and classified into five groups. Finally, the classified events are grouped in a data corpus and geo-visualized in the study area, to detect the places with more vehicular problems.

NeSSM: a Next-generation Sequencing Simulator for Metagenomics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Jia

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Metagenomics can reveal the vast majority of microbes that have been missed by traditional cultivation-based methods. Due to its extremely wide range of application areas, fast metagenome sequencing simulation systems with high fidelity are in great demand to facilitate the development and comparison of metagenomics analysis tools. RESULTS: We present here a customizable metagenome simulation system: NeSSM (Next-generation Sequencing Simulator for Metagenomics. Combining complete genomes currently available, a community composition table, and sequencing parameters, it can simulate metagenome sequencing better than existing systems. Sequencing error models based on the explicit distribution of errors at each base and sequencing coverage bias are incorporated in the simulation. In order to improve the fidelity of simulation, tools are provided by NeSSM to estimate the sequencing error models, sequencing coverage bias and the community composition directly from existing metagenome sequencing data. Currently, NeSSM supports single-end and pair-end sequencing for both 454 and Illumina platforms. In addition, a GPU (graphics processing units version of NeSSM is also developed to accelerate the simulation. By comparing the simulated sequencing data from NeSSM with experimental metagenome sequencing data, we have demonstrated that NeSSM performs better in many aspects than existing popular metagenome simulators, such as MetaSim, GemSIM and Grinder. The GPU version of NeSSM is more than one-order of magnitude faster than MetaSim. CONCLUSIONS: NeSSM is a fast simulation system for high-throughput metagenome sequencing. It can be helpful to develop tools and evaluate strategies for metagenomics analysis and it's freely available for academic users at http://cbb.sjtu.edu.cn/~ccwei/pub/software/NeSSM.php.

High-throughput sequencing of core STR loci for forensic genetic investigations using the Roche Genome Sequencer FLX platform

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fordyce, Sarah Louise; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen; Rockenbauer, Eszter

2011-01-01

repeat units. These methods do not allow for the full resolution of STR base composition that sequencing approaches could provide. Here we present an STR profiling method based on the use of the Roche Genome Sequencer (GS) FLX to simultaneously sequence multiple core STR loci. Using this method...

ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD PROCESSING UNITS (WITH SPECIAL REFERENCES TO BYADGI RED CHILLI COLD STORAGE UNITS IN THE KARNATAKA STATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. ISHWARA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available After the green revolution, we are now ushering in the evergreen revolution in the country; food processing is an evergreen activity. It is the key to the agricultural sector. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the workings of food processing units with special references to Red Chilli Cold Storage units in the Byadgi district of Karnataka State. Byadgi has been famous for Red Chilli since the days it’s of antiquity. The vast and extensive market yard in Byadagi taluk is famous as the second largest Red Chilli dealing market in the country. However, the most common and recurring problem faced by the farmer is inability to store enough red chilli from one harvest to another. Red chilli that was locally abundant for only a short period of time had to be stored against times of scarcity. In recent years, due to Oleoresin, demand for Red Chilli has grow from other countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, America, Europe, Nepal, Indonesia, Mexico etc. The study reveals that all the cold storage units of the study area have been using vapour compression refrigeration system or method. All entrepreneurs have satisfied with their turnover and profit and they are in a good economic position. Even though the average turnover and profits are increased, few units have shown negligible amount of decrease in turnover and profit. This is due to the competition from increasing number of cold storages and early established units. The cold storages of the study area have been storing Red chilli, Chilli seeds, Chilli powder, Tamarind, Jeera, Dania, Turmeric, Sunflower, Zinger, Channa, Flower seeds etc,. But the 80 per cent of the each cold storage is filled by the red chilli this is due to the existence of vast and extensivered chilli market yard in the Byadgi. There is no business without problems. In the same way the entrepreneurs who are chosen for the study are facing a few problems in their business like skilled labour, technical and management

The sequence of spacers between the consensus sequences modulates the strength of procaryotic promoters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Peter Ruhdal; Hammer, Karin

1998-01-01

A library of synthetic promoters for Lactococcus lactis was constructed, in which the known consensus sequences were kept constant while the sequences of the separating spacers were randomized. The library consists of 38 promoters which differ in strength from 0.3 relative units, and up to more t......-reactors and cell factories....

Problems of the Murmansk Region and adjacent areas. Problemy energetiki Murmanskoy oblasti i sosednykh rayonov

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stepanov, I.R.

1980-01-01

The anthology contains articles devoted to complex energy problems in the Murmansk region and neighboring areas belonging to the European USSR. The first group of problems includes centralized heating of industrial centers on the basis of atomic energy sources, study of the feasibility of improving the management of atomic power stations with VVER-440 reactors, as well as the use of thorium as a nuclear fuel. The second group of articles deals with problems of operating power installations in the Murmansk region until 2000. Five articles discuss actual problems of hydroelectric power and one -- designing the Lumbovsk Bay Power Station.

A new approach for solving capacitated lot sizing and scheduling problem with sequence and period-dependent setup costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imen Chaieb Memmi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: We aim to examine the capacitated multi-item lot sizing problem which is a typical example of a large bucket model, where many different items can be produced on the same machine in one time period. We propose a new approach to determine the production sequence and lot sizes that minimize the sum of start up and setup costs, inventory and production costs over all periods.Design/methodology/approach: The approach is composed of three steps. First, we compute a lower bound on total cost. Then we propose a three sub-steps iteration procedure. We solve optimally the lot sizing problem without considering products sequencing and their cost. Then, we determine products quantities to produce each period while minimizing the storage and variable production costs. Given the products to manufacture each period, we determine its correspondent optimal products sequencing, by using a Branch and Bound algorithm. Given the sequences of products within each period, we evaluate the total start up and setup cost. We compare then the total cost obtained to the lower bound of the total cost. If this value riches a prefixed value, we stop. Otherwise, we modify the results of lot sizing problem.Findings and Originality/value: We show using an illustrative example, that the difference between the total cost and its lower bound is only 10%. This gap depends on the significance of the inventory and production costs and the machine’s capacity. Comparing the approach we develop with a traditional one, we show that we manage to reduce the total cost by 30%.Research limitations/implications: Our model fits better to real-world situations where production systems run continuously. This model is applied for limited number of part types and periods.Practical implications: Our approach determines the products to manufacture each time period, their economic amounts, and their scheduling within each period. This outcome should help decision makers bearing expensive

Methods for otpimum and near optimum disassembly sequencing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lambert, A.J.D.; Gupta, S.M.

2008-01-01

This paper considers disassembly sequencing problems subjected to sequence dependent disassembly costs. In practice, the methods for dealing with such problems rely mainly on metaheuristic and heuristic methods, which intrinsically generate suboptimum solutions. Exact methods are NP-hard and

The smallest cells pose the biggest problems: high-performance computing and the analysis of metagenome sequence data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, R A

2008-01-01

New high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized how scientists study the organisms around us. In particular, microbiology - the study of the smallest, unseen organisms that pervade our lives - has embraced these new techniques to characterize and analyze the cellular constituents and use this information to develop novel tools, techniques, and therapeutics. So-called next-generation DNA sequencing platforms have resulted in huge increases in the amount of raw data that can be rapidly generated. Argonne National Laboratory developed the premier platform for the analysis of this new data (mg-rast) that is used by microbiologists worldwide. This paper uses the accounting from the computational analysis of more than 10,000,000,000 bp of DNA sequence data, describes an analysis of the advanced computational requirements, and suggests the level of analysis that will be essential as microbiologists move to understand how these tiny organisms affect our every day lives. The results from this analysis indicate that data analysis is a linear problem, but that most analyses are held up in queues. With sufficient resources, computations could be completed in a few hours for a typical dataset. These data also suggest execution times that delimit timely completion of computational analyses, and provide bounds for problematic processes

Ethnomathematics study: uncovering units of length, area, and volume in Kampung Naga Society

Science.gov (United States)

Septianawati, T.; Turmudi; Puspita, E.

2017-02-01

During this time, mathematics is considered as something neutral and not associated with culture. It can be seen from mathematics learning in the school which adopt many of foreign mathematics learning are considered more advanced (western). In fact, Indonesia is a rich country in cultural diversity. In the cultural activities, there are mathematical ideas that were considered a important thing in the mathematics learning. A study that examines the idea or mathematical practices in a variety of cultural activities are known as ethnomathematics. In Indonesia, there are some ethnic maintain their ancestral traditions, one of them is Kampung Naga. Therefore, this study was conducted in Kampung Naga. This study aims to uncover units of length, area, and volume used by Kampung Naga society. This study used a qualitative approach and ethnography methods. In this research, data collection is done through the principles of ethnography such as observation, interviews, documentation, and field notes. The results of this study are units of length, area, and volume used by Kampung Naga society and its conversion into standard units. This research is expected to give information to the public that mathematics has a relationship with culture and become recommendation to mathematics curriculum in Indonesia.

SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGE FOR THE SCOPING SUMMARY FOR THE P-AREA OPERABLE UNIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupar, J; Sadika Baladi, S; Mark Amidon, M

2007-01-01

Arsenic and selenium were tentatively identified as ecological RCOCs for the PAOU Ash Basin (PAOU Post-Characterization/Problem Identification Scoping Meeting, March 2007). Core Team agreed to consider eliminating these constituents as RCOCs based on a revised uncertainty discussion. The ecological risk tables and revised text (in its entirety) for the PAOU Ash Basin are provided in the Supplemental Information Package for the FS Scoping Meeting (June 2007). Arsenic and selenium have been traditionally carried through as ecological RCOCs (D-Area Ash Basin, A-Area Ash Pile)

SUPPLEMENTAL PACKAGE FOR THE SCOPING SUMMARY FOR THE P-AREA OPERABLE UNIT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kupar, J; Sadika Baladi, S; Mark Amidon, M

2007-05-23

Arsenic and selenium were tentatively identified as ecological RCOCs for the PAOU Ash Basin (PAOU Post-Characterization/Problem Identification Scoping Meeting, March 2007). Core Team agreed to consider eliminating these constituents as RCOCs based on a revised uncertainty discussion. The ecological risk tables and revised text (in its entirety) for the PAOU Ash Basin are provided in the Supplemental Information Package for the FS Scoping Meeting (June 2007). Arsenic and selenium have been traditionally carried through as ecological RCOCs (D-Area Ash Basin, A-Area Ash Pile).

A Novel Ant Colony Algorithm for the Single-Machine Total Weighted Tardiness Problem with Sequence Dependent Setup Times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fardin Ahmadizar

2011-08-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the NP-hard single-machine total weighted tardiness problem with sequence dependent setup times. Incorporating fuzzy sets and genetic operators, a novel ant colony optimization algorithm is developed for the problem. In the proposed algorithm, artificial ants construct solutions as orders of jobs based on the heuristic information as well as pheromone trails. To calculate the heuristic information, three well-known priority rules are adopted as fuzzy sets and then aggregated. When all artificial ants have terminated their constructions, genetic operators such as crossover and mutation are applied to generate new regions of the solution space. A local search is then performed to improve the performance quality of some of the solutions found. Moreover, at run-time the pheromone trails are locally as well as globally updated, and limited between lower and upper bounds. The proposed algorithm is experimented on a set of benchmark problems from the literature and compared with other metaheuristics.

Current staffing personnel and areas of activity of the units of SSPA radio physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angulo Pain, E.; Roldan Arjona, J. M.; Carrasco Rodriguez, J. L.; Guerrero Alcaide, R.; Almansa Lopez, J.; Rodriguez Castillo, M. F.

2013-01-01

The work arises from the Andalucia society of hospital Radiophysics as a study of the situation in the year 2012 in Andalusia, in terms of human resources and equipment in charge of services or units clinics of management of Radiophysics of the health public system of Andalusia (SSPA). Clinical management units are organizational structures established by the service Andalucia health (SAS) which are governed by agreements in the area of health care management providing that coverage. (Author)

Examples of landscape indicators for assessing environmental conditions and problems in urban and suburban areas

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Duque, J. F.; Godfrey, A.; Diez, A.; Cleaves, E.; Pedraza, J.; Sanz, M.A.; Carrasco, R.M.; Bodoque, J.; Brebbia, C.A.; Martin-Duque, J.F.; Wadhwa, L.C.

2002-01-01

Geo-indicators can help to assess environmental conditions in city urban and suburban areas. Those indicators should be meaningful for understanding environmental changes. From examples of Spanish and American cities, geo-indicators for assessing environmental conditions and changes in urban and suburban areas are proposed. The paper explore two types of geo-indicators. The first type presents general information that can be used to indicate the presence of a broad array of geologic conditions, either favouring or limiting various kinds of uses of the land. The second type of geo-indicator is the one most commonly used, and as a group most easily understood; these are site and problem specific and they are generally used after a problem is identified. Among them, watershed processes, seismicity and physiographic diversity are explained in more detail. A second dimension that is considered when discussing geo-indicators is the issue of scale. Broad scale investigations, covering extensive areas are only efficient at cataloguing general conditions common to much of the area or some outstanding feature within the area. This type of information is best used for policy type decisions. Detailed scale investigations can provide information about local conditions, but are not efficient at cataloguing vast areas. Information gathered at the detailed level is necessary for project design and construction.

Extending generalized Fibonacci sequences and their binet-type formula

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeki Osamu

2006-01-01

Full Text Available We study the extension problem of a given sequence defined by a finite order recurrence to a sequence defined by an infinite order recurrence with periodic coefficient sequence. We also study infinite order recurrence relations in a strong sense and give a complete answer to the extension problem. We also obtain a Binet-type formula, answering several open questions about these sequences and their characteristic power series.

Partial Sequence Analysis of Merozoite Surface Proteine-3α Gene in Plasmodium vivax Isolates from Malarious Areas of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Mirhendi

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Approximately 85-90% of malaria infections in Iran are attributed to Plasmodium vivax, while little is known about the genetic of the parasite and its strain types in this region. This study was designed and performed for describing genetic characteristics of Plasmodium vivax population of Iran based on the merozoite surface protein-3α gene sequence. Methods: Through a descriptive study we analyzed partial P. vivax merozoite surface protein-3α gene sequences from 17 clinical P. vivax isolates collected from malarious areas of Iran. Genomic DNA was extracted by Q1Aamp® DNA blood mini kit, amplified through nested PCR for a partial nucleotide sequence of PvMSP-3 gene in P. vivax. PCR-amplified products were sequenced with an ABI Prism Perkin-Elmer 310 sequencer machine and the data were analyzed with clustal W software. Results: Analysis of PvMSP-3 gene sequences demonstrated extensive polymorphisms, but the sequence identity between isolates of same types was relatively high. We identified specific insertions and deletions for the types A, B and C variants of P. vivax in our isolates. In phylogenetic comparison of geographically separated isolates, there was not a significant geo­graphical branching of the parasite populations. Conclusion: The highly polymorphic nature of isolates suggests that more investigations of the PvMSP-3 gene are needed to explore its vaccine potential.

Differential evolution-simulated annealing for multiple sequence alignment

Science.gov (United States)

Addawe, R. C.; Addawe, J. M.; Sueño, M. R. K.; Magadia, J. C.

2017-10-01

Multiple sequence alignments (MSA) are used in the analysis of molecular evolution and sequence structure relationships. In this paper, a hybrid algorithm, Differential Evolution - Simulated Annealing (DESA) is applied in optimizing multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) based on structural information, non-gaps percentage and totally conserved columns. DESA is a robust algorithm characterized by self-organization, mutation, crossover, and SA-like selection scheme of the strategy parameters. Here, the MSA problem is treated as a multi-objective optimization problem of the hybrid evolutionary algorithm, DESA. Thus, we name the algorithm as DESA-MSA. Simulated sequences and alignments were generated to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of DESA-MSA using different indel sizes, sequence lengths, deletion rates and insertion rates. The proposed hybrid algorithm obtained acceptable solutions particularly for the MSA problem evaluated based on the three objectives.

Late Proterozoic glacially controlled shelf sequences in western Mali (west Africa)

Science.gov (United States)

Deynoux, M.; Prousti, J. N.; Simon, B.

The Late Proterozoic deposits of the Bakoye Group (500 m) in western Mali constitute a remarkable example of a glacially influenced sedimentary record on an epicratonic platform. They are composed of alternating marine and continental formations which represent accumulation in a basin located in the vicinity of upland areas covered by ice sheets. One of these formations (the Ba4 Formation), which is the focus of this study, is composed of three major units. The basal Unit 1 is made up of carbonaceous coarse to fine grained sandstones which are organized in fining upward sequences and which comprise lenticular diamictite intercalations. This Unit is considered to represent the fore slope gravity flows of a subaqueous ice-cootact fan fed by meltwater streams (≪glacioturbidites≫). Unit 2 is made up of coarse to fine grained sandstones in a highly variable association of facies. This Unit is characterized by the abundance of wave ripples associated with convolute beddings. planar or wavy beddings and tabular or hummocky crossbeddings in a general shallowing upward trend. It also comprises evidence of gravity processes including debris flows and large slumped sandstone bodies. Unit 2 represents the progressive filling of the Ba4 basin and reflects the combined effect of glacially induced eustatism and isostacy during a phase of glacial retreat. The basal part of Unit 3 is made up of a succession (a few meters thick) of conglomerates, diamictites, sandstones, siltstones or carbonates lying on an erosional unconformity marked by periglacial frost wedges. The upper part of Unit 3 is thicker (100-150 m) and onlaps on these basal facies with a succession of sandstone bars exhibiting swaley and hummocky crossbeddings, large cut and fill structures, and planar laminations. Unit 3 is strongly transgressive, the lower shoreface and backshore deposits include algal mats and are onlapped by sand ridges emplaced in a high energy upper to middle shoreface environment. Overall

Contemporary stress field in the area of the 2016 Amatrice seismic sequence (central Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Teresa Mariucci

2016-11-01

Full Text Available We update the last present-day stress map for Italy relatively to the area of 2016 Amatrice seismic sequence (central Italy taking into account a large number of earthquakes occurred from August 24 to October 3, 2016. In particular in this paper, we discuss the new stress data from crustal earthquake focal mechanisms selecting those with Magnitude ≥ 4.0; at the same time, we revise the borehole data, analyze the stratigraphic profiles and the relative sonic logs in 4 deep wells located close to the Amatrice sequence along the Apennine belt and toward east along the Adriatic foredeep. From these data we consider the P-wave velocity trend with depth and estimate rock density following an empirical relationship. Then we calculate the overburden stress magnitude for each well. The new present-day stress indicators confirm the presence of prevalent normal faulting regime and better define the local stress field in the area, highlighting a slight rotation from NE-SW to ENE-WSW of extension. The analysis evidences that the lithostatic gradient gradually changes from ~26 MPa/km in the belt to less than 23 MPa/km along the Adriatic foredeep. Finally, at a depth of 5 km we estimate the vertical stress magnitude varying from 130 MPa to 114 moving from the Apennine belt to the Adriatic foredeep. Although the wells are very close each other they show different P wave velocities from the belt to the foredeep with values ~7km/s and ~4 km/s at 5 km depth, respectively.

Prediction of Human Activity by Discovering Temporal Sequence Patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kang; Fu, Yun

2014-08-01

Early prediction of ongoing human activity has become more valuable in a large variety of time-critical applications. To build an effective representation for prediction, human activities can be characterized by a complex temporal composition of constituent simple actions and interacting objects. Different from early detection on short-duration simple actions, we propose a novel framework for long -duration complex activity prediction by discovering three key aspects of activity: Causality, Context-cue, and Predictability. The major contributions of our work include: (1) a general framework is proposed to systematically address the problem of complex activity prediction by mining temporal sequence patterns; (2) probabilistic suffix tree (PST) is introduced to model causal relationships between constituent actions, where both large and small order Markov dependencies between action units are captured; (3) the context-cue, especially interactive objects information, is modeled through sequential pattern mining (SPM), where a series of action and object co-occurrence are encoded as a complex symbolic sequence; (4) we also present a predictive accumulative function (PAF) to depict the predictability of each kind of activity. The effectiveness of our approach is evaluated on two experimental scenarios with two data sets for each: action-only prediction and context-aware prediction. Our method achieves superior performance for predicting global activity classes and local action units.

Hydrologic resources management program and underground test area operable unit fy 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, D. F., LLNL

1998-05-01

This report present the results of FY 1997 technical studies conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as part of the Hydrology and Radionuclide Migration Program (HRMP) and Underground Test Area Operable Unit (UGTA). The HRMP is sponsored by the US Department of Energy to assess the environmental (radiochemical and hydrologic) consequences of underground nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site.

77 FR 20295 - United States Navy Restricted Area, Menominee River, Marinette Marine Corporation Shipyard...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-04

... to the point of origin. The restricted area will be marked by a lighted and signed floating buoy line... supervision or contract to a local military or Naval authority, vessels of the United States Coast Guard, and...

Method and apparatus for biological sequence comparison

Science.gov (United States)

Marr, T.G.; Chang, W.I.

1997-12-23

A method and apparatus are disclosed for comparing biological sequences from a known source of sequences, with a subject (query) sequence. The apparatus takes as input a set of target similarity levels (such as evolutionary distances in units of PAM), and finds all fragments of known sequences that are similar to the subject sequence at each target similarity level, and are long enough to be statistically significant. The invention device filters out fragments from the known sequences that are too short, or have a lower average similarity to the subject sequence than is required by each target similarity level. The subject sequence is then compared only to the remaining known sequences to find the best matches. The filtering member divides the subject sequence into overlapping blocks, each block being sufficiently large to contain a minimum-length alignment from a known sequence. For each block, the filter member compares the block with every possible short fragment in the known sequences and determines a best match for each comparison. The determined set of short fragment best matches for the block provide an upper threshold on alignment values. Regions of a certain length from the known sequences that have a mean alignment value upper threshold greater than a target unit score are concatenated to form a union. The current block is compared to the union and provides an indication of best local alignment with the subject sequence. 5 figs.

Integrated analysis of RNA-binding protein complexes using in vitro selection and high-throughput sequencing and sequence specificity landscapes (SEQRS).

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, Tzu-Fang; Weidmann, Chase A; Killingsworth, Jordan; Tanaka Hall, Traci M; Goldstrohm, Aaron C; Campbell, Zachary T

2017-04-15

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) collaborate to control virtually every aspect of RNA function. Tremendous progress has been made in the area of global assessment of RBP specificity using next-generation sequencing approaches both in vivo and in vitro. Understanding how protein-protein interactions enable precise combinatorial regulation of RNA remains a significant problem. Addressing this challenge requires tools that can quantitatively determine the specificities of both individual proteins and multimeric complexes in an unbiased and comprehensive way. One approach utilizes in vitro selection, high-throughput sequencing, and sequence-specificity landscapes (SEQRS). We outline a SEQRS experiment focused on obtaining the specificity of a multi-protein complex between Drosophila RBPs Pumilio (Pum) and Nanos (Nos). We discuss the necessary controls in this type of experiment and examine how the resulting data can be complemented with structural and cell-based reporter assays. Additionally, SEQRS data can be integrated with functional genomics data to uncover biological function. Finally, we propose extensions of the technique that will enhance our understanding of multi-protein regulatory complexes assembled onto RNA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Over- and Undercontrolled Referral Problems among Children and Adolescents from Thailand and the United States: The "Wat" and "Wai" of Cultural Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisz, John R.; And Others

1987-01-01

Compared Thailand to United States in regard to children's psychological problems and corresponding clinic referral patterns. Overcontrolled problems (somaticizing, fearfulness, nervous movements, worrying) were reported more often for Thai than for American youth. Undercontrolled problems (disobedience, fighting, lying, arguing) were reported…

Dynamic Sequence Assignment.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-12-01

D-136 548 DYNAMIIC SEQUENCE ASSIGNMENT(U) ADVANCED INFORMATION AND 1/2 DECISION SYSTEMS MOUNTAIN YIELW CA C A 0 REILLY ET AL. UNCLSSIIED DEC 83 AI/DS...I ADVANCED INFORMATION & DECISION SYSTEMS Mountain View. CA 94040 84 u ,53 V,..’. Unclassified _____ SCURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE REPORT...reviews some important heuristic algorithms developed for fas- ter solution of the sequence assignment problem. 3.1. DINAMIC MOGRAMUNIG FORMULATION FOR

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 143: Area 25 Contaminated Waste Dumps, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tobiason, D. S.

2002-01-01

This Closure Report (CR) has been prepared for the Area 25 Contaminated Waste Dumps (CWD), Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 143 in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order [FFACO] (FFACO, 1996) and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)-approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for CAU 143: Area 25, Contaminated Waste Dumps, Nevada Test Site, Nevada. CAU 143 consists of two Corrective Action Sites (CASs): 25-23-09 CWD No.1, and 25-23-03 CWD No.2. The Area 25 CWDs are historic disposal units within the Area 25 Reactor Maintenance, Assembly, and Disassembly (R-MAD), and Engine Maintenance, Assembly, and Disassembly (E-MAD) compounds located on the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The R-MAD and E-MAD facilities originally supported a portion of the Nuclear Rocket Development Station in Area 25 of the NTS. CWD No.1 CAS 25-23-09 received solid radioactive waste from the R-MAD Compound (East Trestle and West Trench Berms) and 25-23-03 CWD No.2 received solid radioactive waste from the E-MAD Compound (E-MAD Trench)

"First generation" automated DNA sequencing technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Slatko, Barton E; Kieleczawa, Jan; Ju, Jingyue; Gardner, Andrew F; Hendrickson, Cynthia L; Ausubel, Frederick M

2011-10-01

Beginning in the 1980s, automation of DNA sequencing has greatly increased throughput, reduced costs, and enabled large projects to be completed more easily. The development of automation technology paralleled the development of other aspects of DNA sequencing: better enzymes and chemistry, separation and imaging technology, sequencing protocols, robotics, and computational advancements (including base-calling algorithms with quality scores, database developments, and sequence analysis programs). Despite the emergence of high-throughput sequencing platforms, automated Sanger sequencing technology remains useful for many applications. This unit provides background and a description of the "First-Generation" automated DNA sequencing technology. It also includes protocols for using the current Applied Biosystems (ABI) automated DNA sequencing machines. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Evolutionarily significant units of the critically endangered leaf frog Pithecopus ayeaye (Anura, Phyllomedusidae) are not effectively preserved by the Brazilian protected areas network.

Science.gov (United States)

de Magalhães, Rafael Félix; Lemes, Priscila; Camargo, Arley; Oliveira, Ubirajara; Brandão, Reuber Albuquerque; Thomassen, Hans; Garcia, Paulo Christiano de Anchietta; Leite, Felipe Sá Fortes; Santos, Fabrício Rodrigues

2017-11-01

Protected areas (PAs) are essential for biodiversity conservation, but their coverage is considered inefficient for the preservation of all species. Many species are subdivided into evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) and the effectiveness of PAs in protecting them needs to be investigated. We evaluated the usefulness of the Brazilian PAs network in protecting ESUs of the critically endangered Pithecopus ayeaye through ongoing climate change. This species occurs in a threatened mountaintop ecosystem known as campos rupestres . We used multilocus DNA sequences to delimit geographic clusters, which were further validated as ESUs with a coalescent approach. Ecological niche modeling was used to estimate spatial changes in ESUs' potential distributions, and a gap analysis was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the Brazilian PAs network to protect P. ayeaye in the face of climate changes. We tested the niche overlap between ESUs to gain insights for potential management alternatives for the species. Pithecopus ayeaye contains at least three ESUs isolated in distinct mountain regions, and one of them is not protected by any PA. There are no climatic niche differences between the units, and only 4% of the suitable potential area of the species is protected in present and future projections. The current PAs are not effective in preserving the intraspecific diversity of P. ayeaye in its present and future range distributions. The genetic structure of P. ayeaye could represent a typical pattern in campos rupestres endemics, which should be considered for evaluating its conservation status.

Continuous Online Sequence Learning with an Unsupervised Neural Network Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yuwei; Ahmad, Subutar; Hawkins, Jeff

2016-09-14

The ability to recognize and predict temporal sequences of sensory inputs is vital for survival in natural environments. Based on many known properties of cortical neurons, hierarchical temporal memory (HTM) sequence memory recently has been proposed as a theoretical framework for sequence learning in the cortex. In this letter, we analyze properties of HTM sequence memory and apply it to sequence learning and prediction problems with streaming data. We show the model is able to continuously learn a large number of variableorder temporal sequences using an unsupervised Hebbian-like learning rule. The sparse temporal codes formed by the model can robustly handle branching temporal sequences by maintaining multiple predictions until there is sufficient disambiguating evidence. We compare the HTM sequence memory with other sequence learning algorithms, including statistical methods: autoregressive integrated moving average; feedforward neural networks-time delay neural network and online sequential extreme learning machine; and recurrent neural networks-long short-term memory and echo-state networks on sequence prediction problems with both artificial and real-world data. The HTM model achieves comparable accuracy to other state-of-the-art algorithms. The model also exhibits properties that are critical for sequence learning, including continuous online learning, the ability to handle multiple predictions and branching sequences with high-order statistics, robustness to sensor noise and fault tolerance, and good performance without task-specific hyperparameter tuning. Therefore, the HTM sequence memory not only advances our understanding of how the brain may solve the sequence learning problem but is also applicable to real-world sequence learning problems from continuous data streams.

Assessing trail conditions in protected areas: Application of a problem-assessment method in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Y.-F.; Marion, J.

1999-01-01

The degradation of trail resources associated with expanding recreation and tourism visitation is a growing management problem in protected areas worldwide. In order to make judicious trail and visitor management decisions, protected area managers need objective and timely information on trail resource conditions. This paper introduces a trail survey method that efficiently characterizes the lineal extent of common trail problems. The method was applied to a large sample of trails within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a highuse protected area in the USA. The Trail ProblemAssessment Method (TPAM) employs a continuous search for multiple indicators of predefined tread problems, yielding census data documenting the location, occurrence and extent of each problem. The present application employed 23 different indicators in three categories to gather inventory, resource condition, and design and maintenance data of each surveyed trail. Seventy-two backcountry hiking trails (528 km), or 35% of the Park's total trail length, were surveyed. Soil erosion and wet soil were found to be the two most common impacts on a lineal extent basis. Trails with serious tread problems were well distributed throughout the Park, although wet muddy treads tended to be concentrated in areas where horse use was high. The effectiveness of maintenance features installed to divert water from trail treads was also evaluated. Water bars were found to be more effective than drainage dips. The TPAM was able to provide Park managers with objective and quantitative information for use in trail planning, management and maintenance decisions, and is applicable to other protected areas elsewhere with different environmental and impact characteristics.

WIPP Sampling and Analysis Plan for Solid Waste Management Units and Areas of Concern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2000-05-23

This Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) has been prepared to fulfill requirements of Module VII, Section VII.M.2 and Table VII.1, requirement 4 of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous Waste Permit, NM4890139088-TSDF (the Permit); (NMED [New Mexico Environment Department], 1999a). This SAP describes the approach for investigation of the Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) and Areas of Concern (AOC) specified in the Permit. This SAP addresses the current Permit requirements for a RCRA Facility Investigation(RFI) investigation of SWMUs and AOCs. It uses the results of previous investigations performed at WIPP and expands the investigations as required by the Permit. As an alternative to the RFI specified in Module VII of the Permit, current NMED guidance identifies an Accelerated Corrective Action Approach (ACAA) that may be used for any SWMU or AOC (NMED, 1998). This accelerated approach is used to replace the standard RFI work plan and report sequence with a more flexible decision-making approach. The ACAA process allows a facility to exit the schedule of compliance contained in the facility's Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) permit module and proceed on an accelerated time frame. Thus, the ACAA process can beentered either before or after a RFI work plan. According to NMED's guidance, a facility can prepare a RFI work plan or SAP for any SWMU or AOC (NMED, 1998).

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 551: Area 12 Muckpiles, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehlecke, Robert F.

2004-01-01

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) contains project-specific information including facility descriptions, environmental sample collection objectives, and criteria for conducting site investigation activities at Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 551, Area 12 muckpiles, Nevada Test Site (NTS), Nevada. This CAIP has been developed in accordance with the 'Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order' (FFACO) (1996) that was agreed to by the State of Nevada, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of Defense. Corrective Action Unit 551 is located in Area 12 of the NTS, which is approximately 110 miles (mi) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1-1). Area 12 is approximately 40 miles beyond the main gate to the NTS. Corrective Action Unit 551 is comprised of the four Corrective Action Sites (CASs) shown on Figure 1-1 and listed below: (1) 12-01-09, Aboveground Storage Tank and Stain; (2) 12-06-05, Muckpile; (3) 12-06-07, Muckpile; and (4) 12-06-08, Muckpile. Corrective Action Site 12-01-09 is located in Area 12 and consists of an above ground storage tank (AST) and associated stain. Corrective Action Site 12-06-05 is located in Area 12 and consists of a muckpile associated with the U12 B-Tunnel. Corrective Action Site 12-06-07 is located in Area 12 and consists of a muckpile associated with the U12 C-, D-, and F-Tunnels. Corrective Action Site 12-06-08 is located in Area 12 and consists of a muckpile associated with the U12 B-Tunnel. In keeping with common convention, the U12B-, C-, D-, and F-Tunnels will be referred to as the B-, C-, D-, and F-Tunnels. The corrective action investigation (CAI) will include field inspections, radiological surveys, and sampling of media, where appropriate. Data will also be obtained to support waste management decisions

Metropolitan natural area protection to maximize public access and species representation

Science.gov (United States)

Jane A. Ruliffson; Robert G. Haight; Paul H. Gobster; Frances R. Homans

2003-01-01

In response to widespread urban development, local governments in metropolitan areas in the United States acquire and protect privately-owned open space. We addressed the planner's problem of allocating a fixed budget for open space protection among eligible natural areas with the twin objectives of maximizing public access and species representation. Both...

A Slicing Tree Representation and QCP-Model-Based Heuristic Algorithm for the Unequal-Area Block Facility Layout Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mei-Shiang Chang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The facility layout problem is a typical combinational optimization problem. In this research, a slicing tree representation and a quadratically constrained program model are combined with harmony search to develop a heuristic method for solving the unequal-area block layout problem. Because of characteristics of slicing tree structure, we propose a regional structure of harmony memory to memorize facility layout solutions and two kinds of harmony improvisation to enhance global search ability of the proposed heuristic method. The proposed harmony search based heuristic is tested on 10 well-known unequal-area facility layout problems from the literature. The results are compared with the previously best-known solutions obtained by genetic algorithm, tabu search, and ant system as well as exact methods. For problems O7, O9, vC10Ra, M11*, and Nug12, new best solutions are found. For other problems, the proposed approach can find solutions that are very similar to previous best-known solutions.

Outline for Remediation of Problem Areas for Children with Learning Disabilities. Revised. = Bosquejo para la Correccion de Areas Problematicas para Ninos con Impedimientos del Aprendizaje.

Science.gov (United States)

Bornstein, Joan L.

The booklet outlines ways to help children with learning disabilities in specific subject areas. Characteristic behavior and remedial exercises are listed for seven areas of auditory problems: auditory reception, auditory association, auditory discrimination, auditory figure ground, auditory closure and sound blending, auditory memory, and grammar…

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 230: Area 22 Sewage Lagoons and Corrective Action Unit 320: Area 22 Desert Rock Airport Strainer Box Nevada Test Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D. S. Tobiason

2001-07-01

This Closure Report (CR) describes the remediation activities performed and the results of verification sampling conducted at Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 230, Area 22 Sewage Lagoons and CAU 320, Area 22 Desert Rock Airport Strainer Box. The CAU is currently listed in Appendix III of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO, 1996). The CAU is located in Area 22 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) (Figure 1) and consists of the following Corrective Action Sites (CASs): 22-03-01- Sewage Lagoon (CAU 230); and 22-99-01- Strainer Box (CAU 320). Included with CAS 22-99-01 is a buried Imhoff tank and a sludge bed. These CAUs will be collectively referred to in this plan as the Area 22 Sewage Lagoons site. Site characterization activities were done during September 1999. Characterization of the manholes associated with the septic system leading to the Imhoff tank was done during March 2000. The results of the characterization presented in the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) indicated that only the sludge bed (CAS 22-99-01) contained constituents of concern (COC) above action levels and required remediation (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office [DOE/NV], 2000a).

[Complete genome sequencing and sequence analysis of BCG Tice].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhiming; Pan, Yuanlong; Wu, Jun; Zhu, Baoli

2012-10-04

The objective of this study is to obtain the complete genome sequence of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Tice (BCG Tice), in order to provide more information about the molecular biology of BCG Tice and design more reasonable vaccines to prevent tuberculosis. We assembled the data from high-throughput sequencing with SOAPdenovo software, with many contigs and scaffolds obtained. There are many sequence gaps and physical gaps remained as a result of regional low coverage and low quality. We designed primers at the end of contigs and performed PCR amplification in order to link these contigs and scaffolds. With various enzymes to perform PCR amplification, adjustment of PCR reaction conditions, and combined with clone construction to sequence, all the gaps were finished. We obtained the complete genome sequence of BCG Tice and submitted it to GenBank of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The genome of BCG Tice is 4334064 base pairs in length, with GC content 65.65%. The problems and strategies during the finishing step of BCG Tice sequencing are illuminated here, with the hope of affording some experience to those who are involved in the finishing step of genome sequencing. The microarray data were verified by our results.

Tree-Fruit Production. An Instructional Unit for Teachers of Adult Vocational Education in Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Bryan, Robert C.; Iverson, Maynard J.

Designed as a guide for teachers in planning and conducting young and adult farmer classes, the unit covers the basic areas of tree-fruit production. The format of the 10-lesson unit allows for the utilization of the problem-solving and discussion methods of teaching. The major objective of the unit is to develop the ability to effectively…

Use of multilocus sequence typing for the investigation of colonisation by Candida albicans in intensive care unit patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cliff, P R; Sandoe, J A T; Heritage, J; Barton, R C

2008-05-01

A prospective study was performed to determine the prevalence of candidal colonisation on the general intensive care unit at a large teaching hospital. Colonisation with Candida spp. was found to be common, occurring in 79% of patients on the unit. C. albicans was the commonest species, colonising 64% of patients, followed by C. glabrata (18%) and C. parapsilosis (14%). Most of the members of staff tested carried Candida spp. at some point, although carriage appeared to be transient. C. parapsilosis was the most commonly isolated species from staff hands, whereas C. albicans was the most commonly isolated species from the mouth. The molecular epidemiology of C. albicans was investigated using Ca3 typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). MLST proved to be a reproducible typing method and a useful tool for the investigation of the molecular epidemiology of C. albicans. The results of the molecular typing provided evidence for the presence of an endemic strain on the unit, which was isolated repeatedly from patients and staff. This finding suggests horizontal transmission of C. albicans on the unit though it may also reflect the relative frequency of C. albicans strain types colonising patients on admission. This study has important implications for the epidemiology of systemic candidal infections.

Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 490: Station 44 Burn Area, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

K. B. Campbell

2002-04-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 490, Station 44 Burn Area is located on the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). CAU 490 is listed in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO, 1996) and includes for Corrective Action Sites (CASs): (1) Fire Training Area (CAS 03-56-001-03BA); (2) Station 44 Burn Area (CAS RG-56-001-RGBA); (3) Sandia Service Yard (CAS 03-58-001-03FN); and (4) Gun Propellant Burn Area (CAS 09-54-001-09L2).

Operating performance of LWR nuclear generating units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pia, S.

1984-01-01

This work aims at reviewing, on the basis of historical data, the operational problem areas which explain the degree of availability and productivity achieved up to now by nuclear power plants in commercial operation in the world. The operating performance data of nuclear power plants area analysed with respect to plant type, size and other significant reference parameters and they are evaluated also by comparison with fossil generating unit data. Major performance indices data are presented for both nuclear and fossil units type and distribution of outage causes. Unplanned full outages caused by nuclear power plant equipment and components failure are particulary emphasized. The trend for unplanned full outages due to the failure of components shows decreasing numerical values in 1981 with respect to the previous years. But this result should be weighed with the increasing plant unavailability hours needed for maintenance and repair action (chiefly preventive maintenance on critical components). This means that the number and downtime of forced outage must be drastically reduced for economic reasons (production losses and problems associated with the unavailable unit unplanned replacement) as well as for plant safe and reliable operation (sudden unavailability of key components and frequency of transients associated with plant shutdown and routine startup operation)

Problems of economic assessment of social impacts of construction anO operation of nuctear power plant in the area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koudelka, F.

1984-01-01

The impacts of nuclear power plant construction and operation are divided into economic, demographic, on town planning, historic, etc. Further subdivision is performed according to the intensity of construction impacts, to the sequence and quality of impact and to the effects in space and time. The area of environmental impacts is classified into the protective area and the areas of immediate, limited and broad impact. The methods of the evaluation of nuclear power plant construction and operation impacts are discussed. (E.S.)

Computer Use and Vision-Related Problems Among University Students In Ajman, United Arab Emirate

OpenAIRE

Shantakumari, N; Eldeeb, R; Sreedharan, J; Gopal, K

2014-01-01

Background: The extensive use of computers as medium of teaching and learning in universities necessitates introspection into the extent of computer related health disorders among student population. Aim: This study was undertaken to assess the pattern of computer usage and related visual problems, among University students in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 Students studying in Gulf Medical University, Ajman and Ajman University of Science and Technology we...

Electrical Resistivity Studies Between Subarnarekha And Kansabati Rivers, Paschim Medinipur (W.B.), India: Implication To Groundwater Problems In The Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, K. P.; Jha, M. K.; Sharma, S. P.

2017-12-01

Various parts of the world face acute shortage of groundwater. To solve groundwater problems various approaches are followed. Interlinking of the river is one of the approaches. The southern part of the West Bengal province of India receives huge amount of rainfall (annual 1200mm). Instead of huge amount of rainfall some parts of the area are problematic for groundwater occurrence. Characterization of aquifer in this area is very important for sustainable development of water supply and artificial recharge schemes. Electrical resistivity survey was performed at regular interval from Kharagpur (north) to Subarnrekha River (south) to map the lithological variations in this area. It covers around 25 kilometers distance from Kharagpur with latitude and longitude (22°19'7.3"N 87°18'40"E) to Subarnrekha River (22°15'49.4" N 87°16'45.1" E). To locating a suitable area for artificial recharge and for the characterization of aquifers vertical electrical sounding is a robust method. Resistivity soundings were carried out with an interval of 2 to 3 kilometers. Subsurface resistivity distribution has been interpreted by using very fast simulated annealing (VFSA) global optimization technique. The study reveals that northern part of the area is problematic and does not have suitable aquifer systems. Resistivity distribution is suitable in the southern part of area and corresponds to clayey sand. Interpreted resistivity in the northern part of the area is relatively high and reveals impervious laterite layer. In southern part of the area resistivity varies between 5-10 Ohm-m at depth below 80 m. Based on the resistivity model different types of geologic units are classified and the zone of interests for aquifer has been demarcated.

Solving unit commitment and economic load dispatch problems ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) and Unit Commitment (UC) are very important applications to predict the optimized cost of load in a power system. UC determines working states for existing generating units under some operational constraints and then optimizing the operation cost for all running units w.r.t. load demand ...

How to solve mathematical problems

CERN Document Server

Wickelgren, Wayne A

1995-01-01

Seven problem-solving techniques include inference, classification of action sequences, subgoals, contradiction, working backward, relations between problems, and mathematical representation. Also, problems from mathematics, science, and engineering with complete solutions.

Fitting Irregular Shape Figures into Irregular Shape Areas for the Nesting Problem in the Leather Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guevara-Palma Luis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The nesting problem of irregular shapes within irregular areas has been studied from several approaches due to their application in different industries. The particular case of cutting leather involves several restrictions that add complexity to this problem, it is necessary to generate products that comply with the quality required by customers This paper presents a methodology for the accommodation of irregular shapes in an irregular area (leather considering the constraints set by the footwear industry, and the results of this methodology when applied by a computer system. The scope of the system is to develop a working prototype that operates under the guidelines of a commercial production line of a sponsor company. Preliminary results got a reduction of 70% of processing time and improvement of 5% to 7% of the area usage when compared with manual accommodation.

Severe Accident Sequence Analysis Program: Anticipated transient without scram simulations for Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dallman, R.J.; Gottula, R.C.; Holcomb, E.E.; Jouse, W.C.; Wagoner, S.R.; Wheatley, P.D.

1987-05-01

An analysis of five anticipated transients without scram (ATWS) was conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The five detailed deterministic simulations of postulated ATWS sequences were initiated from a main steamline isolation valve (MSIV) closure. The subject of the analysis was the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1, a boiling water reactor (BWR) of the BWR/4 product line with a Mark I containment. The simulations yielded insights to the possible consequences resulting from a MSIV closure ATWS. An evaluation of the effects of plant safety systems and operator actions on accident progression and mitigation is presented

Corrective Action Decision Document/Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 372: Area 20 Cabriolet/Palanquin Unit Craters, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matthews, Patrick and Sloop, Christy

2011-04-01

This Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD)/Closure Report (CR) has been prepared for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 372, Area 20 Cabriolet/Palanquin Unit Craters, located within Areas 18 and 20 at the Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO). Corrective Action Unit 372 comprises four corrective action sites (CASs): • 18-45-02, Little Feller I Surface Crater • 18-45-03, Little Feller II Surface Crater • 20-23-01, U-20k Contamination Area • 20-45-01, U-20L Crater (Cabriolet) The purpose of this CADD/CR is to provide justification and documentation supporting the recommendation that no further corrective action is needed for CAU 372 based on the implementation of the corrective action of closure in place with administrative controls at all CASs. Corrective action investigation (CAI) activities were performed from November 9, 2009, through December 10, 2010, as set forth in the Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 372: Area 20 Cabriolet/Palanquin Unit Craters. The approach for the CAI was divided into two facets: investigation of the primary release of radionuclides and investigation of other releases (migration in washes and chemical releases). The purpose of the CAI was to fulfill data needs as defined during the data quality objective (DQO) process. The CAU 372 dataset of investigation results was evaluated based on a data quality assessment. This assessment demonstrated the dataset is acceptable for use in fulfilling the DQO data needs. Investigation results were evaluated against final action levels (FALs) established in this document. A radiological dose FAL was established of 25 millirem per year based on the Remote Work Area exposure scenario (336 hours of annual exposure). Radiological doses exceeding the FAL were found to be present at all four CASs. It is assumed that radionuclide levels present within the Little Feller I and Cabriolet high

An efficient genetic algorithm for a hybrid flow shop scheduling problem with time lags and sequence-dependent setup time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farahmand-Mehr Mohammad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a hybrid flow shop scheduling problem with a new approach considering time lags and sequence-dependent setup time in realistic situations is presented. Since few works have been implemented in this field, the necessity of finding better solutions is a motivation to extend heuristic or meta-heuristic algorithms. This type of production system is found in industries such as food processing, chemical, textile, metallurgical, printed circuit board, and automobile manufacturing. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP model is proposed to minimize the makespan. Since this problem is known as NP-Hard class, a meta-heuristic algorithm, named Genetic Algorithm (GA, and three heuristic algorithms (Johnson, SPTCH and Palmer are proposed. Numerical experiments of different sizes are implemented to evaluate the performance of presented mathematical programming model and the designed GA in compare to heuristic algorithms and a benchmark algorithm. Computational results indicate that the designed GA can produce near optimal solutions in a short computational time for different size problems.

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 230: Area 22 Sewage Lagoons and Corrective Action Unit 320: Area 22 Desert Rock Airport Strainer Box, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan contains the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operation Office's approach to collect the data necessary to evaluate corrective action alternatives appropriate for the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 230/320 under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. Corrective Action Unit 230 consists of Corrective Action Site (CAS) 22-03-01, Sewage Lagoon; while CAU 320 consists of CAS 22-99-01, Strainer Box. These CAUs are referred to as CAU 230/320 or the Sewage Lagoons Site. The Sewage Lagoons Site also includes an Imhoff tank, sludge bed, and associated buried sewer piping. Located in Area 22, the site was used between 1951 to 1958 for disposal of sanitary sewage effluent from the historic Camp Desert Rock Facility at the Nevada Test Site in Nevada. Based on site history, the contaminants of potential concern include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semivolatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and radionuclides. Vertical migration is estimated to be less than 12 feet below ground surface, and lateral migration is limited to the soil immediately adjacent to or within areas of concern. The proposed investigation will involve a combination of field screening for VOCs and TPH using the direct-push method and excavation using a backhoe to gather soil samples for analysis. Gamma spectroscopy will also be conducted for waste management purposes. Sampling locations will be biased to suspected worst-case areas including the nearby sludge bed, sewage lagoon inlet(s) and outlet(s), disturbed soil surrounding the lagoons, surface drainage channel south of the lagoons, and the area near the Imhoff tank. The results of this field investigation will support a defensible evaluation of corrective action alternatives in the corrective action decision document

Problems of teaching students to use the featured technologies in the area of semantic web

Science.gov (United States)

Klimov, V. V.; Chernyshov, A. A.; Balandina, A. I.; Kostkina, A. D.

2017-01-01

The following paper contains the description of up-to-date technologies in the area of web-services development, service-oriented architecture and the Semantic Web. The paper contains the analysis of the most popular and widespread technologies and methods in the semantic web area which are used in the developed educational course. In the paper, we also describe the problem of teaching students to use these technologies and specify conditions for the creation of the learning and development course. We also describe the main exercise for personal work and skills, which all the students learning this course have to gain. Moreover, in the paper we specify the problem with software which students are going to use while learning this course. In order to solve this problem, we introduce the developing system which will be used to support the laboratory works. For this moment this system supports only the fourth work execution, but our following plans contain the expansion of the system in order to support the leftover works.

Feature Selection and the Class Imbalance Problem in Predicting Protein Function from Sequence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Al-Shahib, A.; Breitling, R.; Gilbert, D.

2005-01-01

Abstract: When the standard approach to predict protein function by sequence homology fails, other alternative methods can be used that require only the amino acid sequence for predicting function. One such approach uses machine learning to predict protein function directly from amino acid sequence

Accessible surface area of proteins from purely sequence information and the importance of global features

Science.gov (United States)

Faraggi, Eshel; Zhou, Yaoqi; Kloczkowski, Andrzej

2014-03-01

We present a new approach for predicting the accessible surface area of proteins. The novelty of this approach lies in not using residue mutation profiles generated by multiple sequence alignments as descriptive inputs. Rather, sequential window information and the global monomer and dimer compositions of the chain are used. We find that much of the lost accuracy due to the elimination of evolutionary information is recouped by the use of global features. Furthermore, this new predictor produces similar results for proteins with or without sequence homologs deposited in the Protein Data Bank, and hence shows generalizability. Finally, these predictions are obtained in a small fraction (1/1000) of the time required to run mutation profile based prediction. All these factors indicate the possible usability of this work in de-novo protein structure prediction and in de-novo protein design using iterative searches. Funded in part by the financial support of the National Institutes of Health through Grants R01GM072014 and R01GM073095, and the National Science Foundation through Grant NSF MCB 1071785.

A Mathematical Optimization Problem in Bioinformatics

Science.gov (United States)

Heyer, Laurie J.

2008-01-01

This article describes the sequence alignment problem in bioinformatics. Through examples, we formulate sequence alignment as an optimization problem and show how to compute the optimal alignment with dynamic programming. The examples and sample exercises have been used by the author in a specialized course in bioinformatics, but could be adapted…

Discontinuities and sequences in the Tarat formation (Upper Visean) and the Arlit Unit (Namurian-Westphalian) at Arlit (Niger). Sedimentary climatic and tectonic evolution of the area during Carboniferous

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sempere, T.; Beaudoin, B.

1984-01-01

The Tarat Formation is composed at Arlit of three sequences consisting of sandstones and black mudstones rich in organic matter of continental origin. The three of them are interpreted as estuarine sediments deposited in different tectonic frameworks. The Arlit Unit consists of motley argillaceous sandstones deposited in a very flat lacustrine or alluvial environment and under an arid climate. These formations are separated by a fundamental discontinuity linked to the structuration of the Tim Mersoi Trough. At regional scale, the sediments lying below this discontinuity are grouped in tectono-sedimentary supersequences, which are interpreted as biorhexistasic rhythms; their deposition was horizontally directed by complex evolving synsedimentary tectonics controlled by the N-S In Azawa Lineament, and was influenced by the permanent proximity of a northern sea. The sediments lying above the fundamental discontinuity belong to the ''Continental Intercalaire'' Supergroup; their deposition was influenced by the Tim Mersoi Trough. The whole Carboniferous sedimentation took place in a climatic context which evolved from cold (Lower Visean) to warm and arid (Upper Carboniferous) through temperate climates [fr

Supporting Organizational Problem Solving with a Workstation.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-07-01

G. [., and Sussman, G. J. AMORD: Explicit Control or Reasoning. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Artificial Intellignece and Programming Languagues...0505 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT. PROJECT. TASK Artificial Intelligence Laboratory AREA& WORK UNIT NUMBERS 545...extending ideas from the field of Artificial Intelligence (A), we describ office work as a problem solving activity. A knowledge embedding language called

Solution of relativistic quantum optics problems using clusters of graphical processing units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gordon, D.F., E-mail: daviel.gordon@nrl.navy.mil; Hafizi, B.; Helle, M.H.

2014-06-15

Numerical solution of relativistic quantum optics problems requires high performance computing due to the rapid oscillations in a relativistic wavefunction. Clusters of graphical processing units are used to accelerate the computation of a time dependent relativistic wavefunction in an arbitrary external potential. The stationary states in a Coulomb potential and uniform magnetic field are determined analytically and numerically, so that they can used as initial conditions in fully time dependent calculations. Relativistic energy levels in extreme magnetic fields are recovered as a means of validation. The relativistic ionization rate is computed for an ion illuminated by a laser field near the usual barrier suppression threshold, and the ionizing wavefunction is displayed.

Genetic maps and physical units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karunakaran, V.; Holt, G.

1976-01-01

The relationships between physical and genetic units are examined. Genetic mapping involves the detection of linkage of genes and the measurement of recombination frequencies. The genetic distance is measured in map units and is proportional to the recombination frequencies between linked markers. Physical mapping of genophores, particularly the simple genomes of bacteriophages and bacterial plasmids can be achieved through heteroduplex analysis. Genetic distances are dependent on recombination frequencies and, therefore, can only be correlated accurately with physical unit lengths if the recombination frequency is constant throughout the entire genome. Methods are available to calculate the equivalent length of DNA per average map unit in different organisms. Such estimates indicate significant differences from one organism to another. Gene lengths can also be calculated from the number of amino acids in a specified polypeptide and relating this to the number of nucleotides required to code for such a polypeptide. Many attempts have been made to relate microdosimetric measurements to radiobiological data. For irradiation effects involving deletion of genetic material such a detailed correlation may be possible in systems where heteroduplex analysis or amino acid sequencing can be performed. The problems of DNA packaging and other functional associations within the cell in interpreting data is discussed

Area-wide pest management of locusts and grasshoppers: The striking similarities of problems and solutions in Africa and the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lockwood, Jeffrey A.

2000-01-01

Grasshoppers and locusts are among the most devastating pests of human agriculture. These insects cause serious damage to crops and forage on every arable continent, and their depredations have become the basis for legends, myths, and (in recent times) complex political and economic programmes. No pest problem spans such immense areas, with up to 8 million ha treated for rangeland grasshoppers during outbreaks in the US and 16 million km 2 prone to outbreaks of the Desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria Forskal, alone. The traditional management approach has involved extensive, regionalised control programmes, but recent trends suggest a decentralised future for grasshopper and locust management. Hence, we have a dynamic situation that presents the opportunity for a comparative analysis of the costs and benefits of an area-wide approach to pest management at different scales. As political, cultural, and communication barriers between scientists dissolve, the possibility of learning from one another's experiences (both failures and successes) promises to dramatically accelerate the rate of innovation, progress and discovery in pest management. For example, the recent advances in Reduced Agent-Area Treatments (RAAT, in which insecticide is applied to swaths, separated by untreated swaths or buffers) for management of rangeland grasshoppers in the US (Lockwood and Schell 1997) are based on the adaptation of tactics developed by African, Australian, Asian, and European scientists (Rachadi and Foucart 1996, Musuna and Mugisha 1997, Scherer and Celestin 1997, Wilps and Diop 1997, Launois and Rachadi 1997). The key to successful adaptation of management methods must begin with intellectual modesty and nationalistic humility so that the insights of non-scientists and experts from outside one's country are given respect and serious consideration. It is subsequently necessary to recognise the essential similarities and differences between land use systems and understand the

76 FR 75508 - United States Navy Restricted Area, SUPSHIP Bath Maine Detachment Mobile at AUSTAL, USA, Mobile...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-02

... Navy Restricted Area, SUPSHIP Bath Maine Detachment Mobile at AUSTAL, USA, Mobile, AL; Restricted Area... facility located in Mobile, Alabama. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, United States... contracts at AUSTAL USA in Mobile, Alabama, on October 9, 2011, replacing Supervisor of Shipbuilding...

Closure report for housekeeping category, Corrective Action Unit 349, Area 12, Nevada Test Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This Closure Report summarizes the corrective actions which were completed at the Corrective Action Sites within Corrective Action Unit 349 Area 12 at the Nevada Test Site. Current site descriptions, observations and identification of wastes removed are included on FFACO Corrective Action Site housekeeping closure verification forms

Closure report for housekeeping category, Corrective Action Unit 349, Area 12, Nevada Test Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-01

This Closure Report summarizes the corrective actions which were completed at the Corrective Action Sites within Corrective Action Unit 349 Area 12 at the Nevada Test Site. Current site descriptions, observations and identification of wastes removed are included on FFACO Corrective Action Site housekeeping closure verification forms.

Confronting youth gangs in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Akiyama, Cliff

2015-01-01

Youth gang violence has continued its upward trend nationwide. It was once thought that gangs convened only in selected areas, which left churches, schools, and hospitals as "neutral" territory. Unfortunately, this is a fallacy. The results of gang violence pour into hospitals and into intensive care units regularly. The media portrays California as having a gang violence problem; however, throughout the United States, gang violence has risen more than 35% in the past year. Youth gang violence continues to rise dramatically with more and more of our youth deciding to join gangs each day. Sadly, every state has gangs, and the problem is getting much worse in areas that would never have thought about gangs a year ago. These "new generation" of gang members is younger, much more violent, and staying in the gang longer. Gangs are not just an urban problem. Gang activity is a suburban and rural problem too. There are more than 25 500 gangs in the United States, with a total gang membership of 850 000. Ninety-four percent of gang members are male and 6% are female. The ethnic composition nationwide includes 47% Latino, 31% African American, 13% White, 7% Asian, and 2% "mixed," according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice. As a result of the ongoing proliferation of youth street gangs in our communities, it is imperative that critical care nurses and others involved with the direct care become educated about how to identify gang members, their activities, and understand their motivations. Such education and knowledge will help provide solutions to families and the youth themselves, help eradicate the problem of gang violence, and keep health care professionals safe.

Social science findings in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sarah McCaffrey; Eric Toman; Melanie Stidham; Bruce. Shindler

2015-01-01

The rising number of acres burned annually and growing number of people living in or adjacent to fire-prone areas in the United States make wildfire management an increasingly complex and challenging problem. Given the prominence of social issues in shaping the current challenges and determining paths forward, it will be important to have an accurate understanding of...

Exploring origins, invasion history and genetic diversity of Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. (Cogongrass) in the United States using genotyping by sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Burrell, A Millie; Pepper, Alan E; Hodnett, George; Goolsby, John A; Overholt, William A; Racelis, Alexis E; Diaz, Rodrigo; Klein, Patricia E

2015-05-01

Imperata cylindrica (Cogongrass, Speargrass) is a diploid C4 grass that is a noxious weed in 73 countries and constitutes a significant threat to global biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. We used a cost-effective genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach to identify the reproductive system, genetic diversity and geographic origins of invasions in the south-eastern United States. In this work, we demonstrated the advantage of employing the closely related, fully sequenced crop species Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench as a proxy reference genome to identify a set of 2320 informative single nucleotide and insertion-deletion polymorphisms. Genetic analyses identified four clonal lineages of cogongrass and one clonal lineage of Imperata brasiliensis Trin. in the United States. Each lineage was highly homogeneous, and we found no evidence of hybridization among the different lineages, despite geographical overlap. We found evidence that at least three of these lineages showed clonal reproduction prior to introduction to the United States. These results indicate that cogongrass has limited evolutionary potential to adapt to novel environments and further suggest that upon arrival to its invaded range, this species did not require local adaptation through hybridization/introgression or selection of favourable alleles from a broad genetic base. Thus, cogongrass presents a clear case of broad invasive success, across a diversity of environments, in a clonal organism with limited genetic diversity. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 230: Area 22 Sewage Lagoons and Corrective Action Unit 320: Area 22 Desert Rock Airport Strainer Box Nevada Test Site, Nevada; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D. S. Tobiason

2001-01-01

This Closure Report (CR) describes the remediation activities performed and the results of verification sampling conducted at Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 230, Area 22 Sewage Lagoons and CAU 320, Area 22 Desert Rock Airport Strainer Box. The CAU is currently listed in Appendix III of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO, 1996). The CAU is located in Area 22 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) (Figure 1) and consists of the following Corrective Action Sites (CASs): 22-03-01- Sewage Lagoon (CAU 230); and 22-99-01- Strainer Box (CAU 320). Included with CAS 22-99-01 is a buried Imhoff tank and a sludge bed. These CAUs will be collectively referred to in this plan as the Area 22 Sewage Lagoons site. Site characterization activities were done during September 1999. Characterization of the manholes associated with the septic system leading to the Imhoff tank was done during March 2000. The results of the characterization presented in the Corrective Action Decision Document (CADD) indicated that only the sludge bed (CAS 22-99-01) contained constituents of concern (COC) above action levels and required remediation (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office[DOE/NV], 2000a)

OBJECT-SPACE MULTI-IMAGE MATCHING OF MOBILE-MAPPING-SYSTEM IMAGE SEQUENCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. C. Chen

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes an object-space multi-image matching procedure of terrestrial MMS (Mobile Mapping System image sequences to determine the coordinates of an object point automatically and reliably. This image matching procedure can be applied to find conjugate points of MMS image sequences efficiently. Conventional area-based image matching methods are not reliable to deliver accurate matching results for this application due to image scale variations, viewing angle variations, and object occlusions. In order to deal with these three matching problems, an object space multi-image matching is proposed. A modified NCC (Normalized Cross Correlation coefficient is proposed to measure the similarity of image patches. A modified multi-window matching procedure will also be introduced to solve the problem of object occlusion. A coarse-to-fine procedure with a combination of object-space multi-image matching and multi-window matching is adopted. The proposed procedure has been implemented for the purpose of matching terrestrial MMS image sequences. The ratio of correct matches of this experiment was about 80 %. By providing an approximate conjugate point in an overlapping image manually, most of the incorrect matches could be fixed properly and the ratio of correct matches was improved up to 98 %.

Changes in Area of Timberland in the United States, 1952-2040, By Ownership, Forest Type, Region, and State

Science.gov (United States)

Ralph J. Allg; William G. Hohenstein; Brian C. Murray; Robert G. Haight

1990-01-01

Area change projections for timberland in the United Steats are provided by region, State, ownership, and forest type.Total timberland area is projected to drop by 21 million acres or 4 percent by the year 2040.

Perancangan Aplikasi Penjadwalan Traveling Salesman Problem dengan Algoritma Genetika

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hendy Tannady

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Supply chain management plays an important role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing industry business process. In this research, the problem is taken from a sales division in a company in determining the optimal sequence when delivering goods into nine cities. This problem is oftenreferred as travelling salesman problem. This problem is considered important since the optimal sequence can cut off operational cost. Creating an artificial intelligence for the company in determining the location and the optimal sequence of delivering goods is the main objective of this research. A genetic algorithm is utilized to determine the location and the optimal sequence. While for processing the data and concluding the result, researcher designed a Java-based application that provides the capability of automatic computing. The result of this computation is a sequence of locations with a fitness number for each. The best fitness number for the sequence location will be used for the final result and the conclusion to answer the company’s problem.

NDVI, scale invariance and the modifiable areal unit problem : An assessment of vegetation in the Adelaide Parklands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nouri, Hamideh; Anderson, Sharolyn; Sutton, Paul; Beecham, Simon; Nagler, Pamela; Jarchow, Christopher J.; Roberts, Dar A.

2017-01-01

This research addresses the question as to whether or not the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is scale invariant (i.e. constant over spatial aggregation) for pure pixels of urban vegetation. It has been long recognized that there are issues related to the modifiable areal unit problem

PILOT DECONTAMINATION THROUGH PILOT SEQUENCE HOPPING IN MASSIVE MIMO SYSTEMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2015-01-01

path between one of the users and one of the base stations define one of the channels. The system comprises a pilot generation unit configured to assign pilot sequences randomly among the users and a pilot processing unit configured to filter the pilot sequences received from a user of interest so...... that the channel coefficient of the channel of the user of interest is determined. The pilot sequences received from the user of interest are contaminated by other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from other users of the cell of interest or other cells. The filter is configured so that the contamination...... caused by the other non-orthogonal or identical pilot sequences from the other users is reduced....

Continuous grasp algorithm applied to economic dispatch problem of thermal units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vianna Neto, Julio Xavier [Pontifical Catholic University of Parana - PUCPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Undergraduate Program at Mechatronics Engineering; Bernert, Diego Luis de Andrade; Coelho, Leandro dos Santos [Pontifical Catholic University of Parana - PUCPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil). Industrial and Systems Engineering Graduate Program, LAS/PPGEPS], e-mail: leandro.coelho@pucpr.br

2010-07-01

The economic dispatch problem (EDP) is one of the fundamental issues in power systems to obtain benefits with the stability, reliability and security. Its objective is to allocate the power demand among committed generators in the most economical manner, while all physical and operational constraints are satisfied. The cost of power generation, particularly in fossil fuel plants, is very high and economic dispatch helps in saving a significant amount of revenue. Recently, as an alternative to the conventional mathematical approaches, modern heuristic optimization techniques such as simulated annealing, evolutionary algorithms, neural networks, ant colony, and tabu search have been given much attention by many researchers due to their ability to find an almost global optimal solution in EDPs. On other hand, continuous GRASP (C-GRASP) is a stochastic local search meta-heuristic for finding cost-efficient solutions to continuous global optimization problems subject to box constraints. Like a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP), a C-GRASP is a multi-start procedure where a starting solution for local improvement is constructed in a greedy randomized fashion. The C-GRASP algorithm is validated for a test system consisting of fifteen units, test system that takes into account spinning reserve and prohibited operating zones constrains. (author)

The Effect of Uncertain End-of-Life Product Quality and Consumer Incentives on Partial Disassembly Sequencing in Value Recovery Operations

OpenAIRE

Rickli, Jeremy Lewis

2013-01-01

This dissertation addresses gaps in the interaction between End-of-Life (EoL) product acquisition systems and disassembly sequencing. The research focuses on two remanufacturing research problems; 1) modeling uncertain EoL product quality, quantity, and timing in regards to EoL product acquisition and disassembly sequencing and 2) designing EoL product acquisition schemes considering EoL product uncertainty. The main research objectives within these areas are; analyzing, predicting, and contr...

Stratigraphy and Age of Paleoproterozoic Birimian Volcaniclastic Sequence in the Cape Three Points area, Axim-Konongo (Ashanti) Belt, Southwest Ghana

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimaru, S.; Kiyokawa, S.; Ito, T.; Ikehara, M.; Horie, K.; Takehara, M.; Sano, T.; Nyame, F. K.; Tetteh, G. M.

2016-12-01

This study investigated the depositional environments and bioactivities of well preserved volcaniclastic sequences in the Cape Three Points area in the Paleoproterozoic Axim-Konongo (Ashanti) belt in the Birimian of Ghana. Our current research outlines the stratigraphy, structure, approximate age and depositional setting of the volcaniclastic sequence in the Cape Three Points area in Ghana, West Africa.Axim-Konongo (Ashanti) belt is composed of mainly andesitic basalts, volcaniclastic rocks and belt type granitoids, which are unconformably overlain by Tarkwaian conglomerates and metasedimentary rocks. The rocks show NE-SW strike with maximum depositional age of overlying metasedimentary rocks of 2154±2 Ma (U-Pb zircon; Oberthür et al., 1998). The oldest age of an intrusive into Birimian volcanic rock near Sekondi is 2174±2 Ma (U-Pb zircon; Oberthür et al., 1998). Thick volcaniclastic succession over 4000 m thickness was reconstructed for 1000 m thickness after detailed field investigations. The succession shows approximately N-S strike mainly 60-80° dip to the east and generally upward sequence. The rocks were affected by greenschist facies metamorphism. TiO2/Al2O3 ratios of chromites and whole- rock trace elements compositions with low Nb concentration and high LREE concentration support deposition on mid-deep sea floor in a volcanic arc. New age data were obtained from foliated porphyritic dyke which occurs in the Cape Three Points area. Zircon grains, measured by SHRIMP at National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), yielded a weighted mean 204Pb-corrected 207Pb/206Pb age of 2265.6±4.6 Ma (95% confidence). Thus, the volcaniclastic sequence was deposited before 2265.6±4.6 Ma and was deformed after 2265 Ma. 2260 Ma is the oldest age at which early volcanic activity in the Birimian terrane occurred (Loh and Hirdes, 1999). References Oberthür T et al. (1998) Precambrian Research 89: 129-143 Loh G and Hirdes W (1999) Exlplanatory Notes for the Geological Map

Effect of nanoemulsion on dental unit waterline biofilm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karthikeyan Ramalingam

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Bacterial biofilm in dental unit waterlines (DUWLs is a widespread problem and poses a potentially significant risk of infection to dental staff and patients. The present study investigates the level and composition of bacterial contamination of dental chair syringe waterlines and investigates the efficacy of a cetylpyridinium chloride-containing nanoemulsion disinfectant in reducing bacterial loads. Waterline biofilms exposed to nanoemulsion for 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours showed high reduction of colonies, and very low counts after 12 hours and 24 hours (67 colony-forming units/mL were observed. Exposures for 48 hours and 72 hours showed no or few visible colonies (2 colony-forming units/mL. The nanoemulsion employed improves efficacy against microorganisms more than unemulsified components. DNA sequencing showed that the organisms in the waterline biofilm are primarily of soil or water origin. The findings indicate that nanoemulsion effectively disinfects waterlines to consistently meet the American Dental Association (ADA recommendation.

46 CFR 153.903 - Operating a United States ship in special areas: Categories A, B, and C.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... NLS residue in a special area unless— (a) The ship's Certificate of Inspection is endorsed in... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Operating a United States ship in special areas... (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SHIPS CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS...

76 FR 30024 - United States Navy Restricted Area, Menominee River, Marinette Marine Corporation Shipyard...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-24

... Executive Order 12866. This rule is issued with respect to a military function of the Department of Defense...; thence easterly along the Marinette Marine Corporation pier to the point of origin. The restricted area... local military or Naval authority, vessels of the United States Coast Guard, and local or state law...

Demography, Psychosocial Factors, and Emotional Problems of Korean American Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Sangmi; Bae, Sung-Woo

2005-01-01

This study attempted to identify emotional problems and examine the related demographic and psychosocial factors of 340 Korean American adolescents in a major metropolitan area. Results revealed that lower GPA, longer length of residence in the United States, subjects' poor self-esteem, greater severity of conflict with parents, and poor…

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF HEALTH PROBLEMS OF ELDERLY RESIDING IN URBAN AREAS, KATHMANDU: PILOT STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bista Archana, Joshi Sarala

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Globally, number of old age population is increasing with advancement of biomedical technology. Old age is the time associated with biological, psychological and social changes which situate elderly to acquire different health related problems. Objectives: To find out lived experiences of elderly regarding their health problems residing in homes of Kathmandu city. Methods: Qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology approach was adopted. Researcher selected purposively four elderly residing in an urban area of Kathmandu Valley as the study participants. In-depth interview was conducted by using in-depth interview guideline, as well as medical records, field notes and observation clues were recorded. Interview was conducted in Nepali Language and was audio taped. The recording was transcribed by the researcher herself, and the data were analyzed thematically. Finally, different sources of data were triangulated. Results: The four main themes identified were physical health problems, impaired functional abilities, psychological and social problems. Experienced physical health problems were joint pain, hearing and vision deficit, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, gastritis and fall injury. Impaired Functional abilities in performing activities of daily living was commonly experienced problems. Loneliness and decreased recent memory power were the psychological problems. Being neglected by family members, financial constraints for treatment and improper care during illness were the discerned social problems. Conclusion: Elderly are suffering from different physical health problems, impaired functional abilities, as well as various psycho-social problems. Thus, health promotional activities need to be promoted for decreasing morbidity of elderly. Family members need to be focused in the care of elderly through national policy.

A model-adaptivity method for the solution of Lennard-Jones based adhesive contact problems

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Dhia, Hachmi; Du, Shuimiao

2018-05-01

The surface micro-interaction model of Lennard-Jones (LJ) is used for adhesive contact problems (ACP). To address theoretical and numerical pitfalls of this model, a sequence of partitions of contact models is adaptively constructed to both extend and approximate the LJ model. It is formed by a combination of the LJ model with a sequence of shifted-Signorini (or, alternatively, -Linearized-LJ) models, indexed by a shift parameter field. For each model of this sequence, a weak formulation of the associated local ACP is developed. To track critical localized adhesive areas, a two-step strategy is developed: firstly, a macroscopic frictionless (as first approach) linear-elastic contact problem is solved once to detect contact separation zones. Secondly, at each shift-adaptive iteration, a micro-macro ACP is re-formulated and solved within the multiscale Arlequin framework, with significant reduction of computational costs. Comparison of our results with available analytical and numerical solutions shows the effectiveness of our global strategy.

Vertical farming increases lettuce yield per unit area compared to conventional horizontal hydroponics.

Science.gov (United States)

Touliatos, Dionysios; Dodd, Ian C; McAinsh, Martin

2016-08-01

Vertical farming systems (VFS) have been proposed as an engineering solution to increase productivity per unit area of cultivated land by extending crop production into the vertical dimension. To test whether this approach presents a viable alternative to horizontal crop production systems, a VFS (where plants were grown in upright cylindrical columns) was compared against a conventional horizontal hydroponic system (HHS) using lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L . cv. "Little Gem") as a model crop. Both systems had similar root zone volume and planting density. Half-strength Hoagland's solution was applied to plants grown in perlite in an indoor controlled environment room, with metal halide lamps providing artificial lighting. Light distribution (photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD) and yield (shoot fresh weight) within each system were assessed. Although PPFD and shoot fresh weight decreased significantly in the VFS from top to base, the VFS produced more crop per unit of growing floor area when compared with the HHS. Our results clearly demonstrate that VFS presents an attractive alternative to horizontal hydroponic growth systems and suggest that further increases in yield could be achieved by incorporating artificial lighting in the VFS.

Two-stage clustering (TSC: a pipeline for selecting operational taxonomic units for the high-throughput sequencing of PCR amplicons.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Tao Jiang

Full Text Available Clustering 16S/18S rRNA amplicon sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs is a critical step for the bioinformatic analysis of microbial diversity. Here, we report a pipeline for selecting OTUs with a relatively low computational demand and a high degree of accuracy. This pipeline is referred to as two-stage clustering (TSC because it divides tags into two groups according to their abundance and clusters them sequentially. The more abundant group is clustered using a hierarchical algorithm similar to that in ESPRIT, which has a high degree of accuracy but is computationally costly for large datasets. The rarer group, which includes the majority of tags, is then heuristically clustered to improve efficiency. To further improve the computational efficiency and accuracy, two preclustering steps are implemented. To maintain clustering accuracy, all tags are grouped into an OTU depending on their pairwise Needleman-Wunsch distance. This method not only improved the computational efficiency but also mitigated the spurious OTU estimation from 'noise' sequences. In addition, OTUs clustered using TSC showed comparable or improved performance in beta-diversity comparisons compared to existing OTU selection methods. This study suggests that the distribution of sequencing datasets is a useful property for improving the computational efficiency and increasing the clustering accuracy of the high-throughput sequencing of PCR amplicons. The software and user guide are freely available at http://hwzhoulab.smu.edu.cn/paperdata/.

Finding Multiple Optimal Solutions to Optimal Load Distribution Problem in Hydropower Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinhao Jiang

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Optimal load distribution (OLD among generator units of a hydropower plant is a vital task for hydropower generation scheduling and management. Traditional optimization methods for solving this problem focus on finding a single optimal solution. However, many practical constraints on hydropower plant operation are very difficult, if not impossible, to be modeled, and the optimal solution found by those models might be of limited practical uses. This motivates us to find multiple optimal solutions to the OLD problem, which can provide more flexible choices for decision-making. Based on a special dynamic programming model, we use a modified shortest path algorithm to produce multiple solutions to the problem. It is shown that multiple optimal solutions exist for the case study of China’s Geheyan hydropower plant, and they are valuable for assessing the stability of generator units, showing the potential of reducing occurrence times of units across vibration areas.

A Variant of the Topkis-Veinott Method for Solving Inequality Constrained Optimization Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birge, J. R.; Qi, L.; Wei, Z.

2000-01-01

In this paper we give a variant of the Topkis-Veinott method for solving inequality constrained optimization problems. This method uses a linearly constrained positive semidefinite quadratic problem to generate a feasible descent direction at each iteration. Under mild assumptions, the algorithm is shown to be globally convergent in the sense that every accumulation point of the sequence generated by the algorithm is a Fritz-John point of the problem. We introduce a Fritz-John (FJ) function, an FJ1 strong second-order sufficiency condition (FJ1-SSOSC), and an FJ2 strong second-order sufficiency condition (FJ2-SSOSC), and then show, without any constraint qualification (CQ), that (i) if an FJ point z satisfies the FJ1-SSOSC, then there exists a neighborhood N(z) of z such that, for any FJ point y element of N(z) {z } , f 0 (y) ≠ f 0 (z) , where f 0 is the objective function of the problem; (ii) if an FJ point z satisfies the FJ2-SSOSC, then z is a strict local minimum of the problem. The result (i) implies that the entire iteration point sequence generated by the method converges to an FJ point. We also show that if the parameters are chosen large enough, a unit step length can be accepted by the proposed algorithm

Area racism and birth outcomes among Blacks in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, David H; Clouston, Sean; Martz, Connor D; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L; Cooper, Hannah L F; Turpin, Rodman; Stephens-Davidowitz, Seth; Kramer, Michael R

2018-02-01

There is increasing evidence that racism is a cause of poor health outcomes in the United States, including adverse birth outcomes among Blacks. However, research on the health consequences of racism has faced measurement challenges due to the more subtle nature of contemporary racism, which is not necessarily amenable to assessment through traditionally used survey methods. In this study, we circumvent some of these limitations by examining a previously developed Internet query-based proxy of area racism (Stephens-Davidowitz, 2014) in relation to preterm birth and low birthweight among Blacks. Area racism was measured in 196 designated market areas as the proportion of total Google searches conducted between 2004 and 2007 containing the "n-word." This measure was linked to county-level birth data among Blacks between 2005 and 2008, which were compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics; preterm birth and low birthweight were defined as racism was associated with relative increases of 5% in the prevalence of preterm birth and 5% in the prevalence of low birthweight among Blacks. Our study provides evidence for the utility of an Internet query-based measure as a proxy for racism at the area-level in epidemiologic studies, and is also suggestive of the role of racism in contributing to poor birth outcomes among Blacks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sequence determinants of human microsatellite variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakobsson Mattias

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microsatellite loci are frequently used in genomic studies of DNA sequence repeats and in population studies of genetic variability. To investigate the effect of sequence properties of microsatellites on their level of variability we have analyzed genotypes at 627 microsatellite loci in 1,048 worldwide individuals from the HGDP-CEPH cell line panel together with the DNA sequences of these microsatellites in the human RefSeq database. Results Calibrating PCR fragment lengths in individual genotypes by using the RefSeq sequence enabled us to infer repeat number in the HGDP-CEPH dataset and to calculate the mean number of repeats (as opposed to the mean PCR fragment length, under the assumption that differences in PCR fragment length reflect differences in the numbers of repeats in the embedded repeat sequences. We find the mean and maximum numbers of repeats across individuals to be positively correlated with heterozygosity. The size and composition of the repeat unit of a microsatellite are also important factors in predicting heterozygosity, with tetra-nucleotide repeat units high in G/C content leading to higher heterozygosity. Finally, we find that microsatellites containing more separate sets of repeated motifs generally have higher heterozygosity. Conclusions These results suggest that sequence properties of microsatellites have a significant impact in determining the features of human microsatellite variability.

Countering resistance to protected-area extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindenmayer, David; Thorn, Simon; Noss, Reed

2018-04-01

The establishment of protected areas is a critical strategy for conserving biodiversity. Key policy directives like the Aichi targets seek to expand protected areas to 17% of Earth's land surface, with calls by some conservation biologists for much more. However, in places such as the United States, Germany, and Australia, attempts to increase protected areas are meeting strong resistance from communities, industry groups, and governments. We examined case studies of such resistance in Victoria, Australia, Bavaria, Germany, and Florida, United States. We considered 4 ways to tackle this problem. First, broaden the case for protected areas beyond nature conservation to include economic, human health, and other benefits, and translate these into a persuasive business case for protected areas. Second, better communicate the conservation values of protected areas. This should include highlighting how many species, communities, and ecosystems have been conserved by protected areas and the counterfactual (i.e., what would have been lost without protected area establishment). Third, consider zoning of activities to ensure the maintenance of effective management. Finally, remind citizens to think about conservation when they vote, including holding politicians accountable for their environmental promises. Without tackling resistance to expanding the protected estate, it will be impossible to reach conservation targets, and this will undermine attempts to stem the global extinction crisis. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 425: Area 9 Main Lake Construction Debris Disposal Area, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

K. B. Campbell

2003-03-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 425 is located on the Tonopah Test Range, approximately 386 kilometers (240 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. CAU 425 is listed in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO, 1996) and is comprised of one Corrective Action Site (CAS). CAS 09-08-001-TA09 consisted of a large pile of concrete rubble from the original Hard Target and construction debris associated with the Tornado Rocket Sled Tests. CAU 425 was closed in accordance with the FFACO and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection-approved Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Plan for CAU 425: Area 9 Main Lake Construction Debris Disposal Area, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada (U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, 2002). CAU 425 was closed by implementing the following corrective actions: The approved corrective action for this unit was clean closure. Closure activities included: (1) Removal of all the debris from the site. (2) Weighing each load of debris leaving the job site. (3) Transporting the debris to the U.S. Air Force Construction Landfill for disposal. (4) Placing the radioactive material in a U.S. Department of Transportation approved container for proper transport and disposal. (5) Transporting the radioactive material to the Nevada Test Site for disposal. (6) Regrading the job site to its approximate original contours/elevation.

The problems of hygienic classification of radioactive waste under restoration of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savkin, M.; Shandala, N.; Novikova, N.; Petukhova, E.; Shishkin, V.; Egorov, B.; Ziborov, A.

2002-01-01

Experience on restoration of contaminated areas in the past ten years reveals a specific problem in the general problem of solid radioactive waste management as a result of decontamination of the settlements. That specific problem concerns conventionally radioactive waste (CRW), which might be to some extent dangerous for human being. In the documents of IAEA and ICRP the approaches aimed at exemption or exclusion insignificant amount of radioactive wastes from regulatory control are actively being developed. In turn, Russia does not have so far either methodic or regulatory documents on management of very low level radioactive waste. Two approaches are considered in the paper under development of derived levels for CRW in case of restoration of contaminated areas. The first one is based on restriction of individual risk at level about 10 -6 per year (negligible level). The second one accounts for global man-made background and uses acceptable factor of excess of that background as a criterion.Under the first approach (restriction of individual risk) the lowest boundary of CRW is estimated to be equal to 3 Bq kg -1 for 239 Pu; 30 Bq kg -1 for 90 Sr; and 300 Bq kg -1 for 137 Cs, respectively. Those levels of specific activity approximately correspond to the areas contaminated by the above mentioned radionuclides 0.3 kBq m -2 , 3 kBq m -2 , and 30 kBq m -2 , respectively. Under the second approach if one accepts factor of 3 of excess of global man-made background, than the levels of specific activity will be 0.05 kBq m -2 for 239 Pu; 2.5 kBq m -2 for 90 Sr, and 7.2 kBq m -2 for 137 Cs. Comparison of the levels obtained according to the second approach shows that they will be several times lower than that according to the first approach. (author)

Pairwise Sequence Alignment Library

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2015-05-20

Vector extensions, such as SSE, have been part of the x86 CPU since the 1990s, with applications in graphics, signal processing, and scientific applications. Although many algorithms and applications can naturally benefit from automatic vectorization techniques, there are still many that are difficult to vectorize due to their dependence on irregular data structures, dense branch operations, or data dependencies. Sequence alignment, one of the most widely used operations in bioinformatics workflows, has a computational footprint that features complex data dependencies. The trend of widening vector registers adversely affects the state-of-the-art sequence alignment algorithm based on striped data layouts. Therefore, a novel SIMD implementation of a parallel scan-based sequence alignment algorithm that can better exploit wider SIMD units was implemented as part of the Parallel Sequence Alignment Library (parasail). Parasail features: Reference implementations of all known vectorized sequence alignment approaches. Implementations of Smith Waterman (SW), semi-global (SG), and Needleman Wunsch (NW) sequence alignment algorithms. Implementations across all modern CPU instruction sets including AVX2 and KNC. Language interfaces for C/C++ and Python.

Climate change impacts on extreme temperature mortality in select metropolitan areas of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Projected mortality from climate change-driven impacts on extremely hot and cold days increases significantly over the 21st century in a large group of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Increases in projected mortality from more hot days are greater than decreases in ...

Environmental and hydrologic setting of the Ozark Plateaus study unit, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

Science.gov (United States)

Adamski, James C.; Petersen, James C.; Freiwald, David A.; Davis, Jerri V.

1995-01-01

The environmental and hydrologic setting of the Ozark Plateaus National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) study unit and the factors that affect water quality are described in this report. The primary natural and cultural features that affect water- quality characteristics and the potential for future water-quality problems are described. These environmental features include climate, physio- graphy, geology, soils, population, land use, water use, and surface- and ground-water flow systems. The study-unit area is approximately 47,600 square miles and includes most of the Ozark Plateaus Province and parts of the adjacent Osage Plains and Mississippi Alluvial Plain in parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The geology is characterized by basement igneous rocks overlain by a thick sequence of dolomites, limestones, sandstones, and shales of Paleozoic age. Land use in the study unit is predominantly pasture and forest in the southeastern part, and pasture and cropland in the northwestern part. All or part of the White, Neosho-lllinois, Osage, Gasconade, Meramec, St. Francis, and Black River Basins are within the study unit. Streams in the Boston Mountains contain the least mineralized water, and those in the Osage Plains contain the most mineralized water. The study unit contains eight hydrogeologic units including three major aquifers--the Springfield Plateau, Ozark, and St. Francois aquifers. Streams and aquifers in the study unit generally contain calcium or calcium-magnesium bicarbonate waters. Ground- and surface-water interactions are greatest in the Salem and Springfield Plateaus and least in the Boston Mountains and Osage Plains. Geology, land use, and population probably are the most important environmental factors that affect water quality.

Question-answer sequences in survey interviews

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, W.; Ongena, Y.P.

2006-01-01

Interaction analysis was used to analyze a total of 14,265 question-answer sequences of (Q-A Sequences) 80 questions that originated from two face-to-face and three telephone surveys. The analysis was directed towards the causes and effects of particular interactional problems. Our results showed

Infections in an inpatient rheumatology unit: how big is the problem?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romana Vieira

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Patients with rheumatic diseases are at high risk of infections. As quantification and characterization of infections in daily practice is a crucial exercise to delineate strategies to overcome this problem, we aimed to describe the prevalence of infections in an inpatient rheumatology unit. A cross-sectional analysis of all patients admitted at the São João Hospital Centre Rheumatology Unit between January 1st 2012 and December 31st 2013 was performed. We found a 31.7% (n=79 period prevalence of infection and a total number of infections of 97 (1.23 infections per patient. They were the admission reason in 17.6% (n=44 and hospital acquired in 19.0% (n=15 of the cases. The urinary tract was the most commonly affected (32.0%; n=31 and Escherichia coli (17.5%; n=17 the most frequently identified infectious agent. Infection prolonged the hospital length of stay in 34.2% (n=27 of the cases but any death occurred as a direct consequence of it. Patients with infection were older, had longer rheumatic disease duration and longer hospital length of stay than those without infection. We conclude that the prevalence of infection in our inpatient population is high but most cases were non complicated, easily treated with common antibiotics and, importantly, not associated with higher lethality.

Sequencing of BAC pools by different next generation sequencing platforms and strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scholz Uwe

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Next generation sequencing of BACs is a viable option for deciphering the sequence of even large and highly repetitive genomes. In order to optimize this strategy, we examined the influence of read length on the quality of Roche/454 sequence assemblies, to what extent Illumina/Solexa mate pairs (MPs improve the assemblies by scaffolding and whether barcoding of BACs is dispensable. Results Sequencing four BACs with both FLX and Titanium technologies revealed similar sequencing accuracy, but showed that the longer Titanium reads produce considerably less misassemblies and gaps. The 454 assemblies of 96 barcoded BACs were improved by scaffolding 79% of the total contig length with MPs from a non-barcoded library. Assembly of the unmasked 454 sequences without separation by barcodes revealed chimeric contig formation to be a major problem, encompassing 47% of the total contig length. Masking the sequences reduced this fraction to 24%. Conclusion Optimal BAC pool sequencing should be based on the longest available reads, with barcoding essential for a comprehensive assessment of both repetitive and non-repetitive sequence information. When interest is restricted to non-repetitive regions and repeats are masked prior to assembly, barcoding is non-essential. In any case, the assemblies can be improved considerably by scaffolding with non-barcoded BAC pool MPs.

Hardness of deriving invertible sequences from finite state machines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hierons, Robert M.; Mousavi, Mohammad Reza; Thomsen, Michael Kirkedal

2017-01-01

invertible sequences; these allow one to construct additional UIOs once a UIO has been found. We consider three optimisation problems associated with invertible sequences: deciding whether there is a (proper) invertible sequence of length at least K; deciding whether there is a set of invertible sequences...

Polio roundup. Grappling with the "problem" areas.

Science.gov (United States)

1998-03-01

As the war against poliomyelitis continues, eradication efforts must now succeed in some countries which have been subjected to natural disasters and in others which are enduring manmade disasters. Subnational immunization days (SNIDs) were most recently conducted in northern Somalia in two 5-day rounds last November and December amid widespread popular and political support. While villages in the arid, drought-plagued country are often inaccessible, flooding from heavy rains was the only real problem encountered by the vaccination campaign. More than 90% of the estimated 375,000 children under age 5 years in the target area were vaccinated and given vitamin A. Careful advance preparations contributed to the campaign's success. A 7-day campaign in mid-February got oral polio vaccine to more than 330,000 children in southern Sudan. Maintaining the vaccine cold chain was the major operational challenge in this setting. To that end, all available means were used, including placing vaccines into running streams to keep them cool. The program in Sudan was coordinated by the UN's Operation Lifeline Sudan. Heat, armed conflict, lack of infrastructure, the need to reach more than 80% of the population by air, infectious diseases, drought, and hungry packs of hyenas were some of the obstacles to overcome. A second round of vaccination is planned for southern Sudan in mid March.

[Problems of dental services in closed administrative units assessed by a survey of dentists].

Science.gov (United States)

Ujba, V V; Olesova, V N; Khavkina, E Yu; Novozemtseva, T N; Shmakov, A N; Chuyanova, E Yu

2015-01-01

The article presents the results of the survey of 150 dentists from 10 closed administrative units of FMBA health care system of Russia in connection with the dynamics of dental staff withdrawal and reduce of volume of preventive work in schools and factories. These problems were found to be associated with the lack of regulations on mandatory preventive dental examinations of workers with occupational hazards, low tariffs for dental services in obligatory medical insurance program, poor wages an lack of apartments for young dentists.

The Optimization of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pulse Sequences in Order to Better Detection of Multiple Sclerosis Plaques.

Science.gov (United States)

Farshidfar, Z; Faeghi, F; Haghighatkhah, H R; Abdolmohammadi, J

2017-09-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive technique to detect multiple sclerosis (MS) plaques in central nervous system. In some cases, the patients who were suspected to MS, Whereas MRI images are normal, but whether patients don't have MS plaques or MRI images are not enough optimized enough in order to show MS plaques? The aim of the current study is evaluating the efficiency of different MRI sequences in order to better detection of MS plaques. In this cross-sectional study which was performed at Shohada-E Tajrish in Tehran - Iran hospital between October, 2011 to April, 2012, included 20 patients who suspected to MS disease were selected by the method of random sampling and underwent routine brain Pulse sequences (Axial T2w, Axial T1w, Coronal T2w, Sagittal T1w, Axial FLAIR) by Siemens, Avanto, 1.5 Tesla system. If any lesion which is suspected to the MS disease was observed, additional sequences such as: Sagittal FLAIR Fat Sat, Sagittal PDw-fat Sat, Sagittal PDw-water sat was also performed. This study was performed in about 52 lesions and the results in more than 19 lesions showed that, for the Subcortical and Infratentorial areas, PDWw sequence with fat suppression is the best choice, And in nearly 33 plaques located in Periventricular area, FLAIR Fat Sat was the most effective sequence than both PDw fat and water suppression pulse sequences. Although large plaques may visible in all images, but important problem in patients with suspected MS is screening the tiny MS plaques. This study showed that for revealing the MS plaques located in the Subcortical and Infratentorial areas, PDw-fat sat is the most effective sequence, and for MS plaques in the periventricular area, FLAIR fat Sat is the best choice.

Problem solving stages in the five square problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Fedor, Anna; Szathmáry, Eörs; Öllinger, Michael

2015-01-01

According to the restructuring hypothesis, insight problem solving typically progresses through consecutive stages of search, impasse, insight, and search again for someone, who solves the task. The order of these stages was determined through self-reports of problem solvers and has never been verified behaviorally. We asked whether individual analysis of problem solving attempts of participants revealed the same order of problem solving stages as defined by the theory and whether their subjective feelings corresponded to the problem solving stages they were in. Our participants tried to solve the Five-Square problem in an online task, while we recorded the time and trajectory of their stick movements. After the task they were asked about their feelings related to insight and some of them also had the possibility of reporting impasse while working on the task. We found that the majority of participants did not follow the classic four-stage model of insight, but had more complex sequences of problem solving stages, with search and impasse recurring several times. This means that the classic four-stage model is not sufficient to describe variability on the individual level. We revised the classic model and we provide a new model that can generate all sequences found. Solvers reported insight more often than non-solvers and non-solvers reported impasse more often than solvers, as expected; but participants did not report impasse more often during behaviorally defined impasse stages than during other stages. This shows that impasse reports might be unreliable indicators of impasse. Our study highlights the importance of individual analysis of problem solving behavior to verify insight theory.

Problem solving stages in the five square problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna eFedor

2015-08-01

Full Text Available According to the restructuring hypothesis, insight problem solving typically progresses through consecutive stages of search, impasse, insight and search again for someone, who solves the task. The order of these stages was determined through self-reports of problem solvers and has never been verified behaviourally. We asked whether individual analysis of problem solving attempts of participants revealed the same order of problem solving stages as defined by the theory and whether their subjective feelings corresponded to the problem solving stages they were in. 101 participants tried to solve the Five-Square problem in an online task, while we recorded the time and trajectory of their stick movements. After the task they were asked about their feelings related to insight and 67 of them also had the possibility of reporting impasse while working on the task. We have found that 49% (19 out of 39 of the solvers and 13% (8 out of 62 of the non-solvers followed the classic four-stage model of insight. The rest of the participants had more complex sequences of problem solving stages, with search and impasse recurring several times. This means that the classic four-stage model must be extended to explain variability on the individual level. We provide a model that can generate all sequences found. Solvers reported insight more often than non-solvers and non-solvers reported impasse more often than solvers, as expected; but participants did not report impasse more often during behaviourally defined impasse stages than during other stages. This shows that impasse reports might be unreliable indicators of impasse. Our study highlights the importance of individual analysis of problem solving behaviour to verify insight theory.

Remedial investigation concept plan for the groundwater operable units at the chemical plant area and the ordnance works area, Weldon Spring, Missouri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-07-15

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of the Army (DA) are conducting cleanup activities at two properties--the DOE chemical plant area and the DA ordnance works area (the latter includes the training area)--located in the Weldon Spring area in St. Charles County, Missouri. These areas are on the National Priorities List (NPL), and cleanup activities at both areas are conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended. DOE and DA are conducting a joint remedial investigation (RI) and baseline risk assessment (BRA) as part of the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) for the groundwater operable units for the two areas. This joint effort will optimize further data collection and interpretation efforts and facilitate overall remedial decision making since the aquifer of concern is common to both areas. A Work Plan issued jointly in 1995 by DOE and the DA discusses the results of investigations completed at the time of preparation of the report. The investigations were necessary to provide an understanding of the groundwater system beneath the chemical plant area and the ordnance works area. The Work Plan also identifies additional data requirements for verification of the evaluation presented.

Remedial investigation concept plan for the groundwater operable units at the chemical plant area and the ordnance works area, Weldon Spring, Missouri

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of the Army (DA) are conducting cleanup activities at two properties--the DOE chemical plant area and the DA ordnance works area (the latter includes the training area)--located in the Weldon Spring area in St. Charles County, Missouri. These areas are on the National Priorities List (NPL), and cleanup activities at both areas are conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended. DOE and DA are conducting a joint remedial investigation (RI) and baseline risk assessment (BRA) as part of the remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) for the groundwater operable units for the two areas. This joint effort will optimize further data collection and interpretation efforts and facilitate overall remedial decision making since the aquifer of concern is common to both areas. A Work Plan issued jointly in 1995 by DOE and the DA discusses the results of investigations completed at the time of preparation of the report. The investigations were necessary to provide an understanding of the groundwater system beneath the chemical plant area and the ordnance works area. The Work Plan also identifies additional data requirements for verification of the evaluation presented

spa Typing and Multilocus Sequence Typing Show Comparable Performance in a Macroepidemiologic Study of Staphylococcus aureus in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hara, F Patrick; Suaya, Jose A; Ray, G Thomas; Baxter, Roger; Brown, Megan L; Mera, Robertino M; Close, Nicole M; Thomas, Elizabeth; Amrine-Madsen, Heather

2016-01-01

A number of molecular typing methods have been developed for characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The utility of these systems depends on the nature of the investigation for which they are used. We compared two commonly used methods of molecular typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) (and its clustering algorithm, Based Upon Related Sequence Type [BURST]) with the staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing (and its clustering algorithm, Based Upon Repeat Pattern [BURP]), to assess the utility of these methods for macroepidemiology and evolutionary studies of S. aureus in the United States. We typed a total of 366 clinical isolates of S. aureus by these methods and evaluated indices of diversity and concordance values. Our results show that, when combined with the BURP clustering algorithm to delineate clonal lineages, spa typing produces results that are highly comparable with those produced by MLST/BURST. Therefore, spa typing is appropriate for use in macroepidemiology and evolutionary studies and, given its lower implementation cost, this method appears to be more efficient. The findings are robust and are consistent across different settings, patient ages, and specimen sources. Our results also support a model in which the methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) population in the United States comprises two major lineages (USA300 and USA100), which each consist of closely related variants.

Hepatitis C virus sequences from different patients confirm the existence and transmissibility of subtype 2q, a rare subtype circulating in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Martró, Elisa; Valero, Ana; Jordana-Lluch, Elena; Saludes, Verónica; Planas, Ramón; González-Candelas, Fernando; Ausina, Vicente; Bracho, Maria Alma

2011-05-01

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been classified into six genotypes and more than 70 subtypes with distinct geographical and epidemiological distributions. While 18 genotype 2 subtypes have been proposed, only 5 have had their complete sequence determined. The aim of this study was to characterize HCV isolates from three patients from the Barcelona metropolitan area of Spain for whom commercial genotyping methods provided discordant results. Full-length genome sequencing was carried out for 2 of the 3 patients; for the third patient only partial NS5B sequences could be obtained. The generated sequences were subjected to phylogenetic, recombination, and identity analyses. Sequences covering most of the HCV genome (9398 and 9566  nt in length) were obtained and showed a 90.3% identity to each other at the nucleotide level, while both sequences differed by 17.5-22.6% from the other fully sequenced genotype 2 subtypes. No evidence of recombination was found. The NS5B phylogenetic tree showed that sequences from the three patients cluster together with the only representative sequence of the provisionally designed 2q subtype, which also corresponds to a patient from Barcelona. Phylogenetic analysis of the full coding sequence showed that subtype 2q was more closely related to subtype 2k. The results obtained in this study suggest that subtype 2q now meets the requirements for confirmed designation status according to consensus criteria for HCV classification and nomenclature, and its epidemiological value is ensured as it has spread among several patients in the Barcelona metropolitan area. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Two-Stage orders sequencing system for mixed-model assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Zemczak, M.; Skolud, B.; Krenczyk, D.

2015-11-01

In the paper, the authors focus on the NP-hard problem of orders sequencing, formulated similarly to Car Sequencing Problem (CSP). The object of the research is the assembly line in an automotive industry company, on which few different models of products, each in a certain number of versions, are assembled on the shared resources, set in a line. Such production type is usually determined as a mixed-model production, and arose from the necessity of manufacturing customized products on the basis of very specific orders from single clients. The producers are nowadays obliged to provide each client the possibility to determine a huge amount of the features of the product they are willing to buy, as the competition in the automotive market is large. Due to the previously mentioned nature of the problem (NP-hard), in the given time period only satisfactory solutions are sought, as the optimal solution method has not yet been found. Most of the researchers that implemented inaccurate methods (e.g. evolutionary algorithms) to solving sequencing problems dropped the research after testing phase, as they were not able to obtain reproducible results, and met problems while determining the quality of the received solutions. Therefore a new approach to solving the problem, presented in this paper as a sequencing system is being developed. The sequencing system consists of a set of determined rules, implemented into computer environment. The system itself works in two stages. First of them is connected with the determination of a place in the storage buffer to which certain production orders should be sent. In the second stage of functioning, precise sets of sequences are determined and evaluated for certain parts of the storage buffer under certain criteria.

High-resolution sequence stratigraphic character and sandstone-type uranium ore formation. A case from Saihan Formation in Baiyinwula area, Erlian Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Zhongbo; Qin Mingkuan

2006-01-01

High-resolution sequence stratigraphy has been applied widely in the petroleum exploration and development, many achievements have been achieved. However, it is in the beginning stage that high-resolution sequence stratigraphy is applied to explore the sandstone-type uranium deposits in Erlian Basin. By applying principles of high-resolution sequence stratigraphy and taking typical boreholes as an example, sedimentary cycles of Saihan Formation, the ore-bearing formation in Baiyinwula area are divided and correlated through cross sections. One long-term cycle (LSC 1 ), two middle-term cycles (MSC 1 , MSC 2 ) have been identified in this study. Based on this and combined with the mineralization character of sandstone uranium deposits in this area, it is presented that the interlayer oxidation zone is developed mainly in the rising hemicycle of MSC 1 and uranium ore bodies predominantly in channel sand bodies that were developed in the system tract with low accommodation; furthermore, it is recognized that these sand bodies are moderate (10-15 m) in thickness, fairly good in interconnectivity, relatively thin (<3 m) with the argillaceous interbed, and good in permeability, abundant in the organic matter and thus it is favorable for the development of the interlayer oxidization zone. (authors)

Transportation Problems in Special Education Programs in Rural Areas - A Specific Solution and Some Suggestions for Delivery System Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Z. H.

The paper describes transportation problems encountered and solutions employed in delivering systems of comprehensive services to handicapped children in Anderson County, Tennessee, a predominantly rural area with considerable mountain area. Detailed are methods of transportation utilized in the four different program areas of the county special…

Comparative mtDNA analyses of three sympatric macropodids from a conservation area on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea.

Science.gov (United States)

McGreevy, Thomas J; Dabek, Lisa; Husband, Thomas P

2016-07-01

Matschie's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei), New Guinea pademelon (Thylogale browni), and small dorcopsis (Dorcopsulus vanheurni) are sympatric macropodid taxa, of conservation concern, that inhabit the Yopno-Urawa-Som (YUS) Conservation Area on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. We sequenced three partial mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes from the three taxa to (i) investigate network structure; and (ii) identify conservation units within the YUS Conservation Area. All three taxa displayed a similar pattern in the spatial distribution of their mtDNA haplotypes and the Urawa and Som rivers on the Huon may have acted as a barrier to maternal gene flow. Matschie's tree kangaroo and New Guinea pademelon within the YUS Conservation Area should be managed as single conservation units because mtDNA nucleotides were not fixed for a given geographic area. However, two distinct conservation units were identified for small dorcopsis from the two different mountain ranges within the YUS Conservation Area.

Problems of breast cancer survivors living in an urban area of Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abja Sapkota

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The main objective of this study was to identify the problems of Nepalese breast cancer survivors living in an urban area who had completed their treatment for at least 6 months. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the problems of breast cancer survivors who were registered at the Nepal Cancer Support Group. Fifty-one women who were diagnosed with breast cancer (Stage 0 to III and were currently disease-free were enrolled in the study. They were interviewed using structured interview schedule using the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Scale. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS (version 16. Results: The mean age of the women at the time of enrollment was 47.3 years. The most common modality of treatment they received was the combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy (84%. Top five symptoms experienced by the survivors on the basis of frequency and severity were tiredness (61%, lack of energy (57%, forgetfulness (57%, lack of interest in sex (52%, general body aches (49%, and feeling of worrisome and anxiousness about future (49%. Women with age <45 years at diagnosis had higher mean rank score in psychological (24.7 and social problems (23.9 in comparison to women aged ≥45 years. There was a significant relationship between severe psychological (34.9 vs. 19.6; P = 0.001 and social problems (29.1 vs. 21.2; P = 0.03, with the time since primary treatment completion of <1 year. Conclusions: Nepalese breast cancer survivors were found to have multiple physical, psychological, and social problems and might require special attention during follow-up visits.

78 FR 40689 - Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the New Water Challenge Area Within the...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-08

... agricultural, forest, and range production systems. The new water program area within AFRI will be coordinated... resource problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. The program will focus on... sciences and engineering to address watershed- or aquifer-scale problems. NIFA has tentatively identified...

CLOSURE REPORT FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION UNIT 165: AREA 25 AND 26 DRY WELL AND WASH DOWN AREAS, NEVADA TEST SITE, NEVADA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BECHTEL NEVADA

2005-01-01

This Closure Report (CR) documents the closure activities for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 165, Area 25 and 26 Dry Well and Washdown Areas, according to the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996. CAU 165 consists of 8 Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Areas 25 and 26 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The NTS is located approximately 105 kilometers (65 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, nevada. Site closure activities were performed according to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)-approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for CAU 165. CAU 165 consists of the following CASs: (1) CAS 25-07-06, Train Decontamination Area; (2) CAS 25-07-07, Vehicle Washdown; (3) CAS 25-20-01, Lab Drain Dry Well; (4) CAS 25-47-01, Reservoir and French Drain; (5) CAS 25-51-02, Drywell; (6) CAS 25-59-01, Septic System; (7) CAS 26-07-01, Vehicle Washdown Station; and (8) CAS 26-59-01, Septic System. CAU 165, Area 25 and 26 Dry Well and Washdown Areas, consists of eight CASs located in Areas 25 and 26 of the NTS. The approved closure alternatives included No Further Action, Clean Closure, and Closure in Place with Administrative Controls

CLOSURE REPORT FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION UNIT165: AREA 25 AND 26 DRY WELL AND WASH DOWN AREAS, NEVADA TEST SITE, NEVADA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BECHTEL NEVADA

2005-12-01

This Closure Report (CR) documents the closure activities for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 165, Area 25 and 26 Dry Well and Washdown Areas, according to the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996. CAU 165 consists of 8 Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Areas 25 and 26 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The NTS is located approximately 105 kilometers (65 miles) northwest of Las Vegas, nevada. Site closure activities were performed according to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)-approved Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for CAU 165. CAU 165 consists of the following CASs: (1) CAS 25-07-06, Train Decontamination Area; (2) CAS 25-07-07, Vehicle Washdown; (3) CAS 25-20-01, Lab Drain Dry Well; (4) CAS 25-47-01, Reservoir and French Drain; (5) CAS 25-51-02, Drywell; (6) CAS 25-59-01, Septic System; (7) CAS 26-07-01, Vehicle Washdown Station; and (8) CAS 26-59-01, Septic System. CAU 165, Area 25 and 26 Dry Well and Washdown Areas, consists of eight CASs located in Areas 25 and 26 of the NTS. The approved closure alternatives included No Further Action, Clean Closure, and Closure in Place with Administrative Controls.

Corrective Action Plan for Corrective Action Unit 151: Septic Systems and Discharge Area, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NSTec Environmental Restoration

2007-01-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 151, Septic Systems and Discharge Area, is listed in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) of 1996 (FFACO, 1996). CAU 151 consists of eight Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Areas 2, 12, and 18 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), which is located approximately 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada

Design of area array CCD image acquisition and display system based on FPGA

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Zhang, Ning; Li, Tianting; Pan, Yue; Dai, Yuming

2014-09-01

With the development of science and technology, CCD(Charge-coupled Device) has been widely applied in various fields and plays an important role in the modern sensing system, therefore researching a real-time image acquisition and display plan based on CCD device has great significance. This paper introduces an image data acquisition and display system of area array CCD based on FPGA. Several key technical challenges and problems of the system have also been analyzed and followed solutions put forward .The FPGA works as the core processing unit in the system that controls the integral time sequence .The ICX285AL area array CCD image sensor produced by SONY Corporation has been used in the system. The FPGA works to complete the driver of the area array CCD, then analog front end (AFE) processes the signal of the CCD image, including amplification, filtering, noise elimination, CDS correlation double sampling, etc. AD9945 produced by ADI Corporation to convert analog signal to digital signal. Developed Camera Link high-speed data transmission circuit, and completed the PC-end software design of the image acquisition, and realized the real-time display of images. The result through practical testing indicates that the system in the image acquisition and control is stable and reliable, and the indicators meet the actual project requirements.

77 FR 5733 - Proposed Modification of Area Navigation (RNAV) Route Q-62; Northeast United States

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-06

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 71 Docket No. FAA-2011-1407; Airspace Docket No. 11-AGL-25 RIN 2120-AA66 Proposed Modification of Area Navigation (RNAV) Route Q-62; Northeast United States AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of...

Corrective Action Investigation Plan for Corrective Action Unit 406: Area 3 Building 03-74 and Building 03-58 Under ground Discharge Points and Corrective Action Unit 429: Area 3 Building 03-55 and Area 9 Building 09-52 Underground Discharge Points, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DOE/NV

1999-05-20

This Corrective Action Investigation Plan (CAIP) has been developed in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) that was agreed to by the US Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV); the State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP); and the US Department of Defense (FFACO, 1996). The CAIP is a document that provides or references all of the specific information for investigation activities associated with Corrective Action Units (CAUs) or Corrective Action Sites (CASs). According to the FFACO (1996), CASs are sites potentially requiring corrective action(s) and may include solid waste management units or individual disposal or release sites. Corrective Action Units consist of one or more CASs grouped together based on geography, technical similarity, or agency responsibility for the purpose of determining corrective actions. This CAIP contains the environmental sample collection objectives and the criteria for conducting site investigation activities at the Underground Discharge Points (UDPs) included in both CAU 406 and CAU 429. The CAUs are located in Area 3 and Area 9 of the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). The TTR, included in the Nellis Air Force Range, is approximately 255 kilometers (km) (140 miles [mi]) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Carbon storage and sequestration by trees in urban and community areas of the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowak, David J.; Greenfield, Eric J.; Hoehn, Robert E.; Lapoint, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Carbon storage and sequestration by urban trees in the United States was quantified to assess the magnitude and role of urban forests in relation to climate change. Urban tree field data from 28 cities and 6 states were used to determine the average carbon density per unit of tree cover. These data were applied to statewide urban tree cover measurements to determine total urban forest carbon storage and annual sequestration by state and nationally. Urban whole tree carbon storage densities average 7.69 kg C m −2 of tree cover and sequestration densities average 0.28 kg C m −2 of tree cover per year. Total tree carbon storage in U.S. urban areas (c. 2005) is estimated at 643 million tonnes ($50.5 billion value; 95% CI = 597 million and 690 million tonnes) and annual sequestration is estimated at 25.6 million tonnes ($2.0 billion value; 95% CI = 23.7 million to 27.4 million tonnes). -- Highlights: •Total tree carbon storage in U.S. urban areas (c. 2005) is estimated at 643 million tonnes. •Total tree carbon storage in U.S. urban and community areas is estimated at 1.36 billion tonnes. •Net carbon sequestration in U.S. urban areas varies by state and is estimated at 18.9 million tonnes per year. •Overlap between U.S. forest and urban forest carbon estimates is between 247 million and 303 million tonnes. -- Field and tree cover measurements reveal carbon storage and sequestration by trees in U.S. urban and community areas

Epistemic beliefs of middle and high school students in a problem-based, scientific inquiry unit: An exploratory, mixed methods study

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Jiangyue

Epistemic beliefs are individuals' beliefs about the nature of knowledge, how knowledge is constructed, and how knowledge can be justified. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to examine: (a) middle and high school students' self-reported epistemic beliefs (quantitative) and epistemic beliefs revealed from practice (qualitative) during a problem-based, scientific inquiry unit, (b) How do middle and high school students' epistemic beliefs contribute to the construction of students' problem solving processes, and (c) how and why do students' epistemic beliefs change by engaging in PBL. Twenty-one middle and high school students participated in a summer science class to investigate local water quality in a 2-week long problem-based learning (PBL) unit. The students worked in small groups to conduct water quality tests at in their local watershed and visited several stakeholders for their investigation. Pretest and posttest versions of the Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire were conducted to assess students' self-reported epistemic beliefs before and after the unit. I videotaped and interviewed three groups of students during the unit and conducted discourse analysis to examine their epistemic beliefs revealed from scientific inquiry activities and triangulate with their self-reported data. There are three main findings from this study. First, students in this study self-reported relatively sophisticated epistemic beliefs on the pretest. However, the comparison between their self-reported beliefs and beliefs revealed from practice indicated that some students were able to apply sophisticated beliefs during the unit while others failed to do so. The inconsistency between these two types of epistemic beliefs may due to students' inadequate cognitive ability, low validity of self-report measure, and the influence of contextual factors. Second, qualitative analysis indicated that students' epistemic beliefs of the nature of knowing influenced their problem

Spontaneous processing of functional and non-functional action sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielbo, Kristoffer Laigaard; Sørensen, Jesper

2011-01-01

as sub-categories of non-functional behavior (i.e., actions lacking causal coherence and a necessary integration between subparts). New insights in human action processing can help us explain how cognition might vary depending on the type of behavior processed. Using an event segmentation paradigm, we...... conducted two experiments eliciting differences in participants' response patterns to functional and non-functional actions. Participants consistently segmented non-functional action sequences into smaller units indicating either an attentional shift to the level of gesture analysis or a problem...... of representational integration. Experimental studies of non-functional behavior can strengthen explanations of recurrent features of human action processing, such as ritual and ritualized behavior, as well as indicate potential sources and effects of breakdown of the system....

Accident sequences simulated at the Juragua nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbajo, J.J.

1998-01-01

Different hypothetical accident sequences have been simulated at Unit 1 of the Juragua nuclear power plant in Cuba, a plant with two VVER-440 V213 units under construction. The computer code MELCOR was employed for these simulations. The sequences simulated are: (1) a design-basis accident (DBA) large loss of coolant accident (LOCA) with the emergency core coolant system (ECCS) on, (2) a station blackout (SBO), (3) a small LOCA (SLOCA) concurrent with SBO, (4) a large LOCA (LLOCA) concurrent with SBO, and (5) a LLOCA concurrent with SBO and with the containment breached at time zero. Timings of important events and source term releases have been calculated for the different sequences analyzed. Under certain weather conditions, the fission products released from the severe accident sequences may travel to southern Florida

Image correlation method for DNA sequence alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Curilem Saldías, Millaray; Villarroel Sassarini, Felipe; Muñoz Poblete, Carlos; Vargas Vásquez, Asticio; Maureira Butler, Iván

2012-01-01

The complexity of searches and the volume of genomic data make sequence alignment one of bioinformatics most active research areas. New alignment approaches have incorporated digital signal processing techniques. Among these, correlation methods are highly sensitive. This paper proposes a novel sequence alignment method based on 2-dimensional images, where each nucleic acid base is represented as a fixed gray intensity pixel. Query and known database sequences are coded to their pixel representation and sequence alignment is handled as object recognition in a scene problem. Query and database become object and scene, respectively. An image correlation process is carried out in order to search for the best match between them. Given that this procedure can be implemented in an optical correlator, the correlation could eventually be accomplished at light speed. This paper shows an initial research stage where results were "digitally" obtained by simulating an optical correlation of DNA sequences represented as images. A total of 303 queries (variable lengths from 50 to 4500 base pairs) and 100 scenes represented by 100 x 100 images each (in total, one million base pair database) were considered for the image correlation analysis. The results showed that correlations reached very high sensitivity (99.01%), specificity (98.99%) and outperformed BLAST when mutation numbers increased. However, digital correlation processes were hundred times slower than BLAST. We are currently starting an initiative to evaluate the correlation speed process of a real experimental optical correlator. By doing this, we expect to fully exploit optical correlation light properties. As the optical correlator works jointly with the computer, digital algorithms should also be optimized. The results presented in this paper are encouraging and support the study of image correlation methods on sequence alignment.

Problem Areas in Data Warehousing and Data Mining in a Surgical Clinic

Science.gov (United States)

Tusch, Guenter; Mueller, Margarete; Rohwer-Mensching, Katrin; Heiringhoff, Karlheinz; Klempnauer, Juergen

2001-01-01

Hospitals and clinics have taken advantage of information systems to streamline many clinical and administrative processes. However, the potential of health care information technology as a source of data for clinical and administrative decision support has not been fully explored. In response to pressure for timely information, many hospitals are developing clinical data warehouses. This paper attempts to identify problem areas in the process of developing a data warehouse to support data mining in surgery. Based on the experience from a data warehouse in surgery several solutions are discussed.

An emerging paradigm for managing protected areas with examples from Europe and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

James Absher; Carsten Mann

2010-01-01

Parks and Protected Areas (PPA) have become increasingly important for societal well-being in Europe and the United States. Urbanization, detachment from nature, and demographic changes are fostering discussions about strengthening the social and cultural dimensions of management. The complexities and subtleties of incorporating PPAs into existing government and...

Computer-aided visualization and analysis system for sequence evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chee, Mark S.; Wang, Chunwei; Jevons, Luis C.; Bernhart, Derek H.; Lipshutz, Robert J.

2004-05-11

A computer system for analyzing nucleic acid sequences is provided. The computer system is used to perform multiple methods for determining unknown bases by analyzing the fluorescence intensities of hybridized nucleic acid probes. The results of individual experiments are improved by processing nucleic acid sequences together. Comparative analysis of multiple experiments is also provided by displaying reference sequences in one area and sample sequences in another area on a display device.

A comparative evaluation of sequence classification programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bazinet Adam L

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A fundamental problem in modern genomics is to taxonomically or functionally classify DNA sequence fragments derived from environmental sampling (i.e., metagenomics. Several different methods have been proposed for doing this effectively and efficiently, and many have been implemented in software. In addition to varying their basic algorithmic approach to classification, some methods screen sequence reads for ’barcoding genes’ like 16S rRNA, or various types of protein-coding genes. Due to the sheer number and complexity of methods, it can be difficult for a researcher to choose one that is well-suited for a particular analysis. Results We divided the very large number of programs that have been released in recent years for solving the sequence classification problem into three main categories based on the general algorithm they use to compare a query sequence against a database of sequences. We also evaluated the performance of the leading programs in each category on data sets whose taxonomic and functional composition is known. Conclusions We found significant variability in classification accuracy, precision, and resource consumption of sequence classification programs when used to analyze various metagenomics data sets. However, we observe some general trends and patterns that will be useful to researchers who use sequence classification programs.

Unit Price and Cost Estimation Equations through Items Percentage of Construction Works in a Desert Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kadhim Raheem

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This research will cover different aspects of estimating process of construction work in a desert area. The inherent difficulties which accompany the cost estimating of the construction works in desert environment in a developing country, will stem from the limited information available, resources scarcity, low level of skilled workers, the prevailing severe weather conditions and many others, which definitely don't provide a fair, reliable and accurate estimation. This study tries to present unit price to estimate the cost in preliminary phase of a project. Estimations are supported by developing mathematical equations based on the historical data of maintenance, new construction of managerial and school projects. Meanwhile, the research has determined the percentage of project items, in such a remote environment. Estimation equations suitable for remote areas have been formulated. Moreover, a procedure for unite price calculation is concluded.

Undocumented Immigration, Drug Problems, and Driving Under the Influence in the United States, 1990-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Light, Michael T; Miller, Ty; Kelly, Brian C

2017-09-01

To examine the influence of undocumented immigration in the United States on 4 different metrics of drug and alcohol problems: drug arrests, drug overdose fatalities, driving under the influence (DUI) arrests, and DUI deaths. We combined newly developed state-level estimates of the undocumented population between 1990 and 2014 from the Center for Migration Studies with arrest data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports and fatality information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Underlying Cause of Death database. We used fixed-effects regression models to examine the longitudinal association between increased undocumented immigration and drug problems and drunk driving. Increased undocumented immigration was significantly associated with reductions in drug arrests, drug overdose deaths, and DUI arrests, net of other factors. There was no significant relationship between increased undocumented immigration and DUI deaths. This study provides evidence that undocumented immigration has not increased the prevalence of drug or alcohol problems, but may be associated with reductions in these public health concerns.

Multiple ECG Fiducial Points-Based Random Binary Sequence Generation for Securing Wireless Body Area Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Guanglou; Fang, Gengfa; Shankaran, Rajan; Orgun, Mehmet A; Zhou, Jie; Qiao, Li; Saleem, Kashif

2017-05-01

Generating random binary sequences (BSes) is a fundamental requirement in cryptography. A BS is a sequence of N bits, and each bit has a value of 0 or 1. For securing sensors within wireless body area networks (WBANs), electrocardiogram (ECG)-based BS generation methods have been widely investigated in which interpulse intervals (IPIs) from each heartbeat cycle are processed to produce BSes. Using these IPI-based methods to generate a 128-bit BS in real time normally takes around half a minute. In order to improve the time efficiency of such methods, this paper presents an ECG multiple fiducial-points based binary sequence generation (MFBSG) algorithm. The technique of discrete wavelet transforms is employed to detect arrival time of these fiducial points, such as P, Q, R, S, and T peaks. Time intervals between them, including RR, RQ, RS, RP, and RT intervals, are then calculated based on this arrival time, and are used as ECG features to generate random BSes with low latency. According to our analysis on real ECG data, these ECG feature values exhibit the property of randomness and, thus, can be utilized to generate random BSes. Compared with the schemes that solely rely on IPIs to generate BSes, this MFBSG algorithm uses five feature values from one heart beat cycle, and can be up to five times faster than the solely IPI-based methods. So, it achieves a design goal of low latency. According to our analysis, the complexity of the algorithm is comparable to that of fast Fourier transforms. These randomly generated ECG BSes can be used as security keys for encryption or authentication in a WBAN system.

Skeletal fluorosis in relation to drinking water in rural areas of West Azerbaijan, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammadi, Ali Akbar; Yousefi, Mahmood; Yaseri, Mehdi; Jalilzadeh, Mohsen; Mahvi, Amir Hossein

2017-12-11

Skeletal fluorosis resulting from high fluoride level in drinking water is a major public health problem. The present study evaluated the association between exposures to drinking water fluoride and skeletal fluorosis in 5 villages of Poldasht County, Iran. All the data and information on the prevalence of bone diseases were obtained from the Health Record Department, Poldasht Health Centre. To obtain the odds ratio of bone disease problem in different risk factors, when considering the cluster effect of rural area, logistic regression in a multilevel model was used. Results showed that skeletal fluorosis of people who live in areas with high fluoride concentration is 18.1% higher than that of individuals who live in areas with low fluoride concentration. Skeletal fluorosis (54.5%) was observed in the age group of 71 years and above, and was more commonly found in females than males. According to Unadjusted, individuals who consume ≤3 unit milk and dairy products per week have almost the same level of bone diseases as compared to those that consume more than 3 units. This study indicated that, skeletal fluorosis is a general health problem in these rural areas because the results revealed that high percentage of the studied population had symptoms of skeletal fluorosis.

Biofilm problems in dental unit water systems and its practical control.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Coleman, D C

2009-05-01

Dental chair units (DCUs) contain integrated systems that provide the instruments and services for a wide range of dental procedures. DCUs use water to cool and irrigate DCU-supplied instruments and tooth surfaces during dental treatment. Water is supplied to these instruments by a network of interconnected narrow-bore (2-3 mm) plastic tubes called dental unit waterlines (DUWLs). Many studies over the last 40 years demonstrated that DUWL output water is often contaminated with high densities of micro-organisms, predominantly Gram-negative aerobic heterotropic environmental bacteria, including Legionella and Pseudomonas species. Untreated DUWLs host biofilms that permit micro-organisms to multiply and disperse through the water network and which are aerosolized by DCU instrument use, thus exposing patients and staff to these micro-organisms, to fragments of biofilm and bacterial endotoxins. This review concentrates on how practical developments and innovations in specific areas can contribute to effective DUWL biofilm control. These include the use of effective DUWL treatment agents, improvements to DCU supply water quality, DCU design changes, development of automated DUWL treatment procedures that are effective at controlling biofilm in the long-term and require minimal human intervention, are safe for patients and staff, and which do not cause deterioration of DCU components following prolonged use.

An assembly sequence planning method based on composite algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enfu LIU

2016-02-01

Full Text Available To solve the combination explosion problem and the blind searching problem in assembly sequence planning of complex products, an assembly sequence planning method based on composite algorithm is proposed. In the composite algorithm, a sufficient number of feasible assembly sequences are generated using formalization reasoning algorithm as the initial population of genetic algorithm. Then fuzzy knowledge of assembly is integrated into the planning process of genetic algorithm and ant algorithm to get the accurate solution. At last, an example is conducted to verify the feasibility of composite algorithm.

Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation, Colorado Plateau, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sanabria, Diego Ignacio

2001-07-01

Detailed outcrop analysis of the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation provides the basis for the formulation of a new sequence stratigraphic model for arid to semi-arid continental deposits and the generation of a comprehensive set of sedimentologic criteria for the recognition of ephemeral stream deposits. Criteria for the recognition of ephemeral deposits in the ancient record were divided into three categories according to the scale of the feature being considered. The first category takes into account sedimentary structures commonly found in the record of ephemeral stream deposits including hyperconcentrated and debris flow deposits, planar parallel bedding, sigmoidal cross-bedding, hummocky cross-bedding, climbing ripple lamination, scour-and-fill structures, convolute bedding, overturned cross-bedding, ball-and-pillow structures, pocket structures, pillars, mud curls, flaser lamination, algal lamination, termite nests, and vertebrate tracks. The second category is concerned with the mesoscale facies architecture of ephemeral stream deposits and includes waning flow successions, bedform climb, downstream accretion, terminal wadi splays, and channel-fill successions indicating catastrophic flooding. At the large-scale facies architecture level, the third category, ephemeral stream deposits are commonly arranged in depositional units characterized by a downstream decrease in grain size and scale of sedimentary structures resulting from deposition in terminal fan systems. Outcrops of the Kayenta Formation and its transition to the Navajo Sandstone along the Vermilion and Echo Cliffs of Northern Arizona indicate that wet/dry climatic cyclicity exerted a major control on regional facies architecture. Two scales of wet/dry climatic cyclicity can be recognized in northern Arizona. Three sequence sets composed of rocks accumulated under predominantly dry or wet conditions are the expression of long-term climatic cyclicity. Short-term climatic cyclicity, on the other hand

Application of CFB technology for large power generating units and CO2 capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryabov, G. A.; Folomeev, O. M.; Sankin, D. A.; Khaneev, K. V.; Bondarenko, I. G.; Mel'nikov, D. A.

2010-01-01

Data on the development of the circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology for combustion of fuels in large power generating units are examined. The problems with raising the steam parameters and unit power of boilers with a circulating fluidized bed are examined. With the boiler system at the 460 MW unit at Lagisza (Poland) as an example, the feasibility of raising the efficiency of units with CFB boilers through deep recovery of the heat of the effluent gases and reducing expenditure for in-house needs is demonstrated. Comparative estimates of the capital and operating costs of 225 and 330 MW units are used to determine the conditions for optimum use of CFB boilers in the engineering renovation of thermal power plants in Russia. New areas for the application of CFB technology in CO 2 capture are analyzed in connection with the problem of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The convergence of the order sequence and the solution function sequence on fractional partial differential equation

Science.gov (United States)

Rusyaman, E.; Parmikanti, K.; Chaerani, D.; Asefan; Irianingsih, I.

2018-03-01

One of the application of fractional ordinary differential equation is related to the viscoelasticity, i.e., a correlation between the viscosity of fluids and the elasticity of solids. If the solution function develops into function with two or more variables, then its differential equation must be changed into fractional partial differential equation. As the preliminary study for two variables viscoelasticity problem, this paper discusses about convergence analysis of function sequence which is the solution of the homogenous fractional partial differential equation. The method used to solve the problem is Homotopy Analysis Method. The results show that if given two real number sequences (αn) and (βn) which converge to α and β respectively, then the solution function sequences of fractional partial differential equation with order (αn, βn) will also converge to the solution function of fractional partial differential equation with order (α, β).

Seismic sequence stratigraphy and platform to basin reservoir structuring of Lower Cretaceous deposits in the Sidi Aïch-Majoura region (Central Tunisia)

Science.gov (United States)

Azaïez, Hajer; Bédir, Mourad; Tanfous, Dorra; Soussi, Mohamed

2007-05-01

In central Tunisia, Lower Cretaceous deposits represent carbonate and sandstone reservoir series that correspond to proven oil fields. The main problems for hydrocarbon exploration of these levels are their basin tectonic configuration and their sequence distribution in addition to the source rock availability. The Central Atlas of Tunisia is characterized by deep seated faults directed northeast-southwest, northwest-southeast and north-south. These faults limit inherited tectonic blocks and show intruded Triassic salt domes. Lower Cretaceous series outcropping in the region along the anticline flanks present platform deposits. The seismic interpretation has followed the Exxon methodologies in the 26th A.A.P.G. Memoir. The defined Lower Cretaceous seismic units were calibrated with petroleum well data and tied to stratigraphic sequences established by outcrop studies. This allows the subsurface identification of subsiding zones and thus sequence deposit distribution. Seismic mapping of these units boundary shows a structuring from a platform to basin blocks zones and helps to understand the hydrocarbon reservoir systems-tract and horizon distribution around these domains.

Multilocus sequence typing of Lactococcus lactis from naturally fermented milk foods in ethnic minority areas of China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Haiyan; Sun, Zhihong; Liu, Wenjun; Yu, Jie; Song, Yuqin; Lv, Qiang; Zhang, Jiachao; Shao, Yuyu; Menghe, Bilige; Zhang, Heping

2014-05-01

To determine the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among Lactococcus lactis isolates, 197 strains isolated from naturally homemade yogurt in 9 ethnic minority areas of 6 provinces of China were subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The MLST analysis was performed using internal fragment sequences of 12 housekeeping genes (carB, clpX, dnaA, groEL, murC, murE, pepN, pepX, pyrG, recA, rpoB, and pheS). Six (dnaA) to 8 (murC) different alleles were detected for these genes, which ranged from 33.62 (clpX) to 41.95% (recA) GC (guanine-cytosine) content. The nucleotide diversity (π) ranged from 0.00362 (murE) to 0.08439 (carB). Despite this limited allelic diversity, the allele combinations of each strain revealed 72 different sequence types, which denoted significant genotypic diversity. The dN/dS ratios (where dS is the number of synonymous substitutions per synonymous site, and dN is the number of nonsynonymous substitutions per nonsynonymous site) were lower than 1, suggesting potential negative selection for these genes. The standardized index of association of the alleles IA(S)=0.3038 supported the clonality of Lc. lactis, but the presence of network structure revealed by the split decomposition analysis of the concatenated sequence was strong evidence for intraspecies recombination. Therefore, this suggests that recombination contributed to the evolution of Lc. lactis. A minimum spanning tree analysis of the 197 isolates identified 14 clonal complexes and 23 singletons. Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the sequence types, using the minimum evolution algorithm, and on the concatenated sequence (6,192 bp), using the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean, and these trees indicated that the evolution of our Lc. lactis population was correlated with geographic origin. Taken together, our results demonstrated that MLST could provide a better understanding of Lc. lactis genome evolution, as well as useful information for

The Downward Causality and the Hard Problem of Consciousness or Why Computer Programs Do not Work in the Dark

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boldachev Alexander

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Any low-level processes, the sequence of chemical interactions in a living cell, muscle cellular activity, processor commands or neuron interaction, is possible only if there is a downward causality, only due to uniting and controlling power of the highest level. Therefore, there is no special “hard problem of consciousness”, i.e. the problem of relation of ostensibly purely biological materiality and non-causal mentality - we have only the single philosophical problem of relation between the upward and downward causalities, the problem of interrelation between hierarchic levels of existence. It is necessary to conclude that the problem of determinacy of chemical processes by the biological ones and the problem of neuron interactions caused by consciousness are of one nature and must have one solution.

Genetic similarity between Taenia solium cysticerci collected from the two distant endemic areas in North and North East India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Monika; Devi, Kangjam Rekha; Sehgal, Rakesh; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Malla, Nancy

2014-01-01

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a major public health problem in developing countries. This study reports genotypic analysis of T. solium cysticerci collected from two different endemic areas of North (Chandigarh) and North East India (Dibrugarh) by the sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The variation in cox1 sequences of samples collected from these two different geographical regions located at a distance of 2585 km was minimal. Alignment of the nucleotide sequences with different species of Taenia showed the similarity with Asian genotype of T. solium. Among 50 isolates, 6 variant nucleotide positions (0.37% of total length) were detected. These results suggest that population in these geographical areas are homogenous. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Integrated and Optimal Joint Scheduling of Energy Resources to Feed Electrical, Thermal and Potable Water Demands in Remote Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Ghaffarpour

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The continuous spread of distributed energy resources (DERs such as combined heating and power (CHP, diesel generators, boilers and renewable energy sources provide an effective solution to energy related problems to serve the power and heat demands with minimum cost. Moreover, the DERs may play a significant role for supplying power and heat in rural areas, where grid electricity is not available. Also, some dry areas may face water scarcity and salinity problems. So, one important solution is the use of DERs to drive desalination units in order to solve water scarcity and salinity problems. In this study, the optimal scheduling of DERs and reverse osmosis (RO desalination unit that feed the required electric, thermal and potable water demands are determined. The present paper describes the operation constraints and cost function of components of the system in detail. Operation constraints of generation units as well as feasible region of operation CHP in dual dependency characteristic are taken into account. To confirm the performance of the proposed model the approach is tested on a realistic remote area over a 24-h period. The results show that the economical scheduling of DERs and desalination units can be obtained using proposed methodology by implementing the proposed formulation.

De novo clustering methods outperform reference-based methods for assigning 16S rRNA gene sequences to operational taxonomic units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah L. Westcott

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background. 16S rRNA gene sequences are routinely assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs that are then used to analyze complex microbial communities. A number of methods have been employed to carry out the assignment of 16S rRNA gene sequences to OTUs leading to confusion over which method is optimal. A recent study suggested that a clustering method should be selected based on its ability to generate stable OTU assignments that do not change as additional sequences are added to the dataset. In contrast, we contend that the quality of the OTU assignments, the ability of the method to properly represent the distances between the sequences, is more important.Methods. Our analysis implemented six de novo clustering algorithms including the single linkage, complete linkage, average linkage, abundance-based greedy clustering, distance-based greedy clustering, and Swarm and the open and closed-reference methods. Using two previously published datasets we used the Matthew’s Correlation Coefficient (MCC to assess the stability and quality of OTU assignments.Results. The stability of OTU assignments did not reflect the quality of the assignments. Depending on the dataset being analyzed, the average linkage and the distance and abundance-based greedy clustering methods generated OTUs that were more likely to represent the actual distances between sequences than the open and closed-reference methods. We also demonstrated that for the greedy algorithms VSEARCH produced assignments that were comparable to those produced by USEARCH making VSEARCH a viable free and open source alternative to USEARCH. Further interrogation of the reference-based methods indicated that when USEARCH or VSEARCH were used to identify the closest reference, the OTU assignments were sensitive to the order of the reference sequences because the reference sequences can be identical over the region being considered. More troubling was the observation that while both USEARCH and

Water level measurements for modeling hydraulic properties in the 300-FF-5 and 100 Aggregate Area Operable units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, M.D.; McMahon, W.J.; Simpson, K.R.

1993-04-01

Pressure transducers connected to dataloggers were used to measure ground water and Columbia River water elevations simultaneously and hourly at 35 locations in the 300-FF-5 Operable Unit and 16 locations in the 100 Aggregate Area Operable Unit on the Hanford Site. Water temperatures were also measured at 12 of these locations. This report details the findings of these studies

Aerial gamma ray and magnetic survey, Montrose detail Area 3, Colorado. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-04-01

The Montrose Detail Area No. 3 comprises approximately 140 square miles at the extreme southern end of the Sawatch Mountains. The region's geology is apparently a complex interface between Precambrian and associated Paleozoic rocks of the Sawatch Uplift, and faulted Tertiary intrusive and extrusive rocks of the San Juan Mountains Volcanic Province. Oligocene igneous rocks dominate the surface of the area. Mining activity (Pb-Zn-Ag) is extensive in the Bonanza Area, which occupies most of the western half of the detail area. Some occurrences of uranium are known in the mines, and in a single prospect in Paleozoics to the southeast. A total of 34 groups of samples in the uranium window constitute anomalies as defined in Volume I. The majority of the anomalies lie over mine shafts or related features. Some of the other anomalies appear in close proximity to the Sheep Mountain area along the northwest border in association with faults and Tertiary igneous units. Magnetic data outline the major Tertiary intrusive bodies, as well as some heavily faulted Tertiary volcanics and portions of the Precambrian metamorphic sequence. Three geochemical units were defined on the basis of radiometric criteria set forth in Volume I. The spatial distribution of these units showed varying correlations with the geologic, magnetic, and topographic variations within the detail area

Sequential Optimization of Global Sequence Alignments Relative to Different Cost Functions

KAUST Repository

Odat, Enas M.

2011-05-01

The purpose of this dissertation is to present a methodology to model global sequence alignment problem as directed acyclic graph which helps to extract all possible optimal alignments. Moreover, a mechanism to sequentially optimize sequence alignment problem relative to different cost functions is suggested. Sequence alignment is mostly important in computational biology. It is used to find evolutionary relationships between biological sequences. There are many algo- rithms that have been developed to solve this problem. The most famous algorithms are Needleman-Wunsch and Smith-Waterman that are based on dynamic program- ming. In dynamic programming, problem is divided into a set of overlapping sub- problems and then the solution of each subproblem is found. Finally, the solutions to these subproblems are combined into a final solution. In this thesis it has been proved that for two sequences of length m and n over a fixed alphabet, the suggested optimization procedure requires O(mn) arithmetic operations per cost function on a single processor machine. The algorithm has been simulated using C#.Net programming language and a number of experiments have been done to verify the proved statements. The results of these experiments show that the number of optimal alignments is reduced after each step of optimization. Furthermore, it has been verified that as the sequence length increased linearly then the number of optimal alignments increased exponentially which also depends on the cost function that is used. Finally, the number of executed operations increases polynomially as the sequence length increase linearly.

The global dimension of water governance: Nine reasons for global arrangements in order to cope with local water problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert

2006-01-01

Where water problems extend beyond the borders of local communities, the catchment area or river basin is generally seen as the most appropriate unit for analysis, planning and institutional arrangements. In this paper it is argued that addressing water problems at the river basin level is not

A fast method for the unit scheduling problem with significant renewable power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osório, G.J.; Lujano-Rojas, J.M.; Matias, J.C.O.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A model to the scheduling of power systems with significant renewable power generation is provided. • A new methodology that takes information from the analysis of each scenario separately is proposed. • Based on a probabilistic analysis, unit scheduling and corresponding economic dispatch are estimated. • A comparison with others methodologies is in favour of the proposed approach. - Abstract: Optimal operation of power systems with high integration of renewable power sources has become difficult as a consequence of the random nature of some sources like wind energy and photovoltaic energy. Nowadays, this problem is solved using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) approach, which allows considering important statistical characteristics of wind and solar power production such as the correlation between consecutive observations, the diurnal profile of the forecasted power production, and the forecasting error. However, MCS method requires the analysis of a representative amount of trials, which is an intensive calculation task that increases considerably with the number of scenarios considered. In this paper, a model to the scheduling of power systems with significant renewable power generation based on scenario generation/reduction method, which establishes a proportional relationship between the number of scenarios and the computational time required to analyse them, is proposed. The methodology takes information from the analysis of each scenario separately to determine the probabilistic behaviour of each generator at each hour in the scheduling problem. Then, considering a determined significance level, the units to be committed are selected and the load dispatch is determined. The proposed technique was illustrated through a case study and the comparison with stochastic programming approach was carried out, concluding that the proposed methodology can provide an acceptable solution in a reduced computational time

[Continuing training plan in a clinical management unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Gamboa Antiñolo, Fernando Miguel; Bayol Serradilla, Elia; Gómez Camacho, Eduardo

2011-01-01

Continuing Care Unit (UCA) focused the attention of frail patients, polypathological patients and palliative care. UCA attend patients at home, consulting, day unit, telephone consulting and in two hospitals of the health area. From 2002 UCA began as a management unit, training has been a priority for development. Key elements include: providing education to the workplace, including key aspects of the most prevalent health care problems in daily work, directing training to all staff including organizational aspects of patient safety and the environment, improved working environment, development of new skills and knowledge supported by the evidence-based care for the development of different skills. The unit can be the ideal setting to undertake the reforms necessary conceptual training of professionals to improve the quality of care. 2010 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Spiking neural network for recognizing spatiotemporal sequences of spikes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Dezhe Z.

2004-01-01

Sensory neurons in many brain areas spike with precise timing to stimuli with temporal structures, and encode temporally complex stimuli into spatiotemporal spikes. How the downstream neurons read out such neural code is an important unsolved problem. In this paper, we describe a decoding scheme using a spiking recurrent neural network. The network consists of excitatory neurons that form a synfire chain, and two globally inhibitory interneurons of different types that provide delayed feedforward and fast feedback inhibition, respectively. The network signals recognition of a specific spatiotemporal sequence when the last excitatory neuron down the synfire chain spikes, which happens if and only if that sequence was present in the input spike stream. The recognition scheme is invariant to variations in the intervals between input spikes within some range. The computation of the network can be mapped into that of a finite state machine. Our network provides a simple way to decode spatiotemporal spikes with diverse types of neurons

Algorithms for mapping high-throughput DNA sequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frellsen, Jes; Menzel, Peter; Krogh, Anders

2014-01-01

of data generation, new bioinformatics approaches have been developed to cope with the large amount of sequencing reads obtained in these experiments. In this chapter, we first introduce HTS technologies and their usage in molecular biology and discuss the problem of mapping sequencing reads...... to their genomic origin. We then in detail describe two approaches that offer very fast heuristics to solve the mapping problem in a feasible runtime. In particular, we describe the BLAT algorithm, and we give an introduction to the Burrows-Wheeler Transform and the mapping algorithms based on this transformation....

Structural evolution of Halaban Area, Eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Amri, Yousef; Kassem1, Osama M. K.

2017-04-01

Neoproterozoic basement complex comprises a metamorphic/igneous suite (Abt schist and sheared granitoids) with syn-accretionary transpressive structures, unconformably overlain by a post-amalgamation volcanosedimentary sequence. This study aims to attempt to exposed post-accretionary thrusting and thrust-related structures at Halaban area, Eastern Arabian Shield. The Rf/ϕ and Fry methods are utilized on quartz and feldspar porphyroclasts, as well as on mafic crystals, such as hornblende and biotite, in eighteen samples. The X/Z axial ratios range from 1.12 to 4.99 for Rf/ϕ method and from 1.65 to 4.00 for Fry method. The direction of finite strain for the long axes displays clustering along the WNW trend (occasionally N) with slight plunging. Finite strain accumulated without any significant volume change contemporaneously with syn-accretionary transpressive structures. It indicates that the contacts between various lithological units in the Halaban area were formed under brittle to semi-ductile deformation conditions. The penetrative subhorizontal foliation was concurrent with thrusting and shows nearly the same attitudes of tectonic contacts with the overlying nappes. Keywords: Finite strain analysis, volcanosedimentary sequence, Halaban area, Eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia.

Characterization report for Area 23, Building 650 Leachfield, Corrective Action Unit Number 94, Nevada Test Site. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) Number 94, Building 650 Leachfield, is an historic laboratory disposal unit located in Area 23 at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in Nye County, Nevada. The objectives of this project were twofold: characterize subsurface conditions at the CAU with respect to the on-site disposal unit, and provide sufficient information to develop a closure strategy for the leachfield. To this end, subsurface sampling was conducted in the vicinity of the piping above the distribution box, under and around the distribution box, and within the leachfield

Characterization report for Area 23, Building 650 Leachfield, Corrective Action Unit Number 94, Nevada Test Site. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-27

Corrective Action Unit (CAU) Number 94, Building 650 Leachfield, is an historic laboratory disposal unit located in Area 23 at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in Nye County, Nevada. The objectives of this project were twofold: characterize subsurface conditions at the CAU with respect to the on-site disposal unit, and provide sufficient information to develop a closure strategy for the leachfield. To this end, subsurface sampling was conducted in the vicinity of the piping above the distribution box, under and around the distribution box, and within the leachfield.

Common Problems Experienced by First Year Alternatively Certified Teachers: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Li-Ching; Smith, Cary Stacy

2012-01-01

The teacher shortage throughout the United States, especially in areas considered "at-risk," has reached an alarming level. Novice teachers often decide not to return after one year of service, with the number of teachers not returning doubling at five years. One possible means of overcoming these two problems is alternative…

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Gyunyoung [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future.

Case Study of Multi-Unit Risk: Multi-Unit Station Black-Out

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Kyemin; Jang, Seung-cheol; Heo, Gyunyoung

2015-01-01

After Fukushima Daiichi Accident, importance and public concern for Multi-Unit Risk (MUR) or Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) have been increased. Most of nuclear power plant sites in the world have more than two units. These sites have been facing the problems of MUR or accident such as Fukushima. In case of South Korea, there are generally more than four units on the same site and even more than ten units are also expected. In other words, sites in South Korea also have been facing same problems. Considering number of units on the same site, potential of these problems may be larger than other countries. The purpose of this paper is to perform case study based on another paper submitted in the conference. MUR is depended on various site features such as design, shared systems/structures, layout, environmental condition, and so on. Considering various dependencies, we assessed Multi-Unit Station Black-out (MSBO) accident based on Hanul Unit 3 and 4 model. In this paper, case study for multi-unit risk or PSA had been performed. Our result was incomplete to assess total multi-unit risk because of two challenging issues. First, economic impact had not been evaluated to estimate multi-unit risk. Second, large uncertainties were included in our result because of various assumptions. These issues must be resolved in the future

Closure Report for the 92-Acre Area and Corrective Action Unit 111: Area 5 WMD Retired Mixed Waste Pits, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NSTec Environmental Restoration

2012-02-21

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting closure of the 92-Acre Area, which includes Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 111, 'Area 5 WMD Retired Mixed Waste Pits.' This CR provides documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and confirmation that the closure objectives were met. This CR complies with the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFACO) (FFACO, 1996 [as amended March 2010]). Closure activities began in January 2011 and were completed in January 2012. Closure activities were conducted according to Revision 1 of the Corrective Action Decision Document/Corrective Action Plan (CADD/CAP) for the 92-Acre Area and CAU 111 (U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office [NNSA/NSO], 2010). The following closure activities were performed: (1) Construct an engineered evapotranspiration cover over the boreholes, trenches, and pits in the 92-Acre Area; (2) Install use restriction (UR) warning signs, concrete monuments, and subsidence survey monuments; and (3) Establish vegetation on the covers. UR documentation is included as Appendix C of this report. The post-closure plan is presented in detail in Revision 1 of the CADD/CAP for the 92-Acre Area and CAU 111, and the requirements are summarized in Section 5.2 of this document. When the next request for modification of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit NEV HW0101 is submitted to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), the requirements for post-closure monitoring of the 92-Acre Area will be included. NNSA/NSO requests the following: (1) A Notice of Completion from NDEP to NNSA/NSO for closure of CAU 111; and (2) The transfer of CAU 111 from Appendix III to Appendix IV, Closed Corrective Action Units, of the FFACO.

Closure Report for the 92-Acre Area and Corrective Action Unit 111: Area 5 WMD Retired Mixed Waste Pits, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada